Indonesia Economy Forum

[Logam42]

Newsflash: (Emphasis Mine)
U.S. allies counter China with alternative electricity plan for PNG
REUTERS

November 18, 2018 at 11:45 JST
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea--The United States and three of its Pacific allies said on Sunday they would work with Papua New Guinea to ensure most of the country had access to electricity by 2030, as Western powers seek to contain China's economic influence in the region.

Leaders of the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand met in PNG's capital, Port Moresby, at the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit to unveil the plan, which seeks to boost the power grid's reach to 70 percent of the population from 13 percent currently.

PNG is home to 8 million people, four-fifths of whom live outside urban areas and with poor infrastructure. The developing nation has emerged as a flashpoint in Washington's and Beijing's competing strategic efforts to lock-in alliances in the region.

"This initiative will also be open to other partners that support principles and values which help maintain and promote a free, open, prosperous and rules based region," a White House statement said.

The four nations did not specify what kind of power-generation would be used, or the cost of the plan. However, an Australian government spokeswoman told Reuters it would contribute A$25 million ($18.3 million) in the first year of the initiative.

China has poured investment into development projects in the region, including plans to build a large hydropower generation plant in PNG under President Xi Jinping's flagship Belt and Road initiative.

Belt and Road was first proposed in 2013 to expand land and sea links between Asia, Africa and Europe, with billions of dollars in infrastructure investment from Beijing.

On Saturday, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence took direct aim at Belt and Road at an APEC address, saying countries should not accept debt that compromised their sovereignty.

Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, has for decades enjoyed largely unrivalled influence among Pacific island nations. China has only recently turned its attention to the region with a raft of bilateral financing agreements to often distressed economies.
______________________________

Why is this important?

Because this in many ways goes against Indonesian interests.

Apart from military dominance, a key aspect of Indonesian legitimacy over papua is that the Indonesian state can deliver better economic & social development to Papuans than Papua could through its own means. Even though Papua & West Papua are consistently the least advanced and developed provinces in Indonesia, what it has going for it is:

1. They are among the most rapidly developing provinces, meaning that they are catching up
2. The current administration is popular there and is more trusted than previous administrations
3. Local elites have bought into the system, so while there is still unrest those who have the influence and power to cause mass revolt are on Indonesia's side
4. A softer, less suppressive and brutal approach
5. Lastly, despite how bad it still is, it is still faring much, much better than Papua New Guinea.

That last part is important.

For example:
Average Homicide rate in Indonesia: 1.2/100,000 deaths <--- Australian NGO number
Average in Papua: 5.0/100,000 (Including security & separatist action)<--Australian NGO number
Average in PNG: 10.4/100,000 <--- World Bank Data

And so the list goes on with development statistics universally showing
Indonesian Average>Papua Average>PNG Average

And reversed for negative statistics such as maternity death rate or school drop-out rates.

The same goes for electricity.
Currently the average electrification rate in Indonesia is 97.5%

In Papua it is 53.62% (Prov. Papua 44.85% & Prov Papua Barat 86.28%)
With a rural (Village) population electrification rate of 30.39%

At this time, the electrification rate in Papua New Guinea is 13%, with only 7.6% of the rural population having access to it.

Had this state of affairs continued (supported along with the horribly bad mismanagement of PNG by their government), then I was expecting that in 10 years, by 2030, the differences between Papua and PNG would be too much to ignore, and secessionist movements would have died down through a mix of economic prosperity, nationalist education, and limited cultural assimilation.

If, however, due to Chinese moves Australia actually starts caring about PNG (and not just sucking out its minerals in deals that makes Freeport look absolutely generous in comparison), this means that PNG might start catching up to Papua. If it ever does...

Of course, I'm not calling for sabotage or anything like it, just cautioning forum-goers here that while Indonesia has seriously been developing Papua for 4 years now, Australia has just entered the race to develop PNG. We have a head-start but we can't lose it. Indonesia must continue to make Papua a priority.

Readings:
http://id.beritasatu.com/energy/pemerintah-serius-tingkatkan-rasio-elektrifikasi-di-papua/179704
https://kumparan.com/@kumparanbisni...-papua-hanya-30-39-persen-1535223590061699460
https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/papua-new-guinea/homicide-rate
(note that data is old, this is due to PNG no longer having ability to gather data. Current situation likely worse due to slashing of Justice & Security budget by 30%)
https://www.adb.org/sites/default/f...rOSBsWzCx5R0sK59tqSDqvsUWFySlVHxBTANTOmRhtvSg
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323959995_Violent_Death_in_Indonesian_Papua

Example of Previous Australian Parasitism before China entered the equation:
https://www.theguardian.com/comment...nmobils-project-in-png-is-economic-parasitism
Quotes:
"Since it started up, household incomes have fallen, employment has fallen, government expenditure has fallen, and imports have fallen."

