2,800 False Money in Circulation in Bali

Bank Indonesia reported that Bali has seen rising trend of false money circulation within the last five years at 2,800 bills in 2010 compared to 2005 of 1,800 bills.

According to BI Chief of Denpasar, Bali, Jefrey Kairupan, the circulation of false money gets higher every year.

"Counterfeit money in Bali increases in circulation. If no control is imposed upon it, the Rupiah will gain lower international trust," said Jefrey on Wednesday.

Jefrey went on to say that the high distribution of counterfeit money will in turn reduce the public's trust toward the Rupiah.

"Our record shows that money counterfeiters have only been sentenced to imprisonment of less than a year," he said.

In the mean time, Deputy II of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), Agoes Putranto, cited BIN Chief Soetanto saying that counterfeit of money is both a pure crime and a form of subversive act. "Money symbolizes state sovereignty. Counterfeit of money may pose a strategic threat toward the state," he said.

Agoes said 170 cases of counterfeit of money were found between 2005 and 2010 in Jakarta, Medan, Makassar and Bali.

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Indonesia Has Enough Energy Supply until 2030

The national energy supply will still be available until 2030. Nonetheless, the dominant energy of coal and gas will be aimed at domestic supply.

Around 60-70 percent of Indonesia's coal commodities are exported while the remaining supply is channeled to domestic market.

"We mostly import coal, the most inexpensive energy source. Short-term policy on exports is thus required," said member of National Energy Council, Herman Darnel Ibrahim, on Tuesday, April 19.

Given the overflowing stock of coal, according to Herman, nuclear energy is not yet necessary. Coal reserves now reach 20 billion tonnes, while potential coal reserves hit 130 billion tonnes.

By 2025, electricity may require 500,000 tonnes of coal per day.

Herman said the government must reconsider policies to provide mining enterprises with domestic market obligation.

"A consensus must be prepared if exports of energy raw materials need an approval from House members. We have limited non-renewable energy sources," he said.

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98 Pct of China-made Food Not Licensed

Indonesian Food and Drugs Monitoring Agency (BPOM) records that only two percent of China-made cosmetics and food products circulating in the country are licensed.

BPOM Chief Kustantiah said on Monday, "98 percent of China-made cosmetics and food products are not registered in the BPOM."

For the time being, the BPOM plans to persuade Chinese producers register products that are subjects to imports. "Thus, it will be safe for Indonesian consumers to consume [the products]," she said.

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Thousands of Protesters Block Newmont's Mines

Thousands of protesters from various subdistricts of West Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, are trying to block out mining operations at gold and copper mines belonging to PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara Barat on Monday.

The protesters were frustated over the decision made by the central government on buying plan of Newmon divestment share. They demanded that the provincial government repurchase the seven percent shares.

The West Nusa Tenggara police oversaw the demonstration. However, there was clash between them, injuring five police officers.

A tvOne contributor, Herman Zuhdi, had his camera confiscated by the police. "I was surprised," said Herman.

Until 1.30 local time, the protesters were still on the scene.

PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara Operational General Manager David Lilley said the company would claim over losses that the protesters may have caused.

"The protest will only hamper investment in Sumbawa," David told VIVAnews on Monday.

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Aussie Minister Praises Indonesia's Economy

Indonesia's economy, with 234 million people, has been growing strongly and could be in the top 10 globally by 2025, said Australian Trade Minister Craig Emerson. He will be visiting Jakarta this week to hold talks with Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Pangestu.

“As the two largest economies in south-east Asia, there is considerable scope for Australia and Indonesia to strengthen and expand their economic relationship,” Emerson said in his statement to VIVAnews on Sunday.

According to the Australian Embassy, Emerson is scheduled to visit Jakarta from Tuesday until Wednesday, 19-20 April 2011.

This is Emerson’s first visit to the country as Trade Minister, and comes as Australia and Indonesia prepare for negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Indonesian President Suslio Bambang Yudhoyono launched the CEPA process in November last year.

Besides the CEPA negotiations, both ministers will discuss Indonesia’s ratification of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) and the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations.

Emerson and Pangestu will also discuss the finalisation of a joint pilot project designed to help improve Indonesia’s cattle-breeding performance. Indonesia is Australia’s fourth-largest market for agricultural exports, behind Japan, China and the US. In 2009-10, the value of two-way trade between Australia and Indonesia was A$11.8 billion.

