VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - The Smart Indonesia Program (PIP) is targeting 17,927,992 students this year with a budget of Rp9.66 trillion (US$624.17 million), secretary general of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Suharti, has said.

She made the statement during a hearing meeting with Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR) here on Tuesday.

PIP is a government cash assistance program that targets students aged 6 to 21 years who come from poor families or families that are vulnerable to poverty. It seeks to support the students in paying their education costs.

To be eligible for the cash assistance, they need to be active students, have a Smart Indonesia Card, and be registered in the Main Education Data (Dapodik) and as beneficiaries on the ministry's official PIP website.

According to Suharti, the ministry has several data sources, including Integrated Social Welfare Data and Extreme Poverty Elimination Acceleration data, for determining whether a student can become a beneficiary or not.

"Beyond that, it is also possible for (accepting) proposals from schools, namely for children from poor and vulnerable families, which can be verified by the education office and suggestions from stakeholders," she informed.

Under the program, new student beneficiaries from elementary schools, special elementary schools, and elementary-level second-chance schools (package A) will get Rp450 thousand (around US$29.08) per year, while those in the last grade will get Rp225 thousand (US$14.54).

As for new student beneficiaries from junior high schools, special junior high schools, and second chance schools equivalent to junior high schools (package B) will receive Rp750 thousand (US$48.46) per year and those in the last grade will get Rp375 thousand (US$24.23).

Then, new student beneficiaries at the level of high school, vocational high school, special high school, and second-chance school equivalent to high school (package C) will receive Rp1 million (US$64.62) per year, and those in the last grade will be provided Rp500 thousand (US$32.31). (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - The Indonesian government has established collaboration with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to develop new renewable energy (NRE).

Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, said that the two parties have discussed proposed activities for the Indonesia-Japan cooperation energy transition program, particularly as a follow-up to the formation of a task force for the energy and infrastructure transition.

"Indonesia has large reserves of raw materials that can be used as carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), and Japan will provide the latest technology in developing this sector in Indonesia," Hartarto informed in a statement released on Tuesday.

The minister said that Indonesia and Japan have agreed that the task force would connect Indonesian and Japanese stakeholders in accelerating the development of the energy transition and its supporting infrastructure.

Minister Hartarto and JBIC Governor Hayashi Nobumitsu have also agreed on several cooperations that will be implemented immediately by the task force, including replacing steam power plants (PLTU) in Java to building a hydropower plant (PLTA) in Kalimantan, increasing the efficiency of geothermal power plants, increasing energy sources from green and blue ammonia, and cooperation on CCUS.

JBIC Governor Hayashi lauded the Indonesian government for its G20 presidency last year and ASEAN chairmanship this year.

He informed that JBIC will continue to support Indonesia's energy transition and climate change mitigation efforts through the development of an environmentally friendly economy (green growth).

"We believe that Indonesia has a lot of potential in new energy resources, including biofuel. We can carry out many collaborations in this sector," he stated.

He also expressed the hope that all activities related to the energy transition would be implemented immediately through the task force.

For the task force, the Indonesian government has assigned a team of experts consisting of officials from the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, related ministries/institutions, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and the private sector. They have been tasked with immediately formulating activities that would be proposed for cooperation with Japan through JBIC. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - The Immigration Office in Bali deported a Turkish citizen after he completed his prison sentence in cases involving automated teller machine (ATM) burglary and marijuana possession.

The Turkish national, identified by the initials AOA, was detained temporarily at a detention center after he left prison in early September 2023, head of the Denpasar Immigration Detention Center, Babay Baenullah, informed on Tuesday.

AOA, who came to Indonesia in 2016, was detained at the Denpasar Detention Center for 25 days. The Denpasar Immigration could not immediately deport AOA because the office needed to prepare his return ticket to Turkey, he explained.

Data from the Bali Provincial Law and Human Rights Service showed that AOA was sentenced to seven years and six months' imprisonment for his involvement in narcotics and ATM burglary cases.

Baenullah said that AOA, who was sent to Bangli prison, was charged under Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics and Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions.

According to Article 102 of Law Number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration, not only deportation, but a deterrence can also be applied on AOA for a maximum of six months, which can be extended for a maximum of six months at a time.

Additionally, a lifetime ban can be imposed on foreigners who are considered to disturb security and public order.

"Decisions on further deterrence will be made by the Directorate General of Immigration by considering all the cases," Baenullah informed.

Based on the records of the Bali Provincial Law and Human Rights Service, as many as 227 foreigners were deported from Bali in the January to September 20, 2023, period.

Meanwhile, in 2022, at least 188 foreigners were deported from Bali.

Foreigners can face sanctions for violating residence permits, committing criminal acts, and violating legal norms and rules in Indonesia, among other things. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Head of the Net Zero Hub of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Dharsono Hartono has expressed optimism that Indonesia will lead the carbon market, especially in ASEAN, and reduce climate change impact.

"The carbon market in Indonesia must be of international scale and be traded in and outside the country," he said on the sidelines of the Sustainable Action for Future Economy (SAFE) event here on Tuesday.

According to him, collaboration between the government and the private sector could potentially create more projects that are traded on the domestic carbon market and increase the competitiveness of local companies in the global market.

He said that the carbon market could also have an impact on the reduction of emissions in Indonesia.

Hartono explained that Kadin Net Zero Hub helps private companies improve their competitiveness by providing training.

Such training can cover how to calculate the carbon footprint and commitment, reduce emissions, or ways to become a net zero company that meets international standards, namely the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).

"As many as 70 companies have registered for the Kadin Net Zero Hub program," he informed.

The Kadin Net Zero Hub initiative provides a space for the private sector to exchange knowledge and information to broaden its horizons and create a low-emission ecosystem in Indonesia.

"It is hoped that private companies in Indonesia can be proactive in reducing emissions so that the products produced will be competitive," he said.

The challenge is that all parties must be ready to collaborate and transparently show that the products of Indonesian companies meet international standards and have correct governance so that they are recognized by the global market, Hartono added.

"Collaboration can have a positive impact on the environment, even make the community prosperous," he said. (Antaranews)