"ExxonMobil paid about “one-thousandth of its expected share of LNG sales from the project” in 2016. The company’s aggressive use of tax havens and clever drafting of the deal between the parasite company and the host government are all it takes for the revenues to vanish into a thicket of holding companies and a PO box in the Bahamas."---> The PNG LNG project paid 0.1% of the promised taxes to the PNG government.

 

[Nike]

Newsflash: (Emphasis Mine)
U.S. allies counter China with alternative electricity plan for PNG
REUTERS

November 18, 2018 at 11:45 JST
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea--The United States and three of its Pacific allies said on Sunday they would work with Papua New Guinea to ensure most of the country had access to electricity by 2030, as Western powers seek to contain China's economic influence in the region.

Leaders of the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand met in PNG's capital, Port Moresby, at the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit to unveil the plan, which seeks to boost the power grid's reach to 70 percent of the population from 13 percent currently.

PNG is home to 8 million people, four-fifths of whom live outside urban areas and with poor infrastructure. The developing nation has emerged as a flashpoint in Washington's and Beijing's competing strategic efforts to lock-in alliances in the region.

"This initiative will also be open to other partners that support principles and values which help maintain and promote a free, open, prosperous and rules based region," a White House statement said.

The four nations did not specify what kind of power-generation would be used, or the cost of the plan. However, an Australian government spokeswoman told Reuters it would contribute A$25 million ($18.3 million) in the first year of the initiative.

China has poured investment into development projects in the region, including plans to build a large hydropower generation plant in PNG under President Xi Jinping's flagship Belt and Road initiative.

Belt and Road was first proposed in 2013 to expand land and sea links between Asia, Africa and Europe, with billions of dollars in infrastructure investment from Beijing.

On Saturday, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence took direct aim at Belt and Road at an APEC address, saying countries should not accept debt that compromised their sovereignty.

Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, has for decades enjoyed largely unrivalled influence among Pacific island nations. China has only recently turned its attention to the region with a raft of bilateral financing agreements to often distressed economies.
______________________________

Why is this important?

Because this in many ways goes against Indonesian interests.

Apart from military dominance, a key aspect of Indonesian legitimacy over papua is that the Indonesian state can deliver better economic & social development to Papuans than Papua could through its own means. Even though Papua & West Papua are consistently the least advanced and developed provinces in Indonesia, what it has going for it is:

1. They are among the most rapidly developing provinces, meaning that they are catching up
2. The current administration is popular there and is more trusted than previous administrations
3. Local elites have bought into the system, so while there is still unrest those who have the influence and power to cause mass revolt are on Indonesia's side
4. A softer, less suppressive and brutal approach
5. Lastly, despite how bad it still is, it is still faring much, much better than Papua New Guinea.

That last part is important.

For example:
Average Homicide rate in Indonesia: 1.2/100,000 deaths <--- Australian NGO number
Average in Papua: 5.0/100,000 (Including security & separatist action)<--Australian NGO number
Average in PNG: 10.4/100,000 <--- World Bank Data

And so the list goes on with development statistics universally showing
Indonesian Average>Papua Average>PNG Average

And reversed for negative statistics such as maternity death rate or school drop-out rates.

The same goes for electricity.
Currently the average electrification rate in Indonesia is 97.5%

In Papua it is 53.62% (Prov. Papua 44.85% & Prov Papua Barat 86.28%)
With a rural (Village) population electrification rate of 30.39%

At this time, the electrification rate in Papua New Guinea is 13%, with only 7.6% of the rural population having access to it.

Had this state of affairs continued (supported along with the horribly bad mismanagement of PNG by their government), then I was expecting that in 10 years, by 2030, the differences between Papua and PNG would be too much to ignore, and secessionist movements would have died down through a mix of economic prosperity, nationalist education, and limited cultural assimilation.

If, however, due to Chinese moves Australia actually starts caring about PNG (and not just sucking out its minerals in deals that makes Freeport look absolutely generous in comparison), this means that PNG might start catching up to Papua. If it ever does...

Of course, I'm not calling for sabotage or anything like it, just cautioning forum-goers here that while Indonesia has seriously been developing Papua for 4 years now, Australia has just entered the race to develop PNG. We have a head-start but we can't lose it. Indonesia must continue to make Papua a priority.

