As Indonesia moves along its path to becoming a global middle power by its centennial in 2045, it must not forget the key ingredient that will bind its aspirations into a cohesive whole: world-class intelligence capabilities.

Host communities, often indigenous and marginalized, are left with nothing.

Reports suggest mining companies have exerted undue influence over authorities, sometimes even “coopting community leaders as “mouthpieces" to support destructive projects. 

Concerns over predatory pricing and unfair competition in Indonesia’s e-commerce landscape have resurfaced following the preliminary findings presented during Initial Commission Hearing on May 27, 2025, at the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) office. The commisison revealed a notable increase in market concentration after TikTok’s acquisition of Tokopedia, raising the risk of monopolistic practices such as tying, bundling, and the influx of low-cost, illegally imported goods onto the Tokopedia platform.

People are unlikely to plan vacations when the economy is weak and the administration fails to create jobs, the primary driver of spending power and disposable income.

Long outdated is the notion of the ocean as the planet’s greatest “carbon sink”, as are the climate strategies associated with that perceived construct; rather, our oceans must be at the heart of global mitigation efforts, as they already are in the food security, cultural identity and economic resilience of coastal communities everywhere.

Pragmatism without an ambitious, principles-based vision will not go far, and the new Vision 2045 will not make ASEAN as relevant as we hope.

As the world finally wakes up to the critical climate role of oceans, which cover around 71 percent of Earth's surface, Indonesia has a clear opportunity to take the helm of global ocean governance at this week's UNOC3.

Despite their substantial contribution to national production, many smallholders remain trapped in structural disadvantages. 

Who benefits from mining in Raja Ampat? The communities who have fished these waters for centuries, or the elites and investors far removed from the consequences of ecological collapse?

The Indonesian economy is nowhere near a crisis. Growth has slowed marginally in recent months but is still robust and inflation is under control.

When President Prabowo Subianto said Indonesia will open diplomatic ties with Israel if it recognizes the state of Palestine, he was paraphrasing a long-held policy in which Jakarta categorically says “no” to any relationship with the Jewish state until Palestinians gain their independent and sovereign state. Same meaning, but he just put it differently.

The bilateral ties between Asia’s fourth and fifth-largest economies are too significant to fail.

We must avoid premature concessions, because the US trade policy remains in flux, with legal challenges ongoing.

Social media, gaming platforms, encrypted apps and increasingly, generative artificial intelligence tools are now the frontlines of radicalization.

The recent news on mining in Raja Ampat sounds the alarm on potential ecocide as a symptom of the government’s systemic, structural failure to protect our country's resources in line with its constitutional obligation to its people, including future generations.

Trump’s statements and policies are absurd, undemocratic and authoritarian.

What looks like “freedom of speech” on social media becomes ranking of speech, meaning what is said depends on what spreads.

The government cannot remain silent when citizens are facing hardships in their bid to fulfil their religious obligation.

Although the next presidential election is four years away, politicians across the country have already begun to boost their popularity in hopes of garnering enough support for a possible run. West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi is among the politicians trying their luck.

Governments should look to adapting multilateral policy frameworks, including IP protections, environmental standards and investment screening policies, to embrace the strategic shift happening in the semiconductor supply chain due to geopolitical developments as well as technological advances.

The waste crisis in Bandung, like that in many growing cities, is a complex issue rooted in infrastructure gaps, behavioral norms and policy inertia. 

Ending plastic pollution is clearly a human health, planetary health, economic health and  business health imperative.

Without a well-structured and precisely delivered package, the stimulus risks offering only a short-term boost.

Qurban teaches that sacrifice is not a loss but a spiritual and social investment for the common good. 

As the dust settles from the election, international partners, especially in the Indo-Pacific, are watching closely, with particular attention from Indonesia. 

A series of corruption and fraud cases have been uncovered at several regional development banks (BPDs), including Bank Jabar dan Banten (BJB), Bank DKI Jakarta, Bank Jatim and Bank Jateng. These cases involve practices such as side streaming, fictitious debtors, hidden debtors and document forgery, resulting in losses amounting to trillions of rupiah. The revelations have raised serious concerns about weak corporate governance in the BPD sector.