Month: December 2023

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Indonesia Makes Big Deals with 4 Singaporean Companies

The Indonesian government has entered into an agreement with 4 Singaporean companies to encourage investment growth in Special Economic Zones.
“The signing of three MoUs between the Singhasari Special Economic Zone and several companies in Singapore is a concrete manifestation of the enormous investment opportunities in the Special Economic Zone, especially in the fields of manufacturing, digital economy and education,” said Plt. Secretariat General of the National Council for Special Economic Zones, Susiwijono Moegiarso in a written statement, Thursday (30/11/2023)
The signing of the first MoU between BUPP Singhasari Special Economic Zone and Kydon Holdings for the development of EduTech, represented by Janice Chang. Edu Tech is a solution to achieve equality and expansion of access to education.
Furthermore, the signing of an MoU for partnership development with Doughwitt, related to fund management and investment activities in the technology and non-technology sectors. The next MoU is a collaboration between the Singhasari Special Economic Zone and Millet Holdings Pte. Ltd., and Timbre Group Pte. Ltd., for community empowerment through creation, marketing and joint investment in Indonesia.
Susiwijono added that investment opportunities in Indonesia are very large. Therefore, foreign companies can take advantage of this. “Indonesia has a lot to offer investors. We have the advantages of an economic trifecta, strong economic growth, a large population and a demographic bonus period, as well as abundant resources,” he said.
Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore Suryo Pratomo said that the cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore would bring together the interests of the two countries.
“I believe that today’s MoU signing event marks the start of your project and investment in the Special Economic Zone, but there are still many follow-up actions that need to be carried out in the near future,” said Suryo on the same occasion.

November 30, 2023, CNBC Indonesia
(https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/news/20231130122631-4-493333/ri-jalin-kesepakatan-besar-dengan-4-perusahaan-singapura)

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Indonesia Explores QRIS Cooperation with Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates

Bank Indonesia expands the cooperation between cross-border payment connectivity using the Indonesian Standard (QRIS) Quick Response Code. QRIS can later be used in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
The use of QRIS in Saudi Arabia according to Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo said this could be useful for the Indonesian people who performed Umrah and Hajj to shop in the Holy Land. Similar to the United Arab Emirates, Perry Warjiyo said that his party had signed a memorandum of understanding or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Arab Emirates. He said this would make it easier for Indonesian people who would be on vacation, for example to Dubai, they could shop using QRIS.
“We have just signed with the United Arab Emirates, so that later if we go to Dubai and all kinds can use QRIS. And now we are exploring Saudi Arabia, the Umrah, Hajj to use QRIS and BI Fast. That is the expansion of expansion,” Perry said in Birama 2023 event at the Bank Indonesia Office, Central Jakarta, Thursday (11/30/2023).
In addition, Bank Indonesia also plans to expand the implementation of QRIS to Japan, China to India. This is the increasing extent of the implementation of QRIS not only with countries in ASEAN.
“And QRIS BI Fast, so we have to expand. Not only to ASEAN four countries, but we are also talking to Japan, we can be a ceremony with China, and one more India,” he explained.
On a different occasion, the Executive Director of Bank Indonesia Communication Department Erwin Haryono explained, initially BI wanted to first work with Saudi Arabia. However, the system in the country is not ready for the implementation of QRIS. Therefore, the implementation of QRIS’s implementation with the United Arab Emirates, considering that many Indonesian migrant workers work in the country.
“I was going with Saudi Arabia because for those who are Hajj Umrah. But the system there is not ready. The United Arab Emirates were finally chosen first because they were ready first and many migrants there,” he explained.
Previously, Perry had revealed that QRIS would be expanded to a number of countries. After Singapore, said Perry, QRIS will be expanded to India, Japan, China, to the United Arab Emirates.
“Fifth, the expansion of the cooperation between QRIS and BI Fast in ASEAN. Also, to India, Japan, China, the United Arab Emirates and a number of other countries, integration with the Local Currency Transaction,” he said at the Annual Meeting of Bank Indonesia (PTBI) at Grha Bhasvara Icchana, Bank Indonesia (BI) Headquarters Complex, Central Jakarta, Wednesday (11/29/2023).
The plan is part of Bank Indonesia’s efforts to encourage a digital payment system in 2024. Bank Indonesia also targets the national financial economic acceleration.

November 30, 2023, detikFinance
(https://finance.detik.com/moneter/d-7065201/ri-arab-saudi-jajaki-kerja-sama-QRIS-bidik-jemaah-haji-umrah)
(https://finance.detik.com/moneter/d-7065087/ri-uea-teken-kerja-sama-QRIS-nanti-bisa-dipakai-di-dubai)

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Indonesia-Thailand Ready to Strengthen Food Security in the ASEAN Region

The Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, Andi Amran Sulaiman held a bilateral meeting with the Ambassador of Thailand Papan Disatate. This meeting aims to invite the Thai government together to strengthen food security in the ASEAN regional region. According to him, Thailand and Indonesia both have a lot of experience in making swamps into productive land.
“Thailand turns out to have experience in managing dry and wet land (Swampland and Whiteland). Now we will try collaborating with them because we have managed 400 thousand hectares,” Amran said, in a written statement, Tuesday (11/28/2023).
“We are collaborating. Who knows there is technology that we can use, and our technology can be used as well. We are intended for optimization of swamp land whose potential for the agricultural sector has 10 million hectares,” he continued.
It is known, Indonesia is currently focusing on increasing the production of strategic commodities to reduce import policies that have reached 3.5 million tons. One of them is by optimizing 10 million hectares of swamp land spread throughout Indonesia, between in South Sumatra, South Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, Riau, Bengkulu, South Sulawesi and other regions.
“God willing, hopefully in the near future we will optimize all of this because the problem of rice is a global problem is no longer a national problem. We start this December 2023. Now we must collaborate between countries,” Amran said.
Minister of Agriculture added that an increase in production must be done considering that currently the Central Asian region is facing the same crisis threat, the food crisis. In addition, Indonesia is also faced with import policies that must be suppressed through self-sufficiency achievements.
“We do have to suppress imports by increasing production. Therefore, we use water management technology with good water circulation so that rice grows well. I ask for December to meet, we must move quickly because this is a world problem not only Indonesia’s problem,” said Amran.
Amran added that cooperation with swamp land optimization was not only with Thailand, but also several other countries. Meetings with other countries will be scheduled in the near future.
“Our hope is not only an increase in rice production to press imports but also we target rice exports to Thailand. We can prove the export. We must be successful in rice. This can definitely be,” Amran pleaded.
Thailand’s ambassador to the Papan Disjected Indonesia said that collaboration and food cooperation with Indonesia had been carried out for a long time, especially in strengthening food security in the ASEAN region.
As is known, Indonesia and Thailand have an agricultural MoU that includes market and investment access. The MoU according to Papan provides a strong foundation for Thailand to collaborate in various aspects to encourage sustainable agricultural development. Papan added that this meeting also strengthened the commitment between Indonesia and Thailand to have the same attention to the importance of rice as the staple food of the community.

November 28, 2023, detikFinance
(https://finance.detik.com/berita-ekonomi-bisnis/d-7060992/ri-thailand-siap-perkuat-ketahanan-pangan-di-kawasan-asean)

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Jokowi Inaugurates the Largest Gas Producing Project in Indonesia

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) Mega Project (Migas) Tangguh Train 3 in Bintuni Bay, West Papua, Friday (11/24/2023). This is the largest gas producing field in Indonesia.
“Thank God, today we will inaugurate the Tangguh Train 3 project, the largest natural gas producer in Indonesia. And also, we will be a groundbreaking project (field development), Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) and Blue Ammonia projects, and the oil and gas field project Red Kido smoke, “Jokowi said during the inauguration.
Tangguh Train 3 is a national strategic project that consumes an investment of US $ 4.83 billion or IDR 72.45 trillion. It is hoped that this project can increase significant natural gas liquid natural gas (LNG) production.
“This project will increase the annual production capacity of LNG to 11.4 million tons per year and contribute significantly to support the gas production target of 12 cubic feet per day by 2030,” Jokowi said.
As for this investment, Jokowi hopes that the absorption of labor from the surrounding area is large, where currently 70% are workers from the provinces of West Papua and Papua.
“And I hear that there is a new target in 2029 reaching 85 percent (labor) is very good and 105 LNG refinery and maintenance technicians are the sons and daughters of West Papua and Indonesia who have been recruited since high schools undergoing an educational program from BP Berau Ltd,” he said.

November 24, 2023, CNBC Indonesia
(https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/news/20231124083047-4-491643/top-jokowi-resmikan-proyek-penghasil-gas-terbesar-di-ri)

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Indonesian Language is Established as the Official Language of the UNESCO General Conference

The Indonesian language was successfully established as the official language at the General Conference on the Organization of Education, Scientific, and Culture of the United Nations or UNESCO. The decision was determined at the Headquarters of UNESCO Paris, France, on Monday (11/20).
The Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to France-Andorra-Monako, Mohamad Oemar, stated that the determination made Indonesian the 10th official language recognized by the UNESCO General Conference. The other nine languages that are recognized are English, Arabic, Mandarin, French, Spanish, Russia, Hindi, Italy, and Portuguese.
“Indonesian has become a unifying force since the pre-independence period, especially through the Youth Pledge in 1928, so as to be able to connect various ethnic groups in Indonesia,” Oemar said.
The determination was marked by the adoption of a resolution of 42 C/28 consensus in the Plenary Session of the 42nd General Conference of UNESCO. Oemar mentioned that Indonesian, with more than 275 million speakers, was worldwide with the inclusion of the Indonesian language curriculum in 52 countries. And at present, there are at least 150 thousand foreign speakers who are active in Indonesian.
“Indonesia’s active leadership at the global level began since the Asian-African Conference in Bandung in 1955, which became the seeds of the formation of non-alignment groups. Indonesia has a strong commitment to continue leadership and positive contribution to the international world,” he said.
This contribution, he continued, was marked by collaboration with other countries in overcoming global challenges, through the role of Indonesia’s agriculture in the G20 forum in 2022 and ASEAN in 2023. He also emphasized that this recognition could increase awareness of Indonesian, as well as part of global efforts to develop inter -nation connectivity, strengthen cooperation with UNESCO, and part of Indonesia’s commitment to cultural development at the international level.
“Recognition of Indonesian as the official language of the UNESCO General Conference will have a positive impact on peace, harmony, and achievement of sustainable development goals not only at the national level, but also throughout the world,” he said.
The efforts of the Indonesian government to propose Indonesian as the official language of the UNESCO General Conference are one of the implementations of the mandate of Article 44 paragraph (1) of Law Number 24 of 2009 concerning the State Flag, Language, and Symbols, as well as the national anthem, which reads, “The government increases The function of Indonesian becomes an international language gradually, systematically, and sustainable. “
This proposal is also an effort of De Jure (based on law) so that the Indonesian language gets the official language status of an international institution, after de facto (based on facts), the Indonesian government has built Indonesian foreign speakers in 52 countries.

November 21, 2023, detikNews
(https://news.detik.com/berita/d-7047894/bahasa-indonesia-ditetapkan-jadi-bahasa-resmi-konferensi-umum-unesco)