News and Views - Indonesian Embassy

THE INDONESIAN EMBASSY BI-WEEKLY BULLETIN
ISSUE I/11
3rd November 2008
Indonesia
DOMESTIC ISSUES
News and Views
Political Issues
Economic Issues
Socio - Cultural Issues
ENVIRONMENT ISSUES
REGIONAL/
INTERNATIONAL
ISSUES
USEFUL LINKS:
Government
(www.indonesia.go.id)
Department of Foreign
Affairs (www.deplu.go.id)
Ministry of Cultural
and Tourism
(www.budpar.go.id)
National Agency for
Export Development
(www.nafed.go.id)
Investment
Coordinating Board
(www.bkpm.go.id)
Statistics Indonesia
(www.bps.go.id)
The Jakarta Post
(www. thejakartapost.com)
FLORA PRESERVATION
Indonesia is rich in tropical plants including the ever famous Rafflesia Arnoldi, the
largest flower in the world, and Amorphophallus Tatinum, the largest inflorescence
of its kind as well as Nepenthea spp, the insect trapping pitcher plant. The myriad
of orchids is rich in species, varying in size from the largest of all orchids, the
tiger orchid or Grammatophyllum Speciosum, to the tiny and leafless species of
Taeniophyllum which is edible and taken by the local people as a medicine and is
also used in handicrafts.
Approximately 6,000 species of Indonesian plants are used by the people as a
source of raw material for the making of traditional herbal medicines or as an
indispensable part of traditional rituals and ceremonies.
source: www.indonesian-embassy.fi, www.orchidspecies.com
Issued by THE INDONESIAN EMBASSY, INFORMATION & SOCIO-CULTURAL AFFAIRS
Kuusisaarentie 3, 00340 Helsinki, Finland, Phone (358-9) 477 0370, Fax (358-9) 458 2882,
E-mail. [email protected]
www.indonesian-embassy.fi
The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3rd November 2008
Contents
DOMESTIC ISSUES
Political Issues
1
Indonesia to Host International Humanitarian Conference on Palestine ………..
2
RI Ready to Help Resolve Thai-Cambodian Border Dispute………..……………
3
Military Chief Sends Off Garuda Contingent to Congo ………..………………….
4
Some 850 Servicemen Begin Training for Peacekeeping Mission in Lebanon…
5
Hasan Tiro Asks Aceh People to Maintain Peace………..………..………..…….
6
President Yudhoyono Returns Home from Beijing ………..………..………..……
7
Vice President: We are a Capable Nation ………..………..………..……………..
1
1
2
3
3
4
4
Economic Issues
1
President Gives Directives on National Economy to Governors ………..………
2
Trade Expo 2008 Succeeds to Diversify Markets ………..………..………..……
3
National Textile Industry Growing Despite Crisis ………..………..………..…….
4
Investment Grows 10.9 Percent from January to August………..………..……..
5
South Korea to Realize Investment in Buol, Central Sulawesi ………..………..
US Companies Ready to Invest in Indonesia ………..………..………..…………
6
7
Tourism and Trade Investment Forum Provides Information on Investment …..
8
President Hints at Lowering Fuel Prices ………..………..………..………………
9
Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Ready to Use Biodiesel ………..………..………
10 Insured up to $200,000 ………..………..………..……………..………..………….
11 WIEF to Hold Fifth Meeting in Jakarta in March 2009 ………..………..…………
5
5
6
7
7
8
9
9
10
10
11
Socio-Cultural Issues
1
President Hails Anti-Discrimination Law………..………..………..……………….
2
Government Declares 10 Regions Top Tourist Destinations ………..………..…
3
Sawahlunto Named as World Heritage City ………..………..………..…………..
4
Foreign Minister: WHCCC Promotes Cultural Understanding ............................
President Off to Bali to Open First Asian Beach Games ………..………..………
5
6
Indonesia Orchid Show 2008 Being Held in Bali ………..………..………..……...
7
Bali to Host World Film Festival ……………………………………………………..
8
All Jakarta high schools to get Internet links in 2009 ………..………..………..…
9
Fourteen Foreign Journalists to Visit North Sulawesi ……………………………..
10 Vice President Tells Media to Consider Effects of News ………..……………….
11 Bali to Host Asia Pacific Community Development Conference …………………
11
12
12
13
13
14
14
15
15
15
16
ENVIRONMENT ISSUES
1
Indonesian Billion Tree Planting Program 2008………..………..………..……….
2
Rp75 billion Allocated for Investment in Environment …………………………….
3
President Yudhoyono and UN Chief Hold Teleconference on Climate Change..
4
Forestry Ministry Holding Expo ………..………..………..…………………………
16
17
17
18
REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
RI More Stable Than Asian Peers: PERC ………..………..………..……………..
1
2
RI Chairs ASEAN Working Group on Pandemic Preparedness …………………
3
Indonesia Ratifies ASEAN Charter ....................................................................
4
ASEM-LEMC II Produces Bali Declaration …………………………………………
ASEM VII Issues Beijing Declaration ………..………..………..………………….
5
ASEM VII to Discuss Global Financial Crisis ………..………..………..………….
6
7
Indonesia to Propose Eight Education Cooperation Programs to E-9 Countries
8
Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia to Take Action on Rubber Prices ……………
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The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
DOMESTIC ISSUES
Political Issues
Indonesia to
Humanitarian
Palestine
Host International
Conference
on
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia will
host an International Humanitarian
Conference on Assistance for Palestine
at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC)
here from October 31 to November 2,
2008, the chief organizer said.
Deputy Chief of Commission III of the
House of Representatives (DPR) which
deals with legal and human rights
affairs, Suripto, said here on Thursday
(30/10) that about 300 domestic and
international
non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) would take part in
the
conference.
Suripto who is also the conference`s
chief organizer said that the participants
would discuss various forms of
assistance for the Palestinian people,
both for those who lived the Palestinian
areas and for those who still stayed in
refugee camps in the Middle East.
The conference is also expected to
stress rejection of the Israeli occupation
of the Palestinian territories. Besides, it
will also voice its rejection of the Israeli
oppression
and
captivation
of
Palestinians who are posing a threat to
the
people
of
Palestine.
Indonesia will host the conference as
part of its efforts to create world peace
and justice. During the colonial era,
Indonesia
in
its
struggle
for
independence also got support from
other countries, including nations in the
Middle
East.
rd
November 2008
"India provided food assistance. So was
Egypt, a country which was the first to
give its international recognition of the
Indonesian Independence in 1945,"
Suripto
said.
Suripto who is also chairman of the
National Committee for the Palestinian
People (KNRP), said that a number of
KNRP noted members would attend the
conference, such as Permadi (of the
Indonesian
Democratic
Party
of
Struggle), Abdullah Toha (of the
National Mandate Party-PAN), Khofifah
Indar Parawansa (of the National
Awakening Party -PKB) and women`s
prominent
figure
Tuty
Alawiyah.
Sometime in the past a number of
countries in Asia and Africa (beginning
from Indonesia and South Africa) in turn
hosted ministerial conferences on
capacity
building
for
Palestine.
Various sides were able to play
significant roles in the program, Suripto
said.
(ANTARA)
RI Ready to Help Resolve ThaiCambodian Border Dispute
Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono has said Indonesia is ready
to take part in efforts to find a solution to
the border dispute between Thailand
and Cambodia.
Speaking at his office here on
Thursday (16/10), the President hoped
the armed clash that happend between
Cambodia and Thailand on Wednesday
(Oct. 15) would not expand.
"The best way is that both countries
exercise self-restraint and continue
negotiations. Indonesia is ready to be
part of an initiative to find a solution to
the conflict," he said.
The head of state also hoped that
ASEAN could play a role in solving the
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The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
border conflict between two of its
member countries.
"In the spirit of the ASEAN Security
Community,
we
encourage
the
prevention of an open conflict," he said.
President Yudhoyono had held a
phone conversations with Cambodian
Prime Minsiter Hun Sen and Thai Prime
Minister Somchai Wongsawat about the
latest developments in the two countries'
quarrel about a part of their common
border.
At present, both countries are
pursuing
talks
and
negotiations,
according to Yudhoyono.
"However, a clash broke out
yesterday, despite efforts to pursue
negotiations and talks. I think it will be
better and appropriate if the (upcoming
ASEAN) meeting emphasizes the need
to prevent armed conflict between the
two ASEAN member countries. This is
Indonesia's stance," he said.
The President had sent a letter to
Thai Prime Minister Somchai
Wongsawat in his capacity as the
ASEAN chairman, to organize an
ASEAN Summit to discuss the ThaiCambodian border conflict, on the
sidelines of the Asia-European Meeting
(ASEM) to be held in Beijing, China, on
October 24-25, 2008.
Indonesia has also suggested that
ASEAN discuss the global financial
crisis with China, Japan and South
Korea at the Beijing meeting.
