VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

TNI conducts vaccination activities in Indonesia-Malaysia border area - 

The Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI)'s 1206 Putussibau military regional command conducted vaccination activities for 185 residents living near the Indonesia-Malaysia border area in Batang Lupar Sub-district, Kapuas Hulu Dustruct, West Kalimantan Province.

"The mass vaccination program is implemented in cooperation with the TNI, Polri (Indonesia's Police), Puskesman (community health center), and the community who are quite enthusiastic," First Lieutenant Assistant Timur Edy, commander of the Batang Lupar Sub-district military office, said here on Saturday.

Timur said that he only received 10 vials of vaccine, while the public was enthusiastic about getting the shots to prevent the COVID-19 infections.

He expressed his hope to receive more vials of COVID-19 vaccine to outreach more residents in the border area, in accordance with the instruction of President Joko Widodo.

"Mass vaccination is one of our efforts to break the chain of the COVID-19 spread. Of course, in handling the pandemic, we need synergy from all parties, including the community," he noted.

He called on the public in border area to increase awareness and remain vigilant against the COVID-19 transmission. Indonesia saw a record increase in daily COVID-19 cases on July 3, 2021, with 27,913 new infections and 493 deaths reported across the country. The number of single-day recoveries stood at 13,282, while active cases were pegged at 281,677.

Since the government announced the first COVID-19 cases on March 2, 2020, the tally of infections has so far reached 2,256,851, while the death toll has touched 60,027.

With the second COVID-19 wave leading to a drastic spike in infections in several regions, particularly Jakarta and other cities on Java Island, the Indonesian government has imposed restrictions on public activities starting July 3 until 20, 2021//ANT

Kuta Beach is deserted on Saturday (July 3, 2021), the first day of the imposition of emergency restrictions to contain a surge in coronavirus cases. (ANTARA FOTO/Fikri Yusuf/foc) - 

The Indonesian government said the first day of imposition of emergency community activity restrictions (PPKM) in Java and Bali went smoothly on Saturday.

"From various reports compiled from the fields until this afternoon, the implementation of the emergency PPKM went smoothly, in an orderly manner, and in accordance with the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 15 of 2021," Jodi Mahardi, spokesperson for the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, said in a press statement broadcast by the Presidential Secretariat's Youtube account here on Saturday.

If there are any irregularities, the local governments and field officers must immediately evaluate and intervene to correct them, he advised.

"Remember, this emergency PPKM action is to save lives. The President's orders are clear. We are taking more decisive and measurable steps," he remarked.

Mahardi also reiterated that Indonesia's COVID situation is currently not okay owing to a drastic spike in infections.

Indonesia saw a record increase in daily COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with 27,913 new infections and 493 deaths reported across the country. The number of single-day recoveries stood at 13,282, while active cases were pegged at 281,677.

"This unusual condition requires extraordinary measures. The transmission must be controlled. Hence, it has been agreed with the local governments that community activity restrictions are to be carried out up to the sub-district level," Mahardi said.

With the second wave of COVID-19 infections driving rates of hospitalization and deaths to record highs, the government has decided to impose emergency restrictions in Java and Bali Islands from July 3 to July 20, 2021.

The new restrictions aim to cut daily cases to below 10 thousand and entail a work-from-home guidance for all non-essential sectors and the continued closure of schools and universities.

During the emergency restrictions, public amenities like beaches, parks, tourist attractions, and places of worship will remain closed, while restaurants will be allowed to only offer take-away or delivery services//ANT

BMKG graphic depicts the epicenter of the 5.5-magnitude earthquake that struck Bengkulu on Saturday night. (ANTARA/Carminanda) - 

A 5.5-magnitude earthquake hit Seluma district of Bengkulu province on Saturday night, according to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

The quake, which struck at 8.09 p.m. local time, was centered 41 kilometers southwest of Seluma at a depth of 26 kilometers, the agency reported.

The tremor was felt at magnitude II on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale in Liwa, Enggano, Mukomuko; at MMI III in Central Bengkulu, Bengkulu City, Argamakmur, and Kepahiang; and, at MMI IV in Manna.

Bengkulu is among the Indonesian provinces prone to earthquakes.

On June 27, 2021, a 5.0-magnitude earthquake jolted Mukomuko district of Bengkulu province, though no damages or casualties were reported in the quake.

The epicenter of the quake was located 50 kilometers southwest of Mukomuko at a depth of 22 kilometers, according to the BMKG//ANT

File photo of Malaysia's Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at a news conference in Putrajaya, Malaysia on Mar 11, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Lim Huey Teng) - 

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is in stable condition and is expected to be discharged from hospital soon after receiving treatment for a digestive system infection, his office said on Sunday (Jul 4).

Following advice from a team of doctors, Muhyiddin, who was hospitalised for diarrhoea on Wednesday, will remain in hospital for intravenous antibiotic treatment and is expected to be discharged "in a few more days", his office said in a statement.

"His condition is stable and improving and he is allowed to work while receiving treatment," it said. A thorough health screening found no evidence that Muhyiddin was experiencing a recurrence of cancer, his office said. In 2018, Muhyiddin was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was declared cancer-free last June//CNA