Day: September 24, 2021

Posted on

KUNIHIKO HIRABAYASHI appointed as the Secretary General of ASEAN-Japan Centre

The ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Kunihiko Hirabayashi as the Secretary General of the AJC in Tokyo as of September 1, 2021.

Mr. Hirabayashi is the former Regional Advisor Regional Chief of Health, UNICEF East Asian and Pacific Regional Office, Bangkok, Thailand. He worked as a technical advisor and representative of regional offices for United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for more than 18 years from May 2003 to August 2021. Prior to that, he engaged in technical assistance in hospitals in developing countries for around 10 years. He obtained Ph.D. in Physiology and Medicine from the University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.

Mr. Hirabayashi devoted much of his 40-year professional life for the best interests of people and children in Asia-Pacific and ASEAN countries, listening sincerely to the voices of decision makers; health professionals; teachers; business and community leaders; social entrepreneurs; and young opinion leaders as well as the voice of voiceless people who are the most vulnerable and excluded, such as displaced persons; refugees; and people with disabilities. He also spent his time in the field in those countries.

Mr. Hirabayashi said “the ASEAN-Japan Centre has a 40-year history of excellence in serving as a bridge between ASEAN Members States and Japan to promote trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people exchanges. The Centre also has diverse committed experts with vitality, who are devoting all their efforts to expand and deepen the partnership between ASEAN Member States and Japan. With my trusted colleagues, I will play an integral role in reengineering the Centre and will commit myself to contributing toward a sustainable, integrated, peaceful and stable future for people in ASEAN Member States and Japan.”

ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC)

An intergovernmental organization established by the ASEAN Member States and Japan in 1981. It has been promoting exports from ASEAN to Japan while revitalizing investment, tourism as well as people-to-people exchanges between the ASEAN Member States and Japan.

URL: https://www.asean.or.jp/en/

Source: Antara News

Posted on

BRIN head reviews readiness of aeronautics, space facilities

Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Laksana Tri Handoko, reviewed research facilities and infrastructure readiness at the Aeronautics and Space Research Organization Head Office and its Aeronautics and Space Policy Study Center.

“This center is very important in its role to produce many materials and results of aeronautics and space policy studies at the maximum level,” Handoko remarked in a written statement received here on Friday.

The government would merge four research institutions into BRIN. The four institutions are the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), The Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), the National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN), and the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN).

Under the new structure LAPAN would be renamed as the Aeronautics and Space Research Organization.

Handoko said his visit aimed to accelerate the work process after BRIN’s establishment, which is in accordance with Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 78 of 2021.

Handoko also inspected the Disaster Quick Response facility at the Remote Sensing Software Research Center in Pekayon village, Pasar Rebo sub-District, East Jakarta.

This facility is a place where researchers can conduct data processing and analysis when there is information related to disasters in Indonesia, he added.

At the central office, he also visited other facilities, such as the server room and the Platypus Command Center.

“With the command center, the Remote Sensing Software Research Center can monitor and serve as a dashboard for remote sensing utilization,” he said.

The dashboard can be accessed by ministries so that they can benefit from information related to remote sensing software, he added.

“BRIN, through the Remote Sensing Software Research Center, is committed to providing information on remote sensing that can be directly used by users,” he said.

Furthermore, Handoko said he also visited the Remote Sensing Data Technology Center in Pekayon village, East Jakarta.

He inspected the service room that has a demo space map and toured the data center room at the center, he added.

Source: Antara News

Posted on

Deputy governor urges Indonesian ambassadors to promote Bali tourism

Bali Deputy Governor Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati is optimistic that Indonesian ambassadors, serving in ASEAN member nations, would promote Bali Island’s tourism since the community in the resort island is ready to welcome foreign tourists.

“In the past few days, the number of (COVID-19) active cases in Bali has started to decrease, and the recovery rate is always above the daily count of active cases. Even now, the community restriction (PPKM) in Bali has been lowered to level 3,” he noted in a written statement here on Friday.

The deputy governor, usually referred to as Cok Ace, had earlier made this statement at the Brainstorming Forum of Indonesia’s Head of Representative in Southeast Asia related to “Bali’s Readiness for Foreign Tourists and Exploring the Formation of a Travel Bubble with ASEAN Countries” held virtually on September 23.

Sukawati later noted that Bali no longer had a red zone. Five districts are designated as yellow zones, while four districts are marked as orange zones.

