International Finance Corporation (IFC), investment arm of World Bank, is now working on US$150 million financing for PT Indonesia Infrastructure Finance (IIF) for a pipeline of infrastructure projects in Indonesia. According to project disclosure materials available at ifc.org, the proposed IFC investment consists of US$50 million of loan from IFC’s own account and US$100 million of mobilization.

Bisnis Indonesia newspaper published an interesting special interview with President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo this morning. He talked about lots of issues: politics, macroeconomics, infrastructure, household consumption, and even negotiation with Freeport Indonesia. Jokowi was expressive and casual in responding tough questions. Full of energy and optimistic. Knows and cares about details.

Jokowi-Kalla administration, led by the flamboyant fisheries minister Susi Pujiastuti, has been focusing on fighting illegal fishing in the past two years. Some, including her predecessors at the ministry, criticize Susi’s approach, but she, with strong support from President Jokowi, claimed success in protecting the country’s resources.

Microcell pole (MCP) is said the new battleground for competition between Indonesia’s tower companies. Some started to enjoy strong revenue growth from leasing of MCPs. Centratama Telekomunikasi (CENT), Bali Towerindo (BALI), and Dayamitra Telekomunikasi (Mitratel)—-subsidiary of Telkom (TLKM), are currently the most aggressive players in the field.

Infrastructure improves quality of life. In the words of World Bank executives, anything the government can do in this field will improve welfare of Indonesians. Other than toll roads being built in Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, and Kalimantan, Jokowi-Kalla administration spends more in non-toll national and provincial roads. Some major bridges and flyovers are being built all over the country, whose commercial operation might boost Jokowi’s electability ahead of 2019 elections.

PT Pos Logistik Indonesia, subsidiary of state postal service PT Pos Indonesia, has decided to cancel acquisition of three tech startups planned since 2013 to focus on the preparation of initial public offering (IPO). One week later, media reported about Indosat (ISAT)’s decision to reduce its exposure in digital business, including Cipika and Dompetku.

Minister of industry Airlangga Hartarto was in Seoul, South Korea to meet leaders of LG International this week. LG International CEO Song Chi Ho reiterated the group’s interest to invest US$1.3 billion in a petrochemical complex with local partner Duta Firza Group using natural gas from the fields in West Papua province as feedstocks.

Lenzing, the world’s giant for botanic cellulose fibers, has decided to build a new state-of-the-art lyocell fiber production plant in Prachinburi, Thailand) by the end of 2020. Lenzing told investors last week that it has decided to establish a subsidiary and purchase property in Industrial Park 304, near Bangkok, Thailand.

The Soreang-Pasir KoKoja toll road (11 KM) in West Java is scheduled for commercial operation in September 2017, one year behind schedule. Mulyadi, CEO of PT Jasa Sarana, a company owned by West Java provincial government, expressed his optimism yesterday upon reviewing land acquisition and physical construction progress.