GENERAL NEWS AND HEADLINES

Govt submits issues list for revision of Constitutional Court Law
Kompas (https://tinyurl.com/yyonkxln) 

The government, through Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly, submitted to the House of Representatives Commission III earlier today the problem inventory list (DIM) for the revision of Law No. 24/2003 on the Constitutional Court.

House Commission III deputy chairman Adies Kadier said 121 items were listed in the DIM. Adies said that the DIM would be discussed further by the House’s working committee on the Constitutional Court Law revision.

 

‘My salary is enough to rent a helicopter’: KPK chair Firli Bahuri denies violating ethics
The Jakarta Post (https://tinyurl.com/y34j9u3c)

Corruption Eradication Commission chairman Firli Bahuri has said his salary was enough to rent a helicopter, dismissing suspicion that a recent trip he made using a helicopter taxi service was an ethics violation.

Firli published the statement in advance of his ethics hearing with the antigraft body’s supervisory council scheduled for Tuesday. He was accused of committing an ethics violation following reports of him using a private helicopter on a personal trip from South Sumatra's capital of Palembang to the city of Baturaja in the same province in June.

The Indonesian Anti-Corruption Community (MAKI) reported Firli to the supervisory council, accusing the chair of living a “hedonistic lifestyle”.

Firli confirmed that he would attend Tuesday’s hearing. “This mechanism is an activity to clarify and explain in detail the object of the problem. I really appreciate this process,” he said. (mfp)

 

House speaker urges labor groups to voice aspirations in formal action
Republika (https://tinyurl.com/y5858yot)

House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani has urged labor groups that want to voice their objections against the job creation omnibus bill to convey their aspirations through formal action. Puan has also asserted that the House is open to any input from the public and that it will remain transparent in deliberating the jobs bill.

Puan further said that street rallies, which oftentimes were labor groups’ platform to voice their aspirations, could disrupt traffic as well as public safety, especially considering the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

To avoid such a situation, the House held a meeting with 16 labor unions in Jakarta from Aug. 20 to 21 to discuss the jobs bill, particularly its labor provisions.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS NEWS AND HEADLINES

Govt postpones disbursement of wage subsidy until end of August
CNBC Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/y26q9u34); Republika, (https://tinyurl.com/y6jragu4) 

The Manpower Ministry has delayed the first phase disbursement of the wage subsidy program until the end of August. Out of 15.7 million recipients, 2.5 million recipients need to be validated, Manpower Minister Ida Fauziah explained. Ida also said the validation process would take at least four days. Then, the validated data will be sent to the State Treasury Office (KPPN).

 

LPS: 144 banks receive waiver of late premium payment penalty
Kontan, (https://tinyurl.com/y65h9bq6) 

Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS) Commissionaire Council chairman Halim Alamsyah said 20 commercial banks and 124 rural banks (BPR) had received a waiver of the late premium payment penalty. The six-month waiver took effect in July. Halim hopes the waiver will improve banks’ liquidity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Finance Ministry to issue new tobacco excise tax in October
CNBC Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/y6gnf8ue); Liputan 6, (https://tinyurl.com/yxc6pl3d) 

The Finance Ministry will increase the tobacco excise tax for 2021. The new excise tax will be introduced in late September or early October. Customs and Excise Office director general Heru Pambudi said the government had considered the health effect, as well as the welfare effect on tobacco farmers before making the decision. As of July 31, the government had collected 53 percent of the targeted revenue or Rp 109.1 trillion (US$7.44 billion) from the tobacco excise tax.

 

Jokowi inaugurates first toll road in Aceh
CNBC Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/y6ykre66); Kompas, (https://tinyurl.com/y6pk5tha) 

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo inaugurated a 14-kilometer section of the Sigli-Banda Aceh toll road connecting Indrapuri and Blang Bintang. The Sigli-Banda Aceh toll road is the first toll road in the province. State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir, Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko and Presidential Secretariat head Heru Budi Hartono accompanied President Jokowi at the inauguration ceremony.

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