Indonesia increasingly becomes a dominant player in nickel industry with nickel pig iron (NPI) output reportedly jumped by 80% year-on-year in the first quarter while China’s NPI output declined by 20% in the same period. Other than nickel, Indonesia’s output of tins and alumina are also set to grow significantly this year whilst financial impact might only be seen next year. 

Foreign investors have poured more money in the country in recent months despite the Covid-19 pandemic. This can be seen in their procurement of industrial land in some areas, particularly in West and Central Java. Purchase Manager’s Index (PMI) for manufacturing industry also suggested further expansion last month.

Minister of State-owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir, as the main shareholder of the coal mining firm PT Bukit Asam Tbk (PTBA), appointed Suryo Eko Hadianto as the new CEO of PTBA. Eko replaces Arviyan Arifin as per the decision of the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders ((RUPST) of PTBA conducted on April 5. 

The Cengkareng-Batuceper-Kunciran section (14.19 KM) of the Jakarta Outer Ring Road-2 (JORR-2) will soon enter commercial operation as construction progress reached 94.08%. Ministry of public works and relevant authorities have started fit and proper test of the new toll road, which will ease off traffic congestion in the Greater Jakarta area.

Nearly half a century after it was initiated by then president Soeharto in 1973, the Umbulan water project in East Java has on Monday (March 22) been inaugurated by President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo. This is also one of the completed public-private partnership (PPP) projects under Jokowi’s leadership. 

Indonesian food and beverage industry continues to attract investments, mainly to serve growing domestic demand and export. Footwear industry also regained grounds with more investments from major brands. The country also gained more attention from global manufacturers of electric vehicles (EVs).

Lawmaker from almost all political parties at the House Commission IX (overseeing health affairs) spent hours and hours Wednesday (March 10) to grill high-ranking officials from ministry of health (including vice minister Dante) and the Food & Drug Administration BPOM on authorities’ approval for the so-called Vaksin Nusantara (claimed as a genuinely developed by Indonesian scientists—-including former health minister Terawan, but actually a dendritic cell vaccine developed by US biomedical start-up company Aivita Biomedical Inc). 

Coordinating minister for maritime and investment affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan revealed on Tuesday (March 9) that one director of state oil and gas company Pertamina has recently been directly dismissed by president Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo due to poor implementation of local content, particularly in the procurement of pipes. 

The second Jakarta Outer Ring Road (JORR-2), which connects suburban industrial and residential areas in West Java, Banten, and Jakarta, progressed well despite movement restrictions during the pandemic. Some sections are scheduled for commercial operation in the coming weeks.