Indonesia morning news for January 16

Indonesia morning news for January 16
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Indonesia morning news

Indonesia posts historic $8.57 billion deficit
Indonesia’s full-year trade balance hit a deep deficit of US$8.57 billion in 2018.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesia`s foreign debts up 7 percent to US$372.9 billion
Indonesia`s foreign debts rose 7 percent year-on-year to US$372.9 billion as of late November 2018, according to Bank Indonesia.
— Antara News

Indonesia takes steps to trace stolen assets hidden abroad
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has revealed that after several years of delay, Indonesia and Switzerland will soon ratify a Mutual Legal Assistance agreement.
— Asia Times

Quarantine inspections tightened as agricultural trade booms
The growing trade in cattle and crops following trade agreements with several economies has increased the risk of diseases spreading across country borders.
— The Jakarta Post

PLN posts operating profit of Rp9.6 trillion
State electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) posted an operating profit of Rp9.6 trillion, excluding exchange rate difference in the third quarter of 2018.
— Antara News

Indonesia November coal exports slip from record high
Indonesia’s coal exports in November declined 9% from the previous month’s record high of 1.3m tonnes/day – to 1.19m tonnes/day – amid lower Chinese demand, Bank Indonesia data showed on Tuesday.
— Montel (paywall)

Indonesia posts improving Gini ratio in September 2018
Indonesia has posted improving national Gini ratio to 0.384 in September 2018, or 0.007 point lower than in the corresponding period a year earlier that stood at 0.391, Head of Indonesia’s Central Statistics Bureau (BPS) Suhariyanto said here on Tuesday.
— Xinhua

The Indonesian economy: in search of dynamism
Indonesia has achieved almost 20 years of continuous economic growth.
— East Asia Forum

‘One fish at a time’: Indonesia lands remarkable victory
Indonesia, the world’s largest tuna fishing nation, has pulled out all the stops in recent years to transform the health of an industry blighted by depleted stocks and illegal poaching.
— The Guardian

Is higher pay the way to fix Indonesia’s corruption problem?
Indonesia’s National Police chief General Tito Karnavian announced recently that police officers’ allowances would be increased by up to 70 per cent and that raised the question of whether a higher pay may help fix Indonesia’s graft problem.
— The Nation (very annoying pop-ups)

BPS Reports Slight Drop on Indonesia’s Poverty Rate
The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded a slight drop in the poverty rate from 9.86 percent to 9.66 percent which translates to 25.67 million people living in poverty compared to the previous statistic of 25.95 percent.
— Tempo.co

Govt to cut to zero import duty for electric vehicles
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced on Monday fiscal incentives for the development of electric cars by lowering the luxury goods tax (PPnBM), while Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto said the government would cut to zero the import duty for electric vehicles.
— The Jakarta Post

PLTU Riau Bribery, KPK Charges Idrus Marham for Accepting Rp2bn
Former Social Affairs Minister Idrus Marham is indicted for receiving Rp.2.2 billion in bribes from businessman Johannes Budisutrisno Kotjo, in the alleged bribery case in Riau PLTU project. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) read the indictment at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Tuesday, January 15.
— Tempo.co

Christians in Indonesia appeal for “tolerance” as protesters mob church
A group of neighbours forced their way into a house in the North Sumatran capital of Medan on Sunday 13 January protesting that it was being used as an “illegal” church.
— Barnabas Fund

5.0-magnitude earthquake jolts North Tapanuli
An earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter Scale jolted North Tapanuli District, North Sumatra Province, on Tuesday at 6:59 a.m. local time.
— Antara News

Sri Mulyani’s experience makes her ‘perfect’ fit for World Bank top job
Several names have been mentioned as potential candidates to replace World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, who is set to step down from the position in February, and Indonesia’s source of pride, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, is one of them.
— The Jakarta Post

For orangutans affected by El Niño, change unfolds over time
A long-term study in Kutai National Park in Indonesian Borneo has shown how weather caused by the El Niño Southern Oscillation cycle affects the behavior, habitat requirements, feeding ecology and birth intervals of the park’s orangutans.
— Mongabay

Tsunami Could Hit NYIA Airport in Yogyakarta: BPPT
A tsunami researcher from the Assessment and Application of Technology Agency (BPPT), Widjo Kongko, said that a tsunami at a height of 10-15 meters has a potential to strike New Yogyakarta International Airport or NYIA in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta.
— Tempo.co

