VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

A man reacts as truckers and supporters continue blocking access to the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor, in protest against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine mandates, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada February 11, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio - 

Canada was bracing for more protests against the government's pandemic measures on Saturday, with the focus on the vital US-Canada bridge that remained be blocked by demonstrators defying a court order and emergency measures and disrupting the North American auto industry.

The "Freedom Convoy" protests, started in the national capital Ottawa by Canadian truckers opposing a vaccinate-or-quarantine mandate for cross-border drivers, entered its 16th day on Saturday (Feb 12).

Protests have spread to three border points, including the Ambassador Bridge, North America's busiest land border crossing, where dozens of vehicles have crowded since Monday, choking the supply chain for Detroit's carmakers.

Ford, the second-largest US automaker, said on Friday it had temporarily halted work at its assembly plant in Ohio. General Motors and Toyota Motor Co also announced new production cuts. Companies have diverted cargo to stem losses amid production cuts.

A judge on Friday ordered an end to the Ambassador Bridge blockade, but some 100 protesters continued to occupy the bridge early on Saturday with trucks and pick-up vans, preventing the flow of traffic either way.

The Ontario government, which declared a state of emergency in the province on Friday, has threatened fines and jail for protesters if they do not leave.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under pressure from opposition party leaders to intervene, while US President Joe Biden's administration urged his government to use federal powers. Trudeau has promised Biden quick action to end the crisis.

Trudeau, after a call with Biden on Friday, said all options were on the table to end blockades, adding that the consequences were becoming "more and more severe."

"We've heard your frustration with COVID, with the measures," Trudeau told reporters, addressing the protesters' concerns. "It's time to go home now."

East of Ottawa, people were expected to gather in Fredericton in the province of New Brunswick for a weekend demonstration. Local police said officers were stationed at entrances to the city to ensure traffic can continue. Canada's financial capital Toronto was also bracing for more weekend demonstrations.

Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly said officers were on standby to begin enforcing the new laws and warned of consequences for law-breakers in anticipation of people joining the protesters over the weekend.

"The Ottawa police service is better equipped and better resourced to deal with this anticipated influx," deputy police chief Steve Bell told city officials in a meeting//CNA

Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin. (ANTARA/HO-Press Bureau of Vice President Secretariat/am/uyu) - 

Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has said he hopes the country can become a nation of inventions that is able to master science and technology.

He made the statement at the virtual graduation ceremony of Brawijaya University students on Saturday.

He also said that as a tool, technology can bring either more benefit or disaster.

“Hence, we have to understand how to make technological advancement to bring more benefits,” he remarked.

Changes will always occur in human life, and innovation is the best method to mitigate those changes, he added.

He then urged graduate students to use the knowledge they have obtained and to improve their entrepreneurship skills to create innovations.

Furthermore, Amin said that for Indonesia to become a nation of inventions, its human resources must be inventors — not copiers.

In addition, formal and informal education must aim to increase the knowledge and skills of the country’s human resources, rather than preparing them for pursuing a bachelor's degree, he added.

In addition, funding and incentives must be provided to encourage innovations, he said.

He then took note of the low number of researchers in Indonesia compared to other countries, resulting in a low number of patents filed in the country.

"The number of full-time researchers was only 216 people per one million population in Indonesia in 2016–2018," he said.

Meanwhile, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics for 2016–2018, China, Russia, Japan, and South Korea had 1,307, 2,784, 5,331, and 7,980 researchers per one million population, respectively, in 2018, he pointed out.

"Furthermore, the percentage of graduates of higher education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in Indonesia was also low," Amin added.

Based on the World Bank’s Education Statistics for 2016–2018, the percentage of STEM graduates in Indonesia was only 19.42 percent of the total graduates in the country in 2018, he said.

The figure is lower than for other G20 member countries, such as India and Russia, which had 32.65 percent and 31.06 percent STEM graduates, respectively. in 2018, he added//ANT

Screenshot of epidemiologist from Griffith University Dicky Budiman on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (ANTARA PHOTO/Hreeloita Dharma S/rst) - 

Epidemiologist at Griffith University, Australia, Dicky Budiman, believes that the clinical trial permit granted to the Merah Putih Vaccine was a big step for Indonesia to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This Merah Putih Vaccine is important not only in the short term to tackle COVID-19 but also for the long term," he told ANTARA on Saturday.

The epidemiologist stated that although Indonesia already had PT. Bio Farma as a vaccine producer, research on vaccine testing was a major foundation for Indonesia, as a vaccine producer country, to support vaccine availability for the community.

"The production capability is already proven, but vaccine research from research and development is an advantage. It takes investment and time. This is a big step for Indonesia," he remarked.

Budiman highlighted a 50-50 chance of success for research on a vaccine for infectious diseases.

If the vaccine can successfully clear various series of tests, then the country can independently produce a vaccine to be distributed to the public.

The state can also change the psychosocial and community behavior in response to the COVID-19 vaccine. However, if it fails, the Merah Putih vaccine becomes a valuable experience for further research, he noted.

“Even if it failed, at least it can be a very valuable experience for research. Failure is a good foundation to reach the next stage," Budiman affirmed.

The epidemiologist expressed optimism that the Indonesian government would be serious in providing assistance in vaccine research. In addition, the success of the research is also crucial, considering the looming pandemic threats in future.

On a separate occasion, Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) Penny K. Lukito remarked that the phase one of the Merah Putih Vaccine clinical trials involved 90 volunteers and 405 people in phase two.