The Bali provincial government has prepared a grand design for accepting foreign tourists, starting from arrival to quarantine, and their travel itinerary while in Bali, until their departure to the origin country.

“We also collaborated with the TNI-Polri and the Public Order Security Agency (Satpol PP) to strictly guard Bali’s entry points,” he remarked while being accompanied by Head of the Bank Indonesia representative for Bali Province, Trisno Nugroho, and Head of the Bali Tourism Board Ida Bagus Agung Partha Adnyana.

The Bali government has designated 62 COVID-19 referral hospitals spread throughout Bali to offer medical services.

“The number of our health workers is sufficient to serve in the worst-case scenarios. The availability of health facilities, such as oxygen supply, is adequate at every hospital,” he noted.

In terms of the tourism sector, he admitted that around 1,871 places in Bali — hotels, restaurants, tourism destinations, malls and public places — had received the Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environmental Sustainability (CHSE) certification from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.

“Currently, the Bali provincial government is also encouraging the use of the PeduliLindungi application as one of the requirements to enter public places. All these efforts are also supported by the good vaccination achievements in Bali,” Cok Ace noted.

He expressed hope that Bali tourism would soon be opened for foreign tourists. He also expects that the cooperation of ASEAN countries, with the support of the ambassadors, can be applied in the tourism sector.

Cok Ace also praised the travel bubble offered by Indonesian Ambassador to Laos, Pratito Soeharyo. However, he revealed that for various terms and conditions, he was awaiting directions from the central government.

In addition to tourism, Cok Ace offers cooperation with ASEAN countries in the agricultural sector.

“If there are companies from ASEAN countries interested to invest in processing agricultural products that we can export, then we really appreciate it,” he remarked.

Source: Antara News

Posted on

Cooperation between governments key for building Papua ICT ecosystem

Cooperation between central and local governments is necessary for building information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure in Papua and West Papua, according to the Ministry of Communication and Informatics.

“It is necessary so that the speed of infrastructure development runs smoothly,” Minister of Communication and Informatics, Johnny G. Plate, remarked during a working visit to Papua, according to a press statement released here on Friday.

He said the ministry is looking forward to a discussion on ICT development covering tower construction, VSAT, and power supply establishment to produce signal coverage.

He affirmed that the efforts are aimed at providing telecommunication services to the people of Papua and West Papua.

Cooperation with local governments is a necessity because ICT infrastructure development is related to Papua and West Papua’s provincial, city, district, sub-district, and village administrations’ planning, he added.

“ICT infrastructure not only will be built on air or under the sea, but also on land,” he informed.

“Therefore, the launch of fiber optics, microwave links, and ground segments for satellites and internet access cannot be built based on our imaginations. Hence, we hope that local governments can take part in the development of ICT infrastructure,” Plate said.

Infrastructure building in the signal range area will provide optimization for local governments to develop their spatial planning to be well-coordinated, he added.

In the same press statement, director general of the Telecommunications and Information Accessibility Agency (BAKTI), Anang Latif, highlighted that the agency has built 4G base transceiver station (BTS) towers at 213 locations in Papua from 2015 to 2020.

BAKTI will build another 4,380 4G BTS towers in Papua by 2022, he added.

While in West Papua, 4G BTS towers have been installed at 244 location points from 2015 to 2020, he said. The agency will add another 824 towers by 2022, he added.

Not only 4G BTS towers, but BAKTI has also provided Internet and WiFi access at public service locations such as schools, health centers, and government offices, Latif added.

BAKTI is already providing free WiFi at more than 1,200 public service points in Papua and more than 1,882 points in West Papua, he said.

Source: Antara News

Posted on

Govt prepares communication, information facilities for PON

Indonesian Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate has said that he is optimistic that the Papua’s PON National Games will run well.

“I hope that the XX Papua PON will be successful and the public can enjoy the tournament,” he stated in a press release received by ANTARA on Thursday night.

To support the national multi-sport event, the ministry has prepared prime public telecommunications and communication infrastructure, he informed.

The minister has made a two-day official visit to Papua on September 23-24.

Plate said that his official visit to Jayapura city and district had two agendas.

The first agenda was related to the main task and function of the Communication and Informatics Ministry in digital acceleration, the minister disclosed.

He said he followed up on the development of information and communication technology infrastructure in Papua province during his visit.

Meanwhile, the second agenda was related to public communication on the implementation of XX Papua PON, he added.

