Danantara is preparing to restructure the ballooning debt of the Jakarta–Bandung high-speed railway, better known as Whoosh, which has continued to suffer heavy operational losses. Financial problems plagued the project long before trains ever ran. During construction, costs overshot the original budget by US$1.2 billion, forcing project operator PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC) to borrow more from the China Development Bank (CDB). Danantara’s intervention has triggered sharp public criticism. Many see it as yet another bailout of an ill-conceived venture, echoing the state rescues of Garuda Indonesia. Critics warn that the move entrenches a cycle in which profitable state-owned enterprises (SOEs)—whose surpluses fund Danantara—are siphoned off to prop up failing projects.

Serakahnomics is the latest term coined by President Prabowo Subianto to describe an economic pattern that prioritizes the profit and wealth of a privileged few over the broader welfare and interests of the public. The phrase, which translates into “greedynomics”, captures the people’s frustration over soaring prices, scarcity of basic goods and widening inequality, but raises the question: Is it fair to place all the blame on businesspeople alone?

A recent report by IndonesiaLeaks on the alleged misappropriation of funds in an Army housing program has raised concerns over the potential for a huge departure of troops from its ranks. The case risks undermining soldiers’ morale, even as President Prabowo Subianto has elevated the Indonesian Military (TNI) to a key role in national politics.

President Prabowo Subianto used his first state of the nation address on Aug. 15 to talk up his hugely ambitious free nutritious meal program, claiming success although so far it has reached less than a quarter of the 83 million targeted recipients since its January rollout.

President Prabowo Subianto has set an ambitious growth target of 5.4 percent year-on-year (yoy) for 2026, as announced during the presentation of the 2026 state budget draft (RAPBN). The proposed budget seeks to narrow the fiscal deficit to 2.48 percent of gross domestic product, while increasing total spending by 7.3 percent to Rp 3.79 quadrillion (US$231.81 billion). However, the heavy price tag of the government’s flagship priority programs, combined with the emphasis on central government spending, austerity imposed on regional budgets and heavier reliance on tax revenue, could complicate the realization of these growth aspirations.

Ten months into his term, President Prabowo Subianto’s trademark austerity measures, designed to conserve funds for flagship programs like the free nutritious meal initiative, have finally collided with local realities.

The economy expanded 5.12 percent year-on-year (yoy) in the second quarter, defying expectations of a slowdown and igniting debate over where the growth is coming from and why many Indonesians say they cannot feel it. In a climate of public skepticism, every decimal point carries weight.

Bank Indonesia (BI) has cancelled the rollout of its Payment ID system, which was originally scheduled to launch on Aug. 17, Indonesia’s Independence Day. The system was designed to monitor transactions by assigning each Indonesian citizen a unique code linked to their national identification number (NIK). News of the launch sparked public backlash, as BI had yet to publish many of the system’s technical specifications.

President Prabowo Subianto's efforts to strengthen the Indonesian Military (TNI) have included creating several new positions and agencies. While these changes are framed as a way to prepare for future strategic challenges, they have also sparked concerns.

Jakarta is right in pushing Kuala Lumpur to join hands in developing the disputed, mineral-rich maritime area located east of Borneo in the Sulawesi Sea. Though the latter does not appear to be all that keen about the idea, it has not completely rejected it.

Joao Angelo De Sousa Mota has abruptly stepped down as president director of PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara after just six months, putting a spotlight on the Daya Anagata Nusantara (Danantara) Investment Management Agency’s role and commitment in the food estate program. At the heart of his resignation was frustration over what he described as Danantara’s failure to prioritize and adequately fund Agrinas Pangan, stalling the SOE’s work mandate to support President Prabowo Subianto’s goal of achieving national food sovereignty.

Gerindra, President Prabowo Subianto's political party, is the third largest in the country, trailing only behind the nation's oldest party Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). For Gerindra to propel itself to the top in the 2029 elections, Prabowo must maintain his dual role as party chairman and the President.

Indonesia’s rice market is in turmoil, despite the government’s claim of holding the largest rice reserves in history. Prices continue to rise, consumers are paying more for lower-quality rice and the government’s response risks deepening the uncertainty. Its crackdown on rice businesses accused of producing oplosan rice, where medium-quality rice is mixed and sold as premium, is suspected of depleting supplies to retailers and driving up prices.

