VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) Chairperson Erick Thohir affirmed that the Gelora Bung Tomo (GBT) Stadium in Surabaya, East Java, had reached 100 percent of feasibility and readiness to host the U-17 World Cup 2023.

Thohir, also serving as chairman of the event's Local Organizing Committee, extended his gratitude for all parties supporting the preparation of the stadium.

"I would like to appreciate the support given by Surabaya Mayor, PUPR (Public Works and Public Housing) Minister, Youth and Sports Minister, and colleagues from state-owned enterprises PLN and Telkom," he said after inspecting the GBT Stadium on Sunday.

He also expressed hope that as the host, Indonesia would succeed in presenting the best opening ceremony for this junior-level football world championship.

"We have succeeded in demonstrating our capability of properly organizing events, such as the (2018) Asian Games, the (42nd and 43rd) ASEAN Summit, and the G20 Summit in Bali. Hopefully, this (world cup) will also be the best," he said.

Furthermore, Thohir highlighted that the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has praised the quality of facilities at the stadium.

"However, we still need to anticipate such potential problems as security problems and traffic congestion, because FIFA will pay attention to them," he noted.

He then informed that President of FIFA Gianni Infantino is scheduled to personally attend the opening ceremony of the U-17 World Cup at GBT Stadium on November 10.

"God Willing, the FIFA President will come to Jakarta on November 9 and arrive here (in Surabaya) the day after. He has expressed his commitment to attending the opening and closing ceremonies," he pointed out.

President Joko Widodo will surely join the ceremonies, he underscored.

Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Dito Ariotedjo extended his appreciation to the Surabaya municipal government, state-run enterprises, PUPR Ministry, and several institutions for their utmost efforts to prepare and polish the GBT Stadium.

"God Willing, the opening ceremony will be the best in the history of the U-17 World Cup," he said.

The minister then hoped that relevant parties would intensify the dissemination and promotion of the world cup to reach the entire population. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - The task of realizing the 2045 Golden Indonesia goal rests with Indonesian millennials, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam), Mahfud MD, has said.

"We are lucky to have young people who are progressive revolutionaries and who have led Indonesia to become an independent country; therefore, this struggle must be continued, especially toward a golden Indonesia in 2045," he said during the commemoration of Youth Pledge Day with the Ambon City Latupati Council at Pattimura University, Ambon, Maluku, on Saturday.

Indonesia, he said, is currently seeking to become more advanced as an independent country through efforts based on the Constitution; therefore, generation Z and millennials must help build the nation's independence by developing their skills.

"Fulfilling independence means advancing and developing oneself because the state has provided facilities to move toward a golden Indonesia," he added.

He cited Indonesia's first president Soekarno's view that independence was a golden bridge. The golden bridge has been used to cross to a better Indonesia, he said.

"A golden Indonesia will be achieved if all citizens of the nation are able to protect this country," he emphasized.

Mahfud also expressed optimism about Indonesia's young generation since young people are intelligent and have a deep sense of being Indonesian.

"Indonesian youth in general have a deep sense of being Indonesian, so a sense of nationalism must continue to be fostered," he said.

The government only needs to lend support then so that the feeling of nationalism among the younger generation continues to surge and Indonesia becomes a safe, peaceful, and prosperous country, according to him.

The commemoration of Youth Pledge Day was initiated by the Ambon City Latupati Council with the theme of "Jujaro Mungare" and the aim of realizing the Golden Indonesia goal.

The activity included seminars and workshops with a number of resource persons, including the Indonesian Ambassador to Serbia Samuel Samson.

National Development Planning Minister and head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Suharso Monoarfa, stated earlier that the technocratic design of the 2025–2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) is instrumental for realizing the Golden Indonesia goal,

"The 2025–2029 RPJMN is very strategic. If we can show good things and how to do it, the achievement of Golden Indonesia 2045 will be more rational for all," he added during a meeting on the drafting of the technocratic design for the RPJMN in Yogyakarta recently.

Under the Golden Indonesia vision, the nation is aiming to increase its per capita to US$30,300, eliminate poverty, reduce inequality, and achieve a Human Development Index reading of 0.73.

By 2045, Indonesia is also aiming to be in the top 15 in the Global Power Index and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions toward achieving net zero emissions.

To support the goal, the government is preparing the 2025–2029 RPJMN as a science-based policy approach and scientific framework. (Antaranews)

VOI, Jakarta - The provincial government of Jakarta has prepared the Jakarta Regional Health Laboratory to support the implementation of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for Monkeypox (Mpox) in Jakarta.

"The Jakarta Health Office has also readied the Jakarta Regional Health Laboratory to support PCR tests," acting head of the Jakarta Health Office, Ani Ruspitawati, informed when contacted here on Friday.

The laboratory will also help with PCR tests carried out at the Laboratory of the Health Development Policy Agency (BKPK) of the Ministry of Health.

Patients who are confirmed positive after a PCR test will be sent immediately for a whole genome sequencing (WGS) examination so that genetic information regarding the origin of the disease and its spread in the community can be obtained.

Ruspitawati explained that Mpox cases have not only been detected in close contacts of Mpox patients, but people with suspected symptoms have also visited health facilities.

If people show signs and symptoms typical of Mpox, a PCR test will be carried out.

She noted that amid the spread of Mpox infections, her office is continuing to intensively carry out detection, prevention, and quick response to check the spread of the virus.

Information on preventing Mpox transmission has also been disseminated. The preventive measures include, first, following a clean and healthy lifestyle, such as wearing masks and washing hands with running water and soap.

Second, avoiding skin-to-skin contact and contact with wounds. Third, implementing safe, clean, and healthy sexual activities, as well as avoiding sexual activities when sick or experiencing symptoms.

According to data from Jakarta, the Mpox case count in the city has reached 17 as of Friday.

The number of active cases stands at 16, with the patients currently undergoing isolation at hospitals. Meanwhile, 1 patient has recovered and 11 more have been categorized as suspects.

"The positive active cases stand at 16 people, the PCR positivity rate is 44 percent," Ruspitawati disclosed.

All 17 patients are men aged 25–50, and 2 of them live outside Jakarta, she informed. (Antaranews)

VOI, Jakarta - The Jakarta Health Service plans to administer monkeypox vaccination to 500 people from at-risk groups next week as a precautionary measure against the spread of the disease.

"The vaccine will be given in two doses for each person with a gap of four weeks. In accordance with the availability of the monkeypox vaccine in Indonesia, we will disburse the 1,000 doses for 500 people," Acting Head of the Jakarta Health Service, Ani Ruspitawati, confirmed on Friday.

Apart from vaccination, tracing will be conducted to search and monitor people who are in close contact with monkeypox patients, she revealed.

According to Ruspitawati, every positive case of monkeypox will be isolated at the hospital, including suspects with typical symptoms or having had close sexual contact with monkeypox patients awaiting PCR results.

For non-sexual close contacts, symptoms will be monitored on a daily basis by the community health center (puskesmas). If monkeypox symptoms are found, a laboratory examination will be conducted, she remarked.

"For every close sexual contact, an isolation and a laboratory examination will be carried out," she stated.

The Jakarta Health Service had also prepared for hospital isolation rooms and antiviral drugs as well as actively coordinated with experts at vertical hospitals regarding case management, she remarked.

Ruspitawati said that the case fatality rate in monkeypox is about one percent.

"This means that out of 100 positive cases, there is a possibility that one will die," she explained.

Most deaths from monkeypox cases are due to secondary infections and low immunity conditions in at-risk groups, such as men who like men, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, children, and the elderly, she revealed.

She remarked that until October 27, some 17 cases of monkeypox were recorded in the capital city comprising 16 active cases at the hospital and one case that has been declared cured.

Some 11 people are also suspected of exhibiting monkeypox symptoms.

She said that all patients had mild symptoms and were infected from sexual contact.

"All the patients are men aged 25-50 years, with two cases who live outside Jakarta," she stated.

Earlier, the Indonesian Health Ministry had vaccinated 157 people at risk of contracting the monkeypox virus.

"The current vaccination achievement is 157 people, or 31.72 percent of the total target of 477 people. The vaccination is still running at four or five puskesmas in Jakarta," the ministry's Director General of Disease Prevention and Control (P2P), Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, stated on October 26.

The ministry is also seeking assistance from the ASEAN for additional two thousand doses of the monkeypox vaccine.(Antaranews)