GENERAL NEWS AND HEADLINES

Minister Tjahjo proposes dissolution of 18 more government agencies
Kompas (https://tinyurl.com/y35e72ju); The Jakarta Post (https://tinyurl.com/y2mdd8ac)

Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Tjahjo Kumolo has revealed that he has presented President Joko “Jokowi’ Widodo with a list of 18 more government agencies that could be disbanded.

“The Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry has proposed, through the State Secretariat and the Cabinet Secretariat, a list of 18 government agencies to the President,” Tjahjo told Kompas earlier today.

“We are currently waiting for the State Secretariat’s review,” Tjahjo added.

President Jokowi disbanded 18 government agencies through the issuance of Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 82/2020 on Monday as part of his commitment to simplify the bureaucracy and alleviate budget constraints amid the ongoing health emergency.

 

Ganjar Pranowo ranks first in presidential electability survey
Detik (https://tinyurl.com/y6qhqhkx)

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo is trending upward as a potential candidate for the 2024 presidential race, according to the latest survey from pollster Indikator Politik Indonesia, which was conducted from July 13 to 16.

The survey revealed that 16.2 percent of the 1,200 respondents said they would vote for Ganjar if the election was held now. Ganjar’s electability rating increased 4.4 percent in this month’s survey compared to a similar survey conducted by the same pollster in May.

The survey also revealed that Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan’s electability rating had increased 4.6 percent to 15 percent, compared to the survey conducted in May, which saw Anies’ electability rating at 10.4 percent.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto saw his electability continue to drop, falling to 13.5 percent in this month’s survey, from 14.1 percent and 22.2 percent in the May and February surveys, respectively.

 

Potential COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Indonesia for clinical trial
The Jakarta Post (https://tinyurl.com/yylmyu8t)

A potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by China-based biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech arrived in Indonesia on Sunday.

Foreign Ministry acting spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah said that the potential vaccine had been delivered to state-owned pharmaceutical holding company PT Bio Farma for a clinical trial.

He said the Foreign Ministry only facilitated the distribution from China to Indonesia and Bio Farma had collaborated with Sinovac Biotech to allow a transfer of technology and vaccine material between the two companies.

He added that the vaccine materials sent from China would be formulated in Bio Farma’s facilities. The Phase 3 trial in Indonesia will involve nearly 1,600 volunteers and be funded by Bio Farma.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS NEWS AND HEADLINES

Sri Mulyani adds Rp 5 trillion stimulus for regional governments
Kontan, (https://tinyurl.com/y562lugx) 

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has added a Rp 5 trillion (US$338.6 million) stimulus for regional governments. The stimulus was added through the issuance of Finance Ministerial Regulation (PMK) No. 87/PMK.07/2020. It will be used to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives, sellers at traditional markets, the social safety net program and the health sector in an effort to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 at the regional level. The stimulus will be disbursed three times, specifically in July, September and October this year.

 

Bulog to build new storage facilities to support food-estate program
Investor Daily, (https://tinyurl.com/y6fkp2wc); Republika, (https://tinyurl.com/y6zffw7j) 

The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) has acquired a piece of land in Pulang Pisau regency, Central Kalimantan, to build rice mills and storage facilities in support of the government’s food-estate development program. Bulog president director Budi Waseso expects the mills and storage facilities to be ready by this October. “Out of the planned 165,000 hectares of food estate, 48,000 ha in Pulang Pisau have begun production,” Budi said.

 

Erick replaces Sarinah’s president director
CNBC Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/y3z5abr6); Tempo, (https://tinyurl.com/yxc2hzkb)                                                                                            

State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir has shaken Sarinah’s board of directors in an effort to transform the state-owned shopping mall into a marketplace for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Fetty Kwartati was appointed the new president director, replacing Gusti Ngurah Putu Sugiarta Yasa. Erick also selected Lies Permana Lestari as the new business development director, Albert Aulia as the new finance director and Rakesh Kumar Ashok Adwani as the new trading and property director.

 

Low-cost property dominates market demand in first-half
The Jakarta Post, (https://tinyurl.com/y2v48bae) 

Consumer interest in low-cost housing, priced below Rp 300 million (US$20,528), dominated property market demand in the first half of the year, online property marketplace 99 Group data show. 99 Group data also show that in the first quarter of the year, searches for low-cost property made up the largest chunk of overall searches at 33.9 percent, whereas searches for mid-range residential property with a price range between Rp 500 million and Rp 1 billion made up 17 percent. In the second quarter, demand for cheaper property continued to reign despite a slight decrease at 26.5 percent of searches, tailed by mid-range property with 18.4 percent. Upper-mid range properties, with a price range between Rp 1 billion and Rp 2 billion, only made up 14.2 percent of searches between January and March, according to the 99 Group survey.

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