Indonesia Morning News For October 11

Hard-Line Political Islam Isn’t the Only Threat to Indonesia’s Democracy
The stakes of the election for governor of Jakarta earlier this year were, in the eyes of nearly all observers, much larger than that particular office.
— World Politics Review

Three Banks Set on Issuing e-Money Cards on December 2017
Bank Indonesia (BI) continues to push foward the toll booth electronication payment program. One of them is an opportunity for financial institutions to be issuers of electronic money or e-money cards.
— Netral Times

Mystery over weak Indonesia spending
Almost four million new jobs, rising wages and eight interest-rate cuts in Indonesia should have been enough to spur consumers into action in the world’s fourth most populous nation.’
— The Star Online

Namur, Bandung ink sister-city partnership
The mayors of two cities — Bandung in West Java Province and Namur in Belgium — have established a “sister-city” partnership to improve cooperation in the economy, education, culture, and environment sectors.
— Antara

Indonesia, Italy agree to intensify bilateral cooperation
Indonesia and Italy agreed to intensify bilateral relations in various sectors during Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudis visit to Rome on Monday.
— Antara

FM visits Italy to talk economy, religious harmony
Indonesia is strengthening its diplomatic relations with Italy following its top diplomat’s visit to Rome to meet with Italy foreign minister, business people and religious communities.
— The Jakarta Post

Bank Indonesia to keep inflation focus despite aggressive cuts
Indonesian policymakers are sticking with an inflation-fighting mandate despite an aggressive run of easing that’s had little success so far in boosting growth in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.
— Gulf Times

Big firms tap into specialty textile market
SEVERAL BIG firms in Indonesia have started pushing up production in specialty textiles or fabrics for special purposes, such as sofa and shoes amid the country’s dependence on the import of these materials.
— The Nation

Citi Held Belt and Road Client Forum in Beijing
On late of September 2017, Citi hosted over 220 clients at the bank’s Belt and Road Forum event in Beijing, underlining Citi’s commitment in supporting Chinese and global clients with the opportunities offered by the Belt and Road Initiative (“BRI”).
— Netral News

Home for Indonesian products opens in Hanoi
A permanent exhibition house for Indonesian products officially opened in Hanoi on October 10.
— VietnamPlus

Jokowi plans to replicate Bali’s success in 10 other Indonesian spots
BALI IS BEYOND doubt the most famous of Indonesia’s islands, regularly featured as one of the world’s best travel destinations.
— The Nation

Salim Group Launches New Digital Venture With South Korea’s Lotte Group
Salim Group, an Indonesia-based diversified conglomerate, and South Korean retail giant Lotte Group launched a new online shopping website on Tuesday (10/10) in an attempt to tap into Indonesia’s burgeoning digital economy.
— Jakarta Globe

BPK Reports Findings on Freeport Indonesia to President Jokowi
The Indonesian Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) has uncovered the issue on Freeport Indonesia’s royalty using a lower tariff in its contract, which is lower than the current tariff of the mining industry.
— Netral News

No Indonesian public officials linked to illicit fund transfer: Jakarta
No Indonesian public officials, either from the military or elsewhere in government, were among the 81 individuals linked to the illicit transfer of US$1.4 billion (S$1.9 billion) from the English Channel island of Guernsey to Singapore, said Indonesia’s Finance Ministry.
— The Strait Times

2018 Budget Allocation for Ministry of Public Works Reaches IDR106.9 Tln
Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Public Works and People’s Housing, says President Joko Widodo wants the benefits of infrastructure development to be felt by all Indonesians.
— Netral News

Indonesia aims to finish first phase of rail line linking Jakarta to Surabaya by 2019
Indonesia aims to finish the first phase of construction of a multi-billion dollar rail project linking the capital Jakarta to the country’s second-biggest city of Surabaya by 2019, transport minister Budi Karya Sumadi said.
— Reuters/The Strait Times

Indonesia can be used as gateway to ASEAN for exports
Indonesia can be used as gateway to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries for export of Pakistani products, Ambassador (designate) to Indonesia Muhammad Aqil Nadeen here on Monday said.
— Pakistan Observer

CarDekho hires CEO for Indonesia business
Online marketplace for buying and selling vehicles, Cardekho is all set to expand its senior leadership.
— Economic Times

Feature photo Arian Zwegers
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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.