Indonesia In-depth

President Widodo promised to return Indonesia to a maritime power when he first took office in 2014. It was one of Widodo’s major platform policies and there was a lot talk about it in his presidential campaign that year and during the early part of his first term.

Intrigued by history, we often wondered, if Widodo hoped to bring back this maritime power, what did this power look like before? Where the kingdoms that controlled this region maritime powers themselves?

As part of our Independence Month series at Indonesia In-depth, we explore Indonesia's historical and cultural ties to maritime and how it impacts the government and military today with Dr. Evan Laksmana, a political scientist and senior researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Jakarta.

| This episode is produced by In-depth Creative | All music licensed | Read the text version of this episode: www.indonesiaindepth.com or through Shawn’s LinkedIn page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-corrigan/ | Send us your feedback! Email: [email protected] | Twitter: @IndoIndepth | Instagram: @IndonesiaIndepth | We are also available on Spotify, iTunes, Google Music and podcast platforms!

There are more and more Nigerians fleeing to Indonesia. Why is this the case? 

Though the local media may have portrayed them more as online scammers and drug dealers, the reality is most of them are just trying to find a better life outside Nigeria doing ordinary jobs. The situation in Nigeria has pushed many youths to emigrate, or attempted to emigrate, abroad. 

We follow the story of one Nigerian man who hoped to find a better life in Indonesia. Now held in a detention center in West Jakarta, he shares his memories of Lagos, the reality of being a foreign worker in Indonesia and the hope of good things to come--however uncertain it may seem.  

| This episode is produced by Shawn Corrigan and Tanita, written by Tanita, research by Veronica, edited by Rizki and visually designed by Daniel | All music licensed | Read the text version of this episode: www.indonesiaindepth.com or through Shawn’s LinkedIn page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-corrigan/ | Send us your feedback! Email: [email protected] | Twitter: @IndoIndepth | Instagram: @IndonesiaIndepth | We are also available on Spotify, iTunes, Google Music and podcast platforms!

To flee to a foreign country you barely know and not knowing the language can be scary. But for many Nigerians youths, like Lucas (not his real name), going anywhere but home is necessary. 

The situation in Nigeria has pushed many youths to emigrate, or attempted to emigrate. We venture along with Lucas in this journey to Indonesia. What followed his arrival in Jakarta in 2017 was nothing close to what he expected. Fast forward to today, Lucas is one of the detainees at the West Jakarta Detention Center. With no chance to earn money and no resources to facilitate his return home, Lucas tirelessly reflects upon what he should do next. 

This Audio Documentary Coming July 29, 2020!

Prior to the pandemic there was push by major parties, such as PDI-P, Golkar and Gerindra, to bring more power back to the central government. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw some local leaders taking the initiative with battling the virus while the central government moved slowly. How might these events impact the country’s trend towards a more top-down approach by the central government?

West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, is responsible for over 50 million people in the country’s largest province and appears to have made the most progress with getting the virus under control. How will that impact his political ambitions, such as perhaps a run for presidency in 2024?

The president published a rare video of a cabinet meeting in mid-June where he expressed anger and disappointment towards ministers for not having a sense of crisis when it comes to battling the pandemic. What’s the reasoning behind the video release? Who is it aimed at and who is the target audience? Is there a cabinet reshuffle coming?

Widodo has had a less than stellar record when it comes to handling the pandemic, how is he currently viewed by the voters and how is he polling?

We discuss these questions and much more with one of my favourite guests, Dr. Djayadi Hanan, the executive director of Lembaga Survey Indonesia and the director of political science research at the Paramadina University here in Jakarta. 

| This episode is written and produced by Shawn Corrigan, sound engineering by Rizki and visual design by Daniel | All music licensed | Read the text version of this episode: www.indonesiaindepth.com or through Shawn’s LinkedIn page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-corrigan/ | Send us your feedback! Email: [email protected] | Twitter: @IndoIndepth | We are also available on Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud, Google Music and podcast platforms!

