A woman cries and hugs a young girl while on the phone outside the Willie de Leon Civic Center, in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday. A teenage gunman killed 18 young children in a shooting at an elementary school in Texas on Tuesday in the deadliest US school shooting in years.

Teachers are there, brave and strong in face of ordeals

Regardless of their political stance, teachers have been the victims and witnesses of violence, as well as the protectors of their students and consolers in the aftermath.

3 years ago

Academia

ASEAN must move more boldly on economic integration

ASEAN’s network of loosely-prioritized policies creates a cumbersome policy landscape that arguably promotes discussion over action. ...

3 years ago

Academia premium

Trading fraud: When the digital economy dream goes awry

Online trading fraud brings to the surface the critical question of who must or, indeed, who can bear the transaction costs of the digital utopia when it fails. ...

3 years ago

The Latest

New cooperation: Officials of ASEAN member countries, including Indonesian Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi, virtually attend the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, organized by the United States and Japan in Tokyo on Monday.

Academia premium

Indo-Pacific Economic Framework not a blessing for Asia

The United States claims to support the centrality of ASEAN, yet IPEF apparently takes little heed of ASEAN's preferred way of inclusive regional cooperation.

3 years ago

This handout photo taken and released by Dawei Watch on April 29, 2021 shows a protester holding a sign supporting the newly formed opposition National Unity Government (NUG) during a demonstration against the military coup in Pandale village in Dawei's Launglone township, Myanmar.

Academia

Myanmar’s opposition groups are too demanding of ASEAN

The National Unity Government (NUG) claims itself to be the official representative of Suu Kyi’s government in exile, but the outside world especially ASEAN is still extra cautious knowing the history of frictions among different ethnicities and political affiliations in Myanmar.

3 years ago

A rainbow flag representing the LGBT community is flown in this file photo. (Unsplash/Raphael Renter)

Academia premium

Pancasila, Indonesia and LGBT in our lives

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD wants to suggest that Indonesia needs a law to regulate what some deem to be deviant LGBT behavior.

3 years ago

Indonesian President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo (on screen) speaks during the opening of the G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Jakarta on February 17, 2022.

Academia

Indonesia's G20 tightrope

The war in Ukraine became a test for Indonesia’s independence and active foreign policy principles, especially given its G20 presidency.

3 years ago

The national flags of Australia and China are displayed before a portrait of Mao Zedong facing Tiananmen Square, in 2011.

Academia

China is still Australia's trade frenemy

Despite rising geopolitical tensions the evidence of a correlation between political talk and economic connections between trading nations is often overdone.

3 years ago

An Indian cricket fan waves the national flag during the Women's Cricket World Cup match between South Africa and India at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on March 27, 2022.

Academia

The new world order and India’s quandary

With a new cold war afoot, states are being asked to choose sides. For India, self-identity and domestic politics will all come to bear.

3 years ago

A worker adjusts an ASEAN flag at a meeting hall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, October 28, 2021

Academia

Greek lessons for ASEAN nations

As global superpowers tussle for supremacy, smaller nations need to be nimble to avoid being crushed.

3 years ago

Precautionary painting: Two artists paint a COVID-19-themed mural on a concrete pillar beneath the Cawang-Tanjung Priok elevated toll road on Jl. D.I Panjaitan, East Jakarta, on Friday. Artists from multiple communities helped paint a set a murals in the area to increase public awareness about COVID-19.

Academia

COVID compliance: Jakartans trust the government more compared to people in South Sulawesi

We found more people in Jakarta complied with government control measures by practising “safe” protective behaviours, and have correct science-based beliefs than people in South Sulawesi.

3 years ago

Pulmonologist Koko Harnoko (center, in blue face shield) examines a COVID-19 patient as a nurse looks on in an intensive care room at Bogor General Hospital on Sept. 7, 2020 in Bogor, West Java.

Academia premium

Diagnostics beyond COVID-19: How it can help prevent future pandemics

Indonesia needs to prioritize investment and development of diagnostics to build a robust public health system that is capable of tackling other pandemics in the future.

3 years ago

Rallying cry: A group of people claiming to represent the Islam Ideology Defense Alliance (Perisai) rally outside the Singaporean Embassy in South Jakarta on May 20 to protest the country’s rejection of Muslim cleric Abdul Somad Batubara.

Academia premium

Another perspective about Singapore’s rejection of preacher Somad

Some Indonesians think they are free to say anything they like about other people, although they know their remarks are offensive.

3 years ago

Starry-eyed: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is accompanied by SpaceX founder Elon Musk at the SpaceX base in Boca Chica, Texas, the United States on May 14, 2022.

Academia premium

When Jokowi meets Elon in Texas

With the door slightly open, many friendly and promising gestures were evident; lots of laughing, hand movements and drinking from the SpaceX black tumblers, as Jokowi was talking with Musk.

3 years ago

A man repairs a pipe in Sama Jaya village of Soropia district, Konawe regency, Southeast Sulawesi, in this file photo taken on Oct. 17, 2016.

Academia

Govt shifts to results-based village funds mechanism

The government is making improvements to the village funds by transforming it into a results- and performance-based program.

3 years ago

New face: The tsunami memorial (center) in Banda Aceh is seen on Dec. 12, 2019 ahead of the 15th anniversary of the disaster that claimed more than 220,000 lives across Indian Ocean countries on Dec. 26, 2004.

