VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

To discuss the impact of Covid-19 in the Southeast Asian region, ASEAN country leaders held a virtual ASEAN Special Summit chaired by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Tuesday (April 14). As quoted from Channel News Asia (CNA), Vietnam at the meeting urged leaders in Southeast Asia to set up an emergency fund to tackle the coronavirus as the pandemic ravages the region's tourism and export-reliant economies.

In opening remarks via videoconference, Vietnam's premier Nguyen Xuan Phuc hailed the work of ASEAN in fighting the virus so far.

“All ASEAN members have exerted great efforts in fighting Covid-19, which has badly impacted people's life, socio-economic situation, especially the service sector, which takes 30 percent of GDP of ASEAN, challenging stability and social security. ASEAN’s efforts have brought about encouraging results, controlling the pandemic and number of infected cases among its 650 million people, which is around 15.000 cases, slower increase as compared to the global average rate. This initial result has raised our confidence but we should be vigilant, we need to be more solidarity and determined in action,” Vietnam's premier Nguyen Xuan Phuc said in his remarks.

On the same occasion, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that to build resilience for future economic shocks, countries in the region should have common criteria on travel and trade restrictions.

“It will be useful for ASEAN to have a set of common criteria or guidelines on when to impose travel or trade restrictions and when and how we can relax them and with what appropriate safeguards. We each have our own domestic considerations but clear guidelines would help us take a balance rational approach that takes into account both health and economic considerations. The ASEAN Coordinating Council working group on public health emergency should study this issue,” said Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong 

Prime Minister Lee emphasized that ASEAN countries should maintain trade among themselves and persuade their partners to keep trade flowing. Malaysia and Singapore have kept goods flowing although Malaysia has extended its movement control order to April 28 and Singapore is in circuit breaker mode until May 4. In the meeting, the ASEAN leaders issued a declaration which proposed the establishment of a COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund to boost emergency stockpiles for future outbreaks, while pledging further co-operation among member states and voicing commitment to keeping ASEAN’s markets open for trade and investment. (CNA/NK/AHM)

Visitors at last year's Jakarta Fair. (ANTARA)

Jakarta Fair organizers, PT Jakarta International (JI) Expo Kemayoran, have decided to delay convening the annual event after deliberations with representatives from central and provincial governments as well as the police and military.

The decision has been made in view of the efforts mounted by the central and regional governments on a war-footing to fight the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, which has resulted in 399 deaths so far across Indonesia, with Jakarta reporting the highest number of deaths.

"To all Jakarta Fair's participants and people at large, we officially inform that the convening of the Jakarta Fair Kemayoran, which had been scheduled from May 14 to June 28, has been delayed," JI Expo marketing director Ralph Scheunemann said here Monday.

The decision was made after the JI Expo management met with representatives from the central government, Jakarta provincial administration, National Police, and Indonesian Defence Forces (TNI), he informed via a press statement.

Further information on this year's Jakarta Fair, which has become an annual feature commemorating Jakarta's anniversary, would be announced through mainstream media and social media platform @jakartafairid.

"I call on community members not to be worried because the Jakarta Fair Kemayoran is not canceled. It is just delayed. We will provide the latest update if the situation improves," Scheunemann said.

Jakarta Fair Kemayoran is the biggest annual event showcasing Indonesian products from large as well as small and medium enterprises and creative industries. Visitors to the fair are also entertained with live musical performances and food.

Due to the ongoing threat posed by the deadly pandemic, which has spread across all 34 provinces in Indonesia, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has declared it a national disaster.

President Jokowi has accorded national disaster status to the COVID-19 outbreak in a letter (number 12/2020) dated 13 April, 2020, which highlights several points, including the appointment of the head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Doni Monardo, to lead the COVID-19 task force.

The Task Force for the Accelerated Handling of COVID-19 will work on mitigating the impact of the pandemic through coordinated effort with the concerned ministries, government agencies, and regional administrations.

