PROBLEMS BREWING IN INDONESIA - THE BEFORE AND AFTER SITUATION.

 We have just seen another Islamic country Bangladesh, bite the dust.  Just for the record, like it or not, Sheikh Haseena is still the  legally elected prime minister of Bangladesh. Now it has come to light that it was the Bangladesh Army that gave her 45 minutes to pack her things and leave Bangladesh. She did not go of her own accord. 

She is in India and now she wants to return back to Bangladesh. A very risky venture. The interim prime minister Mohamed Yunus is not legally elected and his appointment (by whom?) will certainly be disputed. I believe this will become an issue not too far in the future. 

Bangladesh seems done for. They have overturned their entire constitution and democratic system over a 5% civil service jobs quota!! (Yes it was already cut down from 30% to 5%). The country is a democracy and has elections. Shouldnt they have waited for the next elections and voted out the prime minister? That is how democracies function isnt it? 

If they have no faith in their electoral system and chased away an elected prime minister then what guarantee is there they will do better with an unelected prime minister?

This is typical Third World shithole country behaviour. ALL OF THEM do not respect or follow their own laws. The only law that prevails is 'my law'.  

Now here is something about Indonesia. All is not well in Indonesia either.

1. BEFORE JOKOWI LEAVES IN OCTOBER 2024

Armed Conflict in Indonesia’s Restive Papua Province Intensifies
New Zealand pilot the latest to die

• Separatist struggles in Papua, Indonesia  
• Jokowi term ends in October 
• Jokowi failed to deal with decades-long conflict
• 209 security incidents and increasing
• armed criminal groups and associated political activities 
• 79 fatalities of civilians, military and police officers
• 19 rebels killed 
• 2022 saw 53 fatalities across 90 incidents

That is the news about Irian Jaya or West Papua, a part of their country that is ethnically completely different from the rest of Indonesia. And religiously divergent as well, with many Papuans having become christians. I have visited the independent state of Papua New Guinea twice - on business. The Free Papua Movement (on the Indonesian side) has lasted a long time very simply because this beautiful and wild country is not penetrable by anyone who is not native to that land.

Above : These are the pribumi in West Papua. The rest are pendatangs. My advice : give them more. Take less, much less.

AFTER JOKOWI LEAVES IN OCTOBER 2024 - I think the situation in West Papua will get worse.  The new president-elect Prabowo has a history of forcefully getting rid of protesters (during the 1998 overthrow of Suharto).

 

2. BEFORE JOKOWI LEAVES IN OCTOBER - THE NUSANTARA FIASCO

Jokowi's new capital Nusantara in Kalimantan is becoming a major fiasco.

Indonesia’s ‘Perfect Storm’ of Debt
A decade of headlong development comes home to roost
Aug 9   

• construction delays, lack of funding, land acquisition problems in Nusantara
• Jokowi has moved office to his new capital Nusantara in East Kalimantan 
• US$33 billion project
• remains to be seen if Nusantara will end up a monumental folly.
• July 2024, state-owned principal contractor Wijaya Karya suffered major losses
• interest burden and losses from Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail (HSR) 
• HSR hit by major cost overruns and delays, and now diminishing ridership

• In June head and deputy head of Nusantara Capital Authority abruptly resigned 
• adding to doubts if Jokowi's plan would ever come to fruition

• gala ceremony on Aug 17 scaled back 
• won’t include foreign dignitaries 
• because airport isn’t ready for aircraft landings

AFTER JOKOWI LEAVES IN OCTOBER - I think this Nusantara project will come to a halt.  

 

I compare Nusantara with Brasilia, Brazil's ambitious plan in 1960 to build a new capital city in the middle of the Amazon jungle, 1000 miles away from anywhere. For a long time Brasilia became a ghost city. They built Brasilia in 1,000 days. They had money. Even 64 years later it is still finding its footing.  

Canberra the "new" capital of Australia in the middle of nowhere, began development as a planned city in 1913. 111 years later Canberra has a population of under 500,000 people. That is less than Petaling Jaya which is about 60 years old.

Shah Alam in Selangor took almost 45 years to 'fill up'. Even after 45 years Shah Alam is still "slower" than the rest of Selangor. 

Putrajaya has suffered about the same fate. Property is not moving as fast in Putrajaya. But Putrajaya is really nice. Five star by any measure. But Putrajaya is not "cosmopolitan" enough. Not enough Chinese and Indians. Not enough Chinese food and Indian restaurants. Not enough Chinese temples, Hindu temples or churches. (Though I am no fan of organised religion).

Cyberjaya seems to be doing slightly better than Putrajaya.

But Jokowi's Nusantara is facing difficulties even before construction is complete. They dont have enough money.  They have to complete Nusantara first. Can they do it?

And then they will have to wait 40 or 50 years for it to fill up. I hope they do not hold their breath.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.