VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) spoke of being informed of the global economic crisis being a real challenge, and several nations have felt its impacts amid the ongoing global novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

The International Monetary Fund has forecast that this year, several countries would experience an economic contraction, he remarked on the sidelines of his working visit to witness up-close the COVID-19 mitigation efforts in Surabaya, the capital of East Java Province, on Thursday.

The US economy was projected to contract up to minus eight percent, while those of Japan, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, and Germany would decline to -5.8 percent, -10.2 percent, -12.5 percent, -12.8 percent, - 12.8 percent, and -7.5 percent respectively.

"What does this mean? It means that supply, demand, and production will get disrupted. We must be aware of the fact that while we are handling public health issues, we still reel from the other problem that is the economy," President Jokowi remarked.

Hence, this calls for maintaining a balance in pushing the brake and accelerator pedals in managing the public health and economic crises.  

"We cannot push economic matters, but health issues are ignored," he noted.

"In its place, we cannot also focus solely on health issues, but the economy gets disrupted. I have repeatedly informed the regional leaders to push 'the brake and accelerator pedals' in a balanced mode. This is now challenging," he reiterated.

In facing this reality, President Jokowi has urged the nation to have the mental fortitude, as all countries, including Indonesia, are reeling from public health and economic crises owing to the impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The public health and economic crises, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, have undoubtedly encumbered several nations.

"The disease has not solely affected Indonesia since it has spread to 215 countries," President Jokowi noted.

To ensure that the country wins the battle against this pandemic, President Jokowi urged all Indonesians to stay sentient of the significance of practicing measures mandated by the healthcare and COVID-19 protocols, including wearing face masks and avoiding crowds.

Hence, the people at large must not misinterpret that since it is the new normal era, so it is unnecessary to wear face masks while venturing outdoors and practice physical distancing measures to break the chain of COVID-19 outbreak.

Coronavirus infections initially surfaced in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019.

Since then, COVID-19 has spread to over 215 countries and territories, including 34 provinces of Indonesia, with a massive spurt in death toll.

The Indonesian government officially confirmed the country's first cases on March 2 this year. The COVID-19 pandemic is undeniably a huge crisis in human history. (ANTARA)

President Joko Widodo appealed to ministries and related institutions to ensure sustainability and consistency in managing peat ecosystems to prevent land and forest fires.

"Peat ecosystem management is conducted consistently. I think the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), Peat Restoration Agency (BRG), and Public Works and Housing Ministry (PUPR) continue to make efforts to maintain the groundwater levels, so that the peat lands remain wet," President Widodo stated during a limited meeting themed "Anticipating Forest and Land Fires" in Istana Merdeka, Jakarta, Tuesday.

The head of state also called to build canal blocks and hundreds of ponds on peatlands to keep the lands wet. The canals and reservoirs will also maintain water availability around peatlands in the event of a fire.

Furthermore, the construction of bore wells focuses on peatland wetting.

"We have applied other technologies for peatland wetting, but we have to remain consistent," he stated.

The head of state reminded that the dry season would hit most of the Indonesian regions in August 2020.

The president pointed out that 17 percent of Indonesia's territory had experienced drought in April 2020, while 38 percent of the other regions in May 2020, and 27 percent in June 2020.

"Drought will occur in most regions in August. We still have a short preparation time of a month from now," the president added. (ANTARA)

President Joko Widodo appealed to ministries and related institutions to ensure sustainability and consistency in managing peat ecosystems to prevent land and forest fires.

"Peat ecosystem management is conducted consistently. I think the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), Peat Restoration Agency (BRG), and Public Works and Housing Ministry (PUPR) continue to make efforts to maintain the groundwater levels, so that the peat lands remain wet," President Widodo stated during a limited meeting themed "Anticipating Forest and Land Fires" in Istana Merdeka, Jakarta, Tuesday.

The head of state also called to build canal blocks and hundreds of ponds on peatlands to keep the lands wet. The canals and reservoirs will also maintain water availability around peatlands in the event of a fire.

Furthermore, the construction of bore wells focuses on peatland wetting.

"We have applied other technologies for peatland wetting, but we have to remain consistent," he stated.

The head of state reminded that the dry season would hit most of the Indonesian regions in August 2020.

The president pointed out that 17 percent of Indonesia's territory had experienced drought in April 2020, while 38 percent of the other regions in May 2020, and 27 percent in June 2020.

"Drought will occur in most regions in August. We still have a short preparation time of a month from now," the president added. (ANTARA)

President Joko Widodo highlighted the need to apply technology to prevent land and forest fires while monitoring fire-prone areas.

"Management on the field must be coordinated properly. Apply technology to monitor fire-prone areas and to update information," President Widodo stated at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Tuesday.

Widodo delivered the statement at a limited meeting themed "Anticipation of Forest and Land Fires," with attendees comprising several members of the Advanced Indonesian Cabinet, TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, National Police Chief Gen. Idham Azis, Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Doni Monardo, and other related officials.

"In the midst of our hectic activities related to the COVID-19 pandemic, we also have a major task of taking precautionary measures to tackle land and forest fires," the president remarked.

Quoting data, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) stated that 17 percent of Indonesia’s areas had experienced a dry season in April, 38 percent in May, and 27 percent in early June, while the rest would only witness the dry season in August.

"We still have a brief month-long preparation to remind this. However, as far as I remember, in January or February, we have already held a big meeting here, for which I remind you again," the president stated.

The president cited as an example the surveillance conducted through a dashboard system that has been implemented in Riau.

"Supervision through the dashboard system. I see that the Riau Police is very good at setting an example, and I have seen it directly. The dashboard can describe the situation on the ground in detail," the president remarked.

President Jokowi requested that all fire-prone areas emulate this approach.

"I think supervision will become easier. Moreover, in addition to technological instruments, we have monitoring infrastructure up to the bottom level, village supervisory non-commissioned officers (Babinsa), the police's security and public order officers (Bhabinkamtibmas), and village heads," the president expounded.

The main objective behind this is to extinguish the fires early on.

"This is because if land and forest fires are still small, we can handle them more effectively and efficiently," the president pointed out. (ANTARA)