Sany to Build $200m Factory in Cikarang

Jakarta Globe, Camelia Pasandaran & Faisal Maliki Baskoro, April 30, 2011

China-based coal mining equipment maker Sany signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Indonesia on Saturday tp invest up to $200 million to build a production base for its heavy machineries in Cikarang, Bekasi.

“Sany is convinced that we're able to sell our products to Asian countries,” said the president director of Sany, Liang Wengen.

“Our market share in the Asian market is still very small, at less than 5 percent. So [through] the investment in Indonesia, we hope we can increase our market share in Asian countries.”

Wengen said the initial injection would be $15 million, with the total investment at $200 million.

“This is going to the biggest investment that Sany has made.”

Sany's plan is part of the Chinese government's pledge to support development in Indonesia and improve the trade balance between the two countries.

Wengen said the factory would play an important role in boosting revenue to 350 billion RMB ($54 billion) in 2015, up from 90 billion RMB target for this year.

"We're not just going to manufacture here, but we will also transfer our technology to Indonesia," he said.

The factory will be located on 10 hectare in Cikarang industrial zone. It will have an annual capacity to manufacture 1,000 units of heavy equipment and is expected to absorb 1,500 workers. Construction is expected to star in July, with operations expected to open in 2012

"We have a passion for Indonesia. Its huge population and low labor cost are also what draw us here. We're optimistic that our operation here will break even in no time," Wengen said.

Sany group started operations in 1989 and currently has factories in the United States, Germany, India and Brazil. The corporation employs more than 53,000 people in more than 120 countries. It's sales last year reached 50 billion RMB.

Agus Cahyana, the secretary general of the Industrial Ministry, said that the government welcomed the new investment would facilitate it by helping the company find the location and providing market data.

Three Cianjur sub-districts soon to have new solar power plants

Antara News, Sat, April 30 2011

Cianjur, West Java (ANTARA News)- At least 96 solar power plants (PLTS) will soon be built by the West Java Energy and Human Resources Agency in three sub-districts in South Cianjur.

The statement was made by head of Cianjur energy and human resources services Ano Kusmana here on Friday as a follow up of the West Java provincial administration`s efforts in supplying energy for the rural population planned since 2003.

He also said his side is developing a program of developing new solar and alternative power plants known as hydro- and micro-power plants (PLTMH).

The areas covered by the PLTMH program in Cianjur, he said, include Sukamanah village in Cikadu sub-district, for power supply to 135 houses, while the PLTS program will cover Pamoyanan village, Cibinong sub-district with a total of 60 power plants, Gelar Anyar village, Pagelaran sub-district 6 PLTS, and Karangtengah village, in Tanggeung sub-district 30 PLTS.

The new and alternative energy program, he added, is expected to give a benefit by increasing alternative power supply to the regencies in the area.

Besides, he added, it will also boost the economic growth of the villages and their industries as well as improving the quality of education and health.

Editor: Aditia Maruli

RI`s geothermal sector still wide open for investment

Antara News, Thu, April 28 2011

"Geothermal energy source in Indonesia is 40 percent of the world`s, offering a good opportunity for investment and foreign investors to come into the country."

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has huge potentials for investment in the geothermal energy development sector as until now investment in the sector still totals three percent, an official said.

"The potentials for investment in the geothermal sector is huge but not all of them have have tapped maximally," Head of the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Gita Wirjawan said here on Thursday.

He said geothermal energy source in Indonesia is 40 percent of the world`s, offering a good opportunity for investment and foreign investors to come into the country.

"Many investors have been interested to invest in the sector," he said, adding investment has so far grown in Java, Bali and Sumatra while it has not yet grown in places outside the regions.

He said investors who would invest in Indonesia would later also develop infrastructure to smoothen their projects. "Investors will later also build infrastructure to support their investment," he said.

Gita said investment in the sector would also support the government`s program in reducing gas emissions by 26 percent.

"The emission reduction target is realistic, moreover if it is supported by investment program like this," he said.

He said geothermal energy development has also been the government`s focus for maximizing the use of renewable energy.