During his visit, Plate lauded the Directorate General of Public Information and Communication, which has prepared infrastructure to ensure that public communication runs well during the games.

He also expressed the hope that the implementation of the XX Papua PON will be successful in terms of achievement, implementation, and administration, in keeping with President Joko Widodo’s directives.

“The XX Papua PON will show Papua and Indonesia’s competence to the world in conducting a major sporting event in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic while still adhering to health protocols,” the minister remarked while visiting Kominfo’s Media Center for XX Papua PON in Jayapura district on Thursday.

Considering that communication access is an important pillar to support the implementation of XX Papua PON, the ministry has provided 4G cellular telecommunications network services to the region, he noted.

All sporting venues and other supporting facilities have been provided access to 4G cellular communications, he added.

The government has also taken several steps to ensure the availability of telecommunications services during the implementation of PON events, the minister informed.

For instance, the ministry has built a new route for a submarine communications optical cable network north of Jayapura, at a depth of four thousand meters, he said.

In addition, by coordinating intensively with cellular operators, the ministry is committed to maintaining the quality of telecommunications networks during the national event, he added.

Thus, the data traffic capacity of the 4G cellular telecommunication network packet can be used optimally amid the event, Plate said.

Meanwhile, Director General of Public Information and Communication Usman Kansong said that his office has prepared media centers in three PON venue clusters comprising Jayapura, Mimika, and Merauke districts that can be used by media crews to produce news regarding the event.

The media center at Allison Hotel in Jayapura district has been operational since September 20, 2021 and will remain open till October 15, he pointed out. It will provide a working area for journalists and can accommodate 100 media crews.

Meanwhile, the media center at Mimika district has been made operational since September 26, 2021 and will continue to operate till October 15, 2021 at Mozza Hotel, he disclosed. The center offers working space and can accommodate 50 journalists.

Merauke district’s media center is located at the Merauke Regional Library and its working area can hold up to 50 journalists, Kansong said. This facility will operate from September 20 to October 15, 2021.

The working space in each media center has been equipped with computers, printers, and high-speed internet networks, he said.

In addition, facilities have been provided to help journalists interact with resource persons during press conferences, he added.

The ministry has applied strict health protocols at each media center to support the successful implementation of the national sporting event and curb the transmission of COVID-19 around the PON venue clusters, Kansong said.

Furthermore, the directorate general has also provided a microsite (infopublik.id/ponpapua) that contains information related to the implementation of the sporting event and the hosting regions in general, he added.

Content related to hard news, features, photos, and videos can be downloaded from the microsite and distributed widely to allow the public to have comprehensive information on the implementation of XX Papua PON and its impact, he said.

The director general said that the establishment of the microsite aims to support the main portal—of www.ponxx2021papua.com—which is being managed by the XX Papua National Sports Week Organizing Committee (PB PON).

“It is hoped that journalists — especially those who do not come to Papua — can still obtain information on the implementation of the XX Papua PON,” he added.

The XX Papua PON will be officially inaugurated on October 2, 2021 and run until October 15, 2021. Matches in a number of sports — esports, surfing, baseball, and softball — have already begun ahead of the inauguration.

Source: Antara News

Posted on

BPJS Health insurance shares experiences on health care with India

State-owned health insurance provider BPJS Health shared its experiences with the Indian health care authority to achieve universal health care (UHC) by developing the National Health Insurance (JKN-KIS) Program.

“Our national long-term development plan (RPJMN) has targeted 98-percent health care coverage to our population,” BPJS Health President Director Ali Ghufron noted in his written statement received here, Friday.

Ghufron made the statement while representing Indonesia during a webinar session on the roadmap of India’s universal health coverage hosted by the National Health Authority of India, Thursday (Sept 23).

He informed that the number of participants in the health care plan totaled 226.3 million, or some 83.5 percent of the total Indonesian population, as of September 17, 2021. The membership continues to increase at a faster pace as compared to other countries, with a similar health insurance system in place, he pointed out.

Apart from being the fourth most populated country, Indonesia’s population is scattered across thousands of Indonesian islands that adds to the complexity of achieving complete UHC coverage, Ghufron noted.

“Despite all this, we could see the finish line in achieving our target. We still need to collaborate with the government, medical officers, health care providers, and the residents to expand the coverage,” the president director stated.

