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December
Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, Darmin Nasution said that Rupiah has a chance to continue to strengthen after the pressure of a trade war between the United States of America -USA and China began to decrease. This was stated by Minister Darmin in the CEO Networking 2018 in Jakarta, Monday (3-12).
Compared to other developing countries, Minister Darmin also remarked that Rupiah undergoes the fastest increase. In fact, the strengthening of the Rupiah is better than ASEAN countries and other countries' currencies, such as Brazil, India, South Africa and Turkey.
At the opening of the trade this week, Rupiah appreciated against the US dollar. The Rupiah exchange rate which had fallen in the range of Rp. 15,000 per US dollar. This week, it opened higher to Rp. 14,270 per US dollar. Positively, the meeting of US President, Donald Trump and Chinese President, Xi Jinping became one of the triggers. As reported by CNBC on Sunday (12/02/2018), the two leaders agreed that no additional tariffs will be imposed after the upcoming January 1, 2019. This is what is believed to make the trade war subside.
The trade war between the US and China began when the United States threatened the application of tariffs on imported goods to China. The US administration under the leadership of Donald Trump imposed a tariff on import of Chinese goods worth US$34 billion dollars on July 6, 2018. At that time, President Donald Trump threatened to increase trade conflicts with plans to implement tariffs up to US$450 billion for Chinese goods if China countered US policy. That sentiment had put pressure on financial markets, including stocks, currencies and global trade.
The decreased tension of trade war, besides having the potential to strengthen the Rupiah exchange rate against the US dollar, is also expected to re-launch the implementation of the Indonesian government's economic policy program to make improvements, such as improving infrastructure quality, human resources and land redistribution. With the strengthening of the value of the Rupiah against the US dollar, Indonesia's economic system becomes very stable; prices of basic commodities could be reached by all people. And hopefully, the increasing value of Rupiah will show promising signs for Indonesia's progress.
November
The deterioration of relations between Russia and Ukraine continues. Some countries have even begun to interfere in the escalation of the tension. Two of them are the United States of America and Germany. Both President of the United States, Donald Trump and German Chancellor, Angela Merkel through their statements seemed to give support to Ukraine. President Donald Trump, for example, announced on Thursday (29/11) the cancellation of his planned meeting with Russian President, Vladimir Putin at the G-20 forum in Argentina. Initially, President Donald Trump was scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Argentina from November 30 - December 1, 2018. President Donald Trump remarked that the cancellation of the meeting with President Vladimir Putin was to encourage both Russia and Ukraine to find the best way to resolve the rising tension. Since last Sunday, Russia has not released 3 Ukrainian ships and 24 personnel detained. Regarding the Ukraine and Russia conflict, German Chancellor Angela Merkel clearly blamed Russia. Unlike President Trump who canceled the meeting with President Putin, Angela Merkel felt the need to meet President Putin to discuss the matter. Angela Merkel plans to meet Putin this Friday or Saturday on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Argentine capital, Buenos Aires.
Previously, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had met Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and discussed the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. German Chancellor Angela Merkel views that the tension cannot be ended with a military solution. Merkel's statement was a reaction to the request of the President of Ukraine that NATO should send its fleet to the disputed location.
Regarding the conflict that occurred due to the detention of 3 Ukrainian ships, President Vladimir Putin stated that the incident was engineered by Ukraine. President Putin said that sea clashes between the Ukrainian and Russian navies were provocations from Ukraine. This was engineered by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to boost his popularity ahead of the presidential election in March 2019.
To be sure, until the G-20 event begins, the issue of Russia and Ukraine is still heating. The conflict and tension become one of the issues of leaders of major countries, such as the United States and Germany. The President of Russia and the Prime Minister of Ukraine have been the subject of new attention in G-20.
The world certainly does not expect that the conflict between the two countries that were part of the Soviet Union explodes into an open war. Because, war is not the best solution to a problem between the two countries.
