VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo held a Limited Cabinet Meeting to discuss preparations for the celebration of Idul Fitri 1439 Hijriah. The meeting was held at the Presidential Office, in Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon. The Limited Cabinet Meeting is the follow-up of a similar meeting held last April. At that time, President Joko Widodo ordered his staff to start doing calculations so that the stability of food prices ahead of Idul Fitri can be maintained. In his direction, the President made sure that preparation before Idul Fitri is implemented well. Some of the things that concern the government regarding the preparation ahead of Idul Fitri include the readiness of transportation routes, the availability of fuels, and the adequacy of stock and stability of food prices.

“And this afternoon I am requesting update in relation to the readiness of infrastructure in the homecoming routes, the readiness of transportation mode, then the sufficiency of fuel stock during Ramadhan and before Idul Fitri Day, and last but least, there must be availability and stability of the prices of staple goods needed by the people,” President Joko Widodo said.

Furthermore, President Joko Widodo also mentioned the readiness of the police in maintaining security stability ahead of Idul Fitri. He ordered Police Chief General Tito Karnavian to report the measures taken by the police to ensure security for the community both ahead and during the celebration of Idul Fitri. President Joko Widodo is optimistic that with strong synergy among the police, the TNI and the State Intelligence Agency, the government can take precautions against any potential disturbances of security and order. He hoped that with the security anticipation made by the relevant apparatus, this can provide peace for the people who implement Idul Fitri prayer 1439H. (VOI/Ndy/RHM)

Indonesian Police Chief General, Tito Karnavian reminded the market participants not to ‘play’ food prices ahead of the celebration of Idul Fitri 1439H. This was delivered after attending a Limited Cabinet Meeting at the Presidential Office in Jakarta. He said that currently, the Food Security Task Force has already begun to perform its duties in the form of market operations. According to Gen. Tito, the Task Force has taken action against a number of violations. He reminded the market player not to play with the prices of food that will lead into instability.

“We have carried out law enforcement operations as many as 421 cases with 397 suspects; hoarding is not allowed, because monopoly act of food mafia has been proposed to give deterrent effect to naughty mafia players who will continue to practice hoarding. This mafia can make the price increase and it poses burden to the community. We affirmed that the supply is enough and we remind to the market participants to please do business according to the rules. Those who violate the rules will be dealt with firmly,” Tito Karnavian said.

Gen. Tito Karnavian further explained that the police also make preparations for security ahead of Idul Fitri from traditional and conventional crimes. He added that the police had deployed personnel at all crowded points to be traversed by travelers at terminals, seaports and airports. At these crowded points, the police run Cipta Conditions operation which will ensure the safety and comfort of the travelers to visit their hometown. (VOI/Ndy/RHM)

Vice President Jusuf Kalla urged the Criminal Law -KUHP re-discussed by the House of Representatives–DPR, especially article of insult on president to be revised. To reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday (30/5), VP Jusuf Kalla pointed out that the article of insult in the Criminal Law allows the public to criticize the President, but if criticism sounds to insult the President, this can be criminalized. Previously, the Constitutional Court has canceled the article on insult to the President, but the DPR re-insert it in Revision of the Criminal Law. Vice President Jusuf Kalla assessed that the revision of the Criminal Law is very important to be discussed in the current conditions.

“Respect the President, Vice President makes something wrong….yes; if someone criticizes correctly, there is no problem. But if he or she is insulting and so forth, yes, everywhere the country has such a rule. Apologizing is the same,” Jusuf Kalla said.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla further remarked that revision of the Criminal Law which mentions an insult article to the president is reasonable. (KBRN/Rizki S/Trans by Rhm)

Indonesia will continue to strengthen the external balance (balance of payments) by stimulating export activity through increased economic competitiveness and productivity.

"The government will also improve the investment climate and the ease-of-doing business ranking, while accelerating and deepening structural reforms in the real sector to underpin sound and sustainable economic growth," said the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Darmin Nasution, in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday.

With solid economic fundamentals, Indonesia had a promising domestic economic outlook in the medium term. The main sources of growth were exports and investment. Exports were also key to reducing the structural current account deficit. Structural reforms would be achieved by improving infrastructure, licensing, customs and others.

The investment climate would be enhanced by accelerating the business licensing process at the ministerial and local government levels through implementation of Online Single Submission (OSS). In addition, the government would offer investment incentives in the form of tax holidays, tax allowances and super deductions to replace the cost of education and vocational training as well as the cost of R&D development in order to draw investment to the downstream and upstream industries, the minister said. Through the Ministry of Finance, the Government had issued regulations to provide 100 per cent tax holidays to pioneering industries. These structural reforms would catalyse investment and stimulate exports to foster national economic growth in the medium term, the minister said.

Bank Indonesia earlier said it would increase supervision and mitigate capital outflow that could reduce the rupiah value ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on June 14 this year. The central Bank would determine a policy to stabilise the financial market including control of the rupiah exchange rate and steps to forestall the pressure throughout 2018 at a meeting of its Board of Governors on May 30, the new Governor of the central bank, Perry Warjiyo, told reporters in Jakarta on Monday.

The additional meeting of the Board of Governors of Bank Indonesia was being held ahead of the meeting of FOMC or only two weeks after the Indonesian central cank raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 4.5 per cent on May 17. Global financial market players expected The Federal Reserve would raise its Fund Rate 3-4 times this year, including the second time in June, said Perry. Perry said the pressure of foreign capital outflows that would weaken the rupiah would still shadow the domestic financial market. The pressure of capital outflow would also come with the improvement of the U.S. economic data and from the expansive U.S. fiscal policy, which raised the yield of the U.S. 10-year treasury bill.

Perry, who took over as Governor of Bank Indonesia only on May 24, has repeatedly pledged to adopt a preemptive policy and to remain ahead of the curve. "Our short term focus through the monetary policy is to stabilise the exchange rate," he said. (antara)