Consultation or power play? Debate over Indonesia’s incoming leader Prabowo’s idea to form ‘presidential club’ with predecessors

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WAY TO CONSOLIDATE POWER?

If it materialises, the team would support Mr Prabowo consolidate his administration, particularly in the first and second decades which are usually the most difficult, analysts say.

The PDIP, which received the most votes in February’s congressional elections, has never joined Mr. Prabowo’s alliance despite the apparent gathering of enough parties to form a quasi-supermajority in congress.

” As we know, PDIP is likely to be in the criticism and may undermine Prabowo’s national plan, creating a probable gridlock”, said Dr Ambang.

Additionally, their respective party leaders continue to have control and political authority over them.

If Mr Prabowo can play the role of “peacemaker”, this will help him consolidate power, said Dr Adhi Priamarizki, a research fellow at the Indonesia programme at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies ( RSIS), Nanyang Technological University.

He suggested that first, Mr Prabowo was read one- on- one with his predecessors, who would give counsel.

However, some people worry that a political club might eventually lead to a social cartel that might impede Indonesia’s democratic process.

According to Mr. Yoes, Mr. Prabowo may be willing to make some social concessions that might be necessary in order to bring together all the living ex-presidents in one room.

The team will act as both a consultative body and a forum to ensure that Prabowo-Gibran’s policies are carried out without significant political opposition, according to Mr. Yoes.

Because, in reality, the membership members were and are currently Indonesia’s most powerful politicians, their support from this political club will help Prabowo-Gibran stable symbolic and political legitimacy. They are all kingmakers”.

Although the agreement is likely to be casual, Dr. Adhi agrees that a political club could be very important for the new government.

They can control decision-making within their own camp, he noted because of their rank and centrality.

On whether the website may help Mr Widodo, also known as Jokowi, retain control after he steps down as president, Dr Adhi said it is doubtful.

Jokowi needs a more conventional commitment to keep his hold on power in the future administration. He may depend on his brother Gibran to keep his agenda in mind for the time being. Additionally, Dr. Adhi asserted that he is not the only social plane there because of the presence of other political figures in the political club.

Not all experts agree that Indonesia is available for a political club.

With the exception of Mr. Donald Trump, former US presidents who constituted both Democrats and Republicans have a chance to join in a non-partisan way, according to Mr. Yoes.

” In Indonesia, elections is often personal”, he said.

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Commentary: A surprise South Korean boom is going unnoticed

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Hopes OF A Economy HAVE DIMINISHED

Economists had a year ago confidently predicted multiple cuts beginning in the late 2023, but it did n’t look that way. There was even a possibility of crisis.

Hopes of such a downturn have considerably diminished. The central bank is concerned that the prices is getting more and more persistent, and that a protracted greenback has weakened Korea’s fought, its currency. This unfortunate outcome of strong economic conditions in America and a decline in the Fed’s willingness to make first cuts have a ripple effect across global markets.

” I would n’t call it starting from scratch”, Bank of Korea Governor Rhee Chang- yong told reporters recently. ” But the situation has changed”.

This financial boom has no benefit to President Yoon Suk Yeol, either. Voters in Yoon’s hard-right laws drew a disproportionate blow to his party in parliamentary elections next month. Social scientists declared his principle over with only a few years left in his name because of how devastating the bloc was.

Investor- pleasant policies championed by Yoon, like strong cuts in funds- gains tax and union busting, may struggle to find traction. The typical Korean has yet to go through a better time. On either side of the divide, a consumer sentiment score that measures the dominance of optimism or pessimism, has remained undetermined.

Not necessarily translating to joy on the streets for Samsung Electronics and Stat Hynix. Higher levels of debt and worries about injustice have accompanied the country’s progress in new decades- and inspired Netflix’s hit Squid Game and, a dozen year’s earlier, the Oscar- successful film Parasite.

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Commentary: Philippine-US combat drills risk stirring up trouble at South China Sea

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Risk OF Callousness

No public actions have been taken by Washington to lessen the hostilities between Beijing and Manila. Instead, Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed complete- throated aid for “our impenetrable military commitments” during a middle- March stopover in Manila.

Reassured of US backing, Marcos has amped up the speech, proclaiming that Manila may respond to any troublemaking on Beijing’s piece by implementing a” deterrent package that is equal, deliberate and fair”.

” Filipinos”, he added, “do not supply”.

For an approach, according to Marcos, was then appropriate according to the US and its local allies offering” to aid us on what the Philippines requires to protect and secure our sovereignty, sovereign rights and control”.

The downside is that as the Philippines becomes more assured thanks to US support, its dealings with China may become careless.

China may only grow more worried about its continued access to the South China Sea, through which almost all of its energy imports and most of its exports flow, despite the deepening Philippines-US alignment and associated Filipino assertiveness acting as a deterrent to China’s expansion.

And there is little to suggest that Washington will be able to stop Manila from confronting China in the South China Sea.

To Beijing, the prospect of an emboldened Philippines forging active strategic partnerships with Australia, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and- most troublesome of all- Taiwan makes the situation all the more perilous.

Northeastern University’s Professor of Government Emeritus is Fred H. Lawson. This commentary first appeared on The Conversation.

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Hong Kong continues to woo foreign talent with first-ever global summit

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HONG KONG ADVANTAGES

Jobseeker Lois Lin from Jiangsu province in China, who was attending the conference to look for work in the financial and consulting industries, claimed she did not realize the benefits of studying in Hong Kong that her capital had provided.

I” immediately understood the benefits of residing in a town that links the world with the continent.” Hong Kong has a number of skills plans in place, making it simpler for expats like me to get a job, Ms. Lin continued. &nbsp,

People from the middle of China are even venturing out, according to Leapin Gabriel Cheung, managing lover of recruitment companies organization, despite the notion that Chinese residents living in the Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao Greater Bay area may want to work there because of the contact.

” From the information, unexpectedly, in the last 12 times, we see more and more qualities from major towns in the middle of China, like in Shanghai or Beijing. They are submitting more resumes to Hong Kong, according to Mr. Cheung.

Foreign nationals who have leave testimonials for company travel to Hong Kong are now permitted to stay for up to 14 weeks, an increase from the previous seven. The plan, which was originally implemented for people in the nine Greater Bay Area places, such as Shenzhen and Dongguan, has also been expanded to Beijing and Shanghai.

It is a shift that Hong Kong says reflects the advantage of its one country, two systems process, and creates greater markets.

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