Indonesia Update: August 9, 2018

Indonesia’s Jokowi to Partner With Cleric in Bid for Second Term Bloomberg 9th Aug 2018
Indonesian President Joko Widodo picked Ma’ruf Amin, the head of the nation’s influential clerics’ council, as his running mate for next year’s election, setting the stage for a rerun of the 2014 race with former general Prabowo Subianto.

Indonesia’s election battle takes shape as candidates name VP picks South China Morning Post 9th Aug 2018
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has chosen 75-year-old cleric Ma’ruf Amin as his running mate in next year’s presidential election, he said on Thursday, in a sign he wants to bolster his Islamic credentials. The two will likely be challenged by former general Prabowo Subianto.

PAN may join Jokowi's camp, PDI-P says The Jakarta Post 7th Aug 2018
There is a likelihood that the National Mandate Party (PAN) joins the coalition of parties that backs President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s reelection bid, despite uncertainty over whether the party will support him in the 2019 presidential election, a senior politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has said.

Jokowi, Prabowo could buy more time in VP selection The Jakarta Post 7th Aug 2018
As political parties continue to wrangle over who will fill the vice presidential slots and are likely to miss the Aug. 10 deadline, new provisions in election regulations may allow for both incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and his challenger Prabowo Subianto to buy more time.

Group of ulemas pushes for VP slot in Prabowo coalition The Jakarta Post 7th Aug 2018
Ulemas and Muslim activists united under the National Movement to Safeguard the Ulema Fatwa (GNPF) are pushing Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto over the certainty of a vice president candidate.

Lombok-Bali ferry services resume after 7-magnitude earthquake, blackout The Jakarta Post 6th Aug 2018
Ferry services from Bali to Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara resumed operations on Monday after being halted on Sunday evening following a 7-magnitude earthquake on Lombok Island.

Indonesia Lobbies US for Aluminum Duty Exemption Tempo 8th Aug 2018
Enggartiasto said America charges 25 percent duty for aluminum import. "I told them that our market share in America is only 0.23 percent, and [our product] is not made in America, and is used by the American industry, including Boeing," he said.

Indonesia`s WTO Trade Sanction, Expert Suggests Reducing Imports Tempo 8th Aug 2018
Economist from the University of Indonesia Fithra Faisal Hastiadi said that the government should have prepared an early anticipation measure after applying its 18 non-tariff restrictions on animal and horticulture imports, which caused Indonesia to lose a dispute with the United States at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

New Regulation on Business Identification Numbers for Excisable Goods Hukum Online 8th Aug 2018
The Minister of Finance (“Minister”) has issued Regulation No. 66/PMK.04/2018 on Procedures for the Granting, Suspension and Revocation of Business Identification Numbers for Excisable Goods (“Regulation 66/2018”).

API Integration into the OSS System Hukum Online 8th Aug 2018
The Minister of Trade (“Minister”) has issued Regulation No. 75 of 2018 on Importer Identification Numbers (“Regulation 75/2018”), which is an implementing regulation for Regulation of Government No. 24 of 2018 on the Electronically Integrated Business Licensing Service (“Regulation 24/2018”).

US seeks $350 million annual sanctions in Indonesia trade dispute Reuters 6th Aug 2018
The United States has asked the World Trade Organization to let it impose sanctions on Indonesia after winning a trade dispute that it said cost U.S. business up to $350 million in 2017, a U.S. filing published by the WTO showed on Monday. The United States and New Zealand both won WTO rulings last year against Indonesian import restrictions on food, plants and animal products, including apples, grapes, potatoes, onions, flowers, juice, dried fruit, cattle, chicken and beef.

Indonesia lobbies to maintain special tariff treatment Reuters 5th Aug 2018
Indonesia lobbied visiting U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to keep the Southeast Asian nation on a list of countries that receive preferential trade terms, its foreign and trade ministers said on Sunday. “President Joko Widodo has delivered Indonesia’s hope that the U.S. will maintain the country’s GSP (Generalized System of Preferences) facility,” Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters after meeting Pompeo.

Indonesia restores damaged sonar on Diponegoro-class corvette Jane's Navy International 6th Aug 2018
The Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut: TNI-AL) has restored the hull-mounted sonar system of its Diponegoro (Sigma)-class corvette that ran aground in January 2015. The vessel, KRI Frans Kaisiepo (368), ran aground while navigating the Surabaya Western Shipping Route (Alur Pelayaran Barat Surabaya, or APBS).

What’s Next for China-Indonesia Military Ties? The Diplomat 6th Aug 2018
Last week, Jakarta was one of the Asian capitals which hosted a commemoration of this year’s anniversary of the founding of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). 

Foreign exchange reserve declines to US$118.3b in July The Jakarta Post 8th Aug 2018
Indonesia’s foreign exchange reserve declined by US$1.5 billion to $118.3 billion in July, Bank Indonesia (BI) reported on Tuesday, lower than $119.8 billion reserve in June as the central bank continues its market intervention to prevent the rupiah from sliding further against the US dollar.

