Indonesia

The Foreign Office has issued updated travel advice for Indonesia after violent riots erupted across the country, leaving seven people dead and hundreds injured in the worst unrest the nation has seen for years

Brits planning a holiday to Bali have been issued an urgent safety warning as violent riots break out across Indonesia, resulting in seven fatalities and hundreds of injuries in the worst unrest the country has experienced in years.

The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice due to the increasing risk of civil disorder and terror attacks, following intense street fights between police and protesters throughout the vast archipelago.

The lethal chaos was sparked by public outrage over extravagant new parliamentary perks, leading to widespread demonstrations that have rapidly spread from the capital Jakarta to cities nationwide. This news comes as a report exposed the inside of the hellhole jail where British Angel Delight drug smugglers face terrifying ‘threats’.

Rampaging crowds have set regional parliament buildings ablaze, embarked on extensive looting sprees and engaged in fierce clashes with security forces as the political crisis intensifies.

The death toll continues to rise, with three individuals losing their lives in Makassar after irate protesters torched a parliament building, resulting in scenes of complete devastation, reports the Express.

The violence took a dramatic turn when 21 year old ride-hailing driver Affan Kurniawan was tragically killed by a police vehicle in Jakarta, sparking national outrage and igniting further waves of anti-government anger.

A student tragically lost his life during violent clashes in Yogyakarta, while a pensioner pedicab driver passed away after inhaling tear gas during confrontations in Solo, adding to the growing human toll of the political chaos.

Jakarta’s health office has confirmed a shocking 469 people have been injured since the violence erupted, with nearly 100 needing hospital treatment for their injuries.

President orders crackdown as terror threat looms

President Prabowo Subianto expressed his shock and disappointment over the killing of Kurniawan but has commanded police and military forces to take the “firmest possible action” against rioters as the situation spirals out of control.

“There are signs of unlawful acts, even leading to treason and terrorism,” he cautioned in a chilling statement that highlights the severity of the crisis engulfing the nation.

Rehayu Saraswati, a member of the ruling party, admitted the scale of the protests had taken the government by surprise.

She confessed to the BBC: “I don’t think any of us saw this coming. It happened very, very quickly within a matter of days.”

But she dismissed accusations that the government had been deaf to public concerns, adding: “We understand that the situation is difficult, and that the economy has been quite, I would say, challenging for some people.

“The recently announced cuts to the parliamentary budget and allowances are a way to show that we are listening.”

Molotov cocktails and snipers as military deployed

The violence has escalated to worrying levels, with protestors lobbing Molotov cocktails and firecrackers at police lines in Bandung, while thousands more have taken to the streets across Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Sulawesi.

Troops have been dispatched across Jakarta in scenes eerily similar to military rule, with snipers stationed in key strategic areas, checkpoints set up throughout the city, and schools forced to shut due to safety concerns.

The United Nations has called on Indonesia to probe allegations of “disproportionate force” used by police against demonstrators, underlining global concern over the spiralling crisis.

Protestors dismiss government concessions

Despite government efforts to defuse the situation, protest leaders have rejected the concessions – including scrapping the controversial allowance and banning overseas trips for MPs – as pitifully insufficient.

Muzammil Ihsan, leader of the country’s largest student group, delivered a resolute message: “The government must resolve deep-rooted problems.

“The anger on the streets is not without cause.”

Political pundits have cautioned that the unrest presents the first significant challenge for Subianto’s presidency and could seriously rattle investor confidence, with Indonesia’s stock index already plunging more than three percent on Monday as markets responded to the turmoil.

Foreign Office issues urgent travel warning

The UK Foreign Office is now urging British holidaymakers to avoid protests and large gatherings, emphasising that peaceful demonstrations can quickly turn violent.

In its updated travel advice, the FCDO warned: “Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Indonesia. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreign nationals.

“Potential targets can include beach resorts, hotels, bars and restaurants, markets and shopping malls, tourist attractions, places of worship, foreign embassies, polling stations, ferry terminals and airports.”

Travellers are being advised to remain extra alert during national holidays, religious festivals and elections, when the terror threat becomes particularly acute.

Bali’s hidden perils revealed

Apart from the ongoing political turmoil, Bali presents considerable dangers that many British tourists don’t realise until it’s far too late.

Authorities have spotlighted worrying accounts of sexual attacks, drink tampering cases, methanol poisoning from fake alcohol, and violent bag-snatching in bustling tourist areas.

Holiday-makers are being urged to monitor drinks being made at all times, steer clear of potentially fatal homemade alcohol, and only buy drinks from properly authorised establishments to prevent poisoning.

The FCDO has also raised concerns about the ongoing risk of opportunistic theft and elaborate cons designed to exploit unwary tourists. British holidaymakers should pack only vital belongings, safeguard passports and bank cards constantly, and stick to licensed taxi firms like Bluebird, Silverbird or Express – whilst thoroughly verifying drivers correspond with app reservations.

Authorities issued a blunt warning that no overseas journey is entirely without danger, stating: “Read all advice carefully and ensure you have comprehensive travel insurance.”

Police set up checkpoints across Jakarta in anticipation of further demonstrations.

Indonesian authorities have ramped up security after six people were killed in unrest over economic hardship that escalated into violent anger against the nation’s police force.

The deadly protests, which began last week over financial perks for lawmakers, have forced President Prabowo Subianto to make a U-turn over the measures.

Demonstrations had begun peacefully, but turned violent against the nation’s elite paramilitary police unit after footage showed one of its teams running over 21-year-old delivery driver Affan Kurniawan late on Thursday.

Protests have since spread from the capital, Jakarta, to other major cities, including Yogyakarta, Bandung, Semarang and Surabaya in Java, and Medan in North Sumatra province, in the worst unrest since Prabowo took power.

More gatherings of students and protesters were planned in several locations around Indonesia’s vast archipelago on Monday.

Police set up checkpoints across the capital, Jakarta, on Monday, and a police spokesman told broadcaster Kompas TV that officers were also patrolling the city to “protect” citizens and give a sense of security.

Police had deployed a convoy of armoured cars and motorbikes to parliament late on Sunday, in a show of force as they attempted to warn off protesters.

The crisis has forced Prabowo to cancel a planned trip to China this week for a military parade commemorating the end of World War II.

His close ally, Minister of Defence Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, warned Sunday that military and police would take “firm action” against “rioters and looters”, after the Minister of Finance’s house was pillaged.

