VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia has the potential to export passenger trains manufactured by a state-owned company to Chicago, the United States, a state envoy stated in a press release made available to ANTARA here on Wednesday.

"There is potential for Indonesia to sell passenger trains to the Chicago Transit Authority," Indonesian Consul General Rosmalawati Chalid noted after meeting with Carole Morey, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) chief planning officer, and Michael Connelly, the CTA vice president scheduling and service planning, on Mar 5.

The meeting was initiated by the Indonesian consul general in Chicago to facilitate Indonesian trains to foray into the US market.

The CTA is a transportation company that operates rapid transit system for Chicago and its nearby areas called "The Chicago L" that has elevated and underground railways.

At the meeting, the CTA highlighted its needs to provide thousands of new passenger trains in the next five years in order to expand its route to northern and southern Chicago, which have been developed as business and housing areas.

Besides this, the CTA is planning to modernize its train fleet that has been used for over three decades on an average.

"I hope the trains manufactured by PT INKA would penetrate the US market and be used for CTA`s modernization," Chalid noted.

PT INKA, an Indonesian state-owned train manufacturer, had exported thousands of passenger trains to Bangladesh.

The current passenger trains of CTA were produced by a Canadian company Bombardier, and the United States is widely known to be manufacturing its own trains.

However, Chalid noted that the Chinese CRRC Corp will offer competition to Indonesia, as it has already won the bidding to supply passenger trains valued at US$1.309 billion for CTA`s train modernization in 2016.

President Joko Widodo reviewed the recent condition of the Sentul Circuit in Bogor District, West Java Province, to be readied as one of the tracks for holding the MotoGP tournament in 2021.

"I have inspected the Sentul Circuit along with Tinton and Ananda Mikola to be readied as one of the MotoGP tracks. I said the government will support it," Jokowi stated here on Tuesday ( 6 / 3 ) 

Former racer Tinton Suprapto and his son Ananda Mikola accompanied the president during the inspection.

President Widodo rode the presidential vehicle along with security personnel for a lap to check the condition of the track. He stated that the government will fully support the development of the Sentul Circuit to become a world-class racing arena. President Widodo said the renovation of Sentul Circuit can contribute to widespread positive development in Indonesia.

"The racing competition is good. As we know, the motorcycle market in Indonesia is huge. There are at least 19 million users. We can channelize the potential of motorcycle fans in Indonesia," Jokowi noted in connection with the development of the national automotive industry.

He added that development of the Sentul Circuit can also contribute to the tourism sector.

"I believe the tourism sector can be boosted through the development. I hope Tinton and Ananda Mikhola would begin to develop the circuit, so that MotoGP 2021 can be held in Indonesia," Jokowi added.

Funds to renovate Sentul Circuit have been sourced from private sectors.

Additionally, Mikhola remarked that development of the Sentul Circuit is targeted for completion in 2020.

"We believe the development will be completed in 2020, as the infrastructure has been readied," Mikhola revealed.

Mikhola stated that Indonesia must be confident and optimistic of building quality and advanced infrastructure to hold world-class races. (antara)

Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Tuesday, held a discussion on an international conference on peace in Afghanistan to be hosted by Indonesia with the Indonesian Ulema Council`s (MUI`s) representatives during a visit to MUI`s office here.

"We have discussed preparations to hold the conference of ulemas from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Indonesia to be held this month," Kalla noted after a meeting with the MUI delegation here.

Kalla said he had yet to elaborate on the day to hold the trilateral clerical meeting. In essence, the meeting was an initiative to restore peace among people in Afghanistan. The meeting could result in agreements of recommendation or a decree to restore peace in Afghanistan.

According to Kalla, the condition in Afghanistan has led to peace but left a weapons dispute. It is marked by Taliban`s decision to consider adopting a political approach rather than a ceasefire.

"Afghanistan has agreed to hold a dialog for peace, and Taliban has agreed to not longer use weapons," he remarked.

Head of Foreign Affairs of MUI K. H. Muhyiddin Junaidi noted that the trilateral ulema meeting will be held on March 15, 2018. However, no names of any members of the Taliban delegation appeared on the list of ulemas.

Indonesia has been chosen by Afghanistan to mediate the matter due to its neutral stance. ( antara ) 

 The government will increase energy subsidy allocation this year as a result of the increase in the world crude prices, which exceed the state budget assumption at US$48 per barrel.

"The energy and mineral resources minister and the state-enterprises minister have calculated the needed subsidy addition yesterday," Finance Minister Sri Mulyani said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Mulyani stated that the increase in the energy subsidies included diesel oil for state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina. It will receive additional subsidy from the current allocation of Rp500 per liter.

The increase in energy subsidies is also related to the adjustment of the coal price in the domestic market (DMO) for electricity-generating plants managed by the state-owned electricity company PLN.

In this connection, the government has also calculated all the state receipt potentials from tax and non-tax sectors, which will be lost from coal exploitation.

"This is because coal companies are forced to sell at the same price as DMO, meaning the market price. We have also computed it," she remarked.

She added that the whole amount of energy subsidy addition will be revealed at the semester report on implementation of the 2018 State Budget that will be delivered to the DPR.

But the minister assured that the increase in the subsidy allocations would not disturb the balance sheets of Pertamina and PLN. It will remain to maintain the budget deficit set at 2.19 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.

Current energy subsidies in the 2018 state budget are set at Rp94.53 trillion, consisting of fuel subsidies amounting to Rp46, 9 trillion and electricity subsidies valued at Rp47.7 trillion.

Based on the government`s interim calculations, the increase in subsidies for diesel is projected to reach around Rp700 per liter to Rp1 thousand per liter from the current price of Rp500 per liter. Meanwhile, world oil price reached an average of $61.61 per barrel in February 2018, higher than the assumption of the State Budget of $48 per barrel. ( antara )