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PLN Gradually Recovers Electricity Supply (0)
State-owned electricity firm PT PLN has recovered electric power to Balaraja Extra High Voltage substation in Banten Province, and furthermore it will be channeled to Suralaya steam-fueled power plant (PLTU) to gradually recover its operation to reach its capacity of 2800 MW of electricity.
In addition, power supply from Gandul Extra High Voltage substations in Depok, West Java Province, will be channeled to Muara Karang gas and steam power plant (PLTGU) to supply electricity to the Indonesian capital city, Jakarta.
Acting President Director of PLN Sripeni Inten Cahyani said here on Sunday that the power supply to Jakarta was expected to recover within three hours.
"We apologize for the inconvenience today, and currently all efforts have been made to recover the Java-Bali power system, especially in the area of West Java, Banten, and Jakarta," Cahyani said.
The company has focused on power supply to PLTGU Muara Karang and PLTGU Priok to recover the system in the capital city.
Previously, PLN has recovered the operation of hydro-generated power plant (PLTA) Saguling and PLTA Cirata which are functioned as power stabilizer, and, at the same time, supply the electricity to PLTU Suralaya through Cibinong, Depok, Gandul, Lengkok, Balaraja and Suralaya extra high voltage substations.
PLTU Suralaya is expected to return to its normal operation within six hours to normalize power system in West Java and Banten.
Blackout that affected thousands of homes and public facilities in West Java, Jakarta, and Banten was caused by several troubles in the extra high voltage 500 kV transmission of Ungaran - Pemalang.
"PLN has taken its best efforts and will have evaluation to prevent recurrence of today's incident," Cahyani said.
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October
Visitors from 18 countries, excluding Singapore, can visit Indonesia
Written by Nur Yasmin
Travelers from 18 countries, excluding Singapore, will be allowed to enter Indonesia once international flights to Bali reopen on October 14, 2021, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has said.
These countries will be listed in the Instruction of the Home Affairs Ministry, which will be released soon, he informed.
"Regarding the countries that can enter Indonesia, there are 18 countries, which will be announced in an integrated manner and in a circular letter from the Home Affairs Minister," Pandjaitan announced at an online press conference here on Monday.
Although he did not mention the other countries, he said that Singapore has been excluded from the list. The decision was made because Singapore has not met the level 1 and 2 standards, in accordance with WHO provisions, he added.
Cases of COVID-19 in Singapore have not subsided, Pandjaitan noted. Data recorded on Sunday pegged the number of COVID-19 cases in Singapore at 2,809, he said.
As COVID-19 cases have declined in Indonesia, the government has permitted some leeway, including reopening of international flights to Bali, which will kick off from October 14.
He deemed the reopening as a good tiding. In the past week, the national daily confirmed cases have declined by 98.4 percent. Likewise, the daily confirmed cases in Java and Bali regions have dropped by 98.9 percent from their peak on July 15.
On Sunday, 39 additional deaths were recorded due to COVID-19.
Despite the improvement, Pandjaitan urged the people to remain vigilant and continuously follow the health protocols.
"The President again reminded us, his assistants, so that things don't get out of control in the midst of the current situation. Keep cases as low as possible for a long time and must be consistent," he concluded. (Antaranews)
October
Stringent health protocols applied at PON aquatic venue: minister
Written by Nur Yasmin
Implementation of health protocols at the Kampung Harapan Aquatic venue for the diving and swimming branches was considered to be satisfactory, according to Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Zainudin Amali.
The public had shown a high level of enthusiasm in watching the XX Papua National Games (PON), especially those taking place in the aquatic arena located in the Jayapura District cluster.
However, the implementation of health protocols in the water sports arena is very disciplined, he said.
"There is a seat distancing for spectators at the bench," Minister Amali remarked while watching the swimming competition at the venue on Sunday.
