GENERAL NEWS AND HEADLINES

Most-wanted list to go on civil registry to prevent further blunders, exploitation
The Jakarta Post, (https://tinyurl.com/yybdelc8)

The Home Ministry will provide information about the nation’s most-wanted criminals – a list maintained by the Attorney's General’s Office (AGO) – on the government’s civil registry to prevent further failures of enforcement and stop exploitation of the system by fugitives.

Home Ministry population and civil registration director general Zudan Arif Fakhrulloh said that the ministry had received the most-wanted list from the AGO.

The most-wanted list will be sent to population and civil registration offices throughout the country so that officers receive alerts about the legal status of fugitives if they request civil registration services.

"With the integrated data, the fugitives' records will spread quickly, and [this will] minimize their room for [escape]," Zudan said in a statement on Thursday.

 

‘Blank box’ movement emerges in Surakarta following Gibran’s candidacy
Detik, (https://tinyurl.com/yyk4xrws)

A movement campaigning for kotak kosong (blank box) has reportedly emerged in Surakarta in a bid to prevent Gibran Rakabuming Raka, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s eldest son who will likely be the sole candidate in the upcoming Surakarta mayoral election, from winning the election. Among those who support the blank box movement is Zen Zulkarnaen, a cultural activist in Surakarta who argued that Gibran’s sole candidacy indicated a failure in the country’s democracy.

Meanwhile, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the only party in the Surakarta Legislative Council, which does not support Gibran’s candidacy, said that it would still attempt to nominate its own candidate who would later challenge Gibran’s mayoral bid. As it only holds five seats in the Surakarta Legislative Council, the PKS will have to form a coalition with other parties to nominate its own candidate.

 

PDI-P’s Cianjur headquarters hit with Molotov cocktail
CNN Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/y5xsqqvs)

The headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle’s (PDI-P) Cianjur executive board (DPC) was hit by a Molotov cocktail earlier today, which set the front part of the headquarters on fire. The unknown attackers reportedly rode a motorcycle and fled the scene before party members could apprehend them, said PDI-P’s Cianjur DPC head Ono Surono.

A similar incident had previously occurred in Bogor, where the house of a member of the PDI-P’s Bogor branch was also hit by a Molotov cocktail. A day later, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at the PDI-P’s Cileungsi headquarters.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS NEWS AND HEADLINES

BI purchases Rp 82.1t in govt bonds through ‘burden sharing’
Kompas, (https://tinyurl.com/y55gane7); Liputan 6, (https://tinyurl.com/y6blzk4x) 

Bank Indonesia (BI) has purchased Rp 82.1 trillion (US$5.6 billion) worth of government bonds (SBNs) through private placement under a burden-sharing scheme in an effort to support the government in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 and boosting national economic recovery. The SBNs purchased are VR0034, VR0035, VR0036 and VR0037 with a nominal price of Rp 20.52 trillion each. The bonds have variable rates with maturity dates ranging from five to eight years. For the first three months, the interest rate will be 3.8 percent, the same as the seven-day reverse repo rate (7DRRR).

 

Foreign reserves increase to $135.1b in July
CNBC Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/y2j3mwnb); Kontan, (https://tinyurl.com/y2eba93v); Republika, (https://tinyurl.com/y69s56l5) 

Bank Indonesia (BI) recorded an increase in its foreign reserves to a record high of US$135.1 billion in July, from $131.7 billion in the previous month. According to BI spokesperson Onny Widjanarko, the increase was driven by the sale of the country’s dollar-denominated bonds and disbursements of foreign loans. According to BI’s calculations, the level of July’s foreign reserves was enough to pay 8.6 months of imports and Indonesia’s sovereign debts.

 

Sadikin Aksa resigns as Bosowa president director
CNBC Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/y2bj27ep) 

Diversified conglomerate PT Bosowa Corporindo has a new president director. Following an extraordinary general shareholder meeting (RUPSLB) on July 23, Sadikin Aksa resigned from his position as president director and replaced by general manager Rudyantho. Bosowa chairman Erwin Aksa said the company needed new leadership for its next corporate actions and business partnerships.

 

Traffic volume down by 4 percent after Jakarta reimposes odd-even policy
Kontan, (https://tinyurl.com/yxs5dk2c) 

The Jakarta Transportation Agency claims that the capital city’s traffic volume has decreased by 4 percent after the Jakarta provincial administration reimposed the odd-even license plate policy. On the other hand, the number of public transportation passengers increased by 3 percent, Jakarta Transportation Agency head Syafrin Liputo said. Nevertheless, the increase has not resulted in crowds at bus stops and train stations, as the agency has increased the number of buses in operation, as well as extending the MRT operational times.

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