Jurnal Mengkaji Indonesia

Prosperity Gospels and Money Worship in Nigeria: Exploring Miracles for Poverty Alleviation

Amobi P. Chiamogu — 2026-07-01

Abstract: The prosperity gospel, which promises material wealth and success as evidence of divine favour, has gained widespread popularity, especially among those facing economic hardship in Nigeria. This doctrine, propagated by influential religious leaders, encourages the belief that faith, positive confession and financial contributions to the church can lead to miraculous financial breakthroughs.

Purpose: This study examined the phenomenon of prosperity gospels and money worship in Nigeria, probing how these religious practices are perceived as mechanisms for poverty alleviation.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The study adopted an explanatory research design and utilized the documentary method to collect data from secondary sources, while a textual analysis rooted in systematic logical induction was employed to test the hypotheses.

Findings: The study critically analyzed the socio-economic context that has given rise to this religious movement, emphasizing how poverty and economic instability have made the promises of prosperity gospels appealing to a large segment of the population. However, it also revealed the controversies surrounding this practice, including accusations of exploitation, materialism and the commercialization of religion. The research is grounded in Max Weber’s theory of religion and capitalism, Marxist theory of religion, social exchange theory and spiritual capital theory to explore how prosperity gospels shape economic behaviour and perpetuate social inequality. While prosperity gospels may offer temporary hope and psychological relief, they often fail to address the structural causes of poverty in Nigeria, potentially exacerbating economic disparities and diverting attention from sustainable solutions.

Originality/value: The study contributed to the ongoing discourse on the connection of religion, economics and social justice in Nigeria, offering insights into the intricate role of religious practices in addressing or perpetuating poverty.

Bridging Identities: The Political Participation of Chinese Indonesians in a Multicultural Landscape

Jeremi Kristo Malau — 2026-07-01

Abstract: The Chinese community has often received insufficient attention, despite historical evidence demonstrating their significant role in various fields, including religion, literature, language, art, and sports. Common representations of the Chinese ethnic group tend to be negative, portrayed as economically dominant but opportunistic, lacking political loyalty, lacking nationalism, and prioritizing self-interest. Historical accounts typically highlight their role in the economy, either as major traders or as controllers of trade routes deemed detrimental to the local population.

Purpose: This article examines the shifting political identity and participation of Chinese Indonesians in the post-Reformasi era, a period marked by democratic opening and greater recognition of cultural diversity. The purpose of this study is to analyze how the political identity of Chinese Indonesians has transformed since the fall of the New Order and to explore its relationship with the broader development of multiculturalism in Indonesia.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The methodology used was descriptive research with a qualitative approach. Data were collected through document study and literature review. Data analysis was conducted using content analysis, which analyzes text or documents and then narrative analysis to examine the collected narratives.

Findings: The findings reveal a significant transformation in the political behavior of Chinese Indonesians from a historically passive stance shaped by discrimination, stigma, and restrictive state policies, they have increasingly become active participants in political processes. The study finds that government policies after 1998 which gradually restored cultural rights and citizenship equality played a crucial role in enabling this political reorientation. This change shows how greater institutional openness strengthens minority political agency.

Originality/value: This research draws on its integrative analysis, linking political participation to identity reconstruction and multicultural practices as authenticity. As a value, this research offers a nuanced understanding of how minority groups reposition themselves within Indonesia's evolving democratic landscape.

Implementation of Free Nutritious Meal Policy to Improve Student Nutrition in Sidoarjo Regency, Indonesia Schools

Adinda Illah Imanda — 2026-07-01

Abstract: Nutritional adequacy is a crucial factor in supporting student health, cognitive development, and academic achievement. In Indonesia, nutritional problems among school-aged children continue to be a significant challenge that affects the quality of human resources. To address this issue, the Indonesian government launched the Free Nutritious Meal Program (Program Makan Bergizi Gratis/MBG) in 2025 as a national policy aimed at improving student nutritional intake. Although the program carries strategic objectives, its implementation across regions demonstrates varying dynamics and challenges. Previous studies have largely emphasized the impact of school feeding programs on nutritional status and learning outcomes, while research focusing on policy implementation processes at the local level in Indonesia remains limited.

