Indonesia, dll.

State Owned Enterprise Minister Erick Thohir has had a big start to his tenure. Garuda’s woes are only worsening after CEO Ari Askhara is busted after smuggling Harley Davidson parts into the country on a brand-new plane. Now he’s set to be pushed out while the board of directors are next. Elsewhere, little to celebrate during this week’s World Anti-Corruption Day where President Jokowi snubbed the KPK. But it’s not all bad news — Southeast Asia Games, ending in the Philippines this week, has plenty of heart-warming moments.

Hayat and Erin begin this week with an update to last week’s suicide bombing attack in Medan. With news of dozens of suspects rounded up, the pair look at what this says about the state of terrorism today. Meanwhile, the haze has cleared but the impact of this year’s fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra will impact the planet for years to come. Indonesia isn’t ready to let go of the palm oil industry just yet as the Trade Ministry gears up for a fight against European Union regulation. And Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan is in strife again, this time walking back on a key election promise. But it’s not all bad. This week’s hero is an example to us all.

Not much good news this week, with Hayat and Erin taking a look at recent violent deaths of environmental defender in Sumatra. Police investigations are continuing into the murders of local community advocates Maraden Sianipar and Martua Siregar while there is a sliver of hope that the legacy of slain lawyer Golfrid Siregar will be pursued. Meanwhile, a suicide bombing in Medan is still developing. Still! There’s some promising news on saving the rhinos and the return of Basuki ‘Ahok’ Tjahaja Purnama — not to mention a bit of Rizieq Shihab schadenfreude.

Hayat and Erin are back this week with a quick news round-up before jumping into the final cabinet. One year on from the JT610 Lion Air crash, investigators have given us a clearer idea of what went so wrong. It isn’t the only major report this week after Komnas HAM slammed the Jakarta Police for brutality during May’s anti-President Jokowi protests. Meanwhile, over in South Sulawesi a handful of police are placed on administrative leave after the deaths of two university students in last month’s protests. Hayat and Erin check in with their predictions for the new cabinet and Hayat flags a few faces to keep an eye on.

Hayat and Erin are back right as cabinet speculation reaches fever pitch. President Joko Widodo’s second term formally began Sunday with his inauguration — all reviews say it paled compared to the festival of 2014 — but it’s all about the new cabinet to be named Wednesday. Who’s in, who’s out and what does it mean for the years ahead? Also, a look back at the student-led demonstrations in recent weeks and the terror-linked stabbing of Minister Wiranto.

Hayat and Erin kick off the episode with the sad news of the passing of former president BJ Habibie. While he served for less than two years as Indonesia’s third president, his legacy is far larger. But is it being forgotten already? Habibie championed a free press and gender equality in a post-Suharto Indonesia, two areas seemingly under attack by legal revisions set to pass the House next week. Some President Joko Widodo stans are moving early though, taking on Tempo. Elsewhere, haze is blanketing much of Western Indonesia and the region, but #sawitbaik, right?

And we’re back with season two! With the world’s biggest one-day elections behind us, Indonesia dan Lain-Lain is ready for another season of going deep into Indonesia’s most pressing policy debates, breaking news and conversations with fascinating guests. Today we kick off with haze, the so-called national car project and, of course, the moving of the capital from Jakarta to Kalimantan. And just a quick note, with a CV as illustrious as President Jokowi’s it’s easy to get it mixed up. At one point we say he was the governor of Solo, which of course does not exist and he was famously the mayor. Apologies for any confusion.

This week Hayat and Erin kick off with another PR bummer for palm oil — does it fund terrorism? The police allege it does after nabbing the head of terror group Jemaah Islamiyah. Keeping with an environmental theme they look at the struggle to find new homes for the dwindling Sumatran and Javan rhinos as well as Jakarta’s rancid air quality. Emerging blasphemy cases, reclamation developments and a shoddy band-aid fix for flight ticket prices, can Indonesia catch a break this week!

Lebaran is over for another year and we’re back in the studio! While the country waits for the Constitutional Court to make its final decision in the presidential election challenge, Hayat explains why Ma’ruf Amin’s road to the vice-presidency could be in trouble. Elsewhere, a series of big earthquakes shakes Eastern Indonesia, a frightening fire in a Sumatran home factory reveals shocking flaws in the labour system and who wants to fly to Bandung?

