VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The import of vaccines, raw materials, and equipment for the production of vaccines will be entitled to a duty exemption in line with the Indonesian government’s plan to expedite inoculation against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Finance Minister’s Regulation No. 188/PMK.04/2020 stipulates that the goods are exempt from import duty and/or excise, value-added tax, or Luxury Sales Tax Law and article 22 of Income Tax Law, Director of International Customs and Inter Institutions of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise at the Finance Ministry Syarif Hidayat stated here on Monday.

The facilities are granted to the central government, regional governments, legal entities, or non-legal entity corporations assigned and appointed by the Health Ministry to import the goods, he remarked.

Furthermore, the government will ease procedures for the release of goods with rush handling services through filing an application replete with the customs document and collateral.

The collateral will not be required when the finance minister has issued a decree on exemptions, and accordingly, the goods will not be subject to physical inspection, he expounded.

The facilities can also be granted through bonded logistics centers or issued through bonded zones or bonded warehouses, special economic zone, and the free zone.

Applications for the facilities should be addressed to the finance minister via the chief of the Customs Office through which the goods are imported. (Antaranews)

The government has instructed the security apparatus to beef up security against terrorism following the killing of a family of four in Sigi, Central Sulawesi, Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD stated.

"The government guarantees the safety of citizens in all regions across Indonesia, including of residents in Sigi District, Central Sulawesi, especially after acts of terror and violence committed against residents in the region," Mahfud stated at a press conference here on Monday.

The government also voiced its regret and strong condemnation to terror acts and atrocities committed by the East Indonesia Mujahidin Terrorist Group (MIT) led by Ali Kalora, he added.

"It was not a religious but a criminal act against a family in Sigi, Central Sulawesi, which resulted in casualties and injuries," the minister, accompanied by Commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and representatives from Police Headquarters, remarked.

The government also expressed deep sorrow and met with families of the victims. Moreover, the government has taken steps to initiate the process of trauma healing to facilitate the recovery of the victims.

The government has instructed security forces through the Tinombala Operations Task Force to pursue and catch perpetrators behind the murder in Sigi.

"This is necessary in order to immediately conduct a strict legal process against them," he stated.

This operation will be led by the National Police, with the assistance of the TNI in the Tinombala Task Force.

The minister reiterated that an Ali Kalora-led criminal group called MIT, not representing a particular religion was behind the incident, which was not a tribal war, let alone a religious one.

"This is actually an attempt by certain parties to terrorize and create an inconducive atmosphere, with the objective of creating chaos that can cause disunity and divide the nation," he cautioned.

Mahfud MD urged all residents, especially those of Sigi, to not be incited by certain parties. (Antaranews)

Broad money supply (M2) rose 12.5 percent (yoy) in October 2020 to reach Rp6,780.8 trillion, higher than the 12.4-percent yoy growth in the previous month, caused by the narrow money supply (M1) and quasi money.

"This increase was due to the M1 growth of 18.5 percent yoy, higher than 18.0 percent yoy recorded in September 2020, driven by the high circulation of currency in the community," Director of the Communication Department of Bank Indonesia (BI) Junanto Herdiawan stated in Jakarta, Monday.

Quasi-money growth was recorded at 10.7 percent yoy in October 2020 as compared to 10.6 percent yoy in the previous month.

Meanwhile, securities other than stocks continued to contract despite improving from the previous month, from -13.9 percent yoy in September 2020 to -12.1 percent yoy in the reporting month.

Based on the influencing factors, Herdiawan attributed the rise in M2 in October 2020 to an increase in the government’s financial expansion, as mirrored in the growth in net bills to the central government that climbed, from 76.7 percent yoy in September 2020 to 81.6 percent yoy in October 2020.

Meanwhile, net foreign assets grew by 13.9 percent yoy in October 2020, lower than the 16.7-percent yoy growth in September 2020.

Credit growth in October 2020 contracted again, from -0.4 percent yoy in September 2020 to -0.9 percent yoy during the reporting month. (Antaranews)

Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, confirmed the residual funds in the special account for handling the COVID-19 pandemic and National Economic Recovery (PEN) in the 2020 fiscal year could be utilized in 2021.

According to a copy of the Minister of Finance's Regulation (PMK) Number 187 / PMK.05 / 2020, accessed in Jakarta on Monday, there will be four conditions under which the remaining funds in the special account can be used for the 2021 fiscal year.

The funds can be used for COVID-19 handling and PEN projects that have been contracted out in the 2020 budget year and will be continued in the 2021 budget year.

The funds can also be used to clear arrears for COVID-19 handling and PEN in 2020; activities for handling the COVID-19 pandemic and PEN, which were allocated in 2020 and have not been implemented; and, handling activities that are planned to take place in 2021.

The new PMK will also regulate the remaining funds in question for activities that could not be completed due to force majeure, as stipulated in the Presidential Decree for the Procurement of Government Goods and Services.

For this reason, such projects will be given additional time for completion, including for settlement of payments, which can be done no later than 30 June, 2021. There will be no imposition of late fees.

The Minister of Finance has ensured the use of the residual funds in the special account goes through the revision stage of the 2021 Budget Implementation List (DIPA), in accordance with the PMK provisions regarding budget revision procedures.

Earlier, the government had noted that the realization of the budget for handling COVID-19 and PEN activities had reached Rp386.01 trillion, or 55.5 percent of the total ceiling of Rp695.2 trillion, as of the second week of November 2020.

The Finance Minister has said the trend of budget absorption has continued to improve and has increased 31.9 percent in October this year from the first semester. (Antaranews)