Indonesia Morning News For May 17

Tokyo Gas Keen to Invest in South Sulawesi
Japan-based Tokyo Gas is keen to invest in liquefied petroleum gas project in Sulawesi.
– TEMPO

Customer Brings Telkomsel to Court Over 45 Cents
A customer of Telekomunikasi Indonesia is suing the country’s largest mobile operator, also known as Telkomsel, to receive the log of his transactions with the operator, after finding out that money was deducted from his credit without his consent.
– Jakarta Globe

Indonesia Gives Tax Office Access to Financial Accounts
Indonesia has granted the nation’s tax office access to financial information held by banks and other institutions, the country’s latest move to join a global framework designed to curb tax evasion.
– Netral

Russia wants to barter Sukhoi for Indonesian rubber
The Russian government has expressed interest to exchanging its Sukhoi jet fighters for natural rubber from Indonesia, Foreign Ministry foreign trade director general Oke Nurwan said.
– The Jakarta Post

Integrated e-Government System Implemented by Indonesia
The government will implement an integrated and centralized e-government system soon in 2017 to improve budget efficiency, bureaucracy performance and public services, the Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Asman Abnur stated.
– Netral

500 Startups keeps 20% failure rate after 6 years: Khailee Ng
Is it true that investing in early-stage startups has a 90 per cent risk of failing? Not in the case of 500 Startups, the VC firm claims. Recent analysis of the company’s first and second funds’ performance shows that only 20 per cent of portfolio had died within six years.
– Deal Street Asia

Surabaya institute opens ICT program amid global ransomware panic
The November 10 Institute of Technology (ITS) Surabaya, East Java, has opened an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) study program, enrolment in which will begin this year.
– The Jakarta Post

Minister Says Internet Data Plans Must be Affordable, Sustainable
Communication and Informatics Minister Rudiantara says that the factors of affordability of the consumer and the sustainability of the operator for the internet data tariff plan must be balanced. He issued the statement because the government must maintain the condition of consumers and the industry.
– TEMPO

Indonesian Children Significantly Exposed to Cigarette Ads during Ramadan
Children are being increasingly exposed to cigarette advertisements on television during the fasting month of Ramadan, particularly during the predawn meals, Chairman of the Indonesian Consumers Institute Foundation (YLKI) Tulus Abadi stated.
– Netral

Government certifies only 1 million plots of land as of May
Agrarian and Spatial Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil said his ministry could only certify around 1 million plots of land as of May from the total target of 5 million certificates by the end of this year.
– The Jakarta Post

Govt to Regulate Internet Tariff
Commissioner of Indonesian Telecommunication Regulation Agency Ketut Prihadi said that the data tariff formula will be included in the revision to Regulation of the Communications and Informatics Minister No. 9/2008.
– TEMPO

Jokowi Optimistic About China’s Belt and Road Initiative
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo highlighted Indonesia’s role in the ancient Silk Road trading route and urged other countries in the region join and play a part in China’s new Belt and Road Initiative.
– Jakarta Globe

Jakarta to buy 1,000 tons of eggs to ensure supplies for Ramadhan
The Jakarta administration will procure 1,000 tons of eggs from Blitar in East Java and Tangerang in the near future in an attempt to anticipate rising demand during Ramadhan.
– The Jakarta Post

Indonesian Army Pledges to Build One Million Toilets
The Indonesian Army (TNI AD) has pledged to build a million toilets for families from different villages across the archipelago. The purpose is to assist them in leading a sanitary lifestyle.
– TEMPO

Seven new companies invest in Palu’s special economic zone
Seven new investors – three foreign companies and four domestic ones – signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) to invest in the Palu Special Economic Zone (KEK Palu), PT Bangun Palu Sulawesi Tengah (BPST) director Mulhanan Tombolotutu has said.
– The Jakarta Post

Plastic Imports to Surge by 15% in 2017: Inaplas
Indonesia is likely to import $2.3 billion worth of polypropylene — a raw material used to make plastic goods — this year, up 15 percent from last year, due to rising demand from the automotive, garment, construction and food and beverage industries.
– Jakarta Globe

Property Bank Aims to Lower Housing Prices
The Public Works and Public Housings Ministry official Syarif Burhanuddin says that Indonesia needs an agency that is able to control the value of land and house, such as property banks.
– TEMPO

SkyTeam Member Airlines to Operate From Terminal 3 in June
State-owned Angkasa Pura II, the operator of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, said that members of global airline alliance SkyTeam will commence operations from the airport’s latest terminal, Terminal 3, next month.
– Jakarta Globe

There Are No Indonesian ‘Natives,’ Scientists Say
The Association of Indonesian Archaeologists, or IAAI, held a seminar titled “Knitting Diversity in Indonesia” at the City Hall in Central Jakarta on Tuesday (16/05), to discuss the origins of the country’s native population.
– Jakarta Globe

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Indonesia Morning News For May 17 added by John Le Fevre on May 17, 2017
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John Le Fevre

Thailand editor at AEC News Today

John is an Australian national with more than 40 years experience as a journalist, photographer, videographer, and copy editor.

He has spent extensive periods of time working in Africa and throughout Southeast Asia, with stints in the Middle East, the USA, and England.

He has covered major world events including Operation Desert Shield/ Storm, the 1991 pillage in Zaire, the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the 1999 East Timor independence unrest, the 2004 Asian tsunami, and the 2009, 2010, and 2014 Bangkok political protests.

In 1995 he was a Walkley Award finalist, the highest awards in Australian journalism, for his coverage of the 1995 Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) Ebola outbreak.

Prior to AEC News Today he was the deputy editor and Thailand and Greater Mekong Sub-region editor for The Establishment Post, predecessor of Asean Today.

In the mid-80s and early 90s he owned JLF Promotions, the largest above and below the line marketing and PR firm servicing the high-technology industry in Australia. It was sold in 1995.