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While defense analyst Susaningtyas NH Kertopati commended the improvements of President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla’s two-year progress, she advised the political tandem to toughen up with handling the country’s foreign affairs.

Intelligence and defense analyst Kertopati lauded Jokowi-Kalla’s first two years in their post for having made a number of improvements in the country. The Jokowi-Kalla leadership has been successful in their fight against extortion, in carrying out drug eradication and in improving infrastructure and regulation (so far).

“Nuning”, as the intelligence and defense observer is more often referred to, expressed her worry about the role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) slowly withering in terms of neutralizing the interests of superpower nations in the region, which could largely impact stability.

The analyst added that as a non-claimant state in the South China Sea dispute, Indonesia has a unique role in the region. While the archipelago used to hold a “centralist” position in ASEAN with its “shuttle diplomacy”, the public is expecting the nation’s two highest-ranking political leaders to show that their country is in command and not playing second fiddle to any other superpower.

See: Manpower Minister Remains Positive On AEC, Despite Growing Concerns

Nuning advised the leaders to examine terrorism more closely, as it could be a key indication of social imbalance. She added that the issue has to be promptly addressed and recognized as more than just an ideological threat. “The terrorists’ ideology is no more than a product of social imbalance,” she commented.

Nuning told reporters how big an impact ideology can have on the public, with its ability to win the sympathy of people who have been made to feel they are marginalized by the system. She added that the particular imbalance symbolizes social deprivation, political repression and economic inequality.

Formerly a member of the House of Representatives’ Commission I, Nuning was charged to oversee defense and intelligence.

The expert explained the need for the government to be up to date with potential defense issues within the region and its neighboring countries. She added that Jokowi and Kalla should keep abreast with key events such as the crowning of Thailand’s new king Vajiralongkorn and the recent flipping to China’s side by Philippines President Duterte, following his detachment with the US government.

Nuning also advised the country’s top tandem leaders to ensure they have robust security development plans in place, in preparation for the new governance in the US, fresh from its controversial presidential election.

Image credits: Reuters, Beritasatu

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Despite an apparent decline in both Indonesia’s and South Korea’s trade this year, both countries have agreed to collaborate in advancing industrialization.

During his visit to Seoul on Monday, President Joko Widodo met with South Korean President Park Geun-hye to discuss plans to work together to speed up industrialization in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.

“Banking on the prospects of welcoming South Korean investment to the industrial sector, Indonesia intends to make South Korea a partner to accelerate industrialization in Indonesia,” President Widodo said as reported by The Jakarta Post.

In a bid to reduce Indonesia’s steel imports, President Widodo is allowing steel firm POSCO to expand its plant in the country, to produce 10 million tonnes of steel together with Krakatau Steel. Accordingly, the president hopes that POSCO’s expansion plans will help Indonesia develop its own domestic steel industry.

Last year, Indonesia and Korea saw a decrease in trade value, dropping from US$22.47 billion in 2014 to US$16.7 the year after. Aiming to recover from the fall, President Widodo encouraged both countries to work on improving trade by reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers.

To realize his vision of making Indonesia the biggest digital economy in Southeast Asia by 2020, President Widodo also asked South Korea to cooperate in capacity building, technical and technological assistance, co-branding and co-production programmes.

Both countries are also signed up to improve the maritime sector, specifically illegal fishing and fisheries processing. In addition, President Park has expressed interest in increasing investment in infrastructure in the maritime sector.

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In a bid to protect the nation from further terrorism threats, Indonesian immigration plans to tighten its security through database sharing and is asking authorities to deny entry to suspicious foreigners.

An immigration official suggested that the government include database sharing among state agencies in their anti-terror laws to further secure the nation’s borders.

Insisting that Indonesia needs an integrated system for border protection, Ronny Sompie, Law and Human Rights Ministry Director General for Immigration, claimed that data sharing across agencies – immigration, customs and excise, quarantine, and intelligence and anti-terrorism bodies – could help immigration take preventive measures before allowing the wrong people to enter the country.

