Francis Chan, News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Francis Chan

Indonesia Bureau Chief

tkchan@sph.com.sg

Francis joined The Straits Times after a varied career that took him from law enforcement to the small business lobby and banking. He has since reported the news from all corners of Singapore, as well as some parts of Europe and Asia. He now lives in Jakarta, Indonesia.

A stranded ship in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, after a series of powerful earthquakes hit the area on Sept 28, triggering a tsunami. Almost 3,000 people were killed in Indonesia in the last three months or so from earthquakes, aftershocks and a Lion

Heroes amid tragedies give hope in times of grief

Rare breed of investigators

(From left) Senior air safety investigator Bryan Siow, air safety investigator Alexander Leong, senior air safety investigator Steven Teo and senior air safety investigator Ng Junsheng. The first three were sent by Singapore's TSIB to join Indonesia'

'Looking for a needle in a haystack'

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo will be seeking a new mandate for a second term next April.

The battles to come for Jokowi

Lion Air crash: 34 body bags of human remains recovered from crash site; all 189 people on board feared dead

Desperate search for survivors after Lion Air jet with 189 crashes

Lion Air crash: No survivors found yet as tearful relatives wait

Indonesian budget carrier has spotty safety record

Lion Air crash: Bank books, mobile phones, aircraft seats found as divers search for survivors

Lion Air crash: Search and rescue efforts under way for sunken plane with 189 people on board

Workers clearing up at the site of a bridge damaged by the earthquake-tsunami in Palu, Indonesia, last month. Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency has warned that the country is likely to face more natural disasters as it enters the year-e

Indonesia suffers $2.7b in losses from quakes

Indonesia suffers $2.7 billion in losses from quakes, more disasters likely in monsoon season

Indonesian President Joko Widodo welcoming Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir to the presidential palace in Bogor, West Java, yesterday. Mr al-Jubeir's visit is a follow-up to that of Saudi King Salman in March last year.

Jokowi expresses concerns, calls for transparent probe

Indonesia hopes for 'transparent and thorough' probe of dissident journalist's killing

Ms Ratna Sarumpaet was asked to resign from presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto's campaign team after her lie was exposed.

Jokowi critic lied about being attacked

Anti-Jokowi activist caught in lie over assault claims, resigns from Prabowo's campaign team

In the days following last Friday's quake, close to 30 countries have offered to help Indonesia, including Singapore. Two Republic of Singapore Air Force C-130 aircraft have been sent to Palu with humanitarian aid.

Long road to recovery, but Indonesia has friends

Global response to Sulawesi quake shows that Indonesia is not short of friends

Above: People boarding a military plane in Palu. Hundreds descended on Palu's airport yesterday, hoping to be evacuated by military transport amid fears of more aftershocks. Left: Survivors searching for salvageable items among the sea of debris in P

Spotlight on adequacy of tsunami warning system

Spotlight on Indonesia's tsunami early warning system after disaster in Sulawesi

Sulawesi quake: Indonesia open to international assistance for quake relief

Sulawesi earthquake death toll crosses 1,200

Sulawesi quake: Death toll crosses 1,200 as rescuers race to reach victims

Above: A man carrying the body of a child after an earthquake and tsunami hit Palu, on Sulawesi island, yesterday. Left: An aerial view shows a bridge damaged by the earthquake and tsunami in the area.Below: Residents making their way along a street

Devastation in Sulawesi: Help arrives in Palu after quake as death toll rises to over 400

Indonesia's air control hero dies to save pilot

Sulawesi quake: Air traffic controller who stayed behind to guide plane to safety killed