November 18, 2021 – Page 3 – Indonesia News Gazette

November 18, 2021

Vaccination coverage still low in four provinces: task force

COVID-19 vaccination coverage in Riau, Lampung, Southeast Sulawesi, and Maluku provinces is still relatively low, according to the COVID-19 Handling Task Force.

The second dose vaccination coverage in the four provinces is just around 18–27 percent, spokesperson for the task force, Wiku Adisasmito, said at an online press conference for COVID-19 handling, accessed from here on Thursday.

In terms of second dose vaccinations, they are far behind the national coverage, which is pegged at 40 percent, he informed.

Health protocol compliance in Riau, Lampung, Southeast Sulawesi, and Maluku is also low, he noted.

Around 40 to 60 percent of districts and cities in the provinces have reported low health protocol compliance among residents, he added.

“Low vaccination coverage, especially if it is worsened by non-compliance with health protocols, can increase the potential for COVID-19 transmission in the community,” Adisasmito cautioned.

He then appealed to the governors, district heads, and mayors of Riau, Lampung, Southeast Sulawesi, and Maluku to coordinate and improve their vaccination coverage and public compliance with health protocols.

He also urged regional heads of the four provinces to ensure village-level COVID-19 control posts monitor the implementation of health protocols in their respective areas.

In a bid to boost immunity against COVID-19, the Indonesian government launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021. President Joko Widodo was the first vaccine recipient under the program.

The central government is aiming to vaccinate at least 70 percent of the Indonesian population by December 2021.

According to data provided by the Health Ministry, as of November 18, 2021, nearly 132,299,729 citizens have received their first COVID-19 shot, while 86,508,226 have been fully vaccinated against the virus.

Source: Antara News

November 18, 2021

WSBK: Task force asks all parties to comply with health protocols

Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Task Force, Wiku Adisasmito, has urged all parties involved in the implementation of the 2021 Mandalika World Superbike (WSBK) to comply with the health protocols to curb coronavirus transmission.

“We ask all stakeholders to completely comply with the health protocols which have been set to protect yourself from COVID-19 transmission,” he remarked at a press conference monitored online here on Thursday.

He said he hoped that the international racing event at Mandalika Circuit, Central Lombok district, West Nusa Tenggara province, will run well without any spike in COVID-19 cases.

It is important to maintain Indonesia’s success in organizing huge sporting events, such as the XX Papua National Sports Week (PON) and XVI Papua National Paralympics Week (Peparnas) a while ago, Adisasmito said.

“It is important to maintain large-scale activities to run safely with low risk of COVID-19 transmission, thus they can help to recover the regional economy,” he emphasized.

Regarding domestic travel regulations, currently, travelers will need to refer to Circular Letter of the COVID-19 Task Force Number 22 of 2021, which has been made with an eye on the dynamic development of COVID-19 cases, he informed.

If necessary, the policy can be adjusted by advancing measures to anticipate any new transmission as soon as possible, he said.

“The government is trying to conform current policies as soon as possible without abandoning the precautionary cause, thus the new policies can be implemented effectively,” Adisasmito remarked.

In addition, the government is aware of the potential for a spike in COVID-19 cases during the Christmas and New Year holidays, he said.

Thus, he warned that an increase in community mobility during the period could potentially increase the transmission of COVID-19, if health protocols are not strictly conducted.

Source: Antara News

November 18, 2021

People’s pickiness over vaccine brands hindering COVID vaccinations

The decline in vaccination rates in the past seven weeks has been triggered by some people and local governments being picky over vaccine brands, an official from the Ministry of Health has said.

“They are delaying vaccinations waiting for a certain brand,” spokesperson for COVID-19 Vaccinations for the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, confirmed here on Thursday.

Among the reasons several people are being picky about vaccine brands are hoaxes, she added.

“However, there are also some that did not receive the (right) information because they live in rural areas,” she said.

Meanwhile, some regional governments are being picky because they are afraid they will not get the target recipients, she added.

She affirmed that the Ministry of Health is still waiting for vaccine supply for the second dose vaccinations to arrive in the country.

According to Tarmizi, to boost public participation in the national vaccination program, people should be educated that the best vaccines are those that are currently available. Thus, they should not be picky, she added.

She appealed to those who have not received COVID-19 shots to promptly register for vaccination to help the country reach herd immunity and move from the pandemic to endemic phase.

The spokesperson also reminded people to be careful in taking medicines for treating COVID-19 and not be easily influenced by the promotion of medicinal products, traditional medicines, and health supplements claiming to prevent or treat COVID-19.

