Joko Widodo
came to power on pledges of ushering in an era of change and a new leadership
style. But while many praise the Indonesian President for economic reforms,
analysts say his 'Mr. Clean' image has been dented.
For many
Indonesians, October 20, 2014 seemed like the beginning of a new chapter in the
country's recent democratic history. 53-year-old Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo,
popularly known as Jokowi, was sworn in as president of the world's fourth most
populous country, after narrowly defeating ex-general Prabowo Subianto in a
hotly contested election in July.
The move
symbolized not only the culmination of the remarkable career of a man who
started off as a furniture seller on the island of Java and quickly rose
through the ranks of government. It also indicated a generational change as
Jokowi became the first president without links to the government of former
dictator Suharto, who was overthrown in 1998 after more than three decades in
power.
High hopes
Expectations
were high when Jokowi came to power. His reputation for being corruption-free,
direct and down-to-earth as governor of Jakarta had appealed to many voters,
some of whom even compared the 53-year-old to US President Barack Obama who
spent part of his childhood in the Southeast Asian nation.
 |
Many say Jokowi's cabinet makeup
reflects the strong influence exerted
by Megawati Sukarnoputri |
Three
months into his presidency, the Indonesian leader has been facing a host of
major challenges inherited from previous governments, ranging from fighting the
country's endemic corruption and rising inequality, to revitalizing the
sluggish economy and improving the infrastructure.
In
addition, Jokowi has had to deal with a hostile parliament, given that most of
its members are aligned with losing candidate Prabowo.
Given the
difficult task ahead and Jokowi's lack of experience in regional and
international affairs, many had warned against expecting sensational
developments in the first 100 days of his term. But has Jokowi laid the
groundwork for a successful presidency? The results are mixed.
Jokowi's
team
An early
test for the new leader came with the formation of his cabinet. While Jokowi's
outsider credentials made him appealing to the electorate during the campaign,
they also meant that he lacked the political and patronage networks that other
national politicians in Indonesia enjoy.
So he
appointed a total of 18 technocrats and newcomers to lead several ministries to
implement some of the country's much-needed reforms - a move welcomed both at
home and abroad.
However,
the other posts of his 34-strong cabinet went to members of his ruling
coalition, a move criticized by many as reflecting the strong influence of his
party's chairwoman and former president Megawati Sukarnoputri.
"The
political mandate from the PDI-P and its party coalition for his presidency
created an apparent headache for Jokowi when selecting his ministers. The new
Cabinet is obviously not all the president's men," Wahyudi Kumorotomo,
professor of Public Administration at Indonesia's Gadjah Mada University wrote
on the academic site "The Conversation."
Even more
controversial has been his choice for national police chief, Budi Gunawan,
suspected by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) of receiving bribes -
an appointment that has cast doubts on Jokowi's campaign promise to deliver
clean governance.
The issue
of corruption has been plaguing the country for years now, with Indonesia
ranking 107th out of 174 nations in Transparency International's 2014
Corruption Perception Index. The president has therefore been under mounting
pressure to replace his pick, but has so far refused.
But more
than just graft, analysts argue the issue also reflects Jokowi's struggle with
consolidating power. Budi is seen as close to Megawati and many in the country
consider his nomination a political maneuver aimed at further appeasing the
PDI-P.
Yohanes
Sulaiman, political analyst and lecturer at the Indonesian Defense University,
argues that by nominating Budi as police chief, the president has squandered a
lot of the goodwill from people: "Many saw this as proof of Jokowi deferring
too much to Megawati at the expense of his principles," he said.
Reducing
fuel subsidies
As for the
economy, one of the president's top priorities, Jokowi has shown decisiveness
in taking on the task of reducing government fuel subsidies, which for years
had been a major drain on government fiscal resources, earning him
international praise.
Takehiko
Nakao, President of the Asian Development Bank, said: "With the extra
budget funds resulting from fuel subsidy cuts, the government can now allocate more
resources for infrastructure, which are needed to revive and diversify sources
of economic growth." In fact, many multinational companies were encouraged
by Jokowi's "clean image" and announced plans to expand operations in
Indonesia.
 |
Jokowi earned international praise by acting decisively on
curbing fuel subsidies |
"The
move to cut fuel subsidies is encouraging since it suggests that Jokowi is
serious about economic reform in Indonesia, and is even prepared to take steps
that may prove unpopular in the short run," Gareth Leather, Asia Economist
at Capital Economics told DW.
