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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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June
Bappenas forecasts 5.78-6.53% GDP growth for eastern Indonesia
Written by Nur Yasmin
The eastern part of Indonesia will see GDP (gross domestic product) growth of 5.78-6.53 percent in 2022, the National Development Planning (PPN) Ministry/National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) has forecast.
"The regional development policy in the RPJMN (medium-term national development plan) 2022-2024 is aimed at reducing disparities among regions. In 2022, regional development will focus on several efforts to restore (the economy) from the COVID-19 impact soon and reduce disparities," PPN Ministry/Bappenas deputy for regional development, Rudy Soeprihadi Prawiradinata, said during a working meeting with the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Bappenas is targeting to boost eastern Indonesia’s Human Development Index to 62.06-78.12 and lower the percentage of poor people to 10.97 percent, he informed.
The agency expects western Indonesia to record GDP growth of 4.99-5.68 percent in 2022. Meanwhile, its Human Development Index is projected to reach 70.53-82.99 and the percentage of poor people is targeted to reach 8.64 percent.
The target under national priority (PN) 2 of the government's work plan for 2022 is to develop regions in order to reduce disparities and ensure regional equity, Prawiradinata said.
The national priority comprises seven programs, which include the development of regions in Sumatra, Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua, he added.
"The regulation needed to support the national priority 2 is a bill on urban areas and revision of government regulation number 13 of 2017 on amendment to government regulation number 26 of 2008 concerning the national spatial plan," he said. (Antaranews)
June
The Indonesian government has assured it will provide COVID-19 shots to all citizens for free, Health Ministry's spokesperson for COVID-19 vaccination Siti Nadia Tarmizi said. ;
"We need to clarify perception on the Health Minister Regulation No. 18/2021, that added a regulation regarding the Gotong Royong (mutual cooperation) vaccination and the government's vaccination program," she said during a dialogue on the Gotong Royong vaccination here on Wednesday.
The Gotong Royong vaccination program was launched on May 18 this year. The program was initiated by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) to support the national vaccination program.
Both programs are providing different vaccines for free, Tarmizi said adding, the Gotong Royong vaccines will be funded by companies for their employees.
"It (Gotong Royong) is aimed at expanding the COVID-19 vaccination coverage. The government's vaccination program and the Gotong Royong program will not use the same vaccines. Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Novavac, and Pfizer cannot be used in the Gotong Royong (vaccination) program," she elaborated.
Sinopharm and Cansino vaccines will be provided under the Gotong Royong program, Tarmizi said.
However, the same vaccine can be used for both programs if obtained through a grant as in the case of about 500 thousand doses of the Sinopharm vaccine donated to Indonesia by the United Arab Emirates recently, she clarified.
"Although the Sinopharm vaccine is already being used in the Gotong Royong program, it can also be used in the government's vaccination program because we obtained it as a grant," she added.
According to chairman of the Indonesia Health Economic Association, Hasbullah Thabrany, the Gotong Royong program would help KADIN members to expand vaccination coverage for workers and recover productivity.
"The challenge now is to meet vaccine demand for 28 thousand companies registered (for vaccination) through KADIN," said deputy chairman for international relations at KADIN, Shinta Widjaja Kamdani.
State-run vaccine maker Bio Farma has pledged about 15 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine for the Gotong Royong vaccination program. (Antaranews)
June
World Bank approves US$800 mln development financing for Indonesia
Written by Nur Yasmin
The World Bank’s Executive Director Council has approved US$800 million, or 11.6 trillion Indonesian rupiahs, in funding to support Indonesia’s investment and trade policy reforms and to help expedite the nation’s economic transformation and recovery.
The assistance is intended to support the Indonesian government’s plans to attract investment and boost its economic competitiveness, World Bank’s director for Indonesia and Timor-Leste, Satu Kahkonen, said in a press release issued here on Wednesday.
“This reformation has potential to support the economic transformation in switching the commodity sectors to more value-added sectors. This (funding) will give the stimulus required for economic recovery post the pandemic,” he pointed out.
