Indonesia

A satisfying nasi campur meal -- a platter of brown rice served with seven different vegetable dishes -- on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. (All photos by Charukesi Ramadurai)
Tea Leaves

How vegans are stirring Southeast Asia's food scene

Search for sustainability and the pandemic are making diners think again

29 March 2023
A TDCX outsourcing site in Vietnam: The company is setting up new bases in Vietnam and Indonesia to handle growing demand. (Photo courtesy of TDCX)
Companies

ASEAN outsourcing players keep talent with AI and remote work

Labor-intensive industry invents proprietary online tools, moves into microsites

28 March 2023
Dagangan is focused on selling and delivering food, clothes and other items to people in rural areas. (Screenshot from Dagangan Indonesia's YouTube page) 
DealStreetAsia

Indonesian e-commerce startup Dagangan finalizing funding round

Sources say talks are ongoing, investors could change

27 March 2023
Mizuho also has invested in Vietnam's M-Service, operator of the popular payment app MoMo, and Philippine digital-only bank Tonik.
Finance

Mizuho to invest $130m in Indonesian buy now, pay later service

Deferred payments popular among consumers lacking credit cards and bank accounts

23 March 2023
Islamic State supporters are growing in some Southeast Asian countries.
Terrorism

IS-linked extremists infiltrate ASEAN, eyeing Indonesia 2024 polls

Islamic State sees Philippine groups as good conduits, uses Singapore social media

21 March 2023
Malaysia's national flag flutters at a construction site in Kuala Lumpur. In recent years, Malaysia has fallen behind giant neighbor Indonesia in attracting foreign direct investment.
Economy

Malaysia trails Indonesia in attracting foreign direct investment

Experts say reforms, political stability are essential for country to narrow gap

21 March 2023
A Gojek delivery rider: GoTo's shares dropped 4.4%, to 108 rupiah, well below their initial public offering price of 338 rupiah, on the morning of March 20.
Technology

Indonesia's GoTo 2022 loss widens to $2.6bn

Superapp operator shares now dwelling well below IPO price

20 March 2023
Indonesian nickel miner and processor Trimegah Bangun Persada aims to raise nearly $1bn in an IPO amid demand for the metal in EV batteries. Roy Arman Arfandy, the company's president director, stands second from left. (Photo by Ismi Damayant)
IPO

Indonesia nickel miner TBP aims for nearly $1bn in local IPO

Unit of resources conglomerate Harita Group plans April stock exchange listing

17 March 2023
Private equity firm CVC has around $146 billion in assets under management.
DealStreetAsia

CVC Capital buys $155m stake in Indonesia's Samator Indo Gas

Investment will support Indonesian gas producer's push to expand

17 March 2023
Founded in 2014, 99 Group has so far raised over $80 million. (Screenshot from 99 Group's website) 
DealStreetAsia

Singapore property tech company 99 Group raises fresh $11m

Real estate portal operator gets money in Series C round extension

16 March 2023
An EHang flying car ferries passengers during a test flight in Japan. (Photo by Toshiki Sasazu)
Aerospace & Defense Industries

China's flying car developer eyes ASEAN aerial tour market

EHang CFO says prior certification at home eases regulatory process abroad

15 March 2023
Traveloka President Caesar Indra says interest is growing in sustainable tourism. (Photo by Tsubasa Suruga) 
Travel & Leisure

Indonesia's Traveloka eyes sustainability demand as tourists return

Online booking unicorn seeks 'quality' partnerships for wider ASEAN market share

13 March 2023
Keisuke Honda sees parallels between experience in soccer and entrepreneurship. (Photo by Dimas Ardian)
Interview

Soccer star and investor Keisuke Honda eyes Indonesia, Vietnam

Self-described 'challenger' attracted by Southeast Asia's young population

12 March 2023
A Chinese Coast Guard vessel sails near the Philippines-occupied Thitu Island, in the disputed Spratly Islands group in the South China Sea, on March 9.
South China Sea

ASEAN and China aim for South China Sea 'hotline' trial in 2023

Bloc's chair Indonesia tries to mitigate collision risks amid growing tensions

10 March 2023
Indonesian President Joko Widodo signed a new regulation on March 6 offering tax holidays for investments in Indonesia's planned new capital, Nusantara. (Source photo by AP and Erwida Maulia)
Economy

Indonesia's Jokowi approves new list of tax holidays for Nusantara

Capital authority receives 100 letters of intent, including from China, U.S.

