Expectations for the New Finance Minister and Bali Tourism

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The following is important information related to the development of the business universe that needs attention today based on the curation of the SUAR Team.

Can Still Hope for the New Finance Minister

The rumors surrounding the change of Finance Minister in the Red and White Cabinet had the market reeling, although it calmed down two days later. Newly sworn in, the new Finance Minister, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, immediately kicked off with a policy of placing state money in banks - to spark the national financial sector.

As a professional, Minister Purbaya has an authentic track record in finance. He is also known to be close to the Chairman of the National Economic Council, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan. However, the public needs to focus on Purbaya's work program rather than discussing irrelevant issues. The public needs to wait and hope on what new policies or breakthroughs will be issued by this State Treasurer.

Finance Minister Purbaya's professional track record:

Holder of Master of Science (MSc) and Doctorate degrees in Economics from Purdue University, Indiana, USA.
Field Engineer at Schlumberger Overseas SA.
President Director of PT Danareksa Sekuritas.
Member of the Board of Directors of PT Danareksa (Persero).
Deputy for Coordination of Maritime Sovereignty and Energy, Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs.
Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Deposit Insurance Corporation.

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While Protecting the Environment, Pursue Profits as Well

Many companies are now competing to meetenvironmental, social, and governance (ESG) indicator targets in order to fulfill environmental sustainability requirements in doing business. This step is also in line with the demands of investors.
Indonesia is increasingly exposed to the threat of climate change. Indonesia, an archipelago, is vulnerable to rising sea levels.
It is estimated that around 2,000 islands will disappear, threatening the lives of nearly 42 million people. The highest vulnerability hotspots are located in the western part of Java and the Papua Mountains.

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Shrimp Industry Needs Government's Assertiveness to Maintain Market Confidence

Indonesian shrimp exporters are experiencing a heavy double whammy. Business competition is getting tighter due to the trade war, now there is also an appeal from the United States authorities after the discovery of the radioactive element Cesium (Cs-137) in a batch of shrimp exports from Indonesia.
To overcome this prolonged problem, industry players expect the government to assert its position to the US authorities to save the industry, which is on the brink.
In an open statement to former Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti received by SUAR on Wednesday (10/9), the Shrimp Club Indonesia association said shrimp industry players were facing a quandary. After almost a month of dialog with government officials, SCI did not get a way out of this problem, while the situation on the ground worsened.

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Flooding does not dampen tourists' interest in Bali

Head of the Bali Provincial Tourism Office, I Wayan Sumarajaya, hopes that the floods that recently hit the Island of the Gods will not have a negative impact on foreign tourist visits to Bali.
Anticipating the impact of disasters due to extreme weather, Bali Governor Wayan Koster said his party will continue to coordinate with related parties.

"So far, vital and strategic objects, such as airports, have not experienced any disruption. We continue to coordinate with BMKG for weather information. We hope the rain will start to subside," Koster said in a press statement received by the SUAR team.

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Rice Harvest Increases, Food Security Strengthens

During the January-July 2025 period, Indonesia nationally produced up to 38.07 million tons of milled dry grain. After the bumper harvest in March and April, when paddy production reached 9 million tons, the increase occurred again in July, at 4.81 million tons. It is predicted that the increase will continue in August with production volume reaching 5 million tons.
On an annual basis, this year's production achievements are promising. This is good news amidst the declining trend of annual production, although it is still consistently above the 50 million tons per year mark. The rapid increase is expected to occur in 2025 because the realization until July has reached 38.07 million tons or around 70% of the average rice production in the last 5 years.

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Indonesia Solar Summit 2025: The Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) is organizing the Indonesia Solar Summit 2025 conference to be held on 11 September 2025 in Jakarta. The conference aims to accelerate the vision of solar energy deployment in Indonesia. With the theme"Solarizing Indonesia: Powering Equity, Economy, and Climate Action", the event will feature leaders and innovators in the solar energy field, including keynote speakers such as Fabby Tumiwa (CEO of IESR), Airlangga Hartarto (Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs), and Bahlil Lahadalia (Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources).

Retail Sales Survey 2025: On September 11, 2025, Bank Indonesia (BI) will release the Retail Sales Survey Report for July 2025. This report is one of the important indicators to monitor the condition of people's consumption and purchasing power, which are the main pillars of economic growth. The report provides a more detailed picture of sales trends in various goods groups, such as motor vehicle fuel, clothing, and spare parts, as well as future price and inflation expectations.