Bukit Soeharto: This forest park in East Kalimantan could be Indonesia’s new capital
After the plan to relocate the country’s capital city gained momentum following a recent Cabinet meeting, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo named Bukit Soeharto (Soeharto Hill) in East Kalimantan a suitable place for a new capital city due to its adequate infrastructure.
— The Jakarta Post
Watch: Indonesia blows up pirate fishing boats after navy ship rammed (video)
When a Vietnamese coastguard patrol boat was caught on video last month ramming an Indonesian Navy vessel off the coast of Borneo there were no prizes for guessing that it was not going end well… for Vietnam.
— AEC News Today
Indonesia Upbeat about OBOR despite Concerns over China’s Growing Clout
Indonesia’s investment chief expressed optimism about the future of China’s massive One Belt One Road (OBOR) infrastructure initiative in his country, despite lingering domestic criticism about Beijing’s growing economic influence.
— Radio Free Asia
Argentina: Indonesian government agrees on a bilateral agricultural partnership
Indonesia and Argentina have agreed on a bilateral partnership covering market access for agricultural products.
— Fresh Plaza
FROM THE FIELD: ‘Race is on’ to halt biodiversity loss in Indonesia
The trade in wildlife in the South-East Asian country, which is estimated to be worth up to US$1 billion a year, has already led to the extinction of some animal species and disrupted the region’s ecological balance.
— UN News
Jokowi: Indonesia will Become a Developed Nation in 2045
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo expressed his optimism towards Indonesia becoming a fully-developed nation. The President hoped to rank Indonesia as the world’s fourth best country in 2045.
— Tempo.co
Cybersecurity for Indonesia: what needs to be done?
Indonesia, a country with the fourth-largest growth in internet users in the world , is facing both great opportunities as well as significant threats with the development of digital technology and internet.
— Mena Fn
Peace not on horizon in Asean’s fishing wars
Indonesia’s decision to sink a dozen fishing boats on Saturday is a reminder for Asean that illegal fishing is a serious region problem that requires concrete solutions, not more meetings and lip service.
— The Phnom Penh Post
House plans to set up special committee on capital city relocation
The House of Representatives (DPR) has planned to set up a special committee to conduct a comprehensive study on the law on the capital city in response to the government’s steadfast commitment to going ahead with its plan to move Indonesia’s capital city.
— Antara News
Indonesia’s President Vows Tougher Economic Reforms After Clearing Elections
Indonesian President Joko Widodo plans to roll out tougher economic reforms, with the burden of elections no longer weighing him down.
— Bloomberg
Indonesia plans to construct 4,479 km toll roads by 2030
The government plans to develop 4,479.33 kilometers of toll roads by 2030 in addition to the 1,500 km toll road projects that are to be completed in 2024 to support mobility, an official has announced.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesian elections: Widodo holds his position
Over 190 million Indonesians went to the polls on April 17 to vote on the continuation of Joko Widodo’s leadership or to let his rival, Prabowo Subianto, run the largest economy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the world’s third-largest democracy.
— Daily Sabah
Rupiah forecast to weaken over escalation of trade war
The rupiah exchange rate traded among banks in Jakarta on Thursday is forecast to fall further, as the trade war between the United States (US) and China ricochets.
— Antara News
Five Indonesian provinces complete 2019 vote tally
Five out of 34 provinces in Indonesia have wrapped up vote tabulation for the April 17 general election, the General Elections Commission (KPU) has said.
— The Jakarta Post
Transportation Minister: Plane Ticket Price 15 Percent Cheaper
Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said that the ceiling price for plane tickets will be lowered by 15 percent. “Yes, within that range. We’ll finalize on Monday,” Budi said at the Presidential Complex on Thursday, May 9, 2019.
— Tempo.co
A New Level Of Luxury Cruising Is Coming To Indonesia And The Amazon
Raja Ampat is renowned as one of the most remote and startlingly beautiful sailing locations in the world, an archipelago of hundreds of islands in eastern Indonesia dotted with coral reefs, beaches and jungles containing a range of wildlife from 1500 types of tropical fish to over 300 species of birds.
— Forbes
Flights from Bandung to outside Java to be relocated to Kertajati Airport
To help the underperforming Kartajati International Airport in Majalengka, West Java, stakeholders, including the management of Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung, gathered on Tuesday in Jakarta at a meeting organized by the Transportation Ministry.
— The Jakarta Post
Gov’t Urged to Form Special Agency for Capital City Relocation
Former Home Affairs Ministry’s director of regional autonomy Soni Sumarsono, argued that the government should immediately form a special agency to express its seriousness on moving the capital city.
— Tempo.co
Indonesia president says to go all out in second term to boost economic reform
Indonesian President Joko Widodo pledged on Thursday (May 9) to slim the government during his second term and cut red tape hampering investment to achieve an ambitious growth target in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy by 2045.
