VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

About 10 thousand Indonesian military (TNI) personnel on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19 have been prioritized to receive vaccines in the first phase of the government’s immunization program, a military spokesperson said.

“We have registered the prioritized recipients. Their number is expected to reach between 9,000 and 10,000 personnel,” TNI spokesperson Major General Achmad Riad told journalists at the TNI headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Wednesday.

The prioritized TNI personnel include medical workers and those in the high-risk group on the front lines, including those securing the strict implementation of the health protocols, he informed.

The authorized officers within the TNI have yet to discuss technical matters related to the government's vaccination program, but those categorized as prioritized recipients have been registered, he said.

All TNI soldiers would also, sooner or later, get vaccinated, he added.

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, has said the government would likely commence the first phase of COVID-19 immunization in the third week of December, 2020.

The novel coronavirus disease initially emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019, and spread across the world, including to countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Indonesia made an official announcement on the country's first confirmed cases on March 2 this year.

The Indonesian government has consistently expressed confidence in the potential of COVID-19 vaccines for helping win the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, which has posed a serious threat to public health and the economy.

Over the past few months, the government has made all-out efforts to secure potential COVID-19 vaccines for Indonesians through bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

The government is also supporting research efforts towards developing the country's own COVID-19 vaccine, Merah Putih (Red and White), named after the colors of the national flag.

Moreover, Indonesia is cooperating with China and the United Kingdom for the procurement and supply of COVID-19 vaccine candidates.

An Indonesian delegation also secured access to COVID-19 vaccines from China during a meeting with representatives from Cansino, G42, Sinopharm, and Sinovac in China on October 10 this year. (Antaranews)

President Joko Widodo is optimistic that Indonesia's economic policies during the pandemic will have a positive impact and provide incentives for entrepreneurs and business people.

This was conveyed by President Jokowi in his remarks at the APEC CEO Dialogues 2020 event, which was held virtually, as uploaded via the YouTube video of the Presidential Secretariat in Jakarta, Thursday.

"I am sure that entrepreneurs, and domestic and international business actors, will feel the positive effects of the various potentials and incentives from the economic policies issued by Indonesia during the pandemic," said President Jokowi.

President Jokowi said Indonesia was using the momentum of the crisis because of the COVID-19 pandemic to carry out structural reforms.

"On an extraordinary basis, we are fixing the existing regulations, fixing the existing bureaucracy. In order to move quickly through difficult times, so that we are ready to open the widest possible door for businessmen and investors in new ways," said President Jokowi.

The Head of State also said that Indonesia had passed the Omnibus Law on Job Creation as an effort to massively simplify regulations from 79 laws to one law.

President Jokowi invited CEOs and businessmen in the Asia Pacific region to take advantage of the opportunities from the recently passed Omnibus Law. (Antaranews)

President Joko Widodo conveyed 6 benefits of Law No. 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation in front of participants of the 2020 APEC CEO Dialogues meeting.

"The Job Creation Omnibus Law will have a significant impact on the business climate and investment in Indonesia. First, the business licensing process and investment becomes simpler and more accelerated," said the President.

Jokowi, who was one of the speakers at the APEC CEO Dialogues 2020, was virtually broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel on Thursday.

According to the President, the Job Creation Law can make the requirements for investment simpler, business licensing for micro and small businesses is no longer needed and registration is sufficient.

"Second, illegal fees and corruption are cut by integrating the entire licensing process into the electronic licensing system through the Online Single Submission (OSS) system," said the President.

The third benefit, business activities and investing is made easier and the formation of a limited liability company is made simpler and there are no more restrictions on minimum capital.

"The processing of patents and brands has also been accelerated. Acquisition of land and land for public interest and investment is much easier," said the President.

Fourth, the Job Creation Law encourages investment in Special Economic Zones (KEK), free trade areas, and free ports so that it becomes easier and more attractive with various facilities and incentives.

"Business licensing services in these areas will be carried out in a matter of hours, with fiscal facilities integrated into the OSS system," the President added.

Fifth, Indonesia will also form a "sovereign wealth fund" which will manage and place a number of funds and/or state assets directly or indirectly and cooperate with third parties.

"Sixth, the Omnibus Law on Job Creation protects and enhances the role of workers in supporting investment in Indonesia, including providing legal certainty in regulating minimum wages and severance pay," said the President.

According to the President, the government's main objective in the Job Creation Law is to create a business climate and quality investment for business players, including MSMEs and foreign investors.

"Overlapping regulations and complicated procedures were trimmed, convoluted bureaucratic licensing chains were cut, illegal levies that had hindered business and investment were also eradicated. We still prioritize our commitment to protecting the environment, and are environmentally friendly," said the President.

To that end, President Jokowi invited CEOs and business actors in the Asia-Pacific region to feel the positive impact of various potentials and incentives from the economic policies issued by Indonesia during this pandemic.

"Let's get up together and work together to restore the health of the people and the regional economy, as well as make leaps of progress for economic success in the region," he stressed. (Antaranews)

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said the permit from the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) and the fatwa of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) for the COVID-19 vaccine must have been issued before vaccinating Indonesian people.

"The vaccine is already there and is being examined (clinical trial) in Beijing. There is already a joint team from BPOM and from MUI. Later, before vaccination, (permits and fatwas) must first come out," Ma'ruf Amin said while reviewing the COVID-19 vaccination simulation in Cikarang Utara, Bekasi, West Java, Thursday.

The fatwa from the MUI, continued Ma'ruf Amin, could fall into two categories, namely the halal COVID-19 vaccine or pandemic emergency conditions that allow vaccination even though it is not yet halal.

"The ability of MUI can be because it (the vaccine) is lawful or because it is basically an emergency. What is important is that MUI as an authority institution will issue its fatwa on this matter," he added.

Ma'ruf added that clinical trials, permits, and fatwas against the COVID-19 vaccine were preparations made by the Government to ensure vaccination for the Indonesian people went well and without obstacles.

"So this preparation is really thorough, so that when the vaccination occurs there will be no obstacles whatsoever," he said.

Vaccines can be injected into the public if they have an emergency use authorization (EUA), which is a temporary permit issued for the use of certain medical methods or products.

EUA guidelines are issued by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on recommendations and related information data.

Meanwhile, BPOM RI has confirmed that the EUA for the COVID-19 vaccine in Indonesia can be obtained as early as January 2021.

Indonesia has been eyeing several vaccine candidates from a number of countries, including those made by Sinovac from China. The Sinovac vaccine has now entered the third phase of clinical trials and has been audited by a team from BPOM and MUI in Beijing, China.

In the first phase, as many as three million vaccines will be imported to Indonesia, which will be prioritized for health workers, members of the National Army and National Police, as well as people who are directly handling COVID-19. (Antaranews)