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Tag: Jokowi

  • Indonesia Falls in 2019 Ease of Doing Business Ranking

    Indonesia Falls in 2019 Ease of Doing Business Ranking

    If President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo wants to see Indonesia join the top 40 countries in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking under his watch, he should make sure he wins re-election next year. Indonesia slipped one place to 73rd, behind Greece, the Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan, in the 2019 Ease of Doing Business report, released late on Wednesday. The president has set a target for the country to be in the top 40 by next year, but his second term will be decided in April, while the next report would not be out until next November.

    While Indonesia has made considerable progress in reforming the regulatory environment for businesses since Jokowi took office in 2014, Wednesday’s report reveals the stark realities of the country’s limited capacity to continue with these reforms.

    The country scored 67.96 out of 100 in the report’s aggregate measurement, up by only 1.46 points from last year. Slovenia, a Central European nation of only 2 million people and a $49 billion economy, sits in the coveted 40th place with an overall score of 75.61.

    Indonesia, for one, issued new rules that make starting a business, registering property and obtaining credit, easier for businesses and make it cheaper for them to get electricity. But reform stagnated in areas such as obtaining construction permits, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and resolving insolvencies.

    These bottlenecks allow economies like China, Kenya and Kyrgyzstan to overtake Indonesia. China made a leap to 46thplace in this year’s report, from 78th last year. Kenya moved up 19 places to 61st, while Kyrgyzstan went up seven places to 70th.

    Still, the report highlights Indonesia’s success in reforming its judiciary system and making the country a case study for others to emulate. The Supreme Court introduced training programs in 2003 for new and experienced judges, as well as special training for judges presiding over more specialized cases, such as those involving commercial or maritime disputes.

    “Indonesia’s efforts to train judges following judicial reforms bore positive results through a substantial decrease in court backlogs and insolvency case resolution times,” the World Bank said in the report.

  • Jokowi Begs Exporters to Bring Earnings Back Home

    Jokowi Begs Exporters to Bring Earnings Back Home

    President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has pleaded with exporters to bring home earnings they currently keep offshore to help manage the rupiah from falling further, the country’s finance minister said on Friday (27/07).

    Repatriated earnings could help Southeast Asia’s largest economy refill its declining foreign exchange reserves, which the central bank has been using to keep the rupiah from falling too sharply amid a heavy selloff in emerging market currencies.

    The president on Thursday met with executives from about 40 exporters, including Budi Hartono, the owner of cigarette maker Djarum, chief executive of Indofood Sukses Makmur Anthony Salim and chairman of GarudaFood Group Sudhamek Agung, for two and a half hours to make his case.

    “We hope they keep their export earnings in Indonesia. If they have to use it to buy raw materials and imports, the FX could be used … but we hope the rest can be kept in Indonesia and be converted to rupiah,” Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said.

    BI in 2012 ordered exporters to receive their payments through local banks, in the hope that some of the money would stay in the country and be converted into rupiah. However, some still prefer to keep their earnings abroad.

    Indrawati said BI and the government will continue to maintain close communication with the business community, while monitoring whether they need to issue new policies on the matter. She did not elaborate.

    BI governor Perry Warjiyo has repeatedly said he has no plans to implement tougher rules for export earnings.

    Between February to June, forex reserves had declined $12.2 billion or about 9 percent, according to Bank Indonesia (BI) data, yet the rupiah is still down more than 6 percent in 2018. The currency was trading near its weakest level in nearly three years on Friday, at 14,460 a dollar.

    The central bank said that the end-June reserves level of $119.8 billion was equal to 7.2 months of imports, higher than the international adequacy standard of 3 months of imports.

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  • Jokowi Opens Indonesia’s First Wind Power Plant

    Jokowi Opens Indonesia’s First Wind Power Plant

    As President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo inaugurated Indonesia’s first wind power plant in Sidenreng Rappang, South Sulawesi, on Monday (02/07), the government is getting closer to its ambitious target of obtaining more than a fifth of the country’s energy from renewable sources.

