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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

The Sanur Beach Hotel complex in Bali. Sanur was once a favoured haunt of rock stars and celebrities. Photo: Getty Images

Asia travel

60 years ago, Sanur was ground zero for Bali tourism

Championed by Indonesian president Sukarno, Sanur was a high-flying destination for Rockefellers, Rothschilds – and even hosted Mick Jagger’s wedding.

1 hour ago

US-China relations

Could a ‘more focused’ US gain an edge over China in Indonesian tech contest?

13 Apr 2025 - 12:00PMvideocam

Israel-Gaza war

Indonesia’s Prabowo: Gaza violence undermines world’s rules-based system

12 Apr 2025 - 1:50PMvideocam

Millionaires and billionaires

Rich Indonesians concerned about Prabowo’s policies send wealth overseas

The shift began in October when Prabowo came to power but accelerated substantially after the rupiah plunged in March, people have said.

12 Apr 2025 - 12:33PM

A worker counts US dollar and rupiah notes at a money changer in Jakarta, Indonesia. The rupiah on Wednesday fell to its lowest in history against the dollar before rebounding slightly on Thursday. Photo: EPA-EFE

US-Asean relations

Asean’s ‘illusion of solidarity’ splinters amid Trump’s tariff threats

While Malaysia calls for a united front, the reality is a race for bilateral deals, with Vietnam leading the charge – as China watches on.

13 Apr 2025 - 12:21PMvideocam

US-China trade war

Will Trump’s tariffs force Global South to show ‘true colours’ on US and China?

Beijing’s ties with developing world to face test as Washington may push countries to take tougher China stance, analysts say.

9 Apr 2025 - 11:43PMvideocam

Israel-Gaza war

‘We are ready’: Indonesia offers sanctuary to Palestinians displaced by Gaza war

President Prabowo Subianto, on a trip to the Middle East and Turkey, said Indonesia was ready to take up to 1,000 Palestinians initially.

9 Apr 2025 - 12:32PMvideocam

Palestinian children walk through rubble and debris, a result of Israeli strikes, at the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip last month. Photo: AFP

Asean

Trump’s tariffs: Asean urged to explore trade diversification, tap FTAs

The call by analysts comes as Asean countries are among the hardest hit by US President Donald Trump’s universal tariffs.

9 Apr 2025 - 3:47PMvideocam

Infrastructure

Rats and rubbish mar Indonesia’s vision of a futuristic new capital

Indonesia’s US$32 billion dream of a green new capital at Nusantara is facing an early challenge: a surge in rats fuelled by tourist trash.

8 Apr 2025 - 2:57PM

Malaysia

Second pygmy elephant corpse find in Malaysia raises fears of ivory poaching

The practice of giving tusks as dowry in neighbouring Indonesia may be behind the killings, conservationists say.

7 Apr 2025 - 4:46PM

Borneo pygmy elephants drinking water from Kinabatangan river in Malaysia’s state of Sabah. Photo: Reuters

US-China trade war

My Take | The United States, not China, turns out to be the real bogeyman

The significance of Trump’s tariffs is that they have destroyed the credibility of America on which its global alliances have long depended.

6 Apr 2025 - 9:00PM

A screen showing stock prices at the end of the trading day on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on April 4, 2025. World financial markets are continuing to react to reciprocal tariffs that US President Donald Trump implemented. Photo: EPA-EFE

Donald Trump

Indonesia will not retaliate against Trump tariff, minister says

Chief Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto said that Indonesia would pursue diplomacy and negotiations to find mutually beneficial solutions.

7 Apr 2025 - 8:20AM

Singapore

Asian Angle | Can Indonesia’s Batam hold its own against Johor-Singapore SEZ?

Batam has struggled to attract investment, stymied by local-level dysfunctions and a lack of connections to major Indonesian cities.

5 Apr 2025 - 3:00PM

Asean

Opinion | 3 ways Asean can survive Trump’s tariff war – and 4 ways China can help

Amid escalating global trade tensions, Southeast Asian nations must stick together and diversify their options to mitigate external shocks.