The letter has also named governors, district heads, and city mayors as the heads of the COVID-19 task forces in their respective regions. While drawing up regional policies, they will be required to refer to the policies formulated by the central government.

The national disaster status implies that in the phase of emergency response, the BNPB will use the budget allocated to it by the government.

As of Monday, Indonesia has reported 4,557 confirmed cases, with 399 fatalities and 380 patient recoveries.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported across all 34 provinces of Indonesia, with Jakarta serving as the main hotspot of the pandemic, which first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of December 2019 and then spread across the world. (ANTARA)

Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Doni Monardo, at Graha BNPB, Jakarta, Monday (March 23, 2020). (ANTARA)

During the implementation of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), the regulations issued by the Ministry of Health, and not other ministries, will apply, said the chairman of the COVID-19 task force on Monday.

"Minister of Transportation ad interim Luhut Binsar Panjaitan has reported that, basically, the Minister of Transportation's regulation is effective until the social assistance program is implemented. So, after the social assistance program runs, the Transportation Minister’s regulation will be adjusted," said Monardo, chairman of the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19, at Graha BNPB, Jakarta.

“So, we are still referring to the Health Minister's regulation regarding physical distancing, where maintaining distance is a priority, despite the regulation issued by the Ministry of Transportation prescribing health protocols, such as spraying of disinfectants and use of protective equipment," the head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said.

The two rules were issued to support the PSBB, but caused problems for motorcycle taxis. Under the Regulation of the Minister of Health (PMK) No. 9 of 2020 concerning PSBB, two-wheeled vehicles can only be used to transport goods.

This is stated in appendix PMK No. 9 of 2020, dated April 3, 2020: "Freight forwarding services, including application-based two-wheeled transportation facilities with restrictions only for transporting goods and not for passengers".

Meanwhile, the Minister of Transportation's Regulation No. PM 18 of 2020 concerning Transportation Control in the Context of Preventing the Spread of Corona Virus Disease 2019, signed by the Minister of Transportation ad interim, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, and dated April 9, 2020, states that two-wheeled vehicles can carry passengers under certain conditions.

Article 11, letter d, of the regulation, states: "In certain cases, for the purpose of serving the interests of the community and for personal interests, motorbikes can transport passengers on the condition that they must meet health protocols, that is, (for) other activities that are permitted during large-scale social restrictions (PSBB).”

In addition, it prescribes disinfecting vehicles and equipment before and after use, wearing masks and gloves, and refraining from driving vehicles if sick.

“As per a number of ministerial reports, around 1.65 million of our citizens have been laid off. The distribution of social assistance through the 'social safety net' program will begin immediately so that affected communities, especially in Greater Jakarta, can immediately get support, especially basic food assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs," Monardo said. (ANTARA)

The Indonesian Transportation Ministry planned to increase the ticket price ceiling (TBA) and price floor (TBB) for air transports following the enforcement of the large-scale social restrictions or PSBBin several regions.

The ministry’s Air Transports Director-General Novie Riyanto said the adjustment of the airfare is based on the ministerial regulation No. 18/2020 on the transportation control to prevent the spread of the 2019 coronavirus disease or COVID-19, which was issued on April 9.

Based on Article 14, the number of passengers during the PSBB is limited by up to 50 percent of the capacity. Thus, the tariff of the scheduled commercial flights will likely increase by two times from the current prices. 

“We have calculated that it seems a passenger pays for two tickets. So the price hike is almost two folds,” Novie explained in Jakarta on Sunday, April 12.

He set a target that the minister will agree on the price revision in the near future so that airlines could immediately implement new tariffs. This policy was expected as a stimulus for airlines that were forced to limit passenger numbers. He expected the adjusted tariff will be valid three days after the request is granted.

The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) secretary Agus Suyatno considered the government’s policy to increase the ticket price ceiling and price floor was in point to reduce the spread of the Covid-19.

“Especially ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holidays, when the population movement for the mass exodus (mudik) likely increases,” Agus added. (tempo.co)