Former Indonesian president BJ Habibie, who came to power during the country`s turbulent transition to democracy after former strongman leader Suharto stepped down in 1998, has died, his son said on Wednesday.

Habibie, 83, had been suffering heart failure, Tariq Kemal Habibie told Metro TV.

A state funeral will be held with President Joko Widodo leading the ceremony at the Kalibata Heroes Memorial Park on Thursday afternoon.

An engineer by training, Habibie succeeded Suharto as Indonesia`s third president only months after becoming his deputy, just as the country sank into a spasms of rioting and economic upheaval following the Asian financial crisis.

Taking over from Suharto, who had ruled Indonesia with an iron fist for 32 years, Habibie held power for just 17 months.

It fell to Habibie to oversee unpopular economic reforms prescribed by the International Monetary Fund at the height of the financial crisis, that were needed to bring inflation down from more than 80 per cent and stabilise a rupiah currency after its value had crashed.

Though he was a product of Suharto`s "New Order" administration, which gave a strong political role to the military and stifled opponents, Habibie oversaw democratic reforms to free political prisoners and allow press freedom.

In an abrupt change to long-held policy, he also agreed to a referendum for the people of former Portuguese colony East Timor, which had been annexed in 1976 following an invasion by Indonesian troops in December 1975. The referendum in 1999 resulted in a vote for independence and unleashed a wave of violence.

Habibie also eased discriminatory policies against Indonesia`s ethnic Chinese minority, including allowing the speaking and teaching of Mandarin and use of Chinese names that was previously banned by Suharto.

Habibie was also known for his quest to turn Indonesia into a technological powerhouse, including trying to develop a national aircraft industry.

Speaking at the hospital shortly after Habibie passed away, President Widodo described him as "the father of technology in Indonesia".

But for many ordinary people, however, it was the love story behind Habibie`s marriage to his late wife, Hasri Ainun Habibie, that most touched their hearts, and was celebrated in two popular movies.

"His love for his wife was legendary," wrote Kornelius Purba, a senior journalist for the Jakarta Post, in a column on 
Thursday.

Ainun died in 2010. They are survived by two sons, neither of whom are involved in politics.

Former Indonesian president BJ Habibie, who came to power during the country`s turbulent transition to democracy after former strongman leader Suharto stepped down in 1998, has died, his son said on Wednesday.

Former Indonesian president BJ Habibie, who came to power during the country`s turbulent transition to democracy after former strongman leader Suharto stepped down in 1998, has died, his son said on Wednesday. Habibie, 83, had been suffering heart failure, Tariq Kemal Habibie told Metro TV. A state funeral will be held with President Joko Widodo leading the ceremony at the Kalibata Heroes Memorial Park on Thursday afternoon. An engineer by training, Habibie succeeded Suharto as Indonesia`s third president only months after becoming his deputy, just as the country sank into a spasms of rioting and economic upheaval following the Asian financial crisis. Taking over from Suharto, who had ruled Indonesia with an iron fist for 32 years, Habibie held power for just 17 months. It fell to Habibie to oversee unpopular economic reforms prescribed by the International Monetary Fund at the height of the financial crisis, that were needed to bring inflation down from more than 80 per cent and stabilise a rupiah currency after its value had crashed. Though he was a product of Suharto`s "New Order" administration, which gave a strong political role to the military and stifled opponents, Habibie oversaw democratic reforms to free political prisoners and allow press freedom. In an abrupt change to long-held policy, he also agreed to a referendum for the people of former Portuguese colony East Timor, which had been annexed in 1976 following an invasion by Indonesian troops in December 1975. The referendum in 1999 resulted in a vote for independence and unleashed a wave of violence. Habibie also eased discriminatory policies against Indonesia`s ethnic Chinese minority, including allowing the speaking and teaching of Mandarin and use of Chinese names that was previously banned by Suharto. Habibie was also known for his quest to turn Indonesia into a technological powerhouse, including trying to develop a national aircraft industry. Speaking at the hospital shortly after Habibie passed away, President Widodo described him as "the father of technology in Indonesia". But for many ordinary people, however, it was the love story behind Habibie`s marriage to his late wife, Hasri Ainun Habibie, that most touched their hearts, and was celebrated in two popular movies. "His love for his wife was legendary," wrote Kornelius Purba, a senior journalist for the Jakarta Post, in a column on Thursday. Ainun died in 2010. They are survived by two sons, neither of whom are involved in politics.

Indonesia's Habibie, president during transition to democracy, dies

Forest fires have raged through parts of the Indonesian island of Sumatra and the province of Kalimantan on Borneo in recent weeks, forcing the government to send in thousands of military and police to douse the flames. Hospitals in Riau province, Indonesia, announced on Tuesday (September 10) an increase in patients suffering from respiratory problems, due to poor air quality caused by slash-and-burn farming practices.

Indonesia: Forest fires force schools to shut

Malaysia has sent half a million face masks to its eastern state of Sarawak, where air pollution levels have spiked amid worsening forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia, authorities said on Tuesday.

Indonesian farmers often use fire to clear land for palm oil and pulp plantations. Fires can smoulder for weeks, especially in dry weather, producing a choking haze that drifts over neighbours like Singapore and Malaysia.

In recent weeks, Indonesia has sent in thousands of security personnel to douse fires after declaring an emergency in six provinces on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.

"NADMA has acquired 500,000 face masks and sent them to the agency's branch in Sarawak," Malaysia's national disaster management agency said in a statement, referring to itself by it is an acronym.

The agency and the education ministry were also working to get masks to schools in the affected area, it said.

The air pollution index (API) in Sarawak, on the Malaysian side of Borneo, reached unhealthy levels on Tuesday with one district recording a reading of 201, a "very unhealthy" level.

Unhealthy readings were recorded in five other Malaysian states.

Southeast Asia has suffered for years from annual bouts of smoke caused by slash-and-burn practices in Indonesia, raising worries about health and the impact on tourism.

Indonesia's neighbours have repeatedly complained and promised to help end the problem but it persists.

Last week, Malaysia said it would send a diplomatic note to Indonesia urging immediate action to fight the haze.

Malaysia has also offered Indonesia help to put out the fires, but had yet to receive any request for assistance, the disaster agency said.

Malaysia has sent half a million face masks to its eastern state of Sarawak, where air pollution levels have spiked amid worsening forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia, authorities said on Tuesday.

Malaysia has sent half a million face masks to its eastern state of Sarawak, where air pollution levels have spiked amid worsening forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia, authorities said on Tuesday. Indonesian farmers often use fire to clear land for palm oil and pulp plantations. Fires can smoulder for weeks, especially in dry weather, producing a choking haze that drifts over neighbours like Singapore and Malaysia. In recent weeks, Indonesia has sent in thousands of security personnel to douse fires after declaring an emergency in six provinces on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. "NADMA has acquired 500,000 face masks and sent them to the agency's branch in Sarawak," Malaysia's national disaster management agency said in a statement, referring to itself by it is an acronym. The agency and the education ministry were also working to get masks to schools in the affected area, it said. The air pollution index (API) in Sarawak, on the Malaysian side of Borneo, reached unhealthy levels on Tuesday with one district recording a reading of 201, a "very unhealthy" level. Unhealthy readings were recorded in five other Malaysian states. Southeast Asia has suffered for years from annual bouts of smoke caused by slash-and-burn practices in Indonesia, raising worries about health and the impact on tourism. Indonesia's neighbours have repeatedly complained and promised to help end the problem but it persists. Last week, Malaysia said it would send a diplomatic note to Indonesia urging immediate action to fight the haze. Malaysia has also offered Indonesia help to put out the fires, but had yet to receive any request for assistance, the disaster agency said.

Malaysia sends half a million face masks to haze-hit state as fires burn

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said that with the opening of the CII representative office in Jakarta, Indian industries will find an ideal platform to proactively engage with their Indonesian counterparts, and the bilateral trade target of $50 billion by 2025 will be set on the right track.

"Indonesia is India`s largest trade partner in goods in the ASEAN region. Our bilateral trade crossed $20 billion last year. There is an immediate urgency to address the trade deficit and look at means for achieving a more balanced trade basket through greater and diversified exports. We aim to achieve it by expanding bilateral trade," he said at the inaugural ceremony of the CII office.

"Hence, achieving the target of $50 billion in bilateral trade by 2025 has to be an important endeavour. We do hope that with the opening of the CII office in Jakarta, the bilateral trade target will be set on the right track," Jaishankar added.

The minister said it is critical for large developing countries like India and Indonesia to join hands and forge collaborative partnerships so that both countries are sufficiently prepared to deal with the global economic challenges.

Jaishankar said that there is a sizable presence of Indian industries across the island nation spread over sectors like energy, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, textiles, banking and IT services.

"I do hope that with the commencement of operations of the representative office of CII Jakarta, Indian industry will find an ideal platform to engage with their Indonesian counterparts on a more proactive and sustained basis. Likewise, Indonesian entrepreneurs could also use CII to get more information and as a channel for creating business partnerships," he remarked.

At the same function, Jaishankar also unveiled a commemorative stamp to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi this year.

"As two ancient civilisations bound by shared cultural chords, both India and Indonesia are founded on the fundamental edifice of 'Unity in Diversity'&nbsp;or 'Bhinneka Tunggal Ika', as you call it in Bahasa," he said.

The minister said that the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi echoed the same sentiments of celebrating the diversity of human spirit without differentiation of any kind.

Jaishankar arrived in Indonesia on Wednesday on a three-day visit to the country.

This was the External Affairs Minister's first bilateral visit in the ASEAN region and maiden visit to the island country after taking office.

During the visit, Jaishankar had detailed discussions with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi across a broad spectrum of bilateral relations pursuant to the establishment of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2018.

Both leaders discussed steps to deepen bilateral cooperation in the maritime domain, including tangible steps to deepen connectivity between Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India and Aceh Province of Indonesia, a statement from the Indian embassy in Jakarta said.

"In this regard, both leaders welcomed the adoption of the Terms of Reference of the Joint Task Force meeting on Andaman-Aceh connectivity and looked forward to the holding of the First meeting of the JTF in Indonesia at an early date within this year," the statement said.

The External Affairs Minister extended an invitation to his Indonesian counterpart to visit India for the Joint Commission Meeting later this year.

During the visit, Jaishankar also held meetings with senior leadership of the Indonesian Government, including with General (Retd.) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs, and General (Retd) Wiranto, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs.

Jaishankar also called on Indonesia's Vice President Jusuf Kalla and discussed steps to further scale up the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Indonesia, the statement said.

He extended an invitation to the Indonesian leader for joining the launch of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) initiative at the UN General Assembly.