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World finance chiefs chastise U.S. on budget gap

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – World finance leaders on Saturday chastised the United States for not doing enough to shrink its massive overspending and warned that budget strains in rich nations threaten the global recovery.

Finance ministers in Washington for semi-annual talks took sharper aim than in previous years at the United States' $14 trillion debt.

While most of the criticism came from emerging market economies, some advanced nations joined the chorus.

Dutch Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager warned that if the United States and other advanced nations move too slowly it could undermine confidence in the global economy.

"Insufficient budgetary consolidation may spark off further escalation of debt sustainability issues, with repercussions on confidence and the still fragile financial sector," de Jager told the International Monetary Fund's steering committee.

"Debt dynamics in other advanced economies, including the United States, are of concern."

The IMF this week said the U.S. budget deficit was on course to hit 10.8 percent of nation's economic output this year, tying with Ireland for the highest deficit-to-GDP ratio among advanced economies. It urged Washington to move quickly to put a credible plan in place to tighten its belt.

Brazil's finance minister, Guido Mantega, offered sharp words in a thinly veiled attack on the United States. "Ironically, some of the countries that are responsible for the deepest crisis since the Great Depression, and have yet to solve their own problems, are eager to prescribe codes of conduct to the rest of the world," he said.

The Group of 20 countries agreed on Friday to a plan that could put more pressure on the United States to fix its deficits as well as push other leading economies to address their own shortcomings.

The IMF's advisory panel on Saturday said issues of financial stability and sovereign debt stability must be addressed, saying in a communique that "credible actions are needed to accelerate progress." It emphasized the need for fiscal consolidation in advanced economies while avoiding overheating in emerging economies.

The Obama administration and the U.S. Congress are locked in battle over how best to fix the deficit. Republicans are pushing for deep spending cuts as part of the argument over raising the nation's $14.3 trillion debt limit, something which is needed to avoid an unprecedented U.S. debt default.

The Republican-led House of Representatives on Friday approved a plan to slash spending by nearly $6 trillion over a decade and cut benefits for the elderly and poor.

President Barack Obama, who has offered a competing vision to curb deficits by $4 trillion over 12 years, said on Thursday the Republican plan would create "a nation of potholes."

The White House is wary about cutting spending sharply while the economic recovery remains fragile.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told fellow finance ministers on Saturday caution was needed.

"We are committed to fiscal reforms that will restrain spending and reduce deficits while not threatening the economic recovery," he said.

Geithner was quick to say others whose policies contribute to global imbalances must change too, "especially those whose fundamentals call for greater exchange rate flexibility..."

The United States has repeatedly called for China to relax its limits on the yuan currency.

Yi Gang, a deputy governor of China's central bank, called for "more rigorous" efforts by advanced economies to tighten budgets and said the IMF needs to strengthen its monitoring of these rich nations.

Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, taking aim at the U.S. Federal Reserve, said central banks that buy government debt to keep interest rates low were abetting fiscal profligacy.

The Fed is on course to complete the purchase of $600 billion in U.S. government debt by the end of June, which would take its total purchases of mortgage-related and government debt since December 2008 to nearly $2.3 trillion.

Echoing Republican lawmakers and even some Fed officials, Kudrin said those purchases blurred the line between monetary and fiscal policy in a way that could jeopardize a central bank's independence.

"We observe this process with some wonderment, since it amounts to the monetization of those countries' budget deficits," Kudrin said.

(Additional reporting by Glenn Somerville; Writing by Lesley Wroughton and Tim Ahmann; Editing by Leslie Adler) 

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Earnings stumbles could awaken bears

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Earnings could make for a bumpy ride in U.S. stocks next week if more key companies undershoot expectations, possibly causing a spike in volatility.

Disappointments from Alcoa (AA.N) , Google (GOOG.O) and others in the first week of earnings have dampened some of the enthusiasm about results, ensuring that eyes will be glued to reports in the coming days.

These include top technology and financial company results, including Yahoo (YHOO.O), Intel (INTC.O), IBM (IBM.N), Texas Instruments (TXN.N), Goldman Sachs (GS.N) and Citigroup (C.N). This blitz of numbers will come during a holiday-shortened week. U.S. financial markets will be closed on April 22nd in observance of Good Friday.

Market watchers also will be anxious to hear how much tech companies may have been affected by the disaster in Japan.

