VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian government has adopted an approach based on "prosperity" not "weapons" for handling Papua issues, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, has disclosed.

He made the statement after Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander General Andika Perkasa paid him a courtesy call on Thursday.

On the ministry's official Youtube channel accessed from Jakarta, Mahfud highlighted the importance of adopting a "new approach" for addressing Papua issues.

"The approach is basically related to prosperity development that is implemented comprehensively and synergistically," he said, adding that it is not linked to "weapons", but "prosperity".

The technical approach is, therefore, focused on territorial operations instead of combat operations, the minister said. General Perkasa elaborated his perspectives and ideas on the new approach during the meeting, he added.

Mahfud said he also discussed grave human rights violations involving the TNI with General Perkasa during the meeting.

One of the human rights violations was the Paniai case reported in July this year, he said, adding that for resolving the case, the TNI commander will coordinate with his ministry.

Meanwhile, General Perkasa did not elaborate on his ideas for handling Papua issues but promised to take them up during his working visit to Papua province next week.

General Perkasa was sworn in by President Joko Widodo as the TNI commander on November 17, 2021 in place of Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, who has reached the retirement age of 58, on November 8, 2021.

Papua issues will be a challenge during Perkasa's leadership as armed conflicts are still occurring in Papua and West Papua though the central and regional governments are making the utmost efforts to improve the welfare of local communities by intensifying regional development.

Papua has borne witness to a spate of violence against civilians and security personnel in the past few years.

Intan Jaya recorded its bloodiest month in September 2020, with notorious armed groups launching a series of attacks that claimed the lives of two soldiers and two civilians and left two others injured.

The armed groups have continued their acts of terror this year, too.

On April 25, 2021, Papuan separatists, operating in Beoga, ambushed State Intelligence Agency (Papua) chief I Gusti Putu Danny Karya Nugraha and several security personnel during their visit to Dambet village.

Medan, N Sumatra - State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir has encouraged SOE industrial estates to support the realization of the green economy so that they can not only make an economic impact, but also help preserve nature.

"The previous G20 Summit and the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP) emphasized all countries implement a green global supply chain and economy," he noted while inaugurating an integrated waste treatment facility (FPLT) at the Medan Industrial Estate (KIM) complex, Deli Serdang District, North Sumatra, on Thursday.

The concept of a green economy, which will guide Indonesia’s future development, requires support and concrete steps for its acceleration, he said.

“Carbon emissions continue to be a concerning issue. Hence, we keep encouraging industrial areas to create breakthroughs in waste management, water, and renewable energy," the minister said.

Large-scale industries, such as the ones operating in the KIM complex, generate a large amount of hazardous and toxic (B3) waste, Thohir noted.

Hence, they need partnerships for managing waste so that it does not pollute the environment, he added.

The KIM complex, which was established 32 years ago, is one of the largest industrial estates on Sumatra Island.

The area is managed by PT. KIM, a state-owned company that provides industrial area management services. Currently, it has 554 industrial partners, of which 43 are large-scale industries.

In the near future, the company will also add facilities for an integrated processing unit, comprising an incinerator, a B3 wastewater treatment plant, a B3 waste collection and utilization facility, spent bleach earth extraction, distillation of used lubricating oil, and an environmental laboratory, the minister informed.

"In addition, we will also connect the industrial area with the port to facilitate logistics mobility and also reduce shipping costs; thus, the items manufactured by the industries in KIM can have value added, which will help them to compete," Thohir added. 

The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has encouraged further collaboration and stronger cooperation between ASEAN nations to handle issues surrounding science, technology, and innovation during the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

BRIN's official, Nur Tri Aries Suestiningtyas, noted that while entering the Fourth Industrial Revolution, all parties are challenged to compete and follow the swift developments and changes in technology.

During a workshop that ANTARA participated in virtually here on Thursday, Suestiningtyas noted that technological developments during this period would have a significant impact by increasing efficiency and productivity across various sectors, including the creative industry.

To this end, she highlighted the importance of honing skills and capability in mastering and following the developments during the Fourth Industrial Revolution to facilitate advancement and prosperity for the ASEAN community.

"If not, then it would create an unequal gap between those who can adapt quickly and those who adapt slowly," she elaborated.

"Those who can follow the developments and changes in the Fourth Industrial Revolution will surely not be left behind," she emphasized.

Collaboration between ASEAN nations could be conducted through various programs, she pointed out.

These programs comprise the transfer and sharing of knowledge, training, collective research, technology transfer, or any other forms of cooperation that could contribute to mastery over the ASEAN innovation road map.

During the event, BRIN's Head, Laksana Tri Handoko, noted that his agency supports ASEAN COSTI in preparing ASEAN citizens to derive maximum benefits out of the technological developments during the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

However, he also highlighted that the fast pace of the Fourth Industrial Revolution may be causal to some concerns, especially for those not able to adapt to the fast changes within their surrounding environment. (Antaranews)

Indonesia currently has a low inflation rate, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with the people not facing a shortage in goods supply, Head of Statistics Indonesia (BPS) Margo Yuwono stated.

"We are fortunate to have low inflation because domestic supply is maintained," Yuwono noted during a media training in Jakarta, Thursday.

Thus, the BPS head assessed that people in the country had never experienced difficulties in getting goods or commodities during the pandemic for consumption.

As a result, inflation can be brought under control, Yuwowo remarked.

In other countries, inflation rates have started to soar, including in the United States and Europe, where the prices of goods and commodities have spiked due to a disruption in the production of goods.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the production of goods, he remarked.

"At the producer level in several countries, there has been a high price movement," Yuwono stated.

Nevertheless, he believes that the effect of the surge in international inflation still needs to be studied to anticipate the possibility of a shortage in domestic production.

The BPS noted that inflation from January to October 2021 had reached 0.9 percent (year to date/ytd), while inflation in October 2021 as compared to October 2020 was at 1.66 percent (year on year/yoy).

In determining inflation, the BPS monitors the prices of at least 800 commodities.

A researcher cautioned the government to be cognizant of a likely food price hike in 2022, as uncertainty looms large over the planting and harvest seasons owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and La Nina phenomenon.

"Climate crisis posed a challenge for the agriculture industry to satisfy the global needs for food. The uncertainty of the planting and harvest seasons also posed a challenge for Indonesian farmers to process their crops and fulfill daily needs," a researcher for the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS) Indra Setiawan earlier noted.

Despite the supply and availability of basic food commodities being stabilised, other imported commodities, such as garlic, sugar, beef, and soybeans, might experience price fluctuations, Setiawan noted.

Citing the strategic food commodity information centre (PIHPS), the researcher pointed out that the price of garlic and beef, both at Rp28,300 (around US$1.98) per kg and Rp113,250 (around US$7.9) per kg in January 2021, had hiked to Rp30,600 (around US$2.1) per kg and Rp120,050 (around US$8.4) per kg by mid-2021.

"The national commodity production and price fluctuations are a reliable indicator to devise a commodity control policy with sufficient accuracy. Moreover, we need reliable food commodity data that would be frequently updated," he noted.

Difficulties in securing beef imports may cause price hikes in early 2022, especially during the Ramadan fasting month and Eid al-Fitr festivity when the demand for beef would surge significantly, Setiawan stated. (Antaranews)