Important Day

Tomorrow, April 9th, Parliamentary General Election will be held in Indonesia and Indonesia's embassies abroad.

I hope that something will be running well in peace. This election is important to strengten democracy in Indonesia. Its results will give us more clear picture of the candidates in next presidential election.

After election, improving economy and combating corruption will be two crucial major tasks to lawmakers in the parliament and officials in the new administration.

German as A Model, Globalization Can't be Stopped

Der Spiegel interviewed Economist Joseph Stiglizt to know in depth crisis that world is facing now. He suggests that when capitalism fails, state economy is not an alternative. "communism doesn't work as economic system", Mr. Joseph Stiglizt said. German social model then is alternative.

This interview is very interesting.

Debt, Unemployment, Inflation

This is very sharp opinion on the other picture of recent G20 summit in London. It sounds more honest to not use : Stability, Growt, Jobs as slogan of the summit but: Debt, Unemployment, Inflation, says the opinion.

I quote part of opinion showing how terrible situation is America facing rightnow:

"The addiction to new cash injections was chronic. The US had allowed itself to sink into an abject lifestyle. It sold more and more billions in new government bonds in order to preserve the appearance of a prosperous nation. To make matters worse, private households copied the example of the state. The average American now lives from hand to mouth and has 15 credit cards. The savings rate is almost zero. At the end of the Bush era, 75 percent of global savings were flowing into the US.

The president and the head of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan, knew about the problem very well. Perhaps the Americans even knew just how irresponsible their actions were -- at any rate, they did everything they could to hide them from the world. Since 2006, figures for the money supply -- in other words, the total number of dollars in circulation -- have no longer been published in the US. As a result, a statistic which is regarded by the European Central Bank as a key indicator is now treated as a state secret in the US.".

Read the full of opinion here

Waiting for Real Candidates to Presidential Election

Legislative General Election will be held in next April 9th in Indonesia. Candidates for presidential general election in next July much depend on result of this legislative general election. Candidate for presidency must be supported by party (or parties) that reach at least 25 pecent of people votes in the poll.

So that, there is still no real candidates of president and vice president to race for next presidential election. The big names in the public sphere are: Megawati Soekarnoputri (former president), Susilo Bambang Yudoyono (incumbent President) and Jusuf Kalla (incumbent Vice President). Their parties (with or without coalition) are predicted gain enough votes to bring them to the presidential election.

The speculation is bigger when it relates to vice president candidates. Some possibilites are endorsed by Media, but no one of them is fixed. We must wait untill the days after April 9th then, to make sure the couples who will fight in next presidential election.

Vice President's Blog

I am impressed with Mr. Jusuf Kalla, Indonesian Vice President's Blog. It is funny, smart, good written in Bahasa and direct approach to the issues that most Indonesian people care about.

Mr. Jusuf Kalla is in his way to presidential candidacy of his party to the presidential general election next July. His blog is one of his way to be in touch with the people.

I don't know how much will the blog increase his electibility. But the thing should be appreciated is his will to write daily on public issues and communicating personally with the people.