"We've all been lulled to sleep here lately. This earnings season will hopefully be a telling point to try to give people conviction to go one way or the other," said Mike Gibbs, managing director and chief market strategist at Morgan Keegan in Memphis.

"There are potential land mines out there that could create a little bit more volatile trading," he said.

The CBOE Volatility Index, a barometer of investor anxiety known as the VIX (.VIX), briefly fell on Friday to its lowest level since July 2007. It ended at 15.32, well below its mid-March high of 31.28.

Others agreed that further disappointments could stir up volatility.

"If earnings disappoint greatly from any of the major players next week in the financials or technical sector, this could be a catalyst for a return of volatility into the market," said Joe Kinahan, TD Ameritrade chief derivatives strategist, in Chicago.

For the week, the Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) slipped 0.3 percent, while the Standard & Poor's 500 Index (.SPX) and the Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) each shed 0.6 percent.

BEWARE OF "DUAL HEADWINDS"

Whether the earnings season will be strong enough to propel the market higher is the question on investors' minds.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index (.SPX) is up 25.8 percent since the start of September, roughly when the recent rally began.

But sharp gains in the price of oil and other commodities, especially in the first quarter, have fueled worries about the impact on consumers and companies. Moreover, Japan's massive earthquake and tsunami, which triggered a nuclear crisis, have prompted other concerns.

Equity strategists at JPMorgan Chase cut their U.S. earnings estimates by $1 -- but for second-quarter and full-year results -- because of these "dual headwinds."

One popular view is that the market stays in sideways motion during earnings season.

"Earnings are just going to be enough to keep this market bipolar," said Mark Lamkin, CEO and chief investment strategist of Louisville,Kentucky-based Lamkin Wealth Management, with more than $200 million in assets under management.

They "are going to be good enough to keep this market toward the high end of this trading range, but they're not going to be good enough to break out of a range and set the next big leg higher."

FINANCIALS' FORECAST REVISED DOWN

In aggregate, analysts' mean earnings forecast for the S&P financial sector for the first quarter is down 3.4 percent in the past 14 days, according to Thomson Reuters StarMine data.

It was the biggest negative change for any S&P 500 sector, while energy has seen the biggest positive change, the data showed.

The mean change in earnings estimates for Goldman Sachs (GS.N) is down 42.8 percent in the last two weeks, while the mean change in estimates for Citigroup Inc (C.N) is down 6 percent in the last 14 days, it showed.

Analysts' mean earnings forecast for the S&P information technology sector is down 0.1 percent in the past 14 days.

Among other tech disappointments, Infosys Technologies Ltd (INFY.O), India's No. 2 software services exporter, on Friday forecast annual sales lower than expected.

BEARS CIRCLE THE OIL PATCH

Among others expected to report next week are several oil services companies.

Data suggests those stocks could be vulnerable to more declines as earnings expectations have come down and bearish options bets have increased lately, according to Reuters Insider quantitative analyst Mike Tarsala. Deepwater projects in the Gulf of Mexico are being approved at a slow pace.

Earnings sentiment for the group is waning, he said. Two of the sector's biggest names, Halliburton Co. (HAL.N) and Schlumberger Ltd. (SLB.N) are due to report next week.

To be sure, many analysts still see many upside surprises ahead in this earnings reporting period, repeating the trend of recent earnings seasons.

"What's happened is the global macro noise has overshadowed the fundamental earnings stories ... beneath the covers, things are actually better than people believe," said Mike Jackson, founder of Denver-based investment firm T3 Equity Labs.

Based on his own research model, he ranks industrials (.GSPI) at the top of his earnings expectations among the S&P 500's 10 sectors, followed by telecommunications.

Thomson Reuters data shows S&P 500 earnings are expected to have risen 11.7 percent from a year earlier. That estimate is roughly unchanged in recent weeks.

(Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch in New York, with additional reporting by Doris Frankel in Chicago; Editing by Jan Paschal) 

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Finance Ministry Looks Into Unusual Reports

The Ministry of Finance received 62 unusual reports on financial transactions from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center as regards March 2007-March 2011 data.

Deputy Finance Minister Anny Ratnawati said on Thursday the investigation over the reports is aiming at seeking illicit financial transactions carried out within the institution.

Should thorough analysis finds that elements of gratification are practiced, the Ministry of Finance will authorize the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to proceed with the reports.

