The Trade Ministry has rolled out a wide-ranging regulatory reform package aimed at easing import restrictions and cutting red tape, in a bid to revitalize the manufacturing sector, respond to global trade pressures amid United States (US)’ tariff hikes, and bolster Indonesia’s competitiveness as it eyes membership in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Indonesia is banking on a suite of large-scale electric vehicle (EV) battery projects, Dragon, Titan and Omega, to reverse the country’s manufacturing slump, slash fuel imports and secure a strategic place in the global EV supply chain. At the heart of this national push is the US$5.9 billion Dragon project, recently inaugurated by President Prabowo Subianto , which aims to build an end-to-end nickel-based battery ecosystem anchored by partnerships with Chinese EV battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL).

Holding general elections for a country the size of Indonesia is always a huge and complicated undertaking. The country is constantly struggling to find the most cost-efficient way of running multiple elections at the national and regional levels, but “effective” is never a goal as long as the electoral laws are drawn up by big political parties more interested in protecting their interests than ensuring people’s democratic rights.

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has struck a significant agreement with major cellular service providers in Indonesia, granting it access to users’ private information for law enforcement purposes. While the reasons for the deal look convincing, the development raises serious concerns about potential violations of fundamental citizen rights and may conflict with a Constitutional Court ruling regarding surveillance and wiretapping.

Public Housing and Settlements Minister Maruarar “Ara” Sirait took many by surprise when he announced that Daya Anagata Nusantara (Danantara) Investment Management Agency would finance one of President Prabowo Subianto ’s flagship campaign promises: the construction of 3 million subsidized homes. Danantara has pledged a loan of Rp 8 trillion (US$ 138 million) for the project. With this move, earlier plans to finance the program through foreign loans were effectively shelved.

North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution consistently attracts negative press. The 33-year-old Gerindra politician and son-in-law of former president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo may soon be questioned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) after his close aide was arrested in a recent graft scandal in the province.

Sovereign wealth fund Danantara is embarking on an ambitious overhaul of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), aiming to consolidate 844 SOEs and their subsidiaries into around 200 entities. As the fund moves forward with its major consolidation plan, questions about investment returns, governance and long-term strategy remain front and center.