Coporate access to forex expanded
JAKARTA: Bank Indonesia again gives more room for the corporate sector to access forex at banks after previously revoking the regulation that once limited those top debtors early this year.
The provision was contained in Bank Indonesia Regulation (PBI) No: 13/4/PBI/2011 on the Repeal of PBI No.10/22/PBI/2008 on the Fulfillment of Domestic Corporate Needs for Forex at Banks.
In the previous regulation, PBI No.10/22/PBI/2008, the access to forex at banks by those debtors were somehow limited. Banks even can propose for the forex needs against rupiah to BI for those domestic corporate.
Head Public Relations Bureau of Bank Indonesia, Difi A. Johansyah addressed such revocation aimed to show that Indonesia™s economy is already normal, enabling those corporate to directly access forex . “Thus, the companies can now access forex at domestic market instead of going to BI,” he said to Bisnis yesterday.
He further added that such provision is also issued to anticipate the economic condition amidst the crisis specifically and to avoid speculative forex loans which may trigger currency fluctuation.
”Prior to his, PBI [Fulfillment of Domestic Corporate Needs for Forex at Banks) aims as an anticipative measure so that companies not rush for forex which may destabilize the currency,” he said.
Difi added that at the moment, central bank believes that the current economic condition is relatively normal, thus such provision needs to be revoked as the forex availability domestically is rather sufficient along with the excessive foreign inflow.
During the 2008 crisis, rupiah touched IDR12,000 per US dollar following the rising forex needs either for corporate interest, capital accumulation or only for speculation (1).
Preventing speculation
Thus, BI issued such regulation to anticipate the currency speculation that may worsen rupiah even more. In such regulation, bank may propose forex needs against rupiah to BI as it only applies for governmental institutions.
Besides, bank is prohibited to propose forex needs for any domestic corporate related to the bank. Any proposal relating to forex must have underlying economic activities in Indonesia.
Underlying economic activities include forex debt settlement, import payment, and any other needs supported by legal documents or as long as the company exploits it neither for any transactions nor investment in the money market (2).
Director of Bank Mutiara, Benny Purnomo supported such revocation since it may increase the corporate access to forex loan. The bank once named Century recorded an intensified forex transaction in its core business.
”By such revocation, the domestic company has more choices in fulfilling its funding needs. They can use both dollar and rupiah,” he said. (T02/NOM)
Indonesia’s halal food exports increasing
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Export of halal Indonesian food commodities to many Muslim and non-Muslim countries such as Japan, China and Singapore has increased. According to Trade Ministry data, halal Indonesian food exports to Japan was up 25 percent, to China and Singapore 23 percent higher.
"Consuming halal food is not only related to religion but also the economy (3). Why? Halal food has safety and health guarantees for all consumers," said Krisnamukti at an international workshop on halal products in Jakarta on Monday.
He said 1.5 billion of the world population was a huge market for Indonesia halal food, the more so if their purchasing power would increase over time.
Krisnamukti said Indonesia had a big potential to export various food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products with halal certification.
"The halal guarantees of safety and health will attract both Moslem and non-Moslem consumers (4). Halal products are for all," he said. But Krisnamukti also said Indonesia needed to improve its halal certification technology for mass produced goods.
"The challenge of technology for halal products is getting higher and harder." For example, he said, demand for cattle products in Indonesia was high because of change in life style and people’s increased income.
"Sometimes we have to import only a part of the cattle, just ribs of cattle for example, but we need the halal certification on all parts," said Krisnamukti.
According to him, Indonesia as the largest Moslem country in the world should use halal as a parameter of trade. "Because we have to make sure that the products are good not only for Moslems, but also for all society."
"Opportunities for halal products exist even outside the Moslem world."
Penjelasan :
1. During the 2008 crisis, rupiah touched IDR 12,000 per US dollar following
the rising forex needs either for corporate interest, capital accumulation
or only for speculation.
Artinya: Selama krisis 2008, rupiah menyentuh IDR 12,000 per dolar AS
menyusul meningkatnya kebutuhan valas, baik untuk perusahaan, akumulasi
bunga modal atau hanya untuk spekulasi.
2. Underlying economic activities, include forex debt sttlement, import
payment and any other needs supported by legal document or as long as
the company exploits it neither for any transactions nor investment in
the money market.
Artinya: kegiatan ekonomi yang mendasari termasuk forex penyelesaian
utang, pembayaran impor, dan kebutuhan lain, di dukung oleh dokumen-
dokumen hukum atau selama perusahaan eksploitasi itu tidak untuk setiap transaksi
atau investasi di pasar uang.
atau investasi di pasar uang.
3. Consuming halal food is not only related to relgion but also the economy.
Artinya: Mengkonsumsi makanan halal tidak hanya terkait dengan agama
tetapi juga ekonomi.
4. The halal guarantees of safety and health will attract both Moslem and
non-Moslem consumers.
Artinya: Jaminan halal keselamatan dan kesehatan akan menarik baik
muslim dan non-Muslim konsumen.
Referensi:
http://www.bisnis.com/articles/corporate-access-to-forex-expanded
http://english.kompas.com/read/2012/01/17/07481014/Indonesias.Halal.Food.Exports.Increasing
