VOI NEWS 11.00 LOCAL TIME, GMT+7, 10-02-2016
President Joko Widodo has called on the workers of the Indonesian press to build public optimism by providing information that can encourage and inspire the people to develop the country. While delivering a speech before journalists and guests attending the commemoration of this year's National Press Day in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara on Tuesday (9/2), the head of state urged the country's mass media to not become trapped in sensational news by seeking analysts or observers' views that could create a sense of pessimism among the people. He then cited several headlines that could trigger public pessimism. President Widodo believed that such media headlines were merely created based on assumptions, but they did influence the public opinion and could create investor disbelief in Indonesia at the end. If the investors trust could no longer be retained, there would be no inflow of investments. In other parts of his speech, the head of state also touched on the online news media, w hich often ignores the press code of ethics in disseminating information as fast as possible. Such media outlets also overlook accuracy and the system of checks and balances in their news reporting and combine facts and opinions. According to President Widodo, the country's mass media also needs to face its own challenges/// Antara
VP discusses trans-pacific partnership with ministers
Vice President Jusuf Kalla met with a number of cabinet ministers to discuss Indonesia's preparations to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership in Jakarta on Tuesday (9/2). Trade Minister Thomas Lembong said at the Vice President's office after the meeting that Vice President Jusuf Kalla and a number of cabinet ministers discussed planning technicalities, the negotiation strategy and economy in general. Cabinet ministers who attended the meeting include Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro, Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman, Industry Minister Saleh Husein and head of Capital Investment Coordinating Board, Franky Sibarani. The meeting also discussed trade agreements with the European Union. With regard to the agreement, Lembong said, a team from the Ministry of Trade had met with their counterpart from the European Union several times. Lembong said, the President in a cabinet meeting last year said that the trade agreement with the European Union must be completed within two yea rs. Lembong said, as the target has been set at 2017 the agreement would be the main focus of attention of the government. Regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Lembong said, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs is currently preparing a decision letter for the establishment of a team to study the cost of joining it/// Antara
Indonesia, Russia step up cooperation on security sector
Indonesia and Russia on Tuesday agreed to step up cooperation in the security sector. Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and his entourage met Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, National Narcotics Agency (BNN) head Budi Waseso, National Police detective division chief, Comr. Gen. Anang Iskandar, Justice and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu and Maritime Security Board (Bakamla) chief, Vice Admiral Desi Albert Mamahit, at the office of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Ministry on Tuesday. Issues related to military, counter terrorism, intelligence, cyber, drug and law were discussed in the meeting. The minister remarked that participants in the meeting agreed on a number of points, such as the use of Russian military equipment and military exercises. With regard to terrorism, Panjaitan noted, Indonesia and Russia are dealing with similar challenges in thei r fight against terrorism. Earlier, Russia and Indonesia discussed the issue of maintenance of military hardware during a meeting between Russian Minister of Trade and Industry Denis Manturov and Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu. He said he had also discussed bilateral cooperation in military equipment procurement. Russia is as one of Indonesia's source countries for main weapon system hardware for its military (TNI)/// Antara
Freeport gets export permit for concentrate
The gold and copper mining company, Freeport Indonesia, managed to obtain a six-month export permit extension for copper concentrate on February 9. It was said by Director General of Mineral and Coal, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bambang Gatot Ariyono, in Jakarta on Tuesday (9/2). The ministry grants extension for copper concentrate export permits for one million tons for the next six months in accordance with the regulations. According to Bambang, the recommendation was made as the company had responded and was willing to pay an export duty of five per cent. Meanwhile, the deposit commitment for developing a smelter, amounting to US$ 530 million, is still to be discussed. He said he was optimistic that the company will meet its target of constructing a smelter as the US-based mining company has paid a deposit of US$ 168 million although the obligation to build a smelter has not reached 60 percent. The recommendation for a copper concentrate export license was issued by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and was submitted to the Ministry of Commerce as the authority authorized to issue the export license/// Antara
Agreement to give Indonesian banks leeway in Malaysia
The Financial Services Authority (OJK) will sign an agreement soon with Malaysia's banking authority, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), easing restrictions for Indonesian banks operating there. The Financial Services Authority chairman Muliaman Hadad said, the bilateral deal, expected to be signed in the first quarter of this year, will treat Indonesian banks as equals with Malaysia's local banks, amid complaints of difficulties operating fully in Malaysia. Muliaman Hadad said without disclosing further details that the equal treatment will include ATM installations and payment services fees. He added, both authorities are scheduled to sign the bilateral agreement soon, after recently completing prolonged negotiations on licenses and operations of foreign banks ahead of the ASEAN Economic Community's (AEC) liberalization of banking and financial services in 2020. Indonesian banks have complained that current regulations make it hard for them to operate in Malaysia, with a high min imum capital requirement of 300 million ringgit for a licensed bank, including locally incorporated foreign banks. With the call for financial integration in ASEAN, Malaysia has agreed to ease restrictions imposed on Indonesian banks operating in the neighboring country following complaints of unequal treatment in comparison with other foreign banks/// Jakarta Post
Govt supports Jakarta's plan to ban Premium gasoline
A measure to ban the low-octane gasoline dubbed Premium from the capital city proposed by Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama has received support from the government. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Sudirman Said said he supported the Governor's plan to reduce pollution levels by eliminating the octane 88 gasoline from Jakarta, as the government was also in the process of providing cleaner energy as stipulated in its energy-mix road map. Sudirman said as quoted by tribunnews.com at the Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister in Jakarta on Tuesday morning, the vision to use clean energy is in accordance with government vision to make Indonesia consume better energy sources. However, he continued, implementing the measure would not be as easy as flicking a switch. Many aspects need to be considered, from the interests of gas station owners to the readiness of state-owned energy company Pertamina. Previously, tribunnews.com reported that Governor Basuki wanted to el iminate the popular Premium in Jakarta in a bid to encourage citizens to use public transportation, to reduce subsidies and to create cleaner air in the city/// Jakarta Post
Govt says industry stable
The local electronics industry is expected to remain stable amid layoff concerns surrounding Japanese electronics giants operating in the country, an official says. According to the Industry Ministry's director for the electronics and telematics industry, Zakiyudin, there is still high demand from Indonesian consumers for electronic products and the sector is likely to grow this year, with the consumer market still developing. Japanese brands Toshiba and Panasonic have recently been in the spotlight amid labor union claims that they plan to lay off hundreds of employees working for plants that operate in Indonesia, but the Industry Ministry has dismissed the claims. The ministry's director general for metal, machinery, transportation equipment and electronic industries, I Gusti Putu Suryawirawan said that Panasonic and Toshiba are not carrying out massive layoffs, they are restructuring. Putu said that while the country's overall electronics industry growth was relatively st able, the industry was affected by the local currency exchange rate, as most its components were imported from overseas. The head of the ministry's research and development department, Haris Munandar, said his ministry had been developing an early warning system for industry development in light of an unusual surge in imports. According to ministry data, Indonesia's electronics and telematics industry grew by 2.5 percent in the period between 2012 and 2015, with investment in the sector rising 25 percent during the same period.//Jakarta Post
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Source: President urges Indonesian media to build public optimism
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