Indonesia Economy Forum

[katarabhumi]

Indonesia will have 62 new airports in the next 5 years, mostly in eastern Indonesia.

news :

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, JAKARTA - Dengan penambahan 62 pelabuhan udara (Bandara) baru yang akan segera dibangun, dalam lima tahun ke depan Indonesia akan memiliki 299 bandara.

Wakil Menteri Perhubungan (Wamenhub), Bambang Susantono, mengatakan saat ini terdapat 237 bandara yang ada di Indonesia. Dari jumlah tersebut, sebanyak 26 di antaranya, masing-masing 13 bandara dikelola oleh PT Angkasa Pura I dan PT Angkasa Pura II, sisanya dikelola oleh Unit Pelaksana Teknis (UPT) Ditjen Perhubungan Udara Kementerian Perhubungan.

“Bandara-bandara ini (yang dikelola UPT) tentunya tidak sebesar bandara di kota-kota besar, tetapi bandara-bandara ini sangat esensial untuk aksesibititas. Lima tahun lagi kita akan selesaikan pembangunan bandara-bandara baru, sehingga total kita memiliki 299 bandara di Indonesia,” kata Wamenhub Bambang Susantono, seperti dikutip Tribunnews.com dari situs resmi Setkab.

Nantinya, lanjut Wamenhub, sebaran bandara-bandara baru tersebut akan banyak di wilayah Indonesia Timur.

Ia menyebutkan, pembagian bandara secara rule of time di Indonesia yakni di Jawa dan Sumatera setiap radius 100 km, Kalimantan dan Sulawesi setiap 60 km. Lalu Maluku, Nusa Tenggara dan Papua setiap 30 km.

“Jadi dalam setiap 30 km di wilayah Timur ada 1 buah bandara, terutama di wilayah Papua. Untuk itu kita punya banyak airstripes yang sederhana, yang dapat didarati oleh pesawat dengan jenis-jenis sederhana pula. Tapi itu sangat esensial mengalirkan barang dan penumpang, terutama di daerah Timur,” kata Bambang.

Wamenhub mengemukakan, bagi Kementerian Perhubungan, bandara adalah sebuah jaringan yang disebut dengan aerobridges atau jembatan udara. “Untuk di wilayah Timur dengan kondisi alam yang menantang mau tidak mau bandara adalah salah satu cara bagaimana mentransportasikan barang dan penumpang ke daerah itu,” terang Bambang.

Lima Tahun Lagi, Indonesia Punya 299 Bandara - Tribunnews.com

 

[Reashot Xigwin]

Private Sector to Gain Control of 3 Airports
By Jakarta Globe on 10:32 am Apr 07, 2014
Category Business, Corporate News, Featured, News
Tags: Indonesia Airport



An AirAsia Airbus A320 passenger jet lands at Sukarno-Hatta airport in Tangerang on the outskirts of Jakarta in this January 30, 2013 file picture. Indonesia’s aviation industry needs 800 pilots annually, while the country only produces half that number. (Reuters Photo/Enny Nuraheni)

Jakarta. The Transportation Ministry will hand the management of three local airports to the private sector in a bid to improve services ahead of the implementation of the Asean Open Skies policy next year, which would see access to all international airports in Southeast Asia opened to any airlines of the 10 member states.

“At the moment, three tender documents are being prepared, from a total of 10 airports,” Bambang Tjahjono, director of airports at the Transport Ministry, said in the statement, adding that the three airports are those currently under the management of the Air Transportation Directorate General’s technical management unit.

The three airports are the Raden Inten airport in Lampung, Mutiara Palu airport in Central Sulawesi and the Labuan Bajo airport in East Nusa Tenggara.

Bambang emphasized that the move will be a pilot project, as the transfer of control from the government to a public-private partnership had never been done before.

“The private party will operate on a consent-basis, so ownership of the airports will not be transferred from the state to outside parties, only the management,” he explained, adding that the government will be focusing on improving the accessibility of existing airports.

Bambang also said that 38 investors had expressed interest in the tender.

“Although we are not sure about just how serious they are,” he said.

The conditions of airports across the archipelago have come under the spotlight ahead of the Asean Open Skies policy, with many of Indonesia’s airports suffering from overcapacity.

The country currently hosts 22 airlines operating commercial aircraft and 35 operating chartered airplanes. In total, all airlines serve approximately 400 domestic and international routes, connecting 121 cities in Indonesia and 21 countries.

