Something that always baffles me about some Australian politician & some in their military establishment is their "invaded by Indonesia anxiety" attitude. Whether such attitude were aimed to seek increase defense budget (such is the case for Singapore), or they actually delusional enough to believe Indonesia will invade such freaking & worthless large barren desert (Australian outback) is something beyond me
. However as long such attitude remain persist in Australia strategic thinking, I don't see any "deepening of relation" within any foreseeable future.
It's not actually that. Australia is in a tough spot. They are an export-oriented economy, a weird thing for a developed nation (usually services oriented). As such, due to how Indonesia sits on basically 90% of their maritime trade rout to Asia and beyond... we don't need to invade them to mess them up. Hell, if Indonesia falls apart, and those trade routes become as infested with pirates as Somalian waters in 2010, Australia is already f*cked.
Furthermore, Australia's labour costs are astronomically high, Australian workers (be it unskilled, skilled, or professional) are among the best paid. As such, the only reason why most companies put up with their labour laws is because their labour is among the best. So they have among the best service and the best high-tech manufacturing capacity.
If Indonesia succeeds, we can outperform them in the export market and in the services market... Australia will decline (you can argue it is already happening). Indonesia can also exert its influence over Oceania, something we are already increasingly doing in order to combat OPM propaganda, and Australia fears that will erode its traditional influence there. For example, the provinces bordering Indonesian West Papua in PNG are increasingly relying on Indonesian companies, taking Indonesian loans, and studying in Indonesian schools compared to Australia.
Speaking of PNG and Timor Leste, Australia cannot treat them badly or they will face falling approval at home. As such, PNG has been bailed out (they are practically a failed state kept alive by aid) 3 times since 1970, and Timor Leste has managed to push for favourable gas mining rights (because if not, Timor Leste will also collapse and become a failed state.. which Australia will need to bail out). Australia doesn't want Indonesia to balkanize and turn into 20 PNGs. Its a nightmare scenario even before you take into account a refugee crises larger than Europe's all aimed at Australia.
As such, Australia is in a balancing position. They don't Indonesia to fail... but don't want it to succeed.
Got to admit there is a truth there
Not saying I like it, but I personally believe the same thing
I tend to believe that Indonesia is on a knife's edge, but yes, such a scenario is very much still possible.
I've never read Jakarta Globe, however it's should be noted that there is fundamental difference between Libertarian vs Liberal, in which the former putting more value in personal freedom & responsibility (Free Market), while the latter is more about surrendering personal freedom & responsibility to the nanny state (Socialism). The main reason for the western nation economic growth & prosperity post WW2 was their adoption of Free Market and encouraging the concept of personal responsibility toward their population. However in the past decade I saw more western nations (USA, EU, Australia) has been sliding more toward socialism (with communism lurking just around the corner).
POST, Jakarta POST. My bad.
While generally different, as far as Indonesia is concerned both Libertarianism and Liberalism is a death sentence. Liberalism would most importantly sideline religion and push for global cultural integration. While we do have problems with extremism, by and large it is culture and religion that keeps Indonesia peaceful and united. Losing that identity and the cultural norms that help Indonesia retain the social cohesion needed to function would pretty much mean the end of any chance of self improvement. You can see that in Australia, in the last 8 years, they've had 5 prime ministers.
5. They've been too busy fighting over Australian Identity Politics. No long-term planning has been carried out for nearly a decade, and yet despite the social disruption and economic stagnation, Australia survives through its HDI and the strength of its courts and institutions. i.e Australia has kept above water not because of its leadership, but because of its autopilot. Indonesia doesn't have that, we can't afford to go through a national identity crises, and that is exactly what liberalism will create.
Libertarianism OTOH, would privatise our BUMN (SOEs), force local farmers to compete with multination farming giants, and pull the plug on all remaining social support programs. Indonesia's economy might rise, but it won't be owned by Indonesians, and the grand majority of Indonesians are going to be dirt poor.
Yeach I also notice such tendency, and I believe it's strongly related to demographic (generational). Most of those Indonesia students came from generation whose never thought (let alone embracing) the very core of "Indonesia way of life" which is centered around Pancasila, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, and actualize in Wawasan Nusantara.
If you notice in many international internet forum, most Indonesia posters simply lack the mindset & knowledge to present / articulate all those aspects I had mention above.
Yeah, internet and instantaneous communications has made it easier for us to text with our internet crush in Germany than talk with our sister in the room next door. Hence why almost all government (Democratic or not) are slowly trying to decrease online freedoms. That's also why Indonesia has started intensifying citizenship classes and bela negara. There's so much contradicting propaganda jumping around in the internet the nation needs to combat them through multiple means and media. I really hope that the government would set up special academies to help teachers that teach PPkN and related subjects because they need to be on point.
If not, then the common Indonesian netizen is going to only see two extremes, the ultra-conservative voice calling for 'Kilafah & death to minorities' and the ultra-liberal calling for 'Atheism & LGBT supremacy'. We need the someone to provide a clear and strong voice for the majority in the middle.
Bripka Toni saat berjualan cilok. Foto: Ristu Hanafi/detikcom
