Indonesia Society News: Social Issues & Education

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Jakarta Post
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Toxic forest fire pollution chokes children’s health

Nearly half of acute respiratory illness cases caused by wildfire in Sumatra and Kalimantan recorded in the past two months are children who are more vulnerable to wildfire haze because of their biological conditions.

14 hours ago
Society premium

Diaspora feel ‘left out’ of dual nationality proposal

Various officials have raised ideas to give dual citizenship for people with Indonesian descent with “exceptional talents”, but some Indonesian diaspora conveyed that such a scheme should also be opened regardless of potential contribution to the country. ...

1 day ago
Society premium

Fires in Indonesia burned over 1.9 million hectares through September: monitor

The figure, an area nearly 12 times larger than London, is a conservative estimate in part because haze has complicated satellite verification, said David Gaveau, founder of deforestation monitoring site Nusantara Atlas. ...

2 days ago

The Latest

Society premium

Government accused of limiting access to forestry data amid raging wildfires

The Forestry Ministry is accused of restricting data amid widespread wildfires raging the country, as it threatens criminal charges against unauthorized copy and use of geospatial data crucial for tracking deforestation and fire hot spots.

5 days ago
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Deadly Ciputat blast put free meals safety under scrutiny

A deadly explosion at a warehouse in Cimanggis Market in Ciputat, South Tangerang, on Wednesday has raised questions about safety oversight across the government’s free nutritious meal program, as police investigate whether the facility was part of the initiative’s supply chain.

6 days ago
Society premium

Bocelli concerts face uncertainty after MUI opposition

The Indonesian Ulema Council’s (MUI) objection to Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli’s planned concerts, given his past activities linked to Israel, has put the events under a cloud, with the Tourism Ministry signaling it would respect the council’s position.

1 week ago
Society premium

Teachers push for better pay in education bill

Teachers have urged the House of Representatives to revise the national education law to strengthen teacher governance, including by guaranteeing minimum salaries and better welfare regardless of employment status.

1 week ago
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People with mental illness need greater say in care

While Indonesia grapples with gaps in mental health services, people with mental illness should have a greater say in their care and be involved in treatment decisions to better support recovery, a media briefing held to mark World Mental Health Day has said.

1 week ago
Society premium

Free-meal buffet trial leaves safety risks unresolved

A buffet-style system currently being tested under President Prabowo Subianto’s free meals program does not eliminate the risk of food contamination, as meals are still prepared at kitchens outside school complexes and must be transported to schools. 

1 week ago
Society premium

Indonesia flags Meta’s gaps in child safety compliance

Indonesia has again urged Meta to comply with the country’s Child Protection in Digital Space Regulation, known as PP TUNAS, singling out its Threads platform for failing to report any action against underage users more than six months after the regulation took effect.

1 week ago
Society

Indonesian teachers need a say in school AI policies, Cambridge says

Teaching the use of artificial intelligence at schools has become the quiet responsibility of teachers in Indonesia and worldwide to develop the practical knowledge of what responsible AI integration actually looks like.

1 week ago
Society premium

BGN tests buffet-style free school meals, citing Japan model

National Nutrition Agency (BGN) chairman Sudaryono said that the trial was aimed at assessing whether the system could improve food quality and safety by shortening the time between cooking and consumption.

1 week ago
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Filling the void: Mothers, volunteers step up to fight wildfire

Local volunteers are eager to help put out forest fires across the country, but some have received little to no support or resources necessary to perform their duty.

1 week ago
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Breathing gets harder as haze blankets Southeast Asia

More than two months into haze crisis, worsening air quality and mounting health concerns are fueling frustration among residents and renewed calls for authorities to hold those responsible for the fires accountable.

2 weeks ago
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Women turn forest foods into new livelihoods

What grows wild in Indonesia’s forests is finding a new place on the table, as women from forest communities turn overlooked ingredients into food products, delicacies and new sources of income.

