Indonesia`s Bakrie takes control of more toll road projects

Jakarta, July 9, 2008 - The Bakrie Group has taken over the Pasuruan-Probolinggo toll road project after the original contractor failed to carry out the project due to financial difficulties. ANTARA News/Asia Pulse reported (07/09/08). There is no revocation of concession as Bakrie took over the project by injecting funds to the holder of the contract, PT Transjawa Pasro, Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto said. Earlier, the toll road regulatory body BPJT gave PT Transjawa a week to July 7 to meet the financial requirements or face revocation of its contract. Bakrie has also taken over a number of other toll road projects as implementation by the original contractors failed over financial problems, media reports said. » send to friend Indonesian More News Labor wage below Rp 110,000 per day exempted from tax Government issues more regulations related to IJ-EPA Geothermal power projects to cost US$19.8 bln, official says Indonesia`s Bakrie takes control of more toll road projects Indonesia now safe for foreign visitors, U.S. envoy says

Geothermal power projects to cost US$19.8 bln, official says

Jakarta, July 9, 2008 - The government estimates its geothermal power plant (PLTP) development acceleration program will cost US$19.8 billion, director for geothermal and ground water exploitation Sugiharto Harsoprayitno said here on Tuesday. ANTARA News reported (07/09/08).

He said the amount would be used to build PLTPs with a total capacity of 6,867 MW within a period of 10 years or 2009-2018.

"Of the US$19.8 billion, some US$18.7 billion will be used to develop new generators, US$791 million will be used to finance operations and maintenance of new generators and US$250 million for operations and maintenance of old ones," he said.

He said the government had set itself the target of building 30-MW PLTPs in 2009, 162.5-MW PLTPs in 2010, 335-MW PLTPs in 2011, 862-MW PLTPs in 2012, and 715-MW PLTPs in 2013.

In 2014, it will also build a 1,685-MW PLTP and a 1,650-MW PLTP in 2015, a 660-MW PLTP in 2016, a 435-MW PLTP in 2017 and a 330-MW PLTP in 2018.

Sugiharto said the government had so far tried its best to accelerate development of PLTPs.

In the meantime, Surya Dharma, director for operations of PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy, said that of the total capacity of the planned PLTPs (6,867 MW), Pertamina would build PLTPs with a combined capacity of 4,000 MW.

"We are ready to build PLTPs with a total cacpcity of 4,000 MW," he said.

Government issues more regulations related to IJ-EPA

Jakarta, July 3, 2008 - The Minister of Finance has issued three more regulations regarding the rates of import duty in the context of Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (IJ-EPA), Media Indonesia reported on Thursday (07/03/08).

Head of the Fiscal Policy Board Anggito Abimanyu said that the regulations issued on June 30,2008 consist of Regulation of the Minister of Finance (PMK) Number 94/PMK.011/2008, Number 95/PMK.011/2008 and 96/PMK.011/2008.

PMK Number 94/PMK.011/2008 rules modality of reduction of import tariffs for IJ-EPA, while PMK Number 95/PMK.011/2008 is related to stipulated of rates of import duty in the framework of IJ-EPA. The regulation applies for five years with the provision that it starts applying on July 1,2008. PMK Number 96/PMK.011/2008 governs the stipulation of import duty in the framework of User Specific Duty Free Scheme (USDFS) for IJ-EPA.

"The cooperation would double the export value of Indonesia’s commodities to Japan in 2010, " said Anggito, adding that the two countries have agreed to cut down the rate of import duty on products to nil percent from 35%.

Labor wage below Rp 110,000 per day exempted from tax

Jakarta, July 8, 2008 - The Ad Hoc Committee for Deliberating Income Tax Bill has agreed to double the limit of daily labor wage exempted from tax to Rp 110,000 from Rp 50,000 – Rp 60,000, Media Indonesia Daily reported on Tuesday.

“The wage is counted for 25 working days every month so that the tax is not imposed unless the working period is only one week,” said Olly Dondokambey, a member of the Committee from the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle Faction.

Therefore, if the daily labor wage is above Rp 110,000 on the average, supervisor would directly cut wage of the labor to pay income tax, he said, adding the purchasing power of daily labor must be protected because they have not been certain to obtain work every month.