Uncertain Indonesia<\/p>\n
Before the fall of president Soeharto a year ago this month,
\nIndonesia won a US$49 billion loan from the International
\nMonetary Fund, wrapped up in conditions to curtail corruption and
\nintroduce some transparency into government.<\/p>\n
Bolstered by a change in leadership which has at least halted
\nthe undisguised nepotism of the past, reforms have helped to get
\nthe Indonesian economy back on track, even if the process is
\nunfinished and fraught with pitfalls.<\/p>\n
Politically it is a different story. The crisis in East Timor
\nand calls for self-determination in Aceh and Irian Jaya suggest
\nthe country might still disintegrate. The government plans to
\ngive a fairer share of revenue to outer provinces, which possess
\nmuch of the natural assets, yet receive a pittance in return. But
\nlast-ditch efforts to patch over cracks which have widened over
\ndecades could make things worse by spreading discontent to less
\nresource-rich regions.<\/p>\n
The election on June 7 is unlikely to bring radical changes.
\nIt involves a form of proportional representation where party
\nleaders choose their representatives after the voting. Critics
\nclaim the method will favor the old guard who could dominate the
\nnew 500-seat parliament.<\/p>\n
Corruption remains rampant, with middlemen farming out
\ngovernment contracts to relatives, and the banks are saddled with
\nhuge loans of which 95 percent are doubtful.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, fear of more unrest is driving many ethnic Chinese
\nto leave the country until the campaign is over. Improving
\neconomics may help to calm tempers; but one year on, there is a
\nlong road ahead, and few guarantees of a united or more stable
\nsociety at the end of it.<\/p>\n
-- The South China Morning Post, Hong Kong<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/uncertain-indonesia-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }