Hello reader,

Why did the politician go to the comedy club? Why, to work on his spin, of course.

I kid, I kid. But it’s a joke that’s apt for what’s playing out in South Tangerang, where a comedian has been nominated to run for mayor in an upcoming election. Whether you think that’s funny or not, we can always count on Indonesian politics to keep us entertained.

Anyway, enjoy the weekend, and I’ll see you back here on Monday.

Cheers,

Andra

Law/Politics

Not a Joke

Marshel Widianto. Probably not a name those who follow Indonesian politics are familiar with, but one that is certainly renowned in the entertainment industry.

The 28-year-old stand up comedian has zero practical experience in politics, yet he was yesterday officially nominated by President-elect Prabowo Subianto’s Gerindra party to run in the South Tangerang mayoral election in November 2024 on account of his appeal to younger voters.

With a population of 1.8 million and considered to be a key satellite city to Jakarta, leading South Tangerang is no joke. That is perhaps why Marshel’s nomination boggles the mind more than it inspires, and it would be interesting to see how he fares in the election despite having Gerindra’s backing.

On top of the overwhelmingly negative public reception to the news, fellow celebrities have spoken out against Marshel. Actress Nikita Mirzani’s words were particularly scathing, calling on the people of South Tangerang to vote against the comedian and calling him a backstabber with a bad attitude.

To be fair, anybody can run for any public office in a free democracy, as the Schwarzeneggers and the Pasha Ungu's of the world can attest. Marshel may well have his last laugh — let’s just hope it wouldn’t be in mockery of the system.

In Other News

• President Joko Widodo turns 63 today (many happy returns!), and he is going to spend the day working like any other day at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, according to his staff. There apparently won’t be any parties after work either, as the president has not been known to celebrate his birthday.

• Jakarta police nabbed Indonesian musician Virgoun in a kost (rented room) in South Jakarta, allegedly caught in the act smoking meth with an unidentified woman early n Thursday morning. Police have yet to announce charges against Virgoun as of this afternoon.

• Indonesian pop icon Agnez Mo is being sued for copyright infringement after she allegedly sang a song written by Ari Bias at three concerts without his permission. If charged, Agnez Mo could be looking at up to five years in prison on top of being ordered to pay compensation to Ari. The latter is definitely more plausible than the former.

Business/Economy

• Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said today that President Jokowi has agreed to his proposal to allow the establishment of family offices. Luhut has been keen on family offices, citing their success in Singapore, as he aims to draw in substantial foreign capital and securing hundreds of billions of dollars in investments. The family offices would benefit from a tax-free environment, further enhancing Indonesia’s foreign exchange reserves.

• President Jokowi has greenlit the creation of regulatory measures for kratom trade in Indonesia. The initiative aims to balance the economic benefits for kratom farmers in regions like West Kalimantan with health and safety concerns raised by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), which classifies kratom as a potential narcotic due to its opioid-like effects.

• The government is closely monitoring the potential entry of Chinese e-commerce app Temu, amid fears that it could disrupt domestic supply chains and undercut local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Crucially, Temu’s factory-to-consumer business model in the name of low prices contradicts a government trade regulation requiring an intermediary in the retail supply chain.

• Biznet is gearing up to construct a second undersea fiber optic cable aimed at improving internet access in Eastern Indonesia following their succesful deployment of an IDR 3.2 trillion undersea cable connecting Java, Sumatra, and Bangka islands.

Everything Else

• You’re advised to leave earlier for the airport if you’re flying abroad as server disruptions in the Ministry of Communications and Information’s National Data Center (PDN) has been affecting some public services like immigration. On Thursday, footage circulated showing longer than usual lines at immigration in Soekarno-Hatta Airport as passenger data had to be entered manually. The ministry says it’s gradually fixing the issues related to PDN.

• Singer-songwriter Bruno Mars has announced back-to-back shows at Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) on September 13 and 14. Tickets go on sale on June 27 — expect to go to “war” for them.

• Voice of Baceprot (VoB) is certainly more than just a hijabi metal girl band, and the trio is set to become the first Indonesian band to ever perform at the legendary Glastonbury Festival in the UK. The festival is taking place from June 26 to 30, featuring headliners Dua Lipa, Coldplay, and Sza.