Hello reader,

Imagine going back just 10 years. It would be somewhat taboo then to even float the idea of a childfree lifestyle, let alone live it.

Fast forward to now, more and more couples have the agency to determine for themselves that they want a childfree lifestyle. In fact, a recent national survey shows that thousands of women have chosen to be childfree.

Times are changing, indeed. Here’s to greater acceptance and respect for whatever people decide to do with their lives.

Cheers,

Andra

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Law/Politics

• Fresh off his phone call with Donald Trump yesterday, President Prabowo Subianto met with US President Joe Biden at the White House. Their conversation centered on deepening economic cooperation (obviously), lowering emissions to handle climate crisis, as well as humanitarian issues in Palestine. Amid it all, Prabowo called the US Indonesia’s “really good friend.”

• Prior to his meeting with Biden, Prabowo met privately with CIA Director William Burns in Washington, D.C., though the subject of their discussion has not been disclosed. This rare interaction may reflect the US’ interest in coordinating with Indonesia on security matters in Southeast Asia.

• After having his corruption charges dropped in a pretrial motion, South Kalimantan Governor Sahbirin Noor handed in his resignation today, the Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed. Sahbirin was accused of receiving IDR 13 billion in kickbacks from construction projects in his province before he was cleared of the accusations.

• A recent SMRC poll shows the Pramono Anung and Rano Karno pair leading with 46% support in the Jakarta gubernatorial race, while early favorites Ridwan Kamil and Suswono trail with 39.1%. Pramono’s ticket is delighted with the seven-point swing as support seems to be waning for Ridwan Kamil ahead of the November 27 election date.

• Universitas Indonesia (UI) announced it has rescinded the doctorate awarded to Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, reportedly due to questions about his doctoral dissertation’s integrity. In October, Bahlil obtained the doctorate in what appeared to be record time of one year and eight months, which in itself raised public suspicion.

• Authorities have launched a manhunt for seven inmates who escaped from Salemba Prison in Central Jakarta. All seven were drug convicts, and an investigation is underway to determine how they managed to break out of the facility.

• A Polish man allegedly attacked a police officer with a beer bottle in Bali after being reprimanded for illegally flying a drone. The officer sustained quite severe injuries, and the Pole may get lengthy jail time for aggravated assault.

Business/Economy

• Finance Minister Sri Mulyani has indicated that Indonesia’s tax revenue growth may fall short of expectations this year. Up to October, the state has collected IDR 1,517.53 trillion in taxes, which represents a 0.4% year-on-year decrease and only 76.3% of its tax revenue target. Sri Mulyani cited the drop in commodity prices, including crude palm oil and coal, as the main reason for the slump.

• Thorcon, an American energy firm, has announced an IDR 17 trillion investment to construct a nuclear power plant on Kelasa Island, Bangka Belitung. The facility is expected to be operational by 2031, and its construction aligns with Indonesia’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and expand its renewable energy sources.

• Representing Indonesia at the COP29 summit, Prabowo’s brother Hashim Djojohadikusumo, who the president appointed to represent Indonesia at the summit, emphasized the country’s dedication to reducing emissions and increasing its renewable energy targets. Hashim stressed that the government’s target of 8% GDP growth will go hand-in-hand with sustainability efforts and investments.

• The iPhone 16 saga is not over, as the government is considering a requirement for Apple to establish local R&D operations and strengthen supply chains as a condition for selling its latest devices in Indonesia. In essence, the government wants Apple to cough up another IDR 240 billion investment to meet the tech giant’s commitment to invest IDR 1.7 trillion in Indonesia, while pointing out that Apple sold IDR 30 trillion worth of products in the country last year.

• Indonesia will return the trackless trains it imported from China for use in the new capital, Nusantara, citing performance concerns. While the trains were expected to provide an innovative, eco-friendly transport solution, operational issues have derailed the whole project. 

Everything Else

• A new survey by the National Statistics Agency (BPS) indicates that 71,000 Indonesian women have chosen a childfree lifestyle, citing reasons that include personal choice, economic considerations, and environmental concerns. This shift reflects changing social values and greater acceptance of alternative lifestyles in a traditionally family-oriented society.

• Volcanic ash from Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki in East Flores has forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights in and out of Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport today. Authorities have issued safety alerts and are monitoring the situation closely, as ash clouds pose severe risks to aviation.

• A case has been brought before the Constitutional Court challenging the use of TOEFL as a requirement for civil service exams, arguing that it unfairly disadvantages non-English speakers.  It’s hard to imagine why English proficiency would be essential for most civil service jobs, unless, of course, they were required to write a daily newsletter capturing the nation’s top stories.