VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta (voinews): Indonesia's manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) increased to 51.9 in March 2023 from 51.2 the previous month, according to a survey conducted by S&P Global.

The nation’s PMI surpassed that of the world's largest manufacturing center, that is China (50.0), and was higher than that of ASEAN (51.0), Malaysia (48.8), Vietnam (47.7), Taiwan (48.6), Japan (49.2), South Korea (47.6), the United Kingdom (48.0), the United States (49.3), and Germany (44.4).

"The expansion phase in March helped extend the period of improvement in the condition of our manufacturing industry for 19 consecutive months. Moreover, the PMI growth rate in March was the fastest since last September," Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, said in a statement issued in Jakarta on Monday.

The minister said that the expansion rate of Indonesia's manufacturing PMI was in line with the results of the March 2023 Industrial Confidence Index (IKI), which also expanded to 51.87.

"Manufacturing PMI and IKI in March 2023 both show that the expansion position is supported by increasing new domestic demand. We are optimistic; with the acceleration in the realization of spending on domestic products, new requests will increase in the next period," he explained.

Kartasasmita said he is expecting the increase in domestic demand to encourage increased output and employment. In addition, vendor performance has increased and transportation has improved.

As a result, raw material inventories have increased and production constraints have reduced.

"This has spurred industrial performance to complete orders more quickly," he explained.

Even though input costs are still increasing, the industry is no longer passing on the increase to the price of products.

Thus, it can be concluded that the PMI expansion cannot be separated from the increase in companies’ internal performance and the government's efforts to maintain the domestic market and improve the industrial business climate.

In addition, supply constraints in Indonesia's manufacturing sector eased further in March, resulting in shorter order fulfillment time. This was supported by better supplier and transportation performance.

Therefore, the Ministry of Industry is focusing on boosting productivity in the industrial sector while strengthening the domestic market by optimizing the use of local products and import substitution.

This effort is in accordance with a direction issued by President Joko Widodo at a domestic product business matching event some time ago.

According to Widodo, the purchase of local products can boost national economic growth and support industrial competitiveness in the country. (Antaranews)

Jakarta (voinews): Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan is seeking to heighten control on the tourism sector on Bali Island to reorient Bali's tourism development from mass tourism to quality tourism.

During a coordination meeting on Bali tourism, he proposed enhancing control on Bali tourism through stringent enforcement against law violations, a tourism entry tax, and entry selection of tourists from countries whose nationals are perceived to disrupt public order in Bali.

"In the meantime, we will focus on taking action against public order violations (in Bali). Moreover, I also ask for the realization of the implementation of a tax on tourists entering Indonesia," Pandjaitan said in a post on his official Instagram account on Monday.

The incentives would be useful to fund tourism promotion and destinations in Indonesia and would be in line with policies in some other countries with a strong tourism industry, he added.

"I also ask you to promptly study the proposed disincentive policy for foreign tourists from countries whose nationals are problematic here. It is important that arriving foreign tourists be (those) selected properly," the coordinating minister said at the meeting.

He also expressed concern over reports of foreign tourists disrespecting local laws and local police, as seen in a video of foreign tourists arguing with local police after being given a ticket for violating traffic laws, which recently went viral.

"After watching that video, I told officials during the coordinating meeting on Bali tourism today that we must not allow anyone to belittle our country. We must not be apathetic to law violations (committed by foreign nationals), let alone to insults against our national institution," Pandjaitan emphasized.

Bali, as one of the most affordable tourist destinations in the world, has attracted low-income tourists and some of them, in the end, have violated local laws, he noted.

He then expressed the hope that efforts taken to enhance control over Bali tourism will be successful in bolstering Indonesia's tourism image and prevent any disparagement of the nation.

"If foreign tourists want to enjoy Indonesia's natural beauty, they must first understand and uphold the culture and traditional values, as well as prevailing laws in this country," Pandjaitan said. (Antaranews)

Jakarta (voinews): At least 13 existing health laws will be affected by the 2023 Health Bill, the Health Minister's health law expert staff Sundoyo said during an FMB9 Dialogue themed “Indonesian Health Service Transformation: Health Bill” on Monday.

Specifically, there are nine laws that will be repealed while others will be changed due to overlap with other laws, he explained.

The Health Bill is an initiative of the House of Representatives (DPR) and has been envisaged on the lines of an omnibus law. Thus, the Health Law may have new content, change similar laws, and remove equivalent laws.

Amid the decline in the COVID-19 pandemic caseload, the Health Bill is expected to provide a strong legal foundation to reform the Indonesian health system, Sundoyo said.

The Indonesian health system still has many overlapping regulations and inequalities in terms of health service access.

The laws that will be included under the Health Law revision through the omnibus mechanism cover Law No. 38 of 2014 on Nurse and Law No. 4 of 2019 on Midwife.

They also include Law No. 29 of 2004 on Doctor Practice, Law No. 40 of 2004 on National Social Insurance System (SJSN), Law No. 4 of 2011 on National Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS), Law No. 7 of 1963 on Pharmacy, and Law No. 6 of 2018 on Health Quarantine.

According to Sundoyo, the health issue in Indonesia is very complex and necessitates a comprehensive solution, starting from meeting the demand for health human resources, facilities and infrastructure, to the pharmaceutical industry.

"Pharmacy has also become important within this Health Bill. Currently, 90 percent of medicinal raw materials are still imported, thus independence in this case should be improved," he said.

During the event, executive director of Kolegium Jurist Institute, Ahmad Redi, said that within the health regulation, there are 15 laws that have the potential for norm conflicts and implementation trouble.

"Indonesia itself is known for having complicated regulations, thus it makes it difficult to achieve optimal health service quality," he observed.

"Because of this, the Health Bill has become a good initiative from the DPR and the government," he noted.

He said that, in his view, the Health Bill can simplify licensing, help establish medical study programs, and distribute health facilities more equally, especially outside of Java Island. (Antaranews)

Jakarta (voinews): President Joko Widodo asked Ario Bimo Nandito Ariotedjo or Dito Ariotedjo, who was recently appointed as Minister of Youth and Sports, to massively improve sports leagues at the school and college education levels.

"Also for our people we are asked to promote inter-village leagues," said Dito after the inauguration at the Presidential Palace complex, Jakarta, Monday (3/4).

Apart from that, according to him, President Joko Widodo also gave directions to him to efficiently prepare the Indonesian team for the SEA Games and Asian Games.

"Pak President wants on the SEA Games and Asian Games event agenda we prioritize sports that have medal potential. So we have to be efficient, but we get the best medals," he said.

Another thing that is also of concern to the President, according to Dito, is the development and improvement of the sports industry ecosystem in Indonesia.

For the youth sector, Dito said, the President wanted youth development to be directed to entrepreneurship and professionalism with the achievement of an increased youth development index.

In addition, his party will also immediately prepare the implementation of international sporting events. According to him, these events include the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Jakarta and the World Beach Games in Bali.

"In the future there will be seven international events, one of which is Indonesia, which will host basketball and the World Beach Games. Of course, what we have started will automatically continue and maximize its implementation," he said.

Dito also ensured that he would immediately communicate with various stakeholders regarding the World Beach Games in Bali so that the implementation could run smoothly. (VOI/Andy)