VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

South Sulawesi Government has ensured that local products will become the icons at the International Handicraft Trade Fair (Inacraft) 2021.  This was revealed when the Head of the South Sulawesi Regional Crafts Council, Lies F Nurdin, received a visit from the Indonesian Handicraft Exporters and Producers Association (ASEPHI) at the Governor's Office, Makassar, Monday as quoted by Antara News Agency. The products include handicrafts, tourism, culture, arts and culinary items unique to the province. ASEPHI Secretary General, Baby Jumawati explained that (God willing) South Sulawesi will become the icon for Inacraft next year. Jumawati also stated the province was chosen as the icon of the event in 2021 based on the examinations of the local government's readiness to hold the event. Not only crafts, there will also be tourism, culture, art, and culinary products that would be displayed, as Inacraft is the biggest promotion event for all Southeast Asian countries// Voi.Ant

Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo still keeps on observing the condition of 78 Indonesian citizens on Diamond Princess cruise ship who are in a quarantine process in   Yokohama Seaport, Japan. Until Monday (Feb17), they have been in healthy condition. Coordinator of Information and Social Culture Office of Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo, Eko Junor as reported by Republika.co.id on Monday (17/2) the evacuation of member crews of cruise ship has not been done yet. The repatriation plan after the quarantine period should be prepared and conducted along with the crews. The Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo is ready for help if the member crews who work at the ship with a capacity of 3.600 passengers need it// Rol/Trs:AF

Jakarta - Indonesia's Health Ministry has declared 102 out of 104 specimens of suspected coronavirus patients negative, while the test for two other samples has yet to complete, the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy said.

"Based on the report of the Director General of Health Ministry, there are 104 specimens from across Indonesia that have been tested in the ministry's laboratory for infectious disease. Of the number, 102 are tested negative and two other are still under laboratory test," Effendy said after a coordination meeting at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Monday.

Present at the meeting are Chief of Presidential Staff Moeldoko, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto, and the Director General of Customs of the Finance Ministry Heru Pambudi.

Effendy said, the government would continue to tighten monitoring at the country's entrance gates to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

"We also track the journey records of those who want to enter Indonesia, in accordance to the standard set by the Foreign Affairs Ministry. For instance, those who have in the last 14 days traveled to the epicenter of the outbreak in mainland China. We will monitor this closely," he said.

He also called on people to stay calm and avoid reckless response over any issues regarding to the spread of the virus.

The minister reiterated that Indonesia has standard reagent for testing of specimen taken from patients allegedly contracted the virus.

"The primary reagent is used in cooperation with the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) in Atlanta, the United States, so people should not have any doubt on its capability. We have adequate supply and all hospitals in the country have prepared for it," he said.

Some hospitals have prepared isolation rooms to take care of suspected coronavirus patients.

"Negative pressure isolation room will only be used for emergency patient, while other suspected coronavirus patients can use the common isolation room. We have 227 beds for negative pressure isolation rooms and that would be enough. Insya Allah (God willing) Indonesia can escape this outbreak," he said. (ANTARA)

Jakarta - The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded that the quality of health, education, and fulfillment of needs of Indonesians had increased as was apparent from the country’s Human Development Index (HDI), clocking 71.92 in 2019.

"Human development in Indonesia continues to progress. The 2019 Human Development Index has increased by 0.53 points, or grew by 0.74 percent, as compared to 2018," BPS Head Suhariyanto noted in Jakarta on Monday.

Suhariyanto expounded that human development achievement is measured by focusing on three essential aspects: longevity and healthy living, knowledge, and a decent standard of living.

The Human Development Index is an indicator for observing the development progress in the long term.

Speed and achievement status are the two aspects that should be taken into account to observe the progress in human development.

"In general, Indonesia's human development index (HDI) continued to progress during the period from 2010 to 2019. Indonesia's HDI increased, from 66.53 in 2010 to 71.92 in 2019," Suhariyanto stated.

During this period, Indonesia's HDI grew by an average of 0.87 percent per year and increased, from "moderate" to "high" levels, starting in 2016. During the 2018-2019 period, Indonesia's HDI grew 0.74 percent.

"In accordance with the message of President Joko Widodo, we all must work to improve the quality of our human resources. An important indicator is the Human Development Index," Suhariyanto emphasized.

Indonesia's population is projected to reach 319 million in 2045, for which the government should prepare various facilities and infrastructure as a precautionary measure against this surge, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) had earlier projected.

"We have to prepare various facilities, so that our children and grandchildren will not be distressed since the population currently stands at 267 million," Head of BPS Suhariyanto stated after leading the 2020 Population Census Ceremony at the BPS Office in Jakarta Friday.

Based on the projection, the government should prepare the plans and policies from now.

The BPS should collect the data through the 2020 Population Census to facilitate the government to make policies. The census will be held throughout Indonesia on Saturday, February 15, 2020.

The BPS can obtain a definite number of Indonesians at the national, provincial, district, sub-district, and village levels from the population census.

The data results will demonstrate the distribution of population, especially in Sumatra and Java, and that would also necessitate a staple food plan.

The BPS can also identify the composition of male and female population ratio (sex ratio). The sex ratio was deemed as vital information to build the population pyramid.

The population pyramid was also formed based on the number of people from the unproductive population aged 14 years and below; productive, aged 15 to 64 years; and aged, 65 years and above. This population pyramid would determine the national dependency ratio. (ANTARA)