Day: July 7, 2022

The first underground pedestrian crossing in Indonesia is being constructed in Jakarta to connect the Dukuh Atas MRT Station to the UOB Nine Building Thamrin, Jakarta Governor, Anies Baswedan, stated.

During a press conference at the opening of the 2022 TOD Fair in Jakarta, Baswedan remarked that work on the underground pedestrian crossing project would be completed in the next 18 months, or in around 2023.

“This is a historic day to start the project of the first underground pedestrian crossing in Indonesia that will enable MRT passengers to reach buildings around the MRT station,” he explained on Thursday.

The governor also noted that this pedestrian crossing was part of Jakarta’s future development since corridors will be built for all MRT development projects to connect to the surrounding buildings.

Furthermore, he explained that this development was a second level of integration wherein MRT stations will be connected to the surrounding buildings.

Meanwhile, the first level of integration is intermodal integration, specifically connection between MRT to TransJakarta, trains, and other means of public transport that currently have nine first-level integrated stations.

With the interconnection program from the government and the private sector, Baswedan is optimistic of people shifting from using private vehicles to means of public transportation.

“We want the shift from using private vehicles to means of public transportation to be a rational movement, with much more efficient costs,” the former education and culture minister affirmed.

Meanwhile, President Director of PT MRT Jakarta, William Sabandar, affirmed that this development will cost around Rp150 billion that was fully funded by the developer.

“This project will be 100-percent funded by our developer. It is estimated at around Rp150 billion,” Sabandar remarked.

This facility will be of international standard, with access to people on bicycles, those on foot, and disabled individuals, as well as be supported by elevator infrastructure.

Source: Antara News

The East Java Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has established integrated posts (PMK) at 10 sites to contain the spread of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

“These posts aim to limit traffic and tighten the mobility of livestock entering and leaving the East Java region,” head of the East Java BPBD, Budi Santosa, said in Surabaya on Thursday.

A total of 10 integrated security posts for FMD handling (PTP2 PMK) have been established at Banyuwangi ASDP Crossing, Ngawi toll exit, Mantingan sub-district, Jenu sub-district, and the access to Suramadu Bridge on the Surabaya side.

The posts have also been set up in Plaosan, Punung, Donorojo, Badegan, and Padangan sub-districts.

The integrated command posts will be supported by the regional BPBD, the Indonesian Defense Force (TNI), National Police (Polri), regional livestock services, regional transportation service, and the sub-district FMD task force.

The posts will monitor products derived from ruminants and pigs, as well as animal products susceptible to FMD such as fresh meat and skin.

Santosa also asked the BPBD offices in eight districts and cities to oversee the 10 FMD posts. The integrated FMD control posts will remain in place until July 15, 2022.

Further, to strengthen their functioning, the East Java BPBD will deploy monitoring teams at all integrated posts to check the progress and achievements in controlling the traffic of livestock vulnerable to FMD.

Prior to the establishment of the posts, the East Java BPBD also made efforts to prevent the spread of FMD by spraying disinfectants in animal markets, slaughterhouses, and livestock cages.

By early July, the East Java BPBD team had disinfected 32 districts and cities.

“We are targeting to disinfect 128 animal market locations, 112 slaughterhouses, and 28 animal cages,” Santosa informed.

Later, an Animal Health Certificate (SKKH) will be required for inter-regional or inter-provincial livestock movement, except for entry or exit of livestock from Bali Island, which has been prohibited, he added.

Currently, the government has declared the FMD outbreak an emergency.

The stipulation of the emergency status was signed by the head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Lieutenant General Suharyanto, through Decree Number 47 of 2022 concerning the Determination of Certain Emergency Status of FMD.

Source: Antara News

Following protracted negotiations, Taiwan finally agreed to raise the wage for Indonesian migrant workers (PMIs) in the domestic sector and remove agency fees earlier imposed on them, the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) stated.

During the press conference at the BP2MI Office, here, Thursday, BP2MI Head Benny Rhamdani noted that the wage for workers in the domestic sector in Taiwan was last raised in 2017.

Meanwhile, the agency fees were imposed since 2003.

“After quite a long struggle, on June 21, 2022, Taiwan agreed to raise the wage of Indonesian migrant workers, from NT$17,000 (around Rp8.5 million) to NT$20,000 (around Rp10 million) per month,” he remarked.

The region also decided to remove agency fees of NT$60,000, or around Rp32 million. With this, agency fees will no longer be incorporated into the placement cost agreement form.

“Taiwan’s decision certainly became an (important development in) history for our country,” he remarked.

According to Rhamdani, the agreement is a form of success through diplomacy conducted by Indonesia.

