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Editorial (922)
December
Vaccines Come, Health Protocols Are Still Applied - EDITORIAL
Sunday, December 6, 1.2 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine arrived at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Cengkareng, Banten from China. The vaccine produced by the Sinovac Company is part of the first stage procurement of 3 million doses of the SARS-CoV-2 type vaccine from China. In his press statement, President Joko Widodo said that there are still 1.8 million doses of Sinovac vaccine to come in January 2021. In addition, 45 million doses will arrive in the form of bulk raw materials for the manufacture of the Covid-19 vaccine in the same month. The arrival of the Covid-19 vaccine is the answer to the questions of the Indonesian people so far when the Covid-19 vaccine would arrive.
The arrival of this first batch of vaccines also provides new hope for the Indonesian people who have been tired of being hit by the Covid-19 pandemic for almost one year. According to Chairman of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery, Airlangga Hartarto, the implementation of vaccination will build a sense of security and confidence as a nation in carrying out various socio-economic activities to support health security, boost productivity, and maintain and increase national economic growth. The arrival of the Covid-19 vaccine needs welcoming. The vaccination programs give hope that this pandemic will end soon. But that high hope should not disobey caution.
The goal of vaccination is to reduce the number of pain and mortality due to a disease by building immunity so that it does not get sick even though it is exposed to a disease. Individual health impacts community health. The fewer sufferers are, the transmission is more likely to be prevented.
However, based on experience, vaccines cannot be given once. The same is the case with the Covid-19 vaccine. After getting the vaccine, don't think that someone is no longer likely to be exposed with Covid-19. Usually, there is a repeat of the vaccine periodically so that it is truly effective. Thereby, vaccination does not necessarily make the corona virus that causes Covid-19 disappear on this earth. That’s why, caution must be maintained. While vaccinations are running, health protocols must also be applied. Wearing a mask, keeping distance and washing hands are actually quite effective ways to prevent the Covid-19 transmission. In addition, the government also cannot relax the 3-T measures: Tracing, Testing and Treatment during the vaccination.
December
The government cuts collective leave to prevent the spread of the Covid-19
Written by nuke
The government cuts collective leave to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 - EDITORIAL
The Indonesian government through a Joint Decree of the Three Ministers has officially reduced the days of collective leave in 2020 from the previously agreed 11 days to 8 days. The elimination of 3 days of the joint leave is aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19 from becoming more widespread because people will take advantage of holidays to return to their hometowns or visit tourism attractions.
It seems that the government has learned from the previous decision, when it imposed a long leave of absence at the end of October, and does not want to repeat that mistake. The recent spike in positive cases of Covid-19 is closely related to the long vacation at that time. Collective leave is not certainly the only factor, but it can be assumed it is the biggest factor. Why? Because, the addition of positive cases occurred exactly two weeks after the holiday period. So, it is appropriate if the government cuts off collective leave at the end of the year, not only reducing the collective leave, but banning people to go home, such as the one imposed by the government during the Idul Fitri holidays some time ago.
However, will cutting joint leave at the end of this year be effective in suppressing the spread of Covid-19? Probably not! Public awareness and discipline in implementing the Health Protocols is very important. The spread will be suppressed with high discipline from the community in implementing health protocols and the consistency of the government in implementing the 3T policy (tracing, testing, and treatment) and the enforcement of health protocol regulations is very important.
The government and public should be able to build synergies to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic which has recorded a daily positive number of nearly 8,400 people more recently. Without discipline and cooperation, the cutting off of collective leave days at the end of this year will be in vain.
December
After the sadistic beheading of teachers in France and the series of follow-up actions occurred last October, French President Emmanuel Macron tried to anticipate a recurrence of this incident so that it would not happen again. The French state service will monitor and control 16 mosques in Paris and other 60 outside the capital. Quoting the newspaper Le Figaro, some are being targeted for immediate action by the government, some of which are likely to be shut down. The move is included in a new draft law to prevent so-called Islamic separatism and reduce foreign influence on French Muslims. It is also possible to issue some kinds of certification for Imams who are deemed to have met the requirements. The French Home Minister, Darmanin has sent a circular to every governor in the area where the mosques are located. There are 43 mosques that have closed in the last three years since Emmanuel Macron's government came to power. Macron's concerns are the possibility of fanaticism and the proliferation of extremism in French mosques run by mosque imams. Will this be effective in overcoming this possibility? Is this step acceptable to the Muslim in France and doe not bring about negative responses from Muslim countries? Still, this needs to be proven.
