Indonesia's Ministry of Manpower has issued guidance on managing the 2026 Religious Holiday Allowance (THR), recommending a 40-30-30 allocation formula: 40 per cent for household expenses, 30 per cent for social obligations such as zakat and alms, and 30 per cent for investments in stocks, gold, or mutual funds. Financial management experts emphasise that prudent allocation can ensure the allowance provides both immediate relief and long-term financial stability, whilst prioritising debt repayment when fresh funds are available.

Part-time Government Contract Workers (PPPK) in Dompu Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, will not receive holiday allowances (THR) this year as the local government has not budgeted for them. The head of Dompu's Financial and Asset Management Agency explained that part-time contract workers receive payments from goods and services budgets rather than employee wages, making them ineligible for THR that is allocated to civil servants and full-time contract workers.

Indonesia's Forest Law Enforcement Agency (Gakkumhut) for Sulawesi has designated a timber owner identified as H (44) as a suspect in an illegal timber trafficking case following the seizure of undocumented timber shipments in January 2026. The suspect acknowledged owning the mixed forest timber confiscated during operations, though claimed ignorance about the origins of the accompanying forest product certification documents, with investigators continuing to trace those responsible for document fabrication. The suspect faces charges under forest protection laws with potential sentences of up to five years imprisonment and fines up to IDR 2.5 billion.

The Indonesian government, through the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, has launched an e-learning platform and financial reporting application to ensure transparency and proper governance of the Free Nutritious Meals Programme (MBG). The 2025 budget for the programme has been increased to Rp85 trillion, covering approximately 60 million beneficiaries across 23,000 nutrition service units nationwide, necessitating robust financial controls and accountability mechanisms.

The Indonesian Government, under President Prabowo Subianto's direction, has unveiled a comprehensive strategy to manage the annual mudik (homecoming) exodus involving 143.9 million travellers, featuring fare discounts across toll roads, maritime, rail, and air transport to ease the financial burden on citizens. Infrastructure Minister Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono confirmed road conditions from Java to Sumatra are in prime condition, whilst the government has deployed Disaster Relief Units under the Public Works Ministry to address extreme weather, flooding, and high rainfall risks at vulnerable points. With 52 per cent of travellers expected to use private vehicles, safety messaging emphasises the importance of rest breaks and collaboration between government and media to achieve the target of zero accidents during the peak travel period.

President Prabowo Subianto will convene a plenary cabinet session at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta today to discuss government preparations for Eid al-Fitr. The session, scheduled for 4 p.m., will be preceded by cabinet members making zakat (charitable alms) payments to the National Zakat Agency at 3 p.m., according to Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.

Jasa Raharja, Indonesia's state-owned traffic accident insurance company, has announced enhanced operational readiness for the Eid holiday period (13–27 March 2026), with Chief Executive Muhammad Awaluddin directing all staff to prioritise fast, responsive and targeted public services. The company has established integrated service posts and tactical facilities across major routes and holiday destinations, coordinating with traffic police and other stakeholders to ensure rapid claims processing and safety support for travellers during the expected surge in holiday mobility.

Indonesia's National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, Coordinating Minister Pratikno, and Military Commander General Agus Subiyanto conducted an air patrol and visited Merak Port in Banten to oversee the first day of Operation Ketupat 2026, which manages the annual Eid exodus and return traffic. The leadership reviewed traffic conditions via helicopter, inspected port facilities, and coordinated traffic management strategies including a delay system to regulate vehicle flow between Java and Sumatra. The operation prioritises public safety with unified coordination between police forces at both Merak and Bakauheni ports.

Kerry Adrianto Riza, the beneficial owner of PT Orbit Terminal Merak, has appealed a 15-year prison sentence and Rp2.9 trillion restitution order from Jakarta's Corruption Court in connection with alleged oil management corruption at PT Pertamina. His legal counsel argues that OTM's fuel storage capacity is critical to Indonesia's national energy security and contends the conviction undermines investor confidence and creates legal uncertainty for the business sector.

Indonesian taxpayers must file their annual tax returns (SPT Tahunan) by 31 March for individuals and 30 April for corporations, with late filing penalties of Rp100,000 for individuals and Rp1,000,000 for corporations. The filing deadline and penalty structure are regulated under Ministry of Finance Regulation Number 81 of 2024, with certain exemptions available for deceased persons, businesses that have ceased operations, and those affected by natural disasters.

