VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

A BNPB representative receives protective and diagnostic gear donated by Hyundai Engineering Co Ltd. (Antara / Personal documentation)

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has received assistance in the form of protective gear and COVID-19 diagnostic equipment from South Korean construction and civil engineering company Hyundai Engineering Co Ltd. BNPB chair Doni Monardo expressed his appreciation for the assistance in a written statement released in Jakarta on Tuesday.

"We are very grateful for this support, and I believe this donation will help Indonesia overcome COVID-19. I also hope it will strengthen relations between Korea and Indonesia," he said.

Hyundai had earlier made a donation to Pertamedika.

The total value of the two donations is pegged at Rp5 billion. The donations comprise 4,800 units of diagnostic equipment, 260 thousand units of masks, and 1,500 units of thermometers. The donated items will be distributed throughout Indonesia by BNPB.

Hyundai has stated that, as a company operating in Indonesia, it has a social responsibility to help the Indonesian people deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hyundai Engineering Co. Ltd is an EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) company from South Korea, which focuses on oil and gas, electricity, and infrastructure projects.

Currently, Hyundai is collaborating with PT Pertamina (Persero) on the construction of a national strategic mega-project, namely the refinery development master plan (RDMP) in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, which is one of six refineries being built by Pertamina.

The six refinery mega-project comprises four RDMP expansion projects and two new grassroots refinery (GRR) projects.

RDMP Balikpapan has said it plans to increase its refinery processing capacity from 260 thousand barrels per day to 360 thousand barrels per day, improve the quality of fuel products from Euro II equivalent to Euro V equivalent, and reduce the diesel import burden by 17 percent as diesel production has increased by 23 percent, or 30 thousand barrels per day .

The RDMP will also produce 230 thousand tons of new propylene products every year. Phase 1 of the US$6.5-billion project is targeted to be complete by 2023, and Phase 2 by 2025. (ANTARA)

Religion Affairs Minister Fachrul Razi highlighted that the Indonesian government had cancelled the departure of pilgrims headed for Hajj 2020/1441 Hijri akin to its decision in the previous years.

"Indonesia also canceled Haj pilgrimage in 1946, 1947, and 1948 owing to the Dutch aggression," Razi noted during a press conference to discuss the government’s decisions on organizing this year's annual Haj in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The government has decided to cancel the departure of pilgrims due to the COVID-19 pandemic that was still endemic in various countries, including Saudi Arabia.

The cancellation decision was made in accordance with Decree of Minister of Religion Affairs Number 494 of 2020 after an in-depth study and communication with the Government of Saudi Arabia, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), and Commission VIII of the Indonesian Parliament.

Based on the study of literature, Hajj pilgrimage during the infectious outbreak had resulted in humanitarian tragedies in which tens of thousands of pilgrims fell victims.

The Government of Saudi Arabia suspended the pilgrimage in 1814 to curb the spread of the infectious disease of plague and thereafter in 1837 and 1858 due to a disease epidemic, while in 1892 owing to the cholera outbreak and in 1987 due to the meningitis plague.

"In addition, the Government of Saudi Arabia has not opened access to Hajj for any country," he pointed out.

Consequently, the Government of Indonesia had insufficient time to prepare services and ensure protection of pilgrims.

Razi further explained that the decision to cancel the pilgrimage departure applied to all Indonesian citizens, both regular and special pilgrims as well as pilgrims invited by the Government of Saudi Arabia.

"This is truly a quite bitter and difficult decision, as we have undertaken various efforts. However, on the other hand, we bear the responsibility to provide protection to pilgrims. The safety of pilgrims is the responsibility of the state," the minister added. (ANTARA)

Jakarta (VOI News) - The Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs announced the cancellation of the departure of Hajj pilgrims for 1441 Hijr or 2020. This policy was taken because the Government must prioritize the safety of the hajj congregation in the midst of Covid-19 pandemic. The Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs, Fachrul Razi, in a teleconference with the media at the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ office in Jakarta on Tuesday (02/06), stressed this decision was taken after conducting an in-depth study.

"The government has decided not to send the hajj pilgrims in 1441 Hijr or 2020. I convey this decision through the Decree of the Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Number 494 of 2020 concerning the Cancellation of the Departure of the Hajj Pilgrimage for 1441 Hijr or 2020. In accordance with the mandate of the Law, in addition to economic and physical capability requirements, health and safety of the pilgrims must be guaranteed and prioritized, starting from the embarkation or debarkation, in travel, and also while in Saudi Arabia," said Fachrul Razi.

In addition to the safety issues, the Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi also said, this policy was taken because until now the Saudi Arabian government has not opened access for the 1441 Hijr Hajj Pilgrimage Services. As a result, the Indonesian Government does not have enough time to make preparations for the implementation of guidance, service and protection for pilgrims. He said the preparation is important so that pilgrims can hold worship safely and comfortably.

Fachrul Razi added that following the issuance of the cancellation policy for the departure of the pilgrims, regular and special pilgrims who had paid the Hajj Travel Costs (Bipih) this year would become pilgrims of next year’s hajj. The cost payments that have been paid will be kept and managed separately by the Hajj Financial Management Board (BPKH). (VOI / AHM)

BPS Head Suhariyanto. ANTARA/Mentari Dwi Gayati/am

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded an inflation rate of 0.07 percent in May 2020 or lower from the corresponding period last year owing to decreased public demand during the Eid al-Fitr celebrations.

"Inflation in May is very small, very far as compared to that during Eid al-Fitr last year when it touched 0.55 percent in June," BPS Head Suhariyanto stated during a virtual press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Thus, the January-May 2020 calendar year inflation rate reached 0.90 percent, while the year-on-year inflation touched 2.19 percent.