An October 10 knife attack by an Islamic militant couple that wounded the country’s security minister set off a security crackdown. He is the first Indonesian president from outside the country’s super rich, and often corrupt, political, business and military elite. Mr. Widodo presents himself as a man of the people, often emphasizing his humble roots. Mr. Widodo has been widely praised for his efforts to improve Indonesia’s infrastructure and reduce poverty, which afflicts close to one-10th of the sprawling country’s 270 million people. In an interview with The Associated Press in July, Mr. Widodo said he would push ahead with sweeping and potentially unpopular economic reforms, including a more business-friendly labour law, because he is no longer constrained by politics in his final term.

Source: The Hindu October 20, 2019 11:15 UTC