Reformasi Dispatch
Independent and lucid analysis of Indonesian politics, policymaking, justice, and economics featuring Kevin O’Rourke and Erin Cook. The podcasts incorporate exclusive interviews with experts and draws on content from the Reformasi Weekly reports, produced for subscribers since 2003.
Season 5 Episode 17
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A tension brewed up albeit briefly between Thailand and Cambodia after Thai forces kill a Cambodian soldier. A group of retired soldiers continue to push for Gibran's impeachment, an allegation towards Education Ministry's tender can put Former Education Minister Nadiem Makarim in a crosshair
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Season 5 Episode 16 (with Glenn Hurowitz)
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Kevin talks to Glenn Hurowitz of Mighty Earth on Food estate program in Papua. Also, French President Emmanuel Macron pays a visit to the Palace and Borobudur. Police arrested 93 Trisaksti students on the day of remembrance of Reformasi. Ojek drivers held a demonstration responding to the talks of merger between Grab and Gojek.
Visit Mighty Earth on mightyearth.org
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Read Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/
Season 5 Episode 15 (with Alon Aviram)
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Kevin and Erin talk to Alon Aviram of Gecko Project on his collaborative investigative reporting regarding Chromium-6 exposure in waters of Obi Island as a result of Harita's nickel expansion. Also, PM Albanese visits Indonesia a day after his second inauguration.
Read Gecko Project's investigation here: https://thegeckoproject.org/articles/clean-cars-poisoned-water/
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Season 5 Episode 14
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Policies of consigning youths deemed problematic to military barracks caused a controversy and an ITB student who made an ai-generative image of Jokowi and Prabowo kissing was arrested with ITE law.
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Season 5 Episode 13 (with Kirsten Han)
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As Singaporeans go to the polls, Kevin and Erin talk to Kirsten Han of We The Citizen and Mekong Review on the country's 9-day campaign. Also, Jokowi's visit to the Vatican and later to police HQ to file defamation charges against those who call his diploma a forgery. And a formidable group of military retirees call for impeaching the VP.
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Season 5 Episode 12 (with Angus Mackintosh)
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Kevin and Erin talk to Angus Mackintosh of CrossASEAN research on the recent stock market dynamics and outlook. Also a report on Russian airbase in Biak became a hot topic for the Australian election. And Widodo received visitors while an Indonesian delegation starts tariff negotiations.
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Season 5 Episode 11 (with Ristian Atriandi)
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Ristian Atriandi of ANU joins Kevin and Erin to discuss TNI Law. Also, Prabowo finally meets Mega, response to Trump tariffs and its delay.
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Season 5 Episode 10
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A 7.7 Richter scale earthquake devastates Myanmar, Thanksin Shinawatra joins the board of Danantara, Indonesia braces for a new set of reciprocal tariffs from Trump, and protests against TNI law continues in several cities.
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Season 5 Episode 9 (with Fabby Tumiwa)
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Kevin and Erin spoke to Fabby Tumiwa of IESR on renewable energy. Also: the new military law, IHSG plunges, and Tempo received threats.
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Read Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/
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Season 5 Episode 8 (with Jonathan Head)
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Jonathan Head of the BBC joins the pod to discuss Myanmar's scam center
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Read Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/
It takes a lot of money to run a podcast. You need subscription fees for hosting, audio recording services, editor's salary and music licensing. Luckily, you, estemeed listeners of Reformasi Dispatch podcast can help us.
You can donate to us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasi and help us grow!
Season 5 Episode 7 (with Wahyu Dyatmika)
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Erin and Kevin catch up with Wahyu Dyatmika to talk about Prabowo's approach to media, especially after Prabowo's meeting with editor in chiefs in Hambalang on Saturday. Also: Corruption case in Pertamina involving son of Riza Chalid, and Thailand sends Uyghurs back to China after leaving them in immigration detention for a decade.
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Season 5 Episode 6
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Student led protests erupt in several cities in Indonesia. Prabowo announced a new round of budget cuts for Danantara. A punk rock duo Sukatani was forced to make an apology video after their song on Police graft went viral. It ironically became the anthem of the protest on Friday. And Hasto Kristiyanto, Secretary General of PDI-P was arrested.
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Season 5 Episode 5 (with Jon Lindborg)
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Jon Lindborg, a veteran in development, discusses the impact of the USAID freeze on Indonesia. Also: budget cutbacks and an arrest in the Finance Ministry.
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Read Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/
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Season 5 Episode 4
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Indikator Politik's polling corroborates earlier Kompas polling on President's popularity but the majority is against his discourse on changing electoral system. Also: A snaking queue for 3 kg LPG canister after a new policy, Elon Musk's policy of downsizing the US Government starts to take shape after halting funding for USAID, and DHE policy is enacted for March after prabowo's meeting with Ministers.
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Season 5 Episode 3 (with Seth Soderborg)
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Kevin and Erin talk to Seth about new Litbang Kompas polling regarding Prabowo's sky-high approval rating. Also, sea fences north of Jakarta caused blame game in the government.