BPJS Health will operate free medical service posts at eight major transit points across Indonesia from 13-18 March 2026 to support Lebaran homecoming travellers, offering free consultations, basic health checks, medications, and emergency care. The initiative reflects BPJS's commitment to ensuring continued access to health services for JKN programme participants travelling during peak holiday periods, with additional branch office services available and support through digital platforms.

Indonesia's Geological Agency recorded an eruption at Mount Ibu in West Halmahera, North Maluku, on Friday with seismic tremors lasting approximately 50 seconds and reaching a maximum amplitude of 28 millimetres. The volcanic activity maintains the mountain's Alert Level II status, prompting authorities to recommend residents and tourists avoid a 2-kilometre radius around the active crater and take precautionary measures against ash fall. The agency has called for continued coordination between local government and the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation to monitor ongoing volcanic activity.

The article examines how artificial intelligence has moved from a support tool to a gatekeeper in critical decision-making areas including job recruitment, financial services, and digital public services in Indonesia. The author argues that whilst regulations like OJK's POJK 29/2024 and Kominfo's circular on AI ethics have been introduced, stronger safeguards including explainable decisions, accessible correction mechanisms, and genuine accountability are essential to protect citizens' livelihoods and rights.

The National Zakat Agency (Baznas) has distributed 74,228 iftar meals across Gaza during Ramadhan 1447H, reaching displaced persons and crisis-affected communities in Khan Yunis, Deir al-Balah, Al Mawasi, Al Musaddar, and Al Buraij. The initiative is part of Baznas's annual humanitarian programme, alongside additional aid including food packages, healthcare services, clean water, clothing, shelters, blankets, and educational tents for Palestinian children in conflict-affected areas.

Thousands of contractual government employees (PPPK) are demanding conversion to permanent civil servant (PNS) status due to job insecurity and inadequate benefits, but the government insists any transition must follow standard recruitment procedures without direct conversion. The issue highlights tensions between employee welfare concerns and fiscal constraints, with potential solutions proposed including extended contracts, pension access, and expedited recruitment rather than status conversion.

Olive Power Invest, the new controlling shareholder of PT Oscar Mitra Sukses Sejahtera Tbk (OLIV), has initiated a mandatory tender offer (MTO) to purchase up to 590.073 million shares, representing 31.06 per cent of the company's issued and fully paid capital, at Rp35 per share, valuing the transaction at a maximum of Rp20.66 billion. The tender offer period runs from 13 March to 11 April 2026, with Olive Power Invest confirming it has sufficient funds for the transaction. The new controller acquired its controlling stake of 67.90 per cent in November 2025 from previous shareholders Hendro Jap and Hioe Mie Tjen at Rp13.56 per share.

Indonesia's Ministry of Cooperatives is completing infrastructure for 2,200 village cooperatives with procurement of equipment and quality verification before handover to village leaders. The government aims to finish construction on 20,000 to 30,000 cooperatives by June 2024, with a broader target of covering all 83,000 legalized cooperatives nationwide as part of the KDMP programme to strengthen rural economies and improve welfare.

Singapore's government has disputed US claims that the city-state recorded a trade surplus with Washington in 2024, asserting instead that official US data shows a trade deficit between the two nations. The disagreement emerged following the US Trade Representative's announcement of an investigation into 16 economies, including Singapore, under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act, which focuses on alleged structural overcapacity and overproduction in manufacturing sectors.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) has endorsed an initiative by the Indonesian Engineers' Association (PII) to measure the Government Engineering Index for 2026, aimed at improving regional development quality. Deputy Minister Bima Arya Sugiarto highlighted the importance of the index in assessing local government compliance with engineering standards, noting that many development projects fail due to poor planning and lack of engineering expertise among regional officials. Local governments achieving strong index results will receive recognition on 10 August 2026, coinciding with Indonesia's National Technology Awakening Day.

PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) has successfully completed payment of Rp22.55 billion in bond interest on schedule on 12 March 2026, fulfilling its financial obligations to the Indonesian Financial Services Authority (OJK). The payment covers interest on KAI's Obligasi II Tahap II Series B issue from 2019, processed following a fund request from the Central Securities Depository of Indonesia (KSEI) dated 27 February 2026.

The South Sumatra Police conducted a simultaneous Cheap Food Movement across 47 distribution points, distributing 135 tonnes of rice to 20,325 residents ahead of Eid al-Fitr 1447 H in March 2026. The initiative, carried out in collaboration with Perum Bulog and local government, aims to ensure affordable access to essential food items and maintain public security and stability during the festive period.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (KPK) has permitted the Judicial Commission (KY) to conduct ethics examinations of two Depok District Court judges—Chief Judge I Wayan Eka Mariarta and Deputy Chief Judge Bambang Setyawan—who have been named as suspects in a bribery case involving land dispute proceedings. The KPK spokesperson stated the inter-agency coordination represents a collaborative effort to ensure accountability and integrity within the judiciary whilst preventing future corruption cases in the judicial sector.

Indonesia's banking sector, which comprises the majority of the finance sector, is showing early signs of outperformance and investor accumulation after a prolonged downturn, with an eight-day period indicating the start of a new phase. Positive macroeconomic factors including Bank Indonesia's interest rate cuts, solid credit growth forecasts of 8–12% for 2026, and attractive dividend yields—particularly from Bank Negara Indonesia offering around 8% dividend yield—are creating new catalysts for bank stock recovery. Major banks including Bank Central Asia have announced significant shareholder-approved buyback programmes worth Rp5 trillion, signalling management confidence in valuations and supporting price stability.

Indonesia's National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo announced preparations for a buffer zone system to manage vehicle queues at crossing points during the Eid 2026 exodus and return journeys. Operation Ketupat 2026, running 13–25 March 2026 with over 161,000 personnel, will deploy traffic management systems, 2,746 service posts, and security measures across nearly 186,000 locations to ensure safe and orderly travel during the religious holiday.

The Chairman of the Association of Higher Education Academics throughout Indonesia has called for the establishment of child-friendly mudik service posts at university campuses, which would provide play areas, literacy corners, health checks, and vehicle safety inspections. Universities can collaborate with the government and communities to facilitate safe and productive national mobility during the Eid homecoming period, when approximately 154.6 million Indonesians are expected to travel, generating over 358 million journeys during the mudik and return migration phases.

PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) has successfully held the BRI Imlek Prosperity 2026 event across Jakarta, Surabaya, and Medan to strengthen its wealth management services and reinforce its commitment to supporting customers through changing economic conditions. The exclusive events, attended by over 300 top-tier clients from corporate, commercial, and private banking segments, featured Chinese cultural elements including traditional performances and feng shui talks. BRI positions itself as a strategic partner offering integrated asset management, financial planning, and long-term protection solutions tailored to clients' evolving needs.

Rumah Zakat (House of Zakat), an Indonesian charitable organisation, has won two prestigious SWA awards in March 2026: Brand Excellence in Customer Value and Best Employee Well-Being. The awards recognise the organisation's commitment to delivering value to communities whilst ensuring the welfare of its staff, with CEO Irvan Nugraha emphasising that organisational success extends beyond performance metrics to include community benefit and employee wellbeing.

PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia (InJourney Airports) has launched its annual Ramadan Safari initiative across various Indonesian regions to commemorate Ramadan and celebrate Idul Fitri 2026. The company's efforts include mosque renovations and cleanings, distribution of religious equipment, food packages, and Eid gifts to orphans across 28 cities during the four weeks of Ramadan.

Indonesia's toll road operators are integrating surveillance camera systems across multiple toll road networks to strengthen monitoring of overloaded and over-dimension trucks (ODOL) ahead of the government's Zero ODOL policy, set to take effect in early 2027. The integrated monitoring system, which includes artificial intelligence and radar technology, currently focuses on major traffic events such as Lebaran holidays and will enable enforcement against trucks exceeding size and weight limits.

The Attorney General's Office (Kejagung) is being commended for adopting a progressive approach to combating corruption by pursuing substantial restitution to impoverish perpetrators, a method aimed at deterring would-be offenders. However, civil society activist Ray Rangkuti notes that Indonesian judges have been hesitant to embrace this approach, often applying textual rather than progressive legal interpretation, particularly in assessing potential economic losses to the state in corruption cases.