Readings:
http://id.beritasatu.com/energy/pemerintah-serius-tingkatkan-rasio-elektrifikasi-di-papua/179704
https://kumparan.com/@kumparanbisni...-papua-hanya-30-39-persen-1535223590061699460
https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/papua-new-guinea/homicide-rate
(note that data is old, this is due to PNG no longer having ability to gather data. Current situation likely worse due to slashing of Justice & Security budget by 30%)
https://www.adb.org/sites/default/f...rOSBsWzCx5R0sK59tqSDqvsUWFySlVHxBTANTOmRhtvSg
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323959995_Violent_Death_in_Indonesian_Papua

Example of Previous Australian Parasitism before China entered the equation:
https://www.theguardian.com/comment...nmobils-project-in-png-is-economic-parasitism
Quotes:
"Since it started up, household incomes have fallen, employment has fallen, government expenditure has fallen, and imports have fallen."

"ExxonMobil paid about “one-thousandth of its expected share of LNG sales from the project” in 2016. The company’s aggressive use of tax havens and clever drafting of the deal between the parasite company and the host government are all it takes for the revenues to vanish into a thicket of holding companies and a PO box in the Bahamas."---> The PNG LNG project paid 0.1% of the promised taxes to the PNG government.

They cant do that on time, so much beuracracy hassle not to mention the number Australian pledges is too small to made any progress. You should know, with 18 millions US dollar fund, they will spend around ten million for consultant fees alone as their usual practices

 

[Nike]

Operation of 5,000 GT ferries to increase capacity, security: observer
Senin, 19 November 2018 14:11 WIB - 0 Views

Reporter: Antara

Merak port, Banten. (ANTARA FOTO/Asep Fathulrahman)

Bandarlampung, Lampung(ANTARA News) - The operation of five thousand-gross tonnage (GT) ships on the Merak-Bakauheni ferry lines, as necessitated by a ministerial decree, effective December 24, 2018, will increase transportation capacity, convenience, and passenger safety, a transportation observer stated.

Based on Transportation Ministerial Decree No. PM 88 of 2014, each ship to be operated on the Merak-Bakauheni routes, starting December 24, 2018, should be of at least five thousand GT.

"I am confident all companies have made preparations to implement the ministerial regulation that will come in force from Dec 14," transportation observer Ilham Malik stated here on Monday.

He said the process of drafting until the issuance of the regulation had been discussed along with all stakeholders, such as companies or operators and other related experts.

Hence, the operators were not justified in saying they were not yet prepared. This holds significance since the increase in GT will also boost the ferry`s capacity and reduce the vehicle waiting time at piers of both the Merak and Bakauheni ports.

"Ready or not, operators must be prepared to raise their fleet`s status. Hopefully, all operators would have completed preparing their ships before Dec 24," he added.

Reporting by T Subagyo and Emir FS.
Editing by Andi Abdussalam

Editor: Fardah Assegaf

COPYRIGHT © ANTARA 2018

 

[trishna_amṛta]

You should know, with 18 millions US dollar fund, they will spend around ten million for consultant fees alone as their usual practices

Hey now, "consultant fee" is what keep things "smooth & moving"

 

[Logam42]

They cant do that on time, so much beuracracy hassle not to mention the number Australian pledges is too small to made any progress. You should know, with 18 millions US dollar fund, they will spend around ten million for consultant fees alone as their usual practices

Hey now, "consultant fee" is what keep things "smooth & moving"

Thats been true in the past, but now they are competing with China, that does deliver, but saddles the receiving nation in a debt trap.

If its just business as usual, I won't worry. Australia has been way too complacent in the Oceanic region, used to being the sole regional power there. That complacency shows signs of ending. Should they truly want to push it, Japan, America, NZ, and Australia can out-finance Indonesia by miles.

True, despite everything, we actually use our funds better, faster, and more efficiently (Which says more about the nature of Australian Aid really), but we can't be complacent ourselves.

I really hope that they make the usual mistake of just allowing the local PNG government to manage the aid.

Btw: Derail spoiler

Spoiler: PNG security forces storm parliament over APEC pay dispute

Image Security staff were reportedly angry over unpaid bonuses
Police and security forces have stormed Papua New Guinea's parliament in a dispute over unpaid bonuses for last week's Apec summit, lawmakers said.

The group reportedly smashed windows and furniture in the building, located in the capital Port Moresby.

The impoverished island hosted leaders from both sides of the Pacific last week despite the high costs involved.

The summit had seen delegates stay on cruise ships and the government buy 40 Maserati luxury cars for the event.

The police officers and security forces headed to parliament to vent their anger after meeting police authorities to discuss allowances they had been promised, MP Bryan Kramer said in a video posted on Facebook.

One MP said the group "just smashed everything up"
A witness outside parliament described "hundreds of police and troops" on the building's front steps, complaining they had not been paid their special bonus of 350 kina (£81, US$104), according to news agency AFP.

• The summit held on a boat

"It was the armed forces, police and correctional workers. They have entered the parliament and just smashed everything up," parliamentarian Allan Bird told Reuters news agency.

"They were yelling: 'Corrupt government, bloody government' and so on. They were taking their frustration out on the furniture," he said.

