The ongoing case involving Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs Budi Arie Setiadi and his alleged involvement in the protection of online gambling operations has entered a new phase. Several cadres of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) have officially reported Budi Arie to the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim) for defamation, following his indirect accusation that PDIP was complicit in the spread of online gambling.

Amid the stagnation of Indonesia’s athletic achievements on the global stage, a new genre is booming at home: sportainment—the fusion of sports and entertainment. This new wave has transformed competitions into viral spectacles, laced with drama, celebrity showdowns, and lucrative branding deals. Yet beneath the spectacle and staged smiles, one must ask: who’s cashing in—and who’s really in control?

In an indictment read at the South Jakarta District Court, Budi Arie’s name was mentioned as one of the individuals allegedly profiting from the protection of online gambling sites by rogue elements within the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (Kominfo). Although Budi Arie has vehemently denied the accusations—calling them slanderous and claiming that his name was exploited without his knowledge—and even one of the defendants supported this defense, the damage has already been done.

A total of 273 students have ‘successfully’ completed their 2 weeks of character building training at the military barracks on Tuesday (20/05). West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi (KDM), as the initiator of this program, therefore stated that he would proceed with his plan to send more ‘unruly students’ to military barracks despite the backlash against it, including from the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI).

A week after announcing his resignation, Hasan Nasbi returned to his post as the head of the Presidential Communication Office (PCO) on May 6, 2025. Much to everyone’s surprise, he was seen attending a plenary cabinet session at the Presidential Palace the day prior. Some people therefore speculate that Prabowo Subianto has likely rejected Nasbi’s letter of resignation.

Minister of health Budi Gunadi Sadikin has recently been under pressure to leave the cabinet reportedly due to his controversial statements, but these might just issues used to justify demands from some to take over the ministry.

President Prabowo Subianto has installed Bimo Wijayanto as new director general of taxation at ministry of finance to replace Suryo Utomo. Prabowo also appointed Lt General Djaka Budi Utama as director general of custom and excise at the ministry replacing Askolani.

Amid an increasingly heated political climate—with growing pressure directed at him and his family—speculation has emerged that Jokowi may take over the leadership of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI). A move that can be seen not merely as a strategy to expand influence, but also as an effort to survive the political storm in the post-presidency era.