VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

photo : strait times

An area of the Chinese capital Beijing has been put under strict lockdown measures, after the city's first coronavirus cases in more than 50 days. The outbreak has been linked to the city's largest wholesale market.  A total of 45 people out of 517 tested at the Xinfadi market, tested positive for Covid-19 on early Saturday. None were displaying symptoms. Lockdowns have been imposed in 11 nearby neighbourhoods, while 10,000 market staff will be tested. The authorities also want to test everyone who has had recent contact with the market as well as those living in the district surrounding it. These are the first new confirmed cases in Beijing for more than 50 days//bbc

photo : bidikdata

Businesspeople in the country are waiting for the government, to announce a new economic strategy and guidelines amid its policy to relax COVID-19-related restrictions. Former Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister, Susi Pudjiastuti said without such guidelines, the so-called new normal period would only leave enterprises with more uncertainty. Susi, who owns various businesses, including an airline named after herself, Susi Air, said all non-cargo flights had been suspended in the past two months, causing the company to receive zero income. Yet, the company still needed to pay for various clearances, such as security clearance upon entering airports, plane ownership documents and pilot permits. Susi added, the government should suspend such obligations for businesspeople to pay non-tax receipts during the pandemic//JP

photo : portonews

The Indonesian government planned to open the tourism corridor to four countries, namely China, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. Deputy of Tourism Coordination and Creative Economy at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Odo RM Manuhutu, said that his office is discussing the matter with the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry. The four countries were chosen due to the number of tourists from the countries visiting the archipelago, besides their huge investment in Indonesia. Odo went on to say that in the near future, probably only businesses who will travel to Indonesia. But the tourism activities will be opened under tight health protocols//tempo

photo : antarakalsel

The Agriculture Ministry will strategize to ensure national food security, during the dry season in 2020 by boosting food production in swampland areas. Fadjry Djufry, the ministry's head of the Agriculture Research and Development Agency, noted in a statement here on Saturday as quoted by Antara, that implementation of the new normal order, that coincidentally begin at the start of the dry season, has raised vigilance on the threat to national food adequacy. Djufry noted that the ministry had formulated numerous programs, to secure and intensify food production through measures, including an intensification program applied on paddy fields spanning 5.6 million hectares in the second planting season. Furthermore, the ministry will conduct the extraordinary intensification program in swampland areas and other alternative lands to step up production. Djufry believes the move will bolster rice production by seven percent as targeted, while concurrently helping to cope with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security//ANT