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal Program as an effort to fulfill student nutritional needs in Sidoarjo Regency. The research adopts a qualitative approach, with data collected through observations, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. Research informants include program beneficiary students, school administrators, Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi (SPPG), and relevant local government agencies. Data analysis is conducted using the Mazmanian and Sabatier policy implementation model, which emphasizes problem characteristics, policy characteristics, and environmental variables.

Design/Methodology/Approach: This study employs a qualitative research approach using observations, interviews, and document analysis, guided by the Mazmanian and Sabatier policy implementation framework.

Findings: The findings indicate that the implementation of the MBG program in Sidoarjo Regency has generally been conducted fairly well and has received positive responses from students and schools. The program contributes to improving student nutritional intake and reducing their daily expenses. However, several challenges remain, including delays in food distribution, inaccuracies in target school selection, weak inter-institutional coordination, the absence of detailed standard operating procedures, and limited human resource capacity. These issues affect the consistency and effectiveness of program implementation.

Originality/value: This study contributes to the development of public policy studies in Indonesia, particularly in relation to the implementation of nutrition fulfillment policies in the education sector. The findings are expected to serve as a reference for evaluation and provide policy recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of the Free Nutritious Meal Program in Indonesia.

The The Social Role of Kader Surabaya Hebat in Addressing Stunting in Surabaya City: A Sociological Review

Septi Ariadi — 2026-07-01

Abstract: Stunting remains a serious public health issue in Indonesia and requires collaboration across sectors and community participation. This study examines how the Kader Surabaya Hebat (KSH) view stunting and how they implement their social roles in preventing stunting and early signs of growth failure among children in Surabaya.

Purpose: This study analyzes KSH empowerment to strengthen social roles in addressing stunting in Surabaya City.

Design/Methodology/Approach: This study used an explanatory sequential design for the mixed-methods approach. It started with a survey of the cadres, with 50 participating, focusing on their knowledge, attitudes, and practices. It was followed by a Focus Group Discussion, during which eight participants were invited. To provide a broader context for the survey results, the study employed an FGD. The survey results show that the cadres have good knowledge of stunting, including nutritional status, monitoring growth, and feeding practices. The qualitative findings also show that KSH play various roles, including educating, accessing, advocating, and rallying the community.

Findings: The study results indicate that the KSH play significant roles within the community, contributing to the cadres’ good knowledge. Furthermore, the study suggests that their skills need improvement, better coordination across sectors, and greater support to enable them to contribute more to the Surabaya administration’s stunting prevention initiatives.

Originality/value: This study contributes to examining how the Kader Surabaya Hebatuse social capital addresses stunting.

Legal Protection for Indigenous Communities That Conduct Tajen That Contain Elements of Gambling

I Gde Daniel Rafael Putra Djatimulia — 2026-07-01

Abstract: This study examines the conflict between Balinese customary law, particularly tajen as the tabuh rah ritual in Hindu ceremonies, and national criminal law that prohibits gambling under Article 303 of the KUHP and Law No. 7 of 1974. Tajen is not merely gambling but an integral part of bhuta yadnya, aimed at neutralizing negative energies. It is recognized in the awig-awig of desa pakraman and the philosophy of Tri Hita Karana. However, the betting element leads to the criminalization of indigenous communities, creating legal uncertainty. The research problems include the current legal protection and the negative function of material unlawfulness based on Article 2 of Law No. 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code. Using a normative method with statutory and conceptual approaches, this study analyzes primary legal sources such as Article 18B paragraph (2) of the 1945 Constitution, Law No. 6 of 2014 on Villages, and jurisprudence such as Constitutional Court Decision No. 58/PUU-XV/2017. The findings indicate that legal protection is partial: constitutionally, it recognizes customary rights, but implementation is weak due to the absence of regional normative regulations. Theories of legal pluralism and substantive justice support harmonization, where the negative aspect of material unlawfulness can eliminate criminal liability if tajen is purely ritualistic without commercial elements. The conclusion recommends reformulating norms through a Bali Regional Regulation to legalize ritual tajen, issuing customary certificates, and applying restorative justice, to realize substantive justice in the multicultural Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

Purpose: This article aims to analyze whether the tajen on the Island of Bali, which contains elements of criminal acts (namely gambling), allows the perpetrators of these customary activities to receive legal protection from the perspective of criminal law and the position of customary law in Indonesia.

