Jokowi named one of the “100 Most Influential People” in the world by Time magazine

President Joko Widodo on the cover of Time magazine’s Oct 27, 2014 issue

While President Joko Widodo has seen his once rock star-like popularity diminish since he took office, there is no doubt he is still an incredibly powerful world leader, as evidenced by Time Magazine placing him on their annual list of the “100 Most Influential People,” which was just released earlier today. 

The final list is chosen by Time’s senior editors with nominations coming from previous alumni on the list and the magazine’s international writing staff. The text for each member of the “Time 100” is written by another highly influential person, usually also an alumni of the list.

The entry of President Jokowi was written by Paul Wolfowitz, a former President of the World Bank as well as United States Ambassador to Indonesia and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense.

In his piece on Jokowi, titled “Indonesia’s anti-extremist”, Wolfowitz writes, “I was particularly impressed when he stood up to Muslim extremists who objected to his appointing a Christian woman as a district chief in Jakarta in 2013.” 

“That commitment to Indonesia’s tradition of religious diversity makes Widodo’s success vital not only for Indonesia but also for a world that needs the example of a successful Muslim-majority democracy.”

However, Wolfowitz warns that Jokowi “will need all his popularity and more to overcome the entrenched interests in Indonesia that resist change.”

We’re not sure if Wolfowitz has been observing the latest Indonesian news or has seen how Jokowi’s public popularity has plummeted in recent months. But perhaps he has and is simply optimistic about Jokowi’s ability to turn the situation around.




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