The Central Government has prevented provincial leaders, such as Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, from implementing a lockdown, despite the fact that Jakarta is the country’s epicentre for the Covid-19 virus. The president says that a lockdown would cripple the country’s economy and lead to social unrest. Does the government have the capacity to successfully implement a lockdown as some have hoped for? 

Indonesia's Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan), was
already facing a US$2.3 billion deficit prior to the pandemic. How will
Indonesia pay for healthcare going forward with patients flooding into hospitals
as a result of the coronavirus and will they be covered?

The 2020 State Budget had many experts optimistic about the country’s economic performance with a stable rupiah, growth at 5.3%, oil at US$70 a barrel, just to name a few. Those stats obviously no longer apply. What kind of economic growth might we see going forward?

President Widodo had just begun launching his phase II mega projects over the next five years. Topping the list is a plan to move the nation’s capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan at a cost of US$32.7 billion. There’s also a high-speed rail project, power plants and health programs among many others. How will the pandemic impact Widodo’s mega projects?

We cover these topics and more with Faisal Basri, senior economist from the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF), specializing in political economics.

| This episode is written and produced by Shawn Corrigan and Tanita, research done by veronica, sound engineering by Rizki and visual design by Daniel | All music licensed | Read the text version of this episode: www.indonesiaindepth.com or through Shawn’s LinkedIn page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-corrigan/ | Send us your feedback! Email: [email protected] | Twitter: @IndoIndepth | We are also available on Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud, Google Music and podcast platforms!

The Indonesian public has been fixated on the official number for Covid-19 cases and deaths during the pandemic. Indonesia’s numbers appear to be far lower than other countries given its 270 million people, but we wondered, how accurate is this number? Especially, when data has yet to be fully compiled at the regional and district levels and when there are at least five confusing categories when it comes to classifying Covid-19 cases in the country. 

When we traced the origins of these numbers, we found ourselves researching the different types of Covid-19 test kits used by the central and regional governments along with the mounting issues and difficulties involved. 

In addition to testing, we hear what experts say about how the mass migration, or Mudik, in May would impact the spread of the virus and the weeks of flip-flopping government policy to prevent it.

We discussed this and more with scientists on the frontline of this pandemic, Dr. Herawati Sudoyo from the Eijkman Institute and Dr. Aryati from Airlangga University.

 | This episode is written and produced by Shawn Corrigan and Tanita, research done by veronica, sound engineering by Rizki and visual design by Daniel | All music licensed and composed by Max H: Up in the Andes | The Peruvian Protests | Hang Drum | Read the text version of this episode: www.indonesiaindepth.com or through Shawn’s LinkedIn page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-corrigan/ | Send us your feedback! Email: [email protected] | Twitter: @IndoIndepth | We are also available on Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud, Google Music and podcast platforms!

When we ask ourselves how people would even begin to conceive and believe in conspiracy theories and hoaxes during a critical time such as this pandemic, we find that it is so much more than just an issue of how we access and process information, as many would believe. Evidently, world leaders around the world are also engaging in wild narratives surrounding COVID-19. In this episode, we attempt to go to the root of it, by asking how our reasoning works to find truth. We venture into a discussion like never before with Indonesian philosopher, Dr. Haryatmoko, and epistemologist, Dr. Diana Popescu from King’s College London. 

Book references mentioned by our guests:
Karl Popper: Objective Knowledge | Simone Weill: Oppression and Liberty | Albert Camus: La Pest/ Sampar

All music in this episode are licensed:
The Horizon - Eill | Lands of Soho - Oton | Charon - Yehezkiel Raz | Mir'am - Panth Lab | Sequoia - Biba Dupont  | Sun Dance - Chelsea McCough

This episode is produced by Tanita and Shawn Corrigan, edited by Rizki, research by veronica, and visual design by Daniel. | Read the text version of this episode: www.indonesiaindepth.com or through Shawn’s LinkedIn page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-corrigan/ | Send us your feedback! Email: [email protected]  | Twitter: @IndoIndepth | We are also available on Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud, Google Music and other podcast players! 

