VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian shooting athlete Vidya Rafika Rahmatan Toyyiba at the Tokyo 2020 Women's 50m Rifle Qualification at Asaka Shooting Range, Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, (July 31, 2021). (ANTARA/REUTERS/Ann Wang/am/KT) - 

Secretary General of the PB Perbakin Shooting Sports School Firtian Judiswandarta expressed strong belief that accuracy-based sports, including shooting and archery, held vast potential to bring Indonesia to the world stage.

According to Judiswandarta, the branch of shooting does not require a strong body. Based on an expert's research, he quoted that shooting was one of the several sports in Indonesia that its athletes could compete in with other countries.

"Shooting does not require a strong physique. The important aspect is we hone (the athletes') intellectual skills. That is sufficient to compete for international achievements," he told ANTARA here on Saturday.

"Hence, accuracy and agility are indeed the (skills for) sports in Indonesia that we should continue to train in. Sports, such as archery and shooting, which basically rely on accuracy, are ideal for the people of Indonesia," he remarked.

However, Judiswandarta also emphasized that athletes prioritizing accuracy should not overlook their physical abilities since he believes athletics was of utmost importance.

"To be a good shooting athlete, he or she should have a proper physique. That means, they should obtain VO2 max (maximal oxygen consumption) with good endurance, though not the same power as weightlifting," he explained.

"Instead, we need more stamina to reach VO2 max through running or specific gymnastics. The weight used is also typical," Judiswandarta, who will be present at the Papua PON National Games XX to support East Java Province in the shooting branch.

Judiswandarta harbors high expectations of the National Sports Grand Design (DBON) proffering myriad benefits. He expressed belief that the new paradigm in the realm of Indonesian sports is the best way to boost achievement.

"DBON is very beneficial. We thank the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs. The current sport or the new paradigm carried out by the Ministry is a model that we must support," he affirmed//ANT

A screenshot of Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi delivers a virtual press statement regarding the Johnson & Johnson vaccines' arrival on Saturday (September 11, 2021). ANTARA/Yashinta Difa - 

Indonesia received its first 500 thousand COVID-19 vaccine doses of Johnson & Johnson from the Dutch government that arrived at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Banten, on Saturday.

"This is the third batch of vaccine supply support from the Dutch," Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi stated while delivering a virtual press statement on the arrival of the vaccines.

Indonesia had earlier obtained 657 thousand doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine as part of the commitment to provide a total of three million vaccine doses from the Netherlands.

The Indonesian government plans to administer Johnson & Johnson vaccines to citizens aged 18 years and above.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, with efficacy of 67.2 percent, has obtained an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) permit from the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) on September 7, 2021.

Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia, Lambert Grijns, noted that only one injection of the Jenssen company was required, so it will be effective in reaching people in remote areas.

"Recipients of the vaccine only need to make one trip," Grijns remarked.

The ambassador noted that the Dutch government was delighted to support Indonesia in its efforts to administer the donated vaccines to as many citizens as possible and at the earliest.

In addition to the vaccines, the Dutch government will donate personal protective equipment (PPE) to Indonesia.

Grijns remarked that a ship, carrying PPE, had departed from the port of Rotterdam last week and was scheduled to arrive in Jakarta in the coming weeks.

"I am optimistic that the donations we give would help the people of Indonesia. Indonesia has a special place in our hearts,” he affirmed//ANT

A screenshot of Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono during a press conference for the arrival of Janssen and Sinovac vaccines, Saturday (September 11, 2021). (ANTARA/ Zubi Mahrofi) - 

Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono confirmed that Indonesia had received Janssen and Sinovac vaccines in finished form on Saturday.

"This morning, we welcome the arrival of Janssen and Sinovac vaccines," he noted during a press conference on the arrival of the 56th and 57th batch of vaccines, monitored online here on Saturday.

The deputy health minister remarked that the Janssen vaccines are a form of assistance from the Dutch government through a bilateral scheme.

"This month, for the first time, we have received 500 thousand doses of the Janssen vaccine in the finished form. On behalf of the Indonesian government, we would like to say thank you for the assistance provided by the Dutch government," Harbuwono remarked.

The deputy health minister further confirmed that on the same day, Indonesia had also received 2,075,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine in collaboration with the COVAX Facility.

"If we calculate from the first arrival in December 2020 to stages 56 and 57 today, Indonesia has already received a total of more than 232 million vaccine doses, both in the form of raw materials and finished products," he noted.

Harbuwono noted that Janssen's vaccine had obtained the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) permit from the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) on September 7, 2021.

"Janssen vaccines will be administered intramuscularly through a single dose of 0.5 ml to the general public aged 18 years and above," he remarked.

The deputy health minister remarked that during the early stages, the vaccines will be distributed to agglomeration areas.

"With the arrival of these two vaccine brands, the government is optimistic of the vaccination rate being accelerated," he stated.

Harbuwono is optimistic that Indonesia would be able to vaccinate two million people in September through the nation's vaccination program.

According to the Health Ministry's data, as of September 11, 2021, as many as 72,248,720 people had received the first dose of the vaccine, while 41,534,340 people were fully vaccinated through the country's vaccination program//ANT

Documentation. A merchant in conversation with a buyer of school uniforms in Tulungagung, East Java, Wednesday, September 8, 2021. (Antara Jatim/Destyan Sujarwoko/zk/my) - 

A member of the Surabaya city legislative body (DPRD) has urged the city government to provide an online school uniform shopping system that functions as an option for parents or guardians of students.

"It is simple, actually. Next year, the Education Office is expected to provide an online uniform shopping system," said Herlina Harsono Njoto, member of DPRD's Commission D, in Surabaya, the capital of East Java Province, on Saturday. 

She noted that several private schools in Surabaya have implemented an online uniform sales system. The system in question can be in form of an application accessible to parents or guardians.

According to Njoto, the application can avoid the polemic of school uniform levies that occurred almost every new school year.

The House member opined that the polemic occurred in the wake of no alternative for parents or guardians to obtain uniforms for their children.

"If the parents (or guardians) were given the option, then I do not think this uniform issue will become a polemic, and the community will be well-served," she remarked.

Njoto suggested that the Surabaya city government should ideally be able to create a digital platform or application as an alternative to enable the sale of uniforms in the school environment.

"Surabaya is already a smart city. I think the mayor is IT literate, so he should be able to provide an application for purchasing uniforms online akin to the existing application, which is e-peken," she noted.

With the availability of online services, parents can determine which uniforms they want to buy, and they can also compare prices. If the students' (parents or) guardian fell in the low-income community (MBR) category, then they will not be charged for uniforms obtained through the application.

"The advantage is that we know exactly the need for uniforms, and we can also compare prices, so this can be very helpful for parents," she emphasized.

Njoto informed that the public can access the application directly from their devices. Parents or guardians that are facing difficulties in accessing it can seek help from the school to purchase uniforms online.

"Hence, there are several options for parents, specifically from school cooperatives, public markets, and online. Students from low-income groups are also well-served," she added//ANT