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Jakarta Post
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‘I Must Die’ billboards trigger backlash over suicide messaging

Promotional billboards for the horror film “Aku Harus Mati” (I Must Die) have drawn widespread criticism over concerns that they could encourage suicidal ideation, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children, amid rising mental health issues among the country’s youth.

18 hours ago
Society premium

Communications ministry’s video game ratings draw backlash for erratic age labels

The Communications and Digital Ministry’s newly implemented content rating system for video games has come in for criticism for its arbitrary age classification, prompting concerns among players and developers about the availability of games in Indonesia. ...

1 day ago
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State-led projects drive soaring forest loss in Indonesia, watchdog finds

An environmental watchdog has found that over 430,000 hectares of forest areas were cut down last year, primarily for realizing President Prabowo Subianto’s food and energy self-sufficiency agenda. ...

2 days ago

The Latest

Society premium

Jakarta police arrest alleged hacker using Bjorka alias

When asked whether WFT was the infamous hacker Bjorka, responsible for alleged data breaches targeting several government institutions between 2022 and 2024, Fian said authorities have not yet confirmed this, noting that “everybody can be anybody on the internet.”

6 months ago
Society premium

Court hands down lenient sentences in Undip medical bullying case

Aulia's body was discovered on Aug. 12, 2024, in her rented room. Her death was reportedly attributed to a fatal overdose from self-injected tranquilizers. The anesthesiologist is believed to have been bullied during her residency at Dr. Kariadi Central General Hospital in the provincial capital, as described in her personal diary found at the scene

6 months ago
Society premium

Deadly boarding school collapse exposes failures in construction safety

The collapse of an Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, which killed several people and left dozens missing has cast a harsh spotlight on Indonesia’s weak construction safety standards and the shortcomings of local administrations in monitoring urban development.

6 months ago
Society premium

Pertamina ensures fuel supply despite Dumai refinery fire

Wednesday’s fire was the second in just over two years as Dumai Refinery suffered from a fire in April 2023, which was caused by hydrogen leakage.

6 months ago
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Government confirms widespread radioactive contamination at Banten industrial hub

An investigation into suspected radioactive contamination at the Cikande Industrial Estate commenced in August after the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) detected Cs-137 contamination in a sample of frozen shrimp imported from Indonesia. The shrimp originated from PT Bahari Makmur Sejati, a company operating within the Cikande area.

6 months ago
Society

Indonesia's MotoGP project leaves evicted villagers in limbo

The motorbike-mad country of 270 million people will welcome newly-crowned MotoGP champion Marc Marquez to Lombok island this weekend for the first race since he matched Valentino Rossi's seven titles with victory in Japan.

6 months ago
Society premium

Stop the sirens: Jakartans call to end officials’ road privileges

Jakarta residents are rallying behind a viral call to end officials’ traffic privileges, arguing that police escorts and blaring sirens add chaos to already congested streets and symbolize inequality on the road.

6 months ago
Society premium

Stale and sickly: Parents fear free school meals

Parents are growing increasingly concerned about the government’s free nutritious meals program for schoolchildren amid a spike in food poisoning cases nationwide, with many fearing their children could suffer food poisoning next.

6 months ago
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Return of ‘Java Man’ fossil hailed, may open door for more ancient human study

‘Java Man’, or remains of a Homo erectus unearthed by Dutch geologist Eugene Dubois in Java, were used to suggest the existence of early human in Asia, challenging prevailing theories that ancient human only emerged in Africa and Europe.

6 months ago
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Govt insists on keeping free meals program running

The government insists on keeping the free nutritious meal program running and will only close problematic kitchens temporarily for investigation, despite numbers of food poisoning cases continuing to increase among school students.

6 months ago
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Education bill revision puts focus on budget allocation

With the Education Law revision set to bring sweeping changes, teachers and observers urge lawmakers to bring the revised law to reform how the constitutionally mandated 20 percent of state spending on education is allocated.

6 months ago
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Indonesian crew stranded off coast of Mozambique for nearly a year finally evacuated

The nine Indonesian crew members boarded the Gabon-flagged LNG tanker Gas Falcon in October last year. However, since November 2024, the vessel has been barred from leaving Beira, a coastal city approximately an hour’s flight from Maputo, because of legal disputes involving its owner.