— CNA (very annoying popups)
“Natural decline” a challenge to 2019 production, says SKK Migas
Indonesia is finding it challenging to reach this year’s oil and gas lifting target, as the oil depletion rate – or “natural decline” – was higher than projected, the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKK Migas) has said on Wednesday.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesia should probe deaths of election staff – parliament deputy
A top Indonesian lawmaker has demanded a parliamentary inquiry into the deaths of more than 500 officials during recent elections, most of them linked to fatigue-related illnesses in gruelling work conditions.
— Euro News
MRT Jakarta to Implement Normal Tariff on May 13
PT Mass Rapid Transit or MRT Jakarta management has announced that the MRT normal tariff will be applied on Monday, May 13.
— Tempo.co
RI considers importing beef from Argentina
The government is considering importing beef from Argentina to reduce the country’s dependency on traditional suppliers like Australia and New Zealand, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman has said.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesia’s Jokowi to go all out in second term to boost economic reform
Indonesian President Joko Widodo pledged on Thursday to slim the government during his second term and cut red tape hampering investment to achieve an ambitious growth target in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy by 2045.
— Free Malaysia Today
Infrastructure projects should be linked to tourist areas: President
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that linking infrastructure projects with tourist areas, small scale industrial centers, production centers, and agricultural and plantation areas will ensure regions progress faster.
— Antara News
Boeing struggling with Mt. Everest PR challenge
No amount of public relations spin can repair the reputational hit from two deadly plane crashes. But Boeing may have further damaged itself with muddled communications that downplayed its responsibility in the disasters.
— The Jakarta Post
Gov’t Offers Plantation Products to Argentina
Indonesia and Argentina have agreed on a bilateral partnership covering market access for agricultural products. Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman discussed and agreed to the cooperation agreement when Argentinian Vice President Gabriela Michetti visited the Ministry of Agriculture’s office.
— Tempo.co
How Can Indonesia Manage Its Concerns About BRI Investments?
Jakarta may welcome, and need, Chinese investment; but it needs to mitigate the risks.
— The Diplomat (paywall)
Indonesia outperforms for geothermal energy: Fitch Solutions
INDONESIA is one of the world’s outperformers for geothermal power, second only to the United States for overall installed capacity forecast in 2019, Fitch Solutions Macro Research said in a May 8 note.
— The Business Times
Jokowi ponders two ‘hills’ in Kalimantan for new capital
All eyes are now on Kalimantan as President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has fallen in love with two hills there – Bukit Soeharto (Soeharto Hill) and Gunung Mas (Golden Hill) – as he seeks the best place to relocate the capital from Jakarta.
— The Jakarta Post
Grab launches Indonesia’s first e-scooter sharing service, GrabWheels, available in BSD City
E-scooter rental services have been blowing up in cities around the world and now they’ve finally arrived in Indonesia with the launch of the country’s first sharing service for e-scooters (of the kick scooter variety, not to be confused with e-bikes).
— Coconuts
Indonesia War on Illegal Fishing in the Headlines with New Sinkings
The development highlighted the country’s ongoing campaign against illegal fishing under the Jokowi government.
— The Diplomat (paywall)
App-based ‘ojek’ orders decline in five cities after fare hike
Homegrown ride-hailing application Go-Jek has said the number of orders for ojek (motorcycle taxis) has dropped in five cities following the increase in fares on May 1.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesia will intervene in bond market in ‘sizeable amount’ to defend rupiah
Indonesia central bank will intervene in sovereign bond markets to defend the rupiah, its head of monetary management Nanang Hendarsah said, as rising trade tensions between the United States and China weigh on emerging market currencies.
— The Star Online
Istiqlal shares thousands of free ‘iftar’ meals everyday
Every Ramadan, Istiqlal Mosque in Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta, prepares thousands of servings of food to be shared with Muslims to break the fast. This year is no exception.
— The Jakarta Post
Three held over drug trafficking from US to Indonesia
Authorities in Indonesia have arrested three people on suspicion of smuggling narcotics from the United States.
— Asia Times
Pompeo puts off Greenland stop in second cancellation in week
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday put off a visit to Greenland, citing pressing business in Washington — just two days after he also ditched a trip to Germany to fly to Iraq amid soaring tensions with Iran.
— The Jakarta Post
Garuda Indonesia Talks of Drop in Airfare Ceiling Price
Responding to the new regulation concerning airfares, Garuda Indonesia commerce director Fikri Ilham Kurniansyah said that the decline in price ceiling for domestic flight ticket would not beset the business.
— Tempo.co
KPK issues summons to lawmaker over construction contract
A lawmaker was served with a summons by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Thursday to appear as witness in a graft case linked to the Riau-1 thermal power plant (PLTU) construction contract.
— Antara News
Indonesia’s forex reserves dip to $124.3 billion at end-April
Intellasia East Asia News Indonesia’s forex reserves dropped by around $200 million to $124.3 billion at the end of April due to the government’s foreign debt payments, the central bank said on Wednesday.
— Intellasia
Leader of fake news website Saracen released on parole
The leader of alleged hate-speech propagator Saracen, Jasriadi, has been released on parole, a Law and Human Rights Ministry official has said.
— The Jakarta Post
Feature photo Indoindians
This week’s Indonesia morning news feature photo acknowledges the commencement of Ramadan, May 6.
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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