Jakarta. In order to boost the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises, the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association has urged the government to waive the value-added tax for many SMEs with turnover up to Rp 2.5 billion ($280,000) annually. In accordance with a 2003 decree from the Finance Ministry, the VAT exemption currently applies only to SMEs with annual turnover up to Rp 600 million. “SMEs are facing tough competition right now.

Muntok, Babel (ANTARA News) - Bangka Barat district administration in Bangka-Belitung (Babel) province is currently developing three tourism objects in the area. "With their appealing natural beauty, the three tourism objects namely Batu Rakit Beach, Menumbing rest house, and Dendang Hot Spring are expected to attract a multitude of both domestic and foreign tourists," local Transportation, Culture and Tourism Office (Dishubudpar) spokesman Choirul Amri Rani said here on Monday.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - PT Megasurya, a CPO-based consumer goods industry, planned to expand the market in the European Union with an export growth of 30 percent. It made the pan following the obtainment of a Roundtable Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certificate in July this year. "We are the first oil palm derivative company in the world with an RSPO certificate," general manager of the subsidiary of the Musim Mas Group PT Megasurya Mas Wibowo Suryadinata said here Friday.

Hanoi (ANTARA News) - A Vietnamese company is conducting a feasibility study as part of efforts to invest in the fishery sector in the Indonesian province of Riau Islands, an envoy said. "The company has contacted BKPM (Investment Coordinating Board) as part of its intention to invest in the Indonesian fishery sector," Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Pitono Purnomo said here on Sunday.

India has implemented a free trade pact with Indonesia that slashes import duties on thousands of products, like seafood, chemicals and apparel. This takes the FTA with the 10-nation Asean bloc a step further. In turn, Indonesia would also slash import duties on Indian goods. Now that the trade pact with Indonesia has come into force, the agreement signed with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) bloc in 2009 has become functional with six member countries.