Rather than President Prabowo Subianto traveling to Singapore, it was Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong who flew to Jakarta on July 6, 2026, bringing five ministers with him for the second annual Indonesia-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat, hosted at Merdeka Palace. What is the important result from this meeting? The first retreat under this format took place […]
Indonesia’s Attorney General arrested the head and two former deputy heads of the National Nutrition Agency on Wednesday on corruption charges — exposing an alleged scheme of shell foundations, rigged procurement, and price inflation at the very center of President Prabowo’s flagship free nutritious meals program. JAKARTA — Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office arrested the head
In weighing The Economist’s reporting on Indonesia and President Prabowo’s administration, we attempt a fair and balanced analysis of the statements and responses involved. On May 14, 2026, The Economist simultaneously published two major articles, both focusing on Indonesia and President Prabowo Subianto. The two pieces were titled “Indonesia’s President Is Jeopardising the Economy and
Weighing The Economist’s Coverage of Indonesia and the Prabowo Administration Read More »
Among the political thinkers that modern Indonesia has produced, few have been as systematic in articulating a democratic governing philosophy as Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. SBY offers a philosophical framework in a trilogy: liberty, prosperity, and security. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono — widely known as SBY — served as the sixth President of the Republic of Indonesia
JAKARTA — In the lexicon of Indonesian power, few names carry as much weight — or as much controversy — as Andi Syamsuddin Arsyad. Better known as Haji Isam, this 48-year-old tycoon from the forests of South Kalimantan has become the defining face of a new Indonesian oligarchy: a class of businessmen who have turned
When Prabowo Subianto won Indonesia’s 2024 presidential election, one campaign promise stood out more than any other: free nutritious meals program for schoolchildren. It sounded simple, almost disarmingly populist. Yet behind the promise, lies one of the most complex and ambitious social policy experiments in modern Indonesia. Launched in January 2025, the Free Nutritious Meals
Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals Program and the Leadership Test for Prabowo Read More »
Three soldiers of the Garuda Contingent were killed in Lebanon within 24 hours. This incident is not merely a national tragedy—it exposes the deepest contradiction in Indonesia’s diplomacy: Indonesia is in The Board of Peace, sponsored by a country accused of killing its own soldiers. Saturday night, March 29, 2026. At a guard post near
Iran has absorbed several waves of large-scale strikes and still retains asymmetric retaliation capacity; Iran military capabilities is degraded but not collapsed. Every conventional strike that fails to end the regime, reinforces Iran’s nuclear justification – making this the most important variable to consider. Two waves of large-scale airstrikes launched by the United States and
The Golkar Party stands as one of the most effective instruments for oligarchy in Indonesia to secure their interests. The 1998 Reformation brought great hope for a more democratic Indonesia. However, 27 years later, we are witnessing a concerning phenomenon: our democracy is increasingly dominated by a handful of oligarchs—ultra-wealthy individuals who use their riches
Golkar and The Oligarchy In Indonesia Read More »
The period from 2026 leading up to the next two presidential elections in 2029 and 2034 represents a crucial juncture for Indonesia’s political future. A number of veteran Indonesian political elites who have occupied the inner circle of power—many since the 1998 Reformasi—are entering their twilight years. How will the power transition unfold in their
Political Lineage, Elite Reproduction, and the Power Transition in Indonesia Read More »
