If you dig up the history of Indonesia's involvement with the IMF, it was nothing about helping but more about the crippling of Indonesia during the Asian financial crisis that left Indonesians totally disgusted. Control was exerted with stringent conditions that did more harm than good for Indonesia.
Indonesia's relation with the IMF had been marked by benefits initially under the pro-USA Suharto era but soured subsequently after the Asian financial crisis. The IMF is trying to mend the relationship, knowing that the USA had been eyeing Indonesia to turn the tide against the slipping support for USA among ASEAN states, knowing that Indonesia is the biggest economy in ASEAN and the one with all the clout to influence ASEAN.
And in that context, the USA realized that it was the Islamic hurdle that the USA had been trying to overcome, with Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei all totally Islamic states.
Anonymous
1 comment:
If the USA or IMF offers help, countries must run for cover. There will be a long iron chain attached, with the end of the chain most often culminating with demands for a military base on the cards. Now, not to be misunderstood, that is all for protecting the country so that the loans will not be wasted or fall to the other bad guys. Something like that, no pun intended, LOL. Everything is above board and the motive is always as pure as the ice on Antarctica.
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