Day: April 12, 2022

Indonesian Army Chief of Staff General Dudung Abdurrachman inspected army officers of the 123/RW Infantry Battalion currently assigned for the border security mission at the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea border.

Abdurrachman, during his inspection of a post of the 123/RW Infantry Battalion task force in Sota Sub-district, Merauke District, Papua, on Tuesday, stated that the inspection is conducted to observe the condition of troops deployed for the assignment.

“I am on purpose observing you here, so I will know about the issues and deficiencies that you are facing to help us conceive measures to address the issues,” Abdurrachman remarked as quoted in his press statement.

He then reiterated his Order of the Day to 123/RW Infantry Battalion that officers of the Indonesian Army must be present among residents to address and offer solutions to issues affecting them.

The Army chief of staff then vouched to support the infantry battalion while expressing optimism that relevant government ministries and institutions would offer their support to the officers to ensure that the Army’s activities for the people ran smoothly.

“Your presence here must have a positive impact on locals by helping them because the Indonesian Army is from the people, by the people, and for the people, and that is why you are stationed here,” Abdurrachman remarked.

He instructed army troops stationed for the border security mission to maintain their health and physical prowess, prioritize security and safety while conducting their mission, and continue to engage in communication with families that they left at their home base.

Chief of Staff Assistant for Territorial Affairs, XVII/Cenderawasih Military District Commander, Chairwoman of Persit Kartika Chandra Kirana Army wives organization, and other army officials accompanied Abdurrachman during his visit.

Source: Antara News

Vice President Ma’ruf Amin, accompanied by his wife, Wury, made their first working visit during the Ramadhan month to West Sumatra to launch the ‘Proud of Indonesian Product National Movement (Gernas BBI).’

Amin and his entourage left from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Cengkareng, for Minangkabau International Airport, Padang Pariaman, West Sumatra, on board the presidential aircraft, an Air Force Boeing 373-400.

Upon his arrival at Minankabau International Airport, Amin and his entourage were welcomed by West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi Ansharullah, Pasambahan dance, and songket embedding.

After performing zuhur prayer at the airport, the entourage headed to Plataran Jam Gadang, Bukittinggi, to launch Gernas BBI at 4 p.m. local time.

After the launch, the vice president observed Belanja Pasar Rakyat (people’s shopping market) nearby.

He then headed to Plataran Pasar Ateh, Bukittinggi, to hand over assistance in the form of staple food packages to the community, people registered in the Family Hope program, children orphaned due to COVID-19, and people with disabilities.

At night, Amin was scheduled to take part in a West Sumatra cultural and economic development workshop in Bukittinggi.

On the second day of the working visit on Wednesday (April 13, 2022), the vice president was scheduled to head to Takengon, Central Aceh, to open the National RRI 52nd Quran Recital Week.

Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno; Vice President’s Secretariat head Ahmad Erani Yustika; Vice President’s Special Staff for Communication and Information, Masduki Baidlowi; Vice President’s Special Staff for Poverty Mitigation and Regional Autonomy, Muhammad Imam Aziz; Vice President’s Special Staff for Economy and Finance, Lukmanul Hakim; and Vice President’s Expert Staff, Farhat Brachma, were part of the vice president’s entourage.

Source: Antara News

The Jakarta Formula E organizing committee has said that the pre-test of the Formula E circuit will likely be held at the end of April or early May 2022.

This would be undertaken to adjust to the schedule of the electric car racing federation, Formula E Operation (FEO), it added.

“The circuit must be tested to check its readiness,” vice president of the Formula E communication organizing committee, Iman Sjafei, said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

FEO will determine the certainty of the pre-test, including approval for the feasibility or homologation of the 2.4-kilometer circuit, he added.

FEO has been in Jakarta since a few months ago and has also supervised the construction of the circuit, he added.

“They have actually been here for a few months, monitoring the circuit construction. Later, they will tell us regarding the right time for the homologation test,” Sjafei informed.

