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Found 507,899 articles

Indonesian president to court tech giants on U.S. trip

Indonesia's president will court tech giants Apple and Google during his first trip to the United States this month, seeking investment for sustainable mining and greater internet access, a senior cabinet minister told Reuters.

Investment in service: Model as important as money

With the weakening of the rupiah and the economic slowdown throughout the year, investment has become a strategic area for the government to focus more on. To accelerate investment, the President has instructed a cut in all interlocking regulations that create bottlenecks in the investment pipeline.

Can Jokowi Deliver on Ambitious Reforms?

As the first anniversary of the newly elected government approaches, Indonesian president Jokowi is finally stamping his authority to overcome the inertia that has seemingly gripped the policy makers. The initial euphoria of the people’s president coming to power and doing the unthinkable...

Ten Office Boys Per Foreigner? Indonesia 'Explains' New Labor Law

Indonesia requires 10 locals to be hired per foreign worker. Non-resident foreign company directors need work permits. For companies worried about a new Indonesian law requiring 10 locals to be hired for every foreigner, the government has a workaround: stock up on drivers and “office boys” to...

Indonesia's small firms struggle, dealing economy another blow

Fuad Fultoni has been selling wooden furniture from Pasuruan city on the eastern side of Indonesia's Java island for 15 years: gazing out as his workers sat idly in an empty showroom, he says business has never been so bad.

The ABC of Indonesian infrastructure financing

Indonesia wants to lift itself to middle income status. To do so, the Ministry of National Development & Planning, Bappenas, has estimated the country needs Rp5.5 quadrillion ($385 billion) in infrastructure development between 2015 and 2019.

Widodo's Bulletproof Car Tires Show Indonesian Thicket of Rules

Indonesia’s new trade minister found a good example of the dangers of protectionism in an unlikely place: the armor-plated car of the country’s president. Officials had trouble bringing in the bulletproof tires needed for President Joko Widodo’s vehicle because of import restrictions passed...

President Urges to Cut Investment Bureaucracy

President Joko Widodo has urged the ministries and institutions to cut down on time-consuming bureaucratic procedures and facilitate grant of permits, licenses and certificates to make it easier to do business.

Foreign Firms Fret at Obstacles in Indonesia

U.S. jeans and clothing maker Levi Strauss & Co. has big ambitions for Indonesia. The nation of 250 million is the company’s fastest-growing market in Asia, and Levi’s wants to invest and expand aggressively.

Burnt by Jakarta authorities, Uber moves to legalise itself

HAVING seen cars operated by its drivers seized by Jakarta’s transport authority, ride-sharing startup Uber Technologies Inc is taking steps to legalise its operations in Indonesia, while saying that it has been having difficulty trying to engage with said authority.

Government to ease permits required for exports-imports

In following up on the issuance of the government’s economic policy package last week, the Trade Ministry will ease export and import regulations to improve the business climate and ensure national stocks of basic commodities, an official has said.

Haze a blight on Indonesia's standing

Indonesia and the region must be prepared, both materially and psychologically, for a possible worsening of the haze situation, given both the persistence of burning practices and the blight of climate change.

Indonesia Economic Policy Package Confirms Reliance on Property Sector

On September 9th, President Joko Widodo announced the first of three Indonesia economic policy packages to bolster economic growth amid prolonged economic slowdown and continued depreciation of the rupiah.

Jokowi takes his first shot at economic reform

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has announced a comprehensive package of reforms aimed at reducing inflation and stabilising the exchange rate, stimulating demand through ‘deregulation’ and direct support, with a special focus on creating more jobs in small and medium enterprises...

BKPM’s New Regulation: Tax Holiday Must be Processed Within 65 Working Days

Indonesia’s Investment Coordinating Body, or BKPM, has issued a new regulation that clarifies that a request by companies to get a tax holiday must be processed within 65 working days after it is filed.

Jakarta planners could look to Singpore

Singapore's experiences in urban planning could offer Indonesia a few lessons in unlocking its own metropolitan potential, according to a new report. The report from Goldman Sachs called for a re-thinking of Indonesia's urban planning policies while making a case for a US$70 billion (S$99 billion)...

Uber on the Defensive After Ban From Bandung Streets

San Francisco-based ride-sharing app developer Uber Technologies says that it is "disappointed" by Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil's recent decision to ban the service in the city, blaming the company's latest speed bump on misinformation and "lies.