According to the Post Courier newspaper, the speaker of parliament has called for an investigation.

Port Moresby hosted delegates from 21 countries for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit last week, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and US Vice-President Mike Pence.

Special forces from Australia, the US and New Zealand were flown in to help provide security in the notoriously dangerous city.

^^^If the current PNG government stays in power for another 10 years, Indonesia is golden. To think that a government will screw up so bad that Police, Military, and Prison Wardens would team up to vandalise the parliament is just insane.

I mean, who are they gonna call? The police? Or papa aussie?

 

[Nike]

Thats been true in the past, but now they are competing with China, that does deliver, but saddles the receiving nation in a debt trap.

If its just business as usual, I won't worry. Australia has been way too complacent in the Oceanic region, used to being the sole regional power there. That complacency shows signs of ending. Should they truly want to push it, Japan, America, NZ, and Australia can out-finance Indonesia by miles.

True, despite everything, we actually use our funds better, faster, and more efficiently (Which says more about the nature of Australian Aid really), but we can't be complacent ourselves.

I really hope that they make the usual mistake of just allowing the local PNG government to manage the aid.

Btw: Derail spoiler

Spoiler: PNG security forces storm parliament over APEC pay dispute

Image Security staff were reportedly angry over unpaid bonuses
Police and security forces have stormed Papua New Guinea's parliament in a dispute over unpaid bonuses for last week's Apec summit, lawmakers said.

The group reportedly smashed windows and furniture in the building, located in the capital Port Moresby.

The impoverished island hosted leaders from both sides of the Pacific last week despite the high costs involved.

The summit had seen delegates stay on cruise ships and the government buy 40 Maserati luxury cars for the event.

The police officers and security forces headed to parliament to vent their anger after meeting police authorities to discuss allowances they had been promised, MP Bryan Kramer said in a video posted on Facebook.

One MP said the group "just smashed everything up"
A witness outside parliament described "hundreds of police and troops" on the building's front steps, complaining they had not been paid their special bonus of 350 kina (£81, US$104), according to news agency AFP.

• The summit held on a boat

"It was the armed forces, police and correctional workers. They have entered the parliament and just smashed everything up," parliamentarian Allan Bird told Reuters news agency.

"They were yelling: 'Corrupt government, bloody government' and so on. They were taking their frustration out on the furniture," he said.

According to the Post Courier newspaper, the speaker of parliament has called for an investigation.

Port Moresby hosted delegates from 21 countries for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit last week, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and US Vice-President Mike Pence.

Special forces from Australia, the US and New Zealand were flown in to help provide security in the notoriously dangerous city.

^^^If the current PNG government stays in power for another 10 years, Indonesia is golden. To think that a government will screw up so bad that Police, Military, and Prison Wardens would team up to vandalise the parliament is just insane.

I mean, who are they gonna call? The police? Or papa aussie?

Thats their consultation fees is in works, how long PNG got their freedom and independence and how long they are under Oz managenent. Meh, Eastern Asia culture and typical government is quite harsh, authoritative and unforgiving for their early years but quite Effective to bring long term development plan and programme

 

[trishna_amṛta]

Thats been true in the past, but now they are competing with China, that does deliver, but saddles the receiving nation in a debt trap.

What worrisome is, WHEN (it's no longer IF) PNG eventually fallen into China debt trap and end up must giving away (leasing) a strategic patch of land to be use as China military base. Although looking at TNI plan to open / upgrade at least 3 main base around Papua seem to anticipate such eventually.

I really hope that they make the usual mistake of just allowing the local PNG government to manage the aid.
^^^If the current PNG government stays in power for another 10 years, Indonesia is golden. To think that a government will screw up so bad that Police, Military, and Prison Wardens would team up to vandalise the parliament is just insane.

I mean, who are they gonna call? The police? Or papa aussie?

It's most likely PNG will remain in their current course for at least 5 years to come, however Indonesia gov't shouldn't fall complacent in regard to the development of Eastern Indonesia in general and Papua in particular either, because 5 years is kinda short time for infrastructure development.

Thats their consultation fees is in works, how long PNG got their freedom and independence and how long they are under Oz managenent. Meh, Eastern Asia culture and typical government is quite harsh, authoritative and unforgiving for their early years but quite Effective to bring long term development plan and programme

If you ever notice their culture, I would say an authoritative management style isn't palatable for them. The general sentiment is to follow western style management style thus they able to portray themselves (feel good) as "westernized". Obviously the problem with western management style is the participants need to be well verse (training, education, experience) on the subject at hand rather than just following "advice" from their consultants.

 

[Nike]

What worrisome is, WHEN (it's no longer IF) PNG eventually fallen into China debt trap and end up must giving away (leasing) a strategic patch of land to be use as China military base. Although looking at TNI plan to open / upgrade at least 3 main base around Papua seem to anticipate such eventually.



