Five years ago, Prabowo Subianto, then minister of defence, and Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan (then coordinating minister of maritime and investment affairs) met to discuss rare-earth mining investments. Yesterday, Prabowo, as president, announced the establishment of a new agency dedicated to the development of rare earth elements (RREs) and radioactive materials called Badan Industri Mineral (BIM)/Mineral Industry Agency.

Shares of Kencana Energi Lestari (KEEN) ended higher by 3.1% to Rp830 Monday (Aug 25) to make a market capitalization of Rp3 trillion. The renewable energy company is valued less than twice its equity, nothing compared to Barito Renewables (BREN), despite ambitious plan to grow capacity.

As if the cabinet is not fat enough, President Prabowo Subianto has on Monday, August 25, installed some high-ranking officers as leaders of two newly established agencies, namely Badan Industri Mineral/BIM (Mineral Industry Agency) and Badan Otorita Pengelola Pantai Utara Jawa/BOP Pantura (North Java Management Authority Agency).

When a member of the House of Representatives recently proposed the idea of designating a special carriage for smokers on long-distance trains, the response was swift and largely negative. The suggestion may have been intended to accommodate a segment of the public, but in reality it runs counter to Indonesia’s decade-long policy of maintaining smoke-free public transportation, as well as broader efforts to safeguard public health.

The latest dispute over music royalties in Indonesia reveals a problem that is larger than financial distribution: it is a crisis of governance. Instead of empowering musicians and strengthening the creative economy, the current royalty system has deepened mistrust among artists, institutions, and businesses.

Shares of state mortgage bank BTN (BBTN) ended lower by 0.8% to Rp1,270 last Friday despite a more promising ‘public housing program’ from Prabowo administration. At the last quoted price, BBTN was worth Rp17.7 trillion, way below equity (Rp33.5 trillion).

Indonesia’s 2026 draft state budget was meant to project confidence. A deficit of just 2.48 percent of GDP, within the legal ceiling, and a pledge to reach balance by 2027–2028 suggested fiscal discipline. Yet within days, the government’s credibility began to crack—not because of external shocks, but because its own numbers stopped adding up.

Indonesia’s participation in Gamescom 2025 in Cologne, Germany, deserves recognition as a bold step. By showcasing a pavilion with ten local studios—ranging from established names like Agate and Digital Happiness to emerging players such as Busy Beaver and Gambir Studio—the government seeks to position Indonesia not just as a vast gaming market but as a legitimate producer of creative content.

The talk of the town is possible ‘restructuring’ of debts and ownership in PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC), operator of the first high-speed train (HST) in the country, by the sovereign wealth fund Danantara. Politicians have expressed support to PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), the largest shareholder from Indonesian side, to get rid off the debt burden.

Sudden drop of supply for ‘subsidized natural gas’ forced industrial customers, mainly manufacturers of glass, ceramics, and tyres, to buy the commodity at inflated price. Amidst flooding of cheap imported products, these domestic manufacturers will likely see further correction in their margins.