Indonesia Morning News For November 20

China extends 200 billion yuan currency swap with Indonesia for three years
China’s central bank said on Monday it has signed a three-year bilateral currency swap agreement with Indonesia worth 200 billion yuan ($28.81 billion).
— Today Online

Bali airport records 5.2 million foreign tourists
I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Bali, welcomed 5.2 million foreign tourists from January to October, a 6.5 percent increase from 4.9 million visitors recorded in the same period last year.
— The Jakarta Post

Belt and Road investment under fire in Indonesia’s presidential elections
In April 2019, Indonesian President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo will face retired general Prabowo Subianto in a ‘rematch’ presidential election. Foreign policy issues do not determine who wins elections in Indonesia, but they give candidates a chance to prove their nationalist credentials.
— East Asia Forum

Indonesia Modification Expo 2018 Records Billions of Rupiah in Transactions
The positive achievement from the inaugural implementation of Indonesia Modification Expo reached its goal to open a new round of Indonesian modification so that it would become more well-known and transform into a big industry.
— Netral News

Indonesia, Vietnam big draws for private investors
Singapore has long ruled the region’s booming venture capital and private equity investment market, but new players are emerging that could take its crown.
— The Straits Times

Indonesia Suggests Cooperation on Simpler Issues to Boost Trust Among Indo-Pacific Nations
Indonesia moved forward with its Indo-Pacific concept during last week’s East Asia Summit in Singapore, emphasizing maritime cooperation on “low-hanging fruit” to promote trust among participating countries.
— Jakarta Globe

Malaysia-Indonesia joint commission talks set for Nov 20
The Malaysia-Indonesia Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation is confirmed to have been scheduled for November 20.
— MENAFN

Private sector foreign debt exceeds government’s in September
The figures shows that it is for the first time since March 2017 that private sector debt has exceeded government debt.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesia’s Energy Subsidy Spending Far Above Target in 2018
Ahead of the legislative and presidential elections (scheduled for April 2019) the Indonesian government is unwilling to impose impopular measures.
— Indonesia Investments (media release)

Indonesia’s plastic action
Southeast Asians are drowning in plastic. In the global list of top 10 countries ranked by mass of mismanaged plastic waste or waste that is either littered or inadequately disposed in dumps or open landfills, Southeast Asia fielded five name – Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia.
— The Asean Post

Indonesia in loop on Australia’s new base in PNG
Indonesia has been informed of a plan by Australia, which was subsequently supported by the United States, to redevelop a naval base on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and sees no threat from it.
— The Jakarta Post (paywall)

Chubu Centrair International Airport has been ranked 5-star airport for second time
– Chubu Centrair International Airport has been ranked for the second consecutive year as a 5-star Airport*1, the world highest airport rank, in the Regional Airport*2 category.
— Antara News

Alms by PLN Employees Reach Rp170 Billion
The Baitul Maal Foundation PLN collected the alms from tens of thousands of employees of the State Electricity Company (PLN) up to Rp170 billion throughout 2018 until October.
— Tempo.co

Indonesian political parties clash over sharia-based bylaws
Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) chairman Grace Natalie’s declaration that her party was against religion-based regulations has reignited the controversy surrounding the proliferation of sharia-inspired bylaws in regions across the country.
— Asia News Network

Chinese investor eyes Lombok`s tourism sector: diplomat
An investor from the Chinese province of Anhui has expressed keenness to invest in the tourism sector of Lombok Island in Indonesia, Siti Nugraha Mauludiah, the Indonesian consul-general to Shanghai, stated.
— Antara News

Arrests of Greenpeace Activists, Wilmar: It is a Third Party Ship
The president commissioner of PT Wilmar Nabati Indonesia, Master Parulian Tumanggor, has spoken about the peaceful rally staged by six Greenpeace activists in the waters of Cadiz Bay near Spain. The six activists boarded the Stolt Tenacity Ship, which was carrying palm oil from the Wilmar refinery in Dumai, Riau.
— Tempo.co

Operation of 5,000 GT ferries to increase capacity, security: observer
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.
— Antara News

Indonesia president urges woman to be jailed in harassment case to seek justice
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Monday (Nov 11) that a teacher sentenced to jail for spreading an “immoral” audio tape documenting alleged sexual harassment by the school principal should seek a judicial review.
— Channel NewsAsia

Tokopedia latest to jump into Indonesia O2O commerce bandwagon
Indonesian online marketplace firm Tokopedia has launched a new app called Mitra Tokopedia to extend its commerce battle into the online-to-offline space, which has become an appealing market for a number of tech companies.
— Deal Street Asia (paywall)