It's most likely PNG will remain in their current course for at least 5 years to come, however Indonesia gov't shouldn't fall complacent in regard to the development of Eastern Indonesia in general and Papua in particular either, because 5 years is kinda short time for infrastructure development.



If you ever notice their culture, I would say an authoritative management style isn't palatable for them. The general sentiment is to follow western style management style thus they able to portray themselves (feel good) as "westernized". Obviously the problem with western management style is the participants need to be well verse (training, education, experience) on the subject at hand rather than just following "advice" from their consultants.

Thats African way of development i must say, and Oz follow that method in PNG till today. Meanwhile at the same time poor countries in East and Southeast Asia had propelled themselves into new era with authoritative and harsh government style with little to none existent democracy but capitalism economy in heart.

 

[Nike]

Britain gives visa free visit for Indonesian business people
Jumat, 23 November 2018 01:15 WIB - 3 Views

Reporter: antara

British Ambassador to Indonesia Moazzam Malik accompanied by Director of the UK Visa Section of the Asia Pacific Region Dominique Hardy launches visa-free services for selected businesses in Indonesia or the "Select Business Scheme" (SBS) at the British Embassy in Jakarta on Thursday (11/22/2018) . (ANTARA News/Azizah Fitriyanti)

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Government of Britain offers visa free visits for Indonesian business people representing 23 selected companies.

"The most important criterion is that the companies have big contribution to the economic relations between Indonesia and Britain," says British Ambassadors to Indonesia Moazzam Malik here on Thursday.

Indonesia is the third country in Asia Pacific receiving the "Selected Business Scheme" after China and India.

"This means we see it important the business potentials in Indonesia , beneficial to Britain and Indonesia," Malik said.

Dominique Hardy, the Director of British Visa Department for Asia Pacific said at present there are only 23 companies selected but it is not impossible that the number would increase as Britain would make regular evaluation.

"The 23 companies deserve to be included in the list as so far their staff and families have traveled to Britain regularly," Hardy said.

The companies to receive the SBS facility are British companies having branches in Indonesia and Indonesian companies having units in Britain such as PT Bank HSBC, PT Standard Chartered, PT Sinar Mas Grup, and PT Astra Zeneca Indonesia.

Reporting by Azizah Fitriyanti
Editing by Andi Abdussalam
Editor: Heru Purwanto

COPYRIGHT © ANTARA 2018

 

[Nike]

Infrastructure cooperation between Indonesia, Japan grows stronger
Jumat, 23 November 2018 19:34 WIB - 0 Views

Reporter: antara

Indonesia-Japan Cooperation. (ANTARANews/ferly)

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Cooperation between Indonesia and Japan in the infrastructure sector is growing stronger, with bilateral relations between both nations dating back six decades, Minister of Public Works and People Housing Basuki Hadimuljono stated.

"Japanese people really value commitments, from planning the cooperation to implementing all the plans. Everything is very detailed. They also value personal relationships and maintain trust and credibility," Hadimuljono noted in a statement received by ANTARA here, Friday.

Hadimuljono delivered the statement at a seminar themed "Improving the Quality of Indonesian-Japanese Relations that are Superior and Competitive" at the University of Indonesia, Depok, West Java, on Thursday (Nov 22).

According to Hadimuljono, cooperation between Indonesia and Japan, especially with the Ministry of Public Works and People Housing, is getting stronger and wider in other sectors.

The minister explained that initially, Indonesia`s cooperation with Japan, which began in 1968, was more focused on infrastructure development pertaining to water resources in four main fields: development and management of water resources, flood risk reduction, lava flow-disaster risk reduction, and coastal conservation.

"The cooperation was initiated with the development of the Brantas River Basin by constructing the irrigation system of Sutami Dam (1968-1973) under the guidance of Japanese experts. This cooperation produced several Indonesian dam experts at that time," Minister Hadimuljono noted.

The development projects also contributed to the establishment of the Jasa Tirta 1 Public Company, as the Brantas Watershed management body, the establishment of PT. Brantas Abipraya and PT. Indra Karya, as the state-owned enterprises engaged in the construction and consultancy services for water resources.

During the development project of the Brantas watershed, several other dams were also built, such as Selorejo (1963-1972), Wlingi (1972-1979), Lahor (1972-1977), Wlingi-Wlingi (1972-1979), Bening (1977-1984) , Lodoyo (1978-1983), Lengkong (1971-1973), and Wonorejo (1993-2002).

The cooperation for construction of dams was continued by building the Wonogiri Dam (1976-1983) located in the Bengawan Solo watershed, Bili-Bili Dam (1992-2006) in the Jeneberang watershed, and Batutegi Dam (1992-2007) in Way Sekampung watershed.

