Adjustments in MBG program

Jul 17, 2026 | Market, Politics

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has disclosed President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to review the MBG budget, including whether the Rp 15,000-per-portion allocation remains feasible for implementation outside Java. The review could be crucial as the government...

Governance issue & the SAL debate in Parliament

Jul 17, 2026 | Market, Politics

The most consequential exchange during Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa’s recent hearing before the House of Representatives (DPR) was not about money. It was about process. At issue was the government’s decision to place State Budget Surplus (Saldo...

Reform before rewards

Jul 17, 2026 | Politics

Indonesia is once again debating whether the military (TNI) and National Police (Polri) should receive higher salaries. Government officials insist no decision has been made, but the mere emergence of the proposal is revealing. It suggests that increasing the welfare...

PDIP vs. Zulfan Lindan

Jul 17, 2026 | Law, Politics

The lawsuit filed by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) against former party politician Zulfan Lindan and media platform Total Politik illustrates more than a dispute over reputation. It raises a larger constitutional question: where does political...

A joke that exposed a bigger governance problem

Jul 16, 2026 | Politics

During a recent hearing with House Commission VIII, Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar quietly left before the meeting concluded to attend another official engagement. Seeing the minister depart while legislators were still discussing ministry affairs,...

Due process cannot be negotiated

Jul 16, 2026 | Law, Politics

The controversy surrounding former Attorney General’s Office special crimes chief Febrie Adriansyah now raises a more fundamental question: can criminal procedure be modified through institutional compromise? Former coordinating minister Mahfud MD has argued...

Dody’s controversies 

Jul 16, 2026 | Politics

Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo may have resolved one controversy, but a series of events over the past two weeks has exposed a broader challenge facing Indonesia’s public institutions: trust cannot be managed through explanations alone. It must be built...

Major shakeup at Attorney General’s Office

Jul 14, 2026 | Politics

Following resignation of Febrie Adriansyah as assistant attorney general for special crime (Jampidsus) due to corruption investigation, Attorney General ST Burhanuddin has reportedly submitted a proposal for major shakeup to President Prabowo Subianto. According to a...

Retreats do not build integrity

Jul 14, 2026 | Law, Politics

President Prabowo Subianto has made retreats one of the defining features of his administration. Cabinet members, regional heads and officials responsible for the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program have all been assembled for intensive leadership retreats aimed at...

Key takeaways from Prabowo’s speeches

Jul 13, 2026 | Market, Politics

President Prabowo Subianto made some troubling remarks on various issues in his recent speeches, including a long speech on the commemoration of Cooperative Day, Sunday (Jul 12), in Jakarta. No scaling back First of all, Prabowo insisted that 81,000 village...