Indonesia Morning News For August 14

Swadaya: Crowdfunded Series Aims to Empower Indonesians (video)
Swadaya aims to shine a light on the other side of Indonesia that is often overlooked by traditional media.
— AEC News Today

Indonesia revises oil, gas block investment rule
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has issued Ministerial Decree No. 47/2017 on the mechanisms of investment return in upstream oil and gas business to amend the previous Decree No. 26/2017 on the same matter.
— The Jakarta Post

Taming of Asia’s Most Volatile Currencies Is Creating New Danger
Three-month historical volatility for Indonesia’s rupiah has slumped for four straight quarters, falling to a four-year low of 2.53 percent in May from as high as 16 percent in 2013.
— Bloomberg

Two of ASEAN’s nations ideal for local firms: DBS
Indonesia is backed up with stable demand in its vast domestic market, and its imports of capital goods are expected to begin to recover and post growth in the second half of this year.
— Taipei Times

OJK Hopes Capital Market More Mature, Ready to Face Competition
The Financial Services Authority (OJK) hopes that Indonesia’s capital market, which is now 40 years old, would be more mature and more ready to face the global competition.
— Tempo (EN)

Indonesia: Jasa Marga, Astratel eyeing Waskita’s highway project worth $523m
Toll developers Jasa Marga and Astratel Nusantara are eyeing state-owned Waskita Karya’s highway project, Trans-Java, which is currently up for sale, officials told reporters recently. The project is estimated to be worth around Rp 7 trillion ($523 million).
— Deal Street Asia

All-New Mitsubishi Xpander MPV Makes World Premiere At 2017 Indonesia Auto Show
The all-new Mitsubishi Xpander is an SUV-styled MPV that will take on a host of rivals including the Toyota Innova Crysta, but with sales largely limited to ASEAN markets and certain other international markets.
— NDTV

Blackberry eyes cyber security business in Indonesia
Amid fierce competition from other tech giants such as Samsung and Apple, Canadian technology company Blackberry has set its sights on the cyber security sector in Indonesia, in addition to expanding the sales of its mobile handsets.
— The Jakarta Post

PH engineering firm to build LNG plant in Indonesia
Altantic, Gulf and Pacific Co. (AG&P) has entered into a partnership with a group of Indonesian firms on the development a $980-million liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal and power plant complex in Indonesia.
— Inquirer.net

Indonesia eyeing Saudi investment
Many Saudi businesses have also expressed their interest to visit the country and participate in the Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI), according to the top diplomat of Indonesia.
— Saudi Gazette

Exclusive: JD.com eyes partnerships with Indonesia’s niche e-commerce players
With its talks with PT Tokopedia seemingly having reached a dead-end, China’s JD.com is now exploring new partnerships with niche e-commerce players in Indonesia, according to two people aware of the development.
— Deal Street Asia

Govt provides Rp5.5 trillion for local fruit development
Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman said the government has allocated Rp5.5 trillion to support local farmers in developing local fruit and food crops.
— Antara

All Part of Bitcoin Boom
The digital currency reached another record high Friday after weathering a split last week that threatened to jeopardize its growing acceptance as an alternative means of exchange and legitimacy as an asset.
—Netral News

Reports: Key witness in Indonesia corruption case dies in US
Indonesian anti-corruption police allege that a network of about 80 people, mostly politicians, and several companies used the introduction of a $440 million electronic identity card system to steal more than a third of the allotted funds. Marliem was considered a key witness in the case.
—Washington Times

Indonesia still desperately fighting fires
The president’s order for strict law enforcement against forest burners has fallen on deaf ears as evident from the frequent halting of police investigations into forest fires implicating corporations and individuals, usually citing a lack of evidence.
— The Star

Earthquake of magnitude 6.5 strikes west off Indonesia’s Sumatra; tremors felt in Singapore
An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 struck west of Indonesia’s island of Sumatra on Sunday but there was no tsunami risk, seismologists said as panicked residents fled their homes.
— Straits Times

Singapore committed to long-term relationship with Indonesia: DPM Teo
During his trip, Mr Teo had met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo to discuss the agenda for the Leaders’ Retreat in Singapore, which will mark the 50th anniversary of relations between the two countries.
— Channel NewsAsia

Malaysia-Indonesia border issue will probably be solved with political will
The issue of overlapping demands on several border areas of Malaysia and Indonesia will probably be solved with a strong political will of leaders of the two countries.
— The Sun Daily

Feature photo Asian Development Bank
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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.