AIYA Links: 8 November
We’re excited to announced that AIYA Victoria will hold its official launch event at the Sidney Myer Asia Centre on 22 November, in partnership with the Victorian Government. The event will include a keynote speech by Professor Tim Lindsey, Director of the Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society at the Melbourne Law School, as well as performances by Australian and Indonesian artists. Registration is free through Eventbrite.
In the news
- Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop (@JulieBishopMP) is in Indonesia today to attend the Bali Democracy Forum.
- Indonesia recorded its lowest GDP growth in years, and analysts are divided over whether the economy will continue to lose speed (WSJ)
- The softer economic climate and recent wage hikes are being blamed for a slight increase in unemployment (Jakarta Globe)
- But behind the headlines, major investors are still betting on the long term strength of the Indonesian market. (Financial Times/@benjaminbland)
- The FT also spoke to some of the young middle class in Jakarta who are transforming Indonesia’s economy (spoiler: they love shopping).
- ‘Feeding Indonesia’: Inside Indonesia has an informative issue focusing on food security.
- Stephen Grenville at the Lowy Interpreter takes a look at Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo, who’s leading the polls ahead of next year’s presidential election.
- We at AIYA are big fans of First Lady Ani Yudhoyono’s Instagram account. It seems that lately the Ibu Negara has been getting a bit stroppy with commenters (Jakarta Globe).
For your entertainment
The 2011 martial arts thriller The Raid was a huge hit for Indonesian cinema on the world stage. This week a trailer for the eagerly-awaited sequel landed on YouTube, and it’s pretty spectacular (and also pretty violent):
Events
- Melbourne, 22 November: The AIYA Victoria official launch, of course!
- Canberra, 14 November: Indonesian Finance Minister Chatib Basri will speak at the ANU at a public lecture titled ‘The Indonesian economy: Anticipating the end of easy money’. Free admission, get your tickets here.