Communications and Information Technology Minister Johnny G. Plate first confirmed the news of Harmoko’s passing on Sunday.

Indonesia is facing its darkest pandemic days ahead as local hospitals grapple with soaring cases amid shortages of ICUs and oxygen tanks.

Emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM Darurat), which include tighter travel checks and road closures, have been in place across Java and Bali since Saturday, and authorities say the first two days have gone well.

Indonesian government is working with digital platforms and telecommunication service providers to track public mobility during the emergency public activity restrictions from July 3 to 20.

All intercity and inter-province travelers are required to show proof of at least one vaccine shot and a negative COVID-19 test.

As it battles one of Asia's worst virus outbreaks, Indonesia reported 27,913 new infections in the latest of many peaks over the past two weeks.

The death count is less than Friday's 539 fatalities.

Some residents of Jakarta and Bandung, West Java have opted not to panic buy basic necessities ahead of the first day of the emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM Darurat) on Saturday.

Mosques, restaurants and shopping malls were shuttered in virus hotspots around the Muslim-majority country, which recorded more than 25,000 new cases and 539 deaths on Friday, both new daily records.

As it battles one of Asia's worst coronavirus outbreaks, Indonesia has seen record new infections on eight of the past 12 days, with Friday bringing 25,830 cases and a high of 539 deaths.

Only equipped for basic health care, her facility has had to treat COVID-19 patients even though it lacks the life-saving ventilators and intensive care units they sometimes require.

A deadly second wave of COVID-19 has taken a devastating toll on the country's doctors, nurses and other health workers, many of who are becoming ill from overwork or demoralized from watching their colleagues fall to the virus.

The government’s decision on Thursday to impose vast emergency health and mobility restrictions across Java and Bali is designed to stem the alarming surge of COVID-19 cases, but experts remain unconvinced that the policy can halt the pace of the outbreak given what some regard as the lackluster provisions.

Rights group the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has criticized the National Police for brutality and digital repression in a report released on Wednesday, a day before Bhayangkara Day, on which the police commemorated their 75th anniversary.

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors are seeking five years in prison and a fine of Rp 400 million (US$27,750) for former maritime affairs and fisheries minister Edhy Prabowo in a bribery case pertaining to lobster larvae exports.

Prefacing his announcement that Indonesia now has 105 million vaccine bulk units after the latest shipment arrived on Wednesday, the health minister cautioned that rigorously following the health protocols was still needed whether people had been vaccinated or not.

There has been a near vertical climb in virus cases in the world's fourth most populous nation in recent weeks, prompting health experts to warn that the outbreak could be as bad as India's devastating second wave if tighter measures are not introduced.

The government is on the cusp of announcing new and stricter lockdown measures amid soaring COVID-19 case numbers and some competition among sections of government.

The country has been hit by a surge in cases this month, with new records on six days since June 21 including a daily high of over 21,807 on Wednesday, putting pressure on the government to impose tighter measures.

Dozens of survivors were plucked from the water Tuesday evening after the KMP Yunicee, carrying 57 passengers and crew, went down near Gilimanuk port at the western end of the holiday island.

As the government prepares to tighten health protocols and mobility restrictions across Java and Bali, experts have called on members of the general population to do what they can to prevent the crisis from spiraling out of control.

The government has announced record daily COVID-19 infections of more than 20,000 in recent days, in a new wave fueled by the emergence of highly transmissible virus variants and increased mobility after the Ramadan fasting month.

The government is set to introduce stricter restrictions in the fight against the second wave of COVID-19 infections, primarily driven by the more transmissible Delta variant, which has overwhelmed the healthcare system, an official has confirmed.

Panelists from The Jakarta Post's UpClose webinar on sustainable oceans and fisheries contend that prioritizing small-scale fishing and eradicating illegal poaching practices will ensure that Indonesia achieves sustainability in its maritime and fisheries sector.

Activists have slammed the University of Indonesia's move to summons members of its student body following a post criticizing President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo that called him the "King of Lip Service". 

The coronavirus pandemic has devastated the economy of Bali, for decades a magnet for holidaymakers thanks to its spectacular beaches, vibrant nightlife and distinctive Hindu culture.

Indonesia has reported record daily COVID-19 infections of more than 20,000 in recent days, in a new wave of infections fueled by the emergence of highly transmissible virus variants and increased mobility after the Muslim fasting month.

Several people charged with the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law recount their stories in a book recently published by a coalition of rights groups, hoping the government will consider to revise the draconian cyberlaw.

Despite the ongoing nationwide surge in COVID-19 cases, the positivity rate has remained relatively unchanged, a sign that Indonesia's pandemic response is still hamstrung by low testing capacity and a shortage in medical resources.

Education services offered by private educational institutions will soon become subject to value-added tax (VAT) in the latest government tax plan, fueling concerns that it will increase the cost of education for those without access to state schools while putting the burden on private providers.