Author: Yasmi Adriansyah, ANU

Indonesians have reason to be both optimistic and pessimistic coming into 2012. The question is: which outlook is more likely to prevail?

In his New Year message, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) requested that all Indonesians work to maintain order. Read more…

Authors: Greg Fealy and Sally White, ANU

Australia’s first academic conference on Indonesian terrorism was held at the Australian National University (ANU) early in December.

Entitled ‘Indonesian Terrorism in a Global Context’, the conference brought together researchers specialising in the study of Indonesia’s jihadists and scholars working on global trends in terrorism. Read more…

Author: Thee Kian Wie, LIPI

Indonesia’s economic growth remained strong in 2011 despite continued turmoil in the international financial markets, due to the euro crisis, and weakened global growth.

Significantly, this slow down also affected China, which has become one of Indonesia’s major export markets, but Jakarta was able to see off this risk. Read more…

Author: Fitrian Ardiansyah, ANU

Agreements achieved in the early morning of 11 December in Durban, South Africa appeared to salvage the UN climate talks — but have also raised questions about the commitment and capability of countries around the world to urgently tackling climate change.

After two weeks of difficult negotiations, governments involved in the 17th session of the Conference of Parties (COP-17) agreed to extend the Kyoto Protocol and negotiate a binding agreement for all countries to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Read more…

Author: Fitrian Ardiansyah, ANU

The global climate change negotiations — underway from 28 November to 9 December in Durban, South Africa — have people asking once again whether countries around the world will agree on solutions to tackle climate change.

It is also an appropriate event to assess the involvement of developing countries like Indonesia, and particularly to understand whether their involvement in this UN climate conference will significantly contribute to a successful outcome. Read more…

Author: Vikas Kumar, Bangalore

In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, commentators on East Asia Forum have highlighted the moderate character of Southeast Asian Islam.

Bahrawi argues that contested interpretations of Islam are democratising Islam in Southeast Asia — but similar contests seem to be ineffective in countries like Pakistan. And van Bruinessen argues that large, resilient Islamic organisations are stabilising Indonesian democracy — but comparable organisations are failing to play such a role in other Islamic countries. So are local factors playing a bigger role in Southeast Asia than is usually suspected?  Read more…

Author: Sunny Tanuwidjaja, CSIS, Jakarta

After a long-drawn-out process, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono finally announced his decision on 18 October to reshuffle the cabinet.

This will be the first and last major reshuffle in his second term as Indonesia’s president. Read more…

Authors: Maria Monica Wihardja and Josef Kristiadi, CSIS, Jakarta

The Indonesian cabinet reshuffle of 18 October has ended in an anti-climax.

The Indonesian people — and even their ministers — were hoping for a more effective cabinet to support Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s administration: they were instead left shocked and clueless about the criteria on which he based his decisions. Read more…

Author: Badrus Sholeh, Deakin University

The Indonesian province of Aceh is due to hold its gubernatorial elections in December 2011.

These elections highlight the significant contribution democracy has made to the maintenance of peace since Aceh’s 2006 elections — which were held a year after the peace agreement between the Freedom Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian government. Read more…

Author: Rizal Sukma, CSIS Jakarta

Indonesia has taken consistent steps to rebuild its international image since emerging from the political turmoil of 1998–1999.

The country has focussed on re-establishing its leadership role within ASEAN, and has demonstrated a desire to assume a global role by promoting itself as the world’s third largest democracy, largest moderate Muslim-majority country, and as a ‘bridge-builder’ and a ‘problem-solver’ in the wider global community. Read more…

Authors: Chris Manning, ANU, and Raden M Purnagunawan, Padjadjaran University

Although there are some uncertainties, the Indonesian economy is well placed for what will now almost certainly be a sharp downturn in the world economy.

Foreign reserves were at a record high at just under US$120 billion at the end of the second quarter, inflation was down to below 5 per cent, investment up significantly, and growth steady at 6.5 per cent year on year. Certainly, macroeconomic policymakers are not ignoring the potential impact of another global recession; but Indonesia seems relatively unaffected by the immediate- to medium-term impacts of the US’s much slower-than-expected recovery in August and the ongoing debt crisis in Europe. Read more…

Author: Martin van Bruinessen, Utrecht University

The idea of Indonesia leading the third world was not only thinkable half a century ago, it even appeared as reality — briefly.

Since that time there has been some attempt at raising Indonesia’s international profile as a leading Muslim nation, and its visibility and global import have increased. But it is not yet a country that other Muslims look to for leadership. Read more…

Author: Frank Jotzo, ANU

Indonesia is among the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters, and it has committed to cut its carbon footprint.

Can Indonesia achieve its goals, what is its role in the region, and how could developed countries assist?   Read more…

Author: Risti Permani, University of Adelaide

French mining company Eramet is increasing its investment in nickel mining in the eastern Indonesian region of Halmahera, North Maluku.

The project enjoys strong political support but faces criticism over the potential negative impacts it may have on local communities and on the environment. Read more…

Author: Maria Monica Wihardja, CSIS, Jakarta

Indonesia has made numerous global, regional and national commitments on structural reform via its (mostly non-binding) commitments in the G20, APEC, OECD and ASEAN.

The challenge is how to translate these commitments into domestic priorities, plans and policies. Read more…