In a bid to boost immunity against COVID-19, the Indonesian government launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021.

Source: Antara News

November 18, 2021

Booster vaccine safe: IDI COVID-19 task force

Head of the COVID-19 task force at the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI), Prof. Zubairi Djoerban, has assured that the booster or third COVID-19 vaccine is safe, just like the first and second doses.

“Booster vaccine is safe to be administered to older adults like me, who are almost 75 years and have comorbidities. I have diabetes, high blood pressure, and have had heart surgery,” he said at the Merdeka Barat 9 Forum (FMB 9) themed ‘Booster Vaccine for a Healthier Indonesia’, accessed from here on Thursday.

The third dose needs to be administered, considering that a number of countries with high complete vaccination percentages are still experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases, he added.

“Countries that have fully vaccinated many of their citizens are now experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases. Therefore, a booster vaccine is essential,” Djoerban explained.

Booster vaccinations can be conducted using the remaining available vaccines in the country and can be provided to residents six months after they receive the second dose, he said.

The booster vaccine could be the same brand as in the previous two doses or a different one, Djoerban added.

At the same forum, vaccinologist Sukamto Koesno said there will be a time when the immunity that the vaccine has bolstered will decrease.

Therefore, it is vital to give a booster in the hope that the antibodies that have decreased can increase again with the help of a booster vaccine, he added.

Meanwhile, deputy chairman of Commission IX of the House of Representatives, Melki Laka Lena, said that a booster vaccine is vital since no vaccine has optimal antibodies to protect people from the virus, especially when new COVID-19 variants emerge.

According to data provided by the Health Ministry, as of November 18, 2021, nearly 1,198,599 health workers in the country have received their third COVID-19 vaccine dose.

Source: Antara News

November 18, 2021

Jakarta Governor promises to help reduce workers’ cost of living

Governor Anies Baswedan has promised to help reduce the cost of living for workers in Jakarta following demands for an increase in the Provincial Minimum Wage (UMP) in 2022.

“We are planning to help workers by reducing their cost of living,” he said while meeting workers in front of the Jakarta City Hall on Thursday.

The governor said a number of terms need to be met in order to raise the minimum wage. However, the raise could be compensated for by lowering the cost of living, for which the local government could intervene, he added.

One example of efforts that can be done to lower the cost of living is reducing the cost of transportation in Jakarta, he pointed out.

Aside from that, the government could also help by providing low-priced foods and Kartu Jakarta Pintar (Jakarta Smart Cards) for workers’ children to reduce their cost of living, Baswedan said.

Food prices can be lowered through a cooperative managed by a labor association whose food needs are supplied by PD Pasar Jaya, a local company owned by the Jakarta provincial government, he added.

That way, Baswedan said, the cost of living can be reduced and workers can save more money.

“Therefore, even though the existing regulation has regulated their wage, hopefully, they can save because the cost of living can be lowered with the help of the Jakarta provincial government,” he remarked.

The Governor met with workers belonging to the Federation of Metal, Electronic, and Machinery Unions of East Jakarta’s All Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI) while they were expressing their aspirations in front of the Jakarta City Hall on Thursday.

One of the representatives of the federation, Endang Hidayat, said they were taking action ahead of the determination of the 2022 Jakarta Provincial Minimum Wage, which is planned to be set by the government on Friday (November 19, 2021).

Source: Antara News

November 18, 2021

Ready to fight any lawsuit over raw material export ban: Widodo

Indonesia is ready to fight any lawsuit over its policy banning raw material exports, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has said.

“Do not drag us to the WTO (World Trade Organization) for our (policy) to stop exports of raw materials. We will fight for it, in any way,” he remarked at the Kompas100 CEO Forum, observed from here on Thursday.

During the G20 Summit in Rome, Italy recently, many state leaders paid attention to Indonesia’s stance against nickel ore exports, the President said.

He said he told the leaders that the nickel export ban is aimed at developing the country’s nickel downstream industry, which could open more jobs for people.

However, Widodo said he would welcome countries who want to invest or establish smelter facilities in Indonesia.

“We are open to that. But we do not want to continue sending raw materials. No, stop,” he remarked.

The government has banned exports of nickel raw materials, he noted. In the future, it will also ban exports of bauxite and copper raw materials, he said.

Indonesia is currently building a copper refining and processing (smelter) installation in Gresik, East Java, Widodo noted.

“Next year (we will ban) bauxite. If our smelter is ready, stop bauxite (exports), so we can open jobs. Then, stop copper. After our smelter in Gresik is finished, stop,” he informed.

Lawsuits against the decision to ban raw material exports would not stop the country, he said.

“Even though we were challenged by the European Union to the WTO, it’s okay, go ahead. This is our nickel, taken from our land,” Widodo added.

The ban on nickel ore exports took effect on January 2, 2020, based on the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Regulation Number 11 of 2019 on mineral and coal mining, and requires nickel to be processed in Indonesian smelters before being sold overseas.

The EU has filed a lawsuit against Indonesia with the WTO over Indonesia’s nickel export ban, Widodo said.

The EU believes that the ban on nickel exports would ruin the bloc’s efforts to excel in the world’s stainless steel industry, as nickel ore is a vital ingredient for stainless steel production, he noted.

Source: Antara News

November 18, 2021

Demography, climate change to pose challenges to Indonesia in 2045

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati stated that Indonesia faces complex challenges ranging from demography to urbanization and climate change, as it inches close to its 100th year of independence in 2045.

“These are challenges, such as an increase in demographics, climate change, and not to mention urbanization, taking into account the large number of people working in urban areas,” Indrawati stated at the Ministry of Finance Festival 2021 event held here on Thursday.

The minister noted that currently, Indonesia was in that period of demographic bonus, wherein the number of educators in the productive age group of 15 years to 65 years constituted 70.72 percent of the population.

The demographic bonus itself is an acceleration of economic growth due to changes in the age structure of the population, marked by a decrease in the dependency ratio of the non-working populace to the working age population.

The total population of Indonesia, as per the 2020 population census, reached 270.2 million people, an increase of 32.56 million as compared to the 2010 population census. There is a 1.25-percent increase in the population per year from the 2010-2020 period, notably slower than the 2000-2010 period, recorded at 1.49 percent.

Of the 270.2-million populace, 70.72 percent belong to the productive age group, while 9.78 percent of them are elderly. That percentage is higher than the one in 2010, which was pegged at 7.59 percent.

The 270.2 million people comprised 10.88 percent of the post generation Z, 27.94 percent of the generation Z, 25.87 percent of millennials, 21.88 percent of generation C, 11.56 percent of baby boomers, and 1.87 percent of pre-boomers.

The minister noted that this demographic bonus brings along with it a fair share of challenges, such as urbanization, given even more number of young people will start working and choose to live in urban areas. This would require preparation that comprises building public facilities, such as homes, schools, hospitals, and playgrounds.

Apart from that, the community activities, which will grow ever increasingly high, are bound to generate even more CO2, thereby increasing the earth’s temperature.

“Not to mention that every activity we do produces CO2,” she elaborated.

According to Indrawati, the current population of some seven billion is estimated to reach nine billion by 2045, thereby causing significant climate change impacts.

“If just seven billion (people) have increased the world’s temperature by 1.1 degrees Celsius as compared to pre-industrial times, then what about nine billion (people)?” she remarked.

To this end, Indonesia has adopted some measures to control climate change, such as establishing the environmental management agency (BPDLH) and the disaster pooling fund (PFB).

The effort also encompasses the activation of innovative payment instruments, or Green Sukuk, as well as the imposition of carbon taxes and plastic excise taxes through the Taxation Harmonization Law (UU HPP)002E

Source: Antara News

November 18, 2021

Greater participation in politics to push women’s interests: minister

Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Bintang Puspayoga has said she expects increased political participation among rural women to encourage them to make decisions and create programs that prioritize women’s interests.

“The emergence of a policy that employs women’s perspective will make it easier for women to pick up various opportunities that have been difficult for them to access,” she said at a webinar entitled ‘Inaugurating Women Leadership Promoting Women-Friendly and Caring for Children Villages’, accessed from here on Thursday.

Women are still considered a vulnerable group, despite the fact that they make up half of Indonesia’s population, she noted. This can be attributed to the deep-rooted patriarchal culture in the society, she said.

“It should be our concern that women’s vulnerability is not caused by being weak but because of a social construct and a perspective that places women in a lower position than men,” the minister remarked.

Development based on gender-mainstreaming must consider the empowerment of women and the best interests of children, Puspayoga said. Yet, in reality, women and children still experience discrimination and are not prioritized in development, she said.

To support development based on gender-mainstreaming, representation is needed, particularly from women leaders with extraordinary sensitivity so that they can support the development of women and children, she said.

The 2021 Rural Women’s Leadership Training was attended by 300 female participants from five provinces and 10 districts, she noted. The training will be held continuously in 34 provinces until 2024, she said.

“With this training, it is expected that rural women will become more confident to run for office and be more skilled in politics to voice women’s rights,” Puspayoga remarked.

Source: Antara News