Decentralizing truth: When data becomes power in villages
Lawmakers are once again attempting to fix a chronic governance problem: unreliable data. Through the proposed Satu Data Indonesia Bill (RUU SDI), the House of Representatives—particularly the Badan Legislasi DPR(Baleg)—seeks to elevate villages from passive data objects into active data producers, managers and even interpreters.
70% approval, but nobody remembers being asked
When Cyrus Network released its latest survey claiming that 70 percent are satisfied with the Cabinet’s performance, the reaction online was swift—and telling. Instead of applause, the numbers were met with sarcasm, skepticism and humor.
Indonesia-US: The blanket overflight access
The plan to allow U.S. military aircraft access to Indonesian airspace has recently sparked public debate. For many, this goes far beyond a matter of aviation. At its core, the issue raises questions about sovereignty, the direction of Indonesia’s foreign policy, and its position amidst the longstanding rivalry between two global powers.
Expanding protection, or diluting justice?
Government’s revision of the Law on the Protection of Witnesses and Victims (RUU PSdK) promises a long-overdue shift in the country’s criminal justice system. By expanding protection beyond witnesses and victims to include whistleblowers, experts and other parties involved in legal proceedings, lawmakers claim to be strengthening justice. But, does broader protection necessarily mean better justice?
Political timing behind the attack on Jusuf Kalla
The controversy surrounding Jusuf Kalla’s sermon at Universitas Gadjah Mada is being framed as a theological dispute. It is not. It is a case study in how outrage can be manufactured, amplified, and weaponized—with strikingly convenient timing.
Political proximity builds towers—and parties merge
The reported merger talks between Gerindra Party and NasDem Party have been publicly denied. Yet in politics, denial often says less than timing. The sequence of events is difficult to ignore.
Feeding programs or funding events?
When Indonesia established the Badan Gizi Nasional (BGN), it carried a clear moral and policy mandate: to tackle one of the country’s most persistent structural problems—malnutrition. Yet the recent revelation that the agency has allocated Rp113 billion for event organizer (EO) services raises a fundamental question: Is the state feeding its people, or funding events?
Anwar Usman’s replacement
Following Anwar Usman’s retirement, the Presidential Palace has reportedly received the name of the new judge who will replace him, proposed by the Supreme Court. The official inauguration by President Prabowo Subianto is scheduled for this week, although the exact date has not been disclosed. What we do know is that three candidates who passed the selection process had previously been announced. Who are they? Let’s take a closer look at their profiles and track records.
Bakrie is back?
President Prabowo Subianto jokingly asked, “Why isn’t he here?” in reference to Aburizal Bakrie at a recent public event, it sounded like harmless banter. But in political economy, visibility is rarely accidental. It is curated, and often consequential.
Justice in Papua: Equal before the law, or equal in rhetoric?
Recent remarks by Papua Police Chief Mathius D. Fakhiri, assuring that the legal process in the Dogiyai case will proceed “without discrimination,” may sound reassuring on the surface. Yet in Papua, such statements are not new—and more importantly, they are rarely taken at face value.