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Jokowi’s global outlook still too ‘narrow’
President Jokowi is facing growing criticism for his brand of economic nationalism, which is getting in the way of Indonesia's broader political-security interests in the wider Indo-Pacific region.
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo (right) and US President Joe Biden walk together at the Apurva Kempinski Bali hotel on Nov. 14, 2022, as part of a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. (Bureau of Press, Media, and Information of Presidential Secretariat/Laily Rachev)
I
n his State of the Nation address this year, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo made a big fuss about how much “international trust” Indonesia has gained over the years.
He touted the success of Indonesia’s Group of 20 presidency last year amid sharpening global rivalries, as well as its ongoing chairmanship of ASEAN, as examples of Indonesia, a growing “middle power”, being able to convene the world’s major powers at the same table, on home turf.
Jokowi emphasized that this rise in the nation’s global stature should not be squandered. He even sought to level with ordinary Indonesians by acknowledging that, while this trust cannot be consumed by them in the same way rice can, it remains a key aspect in safeguarding national interests espoused in the 2045 Golden Indonesia vision.
This vision imagines Indonesia as the world’s fifth-largest economy in the next 20 years, achieved, by among other methods, downstreaming its critical minerals industry and leveraging its demographic dividend to develop human capital.
“With a high level of international trust, our credibility will be even more acknowledged and our sovereignty even more respected. Indonesia’s voice will be heard, making it easier for us to negotiate,” the President asserted.
Later on in his speech on the proposed 2024 state budget, he is interpreted by some as hedging against external risks by bolstering the nation's inner strength.
And while this speech may neatly encapsulate the foreign policy aspects of nearly nine years of “Jokowinomics”, as some analysts have suggested, the tendency to prioritize economic gains over regional and global stability runs the risk of backfiring on its domestic interests, others argue.