The financial support for the development policy operation (DPO) has been drafted to boost investment by offering more sectors to foreign investors, he expounded.
The assistance is mainly focused on gaining direct foreign investment, adding high-skilled professionals to the labour market, and boosting private investments in renewable energy, Kahkonen said.
The financing is designed to support Indonesia’s trade policy reforms, aimed at boosting competitiveness and economic recovery; improving access and accessibility to commodity prices of staple foods or raw materials; and, easing access to manufacturing inputs, he informed.
“The increase in investment, as targeted, will be triggered by this reformation, which also necessitates careful environmental management. The World Bank will work with other development partners to support the government in strengthening the environmental management efforts in all sectors,” Kahkonen highlighted.
The DPO is aimed at supporting big reforms in Indonesia’s trade and investment sectors, in line with the longstanding cooperative relations between the World Bank Group (WBG) and the Indonesian government, he said.
The financing is fully aligned with the country partnership framework (CPF) recently adopted by the WBG, which identifies competitiveness strengthening and economic security as critical ways to reduce poverty and improve welfare, he added.
At present, big challenges in trade and investment have limited Indonesia’s capability for attracting direct foreign investment to develop its export potential, limiting the nation’s integration into global value chains and raising domestic food prices, Kahkonen said.
All these challenges have also slowed the growth of the manufacturing and non-commodity sectors, he pointed out. As a result, most jobs in recent decades have been created in the low-productivity commodity and services sector, which commonly generate incomes below middle-class wages, he added.
The coronavirus pandemic has led to Indonesia experiencing its first recession in two decades, a condition that has been exacerbated by the challenges faced by the economy to expand to more advanced sectors to create jobs with better wages and ensure higher productivity. (Antaranews)
June
Widodo asks Jakarta to ramp up vaccinations as infections soar
Written by Nur Yasmin
President Joko Widodo has asked the Jakarta administration to speed up COVID-19 vaccinations amid a surge in cases, chief of the Jakarta Provincial Legislative Assembly (DPRD), Prasetyo Edi Marsudi, said.
The vaccination program in ports and densely populated areas must be expedited, Marsudi told the press at the Presidential Palace here on Tuesday.
President Widodo on Tuesday summoned the Jakarta Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkopimda) and issued directives on ways to deal with a recent spike in COVID-19 cases.
Besides DPRD chief Marsudi, the forum comprised Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, Commander of the Jakarta Regional Military Command, Major General Mulyo Aji, chief of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Inspector General Fadil Imran, and mayors and resort police chiefs from across Jakarta.
The President noted that COVID-19 cases in Jakarta have increased sharply, with one of the causes being the entry of a new variant from India.
"The President has asked us as the regional apparatuses to curb (COVID-19 transmission)," Marsudi said.
The President has also asked Forkopimda members to make field visits to aid greater public compliance with health protocols, he added.
Governor Baswedan had earlier attributed the spike in coronavirus infections in the capital to the Eid al-Fitr holidays.
Jakarta should accord greater attention to the sharp jump in COVID-19 cases in the past week, he said during a roll call held on Sunday night to remind agencies of their obligation to stem the spread of COVID-19.
There has been a 50-percent increase in infections in the capital city, with the number of cases climbing to 17,400 on June 11, 2021 from 11,500 on June 6, 2021, he observed.
The COVID-19 positivity rate also increased to 17 percent on Sunday from 9 percent a week earlier.
"The number of new cases increased in each of the past four days by 2,000, 2,300, 2,400, and 2,700 today," Baswedan noted.
The number of specimens tested at laboratories also increased eight-fold as against a four-fold increase prescribed by the WHO. (Antaranews)
June
EU eyes trade, investment cooperation with S Sumatra
Written by Nur Yasmin
A European Union (EU) delegation paid a virtual visit to Indonesia’s South Sumatra province on Tuesday to explore trade and investment as part of a series of activities organized to bolster an economic partnership agreement.
"The meeting today is very appropriate as in the next few weeks in July, Indonesia and the European Union will hold the next round of negotiations on CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement). Therefore, inputs from the meeting today are expected to have an impact on the negotiation," EU Ambassador to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam, Vincent Piket, said at the EU - Indonesia CEPA Roadshow - South Sumatra, held virtually from Jakarta on Tuesday.