The minister also called on former President and Chairwoman of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Megawati Sukarnoputri and recalled her strong association with India. Jaishankar extended an invitation to her to visit India at the earliest. 
&nbsp;

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said that with the opening of the CII representative office in Jakarta, Indian industries will find an ideal platform to proactively engage with their Indonesian counterparts, and the bilateral trade target of $50 billion by 2025 will be set on the right track.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said that with the opening of the CII representative office in Jakarta, Indian industries will find an ideal platform to proactively engage with their Indonesian counterparts, and the bilateral trade target of $50 billion by 2025 will be set on the right track. "Indonesia is India`s largest trade partner in goods in the ASEAN region. Our bilateral trade crossed $20 billion last year. There is an immediate urgency to address the trade deficit and look at means for achieving a more balanced trade basket through greater and diversified exports. We aim to achieve it by expanding bilateral trade," he said at the inaugural ceremony of the CII office. "Hence, achieving the target of $50 billion in bilateral trade by 2025 has to be an important endeavour. We do hope that with the opening of the CII office in Jakarta, the bilateral trade target will be set on the right track," Jaishankar added. The minister said it is critical for large developing countries like India and Indonesia to join hands and forge collaborative partnerships so that both countries are sufficiently prepared to deal with the global economic challenges. Jaishankar said that there is a sizable presence of Indian industries across the island nation spread over sectors like energy, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, textiles, banking and IT services. "I do hope that with the commencement of operations of the representative office of CII Jakarta, Indian industry will find an ideal platform to engage with their Indonesian counterparts on a more proactive and sustained basis. Likewise, Indonesian entrepreneurs could also use CII to get more information and as a channel for creating business partnerships," he remarked. At the same function, Jaishankar also unveiled a commemorative stamp to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi this year. "As two ancient civilisations bound by shared cultural chords, both India and Indonesia are founded on the fundamental edifice of 'Unity in Diversity' or 'Bhinneka Tunggal Ika', as you call it in Bahasa," he said. The minister said that the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi echoed the same sentiments of celebrating the diversity of human spirit without differentiation of any kind. Jaishankar arrived in Indonesia on Wednesday on a three-day visit to the country. This was the External Affairs Minister's first bilateral visit in the ASEAN region and maiden visit to the island country after taking office. During the visit, Jaishankar had detailed discussions with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi across a broad spectrum of bilateral relations pursuant to the establishment of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2018. Both leaders discussed steps to deepen bilateral cooperation in the maritime domain, including tangible steps to deepen connectivity between Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India and Aceh Province of Indonesia, a statement from the Indian embassy in Jakarta said. "In this regard, both leaders welcomed the adoption of the Terms of Reference of the Joint Task Force meeting on Andaman-Aceh connectivity and looked forward to the holding of the First meeting of the JTF in Indonesia at an early date within this year," the statement said. The External Affairs Minister extended an invitation to his Indonesian counterpart to visit India for the Joint Commission Meeting later this year. During the visit, Jaishankar also held meetings with senior leadership of the Indonesian Government, including with General (Retd.) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs, and General (Retd) Wiranto, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs. Jaishankar also called on Indonesia's Vice President Jusuf Kalla and discussed steps to further scale up the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Indonesia, the statement said. He extended an invitation to the Indonesian leader for joining the launch of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) initiative at the UN General Assembly. The minister also called on former President and Chairwoman of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Megawati Sukarnoputri and recalled her strong association with India. Jaishankar extended an invitation to her to visit India at the earliest.

India-Indonesia trade target of $50 billion will now be set on track: Jaishankar

With a focus on enhanced engagement with ASEAN, India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar is in Singapore after concluding the 3-day visit to Indonesia where he met his counterpart the Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

During his meet with Indonesia FM Marsudi, both sides adopted of the Terms of Reference of the Joint Task Force meeting on Andaman- Aceh connectivity. The first meeting of the Joint Task Force will take place in Indonesia in November.

Last year PM Modi had visited Indonesia and during his meet with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, both sides discussed connectivity between India's Andaman Islands and Indonesia's Aceh province included cruise ship connectivity.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Pleasure to meet my Indonesian counterpart <a href="https://twitter.com/Menlu_RI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Menlu_RI</a>. My 1st bilat’l visit as EAM to ASEAN.Drawing on historical linkages to fashion a modern partnership.Agreed to address common challenges&amp;explore shared opportunities.Our talks highlightd mutual support for territorial integrity <a href="https://t.co/5R4Iw0wlDt">pic.twitter.com/5R4Iw0wlDt</a>
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1169524618828206081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Indo Pacific was one of the key focus between Jaishankar-Marsudi meet. Remember Indonesia had played a crucial role in the adoption of ‘ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific'.

"Our Shared Vision of Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific agreed during Prime Minister’s visit last year, is a recognition that India and Indonesia, as two major economies in this region need to develop synergies to harness the potential and meet the challenges that the region faces." EAM Jaishanker said at the press statements after him meet with Indonesian FM.

Adding, "We have the commonality of interest in working together on Indo-Pacific concept within EAS and I underline to the Minister that we see ASEAN Centrality as a prominent feature of our approach to the Indo-Pacific."

India has also joined Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand-Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) as the first Dialogue Partner as the invitation of Jakarta.

In Singapore, where is he from 6th to 10th, he will be co-chairing the 6th Meeting of Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) &nbsp;Foreign Minister of Singapore Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.

He will also call on Singapore’s Prime Minister &amp; Deputy Prime Minister.

"The two sides will review the whole range of bilateral issues and provide the direction for further deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries", a ministry of external affairs release said.

PM Modi has visited Singapore 4 times, 2 times in 2015 and 2 times in 2018. It is interesting to note that Singapore was the first country in the world to join the RuPay card, which is an Indian payment gateway like visa or MasterCard.

With a focus on enhanced engagement with ASEAN, India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar is in Singapore after concluding the 3-day visit to Indonesia where he met his counterpart the Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

With a focus on enhanced engagement with ASEAN, India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar is in Singapore after concluding the 3-day visit to Indonesia where he met his counterpart the Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. During his meet with Indonesia FM Marsudi, both sides adopted of the Terms of Reference of the Joint Task Force meeting on Andaman- Aceh connectivity. The first meeting of the Joint Task Force will take place in Indonesia in November. Last year PM Modi had visited Indonesia and during his meet with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, both sides discussed connectivity between India's Andaman Islands and Indonesia's Aceh province included cruise ship connectivity. Pleasure to meet my Indonesian counterpart @Menlu_RI. My 1st bilat’l visit as EAM to ASEAN.Drawing on historical linkages to fashion a modern partnership.Agreed to address common challenges&explore shared opportunities.Our talks highlightd mutual support for territorial integrity pic.twitter.com/5R4Iw0wlDt — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 5, 2019 × Indo Pacific was one of the key focus between Jaishankar-Marsudi meet. Remember Indonesia had played a crucial role in the adoption of ‘ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific'. "Our Shared Vision of Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific agreed during Prime Minister’s visit last year, is a recognition that India and Indonesia, as two major economies in this region need to develop synergies to harness the potential and meet the challenges that the region faces." EAM Jaishanker said at the press statements after him meet with Indonesian FM. Adding, "We have the commonality of interest in working together on Indo-Pacific concept within EAS and I underline to the Minister that we see ASEAN Centrality as a prominent feature of our approach to the Indo-Pacific." India has also joined Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand-Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) as the first Dialogue Partner as the invitation of Jakarta. In Singapore, where is he from 6th to 10th, he will be co-chairing the 6th Meeting of Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) Foreign Minister of Singapore Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. He will also call on Singapore’s Prime Minister & Deputy Prime Minister. "The two sides will review the whole range of bilateral issues and provide the direction for further deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries", a ministry of external affairs release said. PM Modi has visited Singapore 4 times, 2 times in 2015 and 2 times in 2018. It is interesting to note that Singapore was the first country in the world to join the RuPay card, which is an Indian payment gateway like visa or MasterCard.

With ASEAN in focus, EAM talks connectivity in Indonesia, strategic partnership in Singapore

By day, the unforgiving sun glares off the road beside Ipah's wooden home with blinding brightness as a passing motorbike stirs a swirl of dust. By night, the beams of an occasional truck carrying coal or palm fruits pierce the darkness.

 
This remote corner of Indonesia is set to be transformed from a forest backwater on the island of Borneo to a global city&nbsp;a new capital of a country whose 260 million people make it the world's fourth most populous.

 
At her stall serving ice tea and instant noodles, Ipah, an 18-year-old single mother, worries about what the change will bring.

 
"Cities in Kalimantan are peaceful and safe," said Ipoh, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, referring to the Indonesian part of Borneo island. "The capital is a city that never sleeps. Too much smoke, too much fuss."

 
The capital Jakarta's reputation as a crowded, polluted megacity of more than 10 million people one that is slowly sinking into the sea is partly why Indonesia plans to move government offices to a "Forest City" in East Kalimantan province.

 
The logic of the plan, first mooted nearly 70 years ago, is also to escape Java's earthquake risk and to swing Indonesia's political centre nearer the middle of the archipelago and away from the politically dominant island.

 
"Within five years, we think there will be 200,000 to 300,000 people. Within 10 years, maybe the population will reach 1 million. And then after that 1.5 million," Planning Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro told Reuters in Jakarta. "We will manage the growth of the city so that it doesn't wildly expand out of control," he said.

 
The vision set out in glossy presentations for a $33 billion city is inspired by the good management of Seoul, the greenness of Singapore and Washington's separation of administration from a business, he said. The site of the new capital is about 1,300 km (800 miles) northeast of Jakarta.

 
Reuters reporters travelled more than 280 km (175 miles) across the designated area, the thinly populated forested region of North Penajam Paser and Kutai Kartanegara, between the existing cities of Balikpapan and Samarinda.

LONG-STANDING DREAM

 
By identifying the site for the yet-to-be-named capital last week, President Joko Widodo is known&nbsp;as Jokowi got closer than ever to realising a move now set to start in 2024.

 
"Our people are grateful, Alhamdulilah (praise be to God)," said Abdul Gafur Mas'ud, regent of North Penajam Paser. "This regency has been considered undeveloped."

 
The congratulatory bouquets arrayed at his office are as bright as the mood in town since the decision. Many residents spoke of their hopes for better schools and paved roads, for clean, piped water and reliable electricity.

 
But after initial celebrations, worries are also surfacing that land speculation will drive up prices, and over an influx of outsiders competing for jobs and over environmental destruction.

 
The potential for massive corruption is also not lost on Indonesians has given experiences with new capitals everywhere from Brazil's Brasilia to Myanmar's Naypyidaw with its vast projects and still largely empty highways.

 
"Our people must prepare quickly," said Awang Yacoub Luthman, secretary of the Kutai Kartanegara Ing Martadipura Sultanate, who has migration at the top of his list of worries.

 
East Kalimantan touts its openness to religions other than Islam as well as its welcome for outsiders. In fact, many residents are descendants of Javanese settlers who came to the coal mining and palm oil growing region in the 1970s. But the new planned relocation is on a different scale.

 
LAND WORRIES

 
The region's Tribun Kaltim newspaper said asking prices for land surged four times after the announcement.

 
That said, Bagus Susetyo, local chairman of the Real Estate Indonesia property association, told Reuters major property companies were not acquiring land because they had large land banks in nearby Balikpapan.

 
While some would gain from the rise in land prices, many Indonesians don't own the land they live on. Among them is Ipah, who is already resigned to losing her dwelling, protected against bad luck by two diamond-shaped charms woven from young coconut leaves.

 
"Mr Jokowi, can you give me free land, even just a square metre or a free house?" she asked. It is not only human homes at risk.&nbsp;

 
East Kalimantan is known for forests inhabited by orangutans, sun bears, and long-nosed monkeys.There will be no building in a protected forest and the government plans to reforest abandoned mines and illegal palm oil plantations, Planning Minister Brodjonegoro said.

 
He floated the idea of an orangutan conservation centre similar to one for giant pandas in the Chinese city of Chengdu.

 
The fate of the apes is particularly sensitive in Indonesia given that they have become symbols for campaigners targeting the world's biggest palm oil industry over the destruction of forests for plantations.

 
Conservationists said they were far from convinced that there would be no spillover effects from moving the capital to East Kalimantan.

