Lippo builds shopping mall, hospital in Kupang

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun, 04/17/2011

Lippo builds shopping mall, hospital in KupangProperty developer Lippo Group has begun construction on a shopping mall and a hospital in the East Nusa Tenggara capital of Kupang, valued at Rp 500 billion (US$57.5 million).Group owner James Riyadi said the construction projects were expected to be completed in two years.“At the first stage, i.e. in the first six months, we will complete the preparations, especially regarding licenses with the Kupang administration,” James said during the groundbreaking ceremony of the mall and the Siloam Hospital at Kupang’s Fatululi exhibition area.He added that property developers were beginning to set their eyes on eastern Indonesia, tribunnews.com reported on Sunday.

Property developer Lippo Group has begun construction on a shopping mall and a hospital in the East Nusa Tenggara capital of Kupang, valued at Rp 500 billion (US$57.5 million).

Group owner James Riyadi said the construction projects were expected to be completed in two years.

“At the first stage, i.e. in the first six months, we will complete the preparations, especially regarding licenses with the Kupang administration,” James said during the groundbreaking ceremony of the mall and the Siloam Hospital at Kupang’s Fatululi exhibition area.

He added that property developers were beginning to set their eyes on eastern Indonesia, tribunnews.com reported on Sunday.

Carrefour and Philips plan to develop ‘greener’ outlets

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 04/14/2011

Carrefour Indonesia and Philips Indonesia have announced a partnership plan to promoting a “green” retail concept to reduce consumption of energy by using full-LED lighting in a Carrefour outlet at the Emporium Pluit Mall in North Jakarta.

“This concept is the first of its kind in the world, so it makes this Carrefour outlet the ‘greenest’ Carrefour in the world,” Carrefour Indonesia senior public relations manager Satria Hamid said Thursday.

The low-energy lights would eventually be installed at 5 Carrefour outlets.

“These are Carrefour outlets in Jakarta, Tangerang, Yogyakarta, Medan and Makassar,” he said.

Hamid said that by using the LED lighting, the stores would reduce their power consumption by at least 35 percent per lamp.

Robert Fletcher from Philips Indonesia said, “Now is the perfect time for Indonesia to adopt green and energy-safe products because Indonesia is currently facing an energy crisis.”

He added that Philips was open to working with local companies to make Indonesia “greener”.

Germany's Metro Group to open local outlet in 2012

Rangga D. Fadillah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 03/22/2011

German-based retail giant Metro Group said on Tuesday it would open the first of about 20 planned retail outlets in Indonesia by 2012.

Metro Group chief executive officer Eckhard Cordes said in a press statement that over the past several years, Asian countries, including Indonesia, have emerged as potential targets for retailers seeking to expand their businesses.

“The presence of Metro Cash & Carry in Indonesia will create great momentum for our business expansion in the Asian market,” he said.

Cordes said Metro would open around 20 Metro Cash & Carry outlets across Indonesia, with the first to open in 2012, if the economic conditions in Asia remained stable.

In the past 15 years, Metro Cash & Carry has opened stores in China, India, Japan, Vietnam and Pakistan. Indonesia would be the 31th country in the world that to have Metro Cash & Carry outlets, according to the release.

“With …a fast-growing economy and strong domestic consumption, Indonesia offers abundant potential for our retail business,” Metro Group management council member WH Muller said.

Lotte Group to open 10 fast food restaurants in Jakarta

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 03/16/2011

South Korean firm Lotte Group said on Wednesday it will open 10 fast food restaurants in Greater Jakarta this year.

The restaurant, to be named Lotteria, will be established jointly with AJBS Group, which will owns 49 percent of its shares.

“In the next five years, we expect to open 100 Lotteria in Greater Jakarta,” Lotteria director Yi Su Il said.

The company said it planned to open 100 new branches across Greater Jakarta over the next five years.

Matahari to open 17 new outlets this year

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 02/14/2011

PT Matahari Putra Prima (MPPA) intends to open 17 new Hypermart outlets,  director of corporate communications and investor relations Danny Kojongian said Monday.

He said the company would start opening new outlets this year, with expansion concentrated in eastern Indonesia.

