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A screenshot of Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, providing an update on political, legal, and security developments amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Jakarta on Saturday (July 24, 2021. (ANTARA/Genta Tenri Mawangi) - 

The government will take strict action against demonstrators found violating health protocols on the grounds they can endanger public safety, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD has warned.

To that end, law enforcement officers serve as an important force to help the government protect public safety, he said in Jakarta on Saturday.

He made the remarks in response to a rally planned in Jakarta to protest against the enforcement of emergency community activity restrictions (PPKM).

"The government is making an endeavor to handle COVID-19. In implementing the policy to handle the pandemic, it sticks to the substance of our constitution, namely to protect the people's safety," the minister noted.

He said the government will not ban any activity held to express aspirations during the COVID-19 pandemic, provided it is carried out in accordance with the health protocols.

"In principle, the government is open and responsive to all aspirations of the public. However, in the midst of the pandemic, it would be better to convey the aspirations through communication channels, in accordance with the health protocols," he added.

The government listens to all public aspirations and is responsive to all proposals, Mahfud assured.

"The government listens to all the aspirations and takes them into account in making various decisions. Nothing has gone unheeded," he said.

For example, the government has taken swift action to respond to citizens' proposals related to self-paid vaccinations and foreign workers, he added.

He called on the public to stay alert for certain groups trying to capitalize on public unrest.

"The government knows a group of people who are intent to capitalize on the situation. There is a pure group and a non-pure group. They only want to challenge and capitalize on the situation. Therefore, we must exercise caution," the minister said.

In anticipation of the rally, Jakarta Metropolitan Police's Traffic Directorate has stationed 350 traffic police officers to guard roads around the State Palace.

"There are 350 personnel (deployed)," Jakarta Police's traffic director, Senior Commissioner Sambodo Purnomo Yogo, confirmed here on Saturday.

Responding to posters urging the public to join a march from Glodok to the State Place to protest against the PPKM, which have gone viral lately, the Jakarta Police has appealed to the public to not participate in protests on the streets to express their reservations to PPKM//ANT

Farmers dry tobacco in Kampung Malaka, Banyuresmi village, Tanjungsari, Sumedang , West Java on June 28, 2021. (ANTARA PHOTO/Raisan Al Farisi/hp/KT) - 

The Ministry of Finance has decided to allow tobacco factory owners to delay paying taxes by a maximum of 90 days, as part of non-fiscal stimulus measures.

The decision has been made in response to a request by the Association of Tobacco Manufacturers seeking relaxations on tax payments, it said.

"This is to maintain the business sustainability and cash flow of the tobacco industry," the ministry explained in a statement released here on Saturday.

The policy has been stipulated in the Regulation of the Minister of Finance (PMK), Number 93/PMK.04/2021, concerning the Second Amendment to the Regulation of the Minister of Finance, Number 57/PMK.04/2017, it informed.

Under the regulation, businesses will be allowed to defer payments under different tax bands by up to 90 days from the due date prescribed by the current regulation, which was July 12, 2021. Therefore, delayed payments under different tax bands can be made until October 31, 2021.

To avail the 90-day relaxation, factory operators will need to submit a decision letter (SKEP) seeking an extension on tax payment and update the proof of guarantee approval (BPJ), according to the ministry.

The head of the Customs office or the head of the Customs territory office will take decisions on granting the extension, the ministry said.  

"The decision will be based on factory entrepreneurs' applications, who will also need to submit a guarantee to Customs for the 90-day delay," it added.

The government had granted similar relaxations through the Regulation of the Minister of Finance Number 30/PMK.04/2020 concerning Amendments to Regulation of the Minister of Finance Number 57/PMK.04/2017, it pointed out.

The latest relaxation will be handled by Customs by upholding the principle of circumspection considering the total value of the delayed payments is Rp71 trillion, or 97 percent of CK-1, according to the ministry.

The value has been calculated based on delayed tax payments on 120 tobacco product factories, or 11 percent of tobacco products factories, between January 1 to May 31, 2021, it said//ANT

Southeast Sulawesi Police Chief Irjen Pol Yan Sultra Indrajaya. (ANTARA/Harianto/RA) - 

Southeast Sulawesi Provincial Police Chief Inspector General Yan Sultra Indrajaya has sought a persuasive approach to be applied by his staff in enforcing Community Activities Restrictions (PPKM) in the area.

"Apply a humanist and persuasive approach in handling people behind crowding. Show that we are part of them (Indonesians), and this is for everyone's safety," Indrajaya noted in Kendari,  capital of Southeast Sulawesi province, Saturday.

Indrajaya appealed to his staff to work along with the Indonesian military (TNI) to edify the public to stay disciplined in applying health protocols, especially the 5M: wearing masks, washing hands with soap in running water, maintaining distance, avoiding crowds, and limiting mobility and social interaction.

"The principle is we are educating people politely. Show that we are part of the community," he affirmed.

Indrajaya highlighted the criticality of applying health protocols and conducting vaccinations on account of the continued rising trend of COVID-19 cases, including in the Southeast Sulawesi region.

The Provincial Police chief vowed that his side will extend all-out assistance to the government to address the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in Southeast Sulawesi.

"We are doing our best to help and support government policies to offer awareness of the importance of health protocols to the public," he remarked.

The Police and TNI in Southeast Sulawesi proceed to visit the community directly to provide basic food assistance, especially for residents affected by the implementation of PPKM, to stem the spread of COVID-19.

As of July 23, 2021, the Southeast Sulawesi COVID-19 Task Force recorded that out of 14,726 patients, 11,838 recovered, 2,585 were undergoing treatment and isolation, and 303 people died//ANT

A passenger sits on her luggage watching passenger airplanes parked on the tarmac after all flights were canceled at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China, Sunday, July 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) - 

Chinese commercial hub Shanghai and neighbouring coastal regions cancelled all flights, slowed or suspended subway trains and shuttered businesses as Typhoon In-fa made landfall on Sunday (Jul 25).

The typhoon landed in the Putuo district of the city of Zhoushan, a major port in the east coast province of Zhejiang, at 12.30pm on Sunday, state broadcaster CCTV said, citing the China Meteorological Administration.

The storm hit as central China is still reeling from record flooding that killed at least 58, cut off power and forced the relocation of more than 1 million people.

"We will make every effort to ensure the safety of people's lives and property, and do everything to minimise disaster losses, and strive to achieve the goal of no deaths and few injuries and economic losses," said Yuan Jiajun, the Zhejiang province Communist Party secretary, during an inspection of preparations on Saturday, official media reported.

The Meteorological Administration earlier said the typhoon was moving at a speed of 15kmh.

In-fa's wind speeds were up to 38m per second, the Meteorological Administration said. That is equal to about 137kmh, according to Reuters calculations.

It was due to travel north along the Zhejiang coast from around noon, passing Shanghai and reaching northeastern Jiangsu province by the evening.

The Zhejiang emergency management department upgraded its typhoon response to the highest level on Saturday, closing schools and markets, and suspending road traffic when necessary.

The Shanghai government said it would slow its subway trains, while Hangzhou authorities warned residents that underground trains would be suspended.

Flooding in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou last week killed 12 people who were trapped in the subway system.

Shanghai Disneyland will close on Sunday and Monday because of the weather, the resort announced, while the city's Yangshan Port has evacuated hundreds of vessels, the official Xinhua news agency reported//CNA