 
"The city centre might be located quite far away," said Aldrianto Priadjati, an executive of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, which is based in Kutai Kartanegara. "But the development will be everywhere, just like - sorry to say it - Jakarta." 
($1 = 14,210.0000 rupiah)

By day, the unforgiving sun glares off the road beside Ipah's wooden home with blinding brightness as a passing motorbike stirs a swirl of dust. By night, the beams of an occasional truck carrying coal or palm fruits pierce the darkness.

By day, the unforgiving sun glares off the road beside Ipah's wooden home with blinding brightness as a passing motorbike stirs a swirl of dust. By night, the beams of an occasional truck carrying coal or palm fruits pierce the darkness. This remote corner of Indonesia is set to be transformed from a forest backwater on the island of Borneo to a global city a new capital of a country whose 260 million people make it the world's fourth most populous. At her stall serving ice tea and instant noodles, Ipah, an 18-year-old single mother, worries about what the change will bring. "Cities in Kalimantan are peaceful and safe," said Ipoh, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, referring to the Indonesian part of Borneo island. "The capital is a city that never sleeps. Too much smoke, too much fuss." The capital Jakarta's reputation as a crowded, polluted megacity of more than 10 million people one that is slowly sinking into the sea is partly why Indonesia plans to move government offices to a "Forest City" in East Kalimantan province. The logic of the plan, first mooted nearly 70 years ago, is also to escape Java's earthquake risk and to swing Indonesia's political centre nearer the middle of the archipelago and away from the politically dominant island. "Within five years, we think there will be 200,000 to 300,000 people. Within 10 years, maybe the population will reach 1 million. And then after that 1.5 million," Planning Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro told Reuters in Jakarta. "We will manage the growth of the city so that it doesn't wildly expand out of control," he said. The vision set out in glossy presentations for a $33 billion city is inspired by the good management of Seoul, the greenness of Singapore and Washington's separation of administration from a business, he said. The site of the new capital is about 1,300 km (800 miles) northeast of Jakarta. Reuters reporters travelled more than 280 km (175 miles) across the designated area, the thinly populated forested region of North Penajam Paser and Kutai Kartanegara, between the existing cities of Balikpapan and Samarinda. LONG-STANDING DREAM By identifying the site for the yet-to-be-named capital last week, President Joko Widodo is known as Jokowi got closer than ever to realising a move now set to start in 2024. "Our people are grateful, Alhamdulilah (praise be to God)," said Abdul Gafur Mas'ud, regent of North Penajam Paser. "This regency has been considered undeveloped." The congratulatory bouquets arrayed at his office are as bright as the mood in town since the decision. Many residents spoke of their hopes for better schools and paved roads, for clean, piped water and reliable electricity. But after initial celebrations, worries are also surfacing that land speculation will drive up prices, and over an influx of outsiders competing for jobs and over environmental destruction. The potential for massive corruption is also not lost on Indonesians has given experiences with new capitals everywhere from Brazil's Brasilia to Myanmar's Naypyidaw with its vast projects and still largely empty highways. "Our people must prepare quickly," said Awang Yacoub Luthman, secretary of the Kutai Kartanegara Ing Martadipura Sultanate, who has migration at the top of his list of worries. East Kalimantan touts its openness to religions other than Islam as well as its welcome for outsiders. In fact, many residents are descendants of Javanese settlers who came to the coal mining and palm oil growing region in the 1970s. But the new planned relocation is on a different scale. LAND WORRIES The region's Tribun Kaltim newspaper said asking prices for land surged four times after the announcement. That said, Bagus Susetyo, local chairman of the Real Estate Indonesia property association, told Reuters major property companies were not acquiring land because they had large land banks in nearby Balikpapan. While some would gain from the rise in land prices, many Indonesians don't own the land they live on. Among them is Ipah, who is already resigned to losing her dwelling, protected against bad luck by two diamond-shaped charms woven from young coconut leaves. "Mr Jokowi, can you give me free land, even just a square metre or a free house?" she asked. It is not only human homes at risk. East Kalimantan is known for forests inhabited by orangutans, sun bears, and long-nosed monkeys.There will be no building in a protected forest and the government plans to reforest abandoned mines and illegal palm oil plantations, Planning Minister Brodjonegoro said. He floated the idea of an orangutan conservation centre similar to one for giant pandas in the Chinese city of Chengdu. The fate of the apes is particularly sensitive in Indonesia given that they have become symbols for campaigners targeting the world's biggest palm oil industry over the destruction of forests for plantations. Conservationists said they were far from convinced that there would be no spillover effects from moving the capital to East Kalimantan. "The city centre might be located quite far away," said Aldrianto Priadjati, an executive of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, which is based in Kutai Kartanegara. "But the development will be everywhere, just like - sorry to say it - Jakarta." ($1 = 14,210.0000 rupiah)

Sleepy to sleepless? Indonesia's future capital in the forest

Indonesia has partially lifted an internet blackout imposed following civil unrest in the country's easternmost region of Papua, but is yet to restore access in areas where the most violent protests erupted, a government statement said.

The region of Papua has suffered the most serious civil unrest in years since mid-August over perceived racial and ethnic discrimination. Some protesters have also demanded an independence referendum, something Jakarta has ruled out.

About 6,000 police and military personnel have been flown in to Papua, reinforcing a heavy military presence in a region that has endured decades of mostly low-level separatist conflict.

The government had throttled internet speeds in the region for a few days before cutting off access entirely in the two provinces in the region from August 21.

Late on Wednesday, the communications ministry said in a statement it had restored internet and data access for most parts of Papua except for certain places, where it would continue to monitor the situation in coming days.

The decision was taken because the security situation in those areas had "normalised" while "the spread of hoax information, lies, expressions of hatred, provocations related to Papuan issues, had begun to decline," it said in a statement.

The government had maintained the internet blackout in places where protesters torched buildings, such as the capital of Papua province Jayapura and the capital of West Papua province of Manokwari.

The shutdown also continued in some rural towns, including Deiyai, where some civilians were killed during a clash between security forces and protesters last week.

Authorities and activists have given different accounts on the incident and the internet blackout has made verifying information difficult.

Indonesian authorities have accused Benny Wenda, the chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, a separatist group, of orchestrating the unrest in Papua.

Police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo told media that diplomatic channels would be used to hold Wenda accountable. A spokesman for Indonesia's foreign ministry declined to comment.

Wenda, who resides in Britain, was quoted in media as saying the Indonesian government should focus on resolving the Papuan issue rather than making accusations against him.

Police have also named a prominent human rights lawyer and activist Veronica Koman a suspect in connection with her Twitter posts about an incident that triggered the unrest.

The protests followed racist slurs against Papuan students, whose dormitory was tear-gassed during their detention in the city of Surabaya on Java island on Aug17, Indonesia's Independence Day, for allegedly desecrating a national flag.

Several Papuan students in Jakarta, who were accused of treason for their protests, have been arrested.

Police have also identified two people suspected of hate speech from the Surabaya incident, who were in a crowd that mobbed the Papuan student dormitory. Two military personnel are also being investigated for their involvement in the incident, while three others have been suspended.

Papua and West Papua provinces, the resource-rich western part of the island of New Guinea, were a Dutch colony that was incorporated into Indonesia after a widely criticised UN-backed&nbsp;referendum in 1969.

Indonesia has partially lifted an internet blackout imposed following civil unrest in the country's easternmost region of Papua, but is yet to restore access in areas where the most violent protests erupted, a government statement said.

Indonesia has partially lifted an internet blackout imposed following civil unrest in the country's easternmost region of Papua, but is yet to restore access in areas where the most violent protests erupted, a government statement said. The region of Papua has suffered the most serious civil unrest in years since mid-August over perceived racial and ethnic discrimination. Some protesters have also demanded an independence referendum, something Jakarta has ruled out. About 6,000 police and military personnel have been flown in to Papua, reinforcing a heavy military presence in a region that has endured decades of mostly low-level separatist conflict. The government had throttled internet speeds in the region for a few days before cutting off access entirely in the two provinces in the region from August 21. Late on Wednesday, the communications ministry said in a statement it had restored internet and data access for most parts of Papua except for certain places, where it would continue to monitor the situation in coming days. The decision was taken because the security situation in those areas had "normalised" while "the spread of hoax information, lies, expressions of hatred, provocations related to Papuan issues, had begun to decline," it said in a statement. The government had maintained the internet blackout in places where protesters torched buildings, such as the capital of Papua province Jayapura and the capital of West Papua province of Manokwari. The shutdown also continued in some rural towns, including Deiyai, where some civilians were killed during a clash between security forces and protesters last week. Authorities and activists have given different accounts on the incident and the internet blackout has made verifying information difficult. Indonesian authorities have accused Benny Wenda, the chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, a separatist group, of orchestrating the unrest in Papua. Police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo told media that diplomatic channels would be used to hold Wenda accountable. A spokesman for Indonesia's foreign ministry declined to comment. Wenda, who resides in Britain, was quoted in media as saying the Indonesian government should focus on resolving the Papuan issue rather than making accusations against him. Police have also named a prominent human rights lawyer and activist Veronica Koman a suspect in connection with her Twitter posts about an incident that triggered the unrest. The protests followed racist slurs against Papuan students, whose dormitory was tear-gassed during their detention in the city of Surabaya on Java island on Aug17, Indonesia's Independence Day, for allegedly desecrating a national flag. Several Papuan students in Jakarta, who were accused of treason for their protests, have been arrested. Police have also identified two people suspected of hate speech from the Surabaya incident, who were in a crowd that mobbed the Papuan student dormitory. Two military personnel are also being investigated for their involvement in the incident, while three others have been suspended. Papua and West Papua provinces, the resource-rich western part of the island of New Guinea, were a Dutch colony that was incorporated into Indonesia after a widely criticised UN-backed referendum in 1969.

Indonesia restores internet access in parts of restive Papua region

Indonesian police have arrested dozens of people in the easternmost region of Papua following protests last week in which buildings were set ablaze, a police spokesman said on Sunday.

The area has been racked by civil unrest for two weeks over perceived racial and ethnic discrimination. Some protesters are also demanding an independence vote, although authorities have ruled out such a possibility.

In the provincial capital of Jayapura, 28 people have been arrested and named as suspects, and more face investigation, Papuan police spokesman Ahmad Kamal said by telephone.

"Twenty-eight people are suspects in cases of damaging and burning properties, violence, provocation, and looting," Kamal said, adding that all had been arrested after a protest in Jayapura on Thursday.

The rioters set cars and buildings ablaze, including a local parliament office and a building housing the offices of the state-controlled telco firm, during the protest.

Kamal said the situation in Papua was now calmer.

In Indonesia`s capital of Jakarta, two students suspected of crimes against state security have been arrested, police said in a statement on Saturday.&nbsp;

The evidence against them included their mobile telephones, and a shirt and a shawl emblazoned with the `Morning Star` flag pattern, a banned symbol of Papuan nationhood.

Jakarta Legal Aid lawyer Michael Himan said the two were arrested from a Papuan dormitory in Depok, in a southern part of the capital, late on Friday.

They were charged with treasonous intent against the unity of the nation, Himan told Reuters on Sunday.

In a statement, Jakarta Legal Aid said the police also arrested several other Papuan students and an activist in Jakarta on Saturday.

Himan said the reason for the arrest of the rest was still unclear.&nbsp; Spokesmen for national police and Jakarta police were not immediately available to comment.

Indonesian police have arrested dozens of people in the easternmost region of Papua following protests last week in which buildings were set ablaze, a police spokesman said on Sunday.