At least three people were killed after a fire on Friday started by protesters at a council building in the eastern city of Makassar.

Another victim died in Makassar on Friday after he was beaten by a mob on suspicion that he was an intelligence officer, local disaster agency official Muhammad Fadli Tahar told AFP on Sunday.

In Yogyakarta, the Amikom Yogyakarta University confirmed the death of its student, Rheza Sendy Pratama, in protests, but the circumstances around his death remain unclear.

In anticipation of further unrest, TikTok on Saturday temporarily suspended its live feature for “a few days” in Indonesia, where it has more than 100 million users.

Aug. 31 (UPI) — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said Sunday the government will make some changes — specifically to compensation officials receive — in an effort to appease protesters concerned with rising cost of living and unemployment rate.

The announcement comes after about a week of protests across the nation, some of which have turned violent. Some rioters have targeted lawmakers’ homes with looting and vandalization, The New York Times reported.

The demonstrations started after members of parliament received an increase of $3,030 in housing allowances, many times the country’s minimum wage.

At least five people have died and hundreds have been injured. In Jakarta, a 21-year-old ride-sharing driver was killed by a police vehicle during a demonstration Thursday, the BBC reported, adding a denunciation of police brutality to protesters’ list of grievances.

Subianto said Sunday that federal lawmakers would receive a cut in their allowances. He said he understood the public’s concerns about the economy.

Amid the protests, Subianto canceled a trip to a security conference Saturday in China.

Violence has broken out on the streets of Indonesia after a motorcycle taxi driver was run over and killed by police.

The president has apologised and appealed for calm, but protests continue.

What’s driving the anger, and how will the government respond?

Presenter: Adrian Finighan

Guests:

Abigail Limuria – Cofounder of What Is Up Indonesia?, a digital media platform that unpacks Indonesian sociopolitics

Vedi Hadiz – Professor of Asian studies at the University of Melbourne

Wirya Adiwena – Deputy director of Amnesty International Indonesia

At least three people have been killed and several injured in a fire blamed on protesters in Sulawesi island.

At least three people have been killed and five were injured in a fire blamed on protesters at a regional parliament building in eastern Indonesia, as widespread demonstrations rock the Southeast Asian nation.

Indonesia’s disaster management agency, in a statement on Saturday, confirmed the deaths following the Friday evening fire in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province, some 1,600km (994 miles) east of the capital, Jakarta.

“From last night’s incident, three people died. Two died at the scene, and one died at the hospital. They were trapped in the burning building,” the secretary of Makassar city council, Rahmat Mappatoba, told the AFP news agency on Saturday.

He accused protesters of storming the office to set the building on fire.

Indonesia’s official Antara news agency also said the victims were reported to have been trapped in the burning building, while the disaster agency said two of the injured were hurt while jumping out of the building.

Several people injured in the fire are being treated in hospital, officials said.

The fire has since been extinguished.

Indonesia has been rocked by protests across major cities, including Jakarta, since Friday, after footage spread of a motorcycle delivery driver being run over and killed by a police tactical vehicle in earlier rallies over low wages and perceived lavish perks for government officials.

In West Java’s capital city of Bandung, commercial buildings, including a bank and a restaurant, were also reportedly burned on Friday during demonstrations.

In Jakarta, hundreds of demonstrators massed outside the headquarters of the elite Mobile Brigade Corp (Brimob) paramilitary police unit that was blamed for running over motorcycle delivery driver Affan Kuniawan.

Protesters threw stones and firecrackers, and police responded with tear gas as a group tried to tear down the gates of the unit, which is notorious for its heavy-handed tactics.

On Saturday, a local online news site reported that young protesters had massed in Jakarta and were heading to the Brimob headquarters before they were stopped by a barricade.

Police said they had detained seven officers for questioning in connection with the driver’s death. The number of protesters injured in the violence is reported to be more than 200, according to the Tempo news site.

The protests are the biggest and most violent of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s tenure, and are a key test less than a year into his presidency.

Prabowo has urged calm, ordered an investigation into the unrest, visited the family of the slain delivery driver, while also warning that the demonstrations “were leading to anarchic actions”.

Aug. 26 (UPI) — Two men were publicly caned in Indonesia Tuesday for kissing in a park.

In the city of Banda Aceh, the two men, ages 20 and 21, were convicted of “having consensual same-sex relations,” because they kissed and hugged in a Taman Sari Park bathroom on June 16. A panel of judges at the Banda Aceh Sharia Court had found them guilty of violating the Islamic Criminal Code, according to Amnesty International.

The men were held in custody during the trial, which took place behind closed doors.

While these men were sentenced to 76 strikes with canes, sometimes the courts can sentence people to up to 200 lashes. Those crimes include having consensual intimacy or sexual activity for unmarried couples, consensual sex outside marriage, same-sex sexual relations, consumption or sale of alcohol, and gambling.

Aceh, in Sumatra, is the only province in Indonesia that criminalizes consensual same-sex acts because it has special autonomy status that allows it to follow the Islamic Criminal Code since 2015. Sharia law has been in place since 2001.

There are also regular citizen’s arrests in the district. The Sharia law allows people to turn suspects over to the Sharia police.

“This public flogging of two young men under Aceh’s Islamic Criminal Code for consensual sex is a disturbing act of state-sanctioned discrimination and cruelty,” Amnesty International’s Regional Research Director Montse Ferrer said in a statement. “This punishment is a horrifying reminder of the institutionalized stigma and abuse faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Aceh.

“Intimate relationships between consenting adults should never be criminalized. Punishments such as flogging are cruel, inhuman and degrading and may amount to torture under international law,” Ferrer said.

Ferrer called for the Indonesian government and Aceh people to immediately halt the caning practice.

“Indonesia, as a member of the UN Human Rights Council and a state party to the Convention Against Torture, must align its laws — including in Aceh — with its constitutional commitments to equality and non-discrimination. The criminalization of same-sex conduct and corporal punishment has no place in a just and humane society,” she added

In the last decade, Southeast Asia has experienced an acceleration in the modernization of defense equipment, especially Indonesia, which is now the first operator of modern ballistic missile systems in Southeast Asia thanks to the acquisition of KHAN missiles produced by Roketsan from Turkiye in 2022. The move taken by Indonesia has the potential to change the balance of power and encourage the defense posture of neighboring countries, especially Malaysia and Singapore, which are within firing range of KHAN missiles.