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Read Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/
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Season 5 Episode 2 (With Usman Hamid)
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Usman Hamid of Amnesty International Indonesia joins Kevin and Erin to discuss about systemic problems in the police force, human rights violations in Papua, Prabowo's Ministers' denial of past gross human rights vioaltions and deteriorating state of democracy.
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Season 5 Episode 1 (with David Mathieson)
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Myanmar's Deterioration and interview with David Mathieson. Also: launch of lunches (sans Prabowo). Hasto named suspect and VAT hike cancelled.
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Season 4 Episode 42 (with Lauri Myllyvirta)
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In this episode: 12% VAT confirmed for 2025, Jokowi's absence from Golkar's event and ouster from PDI-P. And a talk with Lauri Myllyvirta of CREA on Prabowo's ambitious energy transition plan.
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Season 4 Episode 41 (With Khoirunnisa Agustyati)
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In this episode: a welcome volte-face on prisoner exchanges; another rise in fiscal-policy stakes; and a plan for expanding the Army. Also: Khoirunnisa Agustyati of Perludem discussed the regional-head elections and upcoming political-law revisions.
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Season 4 Episode 40 (With Bert Gochet)
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In this episode: Verbal brawls in Manila escalate between Marcos and VP Duterte, preliminary results of Pilkada in Indonesia. Plus, an interview with the economic analyst Bert Gochet on the interactions between geopolitical uncertainties and Indonesia's approach to development.
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Season 4 Episode 39 (with Seth Soderborg)
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In this episode: A special episode on the upcoming Pilkada (regional elections) with Seth Soderborg of SNS Analytics.
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Season 4 Episode 38 (with Ristian Atriandi)
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In this episode: Interview with Ristian Atriandi Supriyanto of Universitas Indonesia on Indonesia and China's joint agreement regarding South China Sea. Also: New SMRC polling on Jakarta race, Prabowo's visit to US.
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Read Ristian's op-ed here: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/check-not-check-mate-indonesia-s-nine-dash-line-mistake
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Season 4 Episode 37
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Season 4 Episode 37: Prabowo's moves, US election impact, Labor Law, electoral reforms
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Season 4 Episode 36 (With Anindya Restuviani)
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In this episode: Interview with Anindya Restuviani of Jakarta Feminist. Also: inauguration address, cabinet contours, arrest by AGO, BRICSmembership, new agencies.
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Season 4 Episode 35 (with Herald Van Der Linde)
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Interview with 'Majapahit' author Herald van der Linde - pluralism, commerce and justice in pre-modern Indonesia. Plus, a look at the likely new cabinet roster with some positive late-stage alterations.
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Season 4 Episode 34
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In this episode: Asean Summit, Jakarta governor debate, investigation in South Kalimantan, fiscal deficit outlook, cabinet-roster prognostications.
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Read Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/
Season 4 Episode 33 (With Rio Tuasikal)
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This week: Erin Cook talks to Rio Tuasikal on his paper regarding media coverage of AI in Indonesia. Also, Regional-head races, ethanol production, cabinet formation and new legislative leaderships
Read Rio Tuasikal's research on media coverage of AI in Indonesia: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15u1m5c7V0mfx_i2Jip2g687-HIKMVbZu/view
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Read Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/
Season 4 Episode 32 (With James Guild)
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This week: Sri Mulyani speculation, Kiwi pilot released, cabinet rumors and sand exports. Also: Prof James Guild discusses the Widodo-era legacy of infrastructure development.
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Read Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/
Season 4 Episode 31
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This week: the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (Kadin) takeover, Widodo's offspring under fire, and updates on the politics of regional-head elections.
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Read Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/
The Indonesian Toggle for Democracy (with Wahyu Dhyatmika)
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Following the profound setback to democratization from Golkar's takeover, constitutional justices undertook a spirited effort to restore competition to regional-head elections -- only for parliament to countermand the court a day later with a Regional Head Election Law revision. To examine the whiplash-like effects of events, we enlisted the veteran journalist Wahyu Dhyatmika of Tempo - the venerable news group that occupies a central role in documenting Indonesia's political convulsions. We discuss the circumstances of Golkar Chair Airlangga Hartarto's resignation, the ensuing cabinet reshuffle, two momentous Constitutional Court verdicts on 20 August and the l...
Golkar In Subordination
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President Widodo and Prabowo Subianto need no longer contend with restiveness from Indonesia's second-largest party: Golkar Chair Airlangga Hartarto sensationally resigned and his replacement will be the Widodo-Prabowo loyalist Bahlil Lahadahlia.
Kevin and Erin discuss the implications for democratization (spoiler: not good) and, specifically, regional-head races (not good either). For Jakarta's race, the maneuvering will exclude incumbent Gov Anies Baswedan, ensuring the election of Ridwan Kamil as the only party-backed nominee on the ballot - and we examine comparable dynamics in several other provinces. But, if Widodo emerges as chair of Go...
