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The Star
24 minutes ago
- The Star
Indonesia's gas subsidy cut could slash industrial output, trigger layoffs: Industry Ministry
JAKARTA: Industry Ministry spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arief said the ministry had received a flood of complaints from private companies reliant on the government's fixed natural gas price (HGBT) programme. According to him, supply disruptions and steep surcharges, such as state gas company PGN's tariff of US$16.77 per mmbtu, are squeezing manufacturers, particularly in energy-intensive sectors like ceramics, glass, steel, fertiliser, petrochemicals and oleochemicals. 'Energy costs make up a significant share of production expenses in these industries. Any increase in prices or cuts in HGBT supply erode margins, lower factory utilisation and, in the long run, deter investment, especially in energy-intensive manufacturing,' Febri said in a statement on Thursday (Aug 14). He added that this appears to be a recurring problem, despite the existence of a presidential decree that fixes the price and ensures supply continuity. 'No party or institution should attempt to override the President's order by raising the price above $6.5 or restricting the supply,' he noted. Indonesia's industrial gas demand is estimated at 2,700 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd), but the available HGBT supply is only 1,600 mmscfd, with about half, roughly 900 mmscfd, allocated to state-owned enterprise (SOE) consumers. He noted that SOEs such as PLN and Pupuk Indonesia have been the largest HGBT beneficiaries. 'Private manufacturers, the backbone of the national industrial base, are often treated differently. This imbalance risks undermining the business climate,' he said. 'If the private sector's share continues to shrink, the consequences will be immediate: reduced capacity, lower efficiency and potentially mass layoffs.' According to the ministry, 134,794 industrial workers rely on a stable HGBT supply. If volumes fall to just 48 percent of demand, a significant share of these jobs could be lost. The sectoral breakdown of workers at risk includes: fertiliser (10,420), petrochemicals (23,006), oleochemicals (12,288), steel (31,434), ceramics (43,058), glass (12,928) and rubber gloves (1,660). 'These figures are a serious alarm. Every gas policy must weigh its impact on industrial sustainability and the livelihoods it supports,' Febri said. Ministry data shows several sectors are already facing declining utilisation due to gas constraints. The national ceramics industry, for example, averaged 70 to 71 percent utilisation in the first half of 2025. 'If supply disruptions persist, even critical sectors like fertiliser, which supports President Prabowo's food self-sufficiency programme, could see output decline,' Febri warned. Previously, Indonesian Ceramics Association (Asaki) chairman Edy Suyanto said the ceramic industry in West Java is now limited to 48 percent of its HGBT gas allocation, down from the previous 60 percent set by PGN. In eastern regions, the cap is 40 percent. 'From August 13 to August 31, only 48 percent of the HGBT gas volume can be used, while the remainder will incur a surcharge of US$14.8 per mmbtu due to force majeure,' Suyanto said on Wednesday, as reported by Bisnis. He urged the government to resolve the disruption by ensuring adequate HGBT quotas. The industry is also grappling with a surge in low-priced ceramic imports, which is putting additional pressure on domestic production. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
New Straits Times
24 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Student council urges more support for youth jobs
KUALA LUMPUR: The United Kingdom and Eire Council of Malaysian Students (UKEC) has called for greater support in entrepreneurship and employment for Malaysian youth to address the country's brain drain. UKEC chairperson Vincent Tang said the council presented findings from its Malaysian Student Leaders' Economic Outlook and Workforce Readiness Survey during a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The survey highlighted gaps in the nation's innovation and employment landscape, which included a lack of start-up opportunities and a weak entrepreneurial ecosystem for young people. Tang said he had highlighted two key avenues to address brain drain: employment and entrepreneurship. He said UKEC had made "substantial progress" in employment initiatives, including the Malaysian Career Fair in London. The annual event attracts more than 4,700 students and over 20 Malaysian employers, effectively bridging talent with opportunities in Malaysia. While employment initiatives were well-established, there was still no strong support to help students turn their ideas into viable start-ups, Tang said. To address this, the council proposed UKECipta, an initiative to empower student innovation through targeted financial backing and mentorship. The programme would also leverage UKEC's UK base to attract foreign venture capital. Tang said the Prime Minister suggested UKEC coordinate with the Human Resources Ministry, particularly TalentCorp and HRDCorp, to streamline existing initiatives and provide recommendations to better support innovative ideas. The delegation also introduced UKEC's in-house policy centre, CICERO, which Tang said was aimed at strengthening youth-led policy research and advocacy. Tang said the centre, which represents Malaysian youth opinions and ideas, aims to propose policies to the federal government. He said Anwar and the Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir were "open to listening to these policy recommendations." He said the council was working closely with the Higher Education Ministry on numerous roundtable discussions with different agencies. Anwar, in a Facebook post, said UKEC had shared ideas on addressing Malaysia's brain drain during the courtesy call. He said the meeting also saw UKEC propose opportunities for more strategic collaboration between the federal government and the council through the Higher Education Ministry, covering various fields within existing policies.
Malay Mail
24 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Police arrest more suspects, including ‘Datuk Seri', in MBI investment fraud probe
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — Police have arrested several more individuals for investigations into the investment fraud scheme involving MBI International Group (MBI) under Op Northern Star. Head of the Bukit Aman Anti-Money Laundering (AMLA) Criminal Investigation Team, Datuk Muhammed Hasbullah Ali, confirmed the arrests when contacted, adding that they included individuals carrying the title 'Datuk Seri'. However, he said details of the latest results of Op Northern Star would be disclosed by Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail soon. On May 30, Muhammed Hasbullah revealed that 17 individuals had been arrested in connection with the MBI investment fraud case, with assets worth RM3.81 billion frozen and seized. He said the arrests included entrepreneurs with the titles 'Tan Sri' and 'Datuk Seri', believed to be proxies and business partners in the fraudulent investment scheme. The arrests were carried out in the Klang Valley and northern states under Op Northern Star. — Bernama
