Month: July 2021

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265 West Sumba prisoners get second COVID dose

Kupang (ANTARA) – As many as 265 prisoners at the Waikabubak Penitentiary in West Sumba District, East Nusa Tenggara Province, have received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Waikabubak Penitentiary Head Mohammad Nur informed.

“We are grateful that the second dose of the vaccine has been provided so that it can help expedite herd immunity to be formed at the Waikabubak Penitentiary,” he said on Saturday.

Besides the inmates, 62 civil servants of the Waikabubak Prison and their family members have also received COVID-19 jabs, he added.

In addition, eight prisoners of local district court have also received their first COVID-19 jab as part of the vaccination program, Nur informed.

He said that the vaccination program was conducted smoothly with the support of health workers from the Wee Karou Health Center and the Puu Weri Health Center, who were assisted directly by nurses and doctors from the prison.

“We are grateful for the support of the local government through the Health Office that has helped us in conducting this vaccination program. We hope this vaccination would prevent COVID-19 transmission from happening inside the prison,” he said.

During the vaccination program, prisoners, officers, and family members were urged to keep complying with the health protocols to prevent them from COVID-19 infection in the aftermath of their vaccination, he added.

“Tightening the health protocols is essential to protect ourselves and our families from the coronavirus as well as reducing virus transmission in our neighborhood,” Nur remarked.

The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Indonesia in March, 2020.

To reduce virus transmission and build herd immunity, the Indonesian government has been conducting a nationwide vaccination program since January 13, 2021.

 

Source: Antara News

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Ministry pushes higher fishery exports to Middle East

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Seeking to boost fishery exports to the Middle East, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries has asked businesses to study provisions related to the fish health insurance system and exports in the region.

“The Middle East is a market opportunity that we need to optimize,” said the ministry’s head of Fish Quarantine, Quality Control and Fishery Product Safety (BKIPM), Rina, in a press release here on Saturday.

The fish health insurance system is in accordance with international standards prescribed by the World Animal Health Organization (OIE), FAO (Codex), and special provisions of trading partner countries, including the Middle East, she explained. Based on data from the International Trade Center (2020), the average demand for fishery products from Middle Eastern countries during the 2017-2019 period grew by 4.3 percent per year, Rina informed.

The import value of fishery commodities from the Middle East during the same period was around 2.64 percent of the total import value of fishery commodities from other countries, she added.

In 2017, the import value of Middle Eastern fishery commodities reached US$3.05 billion, and in 2019, it increased to US$3.32 billion, or around 2.67 percent of the total import value of fishery commodities from other countries, she said. While Indonesia has exported canned tuna to a number of countries in the Middle East, its exports to the region are still far behind Thailand, which controls 71 percent of the Middle East import market for tuna, mackerel tuna, and skipjack products, she pointed out.

National business actors can tap into the potential marked for catfish and other freshwater fish in the Middle East, she said.

“So far, Vietnam has dominated the Middle East market for catfish,” she added.

The ministry believes that the increase in Indonesia’s marine and fishery exports has been the result of rising global demand, which is expected to improve the performance of the national economy amid the pandemic, she said.

“Marine and fisheries sector recorded positive performance in the first five months of 2021,” said director general of strengthening the competitiveness of marine and fishery products, Artati Widiarti, on Monday. The trade balance in the sector recorded a surplus of US$1.9 billion, equivalent to Rp27 trillion, or an increase of 3.72 percent compared to the year-ago period, she informed.

Cumulatively, the export value of fishery products during January-May, 2021 reached US$2.1 billion, up 4.94 percent compared to the corresponding period of 2020, she said.

The value of exports was high for the main commodities, including shrimp, which contributed US$ 865.9 million, or 41 percent of the total export value; followed by tuna, skipjack, and mackerel tuna, which contributed US$269.5 million, or 12.7 percent of the total export value; as well as squid, cuttlefish, and octopus, which contributed US$223.6 million, or 10.6 percent of the total export value, she informed.

Meanwhile, the main export destination countries were the United States, which accounted for US$934.1 million or 44.2 percent of the total export value, followed by China, which accounted for US$311.2 million, or 14.7 percent of the total export value, and ASEAN countries, which accounted for US$230.7 million, or 10.9 percent of the total export value, she added.

 

Source: Antara News

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22,000 university students to teach school children in 491 regions

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology has said it is sending 22 thousand university students to teach at 3,593 primary and junior high schools in 491 cities and districts nationwide.

The university students are part of the second batch of the Kampus Mengajar (Campus Teaching) program, which is aimed at school students in rural and remote areas who are struggling to adopt distanced learning systems amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry revealed.

“This is a great opportunity (for the university students) to help students they will teach in their assigned schools,” Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Nadiem Makarim stated in a press release issued in Jakarta on Saturday.

