Page 7 - Indonesia

Indonesia expects to sign $3.5 bn business deals at 2nd Africa forum

"The partnership between Indonesia and Africa so far has significantly increased trade volumes and trade agreements," President Joko Widodo said during his opening speech for the forum on Monday

Indian woman falls into sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur, video goes viral

Indian national Vijaya Lakshmi Gali was on her Malaysia trip of two months with her husband and several friends; they were supposed to return on Saturday

Politics becoming family biz in Southeast Asia despite large democracies

Tapping into family lore helps with this generation's allure for voters. The child of a formidable political force has been elevated in Thailand, too

Indonesia seeks ways to balance local industries with high Chinese imports

A flood of Chinese products into Indonesia has hit local manufacturers hard, prompting the government to look for ways to placate domestic producers while avoiding angering the country's biggest trading partner. Garment makers both home-based piece work producers and factories have appealed for help as they lose market share to low-cost apparel and textiles from China. A surge of products bought online has added to the problem. A protest by workers in Jakarta prompted Indonesian Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan to announce in July that the government will impose import tariffs of up to 200% on some products from China, particularly textiles, clothing, footwear, electronics, ceramics and cosmetics, to try to protect local businesses and prevent layoffs. The United States can impose a 200% tariff on imported ceramics or clothes, so we can do it as well," Zulkifli said, to ensure micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises and industries survive and thrive. But China is Indonesia's .

Outgoing Indonesian president names Prabowo Subian aides to cabinet

Most of the new appointments are close to Prabowo

Indonesia celebrates Nusantara, the new capital struggling to take shape

Located about 800 miles northeast of Jakarta, construction of Nusantara involves five phases, to be completed by 2045, the govt intends to shift some 1.9 mn people from Jakarta to ease congestion

Indonesia's Prez highlights economic, infra development in final address

Indonesia's outgoing President Joko Widodo highlighted advances in the economy and infrastructure during his final State of the Nation address Friday. Widodo said that in the 10 years he's led the country, his administration controlled inflation, reduced rates of unemployment and extreme poverty, and built new infrastructure in parts of Indonesia that were difficult to reach and with limited resources. Furthermore, our resilience as a nation has been proven by our endurance in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, in facing climate change, and in facing the escalating global geopolitics, Widodo said. The Southeast Asian nation plays a crucial role in the economic and political dynamics of a region where global powers have been increasingly at odds over Taiwan, human rights issues, U.S. military presence, and Beijing's assertive actions in contested areas like the South China Sea. As a tropical archipelago on the equator, Indonesia has the world's third-largest rainforest, home to diverse

Ex-Indonesian agriculture minister sentenced to 10 years for corruption

Indonesia's anti-graft court sentenced a former agriculture minister to 10 years in prison Thursday after finding him guilty of corruption-related extortion, abuse of power and bribery involving ministry contracts with private vendors. The case has tarnished President Joko Widodo's credibility in fighting corruption. Five other members of Widodo's Cabinet have been sentenced to prison terms in corruption cases, casting a shadow over his efforts to clean up government while his term will end in October. The court in the capital, Jakarta, ruled that the former Cabinet minister, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, was guilty of abusing his power by enriching himself and other officials. It also ordered him to pay a 300 million rupiah ($18,500) fine, and said he would be subject to another four months' imprisonment if he fails to pay. The defendant has legally and convincingly been proven guilty of corruption, presiding Judge Rianto Adam Pontoh said. He wasn't a good example as a public official, what

Search underway for dozens buried in Indonesian landslide that killed 23

Search efforts for those trapped in a deadly landslide intensified Wednesday, with more rescuers deployed to search an unauthorized gold mine on Indonesia's Sulawesi island that saw 23 deaths over the weekend. More than 100 villagers were digging for grains of gold Sunday in the remote and hilly village of Bone Bolango in Gorontalo province when tons of mud plunged down the surrounding hills and buried their makeshift camps. The provincial Search and Rescue Office said Wednesday that 81 villagers managed to escape from the landslide, several of them pulled out by rescuers, including 18 with injuries. It said 23 bodies were recovered, including a 4-year-old boy, while 33 others were missing. More than 1,000 personnel, including army troops, were deployed to increase the strength of search efforts, said Edy Prakoso, the National Search and Rescue Agency's operation director. He said the Indonesian Air Force would send a helicopter as it was the only way to speed up the rescue operati

Pope to preside over interfaith meet in Indonesian mosque during Asia visit

Pope Francis will preside over an interfaith meeting in a mosque in the world's largest predominantly Muslim country during a four-nation Asian visit in September that will be the longest and most complicated foreign trip of his pontificate. The Vatican on Friday released the itinerary for Francis' September 2-13 trip to Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and Singapore. The packed schedule makes clear that the 87-year-old pontiff, who has battled health problems and is increasingly reliant on a wheelchair, has no plans to slow down. After a day of rest upon arrival in Jakarta on September 3, Francis launches into a typically rigorous round of protocol visits to the four countries' heads of state and government, speeches to diplomats and meetings with clergy and public Masses in each location. In Jakarta, he'll preside over an interfaith meeting at the capital's Istiqlal Mosque. Sprinkled in the mix are encounters with young people, poor and disabled people, elderly people and

Indonesia plans free entry visas for Indian tourists by Oct: Details here

Indonesia is looking at more quality tourist arrivals - people who stay longer and spend more on the local economy

After deal with Tokopedia, ByteDance confirms its layoff plan in Indonesia

ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, did not say how many employees would be affected. Bloomberg had earlier reported there would be 450 jobs cut.