During his first term in office, President Widodo promised to return Indonesia to its maritime roots and establish the country as a maritime power. Some may wonder though, how did the world’s largest archipelagic state loose its maritime roots to begin with? Widodo is now into his second term and he appears to have abandoned his maritime vision. What does this mean for Indonesia and what does it mean for the region?

This comes at a time where we continue to see encroachment by Chinese vessels into Indonesian waters and even challenging Indonesian authorities. Are these just random fishing vessels wandering into Indonesian territory or is this a strategic move by Beijing as part of a wider, long-term goal?

I discuss these important maritime issues, territorial disputes with China, how Widodo’s plan to move the nation’s capital might impact the armed forces and, much more with: Dr. Evan Laksmana, political scientist and senior researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) here in Jakarta.

Be sure to follow Evan Laksmana’s Twitter feed to learn more of his insights and analysis:  @evanlaksmana

Executive producer for this episode Shawn Corrigan, producer is Tanita, research done by veronica, sound engineering by Rizki and visual design by our newest team member, Daniel.

This episode was recorded shortly before the Covid-19 crisis arrived in Indonesia.

| Read the text version of this episode: www.indonesiaindepth.com or through Shawn’s LinkedIn page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-corrigan/ | Send us your feedback! Email: [email protected]  | Twitter: @IndoIndepth | We are also available on Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud, Google Music and other podcast players! All music licensed.

When the international community condemned the arbitrary detention, mass surveillance, political indoctrination and restrictions on religious activity of the Muslim minority Uyghur ethnic group in 2019, most of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) members instead endorsed China’s treatment of Uyghurs in an official statement. The OIC stated that Beijing has undertaken deradicalization and counter-terrorism measures in the province of Xinjiang. Indonesia also failed to speak out on the issue and has taken a non-interference stance as they say that the Chinese government has a Uyghur separatist issue. What is the Indonesian government’s motivation behind such as stance and what does it mean to its foreign policy?

Beijing has not taken this support for granted. It has conducted elaborate charm offensives and invited Indonesian social influencers, religious leaders and journalists on special managed tours to Xinjiang to show “normal life” in the province. Some participants said they failed to see any persecution of citizens while others say their movement was heavily restricted and under heavy surveillance by state minders. What really happened on the Xinjiang trip? 

In this audio documentary, we explore the Indonesian government’s stance on the Uyghur issue with Sidney Jones, a terrorism and security expert and founder of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) and speak to Muyhiddin Junaidi, the head of Muhammadiyah’s international relations and leader of the trip, to learn first-hand how the Indonesian delegation ended up in Xinjiang and what they experienced.

Link to IPAC report titled: Explaining Indonesia's Silence on the Uyghur Issue:
https://bit.ly/2wLMFoZ  or go to http://www.understandingconflict.org/en.html

| Read the text version of this episode: www.indonesiaindepth.com or through Shawn’s LinkedIn page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-corrigan/ | Send us your feedback! Email: [email protected]  | Twitter: @IndoIndepth | We are also available on Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud, Google Music and other podcast players! All music licensed.

The drama over who will fill Jakarta's empty deputy governor seat is less about local politics and more about Gerindra's desire to rebuild its old relationship with PDIP at the national level.   
Nothing is permanent when it comes to relationships among political parties in Indonesia. As parties lack strong ideologies, most relationships are established when it’s deemed beneficial rather than based on issues to stances. It’s now beneficial for Gerindra to move from its old partnership with long time ally PKS and instead build a strong relationship with and PDIP, both at the local and national level, with the aim of building a strong coalition heading into the 2024 election.

| Read text version of this episode: www.indonesiaindepth.com or through Shawn’s LinkedIn page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-corrigan/ | Link to Shawn's previous article mentioned in this episode:  https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/jakartas-2022-election-cancelled-shawn-corrigan/?trackingId=Fy%2FT4FszQ2WwRL8VBm%2FDWQ%3D%3D | Say hi to us! Email : [email protected]  | Twitter: @IndoIndepth | We are also available on Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud, Google Music and other podcast players! All music licensed.