Design/Methodology/Approach: This article employs a normative legal research approach by examining relevant laws and regulations as well as academic literature concerning legal protection for indigenous communities engaged in tajen that involve elements of gambling.

Findings: This study finds that customary activities involving gambling elements, known as tajen, create conflicts between customary law and criminal law in Indonesia. Tajen, as a traditional customary practice, leads to the criminalization of indigenous communities. The indigenous people themselves conduct tajen based on the understanding that it is a customary activity intended to stimulate the village economy across Bali. However, on the other hand, this activity also contains elements of criminal acts, namely, gambling. The absence of regional regulations that serve to recognize this customary activity and provide a legal umbrella for indigenous communities is a critical missing factor, as it contradicts Article 18B of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia.

Originality/value: This article offers an original contribution by examining the activities of the traditional Balinese custom known as tajen, which involves elements of gambling and has a direct impact on indigenous Balinese communities. To date, there remains no clear legal regulation governing this practice. This issue actually represents an aspect that frequently causes

The Political Economy of Indonesia’s Nickel Downstreaming amid WTO Disputes and Industrial Transformation

Cik Ida Kumalasari Amirudin — 2026-07-01

Abstract: This article examines Indonesia’s nickel downstreaming policy within the interaction between global trade pressures, World Trade Organization (WTO) disputes, and domestic industrial transformation. The increasing global demand for nickel driven by the expansion of electric vehicle (EV) industries has positioned Indonesia as a strategic actor in the global mineral supply chain. However, Indonesia’s export restrictions on raw nickel ore and downstream industrial policies have generated tensions within the international trade regime, particularly through the WTO dispute initiated by the European Union. Previous studies have generally focused either on global trade governance or domestic industrial policy separately, resulting in limited integrative analysis explaining how global trade pressure, institutional capacity, and political legitimacy simultaneously shape trade policy outcomes in developing countries.

Purpose: This study aims to analyze Indonesia’s nickel downstreaming policy through an integrative political economy perspective that examines the interaction between global trade governance, domestic institutional dynamics, and political legitimacy in shaping industrial transformation.

Design/Methodology/Approach: This research employs a qualitative approach using policy analysis and case study methods. Data were collected from government regulations, WTO dispute documents, trade reports, investment statistics, academic journals, and secondary empirical data related to Indonesia’s nickel industry and downstream industrial development.

Findings: The study finds that Indonesia’s downstreaming policy is shaped not only by global trade pressure and WTO regulations but also by domestic institutional capacity, industrial policy objectives, and economic nationalism. The policy contributed to increased processed nickel exports, industrial investment, and Indonesia’s strategic position within the global EV supply chain despite international trade disputes and external pressure from developed countries.

Originality/value: This article contributes to the literature by developing an integrative analytical framework that explains how global trade governance, domestic institutional capacity, and political legitimacy interact in shaping industrial policy outcomes.

