INDONESIAN GOVT TO EXPLAIN ITS FUEL POLICY SOON

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 29 (Antara) - Rumors have it that the new government will raise subsidized fuel oil prices early in November, but with two days remaining, there is no yet certainty for the government to raise it soon.          Vice President Jusuf Kalla is still uncertain about when the price of subsidized fuel will be increased. "I think it will not happen in the near future. Let us just wait and see," he informed newsmen at his office last Friday.          He stated that the issue had indeed been discussed at length during ministerial level meetings and seminars, but no date has, so far, been set for when it will happen.          Former chief economic minister Chairul Tanjung said the upcoming government under Joko Widodo, better knwon as Jokowi, was expected to raise the prices of subsidized oil fuels next month.          "Information I have from the economic team of the next government, thanks God, that they will raise the price of fuels in November," Chairul said after attending a ceremony of the National Economic Committee on Economic Prospects, 2015.

NEW GOVT TO REGULATE SOCIAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 28 (Antara) - In order to better regulate its social assistance funds (Bansos), the new government will bring these under a single roof, a change from the existing system of different ministries and government institutions handling these.          The Bansos, which amounts to some Rp91.8 trillion this year, has been managed by and distributed among at least 15 ministries and government institutions. This made the funds susceptible to being misused and difficult to control.          Fearing that the funds could be misused or used to deal in corrupt practices, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) recently suggested that the Bansos be managed by a government agency under a single roof, namely the Ministry of Social Affairs.          "If their distribution and use are not monitored, the funds could be misappropriated," Bambang Widjojanto of the anti-corruption body said in a coordination meeting on the improvement of people's welfare in Palembang, South Sumatra, on October 14.

SOME SEE MINISTERS MISPLACED IN JOKOWI'S ECONOMIC TEAM

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 28 (Antara) - While some lauded President Joko Widodo's 'Working Cabinet' lineup, others criticized it, saying the economic ministers in the cabinet do not have the proper backgrounds or reflected vested political interests.          Thus, the working cabinet of President Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, is not perfect, as some ministers are appointed not based on their backgrounds. There are fears that it will cause the failure of the economic team in bringing to reality Jokowi's plan to boost the country's economic growth to double-digits.          Political observer Ubedilah Badrun of Jakarta State University (UNJ) made this statement, saying he believed that several ministers were appointed to ministries who were unqualified.          "The cabinet is not perfect because some ministers were selected for positions not in accordance with their fields. Maritime Minister Susi Pujiastuti, for example, has no background in the maritime sector," Badrun said on Monday.          On Monday (October 27), President Jokowi installed 34 cabinet ministers, including 14 professionals from political parties and 20 non-political professionals. Four of them are coordinating ministers.

INDONESIAN MUSLIMS WELCOME ISLAMIC NEW YEAR

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Oct 25 (Antara) - Indonesian Muslims in various parts of the country held parades, festivals, dhikrs, joint prayers and various other rituals to welcome the Islamic New Year 1436 Hegira on Saturday.          Thousands of Muslims across the country flocked to New Year commemoration centers and squares to convey prayers and hold festivals or took to the street to parade as an expression of their gratitude to God.          One of the parades in Jakarta was seen in East Jakarta where thousands of children, young and old people flocked to East Jakarta's Cipinang Nurul Huda Mosque. Some walked and some others rode vehicles in an orderly manner along the Jatinegara arterial roads.          Several school foundations also organized the New Year commemorations such as the Ar Rizqi which organized New Year well-wishers to parade along the Pemuda Street in East Jakarta.          Large scale commemoration in Jakarta will be held at the Bung Karno Sports Stadium (GBK) on Sunday where hundreds of thousands of Muslim are expected to attend.

