Indonesia’s Maid-Based Economy

To paraphrase Deng Xiaoping: It doesn’t matter whether a fat president or slim president, as long as he brings prosperity. If the president does care about his personal performance, he should also be bothered by the maid- sending policy which utterly denting his country’s image.

Without Pak Harto-Style Government Indonesia Is Going Nowhere

Recent polling by Indo Barometer suggests people still regard Pak Harto as the best leader Indonesia ever had. The survey implies most people, myself included, that Pak Harto outperforms Habibie, Gus Dur, Megawati and SBY. New Orders led by Pak Harto did deliver undeniable results.

Why Don't Indonesia Naturalize Singapore's George Yeo?

Many people say that Singapore is run by meritocracy system which is: “let the best manage the rest”. However, despite People’s Action Party (PAP)’s landslide victory in recent election, we can dispute that dictum now. George Yeo, one of the best Singaporean minds lost, his seat in parliament and accordingly – following the rule of parliamentary system – he soon becomes “former” Singapore’s foreign minister.

Dahlan Iskan For President

If you are fed up with lawmakers’ junkets, it will be better for you to learn more about this inspiring PLN Chief, Pak Dahlan Iskan. Remarkably, he has turned around PLN from zero to hero only in a year. Along with Jusuf Kalla and Fadel Muhammad, I think he is one of few public officers who always put the brain on the right place and do the right thing, while serving people.

Terrorist Predator

Since Indonesia’s communist uprising mounting in 1965, it seems nothing that posed real threat to our national security. Thanks to New Order’s heavy-handed policy, the strong government invariably managed to contain groups or parties scrambling to oust legitimate government or replacing Pancasila as ideology. As a result, Indonesia enjoyed stability for decades so as the government to focus only on development.