> do you know how I can find out if there PCB fabrication and population companies in Batam? there is quite a large board stuffing compay called PT Sat Nusa Persada. The owner's name is Abidin; he is chairman of APINDO Batam branch and he is quite well known locally. I think there must be quite a few smaller board stuffing plants as well. >Is there a company register somewhere? Sorry, dont know

The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a revised law on value added tax and luxury taxes aimed at helping the Islamic banking sector and lower-income Indonesians. Luxury goods sellers, however, fear the new law could see prices for their goods skyrocket. “Development in business transactions and the change in consumption patterns were the basis for the VAT law amendment,” Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati told a House plenary meeting.

The enactment of the Special Economic Zones Law by the House of Representatives on Tuesday has drawn a mixed bag of responses, with one respected academic welcoming it and the outgoing industry minister likening it to a case of locking the stable door after the horse had bolted. The new legislation, which is mandated under the 2007 Investment Law, envisages the development of modern industrial clusters catering to both domestic and multinational companies.

The House of Representatives endorsed the special economic zone (SEZ) bill on Tuesday, delegating legal powers to a new government body for the promotion of these more liberal trade and development regions. The law basically allows the new National Council on SEZs to make feasibility assessments to request the establishment of SEZs proposed by regional governments, prior to presidential approval.