Lackluster tourism growth

Jul 1, 2026 | Market

Indonesia welcomed 1.38 million foreign tourists in May, an increase of 10.7% from the previous month, but 5.83% growth only year-on-year. Vietnam, in the meantime, welcomed 1.78 million tourists in the same month with 17% growth year-on-year. In the first five months...

Indonesia turns to trade deficit

Jul 1, 2026 | Market

For the first time in many years, Indonesia recorded trade deficit of US$1.61 billion in May 2026 due to 5.7% decline in export, while import surged by 22.2%. That doesn’t help in the context of rupiah, which has been under pressure for several months now.  Export’s...

The Promotion of Four Police Generals

Jul 1, 2026 | Politics

The National Police (Polri) has promoted four senior officers to the rank of Commissioner General (Komjen), a three-star rank reserved for the institution’s highest leadership circle. The promotions went to Winarto, Rudi Darmoko, Asep Edi Suheri and Agung Setya Imam...

The Nadiem verdict and the dangerous precedent for public policy

Jul 1, 2026 | Law, Market

On Tuesday, Corruption Court handed former education minister Nadiem Makarim a 10-year prison sentence over the procurement of Chromebook laptops during the pandemic. The ruling immediately became one of the most consequential corruption verdicts in recent years—not...

The Controversy of Cybersecurity Draft Bill

Jul 1, 2026 | Law, Market

The latest Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience Bill (RUU KKS) has reignited a familiar dilemma: how can the state strengthen its cyber defenses without expanding its power to monitor citizens? The controversy is not about whether Indonesia needs a cybersecurity law. It...

Political party involvement in MBG

Jul 1, 2026 | Market, Politics

Recently, the PDIP Central Leadership Council sent an official letter to the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), requesting data on the involvement of its cadres in managing SPPG kitchens. The request was presented as part of the party’s internal discipline efforts,...

Hillcon’s downfall & the doubtful accounts (2)

Jul 1, 2026 | Market

Coal and mining contractor Hillcon (HILL) finally released its first quarter 2026 financial report. The company reported net loss of Rp294.4 billion in the quarter against profit of Rp2.7 billion in the corresponding period last year. What happened? HILL shares were...

Where’s the bottom?

Jul 1, 2026 | Market

Composite index of IDX (IHSG/JCI), which collapsed 3.05% on Tuesday (Jun 30), and rupiah might be affected by the release of some economic data by the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) today. They include export-import and tourism for May 2026.  On Tuesday, trading...

Gaurav Srivastava, Hashim & Prabowo (3)

Jun 30, 2026 | Market

In the lawsuit filed by Niels Troost, a Dutch-based oil trader, against The Arkin Group and Victoria Kataoka, to the US District Court for the Southern District of New York last year, the plaintiff (Niels) inserted a photograph of Hashim Djojohadikusumo (President...

United Tractors data & the economy

Jun 30, 2026 | Market

Shares of United Tractors (UNTR) dropped 1.7% Tuesday (Jun 30) on broad market sentiment and negative responses from some investors on the company’s operational data for the first five months of the year. UNTR’s construction machinery (Komatsu) sales dropped 28%...