Empty Boxes, Now More than Ever
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This week, Southeast Asia's politics witnessed the dissolution of Thailand's most popular party (again), and strides in Indonesia's regional‑head elections to thwart the administration's rivals -- in which case, ballots in November may literally feature empty boxes for voters' only alternative to a nominee of a hegemonic alliance. Also: Erin and Kevin discuss Sheikh Hasina's downfall in Dhaka, as well as a breakthrough Indonesian health reform and latest developments on the Nusantara capital project.
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The French Connection: Prabowo's State Visit to Paris
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Indonesia's president-elect set a distinctive tone by making visits to France, Serbia, Turkey and Russia. Kevin and Erin examine some takeaways (more on the Kremlin call in the next pod.) Meanwhile, President Widodo breaks in the Nusantara Palace and hosts influencers. Also: the Asean foreign ministers' retreat in Laos and a grotesque verdict for a grotesque crime in Surabaya.
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Trong's Wake and Vietnam's Next Course (with Mike Tatarski)
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The passing of the Communist Party's general secretary has the makings of a watershed for modern Vietnam - yet the public domain is distinctly unruffled. To talk through the reactions and implications of the unfolding transition, we reach out to the writer and podcaster of Vietnam Weekly, Mike Tatarski. Spoiler: unknowns abound. And in Indonesia: Erin and Kevin consider a bevy of Prabowo-oriented appointments, the military's yen for business and the pitfalls of zoomorphic forms in palace architecture.
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Horses for Courses: Poll Data on Pole Positions in Indonesia's Upcoming Regional-Head Races (with Seth Soderberg)
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In a special 1-hr interview, Reformasi Dispatch consults the Indonesian polling expert, Dr Seth Soderberg, on a new batch of survey findings for gubernatorial contests in five major provinces. With contests taking place in over 570 regions simultaneously, the 27 November elections pose a momentous juncture for shaping Indonesia's political future. With new data from Indikator Politik and Kompas, we examine the context and conditions for the jockeying and campaigning that lies ahead. This includes prospects for Anies Baswedan, Ridwan Kamil, Bobby Nasution, Airin Diany and the firebrand upstart Basuki Purnama ('Ahok') -- along with som...
Ransomware or Randomware? Indonesia's Bizarre National Data Hack (with Nenden Sekar Arum)
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Curious circumstances surround June's hack of a national data center (PDNS II) and Nenden of Safenet, a premier CSO on online rights, joins the pod to help de-encrypt. We discuss the safety protocols, the hackers' demands and where accountability lies. Also: Erin and Kevin examine a momentous change at the top of the General Election Commission (KPU) and the implications for the president's younger son. And finally: the president-elect's brother-in-law weighs in on building new capitals versus disbursing free lunches.
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Myanmar's Myriad Crises (with Ragyeshri Sudaroli); Indonesia's Remorseful Hackers
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For a comprehensive overview of the dynamics unfolding in Myanmar, Erin and Kevin consult Apac Assistance analyst Ragyeshri Sudaroli, who underscores the imperative for expanding humanitarian assistance as violence displaces three million Myanmarese and counting.
On Indonesia, the pod examines the odd willingness of hackers to unlock ransomed government data - supposedly for free. Also: a proposal for anti-dumping tariffs on consumer goods from China, Prabowo's leg surgery and the sinking of the Electoral Commission (KPU) to yet another new low.
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Myopia on Myanmar: How ASEAN Could Do More (with Kasit Piromya)
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Thai politics and contingencies across its Myanmar border are among the topics discussed in our latest podcast with Kasit Piromya, a longstanding activist with ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) and a former foreign minister of Thailand. Khun Kasit has also served as Thailand's ambassador to over half-a-dozen countries, including the US, Germany, Japan and Russia. He provides an update on the search for political consensus in Thailand and the implications for Thailand's stance on the ongoing Myanmar crisis. He anticipates scenarios and issues a call for Indonesia to heed. Also in this epis...
Particulate Matter Matters: 'Sick Building' Syndrome in Jakarta (with Piotr Jakubowski)
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The health consequences of suspended particles in Jakarta's air -- and safeguards applicable indoors -- come under scrutiny in this episode's interview with Piotr Jakubowski of Nafas, a provider of indoor air-quality monitoring and purifying. Piotr explains the terms, trends and dynamics of air pollution -- while disclosing the results of an air test done in a quintessentially smokey Senopati bar. Also: Kevin and Erin delve into the workings of Jakarta's gubernatorial election, cases embroiling Megawati's top lieutenant and signs of complications arising in the Nusantara Capital (IKN) project.
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Political Thai-nosaurs: Aversion to Move Forward in Thailand's Establishment (with Titipol Phakdeewanich)
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The Reformasi Dispatch podcast delves into turbulence in Thai politics with the director of the Regional Centre for Human Rights Studies at Isan's Ubon Ratchathani University. Amid charges against Thaksin, a move to dissolve Move Forward and hunger strikes by political prisoners, Titipon estimates what might lie ahead, proximately and longer term. And in Indonesian politics, Erin and Kevin review cabinet rumors and new policies on halal import certification and coal-mining licenses for religious organizations - as well as how the president and president-elect still remain 'in sync'.
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