Last Tuesday (Oct. 14), President
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed
the hope that Cambodia and Thailand
would exercise self-restraint and be able
to prevent an open conflict on the border
in the spirit of Asean solidarity.
He made the statement upon arrival
at the Halim Perdanakusumah from
East Java after receiving a report from
Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda that
the situation on the border between
Cambodia and Thailand was tense
again and open to the possibility of a
military conflict.(ANTARA)
rd
Military Chief Sends
Contingent to Congo
November 2008
Off
Garuda
Jakarta - Indonesian Defence Forces
(TNI) Commander Gen. Djoko Santoso
on Wednesday (15/10) sent off a
Garuda
XX-F
contingent
of
peacekeepers
to
join
the
UN
peacekeeping forces in the Democtratic
Republic of Congo.
Held in a military way, the official
ceremony for the departure at the Halim
Perdanakusuma airforce base was
attended by the army chief-of-staff Gen.
Agustadi Sasongko, Navy Chief-of-staff
Admiral Edi Tedjo Purdijatmo and
Airforce
chief-of-staff
Marshal
Subandrio.
"The Garuda contingent will help the
UN peace mission in Congo and other
civic duties like building bridges, water
works and others," the commander
said.
In implementing their duty, the
Garuda contingent technically known as
Indonesian engineering company will be
under the command of the UN Forces
Engineering Monuc HQ in Kinshasa and
will be deployed in sector 6 of Ituri
Brigade, Bunia.
A 175 member group of the
Indonesian servicemen has been
trained in constructing buildings, roads,
bridges, drainage, runways, landmine
detection, power and water supply.
Indonesia has previously deployed its
Garuda contingents as peacekeeping
forces and observer missions to
numerous countries including Iraq,
Kuwait,
Cambodia,
Somalia,
Mozambique,
Slovenia,
Georgia,
Afghanistan and the Philippines under
U.N. auspices. Just over the weekend, a
battalion of Garuda Bhayangkara police
force was sent abroad to join the UN
African Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) as it
attempts to restore law and order in wartorn Sudan. (ANTARA).
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The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
Some 850 Servicemen Begin Training
for Peacekeeping Mission in Lebanon
Bandung, W Java - The Indonesian
Defense Forces (TNI) began a training
program for 850 servicemen who are to
make
up
Indonesia's
Garuda
Contingent (Konga) XXIII-C in the
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL) at the Indonesian Army's
training center here on Thursday
(16/10).
The program was officially kicked off
by the assistant for general planning to
the TNI Commander, Rear Marshal
Amirullah Amin.
The 850 military personnel are from
the air force, army and navy. They will
leave for Lebanon in mid November
2008 to replace Indonesia's
Konga
XXIII/B personnel who have been
serving in Lebanon over the past one
year.
The training will last three weeks and
cover materials such as technical
military, general military, the latest
situation in Lebanon.
Earlier, on Thursday (Oct. 16) at 7
am local time, some 175 military
personnel of the Garuda Contingent
XX/F left Bandung for Congo, Central
Africa, for a peace mission under the
United Nations (UN).
TNI
Commander
Gen.
Djoko
Santoso sent off the Garuda XX-F
contingent in a military ceremony at
Halim Perdanakusuma air force base in
Jakarta, Wednesday (Oct. 15).
"The Garuda contingent will help the
UN peace mission in Congo and other
civic duties like building bridges, water
works and others," the commander
said. (ANTARA)
rd
November 2008
Hasan Tiro Asks Aceh People to
Maintain Peace
Banda Aceh - Former Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) leader Hasan Tiro is
reported to have asked all elements in
Aceh to maintain the prevailing peace in
the province.
"Tiro expressed the hope at a
luncheon with the chairman of the
Aceh-Nias
Reconstruction
and
Rehabilitation Agency (BRR), Kuntoro
Mangkusubroto,
at the Pidie district
administration building in Sigli on
Tuesday," Juanda Djamal, a BRR
spokesman said here on Wednesday.
Tiro also said now was the time to
develop Aceh and pay serious attention
to development in Aceh, Indonesia's
western most province.
At the meeting, Tiro also asked the
BRR
chief
about
the
latest
developments in the reconstruction
process in the aftermath of the tsunami
which devastated the province and
caused the death and disappearance of
more than 200,000 people. .
"Hasan Tiro asked BRR to play a
role in preserving the forests and the
environment of Aceh. He wants forests
and beautiful beaches in Aceh to be well
taken care of," he said.
Prior to the meeting with Hasan Tiro,
Kuntoro Mangkusubroto symbolically
handed assets consisting of facilities
built by BRR and other parties worth
Rp178.5 billion to the Pidie district
administration.
The assets included houses,
medical and education facilities, which
were developed by foreign and domestic
NGOs and donors.(ANTARA)
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The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
President Yudhoyono Returns Home
from Beijing
Beijing, Oct 26 (ANTARA) President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
and his entourage returned home on
Sunday, thus ending his five-day visit to
China in a mission to attend the 7th
Asia-Europe meeting in Beijing.
The president was in Beijing from
October 22 to 26 to attend the Seventh
Asia-Europe Meeting in Beijing from
October 24-25, 2008 and other bilateral
meetings with leaders of the countries
President Yudhoyono also attended
a meeting of the leaders of ASEAN
member countries and those of
ASEAN+3 in addition to attend the 7th
ASEM forum with other 42 heads of
states/governments.
During his stay in Beijing, Yudhoyono
also held a series of bilateral meetings
with some leaders of Asia European
countries such as Chinese President Hu
Jintao, French President Nicholas
Sarkozy, Thai Prime Minister Somchai
Wongsawat and President of European
Union Commission Jose Manual
Barroso.
The 7th Asia-Europe Meeting
resulted in some joint statements on the
need for the world financial system
reforms, thus hoping that the summit of
leaders of the Group 20 member
countries to be held in the United States
on November 15 2008 will be able to
produce more concrete decisions for a
change.
Besides, President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono called on all countries and
international financial organizations to
jointly deal with the global financial
crisis.
"All parties, including international
financial organizations should jointly
attempt to solve the current global
financial crisis," he said before hundreds
of businessmen attending the 11th AsiaEurope Business Forum.
The Business Forum was held as
part of a series of activities organized
rd
November 2008
prior to the 7th Asia-Europe Meeting
(ASEM) Summit.
According
to
the
president,
international organizations such as
World Bank, IMF, ASEM and ASEAN
Plus 3 (China, Japan, and South Korea),
should together think about measures
and efforts to deal with the financial
crisis.
The organizations should also hold
dialogs to address the financial crisis
and help recover the global financial
condition, he said.
"We all hope that the current financial
crisis could be soon over, and the
ASEM momentum is expected to be
able to find a solution to the problem,"
the president said.(ANTARA)
Vice President: We Are a Capable
Nation
Jakarta - The general chairman of
Golkar Party, Jusuf Kalla, said here on
Friday (17/10) that the Indonesian
people was a capable nation with rich
natural resources so that they would be
able to overcome all the problems facing
the country.
"There are no problems that cannot
be solved. Problems should not be
lamented but overcome. We are a
capable nation and rich in natural
resources," he said when opening the
party's national leadership meeting.
The event was also attended by
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
former president BJ Habibie and former
Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tanjung.
Kalla, who is also the Vice President,
said the impact of the financial crisis in
the US had started being felt. "Growth
will slow down and our exports will drop.
This challenge has to be dealt with by
strengthening the domestic market," he
said.
He said the country would use its
experience of the 1997 crisis to
overcome the current crisis. In an era of
democracy, people may express their
views and opinions, but not free to
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The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
lament others as they like.
He said "politics is not a commander.
The commander is the aim at achieving
welfare." He said democracy was used
for controlling power, while inefficient
exercise of democracy would not only
increase cost but would also inability to
achieve goals.
Indonesia
will
conduct
a
parliamentary
election
next
year
followed
a
presidential
election.
President Yudhoyono said he would
also run for the for presidency, with
Kalla as running mate.(ANTARA)
Economic Issues
President
Gives
Directives
National Economy to Governors
on
Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono on Wednesday (15/10)
gathered the country's provincial
governors in the main room of the State
Secretariat and gave them directives on
the conditions of the national economy.
The meeting was also attended by
Vice President Jusuf Kalla, all cabinet
ministers, the chairmen of regional
chamber of commerce and industry.
Also present were a number of
businessmen
representing
various
associations such as Indonesian
Businessman's Association chairman
Sofyan Wanandi, Indonesian Furniture
Businessman's Association chairman
Ambar, and Indonesian Beverage and
Food
Businessman's
Association
chairman Thomas Darmawan.
Last week President Yudhoyono held
a similar meeting with cabinet ministers
in the same room to prescribe 10 steps
to avoid the negative impact of the
United States financial crisis on
Indonesia's economy.
"It is our task to make difficult
problems easy," the president said at
the meeting, which was also attended
by business and national mass media
rd
November 2008
leaders.
The president firstly appealed to all
parties to continue to remain optimistic
and to cooperate with each other to
maintain public confidence.
On
the
occasion
President
Yudhoyono also called on all parties to
discard selfishness and not to underestimate the challenges faced by the
nation.
"Wipe out ego-centric attitudes and
the habit of seeing everything in a
'business-as-usual' way," he said.
He said all parties had their own
portions with regard to challenges and
all had to work together and not to rely
on others.
The president said the year 2009
was a political and general elections
year. This fact as well the current crisis
should be good reason for all parties to
avoid partisan politics and put the
people's interest above group or
individual interests.
Finally, he called on all parties to
conduct
correct
and
good
communications with the people. He
said the role of the press in this case
was very important because it had
access to information from the
people.(ANTARA)
Trade Expo 2008
Diversify Markets
Succeeds
to
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Despite
lower transaction result than the
estimation, Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI)
2008 recorded a bright progress on
diversification of emerging markets and
kinds of products, Trade Minister Mari
Elka Pangestu said in a press briefing
here
Friday
(31/10).
Rising up to 2.8 percent worth of US$
5.91 million compared to last year`s total
transaction TEI 2008 accumulated US$
214.17 million from 37 kinds of products
with 69 percent of the total figure
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The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
contributed from non-traditional markets
such as South America, Middle East
and
Africa
countries.
Egypt came in the first place with
transaction value worth of US$ 28.47
million followed by Bulgaria (US$ 12.25
million), Saudi Arabia (US$ 6.26 million),
Union Arab Emirates (US$ 5.28 million)
Algeria
(US$
6.85
million).
"It is understandable that there is a
decrease from the target since we are
currently
facing
financial
crisis.
Fortunately Indonesia has implemented
market diversification that we can rely
on non-traditional markets," the minister
said.
The minister also officially announced
24th Trade Expo would be held on
October 28-November 1, 2009 at
Jakarta
International
Expo.
Some evaluations that should be done
in the following event as mentioned by
the minister were making visits to
production factories available for the
potential buyers, constructing better
booths
and
placements.
"Eventhough the event is over, we keep
relations with the buyers as a follow up.
Just like our previous experiences many
transactions either as a first or repeat
order were made after TEI," she said.
More than 800 participants from various
provinces across the country are
exhibiting their top quality products
which are expected to attract foreign
buyers. Some exhibitors expressed
enthusiasm
about
the
promising
prospects, such as a participant from
New Sentosa company which produces
its own fire fighting trucks and exported
them to Tanzania and Sudan. "In this
exhibition we got a tender invitation from
Nigeria for
20 units, while Libyan
rd
November 2008
buyers are still in the middle
negotiations for five trucks," he said.
of
Meanwhile, an exhibitor Achmad Rivai
of Siji Lifestyle which produces natural
fibre for home accessories said "We are
surprised to have buyers from six South
American countries like Argentina,
Brazil, Chile and Panama besides
Finland interested in our products and
made some deals worth US$ 50-100
thousand". (ANTARA)
National Textile Industry Growing
Despite Crisis
Jakarta - Indonesia's textile industry
is growing despite the ongoing global
financial crisis, according to Ade
Sudrajat, vice chairman of the
Indonesian Textile Association (API)
here Wednesday (22/10).
"We are optimistic we can maintain
our textile market shares in the US and
Europe at 4 percent and 2 percent
respectively," Sudrajat said at an
Indonesia-Korea
discussion
forum
themed "Strengthening Korea-Indonesia
Cooperation in Textile and Apparel
Industry."
The world economy's sluggishness
was
not
significantly
affecting
international textile trading activities, he
said.
He predicted Indonesia's textile
exports to the US would even grow,
especially exports of non-woven, satin
and other special fabrics.
About prospects in the EU, he said
he
was optimistic the bloc would
continue importing Indonesian textile
products, especially
ready-made
fashion products.
But Sudrajat also said several
domestic problems were hampering the
development of the national textile
industry. These were the high inflation
rate, inappropriate monetary policies
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The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
that had caused investment stagnation
in the real sector, the state electricity
company's inability to meet industry's
power needs, the presence of illegally
imported
products in the domestic
market, infrastructure and manpower
problems.
"Therefore, API has urged the
government to review its regulations in
the field of investment, manpower, and
also the domestic market in order to
survive from the crisis as well as to
speed up the country's economic
growth," he said.
Asked about Indonesia's cooperation
with Korea in the textile business,
Sudrajat said it comprised sharing of
technology
and
exchange
of
experts.(ANTARA)
Investment Grows 10.9 Percent from
January to August
Jakarta - The chairman of the Capital
Investment Coordinating Board, M Lutfi,
said investment grew 10.9 percent from
January to August 2008, compared to
that of the same period last year which
was recorded at US$47.55 billion.
"There was still growth of 10.9
percent from January to August,
compared to the same period last year,"
he said after attending a coordination
meeting along with ministers concerned
with economic affairs at the office of the
finance minister.
Lutfi said foreign investment growth
in the period reached 42 percent (in
2007 it was worth US$31.33 billion).
Although there was a slowing demand in
the manufacturing sector, investment in
the sector in the past six months was
recorded quite good with 25 projects
worth US$84 million of investment being
realized.
"Investment in the textile and textile
product sector is still growing well," he
said.
He said investment in the plantation
sector particularly oil palm plantations
rd
November 2008
was also growing well with an expansion
of plantations of around 800,000
hectares worth an investment of US$2.5
billion. "New investment projects in the
sector are mostly in Sulawesi,
Kalimantan and Sumatra," he said.
To attract investment to Indonesia,
he said, the government would give
would-be investors that submitted
applications since October 2008 an
income tax reduction facility. (ANTARA)
South Korea to Realize Investment in
Buol, Central Sulawesi
Buol, Central Sulawesi - South
Korean businessmen through PT. Argo
Enervia Indonesia will immediately
realize some 20 trillion rupiah worth of
investment in the agricultural sector in
Buol district, Central Sulawesi, a
spokesman said.
In a bid to realize the investment, PT.
Argo Enervia Indonesia president
director, Illyoginan met with Buol vice
regent, Ramli Kadidia to talk about the
investment, following the arrival of the
company's heavy equipment at the
company's plant site, Buol district's
public relations officer Syamsuddin S
Mangge, said here on Monday (20/10).
PT. Argo Enervia Indonesia is a
consortium
of
South
Korean
conglomerates who will realize their
investment in the most-northern Central
Sulawesi district of Buol.
The meeting of Illyoginan with Buol's
vice regent was also attended by eight
South Korean businessmen, grouped in
the consortium, Syamsuddin said,
adding that the heavy equipment will be
used to prepare 25 thousand hectares
farmland.
The company planned to develop
more than 20 types of agricultural
commodities, Syamsuddin said, adding
that the investment will last until 2015.
One US dollar is worth 9,800 rupiahs.
(ANTARA)
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The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
US Companies Ready to Invest in
Indonesia
Jakarta - Twenty five American companies
were planning to make
investments in Indonesia in spite of the
current financial crisis facing their
country, it was learned from a meeting
between a US-ASEAN Business Council
delegation and the Indonesian minister
of industry Fahmi Idris here on
Wednesday (22/10).
The US companies include Dow
Chemical, General Electric, Mosanto
Corp., Pfizer, Conoco Philips, Johnsons
& Johnsons, Microsoft, and Oracle
which had already been nvesting in
Indonesia, and new investors such as
Guardian and Martahon Oil.
Fahmi Idris said that in principle the
companies wished to invest in the
country, but still awaiting the country's
secured gas and electricity supply,as
well as any tax incentives the country
would offer.
For example, he said, Guardian plans
to invest US$150 million in the
production of flat glass, while Mosanto
around US$12 million in supplying plant
seeds.
Marathon Oil meanwhile plans to
conduct production cooperation with PT
Pertamina, while Caterpillar wishes to
develop its line of production and
General Electric to invest in locomotive
production in cooperation with PT Inka.
Fahmi said he believed the current
global economic crisis that broke out in
the US and Europe prompted the
American companies to seek safer
places for investment.
"They are just seeking the right
countries to save themselves namely
countries whose economy is not badly
affected by the crisis," he said.
He said Guardian besides Indonesia
was now also considering to invest in
other Southeast Asian (Asean) countries
such as the Philippines and Thailand.
rd
November 2008
"They however believe Indonesia's
economy is now more stable," he said.
A US delegate in the meeting, Chris
Fedderson, meanwhile said that US
companies had chosen Indonesia as
their investment destination because the
country's economy had been favorably
growing by six percent.
"Indonesia has a large market and
therefore has good business prospects,"
he said.
He said besides Indonesia, the US
businessmen would also visit other
countries such as Vietnam, Thailand
and India also seeking investment
opportunities.
Vice president of the US-ASEAN
Chamber of Commerce and Industry
William Warmon meanwhile said that
the
US
companies
were
not
discouraged by the crisis to invest in
Indonesia.
In order to speed up the realization of
business he called for the country's
infrastructural
readiness
including
electricity supply.
In response to it minister Fahmi Idris
said that electricity supply was no longer
a crucial problem in the country
particularly in Java.
He said in June 2009 three new
power plants would start operating
namely the plant in Labuan, West Java,
with a capacity of 600 MW, Indramayu,
also in West Java, with a capacity of
500 MW and in Rembang, Central Java.
On gas supply he said that the
pipeline to distribute gas from a number
of refineries in Sumatra to Java had also
been operating well so that factories
around Banten, Cilegon and in the
northern parts of Java were no longer
facing gas supply shortfalls.
On their request for tax incentives the
minister said that it was no problem
because the matter had already been
laid
down
in
a
government
regulation.(ANTARA)
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The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
Tourism and Trade Investment Forum
Provides Information on Investment
Jakarta - The Tourism and Trade
Investment Forum of the 23rd Indonesia
Trade Expo serves a general overview
and information on various products and
investment opportunities as well as the
policies, Bachrul Chairi, Chairman of the
National
Agency
for
Export
Development (NAFED) at the Ministry of
Trade said here Tuesday (21/10).
Referring to the theme "Responding
to Global Slowdown: Diversifying
Exports to Emerging Markets", Trade
Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said that
macro targets until the year-end would
be reached but need to anticipate a
global
economic
recession
and
slowdown. "The government and
relevant authorities have and will
continue taking steps to minimize the
adverse effects of the crisis," she said.
The
government's
anticipatory
measures include sustaining priority
programs covering poverty reduction
and safeguarding the elections, securing
domestic markets and maintaining a
sound balance of payments.
The first part of plenary session
featured Trade Minister Mari Elka
Pangestu,
Deputy
Chairman
for
Investment
Planning
Luky
Eko
Wuryanto
of
the
Investment
Coordinating Agency and Titin Sukarya,
Domestic Trade Promotion Director
representing the Culture and Tourism
Ministry.
More than 900 participants gather in
the two-day event including trade
represen-tatives and missions from
other countries including Uruguay and
Pakistan, interna-tional trade experts,
trade associations and Indonesian
entrepreneurs.
The afternoon session will have five
groups of sectoral discussions. There
will be 20 production sectors to be
addressed by 43 speakers including
consultants, importers, as well as
rd
November 2008
Indonesian trade representatives in 32
countries.(ANTARA)
President Hints at Lowering Fuel
Prices
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
has hinted at his willingness to lower
fuel prices, a move considered decisive
in making or breaking his administration
ahead of elections next year.
Yudhoyono said Tuesday (28/10) the
government was studying the possibility
of a fuel price cut as global crude oil
prices continued their decline.
"We are studying intensively a plan to
lower the fuel prices. If it's considered
effective, I will make the decision to
lower them," Yudhoyono said after
meeting with Finance Minister Sri
Mulyani Indrawati and Energy and
Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo
Yusgiantoro. "If (oil) prices keep falling
and our (subsidy) calculation is
sufficiently sound, it is my moral
obligation to reduce the burden on our
people," he said.
Analysts say a cut in fuel prices would
drastically boost the popularity of the
Yudhoyono administration just months
ahead of the upcoming elections,
especially among middle- and lowerincome voters.
Indonesia has long maintained a hefty
subsidy to keep fuel for motorists and
households below international market
prices.
Energy minister Purnomo said the
government was unlikely to lower the
cost of all type of fuels, because the
subsidy for most of the fuel this year
was expected to exceed the allocation,
due to a spike in global oil prices earlier
this year.
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The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
Ministry figures show subsidy spending
reached Rp 130.9 trillion (US$13 billion)
as of October, far higher than the initially
allocated Rp 126.82 trillion for the entire
year.
"I think the most feasible fuel to see a
price cut immediately is Premium
gasoline," Purnomo said.
Subsidized Premium currently retails at
Rp 6,000 per liter, 9.4 percent lower
than the non-subsidized price of Rp
6,622.
Purnomo said the non-subsidized price
was equivalent to the market price
under the Indonesian Crude Price (ICP)
benchmark of US$70 per barrel on
average. The ICP is currently at $73.50.
Purnomo said it was impossible to
simultaneously lower the prices of
diesel, kerosene and three-kilogramcanister LPG this year, because their
price disparity with global prices were
wider than that of Premium.
State oil and gas company PT
Pertamina data shows the price for nonsubsidized kerosene in Jakarta, sold to
industry, reached Rp 7,629 per liter as
of Oct. 15, while the subsidized price
was set at Rp 2500 per liter.
The House of Representatives on
Monday officially asked the government
to cut fuel prices in the wake of a steep
fall in global oil prices, in a move that
could galvanize support for the current
administration.
The House's Commission VII, which
oversees energy and mineral resources
affairs, said lower fuel prices would
cushion the economy against the impact
of
a
looming
global
economic
recession.(The Jakarta Post)
rd
November 2008
Indonesian Palm Oil Producers
Ready to Use Biodiesel
Pekanbaru - Most Indonesian palm oil
producers are ready to use biodiesel
fuel to increase the use of crude palm oil
while the price of the commodity in the
world market has dropped.
"After inspecting a number of regions
including Riau, I conclude that many
palm oil factories were ready to use
biodiesel," the executive chairman of the
Association of Indonesian palm oil
producers (GAPKI), Derom Bangun,
said here on Tuesday (21/10).
He made the statement in reaction to
a number of economists who considered
the call for use of vegetable oil fuels in
palmoil factories only giving more
burden.
He said the use of biodiesel was
posssible because many palm oil
factories had had the equipment
capable for it.
"Biodiesel could be used by mixing it
with the diesel fuel to activate turbine in
the factory. New equipment is not
needed," he said.
He said the use of biodiesel in palm
oil factories so far could reduce around
five percent of industrial diesel fuel need
reaching 27 million tons a year.
The use of biodiesel in palm oil
factories could increase domestic use of
palmoil up to 1.35 million tons a year, he
said.
In view of that he said crude palm oil
use in the country could rise up to 4.5
million tons out of this year's production
of 18.8 to 19 million tons.
He said the rise in the use of crude
palm oil in the country may help reduce
the impact of the declining crude palm
oil exports as a result of the current
global economic crisis. (ANTARA)
Insured up to $200,000
The government has kept
reassuring us and the international
10
The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
market, even at the height of the
financial crisis in the United States late
last month that our banking system is
sound and our economic fundamentals
are much stronger than those before our
economic crisis in 1997.
Then the government made the
bold move on Monday (13/10) of putting
its money where its mouth is by
increasing the ceiling amount of bank
deposits covered by the state-owned
Deposit Insurance Agency by 20-fold,
from Rp 100 million (US$10,000) to Rp
2 billion ($200,000). That is quite a
generous guarantee, given our per
capita income of only around $1,600.
The
government
also
strengthened the other pillar of our
financial safety net -- the lender-of-lastresort function of the central bank -- by
broadening the category of assets that
banks facing severe liquidity problems
can pledge as collateral for emergency
credit from the central bank.
According to data from Bank
Indonesia, the 20-fold increase in the
ceiling amount covered by the deposit
insurance now means almost 97 percent
of all third-party depositors at banks are
guaranteed by the state-owned Deposit
Insurance Agency.
A deposit insurance program
also allows the central bank, as the
supervisor of the banking industry,
greater leeway to let problem banks fail
without causing systemic risks. Such
orderly exits by distressed banks could
even accelerate the consolidation
process within the industry. (The Jakarta
Post)
WIEF to Hold Fifth Meeting in Jakarta
in March 2009
Jakarta
- The World Islamic
Economic Forum (WIEF) will hold its
fifth meeting in Jakarta on March 2-3,
2009 with 12 heads of state or
government expected to attend, a
spokesman for the event's organizers
rd
November 2008
said.
The 5th WIEF meeting will be
officially opened by President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, Tanri Abeng,
vice chairman of the WIEF organizing
committee, said here on Monday
(20/10).
Among the heads of state or
government expected to attend the
meeting were those of Kuwait, Qatar,
Khazhakstan, Iran, Malaysia, Canada,
and Japan, he said.
The forum would be addressed by
amongst others the chief executive
officers (CEOs) of five multinational
companies, including General Electric,
Shell and HSBC, Abeng said.
They would give their views on
problems arising from the current global
financial crisis, he said.
