Today's Top 3 News: Economist Sees Indonesia Has Fallen into China's Debt Trap, Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Train Officially Introduced as 'Whoosh'
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22 September 2023 15:00 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tempo English compiled three popular news on Friday, September 22. Those include Economist Sees Indonesia Has Fallen into China's Debt Trap, Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Train Officially Introduced as 'Whoosh', and
Transjakarta Fares Tailors to Domiciles Post Account Based Ticketing.
Here is the list of the top 3 news on Tempo English today:
1. Economist Sees Indonesia Has Fallen into China's Debt Trap
Yusuf Wibisono, an economist and Director of the Indonesia Development and Islamic Studies (IDEAS), assessed that Indonesia has fallen into China's debt trap following the issuance of the Finance Minister’s Regulation No. 89 of 2023 on the provision of government guarantees for the acceleration of the infrastructure and facilities of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train (KCJB).
“Through which the government is forced to comply with all the wishes of the Chinese party so that this project is completed and not stalled,” he told Tempo in a WhatsApp chat on Wednesday, September 20, 2023.
The bullet train project, he argued, has strayed far from the plan. Initially, it was expected to benefit Indonesia and operate under the business-to-business scheme, but now it has taken a 180-degree turn.
2. Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Train Officially Introduced as 'Whoosh'
The government has officially introduced the new name of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train as 'WHOOSH'. “It’s Whoosh,” said Triawan Munaf, Head of the fast train brand competition panel team as a representative of the SOE Ministry, in a press conference held virtually on Thursday, September 21, 2023.
Whoosh is also an acronym for Waktu Hemat, Operasi Optimal, Sistem Handal which literally translates to Save Time, Optimal Operation, Reliable System.
According to Triawan, President Joko Widodo or Jokowi and Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi kept mentioning 'Whoosh' when trying out the bullet train which in English means a quick move.
3. Transjakarta Fares Tailors to Domiciles Post Account-based Ticketing
President Director of PT Transjakarta Welfizon Yuza stated that ticket fares post the implementation of account-based ticketing (ABT) will be tailored to the customer's economic status and domicile.
"The next [step] for ABT, like anywhere in the world, will target subsidy more accurately," Welfizon said to Tempo on Tuesday, September 19, 2023. The reason for that is, he added, that the data is integrated with Jakarta's population data registered through the population and civil registry or Dukcapil.
"For example, people with a certain amount of income will have to pay for the non-subsidized ticket. Meaning, if the production fee of Transjakarta is Rp15,000, they will pay as much," said Welfizon.
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