https://www.scmp.com/rss/522432/feed University of Indonesia: A prominent Indonesian public university, with main campuses in Depok, West Java, and Salemba, Jakarta, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious educational institutions in the country. The University of Indonesia is dedicated to providing high-quality education, fostering research, and engaging in community service to advance science and technology and address societal challenges. Its main areas of activity span diverse fields, including medicine, engineering,... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A leading Indonesian university suspended 16 law students on Thursday after a sexually explicit group chat about their female peers went viral, sparking a debate about gender violence in the Muslim-majority country. Screenshots of a conversation among 16 male students at the University of Indonesia were posted on social media this week, eliciting shock and anger from female peers and a wider societal discussion. The university said in a statement on Thursday it had suspended the young men for... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350283/university-indonesia-suspends-16-law-students-sexually-explicit-group-chat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350283/university-indonesia-suspends-16-law-students-sexually-explicit-group-chat?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:08:26 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim A 38-year-old woman has been charged over her involvement in an accident which killed a six-year-old Indonesian girl and severely injured her mother at a popular tourist district in Singapore. The woman, who cannot be named due to a gag order, was handed two charges on Wednesday. One was for driving without due care and attention causing death, and the other for driving without due care and attention causing grievous hurt. If found guilty of the first charge, she could be jailed up to three... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349318/woman-charged-over-singapore-crash-killed-indonesian-girl-chinatown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349318/woman-charged-over-singapore-crash-killed-indonesian-girl-chinatown?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 02:48:55 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s involvement in US leader Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” is drawing growing criticism at home as the war in the Middle East intensifies scrutiny of President Prabowo Subianto’s closer engagement with Washington. Critics have urged Jakarta to withdraw from the board and reconsider related policies, including plans to send troops to Gaza and a recent trade arrangement with the United States, while Prabowo has defended his stance as being consistent with the country’s non-aligned... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346114/indonesias-role-us-led-board-peace-under-scrutiny-amid-iran-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346114/indonesias-role-us-led-board-peace-under-scrutiny-amid-iran-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:00:54 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s decision to accept a deputy commander post in the United States-led International Stabilisation Force (ISF) for Gaza has placed it in a position to play a prominent role in the mission as it prepares to deploy thousands of troops to the war-torn enclave. While the Indonesian government has stressed that its personnel would focus on protecting civilians and supporting humanitarian efforts, analysts say the ISF’s broader objectives – including the disarmament of Palestinian armed... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344477/why-indonesias-lead-role-gaza-peacekeeping-force-carries-high-political-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344477/why-indonesias-lead-role-gaza-peacekeeping-force-carries-high-political-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:31:59 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s decision to join US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” has raised eyebrows at home, with critics zeroing in on how it deviated from Jakarta’s values by serving the interests of only the US and Israel instead of Palestine. Some observers, however, argue that the move is “consistent” with Indonesia’s proactive foreign policy stance and allows it access to major powers. President Prabowo Subianto was among several world leaders flanking Trump at Thursday’s signing of the board’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341420/indonesias-move-join-trumps-board-peace-stirs-debate-foreign-policy-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341420/indonesias-move-join-trumps-board-peace-stirs-debate-foreign-policy-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 09:52:57 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia has placed “resilience” at the heart of its foreign policy this year, pitching it as a way to keep the country from being buffeted by intensifying rivalry among the world’s major powers. But analysts say the concept, though rhetorically appealing, lacks clear objectives and a long-term strategy – running the risk of Jakarta’s diplomacy becoming more transactional and drifting away from its stated values of non-alignment, multilateralism and respect for international law. In his annual... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341038/resilience-indonesias-new-foreign-policy-buzzword-it-just-rhetoric?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341038/resilience-indonesias-new-foreign-policy-buzzword-it-just-rhetoric?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia begins its tenure as president of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) this month under a cloud of contradiction, with officials hailing the prestige of the largely ceremonial role even as activists raise uncomfortable questions about the country’s own rights record. The 47-member body, a subsidiary of the UN General Assembly, has a mandate to promote and protect human rights globally. Indonesia’s ambassador was elected president on January 8 after being put forward as the Asia‑Pacific... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340202/false-pride-indonesias-un-rights-role-clashes-its-domestic-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340202/false-pride-indonesias-un-rights-role-clashes-its-domestic-record?