President Yudhoyono had earlier
suggested that next year's WIEF should
be able to attract investments worth
around US$10 billion, Abeng said.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the
WIEF's organizing committee, Tun Musa
Hitam, said Middle Eastern countries
had so far been mostly investing in the
United States and Europe. But in light of
the current global economic turmoil,
Muslim-populated countries should now
be able to absorb
Middle Eastern
countries' investments, he said.
The Forum was also expected to
help member countries anticipate the
impact of the global crisis, said the
former deputy prime minister of
Malaysia. (ANTARA)
Socio - Cultural Issues
President Hails Anti-Discrimination
Law
Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono hailed the ratification of the
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The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
new Anti-Discrimination Law by the
House of Representatives.
In his speech to mark the 80th
anniversary of Youth Pledge Day at
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah here on
Tuesday (28/10), the President said the
law would promote solidarity and
strengthen national unity.
"The House Speaker just told me that
the law had just been ratified. Thank
God we now have a law that promotes
national solidarity and unity," he said.
The
president
reminded
that
Indonesia is one nation that could not be
divided along racial, religious, tribal and
other lines of differences.
He also reminded that the present
system of government that was
decentralized and gave autonomy to
regions must not eventually developed
into regionalism.
"This is our choice, the best way to
run the state and the government.
Unless it is done well it will cause
problems," he said.
The president meanwhile expressed
his appreciation to the youths that had
never been separated from the country's
history.
Indonesia, however, is now facing a
new challenge namely globalization with
all its bad impacts such as the current
financial crisis.
He called on the youths to play a role
in meeting the challenges including
partcipating in developing a new
economic system that was proof of the
impact of a crisis.
"With unity, solidarity and hard work
we will be able to overcome any
problem," he said.(ANTARA)
Government Declares 10 Regions
Top Tourist Destinations
Sungailiat, Bangka - The Indonesian
government has declared ten regions in
the country top tourist destionations in a
move to boost the national tourism
industry.
"The policy to declare ten
rd
November 2008
regions top tourist destinations will
hopefully encourage each of the regions
to improve their performance in
developing their respective tourism
potentials," Wibowo, a deputy director
general at the Culture and Tourism
Ministry, said here at the weekend.
The ten regions are North Sulawesi,
South Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara,
East Nusa Tenggara, West Sumatra,
North Sumatra, Riau Islands, South
Sumatra, East Kalimantan and West
Irian Jaya, he said.
"Every year we make an evaluation of
the regions to be declared top tourist
destinations by taking into account
various
aspects,
namely
natural
potentials, infrastructure facility and the
local people's way of thinking," he said.
He said Indonesia had 33 tourist
destination areas stretching from the
country's western-most province of
Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam to the
country's eastern-most province of
Papua.
"Of the total, only 16 tourist
destinations are able to attract 90
percent of local and foreign tourists,
including
the
ten
top
tourist
destinations," he said. The 16 tourist
destinations are Bandung, Jakarta,
Yogyakarta,
Batam,
Bali,
Toba,
Karakatau, Tana
Toraja, Lombok,
Semarang, Java,
West Sumatra,
Manado, Sangalaki, Komodo and
Kupang, he said.
"The figure suggests that there is still
a gap among tourist destinations. That's
why there need to be directives and
policies
to
develop
the
tourist
destinations in a concrete way," he
said.(ANTARA)
Sawahlunto Named as World
Heritage City
Padang: Sawahlunto has been named
as world heritage city. Sawahlunto
Tourism and Culture Services chief, Tun
12
The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
Husen said the decision was based on
an assessment conducted by the World
Heritage Website
team
recently.
“Sawahlunto is regarded as having
historical significance, perhaps that is
the reason why it is included in the list of
world heritage cities,” Tun Husen
explained.
Sawahlunto, which located in West
Sumatra, will join 40 other countries
which have been included in the list of
World
Heritage
Cities.(TEMPO
Interactive)
Foreign Minister: WHCCC Promotes
Cultural Understanding
Solo - Foreign Affairs Minister
Hassan Wirajuda said on Monday
(27/10) the World Heritage Cities
Conference (WHCC) in Solo, October
27 to 28, can create an understanding
on civilization and culture.
"Through this conferense we hope
not only
better relations and
cooperation between heritage cities in
the world can be created but also
understanding between civilizations,
culture and religions," Wirajuda said.
The international conference, he added,
can increase cooperation in investment
and trade.
"I really appreciate the action taken
by Solo Mayor to support the
conference. Therefore, I suggest Solo to
held an international scale kind of
cultural festival agenda every two or five
years in which every heritage cities in
the world can take part," the minister
said.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry will
support Solo as host of the international
meeting and conference as well as
center of trade and investment,
Wirajuda added.
rd
November 2008
"In my opinion, Solo has a great
potential for the purpose," said
Wirajuda.
Wirajuda also expected the local
administration work together with Solo
entrepreneurs to attract not only tourists
but also trade and investment.
World Heritage Cities Conference
(WHCC) is a forum dedicated to
safeguard the tangible and intangible
heritages of historical cities, especially
those whose masterpieces are inscribed
in the World Heritage List of UNESCO.
This year's conference is participated
in by 268 delegate --145 people from
Indonesia and 123 from other countries.
The conference will be held from
October 25 to 28, 2008.(ANTARA)
President Off to Bali to Open First
Asian Beach Games
Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono
on Saturday (18/10)
morning left here for Bali to officially
open the First Asian Beach Games
(ABG) later in the day. The head of state
was accompanied by First Lady Ani
Yudhoyono, Coordinating Minister for
People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie,
Minister/Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi,
and Communication and Informatics
Minister M Nuh.
Upon his arrival in Bali, Yudhoyono
was to receive the president of the
International Olympic Committee (IOC),
Jacques Rogge, and the president of
the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA),
Sheikh Al-Fahad Al Shabbah.
At the meeting with the Olympic
officials, the president would be
accompanied by Coordnating Minister
Aburizal Bakrie who is also chairman of
the ABG Steering Committee, Sudi
Silalahi, Sports and Youth Affairs
Minister Adhyaksa Dault and the
chairperson of the Indonesian National
Sports Committee (KONI), Rita Subowo.
At 8 p.m. local time, the President
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The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
would officially kick off the Asian Beach
Games at a ceremony expected to be
attended by 11 Asian heads of state or
government.
The opening would be
highlighted by, among other things, a
welcome dance performed by 100
traditional dancers, and the rendition of
the song "To be One" by three Asian
singers - Andre Hehanusa of Indonesia,
Christian Bautista of the Philippines and
Mark Lazzaro of India.
To run until Oct 26, the Asian Beach
Games is participated in by around
10,000 athletes from 45 countries
including China, Japan, Afghanistan,
Laos and Macau.
The competitions
would be in 17 beach sport branches
such as beach volleyball, dragon boat
racing, body building, beach soccer,
beach handball, beach pencaksilat
(traditional martial art), beach wrestling,
jet-skiing, marathon swimming, paragliding, sailing, triathlon, windsurfing,
woodball and sepaktakraw.(ANTARA)
Indonesia Orchid Show 2008 Being
Held in Bali
Denpasar, Bali Province - An
Indonesia Orchid Show 2008 is being
held here from October 18 to 26, and
participated in by five countries, namely
Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan,
and Japan.
The orchid show was officially
opened by Mufidah Jusuf Kalla, the wife
of Vice President M Jusuf Kalla, here on
Sunday (19/10).
Indonesia has a very large orchid
genetic wealth, she said in her opening
address.
The country has around 5,000 orchid
species, or around one third of the
world's total orchid species, she said.
"I hope Indonesia can optimally
benefit from this natural resource so that
it can become a main player in the
world's orchid trade," she said.
The orchid show has 120 stands
rd
November 2008
displaying
orchids
from
various
Indonesian regions as
well as
Singapore,
Japan,
Malaysia
and
Taiwan.
Indonesia's orchid species are native
to almost every part of the archipelago,
growing in regions high above sea level.
Among the famous orchid species
growing in Indonesia are Vanda,
Phalaenopsis,
Phapiopedilum,
and
Dendrobium.
Kalimantan (Borneo) is home to the
largest number of orchid species in the
world while Sumatra has 986 species,
Java more than 971, Maluku 123 and
Papua more than 1,000, mainly
Dendrobium
and
Bulbophyllum.
(ANTARA)
Bali to Host World Film Festival
Denpasar - Bali will host a world film
festival concurrently with the 2012 Bali
International Film festival (BIFF).
"The World Film Festival would
overshadow world class film festivals,"
Dr Shri Arya Vedakarna, BIFF pioneer
and conceptor said here, Wednesday.
He said BIFF's activities in four years
to come in BIFF's 14th anniversary
would receive World Film Festival
special attention.
He admitted that many have been
supported by BIFF activities, and
succeeded in the past 10 years.
"The event was held in Sanur Beach
Hotel and showed films from nine
countries," he said.
