Indonesia Economy Forum

[Nike]

Wed May 25, 2016 3:50am EDT

Related: FINANCIALS, INDUSTRIALS

Indonesia Lippo says to build $14 bln industrial park with China firms

May 25 Indonesian conglomerate Lippo Group said it will partner two Chinese firms to build a 190 trillion rupiah ($13.95 billion) industrial park in West Java.

Chinese companies have been stepping up their investment in Southeast Asia's biggest economy, particularly in the infrastructure sector, which has been identified by President Joko Widodo's administration as a priority.

Property developer PT Lippo Cikarang Tbk, one of Lippo Group's listed companies, will work with Shenzhen Yantian Port Group Co Ltd and Country Garden Holdings Co Ltd to develop the Indonesia-Shenzhen Industrial Estate, Lippo said in a statement dated May 24.

While Lippo said the project will have a "total investment value" of 190 trillion rupiah, it did not give details about how much each company will be investing in the project, how it will be funded or by when it will be completed.

The two Chinese companies are "essential conduits" to help attract other large Chinese businesses to build new facilities in Indonesia, Lippo said.

Country Garden has signed a memorandum of understanding for the industrial park, an official who declined to be named due to the company's policy told Reuters in a text message. He declined to comment on the investment size, adding that terms and details will depend on negotiations.

Shenzhen Yantian Port was not immediately available to comment. ($1 = 13,620.00 rupiah) (Reporting by Eveline Danubrata and Cindy Silviana in Jakarta; Additional reporting by Clare Jim in Hong Kong; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)

Skyworth Southeast Asia Manufacturing Base diresmikan
Selasa, 24 Mei 2016 19:42 WIB | 1.872 Views
Pewarta: Aditia Maruli

Skyworth (ANTARA News/HO)

Pada Selasa, 24 Mei 2016, telah dilakukan upacara peresmian Skyworth Southeast Asia Manufacturing Base bertempat di EJIP Industrial Park, Cikarang Selatan.

Peresmian dihadiri oleh pejabat Tiongkok yaitu Ma Xingrui Anggota Komite Central PKT yang juga Wakil Sekretaris Komite PKT Provinsi Guangdong dan selaku Sekretaris Komite PKT Shenzhen, Hu Xiao Shan Sekretaris Konsulat Bidang Ekonomi dan Perdagangan Kedutaan Besar Tiongkok untuk Indonesia, dan Huang Hongsheng Pendiri Skyworth, serta Lin Weiping Ketua Komisaris.

Seusai upacara peresmian, Ma Xingrui melakukan inspeksi di pabrik sekaligus bersilaturahmi dengan para staf Skyworth.

Pada kesempatan itu, Ma Xingrui sangat menantikan kesuksesan masa depan perkembangan basis manufaktur yang menginspirasikan para staf untuk bekerja keras dengan semangat tak mengenal lelah, serta mengetahui lebih dalam budaya lokal dan menjadi teladan bagi perusahaan Tiongkok yang berkembang di Indonesia.

Percepat Perintisan ke Pasar Dunia
Skyworth Southeast Asia Manufacturing Base sebelumnya adalah PT Toshiba Consumer Product Indonesia (TCPI) yang didirikan pada tahun 1996 adalah sebuah perusahaan asli Jepang.

Belakangan ini sejumlah perusahaan Jepang berturut-turut alami kemunduran dari industri elektronik Indonesia karena masalah kenaikan biaya serta penurunan laba dan juga dikarenakan kebangkitan kuat para perusahaan asal Tiongkok.

Skyworth Corp bertolak dari kebutuhan strategis, memutuskan dengan cepat merintis pasar luar negeri, mengaturkan sistem rantai penyuplai luar negeri, dalam rangka membentuk platform layanan yang lebih kuat bagi bisnis luar negeri, sementara itu juga berupaya mencapai saling percaya bersama dengan pemerintah lokal, company, distributor dan para pelanggan.

Oleh karena itu, Skyworth dengan sukses mengakuisisi pabrik TJP Toshiba di Indonesia. Yang sebelumnya Skyworth telah mengakuisisi Sinotec, merek elektronik terkenal Afrika Selatan pada September 2014 dan mengakuisisi Metz, merek elektronik mewah Jerman pada Juni Tahun 2015. Dengan demikian, Skyworth telah mempercepat langkah teguh menuju pasar dunia.

COOCAA Berkembang Pesat
Sejauh ini Skyworth Corp mamasarkan produknya dengan merek COOCAA di Indonesia.

Pengakuisisian TJP Toshiba Indonesia oleh Skyworth telah memberi inspirasi sangat besar bagi distributor Indonesia, dan sudah terdapat sejumlah distributor yang unik mulai berhubungan dengan COOCAA untuk menjalin kerjasama.

Dalam keadaan yang memuaskan ini, merek COOCAA telah berkembang sangat pesat. Volume penjualan produk semester pertama mencapai tiga kali lipat dibandingkan masa sama tahun lalu. Yang terpenting adalah COOCAA sudah menjadi merek TV yang paling menonjol di pasar Indonesia dibandingkan produk asal Tiongkok lain.

