Indonesia Presidential Elections 2019: Nezar Patria, Editor in Chief of the Jakarta Post

Nezar Patria, Editor in Chief of The Jakarta Post, will share his views on the upcoming Presidential elections, their economic and political implications and Indonesia’s place amid the current global trade tensions.

By far the biggest South East Asian nation in terms of both economy and population, Indonesia’s upcoming presidential elections will garner global interest. Indonesia’s growth trajectory since the Asian financial crisis has been formidable. The economy now boasts over US$1 trillion GDP and average growth of 5.46 percent over the last decade, thanks to significant reform creating a fertile environment for foreign investment. It is arguably the region’s most robust democracy, holding four national parliamentary elections and three direct presidential elections with a relatively free press and a lack of manipulative party and electoral laws.

With six months to go until the April 2019 elections, now is a pivotal time for the Indonesian economy, as the incumbent government battles to maintain the value of the rupiah amid emerging market concerns worldwide.

The two presidential candidates – Jokowi and Prabowo – both contested the previous election. However the context for this rematch is different, perhaps more tense – there is heightened Islamist influence over politics, claims that democratic state institutions are under pressure, increasing international activity from China, the current economic climate, and the impacts of the global trade tensions.

Nezar Patria will discuss all these issues with Asia House corporate members on 31^st October. He is the Editor in Chief of The Jakarta Post for both its online platform and print newspaper, one of Indonesia’s most widely circulated newspapers. An experienced figure in Indonesian civil commentary, he is also a member of the Indonesian Press Council and has held a number of high-level positions prior to joining Jakarta Post, including Deputy Chief Editor of CNN Indonesia (Digital).

This briefing is for Asia House corporate members only. To register, please contact the Business & Policy Team at Business.Policy@asiahouse.co.uk