INDONESIAN TAX AMNESTY PROGRAM RECORDS BIG SUCCESS by Fardah

 Jakarta, Sept 30, 2016 (Antara) ¿ It is in the nature of many people to wait until the last minute to deliver their duties, and that also applies to tax evaders who have finally decided to apply for the tax amnesty offered by the Indonesian government since July 2016.

       The government has launched its tax amnesty program in an effort to increase tax revenues to help finance infrastructure development programs.  
    The government asked applicants to pay a two percent penalty in September, but if they pay after September, the penalty will be higher.    
   The first period for the tax amnesty program is from July 18 until September 30, 2016, offering redemption tariffs of two percent; the second is from October 1 until December 31, 2016 (three percent); and the third period is January 1 until March 31,  2017 (five percent).     
      In the beginning, some people were pessimistic about the tax amnesty program. Yet, as the first period is nearly over, long queues were seen at banks and tax offices participating in the program, as the tax amnesty applicants wanted to take advantage of the lower redemption tariff offer.

          President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) made an impromptu inspection at the Grogol tax office in West Jakarta on Sept. 28 to view the services being provided to those applying for tax amnesties, two days before the closing of the first period.

JAKARTA BAY RECLAMATION TO BE HOT TOPIC IN ELECTION CAMPAIGN by Fardah

Jakarta, Sept 29, 2016 (Antara) - Indonesia's electorate is looking forward to a very exciting and fierce gubernatorial election campaign in Jakarta as three pairs of prominent candidates joust for the Jakarta governor and deputy governor offices.

          The Jakarta regional head election (pilkada) will be organized  on February 15, 2017, simultaneously with similar local elections in 100 other regions, including six other provinces, and 76 districts across Indonesia.

        The campaign period for the 2017 pilkada will be from October 28 2016 to February 11, 2017.

         The Central Government has warned that the campaign must not touch on race, tribe or religion.

          But that would not render the campaigning boring. In fact, some observers have predicted that the controversial Jakarta Bay reclamation project would emerge as a hot topic, and the incumbent pair, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) and Djarot Saiful Hidayat, is set to rake it up as they take another shot at the office.

         Among the contestants are former education minister Anies Baswedan who has paired with a successful businessman, Sandiaga Uno; and son of former president Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and his pair former mayor Sylviana Murni. They are relatively young, non-political and considered competent.

           Indeed, Jakarta Bay reclamation project will be a hot issue for Ahok's rivals during the campaign, Executive Director of Voxpol Center, Pangi Syarwi Chaniago, recently said in Jakarta in response to questions from the media.

HOPING FOR PEACEFUL, DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION IN JAKARTA by Fardah

 Jakarta, Sept 29, 2016 (Antara) - The next gubernatorial election in Jakarta is expected to be both exciting and interesting, since important political figures are sponsoring each candidate pair.

        To be held simultaneously with other regional head elections (pilkada) across the country on February 15, 2017, the Jakarta gubernatorial election will be contested by three pairs, namely incumbent Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) and Djarot Saiful Hidayat, former education minister Anies Baswedan and successful businessman Sandiaga Uno, as well as rising military star Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and former mayor Sylviana Murni.

        Ahok and Djarot are supported by former president Megawati Sukarnoputri, who is concurrently chairperson of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDIP). Baswedan-Uno has been nominated by ex-presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, who is also chairman of Gerindra Party, and Agus-Sylviana is promoted by former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, is chairman of the Democratic Party and the father of Agus.

        The three pairs are considered competent, with every candidate having their own characteristics, qualities, and shortcomings. Further, most of them are relatively young, and they represent different races, tribes and religions.

         Of note, their staunch supporters have already begun their campaigns using social media, such as Facebook.

THE BEST OF RAJA AMPAT TO BE REVEALED YET by Fardah

Jakarta, Sept 28, 2016 (Antara) - Raja Ampat is a crown jewel, thanks to its crystal clear turquoise sea waters and several isles covered by a thick green carpet of dense forests and mangrove swamps.

         The stunning natural beauty of Raja Ampat isles, located on the northwestern tip of the Indonesian province of West Papua, is often seen as a heaven on earth, where dreams of divers come true and nature lovers find a perfect place.

        Raja Ampat, which literally means "Four Kings," is located in the Coral Triangle, the heart of the world's coral reef biodiversity.

        The seas around Raja Ampat Isles are home to the richest varieties of species in the world, including 75 percent of all known coral species.

        The Raja Ampat archipelago encompasses 15 thousand square miles of land and sea. There are around 1.8 thousand isles in Raja Ampat District.

       The name Raja Ampat, or "Four Kings," is derived from a local myth. It has four major islands: Waigeo, Salawati, Batanta and Misool, which are home to ancient rock paintings.

         In total, the Raja Ampat district has around 1.7 thousand islands, including the unoccupied and most beautiful Isle of Wayag, which is made of karst or limestone from other isles.

       Its four major islands --- Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool --- shelter a vast array of terrestrial species and valuable forests.

          The region includes the Pacific's most important Leatherback Turtle nesting site, the Nature Conservancy writes on its website.

         Offshore reefs protect some 1,427 species of fish and more than 550 species of coral.    

ACEH POISED TO BECOME HALAL TOURISM DESTINATION by Fardah

Jakarta, Sept 27, 2016 (Antara) - Aceh Darussalam, located at the northern tip of Sumatra Island, is all set to promote its outstanding natural beauty, ranging from the coast to the mountains and its unique culture and arts, to domestic as well as foreign tourists.

         As Indonesia's only province that has enforced sharia (Islamic law), it is natural if Aceh has decided to develop halal (permissible according to Islamic teaching) and Muslim friendly tourism as its core economy.

         Aceh has plenty to offer to tourists, from religious sites such as Baiturrahman Mosque which was built by Sultan Iskandar Muda in 1612, to the enchanting nature like Blang Kolam and Suhom waterfalls, Lampuuk and Lokhnga beaches, Pantan Terong hill and the Kuala Merisi beach.

         At the 2016 National Halal Tourism Competition (KPHN), Aceh won three awards. The award in the category of Muslim Friendly Airport was won by the Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport in Banda Aceh, and the Muslim friendly cultural destination and best tourist attraction awards went to the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque.  
    The results of the competition were announced in Jakarta on Wednesday (Sept. 22).

FIGHTING INEFFICIENCY, ILLEGAL LEVIES TO CUT DWELLING TIME IN INDONESIAN SEAPORTS by Fardah

Jakarta, Sept 24, 2016 (Antara) - Several Indonesian seaports are notorious for their long cargo dwelling time due to inefficiencies, poor infrastructure and illegal levies that lead to logistics costs multiplying for businesses.

         Dwelling time is measured from the moment the container is unloaded, until it leaves the gates of the container terminal.    
    Due to port inefficiencies and poor port-hinterland connectivity, many basic commodities in eastern Indonesia are twice as expensive as in Java.

         For instance, the dwelling time in the country's main Tanjung Priok Seaport handling over two-thirds of Indonesia's entire international trade, was twice as long as that in Malaysia and five times longer than Singapore.

         Other Indonesian ports take even longer to move containers in and out of their vicinities. Producers pass those higher costs on to consumers.

         Shortening long dwelling times and introducing simple payment systems can help make the port, and hence businesses, run more smoothly.

         President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), whose ambition is to make Indonesia a global maritime axis, has since the beginning of his administration, instructed that the dwelling time be reduced, particularly in major seaports such as Tanjung Priok located in North Jakarta, Tanjung Perak in Surabaya, and Balawan in North Sumatra.