
Reformasi Dispatch
Independent and lucid analysis of Indonesian politics, policymaking, justice, and economics featuring Kevin O’Rourke and Erin Cook. The podcasts incorporate exclusive interviews with experts and draws on content from the Reformasi Weekly reports, produced for subscribers since 2003.
Latest episodes

Mar 1, 2025 • 54min
Season 5 Episode 7 (with Wahyu Dyatmika)
Send us a textErin and Kevin catch up with Wahyu Dyatmika to talk about Prabowo's approach to media, especially after Prabowo's meeting with editor in chiefs in Hambalang on Saturday. Also: Corruption case in Pertamina involving son of Riza Chalid, and Thailand sends Uyghurs back to China after leaving them in immigration detention for a decade.For a free trial of Reformasi newsletter, go to reformasi.infoRead Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/It takes a lot of money to run a podcast. You need subscription fees for hosting, audio recording services, editor's salary and music licensing. Luckily, you, estemeed listeners of Reformasi Dispatch podcast can help us.You can donate to us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasi and help us grow!

Feb 23, 2025 • 37min
Season 5 Episode 6
Send us a textStudent led protests erupt in several cities in Indonesia. Prabowo announced a new round of budget cuts for Danantara. A punk rock duo Sukatani was forced to make an apology video after their song on Police graft went viral. It ironically became the anthem of the protest on Friday. And Hasto Kristiyanto, Secretary General of PDI-P was arrested.For a free trial of Reformasi newsletter, go to reformasi.infoRead Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/It takes a lot of money to run a podcast. You need subscription fees for hosting, audio recording services, editor's salary and music licensing. Luckily, you, estemeed listeners of Reformasi Dispatch podcast can help us.You can donate to us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasi and help us grow!

Feb 14, 2025 • 1h 1min
Season 5 Episode 5 (with Jon Lindborg)
Send us a text Jon Lindborg, a veteran in development, discusses the impact of the USAID freeze on Indonesia. Also: budget cutbacks and an arrest in the Finance Ministry.For a free trial of Reformasi newsletter, go to reformasi.infoRead Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/It takes a lot of money to run a podcast. You need subscription fees for hosting, audio recording services, editor's salary and music licensing. Luckily, you, estemeed listeners of Reformasi Dispatch podcast can help us.You can donate to us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasi and help us grow!

Feb 8, 2025 • 39min
Season 5 Episode 4
Send us a textIndikator Politik's polling corroborates earlier Kompas polling on President's popularity but the majority is against his discourse on changing electoral system. Also: A snaking queue for 3 kg LPG canister after a new policy, Elon Musk's policy of downsizing the US Government starts to take shape after halting funding for USAID, and DHE policy is enacted for March after prabowo's meeting with Ministers. For a free trial of Reformasi newsletter, go to reformasi.infoRead Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/It takes a lot of money to run a podcast. You need subscription fees for hosting, audio recording services, editor's salary and music licensing. Luckily, you, estemeed listeners of Reformasi Dispatch podcast can help us.You can donate to us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasi and help us grow!

Jan 25, 2025 • 57min
Season 5 Episode 3 (with Seth Soderborg)
Send us a textKevin and Erin talk to Seth about new Litbang Kompas polling regarding Prabowo's sky-high approval rating. Also, sea fences north of Jakarta caused blame game in the government. For a free trial of Reformasi newsletter, go to reformasi.infoRead Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/You can support us on: buymeacoffee.com/reformasiIt takes a lot of money to run a podcast. You need subscription fees for hosting, audio recording services, editor's salary and music licensing. Luckily, you, estemeed listeners of Reformasi Dispatch podcast can help us.You can donate to us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasi and help us grow!

Jan 18, 2025 • 53min
Season 5 Episode 2 (With Usman Hamid)
Send us a textUsman Hamid of Amnesty International Indonesia joins Kevin and Erin to discuss about systemic problems in the police force, human rights violations in Papua, Prabowo's Ministers' denial of past gross human rights vioaltions and deteriorating state of democracy.For a free trial of Reformasi newsletter, go to reformasi.infoRead Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/You can support us on: buymeacoffee.com/reformasiIt takes a lot of money to run a podcast. You need subscription fees for hosting, audio recording services, editor's salary and music licensing. Luckily, you, estemeed listeners of Reformasi Dispatch podcast can help us.You can donate to us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasi and help us grow!

Jan 10, 2025 • 1h 24min
Season 5 Episode 1 (with David Mathieson)
Send us a textMyanmar's Deterioration and interview with David Mathieson. Also: launch of lunches (sans Prabowo). Hasto named suspect and VAT hike cancelled.It takes a lot of money to run a podcast. You need subscription fees for hosting, audio recording services, editor's salary and music licensing. Luckily, you, estemeed listeners of Reformasi Dispatch podcast can help us.You can donate to us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasi and help us grow!

Dec 20, 2024 • 1h 21min
Season 4 Episode 42 (with Lauri Myllyvirta)
Send us a textIn this episode: 12% VAT confirmed for 2025, Jokowi's absence from Golkar's event and ouster from PDI-P. And a talk with Lauri Myllyvirta of CREA on Prabowo's ambitious energy transition plan.For a free trial of Reformasi newsletter, go to reformasi.infoRead Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/You can support us on: buymeacoffee.com/reformasiIt takes a lot of money to run a podcast. You need subscription fees for hosting, audio recording services, editor's salary and music licensing. Luckily, you, estemeed listeners of Reformasi Dispatch podcast can help us.You can donate to us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasi and help us grow!

Dec 6, 2024 • 1h 7min
Season 4 Episode 41 (With Khoirunnisa Agustyati)
Send us a textIn this episode: a welcome volte-face on prisoner exchanges; another rise in fiscal-policy stakes; and a plan for expanding the Army. Also: Khoirunnisa Agustyati of Perludem discussed the regional-head elections and upcoming political-law revisions.For a free trial of Reformasi newsletter, go to reformasi.infoRead Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/You can support us on: buymeacoffee.com/reformasiIt takes a lot of money to run a podcast. You need subscription fees for hosting, audio recording services, editor's salary and music licensing. Luckily, you, estemeed listeners of Reformasi Dispatch podcast can help us.You can donate to us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasi and help us grow!

Nov 30, 2024 • 1h 9min
Season 4 Episode 40 (With Bert Gochet)
Send us a textIn this episode: Verbal brawls in Manila escalate between Marcos and VP Duterte, preliminary results of Pilkada in Indonesia. Plus, an interview with the economic analyst Bert Gochet on the interactions between geopolitical uncertainties and Indonesia's approach to development.For a free trial of Reformasi newsletter, go to reformasi.infoRead Erin's newsletter Dari Mulut Ke Mulut here: https://darimulut.beehiiv.com/You can support us on: buymeacoffee.com/reformasiIt takes a lot of money to run a podcast. You need subscription fees for hosting, audio recording services, editor's salary and music licensing. Luckily, you, estemeed listeners of Reformasi Dispatch podcast can help us.You can donate to us on buymeacoffee.com/reformasi and help us grow!