Indonesia Economy Forum

[pr1v4t33r]

Indonesia ready for Freeport tribunal

In its latest move to settle a dispute over mining policy, the government has challenged United States mining giant Freeport McMoran to go to an international arbitration tribunal for a fair result.

Recently, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry granted approval to PT Freeport Indonesia, the local subsidiary of the politically connected gold and copper miner, to convert its contract of work (CoW) into a special mining license (IUPK). In so doing, the government will require the company to divest 51 percent of its shares and build a smelter within five years. As compensation, the government will allow Freeport to continue exporting copper concentrate.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan asserted that resorting to arbitration was a legal right. However, he said the government did not expect to face Freeport at an international tribunal because such a move would negatively impact their partnership.

“Nevertheless, it is a better measure than exploiting employee layoffs as a means to push the government,” Jonan said in a statement on Saturday.

readmore: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/02/20/indonesia-ready-for-freeport-tribunal.html

 

[pr1v4t33r]

Saudi king to visit Indonesia in March with entourage of 1,500: Indonesian officials

Saudi Arabia's King Salman will visit Jakarta and Bali on the Indonesian leg of his Asian tour next month, bringing 1,500 people in his entourage including 10 ministers, Indonesian officials said.

"This is a very historic visit for us," Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung told reporters on Tuesday, adding that the king would be in Indonesia from March 1 to 9. He would spend the last six days of his trip "relaxing" in Bali.

Anung said Indonesian President Joko Widodo hoped the visit would bring Saudi investments of up to $25 billion.

There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia.

The last visit by a Saudi king to Indonesia was 46 years ago, when King Faisal came to the archipelago.

Indonesia hopes the visit will help further cement relations between its state-owned energy company Pertamina and Saudi Aramco, which are working together to upgrade the Cilacap refinery, Indonesia's largest refinery complex, while eyeing other developments.

"We are targeting investments," Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board chief Thomas Lembong told reporters.

Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population, hopes Saudi Arabia will help to promote moderate Islam through religious teaching and exchange programs for scholars, Anung added.

Indonesia expects to sign agreements with Saudi Arabia on increasing the frequency of flights from the Middle East to Indonesia and increasing visitor numbers.

The longest leg of King Salman's trip to Asia this year will be in Indonesia, said Deputy Foreign Minister Abdurrahman M. Fachir.

"This also is a promotion in itself, and hopefully this will increase the numbers of tourist arrivals from the Middle East."

Indonesia wants to use the visit to increase its annual quota of haj pilgrims, and win commitments to improve the health and safety of pilgrims and other Indonesians in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is a major destination for Indonesian domestic workers, but Indonesia imposed a ban on new workers traveling to the Middle East in 2015 after two domestic workers were executed in Saudi Arabia.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-asia-indonesia-idUSKBN160279

 

[pr1v4t33r]

 

[pr1v4t33r]

>>> Target for 2017 is to attract 15 milion tourist.
Indonesia Tourist Arrivals in 2016 reaches 12.023 million Goal, surges 15.54%

I Gede Pitana, Deputy Minister for International Tourism Marketing at the Ministry of Tourism, in a press conference held together with the Head of the National of Bureau of Statistics, Suharyono, on Thursday, 16 February, confirmed that total foreign visitors arrival to Indonesia during the year 2016 totalled 12.023 million, having surged a significant 15.54% compared to 2015 year on year. Thus the target set by the Government to reach 12 million international arrivals in year 2016 has been successfully achieved.

According to BPS, Indonesia’s 19 major tourist entry points registered a total of 11.52 million tourist arrivals, or an increase of 10.69% compared to the previous year. Although this in itself is already a notable rise, these do not as yet include data from other smaller entry points, (which in Indonesia there are numerous).

The final figures, therefore, compute the data as obtained by conventional system of arrivals at 19 major entry ports as registered by the Statistics Bureau BPS, (that are based on calculations from data received from the Directorate General of Immigration), plus data obtained through the new online method as captured by MPD ( Mobile Positioning Data) Big Data from Telkomsel. These latter data were captured from among the 79 border posts scattered around 29 districts at border-crossing locations, explained Head of BPS, Suharyono.

“These latter data are as yet not included in the BPS calculations”, said Suharyono. Therefore following conventional calculations as recorded by BPS the total international arrivals from January through December 2016 totaling 11.52 million, - being an increase of 10.69% year on year, - this sub-total is now being added with data captured at land border-crossing stations especially in , and , which together totaled 504,696 arrivals, so that together they reach a total of 12.023 million arrivals, forming a substantial increase of 15.54% over 2015 arrivals.

