GOVERNMENT WITHDRAWING CHILD WORKERS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 30 (Antara) - Very often, fighting poverty is a life long struggle for a poor family in any of the least developed countries or even in a developing country, and that includes Indonesia.         Many families have to work hard to make both ends meet. Children in such families are often forced to work to help parents eke out a living. However, the International Labor Organization (ILO) has set some clear norms about the age at which a child can enter the world of work.          Indonesia has set itself the target of eradicating child labor by 2022 but is that a dream? It depends on the level of poverty in the country. If families do economically better, it will ensure that parents no more force their children to become laborers.          In 2008, the government launched a program to withdraw child laborers from work field, yet the target to make Indonesia free of child workers is still far away.         After all, data in 2015 showed that 28.59 million people in the country were poor, accounting for about 11.22 percent of the population. This means a high instance of child workers from poor families.

BITUNG GEARS UP FOR LEMBEH FESTIVAL

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 29 (Antara) - Locals in the Bitung City in North Sulawesi are all excited as they await the parade of decorated ships, a highlight of the Lembeh Strait Charm Festival (FPSL) to be held from October 6-10, 2016.         The decorated ships' parade will be a highpoint of the festival in the strait separating the Lembeh Island with the mainland Bitung in North Sulawesi.         "Besides a ship parade, there will also be maritime cultural attractions aimed at promoting the local tourism in the Lembeh Strait," Benny Lontoh, the head of North Sulawesi's Industry and Trade Service, said in Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi, on Thursday.         As the Lembeh festival draws near, the local government and officials are now busy making preparations. The annual FPSL festival will be the sixth to be held in the Bitung City. In the past, the festival remained largely local and was more or less an expression of thanksgiving.         The festival used to involve fishermen who ply their trade in the strait. However, this year, it has assumed international dimensions and will be noticed globally.         "We are now paying great attention to the tourism sector because we are convinced it can help in attaining sustainable economic growth," Benny Lontoh added.

SAIL KARIMATA EXPECTED TO BENEFIT MICRO-BUSINESSES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 29  (Antara) - Indonesia has been organizing annual Sail Indonesia events since 2009 which have provided positive impact on the development of the country's tourism and local economic activities.        This year four provinces sharing borders with the Karimata Strait, namely  Riau Islands, Jambi, Bangka Belitung and West Kalimantan are organizing a sail event called 'Sail Karimata 2016.'    The peak event of Sail Karimata 2016 which kicked off last June will be held in North Kayong District, West Kalimantan on October 15 next month.         Learning from the positive impact in the previous years of the sailing events on the local economies, provinces involved, particularly West Kalimatan, should take advantage of this by preparing local business sectors such as small and medium-scale businesses.          Guests will come and spend money. Small businesses can sell products. This kind of positive impact has taken place in Bunaken, Raja Ampat, Wakatobi, Tomini and other  resorts that have hosted the sailing events.          In the current Sail Karimata 2016, which is the eighth of the Sail Indonesia series, West Kalimantan, as host of the peak event is preparing its small businesses to take advantage of it.

EATING FISH FOR HEALTH, AND TO IMPROVE INTELLIGENCE

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 27 (Antara) - 'Eat Fish for Building Intelligence, Health, and Strength.' There was a time when the former fisheries product processing and marketing director general of the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Saut Hutagalung, loved to propagate this slogan.          Indonesian people are fond of going out in search of culinary delicacies and lazily sample the treats at different food stalls, eateries or restaurants. Seafood and fish figure among the culinary delicacies on any menu. Luckily, Indonesia is an island country with vast seas and abundant fish resources.          But has Saut's slogan encouraged them to go out on a food hunt or to eat fish? Eating fish meets both the needs---keeping a good health and pampering a growling stomach.          Saut is now an expert staff for economic, social and cultural affairs of the KKP. Since he echoed the slogan two years ago, several fish eating campaigns have been organized, including in the Jambi province and in the Lebak District, Banten Province.  A most recent one was held in Muntok, Bangka Belitung province.

