PT McDermott Indonesia, a Batam-based engineering and construction company in the offshore oil and gas industry, has completed construction of a massive central processing platform (CPP) worth US$450 million. A 15,700-ton facility, to be operated by ConocoPhillips in an oil and gas block just off Vietnam, is one of the largest in the Asia-Pacific region, said Michael Jeffers, general manager of McDermott's Batam Fabrication Operation.

Aditya Suharmoko and Alfian , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Mon, 08/18/2008 11:51 AM | Business The government plans to be aggressive in its hunt for more taxpayers among businesses to help finance the expansive state budget proposed for next year.

Jambi (ANTARA News) - Jambi province`s gross regional domestic product in the second quarter of 2008 rose 2.8 percent to Rp9,217 billion, driven by a rise in global crude palm oil (CPO) prices. The rise in CPO prices caused the local economy particularly the processing industry to grow 5.2 percent, Head of the Jambi Office of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) Dyan Pramono Efendi said on Saturday.

Aditya Suharmoko & Nurni Sulaiman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Balikpapan The government is gearing up to punish three coal producers found to have been evading royalty payments and income tax over a six-year period, an official says. Finance Ministry's Directorate General of Taxation Darmin Nasution said Tuesday the three companies evaded nearly Rp 2.5 trillion (US$272.12 million) in taxes between 2004 and 2006.

The Jakarta Post The country's business community and entrepreneurs deem the President's state address a disappointment as the state budget allocation for infrastructure is lower than expected. "The allocated budget for infrastructure is only 3 percent, when the country actually needs at least 6 percent to stimulate high economic growth.

Google is targeting Indonesia's small and medium enterprises to boost its expansion in the region. The Silicon Valley giant is providing an opportunity for Indonesian SMEs to develop their businesses and find new customers by advertising on Google Adwords, a Google product aimed at businesses with limited cash flow. "The thing we always have problems with in small businesses is cash flow.

Aditya Suharmoko, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government has set an expansive state budget for next year, calling for a higher deficit with increased spending to boost growth and reduce unemployment. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Friday presented the 2009 state budget draft to the House of Representatives, saying the "growth with equity" strategy would accelerate Indonesia's economy and cut unemployment and poverty.

Badung Tourism Office Promises to Enforce Closure Rule on Villas Who Fail to Meet Regulatory Requirements for Commercial Villas. (8/16/2008) The Regional Tourism office of Badung, acting on the Governor's August 29, 2008 deadline for the legalization of all commercial villas, is preparing two team to move against illegal or unregistered villa operators. According to BisnisBali there are an estimated 111 illegal villa still operating in the North Kuta and Mengwi areas of the island.