Prior to the pandemic there was push by major parties, such as PDI-P, Golkar and Gerindra, to bring more power back to the central government. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw some local leaders taking the initiative with battling the virus while the central government moved slowly. How might these events impact the country’s trend towards a more top-down approach by the central government?

West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, is responsible for over 50 million people in the country’s largest province and appears to have made the most progress with getting the virus under control. How will that impact his political ambitions, such as perhaps a run for presidency in 2024?

The president published a rare video of a cabinet meeting in mid-June where he expressed anger and disappointment towards ministers for not having a sense of crisis when it comes to battling the pandemic. What’s the reasoning behind the video release? Who is it aimed at and who is the target audience? Is there a cabinet reshuffle coming?

Widodo has had a less than stellar record when it comes to handling the pandemic, how is he currently viewed by the voters and how is he polling?

We discuss these questions and much more with one of my favourite guests, Dr. Djayadi Hanan, the executive director of Lembaga Survey Indonesia and the director of political science research at the Paramadina University here in Jakarta. 

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