WEST KALIMANTAN GEARS UP FOR SAIL KARIMATA STRAIT 2016

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 26 (Antara) - West Kalimantan is busy making preparations for the success of the 'Sail Karimata Strait' event in the Datuk Sukadana Islet beach, North Kayong District.          The sail event has been launched since last June, involving four provinces of West Kalimantan, Riau Islands, Jambi and Bangka Belitung.   The peak event will take place in North Kayong District on October 15 next month.          West Kalimantan Governor Cornelius has assured that he will himself continuously inspect the ongoing preparations so that everything runs smoothly. The governor held a meeting on Monday in this context.          "I will keep a check on the progress. We today had a meeting to discuss the preparations," Governor Cornelius was quoted as saying by Tribunpontianak.co.id news portal on Monday.          According to the governor, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is expected to open the peak event of Sail Karimata Strait 2016. Therefore, all relevant regional officials should ensure that everything is in place before the October 15 deadline.          The transportation arrangements and technical aspects should be as per international standards. "The president will arrive on October 15, 2016. All arrangements must be in place before that, " the governor added.

JAMBI TEMPLE REVEALS TIBET'S TEACHING OF MORALITY

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 26 (Antara) - Before the advent of Islam, Buddhism was flourishing in Indonesia, which continues to display numerous historical heritages, such as relics, artefacts and glorious temples.         The most popular Buddhist Temple in Indonesia is the 9th century Borobudur Temple in Magelang, Central Java, which was once included in the seven wonders of the world.          The other temple which bears historical importance, yet is not known well globally, is the      Muarojambi Temple in Jambi, Sumatra. Though little known, this temple complex is a link with the history of Tibet.          According to a noted monk, the Buddhist teaching of morality now being developing in Tibet was basically born at the Muarojambi Temple in the 11th century.          It was adopted from the teaching of Grand Buddhist teacher Atisha, who spent years studying Buddhism at the Muarojambi temple, before he returned to Tibet to spread the teaching.           "The teaching was brought back to Tibet. Up to now, the international Buddhist community in Tibet still preserves the morality teachings of Grand Teacher Guru Atisha," said Monk Jangchup Choeden, who led a delegation of seven monks from India, Nepal and Bhutan on a religious tour of the Muarojambi temple on Sunday (September 25).

INDONESIA YET TO TAP ADVANTAGES OF ITS SEAWEED

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 24 (Antara) - Indonesia is a large seaweed producer and has the advantage of developing and increasing the added value of the commodity, but the price of this item is decreasing.          Complaints of declining prices have come from farmers cultivating seaweed in North Kalimantan and Maluku, two seaweed producing provinces.          The price of seaweed in Nunukan District is now about Rp6,600 per kilogram (kg) at the collection level. The price could perhaps be higher if the commodity was sold directly to investors.      "I think the price will be higher if investors (factories) in Nunukan buy the product directly from the farmers," Kamaruddin, a seaweed farmer at Kampung Mamolo of Tanjung Harapan, Nunukan District, North Kalimantan, said Thursday.          The same complaint was also voiced by farmers in Maluku. The lower prices discourages farmers in Southeast Maluku District, in Tual City and Aru Islands District to cultivate the commodity.          "The price of seaweed now is only between Rp6,000 and Rp8,000 per kg, and it discourages farmers," Fredik Rahakbauw, a member of the Regional Legislative Assembly (DPRD) in Maluku, said Monday.

CIKEAS COALITION UPBEAT OVER ITS CANDIDATES

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 24 (Antara) - The Cikeas Coalition of four political parties announced on Friday its candidates Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and his running mate Sylviana Murni, who will contest the Jakarta gubernatorial election on February 15, 2017.         The coalition, composed of the Democrat Party (PD), the United Development Party (PPP), the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the National Awakening Party (PKB), is convinced that Agus, first son of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and Sylviana Murni, currently a deputy governor of Jakarta for tourism and culture, will be an ideal pair for the people of Jakarta in the election.        "The Agus-Sylviana pair will provide a strong alternative to the people of Jakarta. They will build Jakarta fairly and evenly and be down to earth and appreciate the people's rights well," Didi Mukrianto, an associate chairman of the PD's Central Executive Board, said in Jakarta Friday.         Although being belittled by the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), one of the four parties nominating incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok), and his running mate incumbent Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat, the Agus-Sylviana duo, it is believed by its supporters, will be able to defeat the Ahok-Djarot pair.\

