Joko Widodo is prevented from running again for president. But a court ruling has thrown next year’s elections in doubt and rumours abound of efforts to keep him in power longer.
Tensions have been building over the last month following the killing of an Indonesian intelligence chief. The government has vowed to ‘chase and arrest’ all armed militants in the region.
Bajau fishermen on Hoga Island, Wakatobi National Park.
Photo by Chloe King
Chloe King, The University of Edinburgh and Wa Iba, Universitas Halu Oleo
Tourism development should support local communities to increase their skills and knowledge to better equip them to be resilient to crises and economic shocks.
No longer sharing names.
Indrianto Eko Suwarso/Antara Foto
The institutional design of BRIN allows for political intervention, showing how the Indonesian government is unwilling to prioritise research and technology.
Jokowi’s administration has been unable to deal with the pandemic effectively because it lacks political will and fears it could wreck the economy and, with it, his legacy.
Tourists stroll at an Old Town area in Semarang, Central Java, without properly wearing their face masks.
ANTARA FOTO/Aji Styawan/aww.
Indonesia is paying the price for failing to control the spread of the coronavirus. The country needs to change course and give priority to public health as the first step in repairing the economy.
Without wearing a face mask, an old man walks past a mural urging the use of face masks in Jakarta. Indonesia reported a record daily rise in coronavirus infections on Sunday with 6,267 cases.
ANTARA FOTO/M Risyal Hidayat/aww.
There are three key factors behind the government’s poor COVID-19 responses in the past nine months, and Indonesians can take steps to fix this.
Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo talks with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang during the latter’s visit to Indonesia in 2018.
ANTARA FOTO/Puspa Perwitasari/aww/18
The government’s decision not to delay the elections is driven mostly by economic reasons, though political factors also come into play.
Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (right) has been in an ongoing tug-of-war with his ally-turned-foe, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, over pandemic mitigation.
Sigid Kurniawan/Antara Foto
Jonatan A Lassa, Charles Darwin University; Ermi Ndoen, Institute of Resource Governance and Social Change (IRGSC) Kupang; Rudi Rohi, Institute of Resource Governance and Social Change (IRGSC) Kupang, and Victoria Fanggidae, The University of Melbourne
A pandemic can amplify friction and tension between jurisdictions – especially when there are political differences and existing conflict.
Tim Lindsey, The University of Melbourne and Tim Mann, The University of Melbourne
With low testing levels, it’s unclear just how bad the pandemic is in Indonesia. But President Joko Widodo is keen to get the economy restarted quickly, in part, to avoid widespread social unrest.
Indonesian marine officers get ready for a ceremony in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta. Taking aggressive steps vis-a-vis China could overturn its growing defence cooperation with China.
ANTARA FOTO/Muhammad Adimaja/wsj
Populist leaders can be a liability. Their optimistic bias and complacency, ambiguity, and ignorance of science undermine crisis management and put all at risk.
Tim Lindsey, The University of Melbourne and Tim Mann, The University of Melbourne
The government waited to put in place restrictions to stop the spread of the virus. Now, millions may soon be on the move for a religious celebration, which could make matters even worse.
Looking to the future, President Joko Widodo (centre) voiced a strong intention for Australia and Indonesia to become partners in developing the Pacific region.
Lukas Koch/AAP
Director for Presidential Studies at Department at Digital Media and Communication Research Center, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada