Against a backdrop of humanitarian disasters and anti-US protests, President Obama’s first visit to Indonesia was overshadowed by the ‘handshakegate’ affair after Communications Minister Tifatul Sembiring found himself at the centre of a media maelstrom for shaking hands with First Lady Michelle Obama after he swore he would not touch a woman to

Rampant unregulated urban development, which environmentalists blame on widespread collusion between city officials and the business elite, has resulted in Jakarta loosing 28% of its green space over the last 25 years – much of it replaced by shopping malls, luxury apartments and government offices.

Kid: Perhaps the people’s representatives would be smarter and perform better if their new building and comparative studies were here (Sidoarjo), in Wasior, in Mentawai or Merapi, yeah Dad!

1st Man: We live in a disaster prone area so of course we have to be responsive to disasters...

2nd Man: Their response is just a comparative study...

Alie: It’s your own fault for living in Mentawai, why didn’t you just become the speaker of the House!

Man: Are you evacuating too Mr?

Legislator: A comparative study!

President: What, you want to overthrow me?!

Kid: Mr... the legs on your chair need fixing!

1st Man: We’ve been waiting a year already... how much longer?

2nd Man: There’s still four more years to go...

From an opinion piece in the Jakarta daily Kompas by Ikrar Nusa Bhakti on the first year of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s second term in office titled Before the Catastrophe.

Once upon a time in Wasior...