VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia on Monday recorded 1,576 new recoveries, bringing the total number of people who have recovered from the novel coronavirus disease in the country so far to 46,977, a government spokesperson said.

"Once again, workplaces, offices or industries (factories), we beg (you) to really be able to create a safe working atmosphere (in view) of COVID-19," Achmad Yurianto, the government spokesperson for COVID-19 response, said at a press conference for the Task Force for the Acceleration of the COVID-19 Response at Graha BNPB IN Jakarta on Monday.

Based on data compiled as of Monday noon (July 20, 2020), Indonesia has recorded 1,693 fresh COVID-19 infections, bringing the total case tally to 88,214. Meanwhile, 96 people have succumbed to the virus, taking the death toll to 4,239.

The hike in COVID-19 cases is owing to increased productive activities, and the people are also not complying with health protocols, Yurianto explained.

Jakarta has recorded the largest number of new cases at 361 and 154 recoveries.

Meanwhile, Central Java has reported 354 new cases and 300 recoveries, East Java 237 cases, and 475 recoveries, South Sulawesi 125 cases and 278 recoveries, Gorontalo has recorded as many as 105 new cases and reported no new recoveries, North Sulawesi has added 64 cases and 39 recoveries, and West Java 60 new infections and 93 recoveries.

Sixteen provinces have reported less than 10 new cases. Meanwhile, seven provinces have reported no fresh cases on Monday: Bengkulu, Jambi, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, Riau Islands, Central Sulawesi, and Lampung.

The task force has also recorded 36,380 suspected cases. Coronavirus infections have spread to 467 districts and cities across the country's 34 provinces.

Meanwhile, 14,027 specimens have been examined on Monday, bringing the total number of specimens tested — using the real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and molecular rapid tests (TCM) — to 1,235,545.

Reiterating the importance of obeying health protocols to keep the community safe from COVID-19 transmission, Yurianto said: "Remember, if we get infected at work it will be very risky for family members at our homes - for our children, for parents, for our relatives who have comorbid conditions." (ANTARA)

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has urged ministers and heads of state institutions to utilize the budgeted Rp695.2 trillion for handling the COVID-19 pandemic and the national economic recovery in a quick, precise, and accountable manner.

"This is very crucial, particularly in 2020, in the wake of the health and economic crises. Extraordinary measures must be undertaken by the government," the president noted while receiving the results of the 2019 Central Government Financial Report (LKPP) at the Merdeka Palace, in Jakarta on Monday.

The head of state explained that the government’s budget of Rp695.2 trillion for handling COVID-19 and the national economic recovery (PEN) was allocated for improving fiscal resilience. The president has called on ministers and heads of state institutions to be prudent in utilizing a large amount of fiscal expenditure.

"This is a very large amount to the tune of Rp695.2 trillion," he pointed out.

Nonetheless, President Jokowi called for utilizing the funds for handling the COVID-19 pandemic in a quick, accurate, and accountable way to ensure that the public is able to bear clear witness to every policy.

"I also hope for support and assistance from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), so that we can surmount over this crisis smoothly without any problems in the future," he noted.

The head of state also called on all apparatuses of the government internal control system, such as the Finance and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) and the National Public Procurement Agency (LKPP), to partake in accelerating and ensuring accountable solutions for budget realization.

"All law enforcement officials, the Attorney General's Office, the Police, and the Corruption Eradication Commission should always give priority to prevention aspects. Law enforcement agencies should strengthen good governance that is transparent and accountable," the president stated.

In submitting the investigative report (LHP) for the 2019 fiscal year, Chairperson of BPK Agung Firman Sampurna highlighted the Fair Without Exception (WTP) opinion on the 2019 State Financial Statement (LKPP).

"However, the BPK has identified several problems, both in the internal control system (SPI) and in compliance with statutory provisions, that must be followed up," Sampurna stated. (ANTARA)

Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria on Sunday announced that the city’s transportation agency plans to add new bike lanes to match the increasingly popular mode of transport; bicycles. 

“The Jakarta transportation agency has regulated it. Not just the bike lane’s length, but also its width,” said Riza on July 19. 

He added that the additional bike lanes are the government’s appreciation towards the surging trend among bicycle users amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. He also mentioned the exponential growth of bike sales that reached 1,000 percent. 

“We appreciate society that is starting to take interest in cycling,” said the deputy governor. “In principle, we are trying to give our best, especially for pedestrians and cyclists.”However, he reminded new cyclists to always remain vigilant as they commute across Jakarta’s urban environment as he hopes cycling would improve from being a hobby to essential means of transportation. (tempo.co)

One at a time countries in the world has steadily surpassed China - the first to report the worldwide epidemic - in terms of reporting the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Indonesia comes as no exception after on early Monday morning the Johns Hopkins University reported that  Indonesia racked up a total of 86,521 confirmed cases. 

According to the Johns Hopkins University world map coronavirus counter on July 20, this effectively ranks Indonesia 25th directly above China - which currently reports 85.314 cases in total. 

The United States of America remains to be the country that has been hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic with a total of 3,760,975 cases. While Brazil and India that has ranked second and third recorded 2,098,389 and 1,077,781 cases respectively. 

On July 9, Indonesia recorded a record-breaking 2,657 COVID-19 daily cases when China still recorded 84,950 cases. The three most devastated countries with the highest number of the death toll due to the virus that reportedly first broke out from Wuhan, China are the United States (140,474), Brazil (79,488), and the United Kingdom (45,385). (tempo.co)