An interruption in shipments of LPG, the ubiquitous cooking fuel in Indonesia, will likely cause shortages soon, with consequences for the image of the administration.  And to safeguard petrol and diesel, Indonesia is moving towards rationing and even greater use of biodiesel.  Meanwhile, Tempo has produced revelations about how the acid attack on Andrie Yunus unfolded -- with signs of an institutional approach and broad targets.  And Kevin and Erin discuss a consortium poll on attitudes toward democracy, military politics and President Prabowo's foreign policy approach to Gaza and the Board of Peace.

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In this week's episode of the Reformasi Dispatch podcast on Indonesia - with an energy crunch looming, will the government hike fuel prices or ration subsidized petrol?

Will LPG supplies hold out? And will discomforts prove particularly awkward politically, given Prabowo's membership on the Board of Peace?

Also: How energy shortages are manifesting in regional neighbours. In policy developments, a draft decree in lieu of law (Perppu) would focus on economic crimes. And the military ousted the three-star head of intelligence (Bais) as a 'form of accountability' for the acid attack on Andrie Yunus. Kevin and Erin discuss possible explanations for the military's course of action.

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A military critic from the human rights group Kontras suffered a harrowing attack with acid that burned him badly. What does this portend for expression? In turn, police examined over 80 CCTV cameras and identified the suspected perpetrators - officers from military intelligence. Does this reflect rivalries between elements of the state apparatus? Also: How ASEAN states are reacting and adapting to the war on Iran, including geopolitics as well as energy disruptions. Prabowo called for 100 Gigawatts of solar power.

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President Prabowo reacts to the US-Israel invasion of Iran -- offer to mediate, assembles luminaries including former presidents, and then sets 'ready alert' (siaga satu) status for the military.  An array of groups and figures speak out against Prabowo's alignment with the US in the Board of Peace and concessions in the Recriprocal Trade Agreement.  Likelihood of a prolonged conflict in Iran point to economic impacts for Indonesia.  A court acquits Delpedro Marhaen, an activist apprehended last August for demonstrations.  And the government is restricting social media accounts for minors under age 16.

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This week in Indonesia - Erin & Kevin examine Indonesia's reciprocal trade agreement (ART) with the US; a slander case brewing against the popular satirist Pandji Pragiwaksono; and, further afield, Thailand's election and the growing popularity in the Philippines of VP Sarah Duterte.

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Electoral changes and a possible move to amend the Constitution are topics that Iqbal Kholidin of the Center for Democracy (Perludem) discusses in this week's edition of the Reformasi Dispatch podcast on Indonesian politics.  Erin and Kevin also discuss the stock market sell-off, the abrupt resignation of the chief financial regulator Mahendra Siregar, and the president's cancellation of Jardine Matheson's Martabe gold mine in North Sumatra.  Also: a tragic youth suicide case has gripped the nation's attention.

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To examine Thailand's upcoming election, Uday Bakhshi of Apac Assistance joins the Reformasi Dispatch podcast and outlines the players, prospects and scenarios -- including the 8 February referendum on yet another Constitution.  Also: Myanmar conducts a sham election; Indonesia joins Trump's Board of Peace -- generating backlash; rumors abound of an imminent change in the foreign affairs portfolio; and the tragedy of the collapse of a mountainside in Cisarua.

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Kevin and Erin talk to former  US diplomat  Brandon Possin on Trump's invasion of Venezuela and what to expect of the administration. Also: Stand up comic and government critic Pandji Pragiwaksono could face a blasphemy charge for his Netflix special Mens Rea after he was reported by a youth group. And Thomas Djiwandono, the President's nephew is named as a candidate for Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia, a move that shows administration's reach on monetary policy.

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Joining the pod is Isanksarsyah Bakri, senior advisor to the Aceh governor, for a discussion of the livelihoods crisis facing the province after the 23 November Senyar Cyclone devastated half of Aceh's districts.  Also: Erin and Kevin look at the Information Ministry's ban of the Grok AI nudify function on Elon Musk's X; Prabowo's travel plans; and Megawati's emphatic denunciation of Trump's neo-colonial folly.  And a spelling correction for last week's blurb: our interview guest was Monica Wihardja (not Suhardja).

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Burhanuddin Muhtadi of the polling firm Indikator politik, together with Monica Wihardja of ISEAS, join the pod to discuss their empirical analysis of disinformation mesaging in the 2024 Presidential contest. Spoiler: Beware of TikTok. Pak Burhan also comments on Presidential support ratings. Also; Kevin and Erin discuss disaster relief, a regional head election bill and KPK scrutiny of Ridwan Kamil.

You can read Burhanuddin and Monica's research here: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.iseas.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/TRS10_25.pdf

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