Indonesia’s digital economy sees rapid growth
Indonesia is one of the region’s best success stories. Despite having faced economic turmoil during the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 under the authoritarian Suharto regime, Indonesia is today one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
— The Asean Post
Indonesia May Be Next Asian Country to Spurn China in Election
Across vast tea plantations that sit atop the rolling hills separating two of Indonesia’s largest cities, excavators dig out a series of giant tunnels for the country’s first high-speed rail line.
— Bloomberg
Ministry’s Rp 9.17t budget gets blocked
The Finance Ministry has blocked Rp 9.17 trillion (US$645.34 million) in funds allocated for the Public Works and Housing Ministry or about 8.2 percent of the total allocation in the state budget for the ministry, which was set at Rp 110.7 trillion.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesia Verifying Citizenship of IS Families Stranded in Syria
Indonesia says it is working to verify the nationalities of dozens of people believed to be members of Indonesian families that joined Islamic State but are sheltering at a camp in Syria after the extremist group’s last bastion fell.
— Benar News
Indonesia country brief: Reforms needed for lift-off
Indonesia has seen growth plateau at the 5% range since 2016.
— Think Ing
Gov’t to Evaluate Implementation of New Regulations on Airfare
Transportation Ministry’s Directorate-General of Air Transport will supervise the implementation of the new regulations on airfare, that is done under the Law No. 1 on Flights, to protect the consumers and to maintain healthy competition among national airlines.
— Tempo.co
Road to Indonesia’s Election Runs Through Isolated Villages
In a hamlet nestled deep in Sumatra’s palm country, headman Slamet — who, like many Indonesians, goes by only one name — was eagerly showing off a 267-meter stretch of concrete to the nation’s minister for villages one recent March afternoon.
— Bloomberg
Indonesia to set up transient shelters for victims of flash flood, landslide: official
Indonesia will immediately construct temporary shelters for victims of flash floods and landslides, which destroyed over 2,000 houses and killed 112 people in eastern Papua province, a senior disaster management official said Sunday.
— Xinhua
Indonesia: Sunda Straits Tsunami – Emergency Operation Update MDRID013 Operation Update n°12
Indonesia was hit with several major earthquakes and tsunamis in 2018 when the first major ones struck off Lombok on July 29th , 2018 and followed by earthquakes and tsunami in Central Sulawesi on 28 September 2018.
— Relief Web
Fire destroys 100 homes under Pluit toll overpass
A fire broke out under the Pluit toll overpass at kilometer 25 in Pejagalan, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, on Saturday at 8.56 a.m., destroying around 100 semipermanent homes. No casualties were reported.
— The Jakarta Post
Jokowi promises to expand infrastructure in South Sulawesi
Incumbent President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has promised to expand infrastructure in South Sulawesi if he is reelected as president.
— Antara News
Indonesia’s Muslim youth find new heroes in Instagram preachers
In Indonesia, the rise of rock star clerics on social media has fueled a movement known as hijrah, capturing the attention of Muslim youth seeking new ways to express their faith on social media.
— PRI
Indonesia mulls moving its capital to Borneo
Officials plan to visit Palangka Raya in Central Kalimantan province this Sunday (31 March) to evaluate the city as a possible alternative capital, Antara News reports.
— GCR
Government Utilizes Technology to Improve Public Service: Jokowi
Government needs to utilize technology advances to improve public service, given the current global development that has entered the era of digital reform, stated presidential candidate number 01 Joko Widodo (Jokowi).
— Tempo.co
Upcoming election is a ‘clash between pluralism and fundamentalist Islam’
On 17 April, Indonesians will elect their president, vice president, and lawmakers. The former head of intelligence stands with moderate Widodo, urging voters to “go to the polls and make the right choice, to save the nation”.
— Asian News
No one should underestimate TNI: Jokowi
Incumbent presidential candidate Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has reiterated that no one should underestimate the Indonesian Military (TNI) which has been acclaimed as one of the strongest military powers in Asia.
— Antara News
Central Java reduced 4,000 hectares of slums since 2014: Official
The Central Java administration has reduced nearly 4,000 hectares of slums since 2014 or some 57 percent of the total slum areas in the province, an official has said.
— The Jakarta Post
State of pay: The race to become Indonesia’s leading mobile wallet
Many mobile wallet platforms have sprung up in Indonesia in the past year, and all signs say they’re here to stay.
— Kr Asia
Garuda Indonesia Offers 50 Percent Off of Flight Ticket
Garuda Indonesia offers 50 percent discount off for domestic flights in commemoration of the 21st anniversary of SOE Ministry, said the corporate director of commerce Pikri Ilham Kurniansyah.
— Tempo.co
How Can Islamic State Returnees Make It Back to Indonesia, Legally?
Even as its dream of creating a caliphate lies in tatters, the Islamic State is still causing major headaches for the Indonesian government.
— Jakarta Globe
Indonesia maintains low inflation rate in March
Indonesia’s inflation as of the fourth week of March has reached 0.14 percent, contributed by increasing prices of domestic airfares and agriculture commodities of chili, shallots and garlic, results of a recent survey carried out by Indonesian central bank said on Friday.
