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strong>Aug. 16, p1

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has effectively handed a poisoned chalice to his successor president-elect Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo as the former backed off from implementing much-needed fiscal and energy reforms in his final budget.

Spending on fuel subsidies will rise by an eye-watering Rp 44.6 trillion (US$3.81 billion) to Rp 291.1 trillion, a carryover from this year'€™s spending, according to the 2015 state budget note presented by Yudhoyono to lawmakers on Thursday.

While acknowledging that the fuel subsidies were poorly targeted, as they are disproportionately enjoyed by the rich, Yudhoyono argued that he encountered '€œnot a little political resistance'€ when he previously cut the subsidy and raised fuel prices.

Your comments:

The comments from Jokowi are encouraging '€” far more on stimulus than subsidies. Left-wing subsidies should be put to bed.

The country needs to spend on infrastructure and real projects, not subsidizing fuel and other things, which are full of corruption.

Sjaellis

A mammoth task it will be to keep the circling vultures from influencing Jokowi.

A new law could and should be legislated to cancel all forms of lobbying, (that well may be the current means of access) any external arising attempts to gain influence should be recorded as a further means of reducing this invasive disease.

This lobbying junket is a significant problem here in Australia, as the lobbyists are acting directly for the financial interests of individuals and the greed-lusting corporations.

William

I have endless beloved Indonesian links who are clean and bright, and for a decade or two have fought tirelessly for the good of the country (despite every obstacle as they'€™ve always been hindered by the power that should'€™ve supported their efforts instead).

Seeing their work, I haven'€™t given up on Indonesia'€™s future just yet.

Only if Jokowi receives the majority'€™s support will Indonesia rid itself of poverty and injustice and advance toward becoming a prominent nation.

President Yudhoyono has lots of good ... but remains beholden to certain people to the last minute.

He'€™s recently permitted a massive land reclamation project in Bali'€™s Benoa Bay that will destroy the fishery, the coastal protection against storm waves, and the dredge sediment from this area will be
dumped on some unfortunate still undisclosed location ... which is just like our Tony Abbott dumping the coal port'€™s dredge sediment on the Reef, huh?

Iau Aro

The only way to control the House of Representatives is to not elect corrupt/incompetent/lazy representatives.

I think the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) should be allowed to scrutinize corruption in the military. But few of the elites want a truly powerful KPK.

The House is plotting to have the powers of KPK reduced. Do not expect the '€œmental revolution'€ Jokowi says is needed to take place.

That was a slogan to get votes. If, however, Jokowi is a sincere politician (is this even possible in Indonesia?), then he may not do any better than Abdurrahman '€œGus Dur'€ Wahid, because the old guard led by people like Gen. (ret.) AM Hendropriyono is still there.

Jan Karl

This is quite normal.  His party was massacred in the election so he'€™s wrecking the economy for the next government so it has to push for unpopular cuts.

As a result of the unpopular cuts, the government becomes unpopular and his party will stand a better chance in the next election. It'€™s an old trick. You can almost guarantee it under certain conditions.

The old elites are not going to support Jokowi. They want the status quo and their place in it retained.

Jokowi will have to fight tooth and nail to get any reforms through.  However, while Jokowi ran a truly dreadful campaign (I was screaming at him on TV at certain points!) not aided by Megawati Soekarnoputri, he did show character, fighting to the end.  Jokowi has shown he is a fighter.

Atom

Pray for Jokowi. Pray for Indonesia. Jokowi is smart and savvy and I believe he will keep doing what he'€™s been doing to show people who the real '€œculprits'€ are.

Pedro Gonzales