With 62.1 million passengers recorded at the end of 2013, Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was the eight busiest airport in the world.

The past year alone has seen Jakarta’s Halim Perdanakusuma airport opened for commercial use in a bid to ease traffic in Soekarno-Hatta by moving the operations of a number of flights to the previously private airport, used mostly for presidential and military purposes.

“Airports in Indonesia need to have their capacity improved, mainly ahead of the Asean Open Skies agreement which will be implemented in 2015,” Bambang said. “The way to answer this issue is by improving air transportation services.”

With a year left before implementation of the Open Skies policy, Bambang emphasized in his statement that Indonesia should make serious efforts to anticipate and prepare itself to ensure the best possible outcome from the agreement for the nation.

He recommended that officials look into existing regulations and other supporting facilities necessary.

According to him, the ministry’s research and development has concluded that the 2009 Law on Aviation is ready for the Open Sky policy, but added that there remains a need to add new regulations or revise existing ones.

A dditionally, he also pushed for the improvement of other facilities and human resources to be better prepared, such as by ensuring Indonesia had enough pilots.

In an earlier press conference last month, Djoko Murjatmodjo, director of air transport at the Transportation Ministry, said Indonesia needed an additional 800 pilots every year.

Herry Bakti, civil aviation director at the Transportation Ministry, said the country currently had a total of 22 aviation schools, which would hopefully be able to fulfill Indonesia’s needs for pi lots, particularly ahead of the implementation of the Asean Economy Community.

Private Sector to Gain Control of 3 Indonesia Airports - The Jakarta Globe

 

[MarveL]

Indonesia Is Key Emerging Market in Asia, Manufacturers Say
ABACE Convention News » 2014

April 10, 2014, 1:45 PM

Indonesian made R80, scheduled first launched at 2018.

Business aircraft manufacturers are seeing Indonesia as the emerging country for business aviation in Asia. They believe that sales, albeit still relatively slow, are poised to grow, mainly due to favorable economic and geographic conditions.

“We do see Indonesia as a growing market for business aviation,” Roger Sperry, Gulfstream’s senior v-p international sales, Asia Pacific, told AIN. In 2012, the country’s economy grew at its fastest pace in more than a decade, he said, which makes it fertile ground for business aviation. That said, the concept of business aviation is still relatively new in Southeast Asia, Sperry noted.

Seven Gulfstreams, approximately evenly divided between mid-cabin and large-cabin aircraft, are based in Indonesia; customers include corporations, wealthy individuals and charter operators.

“We are looking at Southeast Asia–in particular, countries like Indonesia–as emerging growth countries for business aviation,” John Rosanvallon, president and CEO of Dassault Falcon Jet, said in February. The company anticipates the delivery of the first Falcon in Indonesia this year.

Textron Aviation (the new entity encompassing Cessna and Beechcraft) also sees Indonesia as a growth market. “In Southeast Asia, Indonesia is one of the strongest markets for us,” said Bill Harris, v-p sales for Asia Pacific. Mining sites and palm oil plantations are far from major airports, and companies need to get their engineers and executives there in reasonable time. For example, Harris described one trip that takes two hours by air–or three days otherwise–using a boat and then a Land Rover. Cessna Citations are very well suited to this environment, as they are known for short runway performance, he emphasized. Around 10 Citations fly in Indonesia, and a lot of King Airs are already flying there as well, Harris added.

Pilatus has two PC-12s flying in the country. One of the operators is charity organization Yajasi, sales director Fred Muggli told AIN. The single turboprop is well suited to the country because short airfields, sometimes with runway surfaces of gravel or grass, are commonplace, said Muggli.

Another turboprop aircraft that has found favour in Indonesia is Piaggio Aero’s P180 Avanti II twin pusherprop. Executive charter operator Susi Air has been operating several of the type successfully for a number of years.

Airbus has an undisclosed number of ACJs in Indonesia. “Like the rest of Asia Pacific, it is experiencing good economic growth of more than five percent a year, and this drives business aviation,” an ACJ marketing executive said. He also noted that Indonesia has a large population of more than 250 million people, with a territory that comprises around 10,000 islands encompassing an area some 2,000 miles across.

Boeing agrees that economic growth in the country is steady and that the number of business jets in the country is increasing. “Indonesia is well represented by high-net-worth individuals now, and will continue to grow,” a spokeswoman said, expressing confidence that this will translate into more BBJ orders. In fact, a BBJ2, currently at a completion center, is expected to enter into service with the government of Indonesia this year.

