Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – A number of high-school students participated in the 908th Aksi Kamisan, which coincided with the commemoration of the 28th anniversary of the 1998 Reform on Thursday, May 21, 2026.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia has criticized the directive to shoot suspected street robbers, or locally known begal, on the spot. The order was issued in response to a recent surge in violent robberies.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – The Indonesian Consulate General in Istanbul, Darianto Harsono, stated that nine Indonesian citizens detained by the Israeli military suffered physical violence.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has urged investors and stakeholders to remain calm and trust its policy direction, particularly regarding the establishment of PT Danantara Sumber Daya Indonesia (DSI) as a state-owned enterprise (SOE) specializing in exports.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Jakarta – Indonesia may have large natural gas reserves, but replacing imported liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) with compressed natural gas (CNG) for millions of households would require major investment in pipelines, compression facilities, and distribution systems, analysts say.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia has long prided itself on buying weapons the same way it conducts diplomacy: from everyone, but never too much from anyone.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Associated Press, Jakarta – Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) fell deeper into correction territory on Friday morning as investors reacted to mounting concerns over the government's new export control policies, prolonged Middle East tensions, and renewed pressure on state-owned banks following Fitch Ratings' warning on sovereign support risks.

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia has expanded the range of foreign currencies allowed for the placement of export earnings from natural resource commodities, permitting exporters to deposit funds in currencies other than the US dollar at state-owned banks.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Bali – From worsening traffic in Canggu to rising concerns over overtourism, Bali is facing growing questions about whether the island's current development model is still sustainable.

Lili Yan Ing – Over the past three decades, export under-invoicing, transfer pricing, and commodity misreporting may have cost Indonesia hundreds of billions of dollars in lost state revenue and foreign-exchange earnings. President Prabowo Subianto recently described the practice bluntly as "fraud" – and on that point, he is right, and for once, I agree with him.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Indonesia's environment ministry has issued a new approval for a controversial zinc and lead mine in an earthquake-prone region of Sumatra Island, less than a year after a Supreme Court ruling forced it to rescind its earlier approval. Critics of the project have slammed the U-turn, pointing out that nothing has fundamentally changed in that time.

Jakarta – Bank Indonesia reported a balance of payments deficit of $9.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026 as rising global financial uncertainty pressured Indonesia's external accounts.

According to Bank Indonesia spokesperson Ramdan Denny Prakoso, deficits persisted in the current account as well as the capital and financial accounts.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – The 908th Kamisan Movement took place during the commemorative moment of the 1998 Reform on Thursday, May 21, 2026. Several participants considered the current government no different from the regime of former President Soeharto who resigned exactly 28 years ago.

Ricky Juliansyah, Jakarta – The University of Indonesia's Student Executive Body (BEM UI) sent a condolence flower wreath to the State Palace, Jakarta, on Thursday, May 21, 2026. The 2026 Coordinator of the Social and Political Affairs Division of BEM UI, Hafidz Haernanda, confirmed that they had sent the flower arrangement.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) Commissioner Amiruddin Al Rahab believes that Indonesia has not truly progressed from the starting point of the Reform era following the fall of the New Order regime in 1998.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Amid turbulent economic conditions, President Prabowo Subianto hosted a number of former state officials from the era of 5th President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday, May 22, 2026.

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Indonesia's business chamber Kadin warns that the rupiah's continued slide against the US dollar is squeezing consumers and businesses alike, raising concerns over household spending in Southeast Asia's largest economy.

Reza Hery Pamungkas, Jakarta – Jakarta authorities are stepping up efforts to curb rising street crime after a wave of violent robberies and mugging cases in the Indonesian capital sparked public anxiety and prompted social media users to compare the area to "Gotham City," the fictional crime-ridden home of Batman.

Delfi Neski, Effendi Rusli, Padang/Pekanbaru – A massive blackout swept across Sumatra island on Friday evening after a major disruption in the regional power transmission system, leaving millions of residents without electricity and crippling traffic and public activity in several provinces.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – All Indonesian citizens who were held captive by Israel while participating in the Gaza humanitarian mission Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 have been released. They are currently in transit in Istanbul, Turkey, for examination before being repatriated to Indonesia.

The ecological damage experienced by communities living along the Oko-Oko River in Kolaka Regency, Southeast Sulawesi, adds to the growing narrative of the devastating impact of downstream mining projects in Indonesia. The root of the problem is a latent issue: development policies that encourage maximum investment while ignoring environmental and social concerns.

Zane Goebel, Sonia Roitman and Udiana Dewi (The Conversation) – Indonesia plans to build a "Giant Sea Wall" more than 500 kilometers long to defend Java's north coast from rising sea levels. The proposal includes a large lagoon behind the colossal concrete wall, raising significant questions about the feasibility and cost of such a massive project.

Singgih Wiryono, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid says that the Israeli military's arrest of Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 volunteers violates human rights.

Twenty-eight years after reformasi – the political reform process that began in 1998 – Indonesia is showing increasingly serious signs of democratic decline.

Bambang Ismoyo, Jakarta – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said President Prabowo Subianto's ambitious 2027 economic growth target of 5.8% to 6.5% remains achievable despite mounting global uncertainty and persistent pressure on the rupiah, as the government bets on stronger private-sector activity to drive expansion.

