TRADE MINISTER RESIGNS FOR FOCUSSING ON PRESIDENTIAL CONVENTION

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 31 (Antara) - Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan announced his resignation from the ministerial post, a step that he believes will let him focus and concentrate all his efforts as a participant in the Democratic Party's presidential convention.          "I announce my resignation as trade minister, today. I want to thank my family and friends for their support so far," Gita stated at a press conference in Jakarta, on Friday.          Gita explained that he had taken the decision to resign as minister in order to focus all his efforts towards his participation in the ongoing convention organized to choose a presidential candidate for the ruling Democratic Party for the upcoming July presidential election.          Gita Wirjawan is one of the 11 participants in the presidential convention along with State-owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan, Chairman of the House of Representatives Marzuki Alie, and former Indonesian ambassador to the United States Dino Patti Djalal.          Offering an explanation for his decision, Gita stated he was fully aware of the fact that a major conflict of interest could have occurred, if he still held the ministerial post and directed all his focus towards the presidential convention.          He hoped that his decision to resign was the best step for Indonesia and for his endeavor to become a presidential candidate in Indonesia's current democratic and political developments.          "I have sought permission and tendered my resignation to the President and have obtained his consent," Gita claimed.

TRADITIONAL MARKETS NEED BOOST AGAINST MODERN COMPETITION

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 30 (Antara) - The expansion of modern retailers in the country should not sacrifice, sideline, or even displace traditional markets, which constitute the economic centers of the middle and lower classes.          However, traditional markets, which used to number up to 13,000 across the country, should be renovated and revitalized, so that they can compete, and develop side-by-side, with modern markets.          In its efforts to improve the competitiveness of traditional markets, the government has conducted a traditional market revitalization program over the last few years. Between 2011 and 2013, the Ministry of Trade has revitalized 461 traditional markets, 53 of these being pilot projects.          "The funds for the renovation of the traditional markets were taken from the Trade Ministry's Task Assistance Funds, and amounted to Rp1.9 trillion," Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan said, as he prepared to inaugurate Leuwipanjang Market in Purwakarta District on Wednesday.           Thirteen of the traditional markets renovated were located in West Java and received funds of Rp75 billion. The Ministry of Trade is committed to continue improving traditional markets in various parts of the country, Gita added.          The program is intended to improve the image of traditional markets, which are often seen as dirty and disorganized. As they are revitalized, traditional markets in the country are expected to become cleaner, neater, and more in keeping with the atmosphere of modern markets.          "Overall, the turn-out at traditional markets increased by an average of 57 per cent after they were renovated," the minister added.

CULTURE IS BASE FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Jan 29 (Antara) - Indonesia's cultural heritage, especially in Yogyakarta and Bali, have an immense potential for the development of tourism.          The local cultural heritage in various destinations across the country has led to a spurt in tourism.     "Indonesia's cultural heritage will continue to serve as a charm for tourism as long as it is protected, preserved, appreciated, and developed for the benefit of tourism and the local communities,"  Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu stated on Sunday.          The minister added that the local culture can be developed by protecting the original and traditional customs, so that they can be appreciated by all.          Thus, if the cultural heritage is preserved and developed by the government and local communities, it will serve as a charm for the country's tourism development, she noted.          Tourism and culture have developed favorably in many tourist destinations across the country, including Yogyakarta and Bali.          According to Widi Utaminigsih, chairperson of the Yogyakarta 'Widya Budaya' Cultural Foundation, Yogyakarta has, so far, ably developed and maintained its cultural heritage, which has drawn scores of tourists.          Yogyakarta is an attractive tourist destination because its culture has been kept 'alive' and is preserved by the local people.          The analogous opinion was also expressed by Kadek Suartaya, an observer of Bali's arts and culture.

GOVT NEEDS TO USE FUEL SUBSIDIES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Jan 28 (Antara) - Subsidies will be more beneficial if they are used for developing infrastructure to create benefits for the public, rather than using them to subsidize fuels which would be used by people with steady incomes.          The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) is of the view that Indonesia has faced crucial problems with its fiscal policies because it has not utilized its huge economic resources correctly.          The government's failure in its fiscal policies has been predominantly caused by mistakes in providing a large amount of subsidies for fuels.          Kadin Chairman Suryo Bambang Sulisto said the subsidies set aside in the state budget caused a serious inefficiency which reflected weaknesses in the budget structure.          "The fuel subsidy is the largest area of spending in the state budget. It is larger than expenditures set for infrastructure, social expenditures, civil servant salaries and others," Suryo stated during a press conference at his office on Monday.          Therefore, Kadin urged the government to eliminate subsidies on fuels and direct the funds to improve infrastructure and develop new economic resources.

