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Building an equal partnership of mutual respect

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The Jakarta Post, Retno LP Marsudi, Foreign Minister of Indonesia, Jakarta,March 11, 2020
President Joko Widodo (right) accompanied by First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo (second left)
and Dutch King Willem Alexander (second right) accompanied by Queen Maxima planting
trees during a state visit to Bogor Palace, West Java, Tuesday (10/3/2020). (Antara/
Sigid Kurniawan)

“The ongoing global economic and geopolitical volatility will not keep Indonesia and the Netherlands from advancing their long-standing cooperation” — that may be the right tone to begin the narrative on the state visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima to Indonesia.

On Tuesday, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo greeted the Dutch king and queen at Bogor Palace in West Java.

The visit sends the clear message that the two countries aspire to advance their ties going forward. It will surely create a new momentum for the Indonesian-Dutch partnership. The visit also instils not only increased confidence of Dutch investment in Indonesia but also strategic trust in the long run.

The visit produces numerous concrete deliverables in various sectors at the government-to-government as well as the business-to-business level. These include eight government initiatives in important sectors such as sustainable palm oil production, cooperation on infectious diseases control, waste management, the circular economy, water management, aviation cooperation, capacity-building of healthcare professionals, as well as women, peace and security.

On the business side, the king’s 190-strong business delegation has met with hundreds of Indonesian business counterparts and concluded investment and business deals amounting to US$1 billion. These include agreements on dairy products, oil and gas, agriculture, infrastructure and renewable energy.

However, these achievements did not come overnight. In fact, in the last seven decades, both sides have taken significant steps to strengthen bilateral ties.

I was the Indonesian ambassador in The Hague in 2013, when Indonesia and the Netherlands signed a joint declaration on a comprehensive partnership that laid out the modalities for concrete cooperation. This was an important building block to mature our bilateral cooperation into what we have today and what we will harvest tomorrow.

After more than 70 years, it is undeniable that the bond between the two countries has had its share of challenges. While we cannot deny the past of Indonesia-Netherlands relations, we can choose to fully capitalize on the potential of future cooperation for the benefit of both nations.

Read also: A time to remember

Therefore, the goal for our shared future must be clear, which is pursuing a forward-looking partnership that really benefits both countries and peoples.

There are three things that the two countries should advance together to attain common goals for a solid and mutually beneficial partnership.

First and fundamentally, both countries must remain committed to the common values of mutual respect and principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Second, the Indonesian-Dutch partnership must produce long-term and concrete economic benefits for our two peoples.

The Netherlands is and should continue to be Indonesia’s strategic partner for trade and investment. In 2019, the Netherlands was Indonesia’s largest investment partner in the European region, the second-largest trading partner and the fourth-largest tourism partner.

Our political solidarity in furthering the common cause of sustainability is also strong. In promoting sustainable palm oil in Europe, for instance, it is evident that we can rely on the Netherlands as our friend. Last year, together with my colleague, Sigrid Kaag, the Dutch minister for foreign trade and cooperation development, we signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on joint production of sustainable palm oil in New York, the United States. King Willem-Alexander’s current visit has also brought an impetus toward the progression of sustainable production of palm oil through the conclusion of a technical arrangement that will focus on capacity-building for Indonesian smallholder farmers.

This is a good reflection of how trust is an important pillar of bilateral cooperation, as also exemplified through the Netherlands’ support in the establishment of the Indonesia-European Union Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade in 2016.

Third, Indonesia and the Netherlands must continue to promote the universal common values of multilateralism, diplomacy and democracy, promoting habits of dialogue and peaceful dispute settlement to tackle shared global challenges amid rising tensions, intolerance and unilateralism.

Peacekeeping and counterterrorism are among our signature areas of collaboration on the world stage.

Indonesia and the Netherlands were among the core countries facilitating and supporting the Untied Nations' secretary-general’s Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative to rally member states and other crucial stakeholders to fulfil their obligation in strengthening UN peacekeeping operations.

Both nations also need to stand shoulder to shoulder in the global fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

Deepening the promotion of democracy, pluralism and tolerance are other important areas of cooperation to further develop. The Bali Democracy Forum could become the platform to jointly advance these shared values.

Women, peace and security shall be another hallmark of our bilateral cooperation. The partnership aspires to deepen the capacity of women to promote peace and security, in line with the formation of the ASEAN Women Mediators Network and the Afghanistan-Indonesia Women Network last March.

Read also: King Willem-Alexander, please recognize Indonesia’s Independence Day

In conclusion, another historical step was taken with the king of the Netherlands’ visit to Indonesia, in the very year when Indonesia celebrates its 75th year of independence.

The history binding our two countries together is not an easy one. This dark period should not be repeated in the future.

King Alexander stated that “today, we warmly congratulate the people of Indonesia as you celebrate 75 years of independence. The past cannot be erased and will have to be acknowledged by each generation in turn.” King Alexander also expressed his regret and apologized for excessive violence on the part of the Dutch in those years.

Let us together build a better and stronger relationship, one that is based on mutual respect and mutual interests.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.

King Willem-Alexander and Indonesian president Joko Widodo. Photo: AP Photo/
Achmad Ibrahim, Pool 

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Dutch King Returns Prince Diponegoro's Golden Kris to Jokowi

From left, Dutch Queen Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti, Dutch King Willem-Alexander, 
President Joko Widodo and Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim observe 
Prince Diponegoro's golden kris at the Bogor Palace in Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday. 
(Antara Photo/Sigid Kurniawan)

Bat for sale at Indonesia’s wildlife market despite virus warning

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Yahoo – AFP, February 12, 2020

Scientists are debating how the novel coronavirus, which has killed more than
1,100 people in China and spread to dozens of countries around the world,
was transmitted to humans (AFP Photo/Ronny Adolof Buol)

Bats, rats and snakes are still being sold at an Indonesian market known for its wildlife offerings, despite a government request to take them off the menu over fears of a link to the deadly coronavirus.

Vendors at the Tomohon Extreme Meat market on Sulawesi island say business is booming and curious tourists keep arriving to check out exotic fare that enrages animal rights activists.

But scientists are debating how the new virus, which has killed more than 1,100 people in China and spread to dozens of countries around the world, was transmitted to humans.

A wildlife market in Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus, is thought to be ground zero and there is suspicion it could have originated in bats.

The possible link wasn't on many radar screens at the Indonesian market, however.

Vendors at the Tomohon Extreme Meat market on Sulawesi island say
business is booming (AFP Photo/Ronny Adolof Buol)

Its grubby stalls feature a dizzying array of animals including giant snakes, rats impaled on sticks and charred dogs with their hair seared off by blowtorches -- a gory scene described by some critics as "like walking through hell".

Bat seller Stenly Timbuleng says he's still moving his fare for as much as 60,000 rupiah ($4.40) a kilogram to buyers in the area, where bats are a speciality in local cuisine.

"I'm selling between 40 and 60 kilograms every day," the 45-year-old told AFP.

"The virus hasn't affected sales. My customers still keep coming."

Restaurateur Lince Rengkuan -- who serves bats including their heads and wings stewed in coconut milk and spices -- says the secret is preparation.

"If you don't cook the bat well then of course it can be dangerous," she said.

Stalls at the Tomohon Extreme Meat market on Sulawesi island feature
a dizzying array of animals (AFP Photo/Ronny Adolof Buol)

"We cook it thoroughly and so far the number of customers hasn't gone down at all."

This despite a request from the local government and the health agency to take bats and other wildlife out of circulation -- a call that has been all but ignored.

"We're also urging people not to consume meat from animals suspected to be carriers of a fatal disease," said Ruddy Lengkong, head of the area's government trade and industry agency.

Indonesia has not yet reported a confirmed case of the virus.

In the capital Jakarta, vendors selling skinned snakes and cobra blood on a recent Saturday night didn't have any trouble finding takers.

"It's good for you, sir," said one vendor of his slithering fare.

"Cures and prevents all diseases."

Indonesia arrests nearly 200 over raging forest fires

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Yahoo – AFP, September 16, 2019

The fires -- usually started by illegal burning to clear land for farming -- have
unleashed choking haze across Southeast Asia (AFP Photo/ADEK BERRY)

Indonesia has arrested nearly 200 people over vast forest fires ripping across the archipelago, police said Monday, as toxic haze sends air quality levels plummeting and sparks flight cancellations.

Jakarta has deployed thousands of personnel to battle blazes that are turning land into charred landscapes and consuming forests in Sumatra and Borneo islands, where thousands of schools have been shut over health fears.

The fires -- usually started by illegal burning to clear land for farming -- have unleashed choking haze across Southeast Asia, triggering diplomatic tensions with Indonesia's neighbours.

On Monday, authorities said they had arrested some 185 people suspected of being involved in activities that led to out-of-control fires sweeping the country.

"Indonesian Police will enforce the law against anyone who is proven to have carried out forest and land burning, whether it was done intentionally or through negligence," National Police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo told reporters in Jakarta.

Indonesia's peat fires: a smouldering problem (AFP Photo/John SAEKI)

"This is a last resort. The most important thing is prevention."

Four corporations were also being investigated, he added.

Last week, Indonesia sealed off dozens of plantations where smog-belching fires were blazing, and warned that owners -- including Malaysia and Singapore-based firms -- could face criminal charges if there was evidence of illegal burning.

Some of the most serious fires occur in peatlands, which are highly combustible when drained of water to be converted into agricultural plantations.

Thick haze in Borneo -- where air quality levels have plummeted to "dangerous" levels in some areas -- caused the cancellation of about a dozen flights Sunday, national airline Garuda said.

Rival Lion Air said about 160 Borneo flights had been affected at the weekend.

Meanwhile, nearly 150,000 people have been treated for acute respiratory infections linked to the haze in recent months, according to Indonesian health authorities.

Nearly 150,000 people have been treated for acute respiratory infections 
linked to the haze in recent months (AFP Photo/Str)

While forest fires are an annual problem, the situation this year has been worsened by drier weather in Indonesia, with diplomatic tensions soaring as toxic smog drifts over to neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore.

The haze pushed Singapore's air quality to unhealthy levels for the first time in three years at the weekend.

In 2015, Indonesia suffered its worst forest fires for almost two decades, which dramatically increased its greenhouse gas emissions.

Huge fires tearing through the Amazon are also compounding concerns about the long-term impact of such blazes on keeping global temperature levels stable.

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Indonesia eyes moving capital from congested Jakarta

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Yahoo – AFP, April 29, 2019

Jakarta is home to some 30 million people and is also one of the world's fastest
sinking cities due to excessive groundwater extraction (AFP Photo/ADEK BERRY)

Jakarta (AFP) - Indonesia is considering a plan to move its capital away from sprawling megalopolis Jakarta, officials said Monday, but any jump to a new city could still be years away.

The idea of moving Indonesia's seat of government from an urban conglomeration of nearly 30 million people with some of the world's worst traffic jams has stretched on for decades.

Low-lying Jakarta is also prone to annual flooding and is one of the world's fastest sinking cities due to excessive groundwater extraction.

On Monday, urban planning minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said the long-stalled relocation plan won approval from President Joko Widodo who favoured moving the capital away from Indonesia's most populous Java island.

Jakarta, which suffers billions of dollars in annual congestion-and-flood linked economic losses, would remain the country's financial hub.

"(Widodo) decided on ... the option to relocate the capital," Brodjonegoro said after a cabinet meeting.

In a statement before the meeting, Widodo expressed support for the idea, but he did not give an alternate location or a timeline for any move.

"In the future, would Jakarta be able to carry the double burden of being both the centre of government and its business centre?" he asked in the statement.

"If we prepare well from the very beginning, this great (relocation) idea could be realised," he added.

During his re-election campaign, Widodo pledged to spread economic growth more evenly in the nation of 260 million.

He won a second term this month, according to unofficial poll results.

Local media have reported that a possible new capital would be Palangkaraya city on the island of Borneo.

The Netherlands overtakes Switzerland in world competitiveness stakes

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DutchNews, May 24, 2018


The Netherlands has overtaken Switzerland and moved into fourth place in the latest global competitiveness rankings published by IMD. 

The top five most competitive economies in the world remain the same as in the previous year, but their order changed in the 2018 rankings. The United States, third last year, returns to the top spot, followed by Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Switzerland. 

The Netherlands’ advance reflects a ‘balanced’ path to competitiveness, ranking in the top 10 in economic performance, government and business efficiency, IMD said. Switzerland declined mainly due to a slowdown in exports and, to a lesser extent, an increase in perceptions about threats of relocation of R&D facilities. 

The IMD World Competitiveness Center, a research group at IMD business school in Switzerland, has published the rankings every year since 1989. It compiles them using 258 indicators.

‘Hard’ data such as national employment and trade statistics are weighted twice as much as the ‘soft’ data from an executive opinion survey that measures the business perception of issues such as corruption, environmental concerns and quality of life. This year 63 countries were ranked. 

The Netherlands is also currently ranked 4th on the World Economic Forum‘s list of the 138 most competitive countries, behind Switzerland, the United States and Singapore.

Accident Suspected in Death of Matahari Founder

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Jakarta Globe, March 11, 2018

Hari Darmawan was found dead on Saturday (10/03). (B1 Photo)

Jakarta.Hari Darmawan who established Indonesia's largest retail company Matahari Department Store was found dead on Saturday (10/03). His body was pulled from the Ciliwung River near his villa in Bogor, West Java.

It is suspected that Hari, 77, fell into the river when he went to check its overflow the night before.

