Dear Readers,

With all of the election noise, infrastructure updates and fake news circulating on the web, it certainly is a strange and interesting time to be a foreigner in Indonesia.

In the middle of April, a story went viral online about plans for a new Disneyland theme park to be built in Boyolali, Central Java. How exciting! We and several other digital media outlets picked up the story only to realize the following morning that it was a hoax. If you told your kids about it, we’ll leave the decision up to you about when and where to shatter their dreams with the truth. For what it’s worth, we’ve updated our post accordingly.

Ironically, the incident came at an appropriate moment. In this issue, Kenneth Yeung dives into the world of fake news in Indonesia and uncovers what happens when too many people believe a story that is false. He also shares tips on what it takes for expats to get their BPJS health cards. Sharon Hambali explores whether palm oil production can actually be done sustainably in Indonesia and shares insights for foreigners about how to thrive in the country’s complex business culture.

Our editors discuss how best to localize your company in the archipelago. Caranissa Djatmiko interviews the German CEO of a new e- commerce company for industrial machine spare parts but also takes a look at Bandung’s ‘ Islamic punk’ scene. Stephanie Brookes is back with an insider's view of Ubud’s unique culinary experiences and organic markets, while Grace Susetyo highlights a way for Indonesians to rely less on rice production and imports. enjoy the stories! Leighton Cosseboom