Echoes of Indonesia under Suharto as Widodo masters the politics, but reforms stutter

As he heads towards the end of his second year as Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo has never looked stronger: a crowd of political parties backs him, he is riding high in opinion polls and the economy is beginning to bounce off the bottom.

After a terrible first year when the rupiah currency plummeted and critics questioned his ability to govern, aides and politicians close to Widodo told Reuters he now feels firmly in control and is already considering re-election in 2019.

Instead, he has concentrated on building alliances to bolster his authority, an echo of former strongman Suharto, whose mastery of political deal-making kept him in power for more than three decades.

“He’s turning into a new Suharto,” said one senior official, pointing to the “disciplined, cool-headed calculation” of a cabinet reshuffle in July in which Widodo handed positions to parties across the political spectrum.

Presidential spokesman Johan Budi said Widodo was “not yet thinking” about the 2019 election. “He is focused on this period and on working for the prosperity of the people,” Budi said.

Analysts say Widodo’s political manoeuvring probably means he will be less inclined to pursue radical change in Southeast Asia’s largest economy, whose over-dependence on resource exports has been painfully exposed by the recent slump in commodity prices.