Day: October 21, 2021

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State firms to focus CSR on education, environment, MSMEs: Thohir

The State-Owned Enterprises Ministry will expedite state companies’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in three sectors: education, environment, and MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises), according to State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Tohir during a webinar entitled ‘Road to COP26: Environmentally Friendly Clean Energy Transition’.

“We will change the CSR strategy of state-owned enterprises. Mainly in three things, those being education, the environment, and MSMEs. We can continue to make efficiency, even though (currently we are) affected by COVID-19,” the minister said in a statement released here on Thursday.

Thohir expressed optimism over the government’s ability to ensure the sustainability of the businesses should their business model be improved. The measure was considered so it could offer a maximum contribution to the country, he explained during the webinar held on October 8, 2021.

“This includes maintaining CSR because it is taken from the health (financial) of state-owned enterprises. If the enterprises are not healthy, there is no CSR,” he opined.

The minister encouraged state-owned enterprises to actively achieve important breakthroughs in order to aid efforts towards the achievement of the Indonesia Net Zero Emissions target by 2060.

“We encourage state-owned mining companies to make improvements to the environment and we will supervise directly,” Thohir said.

To support the ministry’s goal, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has also launched a new program called Gerilya, or the Solar Power Initiative Movement, he noted.

The program is part of the Freedom of Learning of Independent Campus program, which was initiated by the Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry, he said.

This program is aimed specifically at exact science students in the fifth semester and above, who want to exchange their credits in one semester to learn and practice developing clean energy, particularly solar power, he added.

Of the 634 students who have registered, 52 students have been selected, he said. They will undergo six months of lectures in the Gerilya Program, comprising three months of courses and three months of team-based projects in collaboration with business entities, he informed.

The output of the Gerilya Program will also ensure that there is an increase in solar power generation capacity so that it will contribute to the achievement of the target of 23 percent of NRE by 2025, the minister said.

“The Gerilya Program will produce clean energy activists from the younger generation, who will also accelerate the use of solar rooftops and support the achievement of the renewable energy mix target of 23 percent by 2025,” Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin said at the virtual launch of the Gerilya Program in August 2021.

He said he expected support from all stakeholders to make the program a success as it is a part of efforts to implement the energy transition and educate the nation.

“I also urge practitioners, lecturers, experts, and other young people to become teachers and mentors. Support from stakeholders (state-owned enterprises) is very important in the success of the Gerilya Program,” Arifin remarked.

He said that Indonesia aims to implement policies that encourage the transition to cleaner, low emission, and environmentally friendly energy. This is in line with Indonesia’s commitment to the Paris Agreement, namely reducing greenhouse gas emissions, he added.

To achieve this goal, the government is prioritizing the development of solar energy given the low investment costs and short implementation time, he informed.

“The energy sector is expected to play an important role through innovative steps and collaborative attitudes to be able to realize energy independence and security and support green economic growth,” the minister added.

Source: Antara News

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Widodo urges local governments to speed up vaccinations

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has urged local governments in South Kalimantan to accelerate COVID-19 vaccinations for the community, saying the vaccine coverage in the province was still low.

“Earlier, I received a report from the Governor of South Kalimantan that in the province, districts, and cities in South Kalimantan Province (COVID-19 vaccinations have) only reached 33 percent,” he said during a dialogue with regional representatives in South Kalimantan, held via video conferencing from Moch. Ansari Saleh Hospital, Banjarmasin City, on Thursday.

Accelerating vaccines in all provinces, he explained, is important to encourage the achievement of the national target of inoculating 70 percent of the total population by the end of 2021.

Based on data from the Ministry of Health, vaccination coverage has reached just 34.37 percent for the first dose and 20.53 percent for the second dose in South Kalimantan as of October 21, 2021.

In addition to the COVID-19 vaccination drive in Banjarmasin, 12 other districts/cities in South Kalimantan also carried out vaccinations on Thursday.

