West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi’s decision to suspend housing construction permits across the province has quickly evolved from an environmental policy into a national governance problem. What was framed as disaster mitigation is now testing the limits of decentralization, legal certainty, and political accountability in Indonesia’s housing sector.

For several years, Binar Academy has been held up as one of the most credible edtech success stories. Founded by Alamanda Shantika, a former senior product leader at Gojek, Binar emerged with a compelling narrative: closing Indonesia’s digital talent gap while promoting inclusive access to technology skills, particularly for women and underrepresented groups.

Sinarmas, controlled by Widjaja Family, is not a new player in energy sector. Other than operating power plants, the group is one of the largest coal miners in the country (through Berau Coal and Golden Energy Mines). But, the group’s entry into oil and gas surprised some.

KLSE-listed Velesto Energy Berhad informed market authorities on Tuesday (Dec 16) that PT Indonesia Drilling Energy (IDE) has signed a sale and purchase agreement for its jack-up drilling rig, Naga 3, for a total consideration of US$63 million.

After months of deliberation and preparation, Indonesia is finally set to enact a social media ban for underaged users, following in the footsteps of Australia that became the world-first country to do so. The new policy, which will take effect from March 2026, is designed to protect the younger vulnerable population from harmful online content, but the public is also concerned about its implications for the adults and their freedom of expression given the country’s current state of law enforcement.

China Shenhua Energy Company, one of the world’s largest coal producers, sold 37 million tons of coal last month, down 3.6% year-on-year, confirming softening demand across China, the largest importer of the commodity.

Defying doubts about his credentials in macro-economic management, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa claimed of involvement in policy making of the previous administrations of Jokowi and SBY in his early days after being appointed minister of finance. Yet, he openly complained about the signature Omnibus Law from Jokowi administration causing lower tax collections from coal miners. 

The prolonged delay in operating Indonesia’s National Data Center (Pusat Data Nasional, PDN) is no longer a technical footnote in the country’s digital transformation agenda. It has evolved into a policy failure with tangible security, fiscal, and governance consequences. What was meant to be the backbone of Indonesia’s data sovereignty is now an idle infrastructure—one that exposes the state to precisely the risks it was designed to mitigate.

Indonesia’s threat to take over part of PT Weda Bay Nickel’s operations if the company refuses to pay environmental penalties may look like a routine act of law enforcement. In reality, it could become one of the most consequential stress tests yet for Indonesia’s investment narrative—particularly its relationship with Chinese capital in the strategic nickel sector.

The government has appointed Lt General (hon, ret) Untung Budiharto as new president director (CEO) of Aneka Tambang (ANTM), a state mining company with interest in nickel and gold. This strengthens the military’s grip in the country’s mining industry.