TOPIC

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Indonesia

Latest news, in-depth features and opinion from Indonesia.

Capital

Jakarta

Head of State

President Prabowo Subianto

Head of Government

President Prabowo Subianto

A technician works on the top deck of a distillery at Bajaj Hindustan Sugar factory that produces ethanol in August 2023. Photo: AP

India

Iran war fallout triggers massive biofuel shift across Asia

Asia was first and hardest hit by fossil fuel disruptions caused by the Iran war’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

3 hours agovideocam

Britain

Turning over a new leaf: why UK’s green mandate is a win for Asia

15 May 2026 - 2:45PMvideocam

Social media

Why Indonesia is expanding under-16 social media ban to e-commerce

13 May 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

Crime

Police raids reveal Indonesia as new hub for scam, gambling syndicates

Hundreds of foreigners have been arrested in Indonesia recently following crackdowns against crime groups in Cambodia and Myanmar.

12 May 2026 - 8:11PMvideocam

Foreign nationals suspected of running an online gambling operation at an office building in Jakarta await transport after being arrested in the Indonesian capital on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

Myanmar

‘Tentative step’: Asean weighs bringing Myanmar back into the fold

Virtual talks may offer a ‘sensible middle ground’ for reconciliation after Myanmar’s years in the political wilderness, analysts say.

12 May 2026 - 5:07PMvideocam

Malaysia

14 Indonesians missing after boat sinks off Malaysia’s Pangkor Island

About 100,000 to 200,000 Indonesians make the risky sea journey to Malaysia in search of work each year, according to migrant activists.

12 May 2026 - 1:54PM

Malaysia

Malaysian landlord’s pity for broke tenant brings loan sharks to her door

The victim said the Indonesian woman used the flat address to secure loans and lenders are now threatening to burn down the house.

12 May 2026 - 11:46AM

Lim (second from right) shows a picture of the tenant during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. Photo: The Star

China trade

Pakistan to tap China debt market with first sale of yuan-priced ‘panda bonds’

Islamabad turns to ‘panda bonds’ to secure cheaper credit and diversify its borrowing into yuan-denominated funding, with a focus on sustainable development.

12 May 2026 - 10:00AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Opinion | Just because Brics isn’t a coherent bloc doesn’t mean it’s impotent

The grouping has a future, not as a binding structure demanding policy alignment but as a tool for members to enhance leverage and maximise options.

12 May 2026 - 7:43AMvideocam

Singapore

Grieving family says Singaporean killed in Mount Dukono eruption died a hero

Timothy Heng’s stepsister said that she and her family were comforted to know that ‘his final moments were used to help someone else’.

11 May 2026 - 10:11AMvideocam

Timothy Heng was one of the two Singaporean hikers found dead on Mount Dukono on Sunday. Photo: Facebook/Timothy Heng

Crime

321 foreigners arrested in Indonesia online gambling crackdown

The foreigners, mainly from Vietnam, were arrested near Jakarta’s Chinatown section that investigators described as a hub for more than 70 online gambling websites.

11 May 2026 - 11:13AMvideocam

Suspected online gambling operators (in orange) walk towards buses for transfer after a police raid at the Hayam Wuruk Plaza office building in Jakarta on Sunday. Photo: AFP

India

Vietnam joins rush for India’s battle-tested ‘strong, non-Western’ BrahMos

As a joint Indo-Russian venture, BrahMos offers a supersonic, non-Western alternative to US hardware with no Nato-linked conditions.

10 May 2026 - 1:35PMvideocam

Singapore

Indonesia finds bodies of 2 Singaporeans killed in Mount Dukono eruption

Evacuation of the bodies hindered by eruptions and adverse weather, an official said.

10 May 2026 - 2:10PMvideocam

Singapore

Rescuers retrieve body of Indonesia hiker killed in volcanic eruption

Two hikers from Singapore and one from Indonesia died in Friday’s eruption at Indonesia’s Mount Dukono, in a location that was a no-go area.

9 May 2026 - 9:54PMvideocam

An ash cloud rises from Indonesia’s Mount Dukono volcano after its fatal eruption on Friday. Photo: Jhon Frengki Manipa/Reuters

Volcanoes

Video | Indonesian volcanic eruption kills 3

The volcano in North Maluku province erupted on Friday morning, spewing volcanic ash as high as 10km into the sky.