PV exports rise by 268K units in last 4 years; Maruti's biggest gainer

Passenger vehicle exports from India rose by 2.68 lakh units in the last four financial years with Maruti Suzuki India accounting for nearly 70 per cent of the incremental shipments during the period. As per the industry data, passenger vehicle exports in the 2020-21 fiscal stood at 4,04,397 units. It rose to 5,77,875 units in the 2021-22 fiscal year and to 6,62,703 units in 2022-23 financial year. Last fiscal, exports stood at 6,72,105 units, an increase of 2,67,708 units since 2020-21. In the last three fiscal years, Maruti Suzuki has accounted for 70 per cent of the incremental 2,67,708 units across the industry which were shipped to overseas markets. The auto major's export shipment increased by 1,85,774 units between FY21 and FY24. When contacted, Maruti Suzuki India Executive Officer Corporate Affairs Rahul Bharti said that factors like addition of more models, adherence to global production standards and tie-up with Toyota have helped in ramping up the exports' volume. He

Over $23 bn of sustainable infra projects identified at IPEF eco forum meet

As many as 69 sustainable infrastructure projects worth over USD 23 billion of investment opportunities were identified at the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) clean economy investor forum meet in Singapore, according to a statement. The statement of Singapore's ministry of trade and economy, which hosted the meet, out of the 69 projects, 20 investment-ready projects worth about USD 6 billion were presented to investors at business matching sessions. Remaining projects worth about USD 17 billion were also identified as potential investment opportunities in future. The forum brought together about 300 participants from the Indo-Pacific region's top investors, cutting-edge project proponents, innovative start-up entrepreneurs, ministers and senior government officials. The Indian delegation was led by Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal. Organised by Singapore's ministry alongside the 13 other IPEF partners, the forum aims to facilitate high-quality business and .

Indonesia's Mount Ibu erupts, spewing red lava, dark clouds into sky

Indonesia's Mount Ibu spewed red lava and thick grey ash clouds that towered 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) into the sky during a two-minute eruption Tuesday morning. The eruption spewed thick ash toward the volcano's west and northwest sides, said Muhammad Wafid, chief of Indonesia's Geology Agency. A timelapse video distributed by Indonesia's Geological agency shows red sparks at the top of the volcano followed by a thick column of ash. The video was recorded from an observation post located next to an evacuation site in a field at Gam Ici village. Several evacuation tents were erected nearby. Mount Ibu has been continually erupting almost every day since early May. Indonesian authorities raised an eruption alert to the highest level following a series of eruptions, as thousands of deep volcanic earthquakes and visual activities from Mount Ibu have significantly increased. Authorities urged people to stay at least 7 kilometers (4.4 miles) from the 1,325-meter (4,347-foot) ...

India, Indonesia stand out for emerging market investors in ageing world

The investors are focusing on the two nations in emerging Asia, thanks in part to an expected boom in infrastructure spending, which in turn bodes well for the countries' economies

Musk arrives in Indonesia to launch Starlink satellite internet service

Elon Musk arrived in Indonesia's resort island of Bali on Sunday to launch Starlink satellite internet service in the world's largest archipelago nation. The billionaire head of Tesla and SpaceX and owner of social platform X arrived by private jet on the idyllic island of the gods, which is renowned for its tropical beaches, terraced rice paddies, mystical temples and colorful spiritual offerings. Musk is slated to launch the service alongside Indonesian President Joko Widodo in a ceremony later Sunday at a public health clinic in Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali. Musk will also sign an agreement on enhancing connectivity in the country's health and education sectors, said Indonesia's Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, who welcomed Musk at the airport. Pandjaitan, a close ally of Widodo, did not provide more details about the agreement between the Indonesian government and Musk's SpaceX, the aerospace company that operates Starlink ...

India, Australia, Indonesia conclude trilateral maritime security workshop

"The Workshop was conducted under the aegis of Headquarters Southern Naval Command and witnessed participation of delegates from the three participating Navies," the release added

Elon Musk scheduled to visit Indonesia for Starlink's launch: Minister

Minister Luhut Pandjaitan, a close ally of President Joko Widodo, said Musk would launch the service on the holiday island of Bali alongside the Indonesian leader

Flash floods, cold lava flow hit Sumatra, Indonesia, killing 15 people

Heavy rains and torrents of cold lava and mud flowing down a volcano's slopes on Indonesia's Sumatra island triggered flash floods that killed at least 15 people and injured several others, officials said Sunday. Monsoon rains and a major mudslide from a cold lava flow on Mount Marapi caused a river to breach its banks and tear through mountainside villages in Agam and Tanah Datar districts in West Sumatra province just before midnight on Saturday. The floods swept away people and submerged more than 100 houses and buildings, National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said. Cold lava, also known as lahar, is a mixture of volcanic material and pebbles that flow down a volcano's slopes in the rain. By Sunday, rescuers had pulled out 11 bodies in the worst-hit village of Canduang and recovered four other bodies in the neighbouring village of Sungai Pua, Muhari said. The agency said in a statement that at least seven villagers were injured by the flash floods, and ..