Indonesia wants BRI projects to be in line with national development plan, no government debt
Indonesia has said that projects under China’s Belt and Road Initiative should be in line with its own national development strategy, be private sector-driven and not add to government debt.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Indonesia Seeks to Advance Developing Countries’ Agenda as Host of ABAC II Meeting
Indonesia finds itself in a delicate position to advance fellow developing countries’ agenda on the digital economy, inclusive development and women’s empowerment, through the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, amid a standoff between the world’s two biggest economies.
— Jakarta Globe
Government’s super deductible tax incentive launched on 1st half 2019
The Government of Indonesia is going the whole hog to offer fiscal incentives in the form of tax relief to industries investing in vocational and research and development activities in the initial half of 2019.
— Antara News
StanChart’s Lee on Indonesia GDP, Central Bank Policy
Edward Lee, Asean and South Asia chief economist at Standard Chartered Bank, discusses Indonesia’s 7% growth target and central bank policy in the region. He speaks on “Bloomberg Markets: Asia.”
–– Bloomberg (video)
Indonesia has opportunity to expand production of healthcare glass
Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto is saying that business players still have a great opportunity to expand their production of glass products for the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry to supply both domestic and international markets.
— The Jakarta Post
Economic Focus Ahead for Indonesia in Jokowi’s Coming Second Term
Based on Jokowi’s first term and how the country’s election played out, the economy is likely to continue to be a key priority.
— The Diplomat (paywall)
In Indonesia, a paper giant shuffles a litany of land conflicts
One of the world’s biggest paper producers has left a trail of conflicts in its two-decade pursuit to develop pulpwood plantations on land also claimed by local communities in Indonesia, activists say.
— Mongabay
Indonesia has 21 science techno parks: ministry official
Another three science technoparks will be set up in Indonesia this year to add to the already existing 18 parks, a top official of the Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education said.
— Antara News
Innovation needed to boost production of medical devices
Health Minister Nila Farid Moeloek has called for the greater production of health devices amid a further increase in imports for medical equipment and raw materials for the production of medicine.
— The Jakarta Post (paywall)
Indonesia: A country divided
A week after Indonesia’s election, the nation remains deeply divided with both candidates continuing to claim victory, prompting the authorities to warn against public displays of discord.
— The Asean Post
BI holds rates, gives itself room to boost growth
Bank Indonesia (BI) has kept its benchmark rate unchanged for five months straight in a move to safeguard Indonesia’s external balance, while also announcing several policies to improve banking liquidity.
— The Jakarta Post
E-voting could be a solution for elections: BPPT
An electronic voting (e-voting) system for elections in the future could well be a solution to the cumbersome voting process used presently and drastically reduce the use of human resources, an official has said.
— Antara News
Lack of Passengers, Two Flights to Aceh Cancelled During Election
Two national air carriers Lion Air and Garuda Indonesia initially serving flights from Banda Aceh – Jakarta and Banda Aceh – Medan canceled their flight routes because of the lack of passengers during the Election Day yesterday.
— Tempo.co
Indonesia tilts towards post-poll instability
Despite being 10 percentage points behind more than a quarter into the official count, presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto still won’t concede defeat in Indonesia’s April 17 election, raising the specter of post-poll instability.
— Asia Times
5 key challenges awaiting Indonesia President Joko Widodo if he wins second term
President Joko Widodo looks set to be re-elected if unofficial quick counts released after the April 17 polls prove accurate, as they have at previous elections.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Indonesian live auction platform Wowbid bags $5m from Envy
Indonesia-based live streaming auction platform Wowbid has secured a pre-series A funding round of $5 million from a local investment holding firm Envy Management Konsultasi.
— Deal Street Asia
Jakarta gets bad rating for public information openness, AJI says
The Jakarta administration has received a “red” average rating for its poor public information openness, according to a study conducted by the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) released on Thursday.
— The Jakarta Post
Rupiah Down as IMF Cuts Global Projection
The rupiah’s interbank rate in Jakarta closed down today, following the IMF’s correction over the global economic outlook. The IDR lost 20bps or 0.14% to close at 14.153 per US dollar.
— Tempo.co
Indonesia central bank holds rates; seeks to lift liquidity, domestic NDF market
Indonesia’s central bank on Thursday kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged for a fifth month to contain external pressures, though it is aiming for looser market liquidity and relaxed rules on trading in domestic non-deliverable forwards.
— Journal Pioneer
USD/IDR: Rupiah unfazed near 14,150 post-Bank Indonesia’s status-quo
At its April monetary policy meeting on Thursday, Indonesia’s central bank, Bank Indonesia (BI), decided to maintain its 7-day reverse repo rate at 6.00%, disappointing expectations of a rate cut.
— FX Street
Indonesia, China ink trade protocol for export of mangosteen
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno L. P. Marsudi and Chinese Customs and Excise Minister Ni Yue Feng inked a trade protocol on mangosteen exports to the economic giant, Thursday, after it permitted Indonesia to …
— Antara News
Tasikmalaya mayor named suspect as graft cases implicate West Java regional heads
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named Tasikmalaya Mayor Budi Budiman a suspect in an undisclosed corruption case, making him the fourth regional head in West Java to be charged with corruption in the past seven months.
