From My Point of View

Its two days after the presidential election. The official result is not declared yet, but all quick counts shows the same result: the incumbent won. What does this mean to Indonesia? First of all, I think its an indication that Indonesia is eager to part with its dark past. All candidates that has a relation with the authoritarian regime a decade ago are lost. The winner is generally perceived as clean and untainted with Soeharto's sins. Secondly, this result means Indonesians wants to continue this path: to become a secular democracy, consistently eradicating corruption, and build stronger economy through sound, smart and carefull pro market finance policies. Indonesia wants to be open to the global world, assert its influence and retain itself as a succesful mixture of Islam and democracy, an example of how clash of civilization should not and will not ever occured. Off course, there are many existing problems that need to be addressed. beaucracy reform that is still far from fi...

Its almost two months before the presidential election, next July 8, and it is almost certain, we will have a three-horse race between SBY, JK and Megawati. All the polls suggest that SBY will win the race easily, but many still sees there's a possibility that a surprise may occured somehow. One of the source of surprise is the emergence of Prabowo Subianto. A former three stars general, a former son in law of the late President Soeharto, and a convicted mastermind behind the student kidnappings in 1998. He is known to have great ambition to ascend to power and is willing to work hard and do everything needed to make sure he gets what he wants. Is he the hope Indonesian is waiting, or the threat that will squash everything this country has so far gained in the last 10 years? Time will tell.

Tuesday April 14, 2009 By KARIM RASLAN Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono stands poised to lead Indonesia to the forefront of global players alongside Brazil, China and India. THE global financial crisis is spawning – and exacerbating – an equivalent set of political shocks. Over the next year or two there will be winners and there will be losers both globally and regionally, and the recent G20 meeting in London was as much about determining which nations would emerge on the right side of history. For us in South-East Asia, with our trade-dependant economies, the impact has been near disastrous. Moreover, nations such as Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, with their rigid and inflexible political systems, are suffering an added whiplash as their respective peoples’ question the wisdom of age-old social contracts. At the same time, the economic slowdown has laid bare deep-rooted divisions of class, race and geography that haunt our societies. That this should be happening to ...

I wrote several months ago, that most people in Indonesia do not look forward enthusiastically toward the election, next July. I assumed that the reason for this widespread apathy is the old faces'candidates offered to the public. Most of the contestants competing in this election are from old times, with old promises. People --understandably-- are tired. But then, as the campaign geared up to its final days, I sense a different mood amongst the people. People are starting to pay attention. Gossips spread around the corner, about this candidate and that candidate. On my way to work, people on the train, in foodstalls just across the station, on buses, anywhere, started to compare their judgment about what our future will be, if this candidate or that candidate, win the election. More and more people start to register themselves as voters. In the last legislative election, many people were not eligible to vote because they failed to register themselves in advance at the village/sub-...

Riyadi Suparno , The Jakarta Post , Paris | Fri, 03/20/2009 1:10 PM | Headlines After sinking deep during the financial crisis, Indonesia has now entered the club of the world's fastest growing economies, but it needs further economic reforms and liberalization to gain more from international trade. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in its latest report "Globalization and Emerging Economies" released in Geneva on Thursday, includes Indonesia among the world's best performing large developing economies. Indonesia now sits alongside Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, in a group the OECD calls BRIICS. "The inclusion of Indonesia into BRIICS is a recognition of the importance and size of the country, the situation relative to OECD member countries, and the desire of OECD countries to engage in it more closely," Douglas Lippoldt, acting head of the Development Division at the Trade and Agricultural Directorate of...

Well, we're advancing fast toward the election now. Almost everybody is ready by now. All parties have geared up their campaign machinery, and now seems like have exhausted everything possible on their effort to win. But, somehow, I dont think this election will really deliver a genuine chance for Indonesian to have a real, elected representatives to fight for their interests. First of all, there is the question of money. Indonesian politics are expensive. If you want a shoot and try to join the big league --i.e. the national parliament-- you have at least have several hundred millions rupiah at your disposal. A friend of mine said he spent almost 200 million IDR within six months of campaigning. And thats small numbers, compared with what the others has spent. Because of that, only rich people can compete in this election. To cover their lack of power-base, they hire local people to act as their liason officer in the field. They spread money, arrange public meeting, and mobiliz...