4 Apr 2025 - 8:30PMvideocam

Energy

Indonesia’s new coal pricing rule sparks uncertainty, rattles Chinese firms

Analysts warn Indonesia may lose its competitiveness over the new regulation amid concerns about lack of market flexibility.

4 Apr 2025 - 7:03PM

Barges are fully loaded with coal on the Mahakam River in Samarinda, East Kalimantan.
Indonesia’s government benchmark price, known as the HBA, went into effect in March. Photo: AP

US-China trade war

From Guangdong to LA, tariff superstorm alters course of business expansions

Businesses rethink plans after Trump unleashes whirlwind of tariffs, and analysts say that while trade barriers might be overcome, others must ‘abandon wishful thinking’.

4 Apr 2025 - 6:00AMvideocam

US-ally trade wars

‘Bad news for all’ as Asia hard hit by Trump tariffs, amid trade war fears

‘Disproportionately stiffer’ tariffs for the region will be detrimental to growth for export-reliant Asian economies, experts warn.

4 Apr 2025 - 3:56AMvideocam

Prabowo Subianto

Video | Is Indonesia marching back towards military rule?

A recent bill passed by Indonesian lawmakers rolls back restrictions put in place after the end of Suharto’s 32-year authoritarian rule

3 Apr 2025 - 6:03PM

Does the military’s new expansion mark a return to Indonesia’s military rule?

11:59

South Korea

South Korea mulls giving Indonesian wildfire hero a long-stay visa

He carried elderly villagers on his back to a sea wall about 300m from the hamlet as the fast-moving flames approached.

2 Apr 2025 - 7:31PMvideocam

Banking & finance

Temasek, Asian state funds seen growing their assets to US$25 trillion by 2030

Singapore’s GIC and Temasek were among the most aggressive, accounting for three-quarters of capital deployed by Asian state investors.

2 Apr 2025 - 7:49PM

Ramadan

Video | Indonesian Muslims mark Eid amid economic worries

As Muslims worldwide celebrate Eid ul-Fitr, the festivities in some corners of Asia have been tempered by political, economic and humanitarian concerns

2 Apr 2025 - 2:05PM

Eid festivities dampened by economic, political concerns in Indonesia, India

06:04

SCMP Highlights

Singaporeans rediscover China, what Duterte’s downfall means: 7 Asia highlights

From rescuers’ battle in Myanmar quake to Japan’s ‘major disaster’ action plan, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

1 Apr 2025 - 12:00PM

Rodrigo Duterte pictured at an Asean summit in 2019 while still president of the Philippines. Photo: Reuters

India

Eid celebrations in Indonesia and India face economic and political challenges

Eid ul-Fitr in Indonesia sees subdued celebrations due to soaring prices and economic strain, while Indian Muslims face political challenges amid festivities.

2 Apr 2025 - 2:35PMvideocam

Asia travel

‘The sooner, the better’: Bali governor wants island waste-free by 2027

A sustainable waste management facility which can convert rubbish to energy is in the works for the resort island.

31 Mar 2025 - 4:51PM

Asia housing and property

The View | How Indonesia can calm property investors’ fears of a return to 1998

Concern about democratic backsliding and poor liquidity are obscuring otherwise solid fundamentals in one of Asia’s largest markets.

31 Mar 2025 - 4:30PMvideocam

The Kuningan business district is seen at dusk in Jakarta, Indonesia, in June 2023. Rents for grade A office buildings in the central business district have fallen continuously for the past decade. Photo: Shutterstock

Video | Danantara targets economic growth amid investor concern

31 Mar 2025 - 12:11PM

08:19

Sovereign wealth fund

Can Danantara deliver? Indonesia’s sovereign fund vows to be ‘super transparent’

Investment chief Pandu Sjahrir is confident the new sovereign wealth fund can overcome market jitters and keep political meddling at bay.

31 Mar 2025 - 1:49PMvideocam

China-Asean relations

Exclusive | China woos the neighbours, with Xi said to be planning 3-country tour in April

The Chinese leader is expected to spend three days in Malaysia as well as visit Vietnam and Cambodia.

1 Apr 2025 - 12:38AMvideocam

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