Day: April 5, 2022

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that the earthquake that rattled Halmahera Island, North Maluku Province, on Tuesday morning was triggered by a fault within the Maluku Sea Plate.

In a statement received here on Tuesday, Earthquake and Tsunami Mitigation Coordinator at the agency Daryono remarked that the shock was also sensed in Minahasa District and Sangihe Islands District in North Sulawesi Province.

The agency’s analysis found that the earthquake, which hit at 8:44 a.m. Western Indonesia Standard Time (WIB), had an updated magnitude of 5.9.

The epicenter of the earthquake was located at 2.11 degrees north latitude and 126.97 degrees east longitude.

Precisely, it was located at sea, at a distance of 77 kilometers (km) northwest of Loloda Sub-district, West Halmahera District, North Maluku Province, at a depth of 10 km.

“Considering the location of the epicenter and the depth of the hypocenter, it was a shallow earthquake,” Daryono remarked.

He stated that the source mechanism analysis showed that the shock had an oblique-thrust fault mechanism.

The earthquake was felt in Galela Sub-district, North Halmahera District, North Maluku Province, at Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) III-IV, causing several residents to flee the buildings due to the sudden strong tremors.

In Tobelo Sub-district, North Halmahera District, the shocks were sensed at MMI III.

Meanwhile, the earthquake was felt at MMI II-III in Bitung City, North Sulawesi Province. Furthermore, the people in Siau Island, North Sulawesi Province, sensed quite weak shocks of MMI II.

“The modeling results showed that the earthquake does not potentially trigger a tsunami since the magnitude is quite small to be able to create deformation of the seabed that can disrupt the seawater column,” Daryono stated.

As of 10:00 a.m. WIB, the BMKG has not monitored any aftershock.

Daryono noted that Maluku Sea is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis.

“There have been several strong earthquakes and tsunamis in the region, including those that occurred in 1608, 1845, 1852, 1857, 1889, 1907, and 1939,” he added.

Source: Antara News

Indonesian is utilizing the opportunity to cooperate on climate change — especially pertaining to mangroves, coral reefs, and blue carbon — with Saudi Arabia.

The Indonesian delegates were led by Forest and Environment Management Coordinating Deputy at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Nani Hendiarti and Electricity Director General at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Rida Mulyana during a working visit to the capital Riyadh on March 29-30, 2022.

The working visit was aimed at following up on the visit of Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan to Saudi Arabia few times back to seek cooperation opportunities between both nations.

Saudi Arabia had earlier held some virtual meetings with Indonesia before the working visit.

The Indonesian delegates, accompanied by Economic Function at the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh on the first day of the working visit, met Saudi’s counterparts led by Environment Deputy Minister at the Environment, Irrigation, and Agriculture Ministry Ibrahim Faqeeha along with National Center for Vegetation Cover and Combatting Desertification, National Centre for Wildlife Head and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology representatives.

“We warmly welcome what has been conveyed by Saudi’s counterparts in the meeting. Currently, Indonesia also targets the mangrove rehabilitation of 600 thousand hectares, including the blue carbon, coral reef restoration, and Blue Halo-S agendas for which it will cooperate with Saudi Arabia,” Hendiarti remarked in a press statement here on Tuesday.

Indonesia also conveyed the 2045 Bali Net Zero Emission Program in which Saudi can contribute, she noted.

The delegates, thereafter, met Saudi’s agriculture deputy minister at the office of the Environment, Irrigation, and Agriculture Ministry.

The country is building North Sumatra’s food estate and is planning to develop the new food estate in Central Sulawesi that will support food security in its new capital Nusantara in East Kalimantan, she stated.

“The food estate development also draws Saudi’s serious attention, especially with regard to the vegetable, flour, onion, and dairy commodities. Indonesia continues to make efforts in order that Saudi Arabia can contribute since food estate development is not only related to commodities but also the modern agricultural mechanism and the development of human resources,” Hendiarti explained.

Saudi Arabia will learn Indonesia’s proposal, she noted while adding that both countries continue to hold virtual meetings to realize the cooperation sectors to be agreed upon.

The agreement signing is expected to be conducted at the ministerial level in May or no later than June 2022.

