VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The South Jakarta Immigration Office, Central Jakarta Immigration Office, and Tangerang Immigration Office will be the first to open queues for passport applicants through the M-Paspor app. (ANTARA/HO-Public Relations and General Affairs Department of Law and Human Rights Ministry/uyu) - 

The Directorate General of Immigration of the Indonesian Law and Human Rights Ministry has rolled out the M-Paspor app to provide immigration services to the public.

"Through M-Paspor, the community can apply for a passport by uploading scans of the required documents on the app," head of the public relations and general affairs department of the directorate general, Arya Pradhana Anggakara, said in a written statement here on Thursday.

Hence, applicants will not have to wait for a long time for officers to upload and record their data, he added.

"The features in the app contain the standard application steps which are usually done face-to-face," he informed.

They include the payment of initial Non-Tax State Revenue (PNBP), arrival rescheduling, checking applications status, validating applicant’s identity card number (NIK), and integrating travel documents, he elaborated.

The app can be downloaded from the Google Playstore, Anggakara said. However, iOS users will need to wait as the app is still being assessed by the Appstore, he explained.

After installing the app, applicants can upload the required documents and select the desired immigration office and arrival schedule, he said.

Furthermore, they can make payments through the available online channels, he informed. Payments can also be done offline through banks, post offices, or Indomaret convenience stores, he said.

"Please remember that the payment deadline is two hours after the documents are uploaded," the department head added.

The South Jakarta Immigration Office, Central Jakarta Immigration Office, and Tangerang Immigration Office will be the first offices to open queues for passport applicants through the M-Paspor app, the official disclosed.

“Furthermore, applicants can ask for their passport to be sent to their home through (state-owned post service provider) PT Pos Indonesia," Anggakara added//ANT

Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Teten Masduki (middle) at a press conference on '2021 Reflection and 2022 Outlook' in Jakarta on Thursday (December 30, 2021). (ANTARA/M. Baqir Idrus Alatas/rst) - 

Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Teten Masduki on Thursday enumerated his ministry's achievements in 2021, including the laying of five foundations for creating a more adaptive business ecosystem.

The first foundation was enabling easy access to financing for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the minister said.

"So far, the main problem is financing, especially for micro-enterprises that are unbankable or in the informal sector," Masduki noted at the '2021 Reflecting and 2022 Outlook' press conference on Thursday.

In the micro sector, productive grants to the tune of Rp15.36 trillion were awarded to 12.8 million business actors, he informed.

Data from November 2021 showed that the absorption of state-owned financing company PNM Mekaar grew by 96.3 percent year-on-year to Rp 42.1 trillion and PNM Ulamm by 29.3 percent to Rp2.79 trillion, he noted.

These figures indicate that access to finance for micro-enterprises or the informal sector is improving, Masduki said.

MSMEs were also given an additional 3 percent People's Business Credit (KUR) interest subsidy, which was distributed to 7.5 million debtors with total funding of Rp278.38 trillion, or 97.8 percent of the target of Rp285 trillion as of December 30, 2021, the minister informed.

"We also provided funding facilities to cooperative actors with a sliding of 3 percent light interest, with a realization of Rp1.64 trillion or 102.6 percent of the target of Rp 1.6 trillion," he said.

The second foundation involved market expansion and digitalization, he informed. A total of 16.9 million MSMEs came on board for this push as of November 2021, or an increase of more than 100 percent since the COVID-19 pandemic began, he said.

The third foundation involved encouraging MSMEs partnerships with big businesses, he said. The program started in 2021 with nine state-owned enterprises (SOEs) along with a number of private companies, such as PT Mitra Bumdes Nusantara, Micro Consulting, Uniqlo, IKEA, Tokopedia, MNC Group, INA Product, BNI, Grab, and Gojek, he added.

The next foundation involved making MSME data collection a basis for policymaking, while the fifth foundation involved bureaucratic reform within the ministry by simplifying the institutional make-up and reducing the number of deputies from six to four,  the minister said.

In addition, several changes were made in Smesco's focus, which is now trying to develop MSMEs and cooperatives so they can compete globally, he added.

The minister also said that Smesco was used as a center of excellence for product development and a competitive MSME business model.

"I think Smesco has changed its business model from the property rental business into a trading wing of the Ministry of Cooperatives to support MSMEs in reaching a wider market, both domestically and abroad," he informed//ANT

A prospective passenger's sample is taken for a rapid antigen test at Gambir Station, Jakarta. (ANTARA/HO-PT Kereta Api Indonesia/uyu) - 

State-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) has announced that it will reduce the price of COVID-19 rapid antigen test services at 83 railway stations from Rp45 thousand to Rp35 thousand from January 1, 2022.

"The adjustment of the rate aims to improve our services amid the 2022 New Year holiday," a spokesman of the company Joni Martinus informed in a statement issued here on Thursday.

He expected the more affordable price to help prospective passengers complete the requirements for boarding trains, which include bringing vaccination certificates and COVID-19 test results.

