Ambiguity and Sadli’s Law
May 9, 2017- My recent visit to Indonesia underlined a defining feature of Indonesia’s political economy: ambiguity. The common theme among all my meetings with local as well as international business people was that contradictory [...]
Is Barbie Guilty ?
I will be visiting Indonesia next week and will likely be asked about President Trump's trade policy, articulated in his recent executive orders. Will Indonesia, one of 16 countries under review with a large trade [...]
Indonesia’s Ticking Time Bomb
Commentary by Wayne Forrest I fear a ticking time bomb could soon explode in Indonesia. Its probably not what you think; its not a natural disaster or mass movement based on religion. It has to [...]
Regret
There’s a lot of regret going around these days. Democrats, who lost a close election, no doubt regret they didn’t do more to convince Midwest rust belt voters worried about their future that they had [...]
Honking in the Free World
Commentary by Wayne Forrest Their signs read “Om Telolet Om”. It simply means, “sir, honk your horn, sir”. Young girls and boys, especially in Jakarta, hold them up for passing bus drivers, hoping to prompt [...]
Ahok, Trump, and The Way Forward
Commentary by Wayne Forrest Saying anything about a Trump Administration and its effect on US- Indonesia relations now could prove to be a fool’s enterprise, but this month’s commentary will take a shot, doing so [...]