Day: December 13, 2021

The Investment Ministry has conducted a trial for issuing business licenses over cellular phones using the Online Single Submission (OSS) application, Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has said.

Now, individual MSMEs can manage their business licenses via mobile phones, he stated during the ‘Issuance and Distribution of Business Identification Numbers for Individual Micro and Small Enterprises’ event in Bandung, West Java, on Monday.

“Today, at the same time, we are trying to issue OSS permits via cellphones. This is the first time ever in Indonesia, permits’ issuance via cellphone. Use an electronic ID card. Just use an electronic ID card, with that you can apply for an individual permit via cellphone, anywhere as long as there is a signal, all ladies and gentlemen can manage permits without paying,” Lahadalia said in his speech, which was broadcast on OSS Indonesia’s Youtube channel on Monday.

He said the OSS application was created with the help of a private Internet provider company.

He deemed business licensing via mobile phones as a breakthrough that would encourage MSMEs to become formal business units.

“Because 50 percent of MSMEs have yet to be formal (licensed), we encourage them to be formal,” he stated.

By becoming a formal business unit with legality, MSMEs can easily request for capital assistance, thereby allowing their businesses to grow or develop, he added.

Recalling his experiences as an entrepreneur, he said he faced many difficulties in obtaining permits.

“I am an MSME alumni. I once had a turnover of Rp60 million. When I started as an entrepreneur, I once stood in line in front of the head of the district office to process permits for days. I once paid for permits which were (actually) absurd for me to pay. And now that I am a minister, I do not wish for my bitter experience to be felt by all of you,” the minister said.

He then cited some instances where he found the approval of the stamp holder and the regional head equally difficult to get.

“It was so difficult for us to get permits, it was nigh on impossible. Now, we have ratified the Job Creation Law. Everything must be based on OSS. For MSEs, no need to pay for anything. Just go for it!” the minister remarked.

He said he does not wish for MSMEs to pay the same amount for both business and permit retrieval.

The risk-based OSS was launched to address the permit issue, he pointed out. Since its launch on August 9, 2021, as many as 430 thousand business identification numbers have been issued, he informed.

“From this figure, as many as 98 percent are MSMEs, individuals, and West Java is the highest in all of Indonesia,” Lahadalia revealed.

Source: Antara News

The Pertamina Group said it has distributed aid in the form of food, equipment, and medical equipment to victims of the Mount Semeru eruption in East Java’s Lumajang district,

Vice president of corporate communications at Pertamina, Fajriyah Usman, said the food aid comprised two tons of rice, 0.5 tons of sugar, 400 items of cooking oil, 100 items of sweetened condensed milk, 137 boxes of instant noodles, and other supporting foods, such as sweetened condensed milk, baby food, bread and biscuits, and canned goods of nearly one thousand items.

“We also gave 50 Bright Gas cylinders and 20 stoves for cooking purposes in public kitchens for the evacuees,” she informed in a statement released here on Monday.

Pertamina also distributed 700 boxes of medical equipment, KN 95 masks, and 50 Oxycan tubes to anticipate exposure to volcanic dust, including 300 jars of honey to boost the victims’ stamina and immunity, she said.

The company also distributed items such as blankets, sarongs, tarpaulins, mats, raincoats, and baby and feminine hygiene products, she added.

The aid was directly handed to the State-owned Enterprises (BUMN) National Disaster Task Force for the East Java area, she said. The task force will distribute the assistance to the posts that the government has selected, she added.

Usman affirmed that Pertamina will continue to distribute aid for the victims in emergency shelters, in accordance with the condition on the field.

“We will increase the aid so we can ease the burden of our brothers and sisters who are affected by Semeru eruption,” she asserted.

Mount Semeru erupted, with hot avalanches reaching Besuk Kobokan in Pronojiwo sub-district, Lumajang district, East Java province, at approximately 3.20 p.m. local time on December 4, 2021.

