Indonesia morning news for March 21

Indonesia morning news for March 21
Advertisement
Online English lessons

Indonesia morning news

Indonesia flood death toll crosses 100, dozens still missing
The death toll from flash floods and landslides that tore through Indonesia’s Papua region has topped 100 with dozens more still missing, the disaster agency said on Wednesday.
— AL Jazeera

Indonesia strengthens its presence in Africa through deeper economic ties
Last April, the Indonesian government hosted the first Indonesia-Africa forum (IAF) in Bali. Senior delegates and business people from both entities gathered to explore investment opportunities to strengthen economic ties. The forum resulted in business deals totalling more than US$1 billion.
— Asean Today

Confusion, Then Prayer, in Cockpit of Doomed Lion Air Jet
As the seconds ticked by on the doomed Indonesian flight, the pilot handed the controls to his co-pilot and flipped through the pages of a technical manual, trying to figure out what was happening.
— New York Times

Indonesia may refer EU’s discriminatory policy on palm oil to WTO
The Indonesian government may refer the European Union’s (EU) discriminatory policy on palm oil to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
— Antara News

Insight: Is Indonesia heading toward a ‘militarized democracy’?
The Indonesian Military (TNI) has come under heavy fire in recent months for its proposal to expand its force structure and assign more officers to civilian agencies and ministries.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesia Economically Stable During Election, says Sri Mulyani
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati assured that Indonesia’s economy would grow stronger in the wake of the 2019 presidential election. She sees that it will mainly be driven by the ever transparent politics and democracy post “reformasi.”
— Tempo.co

Indonesia wins $2.52 million settlement for coral damage by foreign ships
Indonesia has clinched a $2.52 million settlement from the operators of two foreign-flagged ships that damaged coral reefs in the sea off southeastern Sumatra in 2017.
— Mongabay News

Pilot who hitched a ride saved doomed Lion Air’s 737 on next-to-last flight
As the Lion Air crew fought to control their diving Boeing 737 Max 8, they got help from an unexpected source: an off-duty pilot who happened to be riding in the cockpit.
— The Jakarta Post

Rupiah continues its rally on Wednesday
The rupiah continued its rally against the US dollar in the Jakarta interbank market for the third day on Wednesday.
— Antara News

Indonesia threats to boycott EU’s planes, other products if CPO ban applied
The Indonesian government will boycott European Union (EU)’s planes, vehicles and other products if it bars the country’s crude palm oil (CPO) to be used as raw materials for bio-fuel, a senior minister said here on Wednesday.
— Xinhua

Cockpit voice recorder of doomed Lion Air jet depicts pilots’ frantic search for fix: Sources
The pilots of a doomed Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX scoured a handbook as they struggled to understand why the jet was lurching downwards, but ran out of time before it hit the water, three people with knowledge of the cockpit voice recorder contents said.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesia Threatens to Ban European Goods in Dispute Over Palm Oil
Indonesia threatened to ban imports of goods from the European Union in retaliation for the bloc’s move to impose stricter limits on how palm oil can be used in green fuels.
— Bloomberg

Companies need government support in oil recovery activities
Oil and gas companies want the government to provide incentives for oil-recovery activities, which are costly but have an important role in boosting the country’s declining oil production.
— The Jakarta Post (paywall)

Fake news spikes in Indonesia ahead of elections
The spread of fake news and disinformation has spiked in Indonesia in recent months, weeks before millions are scheduled to vote in the country’s elections.
— The Guardian

Fisheries Ministry to Provide 200 Million Freshwater Fish Seed
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) under Susi Pudjiastuti opened opportunities for ties with regional administrations in building fish seed shops to meet the high demand of fish seeds in several integrated fishery zones or Minapolitan areas.
— Tempo.co

Jokowi tells oil palm tree growers to turn to durian
Amid low demand and the price decrease of crude palm oil (CPO) in the global market, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has advised oil palm tree growers to grow durian trees, as he believes the commodity has good prospects.
— The Jakarta Post

Jokowi uses electability survey for evaluation
Presidential candidate number 01 Joko Widodo explained that he used the electability survey for evaluation.
— Antara News

Jokowi approves Rp 571 trillion in Greater Jakarta infrastructure projects
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has said the central government approved infrastructure projects worth Rp 571 trillion (US$40.12 billion) in Jakarta and its satellite cities – Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi – after they were proposed by Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesian president’s lead over election rival sharply cut: Poll
A new Indonesian election survey shows that President Joko Widodo’s big lead over his challenger, retired General Prabowo Subianto, is narrowing just weeks ahead of next month’s vote in the world’s third-largest democracy.
— AL Jazeera

Indonesia to Review EU Trade Negotiations
The government plans to review negotiations on the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement/IEU CEPA). This plan comes after the European Commission’s plan to gradually abolish the use of CPO-based biofuel until 2030.
— Tempo.co

Communication Ministry blocked nearly one million accounts in 2018
The Indonesian Communication and Informatics Ministry had blocked 961,456 accounts in 2018 for carrying negative contents, an official stated.
— Antara News

