INDONESIA MUST PROMOTE TOURISM POTENTIALS AT PATA TRAVEL MART

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 30 (Antara) -- With the ambitious goal of increasing foreign tourist arrivals to 20 million by 2019, Indonesia must enhance its tourism promotional activities and take advantage of the PATA Travel Mart it will host next year.          Last week, President Joko Widodo had called for an increase in tourism promotional activities, urging his aides to find ways to attract more foreign tourists to the country.          He had stated that the national economic slowdown should be countered with an increase in the number of tourist arrivals. Therefore, tourism industries should be developed further.          After all, developing the tourism industry will be much cheaper than developing industries in the manufacturing sector.          The development of the tourism sector must be intensified as it is cheaper than developing the manufacturing field, an official of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) remarked on Tuesday.          "The development of industries, especially manufacturing industries, takes a relatively long time and a large budget. However, we already have the requirements for the tourism sector," Deputy Chairman of Kadin Rosan Perkasa Roeslani stated.

DROUGHT HITS VARIOUS REGIONS OF INDONESIA

by Andi Abdussalam           Jakarta, June 30 (Antara) -- The annual dry spell, which often wreaks havoc on the country's crops, has begun to affect several regions in Indonesia once again.          Droughts related to the El Niño have reduced the average rainfall to below 100 millimeters per month and to less than 50 millimeters in a number of provinces.          "In the provinces of East Java, Bali, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), and West Nusa Tenggara, rainfall is less than 50 millimeters per month," Head of the Information Center and Public Relations and Spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said on Monday.          He added that regions in the provinces of Java, Bali, NTB, NTT, southern parts of Papua and Maluku, and a few areas in South Sulawesi were hit by the dry spell.          "Droughts have also affected areas in Purbalingga, Gunungkidul, Wonogiri, Tuban, Bojonegoro, Boyolali, Lombok Utara, and NTT," he stated, adding that the same dry spell had hit most parts of Sumatra, as well.

GLOOMY ECONOMY NEEDS IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 29 (Antara) - The economic downturns that Indonesia is facing now need immediate solutions in order to prevent the recurrence of economic crisis that hit Indonesia in 1998.          Indonesia also needs to shift its orientation in economic development from reliance on commodity and raw materials to improving infrastructure and developing industries.          After all, economic slowdown is still expected to continue in the future because of inadequate infrastructure to support economic activities.          Thus, the economy will continue to be under pressure, and a slowdown will still continue to occur in the future. "It is forecast that there will be low economic growth for some time in the future which is why the government has set a lower economic growth target in 2016," Chief Economic Minister Sofyan Djalil noted on Tuesday last week.          He said the government has set a lower economic growth target of 5.5-6 percent in 2016. The target is set at a lower level, as it is predicted that the world economy in 2016 will continue to face pressures.

BI, GOVERNMENT COOPERATE TO CURB INFLATION

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 28 (Antara) - Indonesia recorded a high inflation rate in May 2015, reaching 0.5 percent, the highest monthly inflation over the past seven years, or 5.17 percent year-on-year.          In an effort to bring down the inflation rate, the central bank, Bank Indonesia (BI), is set to cooperate with the government to lower the inflation rate during the current holy fasting month of Ramadan.          "To reduce and control inflation during Ramadan, we need to coordinate with the government," BI Deputy Governor Erwin Rijanto said.          For this purpose, BI has decided to maintain its reference rate at 7.5 percent for the fourth consecutive occasion to curb inflation, maintain macroeconomic stability and improve current account deficit after it reduced the rate by 25 basis points in February.          The central bank's board of directors also decided to maintain the deposit facility rate at 5.5 percent and lending facility rate at 8.0 percent.

FERRY COMPANY PREPARES TO SERVE EID TRAVELERS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 27 (Antara) -- State-owned Inland Waterway Transportation Service ASDP is preparing 52 ferries to serve those traveling from Merak, the main ferry port in the western tip of Java, to Bakauheni Port in Sumatra for Eid Fitr.          "The 52 roll-on-roll-off (Roro) ships are in good condition and are ready to cater to passengers who want to cross Sunda Strait to celebrate the Lebaran holiday after the fasting month Ramadan in their hometowns in Sumatra," Manager of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry for Merak Nana Sutisna said in Merak on Saturday.           As witnessed in previous years, the annual exodus of travelers following the fasting month of Ramadan for Eid Fitr or Lebaran, which falls on July 17 this year, is expected to rise 2 percent to 20 million.          A week before (D-7) and a week after (D+7) D-Day are when there is a rush of travelers. They will opt for means of either sea, land or air transportation, with some visiting their hometowns using private vehicles and others, public transport.