But while
the cuts were welcomed by economists, they also partly dented his popularity as
the price of petrol and diesel across the archipelago went up by more than 30
percent in mid-November.
The impact,
however, was partly cushioned by the recent fall in global oil prices.
Helping the
poorest
The
president has also made good on his campaign promise to help the nation's
poorest by diverting some of the extra funds to areas such as health and
education. Just days after his inauguration, the government launched the
Indonesia Smart Card and Indonesia Heath Card, guaranteeing free medical
treatment for the poor as well free schooling.
Analyst
Sulaiman argues this gesture towards the country's low and middle-classes
certainly offset the impact of the fuel price hike. "Jokowi's biggest
political capital comes from the impression among many that he genuinely cares
about people and that he is one of them, which to some degree may come from his
humble background," Sulaiman said.
And it
seems that Jokowi has kept this personal connection with the people as seen in
his reaction to the loss of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 where he met with the victims'
families and organized a swift response.
Dealing
with the opposition
A somewhat
unexpected positive aspect of Jokowi's first three months in office has been
the apparent improvement of relations with the opposition, which initially
seemed bent on making his life very difficult in parliament.
"There
have been internal squabbles within Golkar, one of the biggest parties within
the opposition, which have led them to tone down the rhetoric," said
Sulaiman.
 |
Jokowi's relations with the opposition in
Parliament have apparently improved.
But how long will this last? |
If Golkar
as an organization were to switch sides, or if a large enough number of
individual lawmakers was to defect to Jokowi, he could gain the legislative majority
he now lacks.
On top of
that, in an apparent concession to the president, the opposition-dominated
parliament recently approved direct elections for governors and mayors,
overturning controversial legislation passed in September under Jokowi's predecessor
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, which had led to protests and criticism amongst many
Indonesians.
'No
clemency for drug traffickers'
Despite the
signs of progress in parliament, one of Jokowi's latest decisions has led many
outside the country to slam his stance on human rights and tarnish his image.
Indonesia brushed aside last-minute appeals by foreign leaders and, on January
18, executed a total of six people convicted of drug trafficking, including
five foreigners from Vietnam, Malawi, Nigeria, Brazil and the Netherlands.
President
Jokowi not only rejected clemency requests, but also refused a last-minute
appeal by Brasilia and Den Haag to spare their countrymen. Instead, he defended
the executions, saying those convicted of drug trafficking would not receive a
presidential pardon since Indonesia is facing an "emergency" over
drug use.
The
incident didn't only heighten diplomatic tensions, but also triggered
international criticism from human rights groups. Amnesty International said
the first executions under Indonesia's new president were "a retrograde
step" for human rights. Jakarta had an unofficial four-year moratorium on
executions until 2013, when five people were put before the firing squad. There
were no executions last year.
 |
Jokowi rejected clemency for
drug trafficking convicts |
Another
controversial issue, especially among Indonesia's neighbors, has been Jakarta's
decision to sink foreign boats caught illegally fishing in Indonesian waters.
While the new administration has defended the policy as a "necessary
deterrent," others argue the issue is not one of legality but propriety.
"If
any Malaysian fishermen accidentally enter into Indonesian waters, there is no
need to sink their boats. Just escort them back to the Malaysian waters,"
Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi Ad was quoted as saying by the
"The Rakyat Post."
The road
ahead
It's been
100 days since Jokowi assumed office, and the so-called
"Jokowi-effect" seems to have been replaced by realism. The new
leader has offered Indonesia the prospect of a fresh start, but he also has his
work cut out for him. Analyst Gregory Poling, Indonesia expert with the
Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies says Jokowi has
passed through the period of post-election euphoria and into the gritty realm
of day-to-day governing.
"For
every step taken toward necessary reforms, his administration seems to take
another backward," Poling underlines. Moving forward, he argues, the
electorate will be looking to see whether his pledges of good governance will
outweigh patronage politics within his coalition, and especially whether he can
step out of Megawati's shadow.
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