President Prabowo and Teddy Indra Wijaya: accusations have ignited a social media firestorm

[serious_fun]

Are Prabowo's ties to Teddy the relatively safe way that Indonesia's oligarchs attack Prabowo? It has a populist tinge to it, which makes it a strategy which could garner working class support...ironic given the fact that oligarchs may have started the attacks.

Some might dismiss this as merely another scurrilous episode in Indonesian politics. But the fact that these allegations were made reflects growing elite disquiet about Prabowo’s leadership.

Under different circumstances, such rumors would likely not matter. In neighboring Malaysia, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has long been subjected to similar attacks by opponents. But time has taken away their sting, and his political grip is such that he has been able to shrug them off.

However, in Indonesia, things are shakier. And, if economic conditions continue to worsen, if privileged groups, not just the poor, begin to feel squeezed, if the executive continues to be seen as out of touch and if open criticism of Prabowo is seen as risky, then popular anger is going to settle on a soft target.

Spending a fortune on Teddy's birthday party in Paris was a VERY NAIVE AND FOOLISH thing for the government to do. It's amazing that the Indo officials were/are so out of touch with the general public, many of whom are struggling month to month.