MARKET WATCHING ON JOKOWI'S CABINET DECISIONS

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Oct 23 (Antara)  - Business makers and market players are closely following what steps are to be taken by newly installed President Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, particularly with regard to his new cabinet lineup.          Jokowi following his inauguration as Indonesia's seventh President on Monday, October 20, 2014 promised to announce immediately his cabinet ministers but until the fourth day on Thursday, the new president had yet to make public his ministers.          Some analysts feared that Jokowi's slow pace in announcing the cabinet ministers' structure would fuel market negative sentiment while others believed that market players will understand the President's reason to postpone his announcement.          In the morning on Wednesday, Jokowi said he would likely announce his cabinet lineup on that day, yet until Thursday, he did not realize it yet.          The delayed announcement of the cabinet lineup is feared to reduce investors' and market players' trust and fuel negative sentiment in the money and stock markets, stated economic observer Enny Sri Hartati      Researcher Enny Sri Hartati of the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) noted on Thursday that the market players continued to closely follow Jokowi who said he will announce his cabinet lineup on Wednesday.

JOKOWI HAS TO FOLLOW KPK ON CABINET LINEUP

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 23 (Antara) - Newly installed President Joko Widodo  failed in his plan to announce the lineup of his cabinet on Wednesday as he has to replace some prospective ministers following scrutiny by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).          Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, has planned to announce his ministers on Wednesday but the announcement was later delayed.         "The names of ministers in the cabinet lineup will soon be announced today, either in the morning or afternoon," President Jokowi said during a friendly gathering with Jakarta provincial administrations officials at the Jakarta governor's official house in Menteng area on Wednesday morning.          Jokowi remarked that the announcement will probably take place at one of several locations such as Pluit, Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta, or Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta.          "It is serious. We will announce the cabinet lineup today either in Tanah Abang, Tanjung Priok, Pluit, or other location," the newly installed president noted.          There is no immediate information as to why the announcement was postponed, yet KPK Chairman Abraham Samad  has said ministerial candidates who have got the red and yellow marks were not recommended.          President Jokowo's Transition Team has earlier submitted a list of 43 ministerial candidates to the KPK for studying the track record of those selected. The KPK submitted its view to the President later.

JOKOWI VOWS TO ADVANCE INDONESIA'S MARITIME SECTOR

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Octo 21 (Antara) - Indonesia's new President Joko Widodo, popularly called Jokowi, has pledged to advance Indonesia's marine sector and to restore the nation's past maritime glory.          The new president took the pledge after he was installed as Indonesia's seventh president along with Vice President Jusuf Kalla (JK) on Monday.          He pointed out that Indonesia has, so far, focused on land activities and in the process, has overlooked its seas where the marine and fisheries sector has an economic potential of more than US$1.2 trillion a year.          "We have left the seas, oceans, straits, and bays too long. Now is the time for us to get back and revive all this. We must be glorious at sea as reflected in the slogans of our ancestors in the past. We can echo the slogan again," the president remarked while addressing the plenary session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Monday.          Jokowi called on all Indonesians to work hard in developing the maritime sector as the future of the state depends on it.         "We have to work as hard as possible to get Indonesia back to its previous maritime state's status. Oceans, seas, straits, and bays are the future of our civilization," the new president noted.

NEW GOVERNMENT EXPECTED TO ADVANCE TOURISM

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Oct 20 (Antara) - Joko Widodo's government is expected to strengthen the country's tourism sector and increase the current foreign tourist arrivals of some 8-9 million a year to 20 million a year in the next five years.          Tourism industry operators pin hopes on Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, who was inaugurated as Indonesia's seventh president on Monday (Oct. 20, 2014), as he is believed to have special interests in the development of tourism.          "We hope that Pak (Mr) Jokowi will support tourism businesses and involve tourism industry operators while drawing a development plan for the sector," Edwin Ismedi Himna, the chairman of the Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) for Yogyakarta, said on Sunday.          The tourism industry has extended full support for Jokowi who has set the tourist arrivals target at 20 million in the coming five years.