Sun Weizhong, vice president yang juga general manager overseas sales ofSkyworth menggambarkan pengakuisisian TJP Toshiba oleh Skyworth ini sebagai “kapal induk” yang akan membawa harapan kepada para distributor.

”Beberapa tahun sebelumnya kami sudah kontak dengan sejumlah distributor yang unik, tapi mereka sempat menyaksikan ada beberapa merek asal Tiongkok keluar-masuk pasar ini semaunya, kurang stabil dan mantap, maka tidak mau bekerja sama dengan kami. Namun setelah pengakuisisian kali ini, dan ditambahkan lagi hasil kami terus maju, mereka kembali lagi untuk berminat bekerja sama dengan kami,” ujarnya.

Selain itu, karena kesuksesan bagi sebuah perusahaan di pasar Indonesia masih sangat mengandal jaringan distributor, maka COOCAA akan selalu menjaga kepentingan para distributor.

Untuk melaksanakan pedoman yang dipegangnya itu, COOCAA selalu berkomunikasi dengan mereka, dengan aktif mencari mode bersama dan mendapatkan kepercayaan mereka dengan ketulusan dan hasil luar biasa.

Tindakan Signifikan
Pengakuisisian TJP Toshiba Indonesia merupakan langkah signifikan bagi perkembangan bisnis luar negeri Skyworth.

Pertama, Indonesia merupakan salah satu negara anggota ASEAN adalah mitra kerja sama yang penting dalam hubungan Tiongkok-ASEAN, maka pembangunan basis rantai penyuplai Asia Tenggara dapat lebih baik menggunakan kebijakan tertentu di negara-negara kawasan ini supaya memberi dukungan kuat bagi layanan background Skyworth di pasar Asia Tenggara; kedua, Indonesia adalah negara berpopulasi keempat terbesar di dunia (populasi sekitar 250 juta orang), pasar TV berwarna juga bertumbuh cepat, dan dianggap sebagai negara berpotensi paling besar dalam seluruh negara anggota ASEAN di bidang pasar elektronika, pembangunan basis rantai penyuplaian di Indonesia dapat lebih baik melayani pasar Indonesia.

Pasar Asia Tenggara
Peresmian kali ini tidak hanya acara bagi pengakuisisian TJP Toshiba Indonesia oleh Skyworth, dan juga membebani ambisi Skyworth terhadap pasar Asia Tenggara.

Rencana perkembangan masa depan Skyworth di pasar Asia Tenggara dimulai dari empat bidang: pertama, membentuk rantai penyuplaian menyatu yang berbasis Indonesia dan mencakupi seluruh pasar Asia Tenggara; kedua, berubah taktik operasional, yaitu meng-upgrade produknya dari mid to low range menjadi mid to high range; mencoba mengoperasional dual-brand “Toshiba” dan “Skyworth”; mencoba “on-line business” yang bertujuan untuk membesarkan proporsi pasarnya.

ADVERTORIAL
Editor: Aditia Maruli
http://www.antaranews.com/berita/562852/skyworth-southeast-asia-manufacturing-base-diresmikan

 

[Nike]

Jokowi Attends Outreach Meeting at G7 Summit in Japani
Jakarta. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo left for Japan on Thursday morning (26/07) to attend the 42nd summit of the Group of Seven industrialized nations.

According to a statement by the State Palace, Jokowi was scheduled to meet with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Hideaki Ohmura, the governor of Japan's Aichi Prefecture, in Nagoya before proceeding to the Ise-Shima National Park in Mie Prefecture to attend the G7 outreach meeting on Friday.

The two main issues up for discussion are economic stability and people's welfare in Asia, while sustainable development, infrastructure investment, women's empowerment and global health issues are also on the agenda.

As one of the keynote speakers at the G7 outreach meeting, the Indonesian president will address welfare and economic stability. He is also expected to highlight the importance of global partnerships and universal health coverage.

With its presence at the summit, Indonesia hopes to boost global partnerships to face common challenges, according to the statement.

Jokowi is also scheduled to meet with French President François Hollande and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the summit, which is taking place in Asia for the first time in eight years.

The G7 outreach meeting will be attended by the heads of state and government representatives of Laos, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea, as well as the chairperson of the African Union.

Several international organizations will also be present, including the United Nations, Asian Development Bank, International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank.

The G7 is comprised of the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.

http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/jokowi-attends-outreach-meeting-g7-summit-japan/

 

[Nike]

ndonesian govt prioritizes regions for railway projects
Sabtu, 28 Mei 2016 03:08 WIB | 635 Views
Pewarta: Andi Abdussalam

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in the middle with South Sulawesi Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo (right) review the construction of the railway line in the village of Trans Sulawesi Telumpanua, District Tanete Riau, Barru, South Sulawesi, on Wednesday (November 25, 2015). (ANTARA/Sahrul Manda Tikupadang)

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government is focusing on developing railway projects outside Java in an effort to improve transportation and establish connectivity among regions across the country.

Regions outside Java are being accorded priority in railway development as part of the governments endeavor to ensure equitable development and boost national economy through increased connectivity among the regions.

