VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Feb. 8 - The Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) economic studies institute assesses that the national economy is showing improvement but has not been optimal.

"There are improvements, but not optimal. We estimate that our economy is still minus in the first quarter, it is estimated to be minus 1 percent," said Executive Director of Indef, Tauhid Ahmad, Sunday (7/2/2021).

According to him, one of the factors holding back economic growth is low household consumption.

Therefore, he suggested that there should be another breakthrough to encourage household consumption so that the national economic recovery can be felt more.

In addition, he continued, the PEN program for MSMEs and corporations must also be reviewed so that it is more targeted so that it can accelerate national economic growth, considering that the PEN program in 2020 for this sector tends to be more used to cover losses suffered by business actors.

The PEN program for MSMEs amounted to IDR112.44 trillion and for corporations IDR60.73 trillion in 2020 during 2020.

"For 2021 it also has the same principles in the use of the PEN program. This condition will make it difficult to become a driving force for economic recovery. In the future there must be other breakthroughs to accelerate national economic recovery," he explained.

On the same occasion, economist Indef M Rizal Taufikurrahman said that the synergy and harmonization between fiscal and monetary policies as well as the policy mix needs to be improved.

"Monitoring the management of policies that is more measured will have an impact on improving national economic growth in 2021," he added. (RRI)

Feb. 8 - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said vaccination for the elderly health workers will start on Monday (8/2) at 09.00 WIB following the approval of the emergency use of the CoronaVac vaccine by the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM).

"We have improved the technical instructions, have communicated with the ranks in the field so that tomorrow at 09.00 WIB vaccination for the elderly health workers over 60 years old can be started," Budi said in a virtual press conference attended from Jakarta, Sunday.

Budi said Indonesia officially started a vaccination program on January 13, 2021, with a priority on health workers. Health workers take precedence first because they have a higher risk of being exposed to the COVID-19 virus.

The elderly are also a vulnerable group when contracting COVID-19 because they have a higher risk of becoming fatal. That is why in several countries, said Budi, prioritized vaccination for health workers and the elderly.

According to Budi, Indonesian health workers aged over 60 years amount to more than 11,600. They previously could not be vaccinated because the approval of the emergency use of the vaccine from the BPOM was only for the age range 18 years to 59 years.

"Health workers who are over 60 years of age are people who are at risk of being exposed to the coronavirus, as well as at a higher risk of experiencing fatality," he said.

Budi said the approval of the BPOM's emergency use of the CoronaVac vaccine which could be used for the elderly group was good news.

This is an effort to protect groups who are more susceptible to infection and have a higher risk of mortality so that patients with severe symptoms can be reduced.

"If patients with severe symptoms can be reduced, the pressure to the hospital, especially patients with severe conditions, can also be reduced. In the end, the burden of health workers in hospitals can also be reduced because most of the elderly people would not need to go to the hospital," he said. (Antaranews)

Feb. 8 - Bangladesh launched a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive with the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine on Sunday, aiming to inoculate 3.5 million people in the first month.

The south Asian country is seeking to inoculate 80% of its population of around 170 million, with each person getting two doses administered four weeks apart.

However the government has nearly halved its target for the first month from 6 million people as only a little over 328,000 people had registered for the vaccine by Saturday.

Bangladesh has received 5 million of the 30 million doses of the COVISHIELD vaccine it has ordered from the Serum Institute of India, which is the world’s biggest vaccine producer and is making the AstraZeneca vaccine. The country has also received 2 million doses of COVISHIELD as a gift from India.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque called COVISHIELD “the best and the safest vaccine”.

“The wait is over. Today is a historic day for us after such a difficult year,” Maleque told Reuters. “I took the vaccine today. I am feeling good. Everyone must take the vaccine,” he said.

He added that 567 coronavirus frontline health workers, who were vaccinated last week before the vaccine programme launch, had not experienced any difficulties or side-effects.

“I appeal to the people not to pay heed to rumours and take the vaccine,” the minister said.

Bangladesh has officially reported 538,062 cases and 8,205 deaths. The daily rate of infections has eased sharply since a peak in July.

Bangladesh will get 68 million doses of vaccine from the GAVI vaccine alliance, the health minister said, referring to a global health partnership set up to increase access to immunisation in poor countries. (Reuters)

Feb. 8 - State-owned Pertamina-Papua and Maluku Regional Office has distributed its aid packages to flood victims currently taking refuge in Pramuka building of Arso Swakarsa neighborhood, Arso Subdistrict, Keerom District, Papua.

The aid packages comprise basic household needs, baby diapers, baby milk bottles, mattresses, pillows, and blankets, the oil and gas company's spokesperson, Edi Mangun, said in a statement that ANTARA received here Sunday.

The Pertamina caring team members coordinated with the Keerom Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) to know the real needs of those badly affected by the flooding and taking refuge in several disaster zones, he said.

Floods struck parts of Keerom District, submerging residential and office areas on February 3.

Floods inundated the Arso Swakarsa-Arso II area, Arso City, and the villages of Asyaman, Yanamaa, Walukubun, Workwana, and Pitewi.

The East Arso Police Sector office was also inundated, Deputy Chief of the Keerom Resort Police Commissioner Martha Tolau stated when contacted from Jayapura.

The police deployed personnel to help residents whose settlements were affected by flooding.

"Several police officers have been deployed to help the flood-stricken residents," she confirmed.

The flooding was triggered by incessant heavy rains that had fallen since February 2, and caused the Tami River to overflow its bank.

Various parts of Indonesia are prone to natural disasters. Within the initial two months of 2021, several hydrological disasters have occurred in the islands of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.

In Java Island, for instance, flash floods inundated certain areas of Semarang in Central Java following heavy rainfall showering the city from Friday to Saturday.

Landslides also hit Cihanjuang Village in Cimanggung Sub-district, Sumedang District, West Java Province, on January 9.

Meanwhile, in Sumatra Island, flash floods and a landslide damaged seven homes and broke a bridge in Wih Ni Durin Village, Syiah Utama Sub-district, Bener Meriah District, Aceh Province, following incessant heavy rains in the Gayo highland area.

In the island of Kalimantan, massive floods and landslides also hit several parts of South Kalimantan following incessant downpour on January 12.

The floods affected the districts of Banjar, Tapin, Tabalong, Balangan, and Hulu Sungai Tengah and the cities of Tanah Laut and Banjar Baru.

The massive floods, triggered by incessant heavy rains since January 12, reportedly claimed 15 lives, swamped 24,379 houses, and displaced 39,549 people. (Antaranews)