Indonesia Forum 2021

Navigating Global Uncertainties and Building Domestic Resilience

About Indonesia Forum

This Forum explores how Indonesia, as a country, had changed over the last twenty years and highlights the prospects and challenges faced by the country as it progresses into the post-pandemic era. Two decades of decentralisation in Indonesia has aided in promoting regional development through the enhancement of sub-national governments’ capacity, however, it has also created unanticipated problems, such as coordination issues between the central and regional governments, corruption, and the uneven quality of public service delivery. Moreover, Indonesia is also facing its first multidimensional crisis since the 1997-1998 Asian Financial Crisis. The Covid-19 pandemic had greatly disrupted various aspects of life and it had challenged governments to rethink their priorities, forced businesses to adapt and innovate, and compelled workers and students to adopt new work and learning patterns. This Forum, therefore, provides the opportunity to hear from various experts on their perspectives towards Indonesia’s transformation over the last twenty years and how the country can manoeuvre through the impacts of Covid-19 crisis in both the political, economic, and social arena.

Read the event highlight of the Forum here.

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Registration

This two-day Forum will be delivered online entirely. You can join the Forum at the specified date and time using devices (computer, phone, or tablet) with internet connection.

Receive your unique link for joining the following webinars in the registration links listed below. Limited spaces only, register early to avoid disappointment.

Install the Zoom client onto your computer or download the app on your mobile device.

If you have questions for the speakers, please key in your questions via the Q&A, stating your name and affiliation. The moderator will field them to the speakers during the Q&A session.

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Day 1 Session

Wednesday, 7 July 2021

Welcome Remarks — 9.30 AM–9.50 AM SGT / 8.30 AM–9.50 AM WIB

Keynote Address “Navigating Global Uncertainties and Building Domestic Resilience” — 9.50 AM–10.20 AM SGT / 8.50 AM–9.20 AM WIB

Panel 1: International and Strategic Positioning — 11.00 AM–12.15 PM SGT / 10.00 AM–11.15 AM WIB

This session will focus on the implications of the new US administration on the US-Indonesia bilateral relations as well as the prospects and challenges Indonesia would face as stronger cooperation are being built with China in regard to pandemic management and infrastructure development.

Lunch Break — 12.15 PM SGT / 11.15 AM WIB

Panel 2: National Politics and the Future of Decentralization — 3.00 PM–4.15 PM SGT / 2.00 PM–03.15 PM WIB

This session will analyse the challenges of decentralization for the central and regional governments as well as discuss the evolving political landscape, especially with the rise of a new generation of political leaders preparing to contest in the 2024 elections.

Mr Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno was appointed as the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia in 2020. He also served as the Vice Governor of Jakarta from 2017 to 2018 and is currently the Deputy Chairman of the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).

Mr Choi Shing Kwok is the Director and CEO of ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. Prior to this appointment, he served as the Permanent Secretary in both the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources from 2012 to 2017 and in the Ministry of Defense from 2005 to 2012.

Dr Dino Patti Djalal is the founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI). He was previously appointed as the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2014 and had served as Indonesia’s Ambassador to the United States from 2010 to 2013.

Dr Siswo Pramono is the Director General/Head of the Policy Analysis & Development Agency (PADA) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Indonesia. He was previously the Deputy Chief of Mission for the Indonesia Embassy in Berlin, Germany and had served as the Director for the Centre of Analysis and Development in the APAC and Africa regions.

Dr Evan Laksmana is a political scientist and senior researcher at the Centre of Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Jakarta, Indonesia. He had held various research positions with institutes such as National Bureau of Asian Research, Lowy Institute for International Policy, and RSIS NTU in Singapore.

Dr (H.C.) Ridwan Kamil serves as Governor of West Java since 2018 and was previously the mayor of Bandung from 2013 to 2018. Prior to his political career, he was trained as an architect and was the founder of an architecture firm based in Bandung.

Prof Syarif Hidayat is currently a researcher at the Center for Economic Research (P2E) at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI). His research expertise is politics and local government in Indonesia. Apart from being a researcher, Prof Syarif Hidayat is also a member of the Expert Team for the Indonesian Democracy Index (IDI) under the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.

Dr Burhanuddin Muhtadi is a senior lecturer at the political science study program at the Islamic State University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah and postgraduate at Paramadina University, Jakarta. He is also the Director of Public Affairs at the Indonesia Survey Institute (LSI).

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Day 2 Session

Thursday, 8 July 2021
9.30 am – 12.15 am (Singapore time) / 8.30 am – 11.15 am (Western Indonesian Time)

Panel 3: Economics and Business — 9.30 AM–10.45 AM SGT / 8.30 AM–09.45 AM WIB

This session will focus on the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the economy. It will examine the effectiveness of government policy measures in mitigating the crisis as well as the challenges/prospects of Indonesia’s economic recovery in the post COVID-19 era.

Panel 4 : Islam and Society — 11.00 AM –12.15 PM SGT / 10.00 AM–11.15 AM WIB

This session will focus on the Muslim community in Indonesia post-New Order, covering themes such as the impacts of decentralization on the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA), the management of terrorism and radical groups in Indonesia as well as the impacts of new leaderships in mainstream Islamic organisations.

Dr Febrio Kacaribu is Head of Fiscal Agency, Indonesian Ministry of Finance

Ms Shirley Tan currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Rajawali Property Group (RPG), a leading Indonesia-based real estate investment and asset management company in Asia-Pacific. She also serves as a Board Member of the Rajawali Foundation and a Board of Advisors of Global Hotel Networks.

Ms Tirza Reinata Munusamy is Director of Central Public Affairs at Grab Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s leading super app. Prior to Grab, she was a Director with Tusk Advisory, advising clients and government agencies in delivering infrastructure projects.

Dr Muhammad Adlin Sila is currently the Head of the Research and Development Agency in the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Republic of Indonesia. His research focuses primarily on anthropology, sociology, and Islamic studies.

Dr Noorhaidi Hasan is a Professor of Islam and Politics in Islamic State University (UIN) Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta. He is currently the Dean of Faculty of Islamic Studies at the International Islamic University of Indonesia (UII). Dr Hasan’s research interests cover themes such as Salafism, Islamic radicalism, identity politics and youth.

Dr Ahmad Najib Burhani is a Research Professor at the Center for Research on Society and Culture of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (PMB-LIPI) and a Visiting Senior Fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. Dr Burhani’s research interests focus mainly on social sciences, cultural and religious studies.