VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Illustration - Blood samples believed to be infected with coronavirus. So far, 2,077,441 samples have been tested for the virus in Indonesia. (ANTARA/Shutterstock/am)

With 1,807 more people recovering from the novel coronavirus disease as of Tuesday afternoon, the total recoveries in Indonesia reached 112,867, according to the Task Force for the Handling of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the addition of 2,447 new cases took the total nationwide COVID-19 case count to 157,859. With 82 more people succumbing to the virus, the total death toll reached 6,858, according to data compiled by the task force as of 12 p.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB) Tuesday.

In terms of the distribution of cases, Jakarta recorded the highest number of new infections at 637. Meanwhile, 524 patients recovered from COVID-19 and 16 others succumbed to the disease in the province.

East Java was next with 363 new cases, 348 recoveries, and 27 deaths, followed by West Java, which recorded 250 new cases, five recoveries, and one death.

Central Java reported 198 new confirmed cases, 120 recoveries, and 25 deaths; East Kalimantan 141 new cases, 167 recoveries, and nine deaths; North Sumatra 134 new cases, 107 recoveries, and two deaths; and, West Sumatra 77 new cases, 20 recoveries, and one death.

Meanwhile, six provinces reported less than 10 new confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. Three provinces recorded zero cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday — Central Sulawesi, West Papua, and Papua.

The task force also reported a total of 76,667 suspected cases of COVID-19. It said 485 districts/cities in 34 provinces have been exposed to the virus.

On Tuesday, 21,275 samples were tested for COVID-19 with the help of the polymerase chain reaction and molecular rapid tests. So far, 2,077,441 samples have been analyzed in laboratories across the country.  (ANTARA)

Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati. ANTARA FOTO/Sigid Kurniawan/POOL/foc/aa

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati stated that until July 2020, state spending grew by 1.3 percent year-on-year (yoy), reaching Rp1,252.4 trillion, from Rp1,236.3 trillion during the corresponding period last year.

Indrawati pointed out that the realization of Rp1,252.4 trillion was 45.7 percent of the changed state budget target of Rp2,739.2 trillion in the Presidential Decree (Perpres) 72 of 2020.

"State expenditures of Rp1,252.4 trillion are prioritized for handling COVID-19 and national economic recovery (PEN)," he remarked at a press conference for the National Budget in Jakarta, Tuesday.

Growth in state spending was supported by the central government spending of Rp793.6 trillion that rose by 4.2 percent, from Rp761.3 trillion during the corresponding period in 2019 and 40.2 percent of the state budget target change of Rp1,975.2 trillion in Perpres 72 of 2020.

Central government spending comprised realized ministry/ institution expenditure of Rp419.6 trillion, or 50.2 percent of the state budget amended target in Perpres 72 of 2020 of Rp836.4 trillion and non-ministry/institution expenditure of Rp374 trillion, or 32.8 percent of the targeted Rp1.138.9 trillion that grew by 9.5 percent.

Ministry/institution expenditure constituted personnel expenditure of Rp134.4 trillion, or 52.4 percent of the target of Rp256.6 trillion in Presidential Decree 72 of 2020 and a contraction of 10.5 percent yoy owing to changes in the holiday allowances (THR) payment policy and the 13th-month salary payment.

Goods spending of Rp121.4 trillion, or 44.7 percent of the target of Rp271.7 trillion in Perpres 72 of 2020, also contracted by 17 percent yoy that was influenced by policies of social restrictions and working from home.

Thus, passenger travel realization plunged by 62.8 percent, specifically from Rp21.5 trillion to Rp8 trillion and activities of goods handed over to the community also decreased by 22.1 percent, from Rp13.2 trillion, to Rp10.3 trillion.

"Expenditures for goods that are operational and non-operational in nature also decreased by 24.6 percent related to ministry/institution activities in the wake of no training and events," she stated.

Realized capital expenditure of Rp46.8 trillion, or a contraction of 3.3 percent, occurred due to project restructuring in the context of refocusing on handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Realization of social assistance spending reached Rp117 trillion, or 68.6 percent of the target of Rp170.7 trillion in Perpres 72 of 2020 and recorded a growth of 55.9 percent, one of the reasons being a change in the policy on the basic food card program or BPNT.

Meanwhile, realization of non-ministry/institution spending reached Rp374 trillion, or 32.8 percent of the target of Rp1,138.9 trillion in Perpres 72 of 2020, and was able to grow by 9.5 percent as compared to Rp341.4 trillion in July last year.

