VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) registered a 4.3-percent decrease in the realization of investment during the second quarter (Q2) of 2020, reaching Rp191.9 trillion, from the Rp200.5-trillion investment during the corresponding period last year.

BKPM Head Bahlil Lahadalia stated in Jakarta on Wednesday that investment during the April-June period had dropped 8.9-percent as compared to the investment of Rp210.7 trillion in the first quarter of the year.

"Our target is more than Rp200 trillion for the second quarter. However, we are all aware of the tough situation arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The second-quarter period is quite tough," he noted.

The realization of foreign investment in the second quarter of 2020 reached Rp97.6 trillion, or 50.9 percent of the total investment, while domestic investment was recorded at 49.1 percent, or some Rp94.3 trillion.

Investment during the period was recorded in the five main sectors of electricity, gas and water; transportation, warehouse and telecommunication; industry of basic metal, metal goods and non-machinery; food industry; and housing, industrial area and offices.

The investment was in Jakarta, West Java, East Java, Banten, and Riau, with investors coming from Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Japan, and South Korea.

The realization of investment in the first semester of 2020 had reached Rp402.6 trillion, or 49.3 percent of the targeted Rp817.2 trillion in 2020. It increased 1.8 percent from the investment of Rp395.6 trillion in the first semester of the previous year.

Investment in the first semester of 2020 was recorded mainly in the sectors of transportation, warehouse, and telecommunication; electricity, gas and water; basic metal, metal goods, non-machinery; housing, industrial area, and offices; and food industry.

The investment was in West Java, East Java, Jakarta, Central Java, and Riau, with investors hailing from Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Malaysia.

Investment in the second quarter of 2020 absorbed 263,109 workers in 34,658 projects, thereby bringing the total workforce absorbed in the first semester to 566,194, spread across 57,815 projects. (ANTARA)

Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia.

The Meru Betiri National Park management, local authorities of Jember, East Java, and representatives of local villagers. (ANTARA/HO-KLHK)

The Meru Betiri National Park management in East Java has involved the residents of 10 adjoining villages in its conservation efforts centered on restoring the ecosystem and concurrently boosting the local economy.

The one thousand-ha conservation area, under the management of the Environmental Affairs and Forestry Ministry (KLHK), holds economic potential and is of high value since it is a life buffer for the surrounding community, Head of the Meru Betiri National Park Office Maman Surahman noted in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The local villagers have become involved in a community-based ecosystem recovery program through conservation partnerships.

These locals are provided access to collect non-timber forest products in the traditional zone and permits to run small ecotourism businesses.

"We empower communities surrounding the area so that its utilization is sustainable and is in accordance with conservation strategies," he remarked.

The management of the Meru Betiri National Park has also conducted activities to boost the capacity of the community and to empower it.

The local communities have been involved to attend training programs on producing herbal beverages; batik dyeing with natural dyes; making durian ice-cream, and conducting mushroom, goat, chicken, and catfish farming, among others.

The rate of deforestation is quite high in the Meru Betiri National Park, for which there is a pressing need for conducting restoration, he stated.

Degradation has occurred in some 6.5 percent or 3,382 hectares (ha) of the national park's total conservation area reaching 52,626.04 ha.

Surahman attributed this condition to illegal logging or forest looting and encroachment.

"Various efforts have been made to reduce the level of community dependence on forest areas through disseminating information, raising awareness, conducting routine patrols, and taking steps to boost the community's economy," he added. (ANTARA)

Jakarta (VOI News) - The Indonesian Ambassador in Caracas, Venezuela, Mochammad Luthfie Witto'eng, said that business or trade opportunities in Venezuela are still very open and can be exploited by Indonesian entrepreneurs. In a special interview with Voice of Indonesia in Jakarta, recently (Monday, 7/20), Mochammad Luthfie said that this business opportunity had not been touched by Indonesian entrepreneurs, probably because of the long distance between Indonesia and Venezuela, causing high costs.

