Indonesia eyes 11 bln USD in capital market in 2023

Indonesia aims to raise 170 trillion rupiah (10.92 billion USD) in the capital market in 2023, including from initial public offerings and debt instruments, well below the amount raised in 2022, the country’s financial regulator said on January 2.

 

About 260 trillion rupiah was raised through the capital market in 2022, including the IPO of top tech firm PT GoTo Gojek Tokopedia (GOTO.JK), which raised 1.1 billion USD in April.

 

Inarno Djajadi, head of capital market supervision at the Financial Services Authority, said there are 84 offerings in the pipeline with 81.41 trillion rupiah (5.23 billion USD) in total estimated value. About 54.5 trillion rupiah of that would be from 58 potential IPOs.

 

Among firms expected to go public in 2023 are two units of state energy firm Pertamina, Pertamina Geothermal Energy and Pertamina Hulu Energi.

 

Pertamina Hulu Energi could raise up to 2 billion USD, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters in December.

 

State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir said in a separate event the same day that state palm oil grower Palm Co, a unit of state plantation firm PTPN III, may launch an IPO in 2023./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

History distortions in cinematographic activities subject to heavy fines

 

Distortions of history in cinematographic activities will be subject to fines of 40 – 50 million VND (1,700 – 2,100 USD), according to a new decree of the Government.

 

Decree 128/2022/ND-CP amends and supplements some articles of the Government’s revised Decree 38/2021/ND-CP, dated March 29, 2021, that regulates fines on administrative violations in the fields of culture and advertising.

 

The new decree amends levels of fines on violations of rules on prohibited activities in cinematography.

 

Accordingly, cinematographic activities subject to fines of 40 – 50 million VND include distorting national history; denying revolutionary achievements; smearing the nation, celebrities or national heroes; slandering or insulting the reputation of agencies and organisations or the honour and dignity of individuals; and leaking private secrets or other secrets regulated by laws.

 

Incitements to violence, damage of cultural values and national interests, propagation of crimes, and incitements to resistance against the enforcement of the Constitution and laws, among others, are also subject to fines.

 

In addition, those committing the acts will also be suspended from producing films in Vietnam, distributing films, advertising or promoting cinematographic development for one – three months.

 

Fines for violations of rules on other prohibited cinematographic activities were also stipulated in the decree.

 

Decree 128/2022/ND-CP will take effect on February 15, 2023./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

Government vows strongest resolve to achieve 2023 socio-economic targets

The Government will instruct ministries, agencies and localities to implement the 2023 socio-economic development plan with the greatest efforts and strongest determination, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son said at the Cabinet regular press conference in Hanoi on January 3, citing Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

 

Son briefed the press on outcomes of the national teleconference between the Government and the 63 cities and provinces, and the Government’s December meeting, which took place earlier the same day.

 

He highlighted the country’s achievements across spheres in 2022, particularly an 8.02% GDP growth, the highest over the past decade, surpassing the set target of only 6-6.5%, raising the economy’s size to 409 billion USD.

 

The consumer price index (CPI) last year increased 3.15%, lower than the target set by the National Assembly. State budget collection also exceeded the estimate by 27.8%, while export-import value reached 732.5 billion USD, up 9.5%, with a trade surplus of 11.2 billion USD.

 

 

 

Government vows strongest resolve to achieve 2023 socio-economic targets hinh anh 2

 

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

 

Industrial production expanded by 7.7%, with manufacturing and processing growing 8.1%, remaining an economic driver. With a growth rate of 3.36%, agriculture continued to serve as an economic pillar, helping to ensure national food security.

 

Last year, 208,300 enterprises were established or resumed their operations, representing a year-on-year increase of 30.3%.

 

The participants also pointed to challenges and limitations that need to be addressed in 2023 and the following years, such as the great internal and external pressure and the sluggish disbursement of public investment, problems in the implementation of some policies included the socio-economic recovery and development programme, the three national target programmes, and the planning work, along with risks in stock, government bond and real estate markets.

 

According to Son, PM Chinh has required ministries, agencies and localities to concertedly implement solutions to ensure the macro-economic stability, control inflation, spur growth and ensure major economic balances, with a focus on the financial and monetary market.

 

The monetary policy should be rolled out firmly, flexibly and effectively in combination with the expansionary fiscal policy and others, the PM said, urging ministries, agencies and localities to perfect institutions, speed up administrative reform, focus on infrastructure construction and urban development and boost production.

 

Solutions are needed to effectively mobilise resources from State businesses in such sectors as energy, infrastructure for digital transformation, green transition and transport infrastructure, among others, the leader added./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

HCM City exhibition spotlights 1968 Spring General Offensive and Uprising

A photo exhibition opened in Ho Chi Minh City on January 4 to mark the 55th anniversary of the 1968 Spring General Offensive and Uprising.

 

In his remarks, Director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports Tran The Thuan said the occasion marks a strategic turning point in the resistance war against the US.

 

Despite failing to achieve its ultimate goal, it truly dealt a “thunder-like” blow to the US’s “local war” strategy and attracted global attention, forcing the US administration to deescalate the war and resign itself to taking part in the Paris peace talks. It also opened up conditions and opportunities for following attacks, the peak of which is the great victory in the 1975 Spring that successfully wrapped up the resistance war against the US, liberated the South, and reunified Vietnam, he noted.

