Posted in: Politics

Opposition figure Tom Lembong jailed for graft. Questions linger about his conviction.

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While corruption trials have virtually become a national pastime in Indonesia, where the public sector is widely perceived to be profoundly corrupt, the case against Lembong has attracted public attention for a different reason. Critics have highlighted the irregularities in his prosecution, fuelling speculation that the charges levelled against him were politically motivated.

Jokowi drops bid to take PSI from son. What’s his endgame?

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At this point, it remains unclear what the endgame is for the former Solo mayor as he navigates politics after his presidency. But the political walls do seem to be closing in on him.   

West Java governor could be Indonesia’s latest digital populist. Should we be alarmed?

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Indonesia’s challenge, therefore, lies not in rejecting populist appeal outright but in demanding accountability: leaders who harness mass engagement must also deliver institutional resilience. Otherwise, the cycle of charismatic promises and unmet expectations will continue, leaving democracy perpetually vulnerable to disillusionment.

Meet Haji Isam, the new poster boy of Indonesia’s oligarchy

At 48, Haji Isam is one of the youngest oligarchs to help prop up the Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and the Prabowo Subianto administrations. Even though Haji Isam does not hold public office (unlike other young and powerful oligarchs such as Erick Thohir, Rosan Roeslani, Pandu Sjahrir and Sandiaga Uno), his clout with the current national leadership is just hard to ignore.

Talking Indonesia: Media freedom

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So what is the state of the media in Indonesia today? What protections are in place for journalists and in the midst of political, economic and technological challenges, who will stand up for a free press?

Dual leadership? The Prabowo-Jokowi alliance is just getting more toxic

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As a politician steeped in Javanese statecraft and power plays, Jokowi clearly has little appetite for a direct confrontation. But this does not make him any less assertive than Prabowo.

Prabowo’s inner circle is dominated by young, groupthink-prone loyalists. What could go wrong?  

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These individuals often accompany the president from his residence in Hambalang, West Java, to the State Palace in Jakarta. They travel with him, join official state visits, and take part in both small and large cabinet meetings.

‘Dark Indonesia’ and Jokowi’s legacy of predatory populism

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Instead of dismantling the entrenched power of oligarchic elites, Jokowi’s populism has deepened predatory tendencies by attacking institutional reforms established after the fall of Suharto. His political strategy has aligned the accumulation of capital with business interests, populist rhetoric, and bureaucratic life—while also weakening legal structures to allow exploitation of state resources and redistribution of wealth to political allies.

Will the new Military Law bring back Soeharto’s Dual Function?  

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The sight of the military swarming the streets to prevent student protesters from disrupting a DPR plenary session brought back memories of President Soeharto’s New Order, when soldiers were an integral and oppressive part of Indonesian political and social life.

Indonesia at Melbourne is supported by:

Melbourne Law School Asia Institute Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society Indonesia Forum Faculty of Arts Indonesia Democracy Hallmark Research Initiative

Indonesia at Melbourne

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The University of Melbourne
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Phone: +61 3 83448581

Email:  indo-at-melb@unimelb.edu.au

Date created: 1 July 2015

Editor: Ary Hermawan

Editorial board: 
Professor Tim Lindsey
Dr Tim Mann
Aron Corbett

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