TEMPE MAKERS CUT BACK PRODUCTION AS SOYBEAN PRICES SPIKE

Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 28 (Antara) - Because of skyrocketing soybean prices, many tempe (soybean cake) and tofu producers across the country have started cutting down their production.          Soybean prices have been on the rise ever since the commodity became scarce in the market, which forced tempe and tofu producers to cut back production. Soybean prices increased by varying degrees in various parts of the country, reaching Rp8,000-Rp9,300 per kg¿from approximately Rp7,400 per kg before the fasting month in July.          With soybean prices reaching Rp8,700 per kg in Lebak District, Benten province, Tempe and tofu makers there have cut their production by half.          "We have to cut down our soyabean production by 50 percent¿from 30 kg to 15 kg," said tempe producer Adhari, a resident of Cibahbul village in Rangkasbitung.          However, he added, many other tempe producers in Lebak had stopped production altogether.          Similar was the case of tempe producer Sunaryo at Maccini Market in Makassar, South Sulawesi.  Sunaryo cut down production as a result of the rising price of soyabean¿the raw material for the production of popular tempe and tofu side dishes.

RI TO CUT OIL IMPORT, PROMOTE USE OF BIOFEULS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 27 (Antara) - Indonesia is taking steps to reduce its fuels imports and promote the use of biofuels at home in response to its current account deficit and the depreciation of its rupaih currency against the US dollar.         Besides cutting oil and gas imports, the Indonesian government, through a package of economic policies it announced last weekend, is also boosting its exports to help cover its deficit.         "Right now, we need an immediate solution to the current account deficit. The government will overcome the deficit by reducing imports, particularly fuel oils," Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa told a press conference on Monday.          Seasonal external and internal factors as well as falling prices of export commodities overseas have been believed to contribute to widening of the current account deficit  from US$5.8 billion  or 2.6 percent of the country's GDP in the first quarter this year to US$9.8 billion in the second quarter or 4.4 percent of the GDP.

GOVT BRACING ITSELF FOR FACING ECONOMIC UPHEAVALS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 22 (Antara) - The Indonesian government is formulating a package of economic policies it will announce on Friday in the face of current economic upheavals.          The Ministry of Finance, the central bank (Bank Indonesia/BI) and the Financial Service Authority (OJK) are now engaged in a close coordination an effort to maintain national economic stability.          "We are taking anticipatory measures in the face of the current economic conditions. We have now good communication and exchanged information to share similar views," Finance Minister Chatib Basri said after having a coordination meeting with BI Governor Agus Martowardojo and OJK Chief Commissioner Muliaman Hadad on Wednesday.          Chatib said that the current conditions were different from the economic crisis in 2008 or in 1998. But the government is preparing a step in the form of a package of economic policies to stave off current account deficit, the weakening of the rupiah currency and to maintain growth.          President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono chaired a cabinet meeting to discuss efforts to face the current economic conditions on Wednesday.          "The government will formulate measures to maintain financial stability, curb inflation and maintain growth so that it will not drop sharply," the President said after chairing the meeting.          The package of economic policies is expected to be implemented even before next week.

GOVT URGED TO STEM POST-FASTING MIGRATION TO CITIES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 16 (Antara) - The government is being called upon to prevent the annual influx of villagers who migrate to cities, and often cause problems in urban areas, following the post-fasting Idul Fitri festivities.      As in the past, many Idul Fitri or Lebaran celebrants who return to their hometowns for family reunions and festivities later bring family members, relatives or friends to the cities when they return to work.          Indeed, during this week's post-fasting holidays, about one million newcomers are expected to migrate to big cities throughout the country.  This estimate, based upon past statistics, was made by Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar.          "This is a phenomenon where people from villages migrate to cities after Idul Fitri or Lebaran holidays. They come to cities to seek jobs," explained the minister on Monday. Most people migrating to cities do not have proper skills and find it extremely difficult to obtain jobs, authorities noted.          As a result, problems such as unemployment and crime in the cities increase.          To avoid this, Ace Hasan Syadzily, a member of the House of Representatives' Commission VIII on social affairs, urged the government to take steps to stem this annual migration to the cities.

