BIES Interactive

Authors: Vincent Ashcroft; David Cavanough  

The second half of 2008 is proving to be a time of unprecedented global volatility, and the sound performance of the Indonesian economy over the first half will be difficult to maintain. With growth for the year projected to remain around 6%, Indonesia is relatively well placed to face the challenges of the unfolding global financial crisis, but the risks to the outlook are increasing. Read More »

Author: Gerry van Klinken

The ‘normal’ politics of 2008, in between the big electoral events of 2004 and 2009, illustrated the ambiguities of democratic change. Hung gubernatorial elections in North Maluku and South Sulawesi led local elites to ask Jakarta to intervene. Read More »

Author: Howard Dick

The restoration of democracy since 1998 has been accompanied by a revival of economic nationalism in Indonesia. This can be seen clearly in the field of shipping and ports. In the 1980s the government deregulated the highly protected and inefficient shipping industry to facilitate a non-oil export drive. Read More »

Authors: Hal Hill; Budy P. Resosudarmo; Yogi Vidyattama

Indonesia’s regional socio-economic data base extends over 30 years, so it is now possible to draw conclusions about regional development dynamics since the 1970s. We examine economic growth, inequality, convergence, structural change, demographic dynamics and social indicators over this period. Read More »

Authors: Mudrajad Kuncoro; Peter van Diermen; Tri Manning; Sri Moertiningsih Adioetomo; Sally White

The book review section in this issue covers a study of regional bureaucracies and their efforts to reform and promote competitiveness; an analysis of small and medium enterprise wood furniture manufacturing clusters in Central Java; an edited collection of regional case studies on women and work in Indonesia; a book analysing the motives for and circumstances surrounding Eastern Indonesian women’s travel from their place of origin; and a study of sharia and constitutionalism that argues that the two can co-exist in Indonesia. Read More »

Author: Ross H. McLeod

The 10^th anniversary of Soeharto’s resignation was coloured by disappointment with the slowness of reform, and with the government’s reluctance to confront blatant religious intolerance. Nevertheless, economic growth is strong and investment spending buoyant. Inflation has risen well above target, suggesting that a more effective approach to monetary policy is needed. Read More »

Authors: Ian Coxhead; Muqun Li

In an integrated global economy, specialisation in trade is an increasingly prominent strategy. A labour-abundant, resource-rich economy like Indonesia faces stiff competition in labour-intensive manufactures; meanwhile, rapid growth in demand for resources from China and India exposes it to the ‘curse’ of resource wealth. Read More »

Authors: Simon Butt; Tim Lindsey

Article 33 of Indonesia’s Constitution requires the state to ‘control’ important branches of production and natural resources. The meaning of ‘control’ has been a matter of significant debate since Indonesia’s independence: does it require the state to manage directly, or is regulation enough? Read More »

Authors: Simon Vieira; Malcolm Tull

Catches of shark and ray are considered important in Indonesian fisheries. Anecdotal evidence suggests that these fisheries may be over-exploited, but catches of shark and ray may be critical to their economic viability and the welfare of fishing communities dependent on them. Read More »

Authors: Robin Bourgeois; Dian Kusumaningrum

Most existing projection models forecast that Indonesia will become a net importer of increasing amounts of basic cereals such as rice, maize and wheat, implicitly providing grounds for the government’s continuing pursuit of food self-sufficiency at any cost. Read More »