9 March 2023
Primaya owns and operates 15 hospitals that have a combined 1,400 beds in the Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi and Kalimantan regions of Indonesia. (Screenshot from Primaya Hospital's website) 
DealStreetAsia

Singapore's GIC lifts stake in Indonesian hospital chain

Wealth fund invests another $191m in Primaya Hospital

9 March 2023
Palm oil, derived from the fruit seen here, is widely used as a vegetable oil and is an ingredient in processed foods and many other products, including cosmetics. 
Commodities

Indonesia palm oil consumption, El Nino worries, weigh on market

World's top producer expected to export less due to domestic biodiesel mandate

8 March 2023
A man unloads fresh fruit bunches from a cart at a palm oil fruit collection center for smallholders in Banting, Selangor, Malaysia, on June 10, 2022. Crude palm oil production in Malaysia and exports of the commodity are both expected to increase in 2023.
Commodities

Malaysia palm oil production, exports expected to rise this year

But country expresses concern over impact of EU effort to combat deforestation

7 March 2023
Workers stand overlooking the Grasberg copper mine in Indonesia's Papua province. Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo plans to ban copper experts tentatively in the middle of the year.
Commodities

Indonesia eyes extending export bans to bauxite, copper and beyond

Jokowi aims to develop downstream industries at home, but risks trade frictions

7 March 2023
Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, second from left, Indonesia's coordinating minister for maritime affairs and investment, and Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, second from right, meet reporters in Jakarta on March 6. (Photo courtesy of Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment)
Transportation

Indonesia unveils EV subsidies to woo Tesla, BYD

Government aims to create market attractive to global EV makers

6 March 2023
Agricultural commodities trader Louis Dreyfus is working with smallholder farmer partners on a range of sustainability projects, such as one pictured here with coffee farmers in Indonesia. (Photo courtesy of Louis Dreyfus Co.)
Agriculture

El Nino threatens more food price volatility, Louis Dreyfus says

European commodities merchant engages startups to address Asia's food insecurity

6 March 2023
Prominent Asian startups Aerodyne Group and Terra Drone are seeking to expand their global footprints as the fast-growing industry grows more competitive. (Source photos from Aerodyne Group Facebook page and Terra Drone)
Aerospace & Defense Industries

Malaysian and Japanese drone startups jostle to lead global race

Aerodyne plans more acquisitions; Terra Drone expands in Middle East

6 March 2023
President Joko Widodo visits the site of Nusantara, which he envisions as Indonesia's next capital, on the island of Borneo, on Feb. 23. (Photo courtesy of Indonesia's presidential office)
Politics

Jokowi promotes Indonesia capital project as Asia's fintech hub

Bigger Nusantara role hints at president's haste on legacy bid before term ends

5 March 2023
An aerial view of a residential area amid the fire that began at a Pertamina fuel storage station in Jakarta. (Antara Foto via Reuters)
Fires

Fire at Pertamina fuel storage station in Jakarta kills 17

Neighbors flee; Indonesian company says cause of blaze under investigation

4 March 2023
Tengku Muhammad Taufik, third from right, president and group CEO of Malaysia's Petronas, and Japanese Economy and Trade Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, second from left, and others attend a decarbonization conference in Tokyo on March 3. (Photo by Sayumi Take) 
Climate Change

Malaysia's Petronas CEO seeks 'practical' clean power transition

Southeast Asian energy leaders meet for Japan's decarbonization initiative

3 March 2023