Back to the full dot-point answer
NSWModern HistoryQuick questions
Section II (National Study): Indonesia 1942-2005
Quick questions on Indonesian Reformasi and Democratisation 1998-2004: HSC Modern History
11short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is habibie's openings, 1998 to 1999?Show answer
B.J. Habibie, sworn in on 21 May 1998, was widely expected to be a transitional figure. He surprised both Indonesians and observers by moving rapidly. The Habibie government in 17 months delivered five irreversible reforms.
What is the Wahid presidency, October 1999 to July 2001?Show answer
The MPR, in which PDI-P was the largest single bloc but lacked a majority, elected Abdurrahman Wahid ("Gus Dur") of PKB as the fourth President of Indonesia on 20 October 1999. Megawati Sukarnoputri was elected Vice-President the next day after PDI-P street protests.
What is the Megawati presidency, July 2001 to October 2004?Show answer
Megawati Sukarnoputri (daughter of Sukarno) inherited a stabilising economy and a tense post-Wahid coalition. Her presidency was institutionally consequential despite a reputation for political passivity.
What is decentralisation?Show answer
The Habibie laws UU 22/1999 (regional autonomy) and UU 25/1999 (fiscal balance) came into force on 1 January 2001 under Wahid and were elaborated under Megawati's UU 32/2004. The reforms devolved authority and around 30 per cent of revenue to over 400 kabupaten (regencies) and kota (cities), bypassing the provinces.
What is communal conflicts?Show answer
Reformasi unfolded alongside several major communal conflicts. The Ambon (Maluku) Christian-Muslim conflict from January 1999 killed around 5,000. The Poso (Central Sulawesi) Christian-Muslim violence from 1998 to 2007 killed around 1,000. The Dayak-Madurese violence in West Kalimantan (1999 to 2001) killed around 500.
What is tNI reform?Show answer
The army's institutional structure was changed. The TNI and POLRI were separated (April 1999), ending the army's command over the national police. The TNI was withdrawn from politics on paper (dwifungsi was formally abolished in 2000), although territorial command structures (KODAM to KORAMIL) were preserved.
What is historiography?Show answer
Edward Aspinall (Opposing Suharto, 2005; Democracy for Sale, 2019) is the standard scholar of the period. He treats Reformasi as a "pacted transition" in which the army-civilian elite negotiated reform terms that protected past elites from accountability.
What is treating Reformasi as a single moment?Show answer
It runs from 21 May 1998 through 20 October 2004, six years and three presidencies.
What is misdating the constitutional amendments?Show answer
Four amendments: October 1999, August 2000, November 2001, August 2002. The 2002 amendment created direct presidential elections.
What is confusing PKB and PDI-P?Show answer
PKB is Wahid's Islamic-pluralist party rooted in NU. PDI-P is Megawati's nationalist party rooted in PNI.
What is forgetting Habibie's role?Show answer
The most important Reformasi president for institutional opening was Habibie, who served 17 months and is often skipped over.