Indonesia morning news for June 20

Indonesia to begin new capital city construction in 2021
The construction of Indonesia’s new capital city was scheduled for 2021 and allocation to finance related projects will be set in the 2020 state budget, Indonesia Development Planning Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said here Tuesday.
— Xin Hua

Indonesia Makes It Cheaper to Own Condos in Boost to Developers
Indonesia just made it cheaper for buyers to own an expensive house by raising the luxury tax threshold limit.
— Bloomberg

Businesses Want 10% VAT on Waste Reviewed
Fajar Budiono, secretary general of the Indonesian Plastic Industry Association (Inaplas), requested a review of the 10-percent value-added tax (VAT) on products made from recycled plastic waste.
— Tempo.co

President Jokowi to attend 34th ASEAN Summit in Thailand
Indonesian President Joko Widodo will attend the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, from June 22 to 23, 2019.
— Antara News

Ministry of Finance says state treasury remains safe
Director General of the Treasury of the Finance Ministry Marwanto Harjowirjono has stated that the state treasury is safe and able to finance various government projects that have been allocated in the state budget (APBN).
— Antara News

K-Pop stars to help Indonesia save our forests: Minister
Indonesia asked the South Korean government to invite K-Pop stars to campaign for Indonesian forests in a bilateral meeting in Incheon, South Korea, a top official said in a statement on Wednesday.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesia’s poll body fights back
The legal battle over the presidential election result is continuing at the Constitutional Court, with the General Elections Commission (KPU) and incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo rebutting all allegations of electoral fraud filed by challenger Prabowo Subianto.
— The Jakarta Post

Sumatran rhinos to get a new sanctuary in Leuser Ecosystem
The Indonesian government plans to build a third sanctuary for the captive breeding of Sumatran rhinos, a species on the brink of extinction.
— Mongabay

Aceh ulema council issues fatwa declaring PUBG and similar video games haram
Research has consistently shown that the theory that violent video games cause players to become more violent is wrong but the horrific mosque shooting that took place in New Zealand in March put the issue in the spotlight once more.
— Coconuts (paywall)

Remote Island Jails Could Be Solution to Indonesia’s Prison Problem
The government’s old plan to build new prisons on the country’s remote islands resurfaced this week, following a high-profile graft convict’s escapade from his prison in Bandung that exposed weaknesses in Indonesia’s penitentiary system.
— Jakarta Globe

To Save Goverment’s Blushes, Bandung-Bound Flights Now Have to Land at Empty Kertajati Airport
The government has decided that all domestic flights to Bandung, West Java, have to land at Kertajati International Airport by July 1.
— Jakarta Globe

Konawe flooding’s impact wide-ranging, with 22,573 affected
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported that flooding in Konawe, Southeast Sulawesi Province, has affected 5,847 families comprising 22,573 people in 24 sub-districts with 166 villages devastated.
— Antara News

Bekasi students memorize Quran verses for places in schools
In this year’s school enrollment, each state-run junior high school (SMP) in Bekasi, West Java is to allocate 2 percent of their total number of seats to candidates who display “outstanding merit” in memorizing some verses of the Quran.
— The Jakarta Post

Ratio of home loans to GDP is meager 2.9 percent
State-owned lender Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN) President Director Maryono pointed to the dismal ratio of home loans (KPR) to the national gross domestic product (GDP) in Indonesia at 2.9 percent, well below its potential.
— Antara News

Basarnas team identifies 19 victims of sunken Arim Jaya motorboat
The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) identified 19 victims of the Arim Jaya motorboat that sank in the Sumenep waters, East Java, while the bodies of three other passengers had yet to be found.
— Antara News

Magnitude 6.5 quake hits Indonesia: USGS
A powerful earthquake struck Indonesia early on Thursday (June 20), 248km west of Jayapura, Irian Jaya, in the province of West Papua, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.
— The Straits Times (annoying popups)

MUI Issues Fatwa Regarding Organ Transplants
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) issued a fatwa overseeing cases regarding organ transplants from specific cases where a living donor donates or sells their organs.
— Tempo.co

