Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Indonesia's forest and land fires could inflict up to Rp 123.1 trillion ($6.93 billion) in economic and health losses from January to August 2026, an estimate that could rise further if the fires continue spreading through the end of the year, the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) said Wednesday.

Testriono – Several regional leaders have openly protested the Ministry of Finance's reduction of TKD, warning that the cuts could undermine their ability to provide basic public services.

Gembong Hanung, Jakarta – Toxic haze from forest and land fires in Indonesia have drifted further into neighboring countries as far as the Philippines and triggered public health alerts in some major cities, as experts forecast it may also reach mainland Southeast Asian countries.

Politicians always find opportunity in adversity. The latest example can be found in the revision of the Oil and Gas Law. Since 2015, the draft revision of Law No. 22/2001 has appeared only on the national legislation program. At a House of Representatives (DPR) plenary meeting on August 15, 2026, the bill was once again proposed for deliberation.

Jakarta – Friends of the Earth Asia Pacific (FoE APAC) condemns the recurring transboundary haze crisis in Southeast Asia, as smoke from forest and land fires currently burning in Indonesia, particularly in the Kalimantan region, has reportedly reached neighboring countries such as Malaysia and the Philippines.

Fr. Kasmir Nema, SVD, Dili – After decades away from their homeland, the mortal remains of three former Church leaders who accompanied the people of Timor-Leste through war, occupation and the struggle for self-determination have returned to the country they served.

Erfan Maruf, Jakarta – Laboratory tests have found that 93% of sampled rice products marketed as fortified rice failed to meet requirements, prompting the National Food Agency (Bapanas) to investigate the products and businesses behind the claims.

Johnny Blades – Melanesian countries are pushing Indonesia to facilitate a long-requested visit to West Papua by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights or have its membership in their regional bloc reviewed.

Achmad Ali, Erfan Maruf, Sidoarjo, East Java – At least 567 students and Islamic boarding school students in Sidoarjo, East Java, have received medical treatment after allegedly falling ill from food linked to the government's Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program.

Sorong, Jubi – At least 15 people staged a peaceful protest at a hotel in Sorong, Southwest Papua Province, where the PAPEDA Summit 2026 is being held on Wednesday (02/09/2026).

The protesters said they opposed the summit, which is taking place from 2 to 4 September 2026.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – Gerakan Rakyat Indonesia Bersatu (GRIB Jaya), or the United Indonesian People's Movement, has responded to an online petition calling for the dissolution of the mass organization following allegations of its members' involvement in riots on August 27, 2026.

Hanaa Septiana, Jakarta – Hundreds of students at Manbaul Hikam Islamic boarding school in Tanggulangin, Sidoarjo, East Java, have reportedly suffered food poisoning after eating meals provided under Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program.

The meals were supplied by a local Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) operating outside the boarding school.

Pribadi Wicaksono, Jakarta – A protest organized by the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Student Alliance, which later joined the Civil Society Alliance, descended into clashes at the Gramedia intersection in Yogyakarta on Tuesday night, September 1, 2026.

Nusantara Capital City (IKN) faces problems more fundamental than merely slowing construction and shrinking budgets. In an interview with Tempo, IKN Authority Chair Basuki Hadimuljono acknowledged that in the early stages of development, IKN needed "very strong political pushes." Such dependence on political pressure reveals the project's authoritarian character.

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) believes that the 2027 budget allocation is not sufficient to carry out the institution's duties as mandated by law, one of which is investigating cases of alleged gross human rights violations.

In fact, the budget allocation for investigating alleged gross human rights cases is 0 rupiah in 2027.

A special envoy led by the Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and his Papua New Guinea counterpart, James Marape, is likely to visit West Papua by December this year.

Melanesian Spearhead Group director general Anna Naupa confirmed this with the Fiji Sun following the MSG meeting held on the margins of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau on Monday.

Muhammad Aulia Rahman, Jakarta (Antara) – At least eight Indonesian nationals may have been recruited to fight for Russia after initially applying for jobs as security guards or administrative staff, House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said on Tuesday.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (BGN) said 512 people were affected by suspected food poisoning linked to the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program served by the Talang Angin Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) in Kalitengah, Sidoarjo, East Java. Of those, 80 people remain hospitalized.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia and Singapore have officially operationalized their bilateral local currency transaction framework, the central banks announced Monday, marking progress in ASEAN's move away from the American dollar.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ministry of Culture has launched the first five volumes of the national history book series titled Sejarah Indonesia: Dinamika Kebangsaan dalam Arus Global (Indonesia's History: National Dynamics in the Global Current). This project was initiated at the beginning of Prabowo Subianto's presidency.

Lorencia Sariani Tondang, Jakarta – The majority of the public believes household income has improved, but the gains have not been enough to offset the rising cost of living, according to a Poltracking Indonesia survey.

Thalita Dewanty, Andi Muttya, Keteng Pangerang, Jakarta – The Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD) has reported findings regarding alleged irregularities in the handling of the demonstrations on Thursday August 27 and Friday August 28.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesian pollster Poltracking Indonesia has outlined five recommendations for improving the performance of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's administration as public satisfaction with the government continues to decline.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Public satisfaction with the performance of the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka cabinet continues to decline, falling to 55.1% in August 2026 from 72.2% in May and 58.4% in July, according to a national survey by Poltracking Indonesia.

Muhammad Fahmi Nurcahyo – On 29 May 2006, an ecological disaster occurred in Porong, Sidoarjo, East Java, where a violent eruption of toxic sludge burst from a gas well drilling site operated by PT Lapindo Brantas. The eruption submerged a dozen villages and displaced more than 40,000 residents.

Muhammad Beni Saputra – Under President Prabowo Subianto, new laws and regulations have opened the door wider for the military to escape the barracks.

Prisma Ardianto, Jakarta – The Indonesian government on Monday broke ground on a national strategic project that will convert coal into methanol at the Batuta Chemical Industrial Park (BCIP) in East Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan.

Jayapura, Jubi – Conflict in Papua has increasingly shifted from separatist issues towards disputes over the environment and natural resources, according to researcher Adriana Elisabeth.

Kate Lamb – More than 800 Indonesian students and teachers have fallen ill in separate incidents of food poisoning linked to President Prabowo Subianto's free-meals program this week, with dozens hospitalised after they with struck with nausea, vomiting and stomach aches.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia has reversed its two-month deficit, with its surplus rising to $120 million in July, according to the central statistics agency BPS.

Gembong Hanung, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court's decision to scrap criminal penalties for insulting the government and state institutions has been applauded by activists as upholding freedom of speech, though they caution that the ruling alone remains insufficient to deter rising intimidation and criminalization against critics.

Hanin Marwah, Jakarta – The Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD) highlighted allegations of excessive use of violence, targeted sweeps, mobilization of specific groups, and alleged arbitrary arrests by the police while handling the protest on August 27, 2026.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Arborek, Southwest Papua, Indonesia – For generations, Raja Ampat's Indigenous communities have governed different forests, reefs and islands according to their customary systems.

Muhammad Aulia Rahman, Jakarta – Most forest and land fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra were almost certainly deliberately set by individuals or companies for various purposes, including land clearing, Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said on Tuesday.

Burhanuddin Muhtadi – In early August 2026, the National Nutrition Agency (Badan Gizi Nasional, BGN) confirmed something long suspected but rarely said aloud: hundreds of private schools, many of which are elite institutions in Jakarta and other parts of Java, told the government they did not need the free nutritious meals (Makan Bergizi Gratis, MBG) programme.

Thalita Dewanty, Andi Muttya, Keteng Pangerang, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) and the Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD) have highlighted allegations of excessive use of force by police in handling the demonstrations in Jakarta on Thursday August 27 and Friday August 28.

Jayapura, Jubi – The head of Black Danger Community (BDC) Persipura 1963, a supporters' group for Indonesian football club Persipura Jayapura, has questioned PT Freeport Indonesia's contribution to the club ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Lorencia Sariani Tondang, Jakarta – Public satisfaction with the performance of the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka cabinet continues to decline, falling to 55.1% in August 2026 from 72.2% in May and 58.4% in July, according to a national survey by Poltracking Indonesia.

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and power appear to have become two inseparable sides of the same coin. At several congresses of the nahdliyin (NU members), at least the last two, the election of the leaders of the Nahdlatul Ulama Central Executive Board (PBNU) has become an arena for competing for influence and access to power.

Jantho, Indonesia – Illegal gold miners in Indonesia's Aceh province have breached a crucial reintroduction forest for critically endangered Sumatran orangutans rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.

Bardjan, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has defended the size of his administration, comparing Indonesia's government structure with that of Timor-Leste to argue that the number of ministries alone does not determine whether a government is efficient.

Jayapura, Jubi – Foreign journalists seeking to report on events in Papua continue to face significant restrictions, with authorities detaining a Russian national after he was allegedly found recording a demonstration in Wamena.

Antara, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto believes that a coalition is necessary to govern such a large nation like Indonesia, instead of being led by a single political party.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Indonesian environmental organisation Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI) Papua has compiled data on forest and land fires across Papua between 2023 and 2026.

An exiled West Papuan leader living in Australia is calling on Oceania leaders at the Pacific Island Forum meeting in Palau this week to condemn growing military violence in the Indonesian-ruled Melanesian region.

Hanin Marwah, Jakarta – Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has raised concerns over the assault of two residents during unrest that followed a protest on August 27, 2026.

Komnas HAM Commissioner Saurlin P. Siagian urged police to investigate alleged involvement by a mass organization in the incident, which left one person dead.

Ezra Toara, Port Vila – The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) should revisit a proposal for an independent regional delegation to visit West Papua and assess reported human rights concerns, says Vanuatu Special Envoy on Decolonisation and Maritime Boundaries Delimitation Joe Natuman.

Made Supriatma – There are clear limits to any leadership style. Indonesia's president may be running up against a hard one soon.

Febrianto Adi Saputro, Jessi Carina, Jakarta – According to a Poltracking Indonesia survey, public satisfaction with the administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka reached 55.1 percent in August 2026.

Agencies, Bandung, West Java – Indonesia, the United States and more than a dozen allies launched annual joint military exercises Monday to boost defence capabilities and "deter aggression" in the Asia-Pacific region.