Hello reader,

The Constitutional Court (MK) delivered a historic ruling for education today, in that the government must now guarantee free basic education not only in public schools but also in private and religious schools.

Of course, such a ruling comes with caveats and concerns about implementation. Read on for more.

FYI, tomorrow is the start of the Ascension of Christ Long Weekend. So Nusantara Notes will be back in your inbox next Monday. Have a great one!

Cheers,

Andra

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Law/Politics  

• Fresh off of his face shove controversy in Vietnam, French President Emmanuel Macron touched down in Jakarta for talks with President Prabowo Subianto. They jointly called for progress on mutual recognition between Israel and Palestine ahead of a key UN meeting in New York next month. Prabowo made a rare public pledge to recognize Israel if it first acknowledges a Palestinian state, reaffirming Indonesia’s long-standing support for a two-state solution. The leaders condemned Israeli plans to seize Gaza and emphasized the need for a credible roadmap toward peace. Macron’s visit also saw the signing of multiple cooperation agreements across defense, trade, culture, and energy, with Indonesia expected to place new orders for Rafale jets. Promoting France as a “third way” between the US and China, Macron is also pushing for French investments in Indonesia’s critical minerals sector and wider ASEAN trade diversification amid US-China tensions.

• The Attorney General’s Office has launched an investigation into suspected corruption in the procurement of Chromebook laptops by the Ministry of Education from 2019 to 2023, involving a budget of nearly IDR 10 trillion, split between school operational funds (IDR 3.58 trillion) and special allocation funds (IDR 6.4 trillion). Investigators suspect collusion, noting that a 2019 trial of 1,000 Chromebooks had already shown the devices were unsuitable for Indonesia due to uneven internet access—required for the laptops to function properly. While no suspects have been named yet, prosecutors have seized evidence from two apartments reportedly owned by an active official in the ministry as the case moves forward.

• A Bank Indonesia (BI) employee reportedly died by suicide after jumping from the helipad on the 15th floor of the BI building in Central Jakarta early Monday morning. BI confirmed the incident and expressed deep condolences, stating the employee had been laid to rest with support from the family and police. Police confirmed the death was a suicide based on CCTV footage showing the victim jumping shortly after arriving at the office.

• Infamous gang leader Hercules personally visited former military general Sutiyoso at his home in Cibubur, East Jakarta today, to offer a heartfelt apology for making the ageist remark that Sutiyoso “smelled of soil,” which was also seen to be disrespectful towards military retirees in general. As part of a traditional gesture, Hercules presented a piece of Timor Leste cloth and emphasized his deep respect for Sutiyoso, whom he regards as a father figure. Sutiyoso graciously accepted the apology, recalling their emotional bond forged during military operations in East Timor.

• The Bandung District Court held another hearing today for the civil lawsuit filed by influencer Lisa Mariana against former West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, concerning a child identity rights dispute. While Ridwan was absent and represented by his legal team, Lisa appeared in person. Presiding Judge Panji Surono ordered both parties to undergo court-led mediation, appointing a certified judge as mediator. Lisa's lawyer stressed that good faith in legal proceedings typically requires the parties' personal presence. Meanwhile, Ridwan’s lawyer argued that there is no legal obligation for the defendant to attend the initial civil hearing. 

Business/Economy

• In what has become an illustration of desperate times in the job market, a job fair in Bekasi Regency, West Java descended into chaos yesterday as over 25,000 job seekers overwhelmed the venue. Despite efforts to manage the crowd through gender-based entry points and assistance from security forces, tensions flared when a man grabbed a QR code for registration, triggering a stampede and physical altercations among attendees. Several attendees also reportedly fainted during the job fair. Bekasi Regency’s acting Manpower Office head, Nur Hidayah Setyowati, apologized for the chaos and acknowledged they were underprepared for such a high turnout.

• Danantara CEO Rosan Roeslani denied a Bloomberg report that US billionaire Ray Dalio has pulled out as an advisor to Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund, asserting that communication with Dalio and his team—including his son Mark—is still ongoing and productive. Rosan, who also serves as Minister of Investment, emphasized that Dalio remains an advisor and dismissed speculation as unfounded. Danantara’s Chief Investment Officer Pandu Sjahrir echoed this, confirming recent meetings with Dalio's representatives. This comes after a Bloomberg report suggested Dalio had withdrawn, a potential blow to President Prabowo’s key economic initiative. Dalio himself has yet to publicly address the matter.

• Deputy Agriculture Minister Sudaryono claimed that this year's harvest season marks the largest in Indonesia's history, with national rice reserves reaching a record 4 million tons in May—surpassing even the stockpile during President Soeharto’s era in 1984. He said the government has been actively absorbing rice from farmers, with the current procurement price for unhusked rice set at IDR 6,500 per kg. Daily rice reserve additions are around 20,000 tons, pushing the total to 4 million tons soon. He also emphasized ongoing efforts to address farmers’ challenges, such as access to quality seeds, irrigation, fertilizers, and fair pricing—promising swift reforms under President Prabowo’s leadership.

Everything Else 

• The Constitutional Court (MK) has partially granted a judicial review request on the National Education System Law, ruling that the government must guarantee free basic education not only in public schools but also in private and religious schools (madrasah) where needed. This historic decision stems from the unequal access caused by limited capacity in public schools, often forcing students to enroll in fee-charging private institutions. MK emphasized the state's constitutional duty to ensure all children can access basic education regardless of economic background. While acknowledging existing scholarships programs, MK noted implementation gaps and allowed selective and phased application, recognizing that not all private schools should be treated equally—especially those offering additional curricula or refusing government funding. In such cases, schools may still charge fees, but must offer financial aid to students with limited alternatives.