Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja

1 month ago | straitstimes.com | Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja

JAKARTA – Indonesia has backtracked on pledges it had made to stop building new coal-fired power stations – other than those it had already previously committed to – with the announcement of a new 10-year plan that includes more coal plants coming into operation as late as 2033. But in a shift from the past, renewable energy comprises the majority of the 69.5 gigawatts (GW) additional power capacity outlined in the government’s 2025-2034 electricity procurement business plan (RUPTL).

1 month ago | straitstimes.com | Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja

LABUAN BAJO – A small seaside town known as the gateway to the land of the dragons – specifically the Komodo kind – has roared to life over the past decade, after it was first positioned as one of Indonesia’s “10 New Balis” in a 2016 tourism push by the government.

1 month ago | straitstimes.com | Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja

JAKARTA - A plan by the Indonesian government to import significantly more fuel from the United States, while reducing purchases from Singapore, has raised concerns over the higher transport and insurance costs that would be incurred due to the longer sailing time and through possibly treacherous waters. The move is driven by ongoing negotiations with the US over the 32 per cent tariff the Trump administration has imposed on Indonesian goods, in response to Indonesia’s trade surplus with the US.

1 month ago | straitstimes.com | Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja

JAKARTA - A grainy photo shows a three-metre-wide banner hanging at the entrance of a rubber processing factory in Central Kalimantan province in Indonesia. The banner reads: “This plant’s operations have been shut down by GRIB Jaya Kalteng.”GRIB, short for Gerakan Rakyat Indonesia Bersatu, is one of the country’s many organisasi kemasyarakatan (ormas) or community groups said to be engaging in extortion and protection rackets, at the expense of business.

2 months ago | straitstimes.com | Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja

JAKARTA -- The decision by South Korean company LG to exit a US$8.45 billion (S$11.1 billion) plan to build an electric vehicle battery supply chain in Indonesia has sparked debate over Jakarta’s inconsistent policies and slow decision-making. LG Energy Solution, the world’s third largest EV battery maker, disclosed its decision on April 21, citing “market conditions and investment environment”.