Credit: Larry McCallum [Flickr Creative Commons]

As Indonesia prepares for next year’s election, Inside Indonesia released its Youth as the latest edition, focusing on how the mega voting demographic see their role in society now and the future.

Read more here

In the news

  • Grace Natalie, an former journalist and now Indonesian Solidarity Part (PSI) was accused of blasphemy for suggesting that Christianising and Islamising local regulations were discriminatory and could result in injustice and intolerance. Many speculate that her fate is similar to that of Ahok.
  • The man who helped pay the protesters demonstrating against Australia at its embassy in Jakarta is one of President Joko Widodo’s official volunteer teams campaigning for his re-election. Experts argue that the protest is linked to Indonesian politics rather than the bilateral relationship.
  • Meanwhile, Jokowi is planning to double cash handouts to the poor known as the conditional aid, to 10 million families, ahead of general elections in April.
  • Al Jazeera follows the life of Sutino “Kinong” Hadi, a driver who transformed his tuk tuk to be a mobile library providing children in some of Jakarta’s poorest neighbourhoods.
  • Asian Para Games last October made disability no longer invisible. Dina Afrianty from La Trobe University thinks that while such event is a milestone, the work for disability inclusion should go beyond a sporting competition.
  • World leaders gather from the past week in Poland for COP24, the most important global meeting on climate change since the Paris Conference in 2015. Vox shares why Indonesia is the most important country for the global climate that no one is talking about.

On the blog

  • This week, we attended the AIBC NSW End of Year event, where you can learn more Mandalika, Indonesia’s next big travel destination.

Events

  • Adelaide, 16 December – AIYA SA & PPIA SA are organising an end of year hike & semester break party. Can’t do the hike? Join the lunch at 12 by meeting the team at the reserve.
  • Makassar, 22 December – AIYA Eastern Indonesia (Makassar) are providing an IELTS Simulation Test in partnership with Golden Gate Education. Register before 20 December. More details available on Instagram.
  • Melbourne, 19 December – AIYA Victoria LX @ RMIT Swanston Academic Building 80, from 6pm.
  • Perth, 16 December – AIYA WA are inviting members and friends to 2018 Sundowner, a networking event followed by movie screening of Aceh: Beyond the Tsunami by Friends of the Sea. Datang yuk!

Opportunities

  • Are you looking to develop your business development skillsets by working on real problems over the summer? Join Building a Social Business online course hosted by our director of partnerships and memberships, Sam Shlansky, at econome. Take advantage of the discount to get $100 off the normal price of $199 with code ECONOMIST.
  • Check out the upcoming applications for Hamer Scholarships 2019! The scholarships offer the opportunity for language study and cultural engagement with dynamic markets such as Indonesia.
  • Do you want to make positive change in your community? If you have a bright idea, don’t miss out on this opportunity to apply for the Alumni Grant Scheme (AGS). The Australian Awards are proud to have supported more than 100 projects across Indonesia since 2014, could yours be next? Applications are open to Indonesian nationals until 21 January 2019. For more information, click the link.
  • The WEA Sydney provides Indonesian Beginners Courses for adults and is located 5 minutes walk from Townhall Station. It’s perfect for those with no previous knowledge of Indonesian language and who wish to learn the language for business, travel or everyday use. Sign up for the next course, commencing early February!
  • The 2018 – 2019 Short Film Competition for the 14th Indonesian Film Festival has begun. The competition is open to all public from the 5th of November 2018 until the 3rd of March 2019. This year’s theme will explore “The Unknown”. Show off your creativity and skills, and get the chance to win a grand prize of AUD $750! For more information regarding competition rules and regulation, head to their website.
  • The Michael and Deborah Thawley Scholarship offers an Australian official, officer, student, or recent graduate an exceptional opportunity to contribute to the work of two leading think tanks, the Lowy Institute and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Applications will be assessed on a rolling basis, and close 5pm, Friday 19 April 2019. Find out more here!
  • Learning a language? Get Indonesian & English language help with UniBRIDGE Project.

Like what we do? Want to join or support your local chapter to contribute to our exciting activities? Sign up as an AIYA member today!