F

or a new kid on the world'€™s largest trade bloc of APEC, President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo deserves applause for his representation of Indonesia at international forums. He did receive some commendations in his overseas debut, although some of his detractors at home played down the world'€™s acknowledgment of his diplomacy.

But the shear number of viewers of Jokowi'€™s 13-minute presentation at the APEC CEO Summit in Beijing on Monday on YouTube should prove his doubters wrong. Jokowi'€™s video, which was uploaded by the APEC organizing committee, exceeded a record high 517,000 views as of Friday.

It perhaps would be an exaggeration to say that Jokowi took the limelight away from other world leaders attending the APEC Summit, but for some CEOs who enthusiastically took selfies with him, the President did steal the show.

Nothing was actually extraordinary about Jokowi'€™s keynote speech before about 1,500 CEOs from 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific grouping. The new President offered big opportunities and facilities to businesspeople to invest in the country, which is normal given his job to lure as much foreign direct investment as possible to maintain the growth of the national economy.

Investment is all that Indonesia needs due to imminent slowdown, prompting the central bank to cut estimated economic growth to 5.1 percent, far below the 5.8 percent target set in the 2015 state budget.

Jokowi broke away from the usual formal, rigid and structured manner of delivering speeches that characterizes international conferences using PowerPoint to deliver his message, which his audience found very easy to understand. No wonder Chinese investors inked commitments to invest in Indonesia worth US$1.25 trillion over the next 10 years.

Meanwhile, a survey jointly conducted by the Paramadina Public Policy Institute, American Chamber of Commerce and Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) found that US companies operating in Indonesia intended to increase their investment to $65 billion in the coming five years.

It remains to be seen whether the commitment will materialize, but no one can deny that Jokowi and his administration have won the hearts and minds of investors.

Investors, both domestic and foreign, have strong reasons to stay or expand their businesses, including Jokowi'€™s reform-minded government and his proven clean and transparent track record. His administration is out to facilitate investment by clearing as many barriers as possible, but Jokowi'€™s dream will only come true if world and domestic peace and stability are ensured.

As he clearly conveyed in Beijing and in the East Asia Summit in the Myanmar capital of Naypyitaw, Indonesia under Jokowi envisions itself as a global maritime player. Indonesia, he said, could realize its dream if peace prevailed in Indian and Pacific oceans and the regions were safe for trade, rather than turning into a battlefield for natural resources and territorial claims, though without naming the South China Sea disputes. Although Indonesia is not a claimant, tension in the natural resource-rich waters will directly affect the country.

Addressing the East Asia Summit, Jokowi unveiled his government'€™s plan to build maritime defense capability to secure the nation'€™s maritime resources and ensure navigation safety and maritime security. Indonesia hosts three international sea lanes, including the world'€™s busiest trade route, the Malacca Strait.

On account of foreseeable tension in the South China Sea, Indonesia has long planned to upgrade its airbase on the Natuna Islands, which faces the disputed territory, to enable the forward deployment of its Sukhoi fighter jet squadron. Indonesia will also station its F-16 jets at a nearby Pekanbaru air base.

Jokowi has effectively utilized his week-long overseas trip to tell the world what Indonesia will look like under his leadership. His straightforward diplomacy may look strange given his Javanese upbringing, but the world now knows what Indonesia wants and offers.

While Jokowi is away, politicians at the House of Representatives remain unable to settle differences despite negotiations between the Red-and-White Coalition and the Great Indonesia Coalition. Since it began its term on Oct. 1, the House has been plagued by protracted squabbling, preventing it from fulfilling its constitutional duties, let alone articulating the aspirations of people who they represent.

After reaching an agreement on the allocation of leadership seats in House commissions and auxiliary bodies for the minority Great Indonesia Coalition, negotiations are deadlocked on the latter'€™s demand for revisions to the Legislative Institutions (MD3) Law, specifically with regard to articles that will allow the House to exercise interpellation and investigation rights if the government fails to implement any agreement reached in a House hearing. For the coalition supporting the government, the articles reflect a hidden agenda of the Red-and-White Coalition to hold the government hostage.

The conflict between the two coalitions has trickled down to the Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD). The Red-and-White Coalition skipped a plenary meeting on Friday to approve acting Jakarta governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama as the new governor in place of Jokowi. The President is slated to swear in Ahok upon arrival from his overseas trip.

'€” Dwi Atmanta