The closure of the mosque and the certification of the Imam of the mosque are actually a series of steps that have been taken previously. At the end of September, President Emmanuel Macron invited the Grand Imam of the Grand Mosque of Paris, Chems-Eddine Hafiz and the officials of the French Mosque Council to agree on steps to be taken, namely a special law to deal with Islamists (radicals) who seek to disobey the Government. To deal with this, it’s necessary to increase the number of moderate priests. One of them is through a vocational program equivalent to Diploma 3. The costs will be borne by the government. However, for a diploma, the graduates must be recognized as equivalent to a university diploma by the state. More technical discussions are continued in the next day's meeting with the Minister of Home Affairs, Gerald Darmanin, the Minister of Education and the Deputy Minister of Immigration. Another step that the French president is preparing to tackle what he calls "Islamic separatism" in France, is to introduce new, broader laws. This law covers restrictions on house schools and the provision of harsher penalties for those who intimidate public officials using the pretext of religion. In addition to providing identification numbers to children to ensure they are in school, parents who violate the rules can be punished with a maximum prison sentence of six months and also a fine. In addition, there is a prohibition against providing personal information that allows someone to be tracked by those who want to threaten their safety. The bill will be discussed by the French cabinet on December 9.
Of course, the steps taken by the French government to overcome this extreme action have ignited a response from the Muslim community in France. However, as noted by Chems-Eddine Hafiz, vice president of the CFCM and leader of the great Parisian mosque, the current state of Islam in France is at a turning point and Muslims face responsibility for it. French imams have a duty to ensure Islam is not behind the extreme actions that have occured. The plan is that the CFCM will establish a registration for priests in France; each of whom will sign a Charter, before gaining accreditation.
Of course, each country has its own way of dealing with the possibility of extremist actions that threaten the safety and peace of its territory. However, the French government needs to be careful so as not to trgigger negative responses from existing Muslim countries.
December
Indonesia Needs to be Extra Careful of Cyber Crime - Editorial The Conversation
The impact of cyber crime can reach anyone in this world, who is connected with the internet. The World Economic Forum recorded that cyber crime has become a global threat since 2012, and the trend is increasing. Cyber crime targets many sectors starting from the government, industry, to individuals. The crime also varies such as private data leak, hacking, and scam. According to data from Indonesian National Police, there were 4,250 cyber crime cases from January until November 2020. In many cases, the perpetrator uses people's enthusiasm in fulfilling needs for information on Covid-19 development and handling as a way to slip in to a technology infrastructure to steal sensitive data.
The change in Indonesian people's lifestyle amid the Covid-19 pandemic which tends to depend more on the internet also affected the increasing cyber crime cases. Therefore, Indonesia needs to be extra careful of cyber crime. Moreover, the Interpol in "ASEAN Cyber Threat Assessment 2020" stated that Indonesia is the most target of phishing in ASEAN in 2019. Indonesia's status as the world's 7th biggest market with infrastructure and technology advancement in increasing the economy puts Indonesia in the crosshair of cyber criminals.
Increasing internet user penetration in Indonesia makes the country prone to cyber attack; especially when this increase does not come with skill and knowledge of the new users to protect themselves from cyber attack. The Work from Home is also a factor. People are working with networks outside their office without security guarantee. This makes them vulnerable to data theft both for individual working data or company's confidentials.
Therefore, both national and private law enforcers and cyber security teams should proactively fight against cyber crime. The cyber security team needs to identify the cyber crime potential prior to an attack. On an individual level, every internet user should check twice the email or domain address.
December
Iran-Israel’s Tension After The Killing Of Nuclear Scientist
Written by Maryati
Iran-Israel relations are at their lowest. The death of Iran's leading nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, is the cause of the mounting tensions. Iran has even threatened to attack the Israeli city of Haifa, which is a very strategic port city.
For Iran, the death of Fakhrizadeh was a heavy blow and a loss of a very important figure. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh for Iran is a very valuable asset. Iran calls him the Father of the Iranian Nuclear Bomb. In the early 2000s Fakhrizadeh founded the Islamic Republic of Iran's military program. As a mainstay of his country, the late Fakhrizadeh was very much protected by the Iranian government. However last Friday he was killed in a remote controlled machine gun attack. The death of the nuclear figure was a blow to Iran's defenses. Hossein Salami, head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, has accused Israel of orchestrating and directing the assassination.
An Iranian mass media, Kayhan, responded to the murder of Iran's nuclear father with provocative suggestions. Kayhan on Sunday advised the Iranian government to attack the Israeli Port city of Haifa and destroy facilities there.
Prior to the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran-Israel relations were already bad. Israel, a major US ally, has long been hostile to Iran since the overthrow of the Shah of Iran as a result of the Islamic revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini. The position of the United States in the recent tension that has been mounting is clear. Washington did not question the killing of the Iranian nuclear scientist, and even emphasized its support for Israel which was expressed through the US State Department. Washington supports Israel in self-defense in light of Iranian threats to attack Haifa.
Whether the Iranian-Israeli tension will turn into war because Tehran will attack Haifa, is not clear. The transition period of government in Washington as a result of the newly held elections may have an impact on this tense situation, including what steps Iran and Israel will take.
November
November 29 is commemorated every year in Indonesia as the Day of the Indonesian Civil Service Corps (Korpri). Korpri is an organization that brings together all employees of the Republic of Indonesia whose members consist of the State Civil Apparatuses, employees of State-Owned Enterprises, Regional-Owned Enterprises and their subsidiaries.
The roles and progress of Korpri members always change over time. In the New Order era during the reign of President Soeharto, Korpri was used as a tool to protect the government in power. However, since the reform era in 1998, Korpri has turned into a neutral organization, which does not take sides with certain political parties.
This year, Korpri is commemorating its 49th anniversary. With increasing age, it is hoped that all Korpri members can improve their performance in their services, especially services to the public. Especially amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, employees who are members of Korpri are required to provide maximum services to the public. This is in accordance with the theme of the 2020 Korpri Day, namely "Contribute, Serve and Unite the Nation".
In a speech delivered virtually at the peak of Korpri's 49th anniversary, Sunday (29/11), President Joko Widodo saw the momentum of the Covid-19 pandemic as an opportunity for Korpri, especially the State Civil Apparatuses to do various things in improving themselves. One of the expected improvements includes the transformation from a long and cumbersome procedure or red tape in doing things to a more concise one by taking advantage of advances in information technology.
The pandemic has indeed forced people to work from home with all difficulties and limitations. However, this should not be a barrier for government employees in providing services. On the contrary, with information technology, services can be provided more quickly, effectively and efficiently. The Indonesian Civil Service Corps must remain professional in carrying out their duties even amid the pandemic.
Korpri members must also be neutral so that professionalism is maintained. Especially before the Regional Head Election which will be held on 9 December. According to the law, Korpri members must always be neutral, prohibited from participating in practical politics and taking side with any political party or a candidate for regional head.
November
Last Wednesday (25/11), two Bahraini ships were accused of violating Qatari waters and causing protests from the country. While the Bahraini party considers that its ships have been intercepted and treated improperly by Bahrain.
The claims and expressions of both Qatar and Bahrain cannot be separated from the tensions that have occurred between the Gulf countries recently. There is even a concern that the incident at sea will worsen the situation. Qatar, which since 2017 has been boycotted by Arab countries due to its closeness to Iran, seems to yet have to wait for diplomatic relations with these countries to improve. The signal of peace actually appeared after the signing of normalization of relations with Israel by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain facilitated by the United States. On one hand, Qatar, which decided to support Palestine, hopes to close its tenuous relationship with Saudi Arabia, which also supports Palestine. The situation is complicated because on the other hand, Saudi Arabia is known to have strong economic and investment ties with the United States. Qatar itself hopes that the boycott it has felt since 2017 can end sooner.
But with the incident of the Bahraini ships being accused of illegally entering Qatar, it seems that the communication of the Gulf countries is not yet harmonious. The suspicions and worries are still quite strong. Seven Arab countries, namely Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had all been hit hard on the economy due to the Covid19 pandemic. However, with the increase in non-oil income, these countries, especially Saudi Arabia, have become more stable at this time.
Of course, the cohesiveness of fellow countries is needed to get through the crisis due to the pandemic and diplomatic relations with parties outside this group, whether it's Iran, or the United States. Unfortunately, with the incident of the Bahraini ships being accused of entering Qatar's territory, it seems that tensions between the Gulf countries will not end soon.
November
Saudi Stance Toward Palestine After Issues On Triangle Meeting With Israel And The US
Written by Maryati
The Saudi stance towards Palestine seems to be of concern. Its good relationship with the United States, which is also known to be a key ally of Israel, will be a test for Saudi Arabia whether it will continue to be consistent on the Palestinian side. The issue of a triangle meeting among the United States, Saudi Arabia and Israel, can become a topic of discussion among countries that are members of the Arab League.