Anny has however yet to mention about the directorates at the Ministry of Finance from which the reports were acquired.

As reported earlier, Finance Ministry Inspectorate General said in a statement it has taken in 46 reports on unusual financial transactions allegedly committed by tax officers.

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Indonesia Starts 7.5 Mn Cheap-homes Program

The Indonesian government plans to build 7.5 million affordable homes up until 2014. This year, the government claimed that only one million homes will likely be available.

Deputy Minister of Public Housing, Jamil Anshari, said the authorities are ready to set up 350,000 homes of very affordable prices and 650,000 homes of affordable prices.

Jamil said the program will be subject to interest rates set at lower than two digits.

The government prepares Rp2.7 trillion of total budget for implementing the program. "Of the amount, the absorbed fund is only Rp600 billion We call on REI (Real Estate Indonesia)'s participation to make the homes available," he said.

However, Chief REI Bali, AAM Sukhadana Wendha, said the fund will not be sufficient for acquiring land. "It won't be enough. We have all been informed of current land prices in Bali," he said.

He said that the REI expects the provincial government issues policies which enable handing-over of land plots in pursuit of the successful program.

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Indonesia Inco Eyeing More Nickel Production

PT International Nickel Indonesia Tbk (Inco) said in a statement it will double annual nickel production from 73,000 metric tonnes within the last five years to 90,000 metric tonnes in the next few years.

Inco President Director Tony Wenas said the objective is expected to affect three provinces in Sulawesi positively.

Inco's operation in Sorowako, South Sulawesi, according to him, will improve production to 90,000 metric tonnes through brownfield method.

To back up the plan, the company will optimize production in processing facilities in Sorowako, including an uplift in furnace facilities.

"Inco will make a breakthrough by applying best exploration and mining methods," said Tony on Wednesday.

He said the project is reaching its final phase of development of which implementation is ready in 2011. "With regard to Karebbe Dam power plant project, it is expected to be completed in August 2011," he said.

The Karebbe project will produce electricity up to 90 megawatt.

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Indonesia Ranked Higher on NR Index

Indonesia is ranked 53rd out of 138 countries on Networked Readiness Index (NRI) for the period of between 2010 and 2011 from the Global Information Technology Report (GITR). Last year, as published by the World Economic Forum, Indonesia was ranked 67th out of 138 countries.

Networked readiness is an international assessment of countries’ capacity to exploit the opportunities offered by ICTs by looking at the extent of increase in the use of ICT in a specific country and the factors that enable this.

"The improve in NRI proves Indonesia has been catching up with various progresses on technology, information and communication sectors especially in overcoming digital gap," said Dian Triansyah Djani, permanent representative of the Republic Indonesia to the United Nations, WTO and other international organizations in Geneva, on Wednesday.

Djani said Indonesia records the most significant upswing among all surveyed countries.

There are factors which lead to the progress such as protection over intellectual rights (67th to 57th), extent and effect of taxation (22nd to 17th), government prioritization of ICT (71st to 68th), government procurement of advanced technology (34th to 29th), importance of ICT to government's vision (85th to 62nd), internet acces in schools (59th to 50th), ICT use and government efficiency (90th to 72nd), extent of business internet use (71st to 61st), and capacity of innovation (44th to 30th).

In the 2010-2011 GITR, Indonesia shuts off NR index of major emerging economies as well as European and Latin American countries like Brazil (56), South Africa (61), Poland (62), Greece (64), Turkey (71), Federation of Russia (77) and Argentine (96).

Indonesia among other ASEAN countries are third best after Singapore, while Malaysia is ranked 28th, Vietnam 55th, Brunei Darussalam 57th, Thailand 59th, Philippines 86th, and Cambodia 111th.

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JBIC Prepares US$1 Bn for Power Plant

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) prepares US$1 billion to bring about two infrastructure projects under public-private partnership scheme.

According to JBIC Executive Director, Fumio Hoshi, the two projects include Steam-based Power Plant in Central Jawa and Geothermal Power Plant in Sarula, North Sumatra.

Fumio went in by saying that the fund JBIC has channeled through Indonesia reaches US$9 billion, which will be mostly allocated to LNG projects.

JBIC also plans to invest in Geothermal Power Plants in several Sumatra areas as well as transportation, coal-train railways, and mass rapid transit.

JBIC on the other hand makes arrangements to participate in a feasibility test on metropolitan priority area projects which include rebuilding of industrial zone in East Jakarta, Soekarno-Hatta Int'l Airport expansion, Tanjung Priok Harbor development, port construction in Cilamaya, industrial revitalization in Cikarang, at a total of US$30 billion.

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Bank Indonesia Maintains BI Rate at 6.75 Pct

Bank Indonesia (BI) decided to maintain the benchmark BI Rate at 6.75 percent.

"Board of BI Governors' meeting agreed to retain the BI Rate at 6.75 percent to control inflation rate resulted from volatile food," said BI Governor Darmin Nasution on Tuesday.

BI figured that Indonesia's economic growth this year will hit between 6 and 6.5 percent.

"The economy will grow, especially on transportation, telecommunication, services, restaurant and construction," said Darmin.

However, BI also estimated that the improving global economy will be hampered by debt crisis in a number of countries as well as Japan earthquake and tsunami effect.

Fluctuating global food and commodities' prices are expected to put pressures on inflation.

Between January and March, the government can still control inflation mainly on volatile food.

On banking sector, BI also viewed that credit growth also advances as last year it recorded 25.1 percent of increase compared to the same period of 2010.

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Establish Your Business Online Presence for Free

Having your business information online or not is not a matter to debate anymore. It is essential. People now expect to find your business online and if they don't they'll gladly contact your competitors who have their information posted on the web.

It is understandable that a website can be a daunting project for small business owners. Most folks are comfortable using a computer for minor tasks and maybe some advanced business applications but designing a website is out of the skill level of most users.

The other option is to have the website functions outsourced but this too can present some major challenges. The price for website design can reach $1000s and after the website is designed there are still the tasks of inserting content, managing visitors and getting traffic to the site. Add the new demand for mobile websites and you can understand why some business owners prefer to ignore the problem and hope a solution fall in their laps.

The last option is "Instant" website creation services where you sign up for a service and just upload your content to their website. The online process produces a out-of-the-box website almost instantly. The results are usually of poor quality and the business owner ends up over paying for the little value they are getting.

Google came up with an answer

Not too long ago Google created close to 50 million "websites" for local businesses by fetching individual business information from local directories and databases. Google are calling those "websites" Google Places. Most businesses in North America had a Google Places Page created for them, yet more than 95% of the business owners are not aware of it.

The Google Places Pages act much like a regular directory business listing where it displays the company's name address, phone number and other information, but it also includes other benefits like posting images and videos, offering coupons, sending out regular messages as well as providing other information prospects might require. The best part of it is that the Google Places Pages are free.

The other advantage of having a Google Places Page, is that the pages are mobile enabled by default. This means that local businesses have a mobile website that can be viewed on most mobile phones, tablets and even some in-car GPS devices.

Claiming your free website

Having and maintaining a Google Places Page for your business is the easiest and most affordable way to have an online presence for your local business. To start the process, enter your business phone number into the Google search engine box and if your business information was accessed by Google, they will have created a listing which you can claim.

If entering you phone number does not trigger a Google Places Page for your result, simply go to the Google Places Page webpage and start the process from there. The process is very simple and you can have your business online in matter of minutes.

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Employers Complain over Gas Supply to Japan

The Indonesian government intensifies efforts to seek additional sources for exporting gas to Japan. However, the Indonesian Employer Association (Apindo) reports that 326 factories from 22 industrial sectors are currently facing gas shortage in their production lines.

"Up until today, the national industry has yet to gain assurance over gas supply for either production or improvement of production," said Apindo Deputy Secretary General, Franky Sibarani, on Friday.

The average industrial gas demand reaches between 2,798 and 3,283 mmscfd per year until 2015.

"It is ironic that the government seems to prioritize gas supply to Japan," he said.

Apindo believes that if gas demand in 326 factories is managed, more employments and commercial activities will be made possible in the said factories.

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Buyback Plan, Govt Talks with SingTel

Ministry of State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) said in a statement that the buyback plan by Telkom Indonesia over Telkomsel's shares that Singapore Telecom (SingTel) owns can only be revealed during the General Meeting of Shareholders in the coming May.

SingTel now controls 65 percent of shares while Telkomsel owns 35 percent.

"If [stock issue] is considered important, it will be discussed during the May general meeting of shareholders," said Minister of SOEs, Mustafa Abubakar, on Monday.