A Bombardier spokesperson made it clear that her company sees Indonesia as the number-one emerging market in Asia Pacific. “Economic growth is key to the increase in demand for business aviation,” she said. There currently are eight Bombardier aircraft registered in the country–five Learjets and three Globals.

Meanwhile, Embraer singles out Indonesia as a country where its executive jets are particularly popular, with a claimed 40-percent market share. The Brazil-based airframer has a combined 20 executive jets flying in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Indonesia Is Key Emerging Market in Asia, Manufacturers Say | Aviation International News

 

[MarveL]

April 10, 2014 6:36 pm
Nickel jumps above $17,000 in wake of Indonesia export ban

By Neil Hume

nickel price jump high in one year

The price of nickel has risen above $17,000 a tonne for the first time since March 2012 as speculative investors opened bullish positions on the back of an export ban.

Nickel, an ingredient in stainless steel, has been in focus since January when Indonesia outlawed the export of unprocessed ores.

The ban has the potential to be a game-changer for nickel, which has been plagued by oversupply and high inventories, according to several analysts. China relies heavily on laterite nickel ores from Indonesia to produce nickel pig iron,
a cheap alternative to refined nickel.

If this supply is permanently cut off, China will be forced to reduce its use of NPI and buy higher-grade metal for use in its smelters. This, in turn, will reduce stockpiles of nickel that have built up since the global financial crisis.

Many investors had doubted the ban would hold – until now. Open interest in nickel – the total amount of outstanding derivative contracts – has climbed more than 25 per cent in the past month, according to Standard Bank.

“In conjunction with a 14.5 per cent increase in prices over the same period, this suggests that new positions have been added,” says Leon Westgate, analyst at the bank.

Nickel for delivery in three months on the London Metal Exchange rose 2.4 per cent to $17,091 a tonne yesterday, taking its gains since the start of the year to 16 per cent.

If the ban remains in place beyond July’s presidential election in Indonesia, Macquarie says the global nickel market will see “massive” deficits of 134,000 tonnes, 106,000 tonnes and 77,000 tonne in 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively.

“In the absence of a change in Indonesian policy, we think that by 2016, the market will get tighter than in 2006-07, when prices traded in the $30,000-$50,000 a tonne range,” the bank said in a report.

Chinese NPI producers are scrambling to find replacement ores, principally from the Philippines and to a lesser extent New Caledonia. Neither country produces enough high-grade ore to replace lost supply.

“Of the 450,000 tonnes of nickel in ore lost from Indonesia exports, the response from other suppliers is at most 50,000-75,000 tonnes,” Macquarie said.

“The question then is how quickly NPI production can come on stream in Indonesia. The answer is not quick enough . . . Even on what we consider optimistic assumptions, global NPI production will not regain 2014 levels by 2020.”

In addition traders are not selling the large volumes of nickel ore stocks that have accumulated at Chinese ports. Instead, they are waiting for higher prices before they release inventory into the market.

As a result, the spot price for high-grade nickel ore has surged more than
40 per cent since January and is close to $70 a tonne, including the cost of shipping to China. Faced with NPI production cuts, end users China are buying up primary nickel.


Nickel jumps above $17,000 in wake of Indonesia export ban - FT.com

 

[MarveL]

Indonesia's economy predicted to grow 5.8 percent in first quarter

Mon, April 7 2014 20:32 | 1252 Views

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Finance minister Chatib Basri had predicted Indonesia's economy grew 5.7 to 5.8 percent in the first quarter of 2014, primarily due to consumer spending.

The minister said here on Monday consumer spending was expected to rise in March, although the impact had not been felt as of now.

He said the country's economy had grown also because of the improving performance of national exports.

He said the economic growth until the end of this year was still predicted to be at the estimated range of between 5.8 percent and 6.0 percent, which was slower because the government was still conducting economic stabilization efforts to improve its current account.

"Sources of growth were reduced because the interest rate was up, causing the economic growth in 2014 to slow down. The government wanted the current account deficit to be stable until the end of 2014," he said.

He added that the economic growth will improve again in 2015 to reach up to 6.1 percent, supported by investment performance and government spending following positive sentiment for the new government.

"My prediction was if the policy was no longer tight and the target of current account deficit was met, the government will have room to maneuver. With contribution from investment and government spending, it was hoped it could reach 6.1 percent," he said.