The Indonesian Directorate General of Maritime Transportation predicts 2.4 million people will travel by sea during the Eid holiday period, a 6.87 percent increase compared to the previous year. The government is providing 69,000 free ferry tickets and 30 percent discounts on over 445,000 additional tickets whilst prioritising maritime safety through vessel inspections and coordination with weather authorities.

Residents of Pramuka Island and neighbouring islands in the Seribu Islands municipality queued for hours at a subsidised basic commodities bazaar organised by Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung during his Ramadhan visit. A discounted package of essentials—including four kilograms of rice, one litre of cooking oil, and one kilogramme of sugar—was sold for 50,000 rupiah, less than half the normal market price of approximately 100,000 rupiah, providing significant relief to island residents who typically face higher living costs.

Rismon Sianipar, a suspect in a case alleging forged credentials of former President Joko Widodo, met with Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka at the Vice Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday morning. Rismon had previously apologised to Jokowi and his family for errors in his research contained in the book Jokowi's White Paper, and Gibran responded positively, emphasising the spirit of forgiveness during Ramadan and praising Rismon's maturity in clarifying his statements.

PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (BBCA) has announced a substantial dividend distribution of IDR 336 per share for the 2025 financial year, totalling IDR 41.3 trillion, alongside plans for a share buyback programme. The move reinforces investor confidence as it demonstrates the bank's solid fundamentals, strong cash flows, and resilient business model amid global economic dynamics. Management has also signalled the potential to increase the frequency of interim dividend payments from 2026 onwards, positioning BBCA as an attractive dividend-paying stock.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed that Fuad Hasan Masyhur, board chairman of the Association of Hajj and Umrah Travel Agencies (SATHU) and owner of hajj operator Maktour, wrote to former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to secure an additional 8,000 hajj quotas for 2023. The KPK's investigation uncovered that the minister approved a ministerial decision allocating the quota differently than agreed by parliament's Commission VIII, and an illegal acceleration fee of USD 5,000 per applicant was collected, generating state losses of Rp622 billion. Following the investigation, Yaqut and his special staff Ishfah Abidal Aziz were designated as suspects, with Yaqut being detained at the KPK facilities on 12 March 2026.

Police from the Jakarta Metro Police Narcotics Directorate arrested a drug dealer identified as MA (30) in Bojongsari, Depok on 10 March 2026 following information from the public about alleged cannabis abuse in the area. Officers seized 4.385 kilograms of cannabis during searches at the suspect's location and residence, with the suspect and evidence now being held at the Narcotics Directorate headquarters for further investigation.

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung visited the Thousand Islands administrative region on Friday, 13 March 2026, to inspect public facilities and inaugurate infrastructure projects. He opened a domestic wastewater management system (SPALD) on Pramuka Island to improve sanitation and environmental quality, and will formally open a harbour pier on Pari Island to strengthen maritime transport connectivity for residents and tourists.

PT Hutama Karya has commenced functional operations of the Palembang-Betung toll road section (Kramasan-Pangkalan Balai) from 13 to 29 March 2026 to facilitate traffic flow during the Eid holiday period. The toll will operate daily from 7am to 5pm, serving only Class I vehicles (excluding buses) in both directions at a maximum speed of 50 km/h, with full safety measures and police coordination in place.

The Chair of Commission VIII of Parliament, Marwan Dasopang, has called for the issuance of a presidential decree establishing a Directorate General of Islamic Boarding Schools (Pesantren) within the Ministry of Religion, following a working meeting with Minister Nasaruddin Umar. Minister Nasaruddin disclosed that President Prabowo Subianto has not yet signed the decree, despite receiving presidential approval in principle on 21 October 2025, leaving the institutional structure needed to oversee pesantren education, religious strengthening, and economic empowerment still pending.

A confectionery shop house in Tambora, West Jakarta caught fire in the early hours, injuring five firefighters and two residents. Twenty-eight fire trucks and 140 personnel responded to the blaze that consumed approximately 1,000 square metres, with preliminary investigations suggesting an electrical fault in a garment-making machine as the likely cause. Around 200 residents from dozens of families across the affected area have been displaced.

