In this episode, we discuss the recently trending news of a "miracle cure" purported by self-proclaimed microbiologist, doctor, and professor Hadi Pranoto after he appeared in a video with YouTuber Anji and made these claims of cure to COVID-19. In the 30-minute interview that has now been removed by YouTube, Hadi discusses his miracle cure as the answer to the pandemic. We talk about how dangerous these kind of misleading information can be, and especially if they come from or are backed by public figures with great followings. We also talk about the recent story of Dr. Stella Immanuel, a doctor in America who herself proclaims hydroxychloroquine as the miracle cure to COVID-19, even though research has proved otherwise. President Trump's backing of her message also sends a dangerous message to his supporters and further complicates the search for a vaccine to COVID-19. We observe and analyze the lack of strong political leadership during this time of pandemic that has led to other kinds of figures taking over the space and sending their particularly misguided message across to audiences that are more than happy to find a quick answer to the difficult situation today. It is important that we keep our head straight and focus on the facts, before we readily accept any answer as the answer to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Thanks for listening!

In this episode, we discuss the recent verdict that sentenced two police officers to light prison terms over the acid attack on Novel Baswedan, a chief investigator in the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), on April 11, 2017, closing the case on a story that has generated a lot of news over the years. We recap the acid attack itself and the context of which it happened, which was when Novel and his team were doing great work in catching high profile corruption officials, including the Setya Novanto e-KTP case. We share our thoughts and disappointment about the verdict and how, for us, it seems like the death knell to the KPK, especially after the recent law that greatly diminished the power of the independent body.

We're out this week, so we are repeating our lovely chat with Sakdiyah Ma'ruf—hope you enjoy our conversation!  ------------------------- In this episode, we have a special interview and conversation with one of Indonesia's fiercest female Muslim hijabi stand-up comedians, Sakdiyah Ma'ruf! Hailed as one of the first female Muslim comics in Indonesia (a "technicality," as she said), Sakdiyah has been doing stand-up comedy in both English and Indonesian for several years now. Her comedy touches on sensitive topics such as sexuality, Islamic fundamentalism, terrorism, and domestic violence, but she always finds a way to cut through the tension of such heavy topics without blunting her message of free speech and women's rights. We hope you'll enjoy our conversation as much as we enjoyed having it!

In this second of a two-part episode, we picked up where we left off with Amir Jones, an African-American Indonesian-American who's living in Washington, D.C. and involved in electoral politics. We continue talking about structural racism in America and the Black Lives Matter protests as a response to the murders of black Americans like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others — this time talking about the #DefundThePolice movement as well as racism in the criminal justice system. As media attention starts to die down, it is important we continue having these difficult but incredibly important conversations in order to make meaningful change happen for everyone. If you haven't listened to Part 1 of this conversation, you can take a listen on our track list — it's Episode 93.

In this first of a two-part episode, we have a very special guest — Amir Jones, an African-American Indonesian-American who’s living in Washington, D.C. and involved in electoral politics. We dive right into the topics around structural racism in America with Amir, in light of the recent weeks of Black Lives Matter protests as a response to the murders of black Americans like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others. We talk about racism in the Indonesian community and break down the elements of structural racism, such as class divide and systemic racism. We also talk about microaggressions in the context of racism and discrimination and discuss how to be actively anti-racist, especially within the circles of families and friends whom you can have the most impact on.   Join us next week for the 2nd part of our conversation with Amir, where we will continue our conversation and also talk about the #DefundThePolice movement.

