Economy

People fly kites ahead of the country's Independence Day celebrations.
Politics

Indonesia's 75th anniversary highlights rise of political Islam

Conservative Muslims challenge country's pluralistic society

18 August 2020
Indonesian President Joko Widodo delivers a speech at the parliament building in Jakarta on Aug. 14.
Politics

Jokowi calls on Indonesia to use COVID-19 to make a 'big leap'

Government lowers GDP forecast for 2020 to between -1.1% and 0.2%

14 August 2020
Passengers have their documents checked before boarding flights at a Soekarno Hatta Airport in Jakarta amid the coronavirus outbreak. 
International relations

Indonesia, South Korea reopen borders for business from Monday

Deal is Jakarta's first in Asia as talks continue with China, Singapore, and Australia

13 August 2020
People wearing protective face masks walk at a market in Jakarta on July 23.
Economy

Indonesia's economy contracts for first time in 20 years

5.32% slide in Q2 puts nation at serious risk of a COVID-induced recession

5 August 2020
Icons of Chinese online apps are pictured with that of Facebook: supporting concentrated monopolies has become official policy across much of Asia.
Opinion

Asia's regulators ignore rising influence of Big Tech at their peril

Market power of Alibaba, Reliance, Tencent and Gojek could outweigh US behemoths

5 August 2020
Ethnic Chinese children play behind the barbed wire encircling their Catholic school in Jember, pictured in February 1998: Indonesia has a long history of prejudice against its ethnic Chinese population. 
Opinion

Indonesia must tackle corona-driven growth in anti-Chinese xenophobia

Hostile theories and racist hoaxes require government and media intervention

4 August 2020
A man prepares an umbrella for rent at a beach in Bali, Indonesia on Monday.
Coronavirus

Bali reopens for Indonesian tourists on Eid holiday

City of Jakarta extends restrictions after new clusters emerge in offices

31 July 2020
An employee counts Indonesia's rupiah bank notes at a currency exchange office in Jakarta on March 19.
Economy

Struggling emerging economies to double bond issuance in 2020

Central banks become buyers of last resort after coronavirus spooks investors

27 July 2020
Bank Indonesia headquarters in Jakarta. The central bank has its benchmark rate by a full percentage point this year.
Economy

Bank Indonesia lowers key rate for fourth time this year

Government and central bank adopt 'whatever it takes' stance on COVID-19

16 July 2020
Firefighters spray disinfectant liquid in a densely populated settlement in Matraman, Jakarta, on July 9, 2020. 
Coronavirus

Jakarta raises alarm as COVID-19 cases keep rising in Indonesia

Critics say second wave stems from premature reopening of the economy

13 July 2020
The nuclear reactor inside the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in Morong town, Philippines, pictured in September 2016: public acceptance is the biggest challenge.
Opinion

Indonesia and Philippines are smart to make nuclear power plans

Fossil fuels are terrible for environment and renewables are not always available

12 July 2020
The coronavirus pandemic has hit Asian economies hard. Conditions in the ASEAN5 countries and India are still deteriorating, with trade and movement of people restricted in an attempt to control the spread of the virus. 
Economy

ASEAN and India sink into deep minus growth: JCER survey

Acceleration of digitization expected due to COVID-19 pandemic

7 July 2020
Central Jakarta: Indonesia is trying to attract foreign companies through tax breaks and land deals.
Economy

Southeast Asia vies for foreign manufacturers leaving China

Indonesia, Thailand and others tussle over shrinking investment pie

4 July 2020
Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has lashed out at cabinet ministers over their response to the COVID-19 pandemic and delays in cash handouts to the needy. (Nikkei Montage/Source photos by AP/Reuters)
Economy

Jokowi and Indonesia's jobless angry at COVID cash handout delays

Logistic constraints and data scarcity mar country's effort to help poor

3 July 2020
A textile worker lies down outside a factory after it was shut due to the lockdown in Bhiwandi, India, on Apr. 1: the worst is yet to come as a severe export slump lies ahead.
Opinion

Asia has an unemployment crisis waiting to happen

Export collapse will expose how tenuous many workers' jobs are

1 July 2020
The Turkish lira lost around 10% of its value against the dollar since January. (Nikkei montage/Reuters)
Datawatch

Coronavirus triggers dollar drain in big emerging markets

Plunging foreign reserves in Turkey, Indonesia threaten global crisis

28 June 2020
Taxes on petrol and diesel in India account for around 69% of the retail price, the highest in the world.
Opinion

Indian government stops consumers benefiting from cheap oil

New Delhi has not passed on reductions in crude price but in fact raised taxes

22 June 2020
Bank Indonesia lowered its seven-day reverse repo rate by 25 basis points to 4.25% on Tuesday, its third rate cut this year.
Economy

Indonesia cuts key rate to two-year low as COVID-19 hits economy

Southeast Asia's biggest economy is projected to contract this quarter

18 June 2020
A woman wears a face shield and protective mask at a station in Jakarta as the government eases restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 on June 8.
Coronavirus

Indonesia tops Singapore as Southeast Asia's COVID-19 hot spot

Experts warn against full reopening of economy before virus is stamped out

17 June 2020
Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba and pray at the Grand Mosque in August 2019: most problematic will be tawaf, when pilgrims walk around the Kaaba.
Opinion

Indonesia is smart to stop citizens going on hajj pilgrimage

Saudi Arabia is considering canceling whole event because of coronavirus risk

17 June 2020
Workers at a dhaba during lockdown in Chandigarh, pictured on May 15: brisk streetside commerce has all but disappeared.
Opinion

Workers in Asia's informal economy need protecting now

Coronavirus shock should compel governments to bring them into formal sector

15 June 2020
A child and her mother rest inside a shelter for people who are unable to feed themselves in Manila on April 1: developing Asia must bail out households.
Opinion

Asia needs rapid action to prevent millions falling into poverty

Coronavirus shock exposes how unstable economic growth has been

15 June 2020
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, left, is seeking to lure U.S. companies looking to diversify production from China. (Nikkei Montage/Source photo by AP and Reuters) 
Economy

Indonesia holds talks with US to lure companies from China

But lower labor costs fail to woo tech giants like Apple away from Vietnam

9 June 2020
A worker packs polio vaccine vials in Bio Farma's factory: the company is the largest vaccine manufacturer in Southeast Asia.
Opinion

Southeast Asia is on the coronavirus vaccine hunt

Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam have successful pharmaceutical sectors

1 June 2020
Massage parlors in Thailand can now provide up to two hours of service at a time. Workers at a salon on Surawong Road, Bangkok wear face shields. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Coronavirus

Thailand reopens massage parlors as Singapore ends 'circuit breaker'

Southeast Asia relaxes restrictions, cautious about second coronavirus wave

1 June 2020