January 14, 2022 – Page 2 – Indonesia News Gazette

January 14, 2022

Governor Kamil helps to promote Braga artists’ artwork through NFT

West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil used the Non-Fungible Token (NFT) to help market the creative work of Bandung painters, resulting in the artworks being sold through the OpenSea platform for 0.09 ETH, or Rp4.2 million.

“Alhamdulillah (Thank God), our ‘experiment’ was successful. The Braga Street painter’s artwork in Bandung was sold at Rp4.2 million, or 0.09 ETH, in NTF’s stock through @opensea platform, which was eight times the usual price of Rp500 thousand,” Kamil announced on his Instagram account on Friday.

The governor has also been perfecting the plan to create an account on the NFT platform to help sell artists’ digital artworks collectively to increase the added value.

“In 2022, the West Java provincial government (plans to) open a special account for creative economy players to sell their art and multiply their economic value. This is the new world, a new way to increase the Indonesians’ welfare. Let us move forward (Hijrah) and adapt,” Kamil remarked.

Earlier, Kamil had created an account on OpenSea and uploaded some of his own artworks for sale as an experiment. He also invited Solihin, an artist based on Braga Street in Bandung, to digitalize his works.

“This is (a new form) of the economy. I produce creative work, such as paintings, and upload them on NFT. My children also do that because their generation understands and becomes the future ecosystem,” he explained.

The governor also pledged his support to artists by helping them to sell their artworks on the government’s NFT account.

“I will provide guidance on how to create an account on the stock, and (the government) will coordinate on it, so they do not have to register and pay,” Kamil added.

Through NFT, the authenticity of digital artworks and other types of collectibles can be verified and easily traded via blockchain, he explained.

Speaking in connection with the regulation of NFT, Kamil is optimistic that the government would issue guidance as new potential of the digital economy emerges.

Source: Antara News

January 14, 2022

Research activities in universities strengthened: BRIN

The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has said it is strengthening and facilitating research activities in universities, particularly under the State-Owned Enterprises’ Higher Education Alliance (Aperti BUMN), to advance research and innovation in Indonesia.

“University, which is under state firm, becomes one of our main partners in carrying out research and innovation,” BRIN Head Laksana Tri Handoko said in a statement received in Jakarta on Friday.

Aperti BUMN is in a strategic position to collaborate with BRIN, especially for strengthening non-governmental research related to increasing added economic value, he added.

To build this collaboration, BRIN has prepared various facilities, both in terms of open platform schemes, research funding schemes, and research collaboration center schemes, he informed.

Under the open platform scheme, all research infrastructure managed by BRIN can be used by all parties, he said.

“Equipment is important to support research,” Handoko added.

Under the research funding scheme, BRIN is providing two types of research funding based on the National Research Priority (PRN) and for research to support the handling of COVID-19, he informed.

In addition, there is a new scheme, namely the Center for Research Collaboration, which is a continuation of the Center for Excellence in Science and Technology (PUI), he said.

The Research Collaboration Center will focus on specific research, which will be tied to a multi-year contract that can extend up to seven years, Handoko informed. The Research Collaboration Center can be carried out both with industry and universities, he said.

“All the existing schemes will be evaluated at the end of the year to assess the continuation of schemes in the following year. So, it does not interfere with conducting research activities,” he said.

By sharing these facilities and schemes, it is hoped that research collaboration with campuses and industry will develop naturally, he explained.

“BRIN provides facilities for researchers to collaborate comfortably to spawn creativity so that they can contribute to the nation in the future. I hope there will be many collaborations, especially with campuses at Aperti BUMN,” he said.

Rector of Telkom University, Adi Wijaya, said there are many research fields where BRIN and Aperti BUMN can collaborate in the future.

“This research and innovation stems from problems that exist in society. With the presence of universities, particularly under the State-Owned Enterprises’ Higher Education Alliance (Aperti BUMN), it is hoped that it will be very helpful in advancing research and innovation that is beneficial for the progress of the Indonesian nation,” he remarked.

Aperti BUMN is a forum for higher education and universities managed by state firms such as Telkom University, Pertamina University, PLN Institute of Technology, Semen Indonesia International University, Pos Indonesia Polytechnic, School of Logistics Management (Stimlog), and Telkom Surabaya Institute of Technology.

Source: Antara News

January 14, 2022

Ministry urges parents of sexual violence victims to file cases

Deputy for Child Protection at the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (KPPPA) Nahar has asked parents of children who have suffered sexual violence to come forward and report the cases to the authorities.

“This is crucial because sexual violence has a long-term negative impact on children,” he said here on Friday.

Nahar urged everyone to be aware that sexual violence is a criminal act, and therefore, the perpetrators can be held accountable.

To this end, he highlighted that families and children must know where they can report sexual violence.