Indonesian police have arrested dozens of people in the easternmost region of Papua following protests last week in which buildings were set ablaze, a police spokesman said on Sunday. The area has been racked by civil unrest for two weeks over perceived racial and ethnic discrimination. Some protesters are also demanding an independence vote, although authorities have ruled out such a possibility. In the provincial capital of Jayapura, 28 people have been arrested and named as suspects, and more face investigation, Papuan police spokesman Ahmad Kamal said by telephone. "Twenty-eight people are suspects in cases of damaging and burning properties, violence, provocation, and looting," Kamal said, adding that all had been arrested after a protest in Jayapura on Thursday. The rioters set cars and buildings ablaze, including a local parliament office and a building housing the offices of the state-controlled telco firm, during the protest. Kamal said the situation in Papua was now calmer. In Indonesia`s capital of Jakarta, two students suspected of crimes against state security have been arrested, police said in a statement on Saturday. The evidence against them included their mobile telephones, and a shirt and a shawl emblazoned with the `Morning Star` flag pattern, a banned symbol of Papuan nationhood. Jakarta Legal Aid lawyer Michael Himan said the two were arrested from a Papuan dormitory in Depok, in a southern part of the capital, late on Friday. They were charged with treasonous intent against the unity of the nation, Himan told Reuters on Sunday. In a statement, Jakarta Legal Aid said the police also arrested several other Papuan students and an activist in Jakarta on Saturday. Himan said the reason for the arrest of the rest was still unclear. Spokesmen for national police and Jakarta police were not immediately available to comment.

Indonesia arrests dozens for Papua protests that set buildings afire

Protesters in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-pledges-40-billion-to-modernise-jakarta-ahead-of-new-capital-246355">Indonesia</a>'s easternmost region of Papua set buildings ablaze on Thursday, forcing the state power firm to cut off electricity in parts of the provincial capital of Jayapura, state media and an executive of the utility said.

For almost two weeks, the region has been racked by civil unrest over perceived racial and ethnic discrimination. Some protesters are also demanding an independence vote.

Indonesia's security chief said a referendum was out of the question, media reported.

Protesters torched a building housing the offices of state-controlled telecoms firm Telekomunikasi Indonesia. However, in a statement on Thursday, the company said it could not identify the damage yet.

The PLN utility has turned off power in areas around the torched building, Ahmad Rofik, its regional director for Maluku and Papua, told Reuters.

Police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators who set fire to cars and threw stones at shops and offices, state news agency Antara said, adding that protesters also set on fire a local parliament office.

"Several public facilities and properties were damaged by rioters," said national police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo.

State energy firm Pertamina shut several petrol stations in Jayapura because of the protest, its spokesman, Fajriyah Usman, said.

National military spokesman Major General Sisriadi said more than 1,000 people had taken part in the protest.

"The condition is gradually recovering," Prasetyo told broadcaster Kompas TV. News website Kompas.com said demonstrators had begun to disperse.

Shooting broke out a day earlier between protesters and police in the town of Deiyai, about 500 km (311 miles) from Jayapura.

Police said one soldier and two civilians were killed in the incident, while a separatist group said six had been shot dead. The military dismissed that as a hoax.

Police have deployed 300 mobile brigade personnel to the towns of Deiyai, Paniai and Jayapura after Wednesday's incident, media quoted police chief Tito Karnavian as saying.

A separatist movement has simmered for decades in Papua, while there have also been frequent complaints of rights abuses by Indonesian security forces.

The spark for the latest unrest was a racist slur against Papuan students, who were hit by tear gas in their dormitory and detained in the city of Surabaya on the main island of Java on Aug. 17, Indonesia's Independence Day, for allegedly desecrating a national flag.

Papua and West Papua provinces, the resource-rich western part of the island of New Guinea, were a Dutch colony that was incorporated into Indonesia after a widely criticised U.N.-backed referendum in 1969.

On Thursday, chief security minister Wiranto said the government would not entertain any demand for an independence vote, according to Kompas.com.

"Demands for a referendum, I think, is out of place. Demands for referendum I think must not be mentioned. Why? Because the unity of the Republic of Indonesia is final," Wiranto said as cited by the news website.

The government has cut internet access in the region since last week to stop people sharing "provocative" messages that could trigger more violence, a step criticised by rights group and journalists, who said it had made reporting difficult.

Protesters in Indonesia's easternmost region of Papua set buildings ablaze on Thursday, forcing the state power firm to cut off electricity in parts of the provincial capital of Jayapura, state media and an executive of the utility said.

Protesters in Indonesia's easternmost region of Papua set buildings ablaze on Thursday, forcing the state power firm to cut off electricity in parts of the provincial capital of Jayapura, state media and an executive of the utility said. For almost two weeks, the region has been racked by civil unrest over perceived racial and ethnic discrimination. Some protesters are also demanding an independence vote. Indonesia's security chief said a referendum was out of the question, media reported. Protesters torched a building housing the offices of state-controlled telecoms firm Telekomunikasi Indonesia. However, in a statement on Thursday, the company said it could not identify the damage yet. The PLN utility has turned off power in areas around the torched building, Ahmad Rofik, its regional director for Maluku and Papua, told Reuters. Police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators who set fire to cars and threw stones at shops and offices, state news agency Antara said, adding that protesters also set on fire a local parliament office. "Several public facilities and properties were damaged by rioters," said national police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo. State energy firm Pertamina shut several petrol stations in Jayapura because of the protest, its spokesman, Fajriyah Usman, said. National military spokesman Major General Sisriadi said more than 1,000 people had taken part in the protest. "The condition is gradually recovering," Prasetyo told broadcaster Kompas TV. News website Kompas.com said demonstrators had begun to disperse. Shooting broke out a day earlier between protesters and police in the town of Deiyai, about 500 km (311 miles) from Jayapura. Police said one soldier and two civilians were killed in the incident, while a separatist group said six had been shot dead. The military dismissed that as a hoax. Police have deployed 300 mobile brigade personnel to the towns of Deiyai, Paniai and Jayapura after Wednesday's incident, media quoted police chief Tito Karnavian as saying. A separatist movement has simmered for decades in Papua, while there have also been frequent complaints of rights abuses by Indonesian security forces. The spark for the latest unrest was a racist slur against Papuan students, who were hit by tear gas in their dormitory and detained in the city of Surabaya on the main island of Java on Aug. 17, Indonesia's Independence Day, for allegedly desecrating a national flag. Papua and West Papua provinces, the resource-rich western part of the island of New Guinea, were a Dutch colony that was incorporated into Indonesia after a widely criticised U.N.-backed referendum in 1969. On Thursday, chief security minister Wiranto said the government would not entertain any demand for an independence vote, according to Kompas.com. "Demands for a referendum, I think, is out of place. Demands for referendum I think must not be mentioned. Why? Because the unity of the Republic of Indonesia is final," Wiranto said as cited by the news website. The government has cut internet access in the region since last week to stop people sharing "provocative" messages that could trigger more violence, a step criticised by rights group and journalists, who said it had made reporting difficult.

Violent protest erupts in capital of Indonesia's Papua

The Indonesian government is not abandoning Jakarta after announcing plans to move the country's capital, its planning minister said, pledging to spend $40 billion to save the slowly sinking city in the next decade.

The current Indonesian capital will undergo a $40.18 billion urban regeneration in the next 10 years, more than the $33 billion expected cost to build a new capital city on Borneo island, Bambang Brodjonegoro told Reuters in an interview.

"Jakarta is the centre of everything in Indonesia. What we are moving out of is the centre of administration, but finance (centres), businesses and trades will stay," Brodjonegoro said.

Jakarta is one of the world's most densely populated cities, home to more than 10 million people and three times that number when counting those who live in surrounding towns.

Brodjonegoro said the relocation decision was taken because the government knew the population concentration in Jakarta has to be reduced.

The government expects to begin moving to the new capital city in the East Kalimantan province in 2024.

"People assume Jakarta is doing fine. Jakarta is not doing fine at all. The water condition is a cause for concern, wastewater, air pollution," he added.

Only 60% of the city has pipe water infrastructure, forcing millions of people and businesses to dig wells to use up groundwater, hurting the environment, Brodjonegoro said.

The over-extraction makes Jakarta prone to floods and sinking due to subsidence. Rising sea levels aggravated the sinking with some part of the city dropping as much as 11 inches a year, making Jakarta the fastest sinking city of its size globally.

Part of the new project submitted by the city government is to extend water pipes to cover all of Jakarta so that people don't rely on groundwater, Brodjonegoro said.

The government will also build a new sewage system, he said.

The biggest chunk of the spending would be for mass transportation, such as lengthening the newly built track for its mass rapid transit (MRT) system, a new loopline railway, more commuter lines, bus-only lanes and flyovers, Brodjonegoro said.

Jakarta suffers from some of the world's worst traffic jams. The congestion, the current dry season, industrial pollution and the city's reliance on coal power plants had put Jakarta among the world's most polluted cities as well.

Heri Andreas, a geodesist who does research on subsidence for the Bandung Institute of Technology, said Jakarta may be saved if people stop sucking groundwater, even though he noted any construction could weigh on the city.

"If 100% of Jakartans stop using groundwater, we can build infrastructure massively and the ground will not subside," he told Reuters by telephone.

However, at the current-sinking rate, 95% of Jakarta will be underwater by 2050, Andreas warned.

The Indonesian government is not abandoning Jakarta after announcing plans to move the country's capital, its planning minister said, pledging to spend $40 billion to save the slowly sinking city in the next decade.

The Indonesian government is not abandoning Jakarta after announcing plans to move the country's capital, its planning minister said, pledging to spend $40 billion to save the slowly sinking city in the next decade. The current Indonesian capital will undergo a $40.18 billion urban regeneration in the next 10 years, more than the $33 billion expected cost to build a new capital city on Borneo island, Bambang Brodjonegoro told Reuters in an interview. "Jakarta is the centre of everything in Indonesia. What we are moving out of is the centre of administration, but finance (centres), businesses and trades will stay," Brodjonegoro said. Jakarta is one of the world's most densely populated cities, home to more than 10 million people and three times that number when counting those who live in surrounding towns. Brodjonegoro said the relocation decision was taken because the government knew the population concentration in Jakarta has to be reduced. The government expects to begin moving to the new capital city in the East Kalimantan province in 2024. "People assume Jakarta is doing fine. Jakarta is not doing fine at all. The water condition is a cause for concern, wastewater, air pollution," he added. Only 60% of the city has pipe water infrastructure, forcing millions of people and businesses to dig wells to use up groundwater, hurting the environment, Brodjonegoro said. The over-extraction makes Jakarta prone to floods and sinking due to subsidence. Rising sea levels aggravated the sinking with some part of the city dropping as much as 11 inches a year, making Jakarta the fastest sinking city of its size globally. Part of the new project submitted by the city government is to extend water pipes to cover all of Jakarta so that people don't rely on groundwater, Brodjonegoro said. The government will also build a new sewage system, he said. The biggest chunk of the spending would be for mass transportation, such as lengthening the newly built track for its mass rapid transit (MRT) system, a new loopline railway, more commuter lines, bus-only lanes and flyovers, Brodjonegoro said. Jakarta suffers from some of the world's worst traffic jams. The congestion, the current dry season, industrial pollution and the city's reliance on coal power plants had put Jakarta among the world's most polluted cities as well. Heri Andreas, a geodesist who does research on subsidence for the Bandung Institute of Technology, said Jakarta may be saved if people stop sucking groundwater, even though he noted any construction could weigh on the city. "If 100% of Jakartans stop using groundwater, we can build infrastructure massively and the ground will not subside," he told Reuters by telephone. However, at the current-sinking rate, 95% of Jakarta will be underwater by 2050, Andreas warned.

