INDONESIA

POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

ETYMOLOGY OF INDONESIA
The name is an 18th-century
construct of two Greek words, "Indos"
(India) and "nesoi" (islands), meaning
"Indian islands”.

Conventional long form : Republic of Indonesia

Local long form : Republik Indonesia

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GEOGRAPHY

Location : Southeastern Asia, archipelago between

the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

Terrain : mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have

interior mountains.

Climate : tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in

highlands

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Natural resources : petroleum, tin, natural gas,
nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal,
gold, silver

• According to Indonesia's National Coordinating

Agency for Survey and Mapping,
the total number of islands in the
archipelago is 13,466, of which 922 are
permanently inhabited (Indonesia is the world's
largest country comprised solely of islands)

GEOGRAPHY 4
 Indonesia is one of the countries along the Ring
of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake
epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of
the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's
volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire.

Despite having the fourth largest population in

the world, Indonesia is the most heavily forested
region on earth after the Amazon.

GEOGRAPHY 5
Natural Hazards :

Occasional floods

Severe droughts

Tsunamis

Earthquakes

Volcanic eruptions

GEOGRAPHY 6
NATIONAL SYMBOLS
NATIONAL FLAG
In Indonesian, this flag is called "Sang
Saka Merah Putih" (meaning "lofty
bicolor red and white").

The red symbolizes human blood and

the white represents the human spirit.

The design of this flag is based on the

13th century Javan Majapahit Empire
flag that had nine red and white
stripes.

Indonesia's flag was officially

adopted on August 17, 1945

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 The national emblem of Indonesia is called
NATIONAL EMBLEM Garuda Pancasila.

The shield's five emblems represent 

Pancasila, the five principles of
Indonesia's national ideology. The Garuda
claws gripping a white ribbon scroll
inscribed with the national motto 
Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, which can be
loosely translated as "Unity in Diversity". 

Pancasila is the philosophic fundamentals of the state. 

1. The belief in one God

2. A just and civilized humanism
3. Unity of Indonesia
4. Democratic citizenship lead by wise guidance born of
representative consultation
5. Social justice for all the people of Indonesia

NATIONAL SYMBOLS 8
 The government of Indonesia
NATIONAL FLOWER officially declared three
national flowers of the country.

The Moon
Orchid is one
of the longest
blooming
orchids.

Jasminum Sambac
Rafflesia is noted
which symbolizes the
for producing
beauty of a girl, is
the largest
commonly used in
individual flower
religious or cultural
on earth.
ceremony.

NATIONAL SYMBOLS 9
 NATIONAL ANIMAL

Komodo Dragon is the symbol of

wildlife of Indonesia. So they have
taken it as their national identity
of Indonesia.

NATIONAL ANTHEM

"Indonesia Raya“, It has been the

national anthem since the
proclamation of Indonesian
independence.

NATIONAL SYMBOLS 10
HISTORY The history of Indonesia has been shaped by its
geographic position, its natural resources, a series of
human migrations and contacts, wars and conquests,
as well as by trade, economics and politics. 

At least 1.5 million years ago…

Fossilised remains of Homo erectus and his tools, popularly known as the
"Java Man", suggest the Indonesian archipelago was inhabited by at least
1.5 million years ago.

Around 2000 BCE…

Austronesian people, who form the majority of the modern population,
are thought to have originally been from Taiwan and arrived in Indonesia
around 2000 BCE.

7th century
The powerful Srivijaya naval kingdom flourished bringing Hindu and
Buddhist influences with it. The agricultural Buddhist Sailendra and
Hindu Mataram dynasties subsequently thrived and declined in inland
Java. 

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 13th century
The last significant non-Muslim kingdom, the Hindu Majapahit kingdom,
flourished from the late 13th century, and its influence stretched over
much of Indonesia. The earliest evidence of Islamised populations in
Indonesia dates to the 13th century in northern Sumatra.