Brand New Digital Mode Now Used

In its pioneering efforts to register foreign arrivals to Indonesia especially at border-crossing points in remote areas - that include the borders between Indonesia and Malaysia in North Kalimantan, between Indonesian Papua with New Guinea in the east and Indonesia’s West Timor and the present Timor Leste in the south east, - the Ministry of Tourism, in cooperation with IT provider company Telkomsel, - considering that Telkomsel covers 92% of roaming signals around border areas- , has placed monitors at strategic locations that are able to capture signals 24/7 ( twenty four hours a day, seven days a week) of traffic between the two countries using Telkomsel roaming.

This ultra modern monitoring system is, moreover, important within the Government’s National Strategy, as outlined by President Joko Widodo, which is aimed at accelerating development of outlying regions. Economic growth and investments along border areas form an important policy of the government.

Besides, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya commented, that the Big Data mobile positioning data system to register tourist arrivals and traffic, is already in use in Belgium, Finland, Spain, the Netherlands, the Philippines and Tanzania.

Meanwhile, to increase traffic along border areas, the Ministry of Tourism has since October through December 2016 held continuous Wonderful Indonesia Festivals that drew droves of crowds to Aruk, Entikong, Skow, Merauke, Jayapura and Atambua, highlighted by the appearance of Indonesia’s celebrity singers and popular culinary festivals. More such festivals are in the offing to be held again this year.

http://www.indonesia.travel/en/post...2016-reaches-12-023-million-goal-surges-15-54

 

[Bungaterakhir]

GARUDA TO BUILD WORLD-CLASS MRO FACILITY IN BATAM

Batam, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - PT. Garuda Maintenance Facility Aero Asia (GMF), a subsidiary of the Indonesian flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, will immediately build Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) and warehouse logistics for international market at Hang Nadim International Airport, Batam, Riau Islands province.

"We will build the facility on an area of 25 thousand square meters in Hang Nadim to accommodate international aircraft maintenance. We also include a number of leading MRO companies, including from Japan, to build a world-class MRO in Batam," President Director of PT. GMF, Juliandra Nurtjahjo, said here on Monday (Feb 20).

Source : en.antaranews

 

[pr1v4t33r]

INDONESIA IS DIVE DESTINATION 2017

The most popular dive destination for 2017 is Indonesia. It won by a large margin with 22,552 votes from our readers, Papua New Guinea came in second with 6,089 votes and the Philippines third with 3,313.

DIVE readers could pick up to three destinations and a total of 47,547 votes were cast by the closing date of 31 December. Only one set of votes was allowed from an individual IP address and votes came in from across the world.

Indonesia was always clear favourite to win the title with such a staggering array of world-class diving. From Raja Ampat to Bali, from Komodo to Sulawesi, Indonesia has more celebrated dive resorts than any other country.

The Indonesian Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya told DIVE: 'We highly appreciate all the voters from across the world who voted for Indonesia as the best diving destination. We have the second longest coastline in the world with more than 17,000 islands and 85 per cent of all the world's coral species can be found in our waters. There are so many fabulous dive sites in Indonesia it would take you a lifetime to explore them all.'

And the Top 10 of diving destinations selected by our readers reflects the very best diving available around the world from Papua New Guinea to Mexico, from the Philippines to the Maldives. See below for the count for your favourite 10 destinations.

http://divemagazine.co.uk/go/7561-the-top-10-diving-destinations-in-the-world

 

[MarveL]

