GENERAL NEWS AND HEADLINES

RI to receive 30 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in Q4: Coordinating economic minister
Antara (https://tinyurl.com/y5cjsf6j); Kumparan (https://tinyurl.com/y4suxf4n)

Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto has claimed that Indonesia will receive 30 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Airlangga, who also helms the National Economic Recovery and COVID-19 Response Team, also said the government aimed to secure between 250 million and 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine next year.

Airlangga said the government had not only conducted clinical trials at home, but also in China, Brazil, Bangladesh and Turkey.

 

Jokowi asks Luhut, Doni to curtail COVID-19 cases in two weeks
CNN Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/yymk82ul)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has instructed Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan and National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) head Doni Monardo to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases across nine provinces within the next two weeks.

The nine provinces are Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, South Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, Bali, North Sumatra and Papua. Luhut said eight out of the nine provinces contributed to 75 percent of the country’s total COVID-19 cases.

“The President said that, within two weeks, we have to be able to reduce the number of daily COVID-19 cases, increase the recovery rate and decrease the mortality rate,” Luhut added.

To achieve such a target, Luhut has formulated three strategies, namely the implementation of Operasi Yustisi, which is an operation to monitor and discipline the public on strict health protocols, the improvement of COVID-19 patient healthcare management and specific handling of COVID-19 clusters in each province.

 

Jakarta Police to disband late-night sprinting matches in new PSBB period
The Jakarta Post (https://tinyurl.com/y5zvl6up)

The Jakarta Police are set to crack down on unauthorized, late-night sprinting matches across the capital and its satellite regions during the latest reinstatement of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) amid COVID-19 concerns.

Officers will be deployed to conduct city-wide inspections to ensure public compliance with health protocols, including the ban on social gatherings, said Jakarta Police spokesperson Yusri Yunus.

He argued that the races — many of which take place on public roads — not only jeopardize public health but also disrupt public order and road safety.

Yusri warned that groups that resist disbursement could face criminal charges. 

Jakarta Police traffic unit director Sr. Comr. Sambodo Purnomo Yogo said that those found to have been involved in illegal sprinting matches could face up to 18 months in prison or a maximum fine of Rp 1.5 billion (US$101,000), in accordance with Article 63 of Law No. 38/2004 on public roads.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS NEWS AND HEADLINES 

BPS reports $2.33b trade surplus in August
Kontan (https://tinyurl.com/y4fqncm2); Bisnis Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/yyr863qy); CNBC Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/yxgbt8rd); Antara News (https://tinyurl.com/y28vjuom) 

Statistics Indonesia (BPS) has announced that Indonesia recorded a US$2.33 billion trade surplus in August. As a result, the country’s accumulative trade surplus from January to August rose to $11.05 billion. Total exports shrank 4.62 percent month-to-month (mtm) or 8.36 percent year-on-year (yoy) to $13.7 billion. Meanwhile, total imports contracted 24.19 percent yoy but increased 2.65 percent mtm to $10.74 billion.

 

Govt disburses more than 60 percent of working capital aid for SMEs
CNN Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/yxoxtzbm) 

Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto has stated that the government has disbursed Rp 13.4 trillion (US$902 million), or 60.9 percent of the Rp 22 trillion in working capital aid designated for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), dubbed Bantuan Produktif Usaha Mikro (BPUM). The BPUM has been disbursed to 5.5 million SMEs, he added. The government aims to distribute the aid to 9.1 million SMEs by the end of September.

 

Pefindo: Rp 5.4t in corporate bonds due in September
CNBC Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/y4kb7x2s) 

Indonesian rating agency Pemeringkat Efek Indonesia (Pefindo) has stated that 23 corporate bonds valued Rp 5.4 trillion (US$363 million) will reach their maturity date this month. Some were issued by state-owned enterprises (SOEs) such as state telecommunication giant PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom), totaling almost Rp 500 billion, state-owned pharmaceutical company PT Kimia Farma (Rp 400 billion) and state-owned tin miner PT Timah (Rp 600 billion). Broadcast tower operator PT Tower Bersama Infrastructure also has bonds due on Sept. 19 worth Rp 700 billion.

 

Govt to unleash $133b digital economy potential
Antara News (https://tinyurl.com/y2enpoks); CNN Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/y2zml3rb) 

Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto has said the government will keep striving to push forward the digital transformation in order to unleash the country’s US$133 billion digital economy potential. “Meanwhile, the potential of the digital economy in ASEAN is value at $300 billion,” He added. Airlangga also said Indonesia possessed sufficient capital to tap into the potential, with 180 million people having access to the internet. Moreover, 84.9 percent of the country’s 83,218 villages have access to 4G network services.

Download PDF