Furthermore, transfers to regions and village funds (TKDD) were realized at Rp458.8 trillion, or a contraction of 3.4 percent from Rp475.1 trillion during the corresponding period in 2019.

Realization of TKDD, which reached 60.1 percent of the target of Rp763.9 trillion in Perpres 72 of 2020, was supported by the realization of village funds that grew by 50.7 percent, specifically Rp47.9 trillion, while regional performance allowances (TKD) contracted 5.1 percent, or Rp410.9 trillion.  (ANTARA)

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Tuesday lauded the provincial and district governments, and the people of Aceh for their success in ensuring quick land acquisition for the toll road construction project in the province.

"I thank the acting governor, district heads, and people of Aceh for their success," President Jokowi said on the sidelines of his official visit to the province to inaugurate the Banda Aceh-Sigli Toll Road Section 4 in Aceh Besar, Aceh, on Tuesday.

The process of land acquisition in Aceh for the toll road project has been much quicker compared to many other provinces, he noted, adding that 84 percent of land needed for building the 74-km-long Banda Aceh-Sigli toll road could be attained.

The Banda Aceh-Sigli toll road section, which is expected to be completed in 2024, is part of the Trans-Sumatra toll road project that will connect Aceh and Lampung provinces.

"The presence of this infrastructure project is expected to create new centers of business and economic growth in Aceh," the President remarked.

President Jokowi has demanded that the main corridor of the Trans-Sumatra toll road sections in Aceh be integrated with and connected to the province's tourism and agricultural centers, as well as industrial areas.

This would allow people at large to benefit from the construction of the toll road sections in Indonesia's westernmost province, he explained.

On Tuesday, President Jokowi inaugurated the Sigli-Blang Bintang Toll Road, which is section 4 of the 74-kilometer-long Banda Aceh-Sigli Toll Road.

This is the first toll road section built in Aceh province as part of the Trans-Sumatra toll road project.

Since the first and second leadership terms of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), infrastructure has been accorded special priority, with the extension of toll roads bearing testament to this focus.

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

Meanwhike, work on the Trans-Java Highway connecting the ferry port in Merak, Banten province, to Surabaya, the capital city of East Java province, is complete, thereby reducing the travel time and current logistics costs.

As part of the central government's prioritized development projects, toll roads are not merely being constructed in Java, but also in areas outside the island, such as Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.

In Sumatra Island, several sections of the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road have been completed, and the government is planning to complete the entire section in 2024.

Work on the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road project is still underway. State-owned construction companies involved in the project have striven ceaselessly to ensure it is
completed within the deadline. (ANTARA)

The BPUM was officially launched by President Joko Widodo at the State Palace in Jakarta on August 24, 2020. ANTARA/HO-Public Relations of Cooperatives and SMEs Ministry

The Indonesian government has provided Rp2.4 million per personto about one million micro-entrepreneurs under its financial assistance program, Presidential Assistance (BanPres) for Productive Micro Enterprises (BPUM), since August 17, 2020.

The funds have been disbursed to one million entrepreneurs operating micro businesses under the initial phase of the program.

BPUM funds will be gradually disbursed to 12 million recipients, Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs, Teten Masduki, said following the launch of the program by President Joko Widodo at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday.

"This assistance is part of the National Economic Recovery (PEN) scheme provided to micro-entrepreneurs who do not have credit, but have a business," the minister elaborated.

The program is aimed to help micro businesses become more productive and recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

The ministry has collaborated with several stakeholders, including Himbara, to distribute funds under the BPUM, Masduki noted.

Under the first phase of the program, a total of Rp22 trillion will be distributed to 9.1 million beneficiaries.

From August 17 to August 19 this year, Rp2.4 trillion was disbursed to one million micro-entrepreneurs across the country's 34 provinces.

Warsiah, a soft drinks-trader from Bekasi, West Java, who received BPUM through BNI, said he was very grateful for the assistance.

"I will use this presidential assistance to increase my business capital," Warsiah stated.

Nia Maliana Pulanga, a grocery business owner in Pasir Panjang, Kupang, also expressed gratitude for the financial aid.

"Every day I sell groceries. With the help of the President, through the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, I can get it (financial aid) very easily, with the assistance of BRI officers. I will use this assistance as additional business capital to buy grocery store supplies. Thank you. I hope that those who have helped me, especially Mr. President, will always be given health, " Nia said. (ANTARA)