Cash limits and the fear inside Parliament
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) recently renewed its push for the acceleration of the Bill on Restrictions of Cash Transactions (RUU Pembatasan Transaksi Uang Kartal/PTUK), arguing that limiting large cash transactions is necessary to combat money politics ahead of future elections. Officially, the proposal is framed as an anti-corruption measure. Politically, however, it touches the deepest nerve of Indonesia’s democratic system: the country’s dependence on cash-driven politics.
Latest survey on Prabowo’s approval rating
A newly circulated survey claims that public satisfaction with President Prabowo Subianto has reached 80.17 percent, the immediate question should not simply be whether the number is accurate. The more important question is: what political purpose does such a number serve?
Universities as local government partners
Prabowo Subianto has instructed universities to “assist” local governments in addressing a range of issues, particularly in regional development and environmental management. This directive is intriguing. Will it strengthen the critical role of academics in scrutinizing public policy, or will it mark the beginning of a subtle shift that turns academic institutions into extensions of local government programs?
Viral justice and the business of political law
The assault case involving Ronald Aristone Sinaga, better known as Bro Ron, is more than a sensational altercation inside a Jakarta law office. It reflects a deeper transformation in Indonesian public life: the rise of politicians who simultaneously operate as lawyers, media personalities and online influencers, turning legal disputes into political theater and viral content.
Teddy vs Amien Rais
Recent remarks by Human Rights Minister, Natalius Pigai, suggest a troubling shift in how the state interprets dissent. By framing statements made by Amien Rais as potential “human rights violations” and implying that only cabinet secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya has the standing to report them, the government appears to be redrawing the boundary between criticism and criminality.
Who owns political parties: the state, the courts, or the members?
Party system is once again exposing a familiar fault line: who ultimately decides which faction within a political party is legitimate? A recent petition to the Constitutional Court (MK) seeks to strip the Kementerian Hukum dan HAM (Ministry of Law and Human Rights) of its authority to formally approve party leadership structures, reducing its role to mere administrative registration. At first glance, this appears technical. In reality, it strikes at the core of Indonesia’s political power architecture.
Shoes for People’s School students
Students at the People’s School (Sekolah Rakyat/SR) are exempt from all costs, including tuition fees, dormitory charges, daily meals, and essential school supplies such as uniforms and shoes. However, when rumors emerged that the Ministry of Social Affairs had allocated Rp 700,000 for a pair of shoes, the public once again questioned how the government manages procurement for its priority programs.
Questioning the MBG National Command Center
The Coordinating Ministry for Food is set to launch the MBG National Command Center this month. Reportedly, the facility does not require a large budget–only an LED screen and a fast internet connection to support its operations. The stated goal is to streamline coordination between ministries, agencies, and all relevant stakeholders.
Why TMMD persists in a tightening fiscal state
TNI Manunggal Membangun Desa (TMMD) is often celebrated for delivering what many government programs cannot: speed. In a matter of weeks, rural roads appear, houses are repaired and drainage systems installed. For villages long neglected by bureaucratic inertia, TMMD offers tangible change. But why is civilian development increasingly executed by the military—especially when the funding comes from tightening public budgets?
How labor demands are absorbed, not resolved
In the days surrounding May Day, the government floated a plan to push down ride-hailing commissions—reportedly to 8%—while bringing in a prominent labor figure, Jumhur Hidayat, into the policy orbit. The message was unmistakable: the state hears workers. The question is whether it is actually fixing their problem—or merely absorbing their demands.