VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Jakarta Provincial Government, together with the British Embassy, ​​officially launched a Covid-19 health data center in Jakarta. The new project is named, LaporCovid-19, to improve public health data funded by the UK.

Owen Jenkins, British Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor Leste said the LaporCovid-19 program would cover the provinces of Jakarta, West Java, and East Java.

"The support from the British government for LaporCovid19, worth £56,000 or around Rp 987 million to carry out data management in collaboration with the regional government. So far we have collaborated with Jakarta, East Java, and West Java," said Mr. Owen Jenkins in a webinar in Jakarta, on Thursday.

This support is expected to facilitate collaboration and processing of Covid-19 patient data and the impact that may arise from various aspects. So that it can handle the Covid-19 pandemic case quickly and integrated.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Governor Anies Rasyid Baswedan also emphasized the transparency of the ReportCovid-19 program.

LaporCovid-19 is a platform for reporting public data and disseminating health information in handling Covid-19.

As part of a digital access program in collaboration with the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and local government involvement. (RRI)

The government is designating top priority to vaccinate 1.5 million medical personnel against the COVID-19, Erick Thohir, chairperson of the Committee for COVID-19 Handling, and National Economic Recovery stated.

"These 1.5 million (healthcare workers) should receive the vaccine first, as they are at the forefront of immunization or mass vaccination," Thohir, Minister of state-owned enterprises (BUMN) stated after a meeting with the Executive Board of the Indonesian Doctors Association (PB IDI) and the Indonesian National Nurses Association (PPNI) on Thursday.

Thohir remarked that the figure was still being estimated. It is still being merged with the IDI, PPNI, and the Indonesian Midwives Association.

"Earlier, we got the criteria for doctors and nurses, as there are doctors from different disciplines, such as pulmonologists and heart doctors," he remarked.

The minister believes that the data from IDI and PPNI is crucial to ensure that the medical team on the frontline is top priority to receive the vaccination.

"We seek IDI's input so we do not commit mistakes in collecting data, including nurses. When the raw materials can be produced, we will give them a priority, as they are on the forefront," Thohir stated.

The minister emphasized that healthcare workers were Indonesia's strength and pillars to conduct immunizations or mass vaccinations at the start of next year or the end of 2020.

On the occasion, Thohir also stated that vaccination was conducted through two schemes: government help and independent vaccines.

PB IDI Chairman Daeng M. Faqih remarked that his association remains committed to working with the committee in conducting vaccinations.

"When the time comes for vaccine administration on the field, we will coordinate with the district and also sub-district levels," he added.

Digitalization has become a driving force for the economy to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, encouraging the industry to alter its business model, including public conduct during transactions, according to the Central Bank of Indonesia (BI).

"With the adoption of technology, growth can be higher," Filianingsih Hendarta, Head of the BI Payment System Policy Department, stated during an online discussion in Jakarta on Thursday.

Hendarta believes that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about another change to speed up the use of digital transactions, so they expect this condition to become an opportunity for industries, especially banking.

Hendarta noted that Indonesia has vast capital to support digitization, including its 269-million populace and 338 million cell phone users.

He pointed out that Indonesia has the fourth-largest number of internet users in the world, reaching 175 million, and a demographic bonus, specifically a larger productive age population.

63 million MSME players have yet to benefit from digital transactions and businesses since data from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology points to only some 9.4 million players or around 14.8 percent.

BI noted that the volume of online trade transactions, or e-commerce, in the second quarter of 2020 increased to 383.5 million, from 275.8 million in the first quarter of 2020.

In the meantime, the nominal value of e-commerce transactions dropped from Rp58.5 trillion to Rp55.9 trillion.

For non-bank electronic money, the transaction volume in the second quarter of 2020 dropped to 659.3 million, from 782.6 million during the first quarter of 2020.

In the meantime, the nominal value of electronic money transactions reached Rp42.3 trillion, rising from Rp37.2 trillion during the second quarter of 2020.

In the meantime, the nominal value for digital banking transactions was reached Rp6,143 trillion in the second quarter of 2020 or decreased from Rp6,699 trillion during the first quarter.

The volume increased to 1,137 million transactions, from 1,070 million transactions.

"This reflects human behavior adapting to the digital era," Hendarta remarked. (Antaranews)

The Ministry of Public Works and Housing will prioritize food estate development in Central Kalimantan and North Sumatra and construction of supporting infrastructure in Batang and Subang industrial zones under its 2021 budget programs.

The ministry has allocated a budget ceiling of Rp149.8 trillion for the programs, PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said during a hearing with Commission V of the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

"Our requirement is Rp140 trillion, but we have allocated Rp149 trillion. There is no excess, but (the allocation has been made) because it's an additional task, namely the development of food estates and supporting industrial zones," he said.

The minister explained that they have planned the 2021 budget allocation based on President Jokowi's five visions and in consideration of the impact of COVID-19. On that basis, the ministry has drawn up six priority programs.

The first program will seek to increase food security. One of the major projects under the program will be the development of food estates comprising rice and cassava farming in Central Kalimantan and horticultural farming in Humbang Hasundutan in North Sumatra.

They will aim the second program at improving connectivity by continuing the construction and preservation of roads to support logistical efficiency and national competitiveness.

The third program will focus on improving the health of the environment and society by developing livable, quality, and affordable housing, and developing healthy and productive settlements.

The fourth program will seek to boost investment by providing infrastructure to support national strategic areas for industrial zone development, particularly related to investment relocation. This will include the development of five super-priority National Tourism Strategic Areas (KSPN) for tourism, following the previous five destinations that have been developed in 2020.

"This is one of the new tasks, namely (the development of industrial zones) in Batang with an area of ​​4,500 hectares and in Subang of about 1,600 hectares. This is a new concept because the land is state land. The government prepares all basic infrastructure, including roads, clean water, and employee housing. And investors will come free for 10 years or 20 years, as they will only pay the charges, "the minister remarked.

The fifth program will focus on strengthening the national safety net to reduce unemployment and maintaining purchasing power by carrying out cash-intensive programs, buying people's products, and funding training for local entrepreneurs.

The sixth program will seek to increase resilience to disasters and climate change to reduce disaster risk, speed up post-disaster recovery, emergency response, rehabilitation, and construction.

Basuki explained that the total budget ceiling of Rp149.8 trillion comprises Rp5.87 trillion in loans, Rp14.76 trillion in State Sharia Securities (SBSN), and Rp129.18 trillion in the national currency alone.

He said food estate development will cost about IDR 5.8 trillion, industrial zones IDR 12 trillion, cash labor-intensive programs IDR 18 trillion, drinking water supply facilities IDR 7 trillion, sanitation IDR 5.9 trillion, flood prevention facilities IDR 10 trillion, irrigation system facilities IDR 7 trillion, and housing development Rp. 8 trillion. (Antaranews)