SBY (AKA Save Bakrie, Yudhoyono) & Development...

I have not posted much lately. This has nothing to do with writer's block or similar ills that plague us all every now and then. Rather, it was a conscious decision to hide behind being "too busy" at work to blog. The truth though is more along the lines of getting a little bored with bagging SBY all the time. But, some things that the president says really are worth commenting on and this is one

Bank Century, Bailouts, Quorum, and Libel: Need or Diversion?

No apologies on the long-winded nature of this post. Some will find it interesting and some will be bored to snores.The Bank Century issue is one that has lingered and lingered, and will seemingly linger some more. It is an interesting political issue in the sense that so many are staking so much on "the case" being resolved. However, the issue, at least for some, for a long time, has been

Gayus Tambunan & A Sense of Humour...

When one is facing some time in the 'big house' it is important to maintain a sense of humour in facing such circumstances. Gayus Tambunan, the tax officer at the centre of a corruption scandal that touches a lot of the big names in Indonesian politics and business, in his final plea to the South Jakarta District Court asked to be made a member of the expert staff of the Chief of Police.His plea

Super Gayus...

It is a little hard to know whether to laugh or cry when reading about the exploits of one Gayus Tambunan.Gayus Tambunan is a mid-ranking tax official who was arrested for corruption relating to the extortion of trillions of Rupiah from a whole raft of Indonesian conglomerates where the Bakrie family figured prominently. The plan was that this young man would roll over and rat out all those that

What Do The Indonesian Cables on Wikileaks Reveal?

Tongue in cheek...Someone asked me whether I thought the 3000+ diplomatic cables that Wikileaks are leaking on Indonesia will be interesting and worth a read. My answer, Yes!No matter what is in these cables, they are going to make for interesting reading. This is particularly so for those who consider themselves knowledgeable on all things diplomatic and Indonesia / USA relationship wise. For