GOVERNMENT EXPECTED TO REJECT ASPIRATION FUNDS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 27 (Antara) - The House of Representatives (DPR) appears prepared to go ahead with plan to propose an Electoral Region Development Fund (UP2DP) worth Rp11.2 trillion, despite opposition from many circles.         The plenary session of the DPR on Tuesday (June 23) agreed on moving forward with UP2DP, despite the fact that three factions of the House rejected it. The aspiration funds will soon be deliberated by the House Budgetary Body, which will discuss the 2016 Draft State Budget.          Earlier, Chairman of the House of the Budgetary Committee Ahmad Noor Supit noted that the DPR was planning to allocate Rp11.2 trillion to all legislators as aspiration funds for regional development in their respective constituencies. The funds will be set aside in the Draft 2016 State Budget.          Each of the 560 members of the House will receive Rp20 billion as aspiration funds, which will be channeled to the regional governments for use in projects based on the development agenda of the constituencies.          DPR Deputy Speaker Fahri Hamzah remarked that the aspiration funds scheme was proposed as an implementation of the House's constitutional task and oath of office, which was regulated by the law.

GOVERNMENT SEEKS TO REDESIGN "RICE-FOR-THE POOR" PROGRAM

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 26 (Antara) - The government will change the calculation system of its rice-for-the poor (raskin) program from being based on households to families that will increase the number of recipients from 15.5 million to 18.6 million next year.          Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa noted on Monday that the change in the calculation mechanism of the number of recipients is intended to cover all poor families in the country.          She affirmed that with the change in the basis of calculation, it is expected that the number of target recipients will increase to about 18.8 million since the previous calculation system was based on the number of households.          In fact, one household can have two or more families, which are eligible to benefit from the raskin program.          "We are now conducting verification and validation. Our previous system is based on a household approach, so the number of recipients is only 15.5 million. Some poor families did not benefit from the raskin program, as they live in one household. But, after conducting verification through the family-based approach, we found that there are 18.3 million poor families that have to be covered under the raskin program. We are working on this, and it will have implications on the state budget next year," Minister Parawansa revealed.

GOVERNMENT ASSURES NOT TO IMPORT SHALLOTS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 25 (Antara) - The government has assured that it will not import shallots as stocks are now adequate and the soaring price has successfully been brought down to normal.          In the run-up to the current fasting month, shallot prices soared to about Rp35 thousand - Rp40 thousand per kilogram (kg) as stocks in the market were declining. This condition caused the government to wait and see whether the country needed to import the commodity.          However, now the government has decided not to import it as the price of the red onion has returned to the normal level at between Rp16 thousand and Rp20 thousand per kilogram (kg).          The price could be brought down after the government launched market operations and after farmers had begun their shallot harvest.          Therefore, the government has decided not to import shallots because the country's shallot grand harvest had been taking place and that has increased the stocks.    "Seeing the production surplus we have decided not to import red onions. We have told the trade minister about this because stocks are adequate," Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said in Nganjuk, East Java Tuesday (June 23).

TOURISM EXPECTED TO BOOST ECONOMIC GROWTH

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, June 25 (Antara) - The Indonesian government is developing its tourism sector in a bid to improve the country's economy, which is facing a slowdown amid the glooming world economy.          While chairing a limited cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office on Wednesday, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated that the slowdown in the national economy should be countered by an increase in the number of tourist arrivals, so that it can support the nation's economy.          "Even with slow economic growth, the tourism sector can contribute by generating foreign exchange earnings in a relatively short period of time," the president affirmed.          Therefore, Jokowi called for an increase in tourism promotional activities to attract more foreign and domestic tourists.          "The president has urged the minister of tourism to maximize the country's tourism promotional activities to attract more foreign tourists to Indonesia," Chief of the Presidential Communications Team Teten Masduki noted.          To increase foreign tourist arrivals, Jokowi has issued Presidential Decree No. 69 of 2015 on free visa travel.