In the last episode before the Lebaran break, Erin is joined in the studio again with Gentle Media and Asumsi’s Lisa Siregar. This week they host a very special guest, Human Rights Watch’s Indonesia researcher Andreas Harsono. Pak Andreas has spent years studying and monitoring Indonesia’s human rights situation and has just published his book Race, Islam and Power looking at political violence in post-Suharto Indonesia. He breaks down what happened last week and how the riots fit into Indonesia’s long history of violence.

Straight into it this week with a dramatic end to the pesta demokrasi. Hayat and Erin are joined by podcast producer and fellow journalist Lisa Siregar to take a look at the protests following the formal announcement of President Jokowi’s successful re-election. Lisa shares what she saw down on the frontlines while reporting for Asumsi and what it tells us about where Indonesia’s politics could be heading.

A high-profile case of Twitter vigilantism leaves Hayat and guest host Basten wondering about the state of Indonesia's data privacy protections. Plus: the curious case of the crowd-funded post-grad.

How do you police someone's "words, actions and thoughts"? That's a plan being floated by the chief security minister, Wiranto, on the pretext of "national security." Hayat and guest host Basten discuss what this means for Indonesia's hard-won freedoms of expression and thought, and ruminate about how Ben Franklin's immortal words -- that a society that trades its liberties for security deserves neither -- ring true today.

Less politics and more pressing issues this week as Hayat and guest host Basten talk about the recent Women's March, the stalled anti-sexual harassment bill, and rising hostility from top government officials toward the LGBT community in Indonesia.

This week, Erin and Hayat are joined by Basten Gokkon, an old friend who just so happens to be one of the country’s best environmental journalists. The gang talks Sexy Killers, a new documentary exploring the connections between the political elite and the coal industry in Kalimantan. They also touch on the latest developments in the race including where in the world Sandiaga Uno went (and where he’ll go next). And a point of clarification: Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi issued a few tweets on the Sri Lanka attack, Hayat discusses those posted Sunday.

The race is run! All signs point to a Jokowi-Ma’ruf win, but will the Prabowo camp agree? And where in the world is Sandiaga? Hayat and Erin look at the preliminary parliamentary results which hold few surprises, but maybe a hint of what’s ahead for party politics. The world’s biggest one-day election doesn’t do anything by halves and the hosts look at booths around the country. It’s another five years until Indonesia vote in a new president, but what’s a little forecasting between nerds?

It’s the last episode before the big day! Hayat and Erin look at what they expect to see next week — and beyond. With the opposition laying the groundwork for a dispute over results, will we see some drama if the polls prove correct and President Jokowi is returned? The pair also look at "golput", the movement not to register a vote for either candidate, and a quick look around the region at some of the more controversial legal moves. Hayat and Erin will be back first thing the day after the vote to get you up to speed on how it all played out. 

Stanley Widianto, a journalist working with foreign media including Voice of America, Foreign Policy and the Washington Post, keeps the seat warm for Hayat this week. He and Erin look at the weekend’s debate on national defence, ideology and international relations and ponder — does Prabowo Subianto have a point about foreign coverage? They also touch on a brewing fight over irregularities to the electoral roll and the temporary closure of the iconic Komodo island. 

Hoaxers gonna hoax and muggles gonna muggle in this episode of Indonesia, dll., where Hayat gets his nerd on with policy whiz and guest host Afu, sitting in for Erin this time around. We talk leadership from Jacinda Ardern, debate whether Prabowo is a Slytherin, and discuss how and why the whole hoax phenomenon has taken over the election. So go on: fact-check us.

This week Hayat and Erin look at the vice-presidential debate and come to the same conclusion as social media: snoozefest. The real drama of the week though is the fall from grace of the PPP’s former chairman (and close Jokowi ally) Romahurmuziy. We look at what this means for the party and the Jokowi re-election campaign as well as a broader look at corruption in Indonesia. Hayat and Erin also touch on disasters across the country, Egg Boy and the latest shock development in the Boeing investigation. 

This week the podcast takes a look at the 16 political parties contesting in the legislative elections. There's a lot of familiar faces in familiar parties and some infamously familiar faces in the newer parties, but how successful will they be? With parties required to secure at least 4 percent of the overall vote to take up seats in the House the fight is on to get bums on seats and avoid the political wilderness. And a special happy birthday shout-out to two special boys! 

On April 17, Indonesia heads to the polls. Over 190 million voters will pick their choice for president, vice president and local representatives for the DPR. In this first episode of Indonesia, dll hosts Hayat and Erin look at why the 2019 election is seen as such an important step for democracy and how the vice-presidential candidates became the race to watch. They also touch on an emerging crisis for the Democratic Party and a possible future environmental disaster in North Sumatra. Also: Orangutans.