Indonesia to Seek Clarity From WTO on US Trade Dispute Jakarta Globe 8th Aug 2018
Indonesia will clarify its position with the World Trade Organization after the United States asked the multilateral body to allow it to impose sanctions on Southeast Asia's biggest economy after winning a trade dispute that it claims had cost US business up to $350 million in 2017.

US Seeks $350m Annual Sanctions in Indonesia Trade Dispute Jakarta Globe 7th Aug 2018
The United States has asked the World Trade Organization to let it impose sanctions on Indonesia after winning a trade dispute that it said cost US business up to $350 million in 2017, a US filing published by the WTO showed on Monday (06/08).

Strong consumption boosts GDP growth to 5.27 percent in Q2 The Jakarta Post 6th Aug 2018
The Indonesian economy expanded by 5.27 percent year-on-year (yoy) during the second quarter of 2018 thanks to strong growth in consumption, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) announced on Monday.

Jokowi's growth goal for Indonesia elusive as GDP rises 5.3% The Jakarta Post 6th Aug 2018
The Indonesian economy is offering little cheer for President Joko Widodo as he gears up to run for a second term.

BI, BSP team up to fight money crimes The Jakarta Post 6th Aug 2018
Bank Indonesia (BI) and the central bank of the Philippines, Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas (BSP), signed an agreement to strengthen bilateral cooperation in fighting money laundering and terrorism financing.

PLN Builds 50 MW PLTMG in Papua for PON 2020 Preparation Tempo 8th Aug 2018
State Power Company (PLN) Papua and West Papua Region built a number of oil gas power plants (PLTMG) on a scale of 10-50 megawatts (MW) in several cities in Papua.

Pertamina required to share down Rokan Block The Jakarta Post 8th Aug 2018
Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arcandra Tahar says the government requires state-owned oil and gas holding company Pertamina to have a partner to operate the Rokan Block, the most lucrative oil and gas block in Riau.

Moody’s sees Rokan Block takeover by Pertamina as credit positive The Jakarta Post 6th Aug 2018
Moody's assistant vice president and analyst Rachel Chua has said the state-owned oil and gas holding company Pertamina’s plan to control Rokan Block, one of the country’s largest crude producing blocks, is a credit positive.

Medco’s net profit slumps in H1 The Jakarta Post 6th Aug 2018
Publicly listed energy firm Medco Energi International saw its net profit fall 48.6 percent year-on-year (yoy) to US$41.4 million in the first half of this year, from $80.6 million in the same period of 2017.

Lapindo Brantas operatorship of Brantas Block extended until 2040 The Jakarta Post 3rd Aug 2018
The government extended on Friday the operatorship of the existing operator of the Brantas Block, Lapindo Brantas Inc, until 2040, after a delay caused by an administrative matter, namely the payment of a signature bonus and performance bonds.

Cikarang Listrindo records 28% drop in net profit The Jakarta Post 3rd Aug 2018
Publicly listed independent power company PT Cikarang Listrindo booked US$40.35 million in net profit in the first half of the year, down 28.04 percent year-on-year (yoy) from a decline in revenue and an increase in financing costs.

PLN to supply electricity to five Pertamina refineries The Jakarta Post 3rd Aug 2018
State-owned electricity company PLN has signed an agreement with state-owned oil and gas holding company Pertamina to supply electricity to its refineries in Dumai in Riau, Cilacap in Central Java, Balongan in West Java, Balikpapan in East Kalimantan and Plaju-Sungai Gerong in South Sumatra.

Indonesia: Green financing gets leg up via IFC's Bank OCBC NISP investment Asia Insurance Review 8th Aug 2018
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, has committed $150m in a green bond issued by Indonesia PT. Bank OCBC NISP Tbk (Bank OCBC NISP). This is the first ever green bond issued by a commercial bank in Indonesia, delivering a new source of green financing to combat climate change, announced the IFC in a statement last week.

BRI launches QR code payment service The Jakarta Post 6th Aug 2018
State-owned lender PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) has launched a quick response (QR) code payment service called My QR.

Bank Indonesia pushes use of national payment gateway The Jakarta Post 6th Aug 2018
Bank Indonesia is stepping up efforts to increase consumers’ use of the newly established national payment gateway (GPN), according to interbank network provider PT. Artajasa Pembayaran Elektronis. Artajasa business director Anthoni Morris Morris said on Saturday that BI planned to carry out a number of programs in the second half of 2018, including the mass production and use of debit cards with the GPN logo in electronic data capture (EDC) terminals.

Indonesia invites Russia to invest in tourism, infrastructure The Jakarta Post 6th Aug 2018
National Development Planning Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro has invited Russian business people to invest in tourism and infrastructure, two sectors that are being given serious attention by the Indonesian government.

Govt. Adjusts the Issuance of Company Registration Certificates via the OSS Hukum Online 8th Aug 2018
Following the introduction of a unified business licensing process which is implemented through the Online Single Submission (“OSS”) portal, all ministerial and government institutions are starting to adjust their bureaucracies and systems in accordance with the OSS.

Telkom satellite to reach orbit after Independence Day The Jakarta Post 6th Aug 2018
State telecommunications company PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) said its most advanced satellite, Satelit Merah Putih, is expected to reach orbit after the nation's Independence Day on Aug. 17.