'Man of Contradictions: Joko Widodo and the Struggle to Remake Indonesia' is a book by Ben Bland, detailing the remarkable story of Joko Widodo’s meteoric rise from furniture maker to President of Indonesia in just a few short years.



Lyn Mak explores the contradictions of Joko Widodo and speaks to Ben about Jokowi’s positioning as an ‘everyman’, and how that has faded the further up the political ladder he climbed.



Image Credit: EPA

'Man of Contradictions: Joko Widodo and the Struggle to Remake Indonesia' is a book by Ben Bland, detailing the remarkable story of Joko Widodo&rsquo;s meteoric rise from furniture maker to President of Indonesia in just a few short years.

Lyn Mak explores the contradictions of Joko Widodo and speaks to Ben about Jokowi&rsquo;s positioning as an &lsquo;everyman&rsquo;, and how that has faded the further up the political ladder he climbed.

Image Credit: EPA

Sharper and stronger than a double espresso. The Morning Run stretches your mind and braces you for the business day. It's your fast track into work where you can hit the ground running. From 6am to 10am weekdays, the Morning Run brings you the biggest stories and must-listen-to interviews. Stay enlightened, make educated business and investment decisions.

The Breakfast Grille

Featuring the cream-of-the-crop as well as the controversial, the Breakfast Grille is the flagship show of BFM. Expect no-holds-barred interviews to get to the truth and into the minds of business leaders, policymakers and changemakers.

Joko Widodo - The Start Of A New Indonesian Dynasty?

Everyone's watching Johor. But 4,500 acres of free industrial zone is quietly going up 800 metres from the Thai border at Bukit Kayu Hitam. This is the gateway that moved over RM50 billion in goods in 2024. Phase one is already more than 90% taken up, and after seven years of waiting, the road linking Malaysia's side to Thailand's new CIQ complex finally opened this July. We speak to Razwin Sulairee Hasnan Termizi, Group CEO of Northern Gateway Sdn Bhd, about whether Delapan becomes the bigger story in the north.

Everyone's watching Johor. But 4,500 acres of free industrial zone is quietly going up 800 metres from the Thai border at Bukit Kayu Hitam. This is the gateway that moved over RM50 billion in goods in 2024. Phase one is already more than 90% taken up, and after seven years of waiting, the road linking Malaysia's side to Thailand's new CIQ complex finally opened this July. We speak to Razwin Sulairee Hasnan Termizi, Group CEO of Northern Gateway Sdn Bhd, about whether Delapan becomes the bigger story in the north.

The Industry Zone That Nobody Talks About

After three decades in Malaysia’s satellite industry, MEASAT is navigating a market transformed by Starlink, streaming and rapidly changing connectivity needs. COO Yau Chyong Lim discusses the economics of billion-ringgit satellite investments, the push into managed services, AI, IoT and telehealth, and why Malaysia still needs sovereign satellite capability. Can MEASAT move beyond its traditional satellite business and build a meaningful regional SpaceTech platform?

After three decades in Malaysia’s satellite industry, MEASAT is navigating a market transformed by Starlink, streaming and rapidly changing connectivity needs. COO Yau Chyong Lim discusses the economics of billion-ringgit satellite investments, the push into managed services, AI, IoT and telehealth, and why Malaysia still needs sovereign satellite capability. Can MEASAT move beyond its traditional satellite business and build a meaningful regional SpaceTech platform?

Can MEASAT Reinvent Itself for the SpaceTech Era?

Following its $26 million Series C round and hitting net profitability, how is insurtech PolicyStreet planning its next phase of expansion? Lee Yen Ming, Co-founder and Group CEO of PolicyStreet, joins BFM’s Breakfast Grille to discuss how the firm built a business model alongside legacy insurers, pivoting from its direct-to-consumer roots into embedded B2B2C distribution and offshore Labuan reinsurance co-underwriting.

Yen Ming breaks down the economics of their higher-margin reinsurance strategy, their renewed push into consumer brand building, and how they deploy AI automation in operational workflows. He also addresses the long-term potential of Bank Negara’s Digital Insurer and Takaful Operator (DITO) framework, and considerations for an eventual liquidity event for investors.

Following its $26 million Series C round and hitting net profitability, how is insurtech PolicyStreet planning its next phase of expansion? Lee Yen Ming, Co-founder and Group CEO of PolicyStreet, joins BFM’s Breakfast Grille to discuss how the firm built a business model alongside legacy insurers, pivoting from its direct-to-consumer roots into embedded B2B2C distribution and offshore Labuan reinsurance co-underwriting.Yen Ming breaks down the economics of their higher-margin reinsurance strategy, their renewed push into consumer brand building, and how they deploy AI automation in operational workflows. He also addresses the long-term potential of Bank Negara’s Digital Insurer and Takaful Operator (DITO) framework, and considerations for an eventual liquidity event for investors.

Joko Widodo - The Start Of A New Indonesian Dynasty?

In 1 playlist(s)

The Breakfast Grille

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips