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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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December
The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Shanghai in collaboration with the Shanghai Art Collection Museum opened a photo exhibition with the theme "Friendship Thru The Lenses" in Shanghai on Friday (18/12) afternoon.
The exhibition which was held at the Shanghai Art Collection Museum was to commemorate 70 years of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and China.
During the opening ceremony of the exhibition, the Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia Shanghai, Denny W Kurnia said, since President Xi Jinping announced the initiative of the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road" in Indonesia in October 2013, relations between Indonesia and China have entered a new chapter.
In the current Covid 19 pandemic, Indonesia and China are joining hands to fight the pandemic and overcome common difficulties. Denny Kurnia hopes that through this photography exhibition, Shanghai residents can better understand Indonesia's traditional culture and arts, and increase exchange and friendship between the two parties.
Meanwhile, Hu Muqing, Head of the Shanghai Art Collection Museum explained, China and Indonesia have always been friendly neighbors and important partners, and the two countries have a solid foundation for close non-governmental cooperation and exchange.
He said the Shanghai Art Museum has established a good cooperative relationship with the Indonesian Consulate General in Shanghai for many years, especially the previous international traditional art exhibition organized by the Shanghai Art Collection Museum, the International Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Forum (Shanghai), and the Art Exhibition.
In activities such as the International Youth and Children's Art Science Exhibition, the Indonesian side actively organizes works to participate in the exhibition and provides great support and assistance to the museum.
Indonesian Art Performances
The Indonesian Consulate General in Shanghai also performed typical Indonesian performances at the opening ceremony, including Indonesian martial arts, dance, and angklung, and received a warm welcome from visitors.
The exhibition is divided into four sections: "Beautiful Scenery", "Charming Culture", "Color Illustrations", and "Second Home Village", each presenting world-famous Indonesian landscapes, captivating humanistic traits, and creative illustration art. Apart from that, there were also many exhibitions on traditional Indonesian handicrafts, clothes, jewelry, food, and others.
The exhibition will run until the end of December 31st.
During the exhibition, the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Shanghai also presented performances of traditional Indonesian musical instruments, traditional costumes, and dance performances, to present traditional Indonesian culture and arts from various perspectives to the citizens of Shanghai.
The opening ceremony was also attended by the Deputy Mayor of Changning District, Lu Hao, as well as representatives of friendly countries and international organizations in Shanghai. (VOI/Kevin Zhao)
December
Indonesia's maritime conservation area reaches 23.91 million hectares
Written by Nur YasminIndonesia's maritime conservation areas have reached 23.91 million hectares in 201 regions, according to the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (KKP).
"In an effort to reach the target of 23.8 million hectares of maritime conservation area in 2020, KKP has established five Regional Maritime Conservation in West Kalimantan that covered a total area of 644,674 hectares," acting Director General of Marine Spatial Management of the ministry Tb Haeru Rahayu said in a statement here on Sunday.
The maritime conservation area is expected to become a key instrument in fishery resources management and bring positive impact to the ecosystem as well as the coastal community's life, he said.
The five new regional maritime conservation areas (KKPD) are Kubu Raya and North Kayong conservation area, KKPD Randayan Island, KKPD Kubu Raya, KKPD Kendawangan, and KKPD Paloh.
The authority to manage the five conservation areas would be held by the West Kalimantan Governor.
Head of the Regional Marine and Coastal Resources Management (BPSPL) of Pontianak Getreda M Hehanussa said, the agency in 2019 worked closely with the West Kalimantan's Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office in the zoning and management planning of the maritime conservation areas.
According to Hehanussa, the most important element in the zoning and management planning is identification and determination of conservation target.
"The establishment of the Maritime, Coastal and Small Islands Conservation Area in West Kalimantan is expected to improve the areas' management to reach the goals of conservation that include protection, preservation, and utilization for people's welfare in West Kalimantan and the sustainability of marine and fisheries resources," Hehanussa said.