RI AIMS TO BECOME BASE FOR ASEAN TIMBER INDUSTRY

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Jan 27 (Antara) - By promoting the trade of certified timber through its timber legality verification system (SVLK) and the use of raw materials from plantation forests or timber estates, Indonesia hopes to become an ASEAN timber production base.          In addition, Indonesia is also determined to regain its share of the timber market in Europe, since it has the opportunity to become the first country to export timber products with the "Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade" (FLEGT) certification.          "We have a comparative advantage in the timber industry. Therefore, it is possible for Indonesia to become a production base," Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa said when inspecting the facilities of a timber estate company, PT Pundi Uniwood Industry, along with Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan in the Serang district, Banten, last week.          The Indonesian government hopes to encourage the development of the timber industry through the partnership model. That is expected to help Indonesia's timber industry face competition from the ASEAN Economic Community next year.

GOVT STILL TAKING STOCK OF FLOOD-AFFECTED RICE FIELDS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 26 (Antara) - The current floods that have displaced many residents or forced them to evacuate in different parts of Indonesia, have also caused considerable damage to the country's rice fields.          However the Ministry of Agriculture has predicted that on the national scale the floods only affected about one percent of the country's irrigated rice fields which totaled 7.23 million hectares.          Agriculture Minister Suswono said last week his ministry had yet to receive complete and official reports on the acreage of damaged rice farms due to floods this month. The ministry, he said, is still taking stock of damaged plantation to know width of damaged rice fields and identify those which required replanting.          "Rice fields categorized as having failed to give harvestable yields are only about 0.6-0.7 percent," the minister pointed out.

MK VERDICT ON ELECTIONS CAN CAUSE LEGITIMACY PROBLEM

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 25 (Antara) - The Constitutional Court (MK) ruled recently that legislative and presidential elections should be held concurrently in 2019 because certain articles in the election law are in violation of the Constitution.          However, the MK ruling could cause a legitimacy problem for the legislative election and presidential elections on April 9 and July 9 this year, because they are still based on the articles said to be in violation of the Constitution.         Therefore, constitutional expert Yusril Ihza Mahendra has questioned the MK's verdict.         "I am questioning whether the MK judges really understand the Constitution," Yusril asked, in a text message to Antara over the weekend.         He said that the MK's decision to rule on simultaneous legislative and presidential elections in 2019 was a blunder.         The Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled in favor of a judicial review, requesting that the legislative election and presidential election be held concurrently.          Led by political scientist Effendi Ghazali, the Civil Society Coalition for Elections filed the request to challenge Law No. 42 of 2008, which stipulated that the two elections are held at least three months apart.

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT RULES SIMULTANEOUS ELECTIONS IN 2019

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 23 (Antara) - The Constitutional Court (MK) finally decided on Thursday to rule in favor of a judicial review request filed by the Civil Society Coalition for Election which asked for a simultaneous legislative and presidential election.         Led by political analyst Effendi Gazali, the coalition lodged a judicial review of Law No. 42/2008 on Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections which among others regulated that the legislative elections and presidential elections are held at least three months apart.            The MK ruled that simultaneous elections will be held beginning in 2019.          The government, based on Law No. 4/2008, has planned to organize a legislative election on April 9 and a presidential and vice presidential election on July 9, 2014.          "Simultaneous elections will be held in 2019," MK Chairman Hamdan Zoelva said when reading the court's verdict on Thursday, thus ruling in favor of the petitioners.

WILL PERTAMINA BENEFIT FROM ITS ACQUISITION OF PGN?

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Jan 21 (Antara) - State-owned oil and gas company Pertamina's plan to acquire state gas distributor firm PGN is under government evaluation, though it was earlier reported that the government has agreed to it.          "There is no final statement from the government about its agreement to the acquisition. The government only agreed to carry out evaluations to study the best option," stated Finance Deputy Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro on Friday.          It was earlier reported that the government had agreed to PT Pertamina's plan to acquire PT PGN, asking the state-owned oil and gas company to present an evaluation on its corporate action plan.          It was actually an agreement to conduct an evaluation of Pertamina's acquisition plan, which was decided upon during a meeting between State-owned Enterprise Minister Dahlan Iskan and the Board of Directors and Commissioners of Pertamina, early this month.      If the government finally agrees to the acquisition, will Pertamina benefit from the corporate action?

