Indonesia’s Year of Dithering Dangerously.

Vanhelsing

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I came across this article today which I thought may be of interest to some.

Why did Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo skip the G-20?
By Kevin O'Rourke
December 19, 2018

"While U.S.-China relations dominated attention at the recent G-20 Summit, a little-noticed aspect was that Indonesia President Joko Widodo did not even bother to attend."

"In Indonesia, ambivalence about engaging in the international arena is even more pronounced than usual, and this may explain Widodo’s absence. The president has often appeared indifferent about foreign affairs, but now this attitude increasingly applies to cabinet-level policymaking and the broader political arena. "

"Labor Ministry data shows that work permits for expatriates from key investor nations – Japan, Korea, the United States, the U.K. and Australia – declined by 5 percent from 2012-18. This bodes ill for attracting the capital inflows that Indonesia increasingly needs to fund its current account deficit."

"Furthermore, with the adoption of the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI), Indonesia’s residency-based system of global taxation serves, in practice, to make the country a highly uncompetitive place for expatriates to work, relative to regional neighbors that are competing for capital. Policymakers are aware of the problem, but Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has made no initiative to address it. "

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Source. The Diplomat

"Nonetheless, foreigners continue to face difficulties in obtaining work permits. The process remains convoluted, expensive, overly rigid and unpredictable. The president ordered investor-friendly reforms in March 2018, but policymakers produced changes that have proven largely inconsequential"

" But Widodo has shown scant interest in fundamental governance reform. To fill a recent vacancy in a cabinet post that is crucial for bureaucratic performance, Widodo chose a career police general (Syafruddin) with personal ties to Kalla – hardly a choice that inspires confidence for addressing persistent dysfunctions in the state apparatus. "

"The president has persistently favored candidates linked to conventional (or discredited) political elites – including elites whose support is clearly immaterial with regard to re-nomination or re-election. His tendency to avoid reform, appease fringe groups and align with elites has been growing gradually more pronounced over the past two years. The once-enterprising regional head now rarely shows signs of political courage, creativity or inspiration. "

Full article https://thediplomat.com/2018/12/indonesias-year-of-dithering-dangerously/
 
Kudos on a great thread title.

Jokowi has been a big disappointment as President, in my very very very humble opinion. As far as I can tell, though, his main flaw is that he has failed to move the country forward - instead, the same old KKN, entrenched nationalism, and so on continues more or less as before. But I don't think he's made things worse, has he? I dunno, ever since Trump was elected I've been so busy being appalled at what he's doing that I've had no energy to spare for the Indonesian political scene.
 
First, do no harm. I look forward to a second Jokowi term & yes, next to Trump everyone looks good.
 

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