Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The Pati United Community Alliance (AMPB) said its planned protest in Jakarta on Thursday, August 27, 2026, will focus on two demands: the immediate passage of the Asset Forfeiture Bill and the implementation of the death penalty for corruption offenses.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) fell 1.48 percent on Wednesday as investors remained cautious about domestic security risks, particularly ahead of a planned protest at the House of Representatives complex in Jakarta.

Muawwan Daelami, Jakarta – The Indonesian government on Wednesday broke ground on a Rp 3 trillion ($169.4 million) waste-to-energy plant in Bekasi, with the facility targeted to begin operations by mid-2028.

Electricity generated by the plant will be purchased by state-owned electricity company PLN at a rate of $0.20 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

The government's plan to replace 3-kilogram liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) with compressed natural gas (CNG) is both welcome and concerning because of the lack of transparency. CNG is cheaper and its raw material is abundant domestically. LPG, meanwhile, is more practical, but its raw material must be imported.

Gembong Hanung, Jakarta – As urban air pollution continues to travel across Greater Jakarta, threatening public health and burdening the economy, authorities in the region are facing greater pressure to establish an integrated framework to tackle mounting borderless pollutants.

Jakarta – Russia is deferring to Indonesian authorities on the legal proceedings involving a Russian national detained in Wamena, Highland Papua Province, after allegedly filming a protest without authorization.

John Zachary – Jakarta is bracing for a major anti-corruption demonstration outside the national parliament on Thursday, as hundreds of protesters from Pati in Central Java make their way to the capital and organisers insist the action will proceed despite reports of its cancellation.

Jayapura, Jubi – Representatives and supporters of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) have agreed to begin a process of reconciliation and reunification, following a meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu, on Saturday (22/08/2026).

Frisa Irawan Ginting and Dian Fiantis (The Conversation) – Forest and land fires across Indonesia have spiked once again. News and social media in the country are flooded with images of thick plumes of smoke from Kalimantan in Borneo – the world's third largest island – choking residential areas and drifting into neighboring countries.

Responding to the recent wildfires in the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan that have sent haze to neighbouring Malaysia, Amnesty International Indonesia's executive director Usman Hamid said:

Irsyan Hasyim, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto, alongside the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, has officially launched the 100 GW Solar Power Plant Program and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The rollout on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, also marked the groundbreaking of state utility PLN's 305 MWp solar power facility and 1 GWh BESS in Gilimanuk, Bali.

Jayapura, Jubi – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) has rejected the Indonesian government's plan to conduct a new registration of internally displaced people across conflict-affected areas of Papua, saying it fears the data collection will serve political interests rather than address the root causes of displacement.

Philip Jacobson – A new 10-year plan for elephant conservation released by the Indonesian government places the country's wild elephant population at an estimated 1,325-1,648 individuals.

The previous figure, published in 2007, was 2,400-2,800 individuals, meaning the new estimate represents a decline of 41-45%.

Jayapura – Leaders of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) and representatives of the Vanuatu government gathered again in Port Villa, Vanuatu, on August 22. During the meeting, the parties agreed to reconcile and reunite within the ULMWP in November 2026 in Vanuatu.

Shreya Dasgupta – Indonesian authorities have charged 72 individuals with intentionally igniting forest fires across five provinces on the island of Borneo and four on Sumatra.

Anwar Siswadi, Jakarta – The forest and land fires in West Java, Indonesia, have affected nearly 200 hectares so far this year. Sukabumi Regency has seen the largest total area burned, while Sumedang Regency has recorded the highest frequency of incidents.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Jakarta – Regulatory unpredictability and poor coordination between government ministries remain the biggest challenges facing European investors in Indonesia, even as Jakarta and Brussels prepare to implement their long-awaited comprehensive economic partnership agreement, European Union Ambassador to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam Denis Chaibi said.

Natasha May – Suwadi can barely see five metres in front of him when he steps outside his home in Indonesian Borneo. Each breath, he says, feels "like smoking a cigarette".

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – A new study of palm oil concessions linked to Indonesian supply chains finds no evidence that corporate zero-deforestation commitments have led to additional reductions in deforestation.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry has imposed sanctions on six companies holding Forest Utilization Business Licenses (PBPH) following monitoring results that revealed that the Kalimantan forest fires started within their managed areas, totaling 1,511.55 hectares.

Maybrat, Jubi – Residents of Mare district in Maybrat regency, Southwest Papua province, are facing a range of challenges in accessing basic services, including clean water, teachers and healthcare workers, roads, telecommunications and health facilities.

Mare district comprises nine villages: Mahos, Suswa, Kombif, Bakrabi, Waban, Sawo, Narasi, Seya and Rufases.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) detected 473 hotspots in South Kalimantan on Tuesday, spread across 11 regencies and cities, with the highest concentrations found in Hulu Sungai Selatan, Tapin, and Banjar regencies.

Jakarta – Bank Mandiri's freezing of a protest coordinator's account has drawn strong criticism from civil society groups, which have warned the move restricts civic freedoms and could erode public trust in the state-owned lender.

Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – A bus carrying members of the United Pati Community Alliance (AMPB) to Jakarta was pelted with bricks by two unidentified people on Monday, August 24, 2026, while traveling on a toll road.

Yvette Tanamal, Jakarta – Indonesia and China have pledged to intensify cooperation across strategic sectors, including in trade, military and a joint development in the South China Sea, as Jakarta welcomed a "stronger chapter" in its bilateral ties with Beijing.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – The denizens of Jakarta have given a tepid reception to the launch of the Indonesian Credit Card (KKI) after discovering its limitation and reviewing necessities but stated willingness to change heart if consumer stimulus is introduced.

