AIYA Links: 11 October

In the news

• Prime Minister Tony Abbott made several media appearences during this week’s trip to Bali for the APEC Leaders’ Conference, transcripts of which are on his website, including the announcement of a A$3 million ‘pilot Public Private Partnership (PPP) Centre in Indonesia to help address the growing infrastructure needs of the APEC region’.
• Story of the week in Indonesia is the aftermath Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar’s arrest for corruption—Tempo magazine was working on an investigation of him before being scooped by the Corruption Eradication Commission.
• The scandal is threatening one of Indonesia’s most notorious political clans, the Chosiyahs of Banten, the Jakarta Post and Globe both report. This book chapter (p.203) provides great background on politics Banten-style.
• Praise be to all that is holy: after decades of failed attempts at establishing a mass transit system in Jakarta, the city’s MRT is finally under construction.
• The Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict—new home of Sidney Jones (@sidneyIPAC)—released a report on the security implications of pemekaran (proliferation of local government units) in Papua.
• The World Bank’s Indonesia office (@BankDunia) published its Indonesia Economic Quarterly for October: see their media release, full report, or presentation.
• The Wall Street Journal takes a look at the new crop of reformist politicians in Indonesia.
• The Financial Times reports that Southeast Asia’s car market is still booming, with Indonesians especially embracing the ‘low cost green car’ which has been criticised as a recipe for traffic congestion.
• The Jakarta Globe runs an interesting ‘where are they now?’ piece looking at former Gerakan Aceh Merdeka (GAM; Free Aceh Movement) rebels.
• Cornell University’s Indonesia journal has its new volume out, with articles focusing on the tension between oligarchy and democracy in Indonesian politics (subscription required).

Events

• Canberra, 12 October 11:00 to 17:00—the Indonesian Embassy (map) will hold its annual Festival Indonesia tomorrow, with plenty of entertainment and great food—including authentic Mie Aceh and the ACT Dharma Wanita’s famous sate ayam. Not to be missed!
  
• Canberra, 18 October, 17:00 to 18:30—the Conference of Australian and Indonesian Youth will hold a networking event at the National Gallery of Australia. Take a look at the Facebook event for details and link to RSVP.