He cited the case involving the rape of 13 students in West Java by the owner of their boarding school, identified as Herry Wirawan. The case came to light due to the bravery of the children, parents, and support from the community, he said.

“From this case, we can learn that the courage of children, the courage of parents, the courage of the community, allowed several children (who are victims) to be identified and saved,” he noted.

According to Nahar, the students’ parents were initially afraid to report the rape. However, support from society encouraged them to report what their children had experienced, he added.

Parents should understand that by reporting sexual violence experienced by their children, they can receive assistance from various parties to ensure that their rights are fulfilled, he said.

If parents do not report the case, it could lead to other bad things, he noted. For that reason, he stressed that everyone must be encouraged to file a report.

“Thus, there will be next steps that can be provided for the victim and the victim’s family. We hope children’s best interests in the fields of education, health, and other rights can be fulfilled,” he remarked.

Source: Antara News

January 14, 2022

Integration with BRIN will not hamper Merah Putih vaccine development

The integration of non-ministerial government agencies and research and development units of ministries and agencies with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) will not hamper Merah Putih (Red and White) vaccine research, the BRIN head has said.

“Merah Putih vaccine research activities are still running and I make sure to focus on completing the targets that have been set,” Laksana Tri Handoko said in a written statement received here on Friday.

Through the integration, the Merah Putih vaccine team could have access to more human resources and better infrastructure support, he added.

During the integration process, all research activities at former ministries and agencies (K/L) that joined with BRIN continued to run as before and they were asked to complete all targets that had been set, Handoko said.

The integration process was also an effort to increase the critical mass of research in Indonesia, which has so far been low, he added.

The focus of research carried out by BRIN in 2022 will be COVID-19 handling, especially the Merah Putih vaccine and the development of non-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) detection tools, Handoko informed.

So far, the fundamental problems in research in Indonesia have been limited human resources, inadequate infrastructure, and limited funding, he said.

With the integration of all research institutions in Indonesia, the number of superior human resources will automatically increase, infrastructure will be completed, and funding will also increase, he said. In the end, this integration can increase the critical mass of research in Indonesia, he added.

Handoko said that by integrating Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology with BRIN, along with other research and development institutions and units such as the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and Health Research and Development Agency (Balitbangkes), the Merah Putih vaccine team will be strengthened because of the increase in human resources.

Handoko assured that the Eijkman vaccine team would continue to run and become stronger because of access to other experts from former LIPI and former Balitbangkes.

Source: Antara News

January 14, 2022

NFT a secure way for creative economy players to grow: Vice Minister

The Non-Fungible Token, or NFT, which has grown popular in recent times, has been deemed a safe instrument for creative economy actors to grow and create in the digital space, Trade Vice Minister Jerry Sambuaga has said.

This is because the NFT, as an asset, could serve as a unique digital footprint and cannot be duplicated, he explained in a podcast on YouTube on Friday. Hence, actors within the creative industry, such as artists, could avoid the danger of piracy, he added.

“In the future, artists’ works will be more sorted because they will be documented and there will be a record of them from the NFT,” Sambuaga said.

“This is beneficial for artists because their works will be more secure. There will be no problems in terms of copyright because the system will record them digitally,” he elaborated.

NFT, which is a part of crypto assets, will not only be beneficial for artists trying to ensure their works are not plagiarized or pirated, but also for the state’s economy, he said.

This is because Indonesia’s current crypto asset market is quite large and has an average daily transactional value of at least Rp2.7 trillion, he pointed out.

A large economic benefit could be reaped by the state if crypto assets are taxed, he said.

He then called for the formation of a special exchange for crypto assets, like a stock exchange.

“Currently, Indonesia is supportive of crypto assets,” he said.

“After a special crypto exchange exists, this will be good because we would have a potentially lucrative source of state revenue,” he added.

The ecosystem will also be safe for buyers and sellers and this will be integrated later, he continued.

At the moment, crypto assets are not regulated to be taxed, Sambuaga said. However, since 2021, the government has been considering taxing crypto asset owners within the nation, he added.

According to a publication from the Commodity Futures Trading Regulatory Agency (Bappebti), crypto tax in Indonesia is planned to be around 0.05 percent, he noted.

The tax slab for crypto assets is currently being discussed with market players such as exchanges and associations, he informed.

Source: Antara News

January 14, 2022

One house in Banten collapsed due to 6.5-magnitude earthquake: BPBD

The Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) of Lebak District, Banten, confirmed that one house had collapsed due to the 6.7-magnitude earthquake that rattled the province on Friday afternoon.

“Fortunately, the house owner survived,” Lebak BPBD’s emergency and logistics department head, Agus Riza Faizal, stated here.

A team of volunteers has been dispatched to review the condition of the collapsed house, located in Rancasema Hamlet, Kadu Village, Cibadak Sub-district, Lebak District, he noted.

