Day: January 10, 2022

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) signed a 2022 performance contract in Jakarta on Monday as part of its commitment to achieving its performance target.

“The performance contract is a document of commitment of all KPK employees to achieve the (performance) target in accordance with their tasks and functions,” KPK Chief Firli Bahuri noted in a written statement released on Monday.

Also present at the signing of the performance contract were mid- and low-ranking officials of the KPK. They signed the performance contract in turns.

The first group that signed the contract was the KPK leadership comprising Nurul Ghufron, and Lili Pintauli Siregar. They signed the contract in the presence of KPK Commissioner Harjono.

The second group constituted mid-ranking officials, including Secretary General Cahya H. Harefa, Deputy for Education and public participation Wawan Wardiana, and Deputy for Prevention and Monitoring Pahala Nainggolan.

The others included Deputy for Action and Execution Karyoto, acting Deputy for Coordination and Supervision Yudhiawan, and Deputy for Information and Data Mochamad Hadiyana.

Meanwhile, the third group comprised low-ranking officials.

Bahuri appealed to the deputies, directors, and bureau chiefs to observe carefully the posts in the documents of the performance contract. As such, every working unit at the KPK can achieve the target in terms of both strategic issues and indicators of the work contract.

He noted that the 2022 performance target can be achieved by optimally using the commission’s resources and by conducting collaboration and synergy among working units and other relevant parties.

Source: Antara News

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing has commenced its project to beautify hundreds of residential houses and stalls along the main gate of the Mandalika Circuit and access road in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.

“The beautification project of houses and stalls along the Mandalika Circuit main road has commenced,” deputy head of Central Lombok district, HM Nursiah, said.

As the beautification project is under the direct control of the central authority, the district government’s task is to assist the central government and ensure the project’s success, he added.

“The project is to support the MotoGP championship event that will be hosted at the Mandalika Circuit and to present a favorable image to visitors of the circuit’s surroundings,” Nursiah said.

The authorities are targeting to complete the program before the MotoGP championship in March 2022, the deputy head added.

Meanwhile, the ministry’s Nusa Tenggara Region I Housing Provision Agency head, Rini Dyah Mawarty, said that a total of 196 homes and stall units along the Triputri Roundabout, located northwest of the Circuit, till the Mandalika Circuit main gate will be renovated.

“Our current priority is to beautify the segment two of the houses and stalls located in front of the Mandalika Circuit main gate, while the first and third segment of the houses and stalls will be renovated gradually,” she informed.

The local wisdom and architectural style will be taken into account in devising the new design for the houses and stalls, the agency head said.

The architecture style of the Sasak people, who are native to Lombok Island, will also serve as a reference for the final design, she added.

“We hope the province and district authorities will lend their support to this project,” Mawarty said.

Source: Antara News

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) on Monday issued a three-day early warning for heavy rain and strong winds in East Kalimantan.

The agency’s Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman (SAMS) Class I Meteorological Station in Sepinggan, Balikpapan, informed that several regions in East Kalimantan will potentially experience heavy rain accompanied by lightning and strong winds of short duration over three days from January 10 to 12, 2022.

The heavy rain may lead to slippery roads, floods, fallen trees, landslides, and other issues, so the community and related parties, such as the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) in each region, must prepare anticipatory steps, a forecaster at SAMS in Sepinggan, Heni Herlina, said here on Monday.

According to BMKG’s forecast, West Kutai District, which includes the sub-districts of Bentian Besar, Bongan, and Long Iram, will likely witness heavy rain along with lightning and short-duration strong winds on Monday.

Meanwhile, Muara Wahau in East Kutai District, the sub-districts of Babulu and Penajam in Penajam Paser Utara District, and Kelay in Berau District will also be at risk, the agency said.

