In Indonesia, the year was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which started in March when two people from Jakarta tested positive to the disease. The government responded to the outbreak by enacting large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) throughout much of Indonesia, opting against imposing lockdowns because of economic reasons. The pandemic put the Indonesian economy into recession, the country's first in nearly two decades, with the rupiah free-falling. Multiple international events that were to have been hosted in Indonesia had to be cancelled because of the pandemic.
Students and workers protested in October against the government's controversial Omnibus Law, resulting in more than 5,000 arrests. Two ministers, Social Affairs Minister Juliari Batubara and Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Edhy Prabowo, were arrested in late 2020 for alleged corruption in separate cases.
Incumbents President and Vice President PresidentVice President Joko WidodoMa'ruf Amin
Ministers and Coordinating Ministers Coordinating Ministers
Photo Position Name Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan Coordinating Minister of Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy
Ministers Photo Position Name Minister of State Secretariat Pratikno Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi Minister of Defence Prabowo Subianto Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita Minister of Trade Muhammad Lutfi Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Sofyan Djalil Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas Minister of Communication and Information Technology Johnny G. Plate Minister of Research and Technology Bambang Brodjonegoro Minister of Cooperatives and Small & Medium Enterprises Teten Masduki Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Tjahjo Kumolo Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Abdul Halim Iskandar Minister of National Development Planning Suharso Monoarfa Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali
Former ministers (before cabinet reshuffle) Photo Position Name Minister of Social Affairs Juliari Batubara Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Wishnutama Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi Minister of Health Terawan Agus Putranto Minister of Trade Agus Suparmanto Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Edhy Prabowo
Events January
January 1 - At least 66 people were killed after a massive flood swept the Indonesian capital Jakarta. Dubbed as one of the worst floods in Jakarta history, the massive flood was caused by the highest recorded rainfall in 24 years since record began in Jakarta. January 6 - Indonesia announced that it was mobilizing fishermen and naval vessels to patrol the northern part of the Natuna Sea, following incursions by Chinese vessels. January 10 - The Indonesian Ministry of Forestry and Environment announced the termination of partnership with WWF due to alleged "untrue facts and data" claimed by the WWF. January 14 - Demonstrations took place in front of Jakarta City Hall. Opposition groups demanded the Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan to step down from his position due to the perceived mishandling of the emergency response in the 2020 Jakarta floods while supporters of Anies Baswedan also held two demonstrations to defend the incumbent. January 15 - Fictional kingdoms and mythical movements regarded by the government as deceitful acts towards Indonesians began to spring up across the country. January 17 - The leaders of the Indonesian micronation-cum-cult "Keraton Agung Sejagat" were arrested for public deception. January 28 - Leader of "Sunda Empire", Ki Ageng Rangga, was arrested in Bekasi for alleged disinformation and public deception. The organisation "Sunda Empire" was later disbanded by the government. January 29 - Outbreak of dengue fever led to the issuance of declaration of emergency by the government of Sikka Regency, East Nusa Tenggara January 30 - Henchman of the leader of a mythical movement called as "King of The King" was arrested for alleged public deception. January 31 - The Indonesian government expels American journalist Philip Myrer Jacobson of an environmental science news site Mongabay after spending ten days in jail for not having a journalist's visa. At least eight journalists have been deported since 2017.
