Indonesia’s Prabowo pitches stability at Davos amid rising global tensions

By Maria Siow Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has used his Davos debut to drive home a message to global investors that his country intends to stamp out corruption and “greedanomics”, while positioning itself as a rare pocket of stability in an unsettled world economy. Speaking during a special address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) […]

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Thousands estimated to flee Cambodia scam centers after crackdown

JAKARTA: Thousands of people are estimated to have been released from scam compounds across Cambodia over recent days, including more than 1,400 Indonesian nationals, who according to Indonesia’s Embassy in Phnom Penh have sought consular support to return home. The online scam industry has flourished across parts of Southeast Asia in recent years, with hundreds […]

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Over 1,400 Indonesians left Cambodian scam groups in five days: embassy

PHNOM PENH: More than 1,400 Indonesians have left cyberscam networks in Cambodia in the last five days, Jakarta said on Wednesday, after Phnom Penh pledged a fresh crackdown on the illicit trade. Scammers working from hubs across Southeast Asia, some willingly and others trafficked, lure Internet users globally into fake romances and cryptocurrency investments, netting […]

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‘False pride’: Indonesia’s UN rights role clashes with its domestic record

By 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 […]

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Indonesia reaffirms Yemen’s territorial integrity, backs stability efforts amid tensions

JAKARTA: Indonesia has called for respect for Yemen’s territorial integrity and commended efforts to maintain stability in the region, a day after Saudi Arabia bombed a weapons shipment from the UAE at a Yemeni port city that Riyadh said was intended for separatist forces. Saudi Arabia carried out a “limited airstrike” at Yemen’s port city […]

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Indonesia urged to tread carefully as Russia courts Prabowo with energy and defence offers

By Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia should tread carefully before deepening ties with Russia, analysts said, after President Prabowo Subianto made an unplanned visit to Moscow this week, raising questions about the diplomatic and economic costs of closer engagement – including how Washington could respond. Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Prabowo on Wednesday, hailing 75 years […]

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Airbnb ban in Bali? Indonesia says no, but crackdown on illegal stays looms

By Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia has confirmed it will not ban holiday rental platform Airbnb after Bali said it was considering doing so to curb unlicensed hotels and villas that have mushroomed on the island. The split underscores the growing tension between Bali’s push to rein in illegal accommodations and Jakarta’s preference for regulation over […]

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Indonesia’s Prabowo urges elites to ‘be brave’, change how regional heads are selected

By 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 […]

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Indonesia says its Gaza peacekeepers would focus on health, infrastructure tasks

JAKARTA: Indonesia has trained up to 20,000 troops to take on health and construction-related tasks during a planned peacekeeping operation in the war-torn enclave of Gaza, the defense minister said on Friday. The world’s most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia is among the countries with which the United States has discussed plans for a multinational stabilization […]

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Indonesia seeks stronger economic, defense ties with Jordan as King Abdullah visits Jakarta

JAKARTA: Indonesia is seeking to strengthen economic and defense ties with Jordan, as President Prabowo Subianto hosted King Abdullah in Jakarta on Friday. King Abdullah is on a two-day visit to Indonesia as a part of his Asia tour, which included stops in Japan, Vietnam and Singapore, and will conclude in Pakistan. He was personally […]

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