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A boy wearing a traditional costume guards ballot boxes during the presidential election in Trumon, Southern Aceh province in 2019. AFP
‘Democracy vital for Indonesia’s path to prosperity’
Thu, 29 July 2021
Indonesia s current democratic practices, which have taken root in the past 20 years following the demise of the New Order’s authoritarian regime, remain the best hope for the country to be able to have an inclusive and sustainable economic growth, a panel of experts concluded in a discussion held on July 28.
Speaking during a seminar organised to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Jakarta-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), economists and political analysts agreed that despite setbacks and shortcomings, in the past 20 years public participation in politics, both through regular elections and the exercise of free speech, has resulted in a government that is more responsive to demands for economic improvement.
Reuters
Published: 30 Jul 2021 02:35 PM BdST
Updated: 30 Jul 2021 02:35 PM BdST United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin (L) and Philippines Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (R) shake hands after a bilateral meeting at Camp Aguinaldo military camp in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, July 30, 2021. Rolex Dela Pena/Pool via REUTERS
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has restored a crucial pact governing the presence of US troops in the Southeast Asian nation, the two countries defence ministers said on Friday, reversing a decision that had caused increasing concern in Washington and Manila. );
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The Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) provides rules for the rotation of thousands of US troops in and out of the Philippines for war drills and exercises. It has assumed additional importance as the United States and its allies contend with an increasingly assertive China.
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Traditional markets, roadside vendors and ubiquitous open-air restaurants known as warungs would be among businesses allowed to reopen on Monday with restrictions, even in the worst-affected areas.
Shopping malls and mosques in less hard-hit areas would also get the green light to swing open their doors to limited crowds and hours. Offices would remain subject to shutdown orders, the government said.
A funeral worker wearing personal protective equipment places an offering on the coffin of a Covid-19 victim at Bebalang Crematorium in Bangli Regency, Bali, Indonesia on 25 July 2021. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
There have, however, been widespread reports of employers forcing non-essential employees to work even under the current lockdown.
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