When it comes to political maneuvering, Joko Widodo is adept at choosing his timing. He always calculates when a message should be delivered to the public. Jokowi granted this magazine an exclusive interview on August 11, 2026, a month after President Prabowo Subianto called critical journalists "Londo ireng," a label for traitors during the colonial era.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Jakarta – Indonesian stocks closed lower on Monday as concerns over a widening current account deficit and rising geopolitical risks weighed on investor sentiment.

Alfi Dinilhaq, Jakarta – Indonesia's planned Rp3 million ($169) incentive for electric motorcycle purchases could help accelerate adoption, but the government must ensure the program strengthens domestic manufacturing and supply chains rather than fueling imports, according to the Energy Shift Institute.

Antara, Jakarta – Haze from forest fires is a "silent killer" that claims lives slowly or suddenly, said public health expert from Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM), Prof. Dr. Syamsul Arifin, MPd, FISPH, FISCM.

Intan Setiawanty, Jakarta – The Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) of the National Police has revealed the modus operandi of suspects involved in forest and land fires across nine regions. Police found that most suspects intentionally set fire to the land to reduce the cost of clearing plantation areas.

To: Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia
Dr. (H.C.) Puan Maharani
DPR RI Building
Jl. Jenderal Gatot Subroto, Senayan, Tanah Abang,
Central Jakarta, DKI Jakarta

Respectfully,

Regarding: Request to reject the LGBTQ Prevention and Response Bill

Hariz Baharudin, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has ordered more troops, helicopters and firefighting equipment to Kalimantan as the government moves to contain worsening forest and land fires, with four companies now under investigation over fires in West Kalimantan.

Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – The Jakarta Metropolitan Police denied claims of an attempt to arrest Supriyono, familiarly known as Botok, the coordinator of the Pati United Community Alliance (AMPB). Botok, along with several members of the Pati-based community, protested in front of the parliament building in Central Jakarta on Monday, August 24, 2026.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – The death toll from the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Indonesia, continues to rise. As of Sunday, August 23, 2026, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has recorded a total of 91 fatalities.

Antara, Jakarta – Jakarta residents were once again exposed to unhealthy air early this week, with the capital recording the seventh-worst air quality in Indonesia on Monday morning. Pollution levels exceeded recommended limits, prompting health warnings and calls for residents to wear masks when outdoors.

Manokwari, Jubi – West Papua's provincial and district governments have been urged to take immediate action over forest and land fires reported across several parts of the province.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Indigenous peoples in Indonesia have long faced a basic problem: Data on their communities, cultures and customary territories are scattered across government agencies and civil society organizations, making them less visible in spatial planning and permitting.

M. Faiz Zaki, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition stated that the freeze on the Bank Mandiri account belonging to Supriyono, also known as Botok, a protester from Pati, Central Java, lacks any legal grounding. The group also reminded the state lender of its obligation to protect its customers.

Wahyu Septiana – The blocking of the Bank Mandiri account belonging to Supriyono, coordinator of the United Pati Community Alliance (AMPB), has been highlighted by the Civil Society Coalition.

Hilmar Farid – Of everything raised at Teater Utan Kayu last night, discussing Max Lane's Unfinished Nation with Fransisca Ria Susanti, Usman Hamid, and Max himself, the point I keep returning to is the least remarked upon in most commentary on the book: the relationship between history and memory on one side and literature and politics on the other.

Antara, Jakarta – Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that around 3 million people have been exposed to smoke from wildfires, urging residents to mask up and regularly monitor air quality to reduce health risks.

Antara, Jakarta – The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported 696 hotspots have emerged in South Kalimantan Province, based on updated data on Sunday, August 23, with the majority noted high risks of wildfire and fire intensity.

Andika Pratama, Effendi Rusli, Pekanbaru – Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) detected 2,610 hotspots across Sumatra as of Sunday morning, as haze from forest and land fires worsened air quality and disrupted daily activities in several areas.

Antara, Jakarta – The chief economist at Trimegah Sekuritas Indonesia, Fakhrul Fulvian, believes that wildfire amidst the intensifying El Nino conditions could result in far broader economic impact beyond a mere scorched land or forest.

Andriadi Perdana Putra, Theressia Silalahi, Pontianak, W. Kalimantan – President Prabowo Subianto ordered the deployment of additional troops, helicopters, and weather-modification operations on Saturday as Indonesia stepped up efforts to contain forest and land fires in Kalimantan that have caused widespread haze and disrupted flights.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia's Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat said about 85,000 hectares of company concession areas across the country have been affected by forest and land fires, with fires reported in concession areas in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Executive Student Council of Cenderawasih University (BEM Uncen) says it has evidence that police fired at protesters during clashes between security personnel and students at a demonstration against the New York Agreement in Perumnas III Waena, Heram district, Jayapura, Papua, on Saturday (15/08/2026).

Chairul Fikri, Jakarta – The Indonesian Mixed Marriage Organization (PerCa Indonesia) has urged the government to ensure that proposed changes to the country's citizenship law are fair, transparent and non-discriminatory, particularly when introducing limited dual citizenship.

Jayapura, Jubi – The headquarters of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) in Puncak Jaya regency, Central Papua, was reportedly attacked by the Indonesian military between August 16 and 19, 2026.

The information was conveyed by TPNPB-OPM (Free Papua Movement) spokesperson Sebby Sambom in a written statement on Thursday (20/08/2026).