Ghufron noted that the JKN-KIS program had improved its services based on its four main values: universality, access, quality service, and financial ease.

Universality, the first value, in essence, mandates the BPJS Kesehatan to achieve complete coverage for the benefit of the Indonesian population.

BPJS Kesehatan has also succeeded in improving its second value, access. According to the Health Policy Plus 2018 data, the use of outpatient and inpatient services among Indonesians continues to increase since the authority commenced the JKN-KIS program in 2014, Ghufron noted.

“The third value is quality health care services. Reviewing our program’s satisfaction index, we have seen the index continues to increase. In 2014, we recorded our satisfaction index at 78.6 percent, while in 2020, we have improved the index to 81.5 percent,” he informed.

Based on the University of Indonesia’s Institute for Economy and Social Research (LPEM FEB UI) data, the JKN-KIS program prevented 8.1 million people from the clutches of poverty and secured 1.6 million poor from further poverty due to health issues. The LPEM FEB UI data is proof that the program has defended its fourth value to ensure financial ease, Ghufron stated.

“We admit improvements to the JKN-KIS system should continue, but we are confident that implementation of the program is already on the right track to achieve complete universal health coverage in Indonesia,” he added.

Source: Antara News

Posted on

Gain public trust that vaccination is safe, halal: President Jokowi

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) urged all parties to collaborate to lend assurance to the public that COVID-19 vaccination is safe and halal, so the country can immediately achieve herd immunity, with more citizens getting vaccinated.

“All parties should collaborate to offer a sense of assurance to the public that vaccination is safe and halal while also expediting vaccinations in all reachable areas to cover as many citizens as possible,” Jokowi noted virtually during the National Movement for Vaccination on seven million residents of plantations and productive villages in 17 provinces, an event organized by the non-governmental organization Projo and the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI), which was monitored from the GAPKI IPOA YouTube channel, here, Friday.

To this end, the president welcomed the good gesture of Projo and GAPKI to help the government in expediting vaccinations for Indonesian citizens.

According to Jokowi, it is crucial to support the plantation and agriculture sectors in handling COVID-19 since they are strategic sectors that are of key importance to the community. In addition, the growth of plantation and agricultural sectors is also positive amid the pandemic.

The head of state reminded the public that the end of the COVID-19 pandemic could not be forecast. Hence, he invited the public to help stem the spread of COVID-19 through joint efforts.

He appealed to the public to continue to adhere to health protocols and get accustomed to it despite having received the COVID-19 vaccination.

Jokowi believes that the new habit of adhering to health protocols, if followed diligently by all segments of society, right from business actors, farmers, and planters to students in schools, will be an essential step to help the nation transition from the pandemic to endemic stage.

“(By following health protocols,) we can conduct our productive activities while remaining safe from COVID-19,” President Jokowi stated.

Source: Antara News

Posted on

Jokowi supports public’s enthusiasm for COVID-19 vaccination

President Joko Widodo was delighted to witness the public’s enthusiasm to conduct vaccination activity to expedite herd immunity in the country.

The head of state made the remark during his virtual speech at the National Movement of Vaccination for 7 Million Residents of Plantations and Productive Villages in 17 Provinces, organized by Projo, a volunteer group supporting Jokowi, and the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI).

“I am very happy to see the public’s enthusiasm to help vaccination coverage in various parts of Indonesia,” according to the head of state, as witnessed through a video on the GAPKI IPOA YouTube channel on Friday.

The number of mass vaccinations conducted by the community lends a ray of hope that Indonesia will be able to stem the spread of the virus through a spirit of togetherness, mutual protection, and mutual assistance.

Jokowi noted that currently, vaccinations were being intensified in various regions and focused on various groups of people, both in vaccination booths and through the door-to-door method by visiting the community.

The president highlighted the importance of expansion and acceleration of vaccination. The more people get vaccinated, the faster Indonesia will achieve the 70-percent vaccination goal as targeted before.

The president also insisted on all parties to collaborate and convince the public that vaccination was safe and halal. Vaccination in accessible places is also deemed necessary to vaccinate as many people as possible.

“Hence, I welcome Projo’s initiative with GAPKI to help accelerate vaccination. They had successfully conducted a vaccination activity for residents of plantations and productive villages in 17 provinces, with a target of seven million residents of plantations, agriculture, and productive villages from various provinces, such as Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Java, and Papua,” he added.

Source: Antara News

Proudly powered by WordPress