GOVT TO BOOST INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN 2014

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 17 (Antara) - The Indonesian government plans to increase its infrastructure development budget to Rp208 trillion in 2014, from Rp180 trillion this year, in an effort to boost the nation's economic growth.          In addition to setting aside Rp208 trillion for infrastructure projects in the draft 2014 state budget, the government will also make available Rp18.4 trillion, with some Rp11 trillion to be used for infrastructure projects.         "We are aware of the fact that the development of infrastructure is still far from enough. We often feel this as an impediment in carrying out our socioeconomic programs," President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said when delivering the government's financial notes and draft 2014 state budget here on Friday.          According to Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, the Rp208 trillion allocation has not yet included regional budget funding for local infrastructure development.  "So, the Rp208 trillion is a state budget for the central government's infrastructure development," he said.

POLICE TO LAUNCH OPERATIONS IN WAKE OF MYSTERIOUS SHOOTINGS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 14 (Antara) - The National Police will soon crack down on illegal possession of firearms, following the recent shooting attacks on police personnel and other targets, seen by security agencies as attempts to spread terror.          "While conducting raids, our focus will be fire arms," National Police Deputy Chief Com. Gen Oegroseno said on Tuesday.          He said the main objective of the raids would be to identify and arrest the perpetrators of the series of mysterious shooting attacks on police officers over the past weeks.          The police will crack down on illegal arms possession as part of efforts to prevent shooting incidents involving unidentified gunmen from happening in the future.          The latest in the series of such attacks was the one on a police officer's residence in Banjar Wijaya, a housing complex in Tangerang, Banten province, by an unidentified person on Tuesday morning.

LEBARAN TRAVELERS URGED NOT TO BRING FRIENDS BACK TO CITIES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 10 (Antara) - To avoid worsening the crowding in the nation's cities, government officials have urged Idul Fitri travelers who return to their hometowns not to bring relatives or friends back to the cities.          Idul Fitri or Lebaran is a seasonal holiday that often increases problems in cities when homebound travelers return from their villages with friends who are lured to the cities to try their luck finding better paying jobs in urban areas.          The transport ministry has estimated that total travelers this year might reach 18.1 million, an increase of 4.46 percent over last year.         Further, the National Family Planning and Population Board (BKKBN) earlier predicted that some one million migrants from villages move to larger cities after the Idul Fitr holiday.          Last year, for example, former BKKBN head Sugiri Syarief predicted some one million newcomers would migrate to cities after the Lebaran festivity.          "This year's post-fasting urbanization is expected to be fueled by the advent of around one million new migrants in cities," he said.          According to Wendy Hartanto, a deputy for population control from the BKKBN, migration of people from villages to big cities is difficult to prevent, because cities have a particular attraction for people who want a new life.

JAKARTA RESIDENTS FLOCK TO TOURIST SPOTS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 9 (Antara) - Hundreds of thousands of Idul Fitri holidaymakers thronged tourist spots in Jakarta on Friday, the second day of the post-Ramadan, or Lebaran, festivities.          After fasting for a month, Muslims celebrate the Idul Fitri, or Lebaran, holiday by engaging in recreational activities in open places, such as zoos, beaches, and other tourist spots.        Among the places that Jakarta residents love to visit during this period are Ragunan zoo, Indonesia in Minature Park (TNII), Ancol Dreamland beach, and the National Monument Square (Monas).          By 1 pm on Friday, the Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta had recorded the entry of 51,000 holidaymakers into its premises. This figure, of course, would continue to rise because, as of 1 pm, visitors were seen thronging the ticket counters and standing in snake-like queues.          It is expected that the number of visitors to the zoo on Friday would be similar to that of the second day of Lebaran holidays last year, which had exceeded 100,000.          "The number of visitors today is high but we predict it will peak on Saturday (August 10) or on Sunday. Most of the visitors came to the zoo by motorcycles," Ragunan Zoo spokesman Wahyudi Bambang said.

