The Indonesian government’s energy subsidy spending has always been a topic of controversy. By keeping fuel and electricity prices low the central government aims to support the Indonesian people as well as the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as – indeed – poverty remains a big problem in Indonesia; a country where nearly ten percent of the population lives below the national poverty line (which is 26.5 million individuals in absolute terms).

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On 6 June 2022 Indonesia Investments released its latest monthly report. As usual, our report offers independent, objective, and in-depth analyses of key economic, political and social topics that were in the news in Indonesia over the past month.

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Indonesia's Deposit Insurance Agency (LPS) expects Indonesian inflation to reach 4.7 percent year-on-year (y/y) in full-year 2017, just within the central bank's 3 - 5 percent (y/y) inflation target. Didiek Madiyono, Executive Director of the LPS, said administered price adjustments will be the primary reason why the inflation rate of Indonesia will accelerate from 3.0 percent (y/y) in 2016 to 4.7 percent (y/y) in 2017. Administered prices are those prices that are set by the government. Usually when the government changes its subsidy policies, it needs to adjust certain prices.

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The latest consumer survey of Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) indicates that consumer confidence in Indonesia has improved - turning pessimism into optimism - in November on expectations of better economic conditions. Bank Indonesia's consumer confidence index, which is based on 1,700 household respondents in six major cities in Indonesia, rose to 103.7 points in November from 99.3 points in the preceding month. A reading below 100.0 signals that consumers are pessimistic.

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On Wednesday evening (07/10), the Indonesian government unveiled the third (and last) installment of its economic policy package. This latest installment aims to boost the industrial sector by cutting the diesel price by IDR 200 to IDR 6,700 (USD $0.48) per liter and by giving a 30 percent discount on electricity tariffs for labor-intensive industries. Furthermore, ceramic and chemical producers will obtain cheaper gas per 1 January 2016. The package was unveiled by Darmin Nasution, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs.

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On Sunday 4 August 2019 and Monday 5 August 2019 the capital city of Jakarta, a large part of West Java, and parts of Central Java were without electricity. On Sunday the power outage lasted from around noon to 21:00 pm, an unusually long period, while the following day the outage lasted for approximately six hours (depending on the exact location); also an unusually long period albeit not as long as on the preceding day.

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An Indonesian analyst says the Indonesian government needs to increase efforts to boost people's purchasing power in order to achieve the government's economic growth target of 5.3 percent in 2016. Household consumption in Indonesia accounts for about 55 percent of the nation's total gross domestic product (GDP) growth. As such, if purchasing power continues to weaken, then the economic slowdown returns. The analyst suggests the government should consider to cut personal and corporate income taxes, delay the electricity tariff hike for 900 VA households, and lower fuel prices.

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