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.
Chief of the Committee for COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery, Erick Thohir, said he believed 15 million Indonesians will receive 30 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at the end of 2020 if clinical trials for the vaccine run well.
"If one person needs two doses, then some 15 million people will be vaccinated at the end of 2020," he said at a working meeting with Commission IX of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta on Thursday.
The 30 million doses of vaccine will be produced and procured in 2020 through cooperation with Sinovac of China and G42 of the United Arab Emirates.
The two types of vaccines will be administered at an interval of two weeks under a doubling dose regimen.
Thohir, who is also the state-owned enterprises minister, said the vaccines can be used if they do well in clinical trials conducted by the two companies.
Sinovac has committed to supplying raw materials for the production of 20 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of 2020 and for 250 million doses in 2021, with a 10-percent overfill, he informed.
Meanwhile, G42 has also committed to supplying 10 million doses of the vaccine in December, 2020, and another 50 million doses in the first quarter of 2021 to Indonesia.
According to the latest information, the vaccine would be administered to people aged between 18 and 59 years. At present, the vaccine is being developed for people aged less than 18 years.
In addition to Sinovac and G42, the Indonesian government is also exploring the possibility of cooperating with other vaccine producers such as AstraZeneca of Europe, besides the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation of the US.
Indonesia is also determined to develop its Red and White COVID-19 vaccine on its own, the minister said.
Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi had stated earlier that China and the United Arab Emirates have assured they would supply 290 million to 340 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Indonesia by the end of 2021.
Last week, Marsudi and Thohir paid visits to China and the United Arab Emirates as part of efforts to secure COVID-19 vaccine supplies. (ANTARA)
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) launched monthly wage subsidy assistance of Rp600 thousand to be disbursed for a four-month period to 15.7 million workers drawing a salary of below Rp5 million a month.
During the launch of the cash assistance-based incentive at the State Palace, Jakarta, Thursday, President Jokowi revealed that the salary subsidy will initially be distributed to 2.5 million workers and thereafter gradually dispensed to the other 15.7 million formal workers. The stage-wise distribution of aid will be conducted until the end of September 2020.
Salary subsidies are distributed via bank transfer every two months, under the first stage, for a period of four months. Thus, in the first stage, salary subsidy assistance of Rp1.2 million was distributed, while the rest will be disbursed over the next two months.
"Today, I think workers, who receive wage subsidy assistance, include honorary teachers, honorary firefighters, honorary hotel employees, and nurse medical personnel, what else? There are cleaners, hotel employees, and others. Those actively paying the Workers Social Security Agency (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) fees will be offered wage subsidy assistance," President Jokowi remarked.
Attendees at the launch also comprised Coordinating Minister for Economy Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir, and Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah.
One of the criteria for receiving subsidized wages are workers, who are active participants in BPJS Ketenagakerjaan and are diligent about paying contributions.
President Jokowi is optimistic that this salary subsidy assistance would be able to encourage public consumption.
"We are upbeat that, once again, household consumption will not be disturbed, and the people's purchasing power will increase. We are optimistic that our country's economic growth would return to normal," President Jokowi stated.
The head of state remarked that this salary subsidy assistance is a series of aid that the government provides to the community to placate the social and economic burden of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to the distribution of this salary subsidy assistance, the government has distributed productive assistance of Rp2.4 million for micro and small businesses, social cash assistance of Rp600 thousand per month, direct cash assistance (BLT) for village funds of Rp600 thousand per month, free electricity tariffs for 450-VA household consumers, and assistance through the provision of basic food cards and pre-employment cards for employees affected by the termination of employment (PHK).
"Today, we will complete the additional assistance in the form of wage subsidy assistance of Rp600 thousand per month that will be given for four months to 15.7 million workers," he added. (ANTARA)
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) emphasized that the main corridor of the Trans-Sumatra toll road sections in Aceh must be integrated with and connected to the province's tourism and agricultural centers, as well as industrial areas.
Thus, the people, at large, could optimally benefit from the construction of the toll road sections in Indonesia's westernmost province, he stated in connection with the inauguration of the Banda Aceh-Sigli Toll Road Section 4 on Tuesday.
President Jokowi echoed his aspirations that with the presence of the toll roads, Aceh would be able to emerge as a new epicenter of Sumatra Island's economic growth.
The head of state also highlighted the significance of involving micro, small, and medium enterprises in the province's economic development to enable them to benefit from the development.
On Tuesday, President Jokowi inaugurated the Sigli-Blang Bintang Toll Road as the section 4 of the 74-kilometer-long Banda Aceh-Sigli Toll Road.
This first toll road section in Aceh Province is part of the Trans-Sumatra toll road construction project.
Since the first and second leadership terms of President Jokowi, infrastructure has held special significance, with the remarkable extension of toll roads being testament to it.
According to the Public Works and Housing Ministry, during President Jokowi’s first leadership term, at least 941 kilometers of toll roads and 3,423 kilometers of national roads were constructed.
Work on the Trans-Java Highway that connects the ferry port in Merak, Banten Province, to Surabaya, the capital city of East Java Province, is complete, thereby reducing the travel time and current logistics costs.
As part of the central government's prioritized development projects, the toll roads are not merely constructed in Java, but they are also built outside the island, such as in Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.
In Sumatra Island, several sections of the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road have been completed, while the government is eyeing to complete entire sections in 2024.
Work on the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road Construction project is still underway. State-owned construction companies involved in the project have striven ceaselessly to ensure it is completed in line with the set target. (ANTARA)
Jakarta (VOI News) - Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi said that the fulfillment of the COVID-19 vaccine for the short term, especially for 2020 and 2021, has been secured. This was conveyed by Retno Marsudi during a press conference after the Limited Meeting at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Monday (24/8). In this effort, last week Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Minister of State-Owned Enterprises as the Chief Executive of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery Erick Thohir visited China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Retno Marsudi explained that the result of the visit was that Indonesia managed to secure a commitment of up to 340 million doses of vaccines.
"From visiting these two countries, we can say that for 2020, we have secured a commitment of 20 to 30 million vaccines. Meanwhile for 2021 for the first quarter, we can secure between 80 and 130 million vaccines. While for the 2nd to the 4th quarters, we have secured 210 million vaccines. Thus, if we talk about numbers for 2021, the number we can secure is 290 million to 340 million," said Retno Marsudi.
Retno Marsudi added that the government is making short-term and long-term efforts to meet the needs of the COVID-19 vaccine. Short-term efforts include securing vaccine supplies from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China. The long-term effort is to achieve independence in producing the vaccine. (voi / nouva / edit r/AHM)
The government is committed to accelerating a “national digital transformation” through five priority programs, including establishing and extending the geographic coverage of 4G services nationwide within the next two years, Communication and Information Minister Johnny G. Plate said on Saturday.
“By the end of 2022 at the latest, 4G services will be available across the country which will enable all citizens to migrate and shift into a digital society era,” Johnny said during a public discussion in Jakarta on Saturday.
Some 12,500 villages and subdistricts across the country currently do not have reliable access to the internet, he said.
“We will increase the ratio of internet access nationwide, decrease disparity of internet access between regions and [establish] a fast internet connection.”
Johnny also vowed to develop the public’s digital literacy, especially for micro, small and medium enterprises, as well as farmers and fishermen.
Previously, the ministry collaborated with more than 100 communities in the country to carry out digital literacy programs nationwide to educate the public on staying safe while navigating the digital world and understanding the signs of online fraud. According to the Global World Digital Competitiveness Index, which uses digital literacy as one of its indicators, Indonesia ranks 56th out of 63 countries in 2019, despite having 175.4 million internet users. (Jakarta Post)
Presidential spokesman Fadjroel Rachman stressed that President Joko Widodo has no plan to reshuffle his cabinet and is still focusing on the handling of COVID-19 pandemic.
"All ministries in the Indonesia Onward Cabinet have focused on the handling of COVID-19 and the recovery and transformation of national economy. Hence, there is no plan to reshuffle the cabinet," Rachman said in a statement in Jakarta on Sunday.
The country, he continued, would need to work hard and fast to create innovation.
President Jokowi has emphasized on working speed and innovation in central as well as local government, and collaboration of all stakeholders to escape from the health and economic crisis.
Rachman said, the president has instructed his aides to remain focus on their works and use the momentum of crisis to make a big leap.
Previously State Secretary Minister Pratikno said that people would need the government's fast and focused works to mitigate the pandemic. All ministers should also work in synergy to tackle the crisis.
"Once again, there is no cabinet reshuffle. President Joko Widodo has instructed all ministers to focus on their works, focus on efforts to handle the crisis, and focus on ways to turn the crisis into big leap in all sector, and take a fundamental reform as a pre-condition for advanced Indonesia," Rachman said. (ANTARA)
PHOTO : KOMPAS
Special Staff of the Minister of SOE Arya Sinulingga said that PT Bio Farma (Persero) will work on a serial number of processes from the raw material of the COVID-19 vaccine from Sinovac to become the final product. This raw material will be formulated, then filling and packaging. These three processes are carried out by the Bio Farma. Arya Sinulingga in Jakarta on Saturday, August 22, added that once the series of processes has been passed, the final product will be packaged and delivered to the public//Antara/translated by PTR
With 2,017 additional recoveries from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Thursday, the tally reached 100,674, so far, while the number of new confirmed cases touched 2,266, bringing the count to 147,211 nationwide.
Based on the Ministry of Health's information update here on Thursday, the data also indicated that the number of deceased increased by 72, thereby bringing the death toll to 6,418.
Jakarta is the province with the highest number of recoveries nationwide, with 774 people recovering, followed by 409 people in East Java and 136 patients in Central Java.
On the other hand, the largest number of new fresh cases were reported in Jakarta reaching 594 on Thursday, followed by 371 in East Java and 199 in West Java.
At least 13 provinces recorded new confirmed cases below 10 within the last 24 hours.
Furthermore, five provinces recorded zero cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.
Bengkulu, Jambi, Central Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, and Gorontalo were the five provinces with zero cases. In the meantime, West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Police Chief Inspector General Mohammad Iqbal on Wednesday revealed that the Gili Trawangan tourist destination in North Lombok District was declared free from COVID-19 or had zero cases.
"We ensure that tourism in Gili Trawangan (is safe), as it has zero (COVID-19 cases). No cases of the virus at all, at zero. There are no more virus infections," Iqbal noted on Wednesday.
To keep Gili Trawangan safe and free from COVID-19, Iqbal has deployed his officers along with the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) and tourism service officers to patrol the region and continually supervise the implementation of health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
According to Iqbal, officers will ensure that people, including tourists, wear face masks. He believes it would be better if the officers checked their body temperature and had sound health records.
"Please come to visit. However, we will order those, who do not (comply with the health protocols), to go home," he remarked.(ANTARA)
The Communication and Informatics Ministry virtually launched a new set of stamps featuring President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin as part of the commemoration of Indonesia's 75th Independence Anniversary, Jakarta, on Wednesday.
"The launch of the series of stamps featuring President Joko Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin reflects our respect for them as leaders elected by the Indonesian people through the process of extensive practice of democracy," Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate noted in his address on Wednesday.
The president and vice president stamp series are issued for every period of the government as a state document to honor the services of leaders, Plate expounded.
"The president and vice president (series) are very important and are phenomenal stamps as state documents. The president and vice president's stamp series are always awaited, and their figures are captured in the form of special stamps," he explained.
Vice President Amin, in his speech, pointed to a shift in the meaning of stamps along with rapid developments in information and communication technology.
VP Amin drew attention to the fact that postage stamps have become an important and intrinsic part of every historic event of the Indonesian nation and society.
"The long-standing history of stamps proves that they are not only a means of paying for postal delivery but are also a medium for visualizing values of the society’s diversity and also the sovereignty of a country," he remarked.
Vice President Amin signed a series of stamps for the president and vice president at the vice president's official residence in Jakarta, Monday (August 17), shortly before attending the ceremony to lower the national flag.
In addition to the series of stamps from President Jokowi and Vice President Amin, the Ministry of Communication and Information launched three other stamps: the 75th Anniversary of Indonesian Independence series, the COVID-19 countermeasures series, as well as a series of well-known artists and music groups.
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Polhukam) Mahfud MD, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, Minister of Health Terawan Agus Putranto, and Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Doni Monardo were also virtually present at the launch. (ANTARA).
President Joko Widodo wore the traditional costume of East Nusa Tenggara province (NTT), which features the Kaif motif woven cloth, during the flag hoisting ceremony on the 75th Independence Day, held at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Monday.
The dress reflected the colors of the Indonesian flag — red and white. The red color in the costume symbolized the bravery of men from Nunkolo, a sub-district located in Southern Central Timor District of NTT, according to the media communication team for the Indonesian Independence Day celebrations.
The Kaif presents a modified motif of geometrical patterns with a central bar to represent water sources and wavy-edge lines to imitate hilly, winding areas.
Some accessories were added to Jokowi’s attire, including Dester or Pilu, a headband which forms two small horns, symbolic of a "protective king", and, a bag for carrying betel nuts, reflecting the tradition of betel chewing that symbolizes unity and is considered a sign of caring and respect. (ANTARA)