Year 2017 was a major political year for Jakarta as the province held the 2017 gubernatorial election. Indonesia also held local elections across Indonesia simultaneously, the second time since 2015. The gubernatorial election was marred with controversies, particularly when the incumbent Governor of Jakarta Basuki Tjahaja Purnama was caught on tape quoting a certain verse of the Qur'an. This caused anger among residents which ultimately led to his defeat and subsequent mass protests and arrest. The blasphemy case supposedly revealed 'deep intolerance' in Indonesia.
Incumbents President and Vice President PresidentVice President Joko WidodoJusuf Kalla
Ministers and Coordinating Ministers Coordinating Ministers Photo Position Name Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan Coordinating Minister of Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani
Ministers Photo Position Name Minister of State Secretariat Pratikno Minister of Home Affairs Tjahjo Kumolo Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi Minister of Defence Ryamizard Ryacudu Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Ignasius Jonan Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti Minister of Manpower Hanif Dhakiri Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono Minister of Health Nila Moeloek Minister of Education and Culture Muhadjir Effendy Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Sofyan Djalil Minister of Social Affairs Khofifah Indar Parawansa Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin Minister of Communication and Information Technology Rudiantara Minister of Research and Technology Mohamad Nasir Minister of Cooperatives and Small & Medium Enterprises Anak Agung Gede Ngurah Puspayoga Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Yohana Yembise Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Asman Abnur Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Eko Putro Sandjojo Minister of National Development Planning Bambang Brodjonegoro Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Arief Yahya Minister of Youth and Sports Imam Nahrawi
Events January 1 January Indonesian rupiah new format has officially used in Indonesia but many of citizens used old format of rupiah. The Government of Indonesia officially issued a statement condemning the attack on Istanbul nightclub on New Year's Eve perpetrated by ISIS. The Indonesian Embassy in Istanbul was advised to protect every Indonesian citizens in Turkey and advised Indonesian to stay in contact with local authorities. MV Zahro Express, a tourist boat carrying 184 people caught fire while en route to Pulau Tidung in Thousands Islands, Jakarta. The incident was caught on video and due to its coincidence with New Year's Day, the incident was covered extensively. At least 23 people were killed in the blaze. Search and Rescue officials stated that 17 people were missing. A fugitive suspected of carrying out a deadly robbery in Pulomas, East Jakarta in 2016 identified as Ius Pane was arrested by the Indonesian National Police. 4 January – Indonesian Government temporarily terminated its military relation with Australia after a suspected insult and discrimination against the symbol and ideology of Indonesia and several sensitive political issues of Indonesia were found during training on a military base in Australia. 18 January Bears in Bandung Zoo caught the world's attention after photos taken by tourists shown that the bears have poor welfare and were very skinny. A photo of a dolphin, who was transported by Sriwijaya Air in a 'really wrong procedure', sparked public debate on the handling of Indonesian animals for commercial and entertainment purposes. 19 January A 5-month-old baby was found positive of cocaine by the National Narcotics Board in Central Kalimantan. At least 20.000 people joined a march demanding the dismissal and the 'eradication' of the Islamic Defender Front in Bandung, West Java. 23–24 January – The death of 3 students of the Islamic University of Indonesia during an initiation program in Yogyakarta sparked massive outrage and an intense public debate on whether similar program should be continued or discontinued. 27 January – One of the judges of the Indonesian Constitutional Court Patrialis Akbar was arrested by the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission on a hotel in Jakarta.