Source: Antara News

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno, has said he is optimistic that Garuda Indonesia’s recovery efforts would be realized as domestic and international flights have started to improve.

“We must ensure that the company (Garuda Indonesia) can strive for the implementation of good corporate governance along with professionalism to restore the country’s aviation industry,” he observed at a weekly press briefing here on Monday.

He said he expected the restructuring, carried out by the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), to save Garuda Indonesia so that jobs can be widely opened and economic wheels can turn again.

If the state flag carrier stops operations, it will significantly impact all economic sectors of Indonesia, including tourism, he pointed out.

“We need to support the government’s efforts towards saving Garuda Indonesia, one of them is to crowd the Garuda Indonesia Travel Fair (GITF),” Uno said.

At GITF 2021, he observed that there is an increasing trend in Indonesian tourists and cargo needs that can be focused on for the revival of Garuda Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy has been making efforts to resurrect the tourism sector that has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on domestic travelers, he added.

In this regard, the recovery of Garuda Indonesia as a national carrier is expected to have a huge contribution to the ministry’s efforts, he said.

“As a former businessman who has been in an aviation business, I am impressed by the thousands of jobs, (and) maybe tens of thousands of jobs in the aviation ecosystem are also touched by the presence of Garuda Indonesia,” he remarked.

Furthermore, he announced that he has been appointed as Garuda Indonesia’s Chief Influencer Officer by president director Irfan Setiaputra.

At the meeting, he also urged that Garuda Indonesia’s restructuring efforts not just rest with the government, but become a national movement so all can be involved in supporting the recovery.

Source: Antara News

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, has said that international support and collaboration have played an important role in the recovery of the national economy.

“I want to emphasize that efforts to recover our national economy should be carried out with continuous collaboration between the private sector and the government, including also in obtaining international support,” he said while delivering a keynote speech at the virtual US-Indonesia Investment Summit 2021 on Monday.

According to Hartarto, the controlled pandemic situation in Indonesia has brought optimism and confidence to the community and the business world. The economic recovery, which had slowed down in the third quarter of 2021 due to the Delta wave, managed to show improvement in the fourth quarter of 2021, he noted.

“Various main economic indicators showed a positive trend. The consumer confidence index in October 2021 reached 118.5, which indicated the recovery of confidence from the demand side. The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) reached 53.9 and showed improvement on the supply side,” Hartarto elaborated.

Various leading indicators of the external sector have shown good resilience until the end of November 2021, he said. This can be seen in the relatively stable position of Indonesia’s Foreign Exchange Reserves and Trade Balance, which has increased since 2019, while the Indonesian Composite Index (IHSG) and exchange rates have recorded fluctuating trends but are still showing improvement, he added.

These improvements have boosted hopes that Indonesia’s economic growth in the fourth quarter of 2021 would reach more than 5 percent and the nation would achieve sustainable economic growth in the future, the minister said. Indonesia’s economic growth is projected to reach 5.2 percent in 2022, he added.

Meanwhile, the digital economy in Indonesia has also continued to increase, Hartarto said. In 2020, as much as 41.9 percent of the total ASEAN digital economy transactions came from Indonesia, which were contributed by the e-commerce sector, he said.

Indonesia’s total digital economy transactions have reached US$44 billion in 2020 and are expected to increase to US$124 billion by 2025, he added.

E-commerce transactions, digital banking, and electronic money are also predicted to continue to increase this year, he said. The largest increase of 48.4 percent (yoy) is expected in e-commerce transactions, he noted. Electronic money and digital banking are projected to increase by 35.7 percent (yoy) and 30.1 percent (yoy), he added.

“This increase in digital transactions has a crucial role and contributes to Indonesia’s economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Hartarto said.

Governor of Bank Indonesia (BI), Perry Warjiyo, had earlier forecast better prospects for an economic recovery in 2022 as compared to 2021, with growth projected at 4.7–5.5 percent.

“Our economy will be better while heading towards recovery, with growth in the range of 4.7–5.5 percent in 2022, from this year’s 3.2–4 percent,” Warjiyo said.

