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PLN Gradually Recovers Electricity Supply (0)
State-owned electricity firm PT PLN has recovered electric power to Balaraja Extra High Voltage substation in Banten Province, and furthermore it will be channeled to Suralaya steam-fueled power plant (PLTU) to gradually recover its operation to reach its capacity of 2800 MW of electricity.
In addition, power supply from Gandul Extra High Voltage substations in Depok, West Java Province, will be channeled to Muara Karang gas and steam power plant (PLTGU) to supply electricity to the Indonesian capital city, Jakarta.
Acting President Director of PLN Sripeni Inten Cahyani said here on Sunday that the power supply to Jakarta was expected to recover within three hours.
"We apologize for the inconvenience today, and currently all efforts have been made to recover the Java-Bali power system, especially in the area of West Java, Banten, and Jakarta," Cahyani said.
The company has focused on power supply to PLTGU Muara Karang and PLTGU Priok to recover the system in the capital city.
Previously, PLN has recovered the operation of hydro-generated power plant (PLTA) Saguling and PLTA Cirata which are functioned as power stabilizer, and, at the same time, supply the electricity to PLTU Suralaya through Cibinong, Depok, Gandul, Lengkok, Balaraja and Suralaya extra high voltage substations.
PLTU Suralaya is expected to return to its normal operation within six hours to normalize power system in West Java and Banten.
Blackout that affected thousands of homes and public facilities in West Java, Jakarta, and Banten was caused by several troubles in the extra high voltage 500 kV transmission of Ungaran - Pemalang.
"PLN has taken its best efforts and will have evaluation to prevent recurrence of today's incident," Cahyani said.
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December
Indonesians competing in elections must be declared drug free: Granat
Written by Nur Yasmin
The National Anti-Narcotics Movement (Granat) has proposed that all figures competing in Indonesia's 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections be tested and declared drug-free.
To this end, Granat Chairman Henry Yosodiningrat said here Saturday that urine tests should be made part of requirements for nominating candidates for the presidential and parliamentary elections.
The required urine tests are aimed at supporting Indonesia's efforts to make it become a drug-free country, he said, adding that drug addicts must be prevented from joining the upcoming general elections.
According to Yosodiningrat, the urine tests must be required at the early stages of selecting candidates. Granat has proposed its view to the House of Representatives (DPR) and government.
Indonesia remains under serious threat from drug dealers, as several individuals from its working-age population get trapped in a vicious circle.
The National Narcotics Agency's (BNN's) report that some 50 Indonesians die of drugs everyday has yet to deter drug users in the country to stop consuming the addictive substances.
The users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other types of addictive drugs can be any of the community members from distinct socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
Hence, it comes as no surprise if drug users are, sometimes, politicians, students, and entertainers. In April 2018, for instance, a former legislator, Arbab Pabroeka, was arrested for a drug offence.
In August 2018, Ibrahim Hasan alias Ibrahim Hongkong, a member of Langkat District's legislative body in North Sumatra Province, was also arrested for his alleged involvement in trans-national drug trafficking activities.
Due to this case, Ibrahim was sacked from the membership of the National Democrat Party (Nasdem), which had paved the way for his political career until he was elected as a member of Langkat District's legislative body.
Considering the above reality, drug trafficking activities have appeared to be an ongoing threat to Indonesia`s security and human resources.
In winning the war against drug dealers, harsh punishments, including the imposition of death penalties to drug dealers, are needed.
However, the law enforcement approach also needs to be combined with preventive measures, such as regular blood and urine drug tests for students, employees, and other segments of society, as well as public awareness campaigns on the danger of addictive drugs. (Antaranews)
December
East Lombok origin of NTB migrant workers: Minister
Written by Nur Yasmin
Since 2014, East Lombok District has become the origin of most migrant workers in West Nusa Tenggara Province, Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah said.
