Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has indicated that construction on the Nusantara capital city (IKN) will continue under President Prabowo Subianto, who has reportedly set a budget for the project.

West Papuan pro-independence advocate Benny Wenda has called for a boycott on Indonesia's Independence Day celebrations.

Declaring the raising of the Indonesian flag in West Papua as illegal, Wenda said Papuan Independence Day was December 1, the day in 1963 when the outgoing Dutch authorities handed over autonomy of the region.

Melynda Dwi Puspita, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto claimed that Indonesia's unemployment rate has dropped to its lowest level since the 1998 monetary crisis during his speech at the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the Joint Session of the Regional Representative Council (DPR) and the Regional Representative Council (DPD) on Friday, August 15, 20

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – The spokesperson for the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Authority, or OIKN, Troy Pantouw, said that the Head of OIKN, Basuki Hadimuljono, will be the inspector at the flag-hoisting ceremony to commemorate the Indonesian Independence Day at Plaza Ceremony, Nusantara Central Government District (KIPP), East Kalimantan, on Sunday, August 17, 2025.

Seremban (Bernama) – Timor-Leste's permanent membership in ASEAN is now in the documentation phase before its formal admission at the October summit.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan confirmed the progress during a press briefing today.

Oyuk Ivani Siagian, Jakarta – The mastermind behind the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib remains unknown, even though the crime occurred 21 years ago. Suciwati, a human rights activist and Munir's widow, stated that the case should be officially designated as a severe human rights violation by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

Myesha Fatina Rachman, Jakarta – Indonesia continues to have the highest unemployment rate in ASEAN in 2025. According to a Trading Economics report released on Thursday, August 14, 2025, Indonesia's unemployment rate was 4.76% in March 2025. This figure represents over 7 million people who are unemployed.

Jakarta – In his first State of the Union address on Friday, President Prabowo Subianto's nationalistic approach to the country's economic development became clear, advocating state-owned enterprise while lashing out against the global trend of "my country first" rhetoric amid rising protectionism.

Anastasya Lavenia Yudi, Jakarta – The Executive Director of the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios), Bhima Yudhistira, said the organization will file another request for audit to the United Nations, now for Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data on poverty line in Indonesia.

The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) strongly condemns all acts of violence and excessive force committed by the police against civilians exercising their right to peaceful assembly to oppose a series of controversial policies issued by the Regent of Pati, Sudewo.

Jakarta – Fiscal decentralization and regional autonomy are now under threat because the funds that should be used for development and public services in the regions have been allocated to cover the costs of the central government's wishes.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – In his state of the nation address at the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), President Prabowo Subianto said he wants to continue receiving criticism from non-governmental groups. He emphasized that criticism is vital for the government, even if it can be uncomfortable.

Nurni Sulaiman, Medan – Nine Indonesian crew members of a ship are in critical condition, stranded aboard a tanker ship off the coast of Beira, Mozambique.

They are among a total of 12 seafarers on the vessel, which also includes three Pakistani crew members. The crew are suffering from a dire lack of supplies, with no remaining food or clean drinking water.

More than 900 people have been indicted using the rubber (catchall) articles under the Information and Electronic Transaction (ITE) Law and the Criminal Code (KUHP) over the last eight years said Amnesty International Indonesia today in its reflection on 80 years of Indonesian independence.

M. Raihan Muzzaki, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has once again reported alleged corruption in the procurement of tear gas by the police to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). ICW Chair Wana Alamsyah said it was conducted to ensure the anti-graft agency has handled the previous complaint.

Toronata Tambun, Singapore – Days from our 80th Independence Day, it is worth asking what "rich" means to a nation that vowed in its Constitution "to promote general welfare and to educate the life of the nation."

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto decried greedy businessmen in his first-ever state address on Friday as he tried to make his catchphrase "serakahnomics" ('greedynomics') popular.

Bambang Ismoyo, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has called for sweeping reforms in Indonesia's state-owned enterprises (SOEs), slamming bloated boards of commissioners and lavish annual bonuses paid even to loss-making companies.

The Timor-Leste government has dropped a proposed legal clause that sought to criminalize media freedom to criticize the state, following protests from journalists and civil society.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto on Friday told parliament that Indonesia's newly established sovereign wealth fund, Danantara, will play a pivotal role in creating millions of "quality jobs" through strategic investments, while managing one of the largest asset portfolios in the world.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto on Friday claimed that his administration's flagship free nutritious meal program has achieved progress surpassing similar initiatives in other countries, reaching tens of millions in just months.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, in his inaugural State Address at the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), emphasized the government's success in increasing food production, enabling Indonesia to resume rice and corn exports to friendly countries after decades.

Justito Adiprasetio – As the world commemorates International Indigenous Peoples Day on 9 August and Indonesia prepares to celebrate its Independence Day on 17 August, a painful paradox emerges. Although the nation is proud of its liberation from colonial rule, it continues to reproduce colonial modes of domination within its own borders.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – House Speaker Puan Maharani on Friday called on government officials to listen and respond with wisdom to public criticism, even when it takes the form of satirical internet memes that have swept across the country.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has officially set the 2026 annual economic growth target at 5.4 percent, higher by 0.2 percentage points than what the country had aimed for this year.

Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – Indonesian House Speaker, Puan Maharani, considers the raising of the One Piece flag ahead of Indonesia's 80th Independence Day celebration as an expression of public concern.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has put the blame on colonialism for Indonesia's border disagreements with its neighbor, Malaysia, in the Ambalat sea block.

Basudiwa Supraja, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has decided to keep Hasto Kristiyanto as its secretary-general, just weeks after his graft conviction was annulled by a presidential pardon from President Prabowo Subianto.

Oyuk Ivani Siagian, Febriyan – Amnesty International Indonesia has recorded that 145 Papuan and Maluku activists were convicted for makar (treason, subversion, rebellion) between January 2019 and 2025. Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid stated that the hundreds of people were convicted after peacefully voicing aspirations for independence.

The West Papuan National Committee (KNPB) has called on West Papuans to commemorate the tragic day in their history, the 15 August in 1962 (The New York Agreement) when the Papuan people were betrayed by the international community.

Adil Al Hasan, Jakarta – The Indonesia Composite Index (IHSG) recorded a position at 8,010.0 on Friday, August 15, 2025, after opening at 7,965.1. The IHSG position occurred from 10:30 to 10:31 a.m., while President Prabowo Subianto was delivering a state address at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Jakarta.

On 12 August 2025, a peaceful protest near Sentani Airport, Jayapura Regency, Papua Province, turned violent when police officers led by the Chief of the Airport Security Unit (KP3), Officer Wajedi, allegedly used excessive force against demonstrators.

Fahri Ali, Depok, W – Java. Police in the West Java city of Depok confirmed that officers shot and seriously wounded two teenagers suspected of involvement in a street brawl in Sukmajaya in the early hours of Saturday, Aug. 9.

Gembong Hanung, Jakarta – Environmentalists have urged the Indonesian delegation to reject the latest draft for a global agreement to eliminate plastic pollution, warning the country to take a bolder stance in the last hours of negotiations that have been stalled by split stances among participating countries.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – Multi Bintang Indonesia (IDX: MLBI), the Heineken-owned brewer, posted solid first-half 2025 results, driven by lager market leadership, premium brand expansion, and ongoing digital transformation.

Oyuk Ivani Siagian, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia reported that 758 civilians have been criminalized under the vague provisions of the Information and Electronic Transactions Law (ITE Law) between January 2018 and July 2025.

These individuals were charged with hate speech and defamation in 710 criminal cases.

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto claimed the flagship free nutritious meal (MBG) program has created hundreds of thousands of new jobs since it kicked off in January this year.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto expressed optimism that Indonesia could achieve 100 percent electricity generation from renewable energy (EBT) ten years earlier than the global target of 2060.

He made this statement during his presentation of the 2026 State Budget (RAPBN) in a parliamentary plenary session on Friday, August 15, 2025.

Kiki Safitri, Robertus Belarminus, Jakarta – Human rights activist and the wife of renowned human rights defender Munir Said Talib, Suciwati, has emphasised that despite two decades passing, there has yet to be any certainty over Munir's assassination.

Aisha Shaidra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto acknowledged that corruption is a major issue in Indonesia during his State Address at the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the House of Representatives (DPR) on Friday, August 15, 2025. He asserted that corrupt practices are present at every level of the bureaucracy.

Michael Neilson – Indonesia has delayed plans to publish a set of controversial history books amid backlash from historians and activists who have accused the project of being an attempt to downplay past atrocities, and represents "historical amnesia".

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – The Directorate General of Customs and Excise of the Finance Ministry recently destroyed shipments of smuggled used clothes in several regions of Indonesia. Director General of Customs and Excise, Djaka Budhi Utama, stated that the majority of these illegal imports originated from Malaysia.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Commission V from the PDIP faction, Adian Napitupulu, raised concern about claims made by President Prabowo Subianto during his state address at the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) at the Parliament Complex of the Indonesian Parliament, Jakarta, on August 15, 2025.

Today marks 20 years since the Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), establishing a peace agreement between the two parties.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has set a target for the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) to complete the government apparatus in IKN, Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan, within the next three years.

Yustinus Paat, Arnoldus Kristianus, Bambang Ismoyo, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto on Friday laid out a 2026 state budget blueprint that aims to shrink the fiscal deficit, ramp up spending on energy security and food resilience, and accelerate the country's transition to renewable power, while committing hundreds of trillions of rupiah to a nationwide free nutritious meals pro

Agencies, Jakarta – More than 360 people fell ill in Sragen, Central Java after consuming school lunches, an official said on Thursday, in the largest food poisoning case to hit President Prabowo Subianto's flagship free meals program.

Amelia Rahima Sari, Jakarta – The Central Jakarta District Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by 55 residents of Kohod Village, Pakuhaji District, Tangerang Regency, Banten, against the sea fence installation in the waters of Tangerang.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced the distribution of 288,000 smart TVs to schools in remote areas across the country this year. This move is expected to allow children to attend virtual classes with their teachers.

The four political prisoners from the West Papua Federal Republic Organisation (NRFPB), namely Mr Abraham G.