2 weeks ago
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Public health measures urged amid El Niño's extreme heat

In a study aiming at quantifying the relationship between temperature and excess mortality, researchers projected that Indonesia may see almost 20,000 extra heat-related deaths during this El Niño season.

2 weeks ago
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Government to investigate post-quake death toll among NTT evacuees

By late September, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported at least 108 people had died while taking shelter after the 7.7-magnitude earthquake jolted Flores Island in NTT on Aug. 15. The number of people who were killed directly by the disaster was 48, according to official records.

2 weeks ago
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Court ruling on nutrition label welcomed to promote consumer health

Health and consumer rights groups have welcomed a recent Constitutional Court ruling that called for a regulation of sugar, salt and fat labelings on food and beverage products in order to strengthen consumer health protection.

2 weeks ago
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Police name train driver suspect amid wider systemic factors

The National Police have named the driver of the Argo Bromo Anggrek long-distance train a suspect over a fatal collision in Bekasi, West Java, prompting questions among experts over other factors found by the transportation safety committee that pointed to more systemic failures.

2 weeks ago
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Water concerns triggers suspension of West Java data center project

The planned data center site, owned by Singapore-based firm BDx Data Centers, is located roughly 5 kilometers from the Jatiluhur Dam, the main source of clean water for the Greater Jakarta area and irrigation for farms in the western part of West Java.

2 weeks ago
Society premium

Govt to audit haj fund management to curb frauds

Efforts to improve governance on haj management done by the Haj and Umrah Ministry had resulted in the reduced waiting time for pilgrims under state-subsidized regular program from 49 years to 14 years. 

3 weeks ago
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Government shores up BPJS Kesehatan as gaps persist

The government’s planned Rp 20 trillion injection into national health insurance provider BPJS Kesehatan will help shore up its finances in the final months of the year, but analysts say the insurer needs broader reforms to address its cash-flow problems.

3 weeks ago
Society

Indonesian wildfires threaten critically-endangered orangutan: IUCN

Fires are currently burning within habitats containing 52 percent of Borneo's orangutan population, including 13 of the 20 largest remaining populations, according to the conservation body.

3 weeks ago
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Indonesians still have low awareness against pneumonia: Survey

Only 15 percent of Indonesians have heard about pneumococcal pneumonia and understand what it means, according to a survey by YouGov of 1,000 respondents in Indonesia.

3 weeks ago
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Tangerang church disruption rekindles fears among minorities

Kinari, a Protestant from South Tangerang, feared that allowing intimidation to end with an apology could encourage more serious acts in the future. She also pointed to what she saw as a double standard in the treatment of religious minorities.

3 weeks ago
Society

Respiratory problems climb past 170,000 cases in Indonesia

Blazes in Kalimantan, Sumatra and Papua have blanketed parts of the country, as well as neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore, sending air quality indices plummeting.

3 weeks ago
Society premium

RSPO integrity tested as wildfires hit orangutan habitat

Independent monitoring and analyses found thousands of land inside oil palm concessions operated by companies certified by the global certifier group have been burned, with some fires threatening habitats of local biodiversity such as the Bornean orangutan.

3 weeks ago
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Crew member from missing Anak Krakatau boat identified

The crew member’s body from the missing boat of journalists covering the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau on Sept. 7 was initially found on Enggano Island in Bengkulu, around 350 kilometers west of the volcano in the Sunda Strait.

3 weeks ago
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Agrarian reform bill gets mixed reaction

The bill’s passage served as a gift for farmers ahead of National Farmers Day, which is commemorated every Sept. 24, said Baleg deputy chair Ahmad Iman Sukri.

4 weeks ago
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NTT earthquake death figures prompt calls for investigation

According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), at least 94 people of the total 142 casualties recorded after the 7.7-magnitude earthquake jolting Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) died in evacuation shelters after the disaster.

1 month ago

Today's ePost

Wed, October 21, 2026

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