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Deputy Minister of Trade Jerry Sambuaga (second left) with Banten Deputy Governor Andika Hazrumy (left) visit Pasar Lama in Serang, Banten Province, to review food stocks and supply during Ramadan and ahead of Eid al-Fitr. (ANTARA/HO-Trade Ministry/rst) - 

Deputy Minister of Trade Jerry Sambuaga praised the cooperation and synergy between ministries and local governments in maintaining the supply of basic necessities during Ramadan until Eid al-Fitr.

In his statement on Saturday, Sambuaga lauded the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs as well as other technical ministries comprising the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Industry and other institutions for their persistent efforts to ensure the supply and affordability of basic commodities for the community during Ramadan and Eid.

"The government is working hard, so that our people can fast and celebrate Eid peacefully," Sambuaga noted during his visit to Pasar Lama in Serang City in the company of Banten Deputy Governor Andika Hazrumy.

Based on market observations, the price of premium rice was recorded at Rp12 thousand per kg, medium rice at Rp10 thousand per kg, while curly red chilies and large red chilies were priced at Rp30 thousand to 40 thousand per kg.

Sambuaga noted that the availability of basic commodities in Banten Province is relatively well-maintained due to the work hard of the Banten provincial government.

"We laud that the Banten provincial government has succeeded in establishing synergies with the Central Government and related stakeholders, such as businessmen and community groups, to maintain sufficient stocks of staple goods in the province," he remarked.

Meanwhile, several traders at the market praised the Ministry of Trade, Banten regional government, and Serang city government since the food supplies during Ramadan and ahead of Eid al-Fitr were considered safe.

An egg trader in Pasar Lama, Mansur, remarked that a safe supply of foods guarantees certainty for their business, so that they can sell their goods without any concerns.

"Praise be to God, now, the supply of basic commodities, such as oil, eggs, and sugar, is running well. Hence, we can sell with no worry and with a more certain price," he remarked//ANT

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD. (ANTARA/HO-Humas Kemenko Polhukam RI/FR) - 

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, has denied allegations leveled by the United States concerning potential human rights violations linked to the PeduliLindungi application.

"We created the PeduliLindungi program to protect the people," he remarked in a written statement issued on Friday.

The PeduliLindungi application, which was launched in 2020, has helped the government in stemming the spread of COVID-19, he said.

"In reality, we managed to handle COVID-19 better than the United States," he stressed.

The protection of human rights must be assured comprehensively, meaning not just individually, but also through the people's collective rights.

"Within this context, the state must play an active role in regulating," he noted.

"This is why we created the PeduliLindungi program, which has been very effective in reducing COVID-19 infection spread by the Delta and Omicron variants," he added.

Concerning the US allegation of human rights violation by the Indonesian government through the PeduliLindungi application, the minister said that there are more reports against the US concerning human rights violations than Indonesia.

"We have a record that shows that the US is reported more by Special Procedures Mandate Holders (SPMH)," he said.

"Within the 2018–2021 period, for instance, based on SPMH, Indonesia was reported to violate human rights 19 times by several elements of society, while the US, within the same period, was reported 76 times," he added.

In the 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices on the United States Department of State’s website, which covers human rights enforcement in nations that received aid from the US and UN members in 2021, the US mentioned that a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) had expressed their concern over the information collected by the PeduliLindungi application.

The NGOs also voiced concern over how the data is stored and utilized by the Indonesian government.

The report was contained within a sub-chapter that discussed random and illegal government interventionwith regard to privacy, family, and household affairs.

However, the report did not further elaborate on the potential human rights violations that it referred to. The US also did not completely mention the source of the complaints cited in the report.

In response to the report, Mahfud said this is the realization of civilian organizations' role. However, the truth of the report must be examined, he added.

"Reports such as this one are not necessarily completely true," he remarked//ANT

Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati during a press conference here on Saturday (April 16, 2022). (ANTARA/AstridFaidlatulHabibah/FR) - 

The Eid al-Fitr allowance (THR) disbursement process for State Civil Apparatus (ASN), the military, and the police is planned to start 10 days before Eid al-Fitr, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati stated.

At a press conference here on Saturday, Indrawati noted that the disbursement will serve as a stimulus for the economy.

Ministries or institutions can submit the Payment Order Letter (SPM) to the State Treasury Service Office (KPPN) starting from April 18, 2022, which can then be disbursed in accordance with the applicable mechanism.

On the other hand, THR that cannot be paid before the Eid al-Fitr holiday due to technical issues will then be distributed after the holiday, she stated.

"We expect that it can still be paid before Eid al-Fitr," she remarked.

"I expect everything can be done within the 10 days before the holiday, so that central and regional ASN, the military, the police, and retirees can receive THR before Eid al-Fitr," she stated.

THR will be given on the basis of the core salary or pension fund and attached allowances as well as 50 percent of the performance allowance per month for those, who receive performance allowance.

These attached allowances comprise family, food, as well as structural, functional, or general position allowances.

Regional government institutions are given at most 50 percent of additional income by taking into account the regions' fiscal capacity and in accordance with the law.

This year's THR is given to 1.8 million central state apparatus employees, 3.7 million regional state apparatus employees, and 3.3 million retirees.

The policy to disburse THR had been included within the 2022 state budget, she explained.

Its distribution had already been done through ministries or institutions, with the total budget of Rp10.3 trillion for central ASN, the military, and the police.

It was also done through the General Allocation Fund (DAU), with Rp15 trillion for regional ASN, which can be added from the 2022 regional budget based on the fiscal capability of each region.

The THR budget for this year had also already been distributed through the state general treasurer, with Rp9 trillion for retirees.

In addition to THR, the government will provide the 13th month salary as education aid, starting from July 2022, with similar recipient apparatus components and groups as the THR.

"The THR and 13th salary provision is expected to become one of the factors that encourages the people's economic activities," Mulyani explained//ANT

Illustration of Pertamina gas station. (ANTARA/Aprionis/rst) - 

State-owned oil company, PT Pertamina, will distribute fuel round the clock from upstream to downstream in order to meet the community needs that are projected to increase during Ramadan until Eid al-Fitr.

"We are committed to ensuring that the community's need for fuel is met during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr this year," President Director of Pertamina Patra Niaga SH C&T Alfian Nasution stated in a press release received here, Saturday.

In its energy provision efforts for Istiqamah, Pertamina will continue its hard work during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr to distribute energy for the community on account of the fact that this year, the need for fuel, LPG, and also Avtur will be similar to the normal conditions before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, as the number of positive cases had declined.

"Currently, the trend of public energy consumption since the start of 2022 continues to show an increase and is close to the public consumption recorded before the pandemic," he pointed out.

To ensure fuel availability during Ramadan and Eid, Pertamina Patra Niaga continues to secure fuel to balance demand with supply distributed to the community.

"Currently, on an average all fuel products last for above 16 days; LPG, 13 days; and Avtur, above 33 days," Nasution remarked.

He forecast that energy demand in the Bangka Belitung area for the Pertamax Series fuel is projected to increase by 29.2 percent, while the Dex series has been experiencing a slight decrease from the current average daily consumption.

Meanwhile, an increase by 14.4 percent is projected for Pertalite, a slight rise from the current average daily consumption is forecast for Bio Solar, especially before Eid, and an increase from the average daily consumption is projected for avtur.

"With conditions in the community getting better, Pertamina Patra Niaga, as the Commercial & Trading Sub Holding of PT Pertamina, continues to be committed to ensuring availability for meeting the energy needs in the country," he concluded//ANT