WORLD LEADERS CONDOLE WITH INDONESIAN TSUNAMI VICTIMS' FAMILIES

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 25 (Antara) - Condolences from world leaders are pouring in for the families of the victims of the Indonesian tsunami that struck Sunda Strait between the islands of Sumatra and Java, claiming at least 429 lives on Saturday.          Condolences poured in from home and abroad for the victims. From abroad, condolences were offered by Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, among others.         A towering tsunami, believed to have been triggered by an avalanche of the slopes of Anak Krakatau due to the volcano's explosions in Sunda Strait, devastated several regions in the coastal areas of Banten Province in Java and Lampung Province in Sumatra on Saturday (Dec 22).         Anak Krakatau is a small volcanic island located in Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra. It emerged from the ocean half a century after Mount Krakatau's deadly eruption in 1883. The volcano was put on the second-highest alert level in 2012. Anak Krakatau has seen small regular eruptions since June.

SAD DAYS AHEAD OF XMAS, NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 24 (Antara) - People around the globe are usually happy in the face of the year end as they are ready to celebrate Christmas and New Year festivities, but Indonesian people had to bow their heads in sorrow.         A towering tsunami devastated several regions in the coastal areas of Banten province in Java and South Lampung District in Lampung Province on Saturday (Dec 22), killing at least 334 people.         The tsunami was believed to have been triggered by an avalanche of the slopes of Anak Krakatau volcano explosions in the Sunda Strait that separates the Islands of Java and Sumatra.         The Sunda Strait tsunami happened several months after an earthquake and its subsequent tsunami hit Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Sept 28, killing 2,102 people, and Lombok Island on Aug 5, claiming the lives of 555 residents.         Expressions of condolences are pouring from home and abroad for the victims. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have expressed their condolences.

PREPARATIONS ON FOR CHRISTMAS, NEW YEAR TRAVELERS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 21 (Antara) - Four days before Christmas, on Friday, an increase in the number of travelers was noticed, particularly at railway stations, and the number of holidaymakers is expected to reach its peak on Saturday.              "The peak will be reached tomorrow (December 22). I checked several places, especially the train station, and there was an around 20 percent surge in the number of passengers," Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi remarked after attending a limited meeting on the Christmas and New Year preparations on Friday.              Hence, the Indonesian Railway Company (KAI) has prepared 444 locomotives, one spare locomotive unit, 1,637 train units and 218 spare train units.              According to the minister, the number of train passengers on other days through the Pasar Senen Railway Station reaches as many as 14 thousand. On Friday, the number of passengers at the station increased to 24 thousand. It is estimated that 28 thousand people will use the trains on Saturday, December 22.               With regard to the number of trains, this year, KAI will undertake 346 regular train trips and 48 additional train trips to serve people who want to use railroad services during the year-end holiday period.

PESANTREN EXPECTED TO PRODUCE YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 18 (Antara) - Indonesia, through its Indonesia Making 4.0 program, needs at least four million new entrepreneurs to help reinforce its economic structure in the face of the fourth industrial revolution, or industry 4.0.          Of the requirement, some one million are expected to be contributed by the Indonesian University's Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI PT).          To this end, the Islamic Boarding School (Pesantren) institution is also expected to contribute some 20 thousand students (santris). Hence, the Ministry of Industry is providing assistance for pesantrens in an effort to facilitate education and increase the santris' knowledge and skills.          "Santris are expected to possess skills after graduation in carrying out economic activities considered to be important in daily life," Director General of Small- and Medium-Scale Industry Gati Wibawaningsih stated while attending an event designed to encourage the creation of new entrepreneurs within the Lirboyo Islamic Boarding School (Pondok Pesantren Lirboyo) in Kediri, East Java, on Monday (Dec 17).

LOMBOK STRUGGLING TO REGAIN ITS SHINE

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 15 (Antara) - The Lombok Island of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province, which has been crowned to become a new Bali, the country's most popular tourist resort province, is now struggling to regain its tourism glimpse.          The government has been developing the Mandalika Special Economic Zone (KEK) in Central Lombok District as an icon of NTB's economic and tourism development.          According to Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), the total investment for the development of the Mandalika KEK reached more than Rp17 trillion. "We have a total investment of Rp17 trillion for the development of Mandalika," President Director of PT ITDC Abdulbar M Mansoer noted in Mandalika last month (Nov 18).           The investment is expected to boost the development of Lombok, especially Mandalika, so that the island would regain its tourism shine after it was struck by a series of earthquakes measuring between 6 to 7 on the Richter scale during the July and August period.

SEVERAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS TO BE COMPLETED IN 2019

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 15 (Antara) - After conducting intensive infrastructure development in the country over the past four years, several projects have been completed and will be inaugurated in 2019.         Since the start of President Joko Widodo's (Jokowi's) administration in October 2014, the government has been focusing on the development of the country's infrastructure in an effort to develop connectivity and open access to isolated areas for the smooth implementation of the nation's economic activities.         The government's next intensive program will prioritize the development of human resources after focusing on infrastructure. President Jokowi aims to inaugurate several completed infrastructure projects in the remaining year of his five-year term in 2019.          President Jokowi revealed that currently, the work on several infrastructure projects has been completed and awaiting inauguration.         "Many have lined up but because it is difficult to manage time, there are many that we cannot inaugurate yet," President Jokowi remarked while launching the 2018 National Infrastructure One-Map Policy and Geoportal Progress Book at the Bidakara Hotel, Jakarta, on Tuesday (Dec 11).

PLASTIC INDUSTRIES CALL FOR REVIEW OF PLASTIC BAG BAN

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 13 (Antara) - Plastic waste is difficult to decompose and poses a serious threat to the environment.          Therefore, the government hopes to find solutions to the problem of plastic waste, especially plastic bags that are widely used in shopping centers in Indonesia.         Now many cities in Indonesia are starting to implement regulations that prohibit or limit the use of plastic bags by the shopping centers.         However, the ban on the use of plastic bags will have a negative impact on the plastic industry business. Therefore, the Indonesian Plastic Industry Association (Inaplas) has asked regional governments to review the regulation.          Deputy Chairman of Inaplas, Suhat Miyarso, rejected the ban on plastic shopping bags introduced by several regional heads and requested for a review of the policy.          "Inaplas urged that the policy be replaced by efforts to improve the performance of waste management with all stakeholders," Miyarso stated during a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday (Dec 11).         Miyarso added that Inaplas appreciated the government's efforts to tackle the waste problem, as well as its concern about the behavior of the plastic users who were ignorant of the environment.

INDONESIA POISED TO BECOME WORLD'S BEST HALAL TOURISM COUNTRY

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 12 (Antara) - Muslim tourists are a potential segment of the global tourism where in 2017, a total of 131 Muslim tourist arrivals were recorded globally, or up from 121 million in 2016.          It is estimated that by 2020, the total number of Muslim tourist arrivals across the world is expected to reach 156 million per annum, a figure that has the potential to advance the tourism of a country.         As a predominantly Muslim country, with a population of 265 million, Indonesia, therefore, is eager to attract Muslim tourists by creating halal tourism programs.         Indonesia's Tourism Minister Arief Yahya is therefore developing halal tourism destinations and has set a target to attract five million foreign tourist arrivals of the halal tourism segment in 2019, or about 25 percent of the foreign tourist arrival target set at 20 million in 2019.

ONE-MAP POLICY TO IMPROVE BUSINESS, OVERLAPPING LAND

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 11 (Antara) - Overlapping land use or even overlapping claim on land ownership is one of the main problems of land in Indonesia.          In order to resolve the problem, the government has launched a One-Map Policy (KSP), which is lauded by many parties as it would help improve investment climate in the country.          President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) launched a One-Map Policy Geoportal and 2018 National Infrastructure Development Progress Book at Bidakara Hotel in Jakarta on Tuesday.         "With the KSP, the problem of overlapping land use can be solved," Jokowi noted. He remarked that the infrastructure development in various regions made him realize that in Indonesia there were too many cases of overlapping in land use.          According to the president, besides resolving overlapping land use problem, the KSP will also boost investment and improve business climate.          "In future, with the presence of a digital map, there is no need to issue a location permit. The location permit is not needed because everything would become clear," the president remarked when announcing the policy on Tuesday.

