VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi inspected logistics and cargo movement at the Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Friday (July 16, 2021). ANTARA/HO-BKIP Transportation Ministry -

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi inspected the cargo service activity and vaccination service at the Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, Banten, on Friday (July 16).

The minister’s inspection of the airport's cargo service center and vaccination point at Terminal 3 aimed at ensuring that activities ran smoothly at both locations during the emergency Community Activity Restriction Enforcement (PPKM) in the islands of Java and Bali.

"Alhamdulillah (thank God), the logistic service activity (at the airport) runs smoothly in spite of the PPKM enforcement and public movement restriction," Sumadi stated here on today.

Sumadi echoed his ministry’s commitment to ensuring stable logistics and cargo movement during the COVID-19 pandemic, as its stability would guarantee the fulfillment of basic and essential needs of the public.

Stable cargo and logistics movement will also alleviate struggling airlines currently plagued by a decline in the number of regular passengers due to the enforcement of emergency PPKM from July 3.

The minister also inspected the vaccination point at Terminal 3 of the Soekarno Hatta Airport hosted by PT Angkasa Pura II.

The company has provided vaccination for airline passengers as the current regulation stipulates passengers to show vaccination certificates prior to departure, as well as to support government programs for expediting vaccination efforts nationwide.

"I laud Angkasa Pura II for facilitating a satisfactory vaccination service for airline passengers," Sumadi remarked.

To speed up the vaccination program, the government has also coordinated with transportation authorities to set up vaccination points at transportation hubs, such as airports, bus terminals, ports, and train stations.

Indonesian state-owned airport management companies Angkasa Pura I established vaccination points at 15 airports it served, while Angkasa Pura II facilitated a vaccination drive at 16 airports it served.

Apart from airports, vaccination drives at other transportation hubs are also being provided by its management authority.

PT KAI has provided vaccination facilities at 10 train stations serving intercity routes, PT Pelni has set vaccination points at four ports, and the Directorate General of Land Transportation has also prepared vaccination facilities at 12 type-A terminals in Java and Bali//ANT

Telkomsel DigiAds DIGIHACKACTION program pools talents in digital technology to collaborate in producing business-related technology. (ANTARA/HO/KT) - 

Indonesia's cellular operator Telekomunikasi Selular Ltd (Telkomsel) through Telkomsel Digital Advertising (DigiAds) held a DIGIHACKACTION program for supporting and developing digital talents in Indonesia.

"Through this collaboration, we open up opportunities for all quality talents, especially those in the field of digital technology from any regions in Indonesia," Telkomsel SVP Corporate Strategy and Strategic Investment, Andi Kristianto, noted in a press statement, as quoted on Saturday, July 17.

Telkomsel is a subsidiary of state-owned telecommunications company Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Ltd.

"They will come together and produce digital advertising and marketing business solutions that benefit the community, such as MSMEs," Kristianto remarked.

DIGIHACKACTION, or Digital Hackathon Action, is a collaboration program among Telkomsel DigiAds, Telkomsel, and Daily Social. Through this program, Telkomsel has been striving to create a tool for technology developers to create applicable technologies that industry and businesses can use.

The program carries the company's principle of action in creating ideas, concepts, and scope and use of the latest advertising and marketing technology. The produced technology is expected to be used for business purposes, especially for MSMEs.

The program also opened up Telkomsel's opportunities in improving and strengthening the brand value and position of Telkomsel DigiAds in the digital technology industry market sector in Indonesia.

Furthermore, it offers business expansion opportunities through the creation and development of innovations in Telkomsel DigiAds products and services in future.

This event, held online from June 28 to the end of August, presents three challenges: Advertising and Marketing Direct Solution, Advertising and Marketing Support Solutions, and Digital Advertising Product and Service Enhancement and Improvement.

The participants have to create ideas and solutions within the scope of innovation and improvisation required for development of the products’ and services’ value in accordance with the market interests of Telkomsel DigiAds’ targeted customers.

