VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin appreciated the angel investors' network for halal start-ups, as a way for Indonesia to catch up with the development of the halal industry at the global level.

The investor network, which is called the Indonesia Halal Startup Business Angel Investor Network (IHSAN), was formed by the Nahdliyin Entrepreneurs Association (HPN) with the help of a businessman from the United States and founder of the Halal Angels Network, Tausif Malik.

"I heard that HPN is starting to seriously work on a start-up business among millennial entrepreneurs who will raise the investment potential of Muslim entrepreneurs from all over the world. This is a concrete step that makes people proud and takes istiqamah to strive for," Ma'ruf said virtually from Jakarta, Friday.

Ma'ruf said the halal industry must be developed because Indonesia has high potential, both in terms of human resources (HR) and resources natural resources, to create halal products. So far, Indonesia has only played a role as a label provider or halal certificate for products from abroad.

The Vice President also asked HPN to take advantage of opportunities in the halal's development industry, both in the food, clothing, financial, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics sectors. We want Indonesia to catch up with the halal industry, at least from Southeast Asia countries.

"As a country with the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia still has to catch up with several countries such as Malaysia, which have seriously worked on the halal industry first," he said.

Angel investors are high net worth individuals who invest their funds in startups. Usually, these types of investors prioritize efforts to help startup companies and put profits aside.

Through the IHSAN program, HPN hopes that there will be more start-up entrepreneurs from nahdliyin to develop the halal industry in Indonesia. (Antaranews)

Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia said that around 153 companies will enter and invest in Indonesia after the Omnibus Law on Employment Creation is passed.

He said the 153 companies came from within and outside the country, including companies that had relocated their investment from several countries.

"The 153 companies have relocated from several countries, such as Korea, Taiwan, Japan, America, then China. There are several from Europe and other countries, including domestic entrepreneurs," he said in an online press conference in Jakarta, Thursday.

According to Bahlil, it has been difficult for these investors to obtain permits because they have to ping pong here and there.

Therefore, the passing of the Omnibus Law on Job Creation on Monday (5/10) has made investors more confident about investing in Indonesia.

"So far they have not made (investment) because the permits have been circled, ping pong here and there. With the current (Omnibus Law), they really want to invest," he explained.

There are also sectors that are targeted at the 153 companies, ranging from infrastructure, manufacturing industries, plantations, forestry, mining to health, energy, and tourism.

However, he did not explain in more detail the profiles of the companies in question, including the investment value and the potential for employment. Previously, Bahlil revealed that 153 companies were ready to enter Indonesia after the Work Creation Law was passed.

"With these 153 (companies), it will automatically accommodate a lot of jobs," he said in a virtual press conference at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs in Jakarta, Wednesday (7/10).

These companies are expected to absorb around 2.9 million workers every year and seven million job seekers, and there are around six million workers who have been laid off and laid off due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Antaranews)

The United States on Thursday imposed new sanctions on Iran's financial sector, targeting 18 banks to further hinder Iran's earnings. Washington is increasing pressure on Tehran in the weeks leading up to the US election.

The move froze the US assets of blacklisted banks and prohibits Americans from dealing with them. This means foreign banks risk losing access to US markets and financial systems.

However, the US Treasury Department said in a statement that the ban does not apply to transactions in the sale of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical equipment to Iran because it understands the Iranian people's need for basic human goods.

However, analysts say secondary sanctions could increasingly deter European and other foreign banks from working with Iran, even on permitted humanitarian transactions.

"It is like a blow to the face for Europeans, who have gone to great lengths to show America that such efforts seriously threaten humanitarian aid or trafficking for humanitarian missions to Iran," said Elizabeth Rosenberg of the Center for a New American Security study.

"They also want ... to make it difficult for any future president to abandon these steps and engage in nuclear diplomacy," added Rosenberg, referring to the possibility that former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden could beat Republican President Donald Trump in US elections on November 3.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated since Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018 from his predecessor's 2015 Iran nuclear deal and began reimposing US sanctions reduced under the agreement.

Trump has reinstated sanctions ranging from selling oil to shipping and financial activity.

Although the US sanctions exclude food, medicine, and other humanitarian supplies, many foreign banks have been prevented from doing business with Iran - including humanitarian mission deals.

Washington's latest move to target Iran's 18 major banks will allow the US Treasury to target entire sectors of the Iranian economy. These banks include Amin Investment Bank, Iranian Keshavarzi Bank, Maskan Bank, Refah Kargaran Bank, Bank e Shahr, Eghtesad Novin Bank, Gharzolhasaneh Resalat Bank, Iranian Hekmat Bank, Zamin Iran Bank, Karafarin Bank, Khavarmianeh Bank, United Bank Iran Mehr Credit, Pasargad Bank, Saman Bank, Sarmayeh Bank, Tosee Taavon Bank, Tourism Bank, and Islamic Regional Cooperation Bank. (Antaranews)

The central government is preparing Labuan Bajo as a creative economy mecca for the Eastern Indonesia region, said the Managing Director of the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority (BOPLBF) Shana Fatina.

"Creative Hub Labuan Bajo will be the center for the world-class creative economy of East Indonesia. This is like what happened in Milan, Italy and Paris, France," she said when contacted from Kupang, Friday.

She said that the East Nusa Tenggara Governor Viktor B. Laiskodat and several regents in Flores delivered the big dream during the BOPLBF coordinative regional tourism development coordination meeting on Monday (6/10).

Shana explained that to make Labuan Bajo a center for the creative economy of Eastern Indonesia, her party is designed so that all local products or the creative economy on the island of Flores must become the identity of the Labuan Bajo Flores tourist destination.
She explained that BOPLBF itself would focus on sales and marketing and introduce existing superior products. Meanwhile, the local government will focus on mentoring and empowering the community.

"We are doing all of this as part of preparing Labuan Bajo to become a premium tourism area as expected by the President," she said.

She said BOPLBF is also focusing on developing two leading tourist destinations in each district on the island of Flores, and the two leading tourism products will become superior products as part of supporting tourism in Labuan Bajo.

She said the hope is to further extend the tour time for tourists in Flores, so income for MSMEs and tourism entrepreneurs will also increase. The central provincial would support all of that, and regencies with a clear division of tasks.

"Everything related to tourism promotion in Labuan Bajo will be integrated. So all regions no longer need to sell their own products but have become one," she said.

She said, to support Labuan Bajo as a super premium tourist area, they launched the Komodo Biosphere Reserve branding logo on Tuesday which aims to introduce tourists to the biosphere reserve not only in Komodo National Park or Flores Island but also Bima, West Nusa Tenggara. (Antaranews)