INDONESIA SEEKING BETTER GARBAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 24 (Antara) - The Indonesian government is seeking ways to effectively handle millions of tons of garbage that piles up in the country every day.          Various ideas and concepts on garbage management have been raised in the country, but none of them have been successfully applied.       Therefore, President Joko Widodo, who is popularly called Jokowi, has urged the regional governments to prepare pilot projects that can be successfully implemented.          "Waste management should have been carried out through a systemic and integrated program. Cooperation in waste management among the central government, regional administrations, and the people is necessary," President Jokowi stated during a limited cabinet meeting on Tuesday.          With each individual disposing 0.7 kilograms of waste per day, Indonesia, with a population of 250 million, produces some 175 thousand tons of garbage daily, or about 64 million tons per annum.          In order to overcome this mounting refuse problem, President Jokowi has called on the regional governments to prepare pilot projects on garbage management that should be followed by communities and businesses.

INVESTMENT EXPECTED TO FUEL ECONOMIC GROWTH

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 24 (Antara) -- Realization of investment targets in the years ahead will help to boost the country's economic growth, Chief Economic Minister Sofyan Djalil said.          "If we can realize the investment target of Rp5,600 trillion in the next five years, it will result in relatively high economic growth," the coordinating minister for economic affairs stated on Tuesday, referring to the government's low growth target for next year.          Djalil added that the government hopes economic growth in the coming years is supported by government projects, the private sector and national investment. However, as economic conditions are still unfavorable, the country's economic growth target continues to be low.          The government set a lower economic growth target for 2016 at between 5.5 and 6 percent.  This is lower than the previous government's projection of 5.8 to 6.2 percent.          It set the target after taking into consideration that the global economy will continue to face pressures in 2016.

GOVERNMENT TAKING STEPS TO CURB INFLATION DURING RAMADAN

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 23 (Antara) - The high demand for food products during the current Muslim fasting month of Ramadan is forecast to boost inflation, which in May was the highest ever recorded in the month over the past seven years.          In the face of this, the government and Indonesia's central bank Bank Indonesia (BI) are cooperating by taking efforts to bring down the inflation rate in the current Ramadan fasting month, which lasts from June 18 to July 16, 2015.          "To reduce and control inflation during Ramadan, we need to coordinate with the government," BI Deputy Governor Erwin Rijanto stated.          The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) had noted that Indonesia's inflation was 0.5 percent in May, the highest monthly inflation in seven years. Rise in the prices of food products contributed to the inflation in May, BPS Chief Suryamin affirmed.          Rijanto believes that the system of logistics distribution posed a major obstacle that led to a rise in the prices of goods in several regions.          "Distribution is crucial. We have to discuss with the government about the areas of concern in the logistics distribution system," he emphasized.

INNOVATION NEEDED TO IMPROVE FISHERMEN'S WELFARE

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 22 (Antara) -- The management of the fisheries sector needs to be changed from being exploitation-oriented to innovation-oriented so the welfare of fishermen can be improved.          "We must have the courage to change our management system from being exploitation-oriented and adopt innovative approaches," Chairman of the Indonesian Traditional Fishermen Association (KNTI) Riza said on Sunday.          The KNTI wants all stakeholders in the fisheries sector to give priority to a management system that leans more towards innovation and sustainability to guarantee the future of the fisheries sector and fishermen.          Damanik added that without Indonesian Fishery Processing Units (UPI) improving the distribution system, the country will be trapped in the web of exploitative management. This system is prone to damaging the environment, narrowing employment opportunities and corrupting added values, which can all lead to poverty.          It is ironic that a number of provinces rich in fisheries resources lack adequate UPIs, such as Papua and Maluku which have only 1,524, or about 3 percent of the total UPIs in Indonesia, the KNTI chairman stated.

HOUSE'S "PORK BARREL" SCHEME SPARKS CONTROVERSY

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, June 19 (Antara) - The House of Representatives' (DPR's) constituency development funds program, popularly called the aspiration funds, has ignited a controversy since the public views it as a pork barrel that could lead to dissipation and corruption.         "It is better (for the House) to stop deliberating on it, let alone disbursing the money, as it could lead to wastage of funds and create new corruption, collusion, and nepotism practices,"  Lely Arrianie, the chief of the Jayabaya University's Post-Graduate Program on Communications, stated on Wednesday.         Earlier, Chairman of the House of the Budgetary Committee Ahmad Noor Supit noted that the DPR was planning to allocate Rp11.2 trillion to all legislators as aspiration funds for regional development in their respective constituencies. The funds will be set aside in the Draft 2016 State Budget.         Each of the 560 members of the House will receive Rp20 billion as aspiration funds and will be channeled to the regional governments for use in projects based on the development agenda of the constituencies.