On Monday, bad weather is likely to impact the districts of Paser (Batu Sopang and Tanah Grogot), Mahakam Ulu (Laham, Long Apari, and Long Bangun), and Kutai Kartanegara (Tenggarong, Muara Badak, Muara Jawa, and Tabang), it added.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the impact of inclement weather is expected to be felt in Balikpapan city and the districts of Berau (Kelay and Derawan Island), West Kutai (Bentian Besar, Tabang, Sendawar, Damai, Melak, Bongan, Long Iram, and Muara Pahu), Paser (Batu Sopang and Tanah Grogot), Mahakam Ulu, Kutai Kartanegara (Tenggarong sub-district), and East Kutai (Bengalon, Muara Ancalong, Muara Muntai, and Kongbeng sub-districts).

On Wednesday, severe weather has been forecast in the sub-districts of Tanah Grogot, Bongan, Muara Jawa, Long Iram, Long Apari, Loa Janan Ilir, Bengalon, Sendawar, Kongbeng, Long Apari, and Damai.

Source: Antara News

Palestine has called on the international community to stand firmly to protect the Palestinian people from attacks and crimes committed by Jewish settlers.

“We call on the international community to stand firmly to protect the Palestinian people from occupying power against Palestinians, their properties and land, as well as the Palestinian prisoners detained without legal protection,” Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia Zuhair Al Shun stated during the 57th Anniversary of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement in Jakarta, Monday.

The ambassador noted that Palestine also called on the countries that had not recognized independence of the State of Palestine to immediately recognize its sovereignty as an independent state, with Jerusalem as its capital, deemed to be the rights in the Palestinian struggle for liberation.

“I reaffirm that the Palestinian people will remain in their own land, struggling for freedom, independence, and sovereignty over their land, as well as establish an independent Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as its capital,” Al Shun stated.

The ambassador noted that Palestine also highly lauded the Republic of Indonesia, its people, and government, for the strong support that did not stop and would never stop for the Palestinian People.

“On behalf of the Embassy of the State of Palestine, we extend our warm greetings and great appreciation for your presence on the occasion of the 57th Anniversary of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement,” the ambassador affirmed.

Foreign Affairs Minister Retno L. P. Marsudi had earlier stressed that Indonesia would continue to support the Palestinian people in the fight for justice and freedom.

“Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi conveyed Indonesia’s consistent stance toward Palestine that the Indonesian nation will continue to stand with the Palestinian people to fight for justice and independence,” spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Teuku Faizasyah noted in Friday.

Faizasyah’s statement came in response to the Israeli media reports that said the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was keen to normalize relations between Indonesia and Israel.

“The topic of Israel was raised by State Secretary Blinken at a meeting with the Indonesian foreign minister during a visit to Jakarta,” Faizasyah noted.

Source: Antara News

Restoring forest areas can help reduce deforestation and achieve the forestry sector’s net sink target, according to IPB University’s Professor of Forestry, Herry Purnomo.

“First, fix the forest areas, especially production forests that (have been converted) into plantations. This must be prevented,” he told ANTARA here on the occasion of One Million Tree Planting Day, which is celebrated every January 10.

Purnomo, who also serves as a researcher at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), said restoration efforts sometimes become complicated when forest functions are switched and they are already inhabited by communities.

However, he still pushed for a re-consideration for small farmers and law enforcement for bigger entrepreneurs.

“Second, conduct reforestation on degraded lands,” he suggested. Moreover, the certainty of land management needs to be elucidated, he stressed.

The third step is the economic development of forest areas through efforts such as ecotourism so that forests exert a large positive economic influence on the surrounding communities, he explained.

Support from non-governmental players, such as non-profit organizations, and the private sector is also urgently needed to encourage sustainable forest management, Purnomo said.

In particular, he highlighted some products that can be utilized that do not cause deforestation.

“It actually aligns (with the efforts against forest degradation). We do not need to be enemies but use it to strengthen anti-deforestation in Indonesia (which can open) opportunities to get a high market,” he explained.

In addition to the three steps, he said that tree plantation by various parties can have an impact on reforestation efforts. However, the planting movement needs to be followed up by a commitment to taking care of the trees to ensure their sustainability, he added.

Source: Antara News