Aditya Suharmoko, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A House of Representatives committee is proposing a cut in income tax for both businesses and individuals to help stimulate the economy amid record crude oil prices and a global economic slowdown. The committee proposes the rate for businesses to be a flat 28 percent in 2009 and 25 percent in 2010, lower than the 35 percent rate set under existing regulations, the head of the House's special committee on the bill, Melchias Markus Mekeng, said.

Monday, 09 June, 2008 | 15:28 WIB TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Indonesia is facing the threat of a potable water network backlog for up to nine million people in 2009. Budi Yuwono, Director General of Housing, Building, Planning and Urban Development at the Public Works Department, said that regional governments needed to participate more in constructing potable water networks. “Networks for households should be under regional government, not the central government,” he said on Friday (6/6).

Monday, 09 June, 2008 | 15:33 WIB TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Education Department in cooperation with the Zyrex Computer Company will develop a computer assembling industry through vocational schools. It is targeted to have 200 computer assembling workshops in schools throughout Indonesia.

Indonesia is optimistic it could become an exporter of corn after recording a steady increase in production in the past five years, an official said, Asia Pulse reported Friday. The country's corn production has increased by 10-15% annually in the past five years, Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono said. Last year production grew 14% to 13.28 million tons and this year it is expected to rise further by 20% to 16.5 million tons giving a surplus on the domestic supply.

Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand’s former prime minister, is interested to invest in Indonesia because of its growth and political stability, presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said Wednesday, Antara reported. "Thaksin was impressed with the growth of Indonesian economy," he said. "He met President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in his private capacity as they both maintain contacts and good relationships".

Foreign investors from the United States, Australia and South Korea have expressed interest in building a biofuel plant with a capacity of two million kiloliters worth $500 million in Gorontalo province, Gorontalo Governor Fadel Muhammad said, Asia Pulse reported Tuesday. "They said they were ready to invest (in biofuel in Goronotalo)," Fadel Muhammand said on the sidelines of the Indonesian Regional Investment Forum (IRIF) 2008 in Jakarta.

The International Monetary Fund is maintaining its growth forecasts for Indonesia, saying that steady exports and investment will support the momentum of growth, Milan Zavadjil, assistant director in the Asia and Pacific department, told Reuters in an interview. "Our overall view is the economy has considerable momentum, that it is quite strong, so we are not going to change our projections for growth," he said.