Fertilizer Indonesia named most creative company in 2019
Fertilizer company PT Pupuk Indonesia was named Indonesia’s Most Creative Company in 2019 by SWA Magazine at the Best Outstanding Innovator (OCI) and Indonesia Most Creative Company 2019 award.
— Antara News

BPKH denies using hajj funds for improving infrastructure
Head of the Hajj Fund Management Board (BPKH) Anggito Abimanyu has denied allegations that the board has used hajj funds to finance the development of infrastructure in the country.
— Antara News

Qatar Airways named best airline for fifth time, Garuda Indonesia out of top 10
At the 2019 World Airline Awards ceremony held on Tuesday, Qatar Airways took home the prize as the “best airline” for the fifth time, while Indonesia’s flag carrier dropped out of the top 10.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesian firm to export coal to Bangladesh
Bangladesh is set to import coal for the first time for a power plant as part of efforts to diversify its fuel mix in the electricity generation sector.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesia to move some domestic jet ops from Bandung to Kertajati
Indonesia’s transport ministry will force carriers operating domestic jet services from Bandung’s Husein Sastranegara airport to destinations outside of Java to move them to the underutilised West Java International airport in Kertajati.
— Flight Global

Indonesia pet orangutans released back into the wild
The young orangutan looks back at her rescuers before clambering over her steel cage and into the trees, swinging from hand to hand and hanging upside down.
— CNA (very annoying popups)

Indonesia’s Shariatisation Agenda: Where Is MUI Headed? – Analysis
Indonesia, as a non-theocratic state, is quite adept at inducting sharia law in its legal and public spheres. The Indonesian Ulama Council, MUI, is a key institution behind the shariatisation drive.
— Eurasia Review

Indonesia’s EV Hive raises $13.5M and expands into co-living and new retail
WeWork’s battle to win co-working in Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, is intensifying after one of the U.S. firm’s key rival announced a slew of announcements to double down on its business.
— Tech Crunch

BNPT Chief: This Is Not Just about Returning People Home
The defeat at end of March of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS, had an impact on Indonesia. Some 500 former ISIS sympathizers originally from Indonesia are in disarray in various refugee camps around Syria.
— Tempo.co

Bappenas: Study on Relocating Capital City Nearly Done
Bappenas chief Bambang Brodjonegoro said that the study on relocating the nation’s capital city is almost completed. As of today, the study’s completion rate is at more than 90%.
— Tempo.co

Indonesia to put spotlight on global economy at G20 Summit
Indonesia will draw attention to global economic and financial issues at the Group of Twenty (G20) Summit to be held on June 28-29 in Osaka, Japan.
— Antara News

Jokowi to highlight economic, environmental issues at ASEAN Summit
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) led a limited meeting here, Wednesday, to discuss preparations to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, and Group of Twenty (G20) Summit in Osaka, Japan.
— Antara News

FPI Prepares to Extend Permit One Day Before Expiration Date
The Islam Defenders Front (FPI) announced that it has prepared the necessary files needed to extend its permit as a mass-organization to the Home Affairs Ministry (Kemendagri).
— Tempo.co

Flood-struck North Konawe accessible following PUPR Ministry’s repairs
The Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Ministry has made sustained efforts to restore access to the villages cut off by the flooding in North Konawe District, Southeast Sulawesi Province.
— Antara News

70 y.o. scavenger in S. Sulawesi lost savings intended for pilgrimage in house fire, gets donations from netizens
An elderly man’s dream of visiting the holy land of Mecca went up in flames in a house fire, but Indonesian netizens have restored that dream, and then some.
— Coconuts (paywall)

Malaysian ship impounded in Malacca Straits for illegal fishing
The Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Ministry has detained a Malaysian ship for fishing illegally in the Malacca Straits on Tuesday (June 18).
— Antara News

RI hopes for progress in Timor Leste joining ASEAN
The Indonesian government has expressed its hopes that the ongoing evaluation of Timor Leste will result in its becoming a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
— Antara News