Indonesia pledges $40 billion to modernise Jakarta ahead of new capital

Why Is Indonesia Planning To Build A Brand New Capital

Gravitas: Indonesia to build new capital in Borneo

Once a sleepy fishing town seated in the far east of Indonesia, Labuan Bajo, popularly known as the gateway to the Komodo National Park, has seen an economic boom in recent years following plans to make it one of the ten 'new Balis' by President Joko Widodo.

Small Indonesian town eyes economic takeoff on the back of Komodo dragons

Indonesia will move its capital to the eastern edge of jungle-clad Borneo island, President Joko Widodo said Monday, as the country shifts its political heart away from congested and sinking megalopolis Jakarta.

The proposed location -- near the regional cities of Balikpapan and Samarinda -- is an area at "minimal" risk of natural disasters, where the government already owns some 180,000 hectares (445,000 acres) of land, he added.

"The location is very strategic -- it's in the centre of Indonesia and close to urban areas," Widodo said in a televised speech.

"The burden Jakarta is holding right now is too heavy as the centre of governance, business, finance, trade and services," he added.

The announcement ends months of speculation about whether Widodo would follow through on the long-mooted plan -- it was floated by the newly independent country's founding father Sukarno more than half a century ago.

Shifting from problem-plagued Jakarta would also transfer Indonesia's power base off Java island, where about half of the sprawling archipelago's 260 million people live.

"Moving the capital off Java is a gesture that aims to solidify unity," said Jakarta-based political risk analyst Kevin O'Rourke.

"Jakarta will continue to be a megacity -- as a centre for finance and commerce -- for a few more decades, but ultimately it is at severe risk to climate change," he added.

A bill for the proposed move will now be presented to parliament, Widodo said.

The building is set to begin next year with the move of some 1.5 million civil servants slated to begin by 2024, at a cost of 466 trillion rupiah ($33 billion), officials said.

Orangutans, mining

Known as Kalimantan, Indonesia's section of Borneo -- the island it shares with Malaysia and Brunei -- is home to major mining activities as well as rainforests, and is one of the few places on Earth with orangutans in their natural habitat.

Environmentalists expressed concerns the capital city move could threaten endangered species.

"The government must make sure that the new capital is not built in a conservation or protected area," said Greenpeace Indonesia campaigner Jasmine Putri.

The region has also been blanketed in choking haze from annual forest fires that ravage vast swathes of land.

"That makes Kalimantan unfit as a candidate for a new capital city," said Jakarta-based urban planning expert Nirwono Joga.

"And the move won't necessarily free Jakarta of problems like flooding, traffic jams and rapid urbanisation," he added.

Concerns have soared over the future of Jakarta -- a city nicknamed "the Big Durian" after the pungent, spiky fruit that deeply divides fans and detractors.

Built on swampland, the city is one of the fastest-sinking cities on earth, with experts warning that one-third of it could be submerged by 2050 if current rates continue. The problem is largely linked to excessive groundwater extraction.

But the city of 10 million -- a number that bloats to about 30 million with surrounding satellite cities -- is also plagued by a host of other ills, from eye-watering traffic jams and pollution to the risk of earthquakes and floods.

Indonesia is not the first Southeast Asian country to move its capital.

Myanmar and Malaysia have both moved their seat of government, while Brazil, Pakistan and Nigeria are among the nations that have also shifted their capital cities.

Indonesia will move its capital to the eastern edge of jungle-clad Borneo island, President Joko Widodo said Monday, as the country shifts its political heart away from congested and sinking megalopolis Jakarta.

Indonesia will move its capital to the eastern edge of jungle-clad Borneo island, President Joko Widodo said Monday, as the country shifts its political heart away from congested and sinking megalopolis Jakarta. The proposed location -- near the regional cities of Balikpapan and Samarinda -- is an area at "minimal" risk of natural disasters, where the government already owns some 180,000 hectares (445,000 acres) of land, he added. "The location is very strategic -- it's in the centre of Indonesia and close to urban areas," Widodo said in a televised speech. "The burden Jakarta is holding right now is too heavy as the centre of governance, business, finance, trade and services," he added. The announcement ends months of speculation about whether Widodo would follow through on the long-mooted plan -- it was floated by the newly independent country's founding father Sukarno more than half a century ago. Shifting from problem-plagued Jakarta would also transfer Indonesia's power base off Java island, where about half of the sprawling archipelago's 260 million people live. "Moving the capital off Java is a gesture that aims to solidify unity," said Jakarta-based political risk analyst Kevin O'Rourke. "Jakarta will continue to be a megacity -- as a centre for finance and commerce -- for a few more decades, but ultimately it is at severe risk to climate change," he added. A bill for the proposed move will now be presented to parliament, Widodo said. The building is set to begin next year with the move of some 1.5 million civil servants slated to begin by 2024, at a cost of 466 trillion rupiah ($33 billion), officials said. Orangutans, mining Known as Kalimantan, Indonesia's section of Borneo -- the island it shares with Malaysia and Brunei -- is home to major mining activities as well as rainforests, and is one of the few places on Earth with orangutans in their natural habitat. Environmentalists expressed concerns the capital city move could threaten endangered species. "The government must make sure that the new capital is not built in a conservation or protected area," said Greenpeace Indonesia campaigner Jasmine Putri. The region has also been blanketed in choking haze from annual forest fires that ravage vast swathes of land. "That makes Kalimantan unfit as a candidate for a new capital city," said Jakarta-based urban planning expert Nirwono Joga. "And the move won't necessarily free Jakarta of problems like flooding, traffic jams and rapid urbanisation," he added. Concerns have soared over the future of Jakarta -- a city nicknamed "the Big Durian" after the pungent, spiky fruit that deeply divides fans and detractors. Built on swampland, the city is one of the fastest-sinking cities on earth, with experts warning that one-third of it could be submerged by 2050 if current rates continue. The problem is largely linked to excessive groundwater extraction. But the city of 10 million -- a number that bloats to about 30 million with surrounding satellite cities -- is also plagued by a host of other ills, from eye-watering traffic jams and pollution to the risk of earthquakes and floods. Indonesia is not the first Southeast Asian country to move its capital. Myanmar and Malaysia have both moved their seat of government, while Brazil, Pakistan and Nigeria are among the nations that have also shifted their capital cities.

Indonesia picks Borneo island for new capital

Here's a report that explains the large violent protests in Papua in Indonesia. Indonesia has deployed more troops as it attempts to curb the riots.

WION Gravitas: The pandemonium in Papua

Watch Top news of the day in WION Playlist, 26th August 2019

Watch WION Playlist, 26th August 2019

&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kremlin-says-it-is-winning-arms-race-against-us-despite-rocket-accident-242822">Indonesia&nbsp;has cut off&nbsp;internet&nbsp;access in eastern&nbsp;Papua&nbsp;</a>to prevent provocative posts online from fuelling violence after protesters torched buildings, a market and a prison over the mistreatment of students and perceived ethnic discrimination.

Police have flown in 1,200 additional officers to&nbsp;Papua&nbsp;to quell sometimes&nbsp;violent&nbsp;protests&nbsp;since Monday in several towns, including Timika - which stands near the giant Grasberg copper mine operated by Freeport McMoran's&nbsp;Indonesian unit - as well as Manokwari, Sorong, and Fakfak.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-president-urges-calm-after-violent-protests-in-papua-cities-244160">Indonesia's chief security ministe</a>r, police chief, and military commander visited Sorong on Thursday to inspect where the&nbsp;protests&nbsp;erupted, but there no reports of fresh demonstrations there.

While a separatist movement has simmered for decades in&nbsp;Papua, with frequent complaints of rights abuses levelled against&nbsp;Indonesian security forces, the recent anger appears to be linked to racist slurs against&nbsp;Papuan students who were detained last week.

The students were arrested from their dormitory in the city of Surabaya in East Java after being accused of disrespecting the&nbsp;Indonesian flag during a celebration of&nbsp;Indonesia's Independence Day.

Indonesia's communication ministry has blocked access to telecommunication data and the internet&nbsp;to prevent&nbsp;Papuans from accessing social media since Wednesday night, though calls and text messages will still work, Ferdinandus Setu, the ministry spokesman said.

"This is an effort to&nbsp;curb&nbsp;hoax and most importantly stop people from sharing provocative messages that can incite racial hatred," he said, adding that the&nbsp;curb&nbsp;may be lifted "if the situation has calmed".

Police have arrested 20 people in Timika, where thousands of protesters threw rocks at a parliament building, houses, shops, and a hotel on Wednesday, Dedi Prasetyo, a national police spokesman said by telephone from Sorong.

No arrests have been made in other&nbsp;Papuan towns, Prasetyo said. 
Papua&nbsp;and West&nbsp;Papua&nbsp;provinces, the resource-rich western part of the island of New Guinea, were a Dutch colony that was incorporated into&nbsp;Indonesia&nbsp;after a widely criticised UN-backed referendum in 1969.

President Joko Widodo has been informed that the situation in&nbsp;Papua&nbsp;was under control, his Cabinet Secretariat said in a statement late on Wednesday.

Widodo has sought to ease tensions and improve welfare by building infrastructure in the provinces.

&nbsp;He has visited the restive region more frequently than any of his predecessors, and plans to go to Jayapura, the capital of&nbsp;Papua&nbsp;province, next month, to open a new bridge, the secretariat said.

Indonesia has cut off internet access in eastern Papua to prevent provocative posts online from fuelling violence after protesters torched buildings, a market and a prison over the mistreatment of students and perceived ethnic discrimination.

Indonesia has cut off internet access in eastern Papua to prevent provocative posts online from fuelling violence after protesters torched buildings, a market and a prison over the mistreatment of students and perceived ethnic discrimination. Police have flown in 1,200 additional officers to Papua to quell sometimes violent protests since Monday in several towns, including Timika - which stands near the giant Grasberg copper mine operated by Freeport McMoran's Indonesian unit - as well as Manokwari, Sorong, and Fakfak. Indonesia's chief security minister, police chief, and military commander visited Sorong on Thursday to inspect where the protests erupted, but there no reports of fresh demonstrations there. While a separatist movement has simmered for decades in Papua, with frequent complaints of rights abuses levelled against Indonesian security forces, the recent anger appears to be linked to racist slurs against Papuan students who were detained last week. The students were arrested from their dormitory in the city of Surabaya in East Java after being accused of disrespecting the Indonesian flag during a celebration of Indonesia's Independence Day. Indonesia's communication ministry has blocked access to telecommunication data and the internet to prevent Papuans from accessing social media since Wednesday night, though calls and text messages will still work, Ferdinandus Setu, the ministry spokesman said. "This is an effort to curb hoax and most importantly stop people from sharing provocative messages that can incite racial hatred," he said, adding that the curb may be lifted "if the situation has calmed". Police have arrested 20 people in Timika, where thousands of protesters threw rocks at a parliament building, houses, shops, and a hotel on Wednesday, Dedi Prasetyo, a national police spokesman said by telephone from Sorong. No arrests have been made in other Papuan towns, Prasetyo said. Papua and West Papua provinces, the resource-rich western part of the island of New Guinea, were a Dutch colony that was incorporated into Indonesia after a widely criticised UN-backed referendum in 1969. President Joko Widodo has been informed that the situation in Papua was under control, his Cabinet Secretariat said in a statement late on Wednesday. Widodo has sought to ease tensions and improve welfare by building infrastructure in the provinces. He has visited the restive region more frequently than any of his predecessors, and plans to go to Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, next month, to open a new bridge, the secretariat said.

