To Ban or Not To Ban
2013 ends a year in which the Indonesian economy made a strong start and sputtered mid year when rumors of an end to the US Fed’s monetary easing, and uncertainty […]
Structural Reform Anxiety
Its amazing and somewhat anxiety producing to watch both the US and Indonesia democracies struggle over structural reforms. An inflection point seems to have simultaneously been reached in each […]
APEC and America’s Image
I normally go about my business keeping my American roots a little under wraps. AICC is after all a bi-national association. Right before this year’s APEC meetings in Bali (October), […]
Issue to Watch: Rupiah Hits 11,000: Time to Stimulate
Steep declines in the rupiah (it briefly passed 11,000 on Friday) stock index and overall confidence-echoing earlier drops-finally sent enough shivers within the government for the President and his economic […]
Energy Subdies Reduced
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s government has finally moved to to reduce the ballooning energy subsidies that have absorbed far too much of the State budget for years. In the form […]
Return of Paternalist Capitalism
A commonly held view of Indonesia’s recent, more protectionist policy decisions (i.e. mineral export bans, beef and horticulture import restrictions, mining divestment rules) is that they are motivated by populist […]
Political Parties and the Next President of Indonesia
Political Parties For many years I have been a member of Columbia University’s Southeast Asia seminar, a fantastic group of scholars, writers, and a few private sector representatives. We […]
Outlook for 2013
Indonesia heads into 2013 with continuing questions for foreign companies within an overall atmosphere of solid 6% -6.5% economic growth. The blemishes –if handled well–will not take away from the […]
Heathcare Education For Sale
I recently read a disturbing report that indicates that training for nurses and doctors in Indonesia is for sale. Admitted medical students are reportedly paying up to $2500 above tuition […]
New Indonesian Mining Divestment Rules
Is Mining Divestment Such a Benefit to Indonesia?Indonesia is following a worldwide trend of pushing out foreign ownership of mining assets. A March 8 Reuters story began “Indonesia will take […]