As the most populous country in Southeast Asia and also its largest economy, Indonesia has a profound impact on Singapore’s well-being. Did you know that Indonesia has a trillion-dollar economy, has enjoyed a vigorous economic growth rate of 5-6 percent in recent years, and is a member of the influential Group of 20 nations (G-20)?
Here are 10 thought-provoking facts about their new President, Mr Joko Widodo (popularly known as Jokowi), a remarkable man expected to usher in the winds of change.
1. Jokowi, as he is popularly known, has been elected in one of the most remarkable exercises in democracy. In the world’s biggest archipelagic nation, more voters cast their vote on a single day than in any other nation at any time in history.
India, the world’s biggest democracy, took five weeks to elect a parliament. The US has more eligible voters but only about 57 per cent turned out at the last election. In Indonesia, on July 9, more than 70 per cent of the nation’s 194 million eligible voters (from a total population of 255 million) visited one of Indonesia’s nearly half a million polling stations and exercised their right to directly elect a new president.
In April, even more turned out to elect members of the national legislature and two other tiers of lawmakers. While Joko Widodo’s opponent, Prabowo Subianto — shattered by his defeat and refusing to accept the result — alleged massive fraud, all the evidence suggests that this month’s elections were remarkably clean and fair.
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