GOVERNMENT STRIVES TO IMPROVE DWELLING TIME AT PORTS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 18 (Antara) -- The Indonesian government is taking steps to improve the flow of goods at ports by obligating importers to complete licensing procedures before their goods arrive at ports of destination.          "Many importers handle their customs licensing procedures after their goods arrive at the port. This lengthens the dwelling time. So we urge importers to complete the procedures before their goods are delivered to Indonesia," Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel said on Thursday.          Three ministers met on Thursday to coordinate to reduce the dwelling time at ports, which still stands at 5.5 days, longer than the target of 4.7 days set by the government.          Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel, Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan, and Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Indroyono Soesilo met to find ways to fulfill President Joko Widodo's wish to reduce the loading and unloading time to less than 4.7 days.          "As a follow-up to President Joko Widodo's visit (to Jakarta's Tanjung Priok Port) yesterday, we prepared two measures and inspected the Customs and Excise Directorate General and (port operator) Pelindo this morning," Soesilo stated.          He explained that the two measures to be taken were strengthening the online service system and improving the licensing system in the trade and transportation sectors.

GOVT NEEDS TO DEVELOP YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 17 (Antara) -- The Indonesian government needs to develop the country's young entrepreneurs to help boost the nation's economic development and enhance the number of job opportunities.         "Some 57 million small businesses (UKM) in the country are run by young entrepreneurs. With such a large number, we estimate that they contribute at least Rp570 trillion to the country's economy," Hardini Puspasari, the head of the Autonomy Board for Business, Investment and Small Business Enterprises Affairs of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) said on Wednesday.         Seeing the important role played by entrepreneurs, the government needs to develop young businessmen to raise the number of entrepreneurs in the country. Their numbers are very small as compared to Indonesia's population.         "The country's entrepreneurs account for only 1.8 percent of the total population. It is a relatively small figure. Ideally, it should be more than 2.0 percent. In Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and other neighboring countries, entrepreneurs account for about 8.0 percent of the population," General Chairman of HIPMI Bahlil Lahadalia said in a written statement recently.

BATAM SETS SIGHTS ON JAPANESE INVESTORS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 17 (Antara) -- Batam island, which is one of the leading industrial regions of Indonesia and Asia, is promoting its investment potentials to attract foreign investors, particularly Japanese companies.          "Japan is one of the countries expected to make major investments in Batam. So we organized an activity in Nagoya, Japan, on Friday, June 12, to promote investment," Purnomo Andinatono, the director for promotion and public relations affairs of the Batam Management Authority (BP Batam), said on Wednesday.          In cooperation with the Japanese daily Nikkei Kogyo Shimbun, BP Batam organized a seminar and business gathering in Nagoya, Japan, last Friday to promote investment in the free trade zone of Batam, which is located close to Singapore.          Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun is a leading daily newspaper that focuses on the development of business and technology in Japan as well as on information on business economics. It also provides information for industries in Japan.       "Some 70 Japanese businesspeople attended the gathering. They welcomed the promotional activities organized by BP Batam," Andinatono added.

BULOG LAUNCHES MARKET OPERATIONS TO STABILIZE PRICES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 15 (Antara) -- In an effort to stabilize prices that begin to soar ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, state-owned logistics board Bulog has launched market operations in cooperation with a number of ministries.         "In the first phase, Bulog will provide 300 thousand tons of rice, 50 to 100 tons of shallots, and 25 thousand tons of sugar per day. For West Java, Bulog will provide 120 tons of rice and 50 tons of sugar," President Director of Bulog Djarot Kusumayakti said in Cimahi, West Java, at the launch of the market operations on Monday.          President Joko Widodo officiated the launch of simultaneous market operations for food commodities by Bulog at the logistics board's office in Cimahi, West Java.          In conducting the market operations, Bulog is cooperating with state-owned companies (BUMN), ministries and trading firm PT Perdagangan Indonesia.          "Now, we can see before us 30 trucks loaded with rice, sugar, and shallots. These trucks are being prepared in cooperation with BUMNs, the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture," Kusumayakti stated.

