Among the many slogans, songs, signs and banners that supporters of Joko Widodo chanted, sang and waved during last year's presidential campaign, one string of words encapsulated his appeal: "jujur, bersih, sederhana" (honest, clean and humble). Unlike both his opponent, Prabowo Subianto, and the president they were vying to replace, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Mr Joko has a humble background. Jokowi, as he is best known, is the son of a timber collector who grew up in a flood-prone shack. Unlike many Indonesian politicians, he had risen to power untainted by suspicions of corruption. As a candidate he promised to make government more transparent. But eight months into his presidency Jokowi is learning a hard lesson: condemning graft is a lot easier than doing something about it.
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