INDONESIAN MISS WORLD CONTEST SPARKS CONTROVERSIES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 5 (Antara)  - The Miss World pageant beauty contest now being organized in Indonesia has sparked controversies among mass organizations in the country.          Hard-liners Islamic Defenders Front (FPI),  Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) and the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) have rejected the pageant beauty contest. A group of 11 Islamic social organizations has also rejected the plan to hold the Miss World contest in Bali saying it is against the national morals and culture.          The organizations grouped in the Friendship Institution of  Islamic Mass Organizations (LPOI) also rejected the event in a statement after a meeting of their leaders at the Nahdatul Ulama (NU) office on Wednesday. NU is the largest Islamic mass organization in Indonesia with members over 30 million.          In the meantime, a Hindu youth organization has also taken to streets in Bali in protest against parties rejecting the Miss World pageant contest which it says would bring benefit to the country's economy, particularly the tourism sector.          "We criticize parties who reject the organizing of the Miss World beauty contest in Indonesia. We support the Miss World event," said I Gede Mas Megantara, coordinator the rally on Monday.

RI, KAZAKHSTAN STEP UP ECONOMIC TIES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 2 (Antara) - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono began a two-day working visit in Kazakhstan on Monday, in an effort to foster closer economic cooperation of both the nations.          Indonesia and Kazakhstan have been cooperating with each other ever since they established diplomatic relations in 1993. Their two-way trade volumes have increased from US$35 million in 2008 to US$64 million last year.          The current visit of the Indonesian President is also expected to boost bilateral trade and increase its volumes to US$100 million in 2017.          Intensive efforts to foster economic cooperation between the two countries have been made since the visit of Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev to Indonesia last year.          Last year, in the fifth Astana Economic Forum, both countries signed seven memorandums of understanding (MoUs).          "As already known, the state visit of Kazakhstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev resulted in an agreement to increase the trade value between the two countries to US$100 million by 2017," said Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa.          Hatta noted that the volume of trade between the two countries has doubled from US$35 million in 2008 to US$64 million last year.

TEMPE MAKERS CUT BACK PRODUCTION AS SOYBEAN PRICES SPIKE

Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 28 (Antara) - Because of skyrocketing soybean prices, many tempe (soybean cake) and tofu producers across the country have started cutting down their production.          Soybean prices have been on the rise ever since the commodity became scarce in the market, which forced tempe and tofu producers to cut back production. Soybean prices increased by varying degrees in various parts of the country, reaching Rp8,000-Rp9,300 per kg¿from approximately Rp7,400 per kg before the fasting month in July.          With soybean prices reaching Rp8,700 per kg in Lebak District, Benten province, Tempe and tofu makers there have cut their production by half.          "We have to cut down our soyabean production by 50 percent¿from 30 kg to 15 kg," said tempe producer Adhari, a resident of Cibahbul village in Rangkasbitung.          However, he added, many other tempe producers in Lebak had stopped production altogether.          Similar was the case of tempe producer Sunaryo at Maccini Market in Makassar, South Sulawesi.  Sunaryo cut down production as a result of the rising price of soyabean¿the raw material for the production of popular tempe and tofu side dishes.

RI TO CUT OIL IMPORT, PROMOTE USE OF BIOFEULS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 27 (Antara) - Indonesia is taking steps to reduce its fuels imports and promote the use of biofuels at home in response to its current account deficit and the depreciation of its rupaih currency against the US dollar.         Besides cutting oil and gas imports, the Indonesian government, through a package of economic policies it announced last weekend, is also boosting its exports to help cover its deficit.         "Right now, we need an immediate solution to the current account deficit. The government will overcome the deficit by reducing imports, particularly fuel oils," Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa told a press conference on Monday.          Seasonal external and internal factors as well as falling prices of export commodities overseas have been believed to contribute to widening of the current account deficit  from US$5.8 billion  or 2.6 percent of the country's GDP in the first quarter this year to US$9.8 billion in the second quarter or 4.4 percent of the GDP.

GOVT BRACING ITSELF FOR FACING ECONOMIC UPHEAVALS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 22 (Antara) - The Indonesian government is formulating a package of economic policies it will announce on Friday in the face of current economic upheavals.          The Ministry of Finance, the central bank (Bank Indonesia/BI) and the Financial Service Authority (OJK) are now engaged in a close coordination an effort to maintain national economic stability.          "We are taking anticipatory measures in the face of the current economic conditions. We have now good communication and exchanged information to share similar views," Finance Minister Chatib Basri said after having a coordination meeting with BI Governor Agus Martowardojo and OJK Chief Commissioner Muliaman Hadad on Wednesday.          Chatib said that the current conditions were different from the economic crisis in 2008 or in 1998. But the government is preparing a step in the form of a package of economic policies to stave off current account deficit, the weakening of the rupiah currency and to maintain growth.          President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono chaired a cabinet meeting to discuss efforts to face the current economic conditions on Wednesday.          "The government will formulate measures to maintain financial stability, curb inflation and maintain growth so that it will not drop sharply," the President said after chairing the meeting.          The package of economic policies is expected to be implemented even before next week.

GOVT URGED TO STEM POST-FASTING MIGRATION TO CITIES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 16 (Antara) - The government is being called upon to prevent the annual influx of villagers who migrate to cities, and often cause problems in urban areas, following the post-fasting Idul Fitri festivities.      As in the past, many Idul Fitri or Lebaran celebrants who return to their hometowns for family reunions and festivities later bring family members, relatives or friends to the cities when they return to work.          Indeed, during this week's post-fasting holidays, about one million newcomers are expected to migrate to big cities throughout the country.  This estimate, based upon past statistics, was made by Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar.          "This is a phenomenon where people from villages migrate to cities after Idul Fitri or Lebaran holidays. They come to cities to seek jobs," explained the minister on Monday. Most people migrating to cities do not have proper skills and find it extremely difficult to obtain jobs, authorities noted.          As a result, problems such as unemployment and crime in the cities increase.          To avoid this, Ace Hasan Syadzily, a member of the House of Representatives' Commission VIII on social affairs, urged the government to take steps to stem this annual migration to the cities.

GOVT TO BOOST INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN 2014

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 17 (Antara) - The Indonesian government plans to increase its infrastructure development budget to Rp208 trillion in 2014, from Rp180 trillion this year, in an effort to boost the nation's economic growth.          In addition to setting aside Rp208 trillion for infrastructure projects in the draft 2014 state budget, the government will also make available Rp18.4 trillion, with some Rp11 trillion to be used for infrastructure projects.         "We are aware of the fact that the development of infrastructure is still far from enough. We often feel this as an impediment in carrying out our socioeconomic programs," President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said when delivering the government's financial notes and draft 2014 state budget here on Friday.          According to Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, the Rp208 trillion allocation has not yet included regional budget funding for local infrastructure development.  "So, the Rp208 trillion is a state budget for the central government's infrastructure development," he said.