Indonesia Morning News For April 5

Pertamina required to invest $556.45m in eight blocks
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry is requiring state-owned energy giant Pertamina and its partners to pay a total of US$33.5 million in signature bonuses and make firm investment commitments worth $556.45 million within three years before taking over eight expiring oil and gas blocks this year.
— The Jakarta Post

Borneo oil spill: Indonesian state-owned company Pertamina admits it is responsible
Indonesia’s state-owned oil company Pertamina has finally admitted it is responsible for a major oil spill on the coast of Borneo.
— ABC News

Indonesia Goes Hi-Tech in Hunt for Tax Assets After Amnesty
Indonesia’s tax office plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to update its outdated technology to boost low tax compliance and raise revenue collection in Southeast Asia’s largest economy, the country’s tax chief told Reuters.
— Jakarta Globe

Smartphone shipments in Indonesia down 9% in Q4 2017
Smartphone shipments in Indonesia declined by 9 percent year-on-year in Q4 2017 to 7.8 million units, according to data from IDC.
— Telecompaper

First Jakarta MRT trains arrive in Indonesia
THE first Nippon Sharyo metro cars for the initial phase of the Jakarta MRT project were unloaded at the Indonesian port of Tanjung Priok on the evening of April 4 after completing their sea voyage from Japan.
— International Railway Journal

Can fintech solve the problems of rural Indonesians?
With Southeast Asia digitalising faster than ever, fintech firms are quickly mushrooming throughout the region.
— The Asean Post

Where Is the New Indonesia-Thailand Defense Pact?
Late last month, a new defense pact between Indonesia and Thailand inched forward toward realization with agreement on its ratification.
— The Diplomat

TVRI editor reported to police over Rp 1 billion fraud allegation
An editor at state-owned television station TVRI, identified only as HS, was reported to the Jakarta Police on Wednesday for allegedly embezzling Rp 1 billion (US$70,000).
— The Jakarta Post

Jakarta MRT Construction Boosts Investors Interest in Developing High-Rise Buildings
The construction of Jakarta Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) will attract investors who make large office buildings in the capital region.
— Netral News

Indonesia to open university sector to 100 pct foreign ownership
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has instructed his cabinet to open up the university sector to 100 per cent foreign investment, and allow overseas institutions to open campuses, the head of the country’s investment board said on Wednesday (April 4).
— The Business Times

Indonesia Digest: Logistics firm Inprase IPO; OJK okays MUFG-Danamon deal
Logistics firm Indah Prakasa Sentosa has announced that it is targeting to raise $3 million from its IPO while the country’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) said it would give the go-ahead to Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group to acquire a majority stake Bank Danamon Indonesia with some riders.
— DealStreetAsia

32 child trafficking, exploitation cases recorded in qi 2018: KPAI
The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has recorded 32 cases of child trafficking and exploitation during the period between January and March 2018.
— Antara News

Ahok Granted Custody Over Children in Divorce Proceedings
The North Jakarta District Court on Wednesday (04/04) accepted embattled former Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s divorce petition against his wife Veronica Tan and granted him custody rights over the couple’s two underage children.
— Jakarta Globe

Jakarta, Bandung`s Population to Reach 75 Million by 2045
Minister of National Development Planning (Bappenas) Bambang Brodjonegoro has forecast that the population in Jakarta and Bandung, West Java, would reach 75 million by 2045.
— Tempo.co

Soekarno-Hatta Airport Most Vulnerable to HIV/AIDS
Head of the health center at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport Dr. Benget Turnip stated there are several areas vulnerable to HIV/AIDS in and surrounding the airport.
— Tempo.co

Jokowi, Seeking to Reshape Indonesia’s Economy, Eyes Film and Fashion
Indonesia wants to lower its reliance on natural resources and President Joko Widodo is turning the spotlight on films, fashion and handicrafts.
— Bloomberg

Growing Supply, Office Market in CBD Area Sees Declining Trend
Real estate management and investment firm Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) stated that the office market throughout the first quarter of 2018 was consistently growing compared to the same period last year.
— Netral News

Indonesia to miss corn self-sufficiency target: USDA
Indonesia will miss its self-sufficiency target for corn despite an increase in the planted area, as demand for protein will rise and production “faces challenges due to inadequate storage, drying facilities and infrastructure bottlenecks”, the USDA said in a report released late Tuesday.
— Agri Census

Indonesia’s Investment Outlook for 2018
Strategically positioned along major sea lines connecting East Asia, South Asia, and Oceania, Indonesia holds a natural appeal for foreign investors.
— Asean Briefing

Tech companies to revive demand for office space
Demand for office space in Jakarta is set to rebound this year on the back of the rapid growth of technology companies, property consultants Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) and Colliers International reveal.
— The Jakarta Post

Industry Ministry Launches Strategic Roadmap to Face Industry 4.0
The Ministry of Industry is launching Making Indonesia 4.0 as a roadmap of Indonesia’s strategy in implementing entry into Industry 4.0, this Wednesday (4/4/2018) at the Jakarta Convention Center.
— Netral News

Indonesia increases rice imports
Indonesia’s rice imports in 2017-18 are expected to rise to 1.3 million tonnes as the country attempts to stabilize prices and rebuild stocks, according to an April 3 Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
— World Grain

Indonesia Seeks Upgrade for Five Industries
Indonesia has drawn up a road map for upgrading five manufacturing sectors and making the country one of the world’s 10 biggest economies.
— Financial Tribune

Bootleg Liquor Kills Ten, Dozens Rushed To Hospital
Ten people have died and dozens were hospitalised after allegedly drinking oplosan, or bootleg liquor, over the weekend.
— Indonesia Expat

Turning Around, JCI Falls 1.1 Percent on Trade Closing
The Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) was down 1.15 percent to 6,157.09 at the trading closed on Wednesday (4/4/2018).
— Netral News

Rupiah Falls 15 Points to Close at Rp13,759/Dollar on Wednesday
The Indonesian rupiah fell 15 points against the US dollar to close at Rp13,759 at the Jakarta inter-bank spot market on Wednesday evening after it traded at Rp13,744 previously.
— Tempo.co

Feature photo Jean-Marie Hullot

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Indonesia morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Indonesia news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities and is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.

Indonesia Morning News For April 5 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on April 5, 2018
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Stella-maris Ewudolu

Journalist at AEC News Today

Stella-maris graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Education from Ebonyi State University, Nigeria in 2005.

Between November 2010 and February 2012 she was a staff writer at Daylight Online, Nigeria writing on health, fashion, and relationships. From 2010 – 2017 she worked as a freelance screen writer for ‘Nollywood’, Nigeria.

She joined AEC News Today in December 2016.