VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province will direct efforts to develop seven new tourist destinations in a bid to drive its tourism industry in 2019.

The NTT chapter of the Indonesian Travel Agent Association (Asita) has voiced its support to the provincial administration's plan.

"The policy related to the development of the seven destinations is correct. We, as business players, support it, as the government is undoubtedly responsible for the management of tourist destinations," Abed Frans, the Asita NTT chairman, remarked  in Kupang, on Wednesday.

The new tourist destinations will be Fatumnasi located in South Timor Tengah District, Lamalera in Lembata, Mulut Seribu waters in Rote Ndao District, Pantai Liman located on Semau Isle, Kupang District, Koanara Village in Ende District, Wolwal in Alor District, and Praimadita located in East Sumba District.

The new tourist attractions will be developed through involvement of the local villages to boost the province's rural economy.

He is optimistic that the new destinations would be able to attract domestic and foreign tourists.

Among the current top priority tourist destinations in NTT are Labuan Bajo and the Komodo Dragon National Park, which are located in West Manggarai District, Flores Island.

In the meantime, the Indonesian Tourism Ministry has outlined a target to draw some 20 million foreign tourists in 2019.

During the January-April 2019 period, the country had received a total of 5.12 million foreign tourists, a 3.22 percent increase than 4.96 percent during the corresponding time frame in the previous year.

Of the total foreign tourists recorded in April 2019, Malaysia contributed 256,303 visitors; China, 171,575; Singapore, 149,979; Timor Leste, 106,245; and Australia, 101,999 tourists. (ant)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inducts Arinal Djunaidi and Chusnunia Chalim respectively as Governor and Deputy Governor of Lampung for a term of 2019-2024, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (12/6) afternoon.

The inauguration procession begins with the submission of excerpts of the presidential decree by President Jokowi to Arinal-Chusnunia, at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, at around 09.45 WIB. Furthermore, President Jokowi was accompanied by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Minister of Home Affairs (Minister of Home Affairs) Tjahjo Kumolo, and the pair of Governors and Deputy Governors of Lampung to go to the State Palace.

The inauguration ceremony begins with the singing of the Indonesia Raya song accompanied by the Corps of Paspampres music, which was followed by the reading of the Presidential Decree No. 49 / P of 2019 concerning Ratification of the Appointment of Governor and Deputy Governor of Lampung for 2019-2024, dated May 2 2019.

Then the cleric occupies a predetermined position for taking oath of office. This oath of office was led by the President.

After signing the minutes of the inauguration of the governor and deputy governor, the event was closed by singing Indonesian Raya songs.

Furthermore, President Jokowi and First Lady Iriana and Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Ms. Mufidah Kalla congratulated the Governor and Deputy Governor of Lampung for being invited by other invited guests.

President Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla led the procession before inaugurating the Governor and Deputy Governor of Lampung, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (12/5) afternoon. (Photo: OJI / Humas)
President Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla led the process before inaugurating the Governor and Deputy Governor of Lampung, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (12/5) afternoon. (Photo: Oji / Humas)

Attending the occasion included the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto, Minister of Home Affairs Tjahjo Kumolo, Secretary of State Pratikno, Secretary of Pramono Anung, Minister of Manpower Hanif Dhakiri, Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartaro PDTT Village Minister Eko Putro Sandjojo, Indonesian MPR Chair Zulkifli Hasan, and Chairperson of the Republic of Indonesia Oesman Sapta. (setkab)

Arinal-Chusnunia was elected in the 2018 Governor Election by outperforming the other three pairs in the 2018 Lampung regional election. In the calculation results, the couple familiar with Arinal-Chusnunia's call received 1,548,506 votes or 37.7 percent.

Arinal Djunaidi had served as the Regional Secretary of Lampung in 2014-2016, while Chusnunia Chalim was the Regent of East Lampung for the period 2016-2019.

Indonesian Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita along with Deputy Foreign Minister of Trade in Chile Rodrigo Yáñez Benítez exchanges Instrument of
Ratification (IoR) of the Indonesia-Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IC-CEPA) , Tuesday (11/6) at the Indonesian Ministry of Trade, Jakarta.

"The implementation of the IC-CEPA is a very historic moment. Besides being the first trade agreement with the South American country, IC-CEPA will also open the door for Indonesia's export products in the South American region more easily.

"Chile's strategic geographical location will make Chile the country that connects Indonesian export products in South America," explained the Minister of Trade.

