Asia Economy

The year 2015 is a landmark one for South-east Asia, with the much-anticipated arrival of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) due by the end of the year. This event will have far-reaching consequences across a whole range of economic, political, social and cultural fields, with the impact on the transport sectors of ASEAN member states also likely to be profound. Given...

Marking its first year in power, Indonesia’s new government has launched a major drive to boost the nation’s transport, power and water infrastructure. The administration in Jakarta is taking a leading role in helping to overcome the challenges facing the industry, and the private sector has been given a clearer, more efficient legal and administrative framework within which...

One key development in the new wave of Indonesian infrastructure programmes is a major change in the way they will be funded. The government is set to play a much bigger role in financing, directly through increased central and local government budgets, and indirectly through enhanced funding opportunities for state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The private sector stands to...

More efficient tax collection is a top priority for Indonesia, with improved information sharing with foreign countries among the initiatives it has rolled out in service of this goal. The country has historically struggled to achieve its annual tax collection targets, despite the valuable revenue stream they represent, although recent moves by newly elected President Joko...