16th century
Other Indonesian areas gradually adopted Islam which became the
dominant religion in Java and Sumatra by the end of the 16th century. For
the most part, Islam overlaid and mixed with existing cultural and
religious influences.
Europeans such as the Portuguese arrived in Indonesia from the 16th
century seeking to monopolise the sources of valuable nutmeg, cloves,
and cubeb pepper in Maluku. 

17th century
In 1602 the Dutch established the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and
became the dominant European power by 1610. 

18th century
Following bankruptcy, the VOC was formally dissolved in 1800, and the
government of the Netherlands established the Dutch East Indies under
government control. 

HISTORY 12
20th century
By the early 20th century, Dutch dominance extended to the current boundaries.
The Japanese invasion and subsequent occupation in 1942–45 during WWII
ended Dutch rule, and encouraged the previously suppressed Indonesian
independence movement.

Two days after the surrender of Japan in August 1945, nationalist leader, 
Sukarno, declared independence and became president.

The Netherlands tried to reestablish its rule, but a 

bitter armed and diplomatic struggle ended in December 1949, when in the face
of international pressure, the Dutch formally recognised Indonesian
independence.

An attempted coup in 1965 led to a violent army-led anti-communist purge in

which over half a million people were killed. General Suharto politically
outmanoeuvred President Sukarno, and became president in March 1968.

His New Order administration garnered the favour of the West, whose

investment in Indonesia was a major factor in the subsequent three decades of
substantial economic growth.

In the late 1990s, however, Indonesia was the country hardest hit by the 
East Asian Financial Crisis, which led to popular protests and Suharto's
resignation on 21 May 1998.
HISTORY 13
21st century

The Reformasi era following Suharto's resignation, has led to a

strengthening of democratic processes, including a regional
autonomy program, the secession of East Timor, and the first 
direct presidential election in 2004.

Political and economic instability, social unrest, corruption, natural

disasters, and terrorism have slowed progress. Although relations
among different religious and ethnic groups are largely harmonious,
acute sectarian discontent and violence remain problems in some
areas.

Issues over this period have included a push for a stronger democracy

 and civilian rule, elements of the military trying to retain their
influence, a growing Islamism in politics and society, and demands
for greater regional autonomy.

The process of reformasi has resulted in a higher degree of 

freedom of speech, in contrast to the pervasive censorship under the
New Order. This has led to a more open political debate in the news
media and increased expression in the arts. 

HISTORY 14
INDEPENDENCE
17 August 1945
(declared independence from the
Netherlands)

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS
31 provinces
1 autonomous province
1 special region
1 national capital district

Following the implementation of decentralization beginning

on 1 January 2001, regencies and municipalities have
become the key administrative units responsible for
providing most government services.
CAPITAL : Jakarta
Jakarta, Indonesia's massive capital,
sits on the northwest coast of the
island of Java. A historic mix of
cultures – Javanese, Malay, Chinese,
Arab, Indian and European – has
influenced its architecture, language
and cuisine. 
Etymology : "Jakarta" derives from the
Sanskrit "Jayakarta" meaning
"victorious city" and refers to a
successful defeat and expulsion of the
Portuguese in 1527.

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POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE

GOVERNMENT
TYPE:

Presidential
Republic

The politics of Indonesia take place in the framework of

a presidential representative democratic republic whereby
the President of Indonesia is both head of state and head of
government and of a multi-party system. The President leads an
executive branch that is separate from the legislative branch.

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 As in other democratic countries, Indonesia applies the
Trias Politica that recognizes the separation of the
legislative, executive and judicial bodies. 

Suffrage : 17 years of age; universal and

married persons regardless of age

POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE 18

 EXECUTIVE INSTITUTION

The executive institution is centralized under the president, vice

president, and the cabinet of ministers. The cabinet is a
presidential cabinet in which the ministers report to the
president and do not represent the political parties.

Chief of State & Head of Government :

President Joko Widodo

Vice President of Indonesia :

Ma’ruf Amin
Cabinet of Ministers

Cabinet of ministers are appointed by the president.