From December 17–29, 2021, KAI rejected 22,576 customers as they had not completed the health requirements and not passed the health screening, he informed.

Furthermore, the rapid antigen test service is a collaboration between several state-owned enterprises, including KAI, Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia, and Indofarma, he added.

The 83 stations that will cut the prices of tests include Pasar Senen (Jakarta), Gambir (Jakarta), Bekasi, Cikampek (Karawang district), Karawang, Bandung, Kiaracondong (Bandung city), Tasikmalaya, Banjar, Purwakarta, Cimahi, Cipendeuy (Garut district), Ciamis, Cirebon, and Cirebon Prujakan.

Jatibarang (Indramayu district), Haurgeulis (Indramayu district), Babakan (Cirebon district), Brebes, Pegadenbaru (Subang district), Semarang Tawang, Semarang Poncol, Tegal, Cepu (Blora district), Ngrombo (Grobogan district), Pemalang, Pekalongan, Weleri (Kendal district), and Purwokerto stations will also implement the price cut.

Additionally, Kroya (Cilacap district), Kutoarjo (Purworejo district), Sidareja (Cilacap district), Kebumen, Gombong (Kebumen district), Cilacap, Yogyakarta, Solo Balapan, Lempuyangan (Yogyakarta city), Klaten, Purwosari (Solo city), Sragen, Wates (Kulon Progo district), Solo Jebres, Madiun, Jombang, and Blitar stations will also slash prices of the tests.

Kediri, Tulungagung, Nganjuk, Kertosono (Nganjuk district), Surabaya Pasar Turi, Surabaya Gubeng, Malang, Wlingi (Blitar district), Sidoarjo, Mojokerto, Bojonegoro, Babat (Lamongan district), Lamongan, Kepanjen (Malang District), Wonokromo (Surabaya city), Jember, Ketapang (Banyuwangi district), Banyuwangi Kota, Rogojampi (Banyuwangi district), and Kalisetail (Banyuwangi district) stations will follow suit.

Some more stations that will roll out the price cuts are Probolinggo, Medan, Kisaran (Asahan district), Tanjung Balai, Rantauprapat (Labuhanbatu district), Mambangmuda (North Labuhanbatu district), Tebing Tinggi, Kertapati (Palembang city), Prabumulih, Muaraenim, Lahat, Tebingtinggi (Empat Lawang district), Lubuk Linggau, Tanjungkarang (Bandar Lampung city), Kotabumi (North Lampung district), Baturaja (Ogan Komering Ulu district), and Martapura (East Ogan Komering Ulu district).

Ahead of the New Year holiday, the corporation has sold 126,709 long-distance train tickets, equivalent to 41 percent of the total passenger capacity, Martinus said. However, the number may increase since ticket sales are still open, he added//ANT

The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy / Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, when receiving an audience with the APDESI DPP management - 

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy/Tourism and Creative Economy Agency will collaborate with the Association of Indonesian Village Governments (DPP APDESI) in an effort to develop tourist villages and creative villages so that they can make Indonesia a world-class tourism destination, competitive, sustainable and able to encourage development. area and people's welfare.

The economy of tourist villages or creative villages has a tendency to grow faster than non-tourism villages. Through tourism activities, tourist villages are also able to improve the socio-economic conditions of the village.

The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy / Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, when receiving an audience with the APDESI DPP management, Wednesday (29/12/2021) at the Sapta Pesona Building, Central Jakarta, said that tourist villages and creative villages have a role important in creating job opportunities and improving people's welfare so that it has an impact on the revival of the national economy.

"This tourism village and creative village are job creators. So the drivers are village communities, MSMEs and local entrepreneurships with local wisdom," said Sandiaga.

Sandiaga encourages APDESI to provide opportunities for the younger generations in tourism villages and creative villages to expand economic opportunities. "So I want the younger generation to be given the opportunity to take the opportunity to open up economic opportunities, increase income," he said.

The former Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta wants villages that are members of APDESI to develop agro-tourism potential. Thus, food ingredients from villages can be sent to creative economy actors in the culinary sub-sector in urban areas. "So I ask my village friends to develop (agro-tourism potential) so that it becomes a solution," said Sandiaga.

On the same occasion, the Chairperson of the APDESI DPP, Surtawijaya, appreciated the programs owned by Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf related to the development of tourism villages and creative villages. Such as the Indonesian Tourism Village Award and the Creative Village.

"We in the villages need support, both in terms of assistance and access to promote villages that have tourism and creative economy potential. Hopefully, we can synergize with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy in this regard," said Surtawijaya.

This hearing was also attended offline by the Deputy for Strategic Policy at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, R. Kurleni Ukar; Deputy for Digital Products and Creative Economy Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf, Muhammad Neil El Himam; Secretary to the Deputy for Destination and Infrastructure Development at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Oneng Setya Harini; and the Director of the Creative Industry of Fashion, Design and Culinary Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf, Yuke Sri Rahayu who attended online//VOI-NK