Gita said several countries have already made investments and several others have also expressed their interest in the sector. "Countries such as India and South Korea have already made investment reaching billion US dollars in total," he said.

Editor: Heru

Germany Invests 104 Million Us Dollars In Tala PLTA

Antara News, Thu, April 28 2011

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Ambon (ANTARA News) - The German government agreed to invest 104 million US dollars in building a hydro-power plant (PLTA) in Tala, western Seram regency in Maluku.

"Tala PLTA has a capacity of 4 x 15 megawatts (MW) to be built soon to foster power supply system in the area," general manager state power company PT. PLN for Maluku and North Maluku I Nyoman Astawa said here Wednesday.

PLTA Tala will be built after the completion of Piru steam power plant (PLTU) which will have a capacity of 2 x 3 MW.

Tala PLTA is also a PLN long term program stretching to 2020, for fostering the power supply system in Ambon Island, and later to Seram Island, Southeast Maluku, and other areas in Maluku.

Maluku and North Maluku provinces are for the time being electrified by solar power plants (PLTS).

And because diesel power plants are too costly to build, PLN also had problems in the transportation of fuel oil, he added

Editor: Aditia Maruli

Indonesia reopens to Dutch onions

Fruitnet.com, Tom Bicknell, 27 April 2011

A new treatment programme has reopened the Indonesian market to Dutch onions after a two-year hiatus

Indonesia has reopened to Dutch onions after two years, following work by Dutch exporters on treatment for stem nematode.

After closing in 2009 as part of an Indonesian zero tolerance policy, the market was reopened as of 18 April, according to Dutch group the Foundation for Promotion of Onions (SAU).

The organisation coordinated with the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation to develop a treatment programme for the Ditylenchus dipsaci stem nematode that fit Indonesian requirements.

The programme involves treatment with maleic hydrazide (MH).

Indonesia demands high-quality onions and is willing to pay corresponding prices, the SAU said in a statement, and the market’s peak demand reportedly runs over the first few months of the Dutch season.

Indonesian Business Council for Sustainable Development formed

Antara News, Wed, April 27 2011

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Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Six Indonesian prominent companies have set up an Indonesian Business Council for Sustainable Development (IBCSD), which is a chapter of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

Representatives of the six companies here Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize the establishment of IBCSD.

The companies are Asia Pacific Resources International Ltd (APRIL), BNI 46, PT Garuda Indonesia, PT Medco Power Indonesia, PT Bakrie Telecom and PT Holcim Indonesia.

The signing ceremony was attended by among others Industry Minister MS Hidayat, State Minister for the Environment Gusti Muhammad Hatta, Chairman of the Climate Change National Council Rachmat Witoelar, Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) Suryo Bambang Sulisto, and Special Adiviser of the WBCSD Indonesia Neil Franklin.

Minister Hidayat said the setting up of IBCSD was in line with his ministry`s vision which is to make Indonesia a strong industrialized nation by 2020 by applying the sustainable development concept.

The concept covered three synergistic aspects, namely the economic, social and environmental aspects.

The industrial sector contributed around 47.9 percent of the country`s total gas emission in the energy usage.

"The synergy between the objective of the sustainable development and the response toward the climate change impacts is crucial," the minister added.

Environmental Affairs Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta said the sustainable development concept must be applied consistently by all stakeholders, particularly those from the business sector.

KADIN Chairman Suryo Bambang said he hailed the initiative to establish the IBCSD.

Editor: Ruslan Burhani

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Bilateral relations RI, China to cooperate in developing renewable energy

The Jakarta Post, Rangga D. Fadillah, Jakarta | Wed, 04/27/2011

Indonesian and Chinese business owners have affirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in developing Indonesia’s renewable energy sector in a bid to help the country reduce dependence on fossil fuels and boost economic growth.

The secretary general for China’s National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation, Ambassador Wu Zhenlong, said that as developing nations, Indonesia and China had similar challenges in accelerating their economic growth, particularly in the issue of energy security.