    The plant, also known as PLTB Sidrap, consists of 30 wind turbines which can produce up to 75 megawatts and electrify 80,000 households. The turbines in 40 percent consist of locally produced components.

    “This puts Indonesia among the few Asian countries that posses wind power plants, like Japan, China and Korea,” Jokowi said in a statement.

    Sidrap started its development in 2015 with $150 million borne by a consortium comprising of UPC Renewables Asia I, UPC Renewables Asia III, Sunedison and Binatek Energi Terbarukan.

    A similar project in Bantul, Yogyakarta, also developed  by UPC Renewables, was shelved in 2017 due to land clearance problems.

    Jokowi seeks to connect 99 percent of Indonesians to the country’s grid by 2019, when his first presidential term ends. Currently, the electrification rate is 96 percent.

    Indonesia aims to have 23 percent of its total power coming from renewable resources by 2025, also to fulfill its climate change mitigation commitment, in accordance with the Paris Agreement.

    Today, only 14 percent of the country’s energy is clean. More than half of it still comes from coal-powered plants.

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  • Hong Kong Investor Expresses Investment Commitment to Jokowi

    Hong Kong Investor Expresses Investment Commitment to Jokowi

    During a meeting with President Joko Widodo or Jokowi at Conrad Hotel in Hong Kong, CK Hutchison Holdings Limited owner Li Ka-Shing expressed investment commitment in Indonesia.

    “CK Hutchison Holdings Limited is one of the largest companies listed in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange,” Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in a press release on Monday, May 1, 2017.

    CK Hutchison Holdings Limited is one of the largest container terminal operators in the world with a total investment of US$10 billion. Retno explained that the company views Indonesia as a country with a huge potential. Therefore, Li Ka-Shing expressed his commitment to increasing the company’s investment in Indonesia.

    “A commitment to increasing investment in Indonesia has been made,” Retno added.

    During the meeting, President Jokowi also elaborated a number Indonesian government plans to improve the economic growth.

    “Indonesia’s economic reform was one of the topics raised by President Jokowi,” Retno said. “President Jokowi also explained Indonesia’s infrastructure development plans.”

    In addition to Retno, attending the meeting were Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, and Investment Coordinating Board head Thomas Lembong.

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  • Jokowi Strengthen Economic Ties with Hong Kong

    Jokowi Strengthen Economic Ties with Hong Kong

    President Joko Widodo, also known as Jokowi, has planned to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Hong Kong during a working visit to Hong Kong scheduled on April 30, 2017, after attending the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines on April 28 and 29, 2017.

    “We want to encourage Hong Kong business owners to invest in Indonesia, particularly in the field of infrastructure and creative industry,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir said during a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday, April 25, 2017.

    As one of the largest economy in the region, Indonesia aims to strengthen economic ties with Hong Kong. Delegations of both countries will sign two memorandums of understanding on business collaborations and partnerships in the culture sector.

    Indonesia will also push an agenda to expedite negotiations related to the ASEAN-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement, which is expected to increase the intensity of trades between ASEAN and Hong Kong.

    In 2016, the realization of Hong Kong’s investment in Indonesia reached USD 2.25 billion, significantly increasing from those realized in previous years that stood at around USD 691 million. The trade value between the two countries climbed to USD 3.9 billion in 2016 from USD 3.8 billion in 2015.

    President Jokowi will also discuss protections for Indonesian citizens in Hong Kong.

    “The President also pays attention to protections for our migrant workers. There are 172,000 Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong,” Armanatha revealed.

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  • Jokowi optimistic of witnessing 10% growth in automotive industry

    Jokowi optimistic of witnessing 10% growth in automotive industry

    Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is optimistic that the automotive industry would attract more investors and grow over 10 percent annually.

    “Indonesias automotive industry is more competitive now and is growing on an average of more than 10 percent,” he remarked in Bekasi on Tuesday.

    President Jokowi expressed optimism in his remarks at the opening ceremony of PT Mitsubishi Motor Krama Yudha Indonesia (MMKI) at the Greenland International Center, Central Cikarang, Bekasi District, West Java.

    “With such a large market, I am certain that more investments will flow into the automotive sector of Indonesia, as we have a large market, and greater the investments, more employment opportunities will be available,” he emphasized.