Recently, news that Benyamin Netanyahu has flown to Saudi Arabia to meet US Foreign Minister Mike Pompeo and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohhamd bin Salman has been widely circulated. It was conveyed by Israeli officials and broadcast by the mass media, yet has been denied by Saudi Arabia through its Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The suspicion over the meeting was strengthened following the Israeli agreement with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The two countries, allies of Saudi Arabia, have agreed to normalize relations with Israel. This, to some extent, has changed the geopolitical map regarding Palestine and Israel. In fact, not only once did important sources in Tel Aviv and Washington state that the commitment of the two Gulf countries is an early indication of the increasing number of Arab countries that will establish ties with Israel.
So far, Saudi Arabia itself, apart from denying the issue of a triangular meeting between Netanyahu, Pompeo and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, still maintains a political position supporting Palestine. This is in accordance with the Arab League, which for decades has decided not to have relations with Israel until the Palestinian-Israeli conflict was resolved.
The world still has to wait for further developments in the attitude of Saudi Arabia in line with the changing political constellation of the Middle East. In particular, regarding the possibility of a change in policy and the political direction of the United States when John Bidden officially became President of the United States.
November
Face-to-Face Learning by Applying Health Protocols - EDITORIAL UNICEF
Minister of Education and Culture, Nadiem Anwar Makarim allowed regional heads and regional offices of the Ministry of Religious Affairs to determine face-to-face learning in their own regions. The policy will take effect in the even semester of the 2020/2021 school year or starting January 2021. Thereby, he asks schools to well prepare for it. This was stated by Minister Nadiem Makarim in the Announcement of the Implementation of Even Semester Learning for the 2020/2021 Academic Year during the Covid-19 Pandemic, Friday (20/11). He also said that the granting of this permit could be simultaneous or gradual, depending on the readiness of each region. The announcement was based on the joint decision of 4 ministers, namely the Minister of Health, the Minister of Education and Culture, the Minister of Religion and the Minister of Home Affairs.
The announcement of the Minister of Education and Culture may be a relief for students and parents of students, especially those living in remote areas. Studying online during the restrictions due to the Covid-19 Pandemic is a challenge for them. The internet signal is not good, the inability to buy a device as the main tool for learning from home and the lack of the ability of parents to accompany their children while studying are obstacles. Besides, the children are getting bored at home.
The teachers also undergo the obstacles. Even though teachers and students get credit and free Wi-Fi assistance from the government for long distance learning, without devices that are still relatively expensive, it is difficult for teachers to reach their students. It is often reported in the media that teachers are willing to walk farther to reach their underprivileged students so that they can study face-to-face, because students do not have devices.
However, the announcement of starting face-to-face learning is also greeted with concern among educators, epidemiologists and parents of students. The reason is that the pandemic is still ongoing in Indonesia and there are no signs of the transmission rate decreasing.
The government has determined that face-to-face learning starting in 2021 must be based on considerations by paying attention to facts in the field. Now, it remains what the government takes to support this decision. The central government can assist regional governments to ensure adequate infrastructure in implementing health protocols in schools. Before the school opens, surely the environment is clean; there are facilities for running water and soap for frequent hand washing. Close supervision of wearing masks and maintaining distance must also be applied.
The year 2021 is approaching closely, while the pandemic has yet to show a decline, and face-to-face learning is not necessarily 100 percent possible. The regional governments could consider conducting fifty-percent face-to-face and and 50% online learning. The important thing is that children's education is not left behind and health protocols can still be applied.
November
Last Thursday (19/11), the Central Bank -Bank Indonesia (BI) Board of Governors Meeting decided to lower interest rates in a bid to boost economic growth. BI lowered the BI 7-Day Reverse Repo Rate (BI7DRR) by 25 basis points to 3.75%, then the deposit facility rate to 3%, and the lending facility rate to 4.5%.
This decision was taken by considering low inflation, maintaining external stability, and as further steps to accelerate national economic recovery. Bank Indonesia remains committed to supporting liquidity provision, including Bank Indonesia's support for the government in accelerating the realization of the 2020 State Budget.
According to Governor of Bank Indonesia, Perry Warjiyo, the decision was to continue the rupiah exchange rate stabilization policy in line with market fundamentals and mechanisms. In addition, lowering interest rates is also intended to strengthen the monetary operation strategy to support accommodative monetary policy. The decision to lower interest rates also took into account several indicators that improved in October 2020. Some of the indicators are people mobility, food sales and online sales, manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), and public income. External factors also show indicators of improvement, such as a surplus in the balance of payments in the third quarter of 2020, driven by improvements in the current account and financial capital transactions.
The lowering of the bank's benchmark interest rate is expected to lower lending rates to boost the economy. Export performance is now starting to increase. So, it is time for banks to start giving credit back to the business world. Efforts made by Bank Indonesia need to be supported so that Indonesia can rise from the current economic slowdown.