"The railway projects being taken up on priority are not in Java. In fact, priority is being accorded to eastern regions. Therefore, we want to first complete the work on the Trans Sumatra and Trans Sulawesi projects as soon as possible," Director General of Railways Prasetyo Boeditjahjono stated at a function in Jakarta on Thursday.

In order to implement the Trans Sumatra and Trans Sulawesi railway projects, the government is expected to cooperate with China. This month, the Directorate General of Railways will submit documents containing details of the Trans Sumatra and Trans Sulawesi projects to China.

The Chinese government will provide loans for financing these railway projects worth Rp80 trillion, but it will first study the project in detail.

"They (China) are interested in providing loans worth Rp40 trillion to Indonesia for the two projects, Trans Sumatra and Trans Sulawesi," Prasetyo Boeditjahjono informed.

The Chinese government had earlier asked for documents related to studies carried out by the Transportation Ministry on the projects.

"We have collected the documents and promised to hand these over to them this month," the director general explained after receiving the Chinese ambassador to Indonesia on Thursday.

He informed that China would study the documents. "They will possibly assess these first because the documents are related to the results of the study carried out more than five years ago. So, these need to be reviewed," noted Prasetyo.

While feasibility studies have been conducted for some projects, that did not happen in case of others. In case of some, ground planning did take place and detailed engineering designs (DED) were prepared.

The Rapat-Duri-Pekan Baru section of the Trans Sumatra project is at the DED stage.

According to Prasetyo, the government hoped that China would not take more than one year to arrive at an assessment of the projects. "We hope China would find determine which of the projects it is interested in and provide loans for it."

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said early this year that the government had actually started the development of some sections of the railway projects in Sumatra and Sulawesi.

"We have started developing railway projects in a number of regions in Sulawesi and Sumatra. I hope that a project will also be started this year in Papua. If that does not happen in the first semester, then it would surely happen in the second half of 2016. The work should begin this year," President Jokowi said as he opened a limited cabinet meeting in Jakarta on January 4.

Jokowi on November 25 last year, inspected the construction of the first phase of the 2000-kilometer (km) Makassar-Manado Trans Sulawesi Railway Project.

The first phase of the Trans Sulawesi section stretches 145 km from Makassar, the South Sulawesi provincial capital, to Parepare Municipality.

"The railway service is expected to commence operations in 2018 and will connect the two capitals," the President told newsmen after the inspection of the first phase.

On a separate occasion, Hemi Pamurahardjo, the public information and communication bureau head of the Transportation Ministry, said the government had offered Japan to cooperate in the Trans Sumatra and Trans Sulawesi railway projects.

But it preferred to upgrade the train speed on Northern Javas railway network as it could showcase its latest technology.

The directorate general of railway affairs earlier revealed that Japan had expressed interest to revitalize Northern Javas railway network. It expressed its interest to revitalize the Jakarta-Surabaya railway network to increase the train speed from the current 80 kilometers (km) per hour to 150 km per hour.

If the speed is upgraded to 150 km per hour, then the Jakarta-Surabaya sections could be covered in five hours.

Regarding the Jakarta-Surabaya railway network, the Directorate General of Railway is still waiting for a decision by President Jokowi, who is currently on a visit to attend the Group of Seven meeting in Japan.

"We are still awaiting the return of the president. The (transportation) minister has not informed us anything about it," Director General of Railways Prasetyo Boeditjahjono stated at a function in Jakarta on Thursday.

Prasetyo said if Japan realized its financing for the revitalization of the Jakarta-Surabaya railway route in Northern Java, the project could be carried out soon.

However, the director general noted that the Jakarta-Surabaya railway project was not a priority program in the governments 2015-2019 strategic railway development plan.

President Jokowi is currently attending the Group of Seven meeting in Japan.

Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung ensured that as part of the agenda, the financing of the Patimban Port, which replaced the Cilamaya Port, would be discussed with Japan. He did not ascertain whether the revitalization of the Jakarta-Surabaya railway network would also be discussed.

Hemi Pamurahardjo was also not able to confirm whether the documents on the revitalization of the Jakarta-Surabaya railway network were taken to Japan and would be discussed during the presidents state visit to that country.

"I do not have the data and documents on the matter. However, there is the possibility (for the projects to be discussed during the presidents visit in Japan)," he stated.
(T.A014/INE/KR-BSR/B003)

http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/104908/indonesian-govt-prioritizes-regions-for-railway-projects

Jokowi, Hollande discuss three issues during bilateral talks
Jumat, 27 Mei 2016 17:13 WIB | 628 Views

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his French counterpart Francois Hollande held a bilateral meeting to discuss three issues, including the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (I-EU CEPA).

The two other issues concerned Indonesias timber exports to the EU and a plan on imposing palm oil tax.

During the talks organized on the sidelines of the G-7 Summit in Shima, Japan, on Friday, Jokowi lauded the completion of the I-EU CEPA scoping paper that had been stalled for several years.

"I hope that formal negotiations on I-EU CEPA will begin this year. The I-EU CEPA negotiations are meant to push Indonesias economy to become more open and competitive," Jokowi affirmed.

