Talking Indonesia

On 15 July, the Indonesian legislature (DPR) revised special autonomy legislation for Papua and West Papua provinces, extending the provision of additional funds to the two provinces. The extension of special autonomy – or otsus – has been hotly debated for 18 months, with many civil society groups and independence supporters rejecting special autonomy altogether. Special autonomy is one strand of the Indonesian government’s attempts to address protracted conflict with segments of Papuan society, including armed independence groups such as the TPNPB, the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement. Another strand has been a security approach, including counter-insurgency operations, internet shutdowns and the sometimes fatal repression of dissent and protests. In this week’s Talking Indonesia podcast, Dr Dave McRae discusses special autonomy and the overall Indonesian government approach to the Papua conflict with Hipolitus Wangge, a researcher at the Australian National University who was also a humanitarian volu

Dicky Budiman: the worsening pandemic crisis We are bringing you this episode early this week in response to the current escalation in the pandemic crisis in Indonesia, especially in Java. Last week, 16 months after announcing its first case of COVID-19, Indonesia passed the ominous milestone of 2 million officially recorded cases, and daily case numbers are surging. Local government officials in parts of Java are moving to declare ‘red zones’ and limit movement in their regions, and hospitals are reaching if not already exceeding capacity. What are the causes of this recent spike in Covid numbers? What does it tell us about the way the government has handled the crisis over the past 16 months? How dire will the situation become and can the vaccination roll out help to mitigate its impacts? In Talking Indonesia this week, Jemma Purdey talks to Dr Dicky Budiman, a medical doctor, epidemiologist and advisor to governments and international organisations for over 20 years. Dicky is currently completing his Ph

As the coronavirus pandemic extends into its second year, digital literacy is more important now than ever. Misinformation and hoaxes are everywhere. Cultural and political contests on social media have also become more intense, and politicians are already beginning to position themselves ahead of the 2024 elections. Being digitally literate entails not only the ability to use digital devices and platforms but also the capacity to ethically engage with other online users. Digital safety and privacy are also important. As is, of course, the capacity to understand whether information is true and reliable. But just how digitally literate are Indonesians? In this episode, Dr Annisa Beta talks to Dr Novi Kurnia, a lecturer at the Department of Communication Science at Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, and the founder and coordinator of the Indonesia Digital Literacy Network or Japelidi. Japelidi, along with the Ministry of Communication and Informatics and Siberkreasi, published

The Indonesian government is aiming to vaccinate two-thirds of the population in order to reach herd immunity against the Covid-19 virus, but the sheer size of the population and its geographical extent make the vaccination task a very challenging one. In order to balance the vaccination drive with on-going productivity, they have enlisted the help of private corporations to launch and pay for inoculation drives. In March, state-owned pharmaceutical company Bio Farma and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) signed a cooperation agreement on the implementation of the self-funded vaccination program ('vaksin gotong-royong')that targets employees of private companies and their families. While this public-private cooperation may sound like a good way to hasten the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine, some observers are worried about problems to do with vaccine supply, potential for corruption, and low health standards in the implementation. To talk about the role of the private sector in Indonesia

Mass protest movements have increasingly become a feature of Indonesian democracy. The massive #ReformasiDikorupsi (“Reform Corrupted”) protests in 2019 were hailed as the largest democratic reform protests in the country in two decades. Nearly three years earlier, Islamist groups also showed their ability to mobilise through their “Defence of Islam” protests, which called for the prosecution of Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, the Christian Chinese-Indonesian governor of Jakarta, on blasphemy charges. Meanwhile, mass protest movements have emerged to oppose authoritarian regimes in Indonesia’s neighbouring countries of Myanmar and Thailand. How do these movements mobilise and how effective are they at bringing about change? How has protest changed in the age of social media, and how has the state responded to mass protest? Are there parallels also that we can draw between protest movements in Indonesia and its regional neighbours? In this week’s Talking Indonesia podcast, Dr Dave McRae discusses these issue

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo disappointed environmentalists at home and internationally last month, when he failed to set a date for Indonesia to reach net-zero emissions at US President Joe Biden's recent virtual climate summit. Leading up to the event, officials suggested Indonesia was considering setting a target of reaching net-zero by 2070. Jokowi did, however, note that in 2020, Indonesia’s rates of deforestation had reached record lows, with a reduction in conversion of its natural forests and peatlands and fewer forest fires. Indonesia is home to 10% of the world’s tropical rainforests. It is also the 5th largest emitter of carbon, largely caused by the continued destruction of forests and peatlands. Does this recent data reveal a sustainable trend for the reduction of deforestation in Indonesia? What challenges remain to significantly reduce or even end deforestation? How important are Indonesia’s forests for the world’s climate future?  In Talking Indonesia this week, Jemma Purdey talks to Aid

Transgender women, commonly called waria, are an important part of contemporary Indonesian society. Growing discussion of LGBTQIA+ issues have seen gender and sexual minorities become increasingly visible in Indonesian public life, especially among younger and urban Indonesian populations. But what about the important role long played by waria in Indonesia's cultural-political landscape? How have waria navigated public life in the world’s largest Muslim society? In this episode, Dr Annisa Beta discusses these issues with Dr Benjamin Hegarty, a Mckenzie Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Melbourne. His book, tentatively titled "The Made-Up State", will be published soon. In 2021, the Talking Indonesia podcast is co-hosted by Dr Annisa Beta, Dr Dave McRae from the University of Melbourne’s Asia Institute, Dr Jemma Purdey from Monash University, and Dr Charlotte Setijadi from the Singapore Management University.

