GENERAL NEWS AND HEADLINES

Provinces with PSBB see decline in COVID-19 cases, in-patients, say regional leaders
The Jakarta Post (https://tinyurl.com/y993r439)

Nearly every region that has imposed large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) has recorded a significant decrease in coronavirus cases, the national COVID-19 task force has said, signaling an optimistic outcome from the implementation of the health protocols to fight the pandemic.

A number of governors convened via video conference on Tuesday morning to report up-to-date results from the PSBB in their respective provinces. Several designated referral centers across the provinces had recorded fewer COVID-19 in-patients after they put in place the mobility restrictions, said COVID-19 task force chief Doni Monardo.

The Jakarta administration also previously reported that the number of in-patients had dropped to fewer than 60 percent of the confirmed cases in the region – the hardest hit by the coronavirus in the country – after imposing the PSBB, Doni said.

 

Jokowi asks residents to report social aid due to discrepant data
Kompas (https://tinyurl.com/yc2y84lg); CNN Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/yb6vvbqc); Liputan6 (https://tinyurl.com/yb6wrhmd), (https://tinyurl.com/y76stvrw); Kontan (https://tinyurl.com/y7ubfyfh);  TribunNews (https://tinyurl.com/yca9xpqe)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has appealed to residents who have not yet received social assistance from the government to report to the heads of neighborhood units (RTs) and community units (RWs) due to issues with data collecting, leading to the uneven distribution of social aid.

Jokowi said that the collected data of residents would then be sent to the central government and be used to redistribute the social assistance, including cash transfers (BLT), staple food packages and the Family Hope Program (PKH) for underprivileged and COVID-19-affected residents.

 

Muhammadiyah to issue fatwa on Idul Fitri mass prayers amid pandemic
CNN Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/yd4k7x4g)

Muhammadiyah secretary-general Abdul Mu’ti has stated that the organization’s majelis tarjih and tajdid (legislative division) will begin deliberating Wednesday night a fatwa concerning the upcoming Idul Fitri mass prayers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously, the Muhammadiyah issued a guide concerning Islamic worship at home during the holy month of Ramadan. However, the guide did not detail the ruling on Idul Fitri mass prayers.

Abdul also said that the fatwa would discuss the Idul Fitri khutbah (sermon), which would be issued on Thursday.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS NEWS AND HEADLINES 

Investors flock to Indonesia dollar bonds
CNBC Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/yd2w5y29); The Jakarta Post, (https://tinyurl.com/ycy9bjzq) 

Indonesian borrowers are selling a record amount of dollar bonds, as the country’s strong fiscal track record in recent years fuels optimism over its ability to weather the COVID-19 crisis. Including sovereign bonds, note sales in the US currency from Indonesia this year have totaled more than US$15 billion, a year-to-date record and almost three times the tally for the same period in 2019. In one of the most recent offerings, state-owned miner PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) sold $2.5 billion worth of notes on Monday, with demand exceeding the issuance size by six times.

A number of Indonesian government-backed companies were preparing to sell dollar bonds, said Indonesia’s State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir last week. State-owned PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia for one is targeting a $1 billion bond sale in the third quarter. Indonesia’s state-owned or state-backed companies should not have a problem tapping the offshore bond markets as long as they are willing to pay up, according to Nicholas Yap, an analyst at Nomura Holdings Inc.

 

Jokowi to increase BPJS premiums again in July
Bisnis Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/yd3r4n7j); Kompas, (https://tinyurl.com/ycmczm28)

The government has made a second attempt to increase Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) premiums by issuing Government Regulation (PP) No. 64/2020, after its previous attempt was annulled by the Supreme Court earlier this year. In a new regulation, the government has decided to increase the premium for first-class service to Rp 150,000 (US$10.1) per month per person from Rp 80,000, while doubling the cost for second-class service to Rp 100,000. For third-class service, the premium will increase to Rp 42,000, but the government has prepared a subsidy to lighten the burden of this group, with Rp 16,500 in 2020 and Rp 7,000 thereafter. Hence, the premium amount paid by participants in this category will stay at Rp 25,500 for this year and increase to Rp 35,000 next year. The new premiums will take effect starting July.

 

Kopi Kenangan raises $109 million in series B funding
CNN Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/ybzb6ovr); The Jakarta Post, (https://tinyurl.com/ydc6ucmy)

Homegrown coffee chain Kopi Kenangan has raised US$109 million in its latest series B funding, securing the funding for its international expansion and technology investment. Sequoia capital led the funding, while new investors including Hong Kong’s Horizon Ventures, Chinese internet company Kunlun, as well as the company’s first institutional investor, Alpha JWC Ventures, joined in on the latest effort to raise funds. Meanwhile B Capital, a venture founded by social media giant Facebook cofounder Eduardo Saverin, also joined the series B funding, while Eduardo will also be joining Kopi Kenangan’s board of directors.

Founded in 2017, Kopi Kenangan plans to operate 500 stores across the country by the end of the year, from 324 stores currently. The funding also gives a greenlight for the company’s expansion plan across neighboring countries, including Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia, after the pandemic ends.

 

Boy Thohir urges Gojek to optimize GoPay, GoFood to survive COVID-19 crisis
CNBC Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/yczg5tuz)

Gojek independent commissioner and one of the company’s early investors, Garibaldi “Boy” Thohir, has urged the ride-hailing company to stop its cash burning strategy and start optimizing its GoPay and GoFood services to survive the COVID-19 crisis. The US$1.2 billion obtained from the company’s latest round of funding before the pandemic would also help Gojek weather the unfavorable business climate caused by the pandemic, he said. “In the next one to two months, when the condition improves, Gojek could emerge as the winner,” Boy added.

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