“We’ve the same challenges related to energy issues so it [the cooperation] is to exchange ideas and experiences for the benefit of both of us,” he told The Jakarta Post in an exclusive interview on the sideline of Indonesia-China business meeting in Jakarta on Wednesday.

China had been committed to working with not only the Indonesian government but also private companies to increase energy supply from renewable resources such as wind, water and solar power, he added.

“The prospect of renewable energy businesses in Indonesia is very bright, considering the country is rich with resources. The two countries can do a lot of things together,” he said.

Ambassador Wu led an entourage comprising Chinese businessmen to meet with Indonesia’s stakeholders in several business sectors, including tourism and renewable energy. The visit aimed to seek new areas of cooperation, he said in his opening remarks at the meeting.

“This meeting will be a great venture to expand the two countries’ bilateral relations,” he said.

Ambassador Wu claimed that China had considerable competence in the renewable energy sector through its long journey in developing wind, hydro and solar power plants in the country.

“Between 1950s and the 1970s, we focused on hydro-power projects to provide electricity for our people. 

In 1980, we started to develop solar, wind and other renewable energy,” he reported.

Currently, he revealed, China’s wind power plants had a total capacity of 4,000 megawatts. The country was also well-known as the number-one producer of solar panels in the world, he added.

In 2020, China plans to build more wind power plants to reach a total capacity of between 15,000 and 20,000 megawatts. The country is also eager to improve its solar and hydro power plants’ capacity to over 5,000 megawatts and 30,000 megawatts respectively that year.

Ambassador Wu claimed that China currently utilized domestic resources in boosting its renewable energy utilization. All technologies used in renewable energy projects were developed by local firms, he added.

The chairman for Indonesia Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation, Jusuf Wanandi, welcomed the commitment of Chinese business delegates expressed by Ambassador Wu.

“I hope this meeting isn’t the last. We’re looking forward to haveing other forthcoming meetings to tighten the Indonesia-China bilateral cooperation,” he said in his opening remarks.   

Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) is a tripartite network of 26 member committees comprised of senior individuals from business and industry, government, academic and other intellectual circles dedicated to the promotion of regional cooperation and dialog.

PECC is a non-governmental official observer at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Indonesian tycoon donates $1m to U.C. Berkeley

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 04/27/2011

The owner of Mayapada group and one of Indonesia's most renowned tycoons, Tahir, has recently donated US$ 1 million to the University of California, Berkeley.

Receiving the donation was the university chancellor, Robert J Birgeneau.

Tahir said the donation was expected to be used to assist Indonesian students currently studying at Berkeley who were facing financial problems.

“With this fund, I hope I can do something to help our students to continue their studies at Berkeley,” Tahir said Wednesday.

He added that it was his duty as a member of the university’s board of trustees to make the donation.

“In fact, I am the only Asian on the board now,” he said.

When asked about how many Indonesian students might benefit from the funds, Tahir said he had no idea, adding that the technical details of its provision had been left to the university management.

Global Companies Slated to Go Green At Business Meet

Jakarta Globe, Fidelis E. Satriastanti | April 27, 2011

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More than 200 companies from around the globe are expected to attend a key summit in Jakarta this week, where they will sign a pledge to cut their carbon emissions and adopt eco-friendly practices.

The commitment is one of the highlights of the Business for Environment summit (B4E), led annually by the World Wildlife Fund, which runs from Thursday through Friday. A pre-summit event it held on Wednesday.

The meeting encourages executives and entrepreneurs to help solve pressing environmental issues by creating green economies, protecting biodiversity and reducing their carbon footprints. It also promotes the UN’s forestry conservation program.

Shinta Widjaja Kamdani, deputy chair of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), one the event partners, said the summit was in line with Indonesia’s target to cut emissions by 26 percent by 2020.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is scheduled to address the summit on the second day, has said the country could reduce emissions by 41 percent with international assistance.

“Reaching this is possible,” Shinta said on Tuesday.

“If the companies [agree with the] meeting’s goal, they will be required to help achieve emissions-cutting targets through projects,” she added.

