VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta (voinews): The Southeast Sulawesi Representative Office of the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) reported that Southeast Sulawesi's stunting prevalence declined by 2.5 percentage points to 27.7 percent in 2022.

"The stunting prevalence in Southeast Sulawesi, based on the 2022 Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey (SSGI), declined by 2.5 percentage points, from 30.2 percent to 27.7 percent," Head of Southeast Sulawesi BKKBN, Asmar, stated here on Sunday.

Asmar expressed optimism that the province's stunting prevalence would decrease to 14 percent in 2024 as long as it receives support from the community in Southeast Sulawesi.

Asmar encouraged the community to be heedful during the pregnancy preparation process, throughout the pregnancy period, as well as when children need exclusive breastfeeding and complementary food.

"If we want to reduce the stunting prevalence, do not let (cases of) new stunted children increase," he emphasized.

According to Asmar, the government cannot be singlehandedly expected to reduce stunting prevalence but various parties also need to be involved in the process.

"It needs to involve various parties, starting from business players or private parties, academicians, to the community and mass media," he remarked.

He explained that stunting is a chronic nutritional problem caused by inadequate nutritional intake for protracted periods of time.

"This happens because food intake does not meet the nutritional needs. Stunting is caused by many factors, such as the family economy, illness, or repeated infections. Furthermore, it is also influenced by environmental factors and non-health problems," he pointed out.

Asmar further noted that stunting is also influenced by behavioral factors, especially in terms of feeding of under-five children.

Indonesia's stunting prevalence in 2022 declined by 2.8 percentage points to 21.6 percent, from 24.4 percent in 2021, based on the 2022 SSGI survey of 334,848 samples comprising babies and under-five children.

The Indonesian government is aiming to reduce stunting prevalence to 17.8 percent this year and 14 percent in 2024. (antaranews)

Jakarta (voinews): President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) urged the banking industry to not neglect the funding for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) amid high lending and net interest margins (NIM) of banks.

"Do not ignore the funding for our MSMEs," he stated at the 2023 Financial Services Industry Meeting, in Jakarta, Monday.

The president pressed for MSMEs to be given the maximum possible funding support while still prioritizing the precautionary principle.

He emphasized that the growth of MSMEs is important since they are one of the strengths of the Indonesian economy.

"(It is) because MSMEs are able to provide job opportunities for the people," he remarked.

According to Jokowi, the banking industry in Indonesia continues to grow. In 2022, the banking performance was quite good, with credit growth of 11.3 percent and a capital ratio of 25.68 percent. This capital ratio figure is better than 23.31 percent recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The head of state also pointed out that the NIM of banks in Indonesia, currently at 4.4 percent, is probably the highest in the world.

"This might be the highest NIM in the world," he remarked.

Moreover, Jokowi sought concrete support from the financial services industry for the downstream natural resources program. The support includes funding for the construction of raw material processing and refining (smelter) installations.

"Earlier, the chairman of the Financial Services Authority (OJK), Mahendra Siregar, conveyed support for the downstream industry. I ask for concrete efforts since those, who want to build a smelter, have difficulty in accessing funding," Jokowi emphasized.

He stated that downstream is the key for Indonesia to become a developed country with high income.

"This is what we must consistently encourage, so that our gross domestic product (GDP) continues to increase. I hope we can move forward by using downstream as one of the keys to becoming a developed country," he added. (antaranews)

The Financial Services Authority (OJK) is preparing a smooth transition process amid global financial uncertainty to implement the Financial Sector Development and Strengthening (P2SK) Law, Chairperson of OJK's Board of Commissioners Mahendra Siregar stated.

"P2SK Law's ratification demanded major allocation of resources that necessitates internal reformation of the OJK, through policy improvement and organization as well as human resources' transformation," he noted during the Financial Service Industry Annual Meeting here, Monday.

The OJK will also reform the financial sector's landscape to encourage development of the sharia financial service sector, especially to support the spin-off of the Sharia Business Unit related to the financial service institution consolidation program.

With regard to the Insurance Agreement Letter Guarantee Program by 2028, the OJK coordinates with industry associations, so that insurance companies can meet the membership requirements of the program by continuing efforts to make the insurance industry healthy.

The OJK will also improve public and finance consumers' protection efforts by strengthening market conduct monitoring through improving the monitoring framework in accordance with international standards and best practice.

In connection with the P2SK Law's mandate to deepen the financial sector, the OJK will gradually expand the financial services sector's activities and products, such as carbon exchange, bullion business activities, and crypto digital assets.

This is undertaken by considering aspects related to benefits, need, and carefulness principle, through the implementation of the same business, same risks, same rules principle.

In 2023, beyond implementing the P2SK Law, the OJK will also focus on improving service and strengthening capacity, such as by expanding the utilization of the Financial Information Service System (SLIK) to ensure a level playing field.

Moreover, the OJK will expedite single window licensing as well as provide faster and more integrated licensing service, Siregar stated.

The institution will also facilitate the financial service industry's coordination with authorities and other institutions to avoid service duplication, level the treatment standard, as well as offer legal certainty.  (Antaranews)

The Regent of Sambas, West Kalimantan, Satono said the Muare Ulakan Night Festival, which was lively and received high enthusiasm from the community, was an effort by all parties to promote tourism in this area. "This festival has also been able to grow the community's economy, growing MSMEs and advancing tourism in Sambas Regency," said Satono when contacted, in Sambas, Monday.

Satono added that the performance was also a momentum to push the region to be the best in 2025 in West Kalimantan. "I would like to thank you thousands for the hard work of the committee which today has carried out the Muare Ulakan Night Festival.

This is the momentum that we need to unite all forces, collaborate to make Sambas great, strong, tough and superior in West Kalimantan in 2025," the Regent also said. He conveyed that through the Muare Ulakan Night Festival it also shows the cohesiveness of the Sambas people, despite different ethnicities and religions.

"To unite a perception of views and then good cooperation, it is necessary to unite the strength of various elements and components. At this time we are proving the expectations of the community for so long that the Muare Ulakan Night Festival activities are carried out," he said again.

The Muare Ulakan Night Festival, which is attended by dozens of decorative boats, displays various ships with various colorful lights that can attract the public's attention. The activity which was carried out on the Sambas River, to be precise in Muare Ulakan, was able to amaze the people who witnessed it. (VOI/Akbar)