In an effort to reduce flood risk, the cooperation between Indonesia and Japan was implemented through river rehabilitation projects in 1971, such as in the Ular River in Medan, North Sumatra (1971-2012), Krueng River in Banda Aceh (1972-2007), Kuranji River in Padang, West Sumatra (1982-2016), Ciliwung and Cisadane Rivers in the Jakarta-Bogor-Depok-Tangerang-Bekasi areas (1994-2014), Citarum River in Bandung, West Java (1987-2019), Bolango River in Gorontalo (2011-2018), and Tondano River in Manado, North Sulawesi (2011-2018).

In controlling floods, the two countries collaborated in the development of the Sabo Dam and training for Indonesian engineers to become Sabo experts.

Sabo, derived from Japanese, is a dam to restrain lava floods.

"Currently, Indonesia has the second best in Sabo Dam technology in the world after Japan. Until now, 646 Sabo Dams have been built in Indonesia, including 250 on the slopes of Mount Merapi, and 92 on the slopes of Mount Agung," Minister Basuki noted.

Through the collaboration with Japan, Indonesia has several Sabo experts. Indonesia established the Sabo Technical Center in Yogyakarta as a center for research and development to train Sabo experts in the Asia-Pacific region.

Another form of bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Japan is coastal conservation development in the Bali Coast area during the 1988-2012 period. The project is continued with the second stage under the Bali Beach Conservation Project.

Reporting by Muhammad Razi Rahman
Editing by Libertina, Bustanuddin
Editor: Heru Purwanto

COPYRIGHT © ANTARA 2018

 

[Nike]

Iseng bgt

Sabtu, 24 Nov 2018 13:50 WIB

Punya Rp 50 Ribu Mau Beli Bakso, Bisa Dapat Segini Lho
Herdi Alif Al Hikam - detikFinance

Foto: Herdi

Jakarta - Setelah Titiek Soeharto yang mengkritik kondisi ekonomi saat ini dengan menyebut uang Rp 50 ribu sekarang bisa dapat apa, kini giliran Kepala Bidang Advokasi dan Anggota Dewan Pembina DPP Partai Gerindra Habiburokhman yang mengkritik ekonomi Indonesia.

Pendukung paslon Capres-Cawapres nomor urut 02 Prabowo-Sandiaga Uno itu mengunggah struk makan bakso di Twitter. Dalam tweet-nya, Habiburokhman menyebut uang Rp 50 ribu tak cukup untuk membeli bakso buat dua orang.

"Lapor Oom, duit 50 ribu kagak cukup u jajan bakso dua orang," cuit Habiburokhman seperti dilihat detikcom, Jumat (23/11/2018).


Penasaran untuk mengecek apakah benar uang Rp 50 ribu tak bisa digunakan untuk membeli bakso untuk dua orang, detikFinance pun mencobanya. detikFinance, mencoba membeli bakso untuk porsi dua orang di beberapa gerai dan tempat wilayah Jakarta.

Pertama-tama, detikFinance mencoba membeli bakso di sebuah gerai Es Teler 77 Mal Poin Square, Lebak Bulus, Jakarta Selatan. Di sana, detikFinance memesan 2 mangkuk bakso. Ternyata, harga dua mangkuk bakso tersebut tak sampai Rp 50.000.

Baca juga: Cuitan Habiburokhman: Rp 50 Ribu Tak Cukup Beli Bakso 2 Orang

Satu mangkok bakso kuah original yang berisi lima buah bakso, sayuran, dan kuah dihargai Rp. 21.818. Total harga yang yang dikeluarkan untuk membeli dua mangkuk bakso tersebut hanya Rp. 43.636 saja. Bila ditambah dengan pajak, maka total biaya yang dikeluarkan sebesar Rp 48.000.

Harga 2 Mangkuk Bakso Original di Es Teler 77 Foto: Herdi

Lain di mall lain lagi di kedai, detikFinancekemudian mencoba salah satu bakso pinggir jalan, yakni Kedai Bakso Urat Mas Bewok di bilangan Karang Tengah, Jakarta Selatan. Harga seporsi bakso hanya Rp. 15.000, ragam harga yang ditawarkan berkisar dari Rp. 15.000 hingga Rp. 20.000.

Bakso urat original tersebut satu porsinya berisi tiga bakso kecil, satu bakso urat besar, sayuran, mie, serta kuah. Harga dua porsinya hanya Rp 30.000, masih bisa untuk membeli membeli dua minuman berupa es teh yang harga satu gelasnya hanya Rp 5.000.