In this episode, we talk to Levana Sani, co-founder and CEO of Nalagenetics, a meditech company based in Indonesia and Singapore that focuses on genetic testing for drug responses, but has now partially shifted focus to helping set up labs for COVID-19 testing. We dive into the basics of genetic testing, in particular human genotyping, which is what Nalagenetics as a company does in order to help doctors develop personalized medicine for their patients, tailored to their specific genetic profile. We talk to Levi about how her company has pivoted from genetic testing to COVID-19 testing, in particular qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction) testing and comparing this particular method to the more widely known rapid testing method, which has had its critics. We also discuss how Nalagenetics have helped private companies — specifically huge corporations that employ thousands of people — test their workforce and keep their community safe, which goes into the conversation about private and public sector responses to COVID-19 and the democratization of testing. We discuss the ethics behind testing when there are limited test kits and how we can ensure the accessibility of testing to those who really need it.

In this episode, we have a very special guest — a long-time friend of ours, Dr. Vania, who is a second-year clinical nutrition resident currently based in Jakarta. We wanted to talk to her about the experience doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals have as the COVID-19 outbreak started to spread in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta. We talk through the early days of the pandemic and how stressful it was for doctors and nurses, especially with the shortage in PPE (personal protective equipment) at the time. Vania shares some of her personal insights and experiences about what a lot of doctors were going through as they were trying to deal with the virus — and the sense of danger and fear many felt during this time. We also talk about some of the improvements that have happened since then, with shorter shifts and free frequent testing. Finally, we talk about how we as a society need to not only thank our amazing medical professionals for fighting on the front lines, but also do our part in making the situation better for them — instead of just valorizing their work (and for some, their sacrifice). It is during these times that we need to be fighting for our doctors and nurses and medical professionals — just like how they are fighting for us! Also, we want to note that these are all Vania’s personal views and do not represent the views of the hospitals or organizations she’s worked at or is currently working at.

In this episode, we talk about… nothing in particular, other than how tired we are. We have an honest and sincere conversation about the pressures of working from home coupled with the guilt that comes from not being as productive as we always say we would be, if we had more time. We share our struggles about keeping a healthy work-life balance, and how we’re trying to navigate our own unique situations with work, life, and relationships. This is a shorter episode because, like we said in the beginning, we are quite burnt out from the current circumstances right now — and that’s fine. We hope that our honest chat would encourage folks to be okay with being unproductive, to be okay with unwinding, and to do what you need to do to destress and relax in these strange and weird times. Stay safe and stay healthy at home, everyone! Also, to our listeners all over the world who are listening, have a blessed Ramadan!

In this episode, we’re [insert number of days] into the lockdown situation in most parts of the world right now and we wanted to have a lighthearted but also sincere conversation about what living in the world is like at the moment. We share bits and pieces about our lives in quarantine, with Swedian in Jakarta undergoing large-scale social distancing and Stephanie in the Bay Area living under stay-at-home orders. We reflect on how our respective local authorities are responding to the pandemic and the impact that has across all of society and various communities — especially those who are most vulnerable and are not privileged enough to protect themselves or work from home. We discuss about the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the damaging effect of hoarding in terms of allocating resources for those who really need it. When we come out of this pandemic, we have a choice as a species — whether we will be completely Darwinian about ourselves and see who survives, or we will support one another and make choices that may be difficult and uncomfortable, but is better for your community, your society, and the human race.

Swedian is out sick at the moment (luckily, not because of COVID-19) so in the mean time, and in light of the current situation, we want to repeat our mental health episode, to support those who might be having trouble staying mentally healthy during this pandemic. We hope to be back as soon as we can! Please stay safe and healthy at home. ------- In this episode, we're discussing the topic of mental health! This issue has been in the news lately because Sandi, Prabowo's running mate in the upcoming presidential elections, have said that if elected, the Prabowo-Sandi administration will dedicate greater efforts into addressing mental health in Indonesia — an issue that is seldom talked about and incredibly stigmatized in the country. We talk a lot about self-care, how to be a good friend in supporting those with mental illness and mental health issues, and discuss how to destigmatize the topic in Indonesian society and conversation. Stephanie shares a little bit about her history with mental health, and we hope this dialogue will encourage our listeners to open up about their own stories and reach out to others who may be suffering from similar situations. Neither of us are mental health professionals in any way, shape, or form, but we hope our discussion will be helpful in getting people to talk more openly and emphatically about mental health.