Source: Antara News

The number of passengers arriving and departing through Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in March 2022 increased by 56 percent compared to February, state airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I informed.

According to the general manager of PT Angkasa Pura I at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport Bali, Herry A.Y. Sikado, the airport recorded 605,133 passengers and 4,774 aircraft movements in March this year.

“This achievement (was a combination of) records of domestic and international flights that have been operating again. When compared to the February 2022 period, (the number of) passengers increased by 56 percent and aircraft movements rose by 30 percent,” Sikado said in Badung district on Tuesday.

The increasing trend was influenced by a number of factors, although I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport temporarily suspended flight operations for 24 hours during Hindu Silence or Nyepi Day on March 3, 2022, he explained.

“Some factors that triggered the increase such as the easing of flight requirements as air transportation travelers who already have obtained a complete dose of vaccine are no longer required to take COVID-19 tests,” he said.

The MotoGP or Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia that was held in Lombok was also a factor in the hike in the number of passengers, Sikado pointed out.

Furthermore, in March, the top three departure routes served by Bali Airport were flights to Jakarta with 164,790 passengers, Surabaya with 40,544 passengers, and Makassar with 22,267 passengers.

The highest number of daily passengers on domestic flights was recorded at 26,335 on March 25, 2022, and on international flights at 1,979 on March 28, 2022.

“We are committed to providing services with strict health protocols in accordance with government regulations in anticipating the spread of COVID-19, along with increasing public confidence in using air transportation during the pandemic,” Sikado said.

Source: Antara News

President Joko Widodo has instructed ministers in the Onward Indonesia Cabinet to maintain food and energy resilience amidst rising global commodity prices.

“All countries in the world are facing difficult situations. Therefore, food resilience and energy resilience need to be improved,” Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said at the Presidential palace here on Tuesday.

Minister Indrawati delivered the statement during a press conference with the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Airlangga Hartarto, after attending the Plenary Cabinet Session on ‘Anticipating the Situation and Development of the World Economy,’ which was led by President Widodo.

Indrawati said that her ministry will support the plan by planning the state budget, which, due to the increase in commodity prices, would also see improvement owing to state revenues. However, the increase would also impact the general public through inflation, she added.

The government will formulate a plan for the proper allocation of the additional state revenue.

The minister revealed that President Widodo has instructed that food and fuel prices be monitored to determine future policies. A triad of aspects must be kept in balance, those being people’s purchasing power, economic momentum, as well as the state budget.

She disclosed that the government still has Rp455 trillion to allocate for economic recovery programs, which would be focused on labor-intensive programs, particularly those undertaken by the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry and others.

The President has also directed that efforts to ensure food resilience — such as land clearing, irrigation, ascertaining supply of fertilizers, as well as seeds for plants that can be grown locally — be expedited, the minister said.

For example, a policy by relevant ministries needs to be set promptly for food commodities that can be harvested in less than 3 months, such as rice, corn, and soybeans.

Meanwhile, Minister Hartarto noted the increase in commodity prices, for both food and energy, due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Source: Antara News

The Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) could be promoted to wider audiences by allowing it to host the congregational Eid al-Fitr prayer at the conclusion of the Ramadan fasting period, the Jakarta Deputy Governor has said.

“The stadium is huge and strategic, and (by hosting the Eid prayer at the stadium) we could express our thankfulness for the completion of the stadium that we are proud of. We could also promote the stadium (through the congregation),” Ahmad Riza Patria said at the Jakarta Legislature Building here on Tuesday.

The deputy governor urged residents to promote the newest stadium in North Jakarta, which has been developed according to international standards.

“Let us keep, maintain, and use the stadium properly for the interest of the general public,” he remarked.

He also invited Jakartans to throng Jakarta International Stadium for the congregational Eid al-Fitr prayer.

“God Willing, we will open the stadium to host the Eid prayer. I invite Jakartans to join the Eid prayer at JIS,” Patria said.

Despite confirming the stadium will be opened for the Eid al-Fitr prayer, the deputy governor is yet to confirm whether the main stadium field will be opened for the prayer or whether the prayer will be conducted in the stadium’s outer courtyard.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Mental and Spiritual Education Bureau head Gunas Mahdianto said that Jakarta International Stadium will also host an Eid celebration festival the night before the Eid prayer.