— Xinhua
Minister reports progress on GSP negotiations with US to Kalla
Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita met with Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Friday to provide an update on negotiations with the United States government on the country’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) facility for Indonesia.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesia`s Defense System Still Too Weak: Prabowo Subianto
Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto has believed that the security and defense system of Indonesia is weak due to budget constraints.
— Tempo.co
Indonesia church group tackles menace to mangroves
A coalition of church and environment advocacy groups have called for action to be taken against a salt company they accuse of illegally destroying more than 240 hectares of mangrove forest in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province.
— UCA News
Indonesia encourages global cooperation to prevent terrorism funding
The international community must work together innovatively and adaptively to prevent and overcome the increasing funding of terrorism, Indonesian Vice Minister for Foreign Affair A.M. Fachir said during the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on “Threats to International Peace and Security caused by terrorist acts: Preventing and Combating the Financing of Terrorism”, at the UN Headquarter, in New York, Thursday (March 28).
— Antara News
Indonesia to host Asean School Games 2019 in July
Students from Southeast Asian countries and regions will compete at the 2019 Asean School Games in July in Indonesia’s Semarang city, the country’s Youth and Sport Ministry announced on Friday.
— Business Standard
$142 billion worth of commodities illegally exported since 1989: Study
Research organization Perkumpulan Prakasa has revealed that the Indonesian government has lost about US$11 million in state revenue as $142.07 billion worth of key commodities was exported illegally from 1989 to 2017.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesia, America combat marine plastic waste
U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph R. Donovan Jr., Senior Advisor to the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Dr. Tukul Rameyo Adi, and Director of Solid Waste Management Dr. Novrizal Tahar of the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry recently witnessed the grants signing awarding six Indonesian civil society organizations with a total of Rp18 billion plus technical assistance to improve solid waste management and waste recycling in urban areas.
— Antara News
Indonesia: Earthquakes and Tsunami – Sulawesi – Emergency Plan of Action MDRID013 Operation Update n°11
For the Lombok and Sulawesi operations, at the time of writing the EPoAs, an initial discussion was taking place at the field level exploring consequences of the Government of Indonesia’s announcement to provide shelter assistance (permanent shelters and cash assistance) to all the affected households in Lombok and Sulawesi.
— Relief Web
Indonesia retracts e-commerce regulation to avoid confusion
Indonesia retracted its new rules requiring e-commerce sellers to share data with tax authorities to avoid further confusion, the country’s finance minister said on Friday.
— Reuters
Tokopedia teams up with Universitas Indonesia to launch AI research center
Indonesian e-commerce unicorn Tokopedia announced a collaboration with the country’s largest university, Universitas Indonesia (UI), to launch the Tokopedia-UI AI Center of Excellence.
— Kr Asia
Indonesia’s CGK ranked among 2019 Top 40 World’s Best Airport
Indonesia’s international airport with IATA (International Air Transport Association) code of CGK is ranked in Top 40 World’s Best Airport this year, ascending from 45, 44 and 63 ranks in 2018, 2017 and 2016, an Indonesian airport administrator said on Friday.
— Xinhua
Garuda Indonesia cuts airfares by 50 percent in anniversary offer
Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is offering 50 percent discounts on airfares from March 31 to April 13 to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesia votes: Hard fight for battleground state of South Sulawesi
Indonesia will hold its presidential and legislative elections on April 17. With more than 192 million people eligible to vote, it will be the largest polls since direct elections were first held 15 years ago.
— Straits Times (paywall)
Indonesia central bank deputy says policy stance to stay tight
Indonesia’s central will maintain a tight monetary stance as it focuses on the stability of the domestic economy amid global uncertainties, a deputy governor said on Friday.
— Business Recorder
Jokowi rides pedicab to Karebosi Square for open campaign
Incumbent Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his wife, Iriana Jokowi, were riding a pedicab on their way to Karebosi Square in Makassar, where the presidential candidate holding an open campaign rally on Sunday.
— Antara News
Indonesia orders airlines to lower fares after domestic travel hit
With rising airfares in Indonesia impacting the local travel and tourism industry, the Indonesian government is strongly urging Indonesian air carriers, especially the state-owned Garuda Indonesia, to drop their airfares immediately.
— TTG Asia
Indonesia Needs Strong Defense Capability: Prabowo
Presidential candidate number 02 Prabowo Subianto said Indonesia’s defence remains weak due to budget constraint despite the fact that having a strong defence was important for the country to enable it to safeguard its wealth.
— Tempo.co
Indonesia March inflation seen at bottom of central bank target range: Reuters poll
Indonesia’s annual inflation rate likely slowed for a fourth straight month in March to a decade low and hit the lower end of the central bank’s target range, according to a Reuters poll.
— Reuters
Indonesia-based Simona Ventures and Digitaraya team up to support women-led startups
It is no secret that the tech sector is a male-dominated industry. According to a report published by PwC about women in tech, just 15% of the people working in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) roles in the United Kingdom are women—and only 5% of leadership positions in the technology industry are held by women.
— Kr Asia
Feature photo UNICEF
This week’s Indonesia morning news feature photo acknowledges World Health Day, April 7.
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.
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