"As we all know, with a total of 117,782 migrant workers dispatched since 2014, East Lombok District is the biggest contributor of Indonesian Migrant Workers in West Nusa Tenggara, " she said in commemoration of International Migrant Day 2022 here Sunday.
She said that until 2022, one of the villages in that area, Anjani Suralaga, has sent 615 residents to work overseas. Seventy percent of them work in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan.
Following the reopening of Malaysia as one of the destinations for work, 100 people have registered to work in the neighboring country as of December 2022.
"The (salaries) the migrant workers receive are expected to help improve the living standards or welfare of themselves and their families. The money the workers transfer also contribute to economic development in East Lombok District and its surroundings," she informed.
Despite the fact that working abroad is an option, she hoped that those deciding to be migrant workers need to do that if they have well been prepared and understood all potential risks of working overseas.
She suggested that those who are interested in becoming migrant workers prepare themselves with required skills and complete documents, seek as much information as possible —either through the migration service center at the village office, or through the One-Stop Integrated Service (LTSA), or the Manpower Office.
The ministry has a program called Productive Migrant Villages to empower, protect and serve migrant workers and their families starting from village scope, all of which are done in collaboration with other ministries and agencies.
She noted that the program could benefit both the villages involved in it and the surrounding ones too. In order to provide best protection for the migrant workers from the beginning to end of their working contracts, she urged every stakeholder —from central to village scope— to conduct the functions and roles according to their authorities.
“Don't be easily persuaded by momentary sweet temptation that brings high risks. If we love our family members, our children, and our neighbors, let's remind each other, to take procedural routes, for the sake of safety and comfort at work, so that the aims and objectives of working abroad can be fulfilled," she reminded. (antaranews)
December
The Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) is committed to combating human trafficking, Head of BP2MI Benny Rhamdani said.
"We do not let off mafia syndicates that have been taking dirty profits by trafficking people," Head of BP2MI Benny Rhamdani said in the commemoration of International Migrants Day on Sunday.
He emphasized that BP2MI requires assistance from all parties relevant to the implementation of Law No.21 of 2007 and Presidential Regulation No. 22 of 2021 concerning the Eradication of Human Trafficking.
Based on the BP2MI record, he mentioned that there were at least 1,500 Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) who had died, and 3,200 suffered illness and depression in the last two years.
Approximately 81 thousand Indonesian migrant workers were deported from placement countries, most of whom were trafficking victims, due to illegally seeking work abroad.
Rhamdani said BP2MI is in charge of ensuring illegal migrant workers return home and to their families safely.
"If they work abroad legally, they are protected by state through the constitutional right (stipulated on) Article 27 of the 1945 Constitution which will provide protection and ease of facilities," he said.
Meanwhile, on December 14, BP2MI inaugurated three special facilities for Indonesian migrant workers at five airports, which are Ahmad Yani in Central Java, Juanda in East Java, Lombok in East Nusa Tenggara, Kualanamu in North Sumatra, and I Gusti Ngurah Rai in Bali.
Rhamdani inaugurated the facilities simultaneously from Juanda International Airport in East Java. The three facilities are a lounge, a help desk, and a special line at Immigration for PMIs. He said the facilities were a manifestation of the government's respect and service to migrant workers who were deemed as foreign exchange contributors.
"The VVIP facilities provided at the five airports are a manifestation of the government's support. In addition, this is a form of respect and service to the migrant workers who are 'foreign exchange heroes' who have been willing to sacrifice for their welfare and family," he explained. (antaranews)
December
2024 elections to be the biggest ever, President tells poll watchdog
Written by Nur Yasmin
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has asked the General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) to exercise caution during the 2024 General Elections and regional head elections.
The elections will be the largest ever democratic fiesta in Indonesia, if not the world, he said during the national consolidation meeting of Bawaslu in Jakarta on Saturday.
Bawaslu will play a central role in supervising the general elections to ensure they are of good quality, he added.