Hearts of Palestine (HOPE), which is made up of several civil society organisations, groups and individuals, strongly condemns the actions of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) in intercepting and detaining civilian vessels, kidnapping and holding hostage civilians involved in the Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 humanitarian mission in international waters of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Associated Press, Jakarta – Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) plunged more than 3% on Thursday as investors dumped commodity-linked shares after President Prabowo Subianto moved to tighten state control over strategic natural resource exports, overshadowing a broader rally across Asian markets.

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said on Wednesday that Indonesia has significantly increased judicial salaries, including compensation for the chief justice of the Supreme Court, which he claimed is now higher than that of an equivalent official in Singapore.

President Prabowo Subianto's intent to include the Red-and-White Village Cooperatives in the development of a large-scale solar power plants (PLTS) project could lead to future problems. Aside from the massive capital required, developing solar power projects necessitates sound governance in technical, standardization, and occupational safety aspects.

Antara, Jakarta – Jakarta's air quality on Thursday morning fell into the unhealthy category, ranking first among cities with the worst air quality in the world. Residents are advised to wear masks when outdoors.

Padang, Indonesia – Nine people were killed on May 14 in Indonesia's West Sumatra province after heavy rain triggered the collapse of a 30-meter (100-foot) cliff at an illegal gold mine.

"Three people survived, while nine others who were buried have been recovered deceased," said Susmelawati Rosya, a spokesperson for the West Sumatra province police.

Bambang Ismoyo, Andrew Tito, Jakarta – Indonesia's electronics trade is coming under growing pressure as the rupiah weakens toward Rp 18,000 per US dollar, driving up prices and sharply slowing sales in one of Jakarta's busiest retail hubs.

Dian Rahma Fika Alnina, Jakarta – The Secretary General of Gerindra Party, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, stated that President Prabowo Subianto genuinely appreciates the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), which is outside the government coalition.

Endang Mulyani, Jakarta – Education stakeholders have welcomed the government's plan to introduce English lessons at an earlier stage of schooling, calling it a positive step toward strengthening Indonesia's global competitiveness.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesia announces remote work extension for civil servants. Government employees will now continue to work from home (WFH) every Friday for at least the next two months.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto cites the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as a backdrop for the policy.

Brigitta Belia Permata Sari, Jakarta – A Kamisan (Thursday) action coinciding with the 28th anniversary of reformasi – the political reform process that began in 1998 – touched on a number of human rights issues, from alleged human rights violations in Papua to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

M Ghafur Fadillah, Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Associated Press, Jakarta – Indonesian stocks extended their decline on Wednesday as investors reacted to a mix of domestic pressures, including Bank Indonesia's aggressive rate hike, concerns over tighter state control of commodity exports, and continued weakness in the rupiah, overshadowing broader regional market weakness tied to rising glob

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Indonesia will maintain its 2026 state budget macroeconomic assumptions despite the rupiah weakening to around Rp 17,700 per US dollar, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said on Tuesday, arguing the government had already built severe stress scenarios into its fiscal calculations.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said Indonesia is gaining greater respect on the global stage, claiming that foreign leaders now view the country as an important partner capable of helping others.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said Indonesians should not be overly impressed by countries that achieved prosperity by exploiting the wealth of other nations, referring to the legacy of colonialism during a speech before Parliament on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia unexpectedly delivered a larger-than-anticipated interest rate hike on Wednesday, raising its benchmark BI Rate by 50 basis points to 5.25% as the central bank moved aggressively to defend the rupiah amid escalating global market volatility triggered by the Middle East conflict.

Leonard AL Cahyoputra, Jakarta – Indonesia is targeting Rp 63.5 trillion ($3.6 billion) in tourism investment across 13 priority destinations in 2026, but officials say investment flows remain heavily concentrated in Bali, Jakarta, and the Riau Islands.

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday reaffirmed the government's commitment to accelerating national industrialization, including plans to expand domestic production of cars, motorcycles, computers, and mobile phones.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Israeli forces have abducted all 9 Indonesians who were aboard the Gaza-bound aid ships as of Wednesday at 7.13 a.m Jakarta time, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Jakarta – Indonesia has largely kept fuel prices at pump stations affordable despite a roughly 50 per cent surge in global oil prices since the Iran war, swelling the country's already hefty energy subsidy bill.

Syahrul Yunizar – Amnesty International's latest report has revealed findings related to a coordinated disinformation campaign. The aim of the campaign is to label government critics as foreign agents. The targets range from vocal activists to journalists.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto today, Wednesday, May 20, during the plenary session of the House of Representatives, cited the "deep state," or the unauthorized network operating within a government, as part of the reasons obstructing the functioning of state institutions.

Ricky Juliansyah, Jakarta – The University of Indonesia's Student Executive Body (BEM UI) staged a symbolic demonstration at Tugu Makara on the Depok Campus on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. During the rally, the student body officially declared that reformasi, the country's era of democratic reform, is dead.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will use advanced technology to search for the hidden assets of corruptors in bunkers. Prabowo claims that current technology is very advanced and can track underground storage.

Jakarta – Ride-hailing company Grab Indonesia said it will discontinue its "Akses Hemat" subscription program for motorcycle taxi driver-partners, citing the need for better adjustments to support a sustainable ecosystem for all stakeholders.