Indonesia is home to some of the largest stretches of tropical rainforest left on Earth — and to a growing community of people willing to put themselves on the line to defend it. But across the archipelago, environmental activists are increasingly finding that the sharpest threat they face isn't out in the field. It's in the courtroom.

In this episode, Dr Murni Sianturi challenges some of the most deeply held assumptions about schooling, knowledge, and what it means to learn. Her research in West Papua pushes back on three pervasive myths: that indigenous parents don't care about their children's education, that learning only happens in formal schools, and that indigenous communities are problems to be solved rather than partners to be heard.

On 2 January 2026, Indonesia entered what officials are calling a 'new era' of criminal justice. The country implemented a new Criminal Code (Kitab Undang-undang Hukum Pidana, KUHP) and a new Criminal Procedure Code (Kitab Undang-undang Hukum Acara Pidana, KUHAP), which changed what constitutes a crime and how crimes are identified, investigated, and punished.

In this week's episode, Dr Elisabeth Kramer is joined by historian Dr Ken Setiawan and Lailly Prihatiningtyas, a PhD student representing the Sydney-based group Aliansi Gusar, to explore what the designation of Soeharto as a national hero means for Indonesia's democracy, its memory politics, and its ongoing struggle with accountability for past atrocities.

Corruption is always a hot topic in Indonesia, but where does the situation stand right now? In this episode, we talk to Egi Primayogha, the advocacy coordinator for the NGO Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), about their assessment of the current government and their recent report entitled Catatan Kritis (or critical notes) on the first year of the Prabawo-Gibran government.

In today's special episode, Elisabeth Kramer talks to organisers behind Aliansi Gusar, a grassroots based organisation concerned with justice and equality in Indonesia. They share their thoughts and experiences regarding the current protests and organising around ongoing issues in Indonesia.

So, what do these protests say about current attitudes towards politicians, their work and their lifestyles in Indonesia? Following on from the recent One Piece flag phenomenon, the critiques that have unfolded reflect much deeper issues regarding Indonesians perceptions of politicians. Not only are they seen as out of touch with the concerns of everyday people but also the decisions they make about government spending are made without transparency and accountability.

From the algorithms that curate your social media feed to the recommendation systems that influence what you buy, artificial intelligence is quietly reshaping every aspect of our daily lives. Yet most of us remain in the dark about how these powerful technologies are governed—and that's a problem we can't afford to ignore.