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Indonesia
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Indonesia

Indonesia
Indonesia
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion from Indonesia.
Capital
Jakarta
Head of State
President Prabowo Subianto
Prabowo Subianto
Head of Government
President Prabowo Subianto
Prabowo Subianto
Students eat lunch on the first day of a free-meal programme at 12 State junior high school in Cimahi, West Java, on January 6, 2025. Indonesia launched an ambitious USD 4.3 billion free-meal programme on January 6 to combat stunted growth due to malnutrition, a key election promise of President Prabowo Subianto. (Photo by Timur MATAHARI / AFP)
Education

Video | Indonesia hits pause on free meal programme

The 3-week break will save the government an estimated 3.4 trillion rupiah (US$191 million).

Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese EV makers debut right-hand drive models for Southeast Asian push

Plastic chokes Indonesian islands as enforcement slip through ghost nets

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Malaysia

How a surge in midnight sea incursions is threatening Malaysia’s blue economy

The success of Malaysia’s maritime economic development depends on its ability to monitor and protect its waters, experts say.

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Men row a sampan in front of a local fishing boat in Terengganu, Malaysia. Photo: Keith Mundy
Tourism

Drowning of Indonesian teen at tourist spot spurs calls for tighter safety rules

Several tourists have died in Indonesia while taking part in outdoor activities, prompting calls for operators to be held accountable.

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US-ally trade wars

Opinion | Many countries are ‘quiet quitting’ the US and China on trade

While the US and Chinese markets are essential, other countries are making deals with each other in search of more diversified trade.

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Banking & finance

Indonesia market sell-off fuels anti-Singapore sentiment online

Politics and finance collide as some social media users claim Singapore stands to gain from negative sentiment towards Indonesia.

Indonesian rupiah banknotes are pictured next to those of the US dollar at a currency exchange office in Jakarta on June 4. Photo: AFP
Central banks

Indonesia’s rupiah rebounds but rate rises threaten the middle class

A successful sovereign wealth fund debut and a stock market rally offer a reprieve, even as higher borrowing costs threaten growth.

Asean

Aid and diplomacy: US Navy’s renewed bid for Southeast Asian influence

Pacific Partnership 2026 aims to counter China’s rising influence in the region, amid growing doubts about US leadership, analysts say.

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Asean

Iran war ‘stark wake-up call’ for fossil fuel-dependent Southeast Asia: IEA

The agency warns that the region’s energy import bill could triple to US$245 billion by 2035 if it does not quickly look for alternatives.

The sun sets next to power lines along San Fernando town, north of the Philippines’ capital of Manila. Photo: AFP
Prabowo Subianto

Free meals, political cost: why Indonesia is restructuring, not axing, scheme

As it was Prabowo’s signature campaign promise, dropping the programme could prove ‘embarrassing’ to the president, experts say.

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Students eat lunch provided by the Free Nutritious Meals programme in Bandung, West Java, on Friday. Photo: Xinhua
Earthquakes

Panicked residents flee as strong earthquake hits Indonesia’s Sulawesi

Many Sulawesi residents are haunted by the magnitude 7.5 earthquake that devastated Palu in 2018, setting off a three-metre-high tsunami.

SCMP Highlights

Korean’s racist World Cup experience, India’s military revamp: 7 Asia highlights

From Lawrence Wong’s trip to Russia to a racist encounter at the World Cup, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Japan

Opinion | Short-sellers are circling as Japan’s yen presents a tempting target

A Japan declining in competitiveness presents a tempting target, with short-sellers likely to also target economies like India and Indonesia.

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Bank of Japan governor Kazuo Ueda attends a press conference in Tokyo. The central bank kept its ultra-low interest rates unchanged on June 14, pushing the yen to a fresh 34-year low against the US dollar. Photo: AFP
Britain

UK bans under 16s from social media apps including TikTok, YouTube

The move makes the UK part of a growing global movement to tighten online safety for children.

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Students from Ricards Lodge and Rutlish High Schools in Wimbledon, the UK, look at their mobile phones during an interview and discussion about their thoughts on a social media ban for under 16s. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia

Viral video of Indonesian helper being beaten in Malaysia prompts calls to act

Four suspects were detained in Johor as an Indonesian MP urged President Prabowo to intervene over the abuse in a private home.

Trip Inspiration

From Double Haven to Phuket, Nirup Island to Amalfi – where should you take your yacht?

Discover dream yachting destinations – from Hong Kong’s serene Double Haven and Phuket’s island-hopping paradise to Sardinia’s crystal waters and Nirup Island’s luxury marina escape.

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Hong Kong society

Opinion | Hong Kong’s domestic helpers need safe places to work and play

As climate change intensifies and urban space dwindles, migrant workers’ needs must be prioritised.

Domestic helpers rest in makeshift shelters in Tsuen Wan on May 24. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Japan

Japan adds Indonesia to its ‘network of navies’ after Australia, Philippines

By exporting warships, analysts say Tokyo is sidestepping military pacts to bind partners through shared hardware.

Chinese offshore investment

Asian Angle | Indonesia’s nickel rule changes are spooking Chinese investors

A leaked grievance letter reveals how Jakarta’s resource nationalism risks driving essential Chinese capital away.

Asean

Asean at 60: peace, prosperity and polite paralysis

Non-interference bought decades of stability, but now breeds inaction. Is Asean due an overhaul?

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Illustration: Huy Truong
Crime

Indonesia’s US$8 million visa scandal threatens drive for talent, investors

Public-sector corruption is an ‘open secret’ in Indonesia, analysts say, urging Jakarta to make the application process more transparent.

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People queue up at immigration counters at the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali in February 2025. Photo: EPA-EFE
Hong Kong tourism

Can Hong Kong cash in on ecotourism without trashing its natural treasures?

With more visitors seeking outdoor experiences in Hong Kong, how do authorities protect the landscapes they are promoting?

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Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA)

Hong Kong, Indonesia move towards direct transactions in yuan, rupiah

Agreement between People’s Bank of China, HKMA and Bank Indonesia aims to enhance efficiency and encourage use of the currencies.

Banking & finance

Open Questions | AIIB chief Zou Jiayi on financing Asia’s green transition

President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank on how it bridges differences to build a more sustainable, climate-resilient world.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Thailand

Thai court sentences 2 Uygur men to death for 2015 Bangkok shrine bombing

The worst attack on the city in recent history killed 20, including tourists from China, Malaysia and Singapore.

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Police cordon off the site of a bomb blast at the Erawan shrine in Bangkok on August 18, 2015. Photo: AFP
Canada

Canada moves to ban under-16s from social media, regulate AI

The proposed plan could see companies fined up to 3 per cent of their global revenue or US$7.2 million if they do not comply.

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Human rights

Video | Indonesian soldiers guilty of acid attack on activist

The court ruled that the soldiers acted on their own initiative out of revenge, but critics called the verdict ‘a blatant whitewash’.

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