Speaking in connection with Indonesias timber exports to the EU, Jokowi hoped the licensing system of the Forest Law Enforcement Governance will come into effect soon.

The Indonesian president sought the French governments assistance to halt ongoing discussions in the French Parliament on a plan to impose tax on palm oil.

"Hence, Indonesian palm oil exports to France could continue," Jokowi remarked.

President Hollande affirmed that win-win approaches were the most suitable means to resolving the issues.

In addition, the two leaders agreed to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation.

Hollande lauded Jokowi for prioritizing comprehensive approaches constituting both soft and hard power in dealing with terrorism.(*)

 

[Nike]

NASA take two Indonesian reseaches to space
Sabtu, 26 Maret 2016 06:46 WIB | 2.156 Views

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - NASA took two Indonesian research projects to space on Wednesday (March 23), involving a study of biological life in outer space.

"We should be proud of these projects initiated by our youth. They are proving that Indonesia has world class youth," the Minister of Youth and Sport, Imam Nahrawi, said in a press release received here on Friday.

The first experiment involves research about the growth of yeast in outer space. This research project was initiated by the team of Unggul Del Senior High School in Laguboti Subdistrict, North Sumatra Province.

The second experiment studies the growth of paddy in space and was initiated by a joint group of students from senior high schools in Jakarta, Bandung and Jayapura.

The experiments were taken by NASA to outer space using a drone.

Nachrawi said skills and innovations mastered by Indonesian youth are being recognized by the international community.

Nachrawi added that Indonesia should appreciate the innovation and creativity of Indonesian youth and should not let other countries capture the opportunity.

"Many skilled young people have gone to other countries. We should channelize how these skills should be utilized to develop the Motherland," the minister said.

He hoped that the youth generation can develop more skills to compete in the ASEAN Economic Community era.

He asked the young people to develop their skills in sectors that have a massive impact, such as research and development of science and technology as well as micro, small and medium enterprises.

Reported by Agita Tarigan

EDITED BY INE.

http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/103870/nasa-take-two-indonesian-reseaches-to-space

 

[Gauss]

this is funniest (and cute) thing ive seen i a while. how old is this song ?

 

[CountStrike]

Turkey, Indonesia ramp up halal tourism efforts
SINAN TAVSAN and ERWIDA MAULIA, Nikkei staff writers

A view of Istanbul, left, and Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh, Indonesia © AP

KONYA, Turkey, and JAKARTA -- With the global economy in the doldrums, one of the few bright spots is the travel market. Muslim-friendly halal tourism in particular is showing healthy growth, and is becoming a top priority for Turkey and Indonesia, two of the world's biggest Muslim democracies.

At the beginning of May, Turkey hosted the second International Halal Tourism Conference, one of the world's biggest of such events, in Konya. This city in the country's pious Anatolian heartland is where the 13th century Persian poet, philosopher and Sufi mystic Mawlana Jalaludin Rumi spent the last few decades of his life. His shrine, now a museum, attracts followers and tourists from all over the world, especially on Dec. 17, when his death is commemorated with rituals such as a massive whirling dervish ceremony.



With more than 1,000 participants and over 30 exhibitors from countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Mauritius, attendance at the Konya conference was up 40% from the inaugural event in Europe in 2014, in Granada, Spain -- another city known for its Islamic heritage.

Arab tourism sector representatives promote Muslim-friendly destinations and services at a halal tourism conference in Konya, Turkey in May. (Photo by Sinan Tavsan)

Turkey is the world's sixth-largest tourism destination, with 40 million annual visitors, mainly from Europe and Russia. However, tourist numbers from Islamic countries have also been on the rise in recent years. Former Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mahir Unal told the conference that the number of Muslim tourists exceeded 7.6 million in 2015 -- a 30% increase from the previous year.

From the early 16th century, when the Ottoman Empire conquered and unified Muslim lands, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the Ottoman sultans strengthened their claim on the caliphate, the religious succession to the Prophet Muhammad as leader of the Muslim community. This claim persisted until the title was abolished by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of modern secular Turkey in 1924.

Istanbul, the capital of the empire, is still the cultural, commercial and tourism center of Turkey. It is also home to Turkish Airlines, the carrier with the most destinations of any airline in the world. The city competes with Dubai as a regional airport hub and hosts some of the greatest masterpieces of Islamic art and architecture, including the Blue Mosque and the Topkapi Palace, which houses many sacred relics believed to have been owned by the prophet.

Separate beaches

Since 99% of its population is Muslim, Turkey is naturally considered a "Muslim-friendly" destination, with plentiful halal food and prayer facilities. However, due to the secular modern history of the country and the fact that most visiting tourists come from the West, Turkey has only a dozen tourism facilities designed for strictly observant, halal-conscious Muslims, who insist on environments that are free of alcoholic beverages and have separate pools and beaches for men and women.

According to the Global Muslim Travel Index 2016, published in Jakarta in March by MasterCard and Crescent Rating, a leading player in the halal travel industry, Turkey occupies third position in the sector after the UAE and Malaysia. Indonesia, which has a population that is 88% Muslim, climbed two spots to become the fourth most popular destination.