Shinta said the pledges, to be announced by the firms before the summit’s close, would reveal their ideas on the best strategies that they believe would help the environment.

But she said the government should also do its part in encouraging the private sector to adopt more eco-friendly practices in their operations.

“I always say to the government that if we want to do this [cut emissions], then we would have to give these companies incentives,” she said.

“We obviously want to achieve the target, but we need to examine the economic condition,” she said. “We are private enterprises engaged in commercial — not voluntary — activities.”

“This is not a form of corporate social responsibility, so it will need the proper support [from the government],” she added.

Senior officials, including Hatta Rajasa, the coordinating minister for the economy, will participate in the summit.

Shinta said Kadin was preparing a list of recommendations on how the government could encourage companies, particularly those in the banking sector, to go green.

She added that the Indonesian Business Council, a unit of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, would also be launched during the summit.

WWF-Indonesia head Efransjah said firms played a major role in helping conserve resources as well as prevent further environmental damage.

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RNI to build sugar factory in Malang

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 04/26/2011

State agribusiness firm PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (RNI) is ready to invest some Rp 1 trillion (US$116 million) for the construction of a sugar factory in the East Java town of Malang, expected to commence operations next year.

Malang regent Rendra Kresna said RNI and state surveyor company PT Sucofindo had conducted a survey related to the planned construction in Kalipare district and that the factory would probably sit across 200 hectares of land.

“But we cannot tell you yet exactly which sub-district will be the location of the factory because we’re waiting for the feasibility study to be completed.

We hope the new sugar factory will start operating by 2012,” he said Tuesday in Malang, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

The planned factory is expected to produce up to 8,000 tons of sugar daily, so as to support RNI’s plan of increasing its production capacity from 32,900 tons of sugar per day to 42,650 tons.

Rendra added the factory was expected to absorb up to 700 permanent workers, as well as 2,500 contract-based personnel in the region.

Dutch and Chinese businessmen wish to invest in East Kutai

Antara News, Sat, April 23 2011

With regard to the interest, Ardiansyah Sulaiman said he already had discussed the matter with the Dutch ambassador to Indonesia to facilitate them if they come to East Kutai

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Sangata, East Kalimantan (ANTARA News)- A number of Dutch and Chinese investors wished to operate in various sectors in East Kutai.

"Dutch and Chinese investors had become interested in investment in coal in the regency, which was also expressed by the Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia," East Kutai Deputy Regent H.Ardiansyah Sulaiman said here Friday.

Four businessmen have expressed interest in investment, namely from the Netherlands in mining, iron ore, in addition from China in marine and agricultural sectors, and another one in making documentary films.

Ardiansyah Sulaiman said the Dutch and Chinese businessmen expressed their interest when they met in an exhibition and an exhibition in The Hague early in April 2011.

"With regard to the interest, Ardiansyah Sulaiman said he already had discussed the matter with the Dutch ambassador to Indonesia to facilitate them if they come to East Kutai," he said.

"In this context, the East Kutai administration will improve the roads and airport," he said.

Editor: Aditia Maruli

Indonesia Opens Tender For $15.5 Trillion Jakarta MRT Project Official

NASDAQ

JAKARTA -(Dow Jones)- PT Mass Rapid Transport Jakarta Friday opened the tender for the construction of the first commuter rail line in the country, which is estimated to cost IDR15.5 trillion ($1.8 billion) an official said.

"This is for the construction of the first section, for which IDR12 trillion will be financed by JICA," Railway Director General Tunjung Inderawan told reporters, referring to the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

"Hopefully the construction can start this year and be completed by 2014," Inderawan added.

PT MRT Jakarta announced in several local newspapers Friday that the main contractors for the surface and underground sections of the rail line must be Japanese companies, while the subcontractors may be companies from any country.

Applications must be submitted by May 31, the company said.

Indonesia's capital badly needs a mass rapid transport system as its road network hasn't kept up with the growing number of cars. The city's notorious traffic jams are estimated to cause around IDR12.8 trillion in losses annually.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has also ordered a study into moving the capital to another area to help ease the chronic traffic problems.