In late March, Indonesia faced two terror attacks in the space of a week, with a husband and wife conducting a suicide bombing against a cathedral in Makassar, and a woman attacking Indonesian police headquarters carrying an Airsoft gun. Indonesian police described the perpetrators of both attacks as supporters of the Islamic State or ISIS – the group’s supporters have been responsible for a string of attacks in Indonesia over the past five years, albeit mostly causing few fatalities, including attacks in Indonesia’s two main cities Jakarta and Surabaya in 2016 and 2018. What do these recent attacks tell us about the nature of the terrorist threat in Indonesia, and how is this threat changing? Are ISIS supporters the main threat to Indonesian security or are longer-established organisations such as Jemaah Islamiyah emerging anew? Why have terrorist attacks in Indonesia persisted despite the imprisonment of hundreds of terrorist perpetrators? And how well have Indonesian authorities responded to the threat o

International Women’s Day was celebrated on 8 March. It aims to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women and bring attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence against women. Since the fall of Soeharto, the Indonesian women's movement has been instrumental in pushing for affirmative action policies that have promoted women's participation in politics, and have successfully advocated for policies to protect the rights of women, such as the 2004 Law on Domestic Violence. At the same time, however, major challenges remain, particularly in maternal health, violence against women and discrimination. In Indonesia, as elsewhere, women are raising their voices and calling for improvements to women’s safety and equality. What has been achieved in terms of women’s rights and equality in the post-authoritarian era in Indonesia? Are more women entering politics and what impact are they having? What are the issues driving the women’s movement today? I

What are effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on children and vulnerable populations in Indonesia? As most schools and educational institutions have been closed for more than a year, many children have to shelter in places that may not always be ideal. The pandemic has also restricted opportunities for children and vulnerable populations to express their concerns and participate in public. Who has been affected the most? What can we do about the issues children and vulnerable individuals face? To shed light on these issues, in this episode, we are joined by Dr. Santi Kusumaningrum, the Director of Puskapa (Centre for Child Protection and Wellbeing at University of Indonesia). Photo by M Agung Rajasa for Antara.

In this Lunar New Year special episode, Dr Charlotte Setijadi chats with Dr Evi Sutrisno about the history and evolution of Confucianism in Indonesia, from its beginnings as a belief system for ethnic Chinese migrants to its recognition as one of the country's six official religions.

The December 2020 elections for mayors and governors marked the beginning of Indonesia’s fourth wave of direct local elections. Mayors and governors have been directly elected by popular vote since 2005, replacing a previous system of indirect election by local legislatures that was widely perceived as corrupt. Most candidates though are still nominated by coalitions of political parties, as provisions for independent candidates in place since 2008 are very difficult to navigate. What are the keys to winning these local elections? Do the party coalitions that candidates form shape their chances of winning, or the way that they govern afterwards? Have the ways in which local leaders won office shaped their response to the Covid-19 pandemic? And are changes now needed to the electoral system to improve the functioning of these elections and local governance? In this week’s Talking Indonesia podcast, Dr Dave McRae discusses these issues with Dr Adrianus Hendrawan , a recent PhD graduate from the Australian Nati

Dr Ines Atmosukarto - COVID-19 and the vaccine Over the past few months, the Covid-19 crisis in Indonesia has escalated, with daily case numbers and deaths from the virus hitting record levels week after week. Without strict lockdowns, government efforts to encourage the public to comply with social distancing and masking advice has not been effective in controlling the spread of the disease.   On 13 January, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo received the first dose of the CoronaVac vaccine, manufactured by Chinese firm Sinovac, after interim data from phase III trials in late 2020 found that the vaccine is 65.3% effective. The vaccine trials and rollout across the world has been shrouded in some controversy, and the vaccine's reception in Indonesia has been mixed. As the government embarks on one of the largest vaccination programs in its history, what are the challenges? Is it taking the right approach, and will the vaccine do its job and arrest the pandemic in Indonesia?   To explore these questions and mo

At the end of what has been a challenging year, governments around the world are imposing movement restriction orders to prevent Christians from traveling home and congregating at churches. The issue of restricting people’s rights to practice their religious rituals due to Covid-19 is a challenging and controversial one. However, in a country such as Indonesia where religion plays a huge part in the everyday life and identity politics of people, it is difficult to separate religion from politics, and the question then becomes how the government may better work together with religious leaders and institutions in the fight to curb the spread of Covid-19. To talk about the role of Indonesian religious leaders and institutions in the Covid-19 pandemic, I speak with Dr Syafiq Hasyim.