8 May 2026 - 10:19PM

02:14

China-Japan relations

Are China and Russia flexing their maritime muscle near Japan?

Tokyo’s recent tracking of three PLA Navy warships transiting Tsushima Strait comes amid heightened regional tensions.

8 May 2026 - 7:00PM

Science

Why are China’s coastal fish farms disappearing while India’s are expanding?

China’s coastal aquaculture ponds span the largest area in the world but they are shrinking – and that is a good thing.

8 May 2026 - 5:00PM

Volcanoes

Mount Dukono eruption in Indonesia kills 3 hikers, including 2 Singaporeans

The volcano in North Maluku province erupted on Friday morning, spewing volcanic ash as high as 10km into the sky.

8 May 2026 - 10:20PMvideocam

Mount Dukono spews volcanic material up to the sky during an eruption in North Halmahera, Indonesia, on Friday. Photo: Indonesia’s Vulcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Centre/EPA

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Asean

Myanmar could come in from the cold as Asean members warm towards nation

Myanmar has been largely sidelined from top-level Asean meetings since a 2021 military coup that sparked a nationwide civil conflict.

8 May 2026 - 10:18AMvideocam

Asean

Opinion | Why China’s warning over military blocs is finding listeners in Asia

For regional governments, strategy is about preserving options. China has read this instinct carefully and given it a diplomatic vocabulary.

8 May 2026 - 5:30AMvideocam

Prabowo Subianto

Indonesia posts fastest first-quarter growth in 3 years, but headwinds loom

The 5.6 per cent growth was propelled by robust household consumption during the festive season and a surge in government spending.

7 May 2026 - 5:37PM

Buyers and sellers at the Al Mahira traditional market in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, on Monday. Increased spending during Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr-related travel boosted first-quarter growth, officials say. Photo: EPA

TikTok

TikTok invests record US$25b to expand digital infrastructure in Thailand

The Chinese firm will install additional servers and expand data storage infrastructure to support rising demand for digital services.

7 May 2026 - 4:30PM

Transport and logistics

Bus and oil tanker collide in Indonesia, killing at least 16 people

The bus driver, 13 passengers, the tanker’s driver and assistant all burned to death inside the vehicles.

6 May 2026 - 11:08PM

Crime

‘I started crying’: Indonesian captain’s wife in agony over pirate attack

Captain Ashari Samadikun had sent a chilling warning to his wife before his fuel tanker was hijacked by pirates last month.

6 May 2026 - 7:49PMvideocam

An armed Somali pirate along the coastline in northeastern Somalia. Photo: AFP

Banking & finance

Can Indonesia turn holiday island Bali into a global financial hub?

Having a financial centre on the island will help boost national economic competitiveness, officials say.

6 May 2026 - 5:42PM

The sun rises behind boats moored at a pier near Denpasar on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on April 12. Photo: AFP

Prabowo Subianto

Course correction: Indonesia reshapes ride-hailing sector with state power

The new commission scheme shows the state’s support for ride-hailing drivers, but may not necessarily boost their incomes, observers say.

5 May 2026 - 6:20PM

Singapore

Knives out: sea robbery fears stalk Southeast Asia’s busiest straits

Opportunistic nighttime raids in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore are testing security in a vital maritime chokepoint.

7 May 2026 - 10:47AMvideocam

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Indonesia

Iran war fallout triggers massive biofuel shift across Asia

Asia was first and hardest hit by fossil fuel disruptions caused by the Iran war’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Turning over a new leaf: why UK’s green mandate is a win for Asia

Why Indonesia is expanding under-16 social media ban to e-commerce

Police raids reveal Indonesia as new hub for scam, gambling syndicates

Hundreds of foreigners have been arrested in Indonesia recently following crackdowns against crime groups in Cambodia and Myanmar.

‘Tentative step’: Asean weighs bringing Myanmar back into the fold

Virtual talks may offer a ‘sensible middle ground’ for reconciliation after Myanmar’s years in the political wilderness, analysts say.

14 Indonesians missing after boat sinks off Malaysia’s Pangkor Island

About 100,000 to 200,000 Indonesians make the risky sea journey to Malaysia in search of work each year, according to migrant activists.

