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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

last updated:

29 November, 2024

Bali bomber Ali Imron in prison in Jakarta, Indonesia, in January 2024. Photo: Aisyah Llewellyn

Crime

Will Prabowo heed Bali bomber’s pardon plea after release of Bali Nine members?

Ali Imron cites years of counterterrorism work and the Bali Nine precedent in his bid for freedom, but observers say his release is unlikely.

1 Feb 2025 - 3:17PM

Donald Trump

Trump’s Paris exit could push Indonesia towards China for climate funding

31 Jan 2025 - 10:08PMvideocam

Malaysia

Indonesian protesters egg Malaysian embassy over migrant worker shooting

30 Jan 2025 - 5:52PM

Diplomacy

Is Indonesia’s BrahMos missile deal with India a counter to China’s influence?

The potential US$450 million deal, alongside other defence collaborations, reflects Indonesia’s desire to diversify its partnerships and strengthen its maritime security.

30 Jan 2025 - 3:00PMvideocam

A soldier salutes from a BrahMos Weapon system during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi on January 26, 2021 Photo: AFP

Crime

Indonesian court’s acquittal of Chinese national over gold mining sparks anger

Yu Hao was initially handed a jail term and a fine for illegally mining tens of millions of dollars worth of gold in West Kalimantan.

27 Jan 2025 - 8:30PM

India

India, Modi mark Republic Day with Indonesia’s Prabowo

Parading tanks, soldiers and motorbike stunts celebrated 76 years since India adopted its constitution after independence from Britain.

26 Jan 2025 - 4:48PM

China technology

SenseTime to spin off healthcare platform to capitalise on advanced LLMs

SenseTime says rapid advancements in large language models are transforming artificial intelligence in the medical field.

27 Jan 2025 - 6:32PMvideocam

Outside a SenseTime office in Shanghai. Photo: Reuters

Prabowo Subianto

Asian Angle | As Indonesia’s army expands under Prabowo, is society the target?

Critics question if the Indonesian military is quietly reasserting the broad ‘dual function’ influence it once had over civilian affairs.

26 Jan 2025 - 10:00AMvideocam

South China Sea

Indonesia tests the limits of non-alignment in the South China Sea

As Jakarta deepens military and coastguard cooperation while rejecting Beijing’s sweeping claims, can it maintain a precarious equilibrium?

26 Jan 2025 - 8:00AMvideocam

European Union

As Indonesia scores a palm oil ‘win’ over EU, will its biofuel gamble pay off?

Jakarta is celebrating the WTO ruling, but analysts warn demand and market access issues could stall hopes of progress for it – and Malaysia.

25 Jan 2025 - 5:30PMvideocam

A worker carries an oil palm fruit at an oil palm plantation in Bogor, Indonesia, on January 13. Photo: Xinhua

Bali bombing

Will Bali bombing suspect Hambali be set free after 18 years in prison?

Minister says Hambali remains ‘an Indonesian citizen’ and the country ‘must care for him’, but analysts warn any potential release is fraught with issues.

24 Jan 2025 - 7:15PMvideocam

Wreckage of the Sari nightclub and surrounding buildings on October 15, 2002 in Kuta, Bali. More than 200 people were killed in the blast on the Indonesian island. Photo: AP

Israel-Gaza war

Uproar, rejection in Indonesia over report of US plan to relocate Palestinians

Report of relocation plan by unnamed Trump official sparks backlash in Indonesia as it cites concerns about sovereignty of Palestinians.

24 Jan 2025 - 5:35PMvideocam

France

Indonesia, France agree to repatriate French death row convict

Serge Atlaoui, 61, said to be suffering from cancer, was arrested in 2005 and due to be executed in 2015, when he was granted a reprieve.

24 Jan 2025 - 5:55PMvideocam

Singapore

US$760 million sea cable linking Singapore to America nears finish line

The Bifrost Cable System, connecting the US and the city state via Indonesia, is expected to be operational in the second half of this year.

24 Jan 2025 - 3:18PM

Bifrost is the first subsea cable system linking Southeast Asia to the US to be approved in the past eight years. Photo: Shutterstock

Joko Widodo

Indonesia’s Prabowo hits 80% approval in 100 days. Will the ‘honeymoon’ last?