CHAMBER TO BEGIN FOCUSING ON SHRIMP BUSINESS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 20 (Antara) - Amid government efforts to revitalize idle shrimp ponds and develop pilot projects in 32 districts across the country, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) will commence shrimp cultivation early this year.          In the future, the Kadin sees bright prospects for the shrimp aquaculture business in Indonesia, as the prices of this commodity are showing a bullish trend in the global market.          The bright prospects have also encouraged the government to develop pilot shrimp demonstration farm (demfarm) projects in 32 districts in its seven provinces, which include Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), South Sulawesi, and Lampung.          "Right now, the prospects of the shrimp commodity look promising," Kadin Chairman for Fisheries Affairs Yugi Prananto stated here on Wednesday last week.

CENTRAL SULAWESI EAGER TO BECOME SHRIMP CENTER

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 20 (Antara) - As the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) plans to focus on shrimp aquaculture early this year, the Central Sulawesi Province is determined to become one of Indonesia's key shrimp production centers.          The Kadin has forecast that the shrimp business has bright prospects in the future, as the price of this commodity is rising. The businesses operating under the Kadin will start focusing on shrimp cultivation.          "The prospects of shrimp farming are bright, and it is the right time to develop shrimp ponds," Yugi Pranoto, Kadin chairman for Marine Affairs and Fisheries stated on Wednesday, last week.          Therefore, Central Sulawesi, one of the provinces in eastern Indonesia, which has a marine and fisheries potential, decided to exploit the opportunity to develop its fisheries potential, particularly shrimp cultivation, in order to become a shrimp production center.

FLOODS RETURN TO JAKARTA ON SUNDAY

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 19 (Antara) - As predicted by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), floods returned to the Capital City Jakarta on Sunday with waters inundating many road sections and cut off traffic.         Sunday's floods followed those on Saturday which were caused by heavy rains on Friday night and by flood waters sent down from upstream areas in Bogor and Puncak mountainous areas in West Java.         The BMKG has predicted that the floods will return to Jakarta on Sunday as Saturday night heavy rains would again pour the capital city.  "The rain intensity tonight, based on the weather forecast, will be the same as last night," BMKG Chief Mulyono Prabowo stated here on Saturday.         The expected heavy rains will fall in Central and South Jakarta, the BMKG chief pointed out, saying the weather forecast also predicted medium to heavy rains in the coming days. "After that, the rain will slow and is forecast to end early in March," he said.          Incessant rains pouring Jakarta since Saturday until early hours on Sunday created floods and cut off the traffic in several sections of roads in Jakarta.          The Traffic Management Center (TMC) of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police said on its twitter account on Sunday that the road sections flooded by waters were, among others, Jalan Letjen Suprapto and Jalan Yos Sudarso. The flood waters in the two roads were about 40 to 50 cm deep.          The authorities temporarily closed the lower lane of the Kamal Toll road at Km 24 (to and from Soekarno-Hatta airport), redirecting the traffic to the elevated lane of the toll road.          A 70cm deep water also flooded the Halim Toll road at km 00.200 toward the Tanjung Priok direction.          Northern parts of the capital city, such as Kapuk Muara, Kampung Bandan, Teluk Gong and Kramat Koja were also reported to be flooded with waters reaching 40-60 cm deep.          Jalan Tipar Timur in West Semper was swamped with flood waters at a height of about 90 cm.

RI MUSLIMS OBSERVE PROPHET BIRTH WITH DIFFERENT RITUALS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 14 (Antara) - The Indonesian Muslims across the country, on Tuesday, commemorated the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad with different rituals and offerings, hoping to seek blessings from God with the prophet's intercession.          The rituals included processions such as the horse cart march, decorated vehicle parades, and 'Baayun Anak', a ceremony where the parents place their babies on swings to mark their presence on earth.          All of these rituals are an acculturation of local cultures and religious values.          The Prophet Muhammad was born on the twelfth day of Rabiul Awal, which is the third month of the Higera year. The date Tuesday, January 14, 2014, coincided with the prophet's birthday, Rabiul Awal 14, 1435 Higera.          Thousands of Muslims in the Madiun District, East Java, observed the prophet's birthday at the Mediun City Square. The ceremony presented 'Gunungan Jaler and Gunungan Estri', which are Jaler and Estri offerings, as part of the 'Grebeg Maulud' or the Prophet Muhammad's birthday ceremony.          The locals believe that they will be blessed after obtaining some of the offerings. Therefore, after the ceremony they jostled with each other to obtain their share of the offerings.          They had congregated at the square since early morning. They were prepared to face any kind of situation in order to obtain a share of the offerings, which comprised the local produce such as fruits. Some even got trampled and had to be given medical treatment.          They believed that obtaining a part of the offerings will invite good fortune and prosperity.