Honda, Yamaha Fined over Automatic Scooter Cartel

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Commission for the Supervision of Business Competition (KPPU) ruled that the motorcycle manufacturers PT Yamaha Indonesia Motor Manufacturing (YIMM) and PT Astra Honda Motor (AHM) are guilty of forming an automatic scooter cartel. “The KPPU panel of judges fine Yamaha Rp25 billion and Honda Rp22.5 billion for violations in business competition,” Chief Judge Tresna Priyana Soemardi said in the KPPU hearing yesterday, Feb. 19. According to Tresna, the fines were calculated based on aggravating and redeeming factors of the defendants i.e. Honda and Yamaha. The panel of judges considers that during the hearing process Yamaha failed to cooperate in presenting witnesses, president director and guilty of manipulating its data. “The panel of judges adds 50 percent more fines,” he said. On the contrary, the panel of judges sees that Honda cooperated fully with the court by bringing witnesses and comprehensive data. As a result, the panel of judges reduced 10 percent of the fine for Honda. A member of KPPU commission council Kurnia Sya’ranie said that a cartel was established for 110-120 cc automatic scooters in 2014. He pointed to irregular price increases by the two companies. The KPPU investigators found that in 2014 Honda increased the price three times, whereas Yamaha did it five times. The two brands increased motorcycle price by Rp400-600,000 per unit. “Price hike was set jointly by Honda and Yamaha to increase profit,” Kurnia said. KPPU panel of judges considers that Indonesia scooter market is oligopolistic in nature which is prone to cartel practices. Honda enjoys a majority motorcycle market share in Indonesia at 77.8 percent, followed by Yamaha with 19.9 percent. Yamaha defense lawyer Rikrik Rizkiyana said that he would file an appeal. He said that the basis on which the panel of judges made their decision was unreasonable. “The Commission’s panel of judges did not explain the parameters of data manipulation was,” he said. Muhammad Abidin, Yamaha Indonesia’s General Manager of After-sales, has expressed his disappointment over the decision. “The panel of judges has omitted trial facts. Witnesses said that there was no evidence of any communication whatsoever between Yamaha Indonesia and Astra Honda Motor,” he said. Andi Hartanto, Astra Honda Motor’s General Manager of Corporate Secretary and Legal, said the company has yet to take a stance. “There is still an option to file an appeal up to the Constitutional Court,” he said. He has also denied forming a cartel with Yamaha. “At international level and racing world, Honda and Yamaha are competing stiffly.

https://en.tempo.co/read/news/2017/02/21/056848567/Honda-Yamaha-Fined-over-Automatic-Scooter-Cartel

 

[pr1v4t33r]

Indonesian president hands over management of forests to indigenous people

In a fresh start in customary forest recognition by the State, President Joko Widodo bestows the right to manage customary forests on nine indigenous communities

Indonesia has had a long history of conflict over control of its massive areas of tropical forests that are spread across the many thousands of islands that make up the archipelagic nation. Declaration under former Dutch colonial rule of state ownership of all forests was rarely accepted by the millions of people who lived in them and who had managed them sustainably for centuries.

Widodo’s recent formal handover of titles is a highly symbolic step in the long fight for recognition by indigenous communities, whose customary rights remained contested by the new nationalist government after independence in 1945 despite being enshrined in the founding constitution. The islands now known as Indonesia have long been home to thousands of distinct ethnic groups with their own languages, customs and identity.

..........

The recognition of the right of indigenous people to manage forests by the Indonesian government is an important step in agrarian reform as part of the Nawa Cita, Widodo’s program of nine main strategies to address long-term problems afflicting rural communities, such as poverty, inequality and lack of paid employment. Widodo stated that transferring management of customary forests to indigenous people was part of Indonesia’s social forestry program, which seeks to bring 12.7 million hectares of land under community management.

readmore: http://blog.cifor.org/48323/indones...gement-of-forests-to-indigenous-people?fnl=en

 

[Nike]

Minister encourages economic cooperation with Africa, Eurasia, and Latin America
20 hours ago | 1.238 Views

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has called on the Trade Ministry and the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) to optimize economic cooperation with countries in three regions, namely Africa, Eurasia, and Latin America.

"We have yet to optimize the engagement with these three regions. We call on Trade Minister and BKPM chairman to focus on these three groups," Retno said, in a working meeting of the Trade Ministry here, on Wednesday.

The countrys trade and investment in the three regions would be prioritized without abandoning its traditional markets, she remarked.

The minister said she was accompanied by delegations from state-run firms, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (Kadin), and Exim Bank during her recent visit to Egypt, South Africa, and Mozambique.

According to Retno, trade partners have always requested the issue of financing mechanism.

"When we talk about cooperation enhancement with South Africa, they always ask about financing mechanism. This question must be answered by Exim Bank," Retno stated.

Sharing the same opinion, Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita noted that Indonesia has yet to target the three regions because of high import duties.

"In Nigeria and some other countries, Indofood has already built an industry. Why not export? To make (its products) cheaper and with no import duty, we must encourage such industries and there must be cooperation," Enggar stated.

The ministry would invite investors and foreign trade attaches to identify commodities that could be prioritized.(*)

http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/1...eration-with-africa-eurasia-and-latin-america

 

[Nike]

Jokowi focuses on three programs for even economic growth
23 hours ago | 1.388 Views

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has planned to focus on three programs to spread economic growth more evenly in the country.

"We will conduct three programs to spread economic development more evenly," the president said, in the presence of around 25 thousand cadres of Hanura Party at the confirmation of the new party board for 2016-2020 at International Convention Center in Sentul, Bogor, West Java, here on Wednesday.

