VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Mar. 4 - Mount Merapi, which straddles Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces, emitted lava 12 times between midnight and 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday, according to the Geological Disaster Research and Technology Development Center (BPPTKG).

The first eight lava ejections were recorded between midnight and 6 a.m., with a maximum sliding distance of 1,500 meters in the southwesterly direction, BPPTKG chief Hanik Humaida said in a written statement issued on Wednesday.

The last four lava ejections were monitored between 6 a.m. and noon, with a maximum sliding distance of 800 meters, also in the southwesterly direction.

No lava flow was recorded between noon and 6 p.m.

According to the latest earthquake data, 20 earthquake avalanches were recorded, with an amplitude of 4 mm to 36 mm and a duration of 11-121 seconds.

On Wednesday, the BPPTKG retained the volcano’s alert status at Level III.

The lava and hot clouds ejected by the volcano were projected to affect areas located south and southwest of the volcano, including Kuning, Boyong, Bedog, Krasak, Bebeng, and Putih. (Antaranews)

Mar. 3 - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has said that the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has offered an opportunity to strengthen resilience against disasters in Indonesia.

"We must use this experience as a momentum to strengthen our resilience in mitigating any form of disaster," the President said while delivering the opening remarks at the National Disaster Mitigation Coordination Meeting in 2021, held at the State Palace on Wednesday.

The virtual meeting was attended by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy, head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Doni Monardo, regional heads, and representatives of local disaster mitigation offices (BPBD), among others.

Over the last one year, Indonesia and some 215 other nations have worked hard to handle the COVID-19 pandemic, which has required them to work quickly, be innovative, and enter into regional and international collaborations, the President observed.

"I would also like to remind all of us that our country, Indonesia, is a country prone to disasters. It's one of the 35 most disaster-prone nations in the world. Last year, we faced 3,253 disasters. It means approximately nine disasters daily, which is not a small number," he added.

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Meanwhile, BNPB head Monardo said that Indonesia has proven that controlling COVID-19 can be carried out in parallel with efforts to maintain socio-economic activities.

The experience gained in the year since the COVID-19 disaster struck has also come with an opportunity to evaluate, maintain what is good, and improve what is still lacking, he noted.

"We must be optimistic that all the policies outlined by the President as head of state and head of government will bring the Indonesian nation out of health and economic problems," he added.

Between February, 2020 and February 2021, BNPB recorded 3,253 disasters in Indonesia, including earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, flooding, landslides, and whirlwinds.

"The Minister of Finance has said that every year we experience economic losses due to disasters, which average Rp22.8 trillion per year. That is huge. Not to mention, if we look at the statistics of casualties due to disasters in the last 10 years, (we will find) an average of 1,183 people died as a result of natural disasters," Monardo said.

The World Bank has even named Indonesia among the 35 countries with the highest disaster risk in the world, he noted.

"The government certainly will not remain silent; all government agencies, TNI, Polri, and local governments must work together to carry out various prevention, mitigation, and preparedness efforts," he said.

The preventive measures include development planning based on disaster risk reduction, involving experts to predict threats, strengthening early warning systems, making contingency plans, and conducting education and training on disasters, he added. (Antaranews)

Mar. 3 - West Java Governor M Ridwan Kamil said a new coronavirus variant, B.1.1.7, which is more contagious and than when it originally appeared in England, has been detected in Karawang District of West Java Province.

"The new variant of coronavirus has been detected in Karawang. Therefore, we have carried out case tracing," Kamil informed after attending the Anhui Recombinant COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Test at the Teaching Hospital of Padjadjaran University (RSHS) here on Wednesday.

The governor asked the university to conduct research on the new variant of the coronavirus.

"With the new cases of this variant of the virus (emerging), what can we do? Do we need to apply the same health protocols as the protocols against COVID-19? We have asked that research on this be carried out as soon as possible," he said.

He also urged West Java residents to remain calm and not panic. He said the government has taken precautionary measures as the task force had predicted the virus would mutate.

"So we are continuing to try to increase anticipatory steps," he affirmed.

Earlier, the Health Ministry had reported two cases of the UK variant B.1.1.7 had been detected in Indonesia.

"Last night, I received information that in one year since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, we have detected the new coronavirus B.1.1.7 in Indonesia," said deputy health minister Dante Saksono. (Antaranews)

Mar. 3 - Cooperatives and SMEs Minister Teten Masduki has encouraged micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to transform to produce technological innovation-based products to support the national tourism sector.

To this end, the minister highlighted the importance of changing Indonesia's branding as a country that is moving toward modernization whilst not veering away from the culture.

"I agree that our MSMEs should not only make chips, agate, and batik but must also start transforming to produce technology-based products to increase productivity and product competitiveness," he affirmed at the opening of Indonesia's Creative Work 2021: Lombok Exoticism, Wednesday, also broadcast online.

Masduki noted that with the current developments in technology, any product, from any remote village, can now be connected to the entire world and connected to a large market.

"Hence, it is important to change the branding of Indonesia, which has been known as an agricultural country or which has always been displayed by tribes and traditional symbols. Now, we display the symbols of modern Indonesia," he stated.

Teten noted that modernization is also expected to occur in tourism, which is also a sector that goes hand-in-hand with MSMEs.

"Tourism is not just selling exoticism but also must have begun presenting UMKM products based on technological innovation. I think we have to brand our country as one that is heading for modernization, and of course, still not leaving behind our culture," the minister stated. (Antaranews)