In this episode, we’re reacting to the latest news of 2 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia. We break down the sequence of events that led to these confirmed cases. We reiterate some of the basic knowledge about COVID-19 and back it up with scientific data from the latest reports from the WHO, in order to dispel some common misconceptions and/or misinformation about COVID-19. We also want to address the panic buying that has occurred not only in Indonesia but all over the world, since it doesn’t address the real issue and only serves to jack up prices, deplete resources, and increase paranoia and fear. We urge our listeners to be calm and rational and practice good safe personal hygiene, and also to be empathetic to health care professionals and those who are in greater need of protection and be responsible about yourself and your actions.

Dialogika Podcast

Episode 87: Keep Calm and Wash Your Hands

In this episode, we tackle the topic of the Omnibus Law, which is a series of laws that has been drafted and are being discussed by the government to streamline some of the existing laws in order to make for better and more efficient regulation. We’re going to talk about some of the most controversial parts of the Omnibus Law that have been protested by labor unions, specifically the proposed revisions around labor laws (UU Cipta Kerja) — in particular, around pesangon or severance and minimum wage calculations. We break down what the current legal situations are in terms of severance payments and minimum wage calculations, what both sides of the argument want, and why these topics are so contentious and sensitive — because they are about people's livelihoods.  The Omnibus Law will be an ongoing topic of conversation over the next few weeks and months as the Parliament is discussing it, and we will continue to keep tabs on it. If you want us to cover any specific parts of the Omnibus Law with our ‘flimsy but earnest logic’ please let us know! Don’t hesitate to reach out over email or through social media!

Episode 86: Not Just a Numbers Game: Discussing The Omnibus Law

In this episode, we’ll be discussing the 2019-nCoV, also known (for now) as the Novel Coronavirus, that’s been plaguing China and the rest of the world early this year. First discovered in the city of Wuhan, as of February 4th there has been more than 24,000 confirmed cases in China alone and more than 450 fatalities globally. We break down what the coronavirus is and the global reaction to the outbreak, which has led to reports of anti-Chinese racism and anti-Asian prejudice across parts of the world. Finally, we speak briefly about the situation in Indonesia, where more than 200 Indonesian citizens from Wuhan were evacuated and currently placed under quarantine in Natuna Island, which led to protests by the local residents who did not want them there, The tensions around this issue raises an important question, not just for Indonesia but for all of us around the world: how do we deal with this outbreak in a humane and empathetic way, without succumbing to fear, paranoia, and xenophobia?

Episode 85: Calm Amidst the Storm — Considering Reactions to the Novel Coronavirus

In this episode, we talk about the dramatic flooding that plagued Jakarta and its neighboring cities on New Year’s Day 2020. We give our reactions to the news of the flooding that, as of January 6, has claimed 66 lives and continues to displace hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. There have been reports saying that floodwater reached up to 6m (19 feet) tall in some homes, completely destroying it and, in the process, destroying people’s lives and livelihoods. We discuss responses to this natural disaster, in particular the Jakarta government’s response as led by Governor Anies Baswedan. Many people have criticized the governor for the lack of preparation and poor planning — as well as the significant slash in the budget allocated for flood mitigation — that has led to the city experiencing one of the worst floods in the last twenty years. Ultimately, when disasters like this strike, it is not those in power nor people like us, who are privileged and have options, that are most impacted — it is the poorest of the poor who are most vulnerable to these situations, and whose lives have been completely turned upside down because of it.

Episode 84: Jakarta Underwater: Discussing the January 2020 Flooding

In this episode, we’ll be featuring Stephanie’s audio pieces that she did as part of her grad school studies at the Columbia School of Journalism. The pieces are titled “Unsilent Night” — which is about a decades-long sound composition against traditional Christmas music — and “A Night at Greenwood Cemetery” — which is about Stephanie’s night tour of the famous cemetery in Brooklyn, in New York City. We thought it’d be cool for you listeners to get a listen behind the scenes at what Stephanie’s been up to! Finally, we just want to say a big thank you to all of you who have listened to our episodes, supported us, and shared our podcast to your friends and family over the years. It’s another eventful year for us — with Stephanie moving to the Bay Area and Swedian moving back home to Indonesia — but we’re always grateful and humbled to know that our stories and interviews continue to inspire listeners around the world and (hopefully!) move conversations toward a more progressive and just global perspective. We’re excited about what 2020 and beyond holds for us, and we can’t wait to share those stories with you in the near future. Until then, have a good end to your year, and we’ll see you in 2020!