MPPA runs two main businesses: Matahari Department Store (MDS) and Matahari Food Business (MFB). MFP runs several companies, including Hypermart, Foodmart and medical store Boston. Hypermart currently has 51 outlets in 29 cities in Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan and Bali.

"We also plan to open several outlets in Papua next year," he said as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

PT MPPA financial director Hendra Sidin further added that the expansion would cost Rp 1 trillion (US$ 112 million), which would come from internal capital.

"The cash from divestment is still sufficient," he said.

Standard Chartered opens three new branches in Jakarta

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 02/11/2011

London-based Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) opened three new branches in Jakarta on Friday as part of its expansion plans for 2012.

The branches are located in Kuningan and Permata Hijau, both in South Jakarta, and on Jl. Gajah Mada in Central Jakarta.

SCB Indonesia chief executive officer Tom Aaker said the move was part of the bank’s commitment to improving its customer services.

"The opening of these new branches in the capital city is a significant move for us. We will continue to expand our networks in other regions across Indonesia," Aaker said.

Standard Chartered consumer banking chief for Indonesia Sajid Rahman said his company was waiting for approval from the Central Bank to open five branches in several other large cities, including Surabaya and Medan, this year. (lnd)

Ciputra builds Rp 3 trillion superblock

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 12/15/2010

Publicly listed property firm Ciputra Property is building a Rp 3 trillion (US$333 million) superblock on 5.5 hectares of land on Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio, Jakarta, using the concept of Singapore’s Orchard Road business district.

The company’s executive director and corporate secretary Artadinata Djangkar said in Jakarta on Tuesday that Ciputra wanted to be the pioneer to build an integrated retail and entertainment hub similar to Singapore’s famous business district of Orchard Road in Jakarta.

“We want to be the pioneer of Orchard Road’s development in Jakarta. We believe that Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio is among the favorite roads in the city,” he told a press briefing at Ciputra World Jakarta Marketing Gallery.

The development of Jakarta’s Orchard Road started with the Capital World Jakarta project, which is equal to the size of 55 football fields.

“Capital World Jakarta will consist of a mall, entertainment and theme park, auditorium, apartments, hotel and condominiums. Up to the end of 2010, the development of the project has reached 31 percent of the overall project area,” Artadinata said.

The 14-story mall, entertainment and theme park, as well as an auditorium with a capacity of 1,200 people are expected to be open to the public in mid-2012.

In addition, 170 apartments managed by Singapore’s Ascott Group, 136 myHome condominiums, a 170-room Raffles Hotel and 88 luxurious Raffles Residences apartments will also be housed on the super block.

The super block in the busy center of the city is expected to add more traffic in the heart of the capital, but Artadinata said the government was working on an overpass that would resolve traffic issues around the Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio area.

“From about two weeks ago, the government started its overpass project from Kampung Melayu to Tanah Abang that will reduce traffic and facilitate people coming to the center of Jakarta,” he added.

Artadinata said Ciputra would focus on the development of the Rp 3 trillion-worth Capital World Jakarta as well as another 240,000-square-meter project on Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio, known as the Kav. 11 project, next year

“Our capital expenditure for next year will be Rp 1 trillion, mostly for Ciputra World Jakarta and the remaining for the Kav. 11 project,” he said.

Listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) since 2007, Ciputra currently has a total of 10 hectares of land throughout the archipelago, including Mal Ciputra and Hotel Ciputra in Jakarta and Semarang, as well as myHome apartments at Ciputra World Jakarta.

On the same day, the property giant also announced a target of 130 percent jump in net profit for the full year of 2010 to Rp 171 billion from Rp 74 billion in 2009. Artadinata expected the growth momentum to continue until next year, as the property sector is expected to boom mainly thanks to hefty economic growth in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.

“As we all know, Indonesia’s economy is among the most attractive investment destinations this year, so the economy is expanding, affecting the property market,” he added, eyeing Rp 3.9 trillion in assets by the end of the year.

Ciputra’s shares (CTRP) soared following the outlook announcement, trading at Rp 440 apiece at 3 p.m. on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX), a 1.15 percent increase. Ciputra has a total market capitalization of Rp 2.7 trillion. (est)

Lenovo to Open Subsidiary in Indonesia

Jakarta Globe, Shirley Christie | November 30, 2010    

Jakarta. Chinese computer giant Lenovo, which purchased IBM’s personal computer division in 2005, plans to establish an Indonesian subsidiary by April, a company representative has said.

