VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Task Force for COVID-19 Response has assured that coronavirus patients treated at referral hospitals are exempt from treatment costs.

“The patients are by no means liable to treatment costs. It is the referral hospitals that will claim the treatment costs from the director general of the Health Ministry, with copies (of claims) addressed to BPJS Kesehatan (Health Care and Social Security Agency) and district and municipal health offices,” spokesperson for the Task Force for COVID-19 Response, Wiku Adisasmito, said in a press conference here on Thursday.

He appealed to offices and employers to not worry about the treatment costs of employees testing positive for COVID-19, saying the costs will be borne entirely by the government, be they BPJS members, non-BPJS members, or expatriates.

The offices and employers should be transparent in reporting any of their employees who test positive for COVID-19 to local health offices, he said.

Offices and employers must trace those who have come in close contact with COVID-19 patients by coordinating with the local health and manpower offices, he added.

He also urged offices and employers to provide free swab tests to those who have come in close contact with COVID-19 patients.

If they detect additional COVID-19 cases, they must coordinate with the local health office and allow employees testing negative for the virus to work from home, he said. (Antaranews)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) officially inaugurates the 131-kilometer Pekanbaru-Dumai toll road, the first highway in Riau Province, through a virtual conference from the State Palace on Friday, Riau Governor Syamsuar stated on Thursday.

He said the inauguration of the toll road in Dumai, Riau Province, will be attended by at least 50 people, including Public Works and Housing Minister Basoeki Hadimoeljono, while the President will inaugurate it from the State Palace in Jakarta.

Inauguration of this Pekanbaru-Dumai toll road will take place at the Dumai toll gate in Bagan Besar neighborhood, Bukit Kapur Sub-district, Dumai City, he remarked as quoted by Antara.

As part of Indonesia's national strategic projects and one of the toll road sections of the Trans-Sumatra corridor, the Pekanbaru-Dumai highway is expected to propel Riau Province's economy, Governor Syamsuar affirmed.

Since the first and second leadership terms of President Jokowi, infrastructure has held special significance, with notable extension of toll roads being testament to it.

According to the Public Works and Housing Ministry, during President Jokowi's first leadership term, at least 941 kilometers of toll roads and 3,423 kilometers of national roads were constructed.

The Health Ministry updated the development of the Covid-19 case in Indonesia on Thursday, with record-breaking 4,634 positive cases in a day.

This is the highest daily increase in cases since the first Covid-19 cases were announced in Indonesia in March 2020. The total of Covid-19 cases automatically becomes 262,022 cases.

The Covid-19 case has spread to 494 regencies/cities in 34 provinces in Indonesia.

The highest additional cases today are in Jakarta with an additional 1,044 new cases, West Java with 804 cases, Central Java with 434 cases, East Java with 343 cases, and West Sumatra with 302 cases.

Patients who recovered increased by 3,895 people, bringing the total to 191,853 people, while 128 people died today,  bringing the total fatalities to 10,105 people. (RRI)

Muhammad Lutfi, Indonesian Ambassador to the United States, invited partners in the US to work together to improve bilateral relations between the two countries, and make Indonesia and the US as the old new best friends.

"My mission as the Indonesian Ambassador to the United States is to make Indonesia and the United States the old new best friends in the future," he said in his welcoming ceremony which was held virtually by the United States-Indonesia Society (USINDO), as quoted in a written statement received in Jakarta, Thursday.

The ambassador, who recently submitted his credentials to President Donald Trump, emphasized his commitment and optimism to further strengthen the cooperation between the two countries.

"Apart from the ups and downs of the relationship between the two countries, I am sure that this is the start of a better path forward because we have a lot in common in terms of principles and values, including democracy, freedom of opinion, and respect for human rights," he said.

According to Ambassador Lutfi, Indonesia and the United States are currently in a situation of mutual need, especially in terms of economic advancement and maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific Region.

“Indonesia is currently working hard to avoid the middle-income trap by continuing to maintain a good investment climate and improve export-import performance and the quality of human resources. In this regard, the United States is Indonesia's strategic partner to achieve these goals through investment, innovation, human resources, and technology,” Ambassador Lutfi said.

In addition, he added, in the context of maintaining political stability and security in the Indo-Pacific Region, Indonesia is a key player in the eyes of the US.

"Looking at our track record in the Indo-Pacific Region, it can be said that the US can rely on and work closely with Indonesia to continue to protect the Indo-Pacific Region to remain inclusive, open and transparent," he explained.

Apart from these two things, an aspect of cooperation that is a priority for Ambassador Lutfi is economic recovery after the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In addition to appreciating the US for assistance in handling the pandemic such as providing 500 ventilators, the agenda for the future is to collaborate with the US in infrastructure development in Indonesia and to improve the quality of human resources and technology transfer.

Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs David R Stilwell, who was also present and represented the US Department of State, also conveyed the US commitment to support Ambassador Lutfi's goals.

"As a strategic partner, the US is ready to work with Indonesia to continue to maintain the stability of the Indo-Pacific Region," he said.

In addition, Stilwell also stated his commitment to support and assist Indonesia in post-pandemic economic recovery, one of which is through the Cooperation Framework to Strengthen Infrastructure Finance and Market Building, which was signed by the Ministers of Finance of the two countries, Steven T. Mnuchin and Sri Mulyani Indrawati on 18 September.

USINDO, represented by Theo L. Sambuaga as the Indonesian Co-Chair, explained that there were 300 participants who attended virtually at the event. They showed interest in the exposure of the new Indonesian Ambassador to the US.

Apart from Ambassador Lutfi himself, USINDO also gave a warm welcome to Mrs. Bianca Adinegoro Lutfi who was also present. (Antaranews)