VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jan. 28 - Antony Blinken began his first full day as U.S. secretary of state on Wednesday promising to repair ties with global partners and show the world that America can lead, while tackling climate change, the erosion of democracies and other complex issues.

Greeted in the lobby and outside by a crowd of State Department employees limited by coronavirus measures, Blinken, who served as No. 2 at the State Department under former Democratic President Barack Obama, was greeted with applause.

“The world is watching us intently right now. They want to know if we can heal our nation. They want to see whether we will lead with the power of our example… and if we will put a premium on diplomacy with our allies and partners to meet the great challenges of our time,” he said. 

As challenges he cited the coronavirus pandemic, climate change, the global economy, threats to democracies, fights for racial justice, and the dangers to security and global stability posed by rivals and adversaries.

He did not answer a reporter’s question about where in the world he would place the highest priorities.

Past President Donald Trump’s “America First” policies frayed Washington’s traditional strategic alliances. The Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob further marred America’s global standing.

Blinken said the State Department must work to establish a united front with allies to counter the challenges.

“I know that the State Department I’m walking into today is not the same one I left four years ago,” Blinken said. “A lot has changed. The world has changed. The Department has changed. ...The world is watching us intently right now. They want to know if we can heal our nation.”

Blinken, a veteran diplomat who is close to newly installed President Joe Biden, was confirmed by the Senate 78-22 on Tuesday and has promised to work on a bipartisan basis in formulating policy. (Reuters)

Jan. 28 - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has said that disciplined implementation of health protocols and vaccination will help control the COVID-19 pandemic, hence they will be key to economic recovery efforts in 2021.

"As the people's mobility and activities resume, consumption, investment, and exports will be able to revive," Indrawati said while speaking at the University of Indonesia's Board of Trustees webinar here on Wednesday.

The State Budget instrument will play the most important part, including in supporting and protecting the public and businesses so that they can survive and recover, she observed.

In 2021, the government will focus on pursuing economic recovery and handling COVID-19 transmission, she informed.

The Ministry of Finance has worked very hard to achieve the state revenue target, which is projected to reach Rp1,743.6 trillion, she said.

However, state spending is projected to reach higher, notably to Rp2,750 trillion, hence, the government has predicted a deficit of 5.07 percent in 2021, Indrawati noted.

State spending will be managed for national priority programs, namely for handling the COVID-19 pandemic, including the vaccination program, which is estimated to cost Rp73 trillion, she informed.

“Besides enforcing health protocol discipline and handling, other health sectors need to be addressed not only by the central government, but also local governments and the private community," she said.

The 2021 State Budget is also directed at strategic policies, including improving the quality of human resources with an education budget allocation of up to Rp 550 trillion, she pointed out.

The budget allocation for infrastructure development has been set at Rp417.4 trillion, health Rp169.7 trillion, food security Rp99 trillion, tourism Rp14.2 trillion, social allowances Rp408 trillion, and information and communication technology Rp26 trillion.

"These are strategic programs in 2021 which are expected to support the economic recovery efforts in 2021. And all programs for COVID handling and national economic recovery can work if all stakeholders participate in implementing health protocol discipline," Indrawati said. (Antaranews)

Jan. 28 - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, revealed the government's strategy for driving economic revival in 2021-2022 will cover immunization, expansion of credit to small businesses, and increased allocation for the economic recovery program.

“We are optimistic about (our prospects) in 2021-2022,” he said during a webinar of the trustee council of the University of Indonesia here on Wednesday.

The government’s economic recovery strategy includes the vaccination policy that has kicked off and will be expedited in stages this year, he stated.

In the first two months of 2021, the government will complete the vaccination of medical workers, he informed.

In addition, the government will increase the allocation of smallholder business credit (KUR) to Rp253 trillion for small and medium enterprises. In 2020, the realization of KUR reached 100 percent of the total allocation of Rp190 trillion, he pointed out.

The government is still providing a three-percent interest subsidy on credit of up to Rp100 million and a 1.5-percent interest subsidy on loans of Rp500 million to Rp10 billion with a six month tenure, he informed.

He said the government will continue the national economic recovery program in 2021 by raising the budgetary allocations to Rp553 trillion. It will set aside Rp104.7 trillion for the health sector, Rp150.9 trillion for social protection, Rp141.3 trillion for regional governments and ministries/government institutions, and Rp156 trillion for corporate financing, he noted.

The budget allocations for national economic recovery will hopefully push the purchasing power of the people, both middle to upper classes and middle to lower classes, he said.

The implementation of the Job Creation Law and 52 derivative regulations in the form of government and presidential regulations is also expected to boost economic recovery, he added.

"Almost all the government regulations and presidential regulations have substantially been completed. Hopefully, the President will sign them in a week," he said. (Antaranews)

Jan. 28 - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) urged Indonesia's Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) Supervisory Board, or Indonesian Investment Authority (INA), to promptly form a board of directors by next week, so that work runs in full gear immediately.

"I urge that by next week at the latest, (the board of directors) should be formed. Hence, they can work immediately and step on the gas fully in accordance with what we have planned," Jokowi stated after inaugurating five members of the SWF Supervisory Board at the State Palace here on Wednesday.

The newly installed members of the SWF Supervisory Board are expected to soon appoint five members of the board of directors from professional circles.

The head of state is optimistic that the board would work in a professional manner and be able to boost the confidence of domestic and international investors, so that Indonesia can get a lucrative financing alternative for development.

The Supervisory Board comprises five people of which the appointment of two -- specifically the finance minister and the state-owned enterprises (SOEs/BUMN) minister -- is stipulated in the Job Creation Act.

The three other people hail from professional and independent backgrounds and had earlier been through several selection processes and obtained the approval of the House of Representatives (DPR).

"I am certain that with the track records of these professionals, with good experience and reputation, we are optimistic that this INA (Indonesia Investment Authority/INA) would garner trust, both domestically and internationally, so that the alternative financing that we hope for development can be achieved in future in large numbers," President Jokowi stated.

SWF is a domestic investment endowment fund management institution established by law to increase and optimize the value of state assets in the long term and to support sustainable development. This institution is answerable to the president.

The formation of SWF is a follow-up to the mandate of the Job Creation Law passed last year.

Five members of the Supervisory Board are:

1. The finance minister, as chairperson concurrently member;

2. The state-owned enterprises minister, as member;

3. Haryanto Sahari, as member for the term of office of 2021-2024;

4. Yosua Makes, as member for the term of office of 2021-2025; and

5. Darwin Cyril Noerhadi, as member for the term of office of 2021-2026. (Antaranews)