-By Joko Hariyanto and I Made Sentana, Dow Jones Newswires; +62 21-39831277; i-made.sentana@dowjones.com

PLN buys power from North Sumatra hydro plant

Rangga D. Fadillah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 04/19/2011

State electricity utility PT PLN has signed a power purchase agreement with the future Wampu hydro power plant to be built in North Sumatra, which will be operated by PT Wampu Electric Power, jointly owned by Korea Midland Power, Daewoo Engineering and PT Mega Power Mandiri.

PLN spokesperson Bambang Dwiyanto said PLN would buy the power for 7.23 US cents per kilowatt-hour.

“The contract will last for 30 years,” he said in a press statement on Tuesday.

The power plant, which will be located in Karo regency, had a total capacity of 3x15 megawatts, Bambang reported. Construction on the plant would begin this year, with commercial operation to begin in 2014, he added.

The agreement was signed on April 12 by PLN president director Dahlan Iskan and Wampu Electric Power president director Choi Chung Yul.

Japanese company turns waste from landfill into electricity

Antara News, Mon, April 18 2011

Palembang, South Sumatra (ANTARA News) - A Japanese company has succeeded in using waste at the Sukawinatan landfill in Palembang to produce electricity for lighting since late 2010, a company spokesman said.

Hendri, a technical officer of PT Gikoko Japan Indonesia, said here Monday the company had since October 2010, succeeded in producing electricity from waste treatment wells at the Sukawinatan landfill .

"Waste from five wells and ten horizontal waste reservoirs has been processed into electricity," Hendri said.

He said Gikoko had teamed up with the Palembang city administration for waste processing so as to capture methane gas and build electrical installation.

"Since late last year, we have been e to process materials from waste wells into electric power produced by the system itself, Hendri said.

He added, currently Sukawinatan ​​landfill provides electricity amounting to 120 thousand watts to illuminate the waste disposal location.

The electric lights for 24 hours, but it can only serve a limited landfill area and have not been able to light the off-site of the waste disposal location, he said.

We still lack of waste wells, so it is a constraint to develop the electric energy at the landfill, Hendri said.

He explained, ideally it takes about 40 wells waste more to develop electrical energy.

But until now, only five waste wells that have been optimally exploited .

Meanwhile, head of Palembang city sanitation office, Zulfikri Simin expected that PT Gikoko could accelerate the waste treatment efforts so that it would have economic values.

The volume of waste dumped in Sukawinatan landfill every day reaches more than 2,500 cubic meters.

Editor: Priyambodo RH

Ministry launches REDD website

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 04/18/2011

Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan launched on Monday Indonesia's official Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) program website, www.redd-indonesia.org.

Published in Indonesian, the website contains information regarding REDD implementation in the country, pilot projects, REDD-related regulations and other environmental information.

The website acts as a reference regarding REDD such as what REDD is and how it works.

It is also linked to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, among other social network sites.

Zulkifli launched the website at the 3rd IndoGreen Forestry Expo opening at the Jakarta Convention Center, Antara reported.

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”.

South Korea's Daewoo, Hyundai win 2 hydro power plant projects

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 04/12/2011

South Korea's Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co. won a bid for a 60-megawatt hydro power plant construction project worth Rp 2.5 trillion (US$290 million).

“The hydro power plant will be built in North Sumatra,” Dahlan Iskan, president director of state electricity company PT PLN, which held the bid, said Tuesday.

Dahlan said another Korean company, Hyundai Engineering, along with Indonesia's state construction firm PT Pembangunan Perumahan, won another bid for a hydro power plant project in Aceh, with a planned production capacity of 89 megawatts.

The two power plants are expected to be completed in 2013, kontan.co.id reported.

JBIC to finance two power plant projects

Rangga D. Fadillah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 04/12/2011

The Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) said Tuesday it was ready to finance the development of two power plants in Central Java and North Sumatra with a total value of more than US$1 billion.

