The technical implications of PP Tunas
Government Regulation No. 17/2025, or PP Tunas, has been presented as a long-overdue measure to protect children in digital spaces. With full implementation beginning in March 2026, the regulation introduces obligations for digital platforms to verify user age, restrict access based on risk classification and submit compliance information to regulators. While the objective of child protection is broadly supported, the technical provisions of PP Tunas raise significant legal and trade questions, particularly in light of Indonesia’s recent digital trade commitments under the Agreement toward Reciprocal Trade (ART) with the United States.
Gainers in 2025 (3): Bakrie’s ENRG
Shares of PT Energi Mega Persada Tbk (ENRG), an oil and gas firm controlled by Bakrie Family, ended substantially higher by 8.6% to Rp1,760 last Friday (Feb 27) as investors responded positively the company’s strong performance last year.
Negative market response
Brent crude oil opened higher by as much as 13% to US$82 per barrel in Asian trading this morning, but then conceded some gains to 8%. Gold and silver, meanwhile, climbed 2% each as investors responded to escalation of conflict in the Middle East.
Gainers of 2025 (2): Cimory
Shares of Cisarua Mountain Dairy (CMRY), popular as Cimory, ended slightly higher by 0.49% to Rp5,175 last Friday despite strong financial performance in 2025, when the company’s net profit surged by 35% to Rp2.05 trillion.
Gainers of 2025 (1): Japfa Comfeed
Amidst economic slowdown, it’s hard to find companies with strong financial performance last year, not only in terms of sales and net profit, but their investments and contribution to the job market.
Quiet (mass) layoffs (7)
Nippon Indosari Corporindo (ROTI), famous with its Sari Roti—market leader in mass bread, booked net profit of Rp158.5 billion last year, down 29% from 2024 on lower sales revenues and squeezed margins.
Quiet (mass) layoffs (6)
Bank UOB Indonesia booked net profit of Rp1.53 trillion last year, skyrocketed 2765% from 2024, among others due to aggressive efficiency measures. This bank has dismissed over 650 workers in the past two years.
Mandatory education spending becomes a budget loophole
The Constitutional Court is now confronting a case that could redefine the meaning of Indonesia’s constitutional commitment to education. A petition challenging Law No. 17/2025 on the 2026 state budget questions whether President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program has been funded by effectively repurposing money meant for education. At stake is not just the legality of one program, but the integrity of a constitutional safeguard designed to protect the nation’s future.
The politics of imported truck procurement
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad has called for a postponement of the plan to import 105,000 vehicles from India, which were intended to support logistics transportation for the Red-White Village Cooperative (KDMP). The inconsistency between the proposal and President Prabowo’s stated pledge to prioritize domestic industry has been cited as the justification. But beyond this reasoning, what truly prompted the government to suddenly apply the brakes after the commitment had been made?
Update on the PDNS corruption case
Nearly a year after the suspects were first named, the case has now entered a more decisive legal phase. Prosecutors have formally demanded prison sentences of up to 10 years for several defendants, including seven years for Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan, along with fines and restitution. The prosecution also confirmed that the estimated state losses reached more than Rp140 billion, reinforcing earlier suspicions that the irregularities were not administrative errors but systemic corruption.