IoR exchange is an important legal procedure before the entry into force of IC-CEPA. In accordance with the mandate agreed in the agreement, IC-CEPA will take effect 60 days after IoR exchange, i.e. on August 10, 2019.

Before the IoR exchange event, the Minister of Trade and the Deputy Minister of Trade of Chile held a meeting to discuss efforts to utilize IC-C EPA maximally and effectively.

"I convey to Deputy Minister Rodrigo the importance of using this agreement for business people in both countries. Thus, trade between the two countries will increase. For this reason, we invite the Chilean government to jointly disseminate the benefits and opportunities of IC-CEPA. I also suggested that Chile hold a series of similar socialization on Chile by inviting the Indonesian Embassy in Santiago, "added the Trade Minister.

IC-CEPA was signed by the two governments on December 14, 2017 in Santiago, Chile. Through IC-CEPA, the two countries will get each other preferential tariffs for exports to markets other.

After nearly 18 months of ratification in each country, on June 11, 2019 the process was officially completed by the two countries. For Indonesia, this process was carried out through the issuance of Presidential Regulation No. 11 of 2019, concerning the Ratification of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Government of the Republic of Chile (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Government of the Republic of Chile).

Through IC-CEPA, 89.6 percent of Chile's tariff posts will be eliminated for Indonesian products entering the Chilean market, while Indonesia will remove 86.1 percent of the post the tariff for imported products from Chile. The main products of Indonesia that receive preferences include: palm oil and its derivatives, paper and pulp, fisheries, food and beverages, automotive products, footwear, furniture, jewelry, sorbitol, textile products, and others.

In accordance with the agreement, after the implementation of IC-CEPA was implemented, the two countries will continue negotiations to the next stage, namely trade in the service sector and investment. "After the goods tariff agreement, the next stage is negotiations in the services and investment fields, because IC-CEPA is indeed done in stages. For the deadline, it will be discussed further through the IC-CEPA Joint Committee, which will meet according to a joint agreement, "concluded the Trade Minister.

Indonesia-Chile Bilateral Trade Overview

The total trade between Indonesia and Chile in 2018 reached USD 274 million. Meanwhile, for the period January-March 2019 the total trade between the two countries reached USD 56.1 million with the value of Indonesian exports amounting to USD 34.9 million and imports of USD 21.2 million.
Chile is Indonesia's 55th export destination with total exports of USD 158.9 million in 2018, an increase of 0.3 percent compared to the previous year of USD 158.5 million.
Indonesia's main export products to Chile are footwear, fertilizer; cars, organic surfactants, locust beans, seaweed, sugar beets, and sugar cane. Meanwhile, Chile's main products exported to Indonesia are grapes, copper, chemical pulp, iron ore, fat, and oil and its fraction of fish or marine mammals. (kemendag-rel)

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati believes that the intensifying trade war between the United States (US) and China will not have a significant impact on the growth of bank credit in Indonesia, which is a guideline reflecting the expansion of the business world.

"The credit is still very positive, so far. Especially for investment loans and working capital, as stated by Pak Wimboh, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Financial Services Authority, just before Lebaran (post-fasting festivities)," said Sri Mulyani at the working meeting of  the House of Representatives' Budgetary Agency in here on Tuesday.

The former Managing Director of the World Bank said the growth of bank credit was assisting in the recovery and growth seen in the middle of this year, after weakening in recent years.

The minister also said she hoped the momentum in growth will continue throughout 2019.

This condition will be realized if the momentum of domestic economic growth is maintained, and is able to counteract the impact of the economic slowdown due to a trade war between two economic giants, the US and China.

"Of course, overall economic growth must be maintained so that the optimism of business people will remain positive so that they will be able to increase their business volume," she said,

As for April 2019, according to the Financial Services Authority (FSA), credit growth still grew at 11.05 percent on an annual basis (yoy).

In the growth of credit, investment credit grew by 14.34 percent (yoy), working capital loans 10.48 percent (yoy), and consumption loans grew 9.06 percent (yoy). The swift credit distribution was driven by the mining sector, which grew to 37.6 percent.

In addition, the construction sector grew 27.55 percent (yoy), while the agriculture and processing sectors grew 10.65 percent and 8.7 percent (yoy), respectively.

The bank credit risk, as of April 2019, is at a low level. This is reflected in the ratio of bad loans or non-performing loans (NPLs) to gross banks of 2.57 percent and net NPLs of 1.15 percent.

Meanwhile, the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) was 23.78 percent, and the loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) decreased to 93 percent from 94 percent. (ant)