As it works to improve cooperation with Indonesia within the framework of CEPA, the EU delegation believes South Sumatra has huge potential, particularly in the fields of agriculture and other natural resources, he added.
The potential needs to be explored further to promote the welfare of the local people and boost the Indonesian and EU economies, Piket said.
The EU is currently the fourth largest market for Indonesian exports and the third largest supplier of imported goods to the country.
However, Indonesia is still lagging behind other ASEAN member states, including Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam, in terms of trade with EU.
Indonesia and the EU signed CEPA in 2016 to increase trade and investment.
An EU study has shown that the agreement could help Indonesia increase its trade with EU and its annual gross domestic product (GDP) by 5 billion euros by 2032.
On the other hand, the EU will be able to increase trade with Indonesia by up to 18 percent.
“This (potential 18-percent increase in trade) is (an) extraordinarily large amount," Piket stated.
Both sides still have to work hard to achieve that end, he said. The virtual visit to South Sumatra is part of a series of activities to achieve the goal, he added. (Antaranews)
June
Jakarta joins virtual ASEAN-China defence ministers' meeting
Written by Nur Yasmin
Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday joined the 12th ASEAN-China Defence Ministers Informal Meeting, held virtually to discuss the progress in defense cooperation between both sides in the past 30 years.
Brunei Darussalam’s Second Minister of Defence, the Honorable Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Retired) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, in his capacity as chief of ADMM, opened the meeting.
Subianto lauded the informal meeting, which marked 30 years of ASEAN-China relations.
He said ASEAN-China cooperation, which has lasted for three decades now, has continued to develop in various fields, including defence.
"The ASEAN-China strategic think-tank forum, the ASEAN-China young military officers exchange, and the ASEAN-China maritime exercise are among the several areas of cooperation which have benefited the steps for trust and capacity building between ASEAN and China,” Subianto said on the official website of the Defence Ministry (kemhan.go.id).
ASEAN-China relations play an important role in the region, therefore, ASEAN and China must continue to maintain and improve cooperation for the security and prosperity of the region, he said.
According to Subianto, dialog and consultation based on common confidence and trust can resolve all problems in the region, including the South China Sea issue. ASEAN and China are expected to immediately continue effective and substantive negotiations on the Code of the Conduct in the South China Sea, he added.
Indonesia also encourages all sides to comply with the Declaration of Conduct (DoC), including exercising self-restraint, he said.
If the South China Sea is well-managed, it will strengthen an equal, mutually beneficial partnership, which is badly needed to create global peace and stability, he said.
Indonesia also lauds China's support for the the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) agreed upon by ASEAN leaders, he added.
The meeting brought together defense ministers from ASEAN member states and their Chinese counterpart, General Wei Fenghe.
The regional grouping's member countries comprise Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. (Antaranews)
June
Govt extends micro-scale restrictions till June 28
Written by Nur Yasmin
The Indonesian government has decided to extend micro-scale public activity restrictions (PPKM) by two more weeks, starting Tuesday (June 15, 2021).
Several activities will be adjusted as per the PPKM policy this time, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, informed at an online press conference originating from the Presidential Palace here on Monday.
Offices located in red zones, which have a high risk of COVID-19 transmission, will be allowed to operate at 25 percent capacity with employees working in rotation, informed Hartarto, who also heads the Committee for COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery (KPC-PEN).
The remaining 75 percent employees will have to work from home, he added.
The government has relaxed the PPKM policy for offices located in orange or yellow zones, which have a moderate risk of COVID-19 transmission, allowing them to operate at 50 percent capacity. This means that 50 percent of their employees can work out of the office and the rest from home, Hartarto explained.
The government has also prescribed online classes for all schools in sub-districts categorized as red zones, he said.
To reduce crowds, the government has appealed to people in red zones to worship at home, he added.
"Places of worship in red zones will be closed for two weeks," the minister informed.
