Over 15.81 Million Tourists Visit Indonesia Last Year: Minister
More than 15.81 million tourists visited Indonesia last year, up 12.58 percent from 14.04 million a year earlier, said Tourism Minister Arief Yahya, quoting data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).
— Tempo.co
Inflation drops to 0.32 percent in January
Inflation was recorded at 0.32 percent in January, far lower than the rate in the same month in the previous two years, which stood at 0.67 percent and 0.97 percent, respectively, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) announced on Friday.
— The Jakarta Post
52 aftershocks recorded following Saturday`s 6.0-magnitude quake in Mentawai
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded 52 aftershocks as of 09.00 p.m. on Saturday after an earthquake of magnitude 6.0 hit Mentawai Islands off the western coast of Sumatra Island earlier in the day.
— Antara News
Indonesia eyes $60 billion investment in Singapore
Intellasia East Asia News Indonesia wants to re-position its Batam island as an alternative shipping and manufacturing hub to Singapore with a potential to draw $60 billion in new investment.
— Intellasia
Regent may have caused $415m in state losses by issuing mining permits: KPK
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named East Kotawaringin Regent Supian Hadi a suspect of graft in a case that may have caused more than US$415 million in state losses.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesia open to help probers in Jolo cathedral bombings
Indonesia is willing to help the Philippines investigate twin blasts that killed 22 people and wounded nearly 100 others in Jolo, Sulu province, a week ago, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Sunday.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer
Government still hoping to sign Indonesian free trade agreement this year
Chances of Australia and Indonesia signing off on their Free Trade Agreement before the federal election are slim owing to the ongoing fall-out from government’s overture towards Israel late last year and the looming Indonesian elections.
— Financial Review
That was awkward—at Jokowi event, senior cleric mistakenly prays for Prabowo
A respected Muslim cleric is in the spotlight after a video of him mistakenly praying for Prabowo Subianto to become “a leader” during an event attended by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo went viral on the web.
— The Nation (very annoying pop-ups)
Doubts raised over claims Indonesian couple was behind Philippine church bombings
Analysts have raised doubts over claims made by a senior Philippine government official that an Indonesian couple was behind the church bombings in the southern Philippines, citing a lack of evidence.
— The Straits Times
Sandiaga’s pledge to revise ITE law meets with skepticism
Vice-presidential candidate Sandiaga Uno has promised that if elected, his government will revise the controversial 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law, but political opponents and civil society activists have cast doubt on the sincerity of the pledge.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesia Property Expo 2019 Officially Started
Indonesia Property Expo is officially commenced today, February 2, at Hall A and B of Jakarta Convention Center, Senayan, Central Jakarta.
— Tempo.co
UNO pledges to make Indonesia world`s fifth biggest halal economy
ndonesian Vice Presidential candidate Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno has pledged to make Indonesia the fifth biggest halal economy in the world if the Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno pair win the upcoming presidential race.
— Antara News
Facebook deletes Indonesian accounts linked to fake news syndicate
Facebook has removed hundreds of Indonesian accounts, pages and groups from its social network after discovering they were linked to an online group accused of spreading hate speech and fake news.
— CIO
Jokowi Calls for Disaster Education to be Implemented This Year
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has called for the implementation of disaster education in every educational institution starting this year.
— Tempo.co
Indonesians spend the 5th longest amount of time on the internet per day: survey
Almost everybody has to spend a huge chunk of their lives on the internet nowadays to do everything from work to socializing to shopping.
— Coconuts Jakarta
Obesity continues to haunt Indonesia despite campaign
The latest case of obesity in Karawang, West Java, has yet again shed light on Indonesia’s rising obesity problem.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesia`s NPC Foundation to distribute fuel to assist Gaza`s hospitals
The Nusantara Palestinian Center (NPC) Foundation has planned to distribute 10 thousand liters of diesel fuel to assist hospitals in Gaza that are facing a prolonged humanitarian crisis as a result of Israel`s 11-year-long blockade.
— Antara News
UI encourages strategy of curriculum development
The University of Indonesia (UI) has carried out a strategy of curriculum development in study programs in an attempt to face various challenges in the era of global competition, Rector of the University of Indonesia (UI) Prof. Muhammad Anis remarked.
— Antara News
Executive column: GE upbeat about electrifying Indonesia to 2025
Wouter Van Wersch (GE)General Electric (GE), a Boston-based industrial giant that entered Indonesia in 1940, is set to focus on electrifying Indonesia for the next six years.
— The Jakarta Post (paywall)
Borneo road, railway projects ‘world’s scariest environmental threat’
When President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo began his tenure in 2014, he uttered his wish to finish a number of infrastructure projects immediately, including the construction of a highway and a railway in Kalimantan.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesia optimistic of receiving more Japanese investment
Indonesia believes that Japanese investment in Indonesia, particularly the portfolio one, still has potential to increase.
— Antara News
Indonesian cop charged over French drug suspect’s jailbreak
Intellasia East Asia News An Indonesian police officer has been arrested for allegedly taking a bribe to help a French drugs suspect escape from jail, authorities said Friday, as the search for the fugitive continued.
— Intellasia
Population of Komodo dragons in national park stable
The population of Komodo dragons at the Komodo National Park located in West Manggara, East Nusa Tenggara Province, reaches 2,897 and is considered to be stable.
— Antara News
Bukittinggi police preach of dangers of radicalism at mosques
Several policemen have turned preachers at mosques in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra Province, as part of the local police`s measures to deal with potential threats of the proliferated ideology of radicalism in society.
— Antara News
Feature photo Farhan Perdana (Blek)
This week’s Indonesia morning news feature photo acknowledges Chinese New Year, 2019.
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.

Stella-maris Ewudolu
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.

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