VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Chairman of OJK's Board of Commissioners, Wimboh Santoso, delivers a public lecture at the University of Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta on Monday. (December 6, 2021). (ANTARA/YouTube OJK) - 

The number of capital market investors increased significantly to 6.8 million in October 2021, chairman of the board of commissioners of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) Wimboh Santoso informed on Monday.

“Investors can now use technology from anywhere, small amounts can also be used. The majority (of capital market investors) are retail investors under the age of 30," he said while giving a public lecture at the University of Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta.

According to the OJK, the number of capital market investors more than doubled during the pandemic compared to 2019, when their number was pegged at 2.6 million, he noted.

Likewise, the proportion of young investors climbed from 54.90 percent in December 2020 to 59.50 percent in October 2021, Santoso informed.

The increase in investor interest was due to restrictions on mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted young investors to shift their money to the capital market, he explained.

The handling of the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic was still better than the crises in 1997–1998 and 2008 because of the presence of technology, Santoso observed.

"This is an economic laboratory, so we did not create this but it is real and technology helps," he remarked.

In addition, fundraising in the capital market in 2021 topped the value recorded in 2020, he said. As of November 30, 2021, it reached Rp321.8 trillion from 169 public offerings (PU), he added.

"There are still 9 PUs of Rp6.51 trillion that are in the pipeline; it is estimated that the 2021 target has been achieved," he said.

The good performance of the capital market is also reflected in the Indonesian Composite Index (IHSG), which has continued to move positively after reaching its lowest point of 3,937.63 on March 24, 2020, he added.

The OJK has issued a market stabilization policy in the form of a ban on short-selling, trading halts, adjustment of auto rejection limits, and share buybacks without a general meeting of shareholders (RUPS), he said.

"With this policy, the Indonesian Composite Index continues to move in a positive direction, where on December 2, 2021, IHSG (was recorded) at the level of 6,583.82," Santoso added//ANT

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin speaks in the closing ceremony of a meeting of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), Bali, Dec 4, 2021. ANTARA/HO-Setwapres - 

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has said that the social welfare gap in various regions remains a serious problem that must be resolved in Indonesia.

Based on the data of the National Socio-Economic Survey conducted by the Statistics Indonesia (BPS) in 2019, only 21.9 percent of the Indonesian population enjoyed economic prosperity, Amin said.

"In fact, economic prosperity in Indonesia is only enjoyed by no more than 21.9 percent of the top tier population. This means that inequality remains a serious problem in Indonesia," he remarked in a statement here on Sunday.

Based on the 2019 BPS data, 9.4 percent of the Indonesian population is categorized as poor, 20.6 percent as vulnerable people, 48.2 percent as transitional toward middle class, 21.5 percent as middle class, and only 0.5 percent as high incomes.

To lift people out of poverty, more people should be involved in business activities, he said.

Meanwhile, the 2021 data of the Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises showed that as many as 64 million residents are engaged in business activities, including 98.6 percent engaged in micro businesses, 1.2 percent in small businesses, 0.09 percent in medium scale businesses, and 0.01 percent in major businesses.

"This means that serious steps are needed to be taken to increase the number of people engaged in medium and large scale businesses," he added.

The Vice President said those data showed that redistribution of people's welfare remains a homework that must be done by various parties.

"It shows that the redistribution of welfare is a crucial homework for this nation, in order to make social justice a reality, and not just written in the state principle and the constitution," Ma'ruf Amin remarked//ANT

Illustration: Indonesia's national waters. (ANTARA/HO-Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry/uyu) - 

The Continental Shelf Bill could strengthen Indonesia’s stance on the issue, Acting Director General of Marine Spatial Management at the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry Pamuji Lestari has said.

The bill was initiated by the government to strengthen Indonesia’s legal standing in negotiations or claims for settlement of maritime boundaries with neighboring countries, she informed in a press release here on Saturday.

"Since 2017, the ministry has initiated in submitting the bill to the President, while the related ministries and institutions have reviewed it," she added.

She also noted that the bill has currently been included in the National Legislation Program (Prolegnas) of the 2021 Priority Bill.

Hence, the ministry will continue to accommodate the aspirations of academics and experts in the marine sector to refine the contents of the bill, the acting director general said.

The utilization of the continental shelf in Indonesia currently covers fisheries activities, exploration of oil, gas and minerals, establishment of submarine pipelines and cables, construction of marine structures, research on geophysical-based conservation and submarine volcano locations, she informed.

The ministry plans to encourage the use of marine bio-pharmacology, marine biotechnology, the use of sea waves apart from energy, marine tourism, salt production, and retrieval of valuable objects from sunken ships (BMKT), she added.

"The Continental Shelf Bill will not only regulate the utilization of marine environment, but also attempts to protect it, such as preventing pollution and environmental destruction, as well as mitigation, rehabilitation, and recovery efforts," Lestari added.

Meanwhile, Gadjah Mada University academic I Made Andi Arsana said that to maintain Indonesia’s marine ecosystem well, it is necessary to conduct patrols

"If we do not want the environment to be misused by other parties, we must be able to detect, guard, and patrol the waters," he said//ANT

Cars parked on a road in Malang district, East Java, are covered in volcanic ash expelled by Mount Semeru in Lumajang District, East Java, on Saturday (December 4, 2021). (ANTARA/HO-BPBD Malang) - 

Volcanic ash expelled by Mount Semeru in Lumajang District has reached Malang District, an official from the Regional Disaster Mitigation Office (BPBD), Malang, confirmed on Saturday.

Acting head of the emergency and logistics department of the Malang BPBD, Sadono Irawan, said that the agency has received reports of volcanic ashfall in Malang District, which is located west of Mount Semeru.

"Though Malang District has not directly been affected by the eruption, the volcanic ash has reached several regions in the district," Irawan informed.

Volcanic ashfall has been reported in Ampelgading, Tirtoyudo, Wajak, and Bantur Sub-districts of Malang, he said.

Meanwhile, Ampelgading sub-district head Achmad Sovie confirmed that despite the volcanic ashfall in the region, the sub-district, located close to Lumajang district, is relatively safe as the eruption has not directly affected it.

"Regions in Malang are relatively safe from the Semeru eruption in Lumajang," Sovie said.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) informed that there was an increase in volcanic activity on the 3,676-meter Mount Semeru, which led to an eruption at 3.20 p.m. local time (UTC +7) on Saturday afternoon.

The agency confirmed that the eruption dispersed volcanic ash over several regions, and the pyroclastic flow was headed to Besuk Kobokan in Pronojiwo sub-district, Lumajang district.

The Mount Semeru volcano observation post in Gunung Sawur reported that pyroclastic flow from the volcano occurred from 2.47 p.m.

The observation post later informed that by 3.10 p.m., a clear visual of the volcanic ash reaching Besuk Kobokan had been obtained, with reports of a strong sulphuric odor.

Lumajang District Deputy Head Indah Amperawati instructed officers from Lumajang BPBD and the Social Office to set up evacuation centers and public kitchens for residents affected by the eruption and inspect affected areas to pick up residents confined to their homes by the thick volcanic ash//ANT