Indonesian unicorns | Domestic worker row with Malaysia | Jokowi vs UU MD3 | Indonesia Intelligencer (Feb 17-23)
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Politics
Jokowi takes a stand on UMD3
Last week’s big legislative news was the House of Representatives (DPR) quietly passing the controversial UU MD3 law, a bill regulating the government’s various legislative bodies that activists say endangers democracy by giving lawmakers greater protection from investigations and the ability to legally prosecute their critics.
President Joko Widodo no doubt earned the enmity of some in the DPR by announcing on Twitter on Wednesday that he had yet to sign the draft bill sitting on his desk, saying he understood people’s concerns about UU MD3 (a Change.org petition calling for the bill to be rejected currently has over 190,000 signatures) and stating that he wanted Indonesian democracy to improve rather than deteriorate.
However, since Indonesian presidents do not have explicit veto powers (if it’s already been passed by the DPR, a bill automatically becomes law even if the president hasn’t signed off on it), it’s not totally clear what he hopes to accomplish by delaying the signing. The Democrats have challenged Jokowi to fire Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yasonna H Laoly, the coordinating minister in charge of the bill, to prove the president is serious about rejecting UU MD3 and is not simply delaying for the sake of pencitraan (imaging).
A ban on domestic workers to Malaysia?
Last week’s shocking story of an Indonesian domestic worker who died after suffering alleged abuse at the hands of her Malaysian employers continues to have political ramifications, with Indonesia reportedly considering a ban on sending domestic workers to the neighboring country if they do not enforce labor laws properly.
A meeting between Malaysia's ambassador to Indonesia and Indonesia’s Manpower and Transmigration minister to discuss the ban was supposed to take place on Tuesday but has been delayed for the time being.
That might have had something to do with Wednesday’s announcement that the deceased domestic worker’s Malaysian employer has been charged with murder (and thus will face the death penalty), placating some of the cries for justice from Jakarta and lessening the chances of a moratorium being put in place.
Further reading: ASEAN Must Confront its Domestic Workers Abuse Problem (The Diplomat)
Nazaruddin threatens to tell all: On the corruption front, Nazaruddin, the former treasurer of the Democrat Party convicted of graft in 2012 and again in 2016, testified at the corruption trial of former House Speaker Setya Novanto this week and made the shocking allegation that the then-leaders of every major political faction received bribe money as part of the massive electronic ID card (e-KTP) graft scandal, further deepening the biggest ongoing case being prosecuted by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
Ahok’s renewed legal battle: Former Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama recently filed for a judicial review (PK) of his controversial blasphemy conviction, a surprising legal turn considering Ahok is nearly one-year into serving out his 2-year sentence and had previously chosen not to appeal the verdict in his case. His PK is reportedly based in part on the conviction of Buni Yani, the man who uploaded his supposedly blasphemous speech and received a 1.5 year sentence in November for spreading hate speech. The first hearing for Ahok’s PK is set for Monday.
Rizieq refuses to return: The fugitive founder of the hardline Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), Rizieq Shihab, disappointed hundreds of his die-hard followers who went to welcome him at the airport on Wednesday by failing to return to Indonesia (yet again). His extended absence and refusal to face the law has led to in-fighting and acrimony within the “212” Islamist political movement, which will hopefully hamper their goal of using the same strategy they successfully used to unseat Ahok last year in this year’s regional elections.
Recommended reads
Indonesia’s war on cash politics (ASEAN Today): Indonesian politics is reserved for the wealthy and the elite. That could be about to change.
Indonesia's rightward tilt under a liberal president (Deutsche Welle): Religious conservatives in Indonesia have managed to increase their influence over the past couple of years, when someone who is considered to be liberal and a modernizer - Joko Widodo - has been in office as president.
Shifting U.S.-Indonesia Relations to a Transactional Approach (Council on Foreign Relations): “The U.S.-Indonesia relationship has often disappointed. It’s time to rethink U.S.-Indonesia ties and try to achieve real security goals, rather than make bold plans for cooperation that never come to fruition.”
