Parliamentary threshold: An insiders’ shield against outsiders
As Indonesia prepares to revise its Election Law, the parliamentary threshold has returned as one of the most divisive issues in the political arena. But beyond the technical language of electoral design, the debate is exposing a deeper conflict: a struggle between political insiders who benefit from the current system and outsiders who are trying to break in.
Regulating fees will not save e-commerce sellers
The government’s plan to regulate administrative fees charged to merchants on e-commerce platforms may sound like a pro-small business move. In reality, it risks repeating a familiar policy mistake: treating symptoms while ignoring the deeper structural problems of Indonesia’s digital economy.
When “abandoned land” becomes a policy weapon
Government Regulation (PP) No. 48/2025 on abandoned land is meant to send a clear message: concessions must be used productively, or they will be taken back by the state. On paper, the policy sounds logical. Idle land fuels speculation, distorts markets, and deprives the public of economic benefits. But in practice, the regulation risks turning into something far more dangerous: a blunt policy weapon that undermines legal certainty and scares away long-term investment.
Customs scandal that exposes systemic decay
The Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) revelation that customs officials allegedly received up to Rp7 billion in monthly kickbacks is not merely another corruption case. It is a stark reminder that border control system—supposedly the frontline of economic sovereignty—remains deeply compromised from within.
Two tax scandals in one month
Tax authority is once again at the center of a corruption storm. Within the span of just one month, two separate operations by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) have exposed alleged bribery schemes inside tax offices in Jakarta and Banjarmasin. The timing is alarming. It suggests that the problem is not isolated misconduct, but a deeper institutional crisis within the Direktorat Jenderal Pajak (DJP).
Internet quota lawsuits
Over the past two months, several lawsuits have been filed with the Constitutional Court (MK) challenging the practice of expiring prepaid internet quotas, on the grounds that it violates consumer rights. Paid internet data is the property of consumers, and the state has a constitutional obligation to protect it. At the same time, the government must formulate proportional policies that safeguard consumers without having to impose unwarranted burdens on internet operators.
When reform rhetoric masks a rent-seeking machine
The corruption trial surrounding the procurement of Chromebook laptops at Indonesia’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology has stripped away the language of reform and exposed something far more familiar: a sprawling rent-seeking network operating behind the banner of digital transformation.
The Foreign Propaganda Bill
At Prabowo’s behest, the government is moving to draft a bill specifically aimed at combating disinformation and foreign propaganda. While the stated objective is to safeguard national sovereignty, critics warn that such a move could come at the expense of civil liberties. Given the current state of Indonesia’s democracy, the bill could easily become an instrument of control rather than a form of protection. It is not about whether disinformation should be addressed, but how the state chooses to do so.
When telecom regulation lags, the digital economy pays the price
Mobile operators are right to warn that the country’s telecommunications regulations are no longer fit for purpose. This should not be dismissed as routine industry lobbying. It is a structural warning that an outdated regulatory framework risks slowing digital transformation at the very moment when connectivity is becoming a core economic input.
Why KPK’s new gratification rules matter
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revised one of its most technical yet politically sensitive instruments: the regulation governing gratification reporting by public officials. At first glance, the change looks procedural, even mundane. Thresholds are adjusted, deadlines refined, and administrative mechanisms simplified. Yet the urgency behind this revision tells a more consequential story about how Indonesia is trying to keep its anti-corruption framework functional amid shifting economic realities and institutional constraints.