Indonesia Morning News For February 2

Jokowi Asks PLN to Accelerate Electrification in East Indonesia
President Director of state power company PLN Sofyan Basir said that his office will pursue to achieve the 97 percent electrification target by the end of the year. “We will achieve it.
— Tempo

Economy and politics will run separately: Economist
Head Economist of Danamon Bank, Anton Hendranata, believed that the Indonesian economy would not be affected by the political condition throughout this year and the next year, as each sector will run separately.
— Antara

Taxpayers’ voluntary compliance reaches 85% in 2017
Director General of Taxation Robert Pakpahan has said about 85 percent of Rp 1.34 quadrillion (US$99.82 billion) was paid voluntarily by taxpayers last year.
— The Jakarta Post

Ride Jakarta raises $500k seed funding round led by Intudo Ventures
Boutique fitness and indoor cycling studio Ride Jakarta has secured a $500,000 seed round of financing led by Indonesia-focused venture capital firm Intudo Ventures, according to a company statement.
— DealStreetAsia

PLN asks Jokowi for help in lowering coal price
State-owned electricity firm PLN has reported its challenges, particularly those related to the price and supply of coal, directly to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, hoping the government will help ease its financial burdens while maintaining electricity rates.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesia Digest: CMNP eyes asset securitisation; Local banks announce rights issue
Toll road operator Citra Marga Nusaphala Persada is planning to raise funds through asset securitization, while three small banks are seeking to raise additional capital through a rights issue.
— DealStreetAsia

Bali eruptions fail to shake Indonesia tourism growth
Indonesia’s increasingly assertive tourism campaign is finally bearing fruit, with a 22% jump in its foreign tourist arrivals last year — despite sharp declines in visits to the popular resort island Bali as a result of volcanic eruptions.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Govt Prepares IDR60 Tln for Rural Labor Intensive Programs
Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani is promoting rural development through labor-intensive programs.
— Netral News

Indonesia’s manufacturing PMI signals contraction for two months in row
The Nikkei Indonesia Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index, or PMI, improved to 49.9 in January from 49.3 in December.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Indonesian drugmaker Kalbe Farma eyes Sri Lanka, Mideast expansion
PT Kalbe Farma, whose antacid drug Promag is a household name in Indonesia, is seeking a partner in Sri Lanka and eyeing the Middle East as a new market for its nutritional products.
— DealStreetAsia

China becomes Indonesia’s No. 2 investor with infrastructure drive
China became Indonesia’s second-biggest source of foreign direct investment in 2017, and officials in Jakarta are saying they expect the Chinese inflows will only continue to swell.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Exploring 12 Wells, Pertamina EP Prepares US$755 Million Capital Expenditures in 2018
Pertamina EP, a subsidiary of PT Pertamina prepares a capital expenditure (capex) of US$755 million (approximately IDR10 trillion).
— Netral News

A ruckus in Indonesia as ride-hailing rules take effect
Indonesia for the first time on Thursday put companies like Uber and Grab under a legal umbrella.
— Nikkei Asian Review

AirAsia to roster only male crew for Aceh flights
Budget airline AirAsia will roster only male flight attendants on flights to Aceh, after the Indonesian province said that Muslim female flight attendants would have to don the hijab upon arrival in the region.
— The Jakarta Post

Pertamina to distribute LNG to Bangladesh, Pakistan
State-owned energy firm Pertamina will distribute liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Bangladesh and Pakistan following the working visit of President Joko Widodo to the South Asian countries last month.
— Antara

600 Investors Expected to Attend Mandiri Investment Forum 2018
PT Bank Mandiri Persero Tbk (MDRI) and Mandiri Sekuritas again are holding the Mandiri Investment Forum (MIF) in 2018.
— Netral News

Asean Peace and Reconciliation Research Body to Begin Full Operations in Jakarta
The government of Indonesia and the Asean Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, or AIPR, signed a host country agreement on Thursday (01/02) in Jakarta, marking the start of operations for the research-focused body aimed at strengthening the region’s political-security community.
— JakartaGlobe

Feature photo Ilya Yakubovich

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.