Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.
Latest Reports Investment
For the first time in several years, Indonesia Investments decided that it had to adjust its outlook for Indonesia’s economic growth. Since 2016, Indonesia’s modestly accelerating economic growth rate had been fully in line with our estimates.
On Sunday 14 July 2019 Indonesian President Joko Widodo unveiled his vision for Indonesia in the 2019-2024 period, which will be his second – and final - term as president of Southeast Asia’s largest economy (with the inauguration of his new cabinet scheduled for late-October 2019).
Next week, Indonesia's Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) plans to launch an upgraded version of its Online Single Submission (OSS) system. The OSS system is a web-based business licensing system that aims at cutting the red tape that is involved when investors try to obtain business permits in Indonesia. Massive red tape is considered to be one of the major obstacles in Indonesia's investment climate.
On Friday (8/02) Indonesia Investments released the January 2019 edition of its monthly research report. The report aims to inform the reader of the key political, economic and social developments that occurred in Indonesia in the month of January 2019 and also touches upon key international developments that impacted on the Indonesian economy.
Per 2 January 2019 operations of the online single submission (OSS) system are transferred from the Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs to the Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).
The legislative and presidential elections that are scheduled for April 2019 seem to have a big impact on direct investment realization in Indonesia this year. Based on the latest data from the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), foreign direct investment (FDI) realization dropped 20.2 percent year-on-year (y/y) to IDR 89.1 trillion (USD $5.9 billion) in the third quarter of 2018. This constitutes the third consecutive quarterly decline in FDI realization in Indonesia.
An interesting project for investors who seek to enter - or expand their business - into the hospitality industry of Indonesia is the four-star Amos Cozy Hotel & Convention Hall. This hotel is for sale with the offering price set at USD $24 million.
In an effort to boost domestic and foreign direct investment, the Indonesian government launched the online single submission (OSS) licensing system on Monday (09/07). The system, which is based on (1) Presidential Regulation No. 91/2017 on the Acceleration of Business Implementation and (2) Government Regulation No. 24/2018 on the Electronically Integrated Business Licensing Service, was designed to cut lengthy bureaucratic procedures (red tape), thus attract more direct investment.
Seeing various startup companies - across the globe (but also in Indonesia) - having developed into influential unicorns with a valuation of at least USD $1 billion, startup companies deserve some special attention. It is true, however, that most startups end in failure and therefore it is important to fully comprehend all aspects involved when establishing, running, and buying or selling a startup company to turn it into a success.
Total direct investment (foreign plus domestic investment) in Indonesia rose 11.8 percent year-on-year (y/y) to IDR 185.3 trillion in the first quarter of 2018, showing robust investor appetite and giving rise to optimism that Indonesia's full-year direct investment target of IDR 765 trillion can be achieved. Traditionally direct investment realization is lowest in the first quarter of the year (although the upcoming elections in 2018 and 2019 may make some investors prefer to wait and see).
Latest Columns Investment
Based on the latest data from IHS Markit, the headline seasonally adjusted Nikkei Indonesia Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell modestly to a reading of 50.5 in October 2018 (from 50.7 in the preceding month). The reading represents a marginal improvement in the health of Indonesia’s manufacturing sector.
Based on the latest data from Indonesia’s Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), total direct investment (foreign direct investment + domestic direct investment) in Indonesia was rather subdued in the second quarter of 2018, rising by a modest 3.1 percent year-on-year (y/y) to IDR 173.6 trillion (approx. USD $13.1 billion, using the IDR 13,400 per US dollar exchange rate that was set in the 2018 State Budget). As a consequence, Indonesia only achieved 47.3 percent of its full-year 2018 investment realization target in the first half of 2018, thus chances are rather big that the full-year target will not be achieved. It would be the first time Southeast Asia’s largest economy misses its investment realization target in many years.
Investors are awaiting a series of fiscal incentives from the Indonesian government, including a new tax holiday. Meanwhile, investors also urge the government to improve the investment and business climate by simplifying the process and procedures to obtain permits for investment projects. This also includes improving the coordination between central and regional authorities, for example through the integration of the permitting process at both levels.
Adhi Lukman, Chairman of the Indonesian Food and Beverage Association (Gapmmi), says he is optimistic that the investment targets that are set by Indonesia's Industry Ministry will be met this year. The Industry Ministry targets to see a total of IDR 63.25 trillion (approx. USD $4.6 billion) worth of private sector investment in the food and beverage industry of Indonesia, up 6.7 percent compared to investment realization in this industry one year earlier.
Indonesia continued to climb sharply in the World Bank's Doing Business Index. In the 2018 edition, which was released at the end of October 2017, Indonesia ranks 72nd, jumping 19 positions from being 91st in last year's ranking. The World Bank praised Indonesia and labelled it as the country that made the biggest improvements in business regulations among Asia Pacific nations since 2005.
In order to boost overall economic expansion as well as growth of several local industries, it is important for the city of Yogyakarta - located in the center of Java island - to see more infrastructure development. The local government has the crucial task to either invest directly in infrastructure development or to encourage private investment in infrastructure development by safeguarding a conducive regulatory environment and attractive investment environment.
Those who have business interests in Panama and seek their dream house in the beautiful hills of this Central American country, or those who search an interesting investment object in Panama's property sector, now have a great opportunity at their disposal. One of the most beautiful luxury villas in Panama is now for sale. Insiders in Panama's property market call this "a unique object".
It is worrying that of total foreign investment commitments in Indonesia, only about 50 percent becomes actual investment. The other half decides - after initially being interested - not to pursue investment in Indonesia. Although not in all cases, it is believed that Indonesia's difficult investment climate scares away part of the (potential) investment community, specifically bureaucracy (red tape) and the lack of sufficient hard and soft infrastructure.
Thomas Lembong, Head of Indonesia's Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), said the 5.01 percent year-on-year (y/y) economic growth pace of Indonesia in the second quarter of 2017 was rather disappointing as consumption remained bleak. Only Indonesia's export and investment realization showed an improvement, Lembong added. But, overall, Indonesia's economic growth stagnated.
With the Indonesian economy estimated to expand at a stable pace of 5.0-6.0 percent year-on-year (y/y) in the years ahead, the country's supply of energy needs to be raised. If not, businesses will increasingly be plagued by blackouts, while the price of energy rises (causing growing production costs). The upstream oil and gas industry - that involves exploration, development and production - therefore has a vital role to play in Indonesia's energy supply and economy.