A brief profile about the KHAN missile, the KHAN missile owned by Indonesia is an export variation that has the farthest range of 280 KM. The system package typically includes mobile launchers (MLRS/8×8), command vehicles, and ammunition carrier vehicles, making them suitable for shoot-and-scoot operations as well as high survivability against counter-battery and ISR counter-attacks.

Looking at these specifications, of course, the KHAN missile is suitable for the geography of Indonesia which has a stretching archipelago. Such missiles are capable of striking high-value targets (C2s, ammunition depots, radars, tactical runways) at theater operational distances without relying on interdiction-prone air platforms. In addition, this missile comes from the Türkiye defense industry which is indeed aggressive in exporting and conducting technological cooperation. With these dynamics, it finally provides an opportunity amid global supply uncertainty for Indonesia to modernize its armed forces and this is not the first cooperation between Indonesia and Turkiye.

In the end, KHAN put Indonesia on a precision ground attack capability, even though it was only 280 KM away, but this was enough to reach key facilities in the border area, tactical bases, or aggressor supply lines. So that the surrounding countries will begin to see the need to strengthen layered air/anti-missile defenses. 

KHAN, who was stationed in Kalimantan, was close to the Ibu Kota Nusantara and his firing range reached the East Malaysian region. Although not the main target, the existence of ballistic missiles adds pressure for Malaysia to increase its air defense. But Malaysia is also aware that Khan is aimed at external deterrence (such as China and other regional extremist threats) so that intra-ASEAN will not be a target for Indonesia. 

For Singapore, which already has advanced air defenses (Aster 30, SPYDER, Green Pine radar). With KHAN presence, it will strengthen the argument that investment in the air defense layer should continue to be expanded. With KHAN in Indonesia’s hands, Singapore can further emphasize air dominance in order to remain able to conduct a first strike in the event of a conflict (although it is unlikely to be an intra-ASEAN scenario).

Therefore, the conclusion for the response of the two countries is:

1. Malaysia will tend to be vigilant but its response is limited and more focused on improving air defense and regional coordination.

2. Singapore will be more proactive, where Singapore will strengthen missile defense and defense diplomacy so that Khan’s presence does not create regional instability.

KHAN presence does not necessarily make ASEAN enter a full-fledged ballistic missile race. But Indonesia opens up the possibility that tactical ballistic missiles will be accepted as a natural part of the defense toolkit in the region. Especially for limited deterrence, and destruction of high-value targets.

And for Türkiye, this is a promising prospect where Türkiye is a new market in the Global South to balance its dependence on NATO. Indonesia as a key partner of ASEAN is a natural target. And KHAN cooperation can be an “entry point” towards a more concrete Strategic Partnership, covering trade, energy, and multilateral diplomacy. Indonesia can also position Turkey as an alternative counterweight to the dominance of traditional suppliers (the US, Russia, and France). So that Turkiye benefits from its image as a global defense exporter, especially since KHAN in Indonesia is the debut of Turkiye ballistic missiles in Southeast Asia.

Indonesia’s telecommunications sector is at a historic crossroads.  After a decade of consolidation, three groups — TelkomGroup (with Telkomsel), Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH) and XL Axiata/Smartfren (XL Smart) — now control about 95% of the market’s revenue .  This “healthy oligopoly” promises economies of scale and opens the door for infrastructure sharing, yet it also raises a sobering question: will these carriers become mere commodity providers squeezed by over‑the‑top (OTT) platforms, or will they emerge as strategic national enablers for Indonesia’s digital economy?

The Stagnation Trap: Core Problems and Risks

Low ARPU and Prepaid Dominance – Nearly 97% of Indonesian mobile subscribers are prepaid .  Customers churn easily, forcing operators into price wars.  As a result, the blended average revenue per user (ARPU) sits at only ~IDR 35,700 (US$2.38) and has been almost flat.

population was covered by 5G, mainly using refarmed 4G spectrum .  The for years.  Such thin margins, coupled with commoditization of connectivity, echo a global pattern where telco revenues grow slowly while capital expenditures continue to rise .

Limited 5G Spectrum and Slow Deployment – Indonesia’s 5G rollout remains selective and urban.  In 2024 only 26.3% of the country currently has 360 MHz of mid‑band spectrum assigned for mobile services, far below the ~2 GHz average required to capture 5G’s full economic impact.  Analysts note that refarming the 2.6 GHz and 700 MHz bands and releasing more mid‑band frequencies are urgent to prevent Indonesia from falling behind .

Spectrum Reform and Regulatory Bottlenecks – Twimbit’s 2023 update observes that spectrum scarcity has delayed 5G launches and forced operators to invest cautiously.  Government digital roadmaps push for 5G, but licensing remains fragmented and expensive.  Without transparent auction policies and neutral‑host models for shared infrastructure, the industry risks duplication and inefficiency.

Cybersecurity and Trust Deficit – High‑profile data breaches — including leaks affecting more than a billion SIM‑card activation records — spurred Indonesia’s Personal Data Protection law.  Implementing this law will require significant investment in cybersecurity.  EY research warns that two‑thirds of consumers want better explanations of how AI is used and 40% of telco employees feel unprepared to use AI responsibly.  Moreover, 57% of telecom executives worry about security attacks on physical assets, and Southeast Asian operators must balance innovation with strong compliance and trusted AI to counter rising cyber risks .

Talent and Skills Shortage – Telcos struggle to attract and retain digital talent.  EY’s Telco of Tomorrow survey shows that industry executives rank talent and culture as their top transformation inhibitors; poor collaboration and missing skills hinder innovation.  Competing with hyperscalers for AI and cloud expertise is an uphill battle, especially as Indonesia’s young engineers often migrate to global tech firms.

Financial Pressures and Capital Intensity – Globally, telco revenues are projected to grow at a compound annual rate of only 2.9% to 2028, while ARPU continues to decline.  Indonesia’s carriers therefore face a scenario where most cash is absorbed by capital expenditures, dividends and debt servicing , leaving little room for innovation.  Without new revenue streams, their role may stagnate.

