Policies 3 - Indonesia at Melbourne

From bad to worse: Digital populism may send Indonesia’s local media into oblivion

Now that local politicians like KDM are reducing their reliance on the mainstream media, legacy local media’s future existence looks increasingly bleak.

The Whoosh debt debacle: what the need for speed will cost Indonesia

Analysis, Economy, Infrastructure, Policies, Whoosh

Intended to symbolise Indonesian national pride when it began operations in October 2023, Whoosh has a speed of 350 kilometres per hour and a massive price tag of over US$7 billion, funded by Chinese state-owned finance providers. Indonesia’s Whoosh debt now amounts to US$5.4 billion (75 percent of total project costs), triggering criticism across the country and a corruption investigation.

Prabowo’s first year: unconsolidated state-led capitalism?

Analysis, Economy, Policies

Prabowo’s expanded role of the military in national development mirrors earlier experiments with economic nationalism under Sukarno’s ‘guided democracy’ and Soeharto’s military-backed corporatism.

Talking Indonesia: corruption in Prabowo-Gibran's first year

Corruption, Policies, Talking Indonesia

Corruption is always a hot topic in Indonesia, but where does the situation stand right now? In this episode, we talk to Egi Primayogha, the advocacy coordinator for the NGO Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), about their assessment of the current government and their recent report entitled Catatan Kritis (or critical notes) on the first year of the Prabawo-Gibran government.

Deadly ‘pesantren’ building collapse is a preventable tragedy. Without accountability, it won’t be the last

Law, Policies, Religion, Society

As the dust settles, there are questions about the tragic incident that need answering. How could such a huge construction failure occur? What lessons can be learned to prevent similar incidents in the future? And what are the implications of this disaster for religious education administrators and the general public?

Indonesian consumers are paying the price of the government’s market distortions. It needs to stop.

Analysis, Economy, Policies

The government’s quick fix was to suggest that private retailers buy their fuel supplies from Pertamina, the state-owned fuel giant. On the surface, this looked like a reasonable rescue measure. But, in reality, it suggests a more sinister agenda: bolstering the government’s monopoly over fuel.

Out of touch: Why an increase in politicians’ allowances triggered mass protests

Analysis, Policies, Politics

So, what do these protests say about current attitudes towards politicians, their work and their lifestyles in Indonesia? Following on from the recent One Piece flag phenomenon, the critiques that have unfolded reflect much deeper issues regarding Indonesians perceptions of politicians. Not only are they seen as out of touch with the concerns of everyday people but also the decisions they make about government spending are made without transparency and accountability.

Talking Indonesia: AI policy in Indonesia

Policies, Talking Indonesia

From the algorithms that curate your social media feed to the recommendation systems that influence what you buy, artificial intelligence is quietly reshaping every aspect of our daily lives. Yet most of us remain in the dark about how these powerful technologies are governed—and that's a problem we can't afford to ignore.

Indonesia’s new Police Bill: more power, less oversight

Analysis, Law, Policies

The bill has been widely seen as problematic since it was introduced in July 2024. Critics quickly pointed out that it contained vague provisions apparently meant to expand the powers of the police force. The problem was that it stopped short of putting in place legal guardrails to keep those powers in check, potentially creating a huge accountability gap.

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