Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, Jakarta – On 23 July, at the National Awakening Party's anniversary gala in Jakarta, President Prabowo Subianto told the crowd that critical journalists, analysts and NGOs were modern-day londo ireng – "black Dutchmen," a colonial-era slur for Indonesians who fought alongside Dutch forces against their own countrymen – and asked pointedly who was paying th

Reza Hery Pamungkas, Jakarta – Indonesian police have detained nine social media account owners accused of spreading hoaxes and provocative online content, including recycled videos portraying anti-government protests.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – The Presidential Palace has responded to the arrest of two individuals who uploaded content featuring statements by President Prabowo Subianto. The two individuals were named suspects after sharing a clip concerning Prabowo and Iran's nuclear weapons program.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto claims to lead based on facts. He states that he acknowledges existing facts, even those that are unpleasant to hear.

Cristina Siregar, Jakarta – Indonesia's economy expanded 5.29 percent in the second quarter of 2026, but the strong headline figure masks growing vulnerabilities in the country's economic foundation, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has warned.

Bambang Ismoyo, Jakarta – Indonesian government is offering tax breaks and subsidizing internship wages to help companies avoid layoffs amid mounting pressure on several industries, Chief of Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto said on Thursday.

Responding to the arrest of two people because of social media posts and comments related to the President's statement on Iran's nuclear program, Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid said:

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – A wildfire that reached the edge of an orangutan rehabilitation center in western Borneo is highlighting how Indonesia's intensifying fire season threatens not just forests and wildlife, but also the conservation work taking place within them.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia's foreign exchange reserves slipped to $145.3 billion at the end of July, as Bank Indonesia continued efforts to stabilize the rupiah amid renewed global financial market uncertainty.

The reserves declined by $300 million from $145.6 billion in June, according to Bank Indonesia.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Jakarta – Indonesia has reduced unemployment to its lowest level in more than three decades, but experts say the country's next labor market challenge is creating higher-quality jobs and ensuring university graduates possess the skills employers need.

Malang, East Java – The authorities battled Friday to contain a wildfire that has swept through Mount Bromo National Park in Java, destroying more than 120 hectares as the country braces itself for an extreme El Nino-fueled dry season.

Isabel Esterman, Tanggamus, Indonesia – For more than a decade and a half, forest ranger Wandi Harmoko has walked the ridges and valleys of Batutegi, a landscape in southern Sumatra.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) faces mounting pressure to secure new funding for President Prabowo Subianto's flagship free meals program after the Constitutional Court ruled that it can no longer rely on the national education budget beginning in the 2028 fiscal year.

Elita Pertiwi and Raden Muhamad Purnagunawan – As one of the largest cities in the world, Jakarta needs a massive urban cleaning force to keep the city relatively clean. For many young Indonesians, including highly skilled university graduates, that is the kind of job opportunity they are willing to fight for.

Antara, Jakarta – Transactions made through Indonesia's national QR code payment system, known as QRIS, more than doubled in the first half of 2026, underscoring the country's rapid shift toward cashless payments, Bank Indonesia said on Thursday.

Gembong Hanung, Jakarta – Indonesia may be heading toward its worst wildfire season in years as fire activity surges ahead of peak burning months, fueled by a prolonged dry spell expected to intensify under a strong El Nino.

We, the people of Indonesia, should be prepared to face the impact of the forest and land fires (wildfires) currently spreading around different regions. Not only do they cause damage to the environment and adversely affect public health, the annual disasters also heighten the risk of an economic shock.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – The Indonesian government is investigating a 69-page academic paper that lists President Prabowo Subianto as one of its authors and argues that the country's Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program should receive the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia has called for the suspension and comprehensive evaluation of Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program following a series of suspected mass food poisoning cases involving hundreds of students and teachers in several regions.

Antara, Jakarta – The military air chiefs of Indonesia and Australia conducted a joint formation flight over Darwin on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, demonstrating defense ties during Exercise Pitch Black 2026.

Reza Hery Pamungkas, Jakarta – Jakarta's open unemployment rate fell to 5.79% in May 2026 from 6.03% in February, as more workers secured full-time jobs, according to data released by the Jakarta office of Statistics Indonesia (BPS) on Wednesday.

Jakarta – Social Affairs Ministry has temporarily suspended welfare payments to about 1.49 million beneficiary households suspected of making online gambling transactions, pending verification of the findings, a minister said on Wednesday.

Antara, Jakarta – Human rights watchdog SETARA Institute has urged President Prabowo Subianto to order the transfer of the case involving former Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) Febrie Adriansyah to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), saying the move is necessary to restore public trust in law enforcement.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – Indonesia's economy grew 5.29% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, but the country's business community warned that the expansion remains fragile as higher production costs and weaker demand continue to weigh on companies.

Antara, Jakarta – The coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs on Wednesday warned that social media users who disseminate allegedly false videos depicting violent protests could face criminal prosecution if authorities determine they have violated the law.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Bernardus Wijayaka, Jakarta – Indonesia's decision to resume exports of long-tailed macaques for laboratory testing after a four-year hiatus has drawn criticism from animal welfare groups, who warn the move could accelerate the exploitation of an endangered species.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia's unemployment rate is at the lowest in decades, according to the latest data by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), but many university graduates are struggling to find a job.

Indonesia registered a 4.65% unemployment rate in May, a 0.03 percentage point drop compared to February.

Ilham Oktafian, Jakarta – Culture Minister Fadli Zon said the government's controversial project to rewrite the country's national history remains on track for publication this month, with the final manuscripts undergoing revisions to photographs and page layouts.

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Surabaya – Concerns are mounting over safety oversight in Indonesia's maritime sector after a passenger ferry caught fire off the coast of Madura, East Java, killing at least five people and leaving two others missing.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia's poverty rate fell to 8.07% of the population in March 2026, with the number of people living below the national poverty line declining by 430,000 to 22.93 million, according to official data released on Wednesday.

Adil Al Hasan, Jakarta – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has postponed the implementation of the e-commerce tax, which was previously scheduled to take effect on August 1, 2026. Purbaya explained that the postponement of the marketplace tax was due to the economic downturn.

Prisma Ardianto, Jakarta – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the government will proceed with its plan to place Rp 200 trillion ($11.15 billion) in excess budget funds at state-owned banks despite lingering doubts among some lenders over whether the policy will be implemented.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – The Head of the Development Control and Special Investigation Agency (Bappisus), Aris Marsudiyanto, has spoken out about rumored plans to replace National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo. President Prabowo Subianto reportedly submitted a official letter to the House of Representatives (DPR) regarding the change.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the Thai military respects Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. Anutin made this statement while awarding several medals of honor to President Prabowo during his state visit to the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday, August 3, 2026.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – Indonesia's population has surpassed 290 million, with nearly seven in 10 people in the traditional working-age bracket, giving Southeast Asia's largest economy a sizeable demographic advantage.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia has been buying large numbers of African crude this year, according to official statistics, as Jakarta draws attention for its Russian contracts.

The government-run statistics agency BPS revealed on Monday that Nigeria made up nearly a quarter of Indonesia's crude oil imports from January to June 2026.

Annisa Dina Amalia, Monika Winarnita and Charlotte Setijadi – In March 2026, we wrote an article on this site about whether Indonesia would ever fully embrace its 'cultural citizens' worldwide.

At the time, the Global Citizenship of Indonesia (GCI) scheme, a visa-based stand-in for dual nationality, had drawn only a handful of applicants since its January 2026 launch.

In politics, polls are like mirrors. Some use them to groom their image, while others choose to shatter the glass when the reflection turns unpleasant. Yet, as long as it is backed by a valid methodology, a poll is more than just a tool for measuring popularity and electability – it serves as a gauge of whether the government remains on a track approved by the public.

Radhiyya Indra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has drawn criticism over his suggestion that Iran possessed nuclear weapons and his declaration of readiness to help mediate dialogue between South Korea and North Korea, with experts calling both remarks imprudent.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia's economy likely grew less than 5% in the second quarter of 2026 as a high base effect, a weaker rupiah and elevated energy prices weighed on household purchasing power and production costs, according to the Institute for Economic and Social Research at the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Economics and Business (LPEM FEB UI).

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – The Iranian Embassy in Indonesia emphasized that its country has never developed nuclear weapons and never will.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Presidential Special Advisor for Communications Hasan Nasbi said the term "londo ireng"used by President Prabowo Subianto was not directed at the general public, but at groups he accused of deliberately creating public controversy and spreading pessimism.

Laurensius Teddy Saputro, Jakarta – The imagination space of Indonesian children seems to be narrowing. When asked about their aspirations, the answers are increasingly uniform, such as content creator, YouTuber, or influencer.

Herman, Jakarta – Indonesia's bank deposits are increasingly being driven by wealthy savers as households struggle to set aside money, with overall deposit growth projected to slow sharply next year.

Bank Indonesia projects third-party funds (DPK), or public deposits held in banks, to grow 6.18% year-on-year in 2026, down from 13.83% growth in 2025.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Several regions in North Sumatra were hit by floods in the past few days despite the intensifying dry season across much of the country.

Thousands of homes in Binjai, Pematang Siantar and Simalungun were inundated by knee-deep floodwaters on Friday after torrential rain pounded the areas overnight on Thursday.

Erfan Maruf, Jakarta – Indonesia's government has uncovered the allocation and sale of parcels of sea space before reclamation and required permits were completed, with the practice most prevalent in Batam, according to the Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Ministry.

Dian Rahma Fika Alnina, Jakarta – A coalition of labor unions in Indonesia has submitted a draft proposal for a new Employment Bill to Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal, as workers push for faster progress on labor law reform ahead of an October 2026 deadline.

Naina Rao – As Indonesia constructs its new capital, Nusantara, in the mountains of East Kalimantan in Borneo, the roar of chainsaws interrupts the rainforest sounds that have long been part of the cultural heritage of the Indigenous Balik community.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia booked a $450 million trade deficit in June, although the gap has substantially narrowed.

Agencies, Surabaya – Aferry caught fire at sea off Madura island on Sunday, killing five people and leaving another 41 missing after some jumped overboard, search and rescue officials said.

A total of 225 people on the vessel were rescued, said the regional Surabaya Search and Rescue Agency, which provided the latest figures in an afternoon update.