Hidden Opportunities: Why Indonesia Still Holds Promise

Despite these headwinds, the country’s 280 million citizens and rapidly growing digital economy offer unique opportunities.  Indonesia’s GDP grew 5.3% in 2022 and its telecom revenue is expected to grow at 6.1% CAGR between 2023–27, outpacing global averages.  Operators and policymakers can tap several levers:

Infrastructure Sharing and Neutral Hosts – With three large players and tens of thousands of towers, sharing becomes logical.  Twimbit notes that Telkomsel, XL and Smartfren operate more than 165 000, 91 000 and 43 000 4G sites respectively.  Active sharing, fibre co‑build and neutral‑host models reduce duplication and free capital for new services.

Accelerated Spectrum Release – Refarming of the 2.6 GHz and 700 MHz bands and auctioning the 3.5 GHz mid‑band could enable Indonesia to meet the 2 GHz requirement.  Transparent, cost‑effective auctions will encourage investment and prevent a repeat of 5G’s initial delays.

Diversifying Beyond Connectivity – Telcos are shifting to non‑connectivity revenue streams.  Telkomsel created INDICO, focusing on education, health and gaming verticals, and saw its digital business revenue grow 17.4% year‑on‑year .  Enterprise services are a priority: carriers now offer IoT, cloud computing and managed services to businesses.  This pivot from consumer to B2B mirrors global advice that AI, fixed connectivity and vertical solutions are the ingredients for growth.

Trusted AI and Data Sovereignty – Indonesia can leverage its telcos as sovereign enablers rather than mere “techco”  By investing in secure sovereign clouds, digital identity and data‑classification systems, carriers can provide AI‑powered services while ensuring national data stays onshore.  EY’s insights stress that as AI becomes pervasive, building trust and clear privacy policies is essential.  Indonesia’s new data protection law compels operators to bolster cyber defenses, turning compliance into a competitive advantage.

Bridging the Digital Divide – Indonesia’s archipelagic geography means connectivity gaps persist.  The government’s Palapa Ring fibre backbone connects remote islands, but 5G coverage remains low.  Satellite‑enabled non‑terrestrial networks, community internet for rural areas, and targeted subsidies can help ensure that digital inclusion accompanies growth.

A Path Forward: Policy and Industry Recommendations

For Indonesia to avoid stagnation and instead become a digital powerhouse of the Global South, stakeholders must act in concert:

Enact Pro‑Growth Regulation – Regulators should adopt an orchestrator role, promoting shared infrastructure and neutral‑host models, streamlining spectrum auctions and fostering healthy collaboration.  Transparent policies can align private investment with national goals.

Prioritize Mid‑Band Spectrum – Release at least 200–300 MHz of the 3.5 GHz band and integrate it with the 700 MHz auction .  Reserve prices should be conservative to encourage robust 5G rollout.

Invest in Talent and Innovation – Government, academia and industry must co‑create programs to develop AI, cybersecurity and cloud skills.  Public‑private partnerships can sponsor scholarships and nurture a local digital workforce.

Leverage AI Responsibly – Telcos should harness generative AI to reduce costs, personalize services and improve network efficiency, while adhering to strict privacy standards .  Clear communication about AI use can rebuild customer trust.

Expand Non‑Connectivity Services – Operators need to emulate digital leaders by offering integrated fintech, healthtech, education and entertainment services.  Building “digital ecosystems” will differentiate them from commoditized connectivity and create new revenue streams.

Conclusion

Indonesia’s telco sector stands between two futures.  One path leads to commoditization and slow decline, as global OTT giants capture the value created by local networks.  The other path requires bold policies, shared infrastructure, spectrum reform and investment in AI and talent.  By choosing the latter, Indonesia’s operators can become sovereign digital enablers — powering not just connectivity but the nation’s broader ambitions for health, education, industry and sovereignty.  The moment for decisive action is now.

 Tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration on Southeast Asian nations—effective August 7, 2025—are likely to have a significant impact on the economies of the region. The second-quarter growth figures of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam would have brought some relief for all these countries. For long, ASEAN countries have benefited immensely from globalization and reasonable global geopolitical stability—especially stable ties between China and the US—and in recent years even from the China+1 policy of several companies—especially western ones—which sought to reduce their dependence upon China.

In the current economic and geopolitical situation, however, the ASEAN region faces multiple challenges due to the global turbulence, and countries in the region are devising tools to deal with the economic uncertainty.

Apart from diversifying economic relations, countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam are all focusing heavily on domestic spending. While Vietnam is focusing on infrastructure, Indonesia, under the leadership of Prabowo Subianto, is focusing heavily on welfare schemes, which include an ambitious free nutritious meal program, setting up of rural cooperatives, free health check-ups, and the construction of three million homes. During his first state of the nation address, the Indonesian president said:

‘Our goal of independence is to be free from poverty, free from hunger, and free from suffering.’

For 2026, Indonesia is likely to raise public spending to $233.92 billion. The free meal program will receive $20.7 billion. Prabowo’s ambitious plan to develop 80,000 rural cooperatives is also likely to incur massive public expenditures.

Focus on welfare and the impact of infrastructure projects in Indonesia.

In the case of Indonesia, the spending on welfare schemes has also resulted in lesser allocation towards Nusantara—the new administrative capital proposed by Prabowo’s predecessor, Joko Widodo, referred to as Jokowi. The reason for setting up a new capital was infrastructural and logistical problems in the current Indonesian capital—Jakarta. Nusantara, located in the East Kalimantan region of Indonesia, was chosen due to its geographical location and the fact that it may help in addressing disparities between the eastern and western parts of the country. While Jokowi had committed over $5 billion for the development of Nusantara, between 2022 and 2024, his successor has committed a little more than half the amount for the period between 2025 and 2029.

Unlike Jokowi, who focused heavily on the infrastructure sector, Prabowo Subianto is focused more on welfare. This is a major departure in terms of economic policy. Lesser focus on Nusantara could have several implications. First, according to many observers, it could send the wrong message to investors. Second, it may have domestic political ramifications. The Nusantara project was a brainchild of Jokowi, and it remains to be seen how the former president views the slowing down of the project.

In conclusion, ASEAN countries are being forced to explore new economic approaches and focus more on spending. As mentioned earlier, some ASEAN countries like Vietnam are focusing heavily on infrastructure, while Indonesia is expanding welfare programs. While focusing on the same is important, it remains to be seen what approach the current dispensation adopts vis-à-vis the Nusantara project, which is very important in terms of messaging to investors. It also remains to be seen whether the slowing down of the project will have any impact on Indonesia’s domestic politics.