Work accidents to decrease in industry 4.0: Minister
Indonesian Minister of Manpower M. Hanif Dhakiri estimated that work accidents would decline in the fourth industrial revolution, referred to as Industry 4.0.
— Antara News

Residents demand more green space as South Tangerang grows
South Tangerang in Banten has enjoyed rapid development in the past decade as residential areas expand and public facilities are constructed in Jakarta’s youngest satellite city.
— The Jakarta Post

BKPM issues 1,239 business registration numbers daily
The Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) issued 1,239 business registration numbers (NIB) per day during the period of January 2-11, 2019.
— Antara News

East Ventures leads $550k seed funding for food ordering app Eatsy
Eatsy, a food ordering and payment mobile app, on Tuesday announced that it has raised $550,000 in a seed funding round led by early-stage venture capital firm East Ventures.
— Deal Street Asia 

New BNPB head wants TNI to guard disaster warning devices
A string of deadly tsunamis and earthquakes that devastated Indonesia last year has served as a wake-up call for the government to go the extra mile in improving risk management and early warning systems in the disaster-prone country.
— The Jakarta Post

Match-Fixing Scandal; PSSI Treasurer: I Don`t Know Mrs. Lasmi
The treasurer of Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI), Berlinton Siahaan, claimed he did not know Lasmi Indaryani, the former manager of football club Persibara Banjarnegara, who filed a police report on the match-fixing case.
— Tempo.co

Strong winds destroy 22 kiosks in North Jakarta
Strong winds that lasted for 10 seconds destroyed 22 kiosks at Tanah Merah Market in Penjaringan, North Jakarta, on Tuesday morning.
— The Jakarta Post

Govt lowers investment in oil, gas downstream business
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has lowered its investment target in the downstream oil and gas business – pipeline projects, manufacturing facilities and fuel-storage facilities — this year as the ministry failed to achieve its target in the last two years.
— The Jakarta Post

Sluggish global economy to hamper realization of export target: BPS
The sluggish global economy and fluctuations in prices of some commodities might hinder efforts to achieve the 2019 target of non-oil and gas export growth of 7.5 percent, Indonesia`s Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) …
— Antara News

Man nabbed in Indonesia for allegedly slaughtering, cooking hornbill
The authorities in Riau have arrested a man allegedly involved in illegal poaching after he posted a video of himself slaughtering an endangered bird on social media.
— The Straits Times

‘Keluarga Cemara’ hits million-viewer mark
Since its Jan. 3 premiere, 1,035,634 people have seen Keluarga Cemara (Cemara’s Family) in theaters according to data from filmindonesia.or.id.
— The Jakarta Post

West Jakarta school lab used to store illegal drugs
Police claim that alleged drug dealers have been using a laboratory in a school in West Jakarta to hide their illegal wares.
— The Jakarta Post

BNN foils attempt to smuggle 72 kg of drugs from Malaysia
The National Anti-Narcotics Agency (BNN) has foiled an attempt to smuggle 72 kilograms of methamphetamine from Malaysia into Aceh.
— Antara News

Indonesia to Develop Green Vehicle Industry
Indonesia is now open to investment for manufacturing electric vehicles, says Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto.
— Indonesia Expat

North Sumatra durian penetrates global market in delicious ice cream
When you stop by at top shopping malls or other culinary centers in Singapore, South Korea, Australia or Japan and pick durian ice cream — favorite dessert for many because of its unique state and smell — you may never think that its basic ingredient was in fact exported from North Sumatra.
— The Jakarta Post

BLACKPINK gets arrested by sharia police, dons hijabs in latest project by photoshop master Agan Harahap
K-pop girl group BLACKPINK has found the light — at least in an alternate reality imagined by Indonesian photo manipulation master Agan Harahap.
— Coconuts Jakarta 

Opening on the Island of the Gods: The Apurva Kempinski Bali
Kempinski Hotels is ushering in a new era of first class hospitality with the opening of The Apurva Kempinski Bali, a luxurious haven that captures the essence of Indonesian culture, art and identity.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire

Trade minister sees Africa as potential market for Indonesian products
Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita has called on Indonesian exporters to explore African markets, which have high potential for Indonesian products.
— Antara News

Government criticized as soft on tobacco industry
SHARESSmoking has long been a habit in Indonesia that does not only involve adults but also affects minors, including elementary school students, and has led to swelling healthcare spending for smoking-related diseases. However, policy makers are reluctant to address the issue and are defending the cigarette business, critics say.
— The Jakarta Post

 

Feature photo Artem Bali 

 

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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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.

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