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Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi (Handout Kemlu RI)

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi and her counterpart from New Zealand, Winston Peters, engaged in a virtual Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) to discuss cooperation in handling the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"New Zealand is one of the countries to have cooperated with Indonesia during the pandemic," Marsudi remarked after the virtual meeting on Wednesday.

Of New Zealand's total pledge of 6.12 billion New Zealand dollars (equivalent to Rp59.4 billion) towards the cooperation, Rp6.3 billion is allotted to the Eijkman Molecular Biology Institute for improving COVID-19 test services and Rp4.5 billion for other purposes.

Furthermore, Rp.48.6 billion is diverted through the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to improve risk communication services to the community, the supply and distribution of personal protective equipment, cleaning equipment, and infection prevention measures, as well as to boost the readiness of other critical services.

At the meeting, Indonesia and New Zealand concurred on an Action Plan for 2020-2024 that took into account a new situation since the impacts of COVID-19 are estimated to protract for a long term.

"Several aspects are contained in the Action Plan for the commitment of the two countries in pandemic mitigation and post-pandemic economic recovery, where both stress the importance of global solidarity to deal with this situation," Marsudi emphasized.

In the national context, Foreign Minister Marsudi also elaborated on four key areas of diplomacy and implementation of Indonesia's foreign policy during the pandemic: the protection of Indonesian citizens, procurement of medical equipment, procurement of drugs and vaccines, and economic cooperation.

"I convey to the foreign minister of New Zealand about the vaccine. We discuss the extent of the cooperation we have with other countries and nationally in the context of procuring vaccines for the people of Indonesia," he remarked.

New Zealand is viewed as one of the nations to have succeeded in trouncing over the novel coronavirus disease pandemic by imposing a regional quarantine policy quite early on and backed by its test and tracking capacity, as well as the community’s adherence to health protocols.

As of Thursday, July 29, 2020, New Zealand had recorded 1,559 cases of COVID-19, with 22 deaths, according to data of the Worldometer statistical agency.

Until Wednesday, July 28, 2020, the Indonesian government had confirmed 102,051 cases, with 4,901 having succumbed to COVID-19. (ANTARA)

Jakarta (VOI News) - Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) received the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) for Bye Corona song from the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of Jakarta, Wednesday (29/07/2020). RRI’s Program and Production Director, Soleman Yusuf appreciated the intellectual property rights. He said that the Bye Corona was the second recording after Butir-Butir Pasir di Laut or the Sand Grains in the Sea drama which received the same rights. He added that RRI will continue to provide other intellectual property to the public. In addition to RRI, the Jakarta Ministry of Law and Human Rights also provided other intellectual works such as traditional culture of rebana hadroh, Betawi Zapin dance, Cingkrik Silat and Silat Tiga Berantai martial arts. (rri.co.id) 

Dini Shanti Purwono, presidential spokesperson for legal affairs (twitter)

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has signed a regulation to protect the rights of children who have been subject to or witnessed a crime.

The Presidential Regulation Number 75 Year 2020 concerning the Implementation of the Rights of Child Victims and Child Witnesses of Criminal Offenses entitles child victims and witnesses to medical rehabilitation, social rehabilitation, and guarantees their physical, mental, and social safety.

It also grants them the right to access information about developments in the case.

The Presidential Regulation, which was issued on July 6, 2020, is a direct mandate from Law Number 11 of 2012 concerning the Juvenile Justice System, Dini Shanti Purwono, presidential spokesperson for legal affairs, said in Jakarta  on Tuesday.

"In Presidential Regulation Number 75/2020, the President reiterates that every Indonesian child, especially a child who is a victim of a crime (child victim) and a child who is a witness of a criminal act (child witness) has the right to have a sense of security in line with the law," Dini informed.

"With Presidential Regulation Number 75/2020, the President makes sure the presence of the state by guaranteeing the safety of child victims and witnesses, protecting their personal security as well as the security of their families and property," the spokesperson remarked.

The results of a national survey on Indonesian children in 2018 had showed that 67 percent, or two out of three children and teenagers aged between 13 and 17 years had experienced emotional, physical, or sexual violence in their lifetime.

The Commission for Protection of Indonesian Children (KPAI) had stated that the number of child abuse cases reached 2,178 in 2011 and rose further to 4,885 cases in 2018.

Data from the Online Information System for the Protection of Women and Children (SIMFONI PPA) showed a total of 3,928 cases of violence against children between January 1 and June 17, 2020, which included 852 cases of physical violence, 768 cases of psychological abuse, and 1,848 cases of sexual violence.

In addition, news surfaced in June this year of the Jakarta Metro Police's Criminal Investigation Unit arresting Francois Abello Camille (FAC), alias Frans, 65, at a hotel in Jakarta. Police officials said they found two underage girls in his room.

The French citizen allegedly molested at least 305 Indonesian minors. He later died in a police hospital after attempting suicide while in detention in Jakarta. (ANTARA)

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati. ANTARA/AstridFaidlatulHabibah/sh

Indonesia’s state budget for next year will focus spending on three prioritized sectors — food security, industrial estate development, and information and communication technology (ICT).

"We will support this priorities for additional spending, namely first is food security, secondly in the development of industrial estates supported by infrastructure, and third in ICT so that connectivity in the digital technology can be improved and evenly distributed throughout Indonesia," Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani, said after attending a limited cabinet meeting, held via videoconferencing, on the draft budget for the year 2021 at the Bogor Presidential Palace in West Java on Tuesday.

At the cabinet meeting, President Jokowi said he has decided to widen the deficit to 5.2 percent of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product), which is higher than the 4.7-percent deficit that was initially agreed upon.

"With a deficit of 5.2 percent of GDP in 2021, we will have spending reserves of Rp179 trillion, which the President will set priorities for spending to truly support national economic recovery next year," Sri Mulyani informed.

In addition, the Jokowi has also prioritized the sectors of education and health, especially for post-2020 COVID-19 handling and support for vaccine costs.

The President has called another limited cabinet meeting tomorrow to discuss fund allocations under the additional budget derived from the deficit to ensure the funds are spent productively and in a well-planned manner.

The President has emphasized that the extra-spending should be channeled into projects that boost productivity and reduce poverty and unemployment, and benefit the economy.

“These (sectors) are what the President has emphasized. We, with the Bappenas (the National Development Planning Agency), have received many additional expenditure proposals from all ministries / institutions. And the President has asked us to focus on these expenditures, which are supported by the additional deficit, to restore the economy and create employment opportunities, and reduce poverty more quickly, " she elaborated.  (ANTARA)