February
February 1 - Anger and protests in Natuna as Indonesian government revealed plans to evacuate Indonesian citizens from Wuhan, the centre of the COVID-19 outbreak, to Raden Sadjad AFB in Natuna February 2 238 Indonesians were successfully evacuated to Natuna from Wuhan. The Indonesian government had planned to evacuate Indonesians in Wuhan after a massive outbreak in China caused a global health emergency, infecting thousands and killing hundreds of people. Indonesian government temporarily halts the issuance of its visa-free policy and visa on arrival for all tourists from China. All flights from and to mainland China are banned due to concern on the outbreak, effective by 5 February. Those who had been to mainland China for 14 days during the outbreak would not be allowed to enter or transit in Indonesia. February 5 - An Indonesian maid in Singapore becomes the first confirmed Indonesian to have contracted the COVID-19 disease. February 10 - The wreckage of an Indonesian Air Force military helicopter which had disappeared since June 2019 has been found on the mountainous region in Papua. All 12 passengers and crews were killed in the crash. February 11 - The Indonesian government refuses to repatriate 689 Indonesian citizens that had joined the Islamic State from Syria. February 12 - A riot erupted in Kabanjahe Detention Centre in Medan. Buildings were reportedly burned by inmates. February 15 A total of 238 Indonesians were allowed to go home after being quarantined by the Indonesian government in Natuna in response to the 2019-20 coronavirus pandemic in mainland China. Residents evacuated after reports of radioactive leak at a residence housing employees of the Indonesian National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN) in South Tangerang February 16 - Indonesia won the 2020 Badminton Asia Team Championships in the Philippines. February 18 - Three Indonesian crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise ship were tested positive for coronavirus. February 21 - A total of 257 scout members consisting of grade 7 and grade 8 students were swept away during a river expedition in Sleman, Yogyakarta after a flash flood struck the area. At least 10 girl scouts were killed, with age ranging from 12 to 15 years old. A further 26 scout members were injured. Several people were charged for negligence. February 24 - The Indonesian Ministry of Health announced that a total of 9 Indonesian crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise ship have contracted the COVID-19 disease. February 25 - Hundreds evacuated after a second massive flood swept Jakarta in less than two months. February 26 - Indonesian government spent Rp 10.3 trillion rupiah (US$744 million) to influencers in hopes of attracting tourists who were scared off by the coronavirus pandemic. February 27 Talks are being held as Saudi Arabia temporarily bans the Islamic pilgrimage of Umrah amid efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic, which has spread to dozens of countries around the world. A total of 188 crew members of the World Dream cruise ship were evacuated by the government to KRI dr. Soeharso. They would undergo a 14-day quarantine at Sebaru Kecil Island, Thousands Islands for possible coronavirus infection.
March
March 1 Due to the effect of the coronavirus on tourism, the Indonesian government announced that up to 50% flight discounts would be given to everyone, including foreign tourists, in hopes of attracting tourists to multiple destinations across Indonesia. Indonesian president Joko Widodo reassured that the flight discounts would not spread the coronavirus throughout the country. March 2 - President Joko Widodo confirmed the first two cases of coronavirus in the country. According to the Minister of Health Terawan Agus Putranto, the patients contracted the virus from an infected Japanese person in Depok and later tested positive in Malaysia. Both were hospitalized in North Jakarta. March 3 - Mount Merapi erupted, sending ash as high as 6,000 meters to the sky and causing ashfall in Boyolali and neighboring regencies. March 4 - Government officials confirmed that another two people had been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, raising the number of the infected to 4. March 5 - The Indonesian government decided to forbid the entry of tourists from Iran, Italy and South Korea, which at the time were the center of the coronavirus pandemic outside China. March 6 - The reigning Puteri Indonesia 2020 Queens are crowned; Raden Roro Ayu Maulida Putri of East Java crowned Puteri Indonesia 2020 (Miss Universe Indonesia), Putu Ayu Saraswati of Bali crowned Puteri Indonesia Lingkungan 2020 (Miss International Indonesia) and Jihane Almira Chedid of Central Java crowned Puteri Indonesia Pariwisata 2020 (Miss Supranational Indonesia), who was crowned on 6 March 2020 in Jakarta Convention Center. March 8 - A total of 6 people had been infected by the coronavirus. March 9 Number of people infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has jumped to 19. At least 7 people were killed and another 20 were rescued after two boats carrying members of Presidential Security Force of Indonesia collided in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan. The collision caused the cancellation of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands's visit to Central Kalimantan, who at the time were visiting Indonesia. March 10 An earthquake measuring 5.0 magnitude struck Sukabumi, West Java at a shallow depth of 10 km, causing damages to at least 200 homes. At least 3 people were injured and 300 people were evacuated due to the quake. Government officials confirmed another 8 cases of the coronavirus, bringing the number of infections to 27. March 11 The Jakarta Formula E was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. A British national who had been tested positive for coronavirus has died in Bali, making it the first coronavirus-linked fatality in the country. Another 7 cases of the virus were also confirmed by officials, raising the total number of people infected with the virus to 34. Indonesian Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziah ordered companies in Indonesia to provide face masks and hand sanitizers to prevent the spread of the coronavirus March 13 Cases of COVID-19 in the nation jumps to 69 A total of 1,216 people has been infected with dengue fever in Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara First death of an Indonesian citizen caused by the coronavirus was confirmed by officials. A man in his 50s has died at a hospital in Solo, Central Java. March 14 The number of people who were infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has jumped to 96