In 1998, Indonesia transformed itself. The long-lasting authoritarian New Order regime of President Suharto was overturned, the country's political structures came under serious scrutiny, and its foundations as a nation state were shaken.1 Although the economy was in shambles, some regions rich in natural resources demanded both a more equitable share of the profits from the sale and use as well as greater freedom to do with them as they pleased. Other regions asked for less central intervention in local politics. Most requested wider autonomy. One of the most important manifestations of the reform process shaking the country has been the resurfacing of an old discourse on the proper form of the state for a country as big and complex as Indonesia.2 Is the unitary state, in which all power is concentrated in the national government in Jakarta, the best form for dealing with Indonesia's needs? Several prominent intellectuals, social activists, and even presidential candidates have questioned the adequacy of this form of state. Breaking a long-held taboo, they argue that there is a need to consider a federal state. This bold position has in turn been fiercely challenged by defenders of unitarism.