The viral claim that ASEAN warned Indonesia of possible disintegration by 2030 due to endemic corruption was swiftly debunked. No such statement appeared in the May 2025 ASEAN Summit documents nor in the World Bank’s official publications. However, its widespread circulation exposes a deeper unease—one rooted in the undeniable truth that corruption remains a corrosive force, weakening Indonesia’s economic foundations, threatening public trust, and undermining regional integrity.

This episode is more than a fact-checking exercise. It underscores a sobering reality: while Indonesia remains Southeast Asia’s largest democracy, its governance architecture is visibly strained. From chronic procurement fraud to weakened anti-graft institutions, the Indonesian state has yet to tame the entrenched networks of clientelism and political patronage that siphon national wealth and public trust alike.

The 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur instead highlighted ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’ as its 2045 vision—aspirations that cannot be realised unless the region tackles systemic governance failures. And nowhere is this more urgent than in Indonesia, where economic leakage, institutional decay, and digital disinformation form a toxic triangle.

Recent research paints a stark picture. Corruption is estimated to drain Indonesia of 2–3% of its GDP annually, amounting to tens of billions in lost services, distorted investments, and inflated procurement budgets. Inflation eased to 1.6% by year-end 2024 (2.3% average) and remained within the 2.5 ± 1% target corridor in 2025—testimony to tight policy coordination between Bank Indonesia and the government. Transparency International ranked Indonesia 37 out of 100 in its 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index—lagging behind ASEAN peers such as Vietnam and Malaysia. The World Bank’s Control of Corruption indicator placed Indonesia at –0.49, well below the global average.

The local impact is even more severe. Field studies show that in provinces where corruption exceeds certain thresholds, economic growth slows dramatically. Procurement funds vanish. Schools and hospitals are underbuilt or shoddily provided. Meanwhile, decentralisation reforms, intended to empower local government, have instead multiplied the number of hands skimming public budgets.

What does this mean geopolitically?

First, Indonesia’s capacity to lead the region as ASEAN’s de facto heavyweight is compromised by domestic governance weaknesses. Political capture by economic elites stifles reform. Recurrent scandals—some reaching into defence procurement and public infrastructure—fuel public cynicism and blunt Jakarta’s credibility when promoting regional norms of transparency and the rule of law.

Second, ASEAN’s credibility suffers. For all the talk of a rules-based order, corruption undermines the region’s soft power. If democratic erosion and institutional decline persist in member states, ASEAN risks becoming a hollow vessel for lofty declarations. The disinformation surrounding Indonesia’s supposed 2030 ‘collapse’ may be false, but its virality hints at waning confidence in ASEAN’s integrity.

Third, the digital ecosystem accelerates distrust. The viral ‘ASEAN warning’ narrative spread rapidly across Southeast Asian platforms. While easily disproven by reading the summit communiqué, few do. This reveals the new battleground: disinformation thrives when formal institutions lose moral authority. Where trust erodes, conspiracies take root.

What’s needed is not another ASEAN statement, but tangible action on governance resilience. Three avenues stand out.

ASEAN must initiate a Regional Integrity Compact—a binding, independently monitored governance framework that benchmarks anti-corruption reforms across member states. Inspired by the OECD’s Anti-Corruption Network, this compact should integrate real-time procurement tracking, sectoral red-flag indicators, and transparency scorecards linked to UNCAC compliance. A designated unit within the ASEAN Secretariat, working alongside neutral data partners, must publish annual reports accessible to civil society, investors, and member parliaments alike. Only through enforceable metrics—not rhetorical declarations—can ASEAN restore credibility in its governance ambitions.

Indonesia’s leadership in ASEAN hinges on the restoration of independent prosecutorial authority. The rollback of the Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) powers since 2019 has severely compromised public trust. This must be reversed through emergency legislative amendment to reinstate its wiretapping capacity, shield it from executive interference, and ensure prosecutorial continuity. Pilot programs should be deployed for independent project audits in high-risk sectors like infrastructure and defence, backed by civic oversight dashboards. No ASEAN leadership claim can be sustained if Indonesia cannot clean its own house.

Australia and Japan—both leading ASEAN dialogue partners—must anchor a new Strategic Governance Partnership for the Indo-Pacific. This initiative should target forensic accounting training, secure whistleblower systems, and regional ombuds institutional support, particularly in fragile democracies. By aligning with the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, such a partnership would counteract opaque foreign investment and safeguard institutional resilience. As Beijing’s economic influence grows, a values-based governance bulwark is not merely ideal—it is indispensable.

Indonesia is not Sri Lanka. It retains a pluralist system, growing GDP, and an active civil society. But the Sri Lankan collapse remains a cautionary tale: corruption-fueled inequality, elite impunity, and opaque debt deals led to mass revolt and institutional failure. The same fault lines—if left unaddressed—exist in Indonesia.

Moreover, as Southeast Asia navigates a more contested Indo-Pacific, governance is no longer a domestic issue; it is strategic. Poor governance undermines resilience, emboldens foreign interference, and weakens regional cohesion. To dismiss the viral ‘disintegration’ claim as mere misinformation is to miss the signal in the noise.

ASEAN’s 2045 vision will be built not in summits but in procurement offices, audit bureaus, and independent courts. Indonesia’s leadership depends not only on its economy or geography, but on its willingness to confront the rot within. The disinformation storm is a symptom. The cure is integrity.

“Framing” the image of Dutch colonial history: For decades, the Netherlands maintained its own narrative about its colonial past, notably over the 1945-1949 war in Indonesia, euphemistically called “police actions”. In reality, it was a major military operation in response to Indonesia’s unilateral declaration of independence in August 1945. This two-part series reveals how far the Dutch government went in “selling” the war as a domestic affair aimed at restoring peace in what it called the Dutch East Indies. The series exposes how propaganda, selective media coverage and historical omission shaped the Dutch collective memory. A wide range of interviewees explain the complex relationships in the former colony and provide a global context. International pressure eventually forced the Dutch government to give up its colonial war, but its carefully orchestrated disinformation campaign still hangs over the public debate in the Netherlands today. This is about how history is written, rewritten and often manipulated to serve powerful vested interests.

Medan, Indonesia – Indonesia is celebrating 80 years of independence from Dutch colonial rule, but not everyone is in a celebratory mood, and an unusual protest movement has rallied around a cartoon pirate flag.