If the two phases of the clinical trials are able to obtain interim results and meet the requirements, then the trial will go on to the third phase.

"After obtaining the interim results of three clinical trials, the vaccine can be submitted to the BPOM and receive approval for an emergency use permit (EUA) that will be around mid-July of 2022," Lukito remarked.

The quality of the Merah Putih Vaccine has been supported by PT Biotis Pharmaceuticals Indonesia with Good Manufacturing Practices of Medicine (CPOB).

PT Biotis, as producer of the Merah Putih vaccine, is preparing for phase three of the clinical trials by increasing the scale of vaccine production, she stated//ANT

Installation of a solar power plant on Mesa Island, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara. (ANTARA/HO-PLN) - 

Sustainable economic growth is the great aspiration of the Indonesian people in the context of realizing a prosperous society.

However, various challenges have to be faced and mitigated. One of the emerging challenges is climate change, which is a threat to human life and will have an impact on the economy.

The government is aware of the threat from climate change and has prepared a Green Growth Program.

In the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) document to The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Indonesia targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through its own efforts by 29 percent.

The aspect of climate change is the sixth national priority that is being accorded through, firstly, reducing greenhouse gas emissions with international support from the business-as-usual scenario in 2030 – up to 41 percent.

Third, the priority of improving environmental quality with the index target in 2024 reaching 73.25 - 75.25.

Thereafter, increasing disaster resilience and climate change that seeks to reduce the ratio of economic losses due to disasters and climate hazards to GDP by 0.21 percent in 2024.

In addition, the government readies employment in the green economy sector through provision of green jobs that are spread across various sectors.

The agricultural, tourism, and energy sectors have the potential to provide green jobs.

Head of the Integrated Financial Services Sector Policy Group of the Financial Services Authority (OJK), Enrico Hariantoro, delivered the statement at Indonesia's Green Jobs Conference webinar held recently.

During the pandemic, Hariantoro affirmed that the agricultural sector had recorded positive growth during the pandemic, and the millennial generation had shown interest in the sector.

With regard to the tourism sector, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf) has forecast that ecotourism and wellness tourism products will be manufactured that can absorb workers.

Meanwhile, director of manpower at the National Development Planning Ministry, Mahatmi Parwitasari Saronto, stated that investment in the green economy sector could create seven to 10 more job opportunities than the conventional economy sector.

The green economy sector is considered as being more labor-intensive owing to renewable energy development, electric vehicle industries, and improved waste management, she pointed out.

However, despite its huge potential, employment in the sector still poses various challenges, such as the absence of an agreeable definition of green jobs that can be used consistently, especially for policy-making, she noted.

Moreover, Indonesia lacks quality human resources for green jobs due to limited education and training in the skills required in the green economy sector, Saronto remarked.

A green economy can generate inclusive and sustainable economic growth, Saronto affirmed. Thus, it can help Indonesia escape from the middle-income trap and emerge as a high-income country by 2045, she highlighted.

While implementing a green economy, the Indonesian government will also implement low-carbon development that will not only boost economic growth but also reduce carbon emissions by 27.3 percent by 2024, Saronto stated.

Low carbon development will be implemented through the five main strategies of waste management and circular economy implementation, green industry development, sustainable energy development, low carbon marine and coastal development, as well as sustainable land restoration, she added.

However, currently, Indonesia is still facing several challenges in its path to transitioning to a green economy, such as limited access to green economy funding and technology transfer, Saronto pointed out.

Hence, the government is striving to forge more international cooperation, which will be beneficial for all parties and in accordance with Indonesia's national goals to establish green industries and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060, she stated.

Policy framework

The Indonesian Government is optimizing the green economy transition by creating a systemic green policy framework, deputy for economic affairs at National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Amalia Widyasari said.

The government has a strategy to optimize the transition to a green economy, firstly through the establishment of a systemic green policy framework, she said.

This systemic green policy framework starts from the formulation of coherent inter-ministerial and institutional policies to the preparation of a financing plan for green economy.

This is also not enough from the state budget, but also requires private sector mobilization and public awareness to lead to a green business model, Widyasari said.

The government is also optimizing the green economy transition in terms of financing so that business infrastructure in the capital market can also lead to a green economy.

Currently, the Financial Services Authority (OJK) has also issued a green taxonomy, meaning that the financial sector should also fund green or environmentally friendly economic projects as much as possible, she added.

Furthermore, to optimize the transition to a green economy, the government has continued to educate the public that implementing a green economy will not correct the economic stretch.

But its implementation can actually be seen as a potential source of economic growth, she said.

The government will also create tools to measure the progress and impact of implementing more environmentally friendly activities on economic growth and community welfare, Widyasari said.

"I think it is important that we put in the right performance indicators. In the future, this is to measure how much progress the implementation of the green economy has made in Indonesia," she added.

Meanwhile, Indef researcher Nailul Huda said that business actors can play a crucial role in helping the government make the transition to a green economy, 

The green economy transition includes the use of more environmentally-friendly energy and industry, he said. 

The transition has been encouraged by the global community lately as an effort to address climate change.

The business world can play a huge role in the development of a green economy. Therefore, the government should make maximum efforts to encourage business actors to take part in the green transition, he stressed.

The key to maximizing the participation of the private sector in green economy development lies in the provision of incentives by the government, he explained.

As long as government incentives are sufficient to reduce the costs borne by business actors to shift to green economic practices, interest in the development of green industry and energy among business actors will remain high//ANT