WTP RATING SHOULD NOT MAKE INSTITUTIONS COMPLACENT

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 23 (Antara) - The State Audit Board (BPK) this year awarded 376 institutions with an unqualified opinion (WTP) rating for having presented financial records and statements honestly and accurately last year.          Of the 376 entities, 56 are ministries/state institutions, 29 provincial governments, 222 district governments and 60 municipal administrations.     The Finance Minister awarded 22 ministries/state institutions, three provincial governments, eight district administrations and four municipal governments for securing the WTP rating for five consecutive years.          The ceremony where such appreciation letters were handed over to the 22 ministries/state institutions was organized by the Finance Minister, Sri Mulyani, herself.  It was for the first time that the central government filed a financial report in 2015 based on the accrual financial report basis.

GOVERNMENT UNLIKELY TO EXTEND TAX AMNESTY PROGRAM

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 23 (Antara) - As the first phase of the tax amnesty ends on September 30 next week, taxpayers seem to be expecting that it will be extended.         Although the government's tax amnesty program will continue for nine months, from July 15, 2016 to March 31 2017, yet the nine month period is divided into three phases, each with a three-month period.     In the first period, taxpayers joining the tax amnesty program will pay the lowest asset repatriation and declaration fees, compared with the tariffs set for the following two phases.         The declaration tariff for assets at home and overseas has been set, respectively, at two percent and  four percent  for the July-September period; three percent and six percent for the October-December period; and five percent and 10 percent for the January-March 2017 period.         Similarly, the repatriation tariff has been set at two percent for the July-September period, three percent for October-December and five percent for the January-March 2017 period.

FINALLY, LARGEST POLITICAL PARTIES BACK AHOK

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 21 (Antara) - Indonesia will see a lively contest in the regional head elections in February next year with 101 regions simultaneously electing their heads in seven provinces, 76 districts and 18 municipal cities.          During the simultaneous elections, these regions will elect seven governors, 76 district heads and 18 mayors. The most interesting among these will be the joust for the office of the Jakarta governor.          Besides being contesting in the capital city of the country, Jakarta's incumbent Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) and his Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat have gathered support and will be nominated by the two largest political parties, the PDIP and the Golkar, besides with the Hanura and NasDem.          The scenario has taken an interesting turn because Ahok had previously voiced his intention to run as an independent candidate in the gubernatorial election. He is a former cadre of the Gerindra (Greater Indonesia Movement) Party which nominated him to the post of deputy governor on the same ticket on which was Joko Widodo (Jokowi), nominated by the PDIP in the Jakarta gubernatorial election in 2012.

HOUSE BACKS GOVERNMENT IN BATTLE ON TAX AMNESTY

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 21 (Antara) - The government is currently facing a legal battle at the Constitutional Court (MK) over its tax amnesty program, which it began enforcing on July 15, 2016.         The aim of the amnesty program is to attract the return of thousands of trillions of rupiah in assets held overseas by Indonesian businessmen who have avoided paying taxes.         After the draft was endorsed by the House of Representatives (DPR) on June 28, 2016, Law No. 11/2016 on Tax Amnesty was issued by the government on July 1, 2016. The tax amnesty program will continue for nine months, from July 15, 2016 until March 31, 2017.         However, the Indonesian People's Struggle Union, One Justice Foundation, three trade union organizations and an Indonesian citizen, Leni Indrawati, filed a petition on July 13, 2016 with the MK, asking for a judicial review of the law.         All petitioners have stated that Law No. 11/2016 is discriminatory in nature against all Indonesian people because it gives an impression of protecting tax evaders from paying taxes that were mandatory.