In this file photo, a Lenovo laptop computer is displayed.
 Lenovo plans to establish an Indonesian subsidiary
by April. (Antara Photo/Audy Alwi)      

Sandy Lumy, the company’s chief representative for Indonesia, told the Jakarta Globe on Tuesday that the country had better growth potential than other nations in Southeast Asia.

According to International Data Corporation figures for 2009, only 38 out of 1,000 Indonesians own a personal computer.

The company declined to share its sales targets or projected investment in the country, only saying that it planned to open the subsidiary office by April.

Currently, Lenovo exports its products from China to Singapore before passing them on to the local market in Indonesia.

Lenovo plans to start delivering products directly to Indonesia in May, after its subsidiary is established. Sandy said there were no plans to open a local factory.

Lenovo, which began life as a project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1984, recently celebrated the 18th anniversary of the ThinkPad portable computer, a former IBM trademark, which has sold more than 60 million units worldwide.

“That is approximately 16 units per second,” Sandy said.

Since acquiring the IBM stable in 2005, Lenovo has sought to polish its image as a global — not just Chinese — company.

The company claims to be No. 2 in the Indonesian market with a 20 percent market share, behind Hewlett-Packard.

It is the No. 1 computer brand in China.

Lotte to Make Final Bid for Indonesian Matahari’s Markets

Jakarta Globe, Saeromi Shin & Shinhye Kang | November 30, 2010

Jakarta. Lotte Group, the parent of South Korea’s biggest retailer, will make a final offer for Matahari Putra Prima’s hypermarkets to compete with Carrefour in Indonesia.

As part of Asian expansion plans, South Korea’s
Lotte Group will make a final offer for Matahari’s
hypermarkets. Wal-Mart and French retailer Casino
Guichard-Perrachon have also expressed interest
in the sale. (JG Photo)

“We’ve come a long way and we’ll make a final bid,” Hwang Kag Gyu, executive vice president of international and new business planning at Lotte, said in an interview on Monday. “There’s ample liquidity so funding won’t be a big problem.”

The purchase would give Lotte as many as 49 of the combination department store-supermarkets in an economy forecast to expand 6 percent this year. Units of Seoul-based Lotte, whose assets include petrochemical operations, are expanding in China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Russia to tap faster growth and rising affluence in developing markets.

Matahari may sell most or all of its food-retailing business, valued at $700 million to $1 billion, people with knowledge of the deal said earlier this month.

Wal-Mart Stores and French retailer Casino Guichard-Perrachon are among the retailers that have looked at Jakarta-based Matahari’s assets, according to the people.

“Lotte has coveted the Indonesian market because of its relatively friendly mood toward foreign capital and consumption-oriented economy,” Lee Ji Young, an analyst at LIG Investment & Securities, said by phone on Tuesday.

“Lotte also has a good track record with its existing Indonesian operation, so I think this kind of interest makes sense.”

Deadline May Move

Matahari was unchanged at 1,440 rupiah at the 4 p.m. close of trading in Jakarta, after earlier climbing as much as 4.2 percent, the most in more than a week.

Lotte Shopping, whose department stores and discount shops make it South Korea’s biggest retailer, fell 0.1 percent to 473,500 won.

Matahari operates 49 hypermarkets in Indonesia, while Lotte, the parent of Lotte Shopping, has 21 outlets, Tong Yang Securities Inc. said in a Nov. 4 report.

A purchase of all Matahari stores would let the South Korean company overtake Carrefour, with 61 outlets, as the largest hypermarket operator in the Southeast Asian nation, the brokerage said.

The deadline for final bids is likely to be delayed from an original schedule of early December, Hwang said, without specifying a new date.

Possible Stake Sale

There is also a possibility that bidders may acquire a stake in Matahari instead of buying the hypermarket assets, Hwang said, adding that the result of the bidding is due next year.

Lotte Shopping said on Nov. 12 it had submitted a letter of intent to buy Matahari’s hypermarket business.