Beyond Judicial Review: Constitutional Court Decision No. 62/PUU-XXII/2024 as a Landmark Decision

Baharuddin Riqiey — 2026-07-04

Abstract: The regulation of the presidential threshold has consistently been regarded by the Indonesian Constitutional Court as falling within the exclusive domain of the legislature, as reflected in at least 34 prior decisions. However, both constitutional theory and practice acknowledge that courts may depart from established positions when confronted with new legal and social realities. Such decisions, which significantly shift judicial reasoning, are often characterized as landmark decisions. Despite the importance of this concept, there remains a gap in systematically assessing whether specific Constitutional Court rulings meet the established criteria of a landmark decision, particularly in the Indonesian context. This study addresses that gap by evaluating Constitutional Court Decision Number 62/PUU-XXII/2024 against the criteria proposed by Amran Suadi. The findings demonstrate that the decision satisfies all five key criteria, namely final and binding authority, the presence of legal discovery, responsiveness to evolving social dynamics, contribution to the direction of legal development, and its unprecedented nature in judicial reasoning. Accordingly, this decision can be classified as a landmark decision with significant doctrinal and practical implications for Indonesian constitutional law.

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate whether Constitutional Court Decision Number 62/PUU-XXII/2024 qualifies as a landmark decision based on established legal criteria.

Design/Methodology/Approach: This research employs a normative legal method, utilizing a statutory, conceptual, and case-based approach to analyze the decision in light of relevant legal doctrines and scholarly frameworks.

Findings: The study finds that Decision Number 62/PUU-XXII/2024 fulfills all criteria of a landmark decision, including its binding nature, innovative legal reasoning, responsiveness to societal changes, influence on future legal development, and its departure from prior judicial positions.

Originality/value: This research offers a systematic application of landmark decision criteria within the Indonesian constitutional context, providing a structured evaluation that contributes to the development of constitutional jurisprudence and judicial analysis.

Controversy over the Customary Land Ownership: A Political Analysis

Khandakar Q. Elahi — 2026-07-15

Abstract: This article examines the persistent controversy surrounding customary land ownership through a political and philosophical lens. While existing scholarship has predominantly approached customary land tenure from economic and administrative perspectives, this study argues that the core issue is fundamentally political because property rights derive from state authority and legal recognition. By tracing the historical evolution of customary land tenure and analyzing the concepts of property and sovereignty through John Locke’s theory of property and the Locke–Rousseau conception of the nation-state, the article investigates the implications of decolonization and state formation for customary land governance. The findings suggest that the transition from clan-based political organizations to modern nation-states fundamentally transformed the basis of land ownership. Consequently, claims of communal ownership by clans over extensive customary territories are conceptually inconsistent with the principles of the nation-state. The study proposes a twofold reform framework: first, a constitutional recognition of the state as the ultimate owner of national land resources; and second, a cadastral and landform-based approach to classify land into public and private ownership categories. This political reinterpretation provides a coherent framework for resolving customary land disputes, improving land governance, strengthening tenure security, and promoting socioeconomic development in countries where customary land tenure remains dominant.

Purpose: To analyze the controversy over customary land ownership from a political-philosophical perspective and develop a coherent framework for land tenure reform based on property rights theory and nation-state principles.

Design/Methodology/Approach: This study employs qualitative political analysis grounded in historical institutionalism and political philosophy. It utilizes an extensive literature review, historical records, policy documents, and theoretical analysis based on Locke’s property theory and the Locke–Rousseau conception of the nation-state.

Findings: The study finds that customary land ownership conflicts stem from an inconsistency between traditional clan-based governance structures and modern nation-state institutions. The formation of nation-states transferred territorial sovereignty to national governments, rendering communal clan ownership claims over extensive customary lands conceptually incompatible with contemporary statehood. A constitutional and cadastral reform framework is therefore necessary.

Originality/value: This article offers a novel political-philosophical interpretation of customary land tenure by linking property rights, sovereignty, and nation-state formation. It moves beyond conventional economic analyses and provides an original framework for resolving customary land ownership disputes in postcolonial societies.

Indonesia's Compounding Economic Vulnerabilities in Mid-2026: A Multi-Dimensional Assessment and Policy Framework

Dewi Joanne Suhandeniputri — 2026-07-28

Abstract: Provides an evidence-based, real-time assessment of Indonesia’s compounding macroeconomic vulnerabilities in the first half of 2026, organised through a five-layer crisis sequencing framework.

