Indonesia has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. At the time of publishing, there have been more than 19,000 confirmed cases and over 1,200 deaths. Due to a lack of testing — just 776 people per 1 million in a country with a population of 268 million — the number of infections is...
In recent weeks, Indonesia has been in the headlines due to forest fires. Having spread throughout the country in Southeast Asia, the regions of Jambi, South Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi have been severely affected while Riau Province has been the worst hit. According to the National...
With an election on the horizon, President Jokowi needs to justify his spending on Indonesia’s infrastructure. On April 17, Indonesians will head to the polls for a presidential election. To help choose the best person for the job, election debates have been held between the two candidates,...
The Asian Para Games can bring change to Indonesia so it can be more friendly to people with disabilities. The 2018 Asian Para Games is currently taking place in Jakarta. The multi-sport event is held every four years for athletes with physical disabilities. A total of 2,762 athletes with...
After another earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia, it is clear that people are not taught what to do in the event of natural disasters. Indonesia has once again been hit by a natural disaster. On September 28, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake followed by a tsunami struck the cities of Palu and...
As Indonesians brace themselves for another election in 2019, they must stop politicizing religion and identity. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia is set to hold its presidential election in April 2019. Citizens will choose a candidate to lead the nation until 2024, and the excitement can be felt...
The Jokowi government must reexamine the political map in Indonesia to better understand its supporters and opponents. On May 14, a suicide bombing took place at a police headquarters in Surabaya, Indonesia. The perpetrators were a family of five riding on two motorbikes. The incident took place...
Once again, blasphemy has caused a stir in Indonesia — this time over what counts as fiction. In April, Indonesians were shocked by a statement made by a well-known lecturer in philosophy at the University of Indonesia. In a televised debate, Rocky Gerung said that “Scriptures are fictional...
In this guest edition of The Interview, Dikanaya Tarahita and Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat talk to Mawar Sari Hidayat, a teacher at an Indonesian special-needs school. Education is a major problem for disabled people in Indonesia. Regular schools are often unwilling admit and accommodate those with...
Instead of going to university to simply get a degree and a well-paid job, students must learn to seek knowledge for the sake of learning. When I recently returned home to Indonesia, I heard about some universities giving “fake” diplomas or degrees to students. These “graduates” never...
