Indonesia Morning News For March 5

IA-CEPA to not only cover trade sector: vice president
The Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) will also cover the investment and service sectors, such as health and education, in addition to the trade sector, Vice President Jusuf Kalla stated.
— Antara News

As Trade War Bites, Indonesia Chases Deals to Push Exports
Indonesia is going all out to strike trade pacts with about a dozen countries and blocs as the U.S.-China trade war hurts its shipments and threatens to worsen a current-account deficit.
— Bloomberg

Indonesia and Australia sign long-awaited free trade deal
After more than nine years of talks, Australia and Indonesia have signed a free trade agreement. The deal had been delayed after Australia signaled its support for Israel, sparking outcry from Muslim-majority Indonesia.
— DW

Indonesia’s fruit exports still encountering problems
One of Indonesia’s major pineapple producers recently complained to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati about the difficulties encountered in exporting the company’s pineapples to China, one of the world’s largest buyers of tropical fruits.
— Fresh Plaza

Dengue fever infects 2,282 people, kills one in Jakarta
A total of 2,282 people in Jakarta have been diagnosed with dengue fever in January this year, with one confirmed death, an official has said.
— The Jakarta Post

Officials fear up to 100 still trapped in Indonesia mine
Indonesian authorities have warned that up to 100 people could still be trapped and feared dead inside a collapsed gold mine despite a painstaking rescue effort that has so far plucked 19 people alive from the rubble but also seen nine deaths.
— AL Jazeera

Indonesia’s largest Islamic group seeks end to ‘infidel’ usage
Indonesia’s largest Islamic organisation, Nahdlatul Ulama, has issued a call to end the usage of “infidel” or “kafir” to refer to non-Muslims in state or citizenship matters, a move that may be aimed at calming religious tensions ahead of the presidential election.
— The Star Online

Will Indonesia’s military regain civilian roles?
In late January, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Commander Air Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto called for the revision of a 2004 law which forbids active members of the military from serving as civil servants.
— Today Online

Indonesia’s Halodoc raises $65m to expand hi-tech healthcare app
Indonesia’s largest telemedicine platform, Halodoc, has raised $65 million from investors in Singapore, South Korea and China, reflecting the burgeoning health care needs of Southeast Asia’s most populous country.
— Asian Nikkei Review

Fisherfolk told to keep distance from active Anak Krakatau
The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has called on fisherfolk to stay alert and maintain a safe distance from Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatau) in Lampung after an increase in eruptive activity was recorded in late February.
— The Jakarta Post

Jokowi Highly Electable among Millennials, says Roy Morgan Survey
The recent Roy Morgan Survey shows incumbent presidential candidate Joko “Jokowi” Widodo far more electable among millennials compared to his long-time rival and presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto.
— Tempo.co

Indonesia’s Mayora Bets on Exports to Drive Double Digit Growth
PT Mayora Indah, Indonesia’s largest listed consumer goods exporter, expects demand for its instant coffee and biscuits to drive a double digit growth in revenue during the next five years.
— Bloomberg

Indonesia’s online P2P loan sharks are driving people to suicide
PRESIDENT JOKO Widodo could not resist spouting jargon as he talked up the Southeast Asian country’s technological prowess during a recent election campaign debate, while his opponent Prabowo Subianto appeared startled by the tech-heavy question tossed at them.
— SCMP

Indonesia at a political crossroads
Incumbent President Joko Widodo offers the electorate the continued prospects of a confident, cosmopolitan nationalism founded on openness to the world as well as an assiduously cultivated religious pluralism at home.
— The Straits Times (paywall)

Prabowo Sees Deficit of BPJS Kesehatan as Small Matter
Presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto considered an issue on the deficit of the Health and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) as a small matter that can easily be solved if elected as the president. Prabowo made the statement during a dialogue event with seven organizations in the health sector.
— Tempo.co

Coal miner PTBA told to produce LPG substitute
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan has called on state-owned coal miner PT Bukit Asam (PTBA) to begin development of a downstream coal gasification industry to support efforts to reduce the country’s imports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesia exports 3,010 tons of mangosteens to China
The Indonesian Secretariat General of Agriculture, Syukur Iwantoro, hosted an official ceremony in Purwakarta, west Java, celebrating the export of 3,010 tons of mangosteens to China.
— Fresh Plaza