In this episode, we’re reacting to the latest news of 2 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia. We break down the sequence of events that led to these confirmed cases. We reiterate some of the basic knowledge about COVID-19 and back it up with scientific data from the latest reports from the WHO, in order to dispel some common misconceptions and/or misinformation about COVID-19. We also want to address the panic buying that has occurred not only in Indonesia but all over the world, since it doesn’t address the real issue and only serves to jack up prices, deplete resources, and increase paranoia and fear. We urge our listeners to be calm and rational and practice good safe personal hygiene, and also to be empathetic to health care professionals and those who are in greater need of protection and be responsible about yourself and your actions.

In this episode, we tackle the topic of the Omnibus Law, which is a series of laws that has been drafted and are being discussed by the government to streamline some of the existing laws in order to make for better and more efficient regulation. We’re going to talk about some of the most controversial parts of the Omnibus Law that have been protested by labor unions, specifically the proposed revisions around labor laws (UU Cipta Kerja) — in particular, around pesangon or severance and minimum wage calculations. We break down what the current legal situations are in terms of severance payments and minimum wage calculations, what both sides of the argument want, and why these topics are so contentious and sensitive — because they are about people's livelihoods.  The Omnibus Law will be an ongoing topic of conversation over the next few weeks and months as the Parliament is discussing it, and we will continue to keep tabs on it. If you want us to cover any specific parts of the Omnibus Law with our ‘flimsy but earnest logic’ please let us know! Don’t hesitate to reach out over email or through social media!

In this episode, we’ll be discussing the 2019-nCoV, also known (for now) as the Novel Coronavirus, that’s been plaguing China and the rest of the world early this year. First discovered in the city of Wuhan, as of February 4th there has been more than 24,000 confirmed cases in China alone and more than 450 fatalities globally. We break down what the coronavirus is and the global reaction to the outbreak, which has led to reports of anti-Chinese racism and anti-Asian prejudice across parts of the world. Finally, we speak briefly about the situation in Indonesia, where more than 200 Indonesian citizens from Wuhan were evacuated and currently placed under quarantine in Natuna Island, which led to protests by the local residents who did not want them there, The tensions around this issue raises an important question, not just for Indonesia but for all of us around the world: how do we deal with this outbreak in a humane and empathetic way, without succumbing to fear, paranoia, and xenophobia?

In this episode, we talk about the dramatic flooding that plagued Jakarta and its neighboring cities on New Year’s Day 2020. We give our reactions to the news of the flooding that, as of January 6, has claimed 66 lives and continues to displace hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. There have been reports saying that floodwater reached up to 6m (19 feet) tall in some homes, completely destroying it and, in the process, destroying people’s lives and livelihoods. We discuss responses to this natural disaster, in particular the Jakarta government’s response as led by Governor Anies Baswedan. Many people have criticized the governor for the lack of preparation and poor planning — as well as the significant slash in the budget allocated for flood mitigation — that has led to the city experiencing one of the worst floods in the last twenty years. Ultimately, when disasters like this strike, it is not those in power nor people like us, who are privileged and have options, that are most impacted — it is the poorest of the poor who are most vulnerable to these situations, and whose lives have been completely turned upside down because of it.

In this episode, we’ll be featuring Stephanie’s audio pieces that she did as part of her grad school studies at the Columbia School of Journalism. The pieces are titled “Unsilent Night” — which is about a decades-long sound composition against traditional Christmas music — and “A Night at Greenwood Cemetery” — which is about Stephanie’s night tour of the famous cemetery in Brooklyn, in New York City. We thought it’d be cool for you listeners to get a listen behind the scenes at what Stephanie’s been up to! Finally, we just want to say a big thank you to all of you who have listened to our episodes, supported us, and shared our podcast to your friends and family over the years. It’s another eventful year for us — with Stephanie moving to the Bay Area and Swedian moving back home to Indonesia — but we’re always grateful and humbled to know that our stories and interviews continue to inspire listeners around the world and (hopefully!) move conversations toward a more progressive and just global perspective. We’re excited about what 2020 and beyond holds for us, and we can’t wait to share those stories with you in the near future. Until then, have a good end to your year, and we’ll see you in 2020!