Indonesia Unlikely to Join US-Led-Coalition to Contain China (The Diplomat)
Business
Fishing for foreign capital: The government continues its bid to woo foreign investment, this week announcing plans to offer tax allowances and tax holidays to more business sectors. Ironing out regulatory uncertainties on tax incentives is expected to put Indonesia in a better place to challenge its regional neighbors in attracting foreign investment.
Oil show: Indonesia — a former OPEC member — is also attempting to reverse a decline in oil and gas production by holding roadshows in Europe and the US this month, seeking bids for as many as 40 oil and gas blocks.
Spending big on jets: Indonesia has inked a billion-dollar deal to buy 11 Sukhoi Su-35 jets from Russia, after the government said in August that it would seek to trade palm oil, coffee and tea for Russian fighter jets, capitalizing on international sanctions on Moscow brought about by the Kremlin’s alleged meddling in the US elections and its annexation of Crimea.
Infrastructure roadblock: President Joko Widodo’s aggressive infrastructure drive — for which many projects are initially scheduled for completion before the 2019 election — is slowing down due to investigations into a recent toll road construction accident in Jakarta that injured seven. Nine have been killed in government construction sites over the past six months, raising concerns that safety is being sacrificed for the sake of speeding up construction.
The not-so-elusive unicorn: Indonesia currently has five “unicorns” (startup companies worth more than US$1 billion) and the government is forecasting four more by 2019. The healthcare and education sectors are seen as the most promising sectors for spawning new unicorns.
Recommended read
Indonesians pack slow boats despite rise of budget airlines (Nikkei Asian Review)
The atmosphere in the waiting room at the port is heavy with silent anticipation. Nearly 100 people of all ages look wearily at the open sea stretching beyond the glass wall ahead. They are waiting for the Dobonsolo, one of the nation's remaining fleet of affordable long-distance ships, still popular with many locals, despite long journeys, delays, congestion and the rise of budget carriers.
Other News and Notable Features
BOOM: On Monday, Mount Sinabung in Sumatra erupted once again, spewing an ash cloud 5 kilometers into the air. No fatalities were reported, but flights were forced to avoid the area around the volcano.
Hoping to halt the haze: A spike in forest fires caused Indonesia’s disaster agency to issue disaster alert statuses in South Sumatra, Riau, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan. Officials are under intense pressure to keep the fires contained in order to prevent another haze disaster this year, especially in the run-up to Jakarta and Palembang hosting the Asian Games in August.
Recommended reads
Want the Perfect Instagram Photo? This Park Hires a Photographer for You (Bloomberg):Visitors to Kalibiru Tourism Village, near Yogyakarta, wait hours to get the perfect shot for social media.
Beyond Access: Making Indonesia’s Education System Affordable (Lowy Institute): Indonesia’s education system is low in quality and the underlying causes are political.
Why niqab is being worn by more Muslim women in Indonesia, and a secular nation’s sometimes hostile response to full-face veil (South China Morning Post): Wearing a full-face veil in a country where most Muslim women choose either a hijab or no headscarf at all is as much a cultural as a religious choice, and one being promoted and defended by groups such as the Niqab Squad.
Worth Watching
This cinema in Indonesia actually encourages people to whisper to each other while the movie is playing. At Bioskop Bisik (Whispering Cinema), the visually impaired are paired with volunteers who whisper and describe the movie to them as it plays. This short documentary by Singapore-based digital storytelling initiative Our Better World captured the joys at the cinema, and through them, you too can volunteer to bring life to movies for those who can’t see.Top Coconuts Jakarta Stories of the Week
VIRAL: Woman shames friend accused of stealing her husband… by showering her with wads of cash
Yogyakarta court upholds law preventing non-indigenous (i.e. Chinese) Indonesians from owning land
High school teacher arrested for sharing fake news about communists coming to kill Islamic scholars
Watch: Pretty big python pops up to freak out passengers on train to Jakarta
VIRAL: Indonesian woman bites traffic cop’s hand after protesting ticket for not wearing a helmet