The three programs to be carried out are agrarian reform and asset distribution, capital access extension, and human resource development through vocational training.

"We will distribute lands which are not productive to the people through small concessionaries and cooperatives, as well as traditional community ownership scheme to assure even distribution and make these lands the property right of the people. This will provide the people with access to the land," he stated.

The redistribution of the assets is expected to be able to expand capital sources. "Later, we will tackle problems related to human resource development, including through vocational training and development of vocational school," he noted.

Jokowi admitted that the countrys gap ratio has indeed been very wide, including between regions and between the rich and the poor.

The countrys gini ratio was recorded at 0.41 percent two years ago and dropped to 0.39 percent last year.

The president asserted belief that if the three programs were done in 2045, when Indonesia commemorates 100th independence anniversary, the country would be included among the five biggest economies in the world.

He stated that based on assumptions of the finance minister, the countrys population would reach 309 million people in 2045, with a GDP reaching US$9.1 trillion, up 10 times from the present figure.

"If we work consistently like now, we will enter a golden age, as we will enter the group of five biggest economies in the world with per capita income of around $29 thousand. All these would be achieved, if we work consistently and if the economy continues to grow," he affirmed.

Jokowi promised that he would continue to carry out developmental programs starting from the peripheral and border regions.

On the occasion, he explained that the border check points in several locations in Indonesia have now been far better than those of the neighboring countries that share borders with Indonesia.

"This is what we will continue to do. We will develop airports, trans-Kalimantan, trans-Papua, and toll road development from Lampung to Aceh, so that our economy will be better and our people will be more prosperous," he asserted.(*)

Upgrading Kilang RU IV CilacapSeorang pekerja berpatroli dengan mengendarai sepeda di area Kilang RU IV Lomanis, Cilacap, Jateng, Selasa (21/2/2017). PT Pertamina (Persero) menargetkan proyek "upgrading" Refinery Unit IV Cilacap tuntas dan mulai beroperasi 2021, dengan peningkatan kapasitas total crude distillate unit (CDU) dari sekitar 345.000 barel per hari menjadi 370.000 barel per hari dan peningkatan hasil produksi dengan nilai tinggi dari semula sekitar 73 persem menjadi 96 persen. (ANTARA /Idhad Zakaria)

Dua pekerja memeriksa proses pengolahan BBM di Kilang RU IV Lomanis, Cilacap, Jateng, Selasa (21/2/2017). PT Pertamina (Persero) menargetkan proyek "upgrading" Refinery Unit IV Cilacap tuntas dan mulai beroperasi 2021, dengan peningkatan kapasitas total crude distillate unit (CDU) dari sekitar 345.000 barel per hari menjadi 370.000 barel per hari dan peningkatan hasil produksi dengan nilai tinggi dari semula sekitar 73 persem menjadi 96 persen. (ANTARA/Idhad Zakaria)

Seorang pekerja berpatroli dengan mengendarai sepeda di area Kilang RU IV Lomanis, Cilacap, Jateng, Selasa (21/2/2017). PT Pertamina (Persero) menargetkan proyek "upgrading" Refinery Unit IV Cilacap tuntas dan mulai beroperasi 2021, dengan peningkatan kapasitas total crude distillate unit (CDU) dari sekitar 345.000 barel per hari menjadi 370.000 barel per hari dan peningkatan hasil produksi dengan nilai tinggi dari semula sekitar 73 persem menjadi 96 persen. (ANTARA/Idhad Zakaria)

 

[MarveL]

J.CO donuts open recently @Hongkong

Kebab Baba Rafi - Dhaka, Bangladesh

 

[Nike]

AmCham Ranks Indonesia 39th in Intellectual Property Strength

Jakarta. The US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center, or GIPC, has put Indonesia on 39th place out of 45 economies in the US Chamber International IP Index.

The index calculates the role of intellectual property (IP) in facilitating innovation and creativity in a country’s output and development by calculating 35 indicators in six categories, namely patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and market access, enforcement and membership and ratification of international treaties.

This year, the report centers its study on the link between IP and innovation, titling the study "The Roots of Innovation."

"Indonesia’s intellectual property policies present challenges to domestic innovators as well as outside investors," GPIC executive director, Patrick Kilbride, said during the report's launch in Jakarta on Wednesday (22/02).

"It continues to be a challenging environment for copyright-reliant creative industries; meanwhile, the implementation of Indonesia’s new Patent Law provides an important inflection point for R&D-based businesses."