Religious harmony is a persistent challenge in Indonesia, whether between adherent to different religions or within each religious community. During the early years of the democratic transition, thousands of Indonesians were killed in large-scale inter-religious conflicts in several provinces in the east of the country; long after these conflicts have ended, the construction of new places of worship remains an ongoing source of tension thorughout the archipelago. One response of the Indonesian government has been to establish Inter-religious Harmony Forums (FKUB) in all districts and provinces. To discuss the issue of religious harmony, and how such Inter-religious Harmony Forums have performed in tackling religious disputes and promoting tolerance, I’m joined today by Ihsan Ali-Fauzi, director of PUSAD Paramadina, the Centre for the Study of Religion and Democracy . Ihsan has written extensively on these FKUB, and his organisation PUSAD Paramadina has established a national database to provide an evidence ba

Indonesia has long been known as one of the most active Facebook and Twitter nations, but more recently Instagram has become the social media platform of choice for many young Indonesians. Some of the platform’s most prolific users are female Islamic activists who are keen to utilize social media as novel tools for proselytisation (or da’wa). Why do female activists choose social media such as Instagram for their activism? How they utilise the visual tools available to them? And how does their activism differ from conventional da’wa? In this Talking Indonesia episode, Dirk Tomsa discusses these and other questions with Dr Annisa Beta, a Lecturer in Cultural Studies at the University of Melbourne’s School of Culture and Communication. In 2020, the Talking Indonesia podcast is co-hosted by Dr Jemma Purdey from the Australia-Indonesia Centre, Dr Dave McRae from the University of Melbourne’s Asia Institute, Dr Charlotte Setijadi from the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore and Dr Dirk Tomsa from La Trob

Rafiqa Quaratta A'yun - the omnibus Law on Job Creation Since early October, large-scale protests have taken place on the streets of Jakarta and other cities around Indonesia in opposition to the new omnibus Law on Job Creation (UU Cipta Kerja). The 1000+ page law includes 186 articles and revises 77 existing laws, yet it took a relatively short time to be drafted and reviewed before being passed into law.   For months, legal scholars and academics warned about the lack of transparency around the drafting of the law and the haste with which it was completed, arguing it was unlawful. Meanwhile, workers, students and environmentalists have demonstrated over the law's weakening of workers' conditions and environmental protections.  What is in the omnibus law and why has President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's government made it a priority? Who are the winners and losers of the law? What does the process of its enactment tell us about the government, its priorities and values? In Talking Indonesia this week, Dr Jemma

Indonesia’s micro, small and medium enterprises sector – in which most Indonesians work - has been hard hit by public health measures in response to the pandemic and by the broader economic downturn. How have these impacts varied for different micro, small and medium enterprises? How has the sector adapted to the pandemic? And has government assistance addressed the sctor’s needs? In this week’s Talking Indonesia podcast, Dr Dave McRae discusses these issues with by Nurul Widyaningrum, Executive Director of Akatiga, the Centre for Social Analysis, who has written widely about MSMEs in Indonesia. Today’s episode is the latest in the “Policy in Focus” series of Talking Indonesia episodes, supported by the Knowledge Sector Initiative (KSI), a partnership between the Australian and Indonesian governments that aims to improve the use of evidence in development policymaking. This series will appear periodically in alternate weeks to the regular Talking Indonesia episodes. The views expressed in this podcast epi

Illegal, undocumented and unregulated fishing became one of the most prominent issues of the first term Jokowi government. Its prominence arose in part because of repeated confrontations at sea with the fishing fleets and coastguard of China and Vietnam, but more notably owing to the hardline enforcement approach of Jokowi’s first term fisheries minister, Susi Pudjiastuti. Susi’s use of explosives to sink siezed foreign vessels and her high media profile made her one of President Jokowi’s most popular ministers, but she was not re-appointed in Jokowi’s second term cabinet. But how did Susi transform Indonesia’s fisheries industry during her tenure? And what does her her replacement tell us about the sustainability of her approach to combating illegal fishing? In this week's Talking Indonesia podcast, Dr Dave McRae discusses these issues with Dr Fabio Scarpello, lecturer in politics and international relations in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Auckland. Dr Scarpello is the author of ‘Susi Versus th

According to Unicef, more than 60 million students in Indonesia have been temporarily out of school due to COVID-19, presenting the country’s education sector with unprecedented challenges. How have schools responded to these challenges? How have children and parents reacted? And what are the likely long-term implications of prolonged home schooling for Indonesian children? In this week’s Talking Indonesia podcast, we chat about the impact of Covid-19 on early childhood education in Indonesia. Joining host Dirk Tomsa is Dr Vina Adriany, the Head of the Department of Early Childhood Education at the School of Graduate Studies at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia in Bandung. In 2020, the Talking Indonesia podcast is co-hosted by Dr Dave McRae from the University of Melbourne’s Asia Institute, Dr Jemma Purdey from Monash University, Dr Dirk Tomsa from La Trobe University, and Dr Charlotte Setijadi from the Singapore Management University. Look out for a new Talking Indonesia podcast every fortnight. Catch