REGIONAL SUPPORT
TBY talks to Tevita Lavemaau, Former Minister of Finance and National Planning of Tonga, on the effect of climate change on the country, its work to combat inequality, and further areas of cooperation with Indonesia.
BIOGRAPHY
Tevita Lavemaau was first elected to parliament in the November 2014 general election. He was the Minister of Finance and National Planning.As a member of the group of Pacific Islands, what do you hope to see Indonesia do in terms of leading the way on the renewables front?
I hope Indonesia does more on renewable energy because we are from the South Pacific Islands, and Tonga is ranked number two in terms of the countries that are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change after Vanuatu. Therefore, we take the issue of climate change seriously because it will affect our future. If no hard action is taken by the world to control climate change, we will be under the sea in a few years. The lives of our people are dependent on this.
Tonga has made recent policy changes to combat inequality, which is a major issue in the Indonesian economy as well. What can Indonesia learn from Tonga in this regard?
The percentage of income tax to GDP in Indonesia is low. Having a huge population means there is room to collect more tax from the private sector and the public as well. Then, the country can plow that money into developing other areas if they wish, such as telecommunications and infrastructure. Tonga's revenue is 25-35% of our GDP, and there is always room to increase that. Post financial crisis, part of our budget is now funded through budget support from development partners, such as ADP World Bank. Thus, unless Tonga improves its capacity to collect more revenue to take care of its own destination, we will still rely on them. Of that funding, 50% is a grant while the other 50% is a sub-loan from those development partners to finance our domestic affairs.
What opportunities do you see for further cooperation between Tonga and Indonesia?
We have been promoting some forms of cooperation, and it has been extremely encouraging, although there is nothing on the ground yet. I had bilateral talks with Indonesia's Minister of Finance, and the government of Indonesia will set up a separate fund to start momentum in this direction. This is my second visit to Indonesia; I was here about two years ago and on that occasion I had to go through New Zealand and apply for a visa. On this visit, Indonesia issued me a visa on arrival, which is a positive move, and I will propose that our government does the same. For visitors from China, we currently allow visas to be issued on arrival. We, thus, need to continue to open our doors to neighboring countries to facilitate movement and trade.
REGIONAL SUPPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Interview
Dr. Bambang Brodjonegoro, Minister , National Development Planning (Bappenas)
TBY talks to Dr. Bambang Brodjonegoro, Minister of National Development Planning (Bappenas), on acquiring financing for infrastructure projects and boosting private sector involvement in the country.
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Thomas Trikasih Lembong, Chairman, Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM)
Thomas Trikasih Lembong is the Chairman of BKPM. He was a former Minister of Trade of Indonesia from 2015-2016. Prior his appointment in the cabinet, he had a long professional career. He was a Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Managing Partner, and Partner at Quvat Management Pte Ltd and also served as President Commissioner at PT Graha Layar Prima Tbk (BlitzMegaplex) since 2012. He was previously employed with Principia Management Group and the Equity Division of Morgan Stanley (Singapore) Pte. Ltd, among others. He received a bachelor's degree in architecture and urban design from Harvard. He also was elected Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2008.
read articleGuest Speaker
Tevita Lavemaau, Former Minister of Finance and National Planning , Tonga
TBY talks to Tevita Lavemaau, Former Minister of Finance and National Planning of Tonga, on the effect of climate change on the country, its work to combat inequality, and further areas of cooperation with Indonesia.
read articleInterview
Dr. Tito Sulistio, President Director, Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX)
TBY talks to Dr. Tito Sulistio, President Director of Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX), on the strong performance of the capital markets, its goals to increase the number of listed companies, and the growing importance of digital innovation.
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Amien Sunaryadi, Chairman, Special Task Force for Upstream Oil and Gas Business Activities (SKK Migas)
TBY talks to Amien Sunaryadi, Chairman of Special Task Force for Upstream Oil and Gas Business Activities (SKK Migas), on preparing new block offerings, attracting greater investment into the sector, and pushing for exploration.
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Ronald Walla, President Director, PT Wismilak Inti Makmur
TBY talks to Ronald Walla, President Director of PT Wismilak Inti Makmur, on offering the public a more relevant value proposition, strengthening the ideology of Indonesia's founding fathers, and forging bigger profit margins.
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Teddy Tjokrosaputro, President Director, PT Rimo International Lestari (RIMO)
TBY talks to Teddy Tjokrosaputro, President Director of PT Rimo International Lestari (RIMO), on stepping back forcefully from the brink, using affordable housing as a springboard, and laying the groundwork for the country's future.
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In the House
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