TENSIONS CALM DOWN IN RUN-UP TO PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Oct 19 (Antara) - Indonesia's political tensions abruptly calmed down over a meeting between President-elect Joko Widodo and former presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto on Friday.          Tensions have been running high since July 9, 2014 presidential race over mutual claim of victory and alleged election fraud.          Tensions continued despite a decision by the Constitutional Court (MK) confirming the victory of Joko Widodo. Lately rumors have it that there were efforts to thwart the presidential inauguration ceremony scheduled on Monday, October 20, 2014.          But all this abruptly calmed down when President-elect Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, visited Prabowo on his birthday on Friday, creating conducive political atmosphere in the run-up to the presidential inauguration.          Both leaders agreed to create and maintain peace and unity in Indonesia. "We agree to maintain the unity of Indonesia, the nation's ideology Pancasila, and the Constitution," Prabowo remarked after  the meeting at his late father's house in Jakarta.          Jokowi based on schedule will be installed as Indonesia's seventh president along with his running mate Jusuf Kalla (JK) on Monday.

NEXT GOVT EXPECTED TO CONTINUE PREVIOUS ECONOMIC PROGRAMS

By Andi Abdussalam

       Jakarta, Oct 18 (Antara) - The next government under Joko Widodo, who will be sworn in as Indonesia's seventh president on Monday, is expected to continue development programs begun by outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

         The continuation of the programs, such as the Master Plan for Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesia's Economic Development (MP3EI), along with other people-oriented programs, is important for the people and for the sustainability of the nation's development.
         "Development is a long process. It is not an event that lasts only for one or two years. In view of that, our energy, spirit, and life must be aimed at sustainable development efforts. It is not only the environment that must be preserved, but also the development efforts in stages," outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono stated during a national meeting with regional civilian and military officials in Jakarta on Wednesday.
        Further, outgoing Vice President Boediono also asked upcoming vice president Jusuf Kalla to continue people-oriented programs, such as the rice for the poor scheme, in an effort to improve the welfare of those at the bottom of society.
        The MP3EI program is one of President Yudhoyono's main development programs in the economic field, which must be continued by the next government.

CPO EXPECTED TO SUPPORT GOVT BIOFUEL PROGRAM

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Oct 17 (Antara) - With the depletion of its fossil fuel reserves and increasing world calls for a clean environment, Indonesia is launching a biofuel mix program, as part of its efforts to turn towards eco-friendly energy.          In carrying out this program, the government has been putting in place a 10-percent biofuel mix of fuel oil called B10. Biofuel mix is to be increased to 20 percent in 2016 when the biofuel mix is expected to reach 8 million kiloliters.          To support this program, the government is using crude palm oil (CPO) as raw material in the 10 percent biofuel mix. This program is also aimed at reducing fuel imports.          The government is set to increase the biofuel mix target to 30 percent in the future, if the B10 and B20 programs are successful in 2014 and 2016. "If we have enough time, we can introduce higher biodiesel blends. With uncertain prices at present, we can best allocate a substantial amount (of CPO for the mixture program)," Indonesian Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi said recently.          This program also offers a sales guarantee to the country's CPO domestic industry. Thus, domestic palm oil industries have the chance to expand their businesses.

INDONESIA MUST VIEW ASEAN AS ITS EXPANDED MARKET

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Oct 16 (Antara) - Described as having 40 percent of ASEAN's economic resources or the Greater ASEAN, Indonesia should be able to use the 600 million population of the region as its market base.          If Indonesia fails to garner the benefits of the ASEAN free trade when the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is implemented in 2015, it will only become a market for other nations in the region.          Chief Economic Minister Chaerul Tanjung stated that currently, Indonesia has a population of 250 million. With the implementation of the AEC, its market will increase to 600 million. Thus, all sides, including the central and regional governments, should prepare themselves to face the competition.          "We should not merely compete, but win the competition in free trade when the AEC will be implemented by the end of 2015," Minister Chaerul Tanjung remarked in Ambon, Maluku, on Wednesday.           In fact, Indonesia is now ready to face the AEC as not all sectors will automatically be open to trade and service.          "The AEC does not mean that all the sectors will be entirely open to trade and service. Therefore, Indonesia is now 95 percent ready to face the ASEAN free trade," the minister noted.