The minister also expressed optimism that the health protocols would be implemented simultaneously until the end of the Papua PON on October 15 to ensure that the Papua PON will not create a new cluster of COVID-19.
"I hope they would always conduct strict health protocols, especially during this PON. Since the competition in the aquatic arena is still going on in the next few days, I hope everyone would be safe from contracting the coronavirus," he noted.
During the competition in the aquatic arena, the organizing committee always reminds all at the venue, through the speaker, to always maintain distance and implement health protocols. In addition, the number of spectators present is limited.
Before heading to the aquatic arena, Minister Amali also directly reviewed the implementation of health protocols in organizing the men's soccer match at the Mandala Stadium, Jayapura City.
He lauded the efforts of the match committee that had consistently reminded the audience to continue to abide by the health protocols, such as wearing masks, maintain social distance, and washing hands with soap and running water or hand sanitizer.
"Earlier, we all heard how the committee regularly reminded the audience to follow tight health protocols. Also, the head of PON committees, Yunus Wonda, had ensured that everything is under control and runs according to plan," he added. (Antaranews)
October
Indonesia, Serbia to mutually recognize vaccine certificates
Written by Nur Yasmin
The governments of Indonesia and Serbia have reached an agreement for mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccine certificates issued by both countries as part of the efforts to end vaccine discrimination.
The agreement was reached during a bilateral meeting between Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi and Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Nikola Selakovi, according to a press statement from the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs received here, Monday.
Foreign Affairs Minister Marsudi and her Serbian counterpart, Selakovi, met to discuss bilateral cooperation between the two countries on Sunday (October 10) in Belgrade, Serbia.
The two ministers also discussed efforts to accelerate economic recovery by increasing economic cooperation, especially inbound and outbound investment.
Apart from discussing vaccination certificates, Minister Marsudi also conveyed that Indonesia had formally announced the nomination of the Archive of the First NAM Conference to the Memory of the World program of UNESCO.
According to the press statement, Serbia supported Indonesia's initiative and will cooperate in seeking support from other countries.
On the occasion, Minister Marsudi and Minister Selakovi also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Diplomatic Capacity Building Cooperation, with the objective of promoting education and training for Indonesian and Serbian diplomats.
The two foreign affairs ministers witnessed the signing of the MoU between Padjadjaran University (Unpad) and the University of Belgrade on Business Incubation and Innovation Cooperation.
According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, through the MoU, the Indonesian government seeks to provide opportunities for Indonesian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to capitalize on market opportunities in Serbia and the Western Balkan region.
Minister Marsudi visited Belgrade as a special envoy for the president to attend the 60th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit.
This momentum is viewed as being valuable for Indonesia and Serbia on account of the fact that the two countries are among those that initiated the establishment of the NAM. (Antaranews)
October
Indonesian migrant workers contribute to national economy: Hartarto
Written by Nur Yasmin
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto has said Indonesia's migrant workers (PMI) have contributed to the national economy and job opportunities.
The average remittance sent by the migrant workers reached US$9.8 billion per year , mostly from Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Taiwan, during the period of 2015-2019, Hartarto said in a statement here on Sunday.
The government through the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) has issued a regulation regarding the Exemption of the PMI Placement Fees, according to him.
Some 63 percent of Indonesians working abroad were graduates of junior high school or below. Over 50 percent of them worked in the informal sector, he said.
In line with the regulation, the government waives placement fees for the country's migrant workers in 10 types of positions including housekeepers, babysitters, elderly caregivers, cooks, drivers, garden nurses, child caretakers, janitors, plantation workers, and crew of fishing vessels.
The exempted fees include departure and return tickets, work visas, legalization of work agreements, job training, competency certificates, and accommodation.
"The cost of training and work competency certificates will be borne by respective regional governments in collaboration with educational and job training institutions," he said.
However, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the dispatching of Indonesian migrant workers in 2020 decreased by 59 percent and the remittances by 17.5 percent compared to those in 2019.
To mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on the public, the government had distributed Subsidized Microcredit Program (KUR) loans amounting to Rp372 billion as of December 2020.
In addition to, the government has also carried out Pre-Employment Card Program at 92 service points throughout Indonesia and provided training for unemployed citizens. (Antaranews)
October
Indonesia gets additional two million finished Pfizer vaccine doses
Written by Nur Yasmin
Indonesia has received an additional 2,000,700 doses of finished Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to be distributed directly to 12 provinces.
"The purchase of the vaccine is to augment the national vaccine stocks. Currently, Indonesia has received 280,527,920 doses of vaccines in the form of semi-finished and finished goods," spokesperson for the Health Ministry Siti Nadia Tarmizi said in a written statement received here on Sunday.
She informed that the 87th batch of vaccines had arrived through two airports -- Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Banten Province and Juanda Airport in East Java Province.
The vaccines that arrived at Soekarno-Hatta Airport will be disbursed to the Provincial Health Offices in Aceh, Bengkulu, East NusaTenggara, Gorontalo, Jambi, North Sumatra, Riau, Riau Islands, South Kalimantan, West Java, and West NusaTenggara.
Meanwhile, the vaccines received through Juanda Airport will be allocated to East Java Provincial Health Office only.
The arrival of the vaccines is expected to accelerate, the distribution of vaccines to all regions in Indonesia – especially remote and outermost areas.
"The government keeps striving to secure the vaccine stocks and send the vaccines directly to provinces across Indonesia in order to shorten the distribution chain and maintain vaccine access for all people,” the spokesperson continued.
Furthermore, she reminded the public to get vaccinated soon and not to be picky about the vaccine types – be it Pfizer, Sinovac, Moderna, AstraZeneca, or others -- as all of them are safe and effective.
In addition, she urged the people to remain disciplined in implementing health protocols.
"Vaccine is not the only means that protects us against COVID-19 while we are conducting daily activities in public places," she reasoned.
Hence, the government continues to encourage local governments with low vaccination coverage to expedite their vaccination programs, especially for vulnerable groups comprising the elderly.
According to Tarmizi, some regions still have low vaccination coverage for the elderly -- for instance Aceh, North Maluku, Papua, and West Sumatra.
"I hope each region can make a number of strategies to increase vaccination coverage for the vulnerable group based on the availability of vaccines in their respective regions," she added. (Antaranews)
October
East Luwu: Ministry prepares to reinvestigate 2019 rape case
Written by Nur Yasmin
The Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry has dispatched a four-member investigative team to gather facts regarding the alleged rape of three children by their father in East Luwu District, South Sulawesi Province, in 2019.
Investigations into the case were stopped by local police at the time due to insufficient evidence.
While four investigators have been dispatched currently, a team coordinator will follow soon, an official said.
"We are still gathering facts, so we came down here to find the facts," the ministry's team leader Taufan said in Makassar on Saturday.
However, he was reluctant to share the results of a meeting with the South Sulawesi Women and Child Protection Technical Unit pertaining to the case's handling.
"We cannot provide information yet because this is only the initial process. We are repeating this process from the beginning to see the facts on the field. We are still here until the process is complete," he elaborated.
He said that the team from the ministry has come to seek the truth and gather facts so that the case can be reopened, given that the incident involved children who were allegedly sexually abused by their own father, identified by his initials as SA (initial).
"We are looking for facts here. What is clear is that we collect facts from all relevant parties. If all (locations) are revealed (to the public), those will be visited, they will get ready. We want to give an element of surprise so that they do not prepare (tamper with evidence)," Taufan added.
He pointed out that data from the investigation, once it is completed, will be revealed to the public through the media.
Meanwhile, head of the South Sulawesi Women and Child Protection Technical Unit Meisy Papuyungan said that the ministry's team has come to find out what actually happened. The ministry in Jakarta has completely handed over the investigation to the team, Papuyungan added.
