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Polemic of the Proposed Revision of the Information and Electronic Transaction Law

Protestors against the Information and Electronic Transaction Law in Jakarta in 2019. Credit: Alinea Introduction The proposed revision of the Information and Electronic Transaction Law (UU ITE) No.19/2016 by the government has led to speculations from civil society groups and members of the opposition that the government intends to expand its powers to include other …

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Short-term Gain, Long-term Loss of Money Politics in Indonesia’s Regional Electoral Process

Continued indications of money politics in Indonesia’s 2020 regional election. Credit: RRI Introduction As the Indonesian Constitutional Court is busy resolving disputes from the 2020 regional elections and the Congress is currently debating whether or not to revise the Law on Public Elections, the unresolved issue of transactional politics have risen yet again in public …

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Malaysia: The Pandemic and Emergency and its Consequences on Parliament and Elections

With the consent from the King, a state of Emergency was declared in Malaysia in 2021. Credit: Bernama Introduction On 12 January 2021, Malaysia’s King, Al-Sultan Abdullah, consented to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s request to declare a state of Emergency throughout the entire country. As it stands, the Emergency is scheduled to last until 1 …

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FPI Disbandment: Setting a Bad Precedence

Police removing FPI attributes at Jalan Petamburan III where a FPI headquarter was located. Credit:OKEZONE/Arif Julianto Introduction Mere days before 2021, the Indonesian government officially classified FPI as a prohibited organization. This decision was based on the Joint Ministerial Decree (SKB) No. 220-4780/2020. The government’s rationale was that FPI threatened Indonesia’s public order and safety …

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The Politics of Religion in Indonesia: Exploiting the Islamic Identity in a Fragmented Society

Participants gathering in 2018 in commemoration of a rally in 2016 calling for the prosecution of Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama. Credit: Antara/Sigid Kurniawan  Introduction The recent arrest of the hardline Islamic vigilante group Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab signifies that Indonesia has yet to address concerns of hardline Islamic ideology in the country. …

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Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Challenges of ASEAN Centrality

State leaders posing for a group photo during the 3rd Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Summit in Bangkok in 2019. Credit: AFP/Manan Vatsyayana Introduction The signing of the RCEP on 15 November 2020 signified the establishment of the largest free trade agreement (FTA) in the world. The agreement comprises ten members of the Association of Southeast …

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COVID-19 as a Catalyst for Tele-psychiatry Development in Indonesia

Tele-psychiatry as an ideal replacement of conventional mental health services. Credit: BT Illustration/Simon Ang Introduction While struggling to contain COVID-19 infections, Indonesia like many in the world is facing a “second pandemic.” As a consequence of the pandemic, many Indonesians are suffering from various forms of psychological issues such as anxiety, depression and trauma. Confounding …

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Improving the Quality of Indonesian Human Resources as a Pre-requisite to Expedite the Job Creation Law: A Regional and Global Perspective

Improving the quality of Indonesian human resources starts with education. Credits: JP/P.J.Leo Introduction The Job Creation law (or generally knowns as UU Cipta Kerja) and all its components have been legitimized since October 2020. However, the enforcement of this law has not been successful thus far. Some have attributed this to the need for other …

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Beyond Vaccines: The Importance of Sustainable Policy in Indonesia after COVID-19

Ensuring a balance between urbanization and care for the environment is one factor that can better prepare us for future pandemics beyond vaccines. Credit: JP/Seto Wardhana Introduction President Joko Widodo’s (Jokowi) recent announcement of Indonesia’s vaccination plan sparked several contradictory effects. Economically, Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) strengthen by 0.07% or IDR 14.080/US$ after the plan was …

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Indonesia’s Ascend to Become the Highest COVID-19 Infected in Southeast Asia

Mosque congregants wearing face masks during Friday prayers in Surabaya in 2020. Credit: AFP/Juni Kriswanto Introduction Surging to 678,125 COVID-19 cases prompted two immediate measures from President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). Such numbers have led to relieving the Health Minister of his appointment and an eventual U-turn to ensure that the COVID-19 vaccine is free for …

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