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SBY Hails RI-China Film Venture
RI Aims for 15 pct Investment Growth in 2011 Indonesia expects investment next year to grow by 15 percent of the target of Rp160.1 trillion for this year. Analysts are upbeat the target could be met but pointed out that much needs to be done to improve the investment climate. Lengthy licensing procedures,inadequate infrastructure, lack of transparent taxation system, restriction on foreign investment, limited access to land and poor protection of investment are likely to remain obstacles, they say.
By Jeannifer Filly Sumayku
JAKARTA (TPP) – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) last month spoke The IndonesiaChinese Business Forum in Shanghai and praised the wide-ranging fields businessmen from both countries are engaged in, including filmmaking.
“This offers the potential for growth in many industries, including in services and creative industries such as animation, ITbased content industry, film, music, fashion and so on,” he said. “We recognize that China is also restructuring towards more value added and services based industry. There is the potential for collaboration here --- our creative base and your technology, our dynamic innovation and your R&D and so on.” He added: “We see concrete cooperation between an Indonesian animation company to produce and distribute an animation large screen film and TV series on Zheng He.” “This is very symbolic, since we all know Admiral Zheng He came to Indonesia many times on a peaceful mission of trade and culture some 600 years ago. Now we are continuing this cooperation in the new age field.” The meeting was organized by the Indonesian Embassy and
The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in its new report issued early this month, recommends Indonesia continue to simplify the business licensing process to attract more foreign direct investment into the country. Economist Anggito Abimanyu of Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University (UGM) meanwhile said a lack of effective and transparent taxation system is one of the stumbling blocks to investment into the country. “Indonesia needs a large amount of investment. To boost the investment climate the government can reduce tax, particularly that of corporate taxpayers,” he said in a seminar in Yogyakarta recently.
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“This year, we celebrate the 60th Anniversary of our diplomatic relations. We are also marking the first five years of our Strategic Partnership, and the completion of the implementation of the China ASEAN FTA,” the Indonesian head of state said.
China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). SD Darmono, the president director of PT Jababeka, a prominent businessman who is at the forefront in boosting trade and business relations between the two countries, said films are a viable means to bring together and unite Indonesia’s diverse ethnic groups of different levels of social and education backrounds.
Transportation, telecommunications, infrastructure, food industry and real estate sectors will continue to attract investment.
“We need a sophistictated vehicle to expedite Indonesian unity, and I think films are one of the options,”Darmono, who signed an agreement with he said. “However, we are still weak in contents. That’s why we need to develop our human resources, and one way of doing that is to have filming facilities that are efficient and of good quality. Jababeka, which is strategically located, houses 1500 companies from over 30 countries and is well-suited as a film industry enclave. It is also where President University, which is now setting up a film school, is located.” He further said that Jababeka is developing a film industry site called Indonesia Movieland covering 36 hectares of land. “So far 40 films have been made in Jababeka, which provides facilities such as, among others, golf course, housing complex, and hospitals,” he added.
Gita Wirjawan BKPM Chief
President SBY was giving a speech at the Indonesia-Chinese Business Forum in Shanghai, last month.
“We are building studios that will be ready early net year, allowing filmmakers to shoot, lease equipment and uniform and others.” “We and Nanjing and a leading national animation company, Castle Production, have agred to do animated serials on Zheng He that will be shown by CCTV,” Darmono said. The animated film is designed for children, and recounts Zheng He’s travels in Asia, Europe and even the Americas in his quest to open trade relations and foster good relations with other countries.
The film will be made at the ICT Training Center (ICT Information and Communication Technology) in Jababeka, which was built by the Ministry of Communications and Information (Kominfo) thanks to a US$10 million grant from South Korea.
Obama’s Visit Beneficial to RI: MPR Chairman People`s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Chairman Taufiq Kiemas said President Obama`s state visit to Indonesia “will be of benefit to the country. Obama`s visit was also an opportunity to discuss improvement of exonomic cooperation with the US with the aim of increasing Indonesia`s economic growth, he said. “The US has an interest in Indonesia as it is the largest country in Southeast Asia, moreover, Indonesia will chair ASEAN in 2011,” he said.
ket for the US. Taufiq called on the Indonesian people to welcome the US president when he arrives on Tuesday afternoon.
Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Body at the House of Representatives (DPR). “This will give a clear picture that Islam is a good religion which does not accept any form
of violence, including acts of terrorism,” she said. Assegaf said Obama`s visit to the mosque was a correct step as it would have a positive impact on the Indonesian people`s perception of the US. Obama`s speech at the mosque would be an important opportunity to touch on US relations with Islam in foreign countries, especially Indonesia. Nurhayati also expressed hope that the United States government would help accelerate the peace process in Palestine. “I hope that the United States` role in Palestine will be that of restoring the rights of the Palestinians,” she added.
He added Indonesia, whose population was the third largest in the world, was a potential mar-
Visit to strengthen US ties with muslim world: Legislator The visit of Obama in Indonesia is expected to strengthen US relations with Muslims around the world, especially in Indonesia, an Indonesian legislator said. “Obama has scheduled a visit to Istiqlal Mosque, and this will be a gesture of respect to all Muslims, particularly in Indonesia whose Muslim population is the largest in the world,” said Nurhayati Ali Assegaf, Vice Chairperson of the
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“Zheng He is often said to have brought Islam to Indonesia. So the film is abound with cultural and trade aspects,” Darmono explained. The film will be made at the ICT Training Center (ICT Information and Communication Technology) in Jababeka, which was built by the Ministry of Communications and Information (Kominfo) thanks to a US$10 million grant from South Korea. Meanwhile, Ardian Elkana, the owner of Castle Production, confirmed that the film would be produced at Movieland. “I am convinced that Movieland will grow as it is part of an industry with a high added-value. Movieland is set to provide one-stop film industry services that you find in Hollywood,” he added. The film has a budget of US$9 million and will be ready by the end of 2011 and shown in 2012.
Another UGM economist Rimawan Pradiptyo said the government must focus on infrastructure, legal certainties, overlapping bylaw. BKPM has projected a 15 percent investment growth for 2011 from the target of Rp160.1 trillion for this year. In his keynote speech at an economic forum here early this month, BKPM chief Gita Wirjawan noted transportation, telecommunications, infrastructure, food industry and real estate sectors will continue to attract investment. In addition, he added, Indonesia has increasingly become stable politically in recent years, another strength that may allow the country to become an economic giant alongside Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC). Indonesia also has been enjoying a steady and strong economic growth of 6.0 percent averagely in recent years, he said. Total investment in the first nine months of this year rose 33.4 percent to Rp 149.6 trillion from Rp 112.1 trillion in the same period last year. A great chunk of the investment came from foreign investment, contributing Rp 111.1 trillion or nearly 76 percent to the total. BKPM Deputy Chief Yus`an said late last month the agency is optimistic the country will reach the governmentset investment target of Rp160.1 trillion. “We believe the target can be achieved. Given the existing trend we hope it can reach Rp180 trillion (this year),” he said. “The realization of investment until September 2010 accounts for 93.4 percent of the target of Rp160.1 trillion for 2010,” he said.