According to Warjiyo, the optimism of recovery must be strengthened by applying the precautionary principle. Growth must be supported by development in the consumption, investment, and export sectors as well as controlled inflation at three percent, give or take one percent, he added.

“The digital economy and finance will continue to increase very quickly to support our economic recovery,” he affirmed.

Source: Antara News

Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Minister Basuki Hadimuljono discussed potential cooperation in toll road and housing development with representatives of Turkish companies at the ministry’s headquarters in Jakarta on Monday.

He was accompanied by the Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal.

“We are looking forward to the participation of Turkish enterprises in development programs in Indonesia,” Hadimuljono remarked in a written statement released the same day.

He said he expected the meeting to strengthen the two countries’ bilateral cooperation and help Indonesia to realize its infrastructure development projects.

There is a lot of investment potential between Indonesia and Turkey, he added.

Turkish construction companies are some of the best global contractors and have successfully executed 10,725 projects in 128 countries worth US$424.5 billion, he noted.

Most of the projects have involved the construction of housing, roads, bridges, and tunnels in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, he added.

The minister then urged Turkish corporations to invest in infrastructure sectors in Indonesia through both Public-Private Partnership (KPBU) as well as Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) schemes.

The meeting was a follow-up to a previous meeting held in early November 2021 at the office of the Turkish Trade Ministry and a direct visit to Ankara-Nide Toll Road in Ankara city, Turkey, he informed.

“I lauded Turkey for its success in developing Ankara city as its capital city. When I visited the country, I noted the similarities in geography, topography, and environment of Ankara city and our new capital city (IKN) in East Kalimantan province,” Hadimuljono added.

Hence, he said he believed that sustainable cooperation between the two countries must be maintained so that Indonesia can achieve the same success in developing its new IKN.

At a business forum with State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), also held the same day, he suggested further discussions with Turkish companies on prospective infrastructure projects and investment in the construction of toll roads and housing in Indonesia.

He proposed a joint direct visit to a toll road project in Pekanbaru city, Riau province, Jambi-Rengat and Rengat-Pekanbaru (Pekanbaru – Siak) sections of the Trans Sumatra toll road spanning 282.7 kilometers (km), sections III and IV of IKN Access Toll Road projects stretching over 33.76 km, as well as a KPBU schemed housing project in Zone 1A of IKN for 11,268 residential units (to be built in 2021 to 2024).

Indonesian Ambassador Iqbal informed that currently, there are two Turkish corporations that are interested in Indonesian development projects.

The first company focuses on toll road construction, while the second is the world’s second-largest corporation making prefabricated housing, he said.

“The Turkish companies have discussed with the director general of infrastructure financing. They will also visit toll roads in Sumatra Island to help in restructuring and inviting investors,” the ambassador added.

Source: Antara News

Bali Governor I Wayan Koster announced a beautification project is underway, to prepare Bali as the main host of the G20 agendas in Indonesia, as well as ensure a favourable image of the nation is projected to the global community.

Besides preparing the route for the delegates, the authority in Balialso is committed to planting 12 million mangrove tree saplings for the delegates of G20 member countries and beautifying residents’ houses and stalls along the route the delegates will pass through, he said.

“We will prepare everything, including the road access from the airport to Nusa Dua, the main venue and lodgings for the delegates. We will also plant mangrove trees and decorate buildings along the roads that the delegates will pass through,” Koster stated in a virtual event broadcast by the FMB9 YouTube channel on Monday.

In line with President Joko Widodo’s directive that regions hosting G20 agendas must ensure delegates will have a favourable experience during their stay, Koster reiterated the provincial authority’s readiness to augment cultural aspects within the beautification project.

Koster is convinced that showcasing local culture will present a wholly new experience and ensure a positive impression of Indonesia among the G20 delegates, while highlighting the success of Indonesia, as the first developing country presiding over the G20’s presidency and hosting G20 agendas.