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s long-delayed overhaul of its criminal justice system took effect last week, with the government hailing the “historic” change that would usher in a “more humane” era of law enforcement, even as rights groups warn they could further narrow space for dissent and private life. The new Criminal Code and revised Criminal Procedure Code came into force on Friday, ending decades of debate over how to replace Dutch-era statutes that officials said no longer reflected Indonesian society. It... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338939/indonesias-humane-new-criminal-code-sparks-warnings-about-civil-liberties-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338939/indonesias-humane-new-criminal-code-sparks-warnings-about-civil-liberties-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 10:16:01 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s flagship programme to provide millions of schoolchildren with free nutritious meals is back in the spotlight after a delivery van linked to the initiative ploughed into a group of students in Jakarta last week, leaving 21 children and a teacher injured. The accident on Thursday has raised fresh questions about safety and oversight in what critics call the “chaotic” roll-out of the signature initiative of President Prabowo Subianto, which has a 71 trillion rupiah (US$4.2 billion)... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3336641/calls-halt-indonesias-free-meal-drive-after-horror-crash-injures-21-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3336641/calls-halt-indonesias-free-meal-drive-after-horror-crash-injures-21-children?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:00:11 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has revived debate over how the country chooses its regional leaders by using a major gathering of his governing coalition to urge political elites to “be brave” and consider scrapping direct elections. Prabowo and his supporters argue that shifting to indirect regional elections would cut wasteful spending and curb vote buying, but analysts and activists warn that abandoning direct polls would undercut democratic accountability and risk reversing hard-won... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3335918/indonesias-prabowo-urges-elites-be-brave-change-how-regional-heads-are-selected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3335918/indonesias-prabowo-urges-elites-be-brave-change-how-regional-heads-are-selected?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 10:30:16 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s pledge to send troops to Gaza as part of a US-backed international stabilisation force (ISF) has prompted warnings by analysts that the Muslim-majority nation could be drawn into combat operations or accused of abandoning the Palestinian cause. They said Jakarta’s long-standing support for Palestinian statehood was in contrast with the ISF’s mandate – particularly if the latter involves disarming Hamas – and the move could spur claims that Indonesia is siding with the US and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334234/indonesias-gaza-peacekeeping-pledge-raises-risk-clash-hamas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334234/indonesias-gaza-peacekeeping-pledge-raises-risk-clash-hamas?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 10:00:33 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia is opening the door for foreigners to lead state-owned enterprises (SOEs), a landmark move that President Prabowo Subianto has said will bring international expertise to the country’s corporate sector, even as critics warn about a lack of oversight and accountability. Speaking during the Forbes Global CEO Conference in Jakarta last week, Prabowo said a law on SOEs had been revised to allow non-Indonesians to assume top positions in the sector with roughly 1,000 state firms. “I’ve... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3329954/can-foreigners-lead-indonesias-state-firms-and-make-them-world-beaters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3329954/can-foreigners-lead-indonesias-state-firms-and-make-them-world-beaters?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 10:20:43 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar As Prabowo Subianto marks his first year as Indonesia’s president, the former general is grappling with the challenge of turning his populist campaign promises into lasting policy. While early initiatives such as free meals for children have drawn praise, concerns over civil liberties, economic sluggishness and foreign policy decisions threaten to overshadow his administration’s achievements. Prabowo, who was sworn in on October 20 last year, campaigned on a platform of ambitious social... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329824/pledges-policy-indonesias-prabowo-marks-1-year-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329824/pledges-policy-indonesias-prabowo-marks-1-year-office?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:04:38 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia has backed US President Donald Trump’s controversial plan to end the war in Gaza, presenting it as a constructive step towards resolving the two-year conflict and easing humanitarian suffering in the besieged enclave. But the decision has stirred backlash at home, with analysts suggesting that Indonesia – long a vocal supporter of Palestinian statehood – may have stepped into a “diplomatic trap” that benefits Israeli and US interests more than those of Palestinians. “The government’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3328242/did-indonesia-fall-diplomatic-trap-over-trumps-gaza-peace-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3328242/did-indonesia-fall-diplomatic-trap-over-trumps-gaza-peace-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 10:30:09 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia has pledged tighter management of Islamic boarding schools after the tragic collapse of one that killed at least 67 people, with the incident drawing attention to long-standing concerns about the lack of oversight and funding for the country’s vast network of faith-based schools. The disaster – Indonesia’s deadliest so far this year – occurred on September 29, when a three-storey mosque inside the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School complex in Sidoarjo, East Java, caved in during... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3328130/indonesia-vows-reform-after-67-confirmed-killed-islamic-boarding-school-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3328130/indonesia-vows-reform-after-67-confirmed-killed-islamic-boarding-school-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 10:30:08 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has pledged to send tens of thousands of peacekeepers to conflict zones and said the country could recognise Israel, but only if Palestinian statehood is first acknowledged. The idea of conditional recognition for Israel drew sharp reactions at home, with critics accusing Prabowo of undermining Indonesia’s pro-Palestinian stance, while others saw the shift as a calculated diplomatic overture aimed at boosting Jakarta’s standing on the world stage. In the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326705/what-prabowos-bold-un-speech-means-indonesias-stance-israel-gaza-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326705/what-prabowos-bold-un-speech-means-indonesias-stance-israel-gaza-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 10:25:52 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia is considering a plan to renegotiate a debt linked to the China-funded Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project, as its operator faces a financial “time bomb” due to ticket sales alone being unable to cover the costs of the high-interest loan. The rail line, known as Whoosh, connects the capital Jakarta with the city of Bandung in West Java in 45 minutes – much shorter than by car, which can take up to three hours. The US$7.27 billion project has, however, been dogged by controversies... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326534/indonesia-seeks-rework-china-funded-high-speed-rails-debt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326534/indonesia-seeks-rework-china-funded-high-speed-rails-debt?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Sep 2025 09:00:35 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Two immigration officers in Indonesia’s holiday hotspot Bali may lose their jobs after being arrested for allegedly colluding with Russian nationals in a cross-border extortion ring that targeted foreign tourists through threats, assault and forced payments. The officers – identified as Ernest Esmail and Yopita Barinda Putri, both 24 – are accused of working with two Russian men to intimidate and extort travellers at dozens of locations across the island between January and July this year. They... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3320859/immigration-officials-indonesias-bali-helped-russians-run-tourist-extortion-ring-police?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3320859/immigration-officials-indonesias-bali-helped-russians-run-tourist-extortion-ring-police?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 12:53:06 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A surge in foreigner-linked crime has raised fears that Bali may turn into a “killing ground” for drug traffickers and organised crime groups, as officials and residents warn that efforts to boost mass tourism are eroding public safety and inviting the wrong kind of visitors to the Indonesian island. Bali police recorded a 16 per cent rise in crimes involving foreigners last year – from 194 cases in 2023 to 226 in 2024 – with 108 such incidents logged between January and June of this year,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3318625/fear-mafia-style-syndicates-bali-grows-amid-spike-crimes-foreigners?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3318625/fear-mafia-style-syndicates-bali-grows-amid-spike-crimes-foreigners?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 11:37:22 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk More people in Southeast Asian countries could face health risks ranging from liver damage to poor brain development due to rising consumption of microplastics in their food, medical and regulatory experts have warned. Microplastics are formed when larger plastic items break down. As more animals, such as fish, eat microplastics due to plastic pollution, the near-invisible particles measuring less than 5mm (0.19 inch) can go up the food chain. “If the microplastics are absorbed by fish and then... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3317266/southeast-asia-microplastics-threaten-health-millions-through-food?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3317266/southeast-asia-microplastics-threaten-health-millions-through-food?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 11:37:22 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar The decision by Indonesia and Malaysia to jointly develop the resource-rich Ambalat sea block signals a pragmatic step towards defusing a decades-old territorial stand-off, even as legal uncertainties over sovereignty remain unresolved. The agreement was announced last week during Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Indonesia, where he met with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to discuss maritime and land border disputes, investment, and regional conflicts, among... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3316660/ambalat-pact-indonesia-and-malaysia-seek-bridge-territorial-differences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3316660/ambalat-pact-indonesia-and-malaysia-seek-bridge-territorial-differences?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 10:00:19 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar A Qatari firm has pledged a US$2.5 billion investment to help Indonesia realise an ambitious affordable housing push, with plans to build 1 million homes over five years – a major contribution to President Prabowo Subianto’s broader pledge to construct 3 million new dwellings during his term. The initiative is expected to face complex challenges – from securing land and managing construction costs to integrating housing with urban infrastructure – but officials and experts say these could be... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3315983/indonesias-3-million-homes-push-gets-us25-billion-boost-qatar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3315983/indonesias-3-million-homes-push-gets-us25-billion-boost-qatar?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jun 2025 04:00:08 +0000