Indonesia has come a long way since Oct. 20, when Joko Widodo was sworn in as president. Unfortunately, the distance the country has traveled has been in the wrong direction. Expectations were that Widodo, known as Jokowi, would accelerate the reforms of predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono - - upgrading infrastructure, reducing red tape, curbing corruption. Who better to do so than Indonesia's first leader independent of dynastic families and the military?

JAKARTA: A steep increase in Indonesia’s import tariffs on wine and spirits could more than double prices that were sky-high already, denting demand and raising the risk of smuggling, drinks industry executives say. Under new tariffs that came into effect on July 23, importers have to pay 90 percent on the value of wine and 150 percent on spirits. Importers previously paid a fixed amount per liter.