Danny Kojongian, Matahari’s director of corporate communications, declined to comment. “We are still awaiting the result of the study from Merrill Lynch,” he said on Monday.

Casino and Lotte were considering a binding offer for the food-retailing business of Matahari after proceeding to the second round of the auction, two people with knowledge of the deal said earlier this month.

Matahari said in October it hired Bank of America’s Merrill Lynch unit to analyze its business and follow up on interest by companies outside Indonesia for an investment or partnership.

The company sold control of its department-store arm to a unit of CVC Capital Partners for 7.2 trillion rupiah ($795 million) in January.

China, Southeast Asia

Lotte Group seeks acquisitions in China and Southeast Asia as sales overseas in the next decade are likely to expand two to three times faster than in its domestic market, Hwang said.

Lotte aims to open at least 15 new discount stores in China next year, and Hwang has ordered the group’s team in China to look at department stores it may acquire, he said.

“You should first lead the Asian markets to be a global name,” Hwang said. Honam Petrochemical, a Lotte unit, said in July it would acquire Malaysia’s Titan Chemicals for 1.5 trillion won ($1.3 billion) in cash.

Overseas Growth

Lotte Group has said it will increase revenue from overseas markets to 30 percent of the total by 2018 from an estimated 12 percent for this year.

Shin Kyuk Ho founded Lotte Group in Japan in 1948 as a bubble-gum maker.

The Korean-Japanese businessman opened his first confectionery plant in South Korea after the normalization of relations between the two Asian nations, building Lotte into a food and leisure group spanning hotels, candy making and an amusement park in the capital.

Lotte Group has about 60 affiliated companies including South Korea’s biggest beverage maker Lotte Chilsung Beverage, KP Chemical and Lotte Card.

Bloomberg

Related Article:

Matahari says four firms interested in buying a stake

Construction of Taman Ria Senayan Awaits Amdal

Tempo Interactive, Tuesday, 20 July, 2010 | 23:17 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Another shopping center will soon be constructed in Senayan, Central Jakarta. The developer will reconstruct Taman Ria Senayan to become a shopping center.

“We are not sure yet what the developer will build. Certainly, we are waiting for the environmental impact analysis (Amdal),” said the Jakarta Building Management and Supervision Office head, Hari Sasongko, yesterday.

However, Hari would not mention the name of the developer. He said the developer has fulfilled the administration requirements, such as the land ownership certificate. However, the office has not granted the permission because it is still waiting for the Amdal. “The Amdal will determine whether to give the license or not. The policy, however, is not our concern,” he said.

HERU TRIYONO

KFC Indonesia to open 40 outlets this year

The Jakarta Post | Tue, 05/04/2010 11:00 AM

JAKARTA: Publicly listed PT Fast Food Indonesia, the franchise holder of the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) brand in Indonesia, plans to open 40 more outlets this year to take advantage on the growing fast-food market in the country.

The company’s general manager, Gandhi Lee, said in Jakarta on Monday that with the opening of new outlets, Fast Food Indonesia would have a total of 400 KFC outlets by the end of this year.

“With the planned expansion, we hope to be able to increase our sales to Rp 3 trillion [US$333 million] this year,” he was quoted as saying by detik.com. Last year, the company’s total sales totaled Rp 2.45 trillion, with net profits reaching Rp 181.9 billion.

The company, popularly called KFC Indonesia, operates 360 restaurants across the country. — JP

Indonesia strengthens consumer protection

Antara News, Tuesday, February 16, 2010 21:55 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said on Tuesday a directorate general for consumer protection and standardization would be set up at her ministry.

"We are still waiting for the state apparatus minister`s approval," she told newsmen on the sidelines of her inspection to a warehouse for withdrawn imported energy-saving lamps here.

The formation of the directorate general was part of the trade ministry`s reorganization and bureaucratic reform in order to strengthen consumer protection in the country, she said.

Over the past years, the tasks of stabilizing staple food prices and consumer protection belong to the trade ministry`s directorate general for domestic trading, Pangestu said.

"Thus, we are separating the tasks of maintaining the logistic stability from consumer protection," she said.

In other part of her press briefing, Pangestu touched on the supervision of certain products.

