In this episode, Uzair talks to Mehu Sitepu about Indonesia’s recently held presidential elections and its outcomes. These elections had a lot of similarities with Pakistan, including the use of social media to woo young voters, allegations of rigging, and questions over Indonesia’s policy towards the US and China.

Mehu Sitepu is an Associate at The Asia Group’s Southeast Asia practice, where she supports clients navigating the region’s complex political and regulatory environments to build business strategies across a variety of sectors, including banking and finance, hospitality, manufacturing, and technology. With almost a decade’s experience as a journalist in Indonesia, including three years in a senior role at BBC News, Mehu has a strong knowledge of Southeast Asia and a far-reaching network of contacts.

Chapters:0:00 Introduction2:40 Overview of the political landscape24:50 Role of social media30:01 Rigging allegations35:28 Foreign policy implications39:25 Economic policies44:49 Reading recommendations47:40 Role of the Indonesian military

Reading recommendations:

- Indonesia, Etc. by Elizabeth Pisani- Departure: A Novel by Nh. Dini- Indonesian Food by Sri Owen