Reformasi Dispatch

This week's Reformasi Dispatch podcast examines the abrupt attempt by at least three pro‑Widodo parties, including Golkar, to prolong Widodo's presidency, ostensibly because an election would be detrimental.  Widodo himself has remained silent on the matter, exacerbating damage to Indonesia's international image at a time when its presidency of the G20 should be enabling the country to burnish its democratic credentials.  The podcast examines the potential for proponents of postponement to alter the Constitution and legitimize an extension of Widodo's term.  Also: the impacts of the invasion of Ukraine on Indonesia's economy, and what China's ambivalence might mean for Asia. Finally, an interview with Yu Liuqing of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on the reasons for Indonesia's improved index score.

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This episode is also available in video form on Youtube. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV60-iGRODC7Jh3m2A76ODA

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With the nomination of presidential tickets barely 18 months away, image management is increasingly crucial for potential contenders -- especially Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo.  Jeff and Kevin recount events last week in the hamlet of Wadas, Central Java, where police clashed with community members opposed to a quarry project -- entangling the governor in unseemly controversy. 

Also: Indonesia prepares for a high‑profile international superbike race expected to draw 100,000 spectators to remote Mandalika, Central Lombok, next month. And the government faces opportunistic criticism for tightening domestic mobility restrictions while easing rules for incoming travelers.   

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Over the next two years, fully half of all democratically elected regional heads across Indonesia will undergo replacement with interim appointees chosen by either the president or the home affairs minister.  Reformasi Dispatch examines multiple sources of confusion that already afflict the process.

Also: Southeast Asia's first Holocaust Museum, in North Sulawesi, highlights an Indonesian Jewish community -- estimated to number perhaps 200 people -- that has shunned attention since the Surabaya Synagogue demolition nearly a decade ago.  Jeff and Kevin also discuss the government's efforts to both grapple with the omicron wave while also preparing for the re-opening of tourism.  And finally, how attempts to stage a Jakarta Formula-E race have been far from formulaic. 

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The founder of Indonesia's newest unicorn, Kopi Kenangan, provides an account of one company's adjustment to economic changes through real-time data usage.  Edward Tirtanata explains how the coffee purveyor expanded from humble origins a few years ago to 600 stores and counting -- while remaining profitable and cultivating a distinctive HR culture. 

Also, Jeff and Kevin examine Indonesia's second clear case of modern slavery practices to emerge within the past decade: the use of forced labor and jail-like detention by the chief of Langkat District.  Reformasi Dispatch looks at the implications for legal institutions in light of findings from research by civil society groups and the Witness Protection Agency (LPSK). 

Other topics: a move toward finally reopening Bali to foreign arrivals, and a look at the 2024 election outlook following a firm date established by the General Election Commission (KPU): presidential balloting on Valentine's Day, 2024.

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The World Bank’s lead economist for Indonesia discusses poverty, growth, and tax reform with the Reformasi Dispatch podcast.  Habib Rab delves into the impacts that threaten to constrain future growth and highlights the importance of social welfare interventions to mitigate trends in poverty.  He also underscores the importance of competitiveness and a multi-pronged approach to enhancing tax collection. 

Also: Jeff and Kevin discuss plans for resuming petrol subsidies and an overview of the swiftly passed National Capital Law.

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The Griffith University epidemiologist Dicky Budiman tells Reformasi Dispatch podcast that testing, tracing, and isolation matter more than ever -- and he assesses Sinovac's efficacy and the value of a Paxlovid shipment that arrived in Indonesia.  Also: Jeff and Kevin look at the fallout from the coal export ban and Prabowo Subianto's latest double-edged political overture.

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Reformasi Dispatch speaks with Willy Aditya, a legislator heading the parliamentary working committee that appears to be on the verge of a breakthrough for a long-awaited Bill on Sexual Assault Crimes.

This is the unabridged interview conducted in Indonesian.

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Momentum is building for progress on addressing sexual violence against women, children and the disabled.  Reformasi Dispatch speaks with Willy Aditya, a legislator heading the parliamentary working committee that appears to be on the verge of a breakthrough for a long-awaited Bill on Sexual Assault Crimes.  Also: Widodo makes an assertive start to 2022 -- banning coal exports, cancelling mine permits and mandating a Land Bank Agency.  Jeff and Kevin also discuss anticipation of another Covid case surge fuelled by omicron.  Finally, a review of the final design for a new presidential palace.

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American Chamber of Commerce head Lin Neumann joins the podcast to discuss the impacts of the Constitutional Court's ruling on the landmark economic reform package of the Widodo administration, the 'Jobs Omnibus', and the outlook for investment.  Also: new natural disasters test response efforts and Natuna Sea tensions escalate.

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The Eurasia Group’s South and Southeast Asia analyst joins Reformasi Dispatch to examine the preparations and reactions of regional governments to the emergence of the Omicron variant of Covid 19.  Depending on scenarios for the new variant’s levels of transmission and mortality, Peter looks at the political and economic capacity of ASEAN countries to weather another potential wave of infections.

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