Eric Watkins OGJ Oil Diplomacy Editor LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10 -- The Indonesian government, aiming to play a greater role in managing its own energy resources, plans to step up the participation of domestic firms in developing the country's oil and gas industry. "The Indonesian government has the right to manage its energy resources, and President [Susilo Bambang] Yudhoyono agrees with it," said Vice-President Jusuf Kalla during a state visit to the Netherlands.

JAKARTA, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Indonesian consumer confidence rose slightly in January, helped by expectations of easing inflation in Southeast Asia's biggest economy after a series of cuts in subsidised fuel prices, two surveys showed. Indonesia's annual inflation in January eased to 9.17 percent from 11.06 percent in December, lower than expectations, and the lowest rate since April last year when it reached 8.96 percent.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The government will intensify steel imports following the dumping of cheap iron ore from outside the country. Metal, Machinery, and Textile Industry director-general, Anshari Bukhari, said the measure is taken to protect the national steel industry. "Local steel products are not competitive," he said yesterday. According to Anshari, protecting the local industry is a policy that must be made by the government.

The Infrastructure Fund - which would provide alternative financing for development projects - may be up and running as early as March. The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will contribute around Rp 2 trillion (US$170 million) to help fund the country's infrastructural development, which would be placed with the new Infrastructure Fund.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The level of trust and hope of doing business in Indonesia still remain high. Companies in Indonesia are perceived as trustworthy companies, according to research by Tust Barometer published yesterday (10/2). According to a Director of Indo Pacific, Aditya Chandra, the technology sector is the most trustworthy sector. “Some 88 percent of respondents said that technology companies do the right things,” he said.

Originally Posted By: biznews RI may prefer lead role in oil, gas: Kalla The government has hinted that PT Pertamina should consider to take the lead in all oil and gas energy projects in the country. How do you hint to yourself?

KALLA RAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Ministry of Agriculture has had to push back its target of reaching national soybean self-sufficiency three years ­ - from 2011 to 2014 - because low yields and fluctuating prices for the crop have continued to hamper local production. Indonesia’s tofu and tempeh industries consume at least 2 million tons of soybeans annually, but in 2008 domestic farmers were only able to produce 760,000 tons.