November
After a large demonstration protesting the increase in fuel prices in France on November 24-25, the situation in major cities in France, especially Paris has now become under control. French President Emmanuel Macron has ordered to crack down on anyone who causes and provokes riots that cause damage and casualties. In his speech related to the transition after the riots in Paris, Tuesday 27 November, President Emmanuel Macron said that the the government must listen to what happens in society but must not forget the responsibility for what happens to the environment for future generations. The policy of increasing fuel prices aims to protect both parties, namely, the community and the environment. Meanwhile, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and representatives of the Ministry of Economy held a meeting with retail traders, craftsmen, chambers of commerce, and the biggest union of French employees MEDEF to find out the economic situation, the impact on sales on the French economy and the consequences that must be known. The demonstration was pioneered by "Yellow Jacket Group". The jacket worn by officers to handle motorcycle accidents on the road. Protesters were driven by motorists who protested the increase in diesel prices, which were widely used by motorbike users. Starting on Saturday 17 November, thousands of people staged action in various ways in the capital city of Paris and cities throughout France. The peak of the demonstration was riots on Saturday Sunday 24-25 November where more than 8,000 demonstrators gathered and carried out acts of violence and arson. The Paris security forces finally succeeded in reducing the action and received praise from the President and security stakeholders. Indeed the policy of raising the price of fuel oil is to encourage citizens to switch to cleaner transportation facilities. Apart from the high tax increase for crude oil and the carbon tax set by the previous Government, it was intended to encourage the use and utilization of renewable energy. The French government plans to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, with the aim of fossil energy consumption of 40 percent by 2030 and the ultimate goal of achieving zero-emissions. Sitting together with opponents of the Government policy is a wise step to avoid unwanted situation in the future. However the aim of saving humanity by reducing emissions and pollution must remain a priority. Because the situation in France can occur in any country in the world.
November
Being a teacher is not just a profession. It is a call of the heart in carrying out the mandate. Because the teacher is a role model for the community. In Javanese jargon -‘digugu’, this means that words of teacher must be followed or emulated. A teacher is always followed. This means that his or her words must be role models. Therefore, a teacher must have strong authority and sufficient insight. Whatever he or she says will be considered true by both students and the surrounding community. The spirit and character of a teacher must be emulated. Being a teacher, especially nowadays has its own challenges. With the rapid development of information technology, teachers face students: Y or millennial generation born over the 1980s to 1997, and generation Z born after 1997, which refers to the internet generation. Today, schools are places of teaching and learning environments that bring together two different generations. They are teachers from Generation X, who were born between 1965 and 1980, and millennial students and Generation X, who were born in the internet era. This meeting between different generations, if not addressed carefully, will certainly create various misunderstandings. Many teachers have minimal ability in the field of technology. Their way of thinking is often considered to be less rapid in responding to the pace of information and technology development compared with their students who are familiar with technological developments. Such teachers will probably become boring ones. Even, they may hamper the growth of students' potential. Students in the millennial era are often accused of being spoiled, having low learning motivation, and spending too much time in front of television, computers or smartphones. They are claimed as a generation of being confused, unstable and inconsistent because they do not feel at home in one place for a long time. To overcome this, teachers or schools must be creative in finding a comfortable and interesting learning atmosphere. Millennial and X generation students are different from the previous generation who had to sit from morning to afternoon in the classrooms. As a generation that is familiar with the digital world, they have information in their hands through smart phones. This means that learning opportunities do not have to be in the classrooms. They can access information anywhere and anytime. What is needed from teachers is proportional supervision because they remain humans who need feedback, attention and appreciation from teachers and parents. The teachers also no longer always act as a 'boss' who gives orders that must be obeyed. Millennial students need caring teacher figures, love to discuss and provide guidance in two-way communication and do not give superior advice. Above all, teachers’ competence must be improved, especially in mastering information technology so that their knowledge increases. This will, of course, have an impact on improving the quality of education.
November
The existence of trees, including living things in this world is very important. This existence has contributed significantly to all other living things, especially to humans who consciously have to maintain and preserve it. Trees are the lungs of the earth and also play a major role in the chain of life on earth.
Trees are living things with extraordinary ability to carry out photosynthesis which can reduce the levels of CO2 in the air and produce O2 which is needed by humans and animals. However, trees are often forgotten and their presence is not appreciated because as fellow living creatures, there are actually interdependencies. Today, global warming is undeniably caused by industrial pollution and forest loss is caused by illegal logging so that oxygen is reduced in the earth.
The advantages of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a trigger for climate change can be caused by many factors. In one year, one hectare of mature trees can absorb the amount of CO2 produced or equivalent when driving a car as far as 26,000 miles. Trees also absorb odors and pollution gases, such as nitrogen oxides, ammonia, sulfur dioxide, and ozone and filter out the particulates that come out of the air by holding them in leaves and tree trunks. Instead, trees produce oxygen (O2) for the source of our life's breath. Within a year, about 1 hectare of trees can produce enough oxygen for 18 people.
World Tree Day, which falls on November 21, calls us to move and prevent the extinction of trees or plants on this earth. The Tree Day is raised to remind people of the importance of trees to the lives of other living beings, fight global warming, prevent natural disasters, and protect living things in the world. The commemoration of the World Tree Day is also to remember and honor the services of J. Sterling Morton, a nature lover from the United States. Morton was so persistent in campaigning for tree planting movements.
Seeing the importance of the role of trees in the life of living things in the world, the World Tree Day should be commemorated not only ina ceremonial ceremony, but also the existence of policy that emphasizes the expansion of green areas and strict regulations for environmental impact analysis in every infrastructure project and industrial project. What we have to remember is "If the trees go extinct, humans and animals are also threatened to go extinct".