She said, due to the limited budget and number of investigators among bureaucrats, the trade ministry could only supervise ten prioritized products.

The trade ministry`s director for products and services surveillance, Inayat Iman, said his party would prioritize the supervision of certain products this year.

Among the products were electronics, garments, toys, footwear, and food and beverages, bottled water, gas tank regulators, safety shoes, tires, and helmets, he said.

The violators of marketing products inflicting financial losses to consumers would be threatened with five-year imprisonment and maximum fine of Rp2 billion, he added.

CVC’s Venture Pays $771 Million to Acquire Matahari Store Unit

Bloomberg, by Widya Utami and Achmad Sukarsono

Jan. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Meadow Asia Company Ltd., a unit of U.K. buyout firm CVC Capital Partners Ltd., paid 7.2 trillion rupiah ($771 million) to buy the department store unit of PT Matahari Putra Prima, Indonesia’s biggest retailer.

Jakarta-based Matahari Putra sold its 90.76 percent stake in PT Matahari Department Store to Meadow, a venture it established with CVC Capital, Benjamin Mailool, president director of Matahari Putra, told reporters in Jakarta today.

Matahari Putra’s shares jumped 10.9 percent to 1,120 rupiah in Jakarta today, the biggest increase in almost two years. The retailer plans to buy a 20 percent stake in Meadow, with an option to purchase an additional 10 percent, Mailool said.

This transaction is “proof of foreign investor interest in Indonesian companies,” said Edwin Sinaga, president director of PT FinanCorpindo Nusa, a Jakarta-based brokerage firm. “The share surged as people expect a tender offer.”

Meadow will also buy another 7.24 percent stake in Matahari Department Store from shareholders, Matahari Putra said in a filing today on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The agreement was signed on Jan. 23, the statement said.

Matahari Department’s shares surged 24 percent to 1,680 rupiah.

To contact the reporter on this story: Widya Utami in Jakarta at wutami@bloomberg.net; Achmad Sukarsono in Jakarta at asukarsono@bloomberg.net

Carrefour refuses to sell Alfa, files appeal

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 12/30/2009 9:19 PM

France-based retail giant Carrefour defies the anti-monopoly watchdog’s order to sell its Alfa subsidiary and instead files an appeal against the verdict to the court.

In November, the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) found PT Carrefour Indonesia guilty of unfair business practices following the acquisition of the PT Alfa Retailindo.

The commission ordered the retail giant to sell all of its shares in Alfa worth Rp 675 billion (US$ 71.55 million) within a year and fined it Rp 25 billion.

Irawan Kadarman, Carrefour Indonesia's corporate communications director, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that the retail giant would not obey the orders for the moment until final legal decision in courts have been reached.

An appeal against the verdict had been filed to the South Jakarta District Court, Irawan said.

“We stay in our stance that Carrefour has in no way been conducting monopoly practices,” he said.

The first court hearing is scheduled on Jan. 11, 2010.

KPPU spokesman Ahmad Junaidi said that Carrefour’s rejection was lack of legal and fact basis.

“It’s their right to file appeal,” he said.

“We, however, are optimistic that the court will rule in favor of us. Our ruling is based on deep analysis and investigation which has resulted convincing evidence that Carrefour has conducted unfair business practices,” he said. (bbs)

Brightspot Market An Emporium of All Things Cool

The Jakarta Globe, Lisa Siregar

Brightspot is a curated market where organizers invite unusual brands to bolster the commercial ambience. Photos courtesy of Brightspot.

Brightspot Market is no ordinary bazaar. This event is a curated market, held every three months, with a different concept at a different venue. The Christmas edition, is set to open on Friday at Plaza Indonesia.

At their last event, 12,000 visitors packed the four-day market at Grand Indonesia in September. They either came to shop at the more than 20 booths that sold things such as clothes, books, bikes and cupcakes, or just hang out.

The booths at Brightspot are personally designed by tenants. At the last event, Katallog, a T-shirt seller, displayed its products on a pile of boxes and sloppy wooden racks. Instead of the brand’s name, “Sorry for the mess …” was written on the wall. Melissa, the popular brand of jelly shoes, glued giant lollipops on the bright pink wall in their booth, while a DJ booth was constructed from blackboards with the name of whoever was playing at the time chalked on.