BKPM TO LURE INVESTMENT INTO SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 13 (Antara) - The government is developing eight special economic zones (KEK) in various parts of the country and will later open seven additional zones to drive economic activities and help boost economic growth.          In order to accelerate the development of economic zones, the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) has begun promoting the development of integrated investment license service systems in the KEK area.          BKPM Chief Franky Sibarani said in a written statement in Jakarta on Saturday last week that his agency will cooperate with KEK administrators, local governments in provinces and districts to assure the availability of standard operational procedures (SOP) within the KEK zones.          The KEK zones need SOPs on the implementation of regulations, such as the length of time for the issuance of an investment permit in special economic zones.          "The integrated investment license service is expected to produce concrete impacts and lure investments in the KEK areas, as well as boost economic activities. Therefore, we will focus on the special economic zones," Sibarani said.

TRANS-JAVA TOLL ROADS TO BE CONNECTED IN THREE YEARS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 13 (Antara) - The government is poised to connect its ambitious Trans-Java toll roads, which stretch 806 kilometers (km) from Cikampek in West Java to Probolinggo in East Java, by 2018.          Two newly completed sections of the Trans-Java turnpikes will become operational this week, after President Joko Widodo inaugurated the 13.61 km Gempol-Pandaan section in East Java on Friday and the 116.7 km Cikampek-Palimanan (Cikapali) section in West Java on Saturday.          "This morning, they assured me that they were ready to ensure that all toll roads in Java will be connected by 2018," Jokowi, as the President is intimately called, stated when opening the Gempol-Pandaan toll road in East Java.          He said that the government is optimistic that toll roads across Java will be connected by 2018, following the completion of two sections of its toll road development projects this month.

SOME 2.5 MLN EID TRAVELERS EXPECTED TO USE TRAIN

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 11 (Antara) - State-owned railway company PT KAI has forecast that about 2.5 million passengers will use train when they go hometowns to observe the post-fasting month Eid Fitr holiday or Lebaran festivities next month.          Indonesian Muslims will commence the fasting month on June 18 next week and end it on July 17, 2015. Like in previous years, the exodus of Lebaran travelers usually takes place seven days before (D-7) and seven days after (D+7) D-Day.          The railway company has prepared trains and sold adequate train tickets. "There are still a lot of tickets available for Lebaran travelers, as long as not all possible passengers choose to depart a day or two days before D-Day. The tickets for these days must have been sold out because travelers hunt for them," KAI President Director Edi Sukmoro said.          According to the KAI president director, of an estimated 20 million Eid Fitr travelers this year, about 2.5 million are expected to use the train mode of transportation.        "There will be some 2.4 to 2.5 million passengers," he stated in Semarang, Central Java, on Tuesday. He said that the train passengers will travel during the Lebaran holidays this year, ten days before (D-10) and ten days after (D+10) D-Day.

SOME 4.9 MILLION FLIGHT SEATS PREPARED FOR EID TRAVELERS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 10 (Antara) - The government has forecast that the number of air passengers traveling during the post-fasting Idul Fitri (Eid al-Fitr) holidays next month will increase by 2.8 percent, down from the 10 percent rise recorded last year.          The annual exodus of Eid al-Fitr travelers usually increases during the period between seven days before (D-7) and seven days after (D+7) the D-Day of Idul Fitri or Lebaran, which falls on July 17 this year.      This year, the number of Eid al-Fitr travelers is expected to increase two percent to reach 20 million. Travelers will opt for sea, land, or air modes of transportation. Some revelers heading to their hometowns will use their private vehicles and some others will utilize public transportation.          For those intending to fly to their hometowns to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr or Lebaran festivities, the government will prepare 4.9 million flight seats, despite its forecast of only about 4.2 million air passengers.          "We increase the seat capacity on flights by 2.5 percent only," Director General for Air Transportation Suprasetyo noted in Jakarta on Monday.          The Directorate General of Air Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation has prepared a total of 450 aircraft, with a flight capacity of 237,704 seats, for domestic flights and 69,665 seats for overseas flights.