According to the report, the house was flattened to the ground due to the earthquake, Faizal added.

“We have urged Arinah’s family, the owner of the collapsed house in Rancasema Hamlet, to stay at her relative’s home for the time being,” Faizal noted.

The agency has also received information that an Islamic primary school in Citorek Village, Cibeber Sub-district, Lebak, was damaged by the quake, he remarked.

The department head confirmed that apart from the collapsed house and damaged school, no other reports about major structural damages or casualties were received by the agency.

He also called on Lebak’s residents to inform the local disaster mitigation agency of any new information about more building damages or casualties incurred by the earthquake.

According to information published by the national Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the 6.7-magnitude earthquake occurred at 4:05 p.m. local time (UTC +7) and was centered some 52 kilometers southwest of Sumur in Banten Province, west of Jakarta.

Residents in Jakarta and other major cities of Tangerang, also in Banten, Cianjur in West Java, and Bandarlampung in Lampung, the southernmost province of Sumatra, also reported that the quake had been strongly felt in their region.

The agency informed that the earthquake did not have the potential to cause a tsunami.

Source: Antara News

January 14, 2022

Jakarta BPBD teams assess likely damages to buildings following quake

The Jakarta Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has dispatched teams to probe likely damages to buildings in Jakarta following the 6.6-magnitude earthquake that rattled the capital and surrounding areas on Friday afternoon.

Jakarta BPBD acting head Sabdo Kurnianto informed that the agency had assigned the task to the local BPBD at Jakarta’s five regions to probe for likely damages and conduct post-earthquake mitigation measures.

“The local BPBD staff at Jakarta’s five regions have conducted a quick assessment (of the conditions) in their region. We have also readied the emergency contact number 112 to receive public information and respond to public inquiry,” Kurnianto told ANTARA in Jakarta on Friday.

The agency has also coordinated with officers from the military, police, and relevant institutions to assist in the probe, he remarked.

The acting head informed that the Jakarta BPBD strives to educate people about earthquake mitigation measures through the agency’s social media channels.

In the case of an earthquake, residents must promptly exit indoor spaces or protect themselves by hiding below a strong table and maintain distance from objects that easily fall, he emphasized.

Residents must also evacuate only by stairs or emergency routes and refrain from using elevators during the quake, the acting head stressed.

“If residents are outdoors, they must stay away from damaged buildings and ensure their dwelling’s condition is safe after the quake,” Kurnianto remarked.

According to information published by the national Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck at 4:05 p.m. local time (UTC +7) and was centered some 52 kilometers southwest of Sumur in Banten Province, west of Jakarta.

A 5.7-magnitude aftershock occurred at 4:49 p.m. local time and was centered 54 kilometers southwest of Sumur in Banten.

The agency reported that the earthquake did not have the potential to trigger a tsunami.

Source: Antara News

January 14, 2022

PLN ensures Java-Bali electricity grid safe following 6.6 M quake

State-owned electricity provider PT PLN (Persero) has ensured that the electricity grid in Java, Madura, and Bali Islands is secure after a 6.6 magnitude (M) earthquake hit Sumur Sub-district, Banten Province, on Friday afternoon.

Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications and Social Corporate Responsibility of the enterprise Agung Murdifi stated that the company had immediately dispatched teams to ensure that all electricity infrastructure, especially in Banten Province, can continue to operate.

“According to reports from our teams, electricity supply in Java, Madura, Bali Islands, is unaffected,” he remarked in a statement on Friday.

Furthermore, he appealed to the public to remain calm.

“All customers can report through the PLN Mobile app or contact the PLN Contact Center on 123 if they experience any electrical disturbances,” the executive vice president added.

Currently, the Java-Madura-Bali network is able to supply 24.5 Gigawatts (GW) of electricity, he noted.

Meanwhile, Head of Bayah Timur Village, Bayah Sub-district, Lebak District, Banten Province, Rafik Rahmatv Taufik spoke of his side not having received any reports of damage caused by the disaster in the coastal village.

“We sensed a strong tremor for about 30 seconds when the first earthquake struck. Several aftershocks occurred during the next hour, though the tremors were relatively weak,” he stated.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) informed that the epicenter of the earthquake was located about 52 kilometers (km) away from southwest of Sumur Sub-district, Pandeglang District, Banten Province, at a depth of 10 km.

The quake, which occurred at 4:05 p.m. Western Indonesian Standard Time (WIB), had no potential to trigger a tsunami.

According to the agency, the disaster was caused by subduction activity due to a thrust fault.

The tremors were also felt by Jakarta’s residents at Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) III-IV.

The MMI III tremors are usually felt by people indoors quite akin to that of a passing truck. Meanwhile, MMI IV tremors can cause produce cracking sounds in windows, doors, and walls.

Source: Antara News