VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

A landslide that hit Kompasa hamlet, Loka village, Rumbia sub-district, Jeneponto district, South Sulawesi province, on October 14, 2022, was triggered by the destruction of the Bontolojong protected forest, a non-governmental organization has said.

“So, the landslide was not only caused by heavy rainfall, but also due to forest damage, due to deforestation by irresponsible persons," chairperson of an environmental NGO called Gempa Indonesian Amiruddin Kr Tinggi said here on Monday.

Over the past two years, floods and landslides have been recorded in areas upstream of Kompasa hamlet during the rainy season.

According to him, the natural disasters have occurred two years after the deforestation in the protected forest and the conversion of protected forest areas into agro-tourism sites, soccer fields, vegetable gardens, cattle farms, fish ponds, and paving of roads using heavy equipment in Ujung Bulu area.

Floods and landslides that claimed victims in Rumbia sub-district, Jeneponto, will continue to pose a threat as long as the Bontolojong forest is not protected and reforested by the Forestry Office with the help of the local community, he remarked.

For hundreds of years, Loka Rumbia had never been flooded nor hit by landslides. However, in the past two years, it has experienced floods and landslides following deforestation in parts of the Bontolojong protected forest.

Tinggi urged the local government and relevant parties to repair the environmental damage to prevent disasters in the future.

Meanwhile, executive director of the Celebes Journal, Mustam Arif, shared a similar view.

He said that forest damage leads to erosion because when it rains, there is no longer anything to hold water. Trees function as a reservoir of water reserves as well as a barrier to abundant water, hence they help prevent flooding, he explained.

"Therefore, all parties must join hands to repair the environmental damage and not let it get worse," he said. (Antaranews)

Agent banks and Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) have helped accelerate national financial inclusion in recent years, according to Deputy Minister II of State-Owned Enterprises Kartika Wirjoatmodjo.

He cited a survey conducted by the Financial Services Authority (OJK), which showed that Indonesia's financial inclusion index increased significantly from around 50 percent in 2015 to 83.4 percent in 2021.

"I think these two services (agent banks and QRIS) are the key of the increase in financial inclusion, from 50 percent (in 2015) to 84 percent in 2021," Wirjoatmodjo said at the SOE international conference on “The Role of SOEs in Broadening Financial Access,” which was followed online from here on Monday.

Furthermore, the two services initiated by the government have created an ecosystem in which there are many micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) actors involved, which has ultimately contributed to encouraging national economic growth.

In addition, the two services have also made it easier for citizens living in the maritime or archipelagic country.

"These two services (agent banks and QRIS) make it easier for people on every island to access banking remotely, without having to come to a branch office," Wirjoatmodjo pointed out.

Speaking at the conference on Monday, he informed that the government is improving financial inclusion for ultra micro business actors. Of the 45 million ultra micro business actors in the country, 30 million do not have proper financial access.

"They (ultra micro business actors) already have a bank account or financial payment. However, they do not have adequate access to finance," Wirjoatmodjo noted.

Not only that, for increasing financial inclusion, financial literacy is being honed and consumer protection improved.

"The community not only has easy access to finance but also has access to protection, this is very important," Wirjoatmodjo said.

The financial inclusion index in Indonesia reached 83.6 percent in 2021, and several key indicators supported the achievement, including an increase in access to finance, acceleration of the use of formal financial services, and improvement in the quality of financial services. (Antaranews)

State-owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir expressed belief that the Indonesia Water Fund (IWF) could be an alternative solution to expand clean water access for all Indonesians.

"Through synergy between state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and private and global strategic partners, IWF is expected to be an alternative solution for the government in expanding clean water access to the public funded through non-state budget sources," Thohir stated at the SOE International Conference and the launch of IWF here, Monday.

The minister affirmed that the IWF is a platform, initiated by the SOE ministry, to support and accelerate investment in the provision of the clean water system for residents whose homes have no clean water access, which is a recurring issue in some countries, including Indonesia.

Only 23 percent of Indonesians have access to clean water, while other residents are struggling to get clean water daily and must pay Rp65-140 thousand (US$4.2-9.1) for a cubic meter of clean water, the minister added.

In performing their role as the agents of development, Indonesian SOEs have supported various programs, such as funding for ultra-micro businesses and the implementation of national strategic projects that can create new jobs.

"In future, we will continue implementing programs with positive impacts on Indonesians' quality of life," Thohir remarked.

The ministry prepared the clean water fund for several months before its launch during the G20 event in Bali, he remarked while adding that state holding company Danareksa had been assigned to oversee the project.

He noted that a pilot project is under development in Subang, West Java. The project is developed with a business model as an example for regional authorities to ensure the project's sustainability and benefit for residents, the minister added. (Antaranews)

Deputy Minister of Environment and Forestry Alue Dohong has encouraged the public to minimize waste in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai District, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province.

  "We must be committed to minimizing waste, thus Labuan Bajo can remain beautiful," he remarked on the sidelines of mass cleaning activity at  Gorontalo Beach, here on Sunday.

  He has noted that Labuan Bajo, as one of the super priority tourism destinations designated by the Indonesian government, certainly has a strong charm for  tourists.

  As a tourism attraction, the area must be clean. If the area is dirty, it will reduce the appeal of Labuan Bajo, thus declining the number of tourists who want to visit the region.

  The cleaning activity, joined by hundreds of residents, was part of the Waste Collection for Philanthropy Act Movement (Gradasi).

  The movement was launched by Indonesian Environment and Forestry Ministry, National Coordinating Team for Handling Marine Waste, as well as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on Friday (October 14, 2022) at the West Manggarai District’s office hall.

  A total of 240.1 kilogram (kg) of waste was collected by the participants during the cleaning activity. Labuan Bajo is recorded to produce 13 tons of waste each day.

  Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific of UNDP Kanni Wignaraja has stated that the youngsters need to be involved in dealing with waste problems.

  Hence, she invited all parties, especially young people, to collaborate in preserving the earth by participating in implementing waste management in Labuan Bajo.

  "It is important to invite and involve the younger generations, especially children, to understand and participate in such activities," she added.

  During the waste cleaning activity, the West Manggarai District Government conveyed a commitment to handle the waste problem by involving the local community. (Antaranews)