VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Floods submerged the area of Jalan Jatinegara Barat, Kampung Pulo, Jakarta, Thursday (02/01/2020). (ANTARA)

Jakarta - Indonesia's Association of Industrial Estates (HKI) Chairperson Sanny Iskandar confirmed that industrial estates that are HKI members were safe from the effects of floods that struck Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabodetabek).

"No HKI members have until now reported any impact from flooding on the developed industrial estate," Iskandar remarked when contacted in Jakarta on Friday.

According to the HKI Chairperson, the industrial estate that was well-developed and managed in accordance with the guidelines and technical standards of the area had taken precautionary measures against various events, including flooding, since the start of its construction.

"Yes, this is since the drainage system has been calculated for annual flooding, and the management also has been running well, starting from the development stage," he stated.

Hence, manufacturing activities in the industrial area are relatively unhindered during the floods that hit Jabodetabek.

However, he noted that the employees encountered difficulties to go to the industrial areas.

"The problem is the access from the employee's house to the location of the area. However, we hope that on Monday, matters would return to normal," he remarked.

A total of 31,232 residents of Jakarta were earlier compelled to flee their flooded homes as of Wednesday night, according to the flood command post.

Some 310 of the flood victims were found in Bendungan Hilir, Petamburan, and Karet Tengsin, Central Jakarta. They were provided shelter at two evacuee camps.

In North Jakarta, floods affected 1,515 people in Rorotan, Semper Barat, Semper Timur, Sukapura, Kelapa Gading Timur, and Pegangsaan Dua. They had sought refuge in 23 evacuee camps.

The number of flood evacuees in West Jakarta had reached 10,686 sheltered in 97 evacuee camps. They came from Jelambar, Tomang, Wijaya Kusuma, Srengseng, Semanan, Kalideres, Tegal Alur, Pegadungan, Kota Bambu Selatan, Kedoya Utara, and Sukabumi Selatan.

A total of 13,516 flood evacuees in East Jakarta were sheltered at 99 locations. Kebon Manggis, Kampung Melayu, Bidara Cina, Cipinang Besar Selatan, Klender, Pondok Bambu, Pondok Kelapa, Cawang, Balekembang, Dukuh, and Cipinang Melayu were swamped by the flooding.

In South Jakarta, 5,305 people fled their flooded homes and were accommodated at 48 different locations. The flooding in South Jakarta affected Gunung, Petongan, Pengadengan, Cilandak Timur, Pejaten Timur, and Manggarai Selatan.

In general, the flood evacuees were in dire need of food, clean water, blankets, and tarpaulin.

Governor Anies Bawesdan stated that the Jakarta administration had made concerted efforts to handle flood victims and ensure the safety of people living in flood-affected areas.

"I call on the people living in river basin areas to remain on standby and coordinate with the ranks and files of the Jakarta administration that are ready to help them," he added.  (ANTARA)

Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo at the Office of Bank Indonesia, Jakarta, Friday (Jan 3, 2020).(ANTARA)

Jakarta - Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Perry Warjiyo pointed to the flow of foreign capital of Rp224.2 trillion into Indonesia remaining stable amid the global economic turmoil from the start of January to December 31, 2019.

Warjiyo remarked that the external conditions did not have a significant impact on investments entering Indonesia in accordance with the magnitude of inflow of foreign capital.

"Thank God, we close in 2019, with the achievement of external stability that is maintained with a significant influx of foreign capital at Rp224.2 trillion," Warjiyo remarked in Jakarta on Friday.

Warjiyo detailed most of the flow of foreign capital came into government bonds, or Government Securities (SBN), specifically Rp168.6 trillion, Rp50 trillion stock market, Rp3 trillion corporate bonds, and Rp2.6 trillion Bank Indonesia Certificate (SBI).

Furthermore, he stated that Indonesia's foreign exchange reserves had increased until the fourth quarter of 2019.

Based on the BI data, Indonesia's foreign exchange reserves reached US$127 billion.

Warjiyo stated that this signals an improvement in the balance of payments of Indonesia (NPI) in the fourth quarter of 2019 and a surplus is forecast to occur.

"Our foreign exchange reserves will rise again, thereby indicating that the balance of payments in the fourth quarter will experience a surplus. God willing, we will announce it next week," he stated.

Warjiyo also noted that in 2019, the stability of the rupiah was well-maintained, with the currency experiencing an appreciation of 2.68 percent and closing at Rp13,880 per US dollar.

Meanwhile, the credit default swap (CDS) was maintained at a low level, the rate of growth was only 60.6 basis points, the lowest in the past five years.

"Another indicator maintained is our premium CDS that is 60.6 bps. This is very low and also the lowest in the last five years," he stated.

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded an inflation rate of 2.72 percent in 2019, as the government was able to maintain the stability of prices, especially of commodities whose administered prices are regulated by the government.