PELNI GEARS UP TO FERRY EID TRAVELERS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 10 (Antara) -- As witnessed in previous years, the annual exodus of travelers following the fasting month of Idul Fitri (Eid Fitr) or Lebaran, which falls on July 17 this year, is expected to rise 2 percent to 20 million.          A week before (D-7) and a week after (D+7) D-Day is when there is a rush of travelers. They will take means of sea, land or air transportation, with some visiting their hometowns using private vehicles and others, public transport.          As Indonesia is an island country, inter-insular travelers will use air or sea transportation systems.          For travelers intending to use sea routes, state-owned shipping company PT Pelni is preparing itself to cater to them. Based on data available on its official website (http://www.pelni.co.id), PT Pelni predicts that the volume of its passengers for Lebaran this year will increase 2 percent from 763,916 in 2014 to 779,194 this year.          To meet this rise in demand, Pelni opened ticket sales on June 2. Its ships will operate to ferry passengers to their destinations in the D-15 to D+15 period, i.e. from July 2 to August 2.          In anticipation of the surge in the number of passengers, Pelni will deploy 26 ships, 12 of which are type 2000 (2,000 beds), 9 are type 1000 (1,000 beds), 3 are type 500 (500 beds) and 2 are ropax vessels.

COMMODITY PRICES SHOWING UPWARD TREND

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 9 (Antara) - The prices of basic food commodities in various regions in the country are showing an upward trend ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which begins on Thursday, next week.         The average price hike in South Sumatra, for instance, is recorded at five percent on Monday similar to the price of medium-quality rice, which increased from Rp8 thousand to Rp8.2 thousand per kilogram (kg) and that of high-quality rice from Rp9.4 thousand to 9.6 thousand per kg.         In various regions, the prices of basic food commodities such as rice, sugar, wheat, chicken, potato, cooking oil, egg, garlic, shallot, chili, cabbage, and other vegetables have also shown an increase in the face of the fasting month.          According to Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman, the prices often soar ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan due to bad trade regulations.          "The root cause of the problem is the supply and distribution chain. We should improve trade regulations. In this regard, we have coordinated with the traders and the state logistics board (Bulog)," the minister stated after visiting the Kramat Jati Wholesale Market in Jakarta on Monday.

CIKAPLI TOLL ROAD TO BE OPERATIONAL BEFORE FASTING MONTH

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 6 (Antara) -- The 116.7-kilometer-long Cikampek-Palimanan (Cikapali) toll road in Indramayu district and Cirebon municipality, West Java, is expected to be operational before the fasting month commences on June 18.         According to Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, the Cikapali toll road, which will reduce traffic congestion in the main traffic lane of Java's northern coastal areas (Pantura) by some 40 percent, will soon be inaugurated by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).         However, the minister did not reveal the exact date of the inauguration, only stating that it will be done before the fasting month of Ramadan begins on June 18 but after Jokowi's son's wedding celebrations on June 10 and 11.          "The president will hold the wedding celebrations on June 10 and 11. The fasting month will commence on June 18. So the inauguration will be organized sometime between these two events," Hadimuljono said while inspecting the Cikapali toll road on Tuesday.          With the operation of the toll road, gridlocks in trans-Java highways in Pantura can be eased by 40 percent, particularly during the exodus of travelers in the post-fasting period.          "The operation of the Cikapali toll road will reduce traffic congestion by 40 percent in the trans-Java highways in the Pantura region," the minister affirmed.

GOVERNMENT TO ACCELERATE 10 PRIORITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 5 (Antara) - The government will expedite the development of 10 priority infrastructure projects to accelerate economic development and support the efforts to improve the people's welfare.          President Joko Widodo in a limited cabinet meeting on the acceleration of infrastructure projects on Tuesday, last week, ordered to simplify the implementation process of infrastructure projects, so that they could be executed easily, and the people's expectations on infrastructure development could be realized.        "If the current process is maintained, it will take time to implement the infrastructure projects. The implementation process of the infrastructure projects must be simplified, so that they will bear results soon," the president noted.         He cited the example of the development of Jakarta's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, which has taken a long time during the planning, funding, and construction phases.         "The preparation phase has taken too long, and decisions were not taken soon. The MRT has been planned since 26 years," the president stated.         Joko Widodo remarked that after the planning phase, there are other phases to be carried out such as the feasibility study, bluebook, environmental impact analysis, financing sources, and organization setting.

