VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta (voinews): Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan assured that he will continue negotiation with global electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers after announcing the EV incentive aid.

Pandjaitan is reportedly in a final negotiation with the EV manufacturers Tesla Inc from the US and BYD from China.

"This is very important because honestly, we are finalizing negotiations with two global major corporations," he said during a press conference here, Monday.

"We expect that by issuing this new regulation, it will make our position much stronger as compared to what happened in recent times," he emphasized.

Starting from March 20, 2023, the government will provide Battery Electric Vehicle purchase aid.

This aid comprises Rp7 million (US$458) per unit for the purchase of 200 thousand new electric motorcycle units and Rp7 million per unit for the conversion of 50 thousand fossil-fueled conventional motorcycles to electric motorcycles.

The provision of the electric vehicle purchase incentive is expected to encourage investors to develop the EV industry in the country.

The minister believes that Tesla is still interested in building a factory in Southeast Asia.

According to Pandjaitan, despite the fact that the company built a new assembly factory in Mexico last February, this does not mean that the opportunity to build a factory in Southeast Asia has closed.

"Mexico is the backyard of America, so of course, they are going to build a factory there," he said.

The company owned by Elon Musk is said to be planning to build a factory with the capacity of producing one million cars per year in Southeast Asia, he noted.

However, it is not clear which countries Tesla will choose to build its factory in. (Antaranews)

Jakarta (voinews): Minister of National Planning and Development (Bappenas) Suharso Monoarfa stated that the preparation of the National Long-Term Development Plan for 2025-2045 considered three main issues in national development.

The first area of concern is that Indonesia has been stuck in the middle-income trap for 30 years.

"In addition, Indonesia's economic development still relies on the extractive sector, with a low level of productivity and complexity and tends to decline. This shows the urgency of economic transformation," he stated at the Coordination Meeting of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), as quoted from the official BPK website, Jakarta, Tuesday.

The second issue is that social development is still lagging behind, as is reflected in several aspects, comprising the slow decline in poverty rate, social protection that is still fragmented, disparities in participation and quality of education, and the low status and capacity of the health system.

"This shows the urgency of conducting social transformation," Monoarfa stated.

The last issue is that government bureaucracy and public institutions have not been effective, the condition of hyper regulation is accompanied by low-quality regulations, as well as supervision and accountability for development implementation that is a reflection of the condition of governance that has not been optimal.

"This shows the urgency of carrying out governance transformation, and the need for quality and useful state financial governance support to achieve state goals," the Bappenas minister stated.

Based on the consideration of existing issues, his side expects BPK to support the translation of planning documents into sectoral and regional derivative planning documents, so that budget allocations are consistent with development priorities.

"BPK can be the spearhead in maintaining the quality of development implementation governance, including the management of state finances. BPK's crucial role will be the key to realizing quality development planning and implementation," he stated. (Antaranews)

Jakarta (Voinews): The Natuna District Government in Riau Islands Province announced a seven-day emergency response period, from March 6 to March 12, 2023, due to landslides that struck the region on Monday (March 6, 2023).

A landslide from Mount Jemenang hit the villages of Pangkalan and Jermalik in Serasan Sub-district on Monday afternoon. Another landslide also hit Air Nusa Village, East Serasan Sub-district.

According to a press release of the Joint Serasan and East Serasan Sub-Districts Disaster Response Team, as of Tuesday at 7 a.m. Western Indonesia Standard Time (WIB), the disaster had claimed 10 lives in Serasan Sub-district, six of which had been identified.

Furthermore, 47 people are declared missing, four victims are in critical condition, while three people are undergoing an outpatient treatment, the joint team stated.

Some 219 residents of Serasan Sub-district took refuge at Cross-Border Posts (PLBN) Serasan, 215 people at the local community health center (puskesmas), and 282 people at Serasan 1 Public Senior High School.

In addition, a total of 500 people took shelter at the Pelimpak refuge post and Al Furqon Mosque.

Natuna District’s Communication and Informatics Office also reported that 26 houses and one surau -- an Islamic assembly building smaller than the mosque originating from Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula -- were buried by the landslide in Serasan Sub-district.

Meanwhile, the residents in East Serasan Sub-district were reported to have fled to the local village hall. However, no report had, so far, been received of casualties and the exact number of refugees in East Serasan Sub-district.

The Search and Rescue Office (Kansar) of Natuna District, the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) of Natuna District, and the District Military Command (Kodim) 0318/Natuna had deployed several personnel to help the search and rescue (SAR) operation in the disaster-affected areas.

Kansar sent 24 personnel, while Kodim dispatched 12 personnel using the Sasikirana 245 SAR Ship and Natuna 03 Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB).

The Kansar and Kodim personnel as well as entourage of the head of Natuna District, Wan Siswandi, arrived at the disaster location, which took a five-hour journey through the sea from Ranai, the capital of Natuna District.

The sub-districts of Serasan and East Serasan are located on Serasan Island that shares its border with Kuching, Serawak, Malaysia. (Antaranews)

Jakarta (voinews): Thrifting, that is selling or buying cheap secondhand items, is allowed as long as it is carried out as per the regulation, which requires that the secondhand items be of local origin instead of imported, a minister said.

The statement was delivered by Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno during the “Weekly Brief with Sandi Uno,” which was accessed from here on Monday.

"Thrifting: When it is done in accordance with legal (limits) — as in the secondhand items from Indonesia are (the ones) being bought and not those of prohibited imported items — there will be plenty of opportunity for that (practice)," he elaborated.

The minister said that there was one domestic brand that did something innovative: it reworked old, vintage clothes, and it saw some success to the point that renowned singer Billie Eilish and some top-tier celebrities ordered some of its products.

"Such activity must be facilitated, as long as it stays within legal (boundaries) and they do not use imported secondhand clothes," Uno said.

The Cooperatives and Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Ministry has proposed a ban on thrifting because it is considered to be harmful to local MSMEs.

Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan voiced the same sentiment, stressing that the trade of imported secondhand clothes is not allowed.

Among the concerns that led to the decision was the finding of mold or bacteria on imported secondhand clothes, which could put people's health at risk. Moreover, the practice could also compromise the sustainability of domestic textile industries.

According to the Trade Ministry Regulation No. 18 of 2021, amended by the Trade Ministry Regulation No. 40 of 2022 about changes in the export and import prohibition lists, secondhand clothes are not allowed to be imported.  (Antaranews)