RI among Asia-Pacific's top expansion destinations

Indonesia remains attractive to expansion-minded multi-national firms despite global fallout from the U.S.' sub-prime crisis, a survey reveals.

According to a report by global real estate management firm Jones Lang LaSalle, of 15 nations surveyed in the Asia-Pacific region, Indonesia ranks sixth in a list of top destinations for business expansions -- ahead of Malaysia, Australia, Cambodia, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Hong Kong.

China topped the list, followed by India, Vietnam, the Philippines and Singapore.

Eighty-three percent of the multi-nationals said they would increase or maintain their current growth rates in the region, while 28 percent accelerated the growth of their operations in the region in this year's second quarter, the report shows.

The survey company's CEO for regional business lines and corporate solutions John Forrest said emerging markets in Asia were the world's bright spots for growth at the moment.

Asian countries were less affected by the sub-prime turmoil, with the property sector remaining bright, he said.

"We're still seeing strong demand for space. However, an uncertain economic environment is forcing corporations to find smarter ways to manage their growth," Forrest said.

Demands for commercial office spaces in Jakarta's commercial business district continued to grow, with the occupancy rate in the first quarter of this year rising 24 percent, the report shows.

The growth was due mostly to tenant expansions, the company said.

New office buildings in Sudirman and Kuningan in South Jakarta accounted for the bulk of leasing activity, mainly involving banking, oil-and-gas and services companies.

Jones Lang LaSalle surveyed 30 senior corporate real-estate executives from leading multi-nationals in Asia-Pacific in the second quarter of this year.

The survey covered three sectors -- financial services, technology and consumer goods.

Among the three, the financial services sector was predicted to be the most aggressive this year based on data showing that 44 percent of the companies added growth plans in the first quarter of this year, and 33 percent predicted higher growth by the end of this year.

The consumer goods sector, on the other hand, showed mixed responses, with one third of the companies saying they would expand their growth plans, another third saying they would downsize their businesses and the rest expecting to maintain their current expansion rates.

Companies in this sector will likely look to initiate operations in the region to take advantage of promising new markets or shift current operations within it to search for lower-cost destinations.

source: Jakarta Post | June 2008

Menpera siapkan Rp100 M untuk rumah rakyat miskin

Kementerian Negara Perumahan Rakyat (Kemenpera) menyiapkan dana Rp100 miliar untuk pembangunan rumah warga miskin. Program itu untuk menekan lonjakan angka kemiskinan akibat dampak kenaikan harga bahan bakar minyak.

"Dengan dana itu setidaknya kita bisa membangun sedikitnya 10 ribu unit rumah," kata Kepala Pusat Pengembangan Perumahan Kementerian Negara Perumahan Rakyat Andi Zainal Dulung, dalam Rapat Kerja Kegiatan Bantuan Stimulan Pembangunan Perumahan Swadaya dan Peningkatan Kualitas Perumahan, di Hotel Taman Rosani, Jalan Cendrawasih, Kuta, Bali, Kamis (26/6/2008).

Andi mengatakan, dana yang akan mulai dikucurkan tahun depan itu meningkat 100 persen dibandingkan dana yang turun tahun ini sebesar Rp58,5 miliar. Penambahan anggaran itu dengan pertimbangan makin banyaknya jumlah warga miskin akibat kenaikan harga BBM.

Dia menjelaskan, bantuan pembangunan perumahan senilai Rp27 miliar pada tahun ini telah dialokasikan ke 63 kabupaten/kota yang tersebar di 20 provinsi. Bentuknya, pemerintah setempat melalui lembaga keuangan mikro mengucurkan bantuan untuk warga miskin yang tidak memiliki tempat tinggal laik.

Sedangkan bantuan peningkatan kualitas perumahan sebesar Rp31,5 miliar diwujudkan dalam 5.000 bentuk kegiatan. "Dengan peningkatan bantuan itu, tahun depan kita optimis program ini bisa diperluas ke seluruh provinsi," papar Andi.

Soal kriteria penerima bantuan, Andi menyebut masyarakat berpenghasilan rendah. "Seperti BLT (bantuan langsung tunai), peluang diselewengkan dan salah sasaran selalu ada. Namun sejauh ini berhasil kita ungkap," ujarnya.

source: okezone.com | June 2008

Jaya Ancol akan ekspansi ke ASEAN

PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol Tbk (PJAA) berencana meluaskan usahanya ke provinsi-provinsi lain, bahkan hingga ke kawasan negara ASEAN.

Direktur Utama PJAA Budi Karya, seusai RUPS di Jakarta, Selasa, mengatakan, ke depannya dengan menggandeng pemain global yang memiliki jaringan luas, perseroan akan meluaskan usahanya hingga provinsi-provinsi lain, bahkan hingga ke kawasan ASEAN.

Selain itu, kata Budi, PJAA juga akan mengembangkan sistem waralaba dan lisensi untuk pusat-pusat rekreasi luar Jakarta, dan perseroan berharap bisa meningkatkan pangsa pasar turis asing hingga 10 persen dari total pengunjung.

"Dengan program pengembangan bisnis yang senantiasa dilakukan, kami akan terus meningkatkan layanan terbaik kami pada masyarakat. Kami yakin dan optimistis, Jaya Ancol akan terus tumbuh memberi hasil yang terbaik," urainya.

Budi juga optimistis pada 2008, bisnis PJAA akan semakin membaik mengingat tingginya komitmen serta terus mentransformasi dengan melakukan perbaikan struktur organisasi, penyempurnaan sistem operasional, dan peningkatan kompetensi.

source: Antara

Emaar Jakarta Tower to be the tallest in South East Asia

Dubai-based real estate giant Emaar Properties plans to build a landmark tower in Jakarta, which would be the tallest skyscraper in Southeast Asia, a presidential envoy says. Special envoy for the Middle East Alwi Shihab said Monday the Chairman of Emaar, Mohamed Ali Alabbar, had proposed the project to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during an informal meeting on Saturday.

"At the moment, we're still looking for the right location in Jakarta for the site of the project... we are ready to build the tower, our homework is to find the right location, " Alwi told The Jakarta Post.

Emaar, the largest land and real estate developer in the Gulf, is famed for its ongoing construction of Burj Dubai in Dubai, which would be the highest skyscraper in the world. The 718 meter-tall building is scheduled to be fully constructed by the end of this year. Alwi said the Jakarta project was part of the company's commitment to invest in Indonesia.

source: Jakarta Post