Asad Ullah, a 25-year-old Rohingya refugee who fled Myanmar and arrived in Indonesia’s Aceh Province in 2022, died on April 14 at Syafira Hospital in Pekanbaru, Riau Province. He had been suffering from Hepatitis C and edema (swelling) in his legs for several months, and his family believes that hisContinue Reading
On April 14, the defense website IHS Janes reported that Russia is seeking permission from Indonesia to station several long range aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) at the Manuhua Air Force Base on Biak island in the Indonesian province of West Papua. The news broke just as Russia’sContinue Reading
Kicking them while they are down: the phrase aptly illustrates what U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff bomb does, or is about to do, to Indonesia’s economy, which has been down for quite some time. In 2024, according to the Ministry of Manpower, as many as 77,965 workers were laid off.Continue Reading
Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to deepen his country’s strategic partnership with Indonesia, ahead of a regional tour that will take him to three Southeast Asian nations this week. According to a report by China’s state news agency Xinhua, Xi spoke with President Prabowo Subianto yesterday by phone toContinue Reading
Waves of mass protests have swept across Indonesia over the past two months. In February, protesters from Papua to Sumatra rallied to protest President Prabowo Subianto’s free meal program and “efficiency” measures, demanded affordable education and protection of academic freedom, and called on the government to listen to “the people”Continue Reading
Indonesia is ready to shelter temporarily, Palestinians affected by the war in Gaza, the country’s president said yesterday, as he began a diplomatic tour to the Middle East and Turkey. Speaking to the press, Prabowo Subianto said that he has instructed his foreign affairs minister, Sugiono, to discuss evacuation plansContinue Reading
The recent establishment of Danantara, Indonesia’s new sovereign wealth fund, has generated significant public interest but also a degree of concern. Such reactions are understandable in a country with Indonesia’s complex political and economic landscape, where large-scale institutional innovations often provoke skepticism and uncertainty. However, it is important to recognizeContinue Reading
In early 2025, Indonesia enacted amendments to its National Armed Forces Law that expanded the domestic and bureaucratic roles of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), raising alarm among civil society actors, scholars, and democracy advocates. At first glance, the move appears technical – a response to evolving security challenges suchContinue Reading
JAKARTA: Indonesia will not retaliate against US President Donald Trump’s 32 per cent trade tariff on Southeast Asia’s largest economy, its senior economic minister said on Sunday (Apr 6) in the government’s first response to the levy. Chief Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto said in a statement that Indonesia would pursue diplomacyContinue Reading
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, especially Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, are navigating the complexities of expanding petrochemical, plastic, and plastic waste recycling industries amidst criticism for being main contributors to marine plastics while suffering from pollution caused by waste imports. These developing economies must navigate the dualityContinue Reading
