VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Nickel smelting at an Indonesian facility in Soroako, South Sulawesi AFP/Bannu MAZANDRA

As American electric vehicle maker Tesla eyes up a hefty investment in Indonesia, concerns are growing over the potential environmental consequences of a nickel mining rush.

Tesla has reportedly tabled a proposal to establish a battery production facility in the country, though no official announcement has been made and government decision-makers remain tight-lipped about details.

Indonesia has vast resources of nickel - it has about a quarter of the entire world’s supply. It is an increasingly crucial metal in batteries due to its properties that enable mass energy capabilities. Macquarie Bank analysis estimates Indonesia could be the source of half the global supply of nickel and stainless steel within four years.

Nickel is seen as a replacement battery component for cobalt, which is more expensive and poses human rights issues due to it being mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“Go for efficiency, obviously environmentally friendly nickel mining at high volume. Tesla will give you a giant contract for a long period of time, if you mine nickel efficiently and in an environmentally sensitive way. Please get nickel," he said.

But Musk’s call for sustainable nickel in the current Indonesian landscape will be a difficult one to answer, according to analysts. Nickel mining in Indonesia has a dirty track record and the rush to extract and process more of it will add pressure to an industry with opaque rules and regulations. 

“I think the statement is an illusion or a contradictory statement. What does sustainable nickel mean? Mining is an unsustainable production,” said Arianto Sangadji, a leading researcher on the industry from the York Centre for Asian Research at York University.“You must consume large amounts of fossil fuel to power the machines for clearing forests, digging the earth, and transporting ore. The more nickel ore is produced, the more fossil fuel is consumed, which has a great impact on climate change,” he said.

Dirty aspects of nickel mining are expected to be difficult to mitigate. From the mines to the smelters, nickel leaves an impact, on local ecosystems and on climate change.

But the opportunity for Indonesia remains enormous; one potentially even more valuable than its vast palm oil industry. The International Energy Agency predicts that some 70 million EVs will be on roads by 2025 and a huge number could contain battery parts mined and manufactured in Indonesia//CNA

New Zealand's Auckland starts second COVID-19 lockdown this month - The Guardian

Exactly one year after New Zealand recorded its first coronavirus case, the country's biggest city, Auckland, woke up on Sunday (Feb 28) to a second lockdown this month as health authorities try to rein in a cluster of the more contagious UK variant.

The seven-day lockdown of the city of nearly 2 million, announced late Saturday by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, was prompted by the case of a person who had been infectious for a week but had not been in isolation.

The lockdown follows a three-day stay-at-home order in mid-February after a local emergence of the UK variant of the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. There are now about 14 cases linked to the cluster.Judith Collins, leader of the opposition, called for tougher penalties against those not following public health advice around isolation. "No one wants to be yo-yoing in and out lockdown," Collins said in a statement.

The new lockdown, with Level 3 restrictions, allows people to leave home only for essential shopping and essential work. Public venues will remain closed. Restrictions in the rest of the country will be tightened to Level 2, including limits on public gatherings.

The measures have complicated several high-visibility sporting events planned in Auckland.

The organisers of the America's Cup yacht race said on Sunday the head-to-head final between Italy and New Zealand that was to start Mar 6 was postponed to at least Mar 10.

Some social media users from around the world expressed dismay at the strong response that would lock down a large city over a single case, with one Twitter user writing, "They are insane."

However, swift public health measures often implemented in the past year, combined with aggressive contact tracing and border closure have been credited with making New Zealand highly successful in keeping the coronavirus pandemic from spreading.

New Zealand, with a population of 5 million, has recorded just over 2,000 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic and 26 deaths//CNA

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, accompanied by East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa, reviewed the implementation of the vaccination program for the elderly in Surabaya on Saturday (February 27, 2021). (ANTARA / Willy Irawan)

Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, said his ministry is targeting to complete the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination program for public service workers and the elderly by June, 2021.

"There are 38 million (people) targeted to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, or as many as 76 million injections (need to be administered),” the minister said while monitoring the vaccination of the elderly in Surabaya on Saturday.

Of the 38 million people targeted by the second phase of the vaccination program, 21 million are elderly and 16 million are public servants, Sadikin revealed. "The vaccines are limited, for that it (the program) must be done in stages. This week, only 150 thousand (people) have been vaccinated," he explained.

Vaccination for the elderly is being prioritized because they are at high risk, the minister said.

In Surabaya on Saturday, Budi lauded the East Java provincial government and the Samator Group for implementing the COVID-19 vaccination program for the elderly."We thank the Governor of East Java, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, and Mr. Arif from Samator for gathering their seniors in Surabaya to be vaccinated. Hopefully, other areas that have the resources and access can invite the elderly to be vaccinated," the minister remarked.

Meanwhile, Liem Giok Tien (70), a local resident, said she felt safer after receiving the vaccine.

"I saw President Joko Widodo on TV and that he dared to be vaccinated. He set an example for the Indonesian people. So I am being brave because President Joko Widodo set an example. After being vaccinated, I feel more comfortable and safe," Liem remarked.According to the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, the Indonesian government is seeking to expand the scope of its COVID-19 vaccination program to ensure ease of access to the vaccine, especially for senior citizens.

“At the moment, vaccination spots for senior citizens are located in a number of major cities and districts. The government will continue to widen the scope in order to ensure that senior citizens can have access to vaccination in reachable areas,” Wiku Adisasmito said during a press conference originating from Jakarta on Thursday.

The Health Ministry and health facilities will continue to improve vaccination queue systems to ensure easier access to the vaccine for the elderly and to prevent crowding at vaccination spots//ANT

Tugu dam in East Java Province - ANT

Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Minister Basuki Hadimuljono noted in a statement here on Saturday that the construction of four dams in East Java will be completed this year.

The PUPR minister drew attention to the quite high water supply in Indonesia, at 2.7 trillion cubic meters per year.

Of this volume, 691 billion cubic meters of water can be utilized annually, of which 222 billion cubic meters had been pumped into households, livestock, fisheries, and irrigation, among other things, to meet the demand.

However, Hadimuljono highlighted the need for several water reservoirs or dams in the country to collect water during the rainy season and utilize it during the dry season.

The four dams under construction in East Java are Tukul Dam in Pacitan District, Tugu Dam in Trenggalek District, Bendo Dam in Ponorogo, and Gongseng Dam in Bojonegoro.Tugu Dam was built in January 2014 by contractor PT WIijaya Karya at a total value of Rp1.9 trillion. Work on the dam, with a capacity of 9.3 million cubic meters, had reached 88.54-percent completion.

Bendo Dam will have a capacity to hold 43.11 million cubic meters of water. PT Wijaya Karya, PT Hutama Karya, and PT Nindya Karya are in charge of development of the dam, with a total contract value of Rp1.06 trillion, the construction work for which had reached 91.26-percent completion.

The work to construct Gongseng Dam, which began in 2013, at a value of Rp569.04 billion, has reached 86.85-percent completion.

Moreover, the ministry is constructing the Semantok Dam in Nganjuk, East Java Province, with a capacity of 32.6 million cubic meters. Work on the dam has reached 66.73-percent completion, and it is targeted to be ready in 2022//ANT