Purpose: This paper examines the compounding macroeconomic vulnerabilities confronting Indonesia in the first half of 2026, focusing on the concurrent deterioration of currency stability, external balances, financial market confidence, and fiscal space. It develops a structured, time-sequenced policy framework to address these pressures and situates the episode within the comparative literature on compound emerging-market crises.

Design/Methodology/Approach: This paper examines the compounding macroeconomic vulnerabilities confronting Indonesia in the first half of 2026, focusing on the concurrent deterioration of currency stability, external balances, financial market confidence, and fiscal space. It develops a structured, time-sequenced policy framework to address these pressures and situates the episode within the comparative literature on compound emerging-market crises.

Findings: Indonesia entered the early-to-middle stage of simultaneous currency, monetary, and financial stress. The rupiah touched an all-time low of Rp18,096 per US dollar on 5 June 2026 before recovering to Rp17,865 at the close of 12 June 2026. The trade surplus collapsed from USD 3.32 billion in March to USD 0.09 billion in April. Cumulative foreign portfolio outflows exceeded Rp67 trillion year-to-date, and the Jakarta Composite Index (IHSG) fell as much as 30.4% from its yearly high before rebounding past 6,000 on 12 June. The short-term stabilisation observed between 9 and 12 June was driven by an off-cycle policy rate increase, coordinated state-owned enterprise buybacks, Danantara Investment Management's USD 1.5 billion debut bond issuance (more than three times oversubscribed), and improving sentiment around prospective US-Iran talks that pushed Brent crude below USD 90 per barrel. The paper argues, following recent assessments of Indonesia's macro credibility, that the episode reflects an accumulation of policy slippage and institutional ambiguity rather than a sudden shock, distinguishing it from comparable turbulence in 2025.

Originality/value: The paper contributes a real-time, evidence-based diagnostic of Indonesia's mid-2026 condition through a five-layer sequencing framework that links monetary instability, trade deterioration, and fiscal pressure to governance deficits and social-stress indicators. Recommendations draw on comparative historical cases, including Ghana's COCOBOD episode and Indonesia's own institutional reform trajectory since 1998, making the framework directly applicable to the present policy environment.

Forms of Constitutional Disobedience Against Final and Binding Decisions of the Constitutional Court

Hoky Yuro Herlambang — 2026-07-28

Abstract: Constitutional Court rulings are final and binding, and thus must be obeyed by all state institutions. Indonesian constitutional practice reveals instances of non-compliance with Constitutional Court rulings—manifested through delayed implementation, disregard for the ruling's operative provisions, or the enactment of new norms that contradict the Court's decisions. This situation gives rise to a phenomenon of "constitutional disobedience," which undermines constitutional supremacy, legal certainty, and the effectiveness of the Constitutional Court in its role as the guardian of the constitution. This study aims to analyze the regulation of constitutional disobedience within the Indonesian constitutional system and to examine the urgency of granting the Constitutional Court the authority to issue judicial orders as a mechanism to strengthen the implementation of its rulings. Employing a normative legal research method, this study utilizes statutory, conceptual, and case-based approaches. The findings indicate that the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia does not explicitly address constitutional disobedience nor provide enforcement mechanisms to guarantee the implementation of Constitutional Court rulings, particularly those that are non-self-executing. The study concludes that granting the Constitutional Court the authority to issue judicial orders is necessary as a constitutional instrument to bolster constitutional compliance, ensure the effectiveness of the Court's rulings, and uphold constitutional supremacy and the principle of checks and balances within Indonesia's constitutional system

Purpose: Knowing to what extent the Constitutional Court's decisions are binding and final for state institutions.

Design/Methodology/Approach: This research falls into the category of normative legal research. Legal research conducted by examining library materials or secondary data is referred to as normative legal research or library-based legal research.

Findings: To find out the consequences for state institutions that do not implement the Constitutional Court's decisions, thus causing constitutional disobedience or defiance of the constitution.

Originality/value: Offering judicial order as a constitutional mechanism to strengthen the implementation of Constitutional Court decisions.