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2020: When things changed — and stayed the same
Indonesia is nationalistic, but it’s always been a Java-centric nationalism with those closer to the center — Jakarta — benefitting more than those on the periphery.
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Two boys are decorating a Christmas tree made out of recycled waste at East Java Christian Church (GKJW) in Kedungkandang, Malang. (JP/Aman Rochman)
2020 is around the corner! Yay! And it’s not just a new year but 20 years into the millennium.
What are my hopes for the nation in the new year and beyond? Dealing with Indonesia’s environmental issues, fighting corruption and upholding human and civil rights are at the top of my list.
Hopes have to be based on something. Can we see hope for positive change from last year’s events?
The most meaningful impact of an event in 2019 directly on my life was the launch on March 24 of the first ever MRT system in Indonesia. Traveling in Jakarta was revolutionized for me!
But just when I felt the city was becoming more livable in terms of mobility, I was inundated with reports that the Big Durian was overcrowded, polluted and sinking. Oh no! Time to move? The government certainly feels that way. In August, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced that the capital would be relocated to East Kalimantan. Bold move. What will its effect be?
Environmental activists are worried it will create environmental destruction, threatening the habitat of orangutans and other endangered species, and further degrading waterways that are already polluted by coal mines and palm oil plantations.
In his first term, from 2014 to 2019, Jokowi invested massively in infrastructure, import substitution, equalizing the price of fuel across the nation and consolidating his power to win reelection. The environment was never high on his agenda. Why would it be in his second term?