PT INALUM REGISTERS BETTER PERFORMANCE IN THE HANDS OF INDONESIANS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 3 (Antara) - Aluminum manufacturer PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) in Asahan, North Sumatra, has been registering better performance than it did when it was operated by a Japanese joint venture firm.          It had been operated by Japan, as the majority shareholder, since 1976 through Nippon Asahan Aluminium (NAA) with 12 private Japanese firms as part of the joint venture.          The Indonesian government took over Inalum after its contract with the Japanese side expired on October 31, 2013.          Hj Meilizar Latif, a member of North Sumatra's Legislative Assembly (DPRD), said in 2012, that Inalum, with an annual production capacity of 230 thousand-240 thousand tons, reported a profit of US$12 million in 2010, while its debt burden reached US$70 million.          After it was taken over by Indonesia, the company seems to have increased its production. During the April-December 2014 period, it was able to double its profits as compared to the corresponding period in the previous fiscal year.          "The company booked a net profit of US$128.7 million, up significantly by 201 percent from US$64 million in the fiscal year 2013," Winardi, the president director of PT Inalum, noted in a written statement on Monday, last week.

PEOPLE HAVE ADEQUATE RICE STOCK FOR FASTING MONTH

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 2 (Antara) - Indonesians, who will observe a month-long fast starting June 18, have an adequate stock of rice, a staple food commodity, which is now estimated at 6.97 million tons.         "What is important for us is to control the price of rice, which is now still as per our expectations," Chief Economic Minister Sofyan Djalil stated in Jakarta on Monday.         The minister expressed hope that the regional governments would work towards maintaining the purchasing power of the people, so that the national inflation rate would not increase due to the lack of food supplies.         "Yesterday, the president in a meeting urged all district/city governments to take efforts to control inflation, since if left uncontrolled, it would reduce the purchasing power of the people," the chief economic minister remarked.         According to Srie Agustina, the director general of internal trade of the Ministry of Trade, the volume of rice stock has now reached 6.97 million tons, which comprises 1.32 million tons in the State Logistics Board (Bulog) and 5.4 million tons of indicative milling stock and 246 thousand tons of indicative stock in 165 markets.        "We have a requirement of about 8.l million tons. There is still a deficit now. But, the 6.97 million tons does not include the rice produced in the May-July harvest period," the director general remarked.

BINTAN OFFERS NEW BEACH, SHOPPING DESTINATION

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 1 (Antara) -- The tourist resort of Bintan district, Riau Islands, is offering a new, exciting beach and shopping destinations, following the official inauguration of Lagoi Bay and Plaza Lagoi Mall by Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Sunday.         Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla officially opened the sparkling new destinations on Sunday at Bintan Resorts, located along the northern coast of the beautiful Bintan Island.         Speaking at the event, Gianto Gunara of Gallant Venture and executive director of Bintan Resorts said: "The opening of the Lagoi Bay and Plaza Lagoi Mall mega projects is a major milestone for the development of Bintan Resorts and tourism in KEPRI (the Riau Islands province)."     Bintan Resorts is a major international gateway into Indonesia, Gunara added, and is expected to play an increasing role in Indonesia's tourism development to achieve the goal of drawing in 20 million tourists nationwide by 2019.

BINTAN GEARING UP TO ATTRACT MORE FOREIGN TOURISTS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 1 (Antara) - Bintan, located in proximity to Singapore and comprising almost three thousand beautiful isles in Riau Islands Province, is being developed into one of the country's tourist resort destinations.          "The government will support and provide facilities needed to develop Bintan as a tourist resort because the country has set itself a target to attract 20 million foreign tourists annually by 2020," Vice President Jusuf Kalla stated in Bintan while inaugurating several tourism facilities on the island on Sunday.          Bintan, which is also located close to Malaysia's Johor Bahru, has the potential to be developed into a popular tourist destination similar to Bali and other tourist resort destinations in the country.          Increasing number of well-known tourist resorts in the country with world-class facilities, such as those in Bintan, will help to increase the number of foreign tourist arrivals and help the country achieve its target of attracting 20 million foreign tourists.          "Additional tourism facilities such as these will provide better hospitality. I am confident that it will not be inferior to those offered in other places," Kalla remarked while expressing optimism that the target is achievable through good administration coupled with better infrastructure and services and hospitality.