SAIL KARIMATA TO BOOST INDONESIAN TOURISM

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 20 (Antara) - Indonesia is organizing a sail race in the Karimata Strait involving the provinces of Jambi, Riau Islands (Kepri), Bangka Belitung and West Kalimantan.         Called 'Sail Karimata,' the race has been ongoing since June and will continue until October, 2016. It is expected to attract 15,000 local and foreign tourists, and is the eighth race in the series of Sail Indonesia, which began in 2009.         The peak event of the sail race --at which the government predicts  foreign tourists will spend some US$5 to 6 million (Rp66 billion), while Indonesian tourists will spend Rp10 billion (US$740,000)-- will take place  in North Kayong District, West Kalimantan, on October 15.         Although the peak event will be held in West Kalimantan province, Sail Karimata will also help boost the economies of other provinces involved in the boating race, such as Bangka Belitung, Jambi and Riau Islands.

RI FOR ADEQUATE FACILITIES FOR INCREASED HAJJ QUOTA

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 17 (Antara) - Ever since the renovation work began at the Haram Mosque in Mecca in 2013, Indonesia's hajj quota, like those of other countries, has remained reduced by 20 percent from 211,000 to 168,800.          Once the renovation is completed, the Saudi government is likely to restore Indonesia's quota of 211,000 next year. However, the rising number of hajj pilgrims also poses a risk, particularly in the Arafah, Mina and Muzdalifah terrains, the three important sites of hajj rituals.         Therefore, Indonesia, which sends the largest tranche of hajj pilgrims every year, considers it very important to improve the hajj services and hajj facilities, such as boarding, tents, catering and toilet facilities.      Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin said additional hajj quota without improved facilities, particularly in Mina, could pose a danger.         "It is true that the additional quota will shorten the waiting list of would-be hajj pilgrims in Indonesia but it would pose a threat if the service facilities in Mina are not improved," the minister stated in Jidda, moments before flying back to Indonesia on Friday.

SMOOTH SUBSIDY TO SPEED UP KUR CREDIT EXTENSION

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 17 (Antara) - The government has over the past several years launched a subsidized loan program for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises called the KUR credit scheme to boost the economic activities of small businesses.         The program is conducted by KUR credit distributors appointed by the government. The interest of the KUR credits is subsidized so that distributors can extend loans to recipients with lower interest rates.         The interest rates of the KUR credits the recipients had to bear was 22 percent in 2014. It was lowered to 15 percent in 2015 and nine percent this year. The government is planning to cut it further to seven percent in 2017.         In order to accelerate the distribution of KUR credits, which this year is targeted to reach Rp120 trillion, the government should guarantee the smoothness of its subsidies so that the program would not disturb the cash flow of distributing institutions.         Bank Indonesia (BI) said the government needs to be organized and disciplined in allocating the budget for subsidizing the interest of its KUR credit program for small businesses

CLOSURE OF DRUGSTORES TO BENEFIT BIG BUSINESS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 16 (Antara) - The medicine trade at Jakarta's Pramuka Market, a hub of semi-dispensary drugstores called Apotik Rakyat or Community Dispensaries, can reach a turnover of up to one billion rupiah per day.          Apart from this, community dispensaries also function in other shopping centers, such as in Jatinegara, Glodok and Pasar Baru markets. Pramuka Market is the most popular place to buy cheap medicines.          The Jakarta Office of the Food and Drug Supervision (BPOM) had last year estimated that the turnover of community dispensaries at Pramuka Market could reach Rp1 billion per day. "There about 100 medicine traders there. If each trader has a daily turnover of Rp10 million, the daily turnover of the community dispensaries reaches some Rp1 billion," Dewi Prawitsasri, the head of the BPOM for Jakarta, was quoted as saying in October last year by the Jawa Pos online  (http://www2.jawapos.com).          The Pramuka Market has served as the hub of community dispensaries in Jakarta for about ten years now and the people know they can buy medicines at cheaper rates there.          Almost all kinds of medicines can be bought in the market, beginning from generic drugs for flu to heart medications at low prices.

