VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta. The National Police's Special Detachment (Densus) 88 anti-terror squad arrested two suspected terrorists in Tulungagung and Nganjuk in East Java province on Tuesday (March 30, 2021).

"It is true that two suspected terrorists were arrested by Densus 88 of the Police Headquarters, assisted by the East Java Regional Police, at two locations, the first in Tulungagung and the second in Nganjuk," head of public relations of the East Java Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Gatot Repli Handoko, confirmed here on Wednesday.

In Tulungagung, police nabbed one terror suspect, identified as NMR, around p.m. 2.30 local time in Buntaran village, Rejo sub-district.

In Nganjuk, another suspected terrorist, identified as LAM, was arrested along with evidence, including a book "fiqih jihad".

"From the arrested suspected terrorists, several pieces of evidence were also secured, including two homemade firearms," Handoko informed.

"From the information we received, the two terrorists were part of a network of the JAD (Jamaah Ansharut Daulah) radical group," he added.

The goal of the two suspected terrorists was to carry out "amaliyah", police said.

According to police, the two suspects allegedly had links with the suicide bombers who targeted the Cathedral Church in Makassar on Sunday (March 28, 2021).

"Both showed indications that they were to carry out 'amaliyah' in the East Java region," Handoko said.

He stated that the Densus 88 anti-terror team is currently still developing and deepening coordination with the ranks of the East Java Regional Police.

"Our special appeal for the people of East Java is please continue carrying out your activities as usual and remain calm. Together we maintain public security," he said.

"Second, we expect all elements of East Java society at the RT-RW (neighborhood) level to jointly maintain security and order and provide information to us if they find things related to security disturbances that have been going well in East Java," he added. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE), a subsidiary of state-run oil firm PT Pertamina, has outlined a target to double geothermal power development to 1.1 gigawatts (GW) by 2026.

"In the next five years, we will strive to achieve the target of 1.1 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity," CEO Subholding Power & New Renewable Energy PGE Dannif Danusaputro noted in a statement here on Wednesday.

Currently, the installed capacity of the Geothermal Power Plant that PGE operates alone reaches 672 MW. The company will maximize the geothermal potential in its 15 working areas across Indonesia to boost the development of environment-friendly electricity.

In addition to PGE’s operations, Pertamina manages geothermal energy with partners through a joint operation contract, with an installed capacity of 1.2 GW.

With the overall management of geothermal development, Pertamina is expected to guarantee that energy requirements are fulfilled by clean energy in the future.

"With the support of all stakeholders, geothermal development would be continued optimally, including through a partnership scheme," Danusaputro stated.

According to the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), the potential of geothermal energy in Indonesia is the largest, equivalent to about 29.5 GW.

However, its installed capacity has only reached 2.1 GW, the second-largest after the United States that has an installed electricity capacity from geothermal energy of 3.6 GW.

PGE remains committed to increasing the production of geothermal-based energy in the national program in its primary energy mix to 23 percent by 2025.

The company has contributed 88 percent to Indonesia's installed electricity capacity from geothermal energy, with the potential to reduce the annual carbon dioxide emissions cap to 9.5 million tons per year.

President Commissioner of PT Pertamina (Persero) Basuki Tjahaja Purnama affirmed that renewable energy is the future of the company, so the development strategy for environment-friendly electricity, especially geothermal energy, must be supported as a source of alternative energy.

"Renewable energy is the future business for Pertamina. Hence, the development of geothermal energy as one alternative, and clean energy should be supported and continue to grow," Purnama emphasized. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. The Health Ministry has encouraged the practice of washing hands with soap (CTPS) as an important requisite for the community that can be disseminated through edifying all members on a frequent basis.

"We need to make the practice of washing hands with soap a necessity in the community. Education can start since an early age in Kindergarten (TK) and should be repeated continuously," Director of Health Promotion and Community Empowerment, Directorate General of Public Health at the Health Ministry, Imran Agus Nurali, noted during his presentation on the CTPS educational book here on Wednesday.