“If records are shared by immigration and customs and excise, when we get information from anti-terror or intelligence bodies, it will be easier for [immigration] to take early action before we hand a case over to competent investigators,” Sompie said as reported by The Jakarta Post. 

In addition, Sompie claimed that the immigration office could have authority to deny entry to suspicious foreigners, even if they have yet to be featured on the black list.

Referring to the 2003 terrorism draft law revision, which is currently still under review, Sompie called for the House of Representatives, or better known as Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR), to consider including articles required to grant such authority to agencies monitoring security across all borders; airports, seaports and other land security posts.

Featured Image by Metro TV News (MI/Susanto)

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In his second cabinet reshuffle, Jokowi substitutes finance minister Brodjonegoro with Sri Mulyani Indrawati. What does this say about the nation’s balance sheet?

Since taking office in October 2014, President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo has reshuffled his cabinet twice. In his latest shake-up last month, the president appointed 12 new ministers, which unsurprisingly has led to a tumultuous past few weeks for the government. However, the mainstream media spotlight is shining on Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who now takes over for Bambang Brodjonegoro as finance minister.

But it’s not the first time Sri Mulyani has held the position. She was finance minister from 2005 to 2010 under Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), but resigned after a disastrous Century Bank bailout incident involving stolen money and a criminal owner that would infamously go down in history as one of Indonesia’s biggest graft cases. Sri Mulyani regretted the decision to approve the bailout, allegedly calling the decision a mistake. She then went to work as managing director of World Bank in Washington DC, a lateral move that kept her reputation intact.

Despite the Century Bank incident, Indonesians have lauded Sri Mulyani as one of the most authoritative economic policy makers in the world. During SBY’s tenure, she managed the balance sheet to the point where it was one of the most conservative in the world. She reduced the nation’s cost of debts to 30 percent of overall GDP, and helped to stabilize the archipelago’s macro-economy. She made a name for herself as a prudent fiscal policy maker, and helped strengthen investor trust in the archipelago.

Going to work at World Bank was a popular move for Sri Mulyani among local politicians and business moguls. According to Tony Prasetiantono, the independent commissioner of Bank Permata and chief economist at Bank Negara Indonesia, Jokowi was on a mission to bring Sri Mulyani back to Indonesia as finance minister. She politely refused his first invitation to join the cabinet. In July, however, Jokowi sent a personal letter to the executive director of World Bank Dr. Jim Yong Kim, pleading for Sri Mulyani’s return. Following this letter, she opted to resume her previous role as Indonesia’s finance minister.

Experts speculate that Jokowi’s desperation and the sudden return of Sri Mulyani are both signs that the country is on the verge of financial troubles. In July, however, the Ministry of Political, Legal and Security Affairs stated that Indonesia’s economy as a whole has performed well under Jokowi’s leadership. It claimed the strength of the rupiah is on the mend, while the nation has been generating more revenue and the poverty rate is declining. Antara says these indicators likely convinced Jokowi to go ahead and use up government subsidies that were originally allocated for education, welfare, and other sectors.

The ministry’s statement was immediately countered by Sri Mulyani. The acting finance minister said the country’s tax revenue has in fact not reached targets outlined in the state’s budget for the next four years.

In 2014, the gap between the government’s actual tax revenue and its target revenue clocked in at Rp.100 trillion (US$7.63 billion). It did not improve the following year, widening to more than Rp.248 trillion (US$19 billion). Sri Mulyani says she expects the gap this year to be smaller at Rp.219 trillion (US$16.72 billion). This is largely due to the government revising its tax revenue targets. Economist Faisal Basri stated that all these things were the previous finance minister’s failures.

Bambang Brodjonegoro failed to promote the country’s economy to sceptical foreign investors.

Sri Mulyani’s global reputation as a strict fiscal conservative — combined with her expertise and willingness to say ‘no’ to the president — are likely what the cabinet needs at this moment.

