The appointment of KH Zulfa Mustofa as acting chairman of PBNU has been framed publicly as an administrative step to fill a leadership vacuum. In reality, it marks a decisive political shift inside Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)—a shift that reflects a deeper confrontation between state power, oligarchic interests, and the pesantren-based moral authority that has long defined NU’s identity. At the center of this confrontation is former vice president Ma’ruf Amin, whose influence, though quiet, has now re-emerged with unmistakable clarity.

The public feud between a DPR member and Ferry Irwandi—triggered by a dismissive remark questioning Ferry’s Rp10 billion humanitarian contribution—may look like yet another political squabble in Jakarta’s crowded noise chamber. But the uproar it generated reveals something far more unsettling: the state is increasingly sensitive to criticism, while the people have grown desensitized to the state’s absence.

The proposal in the House of Representatives for the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) to establish a special body to counter “misleading narratives” on social media may appear, at first glance, to be a pragmatic response to the flood of disinformation. Yet the term “misleading narratives” is so elastic, so infinitely interpretable, that creating a state institution dedicated to policing it risks dragging Indonesia toward a model of managed democracy — a system in which the state not only governs but curates truth itself.

To this day, the Indonesian government still refuses aid from foreign countries despite growing concerns over the post-disaster condition in Sumatra. The National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure (BNPB) is said to have an adequate budget for emergency response, but a recent report from the Ministry of Home Affairs shows that many regions are struggling financially due to the unexpected spending budget running low towards year-end.

Repeated natural disasters have always revealed two things at once: the fragility of our disaster-management institutions, and the eagerness of political figures to fill that vacuum. The latest example comes not from a minister or national agency, but from former West Java deputy governor Dedi Mulyadi, whose high-visibility interventions in West Sumatra, North Sumatra and Aceh have dominated social media feeds more effectively than the central government’s own response.

Latest data from the National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure (BNPB) showed that the death toll from recent floods and landslides in Sumatra rose to 836 as of December 5, 2025 at 10.54 Jakarta local time. Some areas are still isolated due to the damaged infrastructure, but humanitarian aid from politicians continues to arrive. It seems like they use this horrible situation to their own advantage under the guise of altruism. But people know better.

Luhut Binsar Panjaitan’s recent political maneuvers reflect a man trying—carefully, even gracefully—to avoid open confrontation. His meeting with President Prabowo Subianto as Chairman of the National Energy Council (DEN), followed by a long essay defending the industrial ecosystem of Morowali and IMIP, revealed a statesman attempting to lower the temperature at a time when political frictions inside the administration are rising. His tone was uncharacteristically subdued, almost academic. Despite Luhut’s efforts at restraint, a collision with Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid.

PT Toba Pulp Lestari (INRU) Tbk has been at the heart of a lot of accusations related to the landslide in North Sumatra province. Before the landslide, North Sumatra governor Bobby Nasution already agreed with some community leaders to recommend the closure of Toba Pulp’s operations. 

Indonesia is currently facing a shortage of specialist doctors, with an estimated deficit of around 70,000, while there are only 2,700 up to 3,000 new specialist doctors per year and cases of degenerative diseases are increasing. As part of the effort to address this issue, the Ministry of Health launched a hospital-based residency program, which was instead met with growing apprehension from medical professors.

As of today (02/12), based on the latest data from BNPB’s official website, the death toll in the Sumatra disasters has reached 604, while there are 464 people missing, 2,600 injured, and a total of more than 1.5 million affected. Thousands of houses, schools, and major infrastructure have also been severely damaged. This number is expected to continue to rise considering that several areas are still isolated and the authorities are relatively slow to respond.