Nurali highlighted the need to repeatedly disseminate correct information on the need to wash hands with soap to the public, especially in an era of public information disclosure that is prone to false information.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, information on the practice of washing hands with soap should to be conveyed at the level of educational institutions and public facilities.

"We need to practice hand washing with soap not only during a pandemic. Beyond a pandemic, (information) about using masks is also going well. The practice of washing hands with soap is an activity that is really required before and even during a pandemic," he stated.

Hence, the Health Ministry has encouraged to necessarily implement the CTPS program, including through early education, so that these good practices can become a habit when children grow up.

Nurali remarked that the practice of washing hands with soap aims to contain the spread of COVID-19. Moreover, this activity can thwart the transmission of other diseases that can enter the body without washing hands, such as diarrhea, rabies, hepatitis, acute respiratory infections, and other diseases.

"The ideal time to wash your hands is after defecating, before eating, and after doing activities. (The practice of washing hands with soap before and after) these three activities is very suitable (to be practiced) at school," he stated.

Meanwhile, at the same event, Silvia Landa, the Water for Women Project Manager of the Indonesia Plan International Foundation, noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had raised awareness on the importance of washing hands with soap.

Although the pandemic has been raging on for a year, not all people have diligently implemented the CTPS practice.

"Hence, especially during a pandemic, proper guidance is necessary to make the practice of washing hands with soap a daily habit that can ultimately reduce the number of COVID-19 cases and other diseases," he remarked.

The Plan International Indonesia Foundation along with the Health Ministry and the Education Ministry launched a book titled "Guide to Triggering Changes in Hand Washing with Soap Behavior in Schools or Madrasahs and Communities".

The guidebook is not only intended to trigger a behavioral change but also to help complement various existing documents, such as the triggering guide for the Five Pillars of Community-based Total Sanitation in the Community. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. Bank Indonesia (BI) has made unwavering efforts to boost transformation of the sharia economy and finance (EKSyar) as a new source of economic growth.

"The EKSyar transformation was conducted optimally to contribute to the national economic growth," BI Governor Perry Warjiyo remarked at the launch of the 2020 Sharia Economic and Financial Report (LEKSI) book held virtually on Monday.

Warjiyo noted that the publication of LEKSI 2020 was part of BI's real support in driving transformation of the sharia economy and finance (EKSyar).

The theme raised in the report is "Synergize in Building Sharia Economics and Finance". The theme is deemed pertinent to strengthen the momentum of national economic recovery, including EKSyar, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

LEKSI not only offers an overview of the conditions of EKSyar in Indonesia but can also assist in the formulation and evaluation of policies for the development of EKSyar.

The 2020 LEKSI outlines that the EKSyar transformation is conducted through development of the halal value chain ecosystem in leading sectors as a new source of economic growth.

The basic principle of EKSyar is principally to encourage the optimal utilization of all resources and technology that will always lead to productive economic activities.

In this case, the role of EKSyar's policy in national economic recovery encompasses three aspects, with the first being, through its role as part of BI's main policy mix, including in the synergy between authorities.

Second, through its role in supporting the resilience of sharia businesses through sharia economic empowerment based on the principle of partnership, both in sharia MSMEs as well as in Islamic boarding schools.

Third, through its role in the optimization of Islamic social finance (zakat, infaq, alms, and waqf) in accordance with the principles of its use, which inclusively mitigates increased poverty and widening inequality.

LEKSI is one of the programs to boost EKSyar literacy in Indonesia in addition to serving as a medium to demonstrate real commitment and support from BI in the process of transformation and development of EKSyar in Indonesia.

LEKSI contains details of various information, but in broad outline, it can be grouped based on four aspects: the EKSyar development policy, EKSyar development and program, the development and program of Islamic finance, as well as the EKSyar education and outreach. (Antaranews)