The demonstration staged in front of the DPR RI on September 17, led by GARDA Indonesia’s chairman Igun Wicaksono, was billed as a historic moment for ride-hailing drivers. Standing at the gates of Parliament, Igun declared that ten representatives of drivers and couriers had met lawmakers to push forward their demands. Among them: the long-awaited Online Transportation Bill, a profit-sharing formula of 90 percent for drivers and 10 percent for app companies, and an investigative audit into alleged excessive deductions by platforms.

He was one of the favourites to become vice president candidate. He was mostly linked up to Gandjar Pranowo (president candidate from PDI-P) and Prabowo Subianto (Gerindra and other political parties). Two years later, Erick ended up appointed minister of sports & youth affairs, a significantly less influential cabinet post.

A few days ago, a letter of consent related to the free nutritious meals (MBG) program went viral on social media. It contains an agreement from the parents of the students not to take legal action if their children experience food poisoning after consuming the meals. People are flabbergasted. There is now a growing concern about the safety of this program, especially since the number of reports on food poisoning incidents keep increasing each time.

Today’s cabinet reshuffle was a clear signal of President Prabowo Subianto’s ongoing effort to consolidate power and tighten control over the state apparatus.

Hajj management has long been a lightning rod for controversy. Recently, a former Minister of Religious Affairs, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas was implicated in allegations of selling and mismanaging hajj quotas. That scandal not only undermined public trust but also revealed the opacity and political patronage that too often surround pilgrimage governance.

The government, through Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi), is currently reviewing a proposal that would limit Indonesians to having only one social media account per person. The idea, pushed by a lawmaker from the Gerindra Party, aims to reduce fake or anonymous accounts that spread hoaxes, hate speech, and online fraud. At first glance, the proposal may sound like a bold solution to clean up our digital space. But upon closer inspection, it is both legally fragile and politically hazardous.

The latest cabinet reshuffle by President Prabowo Subianto has sparked not only speculation about political strategy but also renewed scrutiny of unresolved corruption scandals. The removal of Youth and Sports Minister Dito Ariotedjo and Cooperative Minister Budi Arie Setiadi exemplifies how political and legal considerations are intertwined in Indonesia’s governance.

The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) initially planned to report Ferry Irwandi, CEO of Malaka Project, for an unspecified crime, which was only later disclosed to be defamation against TNI. The police, however, stated that TNI as an institution could not report for defamation. The absurdity surrounding this situation led to speculations on TNI’s motives, particularly considering that Ferry is an activist who has been quite vocal in bringing light to socio-political issues, including the recent riot in Indonesia.

Dismissal of Budi Gunawan as coordinating minister for politics and security is one of major decisions taken by President Prabowo Subianto other than appointment of Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa as minister of finance (MoF) to replace Sri Mulyani Indrawati. 

A clarification and apology from the Minister of Religious Affairs should have closed the controversy over his viral remarks about teachers. Yet, according to information from within the Ministry, the fallout is now taking a more concerning turn: an unwritten instruction has reportedly been circulated to leaders of educational institutions under the ministry, urging them to prevent or discourage demonstrations.