His family decided to bring the body to Bali for burial.

Hari was last seen at the villa around 8 p.m. on Friday, after a series of meetings, said Ilham Fadjriansah, the family's spokesman and manager of Taman Wisata Matahari.

"It was raining heavily all day long. It's possible that Mr. Darmawan decided to monitor the Ciliwung River's overflow, but lost his balance and fell into the waters," Ilham said.

The police found Hari's body one kilometer away at 6 a.m. on Saturday, after an overnight search.

West Java Police chief Ins. Gen. Agung Budi Maryoto said the police are now questioning witnesses to determine the cause of Hari's of death.

Hari, born on May 27, 1940, had a reputation of being a successful but humble businessman. He opened the first Matahari outlet — Indonesia's first modern department store — in Pasar Baru, Jakarta, in 1972. The company, which is now part of the Lippo Group, operates 156 stores in 73 cities.

"Mr. Hari was a fighter, a true entrepreneur, who built Matahari Department Store and created vast employment opportunities," said James Riady, the chief executive of the Lippo Group.

"He was a good person, friendly, always willing to help others. ... We will pray and hope for God's blessings and solace for his grieving family."

Local King Koil Assembler Upbeat About Consumer Purchasing Power, Eyes Expansion to E. Indonesia

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Jakarta Globe, Muhamad Al Azhari, November 25, 2017

Duta Abadi Primantara, a local company that holds licenses for some international
mattress brands, is upbeat about its future business due to expected growth of
consumer buying power in years to come. The company is also eyeing a major
expansion to the eastern part of Indonesia. (Photo courtesy of Duta Abadi Primantara)

Jakarta.Duta Abadi Primantara, a local company that holds licenses for some international mattress brands, is upbeat about its future business due to the expected growth of consumer buying power in years to come. The company is also eyeing a major expansion to the eastern part of Indonesia.

The company, first established in the 1990s, currently has four factories and 13 assemble point facilities in Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Bali and Kalimantan.

DAP holds licenses to locally assemble high-end mattresses for brands based in the United States, including Aireloom, King Koil, Serta and Tempur. The company has its own locally-manufactured mattress brand, called Florence, that targets medium- to low- income customers.

King Koil and Serta are the leaders in the premium segment of the mattress industry in Indonesia.

Anthony Setiawan, the vice president director of Duta Abadi, said the company has seen a healthy single digit revenue growth over the past few years and is bullish about future businesses.

"There has been a slowdown [in economic growth], we felt it too, but buying power is predicted to increase in the future, a lot research has shown. Also, we noted an interesting fact that people in Indonesia are now more aware that quality sleep is important. If you look at the statistics, people spend a third of their time sleeping. It is very important that they sleep well," said Anthony, who is the second generation of the family who founded and owns DAP.

Indonesia’s economy expanded at a slower pace in the third quarter this year compared to market expectations, a disappointing outcome for the country as a slowdown in private consumption dragged overall growth.

The economy expanded 5.06 percent year-on-year in the third quarter, just slightly higher than a 5.01 percent year-on-year growth in the previous quarter. The third quarter figure is lower than the median estimate from polling by Reuters and Bloomberg, which showed figures of 5.13 percent and 5.2 percent growth respectively.

Despite the fact that Indonesia’s economy expanded at around 5 percent on average over the last five years, government officials and economists generally remain upbeat over growth outlook in the near term, thanks to new infrastructure development, an expected rebound in commodity prices and more investment in the country.

Anthony said about 80 percent of his company's products are sold to end-customers, while the remainder are bought by hospitality industries like hotels and healthcare operators like hospitals.

"We started the business in the 1990s with Florence mattress. This is our first brand,  which we manufactured and distributed. Then, in 1996, we acquired the exclusive license for King Koil in the United States," Anthony told the Jakarta Globe on the sidelines of Hotel Week, a three-day exhibition and conference that gathers players in hospitality industry.

He said DAP then expanded to acquire exclusive licenses to assemble mattresses for Serta, Tempur and Aireloom.

Anthony said the company imports raw materials for its premium mattress brands but assembles them in Indonesia. DAP currently has a comprehensive distribution network in Indonesia that covers Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Bali, East Nusa Tenggara and Kalimantan.

He said the next stage of expansion will be targeted to the eastern part of the country to capture the higher purchasing power of people and benefits from expansions of hotel operators in the region.

"The hospitality industry is very important for us. When we started marketing King Koil, our first customer was the Mulia hotel in Senayan. From this, we started being acknowledged among five-star hotels. This continues until now as hotel owners and operators are getting more aware that mattress are one of the most important factors in their hospitality services," Anthony said.

