Jokowi builds reform momentum after sluggish start

Singapore

AFTER a shaky start, Indonesia's leader Joko Widodo has put South-east Asia's largest economy - and his presidency - back on track.

Two years into the job, Jokowi, as he is better known, has managed to assert his authority over Indonesia's political establishment, cut fuel subsidies and boost revenue with a tax amnesty programme. Still, serious challenges remain: He must implement an ambitious infrastructure programme, reduce corruption and hit a 7 per cent growth target by 2019.

A self-made furniture maker and relative political outsider, Jokowi, 55, started his term with the economy slowing as global commodity prices slumped. Urgent infrastructure challenges - including congested transport networks and inefficient ports - also presented obstacles as he consolidate…