Participants are Chile, Bangladesh,
Hungary, Iran, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Slovakia,
Venezuela
and
host
Indonesia. The event was also attended
by several movie star, producers,
directors and film practitioners, in
addition to
Arya Vedakarna, BIFF
licensed owner and Bali Music Awardee
and
film star Widyawati and Ria
Irawan.(ANTARA)
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All Jakarta High Schools to Get
Internet Links in 2009
The provincial administration of Special
Capital District (DKI) of Jakarta sets a
target to install Internet connection at all
senior high schools in 2009, an official
said
here.
"Our target is to install information and
communications technology at all
schools to facilitate the teachers with
multimedia materials," Margani Mustar,
Head of Middle and Higher Education
Office said after the declaration of
Jakarta`s Middle and Higher Education
Community Based on Information and
Communications Technology (TIK).
At present all public senior and
vocational high schools have their own
Internet facility while only 70 percent of
private schools have such facilities.
Cooperating with several sides, the
office developed integrated information
and communications technology that
could be used by the students at school.
The office also prioritizes the supply of
the facilities including more than 10
thousand computers for schools, seven
thousand laptops for teachers and hot
spot services at more than 100
schools.(ANTARA)
Fourteen Foreign Journalists to Visit
North Sulawesi
Manado, North Sulawesi - A group
of journalists from 14 foreign countries
will make a three-day observation tour
of North Sulawesi province starting on
October 25, a local official said.
The foreign journalists' visit is the
result of cooperation between the
Foreign Ministry and the local organizing
committee of the World Ocean
Conference (WOC) to ensure the
success of the event to be held here on
rd
November 2008
May 11-15 next year, Dr. Noldi Tuera,
secretary of the event's local organizing
committee, said here on Monday
(20/10).
The journalists will come from
Australia, China, Fiji, India, Japan,
Nauru, the Netherlands, New Zealand,
the Philippines, North Korea, Thailand,
Timor Leste, the United Kingdom and
Vietnam.
During their stay in the province, the
foreign journalists will hold a meeting
with the conference's local organizing
committee and observe preparations for
the international event which will bring
together hundreds of representatives
from many countries, he said.
The journalists are expected to take
advantage of the visit to write interesting
stories about the province's potentials
and preparations for the conference, he
said.
The foreign journalists will also meet
with local counterparts to exchange
experience and views on the press
systems in their countries, he said.
Also on the agenda of the foreign
journalists' trip is a visit to the Bunaken
marine park in Manado. (ANTARA)
Vice President Tells Media to
Consider Effects of News
Jakarta - Vice President Jusuf Kalla
asked the media at a meeting on
Reflection of Nine Years of Press
Freedom at Sari Pan Pacific hotel here
Thursday (30/10) to think over the
effects of a news before releasing it.
"If news stories are always about
burning police stations or roadblocks in
an area, it may serve as a bad example
for other neighboring areas," he said.
Kalla said that reports on chaos
would badly affect the economy.
Businesspeople would suffer losses and
stop their advertisements. This could
negatively affect the media.
15
The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
The vice president gave an example
when on a visit to Solo, Central Java,
where a demonstration occurred. The
media concentrated their reports more
on the demonstration than his visit,
which was reported only as news of
secondary importance.
Such pessimistic news may develop
an unfavorable situation in the country,
he said.
Thus he said the media needed to
build optimism in the society and show
correct ways of handling problems.
News on violence could create a
wrong perspective as if violence may be
a solution to a problem.
The vice president also affirmed that
he did not say it was wrong to broadcast
such news, he merely reminded that
there were many other important
aspects of life which could be reported
to the people.( ANTARA)
Bali to Host Asia Pacific Community
Development Conference
Bandung, W Java - Some 500
intellectuals, officials, academicians and
business leaders will gather in the resort
island of Bali on November 13-15 for an
international conference
themed
"Developing Asia Pacific Community:
Unity in Diversity."
The three-day conference will discuss
a wide range of latest regional issues
such as international relations, security,
democracy and Islam, global warming,
gender, innovation, health, businesses
and socio-cultural issues, the US
Embassy in Jakarta said in a press
statement on Thursday (16/10).
The meeting will feature a number of
prominent
figures
including
the
Indonesian
trade
minister,
the
coordinating minister for people's
welfare, the women's empowerment
minister, the US ambassador to
Indonesia, the Hawaii governor, the
president of the East-West Center, the
Bali governor and business leaders.
rd
November 2008
The conference will be held by the
East-West Center, an internationally
accredited education and research
institute based in Honolulu, Hawaii, in
cooperation with the Association of
East-West Centers, an organization
representing 55,000 East-West Center
alumni in Asia, the Pacific and the US.
The Indonesian chapter of the
Association of East-West Center will
help organize the conference. About
2,750 intellectuals, researchers and
professionals
in
business,
administration, journalism and arts have
taken part in a wide range of East-West
Center cooperation programs since the
institute was set up in 1960.
The East-West Center is an
education and reseacrh organization
formed by the US Congress in 1960 to
strengthen relations and understanding
among communities and nations in Asia,
the Pacific and the US.
The organisation has contributed to
the creation of peaceful, prosperous and
just communities in Asia and the Pacific
by becoming a dynamic center for
research cooperation, education, and
dialogs on crucial issues of common
attention in the Asia Pacific region and
the US. (ANTARA)
ENVIRONMENT
Indonesian Billion Tree Planting
Program 2008
President Bambang Yudhoyono would
lead a 100 million trees planting
program which is going to take place in
Lebak, Banten Province on Friday,
November 28, 2008.
The program is organized by the
Ministry of Forestry of Indonesia as part
of the Planting Campaign spread
headed by UN Environment Program
16
The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
(UNEP) in order to fight global climate
change.
The 2007 campaign has got positive
attitude from Indonesian community
which so far has plant more than 86,9
million trees. The Indonesian First Lady
Any Yudhoyono who had received
certificate of global leadership from
UNEP, as appreciation of international
community toward Indonesia, has plant
14,1 million trees or over 4,1 million of
target.
In addition, the Ministry of Forestry and
32 Indonesian NGOs previously had
plant 3,2 million trees in and out of Java
island. Since 2003 up to now, the
Ministry has been planting more than
two billions trees.
Rp75 billion Allocated for Investment
in Environment
The Environment Ministry is allocating
6.25 million euros or about Rp75 billion
for investment in the environment, which
is being carried out through a debt-fornature swap (DNS) program, an official
said.
Deputy to the environment minister for
incentive and environment funding
affairs, Laksmi Dhewanthi, said here on
Wednesday that the funds had been
channeled since 2006 and the
investment would be carried out until
2010.
Speaking after attending a workshop on
environment for micro businesses,
Dhewanthi said some Rp5 billion were
channeled in 2006 while a total of
Rp17.1 billion were provided in 2007. It
is expected that for 2008, a sum of
Rp16 billion would be distributed.
"For 2009, the fund for investment on
the environment is expected to reach
Rp17
billion,"
she
added.
rd
November 2008
The funds which were derived from the
writing-off of Indonesia`s debts to
German government were channeled
through Bank Syariah Mandiri with a soft
loan of 5.5 percent per annum.
The DNS program is intended to
improve the quality of the environment
in Indonesia through the channeling of
the funds for small-business who had
limited access to banks for obtaining
clean
production
equipment
and
pollution control. (ANTARA)
President Yudhoyono and UN Chief
Hold Teleconference on Climate
Change
Beijing (ANTARA News) - President
Susilo Bambang Yudhuyono, together
with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh
Rasmussen and Polish Prime Minister
Donald Tusk, here on Friday (24/10)
held a video teleconference with United
Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban KiMoon
in
New
York.
The closed-door teleconference staged
at the Hyatt Hotel in Beijing on Friday at
9.30 am local time focused on climate
change
issues.
Indonesia was host of the UN Climate
Change Conference (UNCCC) in Bali,
December 2007. Poland will be the next
host of the UNCCC in 2008 and
Denmark
in
2009.
Last September 2008, at the State
Palace in Jakarta, President Yudhoyono
held a video teleconference with the
prime ministers of Denmark, Poland and
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
They discussed follow up actions of the
Bali Road Map aopted at the UNCCC
2007.
Prior to the video teleconference in
Beijing, President Yudhoyono attended
17
The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
a breakfast with other heads of state
and government of ASEAN member
countries, China, Japan and South
Korea
(ASEAN
Plus
3).
rd
November 2008
Rachmat Witoelar, and Minister/Cabinet
Secretary Sudi Silalahi. (ANTARA)
Forestry Ministry Holding Expo
They talked about the need to provide
reserve funds to help boost the liquidity
of member countries hit by the current
global financial crisis as mandated by
the
Chiang
Mai
Initiative.
The Chiang Mai Initiative aims to create
a
network
of
bilateral
swap
arrangements (BSAs) among ASEAN+3
countries to address short-term liquidity
difficulties in the region and to
supplement the existing international
financial
regime.
