Foreign direct investment in Indonesia rose 7.3% in the second quarter, suggesting improved confidence in Southeast Asia’s largest economy following peaceful legislative elections in April.  According to government data, Indonesia drew an additional $7.4 billion (85.2 trillion rupiah) between April and June compared to the three months prior. FDI year-on-year was up 2.8%.

International policy after all starts at home. Improving the people’s welfare through international policy can only be guaranteed by their engagement. There’s thus an urgent need for the new president, his foreign minister and the hopefully strong team and advisors that will surround them to clear the smog of “foreign affairs fatigue” from Jakarta.

Relations with our Indonesian neighbours have been a touch awkward of late, ever since the Australian government got busted committing the international espionage equivalent of eavesdropping over the back fence.

Relations between Indonesia and Malaysia have been marred by issues relating to the treatment of migrant workers, border disputes, the environment and cultural claims. Despite ups and downs during 57 years of relations, the two nations have committed to forging better understanding. Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Herman Prayitno talks to The Jakarta Post’s Yohanna Ririhena on the issue on the sidelines of a seminar on Indonesia-Malaysia relations at the Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Kedah, Malaysia, recently.

Despite a mild economic slowdown amidst China’s economic rebalancing and the U.S. Federal Reserve tapering—and despite a dip in Indonesian shares following asurprisingly weak performance by the favorites in Wednesday’s parliamentary election—the general direction of Indonesia’s economy seems clear: onwards and upwards.

Malaysian Film Censorship chairman said Darren Aronofsky's film Noah is not being screened in Malaysia -- whose population is 60 percent Muslim -- to protect the harmony and sensitivity of the country's multiracial community.

Given Indonesia’s rising economic position - despite recent dips – Anja Eifert’s argument that “in ‘America’s Pacific Century,’ Indonesia is constituting a ‘steam engine’ in the Asia-Pacific region, the country should be regarded as a centerpiece of U.S. foreign policy;” that “the U.S. could do more,” in the context of public diplomacy, and that “it must propagate deeper engagement with words and deeds.”