VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian Task Force for COVID-19 Response volunteers urged people to abide by health protocols to stop COVID-19 transmission, as healthcare workers reel from exhaustion over having to work continuously to handle an increasing number of cases.

Medical volunteers at hospitals and community health centers were also bogged down by fatigue, while the medical personnel’s resources were running out, Jossep F. William, chief coordinator of the Task Force's medical volunteers, stated during a teleconference on Monday.

"Medical personnel are tired, but we are striving to keep up the spirits since it is still a long way for the pandemic to be brought under control, and in fact, it is increasing, and there are no signs of a decline. We are working with professional organizations, such as the IDI (Indonesian Doctors' Association), PPNI (Indonesian Nurses' Association), and others, to ready the personnel needed at emergency hospitals," he said.

The number of nurses and midwives, reaching some two thousand, is adequate. However, there is a shortage of doctors, according to William.

To handle the shortage of medical personnel, the COVID-19 Handling Task Force is considering recruiting internship doctors while still being accompanied by experienced doctors.

"The volunteer medics have been extremely busy, while ambulances are also busy and full almost every day over the past week. The ambulances that transfer those testing positive (for COVID-19) at the Wisma Atlet Makeshift Hospital have to be in queue, so they cannot pick patients up immediately," he stated.

A spike in the number of confirmed cases had affected healthcare workers. Hence, he urged the public to follow strict health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

"We really need people's help to implement health protocols. If we continue like this, we will collapse because we are so overwhelmed. Now, we are still holding on, but we do not know how long it will last," he added. (Antaranews)

The government updated the Covid-19 case tally on Monday, confirming positive cases of COVID-19 increased by 4,176 cases. The total of positive Covid-19 cases in Indonesia is 248,852 cases. 

This figure is the highest addition since the first Covid-19 case was announced in Indonesia in March 2020. 

It is known that the Covid-19 case has spread to 494 regencies/cities in 34 provinces in Indonesia.

Several provinces reported the highest additional cases today, including Jakarta with an additional 1,352 new cases, West Java 680 cases, East Java 368 cases, Central Java 238 cases, and West Sumatra 181 cases.

While, the number of recovered patients increased by 3,470 people, bringing the total to 180,797 people. Death cases increased by 124 deaths, bringing the total to 9,677 people. (RRI)

The government ratified the first protocol to amend the ASEAN goods trade agreement through Presidential Regulation No. 84 of 2020 to boost exports of countries within the Southeast Asia region.

Director of International and Interagency Customs at the Ministry of Finance, Syarif Hidayat, said in Jakarta on Monday that after the protocol was ratified, a Minister of Finance Regulation on Procedures for Imposing Import Duty Tariffs on Imported Goods Based on the ASEAN Goods Trade Agreement.

"[ASEAN] issued the protocol as a legal basis and guidelines related to the procedure for granting preferential tariffs on the approval of ASEAN trade in goods," he said.

The protocol, which came into effect Sep. 20, 2020, regulates a new scheme in implementing the Declaration of Origin of Goods which using Independent Certification or ASEAN Wide Self Certification (AWSC), replacing the old scheme of Invoice Declaration.

"With the stipulation of the protocol, the ATIGA (ASEAN Goods Trade Agreement) which previously referred to protocol Number 229 / protocol 07/2017 now refers to this protocol," he said.

The provisions apply to imported goods whose customs notification has got the registration number and date from the Customs Office.

The Invoice Declaration issued before the enforcement of this protocol is still in effect.

The procedures for the imposition of tariffs are carried out in accordance with the procedures listed in the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) and the 2nd SCPP MoU. (Antaranews)

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is optimistic that the target of digitizing 10 million Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) this year will be achieved.

As of May 14, 2020, eight million MSMEs had digitized so that the government needed to encourage the remaining two million MSMEs to meet the target.

"As of the end of August, it has increased by 1.9 million (UMKM), We should reach the target by September," Muhammad Neil El Himam, deputy for digital economy and creative products at the Ministry said in a webinar, on Monday.

Yuana Rochma Astuti, director of creative economy marketing at the Ministry said that there are 1.97 million additional MSMEs that are digitized and he is optimistic that the target will be exceeded by the end of 2020.

Most of the MSMEs that have been digitized are businesses in the culinary and fashion fields.

The ministry wants to encourage entrepreneurs in the craft sector to reach more consumers through e-commerce. Neil explained that the craft business was one of those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As an inseparable part of tourism, many businessmen have lost consumers because the flow of tourists has automatically stopped due to the spread of the coronavirus.

"Many crafts are sold as souvenirs for tourists. As long as tourism is affected, crafts are also affected," Neil said.

The pandemic that is sweeping the world has resulted in an acceleration of the digital economy in which entrepreneurs must quickly adapt to survive.

However, Neil admits that the digitization process is not as easy as it seems.

Apart from changing their sales and marketing methods from offline to online, entrepreneurs must also ensure that product quality is maintained. The supply of goods must always be available to meet consumer demand.

According to Yuana, this is one challenge faced by craft entrepreneurs who have more often interacted with consumers directly, such as through exhibitions.

Neil added that the digitalization of MSMEs is expected to enable Indonesian entrepreneurs to face the digital economy era while continuing to improve the quality of their products.

"Our target is to create superior local creative works that can add value to the creative economy," he said. (Antaranews)