"For customers, when they stay at a particular hotel, when they feel they have a good sleep and rest, they will look at the brand of the mattress, usually they may be encouraged to buy the same at home."

DAP has also started to tap into the hospital market due to more attention in the sector from the government.

"There is a specific requirement if we want to tap into the hospital bed mattress, for electronic-adjustable bed, there is a certain certification that a manufacturer and supplier must secure, currently we cooperate with a certain supplier [of hospital beds], but we are working on the way of making our own [electronic-adjustable mattress]," Anthony added.

DAP currently holds the exclusive license to assemble and distribute King Koil products in Indonesia and China and distribute Serta products in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

TOP 10 Indonesia stocks and market updates from iDX 2015

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Indonesian stocks are poised to climb as much as 10 percent to record highs by year-end as infrastructure spending revives economic growth, according to the nation’s biggest mutual-fund manager.

corporate guy

Here are well-known Indonesian stocks. See the Jakarta Composite Index, the benchmark index that includes stocks listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX).

 

Alam sutera Realty ASRI.JK
Astra International ASII.JK
Bank Central Asia BBCA.JK
Bank Mandiri BMRI.JK
Bank Negara Indonesia BBNI.JK
Bumi Resources BUMI.JK
Energi Mega Persada ENRG.JK
Hanson International MYRX.JK
Indofood Sukses Makmur INDF.JK
Kawasan Industri Jababeka KIJA.

 

Indonesian President Joko Widodo plans to spend $22 billion on infrastructure development in 2015 to help revive Southeast Asia’s biggest economy from the weakest expansion in at least five years.

Exchange
Announcement related to Listed Companies, Exchange Members and other information from IDX.

IDXNet
Announcement released by Listed Companies through Electronic Reporting System IDXNET.

NEWS

 

“Institutional Investor Day 2015” Mempertemukan Investor Institusi dengan Emiten
22-Apr-2015

Di tahun ini, BEI kembali menyelenggarakan Institutional Investor Day 2015. Berlangsung selama 2 (dua) hari pada 22-23 April 2015, acara ini bertujuan untuk menempatkan BEI sebagai fasilitator untuk mempertemukan investor institusi, analis anggota bursa, dan para manajer investasi dengan 16 emiten terpilih.

http://www.idx.co.id/Home/NewsAndAnnouncement/News/ReadNews/tabid/365/ItemID/e60f043c-b7b0-438f-8f18-f1e5d2b2f786/language/en-US/Default.aspx

 

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Indonesia Exposure to Global Risk is Limited: IMF

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Jakarta Globe, July 21, 2011

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Indonesiafaces limited exposure to a large exit of foreign capital at a time of globalrisk aversion due to strong fundamentals and relatively low dependence onexternal demand, the IMF said on Thursday.

TheInternational Monetary Fund cited the country’s strong export growth, includingin manufacturing, and said the continued flexibility of the rupiah’s exchangerate would help protect against volatile cash inflows.

Thecomments come as Indonesia’s central bank tries to cap huge inflows of foreigncash from investors seeking higher interest rates than in the West, which itfears could trigger economic instability.

“IndonesianGDP growth is projected to remain robust at around 6.5 percent in 2011--12,”the IMF said in a statement following a consultation with Indonesian officialsand central bankers.

“Increasesin both foreign and domestic investment are supporting growth, whileaccelerating credit growth and expected reductions in energy subsidies shouldpush core inflation modestly higher this year and into 2012,” it said.

The fundalso urged Indonesia to reduce fuel subsidies so that it could boost spendingon infrastructure and social welfare.

IMF,however, said there was a risk of higher inflation if the government cut energysubsidies, and that the central bank would need to “act decisively” if thegovernment took that course.

Agence France-Presse

Foreign Direct Investment in Indonesia Up 21% in Q2

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Jakarta Globe, July 21, 2011

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Foreigndirect investment in Indonesia rose 21 percent in the second quarter of 2011from a year ago, as strong commodity prices attracted investors into the miningsector, the government said on Thursday.

FDI fromApril to June was Rp 43.1 trillion ($5 billion), which followed $4.6 billion offoreign investment in the first quarter, the country’s investment board (BKPM)said.

This tookFDI in the first six months to just short of a half of its full year target fora record Rp 156 trillion this year. Last year foreign investment into Indonesiareached a record Rp 148 trillion.

SoutheastAsia’s largest economy has been a hot destination for foreign investors in thepast two years due to its resilient economic growth, abundant resources,emerging middle class and political stability.

Reuters