Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri has reinstated Hasto Kristiyanto in his role as the party’s secretary-general, nearly two weeks after an amnesty from President Prabowo Subianto annulled his corruption conviction.

Excitement ran high as Indonesians marked the nation’s 80th Independence Day with a mix of tradition and festivity at the Merdeka Palace on Sunday, as President Prabowo Subianto made his debut at the helm of the ceremony.

Observers have pointed to arrogant attitudes shown by local leaders and a lack of meaningful participation in discussions on tax-related policies as being among the causes of recent public protests on tax rise in various regions across the country.

Among attendees of the ceremony were former presidents Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. Fifth president Megawati Soekarnoputri skipped the celebration at the State Palace and opted to attend one held by her party the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

President Prabowo Subianto promised in his first State of the Nation Address on Friday to safeguard the country’s wealth for use by the state for the people’s prosperity and to put an end to its continuous outflow to other countries.

Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s ascent to the presidency in 2014 stirred hopes for change in Indonesia, but a decade later, he departed leaving what experts have described as modest economic progress accompanied by the weakening of Indonesia’s democratic guardrails.

During its annual plenary meeting on Friday, the People’s Consultative Assembly announced the first draft of the PPHN, a controversial move that critics view as the Assembly's move to restore the sweeping powers it held during the New Order.

At a discussion on Aug. 6 hosted by The Jakarta Post, academics, former military generals and civil society leaders offered mixed views on the nation’s future. Some expressed cautious optimism, while others warned about democratic backsliding. Two additional public figures later contributed their insights individually.

In his first State of the Nation address, the President called on all members of society, including bureaucrats, to engage in government oversight by continuing to offer criticism on his administration and its policies.

The coordinating infrastructure minister says the government aims to draw on the lessons from the Jakarta-Bandung HSR project in ensuring an airtight development plan for the service's second route connecting Jakarta with its East Java capital Surabaya, which he says will be a "breakthrough" in cross-Java mobility.

In his State of the Nation address on Friday, Prabowo has taken a strong stance against corruption, warning all those who engaged in such activities that he would bring down the entire force of the law against them, regardless of their position or party.

Former presidents Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Joko "Jokowi" Widodo as well as former vice presidents Try Sutrisno, Jusuf Kalla and Ma'ruf Amin attended the annual People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) plenary meeting to hear President Prabowo Subianto's first State of the Nation address.

Legal proceedings against alleged accomplices in a sugar import corruption case continue despite a presidential pardon having been granted to former trade minister Thomas Lembong, the main suspect in the case.

In 1971, about three years after Soeharto took office, military historian Nugroho Notosusanto led a project to write the national history book that emphasized the military’s role in “crushing rebellions” while downplaying civilian contributions to safeguarding the state.

While withstanding multiple political and economic disruptions throughout its 80 years of existence, Indonesia continues searching for its definition of nationalism, with observers saying the country may have veered off course from the direction set by the nation’s founders.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has imposed a travel ban on former religious affairs minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, as part of its investigation into alleged misallocation of last year’s haj quota.

Once a dominant force in the nation’s politics, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo now appears to be facing an increasingly precarious position, with key allies under pressure, family members’ influence faltering and his successor President Prabowo Subianto making moves that suggest he is asserting independence from the former president’s shadow.

The return of state policy guidelines, a practice during the authoritarian New Order era, could trigger a constitutional amendment that could snowball into wider changes, including reinstating the status of People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) as the nation’s highest authority and its long-removed power to appoint the president.

​​Human rights activists and historians are urging the government to scrap its controversial national history book project after the Aug. 17 launch was postponed amid accusations that it seeks to rewrite and sanitize the nation’s past.

The arrest of East Kolaka regent Abdul Azis when he attended a NasDem Party meeting triggered strong reaction from party chair Surya Paloh, who urged law enforcement bodies to follow proper procedures in investigations.

A massive restructuring of the Indonesian Military (TNI) has raised concerns among observers over its inefficient use of the defense budget and further militarization efforts across the country, warning of the growing military presence in civic spaces.

Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) head Ivan Yustiavandana denied any intention to limit ones’ rights to bank transactions with the dormant account suspension policy, saying that the move was taken to prevent criminal acts that often exploit inactive bank accounts.

Foreign Minister Sugiono has become party secretary-general while the new party treasurer is Satrio Dimas Adityo, a business executive in a tin mining company affiliated to Prabowo's brother Hashim Djojohadikusumo.

Over the past month, students and activists in the country have put up the pirate sign used by "One Piece" character Monkey D. Luffy as a symbol of protest against several government policies ahead of the Independence Day on August 17. 

The alleged corruption surrounding the Google Cloud procurement for schools was the second case implicating former education minister Nadiem Makarim after another case pertaining to the Google Chromebook laptops, currently investigated by the Attorney General’s Office.

President Prabowo Subianto has no plans so far to reshuffle his cabinet, with cabinet members saying their performance remains on track and in line with his policy direction.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) is planning to expand its Army’s Special Forces (Kopassus) structure outside Java as part of a restructuring of elite forces across all three military branches, a move that has sparked mixed reactions from military observers and human rights groups.

The KPK has summoned Yaqut Cholil Qoumas for questioning as part of its preliminary investigation into the 2024 haj program during his tenure as religious affairs minister, in particular the allotment of Indonesia's quota, building upon the findings of a House special commission into the same matter late last year.

Speculation over an extraordinary congress being planned this year to oust Golkar Party chairman Bahlil Lahadalia has resurfaced in the past week, raising questions about growing internal dissatisfaction with his leadership.

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) submitted requests for red notices for graft suspects Riza Chalid and Jurist Tan after they failed to appear for questionings three times.