Gama Gana: State-owned enterprises in the election and beyond - The Jakarta Post

Rabu, 10 April 2019

State-owned enterprises in the election and beyond - The Jakarta Post - Jakarta Post

State-owned enterprises (SOEs) play a central role in Indonesia’s political and economic life, indeed they have been mobilized on both practical and ideological levels by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as he seeks reelection. Significantly, SOEs will act as a powerbroker for Jokowi as he moves to reach a political settlement between himself and large sections of the population, giving him a distinct advantage over challenger Prabowo Subianto. Indeed SOEs have significant holding power, defined as their ability to absorb costs and enable a consistent set of economic benefits to be created and allocated, primarily through providing employment and under Jokowi mobilize resources to drive a massive infrastructure program. Emblematic projects such as the MRT in Jakarta, which opened just before the election, have boosted the incumbent’s image as a competent econo...