President Yudhoyono`s program in
Beijing on Friday includes a meeting
with
Chinese
infrastructure
businessmen, a bilateral meeting with
Thai
Prime
Minister
Somchai
Wongsawat, attendance at the opening
of the Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting
(ASEM), and a bilateral meeting with
French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
The Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting
(ASEM 7) is to be held in Beijing on 24
and 25 October 2008. The summit will
be the first gathering of leaders of 45
ASEM partners since its second round
of
enlargement
in
2006.
The
overarching theme of ASEM7 is `Vision
and Action: Towards a Win-Win
Solution`.
During his five-day visit to Beijing,
October 22 to 26, 2008, President
Yudhoyono is being accompanied First
Lady Ani Yudhoyono, Coordinating
Minister for Political and Legal Affairs
Widodo AS, Trade Minister Mari Elka
Pangestu, State Enterprise Minister
Sofyan Djalil, Foreign Affairs Minister
Hassan Wirajuda, Energy and Mineral
Resource
Minister
Purnomo
Yusgiantoro, Health Minister Siti Fadilah
Supari, Environmental Affairs Minister
Jakarta - The forestry ministry is
holding a Forestry Expo from October
28 to 29, 2008, to celebrate the
ministry's 25th anniversary.
A number of forestry stakeholders
from all over Indonesia, such as central
and local forestry offices, state-owned
forestry
companies
and
forestry
associations, took part in the exhibition,
a press statement of the forestry
ministry said here on Tuesday (28/10).
The exhibition was aimed at
promoting Indonesian forestry resources
and the achievements of the 25-year
development in the forestry sector.
The Forestry Expo's activities would
include a leadership forum of the
Indonesian Forestry Higher Learning
Education
(FOReTIKA)
and
an
introduction of the forestry ministry's
regulation No. P.49/Menhut-II/2008.
The FOReTIKA forum's theme is
"Contribution of the Forestry sector in
Anti-cipating the Energy, Food and
Water Crises, and Job Creation for
Forestry Alumni."
The forum of discussion was
scheduled to be organized on Tuesday,
October 28, 2008.
The introduction of the forestry
ministry's regulation No. P.49/MenhutII/2008 on rural forests will be held on
Wednesday (Oct. 29). The regulation is
the latest issued by the forestry ministry
to regulate rural forest management and
authorities.
A number of competitions for children
on the environmental activities would
also
be
held
during
the
exhibition.(ANTARA)
18
The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
REGIONAL/INTERNATIONAL
ISSUES
RI More Stable Than Asian Peers:
PERC
With concern setting in about the
declining rupiah and share prices, there
is good news yet: Indonesia next year
will be much more stable than regional
peers India, Malaysia and Thailand, a
Hong
Kong-based
political
risk
consultancy said Monday (27/10).
"Indonesia is much more stable today
than it was when the regional financial
crisis hit in 1997-98. The coming
election campaign is likely to see the
present
government
return,
with
(President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono)
winning the presidency and keeping
Jusuf Kalla as his vice president," the
Political & Economic Risk Consultancy
(PERC) said in a report, whose
executive summary is available on
PERC's website.
Following a massive crackdown on
alleged
terrorist
group
Jamaah
Islamiyah in recent years, coupled with
improving social conditions, Indonesia
seems almost guaranteed of stability.
But the threat of terrorism is still a factor,
PERC warned.
PERC assessed 16 countries in its
Asian Risk Prospects -- 2009 on factors
such as the risk of racial and communal
tensions, struggle for power, the threat
posed
by
social
activism,
and
vulnerability to policy changes by other
governments.
Indonesia, Southeast Asia's biggest
economy, rated as the fourth least
stable country in the region, with a score
of six on a scale of 10, in which zero
represents the best socio-political
conditions and 10 the highest risk.
rd
November 2008
South Asian behemoth India topped the
table with the highest political and social
risk, scoring 6.87, mainly because of
internal and external instability. PERC
cited fears over Pakistan, a major player
in the global war on terror.
Thailand is pegged to be the next least
stable country in Southeast Asia next
year, scoring 6.28, as the current
political mayhem and the separatist
violence looks set to run into 2009.
Surprisingly, Malaysia, which escaped
much of the wrath of the 1997 financial
crisis, will be the third least stable in the
region, with the report noting the political
wranglings were aggravating racial and
religious tensions.
"The status quo is changing in ways that
will see a stronger political opposition
than in the past and UMNO (the ruling
party) forced to share more power with
non-Malay groups," the report said.
But these three countries could be
relatively immune to the global financial
fallout.
"India, Thailand and Malaysia are not so
much vulnerable to negative fallout from
the global financial crisis as they are to
factors that are mainly internal," Robert
Broadfoot, PERC managing director,
told Reuters on Tuesday (28/10).(The
Jakarta Post)
RI Chairs ASEAN Working Group on
Pandemic Preparedness
Indonesia has been chosen to
chair for a year the ASEAN Working
Group on Pandemic Preparedness Plan
and Response, an official said
Wednesday (29/10). Bayu Krisnamurti,
head of the national commission on
avian influenza, said Indonesia had
been chosen because of its success in
19
The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
conducting simulations on avian influeza
preparedness. "We have succeeded in
overcoming our neighboring friends in
avian
influenza
pandemic
preparedness," Bayu said at a media
gathering.
There might be a possibility that
the government will conduct crossborder
simulation
on
pandemic
preparedness, as the country has had
excellent performances in conducting
local simulations, Bayu also said.
"Across the nation, we have
conducted five simulations on avian
influenza pandemic preparedness," he
said while adding that more simulations
on other pandemic diseases would be
carried out.
The biggest simulation took
place in Jembrana regency in Bali in
April of this year, when the regency
hosted a three-day avian influenza
pandemic simulation involving nearly
1,000 people to test the recently
completed
National
Pandemic
Preparedness Plan.
According to the commission,
Indonesia has had 112 reported cases
of human deaths due to avian influenza
between 2004 and Oct. 2008, compared
to a world number of 241.
So far this year the number of
human deaths in the country caused by
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza -- the
H5N1 virus -- has been 17, compared to
last year's number of 37. (The Jakarta
Post)
rd
November 2008
between detractors and supporters of
the charter.
Critics accuse the charter of being
toothless in dealing with several
members,
including
military-ruled
Myanmar, while proponents claim it sets
out rules for members and transforms
ASEAN into a legal entity.
The ratification comes just ahead of
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's
meeting Thursday (23/10) with ASEAN
leaders on the sidelines of the ASEANEurope Meeting (ASEM) in Beijing.
The move will also save Indonesia face
at an ASEAN Summit in Bangkok in
December, where the charter will be
formally adopted by all 10 member
states.
"The ratification shows Indonesia is
committed to turning ASEAN into a
more
democratic
grouping
fully
respecting of human rights principles,"
said Marzuki Darusman, chairman of the
House
committee
preparing
the
charter's ratification.
Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda
welcomed the ratification, saying
Indonesia had contributed to making the
charter embrace democratic and human
rights values. Indonesia also played a
role in pushing ASEAN to become a
legal entity with clearer rules of conduct
and to create a single free-trade area by
2015.
Indonesia Ratifies ASEAN Charter
The House of Representatives has
formally adopted the ASEAN Charter
into the country's law, making Indonesia
the last ASEAN member state to ratify
the charter. The House passed a bill
Tuesday (21/10) to ratify the document
at a plenary session, ending months of
heated debate among its factions and
ASEAN
Secretary-General
Surin
Pitsuwan welcomed the ratification,
saying the decision ensured the entry
into force of the charter before the end
of 2008. "ASEAN will be a rules-based,
people-oriented and more integrated
entity. Given the current financial turmoil
around the world, a real prospect of a
more integrated and solid ASEAN will
be welcomed by the international
community," he said in a statement.
20
The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
Observers, however, warn Indonesia
and other ASEAN members face
challenges on how to implement the
articles of the charter, and how it can
help solve lingering regional problems,
including bilateral conflicts, such as
between Thailand and Cambodia, and
border disputes, as between Indonesia
and Malaysia over the Ambalat islands.
"The problem is the implementation
engagement among members. But we
should consider the charter a starting
point and a guide to creating a more
democratic ASEAN," said University of
Indonesia international relations expert
Hariyadi Wirawan.
Rizal Sukma of the Centre for Strategic
and International Studies (CSIS) also
urged Indonesia to seek charter
amendments to benefit the country and
other ASEAN member states.
The foreign minister acknowledged the
criticism of the bill to ratify the charter
and promised the government would
look closer into it. "We should not
counter such criticism. In fact, such
criticism helps support the government's
efforts to improve the charter in future.
After all, the charter is not a perfect
document. It's always open to
amendment," Hassan said.