6 months ago
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Pink and green: Colors of resistance, symbols of solidarity

Born from the streets and carried into the digital realm, two colors, pink and green, have become symbols of grief, courage and resistance in Indonesia’s latest wave of protests.

6 months ago
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Food poisoning surge prompts mass calls for free meals review

Civil society organizations are calling on the government to conduct a “total reevaluation” of the flagship free nutritious meal program in the wake of widespread food poisoning cases at schools across the country.

6 months ago
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MUI confirms Chinese-made food trays for free meal program tainted with pork lard

BGN head Dadan Hindayana, stated that the majority of trays used in the program were produced locally using plant-based lubricants. However, he acknowledged that Indonesia still imports approximately 4 million trays per month, as domestic manufacturers are unable to meet the growing demand.

6 months ago
Society premium

Indonesia speeds up plans for haj village project in Mecca

The government is accelerating plans to build special accommodation for Indonesian pilgrims in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, with construction of the so-called haj village expected to begin as early as the end of this year, following an instruction from President Prabowo Subianto to improve services.

6 months ago
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Authorities launch probe after student died of suspected mpox infection

Since Indonesia confirmed its first mpox case in 2022, the country has recorded 181 cases, including two fatalities.

6 months ago
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Calls grow to suspend free meal program after mass poisoning

President Prabowo Subianto’s free meals program faces mounting calls for suspension following repeated cases of mass poisoning that have heightened public concern over food safety and mismanagement.

6 months ago
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Child obesity surges as junk food, sugary drinks take over

A surge in childhood obesity across Indonesia is raising the alarm, with experts warning that the country’s children face a greater risk of diabetes, heart disease and other life-threatening illnesses as junk food replaces healthier diets.

6 months ago
Society

Over 800 students suffer mass food poisoning from free meals program

From the program's launch in January, when the program was launched, over 4,000 children have been hit by food poisoning after consuming the meals, according to INDEF.

6 months ago
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Quality, not quantity: Teachers push back against free meals expansion plan

Teachers and education observers are urging the government to focus on improving teachers' welfare and the quality of meals served to schoolchildren, as well as refocus on the program's original aim to tackle childhood stunting.

6 months ago
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Plan to cap social media accounts sparks debate over online freedoms

Second Deputy Communications and Digital Minister Nezar Patria said earlier this week that the ministry was reviewing the measure, which would require each resident to maintain only one social media account, and that it had recently gained traction in the House of Representatives.

6 months ago
Society premium

Smart screens expose paradox in education policies

President Prabowo Subianto’s plan to equip hundreds of thousands of schools nationwide with smart screens has drawn cautious responses from education experts, who warn that the program may fall short if deeper structural problems in the sector remain unresolved.

6 months ago
Society premium

Forest fire still high in 2025 despite wetter dry season

Of at least 218,000 hectares with indications of being burned between January and August this year, nearly half were located in concession areas linked to oil palm, oil and gas and mineral mining businesses, a report discovered.

6 months ago
Society premium

Two Army soldiers arrested in BRI branch manager killing

Chief Sgt. N was allegedly directly involved in the kidnapping and homicide of the head of a state-owned Bank Rakyat Indonesia branch location in Central Jakarta, while Second Cpl. FH was suspected of recruiting other people for the criminal act.

6 months ago
Society premium

Former navy top brass warns on inflation of generals in TNI

There are 23 general-level officers posted in Riau Islands, 19 flag officers in the Indonesian Military (TNI) and four police generals.

6 months ago
Society

Indonesia faces greater flood risk this wet season, says weather agency

The wet season in Indonesia starts this month and ends in April 2026, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency head Dwikorita Karnawati said in a news conference. 

6 months ago
Society

Indonesia faces greater flood risk this wet season: Weather agency

The wet season in the archipelago starts this month and ends in April 2026, with peaks expected between November and February in most parts of the country.

6 months ago
Society premium

West Java family tragedy exposes silent toll of mental health crisis

A mother’s suicide in West Java, which also claimed the lives of her two children, has cast a harsh spotlight on Indonesia’s deepening mental health crisis, where economic hardship, stigma and limited access to care continue to drive rising, yet vastly underreported, cases of self-harm.

6 months ago
Society premium

Forest loss leads to heat-related deaths in Indonesia: Study

Indonesia has the largest number of people in the world affected by warming temperatures due to deforestation, with around 49 million people impacted, according to a recent study.

6 months ago

Today's ePost

Wed, April 8, 2026

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