Indonesia has targeted to establish 32,5 million hectares of maritime conservation area by 2030 or some 10 percent of the country's total maritime area.
Hehanussa said, of the total 201 areas, 88 of them have been approved by the ministry while 113 others are reserved as conservation area. (antaranews)
December
Indonesia needs to build global support for palm oil: ministry
Written by Nur YasminIndonesia needs to build support in the global market to tackle the negative sentiment in the European Union for its palm oil, an official from the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs has said.
“For me, it is about how we build the spirit from the inside, or build sympathy from the global market, on the fact that Indonesian palm oil has been managed in a sustainable manner,” deputy for food coordination and agribusiness coordination at the ministry, Musdhalifah Mahmud, said.
She made the remarks at a webinar on 'Indonesian Palm Oil's Future in the European Union Market Post COVID-19’ in Jakarta on Thursday.
The livelihoods of 18 million Indonesian workers depend on the country's palm oil production, she pointed out. The industry can also pave the way for economic development in the rural areas of Indonesia, where the economy is still lagging the rest of the country, she added.
Many regions in Indonesia, she noted, need their economies to be elevated, and they have yet to gain access to economic development, education, and health. One of the measures to empower them is developing palm oil products, she said.
"Perhaps it can be done by initiating a tagline that describes our palm oil, it is not something glamorous or exclusive, rather, it is something that captures the need of our country for the people," she suggested.
The EU remains an important and stable market for Indonesian palm oil exports till date, despite a downward trend in demand, she noted.
Up until October, 2020, the European Union market absorbed 24 percent, worth US$1.40 billion, of the total exports of Indonesian crude palm oil (CPO).
The total exports of Indonesian crude palm oil reached US$5.85 billion in October, 2020, despite the various obstacles imposed by the EU, Mahmud said.
However, the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) II, allegations of subsidies, and dumping have had an impact on the export of palm biofuels, even though this has been compensated for by exports for food and industrial purposes, she observed.
Aside from crude palm oil products, the European Union is also a market for Indonesia's palm oil core products and other palm products.
Before 2020, exports of palm kernel crude oil to countries in the European Union accounted for 33.9 percent of the total exports of such products, or amounting to US$72 million. (antaranews)
December
LIPI: Indonesia's Economic Growth in 2021 Depends on Covid-19 Vaccination
Written by Nur YasminHead of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) Economic Research Center Agus Eko Nugroho said that Indonesia's economic growth in 2021 will greatly depend on the success of the Covid-19 vaccination, which is currently being echoed by the government.
In a webinar with the theme Reflections on Indonesia's Economy in the 2020 Pandemic Period and 2021 Economic Recovery Efforts which were held virtually, Thursday (17/12/2020), Agus Eko Nugroho said that the success of Covid-19 vaccination would be able to boost Indonesia's economic growth, including increasing people's purchasing power again.
"Economic growth will experience a movement which depends on how the vaccine is available. And this is what I think the government needs to pay attention to where the presence of vaccines will boost consumption expectations," he said.
"This is what I think from there. If we observe the growth, say 50 percent vaccine, there will be quite significant economic growth, which is around 3-37 percent," he added.
"And if for example, we can boost up to the existence of 3-5 vaccines it could reach 4 percent as an achievement. And this assumes that human movement and expectations of consumption will be significant," Agus said.
Furthermore, Agus Eko Nugroho also conveyed that efforts to maintain economic stability during a pandemic require public compliance with health protocols.
Apart from that, an economic stimulus is also needed to boost household consumption and prevent an increase in the unemployment rate. (voi/ndy)
December
Ambassador Ibnu Hadi received more award from the Vietnamese Government
Written by Nur Yasmin
December
Government's budget reallocation for procuring free COVID-19 vaccine
Written by Nur YasminThe Indonesian government will reallocate the 2021 ministerial and institutional budget for the procurement of free COVID-19 vaccine for the public.