That’s Commentary.
November
The 16th Economic Policy Package Needs Central and Regional Coordination
Written by nuke
The government has just launched the 16th Economic Policy Package on relaxation of policies for economic resilience. In this package, there are three points that are renewed, namely expansion of facilities for reducing corporate income tax (tax holiday), relaxation of negative investment list (DNI) and optimizing utilization of export proceeds (DHE). Of the 16 sectors, there are now 18 industrial sectors that get tax incentives. What's special about this policy package? Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Darmin Nasution in his announcement at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta last Friday (11/16) explained that the policy is interconnected. He added that this policy is also connected with the Online Single Submission system –OSS. With this system, once investors meet the criteria, they can immediately get incentives.
The main objective of the policy is to improve current account deficit -CAD. Two weeks ago, Bank Indonesia -BI announced that CAD in the third quarter of 2018 had increased, namely US$ 8.8 billion dollars equivalent to 3.37 percent of Gross Domestic Product -GDP. This value is higher than the first quarter period which reached US$ 5.7 billion dollars. Minister Darmin Nasution believed that the CAD will not exceed 3 percent after the adoption of this new policy package.
Minister Darmin perceived that the 16th economic policy package is medium and long term. However, there are short-term elements to strengthen the self-confidence of fund owners. He acknowledged that the problem of the Current Transaction Deficit could not be completed in 1-2 quarters. For decades, the Current Transaction Deficit was indeed a deficit.
Businesspeople welcomed the new economic policy package. Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Roesan Perkasa Roeslani said that the government is regarded appropriate to take the right time to release the policy package in a bid to respond to current economic conditions.
By issuing a series of economic policy packages, the government is working hard to improve economic conditions amid global uncertainty and a trade war between two super-powerful countries: China and the United States. However, this positive effort must be accompanied by comprehensive implementation in the field. Cooperation is needed, especially with regions. Regional regulations may not hinder the realization of various central economic policies. In this case, good coordination is needed between the center and the region. If not, good policies will be ineffective and it will bring about distrust among investors.
That’s Commentary!
November
The 16th Economic Policy Package Needs Central and Regional Coordination
Written byThe government has just launched the 16th Economic Policy Package on relaxation of policies for economic resilience. In this package, there are three points that are renewed, namely expansion of facilities for reducing corporate income tax (tax holiday), relaxation of negative investment list (DNI) and optimizing utilization of export proceeds (DHE). Of the 16 sectors, there are now 18 industrial sectors that get tax incentives. What's special about this policy package? Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Darmin Nasution in his announcement at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta last Friday (11/16) explained that the policy is interconnected. He added that this policy is also connected with the Online Single Submission system –OSS. With this system, once investors meet the criteria, they can immediately get incentives.
The main objective of the policy is to improve current account deficit -CAD. Two weeks ago, Bank Indonesia -BI announced that CAD in the third quarter of 2018 had increased, namely US$ 8.8 billion dollars equivalent to 3.37 percent of Gross Domestic Product -GDP. This value is higher than the first quarter period which reached US$ 5.7 billion dollars. Minister Darmin Nasution believed that the CAD will not exceed 3 percent after the adoption of this new policy package.
Minister Darmin perceived that the 16th economic policy package is medium and long term. However, there are short-term elements to strengthen the self-confidence of fund owners. He acknowledged that the problem of the Current Transaction Deficit could not be completed in 1-2 quarters. For decades, the Current Transaction Deficit was indeed a deficit.
Businesspeople welcomed the new economic policy package. Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Roesan Perkasa Roeslani said that the government is regarded appropriate to take the right time to release the policy package in a bid to respond to current economic conditions.
By issuing a series of economic policy packages, the government is working hard to improve economic conditions amid global uncertainty and a trade war between two super-powerful countries: China and the United States. However, this positive effort must be accompanied by comprehensive implementation in the field. Cooperation is needed, especially with regions. Regional regulations may not hinder the realization of various central economic policies. In this case, good coordination is needed between the center and the region. If not, good policies will be ineffective and it will bring about distrust among investors.
November
The 33rd ASEAN Summit has just been held in Singapore. In addition to the ASEAN Summit, several forums were also held in the ASEAN initiative: ASEAN Plus One, ASEAN Plus Three, East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum, and ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting. Some important issues are the Rohingya problem, trade protectionism, the Indo Pacific and the South China Sea.
One of the issues discussed more deeply is the resolution of the South China Sea conflict. After a while the agreement has not been reached, finally the ASEAN countries in the 20th meeting with China agreed to start negotiations on the Code of Conduct, even though they have not yet decided when to start.