This year, Indonesia will face two election: the general election for legislative body's members --from local councillor in district level, to provincial and state parliaments-- and the presidential election. The first one will takes place next April 9th, whilst the second one on July 5th. Unlike the previous election in 2004, the general mood this time is a little different. In 2004, everyone anticipated the coming election with excitement. Five years ago, we experienced our first ever direct presidential election. Before, our head of state always picked by a handfull members of the People's Representative Assembly, a sort of Indonesian version of the US Congress. In 2004, we were also eager to end our political landscape's turmoil. We had a very fragmented coalition back then. At first, after the 1999 election, we had Central Axis Coalition, consists of Golkar and a few Islamic parties as the ruling coalition. That coalition collapse halfway, resulting an impeachment of t...

Lin Che Wei, Jakarta If everything goes well, in 2050 Indonesia will be the tenth largest economy in the world in terms of gross domestic product (GDP). The top 10 largest economies will consist of five of the old G7 economic powers -- the United States, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany and France -- while the other five will consist of newly emerging economies, namely China, India, Brazil, Russia and Indonesia. The emerging five will be cumulatively bigger than the old five (61 percent compared to 39 percent). This means that the emerging market countries will be playing a much bigger role than the developed economic powers in 2050. This forecast is, however, based on certain crucial assumptions regarding macroeconomic, human resource and political conditions. If, and only if, these assumptions turn out to be valid will this forecast be realized. Thus, the road to prosperity will most assuredly not be just a walk in the park. It is bound to be bumpy and hazardous. Four out of the five e...

Asia is taking an ever bigger role on the global stage. However, income disparity between countries — or even within one country — is still on the rise. What specifically needs to be done to reduce poverty in the region? Matthew Hulbert provides his perspective | | | When Asian leaders gathered in London in early March 2006 to discuss regional development under the title “Asia 2015,” the famous dictum issued by Mao in 1958, which set China’s goal to “surpass Britain and catch up with America” — was ringing loud in many Western years. As well it might, given that China’s economy is already overtaking the United Kingdom. And by 2040, will be larger than the United States, according to Goldman Sachs. India, for its part is set to outstrip the Japanese economy by 2032. In total, Asia not only accounts for 40% of the world’s population, but garners a fifth of global production. Poverty stricken The exponential growth of the Asian economy is not the whole story, of course. For all its succes...

January 29, 2008 by Walter Lohman and Anthony B. Kim At 40 years of age, the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN)--which encompasses the five original member countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand and the newer member countries of Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and Vietnam--is the oldest and largest organization of its kind in Asia. ASEAN countries have a combined population of more than 500 million people--larger than the population of the European Union. Their combined gross domestic product (GDP) exceeds $1 trillion, which is the 11th largest in the world, ahead of Russia and India.[1] ASEAN has committed itself to making the most of its collective strength by achieving an integrated, lib­eral market. Ten years ago in Kuala Lumpur, ASEAN launched ASEAN Vision 2020, which calls for creat­ing "a stable, prosperous and highly competitive ASEAN Economic Region in which there is a free flow of goods, services and investments, a freer flow...

By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press Writer JAKARTA, Indonesia — U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates vowed Monday to help Indonesia reform its military, saying the U.S. was ready to help provide airlift and other maritime capabilities the country needs. And in what appeared to be a response to previous Indonesian criticism that the United States can be overbearing in its foreign and military policies, Gates said the U.S. can play a supportive role as countries like Indonesia map out their own futures. "From time to time, we have strayed from our ideals and we have been arrogant in dealing with others," Gates said in a speech to the Indonesian Council on World Affairs. "In the end, we have always realized that our own democracy's strength ultimately depends on the strength and independence of other democracies around the world — including new ones such as Indonesia." He emphasized America's ongoing commitment to the region, but also said nations in the area ...

The Defense secretary says the U.S. is willing to sell weapons to the key Southeast Asian ally. By Peter Spiegel, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer February 26, 2008 JAKARTA, INDONESIA -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Monday that the U.S. was still willing to sell Indonesia new weaponry, particularly for its navy and air force. But he cautioned that democracies must have firm civilian control of their militaries, which must be disciplined for human rights abuses. Gates praised Jakarta for moving to professionalize its military, which for decades under former President Suharto ruled the archipelago with an iron fist until the dictator was deposed a decade ago. Although Gates did not criticize the Indonesian military's current conduct, he emphasized that democracies must investigate and prosecute allegations of corruption or abuse within their armed forces. "In addition to the importance of civilian control of the military, there cannot be even a taint of corruption or a h...

