Indonesian auto manufacturer seeks to survive amid COVID-19
PT Astra International, one of the leading automobile manufacturers in Indonesia, is looking to adopt new survival strategies, including cutting operational costs and increasing its digital presence, in the face of slumping vehicle demand worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The headquarters of Astra (Photo: //www.acc.co.id/)
Jakarta (VNA) - PT Astra International, one of the leading automobile manufacturersin Indonesia, is looking to adopt new survival strategies, including cutting operationalcosts and increasing its digital presence, in the face of slumping vehicledemand worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Astra, whose subsidiaries accounted for about half of the country’s domesticcar sales in 2029, saw its automotive sales drop by 91.2 percent year-on-year inApril to 3,807 units, according to the Association of Indonesian AutomotiveManufacturers (Gaikindo).
The steep drop has led Gaikindo to slash its annual salestarget by 40 percent to 600,000 vehicles in 2020, said Astra’s chairmanYohannes Nangoi at a recent online discussion.
Indonesia’s automotive industry already experienced aslowdown last year. It sold 1.03 million vehicles in 2019, a 10.8 percent dropfrom 2018.
Director of Astra Henry Tanoto said to weather the crisis, the company hadadjusted its supply chain and modified its cash flow in the face of theslumping demand as a short-term strategy.
Astra also hopes to expand its mobile services and boost itsdigital presence, as it anticipates a higher number of online vehicle purchasesin the post-pandemic market, he added./.
Indonesia will require big internet companies to pay value-added taxes (VAT) on sales of digital products and services from July as part of efforts to boost revenue amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a tax official of the country.
Indonesian health authorities are trying quinine as a possible treatment of COVID-19 while also acquiring other kinds of medication touted as promising drugs in some other countries, a senior official has said.
The Indonesian government should increase economic recovery spending to 600 trillion Rp (40.17 billion USD) to help domestic businesses cope with the economic impacts of COVID-19, according to the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin).
The Indonesian government is rolling out a 641.17 trillion rupiah (43 billion USD) economic recovery stimulus, bigger than previous allocations, to soften the impact of COVID-19 on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
The headquarters of Astra (Photo: //www.acc.co.id/) 