Indonesia blocks internet in Papua to help curb violent protests

Indonesia sent 200 more police officers to Papua on Tuesday and reined in internet speeds to "prevent hoaxes from spreading" as civil unrest persisted in some parts of the country's easternmost area, officials said.

Indonesia sends more police to Papua, curbs internet speed amid tension

Indonesia&nbsp;sent 200&nbsp;more&nbsp;police&nbsp;officers to<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-president-urges-calm-after-violent-protests-in-papua-cities-244160/amp">&nbsp;Papua</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday and reined in&nbsp;internet&nbsp;speeds to "prevent hoaxes from spreading" as civil unrest persisted in some parts of the country's easternmost area, officials said.

Thousands of&nbsp;Papuans took the streets of the cities of Sorong, Manokwari and Jayapura on Monday, blocking roads, damaging an airport and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-riot-in-papua-parliament-building-torched-244023">torching government buildings.</a>

The protests were triggered by the detention of&nbsp;Papuan students in the East Java city of Surabaya over accusations that they had disrespected the&nbsp;Indonesian flag in front of a dormitory during celebrations of Independence Day on Saturday.

Police&nbsp;fired tear gas into the dormitory before arresting 43 students, according to an activist, who said the students had been called "monkeys" during the operation.

On Tuesday, the situation was calmer in some areas, but&nbsp;Papua's deputy governor, Mohamad Lakotani, said by telephone that about 200&nbsp;more&nbsp;police&nbsp;officers had been sent to Sorong from the island of Sulawesi&nbsp;amid&nbsp;continued&nbsp;tension.

Lakotani said a "significant number" of&nbsp;Papuans took to the streets in Sorong again after Monday's protests had seen the airport damaged, offices torched and a jail set ablaze.

About 400 protesters were on the streets of Sorong on Tuesday, its<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/police-regain-control-in-indonesias-papua-region-after-protests-244096#thousands-riot-in-papua-244087">&nbsp;police</a>&nbsp;chief, Mario P. Siregar, told news portal Detik.com, while state news agency Antara said some streets were still being blocked by burning tyres.

Police&nbsp;was also hunting for&nbsp;more&nbsp;than 250 inmates who fled jail in Sorong that was set ablaze during Monday's unrest.

Protesters had attacked the jail among other buildings, said Ade Kusmanto, a spokesman for the director-general of correctional facilities at the Law and Human Rights ministry.

"After burning the regional government's office facilities, (protesters) headed to the prison and threw rocks, provoking inmates," said Kusmanto, adding that a prison warden had been injured in the unrest.

The official said 258 inmates had escaped, from among 547 held in the jail, but added that some had since been recaptured, without elaborating.

Internet&nbsp;bandwidth had also been intentionally slowed in some parts of&nbsp;Papua&nbsp;on Tuesday, mainly around Sorong, making it harder for people to send pictures and videos, a spokesman of the ministry of communication and information technology said.

Similar measures were taken on Monday "to prevent hoaxes from spreading widely", the ministry said in a statement.

Papuans were angry because of "the extremely racist words used by East Java people, the&nbsp;police&nbsp;and military,"&nbsp;Papua&nbsp;Governor Lukas Enembe has said.

A separatist movement has simmered for decades in the resource-rich area of&nbsp;Papua, where there have been frequent complaints of rights abuses by&nbsp;Indonesian security forces.

Rights groups urged&nbsp;Indonesian&nbsp;police&nbsp;to act with restraint and investigate the accusations of racism and discrimination faced by&nbsp;Papuan students.

"Indonesian authorities must act promptly to de-escalate&nbsp;tensions in West&nbsp;Papua&nbsp;province and guarantee that people who wish to protest peacefully can continue to do so," Usman Hamid, the&nbsp;Indonesia&nbsp;executive director of rights group Amnesty International, said in a statement.

Indonesia sent 200 more police officers to Papua on Tuesday and reined in internet speeds to "prevent hoaxes from spreading" as civil unrest persisted in some parts of the country's easternmost area, officials said. Thousands of Papuans took the streets of the cities of Sorong, Manokwari and Jayapura on Monday, blocking roads, damaging an airport and torching government buildings. The protests were triggered by the detention of Papuan students in the East Java city of Surabaya over accusations that they had disrespected the Indonesian flag in front of a dormitory during celebrations of Independence Day on Saturday. Police fired tear gas into the dormitory before arresting 43 students, according to an activist, who said the students had been called "monkeys" during the operation. On Tuesday, the situation was calmer in some areas, but Papua's deputy governor, Mohamad Lakotani, said by telephone that about 200 more police officers had been sent to Sorong from the island of Sulawesi amid continued tension. Lakotani said a "significant number" of Papuans took to the streets in Sorong again after Monday's protests had seen the airport damaged, offices torched and a jail set ablaze. About 400 protesters were on the streets of Sorong on Tuesday, its police chief, Mario P. Siregar, told news portal Detik.com, while state news agency Antara said some streets were still being blocked by burning tyres. Police was also hunting for more than 250 inmates who fled jail in Sorong that was set ablaze during Monday's unrest. Protesters had attacked the jail among other buildings, said Ade Kusmanto, a spokesman for the director-general of correctional facilities at the Law and Human Rights ministry. "After burning the regional government's office facilities, (protesters) headed to the prison and threw rocks, provoking inmates," said Kusmanto, adding that a prison warden had been injured in the unrest. The official said 258 inmates had escaped, from among 547 held in the jail, but added that some had since been recaptured, without elaborating. Internet bandwidth had also been intentionally slowed in some parts of Papua on Tuesday, mainly around Sorong, making it harder for people to send pictures and videos, a spokesman of the ministry of communication and information technology said. Similar measures were taken on Monday "to prevent hoaxes from spreading widely", the ministry said in a statement. Papuans were angry because of "the extremely racist words used by East Java people, the police and military," Papua Governor Lukas Enembe has said. A separatist movement has simmered for decades in the resource-rich area of Papua, where there have been frequent complaints of rights abuses by Indonesian security forces. Rights groups urged Indonesian police to act with restraint and investigate the accusations of racism and discrimination faced by Papuan students. "Indonesian authorities must act promptly to de-escalate tensions in West Papua province and guarantee that people who wish to protest peacefully can continue to do so," Usman Hamid, the Indonesia executive director of rights group Amnesty International, said in a statement.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday sought to ease tension after violent protests in several cities in Papua in response to claims of racist abuse and physical mistreatment of students from the country's easternmost region.

His chief security minister, Wiranto, also pledged a "complete and fair" investigation into incidents in East Java that triggered the protests and in Papua, saying the situation in Papua had been contained.

A separatist movement has simmered for decades in Papua, where there have been frequent complaints of rights abuses by Indonesian security forces.

The latest protest appears to have been sparked off by the detention of Papuan students in the East Java city of Surabaya accused of bending a flagpole in front of a dormitory during Independence Day celebrations on Saturday, activists say.

Police fired tear gas into the dormitory before arresting 43 students, Albert Mungguar, an activist, told a news conference on Sunday. He said the students, who were released the same day without charge, had been called "monkeys" during the operation.

Thousands of Papuans protested in the cities of Manokwari and Sorong, blocking streets by burning tyres and tree branches.

Papuans were angry because of "the extremely racist words used by East Java people, the police and military", Papua Governor Lukas Enembe told broadcaster TVone.

In Manokwari, the capital of West Papua province, protesters set fire to parliament and office buildings, pulled down power poles and burnt vehicles, Deputy Governor Mohamad Lakotani said by telephone.

Protesters entered the airport in Sorong and destroyed some facilities, state news agency Antara said.

Widodo called for calm in Papua and urged people not to damage public facilities.

"It's okay to be emotional, but it's better to be forgiving," he told reporters at the presidential palace, a television broadcast showed. "Patience is also better."

Lakotani, who met protesters in Manokwari, said Papuans demanded an apology for the slur against the students, as well as protection for anyone studying across the archipelago.

"We apologise because this does not represent the voice of the people of East Java," the province's governor, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, said in a televised statement and called the slur "someone's personal outburst of emotion".

Large crowds also took to the streets of Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, though the protest appeared peaceful in television images.

Papua police spokesman Ahmad Kamal said by telephone 500 people were involved in the Jayapura demonstration.

"It's been a while since I saw West Papuans this angry," Veronica Koman, a human rights lawyer who focuses on Papua, said on Twitter. "The liberation movement is entering a new chapter."

Koman posted videos on Twitter of protesters crying, "Free Papua" and a group of teenagers carrying a Morning Star flag, a banned symbol used by independence supporters.

Papua and West Papua provinces, the resource-rich western part of the island of New Guinea, make up a former Dutch colony that was incorporated into Indonesia after a widely criticised UN-backed referendum in 1969.

President Joko Widodo has sought to ease tension in the restive region with steps such as building the Trans Papua highway to spur economic activity and boost welfare.

However, unrest has persisted and separatists killed a group of construction workers in December 2018, triggering a military crackdown that displaced thousands in the Nduga area. 
&nbsp;

Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday sought to ease tension after violent protests in several cities in Papua in response to claims of racist abuse and physical mistreatment of students from the country's easternmost region.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday sought to ease tension after violent protests in several cities in Papua in response to claims of racist abuse and physical mistreatment of students from the country's easternmost region. His chief security minister, Wiranto, also pledged a "complete and fair" investigation into incidents in East Java that triggered the protests and in Papua, saying the situation in Papua had been contained. A separatist movement has simmered for decades in Papua, where there have been frequent complaints of rights abuses by Indonesian security forces. The latest protest appears to have been sparked off by the detention of Papuan students in the East Java city of Surabaya accused of bending a flagpole in front of a dormitory during Independence Day celebrations on Saturday, activists say. Police fired tear gas into the dormitory before arresting 43 students, Albert Mungguar, an activist, told a news conference on Sunday. He said the students, who were released the same day without charge, had been called "monkeys" during the operation. Thousands of Papuans protested in the cities of Manokwari and Sorong, blocking streets by burning tyres and tree branches. Papuans were angry because of "the extremely racist words used by East Java people, the police and military", Papua Governor Lukas Enembe told broadcaster TVone. In Manokwari, the capital of West Papua province, protesters set fire to parliament and office buildings, pulled down power poles and burnt vehicles, Deputy Governor Mohamad Lakotani said by telephone. Protesters entered the airport in Sorong and destroyed some facilities, state news agency Antara said. Widodo called for calm in Papua and urged people not to damage public facilities. "It's okay to be emotional, but it's better to be forgiving," he told reporters at the presidential palace, a television broadcast showed. "Patience is also better." Lakotani, who met protesters in Manokwari, said Papuans demanded an apology for the slur against the students, as well as protection for anyone studying across the archipelago. "We apologise because this does not represent the voice of the people of East Java," the province's governor, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, said in a televised statement and called the slur "someone's personal outburst of emotion". Large crowds also took to the streets of Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, though the protest appeared peaceful in television images. Papua police spokesman Ahmad Kamal said by telephone 500 people were involved in the Jayapura demonstration. "It's been a while since I saw West Papuans this angry," Veronica Koman, a human rights lawyer who focuses on Papua, said on Twitter. "The liberation movement is entering a new chapter." Koman posted videos on Twitter of protesters crying, "Free Papua" and a group of teenagers carrying a Morning Star flag, a banned symbol used by independence supporters. Papua and West Papua provinces, the resource-rich western part of the island of New Guinea, make up a former Dutch colony that was incorporated into Indonesia after a widely criticised UN-backed referendum in 1969. President Joko Widodo has sought to ease tension in the restive region with steps such as building the Trans Papua highway to spur economic activity and boost welfare. However, unrest has persisted and separatists killed a group of construction workers in December 2018, triggering a military crackdown that displaced thousands in the Nduga area.