JAKARTA LAUNCHES NEW STRATEGY TO EASE TRAFFIC WOES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 9 (Antara) - The Jakarta government has banned its employees from using private and official vehicles, requesting them to switch to public transportation and encouraging the public to emulate them so that the traffic congestion can be eased.          Jakarta is one of the cities with the worst traffic jams in the world and has launched several programs to overcome its traffic woes.          The problem persists despite the Jakarta regional government launching a three-in-one policy in 1994, a car-free day measure in 2002, and a Busway system in 2004.          Recently, the programs include the construction of the monorail transportation system and a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT).          However, the work on these programs is still on-going. The regional government expects that by the year 2030, Jakarta will be able to completely overcome its daily traffic jam problems.

GOVT SETS FOOD PRODUCTION TARGET TO ANTICIPATE IMPORTS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 7 (Antara) - The Indonesian government has set a food production target, particularly for rice, the country's main staple, in anticipation of likely influx of food imports this year.          Agriculture Minister Suswono has forecast that global food production will increase this year amid an improving global agricultural climate. The increase in the production of food commodities will drive down food prices in the global market and will boost the import of food products to Indonesia.          In line with the predictions of increased food production, the government has set a food production target, which can meet domestic needs, particularly rice.          With a population of about 240 million, the domestic rice consumption is expected to reach 31 million tons. This is based on the estimates from the Food Hope Pattern (PPH) concept, where Indonesia's current rice consumption has reached 129 kg per capita per year.

PERTAMINA URGED TO REVIEW GAS PRICE HIKE

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Jan 4 (Antara) - The government and state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina has been called on to review a decision made by Pertamina to raise the price of non-subsidized gas in 12-kg cylinders by 68 percent.          Secretary of the Great Indonesian Movement Party (Gerindra) Faction in the House of Representatives (DPR), Edhy Prabowo, said the increase of liquefied petroleum gas (LGP) in 12-kg cylinders placed a heavy burden on the public.          "We have received a lot of complaints from the people. They have to bear heavy burdens as a result of the increase of non-subsidized gas," Prabowo stated on Saturday.          Therefore, he called on the government, in this case Chief Economic Minister Hattar Rajasa, State Enterprise Minister Dahlan Iskan and Pertamina President Director Karen Agustiawan, to review the decision to increase the price of LPG gas.          "The government should not hike prices at will, which will add to the people's burdens," he said.          Pertamina has hiked the selling price of non-subsidized 12-kg cylinders of liquefied petroleum gas by about 68 percent, effective January 1, 2014. Deputy President of Pertamina's Communications Affairs Ali Mundakir reported Wednesday that his company had raised the price in an effort to shore up Pertamina's losses in the 12-kg cylinder gas business, which reached about Rp6 trillion in 2013.

MILLIONS THOUGHT NOT COVERED BY NATIONAL INSURANCE PLAN

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 4 (Antara) - The government launched the National Health Insurance (JKN)  program this month to provide citizens with health services, though it is believed that over 10 million poor people have not yet been covered by the program.          The government has only registered 86.4 million poor people it includes on its list of health insurance assistance recipients (PBI). Yet based on data from the Social Safety Net Program Data Collection (PPLS), in 2011 there were 96.7 million poor people in the country.          The National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Alleviation (TNP2K) also registered 96.7 million poor people in the country.          Thus, some 10.3 million poor people have not yet been included on the PBI list to receive health insurance services. Therefore, according to the Social Security Action Committee (KAJS), about 10.3 million poor people are not yet covered by the National Health Insurance (JKN) program.          "Data received from the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Alleviation shows that the number of poor people in the country is recorded at 96.7 million, while the number of poor people registered on the insurance assistance recipient (PBI) list is only 86.4 million," remarked KAJS Secretary General Said Iqbal on Friday.