"Compared to the previous elections, (the 2024 elections) will be the largest (ever held). Be careful (the elections) will likely be the heaviest. (Once again,) be careful (the elections) will involve a huge number of voters with a wide election span,” he said.
Having organized elections in the past, Indonesia has experience, which will be more than enough to prepare for the next elections, which will be far better, he added.
The head of state said that the quality of general elections serves as an important political foundation in the life of the state and government.
"To maintain the integrity of elections, supervision must be done during all phases of elections. The entire process must be supervised accurately and handled carefully to develop elections of good quality,” he said.
The President further said that public trust is key to the democratic process. Reliable elections will yield strong legitimacy.
A definitive list of voters is often used to allege fraud, Widodo noted.
To that end, he expected Bawaslu chief Rahmat Bagja to supervise the process of drafting the definitive list of voters. Bawaslu should report any party trying to obstruct the process. (Antaranews)
December
MSMEs should innovate by developing more products: Ministry
Written by Nur Yasmin
Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) should innovate by developing more products to become more competitive in the market, according to a State-owned Enterprises Ministry's special staff.
"I suggest MSME actors (to) innovate (by creating) a new processed product because of dozens of MSME stalls I visit today, (and) majority of them process their products as krupuk (cracker)," the ministry's Special Staff for Public Communications, Arya Sinulingga, stated during a visit to an MSME bazaar in Sungailiat here, Saturday.
Innovation will help open new opportunities for MSMEs, especially if they successfully compete and excel in less competitive markets, he remarked.
"For instance, fish could be processed into various healthy and delicious foods outside krupuk or kemplang (fish cracker), as many competitors already create the same product," the ministry's official stated.
Sinulingga also suggested MSMEs to be attentive to the product packaging, as good packaging will attract the customers’ interest and extend product longevity.
He also invited MSME actors to purchase bulk packaging products suitable for MSMEs at affordable prices offered by PT PNM, a financial service company for MSMEs.
The bulk packaging products offered to MSMEs at the bazaar are provided by the State-owned Enterprises Ministry to help MSMEs reduce their production costs, he noted.
The ministry's expert staff also urged MSMEs to adjust their product marketing by focusing on the largest market potential instead of reaching a particular market target.
They must prioritize Indonesians overseas, who are keener to purchase their products instead of foreigners, he stated.
"I once brought a shrimp paste while I visited the Netherlands, but it turned out that those who were attracted most to the product were Indonesians in the country," Sinulingga recalled his experience while bringing an Indonesian product overseas.
He remarked that the 1.5 million Indonesians, who travel to Saudi Arabia annually for the Hajj pilgrimage, are also a huge potential market for MSMEs since they will need Indonesian foods during their month-long stay overseas. (Antaranews)
December
Illegal dumping of imported toxic waste serious crime: Ministry
Written by Nur Yasmin
The Environment and Forestry Ministry underscored that illegal dumping of hazardous and toxic waste originating from other countries into Indonesia's territory is a serious crime that should attract severe punishment.
"We must not allow this crime, (since it makes a handful of) people benefit financially by sacrificing many others. Thus, firm action is needed," Director General for Environmental and Forestry Law Enforcement at the ministry Rasio Ridho Sani stated here on Friday.
Sani remarked that the act violated Article 106 of Law Number 32 of 2009 on Protection and Management of the Environment as well as the Basel Convention ratified by 53 countries, including Indonesia.
The director general expects that heavy punishment can have a deterrent effect on perpetrators of the case of illegal dumping of imported hazardous and toxic waste.
"We will not stop taking action against such criminals," he remarked at a press conference on developments in the handling of the case at the ministry’s Journalist Center.
The Environment and Forestry Ministry has collaborated with several parties to eradicate illegal hazardous and toxic waste imports.
Some of the parties are the Port Authority and Harbormaster Office (KSOP), Customs Office, National Institute of Aeronautics and Space of Indonesia (Lapan), National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla), International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), as well as the governments of other countries.