Episode 83: Revisiting Stephanie's Baby Journo Works(Repeat)

In this episode, we discuss the recent Garuda smuggling scandal, which involved their president director Ari Askhara who had arranged for a vintage 1970s Harley Davidson, specialty Brompton foldable bikes, and their respective spare parts, to be smuggled into Indonesia through a Garuda plane, bypassing the appropriate taxes and the customs office. The level of corruption involved in making this operation happen implicated not only Askhara, but a lot of the directors and leaders in Garuda, prompting the new BUMN (State-Owned Enterprise) Minister Erick Thohir to fire Ari Askhara and suspend a number of Garuda directors. We talk about the audacity and ridiculousness of this scandal — not even Garuda’s first corruption scandal — not only because of how it unfolded, but also how apparent the wealth gap is and the insensitivity towards the life of the average Indonesian is coming from someone who is in charge of a national asset and is suppose to be somewhat serving the people. We discuss the responsibilities of a state-owned enterprise, and what this all means for Erick Thohir as he is just starting his job and asserting himself in this role.

Episode 82: Flying Too Close to the Sun: The Garuda Smuggling Scandal

In this second of our two-part episode with Pramudya Oktavinanda, an old friend of the podcast (and our resident legal expert), we continue our conversation into some of the legal circumstances of Jokowi and his 2nd term administration. We discuss a variety of topics that are not often covered by mainstream media, such as coalition loyalty in Indonesian politics, extremism in Indonesian elections, and the fluid and flexible nature of Indonesian democracy. If you haven’t listened to the first part of our conversation with Pram, please check it out as well!

Episode 81: The Legal Road Ahead — A Conversation with Pramudya Oktavinanda (Pt. 2)

In this first of our two-part episode, an old friend of the podcast (and our resident legal expert) Pramudya Oktavinanda is back to discuss some of the legal challenges Jokowi and his 2nd term administration will face over the next 5 years. Given the unrest last month over the old Parliament’s decision to pursue what some have called draconian legislation — RKUHP and UU KPK, among other things — we thought it is important to discuss, from an in-depth legal perspective, some of the issues behind these legislative maneuvers that would otherwise not be covered by mainstream media. We dig real deep into these topics in our conversation with Pram, so much so that we have to have two episodes for all the content! Tune into our next episode in two weeks’ time to catch the second part.

Episode 80: The Legal Road Ahead — A Conversation with Pramudya Oktavinanda (Pt. 1)

In this episode, we talk to Barry Beagen, an architect and urban planner who is the Program Director at Kota Kita, an urban planning NGO based in Indonesia that works in governance, inclusivity, and climate change resilience. We discuss the complex and difficult (but necessary) topic of climate change mitigation and the real work that goes behind making resilient cities, particularly in heavily impacted parts of the world like Indonesia. We break down specific risks that Indonesia face, and go in-depth into Indonesia-specific situations and scenarios surrounding climate change mitigation. We really get stuck in the weeds in this episode with Barry, but we think highlighting his and Kota Kita's work is really crucial in raising awareness about what kind of progress is being made in Indonesia on fighting climate change.

Episode 79: Building Climate Resilience in Indonesia — A Conversation with Barry Beagen

In this episode, Stephanie chats with Anindya "Vivi" Restuviani, a leading feminist and social activist in Indonesia and co-director of Hollaback! Jakarta, an organization dedicated to fighting street harassment in Indonesia. Vivi was part of the recent protests that erupted over the last week in Jakarta, as thousands of students and protestors gathered to protest Parliament's decision to pursue the legislation of draconian bills such as RKUHP (Revision of the Penal Code), UU KPK (a bill that will weaken the independent Corruption Eradication Commission), and others. We talk about some of the details of these bills — including the infamous "premarital sex ban" that is part of the RKUHP — and the fears students and protestors have if these bills were passed into law. As the fight to preserve Indonesia's democracy continues, both on the streets and in government buildings, we hope this conversation can be the first of many between all of us in civic society to discuss the future of our nation.

Episode 78: The Word on the Streets: Discussing the Recent Protests in Indonesia

In this episode, we commemorate the life and legacy of our former President, B.J. Habibie, who passed away on September 11, 2019, at the age of 83 years old. Considered by many as the father of Indonesian innovation and engineering, Habibie was thrust into the limelight in 1998 when he became president following the May 1998 riots and the fall of Suharto. Even though he was trained as an engineer, Habibie showed incredible leadership and political acumen to guide the country through an incredibly tense and tumultuous time, and without him we would not have the democracy we have today. We want to take this time to really remember his life, his work, and the values and principles he believed in — values and principles surrounding democracy and diversity that we, as the future generation, need to keep working for and fighting for.

