Indonesia Has Space to Cut Rates as Rupiah Gains: Decision Guide
Indonesia’s central bank is expected to cut its benchmark interest rate for the third time this year as recent gains in the currency allow policy makers to shift their focus to bolstering the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.
— Bloomberg
Indonesia reports 496 new coronavirus infections, 43 deaths
Indonesia reported on Monday 496 new coronavirus infections, taking the total in the Southeast Asian country to 18,010, said health ministry official Achmad Yurianto.
— CNA
Indonesia Rules Out Easing Lockdowns Soon as New Cases Spike
Indonesian President Joko Widodo ruled out an immediate easing of social distancing rules and ordered officials to strictly enforce a ban on travel during the busy holiday season to prevent a spike in new coronavirus cases.
— Bloomberg
Govt to disburse social aid to 8.3 mln households
The Indonesian Government has promised to distribute social aid funds to 8.3 million beneficiary households that have been severely affected by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, ahead of Idul Fitri, due on May 24.
— Antara News
Fourth Indonesian sailor dumped from Chinese boat, report claims
A fourth dead Indonesian crew member was dumped overboard by a Chinese fishing vessel, this time off the coast of Somalia, according to new allegations under investigation by Indonesia following reports this month of similar sea burials.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)
New Normal Health Protocol to be Introduced by Angkasa Pura I
State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I is reportedly composing a COVID-19 health guideline upon facing the ‘new normal’ set to be imposed in 15 airports which will refer to the health protocol issued by the COVID-19 task force.
— Tempo.co
Bali plans to reopen for tourism in July as frustration grows over Indonesia’s COVID-19 response
Academic experts claim Indonesia’s Government has ignored their scientific advice regarding the coronavirus pandemic, as the province of Bali looks to reopen in the coming months.
— ABC News
Sri Mulyani: Free Electricity Program Extended Until September
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati announced that the government would extend the policies of free electricity for 450-VA subsidized subscribers and 50 percent discount for 900-VA subscribers.
— Tempo.co
Indonesia produces 50,000 testing kits for COVID-19
Indonesia has produced 50,000 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing kits for detecting the novel coronavirus, an official said Monday.
— Anadolu Agency
Govt rolls out $43b stimulus in bid to rescue economy
The government is rolling out a Rp 641.17 trillion (US$43 billion) economic recovery stimulus, bigger than previous allocations, to soften the impact of COVID-19 on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesia Has No Intention to ‘Investigate’ WHO
The Indonesian government has denied reports that it supports an independent inquiry toward the World Health Organization over its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic during the World Health Assembly that kicked off on Monday.
— Jakarta Globe
Rough Week in Indonesia: 20 Pct of Coronavirus Cases Occur in Last Seven Days
New confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in Indonesia have been consistently high by averaging 535 in the last eight days until Monday, more than double the daily average of 231 cases since the first cases were identified on March 2.
— Jakarta Globe
Jakarta Records Over 2,000 New Silent COVID-19 Carriers in a Day
The latest data from the Jakarta COVID-19 taks force revealed the number of asymptomatic carriers (OTG) testing positive for the COVID-19 jumped by 2,441 people in a day in the capital.
— Tempo.co
Indonesia Trials Quinine as Covid-19 Treatment
Indonesian health authorities are trialing quinine as a possible treatment of Covid-19 while also acquiring other kinds of medication touted as promising drugs in some other countries, a senior official has said.
— Jakarta Globe
Indonesian miners eyeing EV nickel boom seek to dump waste into the sea
As Indonesia ramps up its mining sector to feed the world’s hunger for zero-emission vehicles, it is faced with a problem: what to do with all the waste.
— Mongabay
Indonesia Air Force gets first female fighter pilot
At the age of 25, Second Lt. Ajeng Tresna Dwi Wijayanti has already gone down in history as the first female fighter pilot in the Indonesian Military (TNI).
— The Jakarta Post
US Pharma Company to Relocate Plant to Central Java From China
Indonesia is preparing a 4,000-hectare industrial complex in Brebes, Central Java, for a US pharmaceutical company relocating from China, after a discussion last month between President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and US President Donald Trump.
— Jakarta Globe
Garuda Indonesia furloughs contract workers to stay afloat amid pandemic
National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has decided to furlough around 800 contract workers for three months starting May 14 as the airline struggles to stay afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
— The Jakarta Post
Expert: Govt Escaping Responsibility with `New Normal` Narrative
Social politics expert from the Jakarta State University (UNJ), Ubedilah Badrun, has evaluated the government’s ‘new normal’ narrative to be a way for them to escape the responsibility of protecting the public from the COVID-19 pandemic.
— Tempo.co
Villagers contract COVID-19 after opening casket in burial rite
At least 15 people have contracted COVID-19 after they opened the coffin of a resident who had died of the virus to perform a traditional bathing ritual, ignoring health protocols and warnings from local authorities.
— The Jakarta Post
Indonesian media outlets need help to survive COVID-19
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has become a global disaster that causes serious implications to public health and economic sectors in so many countries.
— Antara News
Police name three suspects for alleged trafficking of Indonesian sailors
The police have announced three suspects for human trafficking aboard Chinese fishing ship Long Xing 629.
