VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Flash floods that inundated more than 11 thousand houses in the subdistricts of Baleendah, Bojongsoang, Dayeuhkolot, and Rancaekek, Bandung District, West Java Province, over the past five days, had not receded until Monday morning.

As a result, some 40,844 residents are still affected by the flooding, Head of Bandung District’s Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) for Emergency Logistics Affairs Enjang Wahyudin told journalists in Bandung, Monday.

The flood waters still reached 180 centimeters in depth in certain areas, he said, adding that some roads were also inundated disrupting the mobility of residents.

The Banjaran-Bandung road section, for instance, could not be accessed by cars and motorcycles, he said.

The flash floods have forced 2,364 residents to take refuge. Among them are 146 infants, 160 aging people, 18 pregnant women, and eight disabled. They are taking refuge in mosques and local government offices.

To assist the affected residents, the BPBD-Bandung District Office has provided equipment for rescuing and evacuating those in need to higher grounds, including five rubber boats, three aluminum boats, and seven fiber boats, Wahyudin said.

Many parts of Indonesia remain vulnerable to flooding and landslides partly due to environmental damage and degradation.

In early January, due to downpours, certain areas in Jakarta and its neighboring cities, including Bekasi in West Java, and Tangerang in Banten Province, were submerged. (INE/ANTARA)

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto, and Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Wishnutama led a coordination meeting here on Monday, January 27, to discuss ways to prevent coronavirus in Indonesia. The government has not issued a ban on flights from and to China, except from Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province.

"We have only closed flights from Wuhan, while no ban on flights from other cities in China has been issued since there has been no statement from WHO," he said.

However, passengers and crew members of international flights including those from China to Indonesia are subjected to certain procedures, he said without elaborating.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto expressed the hope that the public will remain calm and called on them to maintain the immunity in their bodies.

"I want to call on the public to keep their life healthy so their immunity will be well maintained," he said.

A total of 243 Indonesians staying in Wuhan are in good health, he said

The Indonesian government is on full alert in anticipation of infected patients entering Indonesia, he said.

The government has not issued a ban on Chinese tourists entering Indonesia except those from Wuhan, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Wishnutama said.

"In general, the Foreign Ministry has issued a travel advisory in yellow for China to remind Indonesian citizens wishing to travel to China. But the status of Wuhan is red or banned," he said. (ANTARA)

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has appealed to all stakeholders in the transportation sector to take precautionary measures against the spread of the novel coronavirus to Indonesia.

"In a follow up to the appeal of the state secretary minister, I called on all stakeholders in the field of transportation, especially air and sea transportation, to watch closely developments of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, and take preventive measures intensively," Sumadi noted in a statement here on Monday.

Sumadi remarked that operators should intensively monitor the health condition of passengers and crew members, especially those coming from China.

It should also work in close collaboration with the local health authority at ports and airports to ensure that all passengers, especially from China, wear masks.

"Last night, I had instructed the Director General of Air Transportation and the Director General of Sea Transportation to work closely with AP I, AP II, and Pelindo I to IV to take necessary measures," he remarked.

Airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I (Persero) has tightened its surveillance for international passengers arriving at its airports and installed body thermal scanners to prevent the transmission of the deadly virus to Indonesia.

"As the operator of international airports serving as the main gates for tourists visiting Indonesia, we realize the likelihood of the coronavirus entering Indonesia. The tightening of health screening for passengers is our initial attempt to preventing the transmission of the virus through tourists, especially those from affected countries," President Director of AP I Faik Fahmi explained.

Bali and Manado are the two key destinations for Chinese tourists.

In 2019, some 1.19 million Chinese tourists had arrived at Bali through the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, and over 116 thousand Chinese tourists had landed in Manado through the Sam Ratulangi Airport

The airport operator stated that it will refer to the Port Health Authority (KKP) the passengers detected with body temperature over 38 degrees Celsius and exhibiting symptoms of cough, fever, difficult breathing, and had earlier taken flights from China.

Over 50 people are dead -- all in China -- as the Wuhan coronavirus continues to spread throughout Asia and the rest of the world. Over two thousand cases have been confirmed in mainland China. (ANTARA) 

Energy Watch Executive Director Mamit Setiawan has expressed regret over PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia's move to stop drilling in the Rokan oil block in Riau Province since it could have a significant impact on the reduction of national oil and gas production.

"Chevron has stopped drilling (in the oil block) while in fact, they are still contractor there until 2021. The move highly disrupts national oil and gas stocks. The decline in national production in 2019 was among others the result of Chevron's move to stop drilling in the oil block," he said in a written statement released on Saturday.

He said the Rokan oil block is the second largest contributor to the national oil production next to the Cepu Block in Central Java Province. The Rokan Block also has extraordinary oil deposits.

"So there is still large potential there. In fact, Chevron also has not exploited a number of wells there. If it continues to stop drilling in the block, the oil and gas production will likely drop again in 2020," he said.

At a hearing with the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission VII in Jakarta on Monday (Jan 20, 2020) PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia President Director Albert Simanjuntak revealed that the company has no longer drilled in the Rokan oil block since 2018 because the block is no longer economical.

The other reason behind the company's decision to stop drilling in the block is that its contract will expire on August 8, 2021 after which state oil and gas company PT Pertamina Hulu will manage it.

Setiawan said Chevron's decision to stop drilling in the Rokan oil block has not only affected the national oil and gas production but also caused difficulties for Petamina to raise production when it starts managing the block in 2021.

He said when Pertamina took over the Mahakam Block the old contractor also stopped drilling in the block during the transitional period. Hence, when Pertamina started taking over the block its production also dropped.

"As a result, all sides put the blame on Pertamina. They did no t know the history that during the period of transition no drilling was allowed What I am worried about is that it will happen to the Rokan block," he said;

During the transition period only six out of 40 wells were drilled after Pertamina intervened in the issue, he said. (ANTARA)