The trial of executives from venture capital firms that invested in agricultural technology (agritech) company TaniHub has sparked concern after prosecutors charged them with causing state losses due to their firms’ status as subsidiaries of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Critics have questioned the charges, citing a disconnect between the nature of venture capital business and the seemingly disproportionate punishment sought compared to the accused executives’ alleged involvement in TaniHub’s wrongdoing.

The documentary film Pesta Babi (Pig Feast) is compelling not only for what it portrays, but also for the reaction it has provoked. It lays bare Indonesia’s contemporary agrarian conflicts while, once again, exposing the state’s enduring discomfort with criticism.

Bank Indonesia’s decision to raise its benchmark BI Rate by 50 basis points to 5.25 percent marks a clear shift from supporting growth to defending macroeconomic stability as the rupiah comes under pressure. But the move also exposes a deeper dilemma: The central bank must stabilize the currency while sustaining growth, even as expansive fiscal intervention weakens monetary policy effectiveness and raises questions over its independence.

The Indonesian government is introducing a new fuel surcharge mechanism that could significantly raise domestic commercial flight ticket prices, with surcharges allowed to reach as high as 100 percent of the applicable fare ceiling under certain fuel price conditions. The policy was introduced as global aviation turbine fuel (avtur) prices surged amid the Iran conflict, adding further pressure to domestic airfares that are already considered expensive due to longstanding structural problems in Indonesia’s aviation sector.

Indonesia’s steel industry is facing a deepening crisis as major producers buckle under a wave of cheap imports, particularly from China, amid oversupply and weakening domestic demand. The collapse of Metal Steel Group in 2025 and the planned closure of PT Krakatau Osaka Steel in 2026 have sharpened concerns over the sector’s survival, prompting the government to mandate the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) for steel products starting May 20, 2026.

The tensions between China and the United States, which have seen the two superpowers at loggerheads in recent years, have eased following a meeting between leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in Beijing on May 14-15. The long-awaited summit provided a temporary pause in the rivalry, injecting a measure of stability into a world currently haunted by wars, trade disputes and a looming global economic crisis triggered by rising oil prices. At the very least, the two leaders were talking rather than fighting.

President Prabowo Subianto recently delivered a striking announcement: his administration plans to gradually place exports of Indonesia’s natural resources under state control to combat alleged under-invoicing by resource exporters. While the proposal could help address persistent under-invoicing, it has also raised concerns among businesses and economists, who warn that it risks becoming a misguided solution that opens the door to rent-seeking and ultimately harms the economy and public welfare.