GOVERNMENT POISED TO ACHIEVE SALT SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN 2019

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 9 (Antara) - The main problem  that the government has been facing so far in the salt sector is increasing the production and market of domestically produced salt to stop import.          Therefore, the government is going all out to achieve its target of becoming self-sufficient in salt production next year and enhance domestic market for domestically produced salt.           Indonesia was able to become self-sufficient in salt production for a period of four years from 2012 to 2015, but due to weather anomalies, it has been importing the commodity since 2016.           The government is determined to regain its earlier position of being self-sufficient in salt production. Besides that, salt stakeholders have proposed a target to achieve the self-sufficient target by 2020. But Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan wanted the target to be achieved in 2019.            "They (stakeholders) proposed a target to be achieved in 2020, but I urged that it should be accelerated to achieve the target in 2019,"   Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan noted after a coordination meeting at his office in Jakarta  in Aug. 2017.

TRANS-JAVA TOLL ROAD READY FOR 2018 YEAR-END TRAVELERS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 8 (Antara) - Several sections of the 1,150-kilometer Trans-Java Toll Road to connect Merak Port in the western tip of Java with Banyuwangi in the eastern part of the island are still under construction.          Yet, parts of the Trans-Java turnpikes that stretch 870 kilometers (km) from Merak to the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya will be readied by the end of this year to serve Christmas and New Year 2019 travelers. The remaining 280 km sections will be completed by the end of 2019.           Hence, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono will ensure the readiness of the Trans-Java Toll Road to be used during the upcoming 2018 Christmas and 2019 New Year holidays.          Minister Hadimuljono noted in a written statement on Thursday (Dec 6) that he will review the readiness of the Trans-Java toll road, especially the four sections, measuring a total length of 180 km, that will be inaugurated by President Joko Widodo in December 2018.          The four toll roads are Pemalang-Batang Toll Road, measuring 33 km; Batang-Semarang, spanning 75 km; Salatiga-Solo, reaching 33 km; and Wilangan-Kertosono, stretching 39 km.

SUBSIDIZED KUR CREDIT TO REACH RP120 TRILLION BY YEAR-END

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 7 (Antara) - In an effort to help small businesses obtain cheap financing, in 2007, the government had launched a subsidized micro business financing scheme or subsidized People's Business Credit (KUR) scheme.         The amount of KUR credit allocation this year is set at Rp123.631 trillion. Until last October, a total of Rp113 trillion had been channeled to recipients and it was expected that by the end of the year, the amount of KUR would reach Rp120 trillion. Next year, the government hopes that it would channel credit amounting to Rp140 trillion to small businesses.              "We are sure that until the end of this year, KUR provision will reach Rp120 trillion and next year it is estimated to increase to Rp140 trillion," Chief Economic Minister Darmin Nasution said during the launch of the Special KUR for People's Livestock in Kebon Agung Village, Sidoharjo, Wonogiri District, Central Java, on Thursday (November 6).               At the event, which was also attended by the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, Nasution said that currently, the KUR offered is more extensive as compared to when it was first launched in 2007.

BUDGET ABSORPTION IMPROVING

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 7 (Antara) - Implementation of the state budget has, so far, been hindered by the slow absorption of funds and late procurement, thereby leading to spending constantly accumulating at the end of the year.         Improvements made over the past four years have had an impact, so the realization of government spending no longer accumulated at the end of the year.         "This entire process is not static but dynamic, innovative, and reformed. This principle applies to all policy and decision holders," Budgetary Director General Askolani of the Finance Ministry stated on Wednesday (Nov 6).         Askolani explained that through improved budget absorption, the quality of spending could improve and become more effective since the start of the current fiscal year.         "If the improvement in absorption came late, ministries and institutions will only accelerate procurement without proper preparation. This was still happening a few years ago. We want spending to be done since January," he stated.

REVITALIZING MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 6 (Antara) - Manufacturing industry is one of the country's economic backbones and a main sector that supports national development.          Hence, the government is focusing on spurring the development of the manufacturing industry in order to become a sector that is globally competitive and reliable in promoting national economic growth.          In order to achieve these goals, steps for collaboration and synergy are needed among stakeholders, the government, business actors, academicians, and the community.          "We have just returned to manufacturing industries as a mainstream sector in national development. The Ministry of Industry is not alone in the efforts to carry out industrial development," Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto noted through his statement in Jakarta on Wednesday (Dec 5).          Hartarto, who delivered the statement at the High-Level Policy Round Table on Manufacturing Sector Review in Jakarta, explained that the government had launched the Making Indonesia 4.0 Road Map a clear strategy and direction to revitalize the national manufacturing industry to be more competitive in the international arena in the digital era.           "With the implementation of industry 4.0, it is believed that production will be more efficient with good quality," he stated.

