VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Adi Budiarso (kemenkeu.go.id)

The Finance Ministry has reported that the realization of the budget for national economic recovery has reached Rp192.53 trillion as of August 26, 2020, accounting for 27.7 percent of the budget ceiling of Rp695.2 trillion.

“The figure is quite encouraging,” chief of the Financial Sector Policy Center of the Fiscal Policy Board at the Finance Ministry, Adi Budiarso, said at a hearing with Commission VI of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta on Monday.
The realization of budget funds for the health sector has reached Rp12.3 trillion of the Rp87.55-trillion ceiling; social protection Rp101.06 trillion of the Rp203.9-trillion ceiling; business incentives Rp17.23 trillion of the Rp120.61-trillion ceiling; and, micro, small, and medium businesses Rp47.03 trillion of the Rp123.46-trillion ceiling.

The realization of the budget for the sectoral post of ministries, non-ministerial government institutions, and regional governments have touched Rp14.91 trillion of the Rp106.11-trillion ceiling, while the budget for corporate financing with a ceiling of Rp53.57 trillion has not been realized.

The realization of the budget for national economic recovery since the first half of 2020 has reached 24.4 percent of the total allocation.

To speed up national economic recovery, the government has extended several programs until December 2020, expedited the processing of new proposals from various clusters, redesigned programs to make them more effective, and shortened the bureaucratic process.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has stressed that national economic recovery would largely depend on the availability of the coronavirus vaccine.

Once a vaccine is found, the government will distribute it to the public and expedite the treatment of COVID-19 patients, she said at an online discussion in Jakarta last Thursday.

"Whether the vaccine will soon be discovered and can be distributed will have an extraordinary impact on all activities of the community, including economic activities," she opined.



She said the government has drafted various policies to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 through the National Economic Recovery (PEN) program. (ANTARA)

House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani (right) takes her seat while talking with deputy speaker Azis Syamsuddin before presiding over a plenary session at the House building in Jakarta on May 12. Puan said the House and the government must immediately discuss the revision to Law No. 4/1984 on communicable disease outbreaks in order to improve the national health system amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Antara/Muhammad Adimaja)

House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani said the House and the government must immediately discuss the revision to Law No. 4/1984 on communicable disease outbreaks in order to improve the national health system amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She said the revision of the bill, which has been included in 2020-2024 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas), would help to improve health infrastructure, drug and vaccine development, availability of medical devices and health research. As quoted by the Jakartapost.com, Puan stated in a statement on Monday that prevention, detection, and response to infectious diseases need to be adjusted to international guidelines, developments in science and technology, changes in the cross-border transmission of diseases and changes in transportation, globalization, and free trade//  Puan further  said the government should use the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to improve the national health system, while highlighting the importance of expanding the role of community health centers (Puskesmas)// JP

House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani said the House and the government must immediately discuss the revision to Law No. 4/1984 on communicable disease outbreaks in order to improve the national health system amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She said the revision of the bill, which has been included in the 2020-2024 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas), would help to improve health infrastructure, drug and vaccine development, availability of medical devices and health research. “Prevention, detection and response to infectious diseases need to be adjusted to international guidelines, developments in science and technology, changes in the cross-border transmission of diseases and changes in transportation, globalization and free trade,” Puan said in a statement on Monday.

This article was published in thejakartapost.com with the title "House, govt must discuss revision to law on contagious disease outbreaks: Puan". Click to read: https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/08/31/house-govt-must-discuss-revision-to-law-on-contagious-disease-outbreaks-puan.html.


Download The Jakarta Post app for easier and faster news access:
Android: http://bit.ly/tjp-android
iOS: http://bit.ly/tjp-ios

Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Edhy Prabowo. (ANTARA FOTO/Jimmy Ayal)

Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Edhy Prabowo echoed his ministry’s unwavering commitment to boosting maritime patrols to eradicate illegal fishing in the Indonesian waters.

"We remain committed to enforcing the law at sea to eradicate illegal fishing as well as destructive fishing and various other violations at sea that can potentially damage our marine resources," Prabowo remarked after inaugurating 30 civil servant investigators (PPNS) at the Maluku governor’s office in Ambon, Maluku, on Monday.

Hopes ride high that the newly installed PPNS would help tighten the supervision of the marine area in Maluku Province blessed with abundant marine and fishery resources.

The Indonesian government remains resolute to protecting the nation’s maritime areas and sustainably developing marine resources for the economic benefit of the community. Moreover, the minister believes that maintaining its sustainability is crucial for the welfare and betterment of the future generation.

Since taking on duties as the maritime affairs and fisheries minister from October 2019, or less than a year back, a total of 71 vessels comprising 54 foreign fishing vessels (KIA) and 17 Indonesian fishing vessels (KII) were detained for conducting illegal fishing activities in the Indonesian waters.

The detained foreign fishing boats constituted 25 Vietnamese boats, 16 Philippine boats, 12 Malaysian boats, and a Taiwanese boat.

The ministry has currently tasked 575 investigators with enforcing the law of the sea.

"On several occasions, I have said that in connection with illegal and destructive fishing activities, KKP’s stance remains clear. We will deal with them firmly," he affirmed. (ANTARA)

Minister of Communication and Informatics Johnny G. Plate met with Deputy Ambassador of the United States to Indonesia Heather Variava in Jakarta on Aug 28, 2020. ANTARA/HO

Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate held a meeting with Deputy Ambassador of the US to Indonesia Heather Variava to explore cooperation in speeding up digital transformation.

"The discussions encompassed technological aspects pertaining to human resources or digital talent provided by the Ministry of Communication and Informatics. America supported it," Plate noted in a statement on Monday.

The meeting held in Jakarta on Friday (Aug 28) also encompassed discussions on improving Television Transmitting Stations (ITSS).

Minister Plate noted that the US government had offered financial support to companies from the country to partake in digital economic development and digital broadcasting in Indonesia.

"Specifically, the deputy ambassador conveyed the commitment and intent of the US government and US companies to partake in financing digital transformation development programs, including digital broadcasting, information technology, and ICT infrastructure," he affirmed.

The duo also discussed best practices to develop mid-level digital talent and digital literacy at the basic level.

"We also discussed ways to maintain a better digital space related to cybersecurity and cybercrimes. We shared a similar understanding. America shares its values and experiences as well as pertaining to the latest conditions prevailing in Indonesia," he remarked.

Variava highlighted the opportunity for US companies in Indonesia to lend support for development of the digital economy, according to the ministry's statement.

The US Government has an opportunity to establish cooperation with its Indonesian counterpart and companies. The US can also support by offering training and education for human capital development, which President Jokowi has prioritized, Variava was quoted as saying.

The ministry conveyed that cooperation opportunities with foreign countries in the telecommunications sector, including with the US, will be followed up with the stages and mechanisms applicable in Indonesia.

Apart from the US, France and Japan had earlier also expressed interest in forging cooperation in the telecommunications sector with Indonesia. (ANTARA)