— The Jakarta Post
COVID-19 kills elderly, haunts the young in Indonesia
As Indonesia continues to report hundreds of new COVID-19 cases daily, the government appears to be preparing for the “new normal” by allowing people aged 44 years and below to work outside their homes despite mobility restrictions to contain the epidemic.
— The Jakarta Post
President Jokowi Personally Monitors Govt Aid Distribution
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Monday personally monitored the COVID-19 social aid distribution at North Jakarta’s Johar Baru area alongside Social Affairs Minister Juliari Batubara.
— Tempo.co
Indonesian firms prefer to seek funding from debt market: Bloomberg
Indonesian companies have preferred to raise capital from the debt market in the first four months of this year as banks experience tight liquidity, according to Bloomberg data.
— The Jakarta Post
Tarakan’s public hospital received 42 COVID-19 patients
Tarakan City’s public hospital in North Kalimantan Province received 42 patients diagnosed with the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as of Monday, spokesperson of the city’s COVID-19 Task Force, Devi Ika Indriarti, noted.
— Antara News
Public participation paramount in government’s fight against COVID-19
Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko emphasized that the government would encounter difficulties in countering the COVID-19 pandemic in the absence of active participation of the public.
— Antara News
Activists demand better services after drastic JKN premium hike
The new hike in premiums for the deficit-stricken national health insurance (JKN) should be followed by better health services for all policyholders, activists have said.
— The Jakarta Post
Greater Surabaya PSBB rendered useless as East Java allows mass prayers: Epidemiologists
Epidemiologists from Airlangga University (UNAIR) in Surabaya have strongly criticized the East Java provincial administration’s policy to allow mosques in Greater Surabaya to perform congregational prayers, including upcoming Idul Fitri mass prayers, saying the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in the area would be rendered useless by the breach.
— The Jakarta Post
Doni Monardo: It’s Possible to Forever Coexist with COVID-19
Doni Monardo, the head of the national COVID-19 mitigation task force, confirmed there had been no sign of the end of the novel coronavirus pandemic thus far.
— Tempo.co
Value of restructured loans in state banks reaches $15 billion
State-owned banks have restructured loans worth up to Rp 223.16 trillion (US$15 billion) to over 1.7 million borrowers as part of the loan-relaxation program introduced by the Financial Services Authority (OJK) in March, this year.
— The Jakarta Post
E-commerce platforms ‘under attack’, cybersecurity must be improved: Minister
Communication and Information Minister Johnny G. Plate has urged digital companies to improve their cybersecurity systems following recent reports of data breaches on Indonesia’s largest e-commerce platforms.
— The Jakarta Post
South Korea’s Kookmin Bank to Seize Control of Bukopin
South Korean lender KB Kookmin Bank is set to take over as the controlling shareholder of Bank Bukopin, a local medium-sized bank, giving investors hope both lenders may soon be on the path to faster growth.
— Jakarta Globe
Health protocols to be priority in tourism recovery strategy: Officials
The government is preparing a tourism recovery strategy after the sector was severely impacted by the emergency measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
— The Jakarta Post
COVID-19 Task Force Reacts to Hashtag #IndonesiaTerserah
The head of the COVID-19 task force, Doni Monardo, responded to videos and photos displaying medical workers who raised posters with hashtag #IndonesiaTerserah or ‘Whatever, Indonesia’ on social media.
— Tempo.co
‘Like a robot’: Indonesia’s nonbelievers struggle to blend in during Ramadan
The presence of agnostics and atheists is not often felt in conservative Indonesia, where society largely defines itself along religious lines.
— The Jakarta Post
Disconnected: Digital divide may jeopardize human rights
The slow pace at which Indonesia is addressing digital inequality could jeopardize basic rights for those excluded, experts have warned, at a time when the world relies heavily on information technology to stay connected.
— The Jakarta Post
East Aceh police destroy 45 kilograms of confiscated crystal meth
The East Aceh police, on Monday, destroyed 45 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine seized from five members of a transnational drug ring arrested during a drug raid operation in Naleung Village, Julok Sub-district, on April 17.
— Antara News
Tanoto Foundation hands out COVID-19 aid to disabled people
The Tanoto Foundation has donated food packages to support people with disabilities in Greater Jakarta, as they are commonly among the people most severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
— The Jakarta Post
North Sumatra man electrocuted to death while charging phone
A resident of Durian village, Pantai Labu district, Deli Serdang regency, North Sumatra was found dead after he reportedly died of electrocution while using his mobile phone as it was being charged.
— The Jakarta Post
Take it easy on pork eaters: Indonesian Muslims call for tolerance
Elisabeth Gunawan, 49, was worried when she opened her pork restaurant, Warung BeDua, in Batu, East Java, in 2014.
— The Jakarta Post
Feature photo Swiss Beekeeping for Development
This week’s Indonesia morning news feature photo focuses on World Bee Day, May 20.
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).
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Indonesia morning news for May 19 added by Justhine De Guzman Uy on
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Justhine De Guzman Uy
After graduation she worked at the Philippine Broadcasting Service performing transcription and business news writing, before moving to Eagle Broadcasting Corporation where she worked as a news editor, translator and production assistant.
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