AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS DEEMED SUCCESSFUL IN 2016

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 31 (Antara) - One of the aims of the government's programs in 2016 was to advance the agricultural sector, in order to regain the country's self-sufficiency in rice, as in the past.         Due to its efforts to introduce mechanized agricultural technology, repair damaged agricultural infrastructure, and open new rice fields, the government has been able to change the country's rice planting season from one to two, and even three times, per year.         With its success in carrying out these programs in 2016, the government increased unhusked rice production to 79 million tons, exceeding its target of 76 million tons of unhusked rice, and stop importing rice in 2016.          "Indonesia will not need to import rice, and it could even export the commodity to other countries, " Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said on Thursday in the village of Bhakti Rasa, Sragi subdistrict, South Lampung, on Thursday (Dec 29).           National production of unhulled rice rose to 79 million tons in 2016, from 74 million tons of unhulled rice  in 2015 and 70 million tons in 2014.

RI SHOULD CUT UNNECESSARY ELECTRICITY COSTS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 30 (Antara) - The price of electricity in Indonesia is relatively high due to high investment and production costs, reducing the global competitiveness of the country's electricity board.         The investment and production costs are high because of the many unnecessary expenses involved. Electricity development projects are plagued with the problems of inadequate infrastructure, unstable land prices, bureaucratic procedures, and brokers or middlemen.         To improve competitiveness and efficiency in electricity production, these unnecessary expenses must be cut.          President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) confirmed on Tuesday (Dec 27) that the price of electricity in Indonesia was higher than that of other countries because power companies were saddled with unnecessary costs.          "Our electricity is expensive because players are burdened by too many unnecessary costs," the president said when inaugurating a geothermal power plant (PLTP) in Tomposo, Minahasa, North Sulawesi.

INDONESIA NEEDS MORE EXPATRIATE WORKERS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 30 (Antara) - Rumors about the influx of Chinese workers in Indonesia proved untrue, as the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) data shows only 3,718 Chinese expatriates were employed in the January - September 2016 period.          Moreover, in 2016, the total number of expatriates in Indonesia is recorded at only 74,000 people, or about 0.062 percent of the total workforce of 120 million workers.          Rumors circulating that there are 10 million to 20 million Chinese workers that sideline local workers in Indonesia are untrue.          According to Law and Human Right Minister Yasonna Laoly, the reports that 10 million Chinese workers have taken jobs away from Indonesians is a hoax.          Even with a ratio of 0.062 percent expatriates, Indonesia still needs foreign workers who can help in offering their knowledge, skills and technology.          "The point is, that with a ratio below 0.1 percent Indonesia actually needs more foreign workers, in order to spread the transfer of skills and knowledge," BKPM Head Thomas Lembong (Tom) said, in a press statement in Jakarta on Thursday (Dec 29).

GOVT COLLECTS RP105 TRILLION TAX REVENUE WITH TAX AMNESTY PROGRAM

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 29 (Antara) - The government, through its nine-month tax amnesty program ending on March 31, 2017, has as of December 2016 collected Rp105 trillion in tax revenue, or 63.6 percent of its Rp165 trillion target.          In July 2016, the government launched the tax amnesty program to encourage taxpayers to repatriate all assets they had stashed abroad, estimated to amount to Rp4 quadrillion.          The government divided the program into three phases, with the first running from July 18 to September 30, followed by the second from October 1 to December 31, 2016, and the last from January 1 to March 31, 2017.       Under the program, Rp1 quadrillion is expected to flow into the country as repatriated funds, of which the g

GOVT NEEDS TO CLARIFY RUMORS ON ILLEGAL CHINESE WORKERS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 27 (Antara) - The government needs to clarify and provide comprehensive data on Chinese expatriates in Indonesia to scotch rumors on the influx of millions of illegal Chinese workers into the country.          The public can just believe in those rumors because a broadcast on national television recently showed the arrest of illegal workers, mainly Chinese. The directorate general for work safety and manpower supervision, for example, recently arrested 41 illegal Chinese expatriates.          Hopefully, the police will be successful in tracing an account on the Internet that is suspected to have uploaded a hoax message saying that about 10-20 million illegal Chinese workers have flooded Indonesia.          President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) himself has, at least, two times denied these rumors: first during his address to the 'declaration of national apprenticeship movement¿ in the Karawang International Industrial Estate in West Java on Friday (Dec 23), and later when he inaugurated a geothermal power plant (PLTP) in Minahasa, North Sulawesi on Tuesday (Dec 27).

STOCKS AND PRICES OF BASIC NECESSITIES STABLE

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta Dec 26 (Antara) - As the nation gears up for Christmas and New Year holidays, the government has assured people that there are ample stocks of all basic necessities, including rice.     The stocks of rice, the country's staple food and its most important food commodity, are adequate to meet demand until May 2017. The state logistics board (Bulog) has a stock of 1.75 million tons of rice, and traders have another 15-18 million tons. Sugar stocks are also enough to meet demand for the next four months.         "We learn from our observation in the field that stocks and supplies of basic necessities from distributors are stable and smooth. It runs well as the process at ports is smooth," Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said in Jakarta on Friday (Dec 23).         According to the minister, price turmoil usually takes place as a result of three factors, namely transportation problems, speculation by traders, and bad weather.         Distribution is hampered if transportation is not smooth due to measures like imposition of close-open road policy during long holidays such as Christmas and New Year. Such disruptions in transportation cause supply imbalances.

YEAR-END MONEY SUPPLIES ESTIMATED AT RP630 TRILLION

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 26 (Antara) - Public spending during the Christmas and New Year Holidays is high, with the central bank, or Bank Indonesia (BI), estimating money in circulation during the period amounts to Rp630 trillion.          The value of cash supply at the end of this year rose by 6-7.5 percent compared to 2015, which was valued at Rp586.7 trillion.          According to BI Deputy Director for Money Management Yudi Harymukti in Jakarta on December 21, the money in circulation during Christmas and New Year holidays is relatively lower than during the Muslim-Ied Fitr post-fasting month, or Lebaran, festivities.          BI's estimate suggests the amount of money in circulation during the year-end period is some 2 to 3 percent lower than during Muslim Lebaran festivities.          During Lebaran holidays last July, the amount of money in circulation was recorded at Rp642 trillion, up 6.4 percent from figures recorded during Lebaran in 2015, which stood at Rp603.5 trillion.          The estimate on the increase in cash requirements is based on the BI's assessment of the country's good economic condition and strong growth.