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Hello reader,

In 11 days, Joko Widodo is handing over the figurative key to the country to Prabowo Subianto. Optics seem to matter a lot to the pair (one perhaps more than the other), and both have expressed their desire for a smooth administrative transition despite recent rumors of a possible rift.

Let’s see how this plays out. In the meantime, please enjoy this free edition of Nusantara Notes. Other top stories include an update on Jessica Wongso, and Australians spotting a troublesome e-visa glitch when traveling to Bali.

Cheers,

Andra

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Law/Politics

• President Joko Widodo and President-elect Prabowo Subianto had a private dinner last night to discuss the upcoming political transition. On Instagram, Jokowi said their discussion lasted over two hours, while Prabowo vaguely said the conversation revolved around state interests. One wonders if Fufufafa was ever brought up. In any case, Prabowo is succeeding Jokowi on October 20.

• Gerindra Party Secretary-General Muzani hinted that Prabowo has begun consulting with potential candidates for ministerial positions. He teased that some sitting ministers in Jokowi’s administration may be up for reappointment, with State Secretary Pratikno likely to resume his post under Prabowo.

• A video has gone viral showing a man tossing money out of the rooftop of a car in Pandeglang Regency, Banten. Though the car was marked with the campaign poster of Pandeglang regent candidate Raden Dewi Setiani, her campaign team denied any affiliation with what would be a campaign violation.

• Influencer Nabilla Aprillya reportedly filed a complaint with the Jakarta Metro Police against Garuda Party Chairman Ahmad Ridha Sabana for assault, only to drop the charges following a reported settlement. The young woman has since taken to social media to deny she was a victim of assault.

• Jessica Wongso has officially submitted a judicial review for her infamous cyanide coffee murder case to the Central Jakarta District Court. Jessica, who was released on parole in August after serving eight years of her sentence, hopes to reopen proceedings to challenge the original verdict and restore her good name.

Business/Economy

• Prabowo’s incoming administration is planning to aggressively target businesses that evade taxes, estimating up to IDR 300 trillion in unpaid tax revenue. A member of his campaign team said IDR 300 trillion would go a long way towards realizing Prabowo’s programs in his first year in office.

• Apple has reportedly sought a 50-year tax holiday as a condition for building a manufacturing facility in Indonesia, something that was flat-out rejected by Communications and Information Minister Budi Arie Setiadi. The government previously cited Apple’s refusal to invest in an Indonesian manufacturing facility as the reason behind the release of the iPhone 16 series in the country.

• Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has called for optimizing the country's 16,000 idle oil wells. Of those, Bahlil said 5,000 belong to Pertamina, which could still be optimized, and that he is willing to offer business licenses for contractors willing to take on the other idle wells.

• The Transportation Ministry has announced auctions for the development of three major seaports—South Sumatra’s Tanjung Carat Port, South Sulawesi’s Makassar New Port, and Maluku’s Ambon New Port—to both domestic and foreign investors as part of its strategy to develop national infrastructure.

Everything Else

• Australia’s ABC reported that a technical glitch in Indonesia’s e-visa system has resulted in the exposure of passport details to other travelers, raising privacy concerns. Indonesia’s immigration authority has reportedly been aware of the issue for some time, but the problem remains unfixed.