    President Jokowi lauded Mitsubishi Motors commitment to increasing its investment by setting up a new plant in Indonesia, which will be able to offer jobs to around three thousand people.

    “This can provide employment to some three thousand people. Once again, three thousand job opportunities,” the president pointed out.

    Hence, Jokowi is committed to easing the flow of investments, particularly in the automotive sector, considering its impacts on the economic growth.

    “The inflow of investments will create more job opportunities, and it means more people will have jobs,” he stated.

    However, the president highlighted the importance of the quality of human resources to meet the high standards of the automotive industry.

    He pointed out that the government is taking steps to boost economic development by providing skilled manpower through vocational schools.

    “Here, we will strengthen vocational education, vocational schools, as well as vocational training, entrepreneurship, and the labor market,” he affirmed.

    “The government will continue to implement policies that link and match or job matching between vocation and the industry,” the president noted.

    Investment in industry will also allow the transfer of technology and knowledge to Indonesia. Hence, President Widodo has urged the employees to use the opportunity extensively.

    “I hope you will also pay attention to the transfer of technology and knowledge. Continue conducting trainings for the local human resources, and it will be better if the Japanese work ethics, such as high discipline, can be imbibed by Indonesian human resources,” he said.

    “Do not hesitate to involve the Indonesian people in creating new innovations, as they are all actually smart,” added Jokowi.

    In addition, President Jokowi is optimistic that the automotive industry would begin developing its export market.

    “The local or domestic market is large, but we also need to focus on the export market to achieve a balance,” he pointed out.

    Some VIP guests also attended the opening ceremony with President Jokowi, including Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Head of the Investment Coordinating Board Thomas Lembong, Vice Minister of Finance Mardiasmo, Vice Governor of West Java Deddy Mizwar, and Chairman of Mitsubishi Motors Carlos Ghosn.

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  • President Jokowi receives Toyota Motor executives

    President Jokowi receives Toyota Motor executives

    President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) received Toyota Motor Corporation executives led by the companys president, Akio Toyoda, at Merdeka State Palace here on Monday.

    “In 2015, Jokowi visited Toyota in Japan, and today we have presented a report on the several commitments of Toyota in Indonesia,” PT Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesias (TMMIN) deputy president director Warih Andang Tjahjono said after the meeting.

    He stated that Toyota has expressed its commitment to continue to participate and contribute to the development of automotive industry in Indonesia through investment, exports, manpower, and human resource development.

    Tjahjono was introduced to the president as the new president director of TMMIN. He would replace Masahiro Nonami starting from April 1, 2017.

    Warih would be the first local person to be in the top position of the affiliation company of Toyota Manufacturing in the Asia-Pacific region.

    Nonami, who had held the post as TMMIN president director since 2010, would take over a new position in TMMIN.

    The meeting between the president and Toyota Motor Corporation executives lasted around 30 minutes from 9.35am to 10.15am

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  • President Jokowi calls for better transportation between Sumatra and Java

    President Jokowi calls for better transportation between Sumatra and Java

    President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), during a closed-door meeting on Monday, emphasized the need for improving transportation services between the islands of Sumatra and Java by operating better ferries.

    “We are concerned about the operation of the toll road from Lampung Province to Palembang, which leads to vehicle queues in Merak-Bakauheni crossing lane,” the Lampung Governor M Ridho Ficardo stated here on Monday.

    Jokowi and Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla (Jokowi), along with Ricardo and other officials, held a meeting in the Presidents Office to discuss the National Strategic Project and Prioritized Program.

    Ficardo stressed that the transportation authority should deploy several ferries of better quality to improve cargo transportation between Merak and Bakauheni ports that connect Sumatra and Java islands.

    According to Ficardo, the authority should operate ferry trips every hour to transport cargo and passengers.

    He reiterated that the authority can increase the ticket price to provide better services and deploy faster ferries.

    “The improved toll road should be offset by better crossing access. It is fine to increase the price to provide better services,” Ficardo pointed out.