"Prices were relatively controlled, particularly in terms of the administered prices," BPS Head Suhariyanto noted at a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday.
Inflation from administered prices in 2019 was only recorded at 0.51 percent as compared to 3.36 percent in 2018, Suhariyanto stated.

Inflation from government-regulated prices in 2019 was also lower than the core inflation of 3.02 percent and volatile food inflation at 4.3 percent.

"Last year, the gasoline prices had increased that contributed to 0.26-percent inflation and 0.10-percent air freight rates, which no longer contributed to inflation in 2019," he added. (ANTARA)

The Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono (ANTARA)

Jakarta- The United States, China, and Japan have offered their help in finalizing the design of the new capital city, the Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono has said. The final design of the new capital city would still use the basic design of the winner of the design contest, Hadimuljono said in Jakarta Friday.

"The basic design by the winner of the contest will become the basis because the Indonesian element is there," he said after the meeting with the Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan and winners of the design contest for the country’s new capital city in East Kalimantan.

The meeting has also discussed the possibility of involving foreign consultants to finalize the design.

Some countries have tasked their consultants to help Indonesia design the new capital city, Pandjaitan disclosed in the meeting.

"This would be bilateral cooperation," he said, adding that the help would be provided in the form of grants.

Winners of the design contest will also share their advice in the final design.

The Public Works and Housing Ministry had announced the "Nagara Rimba Nusa" design as the winner of the contest for the new capital city in East Kalimantan.

The design beat 755 other contestants to win a prize of Rp2 billion.

The ministry also announced four other runners-up namely The Infinite City, A Thousand Furrows, The Emerald of the Equator and The Village of the People of the Archipelago.

Despite being the winner, the "Nagara Rimba Nusa" design would not be used as the sole basis for the new capital. The government would collaborate with the top three contestants as well as international designers. (ANTARA)

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan (ANTARA)

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan has proposed the purchase of ocean going vessels to strengthen Indonesia's capability of safeguarding its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) rights from violations by foreign ships.

"I have proposed the purchase of these ocean going vessels. We have never possessed such ships since the existence of this Republic," he told journalists following his meeting with Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto who visited his office here on Friday.

Pandjaitan proposed the purchase of those ocean going ships amid the recent violations of Chinese coast guard vessels escorting tens of Chinese fishing boats to poach on Indonesia's EEZ near the Natuna waters on Dec 19 and Dec 24, 2019.

This incident has made the Indonesian Foreign Ministry lodge a diplomatic protest by summoning China's ambassador in Jakarta.

Pandjaitan said the government has agreed to have more patrol vessels to secure the country's maritime boundary, and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto is willing to purchase the 138 up to 140-meter-long frigates.

Regarding China's recent violations in the Indonesian EEZ, he said the case need not be exaggerated because, in fact, Indonesia's capability of conducting regular patrols in its EEZ remains limited.

At present, Indonesia's Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) was still in a process of being empowered to enable it to become a real powerful coast guard, he said, adding that intensifying patrols in Indonesia's EEZ is needed, and the Chinese violations should be taken as a momentum for a self-reflection.

In response to  China's recent violations in the Indonesian EEZ, the University of Indonesia's international law expert, Hikmahanto Juwana, told ANTARA that Indonesia rejects China's claim of having traditional fishing rights on the North Natuna Sea.

According to Juwana, the Indonesian Government must have one voice in addressing this issue as represented by Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi. At the same time, the government needs also intensify regular patrols on the North Natuna Sea, and enforce law against the violations of foreign vessels.

"Our intensive patrols are also aimed at protecting our fishermen's fishing boats from being disturbed by the Chinese coast guard vessels," he said, adding that a negotiation with China regarding the issues of North Natuna Sea is totally unnecessary.

Over these past three years, the Chinese coast guard vessels have repeatedly violated Indonesia's EEZ rights.

In March 2016, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi had also lodged a protest with the Chinese Charge d'affaires in Jakarta Sun Weide over Chinese coast guard violations in the Indonesian waters.

At that time, Minister Marsudi revealed that the protest note addressed to the Chinese Embassy contained at least three main points.

First, the Indonesian Government had objected to the violations committed by the Chinese coast guard against the country's sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the EEZ and continental shelf.

Second, the Indonesian Government raised a protest on the violation by the Chinese coast guard against its law enforcement agencies on the EEZ and continental shelf.

Third, the Indonesian Government protested to the violation committed by the Chinese coast guard on its marine territorial sovereignty.

The minister said the Indonesian government had sought clarification from the Chinese government over the incident.

Marsudi also stressed that as part of sound state relations, each country must respect the principles of international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982.

She also emphasized that Indonesia is not a claimant state in the South China Sea and not a claimant state in the South China Sea dispute. (ANTARA)