Those Eager to Expand the Property Sector in Indonesia Will Have to Deal with Restrictions and Constitutional Challenges to Foreign Land Ownership. (1/15/2010) An international real estate conference planned for Bali in May is prompting Indonesian property developers to lobby intensively for a change in Indonesian law to allow foreign nationals to purchase apartments and private residences.

Domestic banks will rely on consumers to drive lending growth again this year, as corporate demand is expected to remain stagnant because of fears about the free-trade agreement with China and the political risk from the Bank Century bailout investigation, analysts said. While businesses are adopting a wait-and-see stance, lenders are lowering interest rates on loans for consumer products such as motorbikes, cars and electrical appliances, and lowering rates on home mortgages and credit cards.

The government remained committed to the free-trade agreement with China and a letter sent to the Asean Council was only a “notification” of potential problems in a number of sectors, not an official request to renegotiate the pact, as previously indicated, a senior Trade Ministry official said on Friday.

TEMPO Interactive, Makassar:The Transportation Department has shortened the permit issuance time of harbour construction from one year to one week. “This no longer time enough to bribe people into issuing a permit,” said the Director General of Sea Transport Sunaryo yesterday. Sunaryo said that the efficient working permit issuance will apply to private companies and regional government owned enterprises.