The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

Perkins visits “all the major population centers in the area covered by the master plan” (49). For some reason, the Indonesians he interviews are reluctant to talk to him, seemingly intimidated by his presence.

Perkins befriends a university economics student named Rasy who teaches him the new national language, Bahasa Indonesia, developed by the Sukarno regime to help knit together the multilingual country. Rasy also gives Perkins a tour of Bandung, where they see “shadow-puppet shows, musicians playing traditional instruments, fire blowers, jugglers, and street vendors selling every imaginable ware” (50). Perkins chats with many young people who marvel at this American’s interest in their language and culture. He is enchanted.

Perkins returns to Jakarta to obtain more economic data from the government. He realizes that the Indonesian officials resent his presence, that they see him as “an intruder, that an order to cooperate had come down from someone, and that they had little choice but to comply” (51).

Delays and red tape slow the process; when Perkins finally receives information from the banks, industries, and government bureaus, it is exaggeratedly optimistic in tone, as if all involved are playing a game. Perkins notes, “this game was deadly serious, and its outcome would affect millions of lives for decades to come” (52).