Infrastructure development not only in Java Island: minister
The government assured that development of infrastructures, especially toll roads, in the country would not only be focused in Java Island but also in the eastern Indonesia region.
— Antara News

President Jokowi Talks of Foreign Culture Infiltration
During a visit by the SMK (vocational high school) Taruna Nusantara at the Bogor Presidential Palace, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo called for people to appreciate their own culture before fearing foreign culture infiltration.
— Tempo.co

Jokowi ready to launch ‘Nawacita 2.0’: Golkar
The Golkar Party has announced that a strategic program for 2019-2024, called Nawacita Chapter II from incumbent Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, was ready to be implemented should Jokowi be reelected as president in April.
— The Jakarta Post

Indonesians Urged Not to Instigate Conflicts Owing to Elections
Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin called on the entire nation to remain united and not to instigate conflicts because of different political choices in this year`s general elections.
— Tempo.co

Jakarta Council to plan plenary meeting on deputy governor selection
Some progress has been made in the Jakarta deputy governor saga, as the city administration submitted a letter to the Jakarta Council on Monday concerning two names proposed to fill the position.
— The Jakarta Post

PPP and the Poll on Ineffective Religious Sentiment Campaign
The United Development Party (PPP) admits that they are not worried about the findings reported by pollster Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) Denny JA on the ineffectiveness of campaigning religious sentiments.
— Tempo.co

President hopes for free halal certification for micro businesses
President Joko Widodo has expressed hope for free halal certificate for micro businessmen including street food vendors such as meatball and chicken noodle sellers.
— Antara News

Nearly three dozen people have been trapped for days in collapsed gold mine in Indonesia
Rescuers brought an excavator to the remote Indonesian gold mine that collapsed earlier this week, trapping dozens, hoping to speed up rescue efforts despite the risk of triggering landslides.
— Intellasia

Is Indonesia losing favorable clean energy policies?
Indonesia once had policies that supported the development of clean energy, but regulatory changes in the last 10 years seem to be the root of the problem of why abundant sources of renewable power in the country have been left mostly untouched after more than seven decades after the country’s independence.
— The Jakarta Post

PT INKA: LRT Jabodebek Train Construction 15 percent Complete
State-owned manufacturing company PT Industri Kereta Api (PT INKA) said the construction of Light Rail Transit (LRT) Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Bekasi (Jabodebek) ordered by state-owned railway company PT KAI had reached 15 percent completion.
— Tempo.co

‘Open prison’: The growing despair of refugees stuck in Indonesia
Earlier this month Sajad Jacob, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan who had been living in an Indonesian detention centre for nearly two decades, died in the hospital.
— AL Jazeera

Indonesia to see more mergers, acquisitions of banks this year
Mergers and acquisitions in Indonesia’s banking industry are projected to flourish this year as foreign investors, mainly from Japan and South Korea, have begun to acquire local banks, while big state-owned and private lenders have also shown interest in acquiring the smaller ones.
— The Jakarta Post

LinkAja Set to Vie with OVO, Go-Pay
Newly-launched electronic money system LinkAja is ready to go all out and prepares promotions and strategies to vie with competitors OVO and Go-Pay, said state-owned lender PT Bank Mandiri Tbk.’s spokesperson Rohan Hafas.
— Tempo.co

In small gathering, Islamists say ready to ‘jihad’ against enemies
Hundreds gathered outside the National Mosque here today to protest against purported anti-Islam elements they claimed were flourishing under Pakatan Harapan (PH).
— Intellasia

Toll road investors seek government payment for land acquisitions
Investors want the government to now repay the funds they had spent to acquire land for toll road projects.
— The Jakarta Post

600 soldiers dispatched to safeguard construction of Trans Papua road
Chief of the Hasanuddin Regional Military Command XIV Major General Surawahadi dispatched 600 military personnel to safeguard the construction of the Trans Papua road project on Sunday.
— Antara News

Hunting Pasar Jakarta, capturing human life in traditional markets
It was pouring rain at 8 a.m. on Sunday. While most Jakartans chose to stay under the warmth of their blankets, some 30 young men gathered in Senen Market in Central Jakarta and blended in with the trading there.
— The Jakarta Post

Feature photo Kruts

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.

Indonesia morning news for March 5 added by Piseth Pov on March 5, 2019
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Piseth Pov

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.