Academia

We have an opportunity post-COVID to rebuild sustainably

The international community has to work together to help communities better prepare to withstand and recover from disasters.

3 years ago

Shopping time: A buyer seen in the mirror examine products of micro, small and medium enterprises exhibited in Werdhi Budaya Art Centre in Denpasar, Bali on May 13. The event was organized by the Finance Ministry and Bank Indonesia to promote Quick Response Code Indonesian cashless payments.

Academia premium

A rural micro-enterprise road to embrace the digital economy

Despite the willingness to go digital, many enterprises lack the capacities and skills to effectively use digital platforms to transact online.

3 years ago

Academia premium

G20 needs to talk about economic espionage, again

Indonesia has the perfect opportunity this year to revisit the issue of economic espionage at the premier international forum.

3 years ago

A Halim Iskandar, Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Minister

Academia

Insight: Village SDGs data provide ease of determining the direction of village development

There is no denying that Law No. 6, 2014 on villages has opened the door for development

3 years ago

Joint search and rescue personnel search for landslide victims in Cimanggung district, Sumedang regency, West Java on Jan. 11. A series of landslides occurring in the district claims the lives of at least 19 people, including several rescuers who are evacuating people already buried in a landslide.

Academia

Strengthening disaster management for a sustainable future

In fragile and conflict contexts, recovery should foster social cohesion through decisions based on consensus and equitable access to resources by all ethnic groups.

3 years ago

Myanmar junta military soldiers parade during a ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of the country's Union Day in Naypyidaw on Feb. 12, 2022.

Academia premium

Normalizing Myanmar junta: Has ASEAN self-destructed?

As next year's chair, Indonesia should start preparing now on how it can extricate ASEAN from a trap of its own making regarding the Myanmar crisis.

3 years ago

Face-to-face: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo holds a bilateral meeting with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape at the Presidential Palace in Bogor, West Java, on March 31.

Academia premium

PNG and Indonesia: Pursuing alternatives yet overlooking shared concerns

For Indonesia, PNG does not present many challenges except for traditional cross-border crimes, such as illegal trading, illegal trespassing and drug smuggling.

3 years ago

Contactless spree: People use their gadgets to shop online on April 27, 2021 in Jakarta. The Cooperatives and Small and Middle Enterprises (SMEs) Ministry recorded a 26 percent rise in online transactions last year to 3.1 million for SMEs, primarily driven by consumers’ shift to digital during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Academia premium

Policy reform needed to exploit ASEAN e-commerce deal

Now that ASEAN has signed a deal on cross-border e-commerce, the government needs to reevaluate its policies so both consumers and producers, as well as the economy, can benefit.

3 years ago

President Soeharto reads his statement of resignation at Merdeka Palace while Vice President B.J. Habibie (second left) listens. Soeharto transferred power to Habibie on May 21, 1998.

Academia premium

24 years ago, Soeharto resigned. He remains a parrot’s president

The New Order regime is over, but these days we are facing the possibility of a much subtler form of dictator.

3 years ago

Every vote counts: A screen shows partial Philippine election results for then-presidential candidate Ferdinand

Academia premium

Philippine election: US lost the plot, China misread ‘mahal kita’

The Philippines, not unlike the rest of the world, will confront the specter of five Fs. The prices of food, fuel, fertilizer, farmhands and baby formula will be ticking northward.

3 years ago

Lest we forget: Women beat traditional drums babadok as they return from an event in June 2019 to observe a massacre that took place in 1980 in Marabia, a village outside of Dili.

Academia premium

Indonesia-Timor-Leste relations: Good neighbors and unfinished business

Twenty years after the referendum that led to the establishment of Timor-Leste, the survivors of sexual violence and child separation continue to suffer from the effects of past atrocities and pervasive culture of victim blaming.

3 years ago

A student walks through a diorama on May 20, 2019 at the National Awakening Museum in Jakarta. Indonesia marks National Awakening Day on May 20 each year to commemorate the 1908 establishment of youth organization Boedi Oetomo, which marked the beginning of the independence movement.

Academia premium

Awakening Day: Indonesia in the mirror of Ukraine [Part 2]

The most important thing for ordinary Indonesians was to survive, to cling to life. “A good government is one that kills less” has been their motto.

3 years ago

Precious asset: A forest area near Mount Meratus in South Kalimantan is seen from Hinas Kanan village on Nov. 25. The local forestry authorities have admitted to losing 30,000 hectares of forest to mining and plantation industries in the last three years.

Academia

How can Indonesia improve REDD+ to stop deforestation?

Indonesia’s REDD+ program triggered an improvement in the country forest policies, yet it still struggles to meet the intended ‘transformational change’.

3 years ago

Never forget: A student walks past May 12 Reformation Park in Grogol, West Jakarta, on Wednesday. The park was built in memory of four students who were killed in a protest demanding reform in May 1998, when riots also took place targeting people of Chinese descent.

Academia premium

24 years on, can we agree to realize a violence-free Indonesia?

There are, indeed, constant tensions between the youths aspiring for a change and the grown-ups aiming to preserve the status quo in Indonesian human rights history.

3 years ago

US President Joe Biden participates in the US-ASEAN Special Summit at the US State Department in Washington on May 13.

Academia premium

Imagining a comprehensive US-ASEAN partnership

The vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific should also be delivered through soft partnerships rather than only through the lens of defense and security.

3 years ago

Page: 36