Outsourcing has long been a topic of intense debate between the government and workers union. It has grown to become a complex issue that doesn’t have clearly divided pros-and-cons. We spoke to Retno Kusniati, a garment factory worker and Handono, a security officer from security service provider company, to have a glimpse of workers point of view on outsourcing.

The Federation of Indonesian Chemical, Energy and Mining Workers Union of the All Indonesian Workers Union, otherwise known as FSPKEP-KSPSI was established in 1985. The union has since been affiliated with the All-Indonesian Workers Union Confederation (KSPSI) and the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers Union (ICEM).

BEST Industry Group is one of major players in Indonesian palm oil industry. Other than producing palm oil, the group has expanded into margarine, shortening, cooking oil, palm wax, and soap. The group was started out in 1982 by the Tjajadi Family.

PT Bukit Jonggol Asri (BJA), subsidiary of Sentul City (BKSL), is now at the heart of a corruption case investigated by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Rahmat Yasin, Bogor Regent, who is also leader of Islamic party PPP in the area, has been named suspect in the case alongside executive of BJA. Let’s revisit BJA, whose development triggered controversies right from the start.

Yogyakarta is one of the world’s largest student cities. As of late 2013, there were around 300,000 registered university students in the city, controlled by Yogyakarta Sultan Hamengku Buwono X. Accordingly, property and retail business have grown fast in the city. Before discussing property businesses linked to the Sultanate and GKR Pembayun, let’s talk other businesses of the family.

We have earlier reported about Gusti Kanjeng Ratu (GKR) Pembayun, eldest daughter of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, King of Yogyakarta, and her business in the Sultanate. Among five of Sultan’s daughters, GKR Pembayun is known to run majority of the Sultanate’s family business, ranging from the sugar factory, tobacco factory, silk and shrimp farming, financial institution to the iron-sand mining.

Anyone, who wants to run a business or trying to get a political support from the society in Yogyakarta province, needs to build a relationship with Yogyakarta Sultanate family member. It is because Yogyakarta Sultanate is believed to have a certain power to influence the local authority in the issuance of important business permits as well as influencing local residents in supporting certain political party, where the member of Yogyakarta Sultanate family belong to.

Tissue is now a must in the shopping list of average Indonesian families for their toilets, dining table, cars, etc. Growing consumption has also encouraged some tissue producers to expand their capacities. One of them is PT Sopanusa Tissue & Packaging Saranasukses, which is famous with brands like MonTiss, Sierra, Finest, Acura, etc. What do we know about Sopanusa Group?

You might have noticed that the beauty treatment business has been growing in Indonesia lately. It can be seen by various types of beauty treatment salons opened in shopping centre from hair salon, nail salon, eyebrow salon to waxing salon. The waxing salon used to be easily found in tourist area such as Bali, but now it is the big city’s trend. They can be found easily in cities like Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya or Yogyakarta.

Tempo Scan Pacific (TSPC) is famous for its headache medicine brand Bodrex. As you may have noticed, Dino Patti Djalal, one of 11 participants in the selection of president candidate from President SBY’s Democratic Party, is currently Bodrex’s icon appeared in TV and media campaigns. Pretty much like Dino’s competitor, Marzuki Alie, who is also speaker of The House of Representatives (DPR), in media campaigns of Maspion Group’s products.