“I am personally involved in the beautification project, and I have instructed architects from Udayana University to conceive the design that must be finalised by the end of December, so we can proceed with construction in January next year,” Koster stressed.

He also expressed his confidence that the thorough preparation and firm agenda promoted by Indonesia at the G20 Summit will ensure the country’s image as a capable G20 host.

“Bali will align itself with the main issues of global architecture and energy transition promoted during Indonesia’s G20 presidency, and we must strive to showcase positive aspects of our country during the summit,” he added.

Source: Antara News

The successful holding of the G20 Summit, which will feature 150 side events in 20 cities that are expected to draw many foreign participants, will open investment opportunities in Indonesia and improve people’s economy and welfare.

Head of the communication bureau of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Andreas Dipi Patria, made the remarks at a virtual discussion broadcast from here on Monday.

“It is our opportunity to not only promote our tourism sector. We also must show them that we are ready to be a nice place to invest,” he said.

He further said he expected the tourism and investment sectors to create many jobs for the community and have a multiplier effect on national economic growth.

It is predicted that at least 33 thousand workers are needed to implement the 150 side events, he pointed out.

Thus, Indonesia’s 2022 G20 Presidency will not only have an impact on Bali — the location of the main summit — but also on other regions, he added.

“Thus, it is a momentum for our economy to recover after declining in the last two years due to the pandemic,” Patria stated.

At the same discussion, Bali Governor I Wayan Koster informed that the first meeting of the 2022 G20 Summit series had been held in Bali last week.

It was reported that the participants gave a good response regarding the meeting, he noted.

“There is a clear impression that Indonesia is capable of holding the presidency. It seems that the Financial Track Meeting, which was initially planned to be held in Jakarta, is also going to be implemented in Bali,” the governor said.

According to President Joko Widodo’s directives, as the first developing country and also the first nation in Southeast Asia to hold the G20 Presidency, Indonesia must make a great impression, he added.

“The President has emphasized that there must be something new about the meetings, not just implementing the ordinary ones. There must be new experiences about them,” he said.

Thus, he promised to provide a more supportive atmosphere for the upcoming meetings in Bali.

Source: Antara News

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said there are no provinces outside the islands of Java-Bali that are at the Level 4 or 3 public activities restrictions or PPKM.

“There is no Level 4 and Level 3 PPKM at 27 provinces outside Java-Bali. Meanwhile, 21 provinces (outside Java-Bali) are at Level 2, and six at Level 1,” said Hartarto, PPKM Coordinator outside Java-Bali, in a press statement after a limited meeting of PPKM evaluation on Monday.

However, at a districts and cities level, there are three districts and cities outside Java-Bali that are at the Level 3 of PPKM, which are Central Sumba (East Nusa Tenggara), Bangka (Bangka Belitung), and Teluk Bintuni (West Papua). Meanwhile, there is no region in the districts and cities level that are categorized as Level 4.

“There are 248 districts and cities outside Java-Bali at Level 1 PPKM,” Hartarto added.

He also explained the government has issued a new Ministerial Instruction (Inmendagri) No. 66 for 2021, in anticipation of a rise in COVID-19 transmission during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

In the instruction, only those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are allowed to travel.

During Christmas and New Year celebrations, the operating hours of venues and public places will be limited to 10:00 p.m. local time, with a maximum visitor capacity of 75 percent, who are required to use the PeduliLindungi application.

Regarding the COVID-19 vaccination, Hartarto reported that there were several provinces where the percentage of first dose vaccinations was still below 50 per cent, which were North Maluku, Central Sulawesi, West Papua, Maluku, Southeast Sulawesi, Aceh, and Papua.

“The President’s directive is to keep pushing vaccinations,” he stressed, explaining the government is still finalizing the mechanism of the booster dose or third vaccine dose.

According to Hartarto, the president ordered the implementation of a booster vaccination campaign in terms of when and where, such as vaccination centers.

Source: Antara News