Surabaya city outlines strategies to handle COVID-19 during Eid

The strengthening strategy to control the spread of COVID-19 must be implemented properly through several important steps

Surabaya, E Java The Surabaya city government has formulated several strategies to strengthen control in preventing the spread of COVID-19 before, during, and after the 2022 Eid al-Fitr celebrations.

Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi stated that the Surabaya government had eased several provisions for the public to celebrate Eid with their families. However, the easing must be accompanied with the implementation of strict health protocols to avoid an increase in COVID-19 cases.

“The strengthening strategy to control the spread of COVID-19 must be implemented properly through several important steps,” Cahyadi noted on Saturday.

The important steps referred to supervising the community’s discipline in implementing health protocols and encouraging managers in tourist attractions to install and use the PeduliLindungi application.

Unvaccinated visitors to tourist destinations will be directed to the nearest vaccination outlets. Likewise, visitors, with black status on their PeduliLindungi application, will be escorted to an isolation room before being offered further treatment.

Third, the Surabaya government will implement safeguard measures and ensure security for the implementation of Eid al-Fitr worship at mosques and in the field. Fourth, the regional government will fully supervise the requirements for homecoming on various modes of transportation to be protected from COVID-19 transmission.

Fifth, Cahyadi said his side will conduct testing, tracing, and treatment for confirmed cases of COVID-19 along with the COVID-19 Task Force, Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI), and Regional Government to conduct independent isolation, centralized isolation, or treatment at a referral hospital in accordance with the existing standards.

Sixth, the Surabaya government will conduct random checks through antigen swab tests on travellers and prepare vaccination services and temporary isolation at the integrated health service post (Posyandu).

The seventh strategy pertains to accelerating the vaccination program. The eighth approach is conducting traffic engineering management, starting from contraflow to opening and closing toll gates and in certain roads during the peak of the homecoming traffic while disseminating information on the policy through social media.

“If these steps can be taken properly, then the homecoming and return flows can run well and the spread of COVID-19 can be controlled. Hence, the synergy between stakeholders must be solid,” Cahyadi remarked.

On the other hand, based on the vulnerability mapping, there are several forecasts of disturbances in the community that should be anticipated, including the threat of terrorism, thuggery, sweeping actions by mass organizations, price hikes and scarcity of basic commodities, queues and fuel shortages, and conventional crimes.

Moreover, community diseases, labor conflicts related to Eid allowance, illegal racing, drug abuse, fights between groups and between villages, acts of destroying public facilities, crowds of people that can be causal to COVID-19 transmission, as well as threats of natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, as the impact of the rainy season are predicted.

Source: Antara News

Home Ministry issues circular to regulate Eid al-Fitr gatherings

Jakarta Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian issued a ministerial circular to regulate Eid al-Fitr gatherings, locally known as halalbihalal, to prevent a surge in COVID-19 cases.

“On account of the Eid al-Fitr celebration and to prevent COVID-19 cases from surging, it is important that residents, governors, and mayors/district heads take notice (of this circular) to regulate halalbihalal activities being organized,” the minister stated here on Saturday.

The circular instructed regional leaders to observe the prevailing Home Minister’s Instruction on activities restriction enforcement (PPKM) levels 3, 2, 1, that affect their region before allowing Eid gathering activities.

Halalbihalal activities in regions with level 3 PPKM must be restricted to 50 percent of the total venue capacity, while residents in regions with level 2 PPKM can organize the gathering activity by observing a 75-percent capacity restriction at the venue, and halalbihalal activities in regions with level 1 PPKM can be organized without capacity restriction.

The circular also instructed organizers of halalbihalal activities, with more than 100 participants, to not serve foods and beverages in a buffet, and instead, serve the food in packages that can be brought home.

“Communal dining, which makes participants take off their masks (to eat), must be avoided because the situation will increase the vulnerability of COVID-19 infection,” according to the ministry’s circular.

Strict health protocols, subject to further regulation from the regional authority yet at least must include wearing masks, washing hands or using hand sanitizer, and physical distancing must be observed during Eid gathering activities.

Earlier, Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto noted that the government will regulate the obligation to comply with COVID-19 health protocols during Eid gatherings.

Hartarto, who concurrently serves as chairman of the Committee for COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery (KPC-PEN), said the government has advised against communal dining during halalbihalal activities.

However, if people decide to organize communal dining, then they must follow the applicable health protocols, Hartarto emphasized.

Source: Antara News

Ministry collaborates with AP II to produce fisheries documentary film

Jakarta Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) Ministry collaborates with Angkasa Pura (AP) II to produce a short documentary film to edify people on the quarantine process and quality control of fishery products for export and import.

State-owned airport operator AP II President Director Muhammad Awaluddin welcomed the synergy with the ministry to educate the public regarding fishery products’ export and import activity through the airport.

“AP II strongly supports collaboration with KKP to educate our public regarding fishery products’ import and export activity through the airport,” Awaluddin noted in a press release on Saturday.

He is optimistic that in future, Indonesian fishery products would become more advanced and recognized in the global market.

The documentary show, titled “Borderline Export Import” and broadcast through the Neptune TV Channel, explains about the export-import process of fishery products through Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang District, Banten Province.

The documentary covers several aspects related to the topic: live fish and fish products’ certification, testing samples process in the laboratory, export acceleration program, and steps to unravel the obstacles faced by exporters through technology-based services.

