SUBSCRIBE
to The Van Zorge Report
archivecontact ussubscribe September 04, 2010  
No. 13 - August 20, 2010 Vol. XII



An opportunity to give back

Indonesia is subject to more than its share of devastating natural disasters including tsunamis, earthquakes, mudslides, and floods. It has also been the benefactor of generous aid from governments and individuals around the world. Though Indonesia continues to struggle to fulfil the needs of Indonesian citizens, the government and many wealthier Indonesians have the opportunity to return the charity by sending more aid to Pakistan, as it suffers devastating floods.
The government’s poor attention to industrial policy looks set to add to Indonesia’s unemployed, who already number 22 million, bringing with it the high chance of social unrest. Local manufacturers have been forced to close in the face of a flood of cheap imported goods, most of which are produced by China.


From the periphery

This issue’s From the Periphery looks at the capture of separatists in Maluku, the Makassar Mayor’s implication in a local corruption case, land conflict on the Riau border, mercury poisoning in Aceh, the escape of asylum seekers in Kupang and clean water shortages in Samarinda.
Outsourcing asylum seekers: What’s Indonesia to gain from Australia’s new policy

With an Australian election on the horizon, Indonesia is once again finding itself drawn into Australian debates over asylum seeker policy. Despite the significant risks involved, the Indonesian government has thus far been quite willing to comply with Australian demands. Is it simply a matter of needing help to deal with the problem, or will Indonesia be expecting some diplomatic concessions for their cooperation? [...]


The new money laundering bill

A new Money Laundering Bill which aimed to grant greater investigative powers the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) has faced a number of setbacks in the House of Representatives, with several key clauses likely to be dropped. While a greatly diluted version of the draft bill is expected to emerge on the other side of the Formulating Team, promisingly the police’s investigative [...]


Regional implications of changes in China

The Executive Network (TEN) brought together three experts to discuss the regional implications of recent changes and developments in China. The panellists included Sudrajat, former Indonesian Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, Natalia Soebagjo, Coordinating Editor and co-founder of Asia Views and Hendri Saparini, Managing Director of ECONIT. The audience heard that despite China’s growing assertiveness, the greatest challenge for the country over the next ten years will be [...]

Subscriber Login
Username
Password


The Van Zorge Report provides bimonthly analysis and commentary on Indonesian politic. The Report gives readers an unequaled took for navigating the Indonesian political scene by providing feature-length explorations of major political, diplomatic, and business issues, as well as full-text interviews with key newsmakers, and insightful backgrounders on the news of the day.

 

The Executive Network (TEN) in an exclusive membership. Corporate member benefits include access to monthly roundtable meetings with senior government officials and politicians and specialized publications. Now expanding its membership and scope, the roster of TEN members is a “who’s who” of corporate Indonesia, with major foreign banks, mining, and oil and gas companies being long-time subscribers to this specialized service.
Politics
Breaking the fast with Purnomo Yusgiantoro, Defense Minister
Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club, August 25, 2010
Copyright © 2010 PT Mitra Dinamika Abadi