The Judicial Commission and Supreme Court have dismissed AJK, a judge at the High Court of Central Sulawesi, from his position for domestic violence after he assaulted his intoxicated son in 2023, causing the child to be hospitalised. The Judicial Honour Board imposed the heavy sanction of dismissal instead of the harsher dishonourable discharge recommended by the Supreme Court's Supervisory Board, partially accepting mitigating circumstances regarding AJK's family dependents.

South Kalimantan Deputy Governor Hasnuryadi Sulaiman met with Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security Djamari Chaniago in Jakarta to strengthen coordination between the provincial government and central authorities. The meeting covered political stability, security maintenance, and ensuring regional development aligns with national policies, with both officials emphasising the importance of cross-sectoral coordination and family-oriented values in governance.

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) is advocating for clearer loading and unloading regulations at Indonesian ports to create a more conducive investment climate for businesses. The organisation held a focus group discussion on Ship-to-Ship (STS) transfer operations at Indonesian port facilities to address operational challenges affecting port operations, shipping activities, workers, and business competition. Kadin emphasised the importance of reducing logistics costs to enhance Indonesia's competitiveness in supply chain provision, particularly in the energy sector and coal industry in Kalimantan.

The TNI Commander has revoked alert status 1 for Indonesian military personnel, with the Army now implementing alert status 3 for security during the Eid al-Fitr season in 2026. The initial alert status 1, declared on 1 March 2026, was established as a precautionary measure in response to US and Israeli military actions against Iran and subsequent Iranian retaliation, though TNI officials emphasised it was not directly related to conflict escalation but rather for routine weapons system and personnel readiness checks.

Jakarta's provincial government forecasts that the 2026 Eid holiday travel rush will occur in two distinct waves rather than a single peak, with outbound travel concentrated around 13 March and 17 March, and return journeys on 24 and 28 March. The dual-phase pattern is expected to ease congestion at transportation terminals and improve overall service quality during the holiday period. The provincial authorities have prepared three main terminals and three additional backup facilities, along with round-the-clock feeder bus services, to manage passenger volume effectively.

Former Constitutional Court Chief Justice Arief Hidayat has endorsed using the omnibus method for revising Indonesia's 2017 Electoral Law, describing it as highly efficient, particularly given judicial decisions treating both general and regional elections under the same regulations. However, he cautioned that Indonesia's political culture tends to alter electoral laws every five years for political advantage, which could undermine such consolidation. Electoral expert Hadar Nafis Gumay advocated for formal parliamentary discussion of proposed electoral law revisions, including the omnibus approach, through formal legislative channels beginning in October 2024.

The Ministry of Social Affairs has expanded its Social Rehabilitation Assistance (Atensi) programme to Panggang Island in the Thousand Islands Regency, Jakarta, providing support to 62 elderly beneficiaries. The expansion represents the government's commitment to ensuring vulnerable populations in remote areas continue to receive social protection and assistance to achieve economic independence, with the ministry viewing such initiatives as investment in elderly self-sufficiency rather than mere welfare distribution.

Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has announced preparatory measures to mitigate potential impacts of Middle East conflicts on domestic energy supply, with effects anticipated from April onwards. The government has stockpiled petroleum products, liquefied petroleum gas, and crude oil to maintain energy security, as Indonesia currently produces only 605,000 barrels per day against domestic demand of 1.6 million barrels per day, requiring approximately 1 million barrels in daily imports. The ministry highlighted the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 21 million barrels of oil transit daily and from which Indonesia sources significant crude oil imports.

FWD Insurance reports that Islamic insurance literacy among Indonesian Muslims is steadily increasing, with consumers demonstrating greater awareness of financial planning during Ramadan. The company offers shariah-compliant insurance products starting from IDR 75,000 monthly, providing comprehensive coverage including hospitalisation, education benefits, and critical illness protection for customers up to 60 years old.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned the United States not to launch attacks on Iran from military bases in neighbouring Gulf countries, describing any such action as "unacceptable under any circumstances". The warning came during a telephone conversation with Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, amid escalating regional tensions following major combined US-Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February that killed senior Iranian officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, prompting Iran to respond with waves of missile and drone attacks.