The minister asked the university students participating in the program to study hard during their eight-day briefing prior to departure to ensure they have sufficient knowledge to teach math, literature, and undertake character-building of their wards.

He also encouraged participants to try new things during their teaching period and to maintain a positive interaction with school teachers and neighbors in their assigned regions.

“Lastly, have fun. I hope this moment stays in your heart forever,” Nadiem remarked. Meanwhile, Secretary of the Directorate General of Higher Education Paristiyanti Nurwardani called the participants of the Kampus Mengajar program “platinum students”.

“Platinum is the most valuable metal in the world, therefore, you students are the platinum of the young generation for the ministry. Minister Nadiem has trusted you, and please keep in mind to dedicate your toil and integrity for the Kampus Mengajar program,” Nurwardani stated.

She expressed the hope that the 22 thousand participants of the second batch of the Kampus Mengajar program would help boost the creativity of school students.

“Your equation with your pupils could also indicate whether your work is effective or not,” she said.

Once they arrive at their designated region, students are expected to adapt to the different cultures, languages, and other different conditions, as any discomfort that they may experience will encourage them to grow, study, and evolve, Nurwardani remarked.

“If you experience any inconveniences during your teaching period, encourage yourself to surpass them, because once we surpass it, our good character and competence will flow out,” she said.

 

Source: Antara News

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Eco-friendly capsule hotel in Lake Toba draws tourists

Toba (ANTARA) – An eco-friendly capsule hotel, which has been built as a travel destination in North Sumatra Province’s strategic Lake Toba area by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, is drawing travelers amid the pandemic.

The hotel, built through a collaboration between the ministry’s Lake Toba Authority (BPODT) and the private sector, is located in the Toba Caldera Resort (TCR), BPODT Director Jimmy Bernardo Panjaitan said.

The hotel’s concept is in accordance with the environmentally friendly Lake Toba development master plan, he added.

“The building is semi-permanent and brings tourists to get closer to nature,” he remarked.

From the capsule hotel’s location, guests can enjoy the natural beauty of Lake Toba with a “technological twist”, Panjaitan informed.

The hotel offers several facilities such as smart glass windows, mood lamps, and Bluetooth audio speakers that can be controlled directly by visitors through a mobile phone application, he elaborated.

Currently, the capsule hotel has four cabins priced at Rp1 million per night, he informed. By the end of the year, the hotel targets to have 30 units, he added. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the hotel is starting to attract tourists, with the occupancy rate reaching at least 50 percent per day, under the observance of strict health protocols, Panjaitan said.

“We designed the hotel specifically not to damage nature, so people who come can enjoy the natural atmosphere. We tried to be environmentally friendly, so people can enjoy nature,” he added.

William, a visitor from Medan, said he chose to stay at the capsule hotel because it offered a different experience compared to other hotels.

“The atmosphere and scenery are no different than when we travel abroad. It is very comfortable and calm,” he remarked.

In the future, BPODT will work with local craftsmen to utilize wood waste to make creative products of high economic value, Panjaitan said.

“We hope our program would improve the welfare of the local community around Lake Toba,” he added.

 

Source: Antara News

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Element of surprise key to corruption eradication efforts: UII Rector

Yogyakarta (ANTARA) – Maintaining an element of surprise in corruption eradication efforts is key to rid Indonesia of graft, Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII) Yogyakarta Rector Fathul Wahid has said.

“Looking at the latest development, without losing any sense of collective optimism, it would appear that corruption would take a long time to eliminate from Indonesia without any exceptional surprise in its elimination (effort),” Wahid said.

The corrupt are “recruiting” people faster than initially predicted, he said at an online seminar on ‘Examining Constitutional Court Decision over UU KPK (Corruption Elimination Commission Law) that ANTARA joined here on Saturday.

Referring to data collected by Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) in the first half of 2020, he said that at least 14 of the 393 people allegedly involving in corruption cases were aged under 30.

Data collected by the Supreme Court has supported ICW’s findings, he added.

Out of the 1951 corruption cases recorded in Indonesia as of September 18, 2020, at least 553, or 28.3 percent, have involved people in the age range of 30-39 years, Wahid noted. “This short illustration should open our eyes to the dangerous risk corruption poses to Indonesian people,” he asserted.

There is a long-term damage that corruption can do to people’s prosperity, he said.

For instance, a corrupted infrastructure budget could result in low-quality infrastructure, shorten its lifespan, and raise maintenance costs, he elaborated.

“(Corruption could) delay important commodity distribution, raise the price of commodities, lower citizens’ purchasing power, and could ultimately result in widespread poverty,” he added.

He said he had conducted a review of the KPK Bill (RUU KPK) when it was released and provided notes as a form of contribution towards corruption elimination.

“It would appear that our voice and rejection noise from across Indonesia have not yielded an appropriate response, because the KPK Law ended up being ratified by the DPR (House of Representatives) on September 17, 2019,” he remarked.