The World Bank had predicted that Indonesias economy would still face a number of challenges due to uncertainty of investment level and exports decline that would curb the economic growth to 5.3 percent in 2014.

"Global growth showed a positive signal, but Indonesia was facing various challenges, including the exchange value of trade, which had not changed; higher interest rates; and policy uncertainty," the banks economist Jim Brumby said.

The Asian Development Bank, however, predicted Indonesia's economy would grow around 5.7 percent in 2014, which was marginally lower than in 2013.

"The ADP predicted Indonesia's economic growth would decline marginally to 5.7 percent in 2014 and rise up to 6.0 percent in 2015," ADB country director Adrian Ruthenberg said.

He said the ADBs prediction was based on the assumption that the general elections on April 9 would go smoothly and the government would take steps to improve the investment climate.

Indonesia's economy predicted to grow 5.8 percent in first quarter - ANTARA News

 

[katarabhumi]

Riau to accelerate infrastructure development on border islands
Tuesday, 08 April 2014

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PEKANBARU -- The Border Management Board of the province of Riau said it has prepared a program to accelerate economic infrastructure development on its outer islands sharing borders with neighboring countries.

The projects expected to improve the welfare of the local people would be completed in 2019, the Riau regional BBP chief Zulkarnaen said here on Tuesday.
"The priority is development in a number of frontier regencies like the regencies of Bengkalis, Rokan Hilir and Meranti islands," Zulkarnain, told Antara news agency.

Among the locations of priority include the island of Rupat and the sub-district of Bantan in the regency of Bengkalis, the islands of Rangsang and Merbau in the regency of Kepulauan Meranti and the sub-districts of Pasir Limau Kapas and Sinaboi and the Aruah islands, which groups 10 small islands in the regency of Rokan Hilir, he said.

He said each of the frontier islands has different potentials and problems.

In Rupat island , immediate development of infrastructure is urgent to prevent the local people of thinking to abandon their place and move to neighboring country, he cited.

Rupat is a potential area for tourist destination and the land is known to hold reserves of valuable minerals, he added.

The problem of the island of Rangsang in the regency of Meranti is that it is shrinking because of abrasion of its coast after its mangrove forest has been damaged.

He said the program will include construction of school buildings and other educational facilities such as library and laboratory and dormitory to improve the skill of human resources in those areas.

In addition, houses would be needed for school teachers and health centers as well as hospitals and other health care facilities, as well as houses of doctors and paramedics, he said.

The program in economic sector includes development of market centers, warehouses, trade and industrial centers, training center for workers , fishermen , etc.

In the social infrastructure program the plan includes construction of clean water infrastructure and facilities, power generating plants, and low cost houses.

"The entire program could be carried out if good synergy could be created among the stake holders," Zulkarnain said.

Riau to accelerate infrastructure development on border islands | Republika Online


===========================


Surabaya named as city of the future in the world
Sunday, 13 April 2014

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SURABAYA - Surabaya in East Java was named as city of the future in the world in Socrates Award 2014 by Europe Business Assembly (EBA). EBA is an independent organization based in the United Kingdom, which pays attention to economic, social and cultural development.

"The award will be handed over on Wednesday next week in London," Mayor of Surabaya, Tri Rismaharini, said on Sunday.

As non-governmental organization, EBA promotes economic transformation, education, culture and science. The tittle is the most prestigious award for a city.

Risma, her popular name, explained that EBA considered Surabaya had addressed various issues comprehensively. EBA notes some indicators including effort in containing flood, better air quality, and social education.

Risma will present her ideas before the EBA forum. Among others, the assessments also include aspect of rural construction. She hopes, her ideas will motivate people to compete at global level.

Surabaya named as city of the future in the world | Republika Online

===

Congrats to Arek Suroboyo .. keep up the good work

 

[Reashot Xigwin]

Indonesia determined to emerge as new Asian tiger
Sat, April 19 2014 12:28 |

Andi Abdussalam


(ANTARA/Andika Wahyu)

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia is now putting in place industrial development programs across the country in an effort to create a new economic growth momentum and emerge as a new Asian economic tiger.

"I am very much convinced that the current 21st century will be the best century for Indonesia, as the country is destined to emerge as an Asian giant," former Indonesian ambassador to the United States Dino Patt Djalal, who is now taking part in the ruling Democratic Party presidential candidate convection, said in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, on Wednesday last week.

As part of the development, the Ministry of Industry is encouraging the acceleration and equitable distribution of locating industries throughout the country.