Some say Brodjonegoro lacked these authoritative qualities, which may have ultimately led to his ousting as finance minister.

Dr. Fithra Faisal is a former staff member from the fiscal policy office at the Ministry of Finance. Today he is the executive director of a think tank called the Indonesian Progressive Institute. “It’s not that we are in great trouble, but we need her to bring trust,” says Faisal in an interview with Indonesia Expat.

“With regard to the national budget, the country is currently facing a shortfall, and Sri Mulyani is needed to clean up the mess.”

Despite the government’s high hopes that a new tax amnesty programme would provide a revenue boost, the numbers are a far cry from their respective targets, so far pulling in a laughable Rp.84.46 billion (US$6.44 million) out of a projected Rp.165 trillion (US$12.5 billion), according to The Jakarta Post. Faisal says he is still optimistic about the programme at large, but not about its quantitative target. According to him, Sri Mulyani’s main focus this year will be to maintain the credibility of the state budget and fiscal policy, while also promoting and monitoring the tax amnesty programme.

Sri Mulyani has also proposed Rp.133 trillion (US$10.15 billion) in cuts to the state budget, saying it was too high and did not provide realistic value, given the nation’s current economic situation. Without affecting the government’s high-priority spending plans on infrastructure and social assistance, Sri Mulyani plans to adjust expenditures by cutting Rp.65 trillion on low-priority and institutional spending. She also wants to cut Rp.68 trillion (US$5.2 billion) from regional transfer funds to arrive at a new state budget for 2016.

Following Sri Mulyani’s appointment as finance minister on 27 July, the Jakarta Composite Index immediately spiked by 1.3 percent, peaking at 5.301 at the end of the trading day. On the same day, the Indonesian rupiah strengthened by 0.5 percent against the US dollar. With these figures in mind, it’s clear that market players see Sri Mulyani’s return as a strong ingredient for Indonesia’s financial future.

Faisal agrees. According to him, a trusted economic figure like Sri Mulyani, with a positive reputation internationally, will more than likely bolster foreign investor confidence in Indonesia. “I am very confident that Sri Mulyani can spearhead economic reform,” says Faisal. “Her experience in coping with the 2008 crisis speaks louder than words.”

Although experts and stakeholders in Indonesia are optimistic about Sri Mulyani’s return, the effects have yet to be seen and many don’t want to count their chickens before they hatch. Cautiously optimistic observers, like Faisal, hope she can turn the country’s long-lasting financial deficits around, and set a good example for future ministries.

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One month after prominent terrorist leader Santoso was gunned down in East Indonesia, the group’s second-in-command has been taken into custody.

On September 14, Indonesian police and the national army in Poso, Central Sulawesi, discovered the body of a man named Andika, a member of the local terrorist group known as East Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT).

Sulawesi Tengah Police Commissioner Rudy Sufahriadi reported that Andika cracked his head after hitting a rock while drifting in the river. The team also found firearms, a jacket, and improvised explosive devices in the Puna River near the Tangkura Village of the same district.

Continuing their pursuit, police and army personnel managed to get their hands on a much bigger catch: Basri, a prominent member of MIT and the second target of Operation Tinombala.

Beginning in January 2016, Operation Tinombala was established by the Indonesian government to capture and eliminate MIT, which had been spreading terror in Central Sulawesi for years. 

Basri’s capture is considered a major success of the operation. One month earlier, the joint-military operation put down MIT leader Santoso in a violent gunfight. As second-in-command, Basri took charge of the group’s rebel operations until he was captured Wednesday, September 14.

Chief General Tito Karnavian of the national police said Basri’s capture will definitely weaken MIT. The terrorist group, which started with about 39 members armed with factory-made assault rifles, now only has 12 members left with very few firearms; the third man in the MIT chain of command Ali Kalora is now the main target of the joint operation.

But despite these developments, the leading authority on Islamic extremism in Indonesia Solahudin expressed worries on how radical theology is well supported by the people of Poso. Experts say the locals have regarded Santoso as a hero to one degree or another for the protection he provided Muslims in the Poso community. This idea was supported by the number of people who gathered during Santoso’s burial.

Head of the police’s public relations division Inspector General Joey Boy Amar, however, dismissed this claim of public support for MIT, explaining that the people who gathered for the burial were not MIT supporters, but simply curious people who wanted to see the body of Santoso.

Regardless, the police continue to approach the Poso situation with vigilance. Authorities aim to hunt down the remaining MIT members, educate the public, and lure them away from radicalism.

Will the police and military soon eliminate MIT? What lessons can they apply to other pockets of extremism in Indonesia?  

Editing by Nadya Joy Ador

Featured image via Wikimedia; post image via Flickr; video via Antara TV

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Denmark signed a US$3 million funding deal with local conservation organization Burung Indonesia to support legislation on Jambi’s Hutan Harapan and assist restoration efforts on the country’s dilapidated forests.

Denmark’s Ambassador to Indonesia Casper Klynge explained that the funding will help strengthen management of the Forest of Hope (Hutan Harapan) in Jambi. This is the third time the Danish government has granted funds for use on the forest’s restoration programme.

Denmark has been supporting the preservation of Jambi’s Hutan Harapan since 2011, with funding assistance now reaching an estimated US$10 million. Founded in 2008, the Forest of Hope is the country’s first Ecosystem Restoration Concession (ERC) programme.

The signing took place right at the heart of Hutan Harapan on Tuesday, September 27. Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya witnessed the signing, along with government officials of the Jambi Province.

Klynge said in a statement that encroachment continues to threaten the Hutan Harapan local community’s livelihood and biodiversity. He said that while the complicated challenge cannot be fixed overnight, he was glad to see Indonesia and Denmark working together on the project, which has so far managed to protect the virgin rainforest.

The ambassador added that the Forest of Hope aims to serve as the pioneer forest that will set the standards for sustainable forestry and provide a model structure for other endangered forests across the archipelago.

Nurbaya announced that the project is turning out to be a success, despite some parts of the forests having suffered devastating fires recently. She remains confident that outside parties can learn from Hutan Harapan’s example of establishing cooperation between the project management and local communities.

Nurbaya said she values Indonesia’s cooperation with the Danish government. Denmark’s funding agreement with the nation encourages sustainable forest management and largely reduces the local communities’ use of forest land for subsistence.

Storing around 10 million tonnes of carbon, Jambi’s 100,000-hectare Hutan Harapan restoration project looks to help cut down the country’s carbon emissions.

The Indonesian government has allocated over 1.6 million hectares on its ERC development plans. As its name suggests, Hutan Harapan is also ‘hopeful’ about attracting foreign investors to help build industries related to environmental sustainability in Indonesia.

Feature image via Gahag; image via Burung

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A 23-year-old Dutch tourist died after stepping in front of a train at the station in  Lempuyangan, Yogyakarta on October 20.

The woman, whom authorities are only identifying by her initials DP, was reported to be at the station with a companion right before the incident. While it’s still unclear how she ended up in harm’s way, some officials believe she committed suicide.  

Eko Budiyanto, a PR manager at Indonesia’s railway company PT Kereta Api said it looked like DP intentionally jumped onto the tracks after it was announced that the train was arriving at the station.

As reported by Detik, Budiyanto said, “There are indications that she committed suicide by jumping and getting herself hit by the train.” He added that there were a handful of people in the vicinity who witnessed the incident and tried to help her.

Officials believe DP died instantly. Her body was taken to a nearby hospital and police are currently investigating the circumstances of her death.

Although the Dutch woman was a tourist, the issue of suicide is something that often gets swept under the rug in Indonesian culture. Many people suffering from mental illness in the archipelago remain undiagnosed and untreated. In May, a man jumped to his death from the roof of Mall of Indonesia in Kelapa Gading.

See: Breaking The Stigma On Mental Illness In Indonesia

Featured image via yogya-backpacker

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