Indonesia to survive current global economic slowdown: President

President Joko Widodo said here Thursday that Indonesia would be able to overcome the challenge of the current global economic slowdown. He expressed the conviction because "despite the impact of global economic slowdown political and security situation in Indonesia are conducive.

Indonesian Government unveils stimulus to bolster economy currency

Indonesian president Joko Widodo has unveiled a series of stimulus measures to lift slowing growth in South-East Asia's top economy and shore up the country's plunging currency. In a televised address, Mr Widodo was joined by key policymakers to announce a broad range of measures including the...

Labor Rules Muddle New Indonesian Investment Push

A new Indonesian push to attract foreign investors was generally welcomed on Thursday, though one particular irritant to them remains: rules aimed at curbing the foreign workforce to protect local jobs.

Indonesia to unveil "massive" deregulation as part of stimulus package

Indonesia is set to announce what President Joko Widodo called a "massive" deregulation package on Wednesday, aimed at luring more investment and supporting a currency that has weakened to 17-year lows.

Is Indonesia finally getting serious about boosting FDI?

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo is hoping to attract much-needed foreign capital through measures such as a new tax holiday scheme and plans for a "massive deregulation" of key industries. But will they be enough to lure tetchy foreign investors? Late Wednesday, the government promised quick and...

Batam is ASEAN's potential industrial zone

In the framework of boosting the countrys economic growth, Batam in Riau Islands Province can become a potential business and industrial zone in Southeast Asia, according to the Batam Management Board (BP Batam).

Jokowi orders speedy amendments in existing regulations related to business

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has discovered more than 100 regulations that could be considered unfavorable for businesses in Indonesia. These regulations must be addressed within this week, President Jokowi said while chairing a plenary cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Indonesian president treads fine line by empowering chief of staff

JAKARTA, Aug 13 (Reuters) - The biggest, and possibly riskiest, move in Indonesian President Joko Widodo's cabinet reshuffle this week was the appointment of Luhut Pandjaitan as coordinating minister for security and political affairs.

Widodo Vows Stronger Government to Tame Indonesia Corruption

Indonesian President Joko Widodo vowed to ramp up his faltering campaign against corruption, an impediment to boosting Southeast Asia’s largest economy. Widodo, 54, who on Wednesday revamped his cabinet, said he wants to strengthen government institutions to better tackle wealth inequality and...

Joko reaches for Indonesia reboot as currency pressure builds

Indonesian President Joko Widodo is rebooting. The president, known as Jokowi, revamped his economic team in a cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday as China's currency devaluation spurred further declines in the rupiah.

Indonesian parliament hails cabinet reshuffle

Welcoming President Joko Widodos move to reshuffle his working cabinet, the parliament said that it gave new hope amid the country's slowing economic growth. "It gives us new hope. The president must have evaluated the work of his ministers," House Speaker Setya Novanto said in response to the...

Searching for Indonesia’s Amartya Sen

The Indonesian government is making great strides to embrace more evidence-based policy making. Yet these policies, however forward-thinking, will have little uptake unless three key mechanisms are put in place.

Rupiah hits 17-year low

Indonesia's finance minister said he would coordinate with the central bank to "guard" bonds amid economic turmoil that saw the rupiah tumble yesterday to its lowest level since 1998. The rupiah slid 1.4 per cent, the most since Dec 15, to close at 13,788 a US dollar, prices from local banks show.

Indonesia Oil and Gas Industry Fast Declining

The country is on the verge of an Indonesia oil and gas crisis, according to industry players and observers. The Indonesian Petroleum Association (IPA) revealed that Indonesia oil and gas production has been continuously declining, which, coupled with the ever-increasing oil demand, could lead to...

Indonesia's emerging market has stopped emerging

Indonesia has come a long way since Oct. 20, when Joko Widodo was sworn in as president. Unfortunately, the distance the country has traveled has been in the wrong direction. Expectations were that Widodo, known as Jokowi, would accelerate the reforms of predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono - -...

Indonesian alcohol market faces price headache after tariff hike

JAKARTA: A steep increase in Indonesia’s import tariffs on wine and spirits could more than double prices that were sky-high already, denting demand and raising the risk of smuggling, drinks industry executives say.

Jokowi struggling to boost foreign investment

JAKARTA — Red cranes hover over the vast skeleton of a 660 megawatt coal-fired power plant under construction on the dusty coast of western Java, Indonesia. The US$1 billion (S$1.38 billion) facility, majority-owned by Malaysia’s Genting Group, is set to be finished ahead of schedule next year...