GOVT TO ABOLISH COMMUNITY DISPENSARIES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 15 (Antara) - Following the discovery of fake and expired medicines, the government is planning to abolish community dispensaries that have been blamed for circulating illegal drugs in public.         Community dispensaries, which are how semi-dispensary drugstores are referred to in common parlance, are stores for the people to buy cheap medicines. They are run under the Health Minister's Decree No.284/2007.         The plan to abolish them has been made to protect people from the harmful effects of fake or expired medicines found on sale at community pharmacies. Police and drug control agencies recently discovered counterfeit and expired medicines on sale at the Pramuka Market, a hub for cheap drugstores in Jakarta.         The Jakarta Health Service has proposed the revocation of a health minister's regulation, which has becomes the basis for the establishment of community pharmacies.         According to Kompas.com, the Director General of Pharmacy and Health Equipment of the Ministry of Health, Maura Linda Sitanggang said the government has planned the establishment of community dispensaries.

LEMBEH STRAIT FESTIVAL TO PROMOTE BITUNG TOURISM

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 14 (Antara) - Indoenesia's Bitung district in North Sulawesi could serve as a hub to develop tourism in the country's eastern region.          Located along the Pacific Rim, Bitung can also serve as an international port hub that could facilitate the development of the Indonesian economic activities and tourism.          Therefore, the regional government of North Sulawesi, particularly Bitung, is now developing its tourism resorts, including Mount Kekewang, and is planning to launch a strait festival, dubbed as the Lembeh Strait Charm Festival 2016.          Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said in Jakarta on Tuesday that he welcomes the plan to launch the festival in an effort to attract more foreign tourists to North Sulawesi, particularly to the Bitung District.          With an intensive campaign launched through this festival, more people would come to know about the Lembeh Strait and it can become a new marine tourism icon for North Sulawesi, according to the minister.

BANDUNG OFFERS BIG DISCOUNT DURING GREAT SALE 2016

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 12 (Antara) - In observing its 206th anniversary, West Java's Provincial Capital of Bandung is organizing the month-long 'Bandung Great Sale (BGS) 2016' and offering big discounts to boost economic and tourism development.          Opened by Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil on Saturday, the event will end on October 9, with BGS 2016 facilitating business transactions among buyers and sellers of some 1,200 small and large-scale merchants, hoteliers, malls and other businesses.          BGS 2016 is located in downtown Bandung City, at Jalan Asia Africa, which hosted the historic Afro-Asian Conference in 1955. While reliving these historic memories, visitors can buy various goods and services offered by either street vendors or large scale merchants, with great discounts ranging from 10 to 90 percent.          "Big discounts are offered not only by major malls and shopping centers, but also by street traders, such as fried tofu sellers, cuanki (meat ball soup) traders and other merchants. This is what distinguishes the GBS among  other great sale events in the world," Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil, popularly called Emil, was quoted as saying by the detiknews portal while opening the Bandung Great Sale last Saturday.

ARCANDRA TO BE REAPPOINTED MINISTER?

  

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 12 (Antara) -  President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), during his second cabinet reshuffle on July 27, appointed Arcandra Tahar as energy and mineral resources (ESDM) minister, replacing Sudirman Said.          However, he dismissed the new minister on August 14 after it was revealed that Arcandra had foreign citizenship.          Yet on September 1, 2016, Justice Minister Yasonna Laoly reinstated Arcandra's Indonesian citizenship.          After the restoration of his Indonesian citizenship, legislator Masinton Pasaribu of Commission III on legal affairs of the House of Representatives (DPR) said that Arcandra now meets the conditions needed to be reappointed minister.          "Based on the law, a person could be appointed minister if he or she has Indonesian citizenship. Pak (Mr) Arcandra's citizenship has been restored and has officially been registered in the State Gazette," said Masinton in Jakarta on Friday.

