1) Fertilizer factory worth $1.5b to be developed in Papua

2) Five elections commission members dismissed in Papua

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http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/01/23/fertilizer-factory-worth-1-5b-to-be-developed-in-papua.html

1) Fertilizer factory worth $1.5b to be developed in Papua

News Desk The Jakarta Post

Jakarta | Mon, January 23, 2017 | 05:37 pm

Trade Minister Airlangga Hartarto has lauded a plan by state-owned fertilizer company PT Pupuk Indonesia and Germany based Ferrostaal to develop a fertilizer factory in Bintuni Bay, West Papua.

The two companies have agreed to carry out a feasibility study for the US$1.5 billion project.

“The two parties have a commitment to provide the government with comprehensive data related to the petrochemical factory,” the minister said as reported by kontan.com on Monday.

(Read also: Pupuk Indonesia intensifies research to strengthen food security)

Airlangga’s statement was made after witnessing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Pupuk Indonesia investment director Gusrizal and Ferrostaal CEO Klaus Lesker in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Jan. 21.

The plan to develop a fertilizer factory in West Papua is part of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s plan to distribute development fairly nationwide. Bintuni Bay is known for its gas resources as raw material for the fertilizer. “We will support the allocation of gas with good prices,” he said.

The fertilizer producer is among industrial sectors that will enjoy the gas-price cut introduced by the government, as stipulated in Presidential Regulation No. 40/2016 on natural gas prices.

The potential of the natural gas in the area that has been identified reaches 23.8 trillion standard cubic feet (tscf). New gas reserves with potential between 6 tscf and 8 tscf has already been found.

Meanwhile, Gusrizal assured that his company was interested in developing a fertilizer factory in Bintuni Bay by optimizing the use of gas resources in the region. (bbn)

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http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/01/23/five-elections-commission-members-dismissed-in-papua.html

2) Five elections commission members dismissed in Papua

Nethy Dharma Somba The Jakarta Post

Jayapura, Papua | Mon, January 23, 2017 | 01:25 pm

Several chairpersons and members of general elections commissions in Papua have been dismissed for approving regional leader candidates from an Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI) camp that is in dispute.

The Election Organization Ethics Council (DKPP) dismissed Jayapura General Elections Commission (KPU Jayapura) chairman Yermias Numberi and KPU Dogiyai chairman Matias Butu on Friday for approving Jayapura mayoral candidate pair Boy Markus Dawir and Nur Alam as well as Dogiyai regent candidate pair Apidus Mote and Freddy Annu “without factual and thorough verification”.

The endorsements for the two pairs were signed by PKPI chairman Isran Noor and secretary-general Takudaeng Parawansa, whose “leadership is not acknowledged by the Law and Human Rights Ministry, thus the party’s endorsements [for the pairs] is unlawful”, KPU Papua commissioner Tarwinto told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.  

The DKPP hearing in Jakarta also dismissed KPU Jayapura members Yusuf H. Sraun and Regina A. Yaung as well as Jayapura Elections Supervisory Committee chairman Soleman Clinton for supporting the decision, Tarwinto said.

Tarwinto said that with the ruling, the Benhur Tommy Mano-Rustan Saru pair automatically became the sole Jayapura mayoral ticket ahead of the Feb. 15 election. In Dogiyai regency, four candidate pairs remain in contention, namely Fransiscus Tebay-Benediktus Kotouki (independents), Markus Wayne-Antian Goo (endorsed by the Hanura Party), Yakobus Dumapa-Oskar Makay (supported by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, Gerindra Party and National Awakening Party) and Anton Yowau-Yanwarius (from the Prosperous Justice Party). 

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