In this episode, we discuss the recent Garuda smuggling scandal, which involved their president director Ari Askhara who had arranged for a vintage 1970s Harley Davidson, specialty Brompton foldable bikes, and their respective spare parts, to be smuggled into Indonesia through a Garuda plane, bypassing the appropriate taxes and the customs office. The level of corruption involved in making this operation happen implicated not only Askhara, but a lot of the directors and leaders in Garuda, prompting the new BUMN (State-Owned Enterprise) Minister Erick Thohir to fire Ari Askhara and suspend a number of Garuda directors. We talk about the audacity and ridiculousness of this scandal — not even Garuda’s first corruption scandal — not only because of how it unfolded, but also how apparent the wealth gap is and the insensitivity towards the life of the average Indonesian is coming from someone who is in charge of a national asset and is suppose to be somewhat serving the people. We discuss the responsibilities of a state-owned enterprise, and what this all means for Erick Thohir as he is just starting his job and asserting himself in this role.

In this second of our two-part episode with Pramudya Oktavinanda, an old friend of the podcast (and our resident legal expert), we continue our conversation into some of the legal circumstances of Jokowi and his 2nd term administration. We discuss a variety of topics that are not often covered by mainstream media, such as coalition loyalty in Indonesian politics, extremism in Indonesian elections, and the fluid and flexible nature of Indonesian democracy. If you haven’t listened to the first part of our conversation with Pram, please check it out as well!

In this first of our two-part episode, an old friend of the podcast (and our resident legal expert) Pramudya Oktavinanda is back to discuss some of the legal challenges Jokowi and his 2nd term administration will face over the next 5 years. Given the unrest last month over the old Parliament’s decision to pursue what some have called draconian legislation — RKUHP and UU KPK, among other things — we thought it is important to discuss, from an in-depth legal perspective, some of the issues behind these legislative maneuvers that would otherwise not be covered by mainstream media. We dig real deep into these topics in our conversation with Pram, so much so that we have to have two episodes for all the content! Tune into our next episode in two weeks’ time to catch the second part.

In this episode, we talk to Barry Beagen, an architect and urban planner who is the Program Director at Kota Kita, an urban planning NGO based in Indonesia that works in governance, inclusivity, and climate change resilience. We discuss the complex and difficult (but necessary) topic of climate change mitigation and the real work that goes behind making resilient cities, particularly in heavily impacted parts of the world like Indonesia. We break down specific risks that Indonesia face, and go in-depth into Indonesia-specific situations and scenarios surrounding climate change mitigation. We really get stuck in the weeds in this episode with Barry, but we think highlighting his and Kota Kita's work is really crucial in raising awareness about what kind of progress is being made in Indonesia on fighting climate change.

In this episode, Stephanie chats with Anindya "Vivi" Restuviani, a leading feminist and social activist in Indonesia and co-director of Hollaback! Jakarta, an organization dedicated to fighting street harassment in Indonesia. Vivi was part of the recent protests that erupted over the last week in Jakarta, as thousands of students and protestors gathered to protest Parliament's decision to pursue the legislation of draconian bills such as RKUHP (Revision of the Penal Code), UU KPK (a bill that will weaken the independent Corruption Eradication Commission), and others. We talk about some of the details of these bills — including the infamous "premarital sex ban" that is part of the RKUHP — and the fears students and protestors have if these bills were passed into law. As the fight to preserve Indonesia's democracy continues, both on the streets and in government buildings, we hope this conversation can be the first of many between all of us in civic society to discuss the future of our nation.