OPINION

Two days ago, we passed a milestone. 57 years ago, Indonesia witnessed a very important change of the country’s leadership, from former President Soekarno who had been in office since the Proclamation of our Independence on August 17, 1945, to a new leader, General Soeharto, Commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic in charge of security and defense, and thus who was anointed by a decree issued on March 11 by President Soekarno, to be the new President and the Supreme Commander.

The 2024 General Election on February 14 still leaves interesting stories to recount. One of those stories would be the engagement of people with mental disabilities in voting. The General Election Commission (KPU) of Indonesia has allowed people with mental disabilities (ODGJ) to vote, which has posed a challenge for election organizers in various regions. The Permanent Voter List (DPT) includes 264,594 people with mental disabilities, out of 1.1 million disabled people eligible to vote in the 2024 election. 

Campaign promises to improve the quality of Indonesian human resources were rife during the last election. The free lunch and milk program for students throughout Indonesia should be put under a spotlight, as it is going to require a monumental sum of money to make a reality. 

The National Capital of Nusantara, abbreviated "IKN," viewing itself as the "World City for All," possesses a vision of becoming a symbol of national identity, a sustainable global metropolis, and a driving force in Indonesia's future economy. Transportation planning is thus a critical factor in support of convenient access and mobility for those traversing the city as well as the logistics of IKN. As an environmentally friendly public transportation option, water transportation tops the choices to improve IKN access. The use of water transportation is expected to reduce pressure on land routes, while also presenting a tourist alternative.

Indonesia recently concluded its day of election, on February 14, 2024. However, akin to a series of movies, each post-election period invariably raises potential doubts about the credibility of the electoral process, particularly from the aspect of losing candidates, and especially in cases where there may be inaccuracies in the counting mechanisms. The General Election Commission (KPU) has identified discrepancies in the vote count, as reported in Form C from 2,325 polling stations (TPS). While these discrepancies may seem minor among the approximately 800,000 TPS nationwide, they should prompt authorities to contemplate a revised counting mechanism, allowing a more transparent manner. 

Numerous publications from respected international institutions report that Germany, as one of the main drivers of both European and global economies, is struggling to revive its economy. As a matter of fact, the German economy will be in a technical recession In early 2024. Fortunately, private consumption offers a glimpse of hope, allied with strong wage growth and a significant decline in the rate of inflation. 

A creative economy is defined as an economy that intertwines with economic, cultural and social aspects and interacts with technology, intellectual property and tourism destinations. The creative economy sector is also supported by multidisciplinary science and innovative policies, such as technology, in its development and implementation. In general, the creative economy is a sector that is notable for growing very significantly. 

The Indonesian population of the elderly is expected to increase, along with a rise in their rate of poverty. The Old Age Security (JHT) and Pension Guarantee (JP) programs, which serve as savings programs for workers during retirement and old age, are not functioning properly, on account of legal substance and structural issues.

On February 14, 2024, Indonesia conducted simultaneous general elections (Pemilu), to elect Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates, Members of the People’s Consultative Assembly on national, provincial, and district/city levels, as well as selecting Regional Representative Council candidates. 

I would like in this column to pay my respects and honor to Professor Claudia Goldin, 2023 Nobel Laureate in Economics. I would also like to apologize for writing in a previous column in this paper regarding all the Nobel Laureates of 2023: regarding the Nobel Peace Prize in Chemistry, Physics, and Economics, I made the mistake of mentioning Bernanke, Diamond and Dybvig together are the winners of the Nobel Economics Prize. Then, a couple of paragraphs later, I added the name of Professor Claudia Goldin. I do not know why, but that was mistaken. The correct attribution is that Professors Ben Bernanke, Diamond, and Dybvig are winners of 2022 Nobel Economics Prize, and Professor Goldin the 2023 Nobel Laureate in Economics. My humble apology for this mistake, and with this the matter is corrected. 

As a tourism activist for over 20 years, I am well aware that tourism has not yet become a “populist issue” in Indonesian democratic politics. Tourism nevertheless lags behind political, economic, and defense concerns, such as spending on primary weapons systems (alutsista).