"I also instruct the finance minister to prioritize budget reallocation for the procurement of free vaccination," President Joko Widodo stated at the Merdeka Palace here on Wednesday.
"There is no reason for the public to not get vaccinated," he emphasized.
The head of state noted that the government had decided to provide free COVID-19 vaccine to the public after receiving several inputs from the community.
"After re-calculating the state’s financial standing, I can confirm that the COVID-19 vaccine would be offered free of charge to the public," he stated.
The head of state has instructed ministries and state institutions as well as local governments to accord priority to the vaccination program in the 2021 budget.
The government received 1.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac on Sunday (Dec 6) and will receive another 1.8 million doses in early January of 2021.
According to the health minister's decree, dated December 3, 2020, the government will use six types of COVID-19 vaccine including those produced by PT Bio Farma, AstraZeneca, China National Pharmaceutical Group Corporation (Sinopharm), Moderna, Pfizer Inc and BioNTech, and Sinovac Biotech Ltd.
Vaccination will be conducted after the Drug and Food Control Agency (BPOM) issues an emergency-use authorization.
The BPOM awaits the clinical test result for the COVID-19 vaccine and data from China's Sinovac Biotech before issuing vaccine authorization, COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Working Committee Chairperson Airlangga Hartarto stated.
Hartarto, concurrently the coordinating minister for economic affairs, emphasized the need for the country to prepare 320 million vaccine doses to inoculate some 160 million people. (antaranews)
December
EU allots Rp28.9 billion funding for COVID-19 handling in Indonesia
Written by Nur YasminEuropean Union (EU) Ambassador to Indonesia Vincent Piket revealed that the 27-nation bloc had apportioned Rp28.9 billion in funds to facilitate handling the impact of COVID-19 in Indonesia.
"The European Union has allocated Rp28.9 billion in funds to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the community, particularly children, in several regions in Indonesia," he stated during the virtual launch of "Indonesia COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency Response (I-COPE)" in cooperation with Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) on Wednesday.
The I-COPE program is aimed at curtailing the impact of COVID-19 on the community, particularly children prone to the impact of the infection, he remarked.
The assistance is a manifestation of cooperation between Indonesia and the EU, he affirmed.
"The European Union government is optimistic that the I-COPE program would be able to help the community affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, so that the people's economy would rebound, and children would be able to conduct activities well," he remarked.
The I-COPE program focuses on preventing the transmission of COVID-19 and mitigating its impact on vulnerable children and families in 90 villages in Jakarta, East Java, Ternate City, North Halmahera District in North Maluku, East Sumba District, and Southwest Sumba District in East Nusa Tenggara.
The program will target 1.1 million people comprising 12 thousand of the vulnerable group, including children, women, and senior citizens as well as people with disabilities, who are at high risk of contracting COVID-19.
WVI Director Doseba Sinay affirmed that the I-COPE project will last for 24 months, with the objective of intensifying efforts to avert the spread of COVID-19, providing assistance for sustainable economic recovery through the micro economic initiative, and implementing the cash voucher program. (antaranews)
December
Public to not be charged for COVID-19 vaccine: Jokowi
Written by Nur YasminPresident Joko Widodo (Jokowi) averred here on Wednesday that the COVID-19 vaccine will be administered at no cost to the public.
"After receiving many inputs from the public and making re-calculation, and re-calculating the state financial standing, I can confirm that the COVID-19 vaccine would be offered free of charge to the public," Jokowi stated during a press conference aired by the Presidential Secretariat.
The head of state has instructed ministries and state institutions as well as local governments to accord priority to the vaccination program in the 2021 budget.
The president also instructed Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati to prioritize and re-divert funding from other sectors for offering free vaccination.
"Hence, there is no reason for the public to not get the vaccine," Jokowi emphasized.