Singapore retained its leading position among destinations not included in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, with Thailand, the U.K., South Africa and Hong Kong rounding out the top five. Japan ranked eighth on the non-OIC list and 34th in the global ranking, according to Fazal Bahardeen, CEO of Crescent Rating. "Japan has been taking major steps in the last few months to attract more Muslim visitors and diversify its visitor portfolio," Bahardeen said.
GMTI rankings are based on criteria such as suitability as family holiday destinations, levels of services and facilities, accommodations options, marketing initiatives, visitor arrivals, air connectivity and visa restrictions.

Another attendee at the Konya conference, Jonathan Wilson from the U.K.'s University of Greenwich, said Turkey was well-placed to do well in the sector, although he noted that there was no universally accepted definition of halal tourism -- which is also known as "Muslim-friendly tourism" or "family-friendly tourism."

"Since the 9/11 attacks [in the U.S.], one of the reactions of the Muslim community has been to overcome negative stereotypes by increasing tourism, luxury fashion, shopping, etc.," Wilson said. "With its deep Islamic heritage, convenient geographical location and well-established tourism know-how and experience, Turkey should not settle for anything but the No. 1 position."

However, Turkey has more to do to attract observant halal-conscious Muslim tourists, according to industry representatives.

Turkey set its halal food standards only in 2011, when the state-run Turkish Standards Institute started to issue halal food certificates. Konya Mayor Tahir Akyurek said work was underway to establish a "halal production" dedicated industrial zone in the city.

However, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is working with two other ministries to establish halal tourism standards by 2017, and officials said the sector has set a target of 15 million Muslim tourists by 2020. They said the number of hotels serving strictly observant tourists could reach 100 by 2017, from about 20 now.

Turkish exhibitors included new online startups for searching for halal or Muslim friendly accommodation, tour guide booking websites, and mobile apps that have become available online recently or are still under development.

Marketing 101

The surge of interest shows that Turkish businesses are trying to jump onto the "halal tourism bandwagon," said Bahardeen. "Its all about mobile experience, especially video and social media. Almost 60% of total traffic to our site is coming from mobile devices," he said. "The requirements can be religious-oriented, but really, it's simply marketing 101." Depending on the observance levels of individuals, halal or Muslim friendly facilities may have to be fully funded by Islamic finance instruments, free of alcohol, or simply include prayer rooms or rugs and compasses to show the direction of Mecca.

Rafi-uddin Shikoh, CEO of Dinar Standard, a leading research and advisory company for the halal industry, noted that although Muslim friendly facilities cannot rely on sales of alcohol -- a major part of revenues for conventional tourism facilities -- the high levels of demand and constraints on supply tend to lead to higher occupancy rates. "[This] is making up the loss from alcohol, and the good business is proving to investors that there is an opportunity here," he said.

Mustafa Ulu, general manager of islamibooking.com, a website, said it was common for halal services to match the revenues of conventional facilities. "A Muslim-friendly hotel serving no alcohol with 300-bed capacity has the same revenue as a 600-bed hotel serving alcohol."

The website, which launched in early 2016 and covers about 20 hotels in Turkey, sold bookings for 150 rooms in its first month, including 100 to Turkish citizens. The site provides services in Turkish, English and Arabic and has a mobile app version. Ulu suggested that demand from observant Muslim tourists has been increasing by around 15% to 20% a year.

After decades of strict secular governance, during which the rising visibility of Islam was seen as a reactionary threat, Turkey has been moving towards a more Islamist environment under the decade-long rule of the Islamic-oriented Justice and Development Party (AKP).

According to Shikoh, the shift could help the country recover from a recent decline in tourists and revenues following a diplomatic row with Moscow after Turkey downed a Russian aircraft. Intensified terror attacks in the country have also discouraged tourists from the West. In the first quarter of this year, tourism revenues declined 16.5% year on year, and the number of visitors fell by 4.4%.

The halal tourism conference itself was postponed and then relocated from Istanbul to Konya after terror attacks in Istanbul and the capital Ankara -- problems that clearly indicate the challenges Turkey is facing in the tough competition to lure tourists.

Climbing the rankings

Indonesia is also quickly climbing the rankings as a Muslim-friendly destination, winning multiple awards in the 2015 World Halal Travel Awards in Abu Dhabi in October, where Lombok island was named World's Best Halal Tourism Destination and World's Best Halal Honeymoon Destination, while Sofyan Hotel Betawi in Jakarta was named World's Best Family Friendly Hotel.

Riyanto Sofyan, owner of a hotel chain that includes Sofyan Hotel Betawi, chairs a group within the Ministry of Tourism dedicated to accelerating the development of halal tourism. He said the country planned to boost Muslim tourist arrivals to 5 million in 2019 from 2.2 million in 2015.

Sofyan said growth in overall tourist arrivals to Indonesia in the last five years had averaged 9.7%, while growth in Muslim tourist arrivals in the last two years had risen by 14.7% -- a clear indication of increasing momentum.

As evidence of Indonesia's determination to boost its tourism industry, Sofyan pointed to a recent move to waive visa requirements from 169 countries, compared with just a year ago. The Tourism Ministry has also announced plans to develop Muslim-friendly tourism in 12 provinces -- including Jakarta, West Nusa Tenggara, West Sumatra and Aceh, the only Indonesian province enforcing shariah law.

"The potential of halal tourism is very huge, even more so than the Chinese market. We have to pay more attention to this," Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said in Jakarta in March, noting that Indonesian service providers needed to do more to ensure that visitors were aware of halal standards.

"We have to be sensitive about what the market wants. So there needs to be standardization in Indonesia, in line with the market's interest," he said.

West Nusa Tenggara province, which includes Lombok, has been quick to respond to the ministry's Muslim-friendly tourism campaign. Zainul Majdi, the governor, called in December for the development of halal tourism zones with mosques, prayer rooms and restaurants selling only halal-certified food.

Local tourism officials said 1.2 billion rupiah ($88,500) had been allocated this year to help 200 local businesses secure a halal certificate from the Indonesian Ulema Council, or MUI. The MUI said that it had issued more than 600 halal certificates for restaurants and other outlets in Lombok by the end of March.


http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Trends/Turkey-Indonesia-ramp-up-halal-tourism-efforts?page=2

 

[Indos]

this is funniest (and cute) thing ive seen i a while. how old is this song ?

This is the first time I heard the song and the musicians there is not even famous

 

[Nike]

Indonesia lags behind other countries due to wrong policies: VP Kalla
Minggu, 29 Mei 2016 03:44 WIB | 1.175 Views

Vice President Jusuf Kalla. (ANTARA/M. Agung Rajasa)

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia is lagging behind other countries in economic development because of its own wrong policies, not because it lacks capability or potential, Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla said.

"If we had not spent too much money on fuel subsidies in the past 10 years, we would have earned Rp2,000 trillion from interest alone. If we had that huge fund, we would have been able to build various kinds of infrastructure. Our policies must be evaluated because there have been big mistakes," he pointed out during the launch of a book, "Widjojo Nitisastro: Panditaning Para Raja" (Widjojo Nitisastro: The Adviser of Kings) here on Saturday.

Kalla underlined that Indonesias economic growth has not been proportional to its capabilities. As a result, other countries, such as Malaysia, South Korea and China, which once had lower economic growth than Indonesia, have progressed steadily, moving ahead of Indonesia.

Much of Indonesian citizens have kept their assets abroad. Cumulatively, they will exceed the countrys national gross domestic product, he argued.

If the assets are proven, Indonesia will be richer than Malaysia, he added.

"Indonesias assets kept abroad are larger than those at home. What is wrong? Our export import law could have been wrong. We may be wrong with our foreign exchange law. We may be wrong with our tax law. Admittedly, our policies need to be evaluated," he explained.

To push state revenue and national financial development, the government is drafting a tax amnesty law as an instrument to bring back the Indonesian assets into the country, he stated.

The tax amnesty bill, if endorsed into law, will increase tax receipts by Rp180 trillion.

(Reported by Mentari Dwi Gayati/Uu.INE/S012/KR-BSR/M019)

http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/1...ther-countries-due-to-wrong-policies-vp-kalla

 

[Nike]

Presiden Resmikan PLN Kalbar
Jumat, 3 Juni 2016 16:59 WIB | 617 Views

Presiden Resmikan PLN KalbarPresiden Joko Widodo (dua kanan) didampingi Menteri BUMN, Rini Soemarno (dua kiri), Direktur Utama PT PLN, Sofyan Basir (tiga kiri) dan Gubernur Kalbar, Cornelis (kanan) meninjau proses groundbreaking mobile power plant (MPP) di Desa Jungkat, Kabupaten Mempawah, Kalbar, Kamis (2/6/2016). Presiden Joko Widodo melakukan kunjungan kerja ke Kalbar guna melakukan Groundbreaking Mobile Power Plant (MPP) 100MW dan meresmikan PLTU Ketapang 20MW. (ANTARA FOTO/Jessica Helena Wuysang)

Presiden Resmikan PLTG PaguatPresiden Joko Widodo (kedua kiri) didampingi Menteri BUMN Rini Soemarmo (kiri) dan Dirut PLN Sofyan Basyir (kanan) berjalan bersama di lokasi Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Gas (PLTG) Paguat, Kabupaten Pohuwato, Gorontalo, Jumat (3/6/2016). Presiden Joko Widodo meresmikan PLTG Paguat berkapasitas 100 MW yang merupakan pembangkit listrik pertama yang beroperasi dari program pembangunan pembangkit listrik 35ribu MW. (ANTARA FOTO/Adiwinata Solihin)

 

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T3Ultimate - 25 million PAX / year

 

[Boss Dragun]

Chinese Company to Invest $1b in West Jakarta Property Development

http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/...y-build-1b-property-development-west-jakarta/

Jakarta. China Communications Construction Group, the largest mainland state-controlled construction company listed in Hong Kong, plans to invest $1 billion in a mixed-use property development project in West Jakarta, a senior official said on Thursday (09/06).