"We hope we can continue to develop industries throughout the country to increase their added values, particularly industries outside Java," Industry Deputy Minister Alex SW Retraubun said in press statement made available to Antara here on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Industry has set itself the target of increasing the added values of the industrial sector from 28 percent in 2013 to 45 percent in 2035, since the national industrial development has gained significant growth following the global economic crisis, which also struck Indonesia in 2008-2009.

"In 2013, the non-oil processing industrial sector grew by 6.10 percent, which was higher than the economic growth at 5.78 percent," the industry deputy minister said.

Non-oil commodity processing industries have become the largest sector contributing to the nations economy, at 20.76 percent. In the meantime, the non-oil processing industries have also begun shifting from the Java Island to islands outside Java, with 24.63 percent outside Java in 2008 to 28.05 percent in 2013.

Further, the non-oil industrial sector outside Java has contributed 6.31 percent to the nations growth, which is higher than in Java, whose growth was only 6.20 percent.

Alex SW Retraubun said that the roles of provincial and district/municipality governments were crucial in the development of industry in the region. This is contained in Articles 10 and 11 of Law No. 3/2014 on Industrial Development.

Currently, the Ministry of Industry is drafting a government regulation (RPP) on the Master Plan for National Industry Development (PIPIN) and on regulations on industrial zones.

The regulation will choose zones of industries that will evolve into industrial growth centers, designated zones for industries, and zones for small and middle scale industrial centers.

With the industrial zones, industries, particularly manufacturing industries, could be developed maximally.

According to Standard Chartered Bank economist Eric Sugandi, Indonesia should carry out industrial structural reforms in the manufacturing sector.

"Structural reforms could be carried out through development of the manufacturing industry. Indonesias exports have weakened because prices of commodities have not improved," Eric said.

He added that the current account transaction deficit would become Indonesias main problem in the coming three to five years unless industrial structural reforms proceeded faster than predicted.

However, he said, Indonesia will achieve a new equilibrium and growth at a range of 5.5 percent to 6.0 percent per annum, after it focused last year on overcoming its current account deficit transactions.

"Indonesia can boost its economic growth to six percent, but it will face current account deficit risks, which is why the government deliberately slowed its economic growth," Eric Sugandi said.

The Standard Chartered Bank economist said fiscal and monetary policies were good for overcoming the short-term current account deficit, but the government needs to carry out effective structural reforms in maintaining the performance of the economic fundamentals.

Finance Minister Chatib Basri concurred with Eric, saying that such monetary and fiscal policies were taken as a short-term solution. For a long-term solution to improving national economic performance, Indonesia should carry out structural reforms.

"This is only a short-term policy. It is impossible to continuously tighten the monetary and the fiscal sectors. It should be balanced with structural reforms carried out within the context of the political system," he said.

Also, he noted, the G20 Forum has appreciated Indonesias monetary and fiscal policies that the government had adopted to overcome its current account transaction deficit.

"The forum viewed that Indonesia had taken correct fiscal policies in reducing fuel subsidies. Bank Indonesia (BI) is also praised for raising its key interest rate, which has strengthened the local rupiah currency," the finance minister said.

Chatib Basri and BI Governor Agus Martowardojo had attended a central bank and finance ministerial meeting of the G20 Forum in Washington, the United States, on April 10-13, 2014.

The finance minister said that the monetary and fiscal policies had been taken to maintain the countrys economic fundamentals and have raised the trust of investors on Indonesias economic prospects.

The government, since in the middle of 2013, has issued a package of economic policies on fiscal and monetary tightening to offset the current account deficit and strengthen the value of the rupiah value against the Greenback.

The economic policy package is mainly aimed at encouraging exports and reducing imports but, as a result, Indonesias economic growth would exceed the 5.8 percent to 6.0 percent level.

This is why, Eric explained, the Indonesian economy will reach a new equilibrium point with a growth at a range of 5.5 percent to 6.0 percent.

Therefore, the structural industrial reforms are expected to move Indonesia towards a better future and become a player in the global economy. With the richness of its human and natural resources, Indonesia could cultivate global capital to emerge as an Asian giant.

Former Indonesian ambassador to the United States, Dino Patti Djalal, said Indonesia had three main assets that could help it become an Asian giant.

Indonesia still has abundant natural wealth, which is promising for development. This is one of the three assets.

The second asset is that Indonesia has a large population of workers at a productive age, which constitutes a demographic benefit. The quality of its human resources continues to be developed through the improvement of education in the country.

