From iPhone dreams to AirTag reality
For years, Indonesia has chased a singular industrial ambition: to become part of Apple’s global manufacturing chain. The logic has always been straightforward. If Vietnam can assemble AirPods and iPads, and India can produce iPhones, then Southeast Asia’s largest economy should be able to do the same. The recent confirmation that AirTag devices are now being assembled in Batam and exported to the United States appears to validate that aspiration. But the reality is more complicated—and far less transformative.
Nickel: Production cut & the rise of sulphuric acid
Nickel ended slightly lower by 0.47% to US$18,150 on the London Metal Exchange (LME) Tuesday (Apr 21). That means the commodity gained 15% year-on-year. Input costs for nickel smelters, however, have increased substantially higher.
Wanna acquire Moratelindo for US$7.2 billion?
Shares of Mora Telematika Indonesia (MORA) or Moratelindo, an ICT company controlled by Widjaja Family, dropped 7.1% to Rp5,225 Tuesday (Apr 21) even when it reported 23% growth of net profit in the first quarter of 2026.
Strong Q1 for Astra Otoparts
Shares of automotive component manufacturer Astra Otoparts (AUTO) ended higher by 2.94% to Rp2,800 Tuesday (Apr 21) as investors responded positively the company’s relatively strong performance in the first quarter.
No deal with Google—but what about the state itself?
The latest court session in the corruption trial involving former education minister Nadiem Makarim has added a new layer of complexity rather than clarity. Three former executives of Google appeared as defense witnesses, firmly denying any form of agreement or preferential arrangement between the tech giant and the ministry over the controversial Chromebook procurement project.
Financing Prabowo’s Co-Op Program
The government has officially opened recruitment for 30,000 managers of the Red-and-White Village Cooperative (KDMP) till April 24. More than 200,000 applicants are now lining up to be hired by BP BUMN, regulatory agency for state-owned enterprises, on a two-year contract.
Overvalued stocks: Fore Coffee
Shares of Fore Coffee (FORE) ended lower by 2.1% to Rp930 on Monday (Apr 20) even when the company reported strong operations in the first quarter 2026. Despite the correction, FORE remains one of the most overvalued stocks in the market.
BGN & the scaling up of corruption
The use of BGN’s budget has once again come under scrutiny. It is not about the contract value. It is about accountability of funds managed by BGN for the free ‘nutritious’ meal (MBG) program, given the scaling up to over Rp335 trillion this year from Rp71 trillion ‘only’ last year.
Hashim’s “normal “and the illusion of oversight
Hashim Djojohadikusumo described food safety failures in the government’s Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) program as “normal,” he may have intended to contextualize the challenges of scaling a massive initiative. But taken together with his remarks about oversight—particularly the role of Reda Manthovani and a proposed monitoring application—the statement reveals something more concerning: a system that risks substituting real accountability with performative control.
E-catalog: Digital, but not intelligent
Public procurement system has gone digital. Through the platform managed by LKPP, ministries and agencies now purchase goods with a few clicks, bypassing layers of opaque tender processes that once defined state spending. On paper, this is progress: transparency improves, transaction records are traceable, and procurement becomes faster.