President and vice president directly elected by absolute majority

popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)
POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE 19
 LEGISLATIVE INSTITUTION

The legislative authority is under the People’s Consultative

Assembly  or Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat  (MPR) that
consists of two bodies namely the Parliament composing of
members of political parties and the Regional Representative
Council (DPD) composing of representatives from each province
in Indonesia. Each province is represented by 4 delegates that are
elected by the people in the respective region.
Regional Representative Council or Dewan Perwakilan Daerah
(132 seats; non-partisan members directly elected in multi-seat
constituencies - 4 each from the country's 33 electoral districts -
by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)

House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (560

seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by
single non-transferable vote to serve 5-year terms

POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE 20

 JUDICIAL INSTITUTION

The judicial institution is administered by the Supreme

Court including the administration of the judges.

Highest courts : Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung

(51 judges divided into 8 chambers)
Constitutional Court or Mahkamah Konstitusi
(consists of 9 judges)

Supreme Court judges nominated by Judicial Commission,

appointed by president with concurrence of parliament; judges
serve until retirement at age 65.
Court judges - 3 nominated by president, 3 by Supreme Court,
and 3 by parliament; judges appointed by the president; judges
serve until mandatory retirement at age 70.
Subordinate courts : High Courts of Appeal, district courts,
religious courts

POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE 21

LEGAL SYSTEM
Civil law system based on the Roman-Dutch
model and influenced by customary law
Before the Dutch colonisation in the sixteenth century,
indigenous kingdoms ruled the archipelago independently with
their own custom laws, known as adat.

CONSTITUTION
History : drafted July to August 1945, effective 18 August 1945,
abrogated by 1949 and 1950 constitutions; 1945 constitution
restored 5 July 1959

Amendments : proposed by the People’s Consultative Assembly,

with at least two thirds of its members present; passage requires
simple majority vote by the Assembly membership;
constitutional articles on the unitary form of the state cannot be
amended.

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HUMAN RIGHTS
The government failed to protect human rights defenders,
and restricted the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful
assembly and association. The abuse of criminal law provisions
to curtail legitimate expression persisted. Security forces
committed human rights violations largely with impunity, using
excessive force during policing and security operations. Violence
flared in Papua, involving both peaceful and violent reactions to
racist verbal attacks and violence against Papuans. (2019)

Use of force and impunity

Discrimination
Capital punishment
Domestic workers
Sexual and reproductive rights
West Papua
Anti-Chinese legislation
Freedom of expression

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CURRENT POLITICAL ISSUES
1. Indonesia’s  draconian new Criminal Code
Indonesia has been working on updating its colonial-era Criminal Code for
decades. Now Indonesia’s parliament is discussing a new draft code with a
raft of problematic provisions that would be disastrous for women and
minorities, and for many Indonesians in general.

2. No UN access for West Papua

The 2019 Pacific Island Forum Leaders’statement, signed by all Pacific
nations including Australia, expressed concern about “reported escalation
in violence and continued allegations of human rights abuses in West
Papua (Papua)” and urged the Indonesian government to honor Jokowi’s 
2018 promise to allow the UN Human Rights Office to visit the two
provinces and report on the situation before the next Pacific Island
Forum’s leaders meeting this year.

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 3. Defence Minister implicated in abuses
Imagine what would happen if an Australian soldier discharged from the
military for human rights abuses and disobeying orders became our
Defence Minister. That is exactly what has happened in Indonesia, when
last year Jokowi appointed his presidential opponent, Prabowo Subianto,
to the post.

4. Defective Democracy
Jokowi, as he is known, has sought compromises with corrupt
politicians and intolerant religious leaders, and surrounded himself with
former generals with little commitment to democratic principles. On his
watch, human rights, the rule of law, and the protection of minorities
have all weakened. A bitter form of religion-based identity politics seems
to be embedded in the system. As Indonesia faces growing challenges, its
future will be defined by how the next generation of leaders use the
powerful mandate of electoral victory to overcome those who are seeking
to stymie much-needed reforms and undermine democratic norms.

CURRENT POLITICAL ISSUES 25

Terima kasih!

GROUP # 5
ADALLA, MARY ROSE
ESTIOCO, JENIEL
HABAN, DANG

BY: LATIZA, CYREL MALLIE

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