Sani said that the imported waste could, in fact, be processed further by waste management facilities in Indonesia, though much of the waste was disposed directly into the Indonesian waters.
The activity, especially the dumping of oil waste, can pollute waters, disturb marine biota, cause environmental damage, and ruin tourism destinations, such as beaches, so collaboration between international agencies and governments is deemed necessary to deal with the criminal case.
"We will continue to cooperate with various parties, who have authority (on surveillance and security) at sea," the director general stated. (Antaranews)
December
Central Java police conducts security drill at Borobudur Temple
Written by Nur Yasmin
Central Java Police's Mobile Brigade Corps conducted a security drill to rehearse the handling of likely terror acts at Borobudur Temple, Magelang, Central Java.
Central Java Police Mobile Brigade Corps Deputy Commander Adjunct Senior Commissioner Arif Agung remarked that the security drills are conducted for the year-end holiday period during Christmas and New Year's Day.
"For the Christmas and New Year's Day (holiday period), we conduct a simulation at places of interest or tourism attractions designated as priorities to ensure that we could anticipate events considered as acts of terrorism," Agung stated here, Saturday.
He noted that apart from the Mobile Corps, the special anti-terror corps Gegana Detachment, Magelang Police, Borobudur Conservation Office, and tourism site operator PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan, and Ratu Boko (PT TWC), are involved in the security simulation.
"Our collaboration in the simulation is because (handling) conditions at Borobudur Temple would involve all parties, from the initial security response and security of other objects, which requires cooperation with other stakeholders," the police unit head remarked.
Agung said some security scenarios rehearsed during the simulation are hostage rescue and bomb defusal that reflect the terror acts that might occur at the tourist attraction.
Apart from the Borobudur Temple, the police unit will also organize a security simulation at train stations in Semarang, the province's capital, on Sunday (December 18).
"We will also organize a security simulation on Sunday in Semarang. (The drills) will focus on public places because it will be crowded during the Christmas and New Year's Day holiday period," Agung stated.
Meanwhile, PT TWC's Borobudur Unit General Manager Jamaludin Mawardi remarked that a security drill should be organized at the tourism site since Borobudur Temple is one of the national objects of vital importance.
"I believe the security simulation is appropriate, particularly with the recent suicide bombing that occurred in Bandung," Mawardi remarked while referring to the December 7 suicide bombing at the Astanaanyar police office, Bandung, West Java.
The security drill would complement the need to enhance security at the Borobudur Temple site during the period when tourist numbers are expected to peak, he said.
The general manager noted that the security simulation demonstrated the commitment of Borobudur Temple operators and all relevant stakeholders to maintain security at the tourism site during the holiday period. (Antaranews)
December
Rural governments prioritizing first Village SDG this year: minister
Written by Nur Yasmin
Most village governments have strived this year to achieve the first village sustainable development goal (SDG) of making villages poverty-free, Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration (PDTT) Minister Abdul Halim Iskandar has said.
"In the implementation of the Village SDGs in 2022, we saw that the villages’ main priority referred to the first target of Village SDGs -- almost all of them strived to become poverty-free villages," he noted at the “2022 Kaleidoscope on Village and PDTT” event here on Thursday.
He said that the majority of the villages made the first Village SDG their priority, based on the consideration of each village administrator.
Furthermore, the second priority of the village administrators in 2022 was realizing villages with zero hunger -- which is also the second Village SDG, he added.
"The second Village SDG is related to the handling of stunting," he pointed out.
The minister said that the third priority of the village administrators was creating healthy and prosperous villages — which is also the third objective of the SDGs.
Meanwhile, the fourth priority that the administrators pursued was the ninth objective of the Village SDGs, namely developing village infrastructure and innovation according to the community’s demands.
"We have applied a problem-based concept and understanding. Thus, the development of the village infrastructure and innovation has not been without consideration, but according to the needs of the villagers," Iskandar added.