"We leave it for further investigation to the Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry. Now, the victims are with their mother. As long as they need it, we are ready. There is a team going there (East Luwu). They asked for initial information, then we suggested that we go down immediately to dig up valid information so this doesn't get confusing," Papuyungan said.
The victims' mother, RA, had alleged her ex-husband, SA, who worked in East Luwu district government as a civil servant, had sexually abused her three biological children, identified by their initials as AL, MR, and AL, in 2019.
Investigation into the case was stopped due to insufficient evidence in 2019, officials said. The case went viral on social media in October 2021. The way the investigation into the case was ceased was deemed odd by LBH Makassar, the victim's legal assistance team. (Antaranews)
October
East Java Governor pushes vaccinations of elderly
Written by Nur Yasmin
East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa has called for the acceleration of vaccinations of the elderly given the small number of districts that have completed vaccinations for the group.
"There are still few elderly people who have been vaccinated. Therefore, it (vaccinations) must be encouraged and pushed for," she said during a visit to Al Falah Middle School in Sidoarjo on Saturday.
The alumni association of Airlangga University is hosting vaccinations in several East Java districts and cities, such as Surabaya, Sidoarjo, Gresik, Lamongan, and Mojokerto, so that they can meet the Home Affairs Ministry's criteria for Level 1 community activity restriction, Parawansa noted.
She said that the achievement of herd immunity will rely on contributions from various stakeholders in pushing up the vaccination rate.
"We also thank Al Falah Middle School for providing a place as a vaccination location. Because vaccination is not only for students but also for local residents," she remarked.
Meanwhile, head of Sidoarjo district, Ahmad Muhdlor Ali, said that his administration is currently trying to vaccinate 70 percent of the 1.6 million targeted residents.
He revealed that 66 percent of the district's elderly residents have received the first vaccine dose, while 32 percent have received the second dose.
The vaccination organizer for the alumni association of Airlangga University, Dwi Wahyu Indrawati, said that her association is administering around 2,500 vaccine doses at each event.
"We have held about eight (vaccination programs), both for the first and second doses, with 2,500 doses (administered) in each time," she informed.
The vaccination effort is in line with central government's focus on building herd immunity, she said.
Earlier, the central government was targeting to inoculate 70 percent of the population by the end of the year. However, since late September, it has set a new target: it is now aiming to vaccinate 80 percent of the total population in order to achieve herd immunity. (Antaranews)
October
Indonesia receives over 240,000 AstraZeneca doses from UK
Written by Nur Yasmin
Indonesia has received 243,440 AstraZeneca vaccine doses from the United Kingdom government as an expression of its solidarity and global cooperation on the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I wish to express our gratitude to the United Kingdom government for sharing a portion of their COVID-19 vaccine doses to Indonesia," Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in a written statement released by the Communication and Informatics Ministry here on Friday.
The current vaccine arrival is the second, as the UK government earlier had donated around 620 thousand vaccine doses for Indonesia on August 2, 2021, she informed.
Indonesia reiterates its firm support for global cooperation for handling the pandemic through the vaccine dose-sharing scheme, the foreign minister said.
She also lauded the UK government's decision to rescind Indonesia from its COVID-19 red list, saying it is proof of global confidence in the improving pandemic situation in Indonesia.
The decision to remove Indonesia from the UK red list followed a recent meeting between the Indonesian and the UK foreign ministers during the UN General Assembly session at the end of September, Marsudi said.
The spirit of solidarity and collaboration among countries in the world is key to addressing the health crisis, she added.
With the arrival of the 86th vaccine batch, Indonesia has obtained a total of 278,527,220 vaccine doses, both in the form of finished products and bulk, she noted.
"The latest vaccine doses' arrival further secured our vaccine stocks as the government aimed for 70 percent national vaccination coverage at the end of 2021. As of October 8, 2021, around 46.52 percent of the national population has received the first vaccine dose and 26.49 percent of the population has completed their vaccine doses," the minister said.
