With all the negative headlines about Donald Trump in international news outlets, especially owing to reports of a pending "Muslim ban," it is noteworthy that a high-ranking member of the Indonesian cabinet has just written favorably of Trump in The Straits Times, which is the major newspaper in nearby Singapore and which will give this Indonesian official's viewpoint a greater regional audience than if it had appeared only in the Indonesia press.

The opinion article is entitled "Indonesia May Have a Trump Card in the New America."

The minister praises Trump, saying Trump "opens a window of strategic opportunity for Indonesia in its relations with an enduring partner."  He cites Trump's character as evidence, noting that he is not a "wrecker," but a "builder."  He also predicts that Trump will be tough on ISIS and will forego the ideological hectoring against Beijing and Moscow that, from Indonesia's viewpoint, often sours bilateral U.S. relations.

Also of note is that the American Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, which is non-political but generally expresses a traditional globalist and centrist mindset, highly commends this opinion piece to its members.

The Indonesian official is Luhut Pandjaitan, coordinating minister for maritime affairs and formerly coordinating minister for political, legal, and security affairs.  His country is, of course, mostly Muslim, democratic, the world's fourth largest in total population, very dependent on international trade and the target of radical, violent jihadist groups.