BUS OPERATORS KEEN TO JOIN FREE 'MUDIK' PROGRAM

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 7 (Antara) - The free 'mudik' (hometown trip) programs organized by private companies and government agencies for their employees have led to a drop in passengers for commercial bus companies during the Idul Fitri holidays.          The free ride - known as 'mudik gratis' - for revelers to their hometowns in order for them to celebrate the post-fasting Idul Fitri holidays has become increasingly popular over the past several years.          Therefore, privately owned public transportation companies have been crying foul that the trend has caused a decline in the number of their passengers and hit their revenues hard.          Moreover, organizers of the free mudik programs prefer to hire tourist buses.       The Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) has stressed that the 'mudik gratis' program harms the interests of public transportation companies.           "The program disturbs regular transportation services, because buses used for free services ply the same routes as regular buses. The government should not allow them to do so," Eka Sari Lorena, the chairperson of Organda, had said earlier.

ZAKAT CAN HELP EMPOWER PEOPLE AND ERADICATE POVERTY

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 6 (Antara) - The end of the fasting month of Ramadan is a joyous time for the poor because they get 'zakat' from other Muslims.          Muslims are required to give alms, also known as zakat fitrah, to the poor at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. At other times of the year, Muslims are required to give 'zakat mal' from their income.          Since 90 percent of Indonesia's population, which is approximately 240 million, are Muslims, alms have the potential to eradicate poverty. In fact, Indonesia can collect close to 217 trillion alms every year. Sadly, only one percent of this amount is collected on a yearly basis. Despite such low figures, the National Islamic Charity Board (Baznas) has been able to increase its zakat collection every year.          "Last year, Baznas managed to collect Rp2.7 trillion, an increase by 27 percent compared to 2011," said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, after a meeting with the executives of Baznas recently.          Based on research conducted by Baznas, the Bogor-based Institute of Agriculture (IPB), and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Indonesia should be able to collect Rp217 trillion in the form of zakat this year.          According to Didin Hafidhuddin, Chairman of Baznas, his charity board was only able to collect Rp2.73 trillion last year. This year, it has increased its target to Rp3 trillion.          President Yudhoyono expressed hope that the alms programme of Baznas would help eradicate poverty and empower poor people.

GOVT URGED TO CURB INFLATION

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 4 (Antara) - The government must intervene to control rising commodity prices that have caused sky-rocketing inflation and weakened the purchasing power of people in middle and lower income brackets, according to officials of local advocacy groups.          "We call  on the government to help overcome increasing basic necessity prices that have boosted inflation to reach eight percent, exceeding the government's target at 7.2  percent," Said Iqbal, secretary general of the Social Security Action Committee (KAJS),  recently said.          The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) has reported that Indonesia's inflation rate rose by more than expected in July to 3.29 percent, bringing year-on-year (yoy) inflation to 8.61 percent.          According to the Bank Indonesia (BI/the central bank), the higher-than-expected inflation rate was chiefly caused by disruptions in the supplies of commodities such as onions, red chili, chicken meat and beef, amidst rising demand during the fasting month of Ramadan.

THOUSANDS OF IDUL FITRI TRAVELERS RETURN HOME ON FREE BUSES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 3 (Antara) - At least 10,000 home-bound Idul Fitri travelers left Jakarta on free buses on Saturday, heading for destinations in Java where they will celebrate the post-fasting holiday of Lebaran on Thursday next week.          The departures on Saturday by the Idul Fitri revelers was part of the many free home-bound (mudik) programs offered by government institutions and private agencies amid this year's annual Idul Fitri exodus.          Like last year, some 15 million Idul Fitri holiday makers across the country traveled to their hometowns for family reunions during the Lebaran celebrations, and the free 'mudik' programs this year have also been very helpful for revelers.          Chief of the Central Java community's advisory board Wiranto said the free Idul Fitri travel would help alleviate the financial burden for home-bound travelers. "As chief of the Central Java community's advisory board, I express my gratitude to all parties that organized free trips for them," he said.          More than 10,000 Idul Fitri travelers rode on 190 free buses that left Jakarta for destinations in Central Java on Saturday.