Mustafa however said the buyback plan issue is only brought forth by the Indonesian government. SingTel, the ultimate shareholder of Telkomsel, has yet to respond over the plan.

A meeting between Mustafa and SingTel CEO, Chua Sock Koong, was held on Thursday, April 7. However, the buyback issue was not reviewed during the talks.

Earlier, SingTel and Ministry of SOEs agreed to reinforce the organizational structure of Telkomsel by building up three more directorates.

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Internet Busines

Starting a business online could be the most important decision you as an entrepreneur.

Dell computers, Microsoft, Google are all testaments to the power of having a profitable idea that leads to the birth of multibillion-dollar internet businesses. The good news for start up entrepreneurs is there is still abundant opportunity to start your own business based on sound ideas.

While your idea of starting the next multimillion-dollar business may be appealing, it does not translate to making a home run. You need to do more than coming up with ideas. You need to acquire the skills to come up with winning ideas. You want to acquire this skill because a winning idea will end your money worries, give you freedom, and make you wealthy.

The flip side is... Your idea may end up being a money pit, which could wind your business to bankruptcy. The good news is the internet gives you, the opportunity to test your ideas, easily quickly and cheaply, so you can fail quickly, with minimal cost. And if you have a winner you can roll out your ideas to create a profitable business.

In a survey of Small business done by SCORE, the resource partner for the Small Business Association (SBA), 90 percent of business fail due to a lack of skill, and knowledge on the part of the owner.

My intention is to show you how to come up with winning ideas to start your internet business.

<strong>The greatest Myth of all</strong>

Have you ever heard this often used phrase in business...? <strong><em>"Do what you love and the money will follow"?</em></strong>

The above statement is only half the truth of the reality in business, because there are many businesses, entrepreneurs and solopreneurs doing what they love....yet are struggling to make ends meet, or at the brink of bankruptcy.

I will like to upset your ideas about business and tell you the keys to developing a profitable business idea

<strong>Keys to success with your ideas</strong>

The truth is that your success online has nothing to do with having a website what you need is...

<strong>You need passion</strong>.

You need to have passion for your new internet business idea. In addition, your idea must appeals to your strengths. Your strengths are the combination of your talents, education, knowledge, experiences and the skills you have acquired over the course of your business life or career.

<strong>A proven market</strong>

Your market is important... because you need to have an idea that people are going to pay you for the products and services you bring to the market place. The best sign of finding a proven market is to look for: keyword searches on topics related to your business, the presence of competition, sales, promotions and a large number of prospects and buying customers.

The next time the flash bulb lights up in your head about, starting your internet marketing business...you must remember this formula...

<strong>Passion + profitable market= Perfect internet business</strong>

To your success

Akin osho

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Indonesia Satu Solusi to Launch PengajarPlus

A number of Indonesian web developers have given birth to various sites on e-Education such as Haisobat, an interactive site focusing on children, and SahabatGuru, which displays the latest updates on Math problems and progress.

Another project is again launched on the Internet targeting school teachers and university professors named PengajarPlus.


Produced by Satu Solusi, "the site is a place for Indonesian school teachers to advance their competencies and is set up by Satu Solusi under One Solution for Education program," said Abbi Angkasa Perdana, President Director of PT Satusolusi Intermedia Utama, on Thursday.


The site contains news updates on national education as well as valuable information on available scholarships granted by universities abroad.


In addition, the site also provides profiles of Indonesian tutors like Didit H Purnomo, Saldi Isra and Onno W Purbo. Moreover, school teachers across the globe may also share ideas through a social-networking channel on the site.


Satu Solusi prepares a 10 thousand-laptop program which is offered at soft payment scheme for teachers. The program enables them to have a laptop at two years of installments.


"Teachers who sign in the program will have free membership in pengajarplus.com for two years. They will get any kind of training from teaching to entrepreneurship," Abbi said.


PengajarPlus is expected to officially go online by May 2, 2011, on the National Education Day.

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Indonesia Absorbs Less Steel than Malaysia

Ministry of Public Works reports the national steel absorption within the last few years has increased. However, Indonesia still has lower steel absorption compared to Malaysia and other Asian countries.

Today, the national steel spending records 30 kilograms per capita per year while Malaysia hits 500 kilograms per capita per year. Moreover, South Korea manages to absorb construction steel by one million tonnes per capita per year.