The flag, which features a skull and crossbones wearing a straw hat, has been spotted adorning homes, cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats across Indonesia.

Popularised by the hit Japanese anime One Piece, the flag has even been flown beneath the Indonesian flag – known as the merah-putih (red and white) – which is widely raised throughout the month of August in the lead-up to Independence Day on Sunday.

In the anime series, which was adapted by Netflix in 2023, the hatted skull and crossbones flag is used by adventurer Monkey D Luffy – who one day hopes to become a pirate king – and is seen as a sign of hope, freedom and a pushback against authoritarianism.

In Indonesia, the flag has been raised as a sign of protest amid increasing public frustration with the government.

“Rising prices, difficulties in getting a job and the incompetencies of the government have prompted the people to use satire and sarcasm,” Radityo Dharmaputra, a lecturer in international relations at Airlangga University in Surabaya, told Al Jazeera.

Raising the pirate flag is a sign of “growing dissatisfaction in society, even with all the so-called progress that the government has claimed”, Dharmaputra said.

Prabowo Subianto was sworn in as the new president of Indonesia in October, promising fast economic growth and social change in this country of almost 286 million people.

But Southeast Asia’s largest economy and most populous democracy is faltering.

‘A symbol of my disappointment and resistance’

Indonesia has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in Southeast Asia, with an estimated 16 percent of the 44 million Indonesians aged 15-24 unemployed, while foreign investors are pulling capital out of the country and the government is cutting the budget.

In a survey published by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore in January, about 58 percent of young Indonesians said they were optimistic about the government’s economic plans, compared with an average of 75 percent across five other countries in the region – Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Before the flag protest, in February, the “Indonesia Gelap” or “Dark Indonesia” movement gained momentum, with citizens using the #IndonesiaGelap hashtag on social media to vent their frustrations about the future of the country following widespread budget cuts and proposed changes in legislation allowing the military to have a greater role in the government.

The online protest was followed by student demonstrations, which erupted across a number of cities.

President Prabowo accused the Dark Indonesia movement of being backed by “corruptors” bent on creating pessimism in the country.

“This is fabricated, paid for, by whom?” Prabowo said, according to Indonesian news outlet Tempo.

“By those who want Indonesia to always be chaotic, Indonesia to always be poor. Yes, those corruptors are the ones financing the demonstrations. Indonesia is dark, Indonesia is dark. Sorry, Indonesia is bright, Indonesia’s future is bright,” the president said.

Adi*, a truck driver in the city of Malang in East Java, told Al Jazeera that he has been flying the anime pirate flag on the side of his truck for the past three weeks.

“Many, many people have been flying it in East Java. To me, it is a symbol of my disappointment and resistance against the government,” he said.

Adi said that he had long been frustrated, but that the flag had provided him with a new way of displaying this frustration.

Members of his family had died, Adi said, when police fired tear gas into the Kanjuruhan Stadium in East Java’s Malang city on October 1, 2022, following what police claimed was a pitch invasion by fans at the end of a football match.

This tear gas led to panic and a crowd crush at locked exit gates that killed 135 people.

Three police officers and two match officials were prosecuted for their roles in the tragedy, one of the worst in international footballing history.

“I am disappointed by the lack of justice for the victims of Kanjuruhan. Until now, we have received none of the restitution we were promised. I am also disappointed by other problems in Indonesia, including rising prices,” he said.

‘An attempt to divide unity’

The One Piece pirate flag has caught the attention of the government, with Budi Gunawan, the coordinating minister for political and security affairs, warning that authorities would take “firm action” if the flag was flown on Sunday’s Independence Day.

“There will be criminal consequences for actions that violate the honour of the red and white flag,” he said.

Indonesia’s Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad branded the hoisting of the pirate flag an attempt to deliberately sow dissent.

“We have detected and received input from security agencies that there is indeed an attempt to divide unity. My appeal to all the nation’s children is to unite and fight against such things,” he said.

Yohanes Sulaiman, a lecturer in international relations at Jenderal Achmad Yani University, told Al Jazeera that the government’s warnings were likely an attempt to clamp down on the show of symbolic dissent.

“I suspect they didn’t know how Prabowo would react and thus thought it better to show their loyalty and take the extreme position than be sorry later,” Sulaiman said.

The government threats had “backfired spectacularly”, he said, adding that it was left looking like a “laughing stock”.

“Saying that the flag has the potential of breaking apart the nation is too much. It is hyperbolic and nobody takes it seriously,” he said.

Sulaiman said the origins of the flag’s use in Indonesia could be traced back to truck drivers.

“Truckers were the ones first flying it to protest a recent regulation that forbade overweight trucks from hitting the road. If the government had just ignored it, the flag would have ended up on the back of trucks and nobody would have taken it seriously,” Sulaiman said.

“But, they had to make it about a national threat, a threat to national unity and disrespect of the national flag,” he said.

He added that the increased visibility of the pirate flag comes at a sensitive time in Indonesia – ahead of Independence Day – which is traditionally a moment for the government and the public to celebrate.

Ian Wilson, a lecturer in politics and security studies at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia, said the flag furore demonstrated “sensitivity around perceptions of popularity” in the current government.

The flag as a symbol of protest appeared to be a more fragmented movement than recent and historical protests in Indonesia, Wilson said, which have traditionally been largely driven by students.

“Students are a more singular group, but this is a more dispersed phenomenon across different groups and parts of the country, which is indicative of widespread dissatisfaction. It touches a nerve due to the diffused representation,” he said.

“We are seeing this phenomenon in places like villages and by regular people in semi-rural areas, which are not conventional sites of dissent in Indonesia,” he added.

‘An expression of creativity’

According to reports by local Indonesian media, anime pirate flags have been seized in raids by authorities in East Java, while citizens found displaying them have been questioned in the Riau Islands.

So far, no one has been criminally charged, as flying the pirate flag is not technically illegal.

Usman Hamid, Amnesty International Indonesia’s executive director, said the raids were “a flagrant violation of the right to freedom of expression”.

“Raising an anime flag is not ‘treason’ or ‘propaganda to disunite the country’, as suggested by government officials,” Hamid said in a statement.

“Authorities, including lawmakers, must stop harassing people by threatening them with jail terms for ‘disrespecting the national flag’ and ‘treason’ if they raise One Piece flags,” he added.

