Day: April 5, 2022

Indonesia is ready to welcome international tourists, especially from Australia to Bali, as the government has gradually reopened international borders, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno stated.

The minister noted that Indonesia has opened its international borders since March 8, 2022. Australia is one of the 42 countries that are able to get visa on arrival (VoA) in Bali.

“We also have to disseminate information on our travel policies to the international community. The policies show our concern for the safety and health of the tourists,” Uno noted while meeting Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Penny Williams, as quoted from a statement here on Tuesday.

Williams remarked that Indonesia continues to strive to curb the transmission of COVID-19 to provide safety and confidence to overseas tourists visiting the country.

Meanwhile, Williams noted that Australian people were eager to visit Indonesia again, especially Bali.

“In addition, many Indonesian citizens are currently studying or working in Australia. Thus, the reopening of the Indonesian-Australian border gate also offers respite to Indonesian citizens living in Australia,” she remarked.

Furthermore, she is upbeat about both nations intensifying cooperation in various sectors, especially in the economic sector.

“Hence, we are ready to collaborate to bolster our cooperation,” she added.

Earlier, Uno had noted that Australia is the most potential market to gain more overseas tourist visits to Indonesia, especially Bali.

Thus, Uno has planned to visit two cities in Australia — Melbourne and Sydney — to increase the number of international tourists from the country to Indonesia.

“Australian tourists consider Bali as their second home,” he remarked at the Weekly Press Briefing here on April 4, 2022.

During the meeting with the Australian ambassador, the Indonesian minister was accompanied by Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry’s Deputy for Tourism Products and Event Organizers Rizki Handayani; Director of National and International Events Dessy Ruhati; as well as Director of Inter-Institutional Relations Iman Santosa.

Source: Antara News

Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi has asked residents to continue complying with the COVID-19 health protocols during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan even though the government has relaxed several restrictions.

“We hope that residents can maintain a sense of kinship and work together in implementing the health protocols during Ramadan,” he said here on Tuesday.

According to the mayor, through mutual cooperation and compliance with the health protocols, Surabaya residents will be able to carry out worship activities during Ramadan smoothly until Eid al-Fitr.

“Hopefully, we can still carry out congregational Eid prayer later,” he said.

Earlier, the mayor had issued Circular Letter Number 451/5599/436.8.5/2022 regarding Guidelines for the Implementation of Worship and Public Order during the 2022 Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.

Cahyadi said that worship activities at mosques and musallas (prayer rooms) must be carried out in an orderly manner, in accordance with the COVID-19 health protocols, including wearing masks and washing hands using running water and soap or using hand sanitizers regularly.

Next, people who want to share free food for iftar and suhoor have been asked to distribute them through mosques, musallas, or social and religious institutions in order to avoid crowding, he said.

The mayor also affirmed that the Surabaya city government is cooperating with the National Police (Polri) and the Indonesian Military (TNI) to ensure security during Ramadan and the Eid period, including preventing public entertainment and recreation places from violating the rules regarding opening hours, preventing crowds, as well as taking anticipatory measures against criminal acts on public roads.

Earlier, the Religious Affairs Ministry issued Circular Number 06/2022 on Religious Activities in Places of Worship, allowing places of worship in regions with Level 1 public activity restrictions (PPKM) to open at 100-percent capacity.

The circular also regulates the capacity of places of worship in regions with levels 2 and 3 PPKM. According to the circular, the capacity of places of worship in regions with Level 2 PPKM has been capped at 75 percent and Level 3 PPKM at 50 percent.

Source: Antara News

The Jakarta Social Affairs Office has informed that it will focus on supervising 44 locations where problems related to social welfare often occur during Ramadan.

“During the 2022 Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, the Social Affairs Office has readied personnel to conduct supervision throughout the regions for anticipating the increase in the people who need social welfare services (PPKS),” Jakarta Social Affairs Office Head Premi Lasari remarked here on Tuesday.

The supervision activities will be conducted by around 439 Service, Supervision, and Social Control (P3S) officers spread across the five administrative cities of Jakarta (North Jakarta, Central Jakarta, South Jakarta, West Jakarta, and East Jakarta), she informed.

In addition to the 44 vulnerable points spread across the five administrative cities, Jakarta Social Affairs Office will also conduct surveillance at large mosques.

“We will also monitor the presence of people who need social welfare service in large mosques because this could interfere with people’s comfort in performing worship in mosques,” she explained.

Lasari affirmed that handing over some sustenance and alms is a noble form of worship during the holy month of Ramadan.

However, she advised people to make donations through trusted alms distribution agencies.

“Let’s do zakat, infaq, alms, or donations through official institutions that are trusted. Through an official institution, the donation will be combined with cash from other donors, so it can be bigger and more useful if empowerment programs are carried out,” Lasari said.

Earlier, the Jakarta provincial Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) had surmised that intellectual actors allegedly deploy beggars during the fasting month until Eid al-Fitr.

“Whether there are intellectual actors or groups that take advantage by mobilizing people to beg for personal interests, we will not let it and will carry out a crackdown,” Jakarta Satpol PP head Arifin said.

He affirmed that his team will expand the supervision of beggars and homeless people or people with social welfare problems (PMKS).

Source: Antara News

Deputy Chairman of Commission II of the House of Representatives (DPR) Junimart Girsang has asked the Home Affairs Ministry to reprimand the Indonesian Association of Rural Governments (APDESI) for endorsing a third Presidential term.

Girsang urged the ministry to remind rural government chiefs to abide by the existing law that bans village chiefs from getting involved in practical politics.

“Law Number 17 of 2013 regarding Mass Organizations and Law Number 23 of 2014 concerning Regional Governments clearly stipulate that village heads and apparatus must not engage in practical politics,” he said during DPR Commission II’s working meeting at the Senayan Parliament Complex, here, on Tuesday.

It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs to foster and supervise the existence of mass organizations, hence the ministry, as the supervisor, should take a stand by reprimanding APDESI as a mass organization, for endorsing that President Joko Widodo’s term of office be extended for the third term.

According to Indonesia’s Constitution, the President’s term is limited to two terms only. However, lately, there has been a discourse asking for a third term for President Widodo.

He said that the ministry should have reprimanded APDESI immediately when it expressed the endorsement.

The lawmaker also said that a statement of the ministry saying that there are legal and illegal APDESI managements is not necessary.

“One is registered with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights and the other one is registered with the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Ministry of Home Affairs should have neutralized it and immediately reprimand APDESI so as not to become a wild ball in the community,” he added.

Luqman Hakim, who is also deputy chairperson of Commission II of the DPR, shared the view that village heads and village officials are prohibited from carrying out practical political activities.

He also asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to enforce the rules by imposing sanctions on village heads and village officials who support the extension of President Widodo’s term of office to three terms.

Source: Antara News