There’ll soon be a new leader next door – ageing hardliner Prabowo Subianto. He’s Indonesia’s dark lord with a worrying past of alleged human rights abuses, yet overwhelmingly elected in the February national poll. He’ll take over on 20 October. (more…)
Duncan Graham
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The cursed stone resists return
In an age of logic and evidence-based reasoning, modern research has revealed a thousand-year curse. It could be stopping the superstitious and spiritually-conscious Javanese from vigorously striving to return a thieved “emblem of Indonesian cultural heritage”. (more…)
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Never mind the quality, feel the words
The paperwork signing late last month by Defence Minister Richard Marles and his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto in Magelang (Central Java) is being paraded as an extraordinary advance in relationships. It’s not. (more…)
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Father knows best? Not this time
How comfy the throne, how rapid the change; a humble Republican from a riverbank shack is plotting to be King of Indonesia surrounded by his regal family of political courtiers. (more…)
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The ABC of telling tales
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Neither treaty nor pact, just troubling facts
ABC foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic’s ’exclusive’ claim that “Australia and Indonesia are on the brink of sealing an upgraded defence pact” hasn’t been refuted by Defence so is probably right. (more…)
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How to get good publicity? Ban journos
A tip for politicians worried about bothersome journos upsetting talking points with probing questions: Don’t invite peskies to your pressies. (more…)
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Street charity – Thank Allah it’s friday
Following the 7 October Hamas outrage Australia has been suffering an outburst of race and religious hate. Lawyer Jillian Segal has been made a “special envoy” to counter antisemitism. A similar appointment is expected to confront Islamophobia and challenge the alleged linkage of Muslims with extremism and terror. (more…)
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When will we treat Indonesia seriously?
Guarantee: This report is free of US political toxins. The contents are purely local. (more…)
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Facts sacred, pacts not
It’s a hoary oldie publicity hook: Imagine something improbable, then feed off the controversy. (more…)
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Control the past – then the future. Thus spoke Orwell
It’s been argued that Indonesia’s next President may be good for Australian interests; for domestic progressives that’s doubtful. (more…)
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What ye sow ye reap
There’s nothing profound about the Biblical quote; variations are embedded in many religions and cultures. (more…)
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Indonesia’s carbon crisis: will Islam get dirty hands?
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)(revival of the scholars) is Indonesia and the world’s largest Islamic organisation claiming almost 100 million members. If it digs coal it could become mega-rich. How dirty work marries with sending souls to paradise only Allah knows. (more…)
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Tyranny of proximity
The pundits are already in a tizz: What’ll happen to defence, AUKUS, trade and other relationships should Trump win in November? More pressing and certain is how we’ll cope when Indonesia’s President-elect Prabowo Subianto takes office in October. (more…)
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A better service may be transmitted
The Indonesian government’s TVRI channel is supposed to have negotiated an MOU with the ABC to swap programmes. A great idea – benefits all. That’s the initial reaction. (more…)
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The militarist as milkman
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Rules show how not to win friends and influence people
The ABC is running jolly programmes on and for the Pacific as part of a government policy to counter Chinese influence. But in a closer, bigger and more important region already eyed by Beijing the national broadcaster and its paymaster offer indifference and ignorance. Or is that arrogance? (more…)
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Vast inequality threatens democracy
The disparity is vast and immoral. Emotional language touches souls, but in Indonesia it should also grab economics and politics. The new government could demand reform. It wont. (more…)
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The learned solution: Fix problems with violence
Are you well-armed, fired up, pitchfork to hand? The quarry is elusive, his background suspect but we know his name – DV. Are we getting closer? (more…)
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The court decides; doom to follow?
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Ok, Allah, we passed your test
There are five major and hundreds of minor religions in the world. But don’t worry – yours is the right one. – Anon (more…)
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Losers whinge, winners rule
A tip to take a wee shot at understanding the way of doing politics in Indonesia: Suspend rationality. Now imagine PM Anthony Albanese offering Scott Morrison a ministry – choice from five. Not such a smart move for Down Under but OK for next door. (more…)
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Unaligned – or undecided? Prabowo, China and US
This week Prabowo Subianto has been in Beijing at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. It’s the Indonesian president-elect’s first major overseas trip after winning the 14 February election. No come-soon card yet from Washington, so China’s getting in first. Should we be worried? Duncan Graham reports: (more…)
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Playing the hunger games
The nightmare sprung to life: A gang. Worse, an Asian teen gang. An hour before dawn. I’m alone. With a bike. (more…)
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Things unsaid, people unseen
The irony was thick as lard. What an indigestible image for International Women’s Day. What an appalling advertisement for the Melbourne ASEAN Summit and its Australian host, a claimed world leader for gender equality. (more…)
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Indifference killing democracy in Indonesia
A reason for Indonesians overwhelmingly supporting cashiered general Prabowo Subianto and a likely military dictatorship is because the electorate rarely reads; voters haven’t been taught to think critically so know little of their new president’s past. (more…)
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The parade of talk going nowhere
ASEAN has been around for so long media outlets rarely spell the full name – Association of Southeast Asian Nations. That sounds significant and grand. It’s not. (more…)
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The coming of the fear
If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they don’t want to hear. ― George Orwell (Eric Blair) (more…)
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Keeping it in the family
Why did well over half the 200-plus million Indonesian registered electors choose disgraced general Prabowo Subianto as their next President? Duncan Graham has some answers. (more…)
