Politics and governance in Indonesia

Indonesia to govern a democratic multiparty presidential republic. As well as in other democratic countries, the political system in Indonesia is based on the Trias Politica namely the legislative, executive and judicial branches. Legislative power is held by an institution called the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

MPR was once the highest state institution unicameral, but after the 4th amendment to the Assembly is not the highest body again, and also changed the composition of its membership. Assembly after the 1945 amendment, which since 2004 was transformed into a bicameral body consisting of 560 members of the House of Representatives (DPR) which is representative of the people through political parties, plus the 132 members of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) which is the provincial representative of an independent pathway. DPR and DPD members elected by popular vote and was inaugurated for a term of five years. Previously, members of the Assembly are all members of Parliament plus group representatives and military / police. MPR is currently chaired by Taufiq Kiemas. DPR is currently chaired by Marzuki Alie, while the Council is currently chaired by Irman Gusman.

Executive agencies centered on the president, vice presidents, and cabinet. Cabinet in Indonesia is that the Presidential Cabinet of ministers responsible to the president and does not represent a political party in parliament. However, the current President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono that promoted by Democrats also pointed to a number of leaders of political parties to sit in his cabinet. The goal is to maintain the stability of the government given the strong position of the legislature in Indonesia. However, items of strategic importance and are generally filled by a minister without portfolio of the party (coming from someone who is considered an expert in his field).

The judicial institution since the reform and the amendment of the 1945 run by the Supreme Court, the Judicial Commission, and the Constitutional Court, including the administration of the judges. Nevertheless the presence of the Minister of Justice and Human Rights will be retained.

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Indonesian Etymology

The word "Indonesia" is derived from the Latin Indus, meaning "Indian" and nesos Greek word meaning "island". So, says Indonesia means the territory of the Indian islands, or archipelago located in the Indies, which indicates that the name was formed long before Indonesia became a sovereign state. In 1850, George Earl, a British ethnologist, originally proposed the term Indunesia and Malayunesia to residents "Indian Archipelago or Malay Archipelago". Disciple of Earl, James Richardson Logan, used Indonesia as a synonym of the word India Islands. However, Dutch academics writing in the media do not use the word Dutch East Indies Indonesia, but the terms Malay Archipelago (Maleische Archipel); Dutch East Indies (Nederlandsch Oost Indie), or Indian (Indie), Eastern (de Oost), and even Insulinde (this term introduced in 1860 in the novel Max Havelaar (1859), written by Multatuli, the criticism of Dutch colonialism)

Since 1900, the name Indonesia became more common in academic circles outside the Netherlands, and Indonesian nationalist groups adopted it for political expression. Adolf Bastian from the University of Berlin popularize this name through the book Indonesien oder die Inseln des Malayischen Archipels, 1884-1894. Indonesia's first student to use it is Suwardi Suryaningrat (Ki Hajar Dewantara), when he established a news agency in the Netherlands with the name Indonesisch Press Bureau in 1913.

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History of Indonesia

Indonesia is an archipelagic country of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited) stretching along the equator in South East Asia. The country's strategic sea-lane position fostered inter-island and international trade; trade has since fundamentally shaped Indonesian history. The area of Indonesia is populated by peoples of various migrations, creating a diversity of cultures, ethnicities, and languages. The archipelago's landforms and climate significantly influenced agriculture and trade, and the formation of states.

Fossilised remains of Homo erectus, popularly known as the "Java Man", suggest the Indonesian archipelago was inhabited two million to 500,000 years ago. Austronesian people, who form the majority of the modern population, were originally from Taiwan and arrived in Indonesia around 2000 BCE. From the 7th century CE, the powerful Srivijaya naval kingdom flourished bringing Hindu and Buddhist influences with it. The agricultural Buddhist Sailendra and Hindu Mataram dynasties subsequently thrived and declined in inland Java. The last significant non-Muslim kingdom, the Hindu Majapahit kingdom, flourished from the late 13th century, and its influence stretched over much of Indonesia. The earliest evidence of Islamised populations in Indonesia dates to the 13th century in northern Sumatra; other Indonesian areas gradually adopted Islam which became the dominant religion in Java and Sumatra by the end of the 16th century. For the most part, Islam overlaid and mixed with existing cultural and religious influences.

