VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Screen grab of BPOM Chairwoman Penny Lukito at a press conference of the Task Force for the Acceleration of COVID-19 Handling in Jakarta, Tuesday (19/5/2020). ANTARA/Prisca Triferna/ac

Chairwoman of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) Penny Kusumastuty Lukito echoed her office's guarantee of the validity of protocols for the clinical trial for the COVID-19 vaccine.

"The BPOM surely guarantees the validity of the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial protocols. We will chaperone the clinical trial process up until the stage of accelerating the licensing and the distribution permit process," she noted during a press conference following a limited cabinet meeting with President Joko Widodo at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Tuesday.

Lukito further remarked that the third phase of the clinical trial for the COVID-19 vaccine was underway and deemed the most critical stage and an advanced step in the process.

"This means that we are almost at the brink of making a finding and producing the vaccines," she remarked.

The first and second pre-clinical phases had earlier been cleared.

Lukito also spoke of following the production process by Bio Farma in parallel, with regard to the facilities that will allow BPOM to give the distribution permit following the completion of the clinical trial phase. (ANTARA)

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto (center) at a press conference on the Committee for COVID-19 handling and National Economic Recovery in Jakarta on Tuesday (July 21, 2020). ANTARA/Dewa Wiguna/sh

The Indonesian government will attach top priority to domestic products in its healthcare spending for handling the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in an endeavor to drive domestic economic growth amid the pandemic.

"National products must be given priority to have multiplier effects on the public," Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The government will augment health spending, as it has allotted Rp87.55 trillion for handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaccines, drug availability, and antibodies have emerged as the keys to the effective handling of the SARS CoV-2 virus coupled with the pharmaceutical industry's readiness to support the government, Hartarto remarked.

However, the minister noted that the application of health protocols remained the main strategy in thwarting the spread of COVID-19.

"Of course, the major strategy pertaining to surveillance, tracing, contact tracing and isolation must be implemented in addition to the health protocols, such as washing hands, wearing masks, and physical distancing. This will necessitate the involvement of all stakeholders and the public," he expounded.

Healthcare spending focusing on domestic products became the agenda at the first meeting of the newly established Committee for COVID-19 handling and National Economic Recovery led by Hartarto.

The committee was formed in accordance with Presidential Regulation No. 82 of 2020.

The committee involves the coordinating minister for human development and cultural affairs, coordinating minister for maritime affairs and investment, finance minister, health minister, and home affairs minister.

The state enterprises minister was tasked with functioning as the committee’s chief executive. The Task Force for Acceleration of COVID-19 Handling and Task Force for National Economic Recovery and Transformation will work under the committee’s coordination. (ANTARA)

Jakarta (VOI News) - The Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs held Isbat or Determination Session to set the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah and Eid Al-Adha 1441 Hijriyah. The session determined the Eid al-Adha 1441 Hijriyah Day to fall on Friday, July 31, 2020. This decree was delivered by the Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi after leading the Isbat or Determination Session of the 1st of Dhul-Hijjah and Eid Al-Adha 1441 Hijriyah held virtually by the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Jakarta on Tuesday (21/7).

Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi said in carrying out the Isbat session, the Ministry of Religious Affairs always uses two methods, namely Hisab and rukyat. Hisab is a mathematical and astronomical calculation to determine the position of the moon in determining the beginning of the month on the Hijri calendar. Whereas Rukyat is an activity to observe the presence of the new moon or the appearance of the crescent.

According to him, hisab and rukyat, are not two different things, in fact, both are complementary methods.

The Minister of Religious Affairs added that the determination of the beginning of the month of Dhul-Hijah and Eid al-Adha 1441 Hijriyah was taken after considering the results of the Hisab and rukyatul hilal reports. More than twelve observers who had been sworn said they saw the new moon. Rukyatul Hilal confirmed the results of reckoning that the hilal throughout Indonesia is above the horizon, between 6 degrees 51 minutes to 8 degrees 42 minutes.

"Therefore, with the aforementioned two things, namely based on hisab or reckoning, the hilal position throughout Indonesia is above the horizon and the rukiyatul hilal report has also seen the new moon, then the session stated that 1 Zulhijjah of 1441 Hijriyah fell on Wednesday 22 July 2020 AD and Eid al-Adha 10 Zulhijjah 1441 Hijri falls on Friday, 31 July 2020," said Fachrul Razi.

Accompanying the Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi in a press conference were among others Chairman of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives (DPR) Yandri Susanto and Chair of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) KH Muhyidin Junaidi. Similar to the Isbat session of the 1st Shawwal 1441 Hijr, this time the session was also held virtually and with due regard to the health protocols. (VOI / AHM)

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto (second right) speaking with BNPB chief, Military Lieutenant General Doni Monardo (left) and SOE Minister Erick Thohir (right), before issuing a press statement at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Monday (July 20, 2020). President Joko Widodo has signed a Government Regulation (PP), approving the formation of a COVID-19 handling and economic recovery team. (ANTARA FOTO/Sigid Kurniawan/POOL/wsj/ac)

The COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Committee, formed by President Joko Widodo through Presidential Regulation Number 82 of 2020, comprises three arms.

According to a copy of the regulation received in Jakarta on Monday evening, the new committee consists of the Policy Committee, the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, and the National Economic Recovery and Transformation Task Force

The Policy Committee is chaired by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairsand has six deputy chairmen — the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, the Coordinating Minister for Human Development, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Health, and the Minister of Home Affairs.

The Minister of State-Owned Enterprises has been appointed as the chairperson of the Policy Committee, which also includes Executive Secretaries I and II.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 Handling Task Force is chaired by the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency Doni Monardo, while the National Economic Recovery and Transformation Task Force is chaired by Deputy Minister of BUMN, Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

The duties of the three arms have been outlined in the Presidential Decree, enacted and promulgated on July 20, 2020.  (ANTARA)