VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

TransJakarta bus shelter in Kampung Baru serves as a refugees shelter since the operator has stopped bus operations on the route owing to flooding on Wednesday (Jan 1, 2020). (ANTARA)

Jakarta - Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan gave instructions to mayors and heads of sub-districts to prepare evacuation shelters at public facilities, including government offices and schools, for flood victims in the capital city.

"Prepare evacuation shelters for the victims. Ensure that the shelters are ready. All government offices and schools must be ready to serve as refugee shelters," Baswedan remarked after monitored the Manggarai floodgate in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The governor also ordered to set up a public kitchen.  

"Prepare the public kitchen and health posts as well as ensure that the paramedics are ready," the governor remarked.

All ranks in the Jakarta provincial administration must conduct on-field monitoring of the situation to assist the victims.

"I have instructed all ranks in the Jakarta provincial administration to step in and work under the coordination of the respective heads of villages to save residents," Baswedan stated.

Floods have submerged several areas in Jakarta following torrential rains since Tuesday, Dec 31, 2019.

Among the affected areas are Bendungan Hilir Raya in Central Jakarta, Rasuna Said Street in South Jakarta, Boulevard Street Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta, S Parman Street in front of Trisakti University and Tarumanegara University in West Jakarta, and Letjen Suprapto Street in Central Jakarta. (ANTARA)

President Director of PT Petrokimia Gresik Rahmad Pribadi (left).(ANTARA)

Gresik, East Java -  State-owned fertilizer company PT Petrokimia Gresik booked Rp1.2 trillion in profit during 2019, or 100 percent of the company's budget plan, with total revenue reaching Rp29 trillion.

"Despite the fact that some of our factories are over 25 years old, we can maintain productivity through various efforts," President Director of Petrokimia Gresik Rahmad Pribadi stated in Gresik East Java, on Tuesday.

Pribadi noted that the company had ended the year with noteworthy achievement, with fertilizer production touching 4.61 million tons, or 99 percent of its target set in the 2019 budget plan, while non-fertilizer production had reached three million tons, or 105 percent of the target.

Old factories have become a challenge for the company, in addition to the global economic condition, gas availability, and the change in fertilizer subsidy.

"We address the situation by implementing the program of Petrokimia Gresik Business Transformation (TBPG) since early 2019, of which one of the main programs is aimed at production efficiency to transform a challenge into an opportunity in a bid to improve the company's capability," he stated.

Pribadi stated that in 2020, the company will stick to its commitment to meet national allocation of subsidized fertilizers while concurrently bolstering its position in the commercial market, both domestic and export.

"In addition to the government's task to produce subsidized fertilizer, Petrokimia Gresik is expanding its commercial market," he remarked.

The company has a capacity to produce 2.7 million tons of NPK (Phonska) annually, with 85 percent of the market share for subsidized NPK and 10-15 percent of the market share for commercial NPK, he noted.

In the non-fertilizer category, PT Petrokimia Gresik produces rice seeds, decomposer, and probiotic for fish and poultry. (ANTARA)

An official of PT Petrokimia Gresik checked fertilizer products in Gresik, East Java.(ANTARA)

Gresik - State-owned fertilizer company PT Petrokimia Gresik exported 26 thousand tons of NPS 20-20-0+13S in bulk to India, thereby bringing the total exports of the product to the country to 188.98 thousand tons in 2019.

"India, with its fast growing economy, has become the main market for NPS fertilizer produced by Petrokimia Gresik," the company's President Director Rahmad Pribadi noted in a statement in Gresik, East Java, on Wednesday.

Pribadi remarked that in 2019, the company had exported the product in seven batches comprising 27.5 thousand tons in March; 26.3 thousand tons in April; 27 thousand tons in May; 27.1 thousand tons in August; 27.3 thousand tons in October; 27.5 thousand tons in November; and 26 thousand tons in December.

"To date, the company is implementing the program of Petrokimia Gresik Business Transformation (TBPG) to transform itself to become a solution in the agroindustry and at the same time strengthen its position in the commercial sector to anticipate the changes in fertilizer subsidy," Pribadi pointed out.

He explained that exports to India were also aimed at strengthening the company's commercial market.

"To improve its position in India's captive market, in November 2019, Petrokimia Gresik had signed a memorandum of understanding with Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemical to export 200 thousand tons of NPS fertilizer in 2020," he remarked.

In addition to NPS, in 2019, the company had exported 133 thousand tons of urea and 800 tons of ZK fertilizer. The total fertilizer export to India had reached 323 thousand tons during the year.

"To expand exports, Petrokimia Gresik has actively explored potential cooperation with buyers in other countries, especially in Asia and Africa," Pribadi noted.

Petrokimia Gresik has a production capacity of 8.9 million tons of fertilizer and non-fertilizer products.

Pribadi made assurance that exports will only be conducted after the company can meet the government's subsidized fertilizer allocation in a bid to support national food resilience. (ANTARA)

The greeting of passengers at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali.(ANTARA)

Badung, Bali - The I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali bid farewell to passengers of the last aircraft departing from there in 2019 and greeted those of the first plane arriving in 2020.

Dubai-bound Qatar Airways QR961 aircraft was the last to depart from the airport in 2019, state airport operator I PT Angkasa Pura, as the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport’s management, noted in an official statement released on Wednesday.

PT Angkasa Pura I Marketing and Service Director Devy Suradji draped scarves around the necks of the last passengers leaving the airport and handed out souvenirs to them on Tuesday night.

Similarly, passengers of the first plane arriving at the airport in 2020 also received a warm welcome during a ceremony featuring Balinese traditional music of gamelan and dance upon arrival at the airport.

General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Herry A. Y. Sikado remarked that I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport was the main gateway for foreign tourists to visit Indonesia, especially Bali Island.

Hence, the airport’s management has made persistent attempts to lend a good first impression when the passengers set foot in Bali in the New Year.

The first impression will boost the moods of tourists recently arriving in Bali, he stated.

"After the tourists were seated aboard the plane for hours, we greeted them with the nuances of Balinese culture to serve as a mood booster upon arrival at the airport," he remarked.

Irian, who was among the last passengers to leave Bali airport in 2019, admitted to being impressed by the farewell ceremony organized by the airport’s management.

"I am immensely pleased with the greetings extended by the Bali Airport’s management before I fly. Of course, this will leave an unforgettable impression on me," she stated.

David, one of the first passengers to set foot on Bali in 2020, admitted to feeling astonished and pleased by the greetings extended to him.

"This is the first time for me to become one of the first passengers in the New Year," he added. (ANTARA)