    The meeting also discussed the development of industrial areas in Tanggamus District that builds maritime industry, Mesuji District, and Waypisan District.

    The governor added that the industrial area in Mesuji District could be developed, because the region has a mine of low calorie coals that can supply fuel for power plants.

    The Trans Sumatera toll road has entered the second phase of construction with the development of toll road of 250 kilometers. The government is targeting its completion in 2018.

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  • Indonesian president arrives in Australia

    Indonesian president arrives in Australia

    Indonesian President Joko Widodo has touched down in Sydney ahead of bilateral talks with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Australian business leaders.

    The president and First Lady Iriana Widodo arrived on Saturday morning in rainy conditions and clutching umbrellas as they greeted Australian officials on the airport tarmac.

    Improving trade and investment ties is expected to be a key focus of Mr Widodo’s two-day state visit to Australia.

    The Indonesian president will meet with business leaders including representatives from Blackmores, Macquarie Bank and BlueScope Steel in the afternoon.

    He will also hold talks with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian before a private dinner at Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Point Piper mansion, overlooking Sydney Harbour.

    The pair will discuss progress on an Indonesian-Australian free trade deal set to be finalised by the end of the year, perhaps as early as August.

    Indonesian trade officials were in Canberra last week for the fourth round of free trade negotiations since March last year.

    ‘Our relationship with Indonesia is growing deeper by the day but it has not yet reached its full potential,’ Mr Turnbull said in an opinion piece in Sydney Morning Herald, pointing out that Australia trades more with Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand compared to Indonesia.

    AAP understands there are no insurmountable sticking points, unlike Australia’s negotiations with the European Union, where agriculture tariffs cuts are proving tricky.

    Australia Institute research director Rod Campbell hopes the two leaders discuss climate change and coal.

    Indonesia is seeking to dramatically boost coal-fired power generation in coming years despite its pledge to cut carbon emissions to 29 per cent from business- as-usual levels by 2030.

    Mr Widodo was due to visit Australia last year but this was postponed after violent protests erupted in Jakarta over comments its Christian governor made about the Koran.

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  • President Jokowi opens Sail Karimata 2016 main event

    President Jokowi opens Sail Karimata 2016 main event

    President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Saturday opened the main event of Sail Karimata 2016 which took place at Pulau Datuk beach in Sukadana, North Kayong District, West Kalimantan.

    “I want to remind that 71 percent of Indonesian territory is made up of sea water which serves not only for our feature but also to hold more than 17 thousand islands in our country. In addition, the sea does not separate us but unites us together,” President Jokowi remarked in his opening address.

    In the company of among others Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan as the chairman of Sail Karimata national committee, Tourism Minister Arif Yahya, and West Kalimantan Governor Cornelis, the head of state opened the Sail Karimata main event by pressing a siren.

    On the occation, Jokowi conveyed a sense of joy and gratitude to friendly countries, participating in such an international maritime event which is organized every year.

    “This international maritime event should not be stopped or restricted with a mere ceremony, but I want it to continue to be organized to properly keep our marine resources and to return our maritime culture,” Jokowi said.

    He mentioned that the ocean must be protected from illegal fishing and pollution because it is the driver of national economy.

    “We are currently developing our marine tourism such as that of Bunaken Marine Park, Tomini Bay, Karimata Strait, Raja Ampat, and many more. We are building marine tourism supporting infrastructure and facilities with intensive promotion to introduce beautiful places in Indonesia worldwide,” the president noted.

    In the meantime, Maritime Affairs Minister Panjaitan explained that eight provinces in Indonesia took part in the Sail Karimata international maritime event 2016.

    “It aims to encourage and accelerate the development of disadvantaged areas. We will evaluate and try to make it a sustainable program,” Panjaitan said.

    The maritime affairs minister added that to encourage the tourism sector, numerous supporting infrastructure and facilities such as public toilets have been built.

    “In addition, some 200 units of houses have been built for fishermen, and we will continue to follow it up,” the minister said, adding that Sail Karimata 2016 is also participated in by 36 participants from foreign countries and most of them are from the United States.

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  • Jokowi Visits Trade Expo Indonesia

    Jokowi Visits Trade Expo Indonesia

    President Joko Widodo has attended the 2016 Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) at the Jakarta International Expo, Kemayoran, Jakarta. Jokowi delivered a warm welcome and opened the event.

    Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita, also delivering a speech, said that the expo was meant to help boost trade relations. “We aim to gain direct transactions,” he said October 12, 2016.

    Moreover, Enggartiasto said that Indonesia has to have other top products in export, in light of the weakening global economy.

    There are over 1,100 national corporates in the expo, and around 14,700 buyers. The buyers are also coming from abroad, namely from some African countries and the Middle East. The government expects that the buyers can conduct business transactions which the expo aims to score at around Rp2 trillion.

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  • Jokowi holds business meetings with Lotte & Posco during South Korea visit

    President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo held closed-door meetings with two major South Korean firms on Monday as part of the government’s efforts to explore new business opportunities.

    President Jokowi held the separate meetings with South Korean conglomerate Lotte Group and giant steel producer Posco on the second day of his visit to South Korea.

    In the first meeting with Lotte Jokowi was accompanied by Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution, Trade Minister Thomas Lembong, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi, Creative Economy Agency ( Bekraf ) chairman Triawan Munaf, Investment Coordination Board ( BKPM ) chairman Franky Sibarani, National Economy and Industry Committee ( KEIN ) chairman Sutrisno Bachir and Presidential chief of staff Teten Masduki.

    Lotte was represented by the Lotte Group chairman Shin Dong-bin, Lotte Group president Hwang Kag-gyu, Lotte Group executive managing director Lim Byung-yun, Lotte Chemical president and chief executive officer Huh Soo Young, Lotte Mart president and CEO Kim Jong-in and Lotte Engineering president and CEO Kim Chee-hyun.

    Lotte runs a number of businesses in Indonesia, including some in the retail and petrochemical sectors.

    Jokowi then held a meeting with Posco where he met CEO Kwon Oh-joon, Posco president Kim Jin-il, executive vice president Kwak Jeong-shik, Posco senior vice president Lim Seung-kyu and Posco Indonesia Inti president Kim Jhi-yong.

    Steelmaker Posco has previously collaborated with Indonesia’s steel maker PT Krakatau Steel, with the two firms establishing a joint venture company, PT Krakatau Posco, in 2010.

    No details of the meetings have emerged yet.

    Jokowi is also scheduled to meet South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Monday to discuss billateral issues including trade and investment.

    South Korea is the fifth-largest foreign investor in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, according to data from BKPM having realized US$1.21 billion worth of investment projects in 2015.

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  • President Jokowi to Inaugurate 5 Ports in Eastern Indonesia

    President Jokowi to Inaugurate 5 Ports in Eastern Indonesia

    Having inaugurated Wasuir Port at Wondama Bay, Teluk Wondana District, West Papua Province yesterday, President Joko Widodo today, Wednesday, April 6, 2016, will inaugurate five ports which connect Eastern Indonesia regions.

    Head of Transport Department of North Halmahera Yudihat Noya said that five ports to be inaugurated by Jokowi today is centered at Tobelo Port, North Halmahera, North Maluku Province. “All was built with multi-year budget amounted to Rp739 billion,” he said.

    Tobelo Port which has started to be built in 2008 is planned to be made as passenger and cargo port. The construction include Cargo General Pier and Passenger Pier.

    Other port to be inaugrated is Galela Port, which construction was started in 2006 and completed in 2015 with total budget of Rp35.4 billion. The port is made along with a pier, a causeway and a trestle.

    Galela Port is a local passenger port which is also located in North Halmahera District and functioned as a sea transport base for North Halmaher District residents. “Tabelo Port and Galela Port connect five districts in Halmahera Island,” Yudihat said.

    Jokowi will also inaugurate Tutu Kembong Port in Saumlaki Island, West Maluku Tenggara. The port is built to support passenger transport and local community economy.

    Other two ports are Wonreli Port and Teor Port. The two ports are also built for local passengers in Maluku waters. The functions of the two ports will be improved with the construction of container terminals in 2035.

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