When the organizers describe Brightspot as “a four-day market of all things cool,” they mean it.

“It’s a hip place because we also have a DJ on the spot,” said Nazyra Noer, who works in public relations for Future 10, the company which organizes Brightspot.

“People can feel the ‘cool’ ambience when they come.”

Future 10 isn’t interested in mainstream brands either. From the beginning, they decided the event would be a chance for creative local entrepreneurs to sell their wares. “Brightspot is a curated market, which means we choose every tenant for this event,” Anton said.

About 10 people in the organizing company, all with backgrounds in art, retail and music, are involved in selecting the tenants.

Having organized various events from music gigs to sales events for 14 years now, the crew from Future 10 all have their fingers on the pulse of their target market — Internet savvy young people aged from their teens to 35.

When the eX mall offered space and asked them to hold an event this year, Brightspot was originally intended to be a music gig.

“But we realized that that’s been done very often,” Anton said. And so the Brightspot market concept was born instead.

The Future 10 crew is mostly interested in artsy and quirky, unusual items.

“We wanted to offer a different shopping experience that made sense,” Anton said. “It’s not like going to a big mall and see similar things everywhere.”

Details to create ambience are also an important element. Tenants may decorate their own booths as they like, though the organizers give some direction and advice.

“We tell them that it is a form of trade show, which means people from large retailers from foreign countries will also visit as well,” Anton said.

“We want visitors to appreciate the creative ambience when they enter the market, the booth is a blank canvas for [retailers] to express their brand,” Nazyra said.

This time, more than 30 brands will participate in the market, including Cleo Awards finalists from the recent Jakarta Fashion Week showing off their collections.

Keeping with the fashion theme, Nina Nikicio will launch a signature dress that can be used to create up to 25 different looks. There will also be limited edition accessories by Nikidee on sale.

Other brands to make an appearance are Aksara bookstore, which is giving discounts on all books at the market, and Seba men’s footwear from Bandung.

Brightspot will also feature Scooter99, a company specializing in reconditioning scooters and building sidecars. The market will introduce scooters that have never been shown or sold in Indonesia before.

“Basically, we try to provide everything that has something to do with lifestyle,” Nazyra said.

Brightspot Market
Dec. 10-13
From 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
3rd floor Plaza Indonesia (next to Jade)

Retailers include:
Aksara (books and gifts)
Danjyo Hiyoji (women’s and men’s apparel)

Monday to Sunday
(women’s and men’s apparel)
Seba Shoes (men’s footwear)
Melissa by 707 (women’s shoes)
Feiyue by 707 (men’s shoes)
Katallog (gifts and accessories)
Cotton Ink (women’s accessories)
Scooter99 (scooters)
Koi restaurant (food and beverages)

Mandiri bank opens branches in Malaysia

Antara News, Monday, November 30, 2009 00:47 WIB

Kuala Lumpur (ANTARA News) - State-owned Bank Mandiri is establishing a subsidiary Mandiri International Remittance Sdn Bhd in Malaysia with eight branches, the bank`s president director Agus Martowardojo said.

"The Bank Mandiri subsidiary will focus on the remittance business. We will open eight branches this year and in 2010 their may reach 30," he said here on Sunday.

The subsidiary dedicated by State Enterprises Minister Mustafa Abubakar, in the presence of Bank Indonesia (BI/the central bank) Deputy Governor Ardhayadi Mitroatmodjo, Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Da`i Bachtiar, and Transfer Deputy Director of the Malaysian State Bank, Oei Sam Kwang.

Agus said that the opening of the eight branches in Malaysia has cost of US$1.5 million. "Next year, we set a target to net 20 percent of remittance from Malaysia to Indonesia, which reaches Rp8-10 trillion per annum," he added.

Carrefour to Promote Locally-grown Fruits

TEMPO Interactive, 16 November, 2009 | 15:18 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:PT Carrefour Indonesia President Director, Shafie Shamsuddin, promised to introduce locally-grown fruits as exports through thousands of Carrefour supermarkets spread worldwide. “Indonesian fruits are considered halal-guaranteed and clean,” he said on Saturday.

