FREEPORT EXPECTED TO COMPLETE DIVESTMENT THIS MONTH

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, April 14 (Antara) - The US-based gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia (FI) is expected to divest 51 percent of its shares this month based on the directives of President Joko Widodo.         The government has assigned state-owned mining holding firm PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) to hold negotiations with PT FI on the divestment of its shares.         Inalum President Director Budi Gunadi Sadikin confirmed that his company is now closer to completing negotiations on the divestment deals.         He stated that the divestment of PT FI is in the final stage.          "Yes, we are handling the divestment process that has reached the final stage," Sadikin had informed reporters in Bogor, West Java, on Saturday (Apr 14).    Sadikin did not elaborate on how the divestment process had reached the final stage but only gave an implicit answer. Sadikin did not explain the next steps to be taken nor the process of the final negotiations.          Earlier, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Ignasius Jonan noted that no report was received from PT Inalum on results of the negotiations with PT FI over the divestment of 51 percent shares.

GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO DEVELOP RENEWABLE ENERGY

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, April 13 (Antara) - The energy sector is one of the crucial fields that has been instrumental in driving economic activities and boosting growth in the country.          Today, energy is no longer merely a commodity but has served as a driving force for economic development. Hence, to replace the depleting conventional energy sources, the Indonesian government is going all out to exploit its new and renewable energy potential.          With the shift in paradigm from energy as a commodity to energy as a driver, economic growth must be complemented with reforms in the oil and gas industry.          "We are now working hard to attract as many investors as possible to work jointly with us in conducting exploration activities, increasing production, and developing energy infrastructure," Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Archandra Tahar noted in Jakarta on Thursday (Apr 12).          Indonesia is confident of being able to exploit more of its renewable energy in future, with its measured program to achieve its energy mix targets.          "Indonesia should ensure it still has the opportunity to enjoy more than what it is having today, " Tahar stated at a workshop on the energy sector.

SEAPLANES TO REINFORCE INDONESIAN TOURISM

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, April 12 (Antara) - In a bid to support the development of tourism, Indonesia, comprising over 17 thousand islands but still lacking adequate number of airports, plans to operate seaplanes to serve its tourism destinations.          The government is also currently preparing regulations on operating amphibious aircraft that could serve as a means of public transportation and support development of the tourism industry in the country.          Last January, a seaplane had been readied to transport foreign tourists from Batam Island near Singapore to one of the country's famous tourism destinations: Pulau Bawah Resort in Riau Islands Province.          The plan to operate amphibious aircraft was recently disclosed by Chairman of the Maritime Tourism Development Acceleration Team Indroyono Soesilo. For instance, an amphibious aircraft type Viking Twin Otter-400 seaplane, with aircraft code DHC-400, was ready to transport tourists to Pulau Bawah Resort from the Hang Nadim Airport of Batam.

RI HOSTS IAF TO FOSTER COOPERATION WITH AFRICAN COUNTRIES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 10 (Antara) - Indonesia has over the past few years focused its attention to the African continent and intensified its cooperation with African nations.          As part of its commitment to strengthening partnership with African countries, the Indonesian government is hosting a two-day Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) on Tuesday and Wednesday (April 10-11).          The forum, which is being attended by 500 representatives from 46 African countries and international organizations, served as a historical event, as it is organized for the first time and will serve as a platform to forge stronger ties with African countries.          "If Indonesia and Africa successfully promote the cooperation, we can show the world that cooperation among developing nations can be realized," Vice President Jusuf Kalla stated, while opening the IAF at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center, on Tuesday afternoon.          Kalla believes that Indonesia-Africa cooperation will have bright prospects, particularly in the fields of trade and investment.

GOVERNMENT TO TURN SWAMPS INTO PRODUCTIVE LANDS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, April 7 (Antara) - Indonesia has an extensive area of 33.39 million hectares of swamplands, with potential for cultivation to ensure the country's food security and sovereignty.          Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman said that based on a pilot project in Ogan Ilir of South Sumatra Province, the productivity of swamplands could reach 6 to 7 tons per hectare. The pilot project could yield 2 to 3 tons per hectare at the beginning, but after three planting seasons, it could produce 6 to 7 tons per hectare.          Hence, the government is optimistic that one million hectares of swamplands could yield a commercial benefit of about Rp60 trillion, on the basis of the three-time cropping index a year.          According to Lowland Data Center, http://www.pusdatarawa.or.id, the swamp areas in Indonesia are spread over several islands, namely Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua. Indonesia's swampland areas comprise 20.09 million hectares (60.2 percent of tidal land and 13.3 million hectares or 39.8 percent of non-tidal swamp land (lebak).

GOVERNMENT EXPECTED TO IMPROVE ITS DEBT MANAGEMENT

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, April 7 (Antara) - Media reports cited that the government's debt until the end of February 2018 reached Rp4,034.8 trillion, and if the private sector's debt was taken into account, the figure amounted to Rp7 thousand trillion.          Quoting data from the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef), Deputy Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly Hidayat Nur Wahid remarked that the country had debt reaching some Rp7 thousand trillion, including the private sector's debt.          Wahid believes that the increase in debts was not proportional with the improvement in the people's welfare.          "The question asked is what has the debt been used for? Debt has continued to increase, but there is no improvement in the people's welfare. The government has to evaluate this," Wahid noted in the district of Padang Pariaman, West Sumatra, on Sunday (Mar 25).          Hence, Enny Sri Hartati, the executive director of Indef, has called on the government to improve its debt management to reinforce its economic productivity.

VILLAGE FUNDS NEED TO BE AUDITED

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, April 5 (Antara) - The government is committed to developing villages in an effort to improve the welfare of people in rural areas across the country.         To advance development in rural areas, the government over the past three years  has allocated some Rp190.65 trillion in village fund program to build infrastructure facilities.         "The government has succeeded in building village roads of up to 121,709 kilometers in all corners of Indonesia within three years of implementing the village fund program, an achievement which has never been made in Indonesia's history," Director General of Rural Area Development of the Disadvantaged Region and Transmigration Ministry, Ahmad Erani Yustika, stated in Magelang, Central Java, on Monday (April 2).          The funds used for the village program is set aside through state budget (APBN). Therefore, its use should be audited. The Government's Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) is urged to audit the use of the funds.          The BPKP should act proactively in carrying out control and prevention of abuse of the village funds.