Revoked, then restored: Is Indonesia serious about mining reform?
PT Agincourt Resources, subsidiary of IDX-listed United Tractors (UNTR, member of Astra Group), was allowed to resume operations at the Martabe gold mine, the government framed it as a pragmatic decision—one that balanced enforcement with economic reality. What does this reversal say about the credibility of mining reform agenda?
Fighting economic crime, or centralizing power?
The latest draft regulation on economic crimes, reportedly being prepared in the form of a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu), arrives with a familiar justification: the need for speed, strength and coordination in tackling increasingly complex financial offenses. In a country long plagued by corruption, illicit financial flows and regulatory fragmentation, the argument may sound compelling. But beneath the urgency lies a far more consequential question—whether this policy is truly about strengthening law enforcement, or quietly concentrating power.
KPK setting a bad precedent
The KPK’s flip-flop decision in Yaqut Cholil Qoumas’ case has set a bad precedent. Now, the family of Immanuel Ebenezer also plans to apply to have his detention converted to house arrest. The request is not based solely on medical grounds, but also on a wish for him to spend the upcoming holidays with his family. Without the context that both men are implicated in major corruption cases, the appeal truly reads more like a routine leave request from employees to their superiors. Since when has the administration of justice become this permissive?
Who writes the rules for their own retirement?
The Constitutional Court (MK) has quietly issued a ruling that could reshape one of the most entrenched privileges in the country’s political system: lifetime pensions for former state officials. By declaring key provisions of Law No. 12/1980 outdated and partially unconstitutional, the Court has effectively opened the door to a fundamental question that has long gone unasked—why should political elites receive benefits that far exceed those available to ordinary citizens?
KPK’s flip-flop decisions
Some time ago, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) officially detained former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas over alleged corruption in the Hajj quota. Yaqut was initially scheduled to remain in detention from March 12 to March 31, 2026, but the KPK abruptly reversed its decision and placed him under house arrest, just days before Eid al-Fitr. This sudden shift inevitably raises public concerns about whether undue privilege is at play.
TNI’s involvement in the Andrie Yunus case
The acid attack on Andrie Yunus has entered a new phase following the arrest of suspected perpetrators. However, the TNI’s involvement raises fresh concerns about where the case is heading. Is this all about uncovering the truth or controlling it from the outset? With overlapping authority between the military and the National Police, the real test now is whether justice will be pursued transparently or quietly contained.
MBG: Corruption and Nepotism
Two heads of the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) in Ponorogo, East Java, claimed the foundation managing their SPPGs intimidated them into limiting spending to Rp 6,500 per serving. The incident has drawn widespread attention, particularly amid reports that...
Salim vs Satgas PKH
The powerful Satgas PKH (forest area enforcement task force) has on Friday (Mar 13) seized 1,601 hectares of land to be developed by PT Mutiara Intan Permai, subsidiary of Agung Sedayu Group, into a tropical coastland township.
Google vs KPPU: Defending competition or asserting digital sovereignty?
After a lengthy legal battle, the Supreme Court of Indonesia rejected the cassation filed by Google, effectively upholding the ruling of the Business Competition Commission (KPPU) that the tech giant engaged in monopolistic practices through its Google Play Billing system.
Acid attack on Andrie Yunus and shrinking civic space
The acid attack on KontraS activist Andrie Yunus in Jakarta on March 12 has once again forced citizens to confront a troubling question: how safe is civic space in the country’s democracy? Yunus, the deputy coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), was reportedly attacked by two unidentified assailants while riding his motorcycle in the Salemba area shortly after attending a public discussion on militarism and judicial review. The attack left him with serious burns and hospitalized in intensive care.