He said that the third resource is global capital, which is ready to be invested in countries which have promising and comparative advantages.

In the face of the 21st century era, Indonesia should not be anti-foreign investment, as it must be able to take advantage of foreign capital.

"We have to look at the global era as an opportunity. There are some 16 trillion US dollars invested in the world. We have to take it. The money is very important for Indonesia in the 21st century. We should not be xenophobic. Anti-foreign investment would only be a disadvantage for us," Dino said.

(A014/ INE )
(A014/KR-BSR)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik

COPYRIGHT © 2014

Indonesia determined to emerge as new Asian tiger - ANTARA News

 

[Reashot Xigwin]

‘Jalanan’ Serves Up Uncomfortable Truths of Life on Street
By Marcel Thee on 03:09 pm Apr 19, 2014
Category Featured, Life & Style, Movies & Music, Movies & Music, Music
Tags: Indonesia Documentaries, Indonesia music, Indonesian cinema, Indonesian film, Jalanan

Bambang ‘Ho’ Mulyono, Titi Juwariyah and Boni Putera, the street buskers starring in Daniel Ziv’s film ‘Jalanan,’ currently showing in cinemas at Plaza Senayan, Grand Indonesia and Blok M Square. (Photo courtesy of DesaKota productions)

There is an irony in the fact that “Jalanan,” director Daniel Ziv’s thoughtful documentary on street buskers, is showing exclusively in Plaza Senayan, Grand Indonesia and Blok M Square.

While Blok M Square is a modest shopping plaza, the former two stand as symbols of bloated sumptuosity, gorged with luxuries that even after a double-whammy midnight sale for balding wallets, trophy wives, and their nanny-raised jackanapes, it would still be an impossible purchase for the film’s three stars. Not even the juicy fat from a Marche rotisserie can wash the discrepancies off (though you can try, the diner is right next to Senayan’s cinema entry, after all).

This is to say that “Jalanan” literally “the street,” is a film of which the serving of truths are uncomfortable to watch and take in — in all the best ways socially conscious art can be. Oh sure, we’ve seen dramatized depictions of how the poor lead their lives on perfectly formulated reality shows, but the documentary paws at the conscience by showing just how the poor have normalized their squalid living conditions. The content sense of self-pity is a tragedy unto itself.

The three protagonists of “Jalanan” are stand-ins for the millions in Jakarta who wash themselves at same the place they defecate, are regularly jailed for reasons of simply being, rarely able to feed themselves and any child they’ve not yet lost to the streets, and generally live a life no human should lead. There is a sensitivity that often gets lost in documentaries with similar themes. The gap between their existence and their surroundings (one of them, Boni, has lived under the bridge leading from Thamrin to Sudirman for 10 years) gives the film its harrowing nature.

Indeed, while the focus is on three street buskers, their occupation matters little in the not-very-grand scheme of things; they could be anyone. Bambang “Ho” Mulyono, Titi Juwariyah and Boni Putera are street musicians (“artists” according to Ho) whose daily agenda revolves around getting in and out of public buses, trying to wow tired faces on their way to or from another dulling routine — a more apathetic audience would be a challenge to find — and hoping the small change they collect will add up to a worthy meal. In other words, they are like most Jakartans; living for the sake of living, and resigned to using logically unattainable dreams as the sole reason not to throw in the towel.

Of the three, Ho is easiest to visually latch on to. His artistic disposition takes the form of dreadlocked hairs, grungy sense of “style” (or lack thereof), and a penchant for handing out wisdoms. When a raid for buskers on the street gets him thrown in jail, he takes it with a casualness that shows just how routine the brush between the law and people of his social status can be.

The country’s questionable lawfulness begs even more question when inside his jail “cell” (basically a large empty room with bars similar to ones you’d find at residential homes) his jail mates include a very young girl and her father — a bajaj driver who was nabbed ultimately because he was standing by the road.

“My daughter has not gone to the bathroom for a day because there’s is no water in the jail’s washroom here,” he exclaims. The old yelping man complaining about the injustice of it all is the only one still trying to see through all the fog.

Titi, on the other hand is a mother of three. (“I’ve children in three different parts of the country”) who left her village to try and make it on her own. Along the way, the film follows her as she enters a high school designed for those who dropped out when they were younger. The parental and educational struggles she tries to balance with her music career presents many intriguing obstacles and insights, including how buskers are often paid by firms to sing their jingles (in the film’s case, a local newspaper that pays $15 for a day).