The bank's executive director, Fumio Hoshi, told reporters that negotiations on funding the two projects had reached the final stage and he expected the tender process could be completed in the near future.

“At the moment there is a tender for Central Java's supercritical coal-fired power plant project, [the winner will be announced next month], he said at the Indonesia International Infrastructure Conference and Exhibition 2011. “We’re also working on the Salula geothermal power plant in North Sumatra.”

Beside the two power plants, the JBIC might also finance other geothermal power plant projects in Sumatra, Hoshi revealed.

Two Japanese companies identified at least four potential geothermal fields on the island, he added.

Govt offers infrastructure projects totaling $15 billion

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 04/12/2011

The Public Works Ministry offered dozens of infrastructure projects worth a total of US$15 billion to the private sector while it opened the Indonesian International Infrastructure Conference and Exhibition (IIICE) 2011 on Tuesday.

Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto said the projects were spread across a number of Indonesian provinces, including Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Yogyakarta, North Sumatra and North Sulawesi.

“The [total] value of those projects is predicted to reach US$15 billion, or Rp 143 trillion,” Djoko said at the event.

He said the projects included 15 toll road construction projects that the government was currently prioritizing, including the Medan-Kuala Namu-Tebing Tinggi highway in North Sumatra and the Cileunyi-Sumedang-Dawuan tollway in West Java.

There are 16 other potential tollway projects, including the planned Manada-Bitung highway in North Sulawesi and the Bukit Tinggi-Padang Panjang-Lubuk Alung-Padang tollway in West Sumatra.

“As of March, we're still preparing for the bids,” Djoko said of the 16 projects, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

He also said the ministry was offering clean water facility projects in four locations, which required Rp 14.6 trillion in investments, and waste management and sanitation facilities in 11 areas, worth a total of $41.6 million.

Japan offers research scholarships to Indonesian students

Antara News, Mon, April 11 2011

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Japanese government is offering Monbukagakusho scholarships to Indonesian students who wish to participate in research programs in 2012, according to a press release issued the Japanese embassy in Jakarta.

During their studies, students would be allowed to apply to degree programs, namely master, doctoral and professional graduate courses. They can also continue the doctoral degree program after finishing the master or professional graduate course. However, the latter offer is applicable only to students who can pass the examination held by the related university.

Among the requirements that must be met to apply for the scholarship program are ; the participants must born during or after April2, 1977, has the university grade of minimum 3.0 or Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students with minimum score of 260 in two subjects excluding the Japanese language.

The student must have a TOEFL score of minimum 550 or equivalent and surpass the Japanese Language Test at level 2.

The application form for the scholarship can be taken freely at the Japanese Embassy in Jakarta, Japanese Consulate in Surabaya and Medan. The form can also be downloaded at the official website of the Japanese Embassy in Jakarta http://www.id.emb-japan.go.jp.

All documents must be submitted directly or through mail not later than May 11, 2011.

Universities in Japan keeps holding study and research activities despite the recent devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the country last March 11.

Editor: Priyambodo RH

PLN to install solar panels for 340,000 customers

Rangga D. Fadillah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 04/08/2011

State electricity utility PT PLN has targeted to install solar panels for 340,000 new customers in eastern Indonesia this year with a total investment of around Rp 1.2 trillion (US$138.76 million), a senior official reveals.

PLN operational director for eastern Indonesia Vickner Sinaga said Friday that using solar panels was the best solution to provide electricity to people living in less developed areas in the eastern part of the country.

“By using solar panels, customers only need to pay Rp 35,000 per month to PLN. The price is cheaper compared to Rp 90,000 each family has to spend per month to buy kerosene for petromax lamps,” he told reporters at a media briefing at his office in Jakarta.

Currently, 1,234 customers in eastern Indonesia use solar panels in their houses, Vickner said. New customers should not worry about funds to buy the solar panels because PLN would provide them free of charge, he added.

“The price of a solar panel package is Rp 3.5 million comprising the panel, pipes, cables and three lamps. PLN will provide customers with the package,” he explained.