Truck driver Adi told Al Jazeera that he had seen no indications that the government’s threats had had any impact on those flying the flag and that they could still be seen prominently on display across East Java – both on trucks and buildings.

“Why would I be scared of any sanctions?” Adi asked.

The president’s office has denied any involvement in the police confiscating flags or questioning civilians.

For his part, Prabowo – a retired army general who oversaw crackdowns on the 1998 student protests that precipitated the fall of the country’s longtime dictator President Soeharto – said that the flag was “an expression of creativity”.

Murdoch University’s Wilson said that the government had perhaps been rattled by the Dark Indonesia protests, which came early on in Prabowo’s presidency.

“No one wants that at the start [of a presidency], as they are trying to generate optimism,” Wilson said.

“But now, further down the track, people have some serious issues with government performance,” he said.

*Adi is a pseudonym as the interviewee did not want his name revealed for personal safety reasons when criticising the government.

Blue Zones are five diverse regions where people live longer and stay healthy into their 90s and 100s. Their secrets? Mostly plant-based diets, daily natural movement, strong social ties, and a clear sense of purpose. These simple, sustainable habits keep people active and resilient. As the modern world faces chronic illness and ageing populations, the Blue Zones offer practical lessons on how we might live longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives.

Presenter: Stefanie Dekker

Guests:
Anna Katsas – Videographer and content creator
Paola Demurtas – Longevity guide
Luigi Fontana – Director, Charles Perkins Centre Clinic

Among the first batch of freed prisoners were prominent rivals of former President Joko Widodo jailed during his term.

Indonesia has begun releasing hundreds of inmates from prison, including people convicted of political offences, after parliament approved the first stage of President Prabowo Subianto’s wide-ranging clemency plan, reportedly aimed at building national solidarity.

A first group of 1,178 inmates were to be released on Friday after House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad and Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas announced late on Thursday that Subianto had signed a Presidential Decree granting amnesties.

Barely two months after he took office in October, Subianto – the former son-in-law of Indonesian dictator Soeharto – surprised the nation by saying he planned to grant clemency to some 44,000 inmates nationwide, most of them imprisoned for political reasons, as a way to help unify the country.

Law Minister Agtas said political prisoners and inmates with mental and chronic health illnesses, older people, juveniles and those convicted of blasphemy or insulting the country’s leader will be prioritised in the pardons.

Among those released on Friday were prominent rivals of former President Joko Widodo who were jailed during his term, including Hasto Kristiyanto, the secretary-general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, the country’s only formal opposition party.

A former ally of ex-President Widodo who later became a harsh critic, Kristiyanto was sentenced last week to three and a half years in prison for bribery in a 2019 legislative seat appointment scheme.

Released on Friday evening from his cell at the anti-Corruption Commission’s detention centre in South Jakarta, where he had been held since February, Kristiyanto told a cheering crowd, “We must learn from this incident.”

Agtas said parliament also approved an end to criminal proceedings against former Trade Minister Tom Lembong, also a onetime Widodo ally who broke with him during the 2024 presidential election to support political rival Anies Baswedan.

Lembong was sentenced to more than four years in prison in July for reportedly abusing his authority as minister by improperly granting sugar import permits.

“Both [Kristiyanto and Lembong] have demonstrated service to the nation, and our priority now is to strengthen the unity of the nation,” Agtas said.

Six independence activists from Indonesia’s restive West Papua region, serving prison sentences for treason, were also released.

Agtas said authorities plan to submit a second list of 1,668 inmates for release to parliament in the near future.

The crackdown on “illegally built” buildings at the world-famous Bingin Beach in Uluwatu, Bali began on Monday, drawing huge crowds of angry locals and surfers to gather

Huge tearful crowds formed as hordes of officials destroyed villas and restaurants at a beloved beach.

The crackdown on “illegally built” buildings at the world-famous Bingin Beach in Uluwatu, Bali began on Monday.

The destination is incredibly popular among Australians and global surfers in southern Bali, yet has become a source of frustration for local politicians. Local government officials say none of the buildings have been built with the correct permits, ABC News reported.

Bali’s governor, I Wayan Koster, marched to the beach alongside demolition workers armed with crowbars and sledge hammers. “The buildings for tourism businesses here are illegal — that’s it. We should not let this practice continue. If we let this go on, Bali will be damaged,” he said.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email [email protected]

Owners of the targeted businesses wailed and screamed in distress as their livelihoods were torn apart by the workers. As they were unable to bring in heavy machinery due to the buildings’ steep cliff-side construction, they smashed tables and doors to smithereens during the government-enforced demolitions.

ABC News reported that a Balinese woman screamed out: “This is how the bureaucrats work. They’ve demolished our livelihoods.” News.com.au reports that some travellers have had their bookings voided at the popular destination due to the demolition works.

Authorities have denied rumours that the demolition was carried out so a high-end resort can be built.

Eleven-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater took to social media to condemn the move. He wrote: “Awful to hear and see that the beachfront at Bingin in Bali has been bought up and all the local (eateries) and other businesses will be demolished to make room for some kind of beach club and not sure what else?

“Bali has been completely mishandled and ruined by foreign interests in recent years. I hope something can be done to retain the culture and beauty of what attracted everyone there in the first place.”

Known as the “Island of the Gods,” Bali is one of the world’s top tourist destinations. Yet, the influx of visitors has also led to numerous problems, including disruptive behavior from tourists drawn to the island’s idyllic beaches, vibrant food scene, rich cultural heritage, affordable accommodation, and the promise of luxury indulgence.

While tourism has been a major economic driver—accounting for over 60% of Bali’s economy in 2019—many locals have developed mixed feelings about it. The island has struggled with overwhelming traffic, uncontrolled development, and a growing number of poorly behaved tourists.

In 2023, more than five million foreign tourists visited Bali, which has a population of just four million. The island has had several tourist scandals recently, including a visitor who was criticised for posing naked in front of a sacred tree in 2023.

American travel publication Fodor’s has placed Bali on its ‘perennial no list’, urging people not to travel there and further add to the island’s woes. “This post-pandemic travel rebound has only intensified the strain on the island. While this influx has boosted the economy, it has also placed overwhelming pressure on Bali’s infrastructure. Once-pristine beaches like Kuta and Seminyak are now buried under piles of trash, with local waste management systems struggling to keep up,” Fodors writes.

