Unpaid Honorary Teachers
A total of 3,823 honorary teachers in West Java have reportedly gone unpaid; some for two months, others for four. The issue stems not from a lack of funding, but from the central government’s policy that no longer recognizes honorary teachers as a legitimate employment category.
Off-budget defense: Reform undone?
A recent draft of the Government Regulation on the Duties of the National Armed Forces (RPP Tugas TNI) has sparked concern among researchers, including those from National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). The controversy centers on a seemingly technical clause: military funding may come not only from the state budget (APBN), but also from “other legitimate sources.”
Two terms for presidents, unlimited for party bosses?
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) proposed limiting political party chairpersons to two terms. The reaction from party elites was swift—and telling. They rejected it almost outright, invoking autonomy, legal technicalities, and the familiar argument that the state should not interfere in internal party affairs.
Parliamentary threshold: A cartel in democratic clothing
The debate over revising Election Law has once again returned to a familiar battleground: the parliamentary threshold. On paper, it is a technical mechanism—currently set at 4 percent of the national vote—to determine which parties qualify for seats in the House of Representatives. In practice, however, it has evolved into something more consequential: a subtle but powerful instrument of cartelization among political parties.
Questioning MBG’s digital backbone
In addition to procuring 28,300 Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 5 tablets, it was also revealed that BGN allocated Rp1.2 trillion on IT needs. However, according to BGN Head Dadan Hindayana, the actual expenditure amounted to Rp749 billion, comprising approximately Rp 199 billion for managed services to Internet of Things (IOT) devices and Rp 550 billion for the development of the SIPGN application.
Double down on MBG: Subsidized housing for SPPG employees
Following the controversy over the electric motorcycle procurement, reports surfaced that the Ministry of Housing and Settlement (PKP) planned to allocate a quota of 1,000 subsidized housing units for SPPG employees, specifically SPPI graduates. Although both BGN and BP Tapera have denied this, given the chaotic coordination between government agencies, it is not impossible that this “rumor” could eventually evolve into a concrete plan.
Not coordinated—but converging: An early warning from Samarinda to Ternate
Two provinces, two protests, one uneasy question: coincidence—or a signal? Within days, thousands rallied in East Kalimantan while students filled the streets in North Maluku. In Samarinda, anger focused on alleged nepotism and spending decisions under Rudy Mas’ud. In Ternate, demonstrators confronted Sherly Tjoanda with a sprawling list of grievances—mining permits, land disputes and social justice demands. The issues were different. The timing was not.
State, mosque, and mass organization: Too much power for one man?
Rumors circulating among alumni networks of the Indonesian Islamic Students Movement (PMII) suggest that Nasaruddin Umar is being quietly considered as a potential candidate for the next chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). If true, the implications go far beyond internal organizational politics. They strike at the heart of post-Reformasi balance between religion, civil society and the state.
KIP-K Implementation Issues
The participation rate of Indonesian high school graduates and their equivalents who continue to higher education remains relatively low, with economic constraints as one of the primary barriers. Amid these challenges, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) recently uncovered multiple issues, including indications of bribery and corruption, in the implementation of the Kartu Indonesia Pintar Kuliah (KIP-K) program, a government assistance scheme strictly dedicated to prospective students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
A Kartini gift—or a compromise in disguise?
House of Representatives moved to pass the long-delayed domestic workers protection bill, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad called it a “gift” for Kartini Day. After 22 years of legislative limbo, the symbolism is powerful. Millions of domestic workers—mostly women—have waited decades for recognition. The timing, aligned with Kartini Day and May Day, suggests a historic correction.