VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta. Mount Merapi, located on the border between Yogyakarta and Central Java, emitted scalding clouds as far as 1.5 kilometers to the southwest direction on Tuesday morning.

Head of the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) Hanik Humaida noted in her official statement here on Tuesday that the hot clouds began bellowing from the mountain at 7:06 a.m. local time.

"The hot clouds, recorded on the seismograph, have an amplitude of 60 mm and lasted for 135 seconds," Humaida remarked.

During the observation period from 00:00 a.m. to 6 a.m. local time, Mount Merapi emitted incandescent lava 19 times as far as one kilometer to the southwest.

A total of 50 earthquakes, with an amplitude of 3-20 mm and a duration of 10-92 seconds, were also detected at the active volcano, with one gust earthquake having an amplitude of 2 mm for 11 seconds, and two phase earthquakes, with an amplitude of 2 mm for five seconds.

The BPPTKG announced on Monday night that the mountain had released incandescent lava six times up to 800 meters to the southwest.

The center continues to maintain the status of Mount Merapi at Level III or alert.

The lava and hot clouds of Mount Merapi are forecast to impact areas comprising Sungai Kuning, Boyong, Bedog, Krasak, Bebeng, and Putih in the south to the southwest.

In the meantime, Mount Merapi's volcanic material could disperse as far three kilometers from the mountain's peak. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. The Financial Services Authority (OJK) realized Rp1.93 trillion, or 31.23 percent of the budget ceiling of Rp6.2 trillion in the year ended March 29, 2021.

Budget realization comprised Rp2.39 billion, or 2.93 percent of the budget ceiling of Rp81.9 billion in the banking sector, and Rp211.16 million, or 0.74 percent of the budget ceiling of Rp28.54 billion in the capital market sector, OJK Deputy Chief Commissioner Nurhaida stated during a working meeting with the House of Representatives’ (DPR’s) Commission XI in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, budget realization in the non-banking financial industry reached Rp1.07 billion, or 2.71 percent of the budget ceiling of Rp39.72 billion, while budget realization in the education and consumer protection sector touched Rp1.85 billion, or 4.09 percent of the budget ceiling of Rp45.3 billion, she noted.

The internal audit, risk management, and quality control received a budget ceiling of Rp7.63 billion, with Rp224.76 million, or 2.94 percent of it being realized, while strategic management received a budget ceiling of Rp7.63 billion, with Rp224.75 million, or 2.94 percent of it being realized.

"As per sectors, the budget realization varies, with some of them still being low, while the others exceeding 25 percent," she stated. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati urged regional governments to contribute to funding climate change mitigation efforts along with the central government.

"I am optimistic that regional governments would start fulfilling their commitment to funding climate change (mitigation) through their regional budget," the minister remarked during an online meeting on public funding for climate change mitigation at the national and regional levels to achieve nationally determined contributions (NDC) target in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The central government, through state budget funds allocated to ministries and institutions, spent an average of Rp86.7 trillion on climate change mitigation per year, with 88.1 percent of the funding channeled for green infrastructures, Indrawati pointed out.

"(Part of) the state’s budget spending on regional transfer funds is directed towards supporting the climate change (mitigation) program. We continue to improve the policy for regional transfer funds to better contribute to addressing the challenge of climate change," she remarked.

Non-physical special allocation fund (DAK) has, so far, been directed to assist local governments in providing trash management services, she noted.

In addition, other transfer funds, including the regional incentive fund (DID), targets lending assistance to regional governments to manage and handle trash in a more sustainable and environment-friendly manner, she remarked.

"We are optimistic of all of Indonesia’s commitments, through the state budget, always being maintained and becoming the show keys. However, of course, they will not be sufficient without the regional governments' participation," she stated.

The minister ensured that the government will soon launch a regional climate budget tagging program to be implemented in seven provinces, three districts, and one municipality this year.

Indrawati asserted that Indonesia will be able to realize its commitment to addressing the impact of climate change only if regional governments adopt the principles of accountability and transparency to finance climate change mitigation.

"If regional and central governments harbor credible, transparent, and accountable commitment, we will be able play a global role," the minister reiterated. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. Kertajati International Airport in Majalengka District, West Java, would function as an aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility alongside its current function of serving passengers and cargo, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil stated.

"The focus will be for Kertajati Airport to provide MRO services, and all aircraft can have their maintenance there. We know that the airport not only serves passengers but also offers cargo and maintenance services. Kertajati will also have non-passenger services. It already has cargo service," Kamil, or popularly known as Emil, noted here on Tuesday.

Emil spoke of an international airlines keen to open its MRO facility at the Kertajati International Airport.

"I have informed the president that an international airlines in Asia is interested to open its MRO facility at the airport," he remarked.

Emil believes that the Kertajati Airport can yet be operated optimally before the completion of the Cisumdawu toll road planned in December 2021.

Kertajati International Airport would serve as the connectivity center in the Rebana Metropolitan, a new industrial area covering 13 industrial cities.

"Here we have Patimban as the maritime city and Kertajati as the aerocity," he stated.

Rebana Metropolitan is projected to drive economic growth in West Java through the development of industrial areas that are integrated, innovative, collaborative, competitive, and sustainable.

Rebana Metropolitan is expected to contribute one percent to the nation’s economic growth.

Emil noted that the central government had supported the area’s development and would issue a Presidential Decree on acceleration of Cirebon-Patimban-Kertajati or Rebana Metropolitan development.

At an earlier limited meeting with President Joko Widodo on Monday (March 29), Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi spoke of having held discussions with the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo on utilizing Kertajati Airport for the maintenance of TNI’s aircraft.

"In future, it can be used for the maintenance of private planes, as earlier they have been conducting the maintenance abroad," he stated.

He also drew attention to the president’s directive that the airport should serve umrah and hajj pilgrims from West Java and some parts of Central Java.

"The president directed that later on, Umrah and Hajj flights for all people of West Java and some parts of Central Java can be concentrated in Kertajati," he revealed. (Antaranews)