Mochamad Luthfie added that although the Venezuelan population is relatively small and the country is in an economic crisis, they need basic needs such as food and drinks and medicines as well as medical equipment. He invited Indonesian businessmen to try to enter the Venezuelan market because the Indonesian Embassy in Caracas had started cooperation with the Venezuelan government and businessmen.

"We hope Indonesian entrepreneurs try to enter Venezuela. We have started, meaning that the Indonesian Embassy has initiated collaborations or established relationships with business people, whether from the private sector or the government itself," said Mochamad Luthfie.

In addition to basic needs and medical equipment, Indonesian Ambassador to Venezuela Mochammad Luthfie Witto'eng said that trade opportunities that could be implemented in the long term by Indonesian entrepreneurs are the oil and natural gas and mineral industries.

"The rather long-term industry, the oil and gas industry, minerals, is very possible, and that opportunities have actually been indirectly offered to us for cooperation. For example oil. For oil, because of many sanctions from America and so on, they are rather difficult. In fact, if we look at the oil reserves, someone has written that they still can last up to 300 years, but the country is having difficulties in managing its oil now because of the economic sanctions imposed by America. So it hopes for cooperation with other countries, including Indonesia. And that has been conveyed to us," said Mochamad Luthfie.

The Indonesian Ambassador to Venezuela Mochammad Luthfie Witto'eng said that his party was willing to provide information and connect Indonesian businessmen with Venezuelan businessmen and government. (VOI / ADVENT / AHM)

Indonesia's state-owned pharmaceutical holding, Bio Farma, is optimistic about starting production of the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine Sinovac in the first quarter (Q1) of 2021 if the third phase of the vaccine's clinical trial runs smoothly.

The third phase of the clinical trial, scheduled to run for six months, is expected to conclude by January 2021, Honesti Basyir, the president director of Bio Farma, noted in a statement in Jakarta on Tuesday.

"If the third stage of the clinical trial for the COVID-19 vaccine were to run smoothly, Bio Farma would begin its production in the first quarter of 2021. To this end, we have readied its production facilities at Bio Farma, with a maximum capacity to produce 250 million doses," Basyir remarked.

Bio Farma chose Sinovac as a partner owing to its vaccine platform or the manufacturing method employed by Sinovac being at par with the company's competencies.

Through the use of the inactivation method, Bio Farma has experience in manufacturing vaccines, including the Pertussis vaccine.

A total of 2,400 vaccines from Sinovac, China, had arrived in Bio Farma on July 19, 2020. The Indonesian company plans to start the third phase trials in August.

The COVID-19 vaccine from China, viewed as diplomatic goods, arrived in Indonesia owing to the support of the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry (KBUMN) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Prior to the clinical trial, the vaccine would be tested in the Bio Farma Laboratory and require to secure several other permits.

The clinical trial of the COVID-19 vaccine will be conducted at the Clinical Test Center at the Faculty of Medicine, the University of Pandjajaran (Unpad), which will handle 1,620 subjects in the age group of 18 to 59 years that meet specific criteria. The rest of the vaccine will be used for lab tests at several laboratories, including Bio Farma and the National Food and Drug Testing Center (PPOMN).

During the vaccine’s clinical trial, Bio Farma functions as a sponsor, collaborating with various parties, including the Health Research and Development Agency (Balitbangkes) of the Indonesian Ministry of Health, as a medical advisor.

In addition to Balitbangkes, Bio Farma is also collaborating with BPOM RI, as a regulator, and with Unpad's Faculty of Medicine, as an institution, with experience in conducting clinical trials of vaccines circulating in Indonesia.

Development of the COVID-19 vaccine is one of the five target programs of Bio Farma in dealing with the spread of the COV2 SARS virus that causes COVID-19. The others are the production of Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), Convalescent Plasma Therapy, BSL 3 Mobile Laboratory BSL 3, and Viral Transport Media (VTM) Manufacturing. (ANTARA)