Day: January 26, 2022

The Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) assessed that the G20 Presidency of Indonesia will be beneficial for the national agenda.

“The country is fortunate that our national agenda can be raised at an international forum,” the ministry’s Secretary General Mira Tayyiba stated during a virtual event on “Indonesian Leadership in Digital Issues at the G20 Forum” here on Wednesday.

Indonesia, until November this year, hosted the G20 international forum. During this year, the forum is expected to feature over 150 activities. Meanwhile, the G20 Summit is scheduled to take place in Bali in November.

The government agreed that the G20 forum activities would not only be held in Jakarta and Bali but also in nine other cities.

The forum was deliberately held in various cities, with the objective of improving the local economy that was experiencing a crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the G20 activities were held in compliance with strict health protocols.

“We want to use the G20 not only to demonstrate that Indonesia can be a leader but also to spur the local economy,” Tayyiba remarked.

The ministry was appointed to be in charge of digital issues during Indonesia’s G20 Presidency. Apart from hosting the G20 for the first time, Indonesia is also the first chairman of the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG), a working group formed in 2021.

DEWG is an upgrade from the Digital Economy Task Force created in 2017 during Germany’s G20 Presidency.

DEWG is a working group formed to discuss the use of digital technology, through the exchange of information and ideas, and to seek a common understanding of policies that drive the digital economy.

At the forum, the ministry raised three priority issues: connectivity and post-pandemic recovery; digital literacy and proficiency; and the flow of data across national borders.

The connectivity issue that will be discussed by the working group is not only about internet access but also about connectivity between people.

Meanwhile, Kominfo encourages G20 member countries to have the same standards regarding digital literacy and proficiency.

The Indonesian government is developing the G20 Toolkit for Measuring Digital Skills and Digital Literacy that will serve as a measure of the digital literacy and skills readiness as well as be a common reference for G20 member countries.

The final issue is about the flow of data across national borders. Regarding this issue, Kominfo deems it necessary to have an agreement with member countries to protect data, including for personal data protection and safeguarding against cyberattacks.

Data circulating around the world daily is estimated to reach 453 billion gigabytes by 2025.

Source: Antara News

West Java’s Governor M. Ridwan Kamil said Jakarta was never designed to become the nation’s capital city.

“I have read that actually during the colonial period, Batavia (Jakarta’s old name) was unfit to become a capital city,” he stated in a statement here on Wednesday.

“Back then, a malaria pandemic had killed thousands of people, which is why the colonial government decided to relocate the capital city,” he remarked.

During the survey, Malang, Surabaya, and Bandung were the three locations considered. Bandung was then chosen based on all considerations, he revealed.

The colonial government planned to relocate the capital city to Bandung that can be proven through the relocation of several government offices as well as military bases, he noted.

For instance, the central office of the state-run railways company PT KAI remains in Bandung to this day owing to the relocation of the Transportation Ministry.

The geology museum’s appearance in Bandung also came about as a result of the relocation of the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry.

However, the Japanese came, which ruined the colonial government’s plan.

“Hence, Jakarta was never designed to become a capital city,” Kamil stated.

Essentially, the Indonesian government never had a capital city that fundamentally represents the nation’s value, the governor remarked.

Consequently, Jakarta developed to become the dominant economic machine and took over several roles, such as those related to business and governance, as well as an education city.

Since vital government and economic functions rest in Jakarta, all forms of disruption within the city could likely ruin the two activities easily.

Concerning the plan to relocate the nation’s capital city, Kamil deemed that this idea had already existed since the era of Indonesia’s first president, Soekarno.

“During that time, Bung Karno had considered Kalimantan. Hence, the idea had already existed since long. However, Bung Karno picked Palangkaraya,” he stated.

Source: Antara News

The diversification of renewable energy sources can minimize the potential threat of an energy crisis in Indonesia, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry’s director general of renewable energy and energy conservation, Dadan Kusdiana, has said.

“With the diversification of renewable energy sources by simultaneously harnessing solar, hydro, bioenergy, wind, geothermal, and marine energy sources, we can minimize the risks posed by natural factors,” Kusdiana affirmed at the 2022 Indonesian Economic Outlook event hosted by HIPMI here on Wednesday.

Indonesia has diverse and abundant natural resources scattered nationwide that could be harnessed as energy sources, the director general said.

Renewable energy sources will be a vital source for the country in securing its energy supply in the future, he added.

The director general pointed out that Aceh and Nusa Tenggara have a rich potential for geothermal energy, while solar and hydro-based energy sources are ready to be harnessed in many parts of the country.