During a dialogue with the President, one of the representatives from Tanah Laut district said that the achievement of vaccinations in the district was also still low.

“Our total vaccination achievement is still quite low, around 23.08 percent as of yesterday afternoon,” the representative said.

Representatives from Tapin district also revealed the low vaccination rate in the district.

According to the representatives, currently, vaccination coverage in Tapin district has only reached 25.8 percent. However, a number of district/city governments in South Kalimantan said they are optimistic that they can achieve the vaccination target by the end of this year.

“God willing, in November, it will be 70 percent, Mr. President,” said a representative from Banjarbaru city.

President Widodo also asked local government officials to cooperate with the police and the military to speed up COVID-19 vaccination.

“I have conveyed to the head of the Provincial Health Office. If the stock of vaccines runs out, the local government can convey it to the central government. We will send the vaccines according to the needs detailed by the South Kalimantan province,” the President said.

At the vaccination event, the President was accompanied by State Secretary Pratikno, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir, and South Kalimantan Governor Sahbirin Noor.

Source: Antara News

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Children aged below 12 permitted to travel: task force

The COVID-19 Handling Task Force has confirmed that children aged below 12 years have been allowed to travel in all modes of transportation in accordance with the applicable regulations.

“Now, children aged below 12 have been permitted to travel,” spokesperson for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force Wiku Adisasmito stated during an online press conference accessed from here on Thursday.

He said children aged below 12 can travel if they have a negative COVID-19 test result.

“The Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) has declared the feasibility of PCR or swab tests to be carried out on children,” he revealed.

According to Adisasmito, the government has chosen to allow children to travel anticipating possible urgent and important circumstances where travel becomes essential.

“For example, parents’ job transfers, work, or business trips and others,” he explained.

However, the spokesperson appealed to parents to stay alert and careful while traveling with children.

“They (children) can travel, but they need to be in a healthy condition and be careful,” he remarked.

Earlier, an epidemiologist at the Faculty of Public Health, University of Indonesia, Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, had said that parents should always remind their children to comply with the health protocols continuously.

“Wear a mask, keep your distance, and avoid crowds,” he said.

He also advised children to stay indoors. If children play outside the house, they must always be under the supervision of their parents, he added.

The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Indonesia in March 2020. According to data from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), as of October 21, 2021, at least 4,237,834 people had tested positive for COVID-19 in the country, while 4,079,120 people recovered, and 143,120 people succumbed to the deadly virus.

Source: Antara News

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COVID-19 task force to monitor departure, return of umrah pilgrims

The COVID-19 Handling Task Force will monitor the departure and return of umrah pilgrims in line with the approval received from the Government of Saudi Arabia for pilgrims from Indonesia to perform umrah.

“The task force will support the quarantine, departure process, and return of the pilgrims,” spokesperson for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Wiku Adisasmito, stated during an online discussion monitored here, Thursday.

The Indonesian government had earlier received a diplomatic note regarding the implementation of umrah from the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Jakarta on October 8, 2021.

However, the diplomatic note has not discussed the conditions that Saudi Arabia set for prospective Indonesian Umrah pilgrims. Hence, the government cannot as yet provide certainty regarding the departure of umrah pilgrims.

However, Adisasmito has urged prospective pilgrims to make requisite preparations, especially pertaining to their health. They are required to take care of their health before departure by being disciplined in following health protocols.

“The task force will conduct contact tracing and offer medical treatment if needed,” he affirmed.

For the departure scheme, pilgrims will undergo health screening a day before their departure, including a health check, COVID-19 vaccination check, meningitis vaccination check, and PCR swab test. The Ministry of Health will offer assistance for the health screening process.

In addition, hajj dormitories provide accommodation, food, and transportation facilities to facilitate the pilgrims’ departure. The boarding, immigration checks, and ICV checks will also be conducted at the hajj dormitories.