The demand in national steel within the last couple of years has indeed been higher at 6-7 million tonnes per year in 2008 and 7-8 million tonnes per capita per year in 2009.

Last year, the demand grew to 8-9 million tonnes per year.

Despite the increasing demand, the Ministry of Public Works said in statement that it will not tolerate any steel size that does not adopt the set standards.


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Six Jakarta Banks Subjects to Fraud in 2011

The Jakarta Police Department has uncovered six cases on fraud over bank customers' fund as well as credit cards along the first quarter of 2011.

According to Chief of Monetary Fiscal and Foreign Exchange Unit at the Jakarta Police Department, Adj. Chief. Comm. Aris Munandar, the banking crimes have been committed over three state banks and three private ones.

"There are at least 20 suspects named from the cases," said Munandar on Friday.

All cases are resulted from neat inside job committed in each bank. Of all the suspects investigated by the police, six people are proven as insiders.

It is common that those perpetrating the crimes are of customer-service-related offices.

"Customer service officers act as if they were secretaries who may forge customers' signatures," said Aris.

In 2010, Jakarta Police Department received 12 reports of bank fraud.

Earlier, a Citibank manager was discovered embezzling fund of the bank's customers worth Rp 17 billion. Police are still seeking more evidence from the case.

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Deflation in March 0.32 Pct, Higher in 3 Yrs

The Indonesian Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reports that the deflation in March 2011 hit 0.32 percent, which is higher within the last three years.

"Prices are falling," said BPS Chief, Rusman Heriawan, on Friday.

Given the rate in March, BPS declares that the cumulative inflation between January and March 2011 reached 0.7 percent while year-on-year inflation rate in March touched 6.65 percent.

52 cities are accounted for the deflation with highest price drop is recorded in Padang at 2.59 percent and Dumai at 2.5 percent. On the other hand, 14 other cities still see sharp inflation with Palu being the highest at 0.64 percent and Maumere at 0.57 percent.

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EU Eyeing Indonesia's Infrastructure Projects

EU countries plan to amplify investments in Indonesia in the years to come. "Discussions are on the go. We're still looking into the chances [of investment]," said Julian Wilson, Ambassador/ Head of Delegation of the European Union to Indonesia, on Thursday.

Up until today, 700 Europe-based companies worth US$50 billion of investment, which only cover 1.6 percent of total EU's total stake in Asia, are available in Indonesia.

On the other hand, First Secretary of Economic and Trade Section of Europe Union to Indonesia, Walter van Hattum, said European enterprises are interested in advancing on infrastructures in Indonesia. 

As reporter earlier, the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono administration is ready to intensify efforts in infrastructure development along the year by allocating budget of Rp 126 trillion.

Based of data from the World Bank, Indonesia has 220 million of population at income per capita of US$3,000. The number of middle-class in the country by 2010 is around 134 million, 56.6 percent of the nation's population. 

The commercial value between Indonesia and the EU in 2010 reaches 20 billion euro while Indonesia's exports to the EU worth 14 billion euro.

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Premium Fuel Imports to Be Doubled

Anticipating the hike in fuel use during school holidays in June 2011, state oil and gas Pertamina will boost the volume of premium fuel import by six million barrels compared to the previous one million barrels.

Pertamina commonly buys premium fuel from overseas commercial partners by five million barrels per month.

"Imports will rise by six million barrels in June due to school holidays," said Pertamina Director of Marketing, Djaelani Sutomo, on Thursday.

On the other hand, industrial high speed diesel imports in April will be normal at around 3-4 million barrels.

Meanwhile, Director General of Oil and Gas, Evita H Legowo, said premium fuel consumption within the last three months increase by an average of two percent.


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Indonesia Mandiri Plans to Go International

PT Bank Mandiri Tbk plans to expand level as an international bank. However, it claimed that Bank Indonesia has yet to grant incentives in support of the effort. 

"There has been banking classification indeed. But incentives [for international bank] are not available," said Bank Mandiri President Director Zulkifli Zaini.

According to Zulkifli, the bank now owns around Rp 52.68 trillion of capital.

In addition, more capital was acquired last year through rights issue, which enabled the bank to obtain Rp 11.68 trillion of funds.

"That makes Bank Mandiri the only bank in Indonesia which fits the criteria of international bank that the Indonesian Banking Architecture has set,"said Zulkifli.

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