Day: June 14, 2021

Palembang, South Sumatra (ANTARA) – Villagers of Sako Suban, Musi Banyuasin, South Sumatra, urged the environmental affairs and forestry ministry to review a license granted to PT Marga Baya Jaya coal company for building a road inside a forest area.

The residents of Sako Suban are restive over a plan to construct a road inside a forest area for transporting coal cargo, Leko Noprinata, a spokesman of the local villagers, stated here on Monday.

Noprinata claimed that conversion of part of the forest area to make way for a coal road would disrupt the local villagers’ livelihood in utilizing the forest’s natural resources.

The ministry had issued Ministerial Decrees No: K.816/Menlhk/Setjen/PLA.0/10/2019 dated October 17, 2019, and SK.5663/MENLHK-PKTL/REN/PLA.0/10/2020 dated October 11, 2020, respectively on a license to utilize forest areas to construct roads to carry coal and on a license regarding partial conversion of the forest area. The villagers of Sako Suban have voiced their objection to the plan to construct a road, stretching 92 kilometers in length and 60 meters in width, inside the natural forest area, Noprinata remarked.

The spokesman claims that conversion of the forest area to build a road will fuel illegal logging activities, forest encroachment, and forest fires.

The lowland forest area in Sako Suban is also home to the indigenous tribes of Kubu and Anak Dalam Batin Sembilan, Noprinata stated.

On account of the dire impacts of the lowland forest area conversation for building the coal road, the local people have pressed for reviewing the road construction plan.

The villagers represented by Formaphasi, the Community Forum for Saving South Sumatra and Jambi Forest, sent a letter to Environmental Affairs and Forestry Minister Sti Nurbaya Bakar to look for another area for building a road to carry the coal produced by PT Marga Bara Jaya.

They put forth a suggestion that a road be constructed near residential areas, so the villages could also derive benefits from it.

Source: Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian government has distributed 3.274 million tons, or 36.22 percent of this year’s target of 9.041 million tons, of subsidized fertilizers to farmers across Indonesia as of June 9, 2021.

The distribution of subsidized liquid organic fertilizers has so far reached 2.220 tons, or 0.15 percent of the target of 1.5 million tons for this year, director general of agricultural facilities and infrastructure at the Agriculture Ministry, Ali Jamil, said.

Due to budget limitations, the distribution of subsidized fertilizers would not meet the needs of all farmers, he said during a hearing with the working committee of subsidized fertilizers and farmers’ cards of Commission IV of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta on Monday.

“In 2020, only 8.9 million tons, or nearly 34 percent, of the proposed 26 million tons were met. In 2021, only 9.04 million tons of the proposed 24.3 million tons have been realized,” he said. On average, the government can meet 34 percent to 42 percent of Indonesia’s total subsidized fertilizer needs per year, Jamil informed.

The Agriculture Ministry has been trying to make efficient use of budget funds allocated for subsidized fertilizers through several strategies to increase the volume of subsidized fertilizers distributed to farmers, he said.

The first strategy has been lowering the production cost of subsidized fertilizers by up to 5 percent to save around 2.457 trillion of budget funds, he added.

The second strategy has been altering the formula of NPK fertilizers to 15:10:12 from 15:15:15, he informed.

“Of course, this was based on the study conducted by the research and development section. Through the new formula, we can save Rp2.272 trillion (of funds),” Jamil said.

Source: Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Animals are no longer allowed to be used in mobile circuses and other itinerant shows, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has warned.

“In the context of animal shows, there is no longer permission for any mobile or itinerant shows using animals, no more traveling animal circuses,” Indra Semiawan, director of biodiversity conservation at the Environment and Forestry Ministry, said here on Monday.

He made the statement during an online discussion on the fate of dolphins rescued in Bali which were used for an itinerant show.

Mobile animal circuses and shows have been prohibited to protect animal welfare, particularly the physical and mental health of animals, he explained.

The physical condition of animals used in mobile circuses and itinerant shows can often deteriorate, he said. It is for this reason that the Environment and Forestry Ministry is striving to improve the monitoring of animal show practices, he added. The ministry has also spoken with some zoos and asked them not to organize mobile animal shows or attractions, Semiawan informed.

“So that animals can adapt to fenced habitats in their respective locations,” he explained.

Earlier, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry had prohibited the display of dolphins outside of conservation areas, and set a deadline of February 5, 2020 for enforcing the ban.

During the online discussion on Monday, activist and environmentalist Nadine Chandrawinata lauded the ministry’s ban on mobile dolphin circuses.

Highlighting the case of seven rescued dolphins being used as tourist attractions, and even ridden by guests, in Sanur, Bali, she said that more attention needs to be paid to the viability of animals.

“Those dolphins are living things. I just want people to pay more attention to their viability, both on land and in the sea,” she remarked.

