VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Industry Ministry has forecast investment in the processing industry to reach Rp323.56 trillion in 2021 based on the assumption that all sub-sectors have recorded positive growth.

According to Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, the projection was based on the hypothesis that the COVID-19 vaccination could help to bring the pandemic under control and to usher in recovery in economic activities.

The non-oil and gas processing industry is projected to record a 3.95-percent increase in 2021.

"After it recorded an increase of 37.1 percent as compared to the same period in 2019, investment in the processing industry in 2021 is projected to maintain its increasing trend and reach Rp323.56 trillion," the minister noted at the virtual year-end press conference here on Monday.

According to Kartasasmita, investment would become a driving factor for industrial sector growth in 2021. The law on job creation and the government's commitment to finalizing its derivative regulations have attracted investors.

Furthermore, the minister pointed out that investment contraction in Indonesia amid the pandemic was lower as compared to that in other ASEAN countries.

Some Chinese companies' plan to relocate their plants to Indonesia indicated that the country has emerged as an investment destination during the post-pandemic era.

As of September, investment growth in the processing industry had reached Rp265.28 trillion, up 37.1 percent, from the corresponding period in 2019.

Among the industry sub-sectors to have positive growth projection in 2020 are pharmaceutical, chemical and traditional medicine industry, chemical goods, basic metal, and food industry.

"We can see that food and beverage remained the favorite sector. Metal and automotive remain our power to encourage the development of battery-based and electricity-based vehicles," Kartasasmita affirmed. (antaranews)

The National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) is designing a master plan to develop a new tourist attraction in Ubud, Bali, on the lines of China’s Forbidden City.

"Bappenas is formulating a master plan to help Bali," the agency’s chief, Suharso Monoarfa, who is also Minister of National Development and Planning, informed at an online press conference here on Monday.

Bappenas is in the process of formulating the master plan in collaboration with the Gianyar district government and customary figures in Ubud, which is known as a village of foreign tourists.

He said Bappenas aims to complete the master plan in the first semester of 2021.

However, he refused to divulge the exact location for the new tourist attraction that will come up in Ubud area, which is located 22 kilometers north of the provincial capital of Denpasar.

The plan to develop the ‘forbidden city’ is aimed at supporting quality tourism, which is expected to replace mass tourism, the minister said.

A new tourist attraction will offer cultural tourism to a select number of tourists, or exclusive tourism in collaboration with micro, small, and medium enterprises, he added.

Bali, which is rich in natural and cultural tourism, appeared to be more prepared to develop a new tourist attraction because it serves as a barometer of national tourism, he remarked. (antaranews)

The Ministry of National Development Planning / National Development Planning Agency (PPN / Bappenas) has revealed that Indonesia will receive around 370 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by different pharma companies by 2022.

"The target for the vaccine (program) is (ensuring) 181 million people to achieve herd immunity and there are reserves, so that the number reaches over 370 million," Suharso Monoarfa, Minister of National Development Planning concurrently Head of Bappenas, said at an online press conference here  on Monday.

Meanwhile, Bappenas deputy for economic affairs, Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, provided further details on the plans for vaccine delivery, based on data discussed at the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery (KPC-PEN). Around 116 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine are expected to arrive in Indonesia by 2021, she said.

Novavax has confirmed it will ship about 52 million vaccine doses in 2021, she added.

Indonesia is in the process of ordering doses from Pfizer, she informed adding, 45 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected to arrive in 2021. Another 12 million doses from Covax and 50 million doses from AstraZeneca are also being ordered, Widyasanti said.

"If all three brands can [fulfill the] order, there will be 275 million vaccines that we will get in 2021," she said at a press conference that took place in Bali.

Meanwhile, in 2022, shipments will continue based on confirmed orders, namely from Sinovac and Novavax, both of whom are expected to dispatch around 87 million vaccine doses.

Earlier, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, had revealed that the government has prepared a budget of Rp73 trillion for vaccine procuremen

Meanwhile, Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, said the state has already allocated a budget for vaccine procurement, which is estimated to reach Rp54.44 trillion. A total of Rp18 trillion in reserves and the remaining budget in the national economic recovery program for 2020, which has not been absorbed will be redirected into the new budget, she added. (antaranews)

Indonesia has decided to temporarily close its borders from January 1, 2021 to prevent the entry of foreign nationals in view of the spread of a new coronavirus strain in some parts of the world.