Category Archives: Indonesia

Land of many faces

In memory of Professors Subroto and Kuntoro Mangkusubroto

The convening power of meritocratic leaders

There are common learnings that today’s aspiring leaders may want to learn from both “Pak Broto” and “Pak Kun”: (1) embrace hardships and foster camaraderie, (2) integrity as a long-term habit, (3) nationalism and internationalism, (4) deep substance and wide interests, and (5) proven delivery.
Also posted in Editorial, Energy |
Opinion at the Jakarta Post

Institutional credibility at the core of sustainable energy transition

Indonesia’s fossil resources have helped brought it becoming a middle-income country. What got us here, won’t take us where we need to be. Whether or not the global energy transition will also propel Indonesia out of the middle-income trap heavily depends on the quality of its institutions. Carbon-intensive development can be leapfrogged, institutional credibility cannot.
Also posted in Business & Society, Climate Change, Editorial, Energy, Miscellaneous |
“Sexy Killers” documentary:

Cleaning-up Civilization’s Combustion Chambers

Most of us in a modern society take electricity and clean air for granted. An hour of blackout and we will scramble to charge our mobiles, complain about the dysfunctional air conditioning, or missing a favorite television show. We feel we are entitled for the electricity services because we duly pay our monthly dues. As […]
Also posted in Business & Society, Editorial |
A Documentary Shows Political Maturity of Indonesian Grassroots

Ordinary People, Extraordinary Resilience

Several international friends have asked the question, how come Indonesia managed a relatively peaceful transition of power over the years? Even following the 1997-98 regime change that involved some dark violent episodes, the country quickly re-established order and peace. Why is that despite the bitter political fights amongst the factions, the nation has not disintegrate […]
Also posted in Editorial | Tagged , , |

A Democracy Can Overcome Extremism

The closing of houses of worship, assault on an orphanage and stabbing of a religious leader all happened in front of our eyes and under full media coverage. We cannot say that we did not see this coming. As a democratic society, the blame rests with us. The government that has done little to prevent such acts — even possibly provoking hostility toward a certain group in some instances — is, like it or not, a democratically elected one.
Also posted in Editorial |

Seandainya Saya Penulis Pidato Presiden RI …

Tulisan pidato ini adalah fiktif belaka yang diandaikan sebagai pidato Presiden RI. Dalam andaian itu, pidato ini dibacakan untuk menjawab keresahan masyarakat yang memilihnya untuk menjadi Presiden atas tindak kekerasan yang terjadi menjelang bulan suci Ramadhan dan peringatan hari Kemerdekaan Republik Indonesia. Tindak kekerasan diluar hukum sebagai wujud intoleransi seharusnya tidak memiliki tempat di negara yang serius menerapkan Pancasila. Pidato ini bukanlah serta merta sebuah kritik, tetapi lebih merupakan pengharapan–pengharapan bahwa 65 tahun adalah umur yang cukup bagi sebuah Negara dan Bangsa untuk mulai beranjak dewasa; dan juga pengharapan bahwa seorang pemimpin yang terpilih secara demokratis dapat pula menegakkan asas-asas demokrasi yang fundamental, termasuk melawan dengan tegas mereka yang berusaha merusak tatanan demokrasi.
Also posted in Editorial | Tagged , , |

The Strategic Case of Climate Change for Indonesia

It is critical to frame the issue of climate change as a problem to the population. It should not be seen only as a problem to the environment, since it also poses grave challenges to social and economic development. Planet Earth has been in existence for more than four billion years and has gone through solar storms, meteor impacts and several ice ages. Several dozens of high-grade hurricanes and meters of rising sea level will not jeopardize the planet as much as it will demolish the people living on it.The window of opportunity for Indonesia to embed climate change considerations into its development plan and muster international support to undertake a low carbon development is still open – but not for long.
Also posted in Climate Change, Editorial | Tagged , , , |
Oleh: Arif Havas Oegroseno

Salah Kaprah Paten Budaya

Dalam narasi proklamasi UNESCO atas wayang sebagai seni tak benda Indonesia, disebutkan ”Wayang stories borrow characters from Indian epics and heroes from Persian tales”. UNESCO menyatakan kita meminjam budaya orang lain dalam wayang kita. Apakah meminjam sama dengan mengklaim? Rabindranath Tagore dalam Letters from Java justru terharu dan bangga melihat budaya India dilestarikan di Jawa, bukannya menganggap ini sebagai klaim Indonesia, lalu marah dan meneriakkan perang.
Also posted in Guest Writers | Tagged , , , |
Soekarno's Opening Address at Asian-African Conference (Bandung, April 1956)

Let a New Asia and New Africa Be Born

Yes, we are living in a world of fear. The life of man today is corroded and made bitter by fear. Fear of the future, fear of the hydrogen bomb, fear of ideologies. Perhaps this fear is a greater danger than the danger itself, because it is fear which drives men to act foolishly, to act thoughtlessly, to act dangerously.
Also posted in History | Tagged , , , |