State-owned lender Bank Mandiri recently announced a major leadership shake-up to restructure both the Board of Commissioners (BoC) and Board of Directors (BoD). The changes come as lenders grouped in the Association of State-Owned Banks (Himbara) face mounting pressure from slowing financial performance, worsened by the banking industry's loan disbursement slowdown and increasing burdens from government-mandated programs.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has launched an investigation into alleged graft in the procurement of Google Cloud services by the former Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry under Nadiem Makarim. The antigraft body has also summoned former religious affairs minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas for questioning in a separate case pertaining to the 2024 haj program.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) continues to be ambivalent in its stance toward President Prabowo Subianto’s administration, with party matriarch Megawati Soekarnputri declaring it is neither part of the coalition government nor in the opposition role.

The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) has officially reopened access to approximately 31 million bank accounts across 105 banks, following intense public backlash. These accounts had previously been frozen on the grounds of dormancy. According to the Financial Services Authority (OJK), 9,487 formal complaints regarding unprompted account freezes were received via its official platform, the APPK, as of July 14. Since this figure only includes submissions through one channel, the actual number of grievances reported directly to banks is likely much higher.

As the 80th anniversary of Indonesian independence approaches, a surprising symbol of nationalist pride has emerged. Instead of displaying the historic Red and White flag, a nationwide grassroots movement has citizens waving the flag of a fictional pirate group from the famous Japanese manga and anime series One Piece.

Indonesia’s poverty and unemployment rates continued to decline, according to data released by Statistics Indonesia (BPS) earlier this year. This progress is accompanied by a modest reduction in income inequality. However, these gains mask deeper structural issues as urban poverty rises and labor informality becomes more widespread, exposing more Indonesian workers to precarity.

Through a recent reciprocal trade agreement between the United States and Indonesia, the Indonesian government has officially recognized the US as a jurisdiction with “adequate data protection.” This designation creates a legal pathway for the transfer of personal data from Indonesia to the US, effectively sidestepping existing data localization requirements by treating US-based entities, including data brokers, as equivalent to Indonesian data operators. As the US remains the global center for data brokerage, experts warn that this move could legitimize the large-scale commercialization of Indonesian personal data.

ASEAN has come under heavy criticism for its failure to prevent war from erupting between Thailand and Cambodia, with a part of that blame leveled at Indonesia as the largest member of the regional group. The paralysis of ASEAN reveals the limits of diplomacy when it comes to resolving territorial disputes between members. Not surprisingly, Indonesia has not done much beyond appealing for restraint.

In a shocking twist to end the month, President Prabowo Subianto has decided to give legal clemency to both the secretary-general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Hasto Kristiyanto, and former trade minister Thomas ‘Tom’ Trikasih Lembong for their respective graft convictions.

Danantara has secured a staggering US$10 billion in unsecured credit lines from 11 foreign banks and $7 billion in equity investments from sovereign wealth funds (SWFs), a remarkable feat for an institution that is less than six months old. Yet its rapid rise raises an important question: Is Danantara truly operating as a SWF to secure long-term prosperity for future generations, or is it functioning as a super holding company to execute President Prabowo Subianto’s ambitious programs?

Indonesia's political elite are once again pushing to alter the system for regional head elections (Pilkada), currently conducted through direct public voting. The proposed changes aim to shift the authority to elect local leaders back to regional legislative councils (DPRD) or even allow for direct presidential appointments. However, these discussions appear less like well-reasoned policy debates and more like atempts to gauge public reaction.

Indonesia is making bold moves on both the monetary and trade policy fronts—cutting its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 5.25 percent and finalizing a landmark trade agreement with the United States. The deal eliminates 99 percent of Indonesia’s trade barriers on US industrial and agricultural products, lowering the US tariffs on Indonesian imports from 32 percent to 19 percent.

The resurgence of global trade uncertainty under United States President Donald Trump’s second term has prompted Indonesia and the European Union to resolve long-standing disputes and accelerate the conclusion of negotiations on the Indonesia-EU Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA), aiming to finalize the deal by September. However, significant hurdles remain, particularly Indonesia’s compliance with the EU’s anti-deforestation regulations.

Former president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) have formed an alliance that aims to advance their respective interests in elite politics. While the PSI seeks to secure seats at the House of Representatives in the next general election, Jokowi appears to be carving out a political role so he can continue to wield influence after his presidency, particularly after he was dumped by his former party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).