Earlier this year, faced with the challenges of overtourism, officials in Bali proposed introducing a daily tourist tax, similar to Bhutan’s $100 (€£79) Sustainable Development Fee, which is charged to most international visitors.

Wayan Puspa Negara, head of the Bali Marginal Tourism Actors Alliance and a lawmaker in Bali’s Badung regency, told the South China Morning Post that he envisions Bali “selecting” tourists, much like Bhutan does. The Himalayan nation restricts its annual tourist intake to just 400,000 people and has previously charged up to $250 (£198) per day for visitors, Euronews reports. Tourists are also obliged to hire a guide, driver and transport from any official tour agency.

Social media videos show terrified passengers jumping into sea as flames and black smoke billow from burning vessel.

Three people have died and more than 500 others have been rescued after a ferry caught fire off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, emergency officials said.

Passengers jumped overboard the KM Barcelona 5, as it sailed from Melonguane port in Talaud Islands district towards the city of Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, after the fire broke out on Sunday, said the Indonesian coastguard.

Photos and videos circulated on social media showed terrified passengers, mostly wearing life jackets, jumping into the sea as orange flames and black smoke billowed from the burning vessel.

A video released by the Manado rescue agency showed a coastguard vessel spraying water on the ferry, which was emitting black smoke.

Indonesian authorities previously reported five people died in the accident, but later revised the death toll to three after two passengers initially reported as dead were saved in a hospital, including a two-month-old baby whose lungs were filled with seawater.

At least 568 people were rescued from the ferry, the national search and rescue agency said in a statement on Monday.

A coastguard ship, six rescue vessels and several inflatable boats were deployed in the rescue operation, Franky Pasuna Sihombing, chief of the Manado navy base, told The Associated Press news agency.

According to officials, the blaze is believed to have started on the upper deck.

“Until now, the joint rescue team is still conducting the search and rescue operation because the data is still developing,” Manado rescue agency head George Leo Mercy Randang told the AFP news agency on Monday. “Our post is still open 24 hours a day, in case families want to report about their missing relative.”

One survivor described waking up to smoke filling the passenger deck.

“The air was full of smoke and everyone started panicking,” Johan Rumewo told Kompas TV after being evacuated to Manado port. “I managed to grab a life jacket and jumped into the sea. I floated for about an hour before being rescued.”

The ferry’s log had registered only 280 passengers and 15 crew on board. Local media reported that the ship had a capacity for 600 people.

Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in the Southeast Asian archipelago of about 17,000 islands, in part due to lax safety standards or bad weather.

Sunday’s fire came just weeks after another ferry sank off the popular resort island of Bali due to bad weather, killing at least 19 people.

In March, a boat carrying 16 people capsized in rough waters off Bali, killing an Australian woman and injuring another person. In 2018, more than 150 people drowned when a ferry sank in one of the world’s deepest lakes on Sumatra Island.

Video shows people jumping into the sea as fire engulfs a passenger ship, the KM Barcelona VA, in Indonesia. The national search and rescue agency has begun evacuating the burning vessel near Talise Island, in North Sulawesi Province.

Indonesia is apparently seeking a secure position in an unstable world situation. It fosters cooperation through partnerships for this purpose. In this situation, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has recently engaged in dialogue and cooperation with world powers. Last weekend, on 6-7 July 2025, Prabowo went to the summit in the BRICS meeting. They discussed economic orientation and a few of the members’ common interests. They called an emerging power against the old power that had ruled the world for decades. Indonesia seems to join the cooperation to get a huge benefit since it is the largest economy in the world, namely China, Russia, and India. As the 10th member of BRICS, Indonesia clearly focuses on economic development through cooperation among countries.

This is not just stopping there. Just a week later, on Sunday, 13 July 2025, Prabowo met and discussed in front of journalists cooperation between Indonesia and the EU in developing Indonesia’s economy. Not only for the economy but also for geopolitical reasons. Indonesia’s effort to make agreements, dialogue, and meetings with actors who highlight global issues recently seems to secure its position.

“We found out that Indonesia’s motto is ‘unity and diversity’; one of our core sentences in the European Union is ‘united in diversity.’” Ursula von der Leyen said they share common sense.

In the EU-Indonesia joint presser to officially announce their strategic partnership in an uncertain economy and a confusing world. The partnership between them is not only for their economic interest but also as a depiction of what countries should do amid the instability and confusing situation.

Europe favors this cooperation first to strengthen the supply chain of critical raw materials, which Indonesia has abundant resources for. Europe is also seeking power for the clean and digital transition. Moreover, Europe would like to set a goal on geopolitics and security, particularly in ASEAN. Indonesia clearly says that the European Union is a significant partner for Indonesia’s economy and geopolitical stability in the global situation right now.

“Partnership between Europe and Indonesia, also being a large part of ASEAN, I think will be a very important contribution to economic and geopolitical stability in the world. We consider Europe to be very important for us. That’s why we would like to see more European presence and more European participation in our economy,” said Prabowo Subianto.

Future action of this agreement EU-Indonesia, it potentially massive investment in mining since the EU mentions critical raw materials in Indonesia. Indonesia will please welcome the EU to invest in this sector to leverage economic development. Despite this future prediction, Indonesian societies will have easier access to Europe as Ursula von der Leyen said,

“I’m pleased to announce that the European Commission has adopted a decision on a visa cascade. It means that from now on, Indonesian nationals visiting the European Union for a second time will be eligible for a multi-entry Schengen visa. This will make it easier to visit, but also to invest, to study, and to connect.”

Both of them have a beneficial partnership with a long-term goal. It seems Indonesia does not want to lose its investor and 5th market for commodities. Also, Europe does not want to lose its core country to secure its position in Southeast Asia and its supply chain of raw materials, obviously for its goal of energy transition. To secure a position in an uncertain world is one of the most important things for the EU to maintain its leadership, especially in the energy transition.

To conclude, Indonesia’s action in making cooperation with the EU one of its strategies in this uncertain world. We can see that prior to this agreement, Indonesia had met the BRICS countries in a summit with the same purpose of economic development. This action is a reflection of Indonesia’s principle of action in foreign policy, called “bebas-aktif.” Bebas means “free” in English, which is the right of Indonesia to act however they want without relying on one side; aktif means “active.” Is Indonesia actively promoting peace throughout the world? We can see Indonesia’s effort, which is one reflection of this principle.