GENERAL NEWS AND HEADLINES

Six categories of foreign nationals exempt from foreign entry ban
Media Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/qklvmt9)

Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly has issued regulations prohibiting foreign nationals from entering Indonesia, including those requesting entry for transit.

However, Yasonna clarified the exemptions for six categories of foreign nationals who would be permitted to enter the country. These include foreign nationals with limited and permanent stay or residence permits, diplomatic and business visas, diplomatic and business stay permits, medical and food aid providers, transportation vehicle crew members and foreign nationals involved in Indonesia’s national strategic projects.

Foreign nationals who fall under these categories would then have to fulfill several prerequisites and submit all required documents, including health certificates written in English from their respective countries, before entering the country.

These regulations come into effect on April 2.

 

Regional governments must coordinate with ministry before imposing social restrictions
Katadata (https://tinyurl.com/ruv7ulc)

Provincial administrations (Pemda) are to refer to the issued government regulation (PP) on handling the COVID-19 outbreak before implementing large-scale social restrictions.

According to Government Regulation No. 21/2020 on large-scale social restrictions, provincial administrations are obligated to coordinate with Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto before deciding to implement these restrictions in their respective regions. The suggested course of action would then be passed on to the country’s COVID-19 rapid-response chief, Doni Monardo.

Regional governments must then immediately implement large-scale social restrictions after receiving the approval of both Terawan and Doni.

 

Prosecutors’ offices implement online ticket transactions
CNN Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/rzndne8)

Ticketing services at the Jakarta Prosecutor’s Office (Kejari) were put on hold as another measure taken to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

The temporary halt has prompted several safer options for ticket receipt returns and payments of fines. Prosecutors’ offices in Central, North and East Jakarta were reported to have implemented online fine payments and ticket receipt returns through post office services provided by PT Pos dan Giro.

Meanwhile, the South Jakarta Prosecutors’Office has opted for a drive-through method for fine payments and ticket receipt returns.

 

Netizen approval for Jokowi falls over COVID-19 response
The Jakarta Post (https://tinyurl.com/vnkk5o3)

Indonesian netizens do not approve of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s approach handling the COVID-19 epidemic, as seen in a report from a data and analytics consultancy.

Statqo Analytics gathered data on negative comments targeting the President from March 23 to 30 using a web crawler and then drew its conclusions using machine learning and algorithmic predictions.

It also found that positive responses had increased over the last week for the #diRumahAja (#StayAtHome) social media campaign encouraging self-quarantine. Meanwhile, the use of the keyword “volunteer” had surged across the web, indicating a public will to contribute to disease prevention and control.

Both supporters and detractors had called on the President to ramp up the nations' efforts to contain the outbreak, as Indonesia had recorded the highest number of deaths in Southeast Asia.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS NEWS AND HEADLINES

BPS: March inflation 0.1 percent
CNBC Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/soh3fgn); Bisnis Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/u9qej2q); Kontan, (https://tinyurl.com/s2uesf9); Antara, (https://tinyurl.com/r2m5oom) 

Statistics Indonesia (BPS) has announced a March inflation rate of 0.1 percent. Accumulatively, Indonesia’s inflation from January to March this year was recorded at 0.76 percent. “Year-on-year inflation in March is below 3 percent; therefore, I conclude that inflation this month is stable,” BPS head Suhariyanto said. Nevertheless, he urged the government to maintain food price stability ahead of the Ramadan fasting month.

                                                                                                                        

PLN ready to implement free electricity, discounts for poorest households
CNBC Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/wrxfmr3); Detik, (https://tinyurl.com/v2heudj) 

State-owned electricity company PLN is ready to implement President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s instruction to supply free electricity for three months starting April for 24 million households in the 450 volt ampere (VA) category – the lowest of six categories listed under existing regulations, as well as providing 50 percent discount for 7 million households in the 900 VA category – the second lowest – also for three months. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the government had prepared a budget of Rp 3.5 trillion (US$209.8 million) to cover the cost borne by PLN.

 

Sri Mulyani expands BI’s authority in conducting bailout
Bisnis Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/ton3bqa); CNN Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/yx368rwh) 

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has expanded Bank Indonesia’s (BI) authority in conducting bailouts through the Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS). “BI can buy repurchase agreements [repos] from the LPS when problems occur in domestic systematically important banks [DSIBs], as well as non-systematically important bank,” Sri Mulyani explained. Previously, BI used short-term assistance (FPJP) and the emergency funding facility (FPD) to bail out troubled banks. Because of the Bank Century bailout scandal, the FPJP and FPD were terminated and replaced by a repo mechanism through the LPS.

 

Perppu on COVID-19 obliges Netflix, Zoom to pay taxes
CNBC Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/s7xqyyv) 

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has issued Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) No. 1/2020 to soften the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country. Unexpectedly, the Perppu includes tax regulations on electronic transactions for foreign e-commerce and technology companies. As stipulated in the Perppu, the companies must pay value added tax and corporate income tax based on electronic transactions made in Indonesia. The tax rates, as well as the collection mechanism, will be regulated through a separate government regulation.

Download PDF