Residents should continue to abide by the health protocol as the government continues to expedite the vaccination effort, she added. (Antaranews)
October
Indonesia getting ready to host World Superbike in Mandalika: official
Written by Nur Yasmin
Indonesia is ensuring its readiness for the "World Superbike" (WSBK) motorcycle race at the Mandalika Circuit, Central Lombok District, West Nusa Tenggara Province, both in terms of infrastructure, accommodation, health, and security, an official has said.
The event will be held from November 19 to 21, 2021.
"All parties from ministries and institutions are continuously coordinating to make this motorcycle racing event a success (so it) shows excellent results," Secretary General of the Transportation Ministry Djoko Sasono said here on Friday.
He made the statement after observing a Tactical Floor Game (TFG) simulation of traffic management and engineering, conducted as part of preparations for the WSBK.
Sasono said that the Indonesian government is taking the preparations for the WSBK seriously because, in addition to garnering the interest of international tourists, it could also impact how the world views Indonesia, especially its ability to organize international events in the midst of a pandemic.
He assured that all infrastructure preparations, ranging from airports, seaports, roads, land transportation, to accommodation were currently being refined. When the time comes, they will be ready for use, he remarked.
"We from the Transportation Ministry, together with other ministries and institutions, continue to coordinate to resolve various deficiencies that may still exist," he added.
Meanwhile, Deputy for Tourism and Creative Economy Coordination Odo RM Manuhutu at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, opined that the event would have a positive impact on tourism and also be a testament to Indonesia's readiness to organize grand, global-scale events.
"We want to prove that Indonesia is able to conduct big events in the midst of a pandemic, of course, by continuing to adhere to health protocols in a strict manner," Manuhutu remarked.
He revealed that the ministry has lauded the excellent coordination between ministries and institutions for the event. He said he is optimistic that the WSBK will run as expected.
Military Resort Commander (Danrem) 162/Wira Bakti, National Defense Force Brigadier General Ahmad Rizal R, said that in terms of security—particularly in ring I, ring II, and ring III—the national defense forces (land, sea and air) and police will prepare their troops to ensure the event runs smoothly.
"At least three thousand to five thousand personnel from the National Defense Force will be dispatched to guard this event, assisted by the police, which dispatched some 2,215 personnel," he informed. (Antaranews)
October
Govt should stay optimistic in achieving herd immunity target: MPR
Written by Nur Yasmin
Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Bambang Soesatyo has called on the Indonesian government to remain optimistic in attaining herd immunity or the target of vaccinating 70 percent of the population.
"Hence, the government should continue the efforts to expedite vaccinations and increase the national vaccination coverage by vaccinating 2.5 million people per day," Soesatyo noted in his statement here, Friday.
The speaker called to strengthen synergy between the government, the Indonesian Military (TNI), and National Police (Polri) in expediting COVID-19 vaccinations in regions, especially those with low vaccination coverage.
In addition, Soesatyo urged the government to innovate in finding solutions to identify and overcome obstacles that hinder the national vaccination program.
"I urge the government to increase the number of vaccination booths, increase mass vaccinations, or directly visit those, who have not been vaccinated. These are needed in order to achieve the target of vaccinating 70 percent of the population to achieve community immunity," the MPR speaker remarked.
Soesatyo sought the regional governments' commitment to supporting the national vaccination program and continually conducting comprehensive data collection on the COVID-19 vaccination coverage in all regions, so that areas, with low vaccination coverage, can be prioritized.
In a bid to boost immunity against COVID-19, the Indonesian government has launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021, and President Joko Widodo was the first vaccine recipient under the program.
The central government has set a target to vaccinate at least 70 percent of the Indonesian population by December 2021.
According to the Health Ministry's data, as of October 8, 2021, as many as 98,382,941 citizens have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, while 56,267,095 Indonesians have been fully vaccinated. (Antaranews)