Indonesia president urges calm after violent protests in Papua cities

Indonesia proclaimed its independence from Dutch colonization on the 17th of august, 1945. As more than 16,000 islands in the archipelago celebrate their independence day, WION caught up with the Ambassador of Indonesia to India- Sidharto Suryodipuro on 'The Diplomacy Show'. Former Indian Diplomat and show host Arun K. Singh talks to the envoy about his India experiences, the ties between the two countries, and the role Indonesia in shaping the world order.

The Diplomacy Show with the ambassador of Indonesia to India- Sidharto Suryodipuro

Police regain control in Indonesia's Papua region after protests

As Indonesia celebrates its 75th independence day, we bring you an exclusive chat with Ambassador of Indonesia to India. Watch #TheDiplomacyShow as he speaks on Indonesia's Indo-Pacific approach and much more on Sat | 2030 IST & Sun | 1330 IST on WION

WION exclusively chats with Ambassador of Indonesia to India Sidharto Suryodipuro

Once home to rice farmers and their luscious green paddy fields, this Indonesian village is now a dump for truckloads of rubbish.

From rice fields to trash fields: Indonesian farmers find profit in pollution

Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Friday proposed a 2,528.8 trillion rupiah ($177.56 billion) budget to parliament for 2020, focusing spending on human resources, which was central in his re-election campaign.

The 2020 budget proposals set a target of 5.3 per cent growth in the gross domestic product (GDP), the same as this year's, although officials have often said 2019 growth would probably range from 5.1 per cent to 5.2 per cent.

The proposed budget is 3 per cent bigger than 2019's plans, but about 8 per cent larger than the latest government estimate of what Jakarta will spend this year.

It will fund the president's programmes in the first year of his second five-year term, which officially begins in October.

"The 2020 state budget policy is designed to be expansive, but to remain targeted and measured," Widodo told parliament.

To fund his budget, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-indonesias-widodo-seeks-a-second-term-rural-voters-have-some-doubts-210297">Widodo proposed to set a target of 2,221.5 trillion rupiahs </a>of state revenue. That brings the fiscal deficit in his budget proposals to 1.76 per cent of GDP, which he said gave room to anticipate global uncertainties.

Juniman, the chief economist of Maybank Indonesia, said Widodo's GDP growth assumption, which is used as the basis of the government's tax revenue target, is unattainable.

"I'm pessimistic the 5.3 per cent growth can be achieved. Given the gloomy global condition and its slowdown trend this year and next, it will be hard for any emerging market to grow faster than this year," said Juniman, who uses one name, like many Indonesians.

He gave a 5 per cent growth outlook for 2019 and 2020.

Though the president's GDP growth target was "slightly optimistic", the tax target was "cautiously realistic", said Bank Danamon economist Wisnu Wardana.

While Widodo promised to keep building infrastructure in 2020, the budget's main theme was improving human resources, with the president pledging to "answer to our demographic challenges".

Earlier on Friday, Widodo told parliament raising the quality of the labour market in his second term was key to reaping the benefit of a demographic dividend - a time when the number of people of working age exceeds those of non-working-age.

The government proposed to spend 505.8 trillion rupiah ($35.51 billion) for education in 2020, up 30 per cent from this year, to improve basic education as well as provide financing for 818,000 students to go to universities, Widodo said.

It would also use the budget to provide training for what Widodo called "emerging skills", such as coding, data analytics, graphic design and even training to become a coffee barista.

The budget proposals also assumed an inflation rate of 3.1 per cent, a yearly average rupiah exchange rate of 14,400 to the dollar, a 5.4 per cent average rate for 3-month Treasury bills and an average crude oil price of $65 a barrel, Widodo said.

Parliament typically takes until October to approve the government's budget proposals.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Friday proposed a 2,528.8 trillion rupiah ($177.56 billion) budget to parliament for 2020, focusing spending on human resources, which was central in his re-election campaign.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Friday proposed a 2,528.8 trillion rupiah ($177.56 billion) budget to parliament for 2020, focusing spending on human resources, which was central in his re-election campaign. The 2020 budget proposals set a target of 5.3 per cent growth in the gross domestic product (GDP), the same as this year's, although officials have often said 2019 growth would probably range from 5.1 per cent to 5.2 per cent. The proposed budget is 3 per cent bigger than 2019's plans, but about 8 per cent larger than the latest government estimate of what Jakarta will spend this year. It will fund the president's programmes in the first year of his second five-year term, which officially begins in October. "The 2020 state budget policy is designed to be expansive, but to remain targeted and measured," Widodo told parliament. To fund his budget, Widodo proposed to set a target of 2,221.5 trillion rupiahs of state revenue. That brings the fiscal deficit in his budget proposals to 1.76 per cent of GDP, which he said gave room to anticipate global uncertainties. Juniman, the chief economist of Maybank Indonesia, said Widodo's GDP growth assumption, which is used as the basis of the government's tax revenue target, is unattainable. "I'm pessimistic the 5.3 per cent growth can be achieved. Given the gloomy global condition and its slowdown trend this year and next, it will be hard for any emerging market to grow faster than this year," said Juniman, who uses one name, like many Indonesians. He gave a 5 per cent growth outlook for 2019 and 2020. Though the president's GDP growth target was "slightly optimistic", the tax target was "cautiously realistic", said Bank Danamon economist Wisnu Wardana. While Widodo promised to keep building infrastructure in 2020, the budget's main theme was improving human resources, with the president pledging to "answer to our demographic challenges". Earlier on Friday, Widodo told parliament raising the quality of the labour market in his second term was key to reaping the benefit of a demographic dividend - a time when the number of people of working age exceeds those of non-working-age. The government proposed to spend 505.8 trillion rupiah ($35.51 billion) for education in 2020, up 30 per cent from this year, to improve basic education as well as provide financing for 818,000 students to go to universities, Widodo said. It would also use the budget to provide training for what Widodo called "emerging skills", such as coding, data analytics, graphic design and even training to become a coffee barista. The budget proposals also assumed an inflation rate of 3.1 per cent, a yearly average rupiah exchange rate of 14,400 to the dollar, a 5.4 per cent average rate for 3-month Treasury bills and an average crude oil price of $65 a barrel, Widodo said. Parliament typically takes until October to approve the government's budget proposals.

Indonesia president proposes $178 billion budget for 2020 with focus on education

One of the fastest-sinking cities on earth, environmental experts warn that one third of it could be submerged by 2050 if current rates continue.

Indonesia is prone to floods, Jakarta could submerge by 2050

Sinking city: Indonesia's capital on the brink of disaster

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-to-send-210-tonnes-of-waste-back-to-australia-234274">Indonesia has shipped tonnes of Australian garbage </a>out of the country, an official said Tuesday, as Southeast Asian nations push back against serving as dumping grounds for foreign trash.

Eight containers of trash, weighing some 210 tonnes left Indonesia's second-biggest city &nbsp;on Monday aboard a cargo ship bound for Singapore, the local customs agency said.

The move comes less than a week after Australia pledged to stop exporting recyclable waste amid<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/could-mexico-cactus-solve-worlds-plastics-problem-241852"> global concerns about plastic polluting</a> the oceans and increasing pushback from Asian nations against accepting trash.

Last month, Indonesia said it would return the Australian rubbish after authorities found hazardous material and household trash, including used diapers and electronic waste, in containers meant to hold the only waste paper.

"Six containers contaminated with (hazardous) waste and two containers mixed with household rubbish" left Indonesia on Monday, said Alvina Christine Zebua, a spokeswoman for the East Java customs agency.

She could not confirm when the containers might arrive back in Australia.

Last month Indonesia returned seven shipping containers of illegally imported waste to France and Hong Kong that were seized in Batam Island near Singapore.

Those containers were loaded with a combination of garbage, plastic waste and hazardous materials in violation of import rules.

Batam authorities were also preparing to return another 42 containers of waste, including shipments from the United States, Australia and Germany.

China used to receive the bulk of scrap plastic from around the world but closed its doors to foreign refuse last year to clean up its environment.&nbsp;

Huge quantities of waste have since been redirected to Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Indonesia and to a lesser degree the Philippines.&nbsp;

Around 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, according to the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), with much of it ending up in landfills or polluting the seas, in what has become a growing international crisis.&nbsp;

A particular environmental concern is microplastics, tiny pieces of degraded waste that absorb harmful chemicals and accumulate inside fish, birds and other animals.

Indonesia has shipped tonnes of Australian garbage out of the country, an official said Tuesday, as Southeast Asian nations push back against serving as dumping grounds for foreign trash.

Indonesia has shipped tonnes of Australian garbage out of the country, an official said Tuesday, as Southeast Asian nations push back against serving as dumping grounds for foreign trash. Eight containers of trash, weighing some 210 tonnes left Indonesia's second-biggest city on Monday aboard a cargo ship bound for Singapore, the local customs agency said. The move comes less than a week after Australia pledged to stop exporting recyclable waste amid global concerns about plastic polluting the oceans and increasing pushback from Asian nations against accepting trash. Last month, Indonesia said it would return the Australian rubbish after authorities found hazardous material and household trash, including used diapers and electronic waste, in containers meant to hold the only waste paper. "Six containers contaminated with (hazardous) waste and two containers mixed with household rubbish" left Indonesia on Monday, said Alvina Christine Zebua, a spokeswoman for the East Java customs agency. She could not confirm when the containers might arrive back in Australia. Last month Indonesia returned seven shipping containers of illegally imported waste to France and Hong Kong that were seized in Batam Island near Singapore. Those containers were loaded with a combination of garbage, plastic waste and hazardous materials in violation of import rules. Batam authorities were also preparing to return another 42 containers of waste, including shipments from the United States, Australia and Germany. China used to receive the bulk of scrap plastic from around the world but closed its doors to foreign refuse last year to clean up its environment. Huge quantities of waste have since been redirected to Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Indonesia and to a lesser degree the Philippines. Around 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, according to the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), with much of it ending up in landfills or polluting the seas, in what has become a growing international crisis. A particular environmental concern is microplastics, tiny pieces of degraded waste that absorb harmful chemicals and accumulate inside fish, birds and other animals.

Indonesia ships back tonnes of Australian waste

Indonesian investigators will give their final report next month on the crash of a Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX jet that killed 189 people last October, the country's civil aviation authority said on Friday.

The 737 MAX, Boeing's best-selling jet, was grounded globally in March following another fatal crash of the jet operated by Ethiopian Airlines. The two crashes together killed 346 people.

A draft of the report by the transport safety agency (KNKT) will be sent next week to Boeing, Lion Air, the US Federal Aviation Administration and other parties to seek feedback, said Polana Pramesti, director general of civil aviation.

"After getting the responses, KNKT will release it in September," Pramesti told Reuters.

The report will include the facts and a chronology of the Lion Air crash, the causes of the incident and give recommendations, said KNKT deputy chairman Haryo Satmiko.

Boeing and the FAA provided data for the report, he said, which is expected to be released at the end of September.