He said he expects the implementation of the Village SDGs to help realize the concept of “Think Globally, Act Locally.”
"Thus, the way of thinking is on a large scale, but the implementation is on a micro-scale, which is at the village level," he explained.
The minister said that the implementation of the Village SDGs will be successful if it is carried out with focus and detail, in line with the directives of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).
If it is not conducted comprehensively, the SDG implementation will not meet the expected results, Iskandar added.
"Thank God, currently, the microdata on village (development) is quite complete," he added. (Antaranews)
December
Ready to expand cultural cooperation with Indonesia: US
Written by Nur Yasmin
The United States (US) Ambassador to Indonesia, Sung Yong Kim, has said that he is ready to expand cultural cooperation with Indonesia through a number of programs that will be launched next year.
"I hope our cultural ties continue to flourish. This facility allows us to demonstrate all that's great about the relationship and everything we can do to further strengthen the relationship," said Kim at the 12th anniversary of the US Embassy Cultural Center in Jakarta, @america, here on Thursday.
The ambassador informed that a number of cultural programs will be launched on January 23, 2023, that will focus on topics pertaining to US-Indonesia cultural relations.
The "Meet the US Embassy" cultural program will allow Indonesians and US citizens in Indonesia to share their time and experiences, especially those related to inclusivity in the lives of people in both countries
"We will continue to work hard to promote the inclusion of people from various backgrounds, races, ethnic, and religious," he said.
Indonesia and the US, he noted, have a lot in common, especially as two large democratic countries founded on the principles of unity and diversity.
"Our countries both have amazing cultures, arts, and histories. Tonight is a celebration of both our uniqueness and our shared values," Kim added.
He said that the strategic partnership between Indonesia and the US has continued to grow from year to year.
Therefore, he said he is optimistic that the two countries will continue to increase cultural cooperation, development and trade, security, and cooperation in efforts to overcome climate change, pandemics, and other global issues.
"Together we are increasing development and trade, strengthening our security partnership, and collaborating to fight emerging floods, climate change, the pandemic, and the others," the ambassador added. (Antaranews)
December
Indonesia records trade surplus for 31st month in row
Written by Nur Yasmin
Indonesia's trade balance recorded a surplus for the 31st month in a row, reaching US$5.16 billion in November 2022, according to the Finance Ministry.
Cumulatively, the trade surplus in the year ended November 30, 2022, reached US$50.59 billion, well above the US$34.3 billion recorded in the same period of the previous year.
"Our exports and imports slightly slowed down in November 2022. But we must look at the entirety of how the trade balance accumulated a surplus of up to US$50.59 billion," head of the Fiscal Policy Board of the Finance Ministry, Febrio Kacaribu, said in Jakarta on Thursday
Indonesia's exports continued their positive performance in November to reach US$24.12 billion, or up 5.58 percent year-on-year (yoy) and 28.16 percent year-to-date (ytd) despite contracting 2.46 percent month-to-month (mtm) from US$24.81 billion in October 2022.
Non-oil/non-gas exports reached US$22.99 billion in November, up 6.88 percent yoy but down 1.94 percent mtm.
The decline particularly affected the exports of animal/vegetable fats and oils, which slid by 16.62 percent to US$577.6 million, while the exports of precious metal and jewelry recorded the highest increase of US$292.2 million or 87.19 percent.
Cumulatively, Indonesia's exports in the period from January to November 2022 reached US$268.18 billion, an increase of 28.16 percent compared to the same period last year.
"Non-oil/non-gas exports contributed the most, reaching US$253.61 billion, up by 28.04 percent ytd,” he informed.
On a sectoral basis, 74.15 percent of the exports in the January–November 2022 period were contributed by the mining industry, followed by the manufacturing industry (18.59 percent) and the fishery industry (12.44 percent). (Antaranews)