— The Jakarta Post
Philippines to resume onion export to Indonesia
According to Department of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol declared, “The Philippines, which for years has relied mainly on imported onions both for household and commercial uses, is now all set to make its first export of white and red bulb onion and shallots to Indonesia.”
— Fresh Plaza
Indonesia’s financial system stable in Q1: KSSK
The Financial System Stability Committee (KSSK) has said that during the global economic slowdown in the first quarter of 2019, Indonesia managed to maintain its financial system stability.
— The Jakarta Post
Over 200 athletes to feature at Int’l Paragliding Championships in Indonesia
A total of 203 paragliders will compete in the International Paragliding Championships in Indonesia later this month, an official confirmed on Wednesday.
— Xinhua
Jakarta Lobbies Building Owners to Take In Street Vendors
Jakarta provincial administration is striving to designate a place for street vendors or PKL that opened their stalls along the roadside of Jalan Jenderal Sudirman.
— Tempo.co
Two newly discovered birds are a product of Indonesia’s ‘evolutionary playground’
Say hello to the bird world’s newest additions: the Wakatobi white-eye and the Wangi-wangi white-eye. Discovered in the Wakatobi Archipelago southeast of Sulawesi, Indonesia, these birds could reveal more about how other species of white-eye have evolved.
— Popular Science
Indonesian UNSC leadership highlights peacekeeping for global peace
The Government of Indonesia is underscoring the theme of the UN peacekeeping operation as it takes up the chairmanship of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in May 2019.
— Antara News
Chinese nationals arrested for alleged pangolin scale smuggling
Customs and Excise personnel in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, arrested two Chinese citizens for attempting to smuggle the scales of 44 pangolins through Kuala Namu Airport over the weekend.
— The Jakarta Post
Knocking the bullying out of Indonesian schools
Schoolgirl beating has led to calls for more effective character building in schools to deal with out-of control students
— UCA News
Government expects 5% household spending growth in Q1
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati is expecting that household spending, the primary driver of gross domestic product (GDP) growth in Indonesia, will expand by around 5 percent in the first quarter of this year.
— The Jakarta Post
JK Urges Simultaneous Election Reviewed after KPPS Members Death
Vice President Jusuf Kalla (JK) said the rules overseeing 2019 general elections need serious evaluation following the deaths of numerous polling stations working committees (KPPS) members due to fatigue.
— Tempo.co
Indonesia Rate Cuts May Be in the Pipeline in Wake of Jokowi’s Victory
With Indonesian President Joko Widodo making a renewed effort to boost economic growth as he prepares for a second term in office, the central bank may soon be able to play its part with interest-rate cuts.
— Bloomberg
Post-election upcycling movements turn ‘campaign waste’ into clothing, accessories
As the campaign period for the 2019 general election ended on April 14 and city officials took down campaign materials worth billions of rupiah around the city, one question arose: What would happen to this waste?
— The Jakarta Post (paywall)
BMKG Reports Magnitude 5 Earthquake Hit Aceh Jaya
The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that a magnitude 5.0 earthquake shook Aceh and the areas in its vicinity on Thursday, April 18, at around 04:16 Western Indonesia Time (WIB).
— Tempo.co
Indonesia to resume int’l trampoline championship
Indonesia is scheduled to resume an international trampoline championship from April 26 to 28 with around 200 athletes from 10 countries registered to take part in, the organizer said here on Wednesday.
— Xinhua
West Jakarta Police seize 100 kg of meth, arrest four people
The West Jakarta Police seized on April 15 a container truck carrying five sacks of crystal methamphetamine and detained four people in connection to the case.
— The Jakarta Post
Bank Indonesia: No clear signal for cuts just yet – ANZ
ANZ analysts note that the Bank Indonesia (BI) has kept its 7-day reverse repo rate at 6.00% today.
— FX Street
Depok calls for ban on ‘Memories of My Body’
The Depok administration in West Java has sent a letter to the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) requesting an immediate ban of Garin Nugroho’s film Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku (Memories of My Body) in theaters across the city.
— The Jakarta Post
Govt’s precautionary measures necessary against food price hikes
The government had been called on to take precautionary measures against hikes in food prices especially during Ramadhan (Muslim fasting month) 2019 when food consumption skyrockets.
— Antara News
Indonesia trains its citizens to deal with sea-mammal strandings
In November 2017, when locals spotted 10 sperm whales stranded on a beach on the island of Sumatra, they had no idea what to do.
— Mongabay
Transport Ministry Demands Waiting-time for LRT Shortened
Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Palembang requires more improvement to attract public’s interest. Based on the evaluation result, thus far, the waiting time for the electric train departure is considerably long, and so that must be lessened.
— Tempo.co
Lesson Indonesia learned from Sri Lanka, New Zealand
The ISIS has claimed responsibility for Easter Sunday’s deadly coordinated suicide bombings on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, the New York Times and many other global media reported this week.
— Antara News
Two commissioners object to Garuda’s 2018 financial report
Two Garuda Indonesia commissioners have objected to the flag carrier’s 2018 financial report, saying that the report did not meet the accountancy standard for including potentially misleading items.
— The Jakarta Post
Feature photo HARUKAEDU
This week’s Indonesia morning news feature photo acknowledges World Intellectual Property Day, 26 April.
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 26 added by Piseth Pov on
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