Progress for the establishment of Sekolah Rakyat (People’s Schools), President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship program that targets impoverished students, is picking up pace as the Social Affairs Ministry prepares to recruit teachers ahead of the schools' kickoff this July.

Experts blame the dwindling life quality caused by the government’s policies as one of the main causes of Indonesia’s dropping in this year’s global happiness report; a reality that is balanced by acts of generosity toward others driven by the need for self-comfort.

The government has launched a subsidized housing program for journalists, aiming to allocate 1,000 units this year as part of its effort to ensure access to affordable housing for media workers across the country.

Legendary singer and songwriter Titiek Puspa died at the age 87 on Thursday of complications from a brain hemorrhage.

The ongoing revision of the 2002 Broadcasting Law must regulate the use of artificial intelligence in broadcasting to ensure ethical usage of the technology and safeguard good journalism practices, media practitioners and journalist organizations have said.

While a regulation on performance bonuses has been signed, the Higher Education, Science and Technology Ministry says that the government may need longer time to disburse the money to lecturers with civil servant status across the country.

Human rights advocates have denounced the government’s “double standard” on capital punishment, following a recent report that revealed its ongoing tendency to hand down the death penalty, while simultaneously repatriating a number of death row convicts to their respective home countries.

The number of death sentences in Indonesia continues to rise over the years, making the Southeast Asian country a significant contributor to the death sentence figure globally as recorded executions hit their highest level since 2015.

The government will implement strict oversight and enforce penalties for civil servants who fail to return to work this week, despite the remote work policy, as the extended Idul Fitri holiday comes to an end.

The Government Regulation (PP) on electronic system providers governance in child protection signed on March 28 mandates that online platforms prioritize child protection over commercial pursuits and forbids them from commodifying children.

The police recorded 2,110 accidents between March 23 and Wednesday, down 21 percent from last year's figure.

The number of accidents during this year’s Idul Fitri mudik (exodus) dropped 31 percent compared to last year as travel flows remained smooth, authorities have reported.

The government will prepare various strategies to anticipate the congestion, including by implementing a contraflow traffic scheme.

Marking the first palace gathering of his presidency, the President is slated to host an Idul Fitri "open house" after performing the holiday prayers at Istiqlal Mosque on Monday morning.

Combining astrological and traditional methods, the Religious Affairs Ministry's moonsighting committee has determined that the first day of Idul Fitri falls on March 31, which also means that members of both NU and Muhammadiyah will be celebrating the holiday on the same date this year.

Millions of Muslims often face questions on when the Ramadan or Idul Fitri holidays will fall, which depends on how religious authorities observe the moon to determine the Hijriah Islamic calendar.

The government is aiming to better align the vocational education sector with the job market through two new policies that will provide students opportunities for upskilling at job training centers as well as prospective jobs overseas upon graduation.

The country is likely to see a more reserved Idul Fitri this year as fewer people participate in the mudik (exodus) tradition amid financial hardship, widespread layoffs and President Prabowo Subianto’s sweeping austerity measures.

A work-from-anywhere (WFA) policy for civil servants and earlier school holidays for students have contributed to an earlier mudik (exodus) ahead of this year's Idul Fitri holiday, as suggested by data compiled by authorities.

A ministry official reported that the total gross deforestation for 2024 was 216,200 ha, offset by reforestation efforts covering 40,800 ha, resulting in a net loss of 175,400 ha.

The government has stressed that no institution is obliged to provide holiday bonuses ahead of Idul Fitri (THR) to civil society organizations, commonly referred as ormas (mass organizations).

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) vows to pay thousands of its development pioneer scholar (SPPI) employees, who have not been paid since the free meals program started in January, before the Idul Fitri holidays.

Newly recruited civil servants (CASN) and government contract employees (PPPK) have taken the government’s claim that it will move up their start dates with a grain of salt, noting that the authorities could still change their minds amid the “budget-cutting season”.

The Indonesians were all rescued from Myawaddy on Monday. Later that same day, they crossed over the Second Friendship Bridge into Mae Sot in western Thailand, where they received health examinations.

Myanmar's Myawaddy scam centres are part of a Southeast Asia network involving criminal gangs trafficking hundreds of thousands of people to help generate illicit revenues running into billions of dollars a year, according to the United Nations.

The National Police have pledged to protect businesses from extortion and take “firm action” against members of mass organizations involved in such illicit activities, which have reportedly hindered investment in the country. 

Cyberscam operations, which have thrived in Myanmar's lawless border areas for several years, lure foreign workers with promises of high-paying jobs but hold them hostage and force them to commit online fraud. 

The government has insisted on resuming President Prabowo Subianto's flagship free nutritious meal program during the fasting month of Ramadan by making some adjustments to the menu including by providing ultra-processed foods for school children, drawing criticism from nutritionists.

Indonesia is set to lift a moratorium on sending Indonesian workers to Saudi Arabia, expecting it to offer 600,000 job opportunities mostly for domestic workers that could contribute to around Rp 31 trillion (US$1.89 billion) in foreign exchange earnings.

Migrant Worker Protection Minister Abdul Kadir Karding meets with President Prabowo Subianto on March 14 to talk about issues pertaining to Indonesian migrant workers abroad, including a plan to end a moratorium on sending Indonesian workers to Saudi Arabia.