Boeing has been working on an upgrade for a stall-prevention system known as MCAS since the Lion Air crash when pilots were believed to have lost a tug of war with software that repeatedly pushed the nose down.

Boeing said last month it would give $100 million over multiple years to governments and non-profit organizations to help families and communities affected by the crashes of its 737 MAX planes in&nbsp;Indonesia&nbsp;and Ethiopia.

The airline is the target of a US Department of Justice criminal investigation into the development of the 737 MAX, regulatory probes and more than 100 lawsuits by victims' families.

Indonesian investigators will give their final report next month on the crash of a Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX jet that killed 189 people last October, the country's civil aviation authority said on Friday.

Indonesian investigators will give their final report next month on the crash of a Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX jet that killed 189 people last October, the country's civil aviation authority said on Friday. The 737 MAX, Boeing's best-selling jet, was grounded globally in March following another fatal crash of the jet operated by Ethiopian Airlines. The two crashes together killed 346 people. A draft of the report by the transport safety agency (KNKT) will be sent next week to Boeing, Lion Air, the US Federal Aviation Administration and other parties to seek feedback, said Polana Pramesti, director general of civil aviation. "After getting the responses, KNKT will release it in September," Pramesti told Reuters. The report will include the facts and a chronology of the Lion Air crash, the causes of the incident and give recommendations, said KNKT deputy chairman Haryo Satmiko. Boeing and the FAA provided data for the report, he said, which is expected to be released at the end of September. Boeing has been working on an upgrade for a stall-prevention system known as MCAS since the Lion Air crash when pilots were believed to have lost a tug of war with software that repeatedly pushed the nose down. Boeing said last month it would give $100 million over multiple years to governments and non-profit organizations to help families and communities affected by the crashes of its 737 MAX planes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. The airline is the target of a US Department of Justice criminal investigation into the development of the 737 MAX, regulatory probes and more than 100 lawsuits by victims' families.

Indonesia to publish final report on Lion Air crash next month

Dozens of people clutching bags full of <a href="Dozens of people clutching bags full of plastic bottles">plastic bottles and disposable cups </a>queue at a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian city of Surabaya where passengers can swap trash for travel tickets.

The nation is the world's second-biggest marine polluter behind China and has pledged to reduce plastic waste in its waters some 70 per cent by 2025 by boosting recycling, raising public awareness, and curbing usage.

The Surabaya scheme has been a hit in the city of 2.9 million, with nearly 16,000 passengers trading trash for free travel each week, according to authorities.

"This is a very smart solution. It's free and instead of throwing away bottles people now collect them and bring them here," explains 48-year-old resident Fransiska Nugrahepi.

An hour-long bus ride with unlimited stops costs three large bottles, five medium bottles or 10 plastic cups. But they must be cleaned and cannot be squashed.&nbsp;

There is a steady stream of people squeezing past sacks full of recyclables to deposit plastic in four bins behind the small office and claim their tickets.

Franki Yuanus, a Surabaya transport official, says the program aims not only to cut waste but also to tackle traffic congestion by encouraging people to switch to public transit.

"There has been a good response from the public," insists Yuanus, adding: "Paying with plastic is one of the things that has made people enthusiastic because up until now plastic waste was just seen as useless."

Currently, the fleet consists of 20 near-new buses, each with<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/i-like-plastic-pakistans-toxic-love-affair-with-waste-240201"> recycling bins and ticket officers</a> who roam the aisles to collect any leftover bottles.

Authorities said roughly six tons of plastic rubbish is collected from passengers each month before being auctioned to recycling companies.

Nurhayati Anwar, who uses the bus about once a week with her three-year-old son, said the trash swap program is changing how people see their throwaway cups and bottles.

"Now people in the office or at home are trying to collect (rubbish) instead of just throwing it away,” the 44-year-old accountant told AFP after trading in several bottles for a free ride.

"We now know that plastic is not good for the environment people in Surabaya are starting to learn."

Other parts of Indonesia, an archipelago of some 17,000 islands, are also trying to tackle the issue.

Bali is phasing in a ban on single-use plastic straws and bags to rid the popular holiday island of waste choking its waterways, while authorities in the capital Jakarta are considering a similar bylaw to rid the city of plastic shopping bags.

Governments around the globe are increasingly taking measures to curb the menace of disposable plastic.

A 2016 report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation warned there would be more plastic than fish, by weight, in the seas by 2050.&nbsp;

It estimated eight million tonnes of plastics enter oceans annually.

It added: "This is equivalent to dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute. If no action is taken, this is expected to increase to two per minute by 2030 and four per minute by 2050." 
&nbsp;

Dozens of people clutching bags full of plastic bottles and disposable cups queue at a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian city of Surabaya where passengers can swap trash for travel tickets.

Dozens of people clutching bags full of plastic bottles and disposable cups queue at a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian city of Surabaya where passengers can swap trash for travel tickets. The nation is the world's second-biggest marine polluter behind China and has pledged to reduce plastic waste in its waters some 70 per cent by 2025 by boosting recycling, raising public awareness, and curbing usage. The Surabaya scheme has been a hit in the city of 2.9 million, with nearly 16,000 passengers trading trash for free travel each week, according to authorities. "This is a very smart solution. It's free and instead of throwing away bottles people now collect them and bring them here," explains 48-year-old resident Fransiska Nugrahepi. An hour-long bus ride with unlimited stops costs three large bottles, five medium bottles or 10 plastic cups. But they must be cleaned and cannot be squashed. There is a steady stream of people squeezing past sacks full of recyclables to deposit plastic in four bins behind the small office and claim their tickets. Franki Yuanus, a Surabaya transport official, says the program aims not only to cut waste but also to tackle traffic congestion by encouraging people to switch to public transit. "There has been a good response from the public," insists Yuanus, adding: "Paying with plastic is one of the things that has made people enthusiastic because up until now plastic waste was just seen as useless." Currently, the fleet consists of 20 near-new buses, each with recycling bins and ticket officers who roam the aisles to collect any leftover bottles. Authorities said roughly six tons of plastic rubbish is collected from passengers each month before being auctioned to recycling companies. Nurhayati Anwar, who uses the bus about once a week with her three-year-old son, said the trash swap program is changing how people see their throwaway cups and bottles. "Now people in the office or at home are trying to collect (rubbish) instead of just throwing it away,” the 44-year-old accountant told AFP after trading in several bottles for a free ride. "We now know that plastic is not good for the environment people in Surabaya are starting to learn." Other parts of Indonesia, an archipelago of some 17,000 islands, are also trying to tackle the issue. Bali is phasing in a ban on single-use plastic straws and bags to rid the popular holiday island of waste choking its waterways, while authorities in the capital Jakarta are considering a similar bylaw to rid the city of plastic shopping bags. Governments around the globe are increasingly taking measures to curb the menace of disposable plastic. A 2016 report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation warned there would be more plastic than fish, by weight, in the seas by 2050. It estimated eight million tonnes of plastics enter oceans annually. It added: "This is equivalent to dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute. If no action is taken, this is expected to increase to two per minute by 2030 and four per minute by 2050."

Trash for tickets on Indonesia's 'Plastic bus'

Power was mostly restored in Jakarta and&nbsp;Indonesia's heavily populated Java island after a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tens-of-millions-hit-by-indonesia-power-blackout-240594">widespread electricity outage</a> on Sunday that the state utility PLN blamed on disruptions at several power plants.

Tens of millions of people were affected by the blackout which plunged buildings in the sprawling capital -- home to about 30 million people -- into darkness and forced the temporary closure of its new mass rapid transit system.

Passengers were safely evacuated from several MRT carriages when the power went out, according to the system's operator, while commuter trains were also affected.

Electricity was restored by around 11:00 pm local time in most parts of the capital, nearly 12 hours after disruptions started. While the megacity has been hit by blackouts before, Sunday's shutdown was unusually long.&nbsp;

PLN said the massive outage happened when a gas turbine at a major power plant went down and by disruption at another facility. Both are on the western end of Java, the Southeast Asian archipelago's most populous island.

Jakarta's hospitals and Soekarno-Hatta International Airport were not affected because they have backup power generators, officials said.

The blackout caused sporadic disruptions in mobile phone services and cash machines, while some apartment buildings were left in the dark.

Outages also turned off some traffic lights, aggravating the capital's notorious congestion.

Power was mostly restored in Jakarta and Indonesia's heavily populated Java island after a widespread electricity outage on Sunday that the state utility PLN blamed on disruptions at several power plants.

Power was mostly restored in Jakarta and Indonesia's heavily populated Java island after a widespread electricity outage on Sunday that the state utility PLN blamed on disruptions at several power plants. Tens of millions of people were affected by the blackout which plunged buildings in the sprawling capital -- home to about 30 million people -- into darkness and forced the temporary closure of its new mass rapid transit system. Passengers were safely evacuated from several MRT carriages when the power went out, according to the system's operator, while commuter trains were also affected. Electricity was restored by around 11:00 pm local time in most parts of the capital, nearly 12 hours after disruptions started. While the megacity has been hit by blackouts before, Sunday's shutdown was unusually long. PLN said the massive outage happened when a gas turbine at a major power plant went down and by disruption at another facility. Both are on the western end of Java, the Southeast Asian archipelago's most populous island. Jakarta's hospitals and Soekarno-Hatta International Airport were not affected because they have backup power generators, officials said. The blackout caused sporadic disruptions in mobile phone services and cash machines, while some apartment buildings were left in the dark. Outages also turned off some traffic lights, aggravating the capital's notorious congestion.

Power restored in Indonesia after tens of millions hit by electricity outage

Tens of millions of people on Indonesia's heavily populated Java island were affected by a widespread electricity outage Sunday after disruptions at several power plants, the state utility PLN said.

The shutdown hit parts of the sprawling capital Jakarta -- home to some 30 million people -- and forced the temporary closure of its new mass rapid transit system.

Passengers were safely evacuated from several MRT carriages when the power went out, according to the system's operator, while the city's commuter trains were also impacted.

The blackout -- which began around noon local time (0500 GMT) and was expected to last until later Sunday -- caused sporadic disruptions in mobile phone services and cash machines, while some apartment buildings were left in the dark.

Many buildings had to resort to power generators to keep the lights on.

Outages also turned off some traffic lights, aggravating the capital's notorious congestion.

PLN said the blackout was caused when a gas turbine at a major power plant went down and by disruption at another facility. Both are on the western end of Java.

"We're doing our best to fix the system so the power comes back to normal," it added.

Tens of millions of people on Indonesia's heavily populated Java island were affected by a widespread electricity outage Sunday after disruptions at several power plants, the state utility PLN said.

Tens of millions of people on Indonesia's heavily populated Java island were affected by a widespread electricity outage Sunday after disruptions at several power plants, the state utility PLN said. The shutdown hit parts of the sprawling capital Jakarta -- home to some 30 million people -- and forced the temporary closure of its new mass rapid transit system. Passengers were safely evacuated from several MRT carriages when the power went out, according to the system's operator, while the city's commuter trains were also impacted. The blackout -- which began around noon local time (0500 GMT) and was expected to last until later Sunday -- caused sporadic disruptions in mobile phone services and cash machines, while some apartment buildings were left in the dark. Many buildings had to resort to power generators to keep the lights on. Outages also turned off some traffic lights, aggravating the capital's notorious congestion. PLN said the blackout was caused when a gas turbine at a major power plant went down and by disruption at another facility. Both are on the western end of Java. "We're doing our best to fix the system so the power comes back to normal," it added.

Tens of millions hit by Indonesia power blackout

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