Indonesia pushes coal-to-DME downstreaming investment
Indonesian Minister of Investment Bahlil Lahadalia has said President Joko Widodo instructed ministers to extensively pursue investment in coal-to-dimethyl ether (DME) downstreaming.
Jakarta (VNA)༺ – Indonesian Minister of Investment Bahlil Lahadalia has said President Joko Widodo instructed ministers to extensively pursue investment in coal-to-dimethyl ether(DME) downstreaming.
Speaking to the press on March 7, Lahadalia said, at the Government’s meeting the same day, Widodo instructed the optimisationof low-calorie coal to become DME for domestic use. He explained that the efforts for suchdownstreaming were a part of measures to reduce the dependency on importedproducts, specifically in terms of meeting the liquifiedpetroleum gas (LPG) demand. The meeting also discussed the recentdevelopments in the coal-to-DME downstreaming project carried out by PT BukitAsam, PT Pertamina, and Air Products and Chemicals in Muara Enim district inSouth Sumatra, he informed. On January 24, 2022, Widodo announcedthat the project for the development of coal-to-DME downstreaming in MuaraEnim, South Sumatra, had officially started. Domesticdemand for LPG is valued at 100 trillion rupiah (6.5 billion USD). Of that, 80trillion rupiah worth of LPG is imported./.
Indonesian Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto on March 1 met with visiting Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security of Singapore Teo Chee Hean in Jakarta to discuss ways to boost digital economic cooperation between the two countries.
Bank Indonesia (BI) and the Bank of Korea (BoK) on March 6 agreed to renew a bilateral local currency swap agreement for up to 115 trillion rupiah or 10.7 trillion won (7.52 billion USD).
Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi and his Japanese counterpart Hayashi Yoshimasa discussed strengthening cooperation and investment between the two countries within the framework of the 8th Indonesia-Japan Ministerial Level Strategic Dialogue on March 6 in Tokyo.
Indonesia’s Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan said on March 7 that the Government will provide support for entrepreneurs as part of efforts to increase the country’s horticultural exports.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025), Nikulina, who is also a veteran journalist of Russia’s Sputnik News, emphasised the vital role of mainstream journalism in defending the truth and maintaining public trust.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
In March, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali and said Thailand would commission a feasibility study into hosting a Grand Prix on a Bangkok street circuit from 2028.
The proposed giant sea wall aligns with bilateral cooperation and has been designated a national priority, considering that several regions in Indonesia are experiencing land subsidence of 10–15 centimetres per year.
International flights were cancelled including Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, and flights of Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines.
The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, including gold, copper, and manganese, as well as in the development of steel, aluminum, and renewable energy industries.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