The 1.2 million vaccines recently procured by the government will be prioritized for groups that are most at risk of contracting COVID-19, especially medical personnel, Dr Masdalina Pane from the Indonesian Epidemiologists Association (PAEI) revealed recently.
The next group to be prioritized during vaccination are individuals providing services to the community and thereafter highly mobile people.
Pane made a public appeal to always exercise discipline in implementing the 3M protocols of wearing masks, washing hands with soap, maintaining distance, and avoiding crowds to prevent transmission of COVID-19.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, is not expected to disappear any time soon. Hence, by applying the 3M protocols, communities will be able to conduct activities while continuing to co-exist with COVID-19, Masdalina noted. (Antaranews)
December
Public service reform to reduce likelihood of corruption: President
Written by Nur YasminPresident Joko Widodo (Jokowi) highlighted the government's continued efforts to reform public service and licensing sectors to lower the possibility of corruption.
Reforming sectors related to public interests, including the micro, small, and medium business sector, will be high on the list of the government's priorities, the head of state noted at a virtual function marking World Anti-Corruption Day 2020 from the State Palace here on Wednesday.
"Sectors directly related to the interests of people at large, sectors influencing the business ecosystem, particularly micro, small, and medium businesses, became the center of the government's attention," he affirmed.
The government will continue to structurally reform the sectors on a large scale. To this end, it will simplify overlapping and complicated regulations and bureaucracy, he noted.
"This will be supported by the application of digital technology, such as e-budgeting, e-procurement, e-audit, and other applications," he remarked.
System improvement necessitates effective internal and external supervision involving non-government institutions and public participation, he stated.
"The professionalism of law enforcement apparatuses plays a central role in taking action against and preventing (corruption)," he affirmed. (Antaranews)
December
Finance Minister sheds light on digital transformation policy
Written by Nur YasminFinance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati spoke at length on the digital transformation policy direction for the 2020-2024 period to optimize the potential to maintain financial system stability.
Digital technology can boost the economy but concurrently has the potential to create disruption and instability, for which the right policy direction is deemed necessary, Indrawati affirmed.
"Maintaining financial system stability by leveraging digital technology has become crucial," the minister noted in Jakarta at a virtual Indonesia Digital Conference on Wednesday.
Indrawati highlighted five strategic issues that have become the basis to design the policy on digital transformation, including to address the shortcomings of no internet service in four thousand villages, merely 54.7 percent of the country's population being internet users, slow internet speed with fixed broadband speed of 14 Mbps as compared to the global average of 43 Mbps, and national mobile broadband speed at 10 Mbps as compared to 22.16 Mbps of the global average.
Another strategic issue is the least developed industry in information and communication technology coupled with inadequate quality and quantity of human resources in the sector.
"In order for Indonesia to optimize and maximize the potential of the digital economy, we need to support various policies on infrastructure and human resources," she pointed out.
The government has readied three strategies to implement digital transformation: the completion of information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure development, the use of digital infrastructure, and development of supporting facilities.
Four key indicators for the development of ICT infrastructure are the coverage of optical fiber or Palapa Ring, fixed internet broadband speed of 25 Mbps and mobile broadband speed of 20 Mbps, increased ICT Development Index reaching 5-5.3 points, and 100-percent digital broadcast.
The use of digital infrastructure covered five indicators: establishment of three new startup unicorns, implementation of electronic-based government services, online service for farmers and fishermen, smart cities, and scholarship for digital talent.
The development of supporting facilities encompasses three indicators: Indonesian one data, intra-government network, and national data center.
"During the COVID-19 pandemic, we can see that this transformation has run remarkably fast, so we need to accelerate the development of infrastructure in this digital information and communication sector," she stated.
According to Indrawati, the digital transformation policy aims to create equal communication access across Indonesia and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of government services for the public and businesspersons.
"It should not only be enjoyed by big cities or provinces with advanced infrastructure. We are optimistic that all regions would be covered by the digital infrastructure," she remarked. (antaranews)