Meanwhile, the return scheme entails PCR testing conducted in Saudi Arabia a maximum of three days before returning to Indonesia. Upon their arrival in Indonesia, the Umrah pilgrims will undergo another PCR testing and then undergo quarantine at the hajj dormitories for five days.

Source: Antara News

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BKKBN launches apps to support older adults amid pandemic

The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) has launched the GoLantang and Satyagatra Family Welfare Service Center (PPKS Satyagatra) applications to support the elderly amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We need applications that can help us be present in assisting the elderly to become stronger,” deputy for family welfare and family empowerment at the BKKBN, Nopian Andusti, said during a webinar on ‘Digital Equity for All Ages’ monitored here on Thursday.

According to Andusti, the two applications come with several features that the elderly can use to access consultations regarding their health and problems and issues concerning their families, and thus, they can fulfill the needs of older adults.

The GoLantang application provides information regarding the Elderly Family Development (BKL) Program, elderly-related articles, and health indicators, he informed.

It also provides live chat, admin live chat, complaint management, and health calculator features to assist the elderly, he said.

Meanwhile, PPKS Satyagatra application can be an effective means of communication for families and communities to consult and discuss information regarding family problems or management, Andusti explained.

The application provides Family Welfare Service Center (PPKS) services, namely data and information services and consultation and counseling services, he informed.

Besides being easily accessible by families and the community, it is also a secure application that can maintain confidentiality and respect the rights of its users, he said.

He also asked that all parties disseminate information about the two applications to help the elderly lead a quality life and help BKKBN to continue to provide services to the community despite the limitations placed by COVID-19.

“Therefore, please disseminate (information on the two applications) to the community around us, especially the elderly who need them during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he remarked.

Source: Antara News

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Utilization of digital technology low among elderly: minister

The use of technology and access to digitalization among the elderly population in Indonesia is still relatively low, according to the Communication and Informatics Ministry.

At least 202.7 million people or 73 percent of Indonesian citizens have access to the Internet, the ministry’s Director General of Information Application Samuel A. Pangerapan said at a webinar, accessed online from here on Thursday.

However, Internet use among the elderly is still low and is dominated by young people, according to him.

The number of elderly people aged 50 years and over who can access and use the Internet is just 8.83 percent, Pangerapan pointed out.

He also cited data from the World Bank, which has shown that younger people actively access education digitally compared to older people with lower education levels.

Many elderly people in Indonesia face risks in using digital technology, such as exposure to fraud or hoaxes from sources with questionable or no credibility, Pangerapan informed.

“In addition, if we talk to the data center, it shows that the level of technology and Internet use of the elderly population is still low. Especially for the elderly in rural areas,” he elaborated.

Meanwhile, Senior Assistant Professor from the University of Brunei Darussalam, Evi Nurvidya Arifin, said that not being educated enough did not mean that the elderly could not get involved in the digital world.

“To enter (the digital world), they must be assisted by technology, so that they can participate more actively in life in this technological era,” Arifin opined.

She cited the use of communication and information technology, such as mobile phones, among the elderly as an example. As many as 54.3 percent of elderly men use it compared to 39.7 percent of elderly women, she noted.

That percentage is higher compared to people with disabilities (23.9 percent) and non-disabled people (50.8 percent), Arifin highlighted.

This shows that the use of mobile phones among elderly people is also quite equivalent to countries in the Asia-Pacific such as Hong Kong, Macau, Georgia, Thailand, Singapore, Iran, Pakistan, and Japan, she opined.

Yet, in terms of the Internet use in Indonesia, it is still in a far lower position due to the relatively low number of Internet users, she said.

“But regarding the use of computers, there are slight differences. We are still low compared to other countries, and in terms of Internet usage, it is also still quite low,” she informed.

The elderly have the potential to participate in the transformation in the rapidly developing digital world, given the large number of elderly people who can use mobile phones, Arifin said.