Tak sampai di situ, detikFinance juga membeli bakso yang dijajakan oleh tukang bakso keliling. Untuk bakso keliling harganya lebih murah lagi, harga yang dipatok untuk semangkuk bakso hanya Rp. 10.000. Seporsinya berisi 5 bakso kecil, satu bakso besar, sayuran, dan mie. Dengan uang Rp 50.000, kita bisa membeli 5 mangkuk bakso keliling tersebut.



Bank Indonesia prepares program to diversify coconut products
Sabtu, 24 November 2018 11:36 WIB - 1 Views

Reporter: ANTARA

The coconuts have been cut to be dried into copra. (ANTARA Photo/Mohamad Hamzah)

Ternate, N. Maluku (ANTARA News) - Representative of Bank Indonesia (BI) in North Maluku said it is preparing a program to help prop up coconut fruit market by encouraging development of downstream industry processing coconut amid shrinking price of copra.

"We will help by socialization of industry to produce coconut derivatives such as by producing coconut meal that farmers would not depend only on copra market," Chief Representative of Bank Indonesia in North Maluku Dwi Waluyanto said here on Saturday di Ternate, Sabtu.

The price of copra, which is the main commodity,and the economic life blood for the majority people in North Maluku has dropped sharply lately .

The local people, mostly farmers, took to the street on Monday demanding the government to seriously address the problem.

Dwi said it is time for the farmers to think of other way to keep coconut having a reasonable selling price.

He said based on a study, Bank Indonesia already began dissemination of development of downstream coconut industry over the past 18 months.

The Central Bank already thought over utilizing and processing copra to produce derivatives even before the copra price plunged, he said.

"The copra price fall is the right time to convince the farmers of the importance of developing downstream coconut industry. Previously when the price of copra was normal, the farmers would not be interested even in hearing the suggestion," he said.

He said there should be short term , mid term and long term solution to the problem faced by the farmers.

The regional administration has to find a short term solution and long term solution has to be discussed with the public, he said.

He asked all concerned especially regional administration to seriously address the problem and consider the program to develop downstream coconut industry.

The district administration of Halmahera Utara, North Maluku had pledged to raise the copra price, after violent protest by local people demanding the government to do anything to prop up copra market.

Secretary of the North Maluku regional administration Fredy Tjandua through its news release received on Wednesday said the regional administration is seeking a short term solution to the problem.

"We are seeking a short term solution to the problem over the price fall which had caused great concern for the local people," Fredy has said .

He said the regional administration would not stay doing nothing about the problem .

"First we would work hard to find a short term solution to be followed later with long term solution," he said.

Students joined the people in the demonstration on Monday that turned violent forcing police to use tear gas to disperse the protesters.
Editor: Bustanuddin

COPYRIGHT © ANTARA 2018

 

[trishna_amṛta]

Iseng bgt

Sabtu, 24 Nov 2018 13:50 WIB

Punya Rp 50 Ribu Mau Beli Bakso, Bisa Dapat Segini Lho
Herdi Alif Al Hikam - detikFinance

Foto: Herdi

I can get those 2 servings with less than Rp20000 in the nearest warung. Furthermore with Rp 12000 / serving, I can get mushroom bakso, quail eggs bakso, along with lontong and es jeruk.

 

[Nike]

Government increases agricultural efficiency by 48 percent
Minggu, 25 November 2018 08:06 WIB - 0 Views

Reporter: antara

Illustration. Agricultural tools and machinery (Alsintan's assistance) to sugar cane farmers is in the form of tractors and sugarcane cutting equipment from the government in Jombang, East Java. (ANTARA PHOTO/Syaiful Arif)

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government has been able to increase agricultural efficiency by 48 percent over the past four years by encouraging agricultural modernization through agricultural tools and machinery (Alsintan) assistance.

To encourage the modernization of agriculture with the assistance of machinery and agricultural equipment have been going on since 2015.

"The use of Alsintan to encourage agricultural modernization can increase farming efficiency by 35 to 48 percent," Director General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities (PSP) Pending Dadih Permana noted at a press conference.

The director general remarked that Alsintan was provided in the form of two-wheeled tractors and four-wheeled tractors; water pumps; rice transplanting equipment; choppers; cultivators; excavators; hand sprayers; corn planting tools; and semi-manual corn planting devices.

There were 54,083 units of Alsintan distributed to farmers in 2015 and 148,832 units were provided in 2016; while in 2017, there were 84,356 units channeled to them and Up October 2018, a total of 385,170 units had been distributed. Alsintan was given to farmer groups/association of farmer groups and Alsintan Business Service.

Permana explained that the Ministry of Agriculture encourages modernization in agricultural cultivation as a whole, including land-processing activities, planting, harvesting, and processing agricultural products.

"The younger generations are more and more engaged in agriculture activities, from land processing to harvesting," the director general of agricultural infrastructure and facilities explained.