The result was obtained after several negotiations between Taiwan, the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower, and BP2MI.

With this, the placement of Indonesian manpower in the domestic sector in Taiwan can recommence.

According to BP2MI’s data, some 15,419 candidate migrant workers in the domestic sector are ready to depart for the region, as the process had gotten delayed.

The BP2MI warned PMI placement companies to not impose a fee beyond the scope of responsibility of these workers.

If they are found to do this, then the agency will propose a recommendation to penalize companies proven to have deliberately imposed such fees.

“We will not even hesitate to recommend revoking the license of these companies,” he added.

Source: Antara News

Indonesian Hajj pilgrims have begun arriving at the Arafat Plain, east of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to continue their Hajj ritual there ahead of Eid al-Adha.

Hajj pilgrims will relocate for several days from Mecca to the Arafat Plain to perform wuquf — compulsory stay at the Arafat during Hajj — on July 8, which will coincide with the 9th day of Dhu al-hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, before Eid al-Adha, which falls on the next day.

According to the Indonesian Religious Affairs Ministry’s Hajj Media Centre, Hajj pilgrims from the sixth flight group of the Lombok embarkation point were the first pilgrims’ group to arrive at Arafat Plain on Thursday morning at 8 a.m. local time (UTC +3).

After the bus carrying Hajj pilgrims pulled over at the Arafat Plain, pilgrims, constantly chanting praises to God, disembarked from the bus and walked to the tent that would host them during their stay.

A Hajj pilgrim then commended the facilities provided at the tent as satisfactory.

“Praise be to God, all facilities are in line with our expectations, and there is no lacking at all. This is God’s blessing,” Zaenal Muttaqien, a Hajj pilgrim arriving at the Arafat Plain, stated.

The Arafat Plain is divided into units, called maktab, comprising eight to nine tents measuring 10×25 metres and equipped with electricity, air conditioning, mattresses, and pillows. Each tent is expected to accommodate up to 234 pilgrims.

Toilets at each maktab have also been increased to 38, from the initial 21 units, to ensure Hajj pilgrims would not wait too long to use the lavatory.

Head of the Mecca work section of the Indonesian Hajj Organisation Committee, Muhammad Khanif, stated that Indonesian Hajj pilgrims will embark from Mecca to the Arafat Plain in three groups by bus.

The first group will depart from 7 to 10 a.m. local time, the second group from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time, and the last group from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. local time, he stated.

Indonesian Hajj pilgrims have readied five-day provisions for their stay in Arafat, Muzdalifah, and Mina, which they carry in backpacks or small suitcases, before departing for the Arafat Plain, he added.

Source: Antara News

West Java’s government urged the Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT) Foundation to close its provincial office after the Social Affairs Ministry revoked its permit to collect money or goods following alleged violations by the foundation’s management.

“From the start, the government has urged all regional heads to close the ACT offices in their respective areas. I urge the ACT offices to close immediately. I am worried if something wrong will happen,” Acting Head of West Java Governor Uu Ruzhanul Ulum noted here, Thursday.

After attending the National Family Day commemoration event at the West Hall of Gedung Sate, Ulum stated that the West Java provincial government will instruct the relevant agencies to close the ACT Office in the West Java region.

“If financing causes jealousy and other things, then I request for all ACT branches in West Java to close their offices,” Ulum stated.

He also reminded the public to not distribute donations through ACT until clarity was gained over the case pertaining to the alleged funding violation by the ACT management.

“There are still many who need donations, and there are many institutions that are still valid in distributing donations,” he remarked.

He suggested West Java’s residents looking to make donations to channel them through the National Amil Zakat Agency (Baznas).

“Baznas is a government agency that is accountable and trusted. People can also donate to their nearest nursing homes, Islamic boarding schools, and others,” Ulum revealed.

On July 6, the Social Affairs Ministry had revoked ACT’s permit to collect funds for charity in connection with suspected violations in the organization unearthed during an investigation.

ACT had violated the government’s regulation on Article 6, Par. 1 of Government Regulation No. 29 of 1980 that allowed organizations collecting funds and goods for philanthropic purposes to utilize only up to 10 percent of the funds and goods collected for operational purposes.

In addition, the operational funds should not be drawn from funds and goods collection intended for disaster relief purposes.

Meanwhile, President Director of ACT Ibnu Khajar remarked that the organization, on average, used up to 13.7 percent of the funds collected from residents for operational purposes, which surpassed the 10-percent limit designated by the regulation.

Earlier, the ministry had summoned executives of ACT, including Khajar and organization directors, to clarify its activities with regard to information circulating on it in public.

Source: Antara News