The director’s presence and his influence towards the behavior of those in camera reveals many tragicomedic moments of hypocrisy (a local government employee tasked with demolishing Boni’s under-the-bridge “home” asks to sit down and speak to him with a laughably stilted attempt at humanity alien to anyone who’s dealt with these folks). Another scene showing Ho taking his date out for a Padang meal is funny but harrowing in hindsight, with the busker devouring three plates of rice with just the sauce from one of the dishes (so he doesn’t have to pay for the whole thing) and leftovers from his date’s plate.

The film’s setting and multi-protagonist means the narrative has a lot to pack into 107 minutes but Ziv makes it work. The film works stronger as a display of social injustice than buskers’ lives specifically. But it is a strongly empathetic work in any manner. Would it be wishful thinking to hope audiences will come out with a new perspective on those knocking on the window of their black sedans carrying an untuned ukelele? Maybe most could at least ponder it over a chicken wing serving.

‘Jalanan’ Directed by Daniel Ziv Starring Bambang ‘Ho’ Mulyono, Titi Juwariyah, Boni Putera 107 minutes Indonesian with English subtitles

Jalanan Serves Up Uncomfortable Truths of Life on Street - The Jakarta Globe


Jakarta Renews Agreement With Bandung Institute of Technology to Collaborate on Urban Issues
By Deti Mega PS on 04:01 pm Apr 19, 2014
Category Jakarta, News
Tags: Bandung Institute of Technology, jakarta infrastructure

Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo and Bandung Institute of Technology president Akhmaloka on April 19, 2014. (JG Photo/Deti Mega P)

Bandung. The Jakarta Administration on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), commencing a renewed collaboration between the city and the university to improve the capital’s infrastructure.

“Partnership between Jakarta and ITB has gone on for a long time, but the agreement hadn’t been prolonged since June 2013,” Jakarta Governor and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) presidential candidate Joko Widodo said after signing the memorandum, in the office of ITB president Akhmaloka. “That’s why we’re renewing the deal now.”

The agreement formalized ITB’s involvement in the improvement of Jakarta’s infrastructure, education system, research potential and social services.

Joko said the agreement would allow the university to aid in development and urban planning programs.

Akhmaloka said he was the glad the agreement had been formalized.

“I think that Jakarta still has a lot of problems,” he said. “We want to make Indonesia a better and prettier place, physically and in people’s perceptions.”

A group of ITB students protested Joko’s visit on the grounds that it was politically motivated, according to Indonesian news portal Kompas.com. Police were deployed to disperse the protest and remove a barricade.

Jakarta Renews Agreement With Bandung Institute of Technology to Collaborate on Urban Issues - The Jakarta Globe

 

[AUz]

Indonesia is making its own commercial airplane? R-80?

Any more details about this project?

 

[Indos]

Indonesia is making its own commercial airplane? R-80?

Any more details about this project?

This is actually our second attempt after N-250 project in the same class (ATR-72 class). There is another new passenger airplane, which is N-2130. N-2130 will be launched by PT IPTN (state owned company), and R-80 will be launched by PT Ragio, a private owned company. R-80 is joint production with PT IPTN. Both plane are planned to fly in 2017.

Regio Aviasi Industri to Manufacture Planes by 2018

Jakarta. Indonesian aviation company Regio Aviasi Industri plans to start local production of passenger aircraft from 2018, to tap local demand.

Agung Nugroho, president director of RAI, told reporters on Tuesday that the company was planning to build 400 units of the R80 turboprop passenger aircraft over 20 years.

He said RAI was now in the final stage of its preliminary design for the aircraft, which will have a carrying capacity of between 80 and 90 passengers.

The company will soon enter the second phase of the project, which involves detail design and prototype manufacturing.

Serial production of the aircraft will start in 2018.

RAI will collaborate with state aviation manufacturer Dirgantara Indonesia to produce the aircraft, Agung said.

RAI is affiliated with former Indonesian president B.J. Habibie and his son Ilham Habibie.

Agung said the aircraft will meet demand from local airlines. Indonesia’s aviation industry has grown by 19 percent per annum in the past few years.

“We have signed letters of intent with two national airlines — KalStar Aviation and NAM Air,” Agung said.

He said NAM Air — a unit of Sriwijaya Air — plans to buy 100 of the R80 planes, while KalStar, a Pontianak-based airline, plans to buy 25.