Japan, China in tug of war for Indonesia attention

A competition has been sparked between two Asian giants as Japan and China both attempt to court Indonesia in an effort to boost their influence in the region. Like a chess player, Japan appears to mirror any move made by China.

Scaring off investors

The Central Java administration should address seriously the defrauding of two South Korean investors intending to set up garment and shoe factories in the province, otherwise its campaign to woo labor-intensive industries away from Jakarta and West Java, where minimum wages have risen...

Indonesia needs institutional reforms to boost growth

Over the last five years, Indonesian gross domestic product (GDP) growth peaked at 6.5 percent in the first quarter of 2011 and has steadily fallen to 4.71 percent in the first quarter of 2015. Growth slid further in the second quarter to 4.

Indonesian economic growth continues decline as Q2 figures show drop to 2009 levels

The Indonesian economy has logged another quarter of growth below 5 per cent, underscoring the difficulty facing a new president who had pledged to boost economic activity and jobs in South-East Asia's largest economy.

Will Jokowi restrict imports even further?

Amid the impending Asean single market, Indonesia is moving in an opposite, protectionist direction Indonesia's recent economic policy pronouncements indicate that the country will become increasingly protectionist as President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's government heads for its second year.

Indonesia's GDP growth slows

Indonesia's economic growth in the second quarter dropped to its slowest since 2009, with prices for commodity and energy exports remaining weak and President Joko Widodo unable to push badly needed infrastructure projects past bureaucratic snarls. Southeast Asia's largest economy expanded 4.

Australia-Indonesia partnership lacks genuine resilience

Officials in more than 20 federal agencies partnering with Indonesia have failed to bring the Australian public with them, says DFAT secretary Peter Varghese. Cooperation between the two countries, such as anti-terrorism and education, would better survive policy differences if ballasted by...

Legislator cautions government over sluggish economic condition

The Indonesian government should be wary of the current sluggish economic condition that could trigger massive layoffs by companies, according to a legislator. Several companies have suffered from serious financial problems due to the ongoing sluggish economic condition, Deputy Chairman of the...

Indonesia manufacturing activity contracts for 10th month in July: PMI

[JAKARTA] Indonesia's manufacturing activity shrank for a tenth consecutive month in July as new orders fell, a private survey showed on Monday, raising prospects for a central bank interest rate cut in coming months. The Nikkei/Markit purchasing manager's index (PMI) fell to 47.3 in July from 47.

Three factors driving IoT in Southeast Asia

Gartner estimates that the internet of things (IoT) – a network of devices (things) with embedded technology enabling the transfer of data via the internet – will become a key enabling technology for digital businesses. It forecasts 4.

Growing protectionism hurting Indonesia: researchers

A report by two leading Indonesian researchers argues that growing protectionism by Indonesia President Joko Widodo's government is damaging an economy already growing at its slowest pace for the past five years.

Iranian delegations to visit Indonesia

Three Iranian delegations in progressive science and technology, banking, and oil will visit Indonesia to boost bilateral cooperation in the post sanctions era. Expectations are for the sanctions imposed on Iran to be lifted by the end of current year, and European delegations, headed by top...

Role for business on Indonesian ties

Australia's top diplomat has called on business and the public to help inject more warmth and resilience into relations with Indonesia. Diplomatic ties have hit a low point in recent years as a result of the executions of two Australian drug smugglers, asylum seeker boat turn backs, a spy scandal...

Singapore Investors Eye New Business in Batam

Singapore, GIVnews.com – Following President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo’s two-day state visit to Singapore early this week, some investors from the island state have expressed interest to develop real estates, the maritime sector and logistics zones in Batam, an hour ferry ride from Singapore.

A Way Forward for Jakarta

Less than one year into his term as Indonesian president, Joko Widodo faces a difficult set of challenges, both political and economic. The first, overseeing a cabinet reshuffle, requires some deft handling.

UK, Indonesia to strengthen economic ties

Since 2001, Singapore has consistently been among the top five investors in Indonesia, with US$5.8bil (RM22.1bil) in investments a year ago. Singapore firms that have made major investments in Indonesia of late include Ascendas, CapitaLand, Keppel Land and Sembcorp while SMEs like Tat Wai, Cyclect,...