Jakarta will look into the possibility of signing a cooperation agreement with the US before a state visit by President Barack Obama to Indonesia in June following the postponement of his Asia trip, the foreign minister said Friday. “There are three documents that were to be signed during Obama’s visit. They cover transfer of technology, investment and an action plan on the joint declaration [of a comprehensive Indonesia-US partnership],” Marty Natalegawa said.

The government has expressed guarded optimism that United States investment in the country will not be affected by a delay of US President Barack Obama's visit to Indonesia. Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa told Antara on Friday American private companies had so far shown commitment to investing in Indonesia. “We cooperate with the US, which is represented by OPIC.

Foreign tourists stayed in Bali for an average 8.75 days each last year, down from 13.6 days each in the previous year, an official says. As consequence of the shorter stay, each foreign tourist spent only US$136.9 per day on average, or nearly $12 less than individual average spending in the earlier year.

After a few months of uncertainty, the government finally indicated Thursday that investment in telecommunication towers would remain closed to foreign investors. Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chairman Gita Wirjawan, who initially floated the government’s initial plan to open the sector to foreign investors, threw in the towel and announced that his office would abide by the 2008 and 2009 ministerial decrees that effectively closed the telecom towers from foreign investment.

If the government wants to help lower long-term interest rates,energy subsidy reforms must continue. Recently, the government proposed a 15 percent electricity tariff hike, scheduled for July, in its revision of the 2010 fiscal budget. The plan has sparked protest from various sectors, including the business community. The move is unpopular and perceived as a threat to economic recovery, which has only just begun to gain momentum.

The fast appreciation of the rupiah against the US greenback has sparked concern among exporters that this may cause Indonesian goods to become more expensive and undermine exports. But the government is playing down this concern. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said last week that the current level of the rupiah valued against foreign currencies, especially the US dollar, remains within safe limits for the country’s exports.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) chairman, Gita Wirjawan confirmed that US President Barack Hussein Obama’s visit to Indonesia next week would have brought a positive signal for Indonesia’s investment development. “But this does not mean we are prioritizing investment from the US,” Gita said in Jakarta yesterday. According to Gita, investments are not only expected from the United States, but also from India, the Middle East, Japan, and ASEAN countries.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Head of Indonesia’s Retailers Association, Benjamin J. Mailool, has said that he is not worried about the impact of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (AC-FTA). “Not many of them (Chinese imported products) are in our segmentation,” he said, on Thursday (18/3). According to Benjamin, the AC-FTA enactment does not have a great impact on the retail business. “For us retailers, the impact is minimal, because basically we are just distributors,” he said.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Chairperson of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Gita Wirjawan, has acknowledged that there is an exodus of Indonesian entrepreneurs who have invested in China. They produced goods in China to be exported to Indonesia. “There is an indication of this. We do not know the exact figures,” Gita told Tempo, on Thursday (18/3). Previously, Gita said that investment costs in China were not as cheap as before.

Bekasi (ANTARA News) - Vice President Budiono said that Indonesia must be able to make use of the current transitional demographic dividend to generate its economic growth. "If the country does not make use of its demographic dividend it will miss the momentum and fail to take advantage of it," the vice president said in meeting with students and educators in Bekasi, West Java, over he weekend.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The most important challenge Indonesia is facing now in its efforts to improve its economy and generate its economic growth is how to increase investment, economist of Citigrup Johanna Chua said. "The main challenge to Indonesia`s economic developments in 2010 is how to increase investment growth," Johana Chua said in a seminar on the 10th Annual City Indonesia Economic and Political Outlook 2010.

Mataram, (ANTARA News) - The "Land with One Million Cows Program" (BSS) in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) should have a tangible result at the end of this year, an official said. "Such a program has been calculated in its funds and the number of cow population, and therefore it should have a tangible result at the end of this year," NTB provincial administration` public relations chief M Faozal said here on Saturday.

Sleman, C Java (ANTARA News) - Batik clothes produced in Sleman district, Yogyakarta special province were promoted in international markets among others in some of the former Soviet Union states, Japan, United States and in South East Asia. "The international markets have started seeking Sleman batik motive with the pictures of elephants and nature and dominated by blue colour," said Bambang Sumardiyono, owners of the `Wisata Batik Nakula Sadewa` in Sleman, Sunday.

Palm oil farmers in at least 20 provinces are prepared to boycott Nestle products if the company honors its commitment to stop buying crude palm oil from PT Sinar Mas, an industry association said. “About 10 million oil palm farmers in 20 Indonesian provinces have stated their readiness to boycott Nestle products.

Indonesia plans to unlock more sectors of its economy to overseas investors, including health care, agriculture and creative industries, but will not allow foreign investment in telecommunication towers, the head of the country’s Investment Coordinating Board said on Friday. Gita Wirjawan, head of the board, known as the BKPM, said a draft on foreign investment in strategic areas, known as the “negative investment list,” had been finalized and should be approved soon.