“Besides having sufficient and evenly distributed resources, Indonesia also has diverse natural resources that will be vital for producing electricity from renewable energy sources,” Kusdiana remarked.

Energy diversification will protect Indonesia from an energy crisis like the one that caused disruptions in European countries last year, he added.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has projected that Indonesia’s clean energy potential will reach 3,686 gigawatts, the director general said.

Of the total potential, solar energy can contribute 3,295 gigawatts of electricity, followed by solar and hydro sources that can add 155 gigawatts, hydrogen energy 95 gigawatts, marine wave energy 60 gigawatts, and geothermal energy 24 gigawatts of energy, he informed.

By the end of 2021, Indonesia had only harnessed a combined 11.35 gigawatts of electricity from sustainable resources that contributed around 11.5 percent to the total energy output that year, Kusdiana added.

Source: Antara News

Southern Governor His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali Al Khalifa received Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) Advisor Ian Lindsay.

The meeting discussed aspects of cooperation in light of the development of the Southern Governorate in establishing projects and public facilities to achieve the visions and aspirations of citizens.

His Highness was briefed on the development plans and programs undertaken by the board by attracting investments, and its continuous efforts to enhance Bahrain’s competitive and investment position in a way that support the national economy in all its sectors, to activate the objectives of the Kingdom’s Economic Vision 2030.

The advisor praised the initiatives adopted by the governorate to enhance its position in all fields.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Attorney-General Dr. Ali bin Fadhl Al-Buainain received Acting Advocate General, Head of the Special Investigation Unit Khalid Al Haza’a.

Al Haza’a presented to the Attorney-General The annual report of the Special Investigation Unit.

The report includes the unit’s work statistics for the past year, which is all judicial, training and organizational work during 2021.

Al Buainain praised the head of the Special Investigation Unit and its members’ efforts to protect human rights in the criminal justice system. He thanked them for their keenness to combat all legal and human rights abuses in partnership with all relevant institutions.

He stressed that the respect for human rights is the base to protect homeland security and to achieve sustainable development in all its aspects.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today issued Edict (6) of 2022, restructuring the Government Service Centre Evaluation Committee (Taqyeem).

Chaired by the Chief Executive Officer of the Information and e-Government Authority (iGA), the committee will comprise the following members, who will serve for a renewable four-year term:

1- Dr. Raed Mohammed bin Shams

2- Yousif Mohammed Al-Binkhalil

3- Dr. Hamad Ebrahim Abdulla

4- Osama Saleh Hashem Al-Alawi

5- Shaikh Muath bin Duaij Al Khalifa

6- Dr. Mohammed Abdulla Baqer

7- Nada Abdulmajeed Al-Qassab

8- Hussain Ali Al-Shehab

9- Fadheela Ebrahim Mohammed Al-Akram

10- Ahmed Abdulhay Al-Awadhi

The relevant authorities, each in their capacity, shall implement the provisions of this edict, which comes into effect upon its publication in the Official Gazette.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

The Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Mustafa Madbouly met Arab Parliament Speaker Adel Abdulrahman Al Asoomi.

The Egyptian prime minister praised the policy and vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the pioneering development, urban and civilizational achievements achieved by the Kingdom under his leadership and the follow up of the government headed by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

He stressed the deep Egyptian-Bahraini relations, which stems from the care of HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, and praised the Kingdom’s vital role in the Arab region issues.

The prime minister expressed his pride in the efforts made by the Arab Parliament under the leadership o Adel Al Asoomi as a platform for dialogue and democracy, stressing Egypt’s support for the efforts of the Arab Parliament entrusted to it, and looking forward to discussing prospects for strengthening cooperation with it to serve common Arab causes.

Madbouly expressed his pride in the speaker’s efforts and the parliament’s initiatives that benefited the Arab region and stressed his country’s firm stances in safeguarding Arab countries and defending their issues in international forums and its support to all the efforts to achieve desired goals.

The speaker expressed his thanks to Egypt’s leadership, government and people for hosting the parliament’s headquarters, and for the continuous efforts to support its initiatives aimed at promoting joint Arab action and activating parliamentary diplomacy in regional and international levels.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today issued Edict (8) of 2022, promulgating the issuance of the Executive Regulation of Law (7) of 2019 on Regulating the Registration of Births and Deaths.

Article (1):

The provisions of the Executive Regulation of Law (7) of 2019 on Regulating the Registration of Births and Deaths, accompanying this edict, shall come into force.

Article (2):

The Minister of Interior and those concerned, each in their own capacity, shall implement the provisions of this edict, which takes effect upon its publication in the Official Gazette.

Source: Bahrain News Agency