Meanwhile, shopping centers and restaurants will be required to close at 9 p.m. and limit entry to 50 percent of capacity with due adherence to health protocols, he added.
According to the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Indonesia’s coronavirus case count rose by 8,189 on Monday to reach 1,919,547,
Jakarta recorded the highest single-day infections at 2,722, followed by West Java (1,532) and Central Java (1,400).
Only West Kalimantan and Gorontalo reported no new cases on Monday.
Meanwhile, the number of patients recovering from the infection climbed by 6,143 to reach 1,751,234, with West Java recording the highest single-day recoveries of 1,753.
With 237 people succumbing to the virus, the death toll increased to 53,116. Central Java reported the highest number of deaths at 55.
The number of active patients conducting self-isolation and undergoing treatment at hospitals rose by 1,809 to touch 115,197 on Monday.
Meanwhile, the number of people suspected of contracting SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, stood at 117,747.The figure was based on the result of tests conducted on 69,314 specimens, obtained from 52,713 persons, at hundreds of laboratories across Indonesia.
According to the task force, the daily positivity rate now stands at 22.45 percent for specimens and 15.54 percent for people.
Indonesia reported its first coronavirus infections in March last year. (Antaranews)
June
Indonesia adds 8,189 COVID-19 cases, 6,143 recoveries
Written by Nur Yasmin
Indonesia’s coronavirus case count rose by 8,189 on Monday, taking the total tally to 1,919,547, according to the COVID-19 Handling Task Force.
Jakarta recorded the highest single-day infections at 2,722, followed by West Java (1,532) and Central Java (1,400), it said.
Only West Kalimantan and Gorontalo reported no fresh cases on Monday.
Meanwhile, the number of patients recovering from the infection climbed by 6,143 to reach 1,751,234, with West Java recording the highest single-day recoveries at 1,753.
With 237 people succumbing to the virus, the death toll increased to 53,116. Central Java reported the highest number of daily fatalities at 55, the task force said.
The number of active patients conducting self-isolation and undergoing treatment at hospitals rose by 1,809 to touch 115,197, it added.
Meanwhile, the total number of people suspected of contracting SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, reached 117,747.
The figure was based on the results of tests conducted at hundreds of laboratories across Indonesia on 69,314 specimens obtained from 52,713 people.
According to the task force, the daily positivity rate is currently 22.45 percent for specimens and 15.54 percent for people.
Indonesia reported its first coronavirus infections in March, 2020. (Antaranews)
June
Indonesia, South Korea explore cooperation in transport infrastructure
Written by Nur Yasmin
Indonesian Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi met with the South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia, Tae Sung Park, on Monday to discuss cooperation in the construction of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) infrastructure in Bali.
During the meeting, they also discussed collaboration in the development of Phase 4 of MRT Jakarta’s Fatmawati – Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) route.
“Today, I have a meeting with the South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia, discussing opportunities for cooperation in the development of transportation infrastructure in Indonesia, and we welcome South Korea's desire to be involved in the construction of trains in Bali and Jakarta," said Sumadi here on Monday.
To develop rail infrastructure in the province, the Bali government has collaborated with South Korea through the Korea National Railway to prepare a pre-feasibility study on the planned construction of the 9.46-km Ngurah Rai Airport - Seminyak route of the LRT, the minister informed.
Based on the study, the LRT development plan will be divided into two phases, he informed. Phase 1-A will cover the 5.3-km Airport - Central Park Station route, while Phase 1-B will cover the 4.16-km Central Park-Seminyak Station route, he added.
The Bali government and Korea National Railway are still reviewing the LRT construction plan for the second phase of the Seminyak-Mengwitani route, Sumadi disclosed.
"Regarding the LRT development plan in Bali, the Bali provincial government has proposed a financing cooperation for the preparation of a feasibility study with South Korea through a grant scheme. However, based on suggestions from the National Development Agency (Bappenas), we still have to wait for Bappenas to complete the preparation of the Urban Mobility Plan by the end of 2021," he said.
South Korea has also expressed a desire to cooperate in the construction of MRT Jakarta’s Phase 4 Fatmawati - TMII route, the minister added.