EID-AL-ADHA SACRIFICIAL ANIMALS MUST HAVE HEALTH CERTIFICATES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 10 (Antara) - Indonesian Muslims will join the rest of the Islamic world to observe and convey prayers on Eid-Al-Adha, which coincides with the peak of Hajj rituals in Arafah, Mina and Muzdalifah in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.         In Indonesia, the Eid-Al-Adha prayers will be performed on Monday, September 12, to mark the tenth day of the Islamic month of Zulhijjah.         After prayers in the morning, Indonesian Muslims will slaughter sacrificial animals as a symbol of obedience for when God ordered the Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his beloved son Prophet Ismail, who was then replaced with a sheep.         Therefore, several days before the Eid-Al-Adha festivities, traders can be seen offering sacrificial animals for sale in different corners and squares of the cities. Sacrificial animals, such as goats, sheep, cows and buffaloes, are slaughtered during this festival and should be healthy.

ENTREPRENEURS GROWLING AT GAS MAFIA

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 10 (Antara) - Young entrepreneurs have asked the government to investigate the alleged involvement of the mafia in gas distribution that causes its price to soar two-fold when it reaches downstream industries.          The upstream industry gas price is only about US$4 per million metric British thermal unit (mmbtu). But when it reaches downstream industries, it rises to about US$9 to US$14 per mmbtu.     In Singapore, it is only US$4 to US$5 per mmbtu.          The other factor that cause prices to increase is the monopolistic business practices that create brokerage.          The monopolistic practice in gas distribution triggers the presence of brokerage and high gas price for the industry in the country, according to the Central Board of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (Hipmi).          "We found monopoly in gas distribution and incompetent gas brokers," Chairman of Hipmi for Energy Affairs Andhika Anindyaguna stated in a release in Jakarta, Wednesday (September 7).          In the meantime, the government, through the Ministry of Industry, is trying to offer a special price to industries in an effort to reduce the soaring gas price in the downstream sector.

OMBUDSMAN TO STUDY GOVT'S INTERCONNECTION RATE POLICY

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 9 (Antara) - The Indonesian Ombudsman will study the government's plan to reduce the mobile communication interconnection fee.          The plan is being questioned by the country's largest mobile telecommunication operator, Telkomsel, but other operators in the country are supporting it.          The Indonesian Ombudsman will convene a plenary meeting to look into the matter following a report by the Indonesian Forum for Transparency (Fitra) on the planned reduction in the interconnection fee, or off-net tariff.          "We will hold a plenary meeting to see and decide the crucial points with regard to the government's plan," Indonesian Ombudsman Chairman Alamsyah Saragih informed in Jakarta on Wednesday (Sept 7).          Alamsyah questioned whether the government, in this case, the Ministry of Informatics and Communication (Kemenkominfo), had discussed it with the relevant parties or other cellular operators before deciding to cut the off-net rates.          As of now, subscribers pay interconnection fees, or off-net rates, when they use their phones to connect with telecommunication networks outside of the operator they subscribe to.

GOVT URGED TO FURTHER PROMOTE ITS TAX AMNESTY PROGRAM

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 9 (Antara) - The government needs to conduct intensive campaigns to further promote its tax amnesty program so that it will attract more taxpayers and achieve its target of collecting Rp165 trillion from repatriated assets.          The government launched the tax amnesty program last July, hoping to redeem Rp165 trillion from Rp1,000 trillion repatriated assets, out of the estimated Rp4 thousand trillion assets being stashed overseas.          However, up to July 9, the total redemption from repatriated money the government collected amounted to only Rp8 trillion, or about 8.4 percent of the target. It was earlier predicted that significant amount of amnesty penalties would be collected in September, when the first period of three months will end, where redemption tariff is set at four percent.     The trend was in keeping with the prediction made by economists and the government that the participation of taxpayers was likely to increase in September, just as the deadline for the first tax amnesty period approaches.

INDONESIA SEEKS FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN E-COMMERCE

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 8 (Antara) - The Indonesian government is considering boosting the development of e-commerce in the country and for that purpose it is seeking to attract foreign investment to the sector.            Indonesia's interest in developing e-commerce in the country was reflected when President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) recently offered a chance to foreign investors to invest in the sector.            The National Economic and Industry Committee (KEIN) supports the initiatives of President Widodo to attract e-commerce investment to Indonesia when he met with investors on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting some time ago in China.            "Of course KEIN supports such efforts, since the agenda of the President is to obviously discuss investment cooperation to market Indonesian products abroad. It is expected to improve the quality of Small Micro Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and makes them well-known globally through an e-commerce company," said KEIN Vice Chairman Arif Budimanta in an official statement received by Antara on Thursday.