Mark Forbes, Jakarta February 20, 2008 INDONESIAN Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari claims the United States and World Health Organisation are part of a global conspiracy to profit from the spread of bird flu, and the US may use samples to produce biological weapons. The views of Dr Supari, outlined in her new book, It's Time for the World to Change, threaten to undermine efforts to control the spread of avian influenza and prevent it becoming a global pandemic. Indonesia is the new hot spot for the virus, with recent deaths raising the local toll to 104, nearly half the world's total. Despite claims by Dr Supari — described on the book's cover as the "divine hand behind avian influenza" — that she has forged a new agreement to share virus samples and allow all nations access to resulting vaccines, Indonesia still blocks the sharing of samples from human victims. Inquiries by The Age reveal the ban has been widened to include samples from chickens, which are inf...

By John Aglionby in Jakarta and Amy Kazmin in Bangkok Published: February 21 2008 23:12 | Last updated: February 21 2008 23:12 Indonesia became the first big developing country on Thursday to criticise Burma’s draft constitution, which entrenches military rule by banning leading opposition activists from politics, including Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel prize-winning democracy advocate. Hassan Wirajuda, Indonesia’s foreign minister, said the constitution should be revised before being put to a national referendum in May, to ensure that the interests of opposition and minority groups were protected. His comments were made days after Burma’s military rulers publicly clarified that Ms Suu Kyi, now a widow, would be prohibited from contesting Burma’s planned 2010 elections because she had married a foreigner. “We hope that in the period between now and May, a process of consultation will take in input from these groups so that the draft constitution which will be voted on will be comprehensi...

By John Aglionby in Jakarta Published: February 23 2008 01:16 | Last updated: February 23 2008 01:16 A United Nations envoy will hold talks with Burma’s ruling junta over the country’s “road map to democracy”, including its plans to bar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from taking part in elections. Early this month the junta said it would hold a referendum in May on a new constitution, followed by elections in 2010. However, Ms Suu Kyi has been banned from the vote because she is the widow of a foreigner. “This is one of the issues I intend to discuss with the authorities in Myanmar [Burma],” Ibrahim Gambari, the UN secretary-general’s special envoy on Burma, said on Friday in Jakarta, as part of his regional tour before going to the country early next month. Burma, he said, should revise the proposed constitution to include the interest of opposition and minority groups before it is put to a referendum. Otherwise it would have no credibility, he said. Mr Gambari said the military s...

Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia and Germany said Wednesday they want to work together in the energy sector to generate renewable, cleaner sources of energy, in efforts to curtail climate change. Germany's foreign minister and Vice-Chancellor Frank-Walter Steinmeier is on a three-day visit to build relations with Indonesia and has met with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his counterpart Hassan Wirayuda and the secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Surin Pitsuwan. Steinmeier should fly to Singapore on Thursday and then on to Vietnam. Hassan said, "We discussed energy cooperation to provide electricity, whether from nuclear-fired power plants or other types of plants, especially looking at Germany's specialty in coal-fired plants". "We hope we can produce cleaner energy," he said. Indonesia is heavily dependent on its depleting fossil fuel reserves. It has become a net oil importer is now searching for sui...

By Chad Bouchard International agencies are helping Indonesia prepare for a massive country-wide election in 2009 that will include local offices in hundreds of districts. As Chad Bouchard reports from Jakarta, election officials hope to avoid past mistakes. Indonesia is getting an early start as the country prepares for presidential and local elections next year. It will be the second democratic presidential election since President Suharto stepped down in 1998. The UN Development Program's country director in Indonesia, Haakan Bjorkman, says the international community wants Indonesia's elections to be clean and fair. "Indonesia has emerged as the strongest and most healthy democracy in Southeast Asia, so we predict in 2009 that all eyes will be on Indonesia to see if the election assistance can work in a good way. And that this success story can continue," said Bjorkman. "The stakes are very high for this region." Indonesia's parliament is considering...