The people of the Indonesian province of Aceh living in neighboring Malaysia, particularly in Kuala Lumpur, have agreed to set up cooperatives.

"The agreement is a decision reached at the halal bi halal (post-fasting month) get-together, or Eid-al-Fitr open house 1440 Hijrah at the Kuala Lumpur International Hotel," President of the Malay Community of Aceh-Malaysia (KMAM) Datuk Haji Mansyur bin Usman said in Kauala Lumpur on Monday.

During the event, KMAM also held a joint meeting with the employees of the Malaysian Cooperative Office (SKM), along with acting Director of Petro Teguh (M) Sdn. Bhd Dato 'Sri Azmin Mustam.

Among SKM officials who were present were Executive Chief of the Malaysian Cooperative Council Datuk Nordin Salleh and Director of Law and Registration Division of the Malaysian Cooperative Council Puan Siti Azlin Ahmad Dauta.

Usman said, in the short run, those at the meeting agreed to set up cooperatives, including primary and secondary cooperatives which are expected to become well-run operations in the future.

The event brought together some 50 regional executives from throughout Malaysia, with each regional branch having hundreds of Aceh stalls.(ANTARA)

Indonesian company PT HM Sampoerna Tbk. has received the Asia Responsible Enterprise Award 2019 for reducing its carbon footprint, during a ceremony in Taipei, Taiwan.

Enterprise Asia chose Sampoerna in recognition of its success in reducing its carbon footprint in running its business, according to a statement made available to Antara on Monday.

Enterprise Asia is an international non-governmental organization focusing on responsible entrepreneurship.

One of the efforts that earned Sampoerna the award was the development of a global road map related to sustainable vehicle fleets. The company has always made every effort to reduce the environmental impact of its operations and supply chains.

In 2018, the company reduced the use of trucks by up to 11 percent, while increasing its use of ships by 7 percent and trains by 4 percent, enabling it to reduce its carbon production by 8.9 percent.

"We will go ahead with this initiative, while at the same time trying to find new opportunities to better reduce the carbon footprint of our businesses," Head of Sampoerna Stakeholders Regional Relations and CSR Ervin Laurence Pakpahan said.

Ervin added that Sampoerna is open to cooperating with various institutions in reducing carbon footprints from their businesses. Sampoerna pays special attention to the use of environmentally friendly sustainable energy.

"Reducing carbon footprints in the environment is one of Sampoerna's sustainable strategic pillars. The effective environmental management in the business chain goes beyond what the legislation underlines," Ervin said. (ANTARA)

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan and Minister of Forestry and Environment Siti Nurbaya discussed the energy transition in line with environmental protection at the G20 ministerial meeting in the city of Karuizawa, 150 kilometers north of Tokyo, Japan.

The ministerial meeting would agree on the G20 Energy Commitment in the Complete Ministerial Communique Document, which was discussed at the Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG), according to information from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in Jakarta on Sunday.

By integrating the issue of climate change, Japan raises the main theme of energy transition in line with environmental protection and economic growth in "3E + S" namely Energy Security, Economic Efficiency and Environment (3E) and Safety (S).

Japan also prioritizes the Innovation agenda and advanced energy issues, namely Hydrogen, Carbon Capture Storage and Utilization (CCUS), Well-to-Wheel Analysis and Nuclear and Research and Development 20 (RD20).

On this occasion, Indonesia sought various efforts and strategic responses, so that the Japan G20 Secretariat accommodated a number of issues in Third Draft Communique, which among others, first included the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) / Agenda 2030 as the main reference for the Communique, recognizing the implementation of the Energy Transition varies according to SDGs (SDG7).

Second included biofuels as one of Energy Innovations, and bioenergy as part of Renewable Energy and Energy Transition in the world in a variety of uses, especially electricity generation and transportation.

Third included the affordability aspects of Energy Efficiency and Power Systems, and lifted Clean and Affordable Energy Access as a separate part.

Fourth emphasized the importance of understanding the situation of each country in developing CCUS, and encouraging international collaboration in the development of relatively new Hydrogen.

Fifth focused on Well-to-Wheel which is only to develop energy efficiency potential, and not to standardize the calculation of CO2 emissions of motor vehicles in each country.

Sixth simplified nuclear discussions and accommodating the interests of nuclear non-users.

In addition to attending the Ministerial Meeting, Minister Jonan was also scheduled to hold a number of bilateral meetings with several countries including Japan with the agenda of witnessing the Signing of INPEX Head of Agreement (HoA) for the management of the Masela Block, a source in Maluku waters. (ANTARA)

The Public Works and Public Housing Ministry has prepared a national program to restore the street drainage system.

Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono noted in a statement here on Monday that one of the ministry's infrastructure programs in 2020 pertained to recovery of the street drainage system to be conducted nationwide.

"We have prepared a special national street drainage recovery program. Street drainage work is only a small part in a road construction project, so the contractor did not optimally work on it. In the northern coast of Java, we will reopen the street drainage covered by construction," he revealed.

The Directorate General for Highway Construction (Bina Marga) has prepared the design for the program, Hadimuljono remarked.

He explained that the road drainage system should be connected to the local sewage system to prevent rainwater from accumulating and damaging the streets.

Another program, under the Directorate General of Highway Construction, concerns the development of a suspension bridge in isolated villages in remote areas.

In 2020, the ministry will also renew its ministerial decree in 2015 on the status of national road. The status is to be renewed every five years.

Currently, a total of 47,107 kilometers of road in the country are designated as national road, bearing the white and yellow paint marking.  (ANTARA)