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LPDP: Indonesia’s Experiment in Funding Education, National Pride, and… Other Countries’ Labor Markets
LPDP invests billions in human capital. But can Indonesia retain its top talent in a global job market?
 • Leigh McKiernon
Indonesia’s Corruption Problem Is Hurting the Global Value of Its Talent
Indonesia’s corruption ranking quietly devalues its talent, suppresses salaries, and weakens how Indonesian experience is trusted and priced globally.
 • Leigh McKiernon
How Did Indonesia's G20 Economy Make Cambodia Look Like a Good Career Move?
Indonesia grows at 5% yet thousands flee to scam jobs in Cambodia, exposing weak wages, limited mobility, and a fragile job market beyond Jakarta.
 • Leigh McKiernon
People Say The New BI Deputy Governor Isn't Qualified For the Job. But Hear Me Out...
Indonesia’s central bank appointment has sparked a debate on nepotism, experience, and whether confidence can replace competence in high-risk leadership…
 • Leigh McKiernon
Indonesia’s "Middle Class": The Most Hard-Working Phrase in Economics
Indonesia’s middle class fell from ~60m to ~48m, but the bigger issue is the low threshold that inflates “middle class” far beyond lived reality.
 • Leigh McKiernon
Indonesia Re-Enters the Semiconductor Chat With ARM, The UK, and a $125m Piggy Bank
Indonesia once had a semiconductor foothold and lost it. Now it’s back with ARM. Baby steps, big headlines, and a long road ahead.
 • Leigh McKiernon
GDP Per Capita: The Number That Makes Indonesia Look Richer (and the Public Feel Poorer)
Indonesia’s GDP per capita suggests prosperity, but income data, inequality, and informal work reveal a population still far from middle-class security.
 • Leigh McKiernon
Indonesia’s Startup Boom, Bust, and the Cost of Weaponized Nationalism
Indonesia’s startup crash wasn’t accidental. It was fueled by nationalism, weak governance, and wealth extraction disguised as patriotism.
 • Leigh McKiernon
Why Isn’t Indonesia a Tourism Superpower Yet?
Indonesia has world class tourism assets but trails regional rivals in visitor numbers. Why does the gap exist and what could change in the next five…
 • Leigh McKiernon
GDP, Gojek, and the Indonesian Illusion: What Happens in a Post-Commodities World?
Indonesia aims to be the 4th largest economy, yet its reliance on fading commodities and weak human capital raises urgent questions about the next…
 • Leigh McKiernon
The Expat Saviour Complex: A Field Guide to the Last Remaining Colonial Superhero
In 2025, the expat saviour complex should be dead. It isn’t. Here’s why that’s funny, frustrating, and still happening in boardrooms across Jakarta.
 • Leigh McKiernon
How Fair Pay, Better Training, and Less Exploitation Could Transform Indonesia’s Recruitment Sector
Indonesia’s recruitment sector isn’t broken by clients, but by internal economics. Here’s why better pay, training and fairness are the real solution.
 • Leigh McKiernon
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