China Harbor Indonesia president director Shen Chao said the CCCG believes Indonesia is a strategic investment destination, following the government's efforts to improve doing business in the country. The country's population of more than 250 million also makes it an attractive market to tap.

"We are very comfortable with the Indonesian government policy regarding the development of the mass rapid transit project and infrastructure. This project will have a positive impact and will improve social welfare and economic growth significantly, " Shen said.

"The superblock property will consist of 30 apartment towers with a starting selling price of Rp 300 million [$22,563] for a studio apartment. In the first stage, we will build eight towers, which are expected to be completed in three years," Shen added.

CCCG will also expand its property business to other cities, such as Surabaya in East Java and Medan, North Sumatra.

CCCG was established in 2005 resulting from a merger between Chinese construction giants China Harbor Engineering Company and China Road & Bridge Corporation.

The company has had a strong presence in Indonesia for the past two decades through one of its subsidiaries, China Harbor Indonesia. Its notable projects include the Surabaya-Madura (Suramadu) bridge and the Jakarta International Container Terminal.

http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/...irm-invest-500m-banten-special-economic-zone/



South Korean Firm to Invest $500m in Banten Special Economic Zone

Jakarta. South Korea's DW Development will invest at least $500 million to develop a special economic zone in Tanjung Lesung, Banten, a senior government official said last Friday (03/06).

Special economic zones are dedicated areas located within the national borders of a country where businesses receive tax breaks and other regulatory incentives to produce and distribute goods.

The investment commitment forms part of a memorandum of understanding that was signed last week between DW Development and Kawasan Industri Jababeka, a listed Indonesian industrial estate developer.

"Jababeka and DW Development are committed to invest $500 million [in the project]. As the 49 percent shareholder, DW Development will develop around 1,500 hectares of land. To develop Tanjung Lesung requires a total investment of $5 billion for over 10 years," Tourism Minister Arief Yahya told reporters last week.

Jababeka president director Tejo Budianto Liman and business development director Hyanto Wihadhi signed the MOU with DW Development chairman Sang Young Lee and the company's president, Jasen Han in Jakarta last week.

"As a further step, there will be a visit to the location this month to confirm the detail of the area," Budianto Liman said.

Minister Arief said the private sector has a role in developing tourist attractions and facilities, while the government will set up public infrastructure in the region.

"The government has committed to build an 84 kilometer toll road from Serang to Panimbang, while now we have the toll road connecting Soekarno-Hatta airport outside Jakarta to Serang, Banten, so it only takes two hours from Jakarta to Serang," Arief said.

 

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Indonesia`s sea toll project to receive Rp365 billion Japanese investment

http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/1...-to-receive-rp365-billion-japanese-investment

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) has identified a Japanese investor keen on investing Rp365 billion in a sea toll road project.

The interest was expressed during a one-on-one meeting with several major companies when BKPM Head Franky Sibarani had visited Japan recently.

The sea toll road project, particularly will concern cargo shipping from Surabaya in East Java Province to Indonesias eastern regions, including Papua, Sibarani noted in a statement on Friday.

"We will follow up on the investment interest, which is considered strategic," he affirmed.

Sibarani hoped the investment project will be realized this year.

Another Japanese firm was interested in expanding its sanitary napkin business in Indonesia.

A Japanese automotive spare parts company plans to build a factory in Karawang, West Java.

To follow up on the memorandum of understanding signed between the BKPM and Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ in 2007, the investment agency had visited three Japanese cities: Fukuoka, Nagoya, and Tokyo.

Sibarani promoted investment opportunities in Indonesia while making presentations, respectively before 67 businessmen in Fukuoka and 118 in Nagoya on June 9.

Japans investment realization in Indonesia increased by six percent in 2015 compared to that in the previous year.

Japans investment in Indonesia in 2015 had reached US$2.87 billion, spread across a total of 2,030 projects and employed 115,400 workers.


Indonesia explores cooperation in shipping sector with Greece

http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/1...es-cooperation-in-shipping-sector-with-greece

London, UK (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Rizal Ramli is using the maritime event of the Posidonia International Shipping Exhibition 2016 to develop cooperation in the shipping sector with Greece.

A total of 1,800 companies from 89 countries participated in the worlds largest maritime exhibition, which was visited by 20 thousand people from around the world, according to a press release from the Indonesian Embassy in Athena received by ANTARA here on Friday.

The Posidonia 2016 event was officially inaugurated by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

On the sidelines of the event, Rizal met Greek Minister of Economy, Development, and Tourism George Stathakis to explore ways to intensify cooperation in the tourism sector, particularly for tourism promotion.

Rizal affirmed that in a bid to achieve the target of 20 million foreign tourists by 2019, Indonesia should take a cue from Greece, which had received 26 million tourists in 2015.

Rizal and Stathakis discussed opportunities for cooperation to develop the capacity of workforce engaged in the maritime sector by creating a curriculum for training centers.

Both countries will benefit from this cooperation as Indonesia can supply skilled labor required by Greek shipping companies.

Rizal also met Greek Maritime and Islands Policy Minister Thodoris Dritsas. The two ministers discussed the possibility of establishing cooperation for the development of infrastructure along the Indonesian Archipelagic Sea Lanes 2 through Lombok (West Nusa Tenggara), Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.