The agricultural modernization movement has also helped to expand swamps. Based on data from the Swamp and Tidal Regions Data Center, Indonesia has potential swamp land of 33.4 million hectares, consisting of land in tidal area of 20.1 million hectares and swamps of 13.3 million hectares.

Efforts to use swamp land with a pattern of land optimization have been initiated since 2016. In 2016, the PSP directorate general carried out optimization activities of 3,999 hectares of swamps, and then in 2017, it covered 3,529 hectares and 16,400 hectares in 2018 (as of Nov 5, 2018).

In 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Directorate General of PSP, plans to develop a swamp area of 500 thousand hectares spreading across Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Sulawesi.

Over the past four years, the PSP directorate general`s policy and program has focused on the development of four agricultural commodity sub-sectors, namely food crops, horticulture, plantations, and livestock.

Reporting by Mentari Dwi Gayati
Editing by Andi Abdussalam
Editor: Heru Purwanto

COPYRIGHT © ANTARA 2018

 

[Nike]

Indonesia`s agriculture challenged by lack of irrigation dams: Jokowi
Minggu, 25 November 2018 07:25 WIB - 2 Views

Reporter: antara

President Joko Widodo spoke with four farmers from Lampung in Pardasuka Sub-district, Pringsewu District, Lampung on Saturday (11/24/2018). (ANTARA PHOTO/Puspa Perwitasari)

Pringsewu, Lampung (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that a lack of irrigation dams remains a serious challenge for Indonesia`s agriculture, but the government has been attempting to resolve the problem by building new reservoirs and irrigation dams.

The government has targeted to construct 65 reservoirs and irrigation dams to enable the progress and development of the country`s agriculture, he told local farmers in Pardasuka Subdistrict, Pringsewu District, Lampung Province, on Saturday.

Compared to many other countries, the reservoirs and irrigation dams possessed by Indonesia have been left behind. This condition is not only found in Lampung but also in many other provinces, including East and West Nusa Tenggara, he said.

During the meeting, Jokowi conveyed his happiness to be with the farmers as he had lived in a village and was used to walking through the muddy paths of rice fields.

"I am a villager," he told the attendants of the meeting, which took place under a tent set up on the sub-district`s farming area.

Due to rainfall, the farming area was wet and muddy. But, the president and First Lady Iriana Jokowi looked unaffected. They walked to a stage through a flat wood that the organizing committee had prepared.

Having a meeting with the local farmers is one of his agenda during his visit to Lampung on Saturday. He was accompanied by Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Coordinator for Presidential Staff Teten Masduki, and Lampung Governor Ridho Ficardo.

Earlier on the day, the incumbent president, who attempts to get reelected in next year`s presidential race, joined a fun walk event at the Tugu Adipura circle of Bandarlampung city. He officiated the event organized as part of his presidential campaign activities.

Editing by Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Heru Purwanto

COPYRIGHT © ANTARA 2018

 

[Nilgiri]

Indonesia`s agriculture challenged by lack of irrigation dams: Jokowi
Minggu, 25 November 2018 07:25 WIB - 2 Views

Reporter: antara

President Joko Widodo spoke with four farmers from Lampung in Pardasuka Sub-district, Pringsewu District, Lampung on Saturday (11/24/2018). (ANTARA PHOTO/Puspa Perwitasari)

Pringsewu, Lampung (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that a lack of irrigation dams remains a serious challenge for Indonesia`s agriculture, but the government has been attempting to resolve the problem by building new reservoirs and irrigation dams.

The government has targeted to construct 65 reservoirs and irrigation dams to enable the progress and development of the country`s agriculture, he told local farmers in Pardasuka Subdistrict, Pringsewu District, Lampung Province, on Saturday.

Compared to many other countries, the reservoirs and irrigation dams possessed by Indonesia have been left behind. This condition is not only found in Lampung but also in many other provinces, including East and West Nusa Tenggara, he said.

During the meeting, Jokowi conveyed his happiness to be with the farmers as he had lived in a village and was used to walking through the muddy paths of rice fields.

"I am a villager," he told the attendants of the meeting, which took place under a tent set up on the sub-district`s farming area.

Due to rainfall, the farming area was wet and muddy. But, the president and First Lady Iriana Jokowi looked unaffected. They walked to a stage through a flat wood that the organizing committee had prepared.

Having a meeting with the local farmers is one of his agenda during his visit to Lampung on Saturday. He was accompanied by Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Coordinator for Presidential Staff Teten Masduki, and Lampung Governor Ridho Ficardo.

Earlier on the day, the incumbent president, who attempts to get reelected in next year`s presidential race, joined a fun walk event at the Tugu Adipura circle of Bandarlampung city. He officiated the event organized as part of his presidential campaign activities.

Editing by Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Heru Purwanto

COPYRIGHT © ANTARA 2018

A common problem in many parts of India too.