The response to the agreement sounds positive because the hopes to end the South China Sea conflict will turn to reality. At least, that is what emerged from the results of the ASEAN and China meetings. ASEAN is one of the world's regions with positive economic growth, while other regions are growing more slowly. If political and security issues disturb ASEAN, it will have a direct impact on economic growth in the region. However, ASEAN cannot stand alone. One of ASEAN's main partners is China. Interference in relations with China can hamper growth in ASEAN. Take for example; it’s the conflict with China related to the South China Sea.
One of the key points to ASEAN's success was made by an Indian academic, Amitav Acharya who said that there is no identity without an institution and no institution can last long without an identity. Thus, SEATO fails and ASEAN succeeds. ASEAN with the togetherness and solidity of its members tries to overcome the problem of the South China Sea to find the best solution. In fact, China has set about 3 years to be able to agree on the Code of Conduct in resolving the South China Sea conflict.
This agreement is a progress to solve the South China Sea problem. This also proves that ASEAN can solve the problem directly without outside intervention.
November
November 16 is commemorated as International Tolerance Day. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization -UNESCO set November 16 as the International Tolerance Day which aims to provide public awareness of the importance of tolerant attitudes in maintaining relations among communities. International Tolerance Day has been commemorated since 1996.
How is the tolerance in Indonesia today? Indonesia is known as a plural society with around 1,300 ethnic groups with diverse cultures and languages. Indonesia also has six official religions recognized by the state. These religions are Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Although various ethnicities, languages, cultures and religions, Indonesians still live in harmony, because Indonesia highly upholds the values of tolerance until today.
There are many examples that show how inter-religious tolerance in Indonesia has been established. Commemorating religious holidays is one example and this is recognized as national holidays, although the number of followers of the religion is few.
Indonesia as a country that highly upholds the values of tolerance has been recognized by the world. Some world leaders who have visited Indonesia praised Indonesia's tolerance. The 44th President of the USA, Barack Obama while speaking at the 4th Diaspora Forum in Jakarta in July 2017 appreciated tolerance in Indonesia. Chief adviser of the Iranian Spiritual Leader, Mohsen Araki, during a visit to the Office of the Vice President, Jusuf Kalla in December 2016 praised Indonesia for being able to show tolerance among religious communities. He said that Indonesia is one of the countries that becomes an example for living side by side, living peace, and brotherhood
Nevertheless, Indonesia is not free from some cases of intolerance. in recent years, some groups of people showed that attitude. Low enforcement of law may be a trigger for the emergence of intolerant attitudes apart from economic and political factors.
All stakeholders of the Indonesian nation are accountable to care, maintain and foster an attitude of tolerance so that Indonesia's future is protected from fanaticism conflicts among groups. Thus, both government and mass organizations have to care more and always instill national values, and fight for a culture of tolerance and diversity in Indonesia. So, peaceful Indonesia without inter-group conflict is not just a dream.
November
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises -UMKM are the backbone of the economy. This statement was again affirmed by President Joko Widodo in Working Lunch: Promoting Inclusive Growth in The Digital Age at the APEC 2018 Summit in Papua New Guinea -PNG on Sunday (18/11). During the meeting, President Joko Widodo remarked that talking about inclusive development is to obviously talk about the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises - UMKM. Based on 2017 data, the total number of Indonesian UMKM reached 62.9 million business units. As many as 6 million of UMKM have carried out their activities online. On that occasion, President Joko Widodo also emphasized that the world has entered the era of the Industrial Revolution 4.0. For Indonesia, the new cycle is seen by the President to open opportunities to adjust development orientation. Another point affirmed by President Joko Widodo is the reduction of inequality on human and development. Reducing inequality has indeed become Indonesia's priority. The government continues to make efforts to reduce inequality in each of its programs. This focus is indeed included in the Nawa-Cita program of the Indonesian Working Cabinet. Other programs are to develop Indonesia from the periphery, to strengthen regions and villages within the framework of unitary states of republic of Indonesia. The most obvious reduction in inequality is through infrastructure development, such as roads, toll roads, harbors, dams and airports in areas that are in need. All of them are currently the focus of the Indonesian government. Now, the border regions have become the foremost veranda, which is expected to become an Indonesian display. The priority of human development has been proven by the preparation of a roadmap of Economic Policy and Vocational Training in Indonesia in 2017-2025. Next year's Indonesian state budget will also be focused on the development of human resources. The quality of human resources is a key factor in inclusive development, namely development that benefits the community in general. With skilled human resources, the number of Indonesian UMKM will increase and be better prepared, especially entering the era of industrial revolution 4.0. Having skilled workers and mastering information technology will open even greater opportunities for Indonesian UMKM to enter the global market. With good quality and integrated human resources, potential resources can be processed and maintained to support sustainable inclusive development. So, there will be no development inequality in the country. At last, this will make Indonesia equal to other developed countries.