INDONESIA CHECKS HAJJ PREPARATIONS IN SAUDI ARABIA

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 7 (Antara) - While sending 168,800 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, Indonesia is inspecting the state of hajj preparations in Arafah, Muzdalifah and Mina where millions of pilgrims will be hosted when the  hajj rituals are at a peak in Mecca.          Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, in his capacity as the Indonesian hajj pilgrims' leader, accompanied by Abdul Djalil, the director general of hajj affairs, and M Jasin, the inspector general of the Religious Affairs Ministry, toured Arafah, Muzdalifah and Mina plains on Tuesday to see the preparations.         The minister checked out the preparations regarding hajj tents, catering services, power supplies, health services and toilet facilities. He spent hours touring around Arafah, Muzdalifah and Mina plains to ensure that Muassasah (the Saudi hajj organizer) meets the requirements agreed to in the contract.         The peak rituals will take place in the Arafah plain on Zulhijjah 9, or September 11, 2016 Saudi time.

AMPERA BRIDGE TO SERVE AS ICON OF TOURISM

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 6 (Antara) - South Sumatra's well-known Ampera Bridge which spans 1,177 meters over the Musi River in Palembang City will be transformed into a tourism icon for the province.          As a busy landmark, the bridge, which connects the Seberang Ulu and Seberang Ilir areas of the Palembang city, will be closed to vehicles during the night time and serve as a center of culinary delicacies for local and foreign tourists.          Transforming the Ampera Bridge into a culinary tourism center is expected to attract many local and foreign tourists and boost South Sumatra's tourism development.          "South Sumatra's tourism industry will develop rapidly if many tourists visit this region," South Sumatra Governor Alex Noerdin said when providing a first lecture at a new tourism polytechnic school in Palembang on Friday (Sept 2) last week.          According to Wikipedia, the bridge was planned during the era of Indonesia's first president, who wanted a bridge that could open and be a match for London's Tower Bridge. The funds for the construction came from Japanese war reparations.

FISH INDUSTRY TO FOCUS ON EASTERN REGION

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 4 (Antara) - The Indonesian eastern region is rich in natural and maritime resources but it is relatively less developed if compared with the western part of the country.         As part of its efforts to carry out even development, President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi's) government is looking to the regions outside Java, particularly the eastern region.         In the field of fish industry, President Jokowi has the target to shift the focus of fish industrial development from Java to the eastern region of the country. The present government's concept necessitates that fish industry should not be concentrated on Java.        Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti therefore wanted the development of fishery processing centers to be shifted to regions outside Java such as Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua.         According to  Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) for Eastern Indonesia Andi Rukman Karumpa, Minister Susi's idea was in line with the maritime development vision of President Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

TAX AMNESTY PROGRAM NOT FOR SMALL TAXPAYERS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 2 (Antara) - Taxpayers belonging to the middle and low-income strata should not worry about the government's tax amnesty program because it will be enforced only on big taxpayers.          According to Chief Economic Minister Darmin Nasution, the main target of the government's tax amnesty program is to net those taxpayers who own big assets but have not yet properly paid taxes.          The tax amnesty plan also targets whose who stashed assets overseas. It is expected that they will avail of the tax amnesty and repatriate to Indonesia the funds they had parked abroad.          The government has estimated that assets worth Rp4,000 trillion are parked abroad, and expects that about one thousand trillion rupiah will be repatriated. Thus, the government will be able to collect some Rp165 trillion in redemption money and asset declaration funds in the coming nine months, from July 2016.          However, up to the end of August, 2016, assets repatriated were not even worth Rp2 trillion.          Following such a response, the government also intends to bring under the umbrella of the tax amnesty program those taxpayers who had not yet paid their due taxes rightfully at home.