The Sea Lanes 2 can be developed as an alternative route, and it is a viable option, given the fact that Greece owns 30 percent of the worlds shipping fleet, which often sail through the Strait of Malacca.

In addition, cooperation in the field of maritime security was discussed as more than two-thirds of Indonesias territory comprises oceans.

According to the coordinating minister, Indonesia annually suffers losses amounting to US$20 billion due to illegal fishing. Indonesia needs to work closely with the Greek Coast Guard, especially in the fields of capacity building, maritime security technology, and the exchange of information.

 

[Nike]

New Priok Container Terminal I to Start Operating on July 15
Jakarta. State-owned port operator Pelabuhan Indonesia II plans to start full operations of a container terminal at New Priok Port in North Jakarta on July 15, a director said on Thursday (09/06).

The terminal, dubbed New Priok Container Terminal I, was the first of three offshore terminals at the harbor, which is aimed at reducing the country's dependence on Singapore's ports.

The terminal is equipped with an 850-meter dock that is able to accommodate a one feeder ship and up to two New Panamax class mother vessels. The latter are giant container ships that can carry up to 10,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), which are far more cost efficient for long-distance trips.

The New Panamax vessels would allow shipments from or to Jakarta to take a direct route to other major ports across the globe, thus cutting logistical costs.

Currently only feeder ships with a capacity of up to 1,500 TEUs are able to dock at Tanjung Priok Port, making a transfer to a mother vessel in Singapore compulsory for long-distance shipments. But those days could soon end as New Priok Port becomes operational.

"We have conducted a trial run for the new terminal to synchronize all the export-import procedures and systems," Pelindo II director of operations and information systems Prasetyadi said.

The company ran a trial docking operation on May 28 with Sinar Sumba, a feeder ship owned by Samudera Indonesia Shipping Line, to test the infrastructure, logistics and the terminal integration with port authorities including the quarantine department and customs.

"The next test run would be July 2. We hope that we have enough time to make adjustments if any issues arise. Hopefully, we could begin full operation on July 15," Prasetyadi said.

The 32-hectare container terminal is capable of handling up to 1.5 million TEUs per year.
http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/business/new-priok-container-terminal-start-operating-july-15/

SBY Praises Jokowi’s Administration, Saying ‘No More Empty Promises
Jakarta. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, chairman of the Democrat Party and the sixth Indonesian president, praised President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s administration on Friday (10/06).

Yudhoyono said the president is no longer making empty promises, especially those that have consequences on the state financial condition and the state budget.

“We [Democrat Party] assume he realizes that in the current economic slowdown, our fiscal room is getting narrower. [At the same time] he might also know that it is not easy to run a government,” Yudhoyono said in a speech during a Ramadan fast breaking gathering of the party at his residence in Cikeas, Bogor, West Java.

He added that his party has recorded a number of achievements and progress within the past year. Public security is maintained, despite a terror attack in Jakarta last January, as well as political stability on the national level.

“The Democrats Party wishes to convey positive issues found in our national life, including appreciation to the state and the government for their achievements,” he continued.

According to Yudhoyono, there are no significant interruptions against Jokowi and his administration in conducting their duties politically. Such conditions, he added, is needed to complete the governance and development duties.

The former president also referred to a recent survey, showing a decline in unemployment despite the economic slowdown.

“In the midst of a weak real sector and low purchasing power, the declining unemployment surely has positive effects.”

His final praise went to the cabinet, as Yudhoyono says the ministers are becoming more solid and capable of resisting public squabbling.

“It is good. It is not easy to have good synergy and coordination with a solid cabinet, let alone with the opposite coalition,” he added.

Among the guests at the event were Democrat Party leaders, House of Representatives’ party faction members, as well as regional and related organization leaders.

http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/sby-praises-jokowis-administration-saying-no-empty-promises/

 

[Nike]

RI sees US$2.7 bln trade surplus
Rabu, 15 Juni 2016 16:03 WIB | 390 Views

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia recorded a surplus of US$2.7 billion in its foreign trade in the first five months of this year, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

In the January-May 2016 period, Indonesias exports were valued at US$56.59 billion while its imports stood at US$53.88 billion, BPS Chairman Suryamin said here on Wednesday.

"Hover, the surplus in the January-May 2016 period is lower than the same period last year when it reached US$3.9 billion ," he said.

The exports in the year ended to May 2016 comprised oil and gas exports worth US$5.3 billion and non-oil/non-gas exports worth US$51,2 billion, while the imports consisted of oil-/gas-exports were valued at US$6.9 billion, while its impits were valued at US$46.96 billion.

The non-oil/non gas exports in the first five months of 2016 fell 5.35 percent and the export of other minerals declined by 26.91 percent compared to the same period last year, he said.

In terms of province, most of the imports came from West with a value of 10.25 per dollar, accounting for 18.11 percent of the overall export value. This was followed by East Java with a total value of US$8.17 billion representing 14.4 percent and East Kalimantan with a value of US$5.49 billion or 9,71 percent.(*)

http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/105225/ri-sees-us27-bln-trade-surplus