Analysts and activists say Prabowo Subianto’s high approval rating may falter if cabinet discord and militarisation issues persist.

24 Jan 2025 - 8:00AMvideocam

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto prepares to welcome Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence before their meeting in Jakarta in November. Photo: AP

Australia

Thousands in Australia queue for plant’s ‘amazing’ stink of death

The corpse flower exudes a fragrance evoking gym socks and rotting garbage, in the 24 hours that it blooms.

23 Jan 2025 - 6:01PM

Donald Trump

Does Indonesia have ‘bargaining chips’ to navigate Trump tariff threat?

Indonesia faces an uphill battle to secure a free-trade deal unless it can bring ‘the right incentives’ to the discussion table, analysts say.

23 Jan 2025 - 12:49AM

Start-ups

Indonesia’s US$1.4 billion fish start-up accused of faking most of its sales

EFishery was a darling of the nation’s start-up scene. Then a whistle-blower alleged that the company’s accounts weren’t accurate.

22 Jan 2025 - 3:23PM

A bucket of fish is seen as fishermen unload their catch at a beach on Indonesia’s Bali island. Photo: AFP

Artificial intelligence

Alibaba Cloud rolls out expanded suite of AI models, tools in overseas push

The company’s latest move aligns with its broader strategy to ramp up overseas investments in key markets around the world.

21 Jan 2025 - 7:55PM

Natural disasters

Heavy rain triggers deadly landslide in Indonesia, killing 16, several missing

Rescue efforts are underway amid challenging conditions.

21 Jan 2025 - 4:24PM

Food and agriculture

Foodborne illness cases mar roll-out of Prabowo’s free-meal scheme in Indonesia

Despite the reported lapses in food safety, officials say Prabowo aims to accelerate the programme’s expansion.

20 Jan 2025 - 6:40PM

Pupils enjoy their breakfast in Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia, on January 6 as
part of a free-meal scheme. Photo: Xinhua

Volcanoes

Active volcano in Indonesia erupts 1,000 times in January, forcing evacuations

Mount Ibu, one of the country’s most active volcanoes, sent ash plumes 4km into the sky, forcing authorities to raise the alert level and urge residents to seek shelter.

20 Jan 2025 - 8:36AM

Mount Ibu spewing volcanic material 4,000 meters high during an eruption. Photo: Indonesian Geological Agency/AFP

Asean

Opinion | In joining Brics, Indonesia is showing itself to be strategic trailblazer

What Indonesia has gained is strategic autonomy, clout with the US and within Asean, and a bigger voice on the global stage.

19 Jan 2025 - 10:57AMvideocam

China-India relations

Closer India-China ties: an unintended consequence of Trump’s tariffs threats?

A shared economic adversary could drive the two Asian giants to strengthen their Brics ties, but the way forward is far from clear.

19 Jan 2025 - 8:00AM

Banking & finance

Indonesia may need US$6 billion more to expand free lunch programme

President Prabowo Subianto’s free lunch programme is a result of a campaign promise to improve health, education, and grow the economy.

18 Jan 2025 - 11:05PM

Students receive free lunch plates on the first day of a free-meal program at 11 State Senior High School in East Jakarta on January 6 as a part of the government program to combat stunted growth due to malnutrition. Photo: AFP

US-China trade war

In the shadow of US tariffs, Indonesia seeks a Chinese solar boom

With billions of dollars in Chinese pledges and regulatory reforms, Jakarta is betting big on solar – with a weather eye on US trade policy.

18 Jan 2025 - 5:30PM

A worker cleans solar panels installed on the roof of a traditional market in Klaten, Central Java, Indonesia, last year. Photo: AFP

Honor

Honor brings on Huawei veteran to lead firm as CEO George Zhao Ming resigns

Honor’s leadership shuffle could add some degree of uncertainty to the company’s preparations for an initial public offering.

17 Jan 2025 - 9:24PM

Social media

Will Indonesia’s plan to restrict children’s access to social media succeed?

While many support the policy and say it should also limit screen time, others are concerned about implementation and data privacy.

17 Jan 2025 - 8:01PMvideocam

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