Europeans arrived in Indonesia from the 16th century seeking to monopolise the sources of valuable nutmeg, cloves, and cubeb pepper in Maluku. In 1602 the Dutch established the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and became the dominant European power. Following bankruptcy, the VOC was formally dissolved in 1800, and the government of the Netherlands established the Dutch East Indies as a nationalised colony. By the early 20th century Dutch dominance extended to what was to become Indonesia's current boundaries. The Japanese invasion and subsequent occupation during WWII ended Dutch rule, and encouraged the previously suppressed Indonesian independence movement. Two days after the surrender of Japan in August 1945, nationalist leader, Sukarno, declared independence and was appointed president. The Netherlands tried to reestablish their rule, but a bitter armed and diplomatic struggle ended in December 1949, when in the face of international pressure, the Dutch formally recognised Indonesian independence.

An attempted coup in 1965 led to a violent army-led anti-communist purge in which over half a million people were killed. General Suharto politically out-manoeuvred President Sukarno, and was formally appointed president in March 1968. His New Order administration garnered the favour of the West whose investment in Indonesia was a major factor in the subsequent three decades of substantial economic growth. In the late 1990s, however, Indonesia was the country hardest hit by the East Asian Financial Crisis which led to popular protests and Suharto's resignation on 21 May 1998. The Reformasi era following Suharto's resignation, has led to a strengthening of democratic processes, including a regional autonomy program, the secession of East Timor, and the first direct presidential election in 2004. Political and economic instability, social unrest, corruption, natural disasters, and terrorism have slowed progress. Although relations among different religious and ethnic groups are largely harmonious, acute sectarian discontent and violence remain problems in some areas.

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History of Indonesia

Indonesia is an architectonic country of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited) stretching along the equator in South East Asia. The country's strategic sea-lane position fostered inter-island and international trade; trade has since fundamentally shaped Indonesian history. The area of Indonesia is populated by peoples of various migrations, creating a diversity of cultures, elasticities, and languages. The archipelago's landforms and climate significantly influenced agriculture and trade, and the formation of states.

Fossilized remains of Homo erectus, popularly known as the "Java Man", suggest the Indonesian archipelago was inhabited two million to 500,000 years ago. Austronesian people, who form the majority of the modern population, were originally from Taiwan and arrived in Indonesia around 2000 BCE. From the 7th century CE, the powerful Srivijaya naval kingdom flourished bringing Hindu and Buddhist influences with it. The agricultural Buddhist Sailendra and Hindu Mataram dynasties subsequently thrived and declined in inland Java. The last significant non-Muslim kingdom, the Hindu Majapahit kingdom, flourished from the late 13th century, and its influence stretched over much of Indonesia. The earliest evidence of Islamised populations in Indonesia dates to the 13th century in northern Sumatra; other Indonesian areas gradually adopted Islam which became the dominant religion in Java and Sumatra by the end of the 16th century. For the most part, Islam overlaid and mixed with existing cultural and religious influences.

Europeans arrived in Indonesia from the 16th century seeking to monopolies the sources of valuable nutmeg, cloves, and cubeb pepper in Maluku. In 1602 the Dutch established the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and became the dominant European power. Following bankruptcy, the VOC was formally dissolved in 1800, and the government of the Netherlands established the Dutch East Indies as a nationalized colony. By the early 20th century Dutch dominance extended to what was to become Indonesia's current boundaries. The Japanese invasion and subsequent occupation during WWII ended Dutch rule, and encouraged the previously suppressed Indonesian independence movement. Two days after the surrender of Japan in August 1945, nationalist leader, Sukarno, declared independence and was appointed president. The Netherlands tried to reestablish their rule, but a bitter armed and diplomatic struggle ended in December 1949, when in the face of international pressure, the Dutch formally recognized Indonesian independence.

An attempted coup in 1965 led to a violent army-led anti-communist purge in which over half a million people were killed. General Suharto politically out-manoeuvred President Sukarno, and was formally appointed president in March 1968. His New Order administration garnered the favour of the West whose investment in Indonesia was a major factor in the subsequent three decades of substantial economic growth. In the late 1990s, however, Indonesia was the country hardest hit by the East Asian Financial Crisis which led to popular protests and Suharto's resignation on 21 May 1998. The Reformasi era following Suharto's resignation, has led to a strengthening of democratic processes, including a regional autonomy program, the secession of East Timor, and the first direct presidential election in 2004. Political and economic instability, social unrest, corruption, natural disasters, and terrorism have slowed progress. Although relations among different religious and ethnic groups are largely harmonious, acute sectarian discontent and violence remain problems in some areas.

READ MORE...