16th Economic Policy Package Indonesia: Investment, Tax Holiday & Export Earnings
The latest economic policy package also involves an expansion of Indonesia’s tax holiday program and the provision of tax incentives for the newly mandated conversion of export earnings to rupiah.
— Indonesia Investments

First Media Revoked Frequency Affecting Bolt Products
Communications and Informatics Ministry (Kominfo) acting public information head Ferdinandus Setu said that First Media`s revoked 2.3 GHz frequency permit will not affect its cable TV and FastNet internet services.
— Tempo.co

Magnitude 4.8 Earthquake Shakes Northwest of Kupang Regency
An earthquake with a temporary magnitude parameter of 4.8 on the Richter Scale shook the northwest of Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province.
— Netral News

Indonesia is superior in development of vaccine technology: BPOM
Indonesia, a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), is superior in terms of the development of vaccine technology, Head of the Food and Drug Supervision Agency (BPOM) Penny Lukito stated.
— Antara News

Indonesia mosques spreading radicalism to government workers: Official
Dozens of Indonesian mosques that cater to government workers are spreading radicalism and calling for violence against non-Muslims, the country’s intelligence agency said Monday (Nov 19).
— Channel News Asia

Mayor of Padang leads thousands in anti-LGBT declaration march
Many suspect the recent increase in anti-LGBT protests is fueled by politicians looking to score electoral points by scapegoating the vulnerable minority group.
— Coconuts Jakarta (paywall)

Land subsidence in Ancol forces families from homes
Land subsidence has affected at least three homes on the banks of a Ciliwung River tributary in Ancol, North Jakarta, since Saturday night and forced six families to be relocated.
— The Jakarta Post

Govt Continues to Accelerate Construction of Double Track for Maja-Rangkasbitung Lane
The construction of a double track between Maja Station and Rangkasbitung Station will double the frequency of trips and the transport capacity of the Tanah Abang-Rangkasbitung route by electric trains (KRL).
— Netral News

Ministry to issue revised ‘online taxi’ regulation in December
The Transportation Ministry is to release a revised regulation on “online taxis” and ride-hailing transportation services in December, officials have said.
— The Jakarta Post

What’s the cost of an e-commerce boom? Ask Indonesia’s postal service
You may have heard the U.S. Postal Service has problems. Well, try delivering the mail in Indonesia, a far-flung archipelago with so many islands the government literally doesn’t know how many there are.
— Deal Street Asia (paywall)

Indonesia keen to buy sugar from India; seeks duty cut
Indonesia is interested in buying sugar from India but wants latter to cut import duty on refined palm oil and the sweetener substantially to 45 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively, according to sources.
— Economic Times

Batam authority ready to vouch for foreigners wanting to buy homes on island
Batam Indonesia Free Trade Zone Authority (BIFZA or BP Batam) says it is ready to be the guarantor for foreigners who want to buy property on the island to compete with the property market in Johor Bahru in Malaysia and Singapore.
— The Jakarta Post

Credit Suisse sees investment opportunities in China, Singapore and Indonesia
Asian stocks have been hit by waves of uncertainty this year, stemming from the escalating trade tensions between the US and China.
— Intellasia.net

STUDY: INDIA, INDONESIA HAVE THE MOST DIGITALLY-ADVANCED TRAVELLERS
India and Indonesia with their large young populations of ‘digital natives’ are, unsurprisingly, the top two countries with the most digitally-advanced travellers, with India holding the top spot for the second year in a row (2017 & 2018).
— Web In Travel

Radicalism must be wiped out: Ma`ruf Amin
Vice presidential candidate Ma`ruf Amin has said that radicalism must be wiped out because it is very dangerous and could threaten the integrity of Indonesia.
— Antara News

Islamic Figures Showed Concern over Idea of Sharia Perda
Talks of a religion-based regional regulation (Perda) in the form of a Sharia Perda recently made rounds in Indonesia’s political realm after Chairwoman of Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Grace Natalie openly opposed such regulation for the fear of creating public disrupt.
— Tempo.co

107 People Arrested at KNPB Anniversary
The Jayapura Police arrested 107 people who attended a discussion during the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) Anniversary at the Pegunungan Bintang Student Dormitory in the Waena area, Jayapura city, Monday, November 19.
— Tempo.co

Feature photo Aliansi Laki-laki Baru (ALB)

This week’s Indonesia morning news feature photo acknowledges International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women November 25

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 November 20 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on November 20, 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.