Agung said RAI’s biggest competitor in Indonesia was Italian-French aircraft builder ATR (Avions de Transport Regional, or Aerei da Transporto Regionale) and Bombardier of Brazil.

He said RAI’s aircraft will have bigger capacity and better fuel efficiency than the ATR and Bombardier aircraft.

Agung did not reveal the investment amount required to build the planes.

RAI president commissioner Ilham Habibie said the company planned to further develop the R80 to a capacity of 100 passengers.

“Indonesia, as an archipelagic country, will always need air transport. Smaller planes are also needed for island-hopping,” Ilham said.

He added that beside KalStar Aviation and NAM Air, other national airlines that were interested in the R80 were Wings Air, Sky Aviation, Citilink and Merpati Nusantara.

RAI on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding with France’s Dassault Systemes to help with the production of R80. Dassault Systemes will provide the platforms and solutions in detail design and manufacturing of the plane.

Citilink is the low-cost unit of Garuda Indonesia.

 

[Indos]

This is actually our second attempt after N-250 project in the same class (ATR-72 class). There is another new passenger airplane, which is N-2130. N-2130 will be launched by PT IPTN (state owned company), and R-80 will be launched by PT Ragio, a private owned company. R-80 is joint production with PT IPTN. Both plane are planned to fly in 2017.

Sorry, I mean N-219 (instead of N-2130). So both of N-219 and R-80 will start to fly within 2017 based on recent plan, insyaALLAH.

 

[katarabhumi]

Number of foreign visitors to Bali up in Q1
Wednesday, 23 April 2014

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DENPASAR -- The number of foreign tourists visiting Bali rose 14.87 percent to 835,099 in the first quarter of this year from 727,013 in the same period last year.

"The fairly significant growth was attributable to success in a number of international conferences in Bali in 2013," tourism observer Dewa Nyoman Putra said here on Wednesday.

Dewa Nyoman said 95 percent of people spending holidays in Bali repeated visits to the country's main tourist destination.

He said despite the global crisis, the number of visitors to Bali from Europe and the United States, which are the worst hit by the crisis, rose in the first quarter of this year.

An increase was also recorded in the number of visitors from other ASEAN countries, he said.

Based on the official record of the Bali tourism office, the number of visitors from other ASEAN countries rose from 32,521 in January, to 34,840 in February and to 36,417 in March, 2014.

The number of Europeans visiting Bali reached 155,674 in the January-March period of 2014 or 18.64 percent of the total number of visitors to the island and those form the United States totaled 41.690 visitors.

Bali is still one of the favorite destinations for international holiday makers, Dewa Nyoman Putra said.

Number of foreign visitors to Bali up in Q1 | Republika Online

 

[Chronos]

@Indos and other Indonesian members.

I have heard of the Jakarta governor called Joko Widodo.

Is he popular in Indonesia? If so, why? Thank you =)

 

[Indos]

@Indos and other Indonesian members.

I have heard of the Jakarta governor called Joko Widodo.

Is he popular in Indonesia? If so, why? Thank you =)

Yup, he is so popular here, because he is seen as a clean person during his leadership in Solo/one of Indonesia city in Java (Solo mayor). In here, so many corruption cases are done by politicians, so if we can find one who is very clean, that person will become rock star in politics. All most all Media is also supporting him. We can conclude that he is so famous because of media image. Beside clean image, he is also seen as a humble person who is ready to talk to ordinary people in the street and quite good in handling Jakarta problem.

If any thing can go exactly like recent statistic survey, he will become our president in November this year. You can see him more thoroughly by reading wiki of him.

 

[Chronos]

Yup, he is so popular here, because he is seen as a clean person during his leadership in Solo/one of Indonesia city in Java (Solo mayor). In here, so many corruption cases are done by politicians, so if we can find one who is very clean, that person will become rock star in politics. All most all Media is also supporting him. We can conclude that he is so famous because of media image. Beside clean image, he is also seen as a humble person who is ready to talk to ordinary people in the street and quite good in handling Jakarta problem.

If any thing can go exactly like recent statistic survey, he will become our president in November this year. You can see him more thoroughly by reading wiki of him.

thanks

I have read the wiki article on him.

@Indos

apart from times of trouble, Indonesia has not only the potential to become a regional power, but possibly an exmaple to follow in the Islamic world (no offense intended to Muslims).

Wish Indonesians best of luck. A great country filled with great people ^_^