Demand for Indonesian fruits according to Shafie, comes not only from the Middle East but also from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan. “They really like Malang apples because it is the main ingredient for apple pies,” he added.

However, the export of locally-grown fruits face problems. Prospects would improve if the role of mediators was reduced. Fruit farmers’ are also being urged to improve the quality of their products.

Kartika Candra

Jakarta to have a new batik museum

Hasyim Widhiarto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 09/28/2009 8:36 PM

Seeking to house its growing batik collection and attract more visitors, the management of the Textile Museum in Central Jakarta is preparing to open a separate batik museum within the existing complex.

“We’re looking to complete the planning [for the new museum] by the end of this year,” museum head Indra Riawan said Monday.

Built in the 19th century as a private French residence, the museum, on Jl. K.S. Tubun, showcases 1,800 items from around the archipelago, most of them batik.

Indra said the museum’s management had planned to renovate the 300-square-meter contemporary-textile gallery to make room for the new batik museum.

He declined to say when the new museum would open, with funding still being sought from the city administration before the start of renovation.

“We have so far secured a commitment from the Indonesian Batik Foundation to put some of their collections in the new museum,” Indra said.

Hard Rock to roll out more Asian hotels

Google/AFP

HONG KONG (AFP) — The head of Hard Rock International said Tuesday the leisure firm was looking to expand its rock-and-roll themed hotel franchise across Asia despite the financial crisis.

Hamish Dodds, president and chief executive officer of the US-based group, said it was working on deals to open Hard Rock Hotels in Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok, Jakarta and Hong Kong over the next few years.

The group currently manages two hotels in Asia -- one in Pattaya, Thailand, and the other in Bali, Indonesia -- and it is launching three new hotels in Macau, Malaysia and Singapore later this year.

"We have a number of negotiations ongoing in Asia. It's a good time to be looking around," he told AFP in Hong Kong.

"We certainly have better bargaining power now because of the availability of distressed assets and better leases (amid the crisis)," he said.

Dodds said the company has stepped up its search for potential sites and franchise partners in Asia.

In June, the company will open a 300-room Hard Rock Hotel in the southern Chinese gaming hub of Macau.

The new hotel is part of the 2.1-billion-US-dollar entertainment resort complex run by Lawrence Ho, head of Melco Crown Entertainment and son of Macau gaming tycoon Stanley Ho.

Dodds said Hard Rock's parent company, Seminole Tribe of Florida, was one of the most successful gaming businesses in the world and its entry into the Macau market was logical.

"If we are in the gaming business, it makes sense to be in the biggest gaming market in the world, which is Macau," he said.

Hard Rock International owns 124 Hard Rock Cafes and nine Hard Rock Hotels around the world.

City has big plans in store for Kemang

The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA | Wed, 03/25/2009 9:47AM

Kemang in South Jakarta will be transformed into a modern kampung without high-rise buildings, the head of the city's spatial planning agency announced Tuesday.

Wiriyatmoko said Kemang would be developed like Kuta in Bali, where sidewalk cafes, boutiques and homey restaurants lay side by side on a long street.

During the 1980s, Kemang was a quiet residential area, but metamorphosed into commercial hub, with dozens of restaurants and bars squeezed into the area, hounded by hordes of customers and their vehicles crowding the streets.

The area now has some 60 cafes and restaurants, and several hotels.

Kemang was originally meant as a residential zone, but with the frenzied development of the past few years, the administration now plans to make it a legal commercial area.

Businesses in Kemang still have to pay regular fines for converting homes into businesses.

Wiriyatmoko said the administration was studying several options, but gave no details.

“The houses will still be there, with the cafes and restaurants trimmed along the main street. But the administration will not let high-rise buildings be built," he said. “Some buildings will be removed — if I’m not mistaken there are two buildings in breach of regulations.

They've requested permits, but we might have to reject them since they were built before seeking a license.”

High-rise buildings, defined as more than eight storeys tall, are still allowed for residential purposes.

A 1999 gubernatorial decree declared the area a modern kampung.

A.Z. Harahap, head of the South Jakarta Tourism Subagency, said recently his office would develop areas of Kemang and Melawai as culinary tourism sites, as quoted by beritajakarta.com. (iwp)