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Lecture Abstract:
The Constitutional Court has recently confirmed the General Election Commission’s decision to name Joko Widodo and Jusuf Kalla as the President and Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia. While many Indonesians remain optimistic about the country’s future, the new administration is likely to face a multitude of challenges. What are the major challenges facing the new government? What can be done to overcome these challenges? How should we better understand President-elect Joko Widodo’s mindset and priorities particularly in relation to his approach to foreign policy, the management of Indonesia’s economy in light of its growing trade deficit, and plus its security priorities?
We are privileged to welcome General (Ret.) Luhut B. Pandjaitan, Senior Advisor to Indonesia’s President-Elect, to share his thoughts on the challenges and opportunities of Jokowi’s government.
About the Speaker:
General (Ret.) Luhut B. Pandjaitan was former ambassador of Indonesia to Singapore in 1999-2000. He was appointed as Minister of Trade and Industry during the Abdurrahman Wahid administration. Mr. Luhut had served over the course of thirty years in the Army Special Forces before his retirement. He was also the first commander of the Kopassus (Special Forces) Counter-Terrorism81 Detachment. Pak Luhut was a key member of Jokowi’s tim sukses (success team) during Indonesia’s 2014 presidential elections.
General Pandjaitan holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from George Washington University, Washington DC, USA. He received the Adhi Makayasa award as best graduate from the military academy (Akabri) under the army category in 1970. Pak Luhut is also active in various philanthropic activities. He established the DEL foundation with his wife in North Sumatera in 2001 – a non-profit organization that focuses on education.
Organised by Indonesia Programme, IDSS and RSIS Events Unit.