According to Kilbride, Indonesia's intellectual property protection has improved since last year due to the strength of its trademark law but the country still has a lot of work to do to improve competitiveness compared to its regional counterparts.

Thailand and India are placed 40th and 43rd on the index respectively. Indonesia was outranked by Vietnam (37th), Brunei (29th), Malaysia (19th) and Singapore (8th).

The top 5 on the list were the US, UK, Germany, Japan and Sweden.

Kilbride said there is a strong correlation between trade agreements and IPR.

The director said that if a country does the minimum implementation of the necessary World Trade Organizations’s Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, or TRIPS agreement, they would score at least 16.6 out of 35 indicators, while signing on for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, agreement would boost that score to an average of 25.

"Joining some of the international treaties that help set standards to show that the country wants to be part of the multilateral consensus is an easy way to climb up the ladder in this index," Kilbride suggested, adding that Indonesia could be best served by joining the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Internet treaty for a start.

"Countries that invest in stronger IP have better access to new technology and creative content, […] intellectual property strength translates to better access to capital, whether it is for startups, venture capital, crowdsourcing or simply to get a loan," Kilbride said.

This year's index is the fifth rolled out by the GIPC since 2012.

http://jakartaglobe.id/business/amcham-ranks-indonesia-39th-intellectual-property-strength/

 

[Nilgiri]

J.CO donuts recently open @Hongkong

Kebab Baba Rafi - Dhaka, Bangladesh

@BDforever Have you been to this one?

 

[Nilgiri]

Can someone tell me how to make a food 101% Halal

 

[Nike]

Can someone tell me how to make a food 101% Halal

not sure, the one percent sure is hard

Indonesian hunts for tourism funding with new mutual funds scheme

• News Desk
  The Jakarta Post
  

Jakarta | Fri, February 24, 2017 | 10:54 am

Tourism Minister Arief Yahya speaks to journalists after the launching ceremony of Hotel Indonesia Group (HIG) in Jakarta on Sept. 28, 2016. (JP/Anton Hermansyah)

The government is teaming up with fund management companies to prepare for the launch of a limited participation mutual funds (RDPT) product by March this year. The government hopes this scheme will support the development of the country’s priority tourist destinations.

Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said the RDPT scheme was expected to collect around Rp 1 trillion (US$75 million) from investors this year as an alternative source of funding.

One of fund managers involved in the preparation, Arief said, was state-owned fund manager Bahana TCW Investment Management.

“If we can accelerate the [launch], this mutual funds product will be the [country’s] first in the tourist sector," he said on Wednesday as quoted by Kontan.co.id.

(Read also: Big plans in store for Indonesia tourist destinations)

In the long run, the scheme could potentially bring in Rp 57 trillion in alternative funding to support infrastructure development in the tourist sector.

Arief said the RDPT product was designed to have a maturity period of eight years and was convertible to equity.

The alternative funding scheme is necessary because of limits in the state budget and minor foreign direct investment (FDI) in the sector. The government needs at least Rp 200 trillion this year to develop infrastructure at its 10 designated priority destinations. To date, it has only secured Rp 30 trillion for the purpose. (rbk/hwa)

Private sector urged to invest in infrastructure

• 
  News Desk
  The Jakarta Post
  

Jakarta | Fri, February 24, 2017 | 03:14 pm

Construction workers build the Semanggi Elevated road on Jalan Sudirman. The Rp 360 billion (US$27.15 million) project is expected to be completed next year. (JP/Seto Wardhana)

Private companies taking part in infrastructure development is highly important because of the state’s limited funds for infrastructure projects, a government official has stressed.

Public Works and Housing Ministry secretary general Anita Firmanti said on Thursday that the government needed about Rp 800 trillion (US$60 billion) over the next five years, but the ministry’s allocation was only Rp 300 trillion.

She said the government had deregulated various licensing processes to facilitate the involvement of foreign investors in the infrastructure projects

“We have carried out deregulation to help investors easily obtain licenses,” Anita said as reported by tempo.co.

(Read also: Infrastructure boost seen as key to revive manufacturing sector)

She said that in the last three years, infrastructure development had significantly increased, proven by the Indonesian infrastructure competitive index strengthening to 60th position in 2016 from 62nd in the previous year.

But she stressed that the role of private companies in infrastructure development was very important to ensure that the government achieved its infrastructure development target.

The involvement of state-owned enterprises in infrastructure projects had focused more on toll road construction, said Anita, adding that their roles had been expanded into other sectors such as clean water and waste treatment facilities (bbn)

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/02/24/private-sector-urged-to-invest-in-infrastructure.html