Indonesia Morning News For March 30

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.

Indonesian Tax Amnesty Program Set to End Friday
About 10 percent of Indonesians are registered taxpayers and only about one million report their taxes to the government.
— Voice of America

Citibank Indonesia Booked 46% Profit Increase in 2016
Citibank Indonesia, a local unit of global banking giant Citi, saw a 46.2 percent increase in net income last year due to strong growth in interest and operational income streams.
— Jakarta Globe

Gov’t Focuses in Improving the Ease of Doing Business
The Indonesian Government is focused in improving its ease of doing business indicator by reforming its tax and customs service sector. “The Finance Ministry has two, customs and taxation. Cross border transfer and the ease to pay tax,” says Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, on Wednesday, March 29, 2017.
— Tempo

Antam Gets Initial Clearance for Indonesia Nickel Ore Exports: Official
Indonesia’s state-owned miner Aneka Tambang (Antam) has been granted an initial approval to export up to 2.7 million tonnes of nickel ore over the next 12 months, a mining ministry official said on Wednesday (29/03).
— Jakarta Globe

House Speaker Highlights Indonesia-France Trade Value
The Indonesian House of Representatives supports the increased level of partnership between Indonesia and France ever since both countries signed a strategic partnership back in July 2011. Bilateral relations between both countries have always improved.
— Tempo

ERTH WIRE — Indonesia, France to conduct joint research to develop renewable energy
The Indonesian Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology has agreed here, Wednesday, to conduct joint research with Frances Commission of the Alternative and Atomic Energies to develop renewable energy.
— Antara News

Indonesia stocks hit record high, Singapore near 20-month peak
Indonesian stocks hit a record high on Wednesday while Singapore shares climbed to their highest in nearly 20 months as data showing strong U.S. consumer confidence boosted sentiment in export-reliant Asian economies.
— The Star Online

ASEAN Regulatory Brief: Malaysia-EU Trade, Myanmar Insurance Sector, and Indonesia Tax Compliance
Malaysian and EU authorities expect the proposed Malaysia-European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will increase trade volumes from 10 percent to 20-30 percent. The growth is based on EU’s existing FTA with South Korea, which grew by 35 percent in the last five years.
— ASEAN Briefing

Indonesia in Tentative Deal for Airbus A400M Military Planes
Indonesia has signed a letter of intent to buy Airbus A400M military aircraft, French President Francois Hollande’s office said on Wednesday. The provisional agreement was signed during a visit to Indonesia by Hollande and covers an unspecified number of aircraft, according to a list of deals issued by his office.
— Netral News

How Indonesia Boosts Its Ranking in EODB
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) here on Wednesday urged to speed up efforts to improve Ease of Doing Business (EODB) indicators to boost Indonesia’s ranking.
— Netral News

Indonesia rising as import partner
Each new presidential administration has the opportunity to define its strategic and security interests and priorities. Though focus is high on challenges the U.S. faces in the Middle East, Europe, Russia, and Asia, there is one nation we must see as critically important to American security and economic interests: Indonesia.
— The Missouri Times

PT Dirgantara, Airbus Helicopters Hand over Chopper Units to TNI
PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) together with Airbus Helicopters handed over a number of helicopters to the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI). Specifically one H215M, two units of H225M, two Fennec combat helicopters, and two AS565 MBe Panther in basic its platforms, from Airbus’ first batch of production.
— Tempo

DCNS Energies and PT AIR Strengthen their Cooperation to Develop A Tidal Energy Industry in Indonesia
Alongside the visit to Indonesia by the French President, François Hollande, DCNS Energies and PT AIR (ptair.co.id) have signed a Letter of Intent designed to deliver a roadmap for the engineering, industrial development and commercial ramp-up of a tidal energy industry in Indonesia.
— Newswire Today (press release)

Logos begins expansion into Indonesia with $130m development
Logos has bought its first development site in Indonesia, soon after the logistics specialist was given US$400m (€371m) in funding from two Canadian institutional investors.
— IP Real Estate

Thousands of anti-coal activists march in Jakarta, deliver complaints to anti-graft agency
Around 2,000 people from across the Indonesian archipelago gathered in Jakarta last week to call for investigations into cases of alleged corruption in the coal and mineral industry. Demonstrators visited the office of Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), bringing forward cases related to Indonesia’s extractive industries.
— Mongabay

Indonesia: Creador “closely monitors” tech sector, toying with idea of creating digital fund, says president director, Cyril Noerhadi
Indonesia’s private equity market experienced a minor slump last year, recording $1.6 billion, a slight pullback from 2015’s $2.1 billion, but still with internet sector receiving about one third of total investments. Go-Jek, an Indonesian unicorn startup, led with the highest deal value, pocketing $550 million from KKR and Warburg Pincus.
— Deal Street Asia

Swedish defense firm launches defense studies scholarship
Swedish defense and security company Saab will provide a scholarship to 20 Indonesians – both civilians and members of the military – who are interested in defense studies.
— Jakarta Post

Singapore tops list of countries where rich Indonesians stashed funds
Singapore topped the list of countries where rich Indonesians stashed money and assets, according to figures on the country’s tax amnesty programme from its finance ministry this week.
— The Straits Times

Asian Muslims cast a wary eye on Trump’s travel ban
When Annisa Rochadiat made a recent trip to Japan, she was worried about whether she would be able to re-enter the U.S. The Indonesian national has been living in Detroit for the past few years, and this was the first time she had traveled outside America since Donald Trump took office as U.S. president in late January.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Over 500 Hindu inmates across Indonesia granted remissions for Nyepi
A number of Hindu prisoners in Indonesia are receiving prison sentence remissions in honor of the Balinese Hindu New Year, Nyepi, which fell on Tuesday.
— Coconuts Bali

Alarming Increase in Gang Rape Cases, Child Sexual Abuse in Indonesia
The number of gang rape cases has increased since 2015, Witness and Victim Protection Agency, or LPSK, and child rights watchdog report.
— Jakarta Globe

Feature photo Gaelen
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).

Introducing The AEC News Today Mobile App

In an era of hectic schedules where time is precious, the AEC News Today mobile app enables you to stay up to date with the latest Asean news on governance and policy issues affecting the Asean Community while you are on the move and whenever you have a few minutes to spare.

See full details, including our AEC News Today Mobile App Privacy Statement here: Stay up to Date With The AEC News Today Mobile App

Download the AEC News Today mobile app from Google play or the App stores by clicking the icons below.

Indonesia morning news is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.

Indonesia Morning News For March 30 added by Stella-maris Ewudolu on March 30, 2017
View all posts by Stella-maris Ewudolu →

Bio
Latest Posts

Stella-maris Ewudolu

Journalist at AEC News Today

Stella-maris graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Education from Ebonyi State University, Nigeria in 2005.

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.