Author: Jusuf Wanandi

On July 17, 2009, the Canberra-based Australian National University (ANU) conferred a Doctor Honoris Causa degree in economics on Hadi Soesastro. He is the third Indonesian to receive such a degree, following the conferrals many years ago to Dr. Masri Singarimbun, a demographer, and Dr. Thee Kian Wie, an economic historian.

Dr. Singarimbun was honored for his achievements in the field of demography, and for paving the way for Indonesian students to study at the ANU. Dr. Thee was honored for his long standing and extensive cooperation with the university.

The ANU honored Hadi for his achievements in promoting the idea of regionalism in East Asia and the Asia Pacific. He has tirelessly developed the idea and given it a conceptual framework through various Track Two processes since it was first proposed in the 1970s. He has been instrumental in developing the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) into what it is today, and for the establishment of the Economic Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). In addition, he is appreciated for his contribution to Indonesian-Australia relations, especially in economics.

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Author: Jusuf Wanandi

In about a week’s time, on the 8th of July, the Indonesian presidential election will be held. All presidential contestants have been under intense scrutiny recently including the incumbent vice-president Jusuf Kalla. He had announced in February 2009 that he would not be returning as the running mate of the current President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). Instead, he would be jockeying for the coveted position himself under the covering fire of former military strongman General Wiranto.

Writing about Jusuf Kalla (JK) in the 2009 presidential election is an encore for me because I wrote an op-ed piece for the Financial Times on the 2004 presidential election. I remember my stance on Jusuf Kalla then was negative because there was popular belief that as a student activist, he was behind the burning of churches in Makassar in 1967. That is how he was branded as being anti-Christian.

Kalla inherited and developed the family business after the demise of his father, Hadji Kalla; and as a businessman he inevitably had to compete with other businessmen, be they Chinese-Indonesian or foreign. It was then that he was branded anti-Chinese and anti-foreign.

However, my view of Kalla gradually became positive because of the role he played in resolving the Muslim-Christian conflicts in Maluku (the Malino I Agreement) and Poso, in Central Sulawesi the (Malino II Agreement). He achieved this single-handedly during his time as coordinating minister for the People’s Welfare during Megawati Soekarnoputri’s presidency. Read more…

Author: Jusuf Wanandi, CSIS

Congratulations to the United States. For the first time in more than 230 years of American history, an African American, Barack Obama, is installed as president of the United States. All Americans should be proud. There is so much euphoria, and so many expectations have been placed on president Obama’s shoulders. This is not only the case in the United States, but all over the world. This pressure has been building since he was elected last November.

The problems and challenges that Obama now faces – including the economic recession, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Palestine-Israel conflict, Iran and North Korea’s nuclear proliferation, social security and healthcare issues — are tremendously difficult and complicated.

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Author: Jusuf Wanandi, vice chair of the board of trustees, CSIS Foundation, Jakarta.

After six months of heated debate in the House of Representatives’ Committee I for foreign relations, defense and information, the Indonesian Parliament has ratified the ASEAN Charter.

Its endorsement was accompanied by a formal interpretation of several elements of the charter contained in the addendum to the ratification law. It stipulated that the charter has to reflect the ‘ideals of ASEAN’, specifically with regard to: the improvement and protection of human rights through an effective ASEAN human rights body; the institution of sanctions, including freezing of membership in cases of serious non-compliance and obstruction of the charter by members; and greater public involvement in ASEAN’s activities.

These points also have been strongly advocated by civil society groups (especially human rights bodies and scholars), who want them to be proposed as amendments to the charter as soon as possible. And that is also the parliament’s wish with the addendum to the ratification law. Read more…