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Indonesia dismisses concerns over $32 bln capital city project, unveils incentives


A top Indonesian official pledged on Wednesday that construction on a new capital city deep within the jungles of Borneo island would not stall when the presidency changes hands next year as new incentives were unveiled to encourage investment.

Southeast Asia’s largest country will officially declare the city, called Nusantara, its new capital in the first half of 2024, the head of the Nusantara authority Bambang Susantono said during a visit to the site in Kalimantan in eastern Borneo.

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He was speaking from Sepaku, a district within the capital where over 7,000 workers operating excavators and cranes were laying foundations for a new presidential palace in an area surrounded by eucalyptus forests for pulp and paper production.

Nusantara is President Joko Widodo’s flagship project and is envisioned as a green, smart city spanning nearly 260,000 hectares (642,474 acres) to replace the current overcrowded and rapidly sinking capital of Jakarta on Java island.

Cahyadi Indrananto, Chief Knowledge Management of Nusantara National Capital (IKN), points at the core goverment area construction of Indonesia's new capital, in Sepaku, East Kalimantan province, Indonesia, March 8, 2023. (Reuters)

Cahyadi Indrananto, Chief Knowledge Management of Nusantara National Capital (IKN), points at the core goverment area construction of Indonesia's new capital, in Sepaku, East Kalimantan province, Indonesia, March 8, 2023. (Reuters)

However, with a $32 billion price tag and the COVID-19 pandemic delaying progress, some investors have expressed concern that development may lose momentum after Widodo ends his second and final five-year term in office in 2024.

Asked whether the capital would continue under a new leader, Bambang told reporters: “My answer is yes, absolutely,” as he cited the law backing the project.

Under an incentives’ package announced on Wednesday, the government will remove corporate tax for companies investing at least 10 billion rupiah ($647,660) in some sectors for 10 to 30 years, with the longest tax holiday applied to infrastructure and public services up until 2035.

Tax cuts will also be given to foreign companies moving their headquarters to Nusantara and financial firms setting up in its financial zone.

Research and development costs will be tax deductible, while import taxes on capital goods will be removed, among other incentives.

The government will also provide land rights for 95 years, extendable by the same period, far longer than elsewhere in Indonesia.

The capital’s success hinges on private sector involvement, with only 20 percent of costs being shouldered by the state.

“I think that investors would love to see that the government goes first, so that’s why most of the buildings and facilities in 2024 is being paid by the state budget,” Bambang said.

While no private deals have been signed, there have been more than 100 letters of interest from domestic and foreign companies including from Malaysia, China and the United States, said Agung Wicaksono, Nusantara’s deputy chief for funding and investment.

A palace, a presidential office, a town square and four ministerial buildings would be ready by August, 2024, when Indonesia celebrates its 79th independence day, according to chief urban planner Vallin Tsarina.

There remains some way to go, however.

Budi Kurniawan, deputy project manager for construction at the palace, said progress at that site had so far reached just 8 percent.

Read more:

Indonesia to change Jakarta as capital, names ‘Nusantara’ as replacement

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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