The 2019 Race: Gatot

Apr 6, 2018 | Politics

Former military (TNI) commander General (ret) Gatot Nurmantyo continues to be mentioned as a potential contestant in the 2019 presidential race. So far, Gatot has been seen closing in on Prabowo Subianto’s group (PKS and Gerindra). Will he get their endorsement, or...

Indonesian Press & The Rise of Conservatism

Feb 9, 2018 | Politics

Angkasa Pura II, state-owned airport management company, confirmed the entry of some private jets in Minangkabau airport, West Sumatra this week, carrying media owners and prominent figures in the country. Anindya Bakrie, Harry Tanoesoedibjo, Surya Paloh, Tommy...

2019 Dynamics: Jokowi’s West Sumatra Tour (2)

Feb 8, 2018 | Politics

Sutan Riska Tuanku Kerajaan, regent of Dharmasraya in West Sumatra province, is the youngest regent in Indonesia. He surprised many with landslide victory in 2015 election. Riska won 63% votes, defeating incumbent regent, who was supported by a coalition of Golkar,...

Sugar Barons (3)

Nov 10, 2017 | Industries

PT Pasifik Agro Sentosa, member of Artha Graha Network—-controlled by Tommy Winata, plans to acquire majority shareholding in the troubled sugar producer PT Industri Gula Nusantara (IGN), which is a joint venture between PT Multi Manis Mandiri (MMM) and state-owned...

Anies, Kalla, Prabowo, and TW

Nov 1, 2017 | Politics

Vice President Jusuf Kalla told the press on Tuesday (Oct 31) that Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan had agreed to continue the reclamation of islands C and D; the islands that are being developed by PT Kapuk Niaga Indah, a company owned by Tommy Winata (TW)’s...

2019 Race: Prabowo-TW Axis?

Oct 26, 2017 | Politics

The meeting between Chairman of the opposition party Gerindra Lt. Gen (ret) Prabowo Subianto, Anies Baswedan, and the Jakarta bay reclamation property developers led by Tommy Winata made us wonder. Has a new alliance been formed? If yes, is this alliance working...

Tommy Winata & Artha Graha Network: The Bank

Dec 12, 2016 | Industries, Market

Bank Artha Graha (INPC), controlled by tycoons Tommy Winata and Sugianto Kusuma, had total assets of Rp26.1 trillion as at Sept 30, 2016, slightly smaller than Bank Sinarmas (BSIM). INPC’s assets grew 137% from Rp11 trillion in 2006, while BSIM expanded from around...

Tommy Winata’s Artha Graha Network

Dec 3, 2016 | News Group

Tommy Winata was listed the 54th richest man in Indonesia by GlobeAsia magazine in 2012. His name is not listed in the Top 50 of Forbes magazine’s 2016 rich list. Really? How come he is still considered one of the most powerful businessmen with strong influence to...

The Coalition of Brokenhearted: SBY & TW (Part IV)

Dec 1, 2016 | Law, Politics

Hengky Setiawan, CEO of Telesindo (TELE), admitted of a picture about him, Rommy Winata (younger brother of Tommy Winata), and Habibie Rizieq, chairman of Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), leader of anti-Ahok movements. “That’s not him (Tommy Winata)…It’s me, and Rommy...

The Coalition of Brokenhearted: SBY & TW (Part III)

Nov 30, 2016 | Politics

Agus Yudhoyono, son of sixth President SBY and governor candidate for Jakarta, uploaded a picture of him with soccer superstar Christiano Ronaldo on September 24, 2016 through his Instagram account. The picture was taken during Ronaldo’s visit to Bali in 2013,...