She further said that she expected this potential to be increased optimally so that the elderly can utilize technology better.

“Elderly people have potential. They are deemed as a burden because we don’t try to maximize, optimize their potential. Let’s unite/include those who are not yet connected,” she remarked.

Source: Antara News

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Independent energy industry basis for energy sovereignty: Thohir

State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir has said that an independent national energy industry is an important basis for energy sovereignty.

“In all sectors including the energy sector, our dependence on imported products must be suppressed as much as possible. In accordance with the President’s directive, an independent national energy industry is an important foundation for energy sovereignty,” he said in a written statement received here on Thursday.

The minister lauded the President’s decision to continuously push and encourage Indonesia to process raw materials into finished products. The national palm oil sector is an example — Indonesia no longer imports raw materials, but processes them into finished materials instead, he said.

“With the better quality of human resources supported by adequate infrastructure, it serves as a momentum for us to be able to manage ready-to-use industries,” he said.

The minister accompanied President Joko Widodo to the inauguration of a biodiesel factory in Tanah Bumbu district, South Kalimantan province, on Thursday.

Speaking at the event, the President highlighted the importance of the inauguration of PT Jhonlin Agro Raya’s factory towards building national energy security. He urged Indonesia to reduce fuel imports by utilizing alternative energy, saying it also serves as an important foundation for national energy security.

Thohir said he supported this notion and highlighted that the use of alternative energy, such as biodiesel, is the government’s focus.

According to President Widodo, domestic biodiesel production would reduce imports and cut foreign exchange by Rp56 trillion (almost US$4 billion) in 2021.

Expediting the development of the biodiesel industry is a strategic choice to increase national energy security and reduce the large trade balance deficit due to diesel imports in the future, he explained.

Indonesia produces abundant crude palm oil that can be used to make biodiesel, he noted. According to the President, the potential for crude palm oil production in Indonesia has reached 52 million tons per year.

He said he expected the resource to be processed into other products, including biodiesel. Thus, Indonesia can lower fuel imports and help to boost energy security, he remarked.

Suppliers and other industries will also be required in the process of transforming crude palm oil into biodiesel, thereby increasing the possibility to create several new jobs, he pointed out.

Job creation in the downstreaming of natural resources is an important goal that can offer economic benefits to the community, the President said.

Source: Antara News

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4G, 5G communications devices must meet 35%t TKDN requirement: Plate

Communications and Informatics Minister Johnny Gerard Plate confirmed on Thursday that every 4G and 5G device had to meet the 35-percent requirement for local content (TKDN), a five-percent increase from the earlier regulation.

“It is one of the requirements to get the equipment certificate issued by the ministry before the device is allowed to be sold in Indonesia,” the minister stated at a virtual press conference.

Plate informed that the policy was in accordance with the Communication and Informatics Minister’s Regulation Number 13 of 2021 issued on October 12, 2021, on Technical Standards for 4G and 5G Subscriber Station Telecommunication Equipment and/or Mobile Cellular Telecommunication Device.

In addition, it regulates the 4G and 5G base station devices that work in the spectrum bands of 850 megahertz (MHz), 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2.1 gigahertz (GHz), and 2.3 GHz.

Furthermore, in determining the TKDN value, the ministry had received the Industry Ministry’s suggestion that resulted from consultations held with the telecommunications equipment vendors.

Plate expects the policy to be able to encourage growth of the domestic telecommunications device industry, thereby contributing more to the development of 4G- and 5G-based communication technology infrastructure in Indonesia.

“The regulation is a form of real support for the domestic production of 4G and 5G telecommunications components and equipment,” he affirmed.

The minister noted that the rule also aligned with President Joko Widodo’s directives to make Indonesia a smart player in the development of 4G and 5G networks.

The regulation will come into effect six months after its date of issuance.

“Thus, we expect telecommunications equipment vendors to immediately adapt to the new rule within the given amount of time,” he added.

Source: Antara News

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