Thousand Islands drug bust: Alleged courier arrested, others on run
Police have arrested a suspected drug courier who allegedly received 1.7 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine to be sold in the Thousand Islands regency.
— The Jakarta Post

Experts believe recently found statue in Kediri from 12th century
Experts from the Trowulan Heritage Conservation Agency (BPCB) has estimated that an object recently found in Kediri belonged to the Kediri Palace during the 12th century.
— The Jakarta Post

Victorian Tech Companies Eye Southeast Asia to Accelerate Digital Transformation in Region
In a bid to enhance collaboration with Southeast Asian businesses, the State Government of Victoria has brought experts from industries such as telecommunications, cybersecurity, e-commerce and data management representing 29 ICT companies from Melbourne, Australia to ConnecTechAsia 2019.
— Antara News

Minister expressed concern over soldiers being exposed to radicalism
Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu expressed concern that three percent of the Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel were exposed to radicalism and disagree with the state ideology Pancasila.
— Antara News

UK grants Indonesia $16.3 million for renewable energy
The United Kingdom has granted Indonesia 13 million pounds (US$16.3 million) to finance a plan to involve provincial administrations in developing renewable energy across the nation.
— The Jakarta Post

Nat’l Police’s budget in 2020 stands at Rp111,42 trillion : institute
The Indonesian Police Strategic Study Institute (Lemkapi) has stated that the National Police budget proposal of Rp111.42 trillion for 2020 submitted to the House of Representatives Commission III is realistic in allowing the police to face increasingly difficult tasks and answer the high expectations of the community towards the National Police.
— Antara News

HR Asia Announces Indonesia’s Best Companies to Work for in Asia
Thirty-four Indonesia companies have been named the Best Companies to Work for in Asia by the human resources publication, HR Asia.
— Yahoo News

The 15th Food and Hotel Indonesia to Promote New Form of Hospitality and Culinary Trends
The Indonesia’s largest food and hospitality exhibition, Food & Hotel Indonesia 2019 will kick off its 15th edition, from July 24, 2019 at JIExpo Kemayoran Jakarta.
— Yahoo News

Our first impressions of LRT Jakarta: train rides so short you’ll arrive in the blink of an eye
If the government’s aim in building new railway systems in the capital is to get Jakartans to ditch their private vehicles, then they at least have a convert in me.
— Coconuts (paywall)

Change in school enrollment confuses many
Eka Sari Wulandari had to take two days off work to enroll her son in school. On Tuesday, she visited SMAN 2 state high school in Depok, West Java, for the second time.
— The Jakarta Post

Karanganyar to close all eateries serving dog meat, saving ’42 dogs a day’
The administration of Karanganyar, Central Java, is to close down all eateries in the regency selling dishes containing dog meat, Regent Juliyatmono told the Dog Meat Free Indonesia (DMFI) coalition and the Animal Friends Jogja community.
— The Jakarta Post

SME products can potentially drive Indonesian exports
Director of Cooperation for Export Development of the Trade Ministry Marolop Nainggolan opined that products of small- and medium-scale enterprises (SME) have the potential to augment Indonesian exports.
— Antara News

BKSDA rescues trapped, injured female elephant calf in East Aceh
A team rescued a trapped elephant calf that contracted infection from injuries in a forest area in Batu Sumbang Village, Simpang Jernih Sub-district, East Aceh District, Aceh Province, Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Office (BKSDA) stated.
— Antara News

Feature photo Danumurthi Mahendra

This week’s Indonesia morning news feature photo acknowledges World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, June 17.

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 June 20 added by Justhine De Guzman Uy on June 20, 2019
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Justhine De Guzman Uy

Writer at AEC News Today

Justhine De Guzman Uy completed a Bachelor of Arts Major in Mass Communication at New Era University, Quezon City, the Philippines in 2016

After graduation she worked at the Philippine Broadcasting Service performing transcription and business news writing, before moving to Eagle Broadcasting Corporation where she worked as a news editor, translator and production assistant.