On the Myanmar issue, he said, "Now
that we've already recognized the
charter, we have reasons to ask
Myanmar to fulfill its promises on
democracy."(The Jakarta Post)
ASEM-LEMC
Declaration
II
Produces
Bali
Nusa Dua - The second AsianEuropean Labour Ministerial Meeting
(ASEM LEMC-II) at the Bali International
Convention Center (BICC) in Nusa Dua,
rd
November 2008
Bali, had been concluded and produced
a Bali Declaration.
The Bali Declaration is also called
the ASEM Labour and Employment
Ministerial Meeting Declaration on More
and Better Job-Strategic Cooperation
and Partnership to Promote Decent
Work and Global Labour Markets to Our
Mutual Benefit.
Besides the Bali Declaration, the
summit also produced n Chairman's
Conclusion. Both documents will be
submitted to the 7th ASEM Summit in
Beijing, on October 24 to 25.
The Bali Declaration refers to the
agreement on the 2005 World Summit,
the sixth ASEM Summit in 2006 in
Helsinki, and ASEM-LEMC I in
Potstdam, Germany, focused on AsiaEurope cooperation in strengthening
social globalization.
The Bali Declaration also adopted an
agreement
to
support
constant
dialogues on labour.
ASEM member countries contribute
to globalization through active economic
policies and labour markets. Their
contribu-tions help build the social
assurance, human capital investment,
good governance, social dialogues and
in narrowing socio-economic gaps
between the regions.
Manpower
and
Transmigration
Minister Erman Suparno in his keynote
speech stressed the importance of AsiaEurope cooperation in promoting the
regions.
During the summit, participants were
divided into three working groups to
discuss and share their experience on
training and employment, migration of
workers and social protection.
In the midst of the summit, Erman
Suparno had bilateral meetings with
other ministers from Asia and Europe.
The bilateral meetings discussed
cooperation in labour matters which
include Indonesian workers certification,
trainings, migrant workers and migrant
workers protection in foreign countries
which will be followed up soon.
21
The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
The second ASEM-LEMC was
officially
closed
by
Indonesian
Manpower and Transmigration Minister
Erman Suparno. (ANTARA)
ASEM VII Issues Beijing Declaration
Beijing - The Asia Europe Meeting
(ASEM) Summit VII held here from
October 24 to 25 has resulted in the
adoption of a Beijing Declaration on
sustainable development.
The document was approved by the
43 heads of state or government of
Asian and European countries who
gathered in the two-days summit to
discuss the global financial crisis,
climate change and efforts to increase
trade and investment in Asia as well as
Europe, sustainable development, and
inter-civilazation dialogue.
Issued at the closing of the ASEM
Summit on Saturday (Oct 25), the
declaration embodies the Asian and
European countries' commitment to
reach the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) and to put aside the
budget funds needed to reach the
goals.
The increase in the world's
population followed by the damage to
the environment and depletion of natural
resources, according to the heads of
ASEM member countries, were the
reasons to implement sustainable
development policy in every member
country.
The ASEM leaders' decision to issue
the Beijing Declaration on sustainable
development was related to their
concern about climate change and
energy shortage which had been
formulated at ASEM Summit VI 2006 in
Helsinki, Finland.
They agreed that the sustainable
development effort is a problem closely
related to efforts to overcome climate
change and energy shortage.
As for climate change, the ASEM
leaders agreed to follow up the Bali
rd
November 2008
Road Map which was adopted by the
participants of the United Nations
Convention for Climate Change in Bali,
in 2007.
ASEM also asked its member
countries to actively diversify and save
energy and emphasize the need for
cooperation
between
Asia-Europe
countries to avoid oil price instability.
To reach the MDGs, the Beijing
Declaration asked every ASEM member
country
to stabilize its economic
situation so that its citizens can afford
their basic and daily needs to increase
their prosperity.(ANTARA)
ASEM VII to Discuss Global Financial
Crisis
Jakarta - The ongoing financial crisis
will be a topic of informal discussion at
the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting
(ASEM) summit to be held in Beijing,
China, a Foreign Ministry official here
said.
"The meeting will discuss the global
financial crisis along with other issues
such as encouraging
sustainable
development,
climate
change,
deepening
dialogue
between
civilizations, and promoting Asia-Europe
trade and investment," Dian Wirengjurit,
the ministry's director for AmericaEurope intra-regional cooperation, told a
press conference here Monday (20/10).
However, Dian said, since the
financial crisis was an unexpected event
which occurred after the ASEM summit's
agenda had been drawn up, the issue
would be discussed at an informal
meeting among the leaders of the 45
countries.
On the same occasion, French
ambassador to Indonesia Philippe Zeller
confirmed the financial crisis would be
taken up by the ASEM summit.
However, he said, there was no
guarantee the meeting would yield a
concrete consensus formulated in a
22
The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
declaration on the matter since it was
tied to a very tight schedule.
ASEM was formed in 1996 with a
membership comprising ASEAN's 10
member countries, China, Japan, South
Korea, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, 27
European Union countries, the ASEAN
secretary general and the European
Commission president.
Its biannual meetings work like
forums for Asia and European countries
to discuss topical priority issues and
exchange ideas about them.
This year's ASEM in Beijing will have
as theme "Vision and Actions: Towards
a Win-win Solution".(ANTARA)
Indonesia
to
Propose
Eight
Education Cooperation Programs to
E-9 Countries
Jakarta - Indonesia is to propose
eight cooperation programs in the
educational sector to the world's largest
developing nations (E-9) at a three-day
senior officials meeting of E-9 countries
which opened here on Wednesday
(22/10).
Speaking to the press after opening
the meeting, National Education Minister
Bambang Sudibyo said the eight
cooperation programs were aimed at
achieving the targets of Education For
All (EFA) and Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
The programs covered Sandwich
scholarships for teachers and lecturers,
remote learning, exchange and sharing
of resources to benefit from information
and communication technology using
the Indonesian Higher Education and
Research Network (INHERENT), Global
Development Learning Network (GDLN)
and national education networking
(JARDIKNAS).
"We can share literature and lecture
materials provided by the Bandungbased
University
of
Indonesian
rd
November 2008
Education (UPI) with other countries
through teleconference," he said.
He said nearly 70 percent of
educational problems in the world was
found in the nine developing nations
grouped in the E-9. They are India,
China,
Bangladesh,
Pakistan,
Indonesia, Egypt, Nigeria, Mexico and
Brazil.
The further programs covered models
of modern Islamic schools (madrasyah),
certification of teachers, development of
teachers' profession in a sustainable
way, exchange of formal and non-formal
teachers, and double competency
training for teachers of different
educational backgrounds, he said.
He said Indonesia would offer the
models of modern Islamic schools
(madrasyah) to members of the E-9
where Moslems make up the majority
groups such as Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Egypt and Nigeria.
Also present at the opening ceremony
were assistant for education to the
UNESCO director general Nicholas
Burnett, Director of the UNESCO office
in Jakarta Hubert Gijzen, secretary
general of the National Education
Ministry Dodi Nandika, director general
of the ministry's higher education Fasli
Jalal, delegates from the E-9 member
countries, representatives from the
World Bank and UNICEF.
Nicholas Burnett said the E-9 played
a significant role in the context of EFA
and MDGs.
The three-day meeting was a followup to a ministerial meeting held in the
Indonesian resort island of Bali in March
2008, he said.(ANTARA)
Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia to
Take Action on Rubber Prices
Thailand,
Indonesia
and
Malaysia -- the world's top three rubber
producers -- will meet in December to
coordinate efforts to boost falling prices,
a minister said Monday.
23
The Indonesian Embassy, Bi – Weekly Bulletin. Issue 3
rd
November 2008
"We will try to convene an
informal discussion... in December,"
Malaysian Plantations Minister Peter
Chin was quoted by AFP as telling
reporters on the sidelines of an
international rubber conference. Chin
said officials at the three-nation talks
would discuss issues related to
stockpiling and supply of rubber into the
market
amid
a
looming global
slowdown.
"We will have talks with
Indonesia and Thailand for proper stock
management, supply management and
export tonnage," he said. "We have yet
to see the full impact of the global
financial crisis, but Malaysia is not
insulated from all these factors," he
added. "We feel rubber is a very strong
sector. But there will be less demand for
(new) cars. Chin also said the fall in oil
prices to 80 dollars per barrel was
making synthetic rubber prices more
competitive, putting further pressure on
natural rubber prices.
Falling world stock markets and
fears of a global recession forced Asian
rubber futures Friday in Tokyo to sink to
their lowest levels in nearly two years.
The three Southeast Asian countries
produce some 80 percent of the world's
natural rubber output. Abdul Aziz Kadir,
secretary-general of the International
Rubber Research and Development
Board, said 85 percent of rubber
production goes into making tyres.
(ANTARA)
24