INDONESIA'S ECONOMY CONTINUES TO FACE UNCERTAINTIES IN 2019

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 6 (Antara) - Indonesia's economic growth will continue to be affected by uncertain global economic conditions, so it would be difficult for the country to achieve a growth of 5.3 percent next year.          Senior Economist Boediono noted that the global economic conditions were still prone to crisis due to existing uncertainties, with an unpredictable trend.          "The world economy is still prone to instability and crisis," Boediono stated at a discussion forum "Winning in a Turbulent Economy" in Jakarta on Wednesday (Nov 28).          The crisis could arise anytime, and no one could predict its intensity. No single country as yet has an effective method to overcome the problem. Hence, Boediono, who was the vice president during the 2009-2014 period, believes that efforts to strengthen the domestic economy should continue to be made in the face of uncertainties.           This can be carried out through reinforcing coordination among the fiscal and monetary authorities as well as through continuous implementation of structural reforms.           "We have institutions that can coordinate well for monetary and structural reforms. This can reduce the risk of instability or the economic crisis," Boediono remarked.

HOUSE URGES MILITARY, POLICE TO ARREST BRIDGE WORKERS' KILLERS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 4 (Antara) - The House of Representatives (DPR) urged the military and police to hunt down the murderers who killed 31 company workers at a bridge construction site, Trans-Papua highway project, Papua Province, on Monday.          "I condemn the murder of workers in Papua by members of Armed Criminal Croup (KKB). I urge the security officers to resolve the barbaric act and arrest the perpetrators soon," House Speaker Bambang Soesatyo said here on Tuesday.          Commission I of the House will ask the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) commander to explain the incident. "Surely, the Commission I will ask the TNI commander and the Indonesian Police chief to explain the steps they are taking to follow up with the murder and to arrest the perpetrators," Soesatyo stressed.          President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) ordered the TNI commander and the National Police chief to check the latest conditions in Nduga, Papua Province, after the shooting incident.          Jokowi instructed TNI Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and the National Police Head General Tito Karnavian, after it was reported that the KKB on Sunday kidnapped 31 PT Istaka Karya workers and killed them.

ORDERLY, PEACEFUL REUNION OF 212 ALUMNI APPRECIATED

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 2 (Antara) - Attended by about three million participants, the implementation of the 212 Alumni Reunion at the National Monument Square (Monas) on Sunday lasted safely and peacefully in an orderly manner.          The orderly implementation of the event was lauded by the National Police, the Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the Jakarta Governor.          National Police Spokesman Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo said his side appreciated the peaceful implementation of the rally which proceeded in an orderly manner. "It is very conducive. This is the success of the cooperation between the Indonesian National Police and the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) that secured the activity, so that it is running very conducive," Brig. Gen Prasetyo said on Sunday.          He said that the conducive situation could not be separated from the role of the 212 Reunion participants who helped maintain order during the event. "Communities are increasingly aware and smart that security has become their shared responsibility," he said.          Appreciation of the peaceful and orderly implementation of the gathering also came from the MPR Speaker, Zulkifli Hasan. "Thank God,  it went in an orderly manner, we appreciate it," Hasan said.

SUGAR MILLS REVITALIZED TO INNOVATE PRODUCTION

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 1 (Antara) - The government, through State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Ministry, is revitalizing sugar factories belonging to state-owned plantation firms (PTPN) and innovating their products, in an efforts to increase production as well as the competitive edge.          Efforts to boost the factories¿ sugarcane derivative product innovation are made to increase the added value and competitiveness.          In its attempt to improve its capitalization and maximize its business potential, PT Perkebunan Nusantara Group (PTPN Group), for example, is developing a downstreaming program for its cane product into bio-ethanol.          The company is also transforming its refining production process into Remelt Carbonatation. It has also increased the production capacity of five of its mills from 20 thousand tons cane per day (TCD) to 32 thousand tons TCD.          Starting from 2019, another state-owned plantation company, PTPN X, will convert fuel grade bio-ethanol into extra neutral alcohol (ENA) or industrial grade bio-ethanol, with a capacity of 100 Kiloliters Per Day (KLPD), and fermented bagasse pellets, which can be used as fuel, amounting to 3 million tons per day.