Tax-free restructuring

May 8, 2026 | Law, Market

The government’s decision to exempt state-owned enterprises (SOEs) from taxes on corporate restructuring until 2029 may appear technical on the surface. Officials frame it as a pragmatic step to support consolidation, improve efficiency and accelerate the...

Regulating ride-hailing by presidential decree

May 8, 2026 | Law, Market

The draft presidential regulation on the protection of online transportation workers may become one of the country’s most controversial digital economy policies in years. Presented as a long-overdue response to driver exploitation, the regulation promises tariff...

Bakom and New Media

May 8, 2026 | Politics

The Government Communications Agency (Bakom) claims to have made a number of homeless media its “partners.” The list, reportedly drawn from members of the Indonesia New Media Forum (INMF), was read out by Bakom Head Muhammad Qodari at a press conference on Wednesday...

Not out of the woods yet

May 8, 2026 | Market

Brent crude oil futures advanced 2.43% to US$102.5 per barrel this morning, while Asian stock markets opened mostly lower grounds due to fresh exchange of attacks between US and Iran in the Middle East. All Ordinaries opened lower by 1.1% in Sydney this morning, while...

Squeezed margins of manufacturers (1): Glass

May 8, 2026 | Industries, Market

Two glass manufacturers listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) suffered from falling margins in the first quarter of 2026 due to low sales growth, higher input, labour, and utilities costs.  PT Asahimas Flat Glass Tbk (AFMG), co-owned by AGC (Japan) and Rodamas...

Substantial correction at Cita Mineral

May 8, 2026 | Commodities, Market

Cita Mineral Investindo (CITA), the largest bauxite ore miner controlled by Harita Group, booked net profit of Rp288 billion in the first quarter of 2026, collapsed 72% from the corresponding period of 2025. Why? First of all, CITA, where Glencore is a minority...

Salim vs Satgas PKH

May 8, 2026 | Law, Market

Salim Ivomas Pratama (SIMP), controlled by Anthoni Salim’s Indofood Agri-Resources Ltd, is, by far, the only company openly challenged the hefty administrative fines charged by President Prabowo Subianto’s Forest Area Enforcement Task Force (Satgas PKH).  Financial...

From free shipping to hidden costs in online marketplaces

May 7, 2026 | Market

The recent controversy surrounding shipping costs in online marketplaces reveals a more uncomfortable truth. Digital platforms are no longer merely facilitating trade. They are increasingly extracting value from the very sellers they once claimed to empower. This...

Borax, E. coli, and MBG’s fragile oversight

May 7, 2026 | Law, Market

Last month, around 155 people in the Kepulauan Anambas Regency, Riau Islands, suffered food poisoning after consuming meals from the MBG program. The laboratory test results, which were only released recently, revealed traces of borax and E. coli contamination in the...

Cash limits and the fear inside Parliament

May 7, 2026 | Law, Politics

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) recently renewed its push for the acceleration of the Bill on Restrictions of Cash Transactions (RUU Pembatasan Transaksi Uang Kartal/PTUK), arguing that limiting large cash transactions is necessary to combat money politics...