Daily Times

Indonesia went for local, provincial, legislative and presidential elections on April 17. There were 300,000 candidates for 20,528 seats across 34 provinces. Nearly, 193 million people cast their vote. The participation was unprecedented. President Joko Widodo has a lead in the presidential run-up. Initial counting gave Widodo 54 per cent of the votes. Prabowo Subianto from the Great Indonesia Movement Party secured 45 per cent of votes. Official results are likely to be in by May 22.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle has been in power since 2014. The government’s primary focus was on economic empowerment. Local businesses were promoted. This contributed towards improving the lives of Indonesians. Spending on education and health sectors was enhanced. The improving socio-economic indicators have been a motivating factor for the public to vote again.

Looking at Indonesia’s economic growth, the government has focused on ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ approaches simultaneously

The agenda to empower the common man has won. It has also strengthened the democratic forces in the country. President Widodo’s lead in the presidential race proves that a merit-oriented political culture can flourish if the ruling party takes into consideration the well-being of the common man. Widodo’s political career and journey to president’s office shows that having a political background is not a prerequisite to do well in politics. This speaks of a merit-oriented political culture. Widodo does not come from a political or influential background. His journey in politics has been a struggle.

In 2005, Widodo was elected mayor of Solo, a central Java city. In 2012, he became the governor of Jakarta. In 2014, he stood for president on a platform to fight corruption and alleviate poverty.

For economic growth, the government has focused on ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ approaches simultaneously. Spending on infrastructure alone cannot be termed as socio-economic development. Empowerment of masses through education is equally important. The policy of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle was to balance the soft and hard approaches, and employ both for the welfare of people.

In President Widodo’s second term in office, economic growth will remain the focus. During the election campaign, President Widodo promised more infrastructural development, specifying roads, railways, airports and dams to be built. There are also plans to create 100 million jobs, and increase spending on education.

Indonesia is part of an economically well-integrated and dynamic region. The country has an annual GDP of $1 trillion. In five years it is likely to reach $2 trillion. That will make it one of the world’s top 10 economies by 2030.

The agenda to empower the common man has won. It has also strengthened the democratic forces in the country

Indonesia’s relations with China are significant. China’s economic muscle, coupled with the emerging power equation, offers opportunities and challenges to the Southeast Asian states. China’s growing economy can be a destination for Indonesian exports; Indonesia’s exports to China currently stand at $3.26 billion and Indonesia’s imports from China at $7.2 billion. Uder its Belt and Road Initiative, China is likely to invest $60 billion in Indonesia.

Some segments in the Indonesian political elite have been critical of Chinese projects in the country. Prabowo Subianto has criticised the Chinese investments in Indonesia. The Bandung-Jakarta Rail Project worth $5.1 billion was to be completed in 2019, but the work has been delayed. Indonesia’s claim on South China Sea and some resource-rich islands is likely to be a factor in the bilateral relations. The country has built a military base in Natuna Sea, which touches China’s Nine-Dash Line in the South China Sea. Indonesia may not be inclined to support China’s claim to the South China Sea.

In view of China’s economic growth and China-Indonesia trading ties, investment from China is a good option. It will only make it easier for Indonesia to develop infrastructure.

The writer is a researcher at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute