Where Have all the Bad Guys Gone? Governance in Indonesia Today

Public Seminar and Discussion

Thursday, 25th November 2010, 18:30 – 20:00, Room NAB 214, New Academic Building, LSE

Chair: Dr Ruth Kattumuri, Co-Director, Asia Research Centre
Introduction: Dr Roger Montgomery, Visiting Senior Fellow, Asia Research Centre

Speakers:

• Dr Claire Q. Smith, Department of International Development, LSE
  Aiding the State? Re-evaluating the government of reconstruction in Eastern Indonesia
• Dr Javier Gil-Perez, Asia Research Centre, LSE
  The law enforcement agencies and the Agency Against Corruption in Indonesia, KPK
• Mr Gabor Somogyi, Department of Anthropology, LSE
  Security or health? - The new Indonesian law on narcotics: a problematic paradigm shift
• Dr Roger Montgomery, Asia Research Centre
  Governance: an overview of issues facing Indonesia. Which way out?

In Indonesia, the Asian financial crisis of 1997 and the fall of Soeharto in 1998 brought in a new age, the era of reformasi. Decentralization, public administration and financial reform, reallocation of government power, and judicial reform were just a few of the many wide-ranging and radical reforms. The reformasi movement generated hope that the quality of government services would improve, that rent-seeking behaviour would reduce.

The changes undertaken were clearly driven by a desire to achieve higher economic growth and sustainable development. Poverty reduction can be achieved only if governance structures are sound. Good governance requires sound economic management; the enforcement of the rule of law; and participation, transparency, accountability, and predictability in public administration. These factors are necessary to combat the widespread and systemic corruption that drain the economy.

Governance has many dimensions that need to be explored, examined. It is much more than just corruption. This seminar will explore many dimensions of governance and the degree to which there has been or has not been progress over the last decade, since the fall of Suharto.

Keywords: Governance, Voice / Accountability, Political Stability, Absence of Violence, Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality, Rule of Law, Control of Corruption, Centre/local govt relations, Conflict areas and management of government budgets in conflict areas, Strategic use of patronage, Security or health? - The new Indonesian law on narcotics, Illegal road taxes, Monopsonies, Monopolies, Restrictive marketing arrangements, Interisland trade quotas, Rent, Required planting requirements, SMERU research institute, Jakarta

Additional Details

This event is free and open to all with no ticket required. Entry is on a first come, first served basis. For any queries email arc@lse.ac.uk or call 020 7955 7615.

If you are planning to attend this event and would like details on how to get here and what time to arrive, please refer to Coming to an event at LSE.

Speakers