The circuit asphalting project was completed on April 10, 2022, he said.

Right now, the committee is building complete supporting facilities, including guardrails and stands.

After the installation of supporting facilities is complete, the circuit will be re-paved to ensure the smoothness of the track.

“We still have homework to build the fence, grandstand, and tribune to beautify the paddock. There will be several bridges crossing the circuit as supporting equipment,” he noted.

The electric car racing event in Jakarta or the Jakarta E-Prix will take place on June 4, 2022, or in 52 days.

The committee previously said that there would be a total of 50 thousand tickets for sale, with the cheapest priced at Rp350 thousand and the most expensive costing millions of rupiah.

Earlier, the person in charge of the Formula E circuit project from PT Jaya Konstruksi, Ari Wibowo, had said that the budget for the construction of the Formula E circuit has reached Rp60 billion. The figure has increased when compared to the price at the tender auction of Rp50 billion.

Source: Antara News

The Indonesian government has extended Rp600 thousand in assistance to each of 1,200 street vendors and food stall owners in Jayawijaya District, Papua Province, as part of efforts to boost the local economy.

The assistance is targeted at street vendors, food stall owners, and fishermen; however, Jayapura has no fishermen, commander of the Jayawijaya District Military Command 1702, Lt. Col. Arif Budi Situmeang, said in Wamena on Tuesday.

“In Jayapura, we distributed (the assistance) among street vendors and food stall owners, with each beneficiary receiving Rp600 thousand. The government channeled the assistance through the district military command for 1,200 beneficiaries,” he said.

He informed that his command has so far extended the aid to more than 400 beneficiaries and the aid will be distributed among the remaining 800 beneficiaries in the next 10 days.

“Maybe in the next 10 days, we will have completed the distribution. We give the public time because they must bring with them complete citizenship identity cards such as family cards, citizen identification cards. Maybe some of them have taken the aid in their respective village,” he said.

The government has extended the assistance to encourage local residents to resume economic activities, he added.

“At this moment we have difficulties with several basic necessities. Hopefully, the aid will be useful for them. We have 30 days to distribute the aid since we live in a mountainous range. However, we hope it can be distributed faster,” he said.

Source: Antara News

The Presidential Staff Office (KSP) has asked the newly appointed members of the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the General Elections Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) to promptly mitigate problems pertaining to the 2024 elections.

According to the KSP, the problems might comprise shortages of budgets and vulnerability to social conflicts.

“The election must give hope to the public that it is a civilized political contestation,” Deputy IV of KSP, Juri Ardiantoro, said here on Tuesday.

Some problems that often arise ahead of and during election implementation involve election regulations, the high workload of election organizers, budget needs, social conflict, and political conflicts, he added.

“Hence, mitigation is (needed to be) done to improve the quality and integrity of the 2024 election,” he said.

The election should result in the emergence of representatives and leaders who truly represent the interests of the people, he stressed.

Therefore, it is important that the election must also prioritize quality and integrity, besides technical smoothness, he said.

The 2022–2027 KPU and Bawaslu members need to create election procedures to limit incompetent candidates who have no integrity without restricting anyone’s political rights, he added.

“Of course, the hope is that the election will produce representatives and leaders who are close to their voters, and have a clean, competent, and visionary track record,” he said.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has appointed Betty Epsilon Idroos, Hasyim Asy’ari, Mochammad Afifuddin, Parsadaan Harahap, Yulianto Sudrajat, Idham Holik, and August Mellaz as 2022–2027 KPU members based on Presidential Decree No. 33 P of 2022 dated March 21, 2022.

The President has also appointed five Bawaslu members for the 2022–2027 period: Lolly Suhenty, Puadi, Rahmat Bagja, Totok Hariyono, and Herwyn Jefler Hielsa Malonda, based on Presidential Decree No. 34 P of 2022 dated March 21, 2022.

Source: Antara News