By: Mubdi Tio Thareq) *
President Joko Widodo received the “Asian of the Year 2019” award from Singapore media, Ther Straits Times. Jokowi is considered a unifying figure within the country and among Southeast Asian countries.
This title was revealed by The Straits Times in the Thursday edition (5/12/2019). According to the 174-year-old media editor’s note, Jokowi was chosen because of “his expertise and character in overcoming domestic and international political problems”.
In ASEAN, Jokowi reaped praise because Indonesia was the initiator of the “ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific” which included the inclusiveness, openness and centrality of ASEAN. With this idea, ASEAN remains in a neutral position in the struggle for the influence of China and the United States in Asia.
Warren Fernandez, Editor in Chief of The Straits Times, who chairs the Asian of the Years election panel, said the award was given to someone who has made a positive contribution in Asia. “President Joko Widodo has done well. Not only did he win the second period, but he also united Indonesia and brought it forward. Like he also did in ASEAN,” Fernandez said.
According to Jeremy Au Yong, foreign editor of The Straits Times, Jokowi’s name came about because he was considered a unifying figure in the midst of a divided world.
This is the eighth time the “Asian of the Year” award was given by The Straits Times. Other leaders who have won this award are former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
However, the title “Asian of the Year 2019” obtained by President Joko Widodo is the pride of the country, as well as arousing the confidence of the Indonesian people to navigate the global competition and win it.
This title is also an outcome achieved together by this nation’s component in facing difficult times in a political year filled with massive hate speech, hoaxes and bigotry, but Indonesia under Jokowi with his humble attitude and a very balanced leadership between IQ, EQ and SQ, then this nation survived through a difficult period when it was predicted by many people that Indonesia would experience polarization and social segregation, but in fact everything was not proven.
At least there are some impacts from the achievement of the title “Asian of the Year 2019” by President Jokowi, among others: first, this title illustrates the conducive situation of Indonesian Polkam under Jokowi, so that foreign investors do not hesitate to invest in Indonesia.
Second, the democratic maturity of the Indonesian people plus Joko Widodo’s humble leadership, but quickly making the right decisions amid growing information movement and time limitation will become a “role model” and will even become a new theory related to “leadership during turbulence circuumstances”.
Third, it is hoped that this title will inspire many people to emulate it, including making them aware of Jokowi’s groups, so that the unity of Indonesia in the future will be stronger, and closing the efforts of “foreign stooge” to create “color revolutions” as they successfully implement them in Hong Kong, Albania, Haiti, Venezuela, Chile, Peru and several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
) * The author is an observer of Indonesia’s strategic problems.