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RI gives agricultural training to developing counties

Antare News, Thu, April 7 2011

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Agriculture officers of five developing countries are taking part in a two-week long training and apprenticeship program which opened in West Java`s resort area of Lembang on Thursday.

Retno LP Marsudi. (kemlu)

Director General of America and Europe at the Foreign Ministry Retno Marsudi opened the event held jointly with the Agriculture Ministry.

The event consists of international training on fruit and vegetable post-harvest technology for Asia Pacific countries and apprenticeship program for Comoros farmers.

The five countries are Bangladesh, Fiji, Laos, Sri Lanka and Timor Leste.

In her address Retno said the two activities were one of the manifestations of the Indonesian government`s commitment to help develop the agriculture sector of fellow developing countries.

"The agricultural sector is the important asset of Indonesia`s soft power diplomacy and for more than three decades Indonesia has played an active role in facilitating the exchange of experience in the agricultural sector through training, apprenticeship and dispatch of skilled workers to various counties in Asia and the Pacific and Africa," she said.

She expressed her belief that developing countries could contribute to improving the global food security which currently came under the spotlight from the international community.

Secretary General of the Agriculture Ministry Hari Priyono meanwhile said the government`s policies on national food security had yielded fruits with the attainment of self-reliance in rice in 2008.

"The agricultural sector is a strategic sector in the Indonesian economy and the Indonesian government will always try to meet the national consumption needs to ensure the public access to foodstuffs which constitutes one of human beings` basic rights." he said.

"Through the two activities the Secretary General of the Agriculture Ministry expects that the participants could improve their technical competence so that it could be applied to support the development of the agricultural sector in their respective country," he said.

Editor: Priyambodo RH

Kemang Village to soon build office tower

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 04/07/2011

Kemang Village management will soon build an office tower in the area to meet the office demand in South Jakarta.

Kemang Village director Jopy Rusli said Thursday in Jakarta demands for offices in South Jakarta were growing because many companies wanted to avoid the three-person-per-vehicle rule in Jakarta's “golden triangle” business district, which includes Jl. Gatot Subroto, Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin.

“The area around the Kemang Village office building will not impose the vehicle rule and will be close to employees' residences,” Jopy said as quoted by kompas.com. “Kemang Village's added value will also increase because the construction of the Pangeran Antasari flyover is projected to complete in 2012.”

He added KV Mall, a shopping center project worth US$1.2 billion and built on 15.5 hectares of land, was also scheduled for opening in 2012.

US Agriculture Under Secretary visits seafast facility

Antara News, Thu, April 7 2011

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Bogor, W Java (ANTARA News) - US Agriculture Undersecretary Michael T Scuse and his delegation visited the Southeast Asian Food and Agricultural Science and Technology Center (SEAFAST) in Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB), Thursday to observe the facility.

The US agriculture delegation`s visit in Bogor was to observe the research infrastructure at the facility, Scuse said here Thursday.

"So the main purpose is to see the SEAFAST facility, and see how the researchers work, " he said.

Scuse also expressed his amazement at the completeness of the facility`s equipment.

Scuse also said Indonesia and the US had a comprehensive partnership which gives an opportunity for cooperation to assist people`s welfare programs.

IPB SEAFAST Center head Purwiyanto Hariyadi said that Michael Scuse`s visit would open better and broader opportunities fot agricultural cooperation in the future.

"Further, the assistance needed will be more in the form of capacity building, agricultural student and researchers exchanges, and many more forms," he said.

According to the US Embassy to Indonesia`s Senior Information Specialist Public Affairs Section Indar Juniardi said that Michael Scuse was appointed as the USDA Acting under Secretary for the Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (FFAS) by the US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on April 2009.

Scuse`s main task is to handle programs within the FFAS`s mission scope, where the FFAS is appointed to broaden and form a new market for American products, increase US agriculture competitive position also to provide technical assistance and food grants abroad.

Scuse had bee the chairman of the Association of State Agricultural Department in the northeast region, and during his tenure he managed to eradicate the avian flu virus with the help of the University of Delaware and local poultry industries.

Editor: Jafar M Sidik