February 2 February – A controversial incident occurred on board Lion Air Flight 745 when 3 crew members asked a female passenger to join them to smoke inside the cockpit. All 3 crew members were "de-activated" from their job. The female passenger reported this event and asked the police to investigate the incident. The incident, however, occurred on 9 January 2017. 3 February – A boat carrying 40 people sunk near Makassar. At least 21 people survived the accident and 9 people were killed. 9 February – 71 houses were either damaged or destroyed when a tornado struck two villages in Banyuasin, South Sumatra. Dozens of people were injured in the incident. 10 February 12 people were killed in Kintamani, Bangli Regency, Bali as multiple landslides struck the island. 7 schools collapsed after a freak storm struck Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara. A hall was also destroyed. 11 February – A major protest was held by the Indonesian Islamic People Forum in response to Jakarta's Christian Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama's remarks on Al-Maidah ayah 51 in October 2016. The protest was one of several major protests opposing the governor that was held by Islamic hardliner organizations in the country. 12 February – Tensions rise as an Indonesian army post was destroyed by locals in Sukabumi. 14 February Telkom 3S, an Indonesian satellite owned by Indonesian-communication giants Telkomsel, lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana. An image depicting the killing of an orangutan and its subsequent eating by local people in Central Kalimantan shocked the nation. The Indonesian House of Representatives ordered an immediate investigation into the killing. Reports suggested that the perpetrators were workers of a nearby palm oil factory. 15 February – The 2017 Indonesian local election. President Joko Widodo designated this day as a national holiday. 16 February
Siti Aisyah, an Indonesian worker in Malaysia, was arrested as the police suspected that she had been involved in the assassination of North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un's half brother Kim Jong-nam. 2 houses collapsed and 9 people were hurt after two strong aftershocks, measuring 5.5 MW and 5.4 MW jolted the regency of Pidie Jaya. Incredible footage of Krian tornado 17 February More than 4,000 people fled the city of Brebes after a massive flood submerged 4 villages in the city. Local Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management stated that a dam located on a nearby river had failed to operate. A tornado struck several villages in Krian, Sidoarjo. At least 449 structures were heavily damaged or destroyed and 2 people were injured in the incident. 50 police personnel were deployed in response to the disaster. Indonesian National Police also stated that they would send aid and supplies to the people affected by the tornado. 21 February – Another major protest was held by the Indonesian Islamic People Forum in response to Jakarta's Christian Governor Basuki Thajaha Purnama's remarks on Al-Maidah ayah 51 in October 2016. It was the second time in a month and the fourth time in less than six-month. 24 February – A cover of a book depicting a child masturbation spurred intense debate on early sex education and Indonesian tradition and norms followed. 25 February – 3 people were killed and over 600 people were injured after a riot occurred due to dispute over the results on the regional election in Intan Jaya, Papua. Several buildings were burned during the riot. As situation went out of control, several aircraft had to be diverted and had to carry the injured. 26 February – 7 people were killed after a tourist bus carrying teachers and students plunged onto a ravine in Tawangmangu, Central Java. 27 February – Bandung terror attack Terrorist detonated a pressure cooker bomb in Pandawa Park, Bandung when dozens of high school students were gathering at the site. No one was injured in the blast. After being chased by locals and students, the perpetrator entered a local office and began shouting and screaming, before telling people leave. Police asked the perpetrator to turn himself in. However, the perpetrator refused and burned the second floor of the office. Bomb disposal unit were called in and the police later shot the perpetrator. The perpetrator was later pronounced dead. According to police officials, the perpetrator was an ex-terrorist prisoner and had ties with ISIS.
March 1 March – King Salman of Saudi Arabia arrived at Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport and officially began the royal family first foreign trip to Indonesia in 35 years 2 March – Riot occurred inside a prison in Jambi. Widespread damage was reported at the prison. At least 6 prisoners were taken to hospital and 4 others escaped from the facility. 4 March King Salman officially ended its diplomatic trip in Bogor and Jakarta and began his vacation trip in Bali. The first ever Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Leaders' Summit was held in Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta. 6 March – Hundreds of homes were destroyed after a massive landslide swept through a village in West Sumatra. 6 people, including one infant, were killed in the disaster. 8 March Reports of widespread damage after a freak storm swept Surabaya. Indonesian National Police also confirmed the presence of hail during the storm. At least 1 person was killed due to the incident. A Grab ojek driver in Bandung was rammed by a local bus driver, which caused him to be in critical condition. The suspect was arrested and was charged for attempted murder. 9 March – A video of a family frantically screaming inside a car after being attacked by mobs of local drivers, who refused the operation of online transportation in Indonesia, went viral on social media. The attack drew widespread condemnation and subsequently caused public outcry on whether local buses (angkot) should be operated anymore on the streets. 10 March – Thousands of people joined the anti-online transportation protest throughout Indonesia. The protest was attended mainly by local bus drivers and ojek drivers who refused to accept the operation of online transportation in Indonesia. 12 March – Arema FC won the 2017 President Cup. 13 March – A college student was shot dead by a policeman in Jember due to 'revenge'. Police later detained the suspect and fired him. The incident sparked massive outcry in police brutality. 17 March A sling of a lift suddenly snapped in M Square Department Store in Jakarta. Due to the incident, 25 people were injured. Police suspected that the lift had been overloaded. Public outrage after 58-year-old Indra hanged himself during Facebook Live. 20 March – Police rescued a Malaysian woman identified as Ling Ling in Batam. She had been kidnapped by several people for at least a month after being abducted by several people from her house in Johor, Malaysia. 22 March – Indonesian embassies had been informed about the attack on Westminster and condemned the attack. The Foreign Ministry later sent condolences to the victims of the attack.