Malaysian landlord’s pity for broke tenant brings loan sharks to her door

The victim said the Indonesian woman used the flat address to secure loans and lenders are now threatening to burn down the house.

Pakistan to tap China debt market with first sale of yuan-priced ‘panda bonds’

Islamabad turns to ‘panda bonds’ to secure cheaper credit and diversify its borrowing into yuan-denominated funding, with a focus on sustainable development.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Just because Brics isn’t a coherent bloc doesn’t mean it’s impotent

The grouping has a future, not as a binding structure demanding policy alignment but as a tool for members to enhance leverage and maximise options.

Grieving family says Singaporean killed in Mount Dukono eruption died a hero

Timothy Heng’s stepsister said that she and her family were comforted to know that ‘his final moments were used to help someone else’.

321 foreigners arrested in Indonesia online gambling crackdown

The foreigners, mainly from Vietnam, were arrested near Jakarta’s Chinatown section that investigators described as a hub for more than 70 online gambling websites.

Vietnam joins rush for India’s battle-tested ‘strong, non-Western’ BrahMos

As a joint Indo-Russian venture, BrahMos offers a supersonic, non-Western alternative to US hardware with no Nato-linked conditions.

Indonesia finds bodies of 2 Singaporeans killed in Mount Dukono eruption

Evacuation of the bodies hindered by eruptions and adverse weather, an official said.

Rescuers retrieve body of Indonesia hiker killed in volcanic eruption

Two hikers from Singapore and one from Indonesia died in Friday’s eruption at Indonesia’s Mount Dukono, in a location that was a no-go area.

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | Indonesian volcanic eruption kills 3

The volcano in North Maluku province erupted on Friday morning, spewing volcanic ash as high as 10km into the sky.

Are China and Russia flexing their maritime muscle near Japan?

Tokyo’s recent tracking of three PLA Navy warships transiting Tsushima Strait comes amid heightened regional tensions.

Why are China’s coastal fish farms disappearing while India’s are expanding?

China’s coastal aquaculture ponds span the largest area in the world but they are shrinking – and that is a good thing.

Mount Dukono eruption in Indonesia kills 3 hikers, including 2 Singaporeans

The volcano in North Maluku province erupted on Friday morning, spewing volcanic ash as high as 10km into the sky.

.css-12ooj4n{font-family:Roboto Condensed,Roboto Condensed fallback,sans-serif;}Hyrox races are taking Asia by storm, redefining fitness culture

The rise of the hybrid format is fuelled by its community-driven races, accessible indoor fitness structure, and strategic partnerships.

Myanmar could come in from the cold as Asean members warm towards nation

Myanmar has been largely sidelined from top-level Asean meetings since a 2021 military coup that sparked a nationwide civil conflict.

Opinion | Why China’s warning over military blocs is finding listeners in Asia

For regional governments, strategy is about preserving options. China has read this instinct carefully and given it a diplomatic vocabulary.

Indonesia posts fastest first-quarter growth in 3 years, but headwinds loom

The 5.6 per cent growth was propelled by robust household consumption during the festive season and a surge in government spending.

TikTok invests record US$25b to expand digital infrastructure in Thailand

The Chinese firm will install additional servers and expand data storage infrastructure to support rising demand for digital services.

Bus and oil tanker collide in Indonesia, killing at least 16 people

The bus driver, 13 passengers, the tanker’s driver and assistant all burned to death inside the vehicles.

‘I started crying’: Indonesian captain’s wife in agony over pirate attack

Captain Ashari Samadikun had sent a chilling warning to his wife before his fuel tanker was hijacked by pirates last month.

Can Indonesia turn holiday island Bali into a global financial hub?

Having a financial centre on the island will help boost national economic competitiveness, officials say.

Course correction: Indonesia reshapes ride-hailing sector with state power

The new commission scheme shows the state’s support for ride-hailing drivers, but may not necessarily boost their incomes, observers say.

Knives out: sea robbery fears stalk Southeast Asia’s busiest straits

Opportunistic nighttime raids in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore are testing security in a vital maritime chokepoint.

Opinion | Just because Brics isn’t a coherent bloc doesn’t mean it’s impotent

Video | Indonesian volcanic eruption kills 3

Hyrox races are taking Asia by storm, redefining fitness culture