The Eid prayer and the celebration festival will be part of the Jakarta government’s agenda to welcome Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, he said.

Earlier, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said that the stadium could encourage the people’s economy in northern Jakarta since infrastructure development was not only conducted at the stadium but also across the region.

“We hope the stadium would become a driving force to advance the economy sector,” the governor remarked through his YouTube channel here on Monday (March 28, 2022).

Source: Antara News

Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has highlighted the importance of sharia insurance to develop the sharia financial industry in support of sustainable national development.

“The presence (of sharia insurance) is expected to support the creation of sustainable national development, eradicate poverty, and contribute to accelerating recovery in the event of a disaster in Indonesia,” Amin noted while addressing the launch of PT Prudential Sharia Life Assurance (Prudential Syariah) through video teleconferencing in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Not only the public but also financial institutions, such as sharia banking, require sharia insurance services, he remarked.

By applying a risk-sharing concept, sharia insurance is an alternative risk control for business agents and entrepreneurs, he noted.

“Unfortunately, the pivotal role of sharia insurance has not been reflected by the balanced growth of sharia insurance. The share market of the sharia insurance industry is relatively small,” he noted.

Based on data from the Financial Service Authority (OJK), sharia insurance holds a 5.3-percent share of the insurance market in the country in 2021. Meanwhile, the sharia insurance industry has grown since the first sharia insurance firm was set up three decades ago.

“This means that the opportunity for the sharia insurance industry is still wide open,” he affirmed.

Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has highlighted the importance of sharia insurance to develop the sharia financial industry in support of sustainable national development.

“The presence (of sharia insurance) is expected to support the creation of sustainable national development, eradicate poverty, and contribute to accelerating recovery in the event of a disaster in Indonesia,” Amin noted while addressing the launch of PT Prudential Sharia Life Assurance (Prudential Syariah) through video teleconferencing in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Not only the public but also financial institutions, such as sharia banking, require sharia insurance services, he remarked.

By applying a risk-sharing concept, sharia insurance is an alternative risk control for business agents and entrepreneurs, he noted.

“Unfortunately, the pivotal role of sharia insurance has not been reflected by the balanced growth of sharia insurance. The share market of the sharia insurance industry is relatively small,” he noted.

Based on data from the Financial Service Authority (OJK), sharia insurance holds a 5.3-percent share of the insurance market in the country in 2021. Meanwhile, the sharia insurance industry has grown since the first sharia insurance firm was set up three decades ago.

“This means that the opportunity for the sharia insurance industry is still wide open,” he affirmed.

The fisheries cultivation or aquaculture village program launched by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries in some regions should strengthen the participation of local governments, according to Destructive Fishing Watch (DFW).

“It is necessary to look at the regions’ involvement, both at the provincial and district levels, so this program is not exclusive, which is without the participation of the local government,” DFW National Coordinator Moh Abdi Suhufan told ANTARA here on Tuesday.

Suhufan highlighted that the fisheries village program aims to develop aquaculture at the village level, with the aim of increasing productivity and enhancing the income of local fisheries’ farmers.

According to Suhufan, the cultivation village program should be based on the potential, characteristics, capacity, and market opportunities of the commodities.

“This program must be implemented in a clear, clean, and decent condition and not problematic one,” he said.

Furthermore, Suhufan emphasized that monitoring of the program must be conducted intensively to mitigate failures due to weather changes, diseases, and natural disasters.

In other words, supervision of the program’s implementation must be conducted regularly to avoid unsustainability.

“Monitoring aims to ensure the program achieves its goals. There needs to be a baseline that will increase from one level to another,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has stated that the fisheries cultivation village program being developed in various regions has a goal to maximize the marine commodities and local endemic fisheries.

Director General of Aquaculture at the ministry T. B. Haeru Rahayu stated that the concept of developing the fisheries village is an effort to achieve sustainable fish farming by synergizing various potentials in the regions.

The ministry has conducted the Nile tilapia cultivation in Warukapas Village, North Minahasa District, North Sulawesi, under the supervision of the Tatelu Freshwater Aquaculture Center.

Source: Antara News