According to the results of a pre-feasibility study conducted by PT MRT Jakarta in 2020, MRT’s Fatmawati - TMII route is needed to improve urban mass transit services, he said.
During Monday’s meeting Sumadi and Park also discussed plans for other projects, such as the Hang Nadim Airport in Batam, the use of electric cars, the development of the coal transportation railway line in Sumbagsel (Lahat - Tarahan), and the railway line in Central Kalimantan (Purukcahu) - Bangkuang).
The meeting was attended by several representatives from the Republic of South Korea, including infrastructure and transportation attaché, Mr. Dongjin Kim, chief representative of Korea National Railway (KRNA), Sunghi Cho, deputy chief representative of Korea Exim Bank (KEXIM) Daehee Kim.
The secretary general of the Indonesian Transportation Ministry, Djoko Sasono, director general of railways, Zulfikri, and head of the Jabodetabek Transportation Management Agency, Polana B. Pramesti, were also present at the meeting. (Antaranews)
June
Increased credit for MSMEs helps expedite economic recovery: Economist
Written by Nur Yasmin
Increasing portion of bank lending for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) could accelerate economic recovery through boosting economic activity and job absorption, Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) economist Eko Listiyanto, stated.
"Encouraging banks to increase the portion of credit to MSMEs is one solution that can quickly have an impact on economic recovery. The MSMEs’ business turnover can relatively increase production quickly and can directly lead to absorption of workers," Listiyanto noted in his statement here on Monday.
In the midst of the dampened purchasing power of the people, marked by limited demand for MSMEs’ products, increasing economic activity at the MSMEs level is deemed as being the most prudent choice.
Listiyanto expounded that nationwide, the total bank credit for MSMEs was still very low, or at only 19.68 percent of the total national banking credit.
Apart from raising the credit distribution ceiling, the Indef economist also highlighted the need for incentive policies from banks to MSMEs in the form of assistance to increase the level of MSMEs to make them eligible for funding by banks.
"If they (MSMEs) are not guided, then their business will likely always be small or even become the target of various forms of illegal non-formal financing that currently surrounds them," he remarked.
The government has, in fact, encouraged state-owned banks to raise the credit ceiling for MSMEs. However, only BRI Bank is willing to do so by targeting lending of up to 85 percent to MSMEs.
Until the end of March 2021, BRI's credit distribution was recorded at Rp914.19 trillion, supported by the growth of micro loans reaching Rp360.03 trillion, or a 12.43-percent growth, as compared to the corresponding period in the previous year, while consumer loans grew by 1.62 percent to reach Rp145. 06 trillion, from the same period in the previous year.
BRI President Director Sunarso targets MSMEs lending to continue to increase to reach 85 percent of the current MSMEs loan portfolio of 80.60 percent of all BRI loans.
"This figure shows an improvement, as compared to the March 2020 period during which the portion for MSMEs was recorded at 78.71 percent. We will continually strive to increase the portion for MSMEs to reach 85 percent of the total loan portfolio," Sunarso noted.
In the meantime, Director of the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS) Bhima Yudhistira remarked that bank credit can be an instrument to encourage developments in the MSMEs sector during the pandemic.
"MSMEs actors, who get business capital from banks, can recruit employees, buy raw materials, and help the family economy because MSMEs actors are usually household-scale businesses," he stated.
MSMEs, if managed properly with various incentives and the right policies, will be able to help boost the purchasing power of people from the middle and lower class brackets.
Yudhistira believes that the portion of MSMEs credit from national banking credit should reach 30-40 percent. However, currently, the total credit for MSMEs is only around 19.68 percent.
Apart from BRI, which focuses on developing MSMEs, other banks are unable to provide 20 percent of the credit to the MSMEs sector.
"This (target) should not be an obstacle, as banks can make distributions to BPR and fintech as well," he remarked.
Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir had earlier directed BRI to optimize its services to MSMEs players, with credit allocations of up to 80 percent.
Thohir expressed belief that 80 percent of the credit for MSMEs from BRI could be realized as BRI continues to expand. (Antaranews)