“The segment regarding live fish and fish products’ certification explained that derivatives of fish, including shrimp, tuna, snapper, crabs, and lobsters, are declared free from quarantine fish pests and also meet the quality requirements,” Acting Head of the Fish Quarantine, Quality Control, and Fishery Products Safety Agency (BKIPM) of KKP, Hari Maryadi, expounded during the 27-minute-long film.

The documentary also examines the mechanism for extermination of imported fishery products that failed to comply with the provisions, such as being contaminated with bacteria or parasites that can threaten public health and likely harm the Indonesian fishery ecosystem.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Doni Ismanto, remarked that the content offered by Neptune TV was maximized to provide literacy on the development of the marine and fisheries sector for the community.

“This film attempts to create an impression about the synergy between the KKP, in this case, the BKIPM work unit and the equipment and infrastructure at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in providing quarantine services and quality fishery products,” he noted.

Ismanto expressed hope that after watching the short documentary, the public would support the management of fishery products if they are looking to export through the airport and gain an understanding of prohibited fishery products to be traded.

The documentary “Borderline Export Import” can be enjoyed for free on the KKP official YouTube account, the MAXstream video application, and also the IndiHome service on the Neptune TV channel.

Source: Antara News

IKN development adopts three approaches for access equality: Minister

Jakarta The government adopts three approaches to ensure that development of the national capital (IKN) Nusantara can create access equality for all, Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate stated.

These three approaches comprise IKN Nusantara’s development as a Forest City, Sponge City, and Smart City, Plate noted through his written statement on Saturday.

“For Smart City, IKN Nusantara will maximize the opportunity in the digital space and conduct various smart initiatives in various fields,” the minister explained.

“For instance, in access and mobility, environment, security and safety, public and government sector, urban system, and liveability as well as dynamics,” he explained.

According to Plate, IKN Nusantara will not solely be a symbol of the nation’s identity or symbol realized through the development of physical spaces but also demonstrate Indonesia’s vision in supporting sustainable development that aligns with digital transformation.

IKN Nusantara is promised to become a breath of fresh air for the people and serve as a concrete example that development in the Western and Eastern parts of Indonesia can be equal.

“Nusantara capital also represents the idea of inclusive advancement, Bhineka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity), with the development vision as a new smart metropolis or smart city that integrates information and communication technological aspects,” he remarked.

Nusantara also becomes an innovation center that consolidates growth and advances Indonesia.

The existence of Nusantara is also expected to become a solution to address challenges that Indonesia currently faces, including the challenge of equalizing the economy.

The government’s data concerning Indonesia’s economic structure spatially is dominated by Indonesia’s western region, specifically in Java Island, the minister noted.

The island contributes 57.8 percent to the total gross domestic product (GDP) followed by Sumatra Island, with 21.7 percent.

Meanwhile, for eastern regions, Maluku and Papua, it was recorded that they only contributed 2.49 percent.

“This shows that Java Island still largely dominates Indonesia’s economic structure,” he noted.

He realized that the government’s efforts to address the economical gap became a major work for Indonesia.

To this end, the development of IKN became a huge breakthrough and a realization of the central government’s concrete decision in realizing more equitable national growth and development.

Source: Antara News

ID Food, PT PPI support respectful workplace policy in SOEs

Respectful Workplace is a safe work environment to respect and protect human dignity

Jakarta State-Owned Enterprise (SOEs) holding ID Food and PT Indonesia Trading Company (PPI) support the Respectful Workplace Policy in the SOEs work environment.

“Respectful Workplace is a safe work environment to respect and protect human dignity,” Human Resources Director of ID Food Endang Suraningsih noted in a written statement on Saturday.

In addition, Respectful Workplace promotes mutual respect, freedom from discrimination, exclusion or restriction, bullying and harassment, as well as various other forms of violence, both mental and physical, in order to create an inclusive, conducive, and productive work environment to encourage company sustainability and uphold high human rights.

Suraningsih lauded efforts from ID Food subsidiaries, such as PT PPI, PT Garam, PT Sang Hyang Seri, Perindo, PT Berdikari, and PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia, which have always supported protection and realized zero discrimination and violence against women and employees in general.

Source: Antara News

Employers should grant discretion to employees for Eid al-Fitr leaves

It is projected that millions of residents will travel to their hometowns this year. We hope that employers will give discretion to their employees that will return to their hometowns to apply for additional leave days to travel outside the peak peri

Jakarta Employers must provide discretion to their employees to apply for additional leave days during the Eid al-Fitr holidays, especially to staff members traveling to their hometowns during the exodus, according to a Manpower Ministry’s official.

“It is projected that millions of residents will travel to their hometowns this year. We hope that employers will give discretion to their employees that will return to their hometowns to apply for additional leave days to travel outside the peak period,” the ministry’s Secretary General, Anwar Sanusi, noted in the ministry statement here on Saturday.

While the government has declared April 29 and May 4, 5, and 6, as collective leave days to complement the Eid al-Fitr holiday on May 2-3, the government also projected the peak exodus period to be on April 28-30, he remarked.

Source: Antara News

Government not applying special traveling system for GPDRR

We will not use the bubble system here

Jakarta The Indonesian government does not implement the special travel system for delegations of the 7th Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) held in Bali on May 23-28, 2022.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s (BNPB’s) System and Strategy Deputy, Raditya Jati, noted that this decision is based on the significant decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia, especially in Bali.

Indonesia’s readiness, as the host of 2022 GPDRR, is also proven by the COVID-19 booster vaccination coverage that surpasses 60 percent, Jati stated during an online press conference on Friday.

Moreover, there are new policies in the COVID-19 Handling Task Force Head Circulation Letter No. 17 of 2022.

Source: Antara News