Sponsored by

Hello reader,

Happy Friday, and an early Eid Mubarak to Muslims in Indonesia and beyond.

I say this now because Nusantara Notes will be taking time off on Monday for Eid al-Adha. FYI, I’ll be taking time off every government-mandated holiday AKA “tanggal merah,” and so should you.

As for collective leave days, I’m going to treat those on a case-by-case basis. I’ll see you back here on Tuesday, though.

Cheers,

Andra

Law/Politics

The War on Online Gambling

In order to save lives and families, the government has waged a campaign against online gambling. President Joko Widodo, who expressed his concern numerous times, today officially enacted a task force with the express mission of eradicating online gambling in Indonesia.

To show how serious he is, appointed to lead the task force is Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Hadi Tjahjanto. You may remember Hadi as the Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander from 2017 to 2021.

It won’t be easy for the task force, particularly due to jurisdictional restrictions. While gambling as a whole is illegal in Indonesia and law enforcement has long been cracking down on it, the Jakarta Metro Police today conceded that online gambling is a whole other ball game. For one, online gambling companies are based abroad.

That sure sounds like players will be law enforcers’ primary, and possibly only, target. There’s a gamble I wouldn’t like to make.

In Other News

• Though Anies Baswedan may end up being paired with Kaesang Pangarep for the upcoming Jakarta gubernatorial election, the former governor pulled no punches when he criticized the Supreme Court’s decision to revise the election’s minimum age requirement so someone as young as Kaesang would be eligible. Anies likened the move to changing the rules midway through a chess game.

• A viral video featuring a Caucasian male slamming Indonesia's new capital, Nusantara, as a hub of corruption and nepotism has caused quite a stir online. The police, not taking kindly to the criticism, swiftly issued a stern warning while claiming that the video was not actually taken in Nusantara.

• Police uncovered a home ecstasy lab in Medan, North Sumatra, arresting a husband and wife duo behind the operation. Authorities seized a significant amount of ecstasy and equipment used in the manufacturing process, which had been going on for around six months.

Business/Economy

• The US dollar continues to flex its muscles against the rupiah, prompting Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo to speak out. The governor said that while rupiah this week reached a four-year low, its depreciation must be viewed in a regional context — the US dollar has recently performed better against other Asian currencies like the baht, yen, and won.

• President-elect Prabowo Subianto is reportedly planning to raise the country's debt-to-GDP ratio towards 50% during his five-year term, at a gradual rate of about 2% annually from the current 39%. This move would likely help fund his ambitious campaign promises, including free school lunches and increased defense spending.

• The sale of sacrificial animals for the upcoming Eid al-Adha may drop due to dwindling stock and low demand. While the Ministry of Agriculture forecasts the need for 1.97 million animals, a 15.8% increase from last year, economic challenges have led to reduced purchasing power among consumers, threatening sales.

• As telcos XL Axiata and Smartfren near a merger, management from both companies have indicated that potential outcomes include workforce reductions due to overlapping roles, reassignments to new positions, and possible layoffs. 

Everything Else

• Apologies in advance for all the abbreviations. Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) has achieved the highest average score in the 2024 Computer-Based Written Examination (UTBK) for the National Selection Based on Tests (SNBT) with 718.73. This places ITB above other top universities, including Universitas Indonesia (UI) and Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), which scored 704.83 and 702.48 respectively. This year, 231,104 students passed the UTBK SNBT, and are set to go forth into the exhilarating world of tertiary edication.

• Coldplay brought more than Viva la Vida and Yellow when they played in Jakarta in November 2023. The band, working together with The Ocean Cleanup, also donated the Neon Moon II trash interceptor ship with the aim of cleaning up Cisadane River in Banten. Well, nobody said it was easy, with officials announcing yesterday that Neon Moon II is incapable of cleaning up the kinds of trash in the river, and will be replaced with a barrier that catches trash.

Cut Through Noise with The Flyover!

The Flyover offers a refreshing alternative to traditional news. Our talented editors meticulously curate the day's top stories, keeping you informed and ready to win your day. Join over 600,000 readers who trust The Flyover's unbiased insights!

Subscribe with One Click!