A deadly explosion during the disposal of expired ammunition by the Army in Garut, West Java, on Monday has raised concerns over the enforcement of safety standards.

The National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) released on Sunday a student from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) who was briefly detained for allegedly making and sharing a meme that mocked President Prabowo Subianto and his predecessor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

The Indonesian Military’s (TNI) expanded deployment of personnel to provide security protection for prosecutors nationwide has once again landed the institution in hot water for stoking fears of military intervention in the judicial realm.

President Prabowo Subianto has ruled out issuing an executive regulation on the recovery of stolen state assets, opting instead to push for deliberations of a long-stalled asset forfeiture bill with the House of Representatives.

The Constitutional Court will hear at least 14 petitions filed by university students, civic groups and private citizens challenging the newly enacted Indonesian Military (TNI) Law revision, which was controversially passed despite widespread public opposition.

Two judges each received a seven-year prison sentence, while the third judge received 10 years, for accepting bribes totaling Rp 4.6 billion (US$278,459) to acquit a former lawmaker’s son from all charges in a murder case in Surabaya, East Java.

The unexpected return of Hasan Nasbi as head of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) and the appointment of a new spokesperson has sparked questions about the future direction and responsibilities of the office he leads.

Several new articles included in the revised State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Law suggest that state-owned firm’s directors, commissioners and supervisory board members are not considered state officials, potentially limiting the antigraft body’s authority over them.

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has arrested a social media “buzzer” on suspicion of impeding the investigation into three high-profile corruption cases relating to palm oil and sugar exports, as well as in the tin sector.

The National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) has uncovered a money-laundering scheme involving Rp 530 billion (US$32 million) allegedly obtained from online gambling.

The House ethics council has ordered Gerindra lawmaker Ahmad Dhani to issue a public apology for derogatory comments he made on two separate occasions, which it ruled was a violation of the legislature's code of ethics.

A recent attempt to reshuffle top Indonesian Military (TNI) officers, which was followed almost immediately by its reversal, has raised fresh concerns over growing political interference in the armed forces.

Former Pertamina president director Nicke Widyawati was among 12 witnesses questioned by AGO investigators in the corruption case pertaining to fuel import in the state-owned energy company.

President Prabowo Subianto has made it clear he is in full control of his administration, brushing off perceptions of being under former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s shadow.

Head of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Hasan Nasbi has resumed his role after receiving a directive to remain at the post, weeks after he submitted his resignation.

The Defense Ministry is planning to utilize medical laboratories owned by the Indonesian Military’s (TNI) three branches to produce drugs and distribute them through the Red and White Village Cooperatives Program in a bid to lower medicine prices and improve distribution.

Having control over most of the House of Representatives should be enough for President Prabowo Subianto to push for deliberations of the long-awaited asset forfeiture bill, which is expected to be used to help the country in fighting against corruption.

Indonesia is in a “difficult situation” in terms of press freedom due to increased intimidation by police and military personnel, as well as increasing financial instability that often leads to layoffs and salary cuts amid few economic protections for journalists.

The press is facing mounting repression, with journalists reporting growing intimidation and attacks, sparking concerns over the state of media freedom as the country transitions into President Prabowo Subianto’s administration.

An abortive order to transfer Lt. Gen. Kunto Arief Wibowo, the son of former vice president Try Sutrisno, on his tour of duty has fueled rife speculation of an emerging rift within the military, following calls by a group of retired generals to impeach Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

Just six months into office, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has already faced a groundswell of public discontent, with critics persistently seeing him as a symbol of dynastic privilege while opponents cast doubts on his legitimacy and public image.

President Prabowo Subianto has conveyed his willingness to name Marsinah, a labor activist who was murdered during the New Order era, a national hero, following suggestions from workers during the commemoration of International Labor Day on Thursday.

Prabowo said that state assets, which naturally belong to all citizens of a nation, should all be controlled by the government based on the 1945 State Constitution. 

Human rights groups have called for further reform on the draconian cyberlaw often used to silence freedom of speech, following a much-celebrated Constitutional Court ruling this week that bans the government and companies from filing defamation reports against its critics.

Amnesty International annual human rights report raises a red flag on a decline in freedom of expression and the press as well as an increase in oppression by security forces against government critics, sounding an alarm against the rise of authoritarianism in Indonesia.

Human rights activists have said the Electronic Information and Transaction Law is a threat to freedom of speech in the country and that the government has used it to criminalise its critics. 

Six months after stepping down from the nation’s top post, former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has been the target of a barrage of lawsuits, which analysts say underscores the accumulated disapproval over his presidency.

In a statement published on Tuesday, Hasan said that he tendered his resignation on April 21 to both State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.

A proposal to reinstate Surakarta’s special designation status has resurfaced, potentially paving the way for the hometown of former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to be separated from Central Java, long considered a stronghold of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

The Higher Education, Science and Technology Ministry has downplayed public concerns that the Indonesian Military’s (TNI) involvement in university teaching could stifle academic freedom and student expression.