Backgrounder

Social safety nets, unemployment money face distribution nightmare

The government has set aside trillions of rupiah to fund many social safety net programs to help cushion the impact of the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on poor people. But poor administration means that the assistance may not reach the intended targets and it could trigger unrest amid accusations of unfairness and embezzlement.

Oil imports up as global oil price halved

The combination of a worldwide economic shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic and an oil price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia had depressed oil prices. As recorded by Index Mundi, the Brent crude price went down from an average of $63.6 per barrel in January to an average of $32.98 per barrel in March. In response, state-owned oil and gas holding company Pertamina decided to increase its crude oil imports in March to stock up on inventory.

Edition

April 9, 2020

Indonesia settles for minimalist quarantine – with plenty of red tape

Indonesia has, after weeks, joined most other nations affected by COVID-19 in imposing lockdowns to contain the spread of the virus, but rather than imposing a complete quarantine, the government has settled for the most minimal measure stipulated by law: large-scale social restrictions, known by the Indonesian acronym PSBB.

Govt struggles to collect data for COVID-19 social aid

The government has prepared social aid for poor families in Greater Jakarta as the area prepares to implement large-scale social restrictions (PSBB). However, listing families eligible for the assistance and getting their addresses is proving to be a difficult task, as many of them have no Jakarta identity cards, nor are they registered in the Social Affairs Ministry’s social welfare integrated database (DTKS).

Edition

April 3, 2020

Local quarantines imposed as regions defy Jakarta’s policy

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages, a number of regional administrations have decided to impose local quarantines to protect people from the deadly virus. The move came despite President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s strong aversion to quarantine, hinting at tensions between the central and regional governments over countermeasures against COVID-19.

Deregulation to boost wood exports may backfire

Businesspeople in the timber industry have found a way amid the COVID-19 pandemic to once again get rid of the timber legality verification system (SVLK) export requirements, a move that has irked the European Union (EU), and this could backfire on Indonesian timber exports to the European market.

Edition

March 27, 2020

Govt’s COVID-19 policy questioned as confirmed cases skyrocket

As the number of the confirmed cases of COVID-19 soars, the government’s response to the outbreak has been largely subject to public censure. The policies, in particular, are perceived as too lax and disproportionate to the stark figures of COVID-19 infections and the mortality rate in Indonesia, the growth of which is among the highest in the world.

Coronavirus to delay Tangguh Train 3: Who bears the costs?

After being delayed for one year due to natural disasters, British Petroleum’s (BP) multi-billion-dollar liquefied natural gas (LNG) Tangguh Train 3 project will likely experience another delay, this time due to the coronavirus pandemic.