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Screenshot of Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin during an online press conference broadcast on YouTube by the Presidential Secretariat, Jakarta, Friday (25/6/2021). ANTARA/Indra Arief - 

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin made assurance that the government's budget for handling the COVID-19 pandemic was still available and could be utilized as swiftly and accurately as possible.

The budget was also confirmed by the health minister to the State Treasurer, Finance Minister, Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

"Minister Sri Mulyani also said several times that there is no need to worry because the money is set aside, and it is just a matter of how we can use it as efficiently as possible," Sadikin stated during an online press conference broadcast on YouTube by the Presidential Secretariat, Jakarta, Friday.

Sadikin expounded that the budget specifically for handling COVID-19 reached Rp131 trillion and until June 2021, around 50 percent was absorbed.

"The budget for the special handling of COVID-19 reaches Rp131 trillion, and the absorption until June is still at around 50 percent,” the minister noted.

Sadikin remarked that the government had prepared another budget ceiling for handling COVID-19, specifically the regional budgets (APBD).

However, the absorption of budget for APBD was yet low.

"Another budget allocated is eight percent in the APBD. Absorption of that is still low. I do not remember the exact figure, but as far as I can recollect, it is still a dozen percent," he remarked.

Hence, the health minister has ensured no problems pertaining to the budget for handling COVID-19. The challenge is how to optimize the budget appropriately and quickly to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Regarding the budget? Yes. It is just a matter of how to use it as quickly as possible and as accurately as possible," the former deputy minister of SOEs stated.

The number of COVID-19 cases continue to surge in Indonesia. The latest data from the COVID-19 Handling Task Force stated that the number of positive confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday (June 24) increased by 20,574 cases to a total of 2,053,955 cases since March 2020//ANT

A trader in Yogyakarta holds a sign signaling empty stocks of oxygen on Wednesday (June 23, 2021). The province has been experiencing an oxygen shortage since June 21, 2021 following a spike in coronavirus cases. (ANTARA PHOTO/Andreas Fitri Atmoko/foc) - 

Oxygen for industrial use will be diverted for COVID-19 patients in hospitals amid a spike in coronavirus cases in the country, Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has said.

"We have the commitment from oxygen suppliers that they will divert industrial oxygen for medical use," the minister said at an online press conference that was broadcast via the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel here on Friday.

At least 75 percent of Indonesia’s liquid oxygen production goes to the industry and 25 percent is put to medical use, he noted.

The agreement to divert industrial oxygen for medical use would help the government tackle the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, he said.

Sadikin also asked hospitals to increase the frequency of refilling oxygen cylinders in view of the escalating demand for oxygen.

"As we use it more frequently, maybe we can refill (the cylinders) once in a week or once every three days," he suggested.

Currently, Indonesia has four oxygen factories in West Java, one in Central Java, and four factories in East Java.

West and East Java could cover demand in Central Java in case of scarcity in the region, Sadikin said.

The minister also called on Indonesian military commander, Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, and the Indonesian police chief, Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, to ensure the safety and smoothness of oxygen distribution from the factories to hospitals.

"In case of (oxygen) scarcity in Central Java, we can cover (the supply) from West and East Java. We will work in coordination with the military and police to secure distribution," he said//ANT

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi held a press conference following a bilateral meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong at the Pancasila Building in Jakarta on Friday (June 25, 2021). (ANTARA/HO-Kemlu RI) - 

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has appealed to the South Korean government to protect Indonesian migrant workers employed in the country as ship crew members.

The two countries had made progress in extending protection to workers in May, 2021 when they signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the fields of work relations and manpower.

The MoU is expected to pave the way for the protection of Indonesian sailors working on South Korea-registered fishing vessels with gross tonnage of above 20 tons.

"I encourage immediate negotiations on the administration and protection of Indonesians employed as ship crew members on South Korean longline ships," Marsudi said while delivering an online press statement along with South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong in Jakarta on Friday.

According to data provided by the Indonesian government, an estimated 33 thousand Indonesian migrant workers are employed in South Korea, including 5,950 Indonesian sailors working on South Korean-flagged ships.

During Friday’s meeting, Marsudi also appealed to Chung Eui-yong to consider Indonesia’s request for the re-entry and fresh placement of Indonesian migrant workers in the country.

Responding to the request, Chung Eui-yong assured that his country would protect Indonesian sailors and ensure safe working conditions for them.

"The two countries will continue to work closely to enable Indonesian sailors to work in secure conditions and return to Indonesia safely," he said.

During their meeting, the two ministers also discussed several spheres of cooperation, including health, economy, politics, and defense.

They also signed a plan of action to implement a special strategic partnership for the 2021-2025 period and an MoU on triangular cooperation.

The plan of action is expected to boost concrete programs in several sectors and the MoU on triangular cooperation is expected to serve as the basis for the two countries' joint contribution to development programs in other developing countries//ANT

President Joko Widodo gives directions while reviewing the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination at Bogor Station, in Bogor City, Thursday (17/6/2021). (ANTARA/HO/Bogor City Government) - 

Indonesian President Joko Widodo reminded all parties that handling the pandemic necessitated the same frequency across state institutions and the central and local government levels.

"I want to remind all of us that the pandemic is not over yet. We must be vigilant, and the situation we face is still an extraordinary one that must be responded to with fast and appropriate policies, which require the same frequency by all of us, both at the level of state institutions and all levels of the central government and regional governments," Widodo noted at State Palace, Jakarta, Friday.

The president highlighted that since the pandemic struck in 2020, the government had taken extraordinary steps, including changing the state budget, refocusing and reallocating the budget at all levels of government, as well as providing space for relaxation of the state budget deficit, so that it can be widened to over three percent for three years.

"The deficit-widening measure must take into account the increasing need for state spending for health and economic care at a time when the state income is declining," he expounded.

The president noted that the government had also encouraged various state institutions to work together to share the burden, such as that carried out by the government and Bank Indonesia.

Through various policy responses, the president stated that Indonesia was able to handle the increase in health spending and concomitantly protect the economy from various pressures.

"Although we experienced a deep contraction in the second quarter of 2020, reaching minus 5.32 percent, but in the next quarter, we passed a rock bottom. The Indonesian economy grew better, and until the first quarter, we were at minus 0.74 percent," the president stated//ANT