JAKARTA, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- The government of Finland offered Indonesia a $5.38 million grant to help run a program that would advance the use of renewable energy resources, an envoy said. The countries signed an agreement to encourage the use of wood and other agricultural residues as a source of renewable energy, The Jakarta Post reports.

The Indonesian Fisheries Processing and Marketing Entrepreneurs Association has voiced its support for the government’s plan to ban exports of raw fish. Association chairman Thomas Darmawan said Tuesday the value of raw fish was lower than that of processed products because the former could be sold only for culinary purposes. “Processed fish, meanwhile, can be raw materials for cosmetics, medicines and animal food,” he said, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Government Regulation No. 94/2010, which was instituted early this year, has paved the way for tax holidays. Companies may now be granted income tax exemptions or reductions for several years if they make new investments in pioneer industries, that is, industries with linkages to others, that provide high added value, that introduce new technology or that are strategically positioned within the nation’s economic priorities.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - House of Representatives (DPR) Deputy Chairman Taufik Kurniawan urged the Trade Ministry on Tuesday to deal with the uncontrolled growth of mini-markets all over the country. "If they are not controlled they will threaten small businesses and create unsound business competition," he said. Under the investment law, the Trade Ministry must control the growth of mini-markets in the country, he said.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Industry Minister MS Hidayat has offered Japanese companies cooperation to develop infrastructure facilities in the country`s six economic corridors. The minister offered the cooperation during a meeting with Japanese businessmen grouped in the Japanese chamber of commerce (Keidanren) at his office on Monday, the ministry said in a press statement on Tuesday.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - An American non-governmental organization (NGO) has come out in defense of Indonesia`s palm oil industry, saying it contributes to the country`s and world`s economic growth and food security.