Experts, however, sense a genuine call for Indonesia to live up to its potential as an emerging global power that can share responsibility in the creation of prosperity and peace beyond its borders.

Foreign policy expert Dewi Fortuna Anwar said Obama’s visit was “short and sweet”, and with all the main objectives secured, including delivering cornerstone speeches on democracy and development.

Obama, she said, highlighted key roles which Indonesia could contribute at regional and global levels.

Indonesia could take a leadership role in promoting democracy in the region by becoming more proactive, Dewi said. “Indonesia is expected to pull its weight in ASEAN in promoting democracy.”

Indonesia could also become an “important role model for modern Muslim societies” on democracy and in building bridges between   Muslim societies and the West.

To achieve this, she added, Indonesia must “not be shy in expressing its opinions” to the global community.

“Obama can praise Indonesia and Indonesia can bask in this. But we must not forget that this signifies a  great amount of responsibility to fulfill high expectations,” she said.

Executive director of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Rizal Sukma, said the US expects Indonesia to help maintain “dynamic equilibrium” in East Asia.

“Indonesia also has the chance to shape the architecture of East Asia by contributing a strategic agenda during the East Asia Summit [EAS],” he said, adding Indonesia needed to make a significant contribution to shape agreement on whichever agendas needed to be set. Indonesia will host the next summit in July, to be attended by the US and Russia.

Azyumardi Azra, who is highly respected among Muslim academia, said Indonesia could have a more significant impact in the effort to establish peace in the Middle East. The government, he said, would have to engage in aggressive measures, citing as an example appointing a special envoy for the Middle East for peace and reinvigorating the initiative to bridge differences between Hamas and Fatah factions in Palestine through talks and lobbying, as carried out under former foreign minister Hassan Wirajuda.

“I think Obama is genuine in his aim to create peace in the Middle East, however he cannot do it alone.

Indonesia is a potential partner because it is considered neutral and has no geopolitical ambitions in the region,” he said.

On the economic front, experts saw a greater challenge for Indonesia should the two countries forge a comprehensive partnership to mobilize foreign investment and eradicate trade barriers.

Economist Aviliani, an independent commissioner at Bank BRI, said this would be counterproductive if Indonesia failed to ease supply bottlenecks hampering industries.

“With or without Obama’s call, investors will still set their sights on Indonesia,” she said. “But Indonesia does not have the necessary policies at the ready.

“Obama’s message is clear, he wants to double exports to all over the world, including Indonesia. All barriers to trade will be overcome,” said Faisal Basri, an economist who led a study called Indonesia Vision 2030 for the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The question, Faisal said, was whether Indonesia would be ready. (gzl)

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