Jokowi, Prabowo camps prepare for large campaign rallies
The respective camps of incumbent Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and challenger Prabowo Subianto have started gearing up for massive political rallies as the campaign season for the presidential election nears its final phase.
— The Jakarta Post (paywall)

Indian infra companies welcomed to participate in Indonesia’s development
Indian companies are welcome to participate in Indonesia’s infrastructure projects, particularly in the Aceh province, as the island nation makes development a priority, a senior minister has said.
— Business Standard

Jokowi Urges PDIP Legislative Candidates Step Up Campaign Acts
Presidential candidate number 01 Joko Widodo or Jokowi delivered briefings for legislative candidates of the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) from the Jakarta electoral district today, March 20.
— Tempo.co

Prabowo narrows electoral gap ahead of voting day: Kompas survey
A poll released by Kompas on Wednesday shows that Gerindra Party chairman and presidential challenger Prabowo Subianto has managed to narrow the electoral gap between him and President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo during the six-month campaign period.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesia’s IT Ministry demands Facebook improve censorship system in light of NZ shootings
The complicated issue of internet censorship has been a hotly debated topic worldwide since social media platforms and websites struggled to contain the spread of footage from the horrific mosque shootings in Christchurch which killed 50 last Friday.
— Coconuts

Flash Floods and Earthquake in Indonesia Kill at Least 79 People, Officials Say
Intellasia East Asia News The number of people killed after torrential downpours triggered flash floods and mudslides that tore through mountainside villages in Indonesia’s easternmost province has climbed to 79, with dozens of others missing, officials said Monday.
— Intellasia

India’s industry confederation to open office in Indonesia
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has announced that it plans to open an overseas office in Jakarta amid the growing interest of its members to invest in Indonesia and partner with their Indonesian counterparts.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesian mobile wallet Ovo adds mutual funds investment feature
In order to improve financial inclusion in Indonesia, the Lippo-backed cashless payment service Ovo is teaming up with Bareksa, an online mutual funds marketplace.
— Kr Asia

Jakarta allocates Rp 1 billion for zoo renovation design competition
The Jakarta administration is set to hold a design competition for the renovation of Ragunan Zoo. The city has allocated Rp 1 billion (US$70,000) for three winners.
— The Jakarta Post

Three bosses of illegal timber named suspects by KLHK
The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) named three people who each served as leaders in three different companies as suspects in the case of alleged smuggling of merbau wood from Papua.
— Antara News

Traditional Indonesian herbal tonic meets modern-day barista
A traditional medicine once pushed to the brink of oblivion by its modern-day usurpers has been given a second life — as a tonic for health-conscious Indonesians.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

Prabowo extends lead over Jokowi in Jakarta: Kompas survey
Gerindra Party chairman and presidential challenger Prabowo Subianto is leading in Jakarta with an electability rating of 47.5 percent, according to a March poll, gaining 11.2 percentage points compared to an October survey, increasing his lead against President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesia: Investment in local content threatened by piracy
The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) held a one-day conference, Indonesia in View, on March 19th to assess the health and prospects of the video industry in South East Asia’s largest country.
— Advanced Television

Central Java toll road rest area to be a shopping destination
Private toll road operator Astra Infra, the infrastructure arm of diversified business group PT Astra International, is working to improve its services by upgrading its facilities for both road and rest area to keep its business growing.
— The Jakarta Post

4 Gov’t Recommendations Following the Sentani Flash Flood
The Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya revealed two factors that helped cause the devastating flash floods in Sentani, Jayapura; high-intensity rainfall and damaged spatial planning caused by deforestation.
— Tempo.co

Land acquisition process for Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train to conclude in April
State-owned construction company PT Wijaya Karya (WIKA) is planning to finish the land acquisition process for the Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway project in April so that construction of its transportation infrastructure can reach the targeted 60 percent by the end of 2019.
— The Jakarta Post

High level Dialogue: Indonesia joins ranks with India for an inclusive Indo-Pacific region
Indonesia on Wednesday joined ranks with India and called for an inclusive and transparent Indo-Pacific region amid China’s slew of activities that have challenged order in the vast region.
— Economics Times

How Indonesia finally earned nod from Norway for climate fund
Indonesia’s environment minister, Siti Nurbaya Bakar, and her Norwegian counterpart, Ola Elvestuen, announced last month that Indonesia was finally set to receive the first part of a US$1 billion payment pledged by the Norwegian government to preserve its vast tropical rainforests.
— The Jakarta Post (paywall)

 

Feature photo Fully Syafi/ Greenpeace

This week’s Indonesia morning news feature photo acknowledges International Day of Forest, March 21.

 

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.

 

The following two tabs change content below.

Piseth Pov graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics Science from the Royal University of Law and Economics, Phnom Penh in 2017, and a Bachelor’s degree in English Communications from Western University, Phnom Penh, the same year.

Latest posts by Piseth Pov (see all)

Support independent media by sharing using these tools. Do not steal our content

Make a comment

Your email address will not be published.