INDONESIA

Profile

• Indonesia, country located off the coast of mainland

Southeast Asia in the Indian and Pacific oceans.
• It is an archipelago that lies across the Equator and
spans a distance equivalent to one-eighth of Earth’s
circumference.
• The capital, Jakarta, is located near the
northwestern coast of Java. In the early 21st
century Indonesia was the most populous country
in Southeast Asia and the fourth most populous in
the world.
Profile

• Its islands can be grouped into the Greater Sunda

Islands of Sumatra (Sumatera), Java (Jawa), the
southern extent of Borneo (Kalimantan), and
Celebes (Sulawesi); the Lesser Sunda Islands (Nusa
Tenggara) of Bali and a chain of islands that runs
eastward through Timor; the Moluccas (Maluku)
between Celebes and the island of New Guinea; and
the western extent of New Guinea (generally known
as Papua).
Profile

• The current population of Indonesia is 279.5 million

(2023)
• Indonesia population is equivalent to 3.5% of the
total world population.
• Indonesia ranks number 4 in the list of countries by
population.
Profile

• Religions: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism ,

Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism
• Largest Muslim population in the world
• 90% Muslim, 300 ethnic groups, 700 languages/
dialects
History

• Indonesia was formerly known as the Dutch East

Indies (or Netherlands East Indies). Although
Indonesia did not become the country’s official
name until the time of independence, the name
was used as early as 1884 by a German geographer;
it is thought to derive from the Greek indos,
meaning “India,” and nesos, meaning “island.”
• After a period of occupation by the Japanese (1942–
45) during World War II, Indonesia declared its
independence from the Netherlands in 1945
History

• Its struggle for independence, however, continued

until 1949, when the Dutch officially recognized
Indonesian sovereignty. It was not until the United
Nations (UN) acknowledged the western segment of
New Guinea as part of Indonesia in 1969 that the
country took on its present form.
• The former Portuguese territory of East Timor
(Timor-Leste) was incorporated into Indonesia in
1976. Following a UN-organized referendum in
1999, however, East Timor declared its
independence and became fully sovereign in 2002.
Government and Politics

• 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.
• Executive power is exercised by the government.
Legislative power is vested in both the government
and the bicameral People's Consultative Assembly.
• The judiciary is independent of the executive and
the legislature.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo
Indonesian President Joko Widodo
Government and Politics

• The 1945 constitution provided for a limited

separation of executive, legislative and judicial
power. The governmental system has been
described as "presidential with parliamentary
characteristics".
• Following the Indonesian riots of May 1998 and the
resignation of President Suharto, several political
reforms were set in motion via amendments to the
Constitution of Indonesia, which resulted in changes
to all branches of government.
Government and Politics

• The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Indonesia a

"flawed democracy" in 2019.
• Indonesia's political parties have been characterized
as cartel parties with extensive power-sharing
among parties and limited accountability to voters.
Why Indonesia's government is a flawed
democracy according to The Economist
Intelligence Unit?
• Corruption: Indonesia has struggled with corruption
at various levels of government and society.
Corruption can undermine the principles of
democracy, such as accountability and transparency,
and erode public trust in institutions.
• Lack of Press Freedom: The country faced
challenges related to press freedom, with concerns
about restrictions on media and journalists facing
threats and violence in some instances. A free press
is crucial for a healthy democracy.
Why Indonesia's government is a flawed
democracy according to The Economist
Intelligence Unit?
• Political Stability: While Indonesia has held regular
elections, the country has also faced political
instability, with instances of political polarization
and tensions between different groups.
• Weak Rule of Law: Issues related to the rule of law,
including concerns about judicial independence and
the effectiveness of law enforcement, can affect the
functioning of a democracy.
Why Indonesia's government is a flawed
democracy according to The Economist
Intelligence Unit?
• Human Rights Concerns: Concerns about human
rights, including issues related to minority rights and
religious freedom, were raised by international
observers.
• Election Irregularities: During elections, there have
been allegations of irregularities and challenges
related to the integrity of the electoral process.
Economy and Transparency

• Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia,

has seen a slowdown in growth since 2012, mostly
due to the end of the commodities export boom.
• During the global financial crisis, Indonesia
outperformed its regional neighbors and joined
China and India as the only G20 members posting
growth.
Transnational Issues

• Terror groups: Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham

(aka Jemaah Anshorut Daulah) and Jemaah
Islamiyah
• Indonesia has a stated foreign policy objective of
establishing stable fixed land and maritime
boundaries with all of its neighbors
• Three stretches of land borders with Timor-Leste
have yet to be delimited, two of which are in the
Oecussi exclave area, and no maritime or Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) boundaries have been
established between the countries
Transnational Issues

• All borders between Indonesia and Australia have

been agreed upon bilaterally, but a 1997 treaty that
would settle the last of their maritime and EEZ
boundary has yet to be ratified by Indonesia's
legislature
• Land and maritime negotiations with Malaysia are
ongoing, and disputed areas include the
controversial Tanjung Datu and Camar Wulan
border area in Borneo and the maritime boundary
in the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea
Transnational Issues

• Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on

finalizing their 1973 maritime boundary agreement
by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's
Batam Island
• Chinese incursions on Indonesian waters
Foreign Relations (China)

• Both countries are claimants in the South China Sea

dispute and in recent times has resulted in some
friction, mainly from Malaysia.
• A 2014 survey conducted by the Pew Research
Center showed 66% of Malaysians were concerned
that territorial disputes between China and
neighboring countries could lead to a military
conflict.
Foreign Relations (China)

• However, on the economic side, a 2017 survey

conducted by Merdeka Center revealed 70% of
Malaysians supported China's presence and
investment in the country.
Foreign Relations (USA)

• Bilateral ties between Malaysia and the United

States were established upon Malayan
independence in 1957.
• The US was, and still is one of the largest trading
partners for Malaysia and is traditionally considered
to be Malaysia's oldest and closest ally in military,
economic and education sectors.
Foreign Relations (USA)

• Malaya was the predecessor state to Malaysia, a

larger federation which was formed through the
merger of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and
Singapore in 1963.
• Immediately before the merger, the latter three
territories were previously part of the British
Empire. But the US had consular and commercial
presence in Malaya since the 1800s.
Foreign Relations (USA)

• In 2016, the US is Malaysia's third largest export

market in terms of value, while Malaysia is the US's
25th largest export destination and among the
largest trading partners for the latter.