Coretax and the illusion of digital reform
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa acknowledged that Coretax system is difficult to access—so much so that it has spawned a market for “tax jockeys” (joki SPT)—he did more than admit a technical flaw.
Audit or reckoning?
The latest move to audit tax restitution in the natural resources sector is being framed as a technical correction. It is anything but. By involving BPKP and threatening criminal sanctions, the government is signaling a deeper concern: that restitution has quietly become one of the largest—and least scrutinized—fiscal leakages in the system.
Public health vs corporate interest in food labeling push
Government’s plan to mandate front-of-pack labeling for sugar, salt and fat is not merely a technical regulatory step. It marks a deeper shift in how the state positions itself between consumers and corporations—one that is likely to test both political resolve and industry influence.
MBG legal challenges
Prabowo Subianto’s flagship free nutritious meals program (MBG) is facing legal challenges from multiple quarters, including educators and civil society groups. At the heart of their concern is the program’s financing, which they argue comes at the expense of other essential sectors, particularly education. The Constitutional Court (MK) has begun its preliminary review, and whatever ruling it delivers will carry significant implications.
Too fast to regulate, too slow to understand
Digital governance is entering a new phase—more assertive, more interventionist, and increasingly centralized. But two recent policies from the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) reveal a troubling contradiction: the state is moving faster to control the digital space than it is to understand it.
Delayed justice or calculated timing?
When does a lie become dangerous enough to prosecute? Not when it is first uttered—but when it is believed. That distinction sits at the heart of Jusuf Kalla’s decision to report Rismon Sianipar to the police over allegations that he funded a controversial campaign surrounding the “Jokowi’s diploma” saga involving Roy Suryo. The claim itself may not be new. What is new is its velocity, amplification, and entry into mainstream discourse.
Inside cigarette excise cartel
The latest investigation by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) into alleged bribery within the Directorate General of Customs and Excise is not merely another corruption case. It is a window into a deeper, more troubling reality: the possibility of a structured, cartel-like system governing Indonesia’s cigarette excise regime.
When AI steals your identity
The artificial intelligence race has entered a new and unsettling phase. It is no longer about who can generate the most accurate text or solve the most complex problems. It is about who can sound the most human—and increasingly, who can sound exactly like you.
Judicial independence—or judicial immunity?
Indonesia is once again attempting to reform its judiciary. The proposed RUU Jabatan Hakim (Judges Bill) promises to elevate judges into fully independent state officials, free from bureaucratic constraints. On paper, it is a long-overdue correction. In practice, it may create a more complicated question: are we strengthening judicial independence—or institutionalizing judicial immunity?
Civilian victim, military court
The decision by the TNI to formally request access from Lembaga Perlindungan Saksi dan Korban (LPSK) to question Andrie Yunus is not merely procedural. It signals a deeper and far more consequential legal question: will this case be tried in a military court, even though the victim is a civilian?