 

HCM City exhibition spotlights 1968 Spring General Offensive and Uprising hinh anh 2

 

War veterans visit the exhibition. (Photo: VNA)

 

The official added 55 years have passed, but the fight remains a demonstration of the revolutionary traditions of the Party organisation, administration, and people of HCM City.

 

The exhibition is concurrently taking place at Lam Son Park, Dong Khoi street, and Thong Nhat (Reunification) Hall.

 

It will last through January 15./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Good start for HCM City’s tourism sector

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism on January 3 announced that the locality welcomed roughly 35,000 foreign arrivals and 1.6 million vacationers during the recent 3-day New Year holiday, earning more than 5.9 trillion VND (251 million USD).

 

As the Lunar New Year – the longest and most important annual festival for Vietnamese – is just around the corner, the sector will continue to launch assorted programmes and events to attract more visitors to the locality.

 

The city will strengthen support activities for tourists via Information Portal 1022 hotline which helps intensify collaboration among provinces, cities and travel agents, meeting visitors’ information demands, creating a professional and friendly tourism atmosphere for holiday-makers coming to the city.

 

The city aims to greet 5 million international arrivals and 35 million domestic visitors in 2023./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

International trade – Malaysia’s economic leverage in 2022

Despite difficulties caused by COVID-19, international trade was considered Malaysia’s economic leverage in 2022, expanding by close to 30% to 2.613 trillion MYR (593.5 billion USD) for the period of January to November 2022, according to the latest figure published by the Department of Statistics of Malaysia.

 

Within this period, exports increased by 27.2% to reach 1.42 trillion MYR while imports rose by 33.3% to 1.193 trillion MYR. Trade surplus edged up by 2.6% to 227.89 billion MYR.

 

To achieve this fruitful result, the CEO of Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz, said the year 2022 was truly an outstanding milestone for Malaysia’s trade thanks to breakthroughs from 2021.

 

Foreign investments in Malaysia played a significant role in the growth of Malaysia’s trade over the last few decades. MSMEs contributed 37.4% of Malaysia’s GDP and 11.7% to overall Malaysia’s exports for 2021.

 

Hence, it is vital for Malaysian MSMEs to adopt digitalisation to be more competitive globally. In 2021, gross value added of eCommerce amounted to 201.1 billion MYR, an increase of 22.7%.

 

Malaysia can benefit from opportunities presented by globalization and regional economic integration through the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) by taking advantages of its strategic location.

 

In addition, globalization has huge potential for Malaysia, providing accessibility as the country continues to expand its market share on international market on a greater scale in the time to come./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

Laos named among 23 best places to visit in 2023: CNN

US-based multinational cable news channel CNN has included Laos in the list of the 23 best destinations to visit in 2023, Vientiane Times reported.

 

Sharing borders with Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China and Myanmar, Laos has long been a must-hit spot for time-rich travelers making their way through the Southeast Asia circuit, CNN said.

 

“Thanks to the 2021 opening of a semi-high-speed railway, it’s easier than ever to get around the country at a quicker pace, shaving hours off journeys that previously took full days to travel,” it said.

 

The listing has again put Laos into the global tourism spotlight. National Geographic, one of the most widely-read and respected magazines in the world, recently listed Laos among the 25 breathtaking places one should visit in 2023.

 

Other cities and countries joining CNN’s list are Poland, Western Australia, Liverpool in England, Charleston in South Carolina, Vilnius in Lithuania, Fiji, Manaus in Brazil, Thessaloniki in Greece, Rwanda, Gothenburg in Sweden, Gruyères in Switzerland, Minneapolis in Minnesota, Bogotá in Colombia, Tanzania, Cairo in Egypt, Belize, Oaxaca in Mexico, Ottawa in Canada, and Uganda./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Laos sets economic growth target of 4.5% for 2023

Despite the global economic downturn, the National Assembly of Laos has set an economic growth target of at least 4.5% for 2023 as proposed by the Government.

 

According to the Lao Government, the country’s agricultural sector is expected to grow by about 2.5% in 2023, accounting for 17.2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while the industry will enjoy a 5% growth, accounting for 34.2% of GDP.

 

The service sector is projected to grow at 4.7%, accounting for 37.5% of GDP, while contributions from tariffs and taxes are to grow 4.3%, accounting for 11.1% of GDP.

 

The value of GDP is forecast to see an upward trend of 234,160 billion kip (13.5 billion USD) by the end of the year, with  per capita GDP of 1,625 USD and per capita gross national income (GNI) of 1,534 USD.

 

Lao Minister of Planning and Investment Khamjane Vongphosy said the Government has committed to keep the inflation ceiling of below 9% in 2023.

 

In the past few years, the Lao domestic currency, the kip, has continued to depreciate, leading to an increase in foreign debt, because Laos has to spend more to buy foreign currency to pay national debt.

 

In 2022, per capita GNI of Laos only reached 1,729 USD, lower than the 2,358 USD approved by the National Assembly.  It decreased from 2,161 USD in 2020 and 2,004 USD in 2021 due to the depreciation of the kip./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency