Aditya Suharmoko, The Jakarta Post, JakartaThe government and the House of Representatives last week finalized an amendment to the income tax law, which, when enacted next month, will cut taxes and offer incentives to businesses. 

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The Jakarta Post, JakartaSamsung Group, South Korea's largest company, plans to develop a 25,000-hectare oil palm plantation and a biodiesel refinery in Riau province with an investment of up to Rp 15 trillion (US$1.63 billion). 

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Aditya Suharmoko, The Jakarta Post, JakartaIn a bid to amend the country's drastic ratio of registered tax payers to eligible tax payers, the tax office will impose fines and prison sentences upon those who fail to apply for tax identification numbers (NPWP) by the end of the year. 

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The central government has recommended the cancellation of about 2,000 regional bylaws on tax and retribution, in an attempt to simplify the management of local economy and to create aconducive investment climate, says the finance minister. 

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Indonesia's tea exports may increase 8 percent this year on the back of stronger demand, an industry player says.The national tea council chairman Abdul Halik said Tuesday tea shipments this year may increase to 102,600 tons of green and black tea from 95,000 tons shipped out last year. 

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Which local governments govern best? That is the central question addressed by the Local Economic Governance report launched Tuesday by KPPOD (Regional Autonomy Watch) and The Asia Foundation. 

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Paris (ANTARA News) - Indonesia needs to improve the business environment and make better use of labour inputs to put the economy on a higher growth trajectory, the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said. 

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Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s non-oil/non-gas exports are expected to grow 8.98 percent this year, falling short of the target of 13.5 percent due to low demand in export destination countries such as the United States, Europe and Japan, an economist said. 

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Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - The Union of Indonesian Rubber Companies (Gapkindo) is asking the government to ban foreign investment in the rubber processing industry in the country, a spokesman said. 

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Jakarta leads the region in desperation over power shortagesAfter years of chronic underinvestment in energy infrastructure, Indonesia is heading the list of Asian countries struggling to keep its lights on. 

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Thursday, 15 May, 2008 | 16:09 WIBTEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Companies from India and China are seeking coal in Indonesia. They are National Thermal Power Corp (NTPC) (an electrical company from India); Power Trading Company (PTC); Larsen and Turbo; Reliance; Agrawal Coal; and Watien. 

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PT ANZ Panin Bank, a unit of Australia & New Zealand Banking Group, plans to expand in Indonesia and Asia as a fundamental part of its growth strategy, executives said, Dow Jones reported. 

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Indonesian ships are strengthening their domination of domestic cargo transport carrying 148.7 million tons or 65.3% of the total domestic cargoes in 2007, an official said, Asia Pulse reported.In 2004, ships flying the Indonesian flag carried only 54% or 101. 

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The government will introduce regulations requiring industries to work a maximum of two days per month at weekends in order to spread peak power loads, Energy and Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro and Industry Minister Fahmi Idris said Friday, Kompas reported. 

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The Industry Ministry said it will issue a regulation requiring new investors in manufacturing industry to use new machines starting 2009 to be more energy efficient, Asia Pulse reported. 

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Four Japanese investors have expressed interest in investing in the Batam-Bintan-Karimun (BBK) free trade zone, a minister said, Asia Pulse reported. 

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Realized direct investment in Indonesia grew 56.2% in the year's first half compared to the same period last year, with robust foreign investments offsetting a domestic decline, the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) said, quoted by The Jakarta Post. 

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The House of Representatives and the government have agreed to reduce income taxes by 50% of normal tariffs for micro, small and medium businesses which have legal entities, Antara reported.The reduced income tax tariff was given to taxpayers with a business turnover of Rp4. 

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Data released by Bank Indonesia shows that foreign participation in local financial markets through Bank Indonesia Certificate (SBI) in June increased more than two times to Rp33.6 trillion from Rp16.6 trillion in May. 

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Aditya Suharmoko, The Jakarta Post, JakartaThe government and the House of Representatives last week finalized an amendment to the income tax law, which, when enacted next month, will cut taxes and offer incentives to businesses. 

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Ghazanfar Ali Khan | Arab News RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are all set to enter into a new vision of commercial relation with two-way trade showing 70 percent increase during the first two months of the current year. 

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Ten years into the reform movement, many businesses in the country are still engaging in corruption to ensure their financial success. 

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Published: July 16 2008 16:08 | Last updated: July 16 2008 16:08Companies operating in Indonesia have criticised the government over power cuts and Jakarta’s attempts to deal with them, including an edict forcing factories to move production to weekends from next week. 

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The House of Representatives on June 24 approved a draft law on the formation of 12 new regencies in the country, including Anambas in Riau Islands province. 

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Monday, 21 July, 2008 | 18:27 WIBTEMPO Interactive, Gorontalo:“At the moment, Indonesia imports 400.000 cattle and beef equivalent to 200.000 cattle. We still need an additional 600. 

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Jakarta (ANTARA News) - State electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) said on Monday its planned electrical tariff hike will not apply to all industries. 

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