As the specter of privatization again rises over the city’s utility service, a civil coalition is advocating for Jakartans concerned that the planned restructuring of PAM Jaya from a city-owned to a limited liability company will ultimately lead to commodification of the basic resource and further cut off access for the urban poor.

Blok M, once a haven for small traders and bargain hunters, is fast becoming a symbol of Jakarta’s gentrification, where its revival as a trendy transit-oriented hub has fueled soaring rents and forced long-time vendors out.

Jakarta City Council has come under public scrutiny over its lavish housing allowance, reportedly surpassing the benefits previously given to House of Representatives members, which sparked the recent weeklong protests nationwide.

Crowds, led by students, workers and rights groups, took to the streets of Jakarta last week to protest against MPs' housing allowances. Unrest spread across the country after a police vehicle hit and killed a motorcycle taxi driver at one rally.

The WFH directive had been in effect since Friday, following a surge in demonstrations triggered by the death of 21-year-old motorcycle taxi driver Affan Kurniawan. He was fatally struck on Thursday by a tactical police vehicle near the Senayan Legislative Complex in Central Jakarta when dispersing unruly crowds.

Policy inconsistencies, ad hoc measures and social factors like the perceived prestige of private vehicles are just some of the speed bumps on Jakarta's road to becoming a global city, according to a local official and urban experts.

Health authorities in Jakarta accelerate childhood vaccination following a surge in measles cases in its poor, crowded neighborhoods.

Protests over lawmakers' exorbitant housing allowance have escalated into angry crowds breaking into the homes of at least four officials, including the finance minister.

Hundreds of workers protested in front of the House of Representatives complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta on Thursday to demand a revision to the labor law and ways to ensure better work protection across the country.

The Jakarta administration’s plan to trim sidewalks along the heavily congested TB Simatupang road in South Jakarta has sparked widespread criticism, with critics warning it undermines pedestrian rights and contradicts the city’s vision of becoming a “global city”.

The Jakarta administration continues to stage job fairs in an effort to curb unemployment, despite criticism over the relatively low number of successful hires from past events, widely attributed to a mismatch between applicants’ skills and market needs.

While Jakarta governor Pramono Anung’s proposal for a night zoo offers the prospect of a new recreational experience and economic opportunities, experts caution that animal welfare must remain the top priority. 

Although the Bekasi quake caused no casualties or major structural damage, both the central government and local administrations across Greater Jakarta must remain alert to the risks of land-based quakes given West Java’s many active faults.

Jakarta is considered a good model for Car Free Day (CFD) activities because the city administration clearly separates spaces for exercising and economic activities.

A spate of train derailments this month has raised concerns over Indonesia’s railway safety and sparked renewed calls for greater investment in infrastructure maintenance, as experts warn that underfunding and poor oversight may be putting lives at risk.

After years in limbo, Kampung Bayam residents have finally agreed to relocate to a low-cost apartment complex designated for them despite concerns over high rent, as their temporary housing arrangement nears its end.

A renewed interest in traditional games has led to a shift from digital screens to schoolyards and playgrounds, as well as adults joining in on the fun at parks and festivals.

Jakarta is grappling with an alarming surge in fire incidents this year, with blazes tearing through densely packed neighborhoods and vital infrastructure, all while the city’s firefighting force struggles to keep up amid chronic understaffing.

As living costs rise and disposable income shrinks, many Jakartans are increasingly turning to malls not for shopping, but for strolling. Window shopping, once considered a casual pastime, has become a meaningful part of urban life, offering comfort and even emotional relief amid economic pressure.

Despite recent official data indicating a decline in the national poverty rate, the lived reality on the ground–particularly in urban centers like Jakarta–suggests a more sobering situation, as rising layoffs and the growing cost of living continue to erode household purchasing power.

Vietnam’s 1-0 victory in the final match of the 2025 ASEAN U-23 Championship match with Indonesia marks its third consecutive title in the competition, making it the most successful team in the tournament.

The Jakarta Police have found no signs of criminal activity or participation of any other individuals in the death of Foreign Ministry employee Arya Daru Pangayunan, whose body was found on his bed with his head covered in a plastic bag and wrapped with yellow duct tape earlier this month.

The blaze is believed to have been triggered by an electrical malfunction, the leading cause of fire incidents in Jakarta.

As Jakarta continues to expand public transportation services, people laud the newest Transjakarta electric bus route connecting Blok M in South Jakarta with Ancol in North Jakarta, two of the capital’s major tourism hubs.

A recent medical report by the Jakarta administration reveals a worrying trend among its civil servants where more than half live with obesity, prompting Governor Pramono Anung to call for an urgent shift in lifestyle habits, including regular exercise, to reduce the risk of chronic illness and improve public service performance.

In Kapuk Muara, a densely populated neighborhood in North Jakarta’s Penjaringan district, dozens of residents have spent nearly a month relying on water sold in blue plastic barrels after pipeline leaks left their tap water unsafe for use or consumption.

A deadly fire that broke out over the weekend at a semipermanent structure in Bukit Duri, a densely populated subdistrict in Tebet, South Jakarta, has once again drawn attention to the persistent high risks posed by poor electricity infrastructure across the capital.

On the edge of Jakarta’s vanishing public coastline, 80-year-old Asih bends over a pile of washed-up plastic, salvaging what she can to sell. The sea, once her companion and provider, is now nearly out of reach, obscured by towering embankments and the hum of construction.

The Jakarta Environment Agency started testing the refused-derived fuel (RDF) plant in Rorotan, North Jakarta ahead of its reopening in September, after the site was closed following complaints from local residents about thick and smelly smoke.

Following the Jakarta city administration’s plan to ban the iconic ondel-ondel (giant Betawi effigy) buskers from streets, city council members and historians have called for deeper integration of Betawi culture into the school curriculum to ensure its continuity and relevance among the younger generation.