Source: Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian government has decided to extend micro-scale public activity restrictions (PPKM) by two more weeks, starting Tuesday (June 15, 2021).

Several activities will be adjusted as per the PPKM policy this time, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, informed at an online press conference originating from the Presidential Palace here on Monday.

Offices located in red zones, which have a high risk of COVID-19 transmission, will be allowed to operate at 25 percent capacity with employees working in rotation, informed Hartarto, who also heads the Committee for COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery (KPC-PEN).

The remaining 75 percent employees will have to work from home, he added.

The government has relaxed the PPKM policy for offices located in orange or yellow zones, which have a moderate risk of COVID-19 transmission, allowing them to operate at 50 percent capacity. This means that 50 percent of their employees can work out of the office and the rest from home, Hartarto explained.

The government has also prescribed online classes for all schools in sub-districts categorized as red zones, he said.

To reduce crowds, the government has appealed to people in red zones to worship at home, he added.

“Places of worship in red zones will be closed for two weeks,” the minister informed.

Meanwhile, shopping centers and restaurants will be required to close at 9 p.m. and limit entry to 50 percent of capacity with due adherence to health protocols, he added.

According to the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Indonesia’s coronavirus case count rose by 8,189 on Monday to reach 1,919,547,

Jakarta recorded the highest single-day infections at 2,722, followed by West Java (1,532) and Central Java (1,400).

Only West Kalimantan and Gorontalo reported no new cases on Monday.

Meanwhile, the number of patients recovering from the infection climbed by 6,143 to reach 1,751,234, with West Java recording the highest single-day recoveries of 1,753.

With 237 people succumbing to the virus, the death toll increased to 53,116. Central Java reported the highest number of deaths at 55.

The number of active patients conducting self-isolation and undergoing treatment at hospitals rose by 1,809 to touch 115,197 on Monday.

Meanwhile, the number of people suspected of contracting SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, stood at 117,747.The figure was based on the result of tests conducted on 69,314 specimens, obtained from 52,713 persons, at hundreds of laboratories across Indonesia.

According to the task force, the daily positivity rate now stands at 22.45 percent for specimens and 15.54 percent for people.

Indonesia reported its first coronavirus infections in March last year.

Source: Antara News

Timika, Papua (ANTARA) – A top military officer appealed to all provinces’ contingents of athletes and officials joining Papua’s 2021 PON National Games and National Para Games (Peparnas) to coordinate with security agencies while staying in the province.

This suggestion was put forth as part of the security measures in spite of military and police personnel in host cities and districts being able to secure the convening of the multisport events, according to Lt Gen. Agus Rohman.

“We continue to make efforts to ensure that the multisport events are convened securely and peacefully,” Rohman, commander of the Joint Regional Defense Command (Kogabwilhan) III in Timika, the capital of Mimika District, remarked on Monday.

To this end, the Kogabwilhan III has been coordinating with the Papua police and XVII/Cendrawasih Regional Military Command, he noted.

“Our security forces in Timika are strong enough,” Rohman affirmed while adding that nine of the 37 sporting disciplines would be contested in the city. Meanwhile, Mimika District Head Eltinus Omaleng affirmed that his administrative areas remained safe and secure for all contingents of athletes and officials.

“We guarantee that there will be no (security) problems. This year, Timika does not only become a co-host of the 2021 PON National Games but it will also host Papua’s Kingmi Kemah Injili Church Conference and gospel choir festival,” he remarked.

Omaleng expressed belief that the events would be held in a peaceful manner despite lingering security risks posed by armed Papuan terrorist groups operating in the Tembagapura Sub-district and Kali Kopi neighborhood areas.

To guarantee the security of all provinces’ contingent of athletes and officials during their stay in Timika, the authorities have made preparations for the deployment of security personnel at the athletes and officials’ accommodation complex and sports venues, he stated. In the wake of this year’s multisport events, the Papua police are continually intensifying a community-based program known as “Binmas Noken” to win over the hearts and minds of Papuan communities.

To this end, the police is working closely with regional administrations as well as religious and community figures to create and promote a peaceful situation before the convening of the events.

Through the “Binmas Noken” Program, police officers on duty are giving due importance to being heedful to the Papuan communities’ requests, requirements, and aspirations, Papua Police Chief Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri noted in his recent statement.

In connection with all participating athletes and officials coming from across the archipelago, Fakhiri urged journalists to serve the public more soft news content rather than hard news content, especially those pertaining to armed violence.

The PON National Games will be held in Jayapura City and the districts of Jayapura, Merauke, and Mimika on October 2-15, he remarked.

The 2021 PON National Games will host 37 sporting disciplines, including athletics, Tarung derajat or West Javan martial arts, handball, sport climbing, futsal, aeromodelling, and judo. (INE)

Source: Antara News