 

Source: Antara News

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Failure to adhere to health protocols behind Indonesia’s COVID surge

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Failure in adhering to the health protocols has contributed to the rise in COVID-19 positive cases and the death rate in Indonesia, the University of Indonesia’s scientist  Dr. Budiman Bela has said.

“Close contact with people who do not wear a mask in public spaces, such as traditional markets, cafes, workplaces, and places of worship, increases the possibility of COVID-19 transmission to other people, resulting in either asymptomatic or symptomatic infection,” he remarked in Jakarta on Saturday.

If someone goes home after getting infected through external contact, they risk infecting their own family, Bela, who is currently serving as a lecturer and researcher of medical microbiology, molecular biology, and immunology at the University of Indonesia’s School of Medicine, said.

Children and teenagers can also contract the virus at their home if the application of health protocols at home is relatively lax than in public spaces, he cautioned. Bela stressed the importance of adhering to the health protocols enacted by the government, particularly the 5Ms (wearing mask, washing hands, maintaining distance, avoiding crowds, reducing movement), supporting the vaccination drive, and voluntarily reporting any COVID-19 positive test results to the local authorities.

Those efforts are aimed at easing the application of 3Ts (testing, tracing, treatment) for COVID-19 patients and their close contacts, he said. Early treatment of patients and proper 3T application will reduce the COVID-19 infection and death rate, he added.

He also urged the public to be careful and selective when receiving information related to COVID-19, particularly dubious news or blatant hoaxes, and to prevent false information from spreading to others.

“The public should not act on their own (without any prior knowledge) and spread clearly unscientific hoaxes,” Bela remarked.

 

 

Source: Antara News

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Health Minister observes Pangudi Luhur’s COVID-19 vaccination centre

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin observed a vaccination drive that the Pangudi Luhur Vaccination Center on Brawijaya 4 street, South Jakarta conducted on Saturday.

The Pangudi Luhur Vaccination Center was established by the Pangudi Luhur High School Alumni Association Jakarta, in collaboration with Gandaria Hospital and Pangudi Luhur Doctor Community (BroDoc), with the support of the Ministry of Health and the DKI Jakarta Provincial Health Office.

In three months, the center has administered Sinovac and AstraZeneca shots to more than 5,700 residents of Jakarta and its surrounding areas.

During his visit, the Health Minister lauded Pangudi Luhur personnel for helping the government accelerate the national vaccination program to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaccinations carried out at the Pangudi Luhur Vaccination Center have run smoothly with the observance of the health protocols, Minister Sadikin noted.

The collaboration carried out at the Pangudi Luhur Vaccination Center will hopefully help accelerate the government’s efforts to achieve herd immunity in Jakarta and its metropolitan areas, General Chairman of Pangudi Luhur High School Alumni Association (IKA PL) Arief Satria Kurniagung said.

“People should get vaccinated as soon as possible, especially with the rise in Delta variant cases that is currently happening,” he remarked.

Vaccinations have been proven to protect people from virus transmission and prevent more severe symptoms upon exposure, regardless of the type of vaccine, Kurniagung said.

Head of the Pangudi Luhur Vaccination Center Committee, Felix Suseno, said the vaccination program carried out at the center will continue until September, 2021.

“We are targeting participants from all sections of society in the age range of 12 years and over,” he informed.

 

 

Source: Antara News

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Indonesia’s deputy finance minister explains rationale behind PPKM

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Deputy Minister of Finance Suahasil Nazara on Saturday explained the reasons that prompted the government to enforce the public activity restrictions (PPKM) to contain COVID-19 instead of lockdowns.

“So, there was indeed a debate, but the essence of both is restrictions on economic activities,” said Nazara at an online discussion.

He said the main reason for implementing the PPKM is that Indonesia has groups of people at different economic levels. For example, there are low-income groups and also high-income groups living in urban and rural areas, he added.

Based on the economic behavior of each community group, it can be seen that people with savings of less than Rp1 million have started withdrawing money for their daily needs, Nazara noted.

Meanwhile, for people with savings above Rp10 million, the value of savings has actually increased in the midst of the pandemic, he said.

Given the different economic conditions of the people, the government has prepared various aids for people in need, especially for people living below the poverty line, he said.

But, people with better incomes also need help as the COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost all levels of society, he added.

Therefore, the government has prepared the Family Hope Program (PKH) for 10 million families and Basic Food Cards program for 18.8 million families, Nazara noted.

In addition, the government is providing Cash Social Assistance (BST) to 10 million families and also Direct Village Fund Cash Assistance to the rural poor, he said.

The government has also continued to pursue a set of policies to help people, according to their respective needs, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he stressed.

“Our country is not a small country. There are 270 million people with 34 provinces that have different characteristics. We need to take into account these different conditions. Every regional government needs to pay close attention to this condition,” concluded Nazara.

 

Source: Antara News

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