Talking Indonesia: the history of corruption in Indonesia

Corruption in Indonesia is widely acknowledged to be a complex issue and deeply entrenched in Indonesian culture. However, this overlooks the generally accepted notion among historians that corruption in Indonesia and other post-colonial nations is, at least partially, rooted in colonialism and the abuses of power and wealth during that period.

In this episode of Talking Indonesia, we examine the 1926 sugar scandal involving wealthy industrialists and a powerful political party in the Dutch East Indies. We explore how political corruption became the norm in colonial Indonesia and it was mainly driven by the fear of communist rebellion in the colony.

Our guest, Uji Nugroho Winardi, is a historian involved in the Colonial Normativity research project. This initiative aims to systematically investigate and narrate the role of corruption in Dutch and Indonesian histories of state formation, as well as its enduring impact on contemporary Indonesia.

In the  discussion, we address insights we can glean from the 1926 sugar scandal corruption case, and how these historical lessons can inform our approach to tackling present-day corruption.

In 2024, the Talking Indonesia podcast is co-hosted by Tito Ambyo from RMIT, Dr Elisabeth Kramer from the University of New South Wales, Dr Jemma Purdey from the Australia-Indonesia Centre and Dr Jacqui Baker from Murdoch University.

Look out for a new Talking Indonesia podcast every fortnight. Catch up on previous episodes here, subscribe via Apple Podcasts or listen via your favourite podcasting app.