Episode 77: The President We Didn't Deserve: In Memoriam B.J. Habibie

Swedian is in the midst of his move back to Indonesia, so we're going to repeat an episode on a topic that's always worth having conversations on — and that's mental health! ------- In this episode, we're discussing the topic of mental health! This issue has been in the news lately because Sandi, Prabowo's running mate in the upcoming presidential elections, have said that if elected, the Prabowo-Sandi administration will dedicate greater efforts into addressing mental health in Indonesia — an issue that is seldom talked about and incredibly stigmatized in the country. We talk a lot about self-care, how to be a good friend in supporting those with mental illness and mental health issues, and discuss how to destigmatize the topic in Indonesian society and conversation. Stephanie shares a little bit about her history with mental health, and we hope this dialogue will encourage our listeners to open up about their own stories and reach out to others who may be suffering from similar situations. Neither of us are mental health professionals in any way, shape, or form, but we hope our discussion will be helpful in getting people to talk more openly and emphatically about mental health.

Episode 76: Let's Talk About Mental Health (Repeat)

In this episode, we discuss the recent protests that broke out in Manokwari and Jayapura over the recent arrest and detention of 43 West Papuan students in Surabaya over allegations of destroying and damaging the Indonesian flag. We want to unpack the historic tensions and conflicts that has led to this point. We begin with the historic tussle in the 1950’s and 60’s over West Papua between the Dutch and the new Republic of Indonesia that eventually led to a peace agreement called the New York Agreement in 1962. This agreement gave Indonesia West Papua, but also demanded a vote to be held that will ask the West Papuans to decide if they wanted to be a part of the new Republic. This referendum, known as the infamous “Act of Free Choice,” was held on August 2, 1969, and over 1,000 men and women selected by the Indonesian military unanimously voted to join Indonesia. Many politicians, journalists, and historians acknowledged that the referendum was unfairly executed and held under immense pressure from the Indonesian military, with threats of violence and repercussion forcing those chosen to vote in favor of Indonesia. To this day, various independence movements and NGOs have advocated for a new referendum that will allow West Papuans a truly fair and just vote, much to the displeasure of the Indonesian government. All of this contributes to the tension that underpin West Papua’s complicated relationship with Indonesia. While this story continues to break and develop, we want to urge our listeners and fellow Indonesians to address our own prejudices against West Papuans, especially since the initial incident was sparked by a hoax story circulated in social media. We have a lot of work to do to reconcile the historically unjust and unfair treatment of West Papuans in order to even begin considering a future solution, and it is our responsibility as Indonesians to ensure that the promises of our nation truly includes everyone from Sabang to Merauke.

Episode 75: Unpacking the Recent West Papua Protests

In this episode, we talk about one of the lesser-known founding fathers of Indonesia, our first ever Prime Minister, Sutan Sjahrir! Dubbed the ‘Smiling Diplomat,’ Sjahrir is one of our nation’s greatest intellectuals and patriots, and was a key figure in the independence movement — from his time with Mohammad Hatta in the Netherlands organizing the Indonesian youth there, to negotiating the beginning of the new Indonesian Republic with the Dutch when he was the Prime Minister, and even to the last of his days when he was unfairly imprisoned without trial under alleged conspiracy charges for disagreeing with Sukarno’s regime. Sjahrir’s life story is a truly inspiring one, and as one of the foundational individuals behind Indonesia’s parliamentary democracy, we wanted to dedicate this episode to him and his ideas — especially in light of the increasing threats from all sides to our fragile democracy.

Episode 74: The People's Prime Minister — A Profile of Sutan Sjahrir

We don't have a new episode for you this week, so we are repeating one of our most popular episodes last year — our conversation with Rocky Intan on LGBTQ identity, Pride, and true progress. ------- In this episode, Stephanie is still out, so Swedian talks to a longtime friend and supporter of Dialogika, Rocky Intan, who is currently getting his Masters in Public Policy at Columbia University. This conversation was originally planned for June, as it was Pride Month, and we talk about Rocky’s experience as an out gay man living in America right now, comparing it to the experience back home in Indonesia. We talk about the power & importance of Pride, not just as a celebration of one’s identity but also as a way to make visible the marginalized LGBTQ community. Rocky shares the nuances of his coming out experience, including the financial, social, and relational implications. From there we talk about how we cannot take for granted that liberals and progressives are necessarily as open-minded about the LGBTQ community as we think they are, and that if we are true progressives we need to fight for a society that is equal, open, and just for all — not just for the heteronormative.

Episode 73: In Pursuit of Pride & Progress — An Interview with Rocky Intan (Repeat)

Dialogika is a dialogue between two friends about the latest in politics, society, and feminism in Indonesia and the world. Co-hosted by creative consultant/designer Swedian Lie and entrepreneur Stephanie Tangkilisan, this podcast is our attempt at making sense of this crazy world we live in. Armed with the flimsy but earnest logic of mid-twenties millennials, we take a fresh & spirited look at current events and trending moments, and discuss its broader implications socially, politically, and theoretically.

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Dialogika Podcast

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