Telkomsel is seeking 250 ideas from participants, 10 of which will be selected as the top finalists. They will select the top three champions, who will receive a prize worth Rp100 million and a work opportunity with Telkomsel DigiAds in the next incubation and acceleration stage//ANT

An officer inspects oxygen cylinders unloaded from a Singapore warship on Wednesday (July 14, 2021). (ANTARA/Hiro) - 

Indonesia received vaccines, oxygen cylinders, and medical equipment from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore on Friday to help handle the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the country, an official stated.

The assistance from UAE, which arrived in Indonesia early on Friday, comprised 250 thousand Sinopharm vaccines, 450 units of 40-liter oxygen cylinders, and 150 portable oxygen concentrators, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said in a written statement on Friday.

In addition, the UAE also sent 20 tons of medical safety gear, including personal protective equipment, face masks, and gloves to Indonesia.

On Wednesday (July 14, 2021), Indonesia received 250 units of 50-liter oxygen cylinders, two ISO tanks, 570 oxygen concentrators, 600 nasal cannula, and 600 bubble humidifiers from Singapore.

The assistance was the second of its kind dispatched by Singapore to Indonesia in the past week.

On July 9, 2021, Singapore had sent 200 ventilators, 256 units of 50-liter oxygen cylinders, and other health equipment to Indonesia.

The Indonesian government, through the Foreign Ministry, thanked the UAE and Singapore for the assistance amid a surge in COVID-19 infections in the country due to the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus.

Indonesia reported 56,757 fresh COVID-19 cases as of July 15, 2021, bringing the total tally to 2,726,803. Meanwhile, the total number of deaths due to the virus reached 70,192//ANT

A screenshot of secretary of the Fatwa Commission of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Asrorun Ni'am Sholeh, in Jakarta, Friday (July 16, 2021). (ANTARA/Hreeloita Dharma Shanti/ak) - 

Worshippers must comply with the COVID-19 health protocols while observing Eid al-Adha, secretary of the Fatwa Commission of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Asrorun Ni'am Sholeh, has said.

"The COVID-19 outbreak will not prevent people from worshiping. The implementation of Eid al-Adha must be adapted to the latest situation and conditions," he urged in Jakarta on Friday.

Muslims have an obligation to continue to perform religious activities as part of upholding their religion, Sholeh explained.

However, they must ensure their own safety as well as the safety of others, he stressed.

"With the government establishing the emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM) in Java, Bali and several cities in Indonesia, the implementation of worship activities must be adjusted," he said.

The takbiran, which involves chanting Allahu Akbar (God is great), is traditionally held on the eve of Eid al-Adha at mosques and on the streets, with attendance reaching tens to hundreds of people, he noted.

During the emergency PPKM, the takbiran will need to be carried out at home or in private areas to prevent transmission of COVID-19, Sholeh said.

Eid al-Adha prayers can be performed at home in congregation with family members or individually, he added.

Residents who wish to perform qurban (animal sacrifice) for Eid-al-Adha can visit slaughterhouses (RPH) to avoid crowds during the ritual, he suggested.

"People should optimize the qurban meat distribution for the benefit of our brothers and sisters who really need it, especially those who are in self-isolation," he said.

Meanwhile, Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas has asked Indonesians to temporarily worship from home to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

"The daily number of positive COVID-19 cases is still increasing. For the time being, let us reduce mobility, be patient, and stay at home. For the time being, we will carry out worship at home," he said in a press release issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Jakarta on Friday.

Houses of worship in emergency community activity restrictions (PPKM) zones and high (red) and medium (orange) COVID-19 transmission risk zones will need to be temporarily closed to prevent crowding, which can increase the risk of coronavirus spread, Qoumas had earlier explained.

"Public worship activities in the emergency PPKM zones as well as the red and orange zones outside the emergency PPKM (zones) will need to continue to be carried out at home," he said.

The minister also asked citizens to comply with government regulations that are aimed at suppressing the transmission of COVID-19.

"Let us work from home and worship from home. Limiting mobility out of the house is part of a joint effort to break the chain of spread of COVID-19," he said.

Minister Qoumas also invited the public to take advantage of the emergency PPKM period to increase worship.

The government has imposed emergency PPKM in the Java and Bali regions from July 3 to July 20, 2021//ANT