Indonesia’s decision to name a pop star as its G20 spokesperson is the latest move in what critics say are vanity appointments the government has made as part of a bid to connect with its young population.
Ayunda Faza Maudya — a 27-year-old singer and actress better known as Maudy Ayunda — was named as spokesperson for the country’s G20 presidency.
She takes on the role as Indonesia faces the delicate balance of hosting several leaders of the world’s 20 largest economies against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russian delegates are invited to a G20 meeting in Washington this week, despite other nations threatening boycotts.
Photo: AFP
The appointment is the latest in what critics say is a string of celebrities, start-up founders and children of tycoons named to political roles as Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s administration attempts to woo a young population that is battling high unemployment.
More than half of the country’s 273 million people are younger than 35 years old and the unemployment rate for those aged 16 to 30 was hovering at 14 percent last year.
“These symbolic appointments are part of efforts to temper criticism from the youth on critical issues, like jobs and public services,” said Wasisto Raharjo Jati, a political researcher at Indonesian Institute of Sciences. “The government’s outreach leans toward the privileged urban youths — the kind of millennials who fit the idea they want to promote — while leaving out the majority who are middle to lower-income and live in rural areas.”
Young Indonesians are more likely to be jobless at double the national rate of 6.5 percent. Despite state-run employment training programs and scholarships for higher education, about one in five of them are neither working nor studying, figures that bode poorly for Indonesia’s aim to become a higher-income economy by 2045.
Ayunda, who lacks any diplomatic or economic experience, took on the role on March 31. At her first briefing, she appeared to ignore questions about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attendance. Organizers told journalists to ask about her personality instead.
As part of a team of spokespeople, her role is to report the G20 meeting results that are relevant to Indonesia, while sensitive issues would be handled by other representatives, Ayunda said.
She was picked as someone who can reach the broader public, especially the millennial and Gen Z generation, Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Information Technology spokesman Dedy Permadi said.
Ayunda’s appointment makes sense due to her overseas education and the government’s push to create role models for young people, said Irfan Wahyudi, a deputy dean at social and political science faculty of Airlangga University.
However, for G20, the country needs a representative who can speak on global issues on its behalf, he said.
“In this case, the use of young people will be seen as a gimmick, not as a strategic function,” he said.
There is also some doubt about whether the appointments do garner support from Indonesia’s millennials.
Young Indonesians are mainly concerned about economic issues, including access to education, jobs and a supportive environment to start businesses, said Hasanuddin Ali, chief executive officer at research firm Alvara Strategic.
Last week, thousands of university students took to the streets to protest issues including the rising cost of food and fuel.
“These appointments to the president’s circle are more cosmetic, giving no significant power to them to influence policymaking,” he said.
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