December 27, 2022

St Kitts and Nevis introduces raft of changes to its Citizenship by Investment Programme, benefits both locals and an intelligent investor

London, Dec. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The much-anticipated changes to St Kitts and Nevis’ Citizenship by Investment Programme have been announced today by the country’s recently appointed Citizenship by Investment Unit Head, Michael Martin. Setting a bold and new tone for the industry as a whole, St Kitts and Nevis is once again leading the way for the investment immigration industry – adding a new layer of integrity to truly accelerate the country’s economic diversification, empower and prosper local citizens while creating an enriching base for intelligent investors.

“Today, our progressive government brings to fruition these much-awaited and very important changes to our much-loved Citizenship by Investment Programme. Today marks a new era for the investment immigration industry as we boldly declare that a clear strategy will drive our Citizenship by Investment Programme with the sole purpose of benefiting our people and investors who want to see our nation flourish.”

“Today these changes show the international community that we place honesty and integrity above all else as we look to deliver a product that will bring us a positive reputation and send a clear message that we are open for business,” said Michael Martin.

Watch the full video announcement here.

The changes have been gazetted on 23 December 2022 and will take effect on 1 January 2023.

Since his election in August, the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, has hinted at upcoming changes to the country’s Citizenship by Investment programme – reiterating multiple times that the revamped programme needs to be mutually beneficial to both Kittians and Nevisians and international investors.

The Prime Minister said at a recent event “While we navigate the complexities of managing a small island developing state in this unpredictable and highly globalized world, we have made it a priority to craft a solution to ensure that the evolution of our citizenship programme will be a sustainable model filled with integrity, transparency and accountability.”

The Programme will be underpinned by three fundamental principles that have guided the administration’s decision making with respect to the evolved version of the twin-island’s Citizenship by Investment Programme – sustainability, good governance and pragmatism.

“We have crafted a sustainable model that will continue to be the envy of the international community by injecting high levels of integrity that will come through administrative improvements. We have also structured our programme to allow for greater transparency and accountability, which make the hallmarks of a good governance framework that solidifies the foundation of any successful endeavour. Lastly, we have tailored our investment options to align with market realities while preserving the platinum brand our proud nation has developed and nurtured for four decades, operating the oldest Citizenship by Investment Programme in the world,” added the Prime Minister.

To achieve this, the most notable change to the programme will be the introduction of a Board of Governors and a Technical Committee.

Effective next year, a professional Citizenship by Investment Board of Governors will be responsible for high level supervisory matters such as providing general oversight of the operations the CBI Unit, developing and implementing policies and procedures for the CBI Unit, ensuring that application processing is completed as swiftly as possible within the time frames advertised without comprising the integrity of the programme and, continuously monitoring the global investor immigration industry to ensure that the country’s Citizenship by Investment regulations align with and adjust to, international market forces.

To further the Programme’s good governance agenda, a Citizenship by Investment Technical Committee will be charged with ensuring that all due diligence background checks are comprehensive and that all citizenship by investment applications are reviewed thoroughly. This committee will also be tasked with making recommendations to the Prime Minister in his capacity as Minister of National Security, Immigration and Citizenship.

The Technical Committee will be comprised of a chairperson, this role will be filled by the recently appointed Head of the CBI Unit, Michael Martin; a senior officer and a secretary – who will be a civil servant assigned by the Prime Minister.

Applicants can gain second citizenship in 60 days, but only for a limited time

St Kitts and Nevis is offering applicants a chance to gain second citizenship in as little as 60 days through its Sustainable Growth Fund – the revenue from the fund is aimed to facilitate economic development and social upliftment in the country. The Sustainable Growth Fund will be used to provide financial support to educational institutions, medical facilities, as well as provide additional funding for the construction of infrastructure, the development of local tourism, the preservation of local culture and heritage and support of sustainable growth initiatives in the twin-island nation.

The Sustainable Growth Fund remains the quickest and easiest route to second citizenship in St Kitts and Nevis and from 1 January to 30 June 2023, for a Limited Time Offer, a main applicant, following stringent background checks, can make a minimum investment of US$125,000 to the Fund and receive approval in principle within 60 days of submission of application.

Under the Limited Time Offer, investment options are as follows:

Single applicant – US$ 125,000
Main applicant and a spouse – US$150,000
Main applicant, spouse and two dependants – US$170,000
Each additional dependant under 18 – US$10,000
Each additional dependant over 18 – US$25,000

From 1 July 2023 onwards, applicants investing through the Sustainable Growth Fund will be charged as follows and can expect approval in principle within 90 days of submission of application.

Main applicant – US$150,000
Main applicant and a spouse – US$175,000
Main applicant, spouse and two dependants – US$195,000
Each additional dependant under 18 – US$10,000
Each additional dependant over 18 – US$25,000

These changes are part of the government’s tireless efforts to create conditions necessary for sustainable economic growth and diverse business opportunities.

“This is an exciting time because these policies will continue our progressive course in the global investor immigration industry and cement St Kitts and Nevis’ place as a leader in the Citizenship by Investment space. As we move toward a brand-new diversified economy, we remain committed to investing in tangible projects to uplift the country to achieve our goal of establishing a sustainable island state,” continued the Prime Minister.

It is important to note that these additional layers are not meant to hinder the application process but rather ensure multiple aspects including keeping processing to agreed timelines, all approved applicants are of the highest repute and most importantly, that projects meet the requirement of benefitting the local economy.

Another change is that the sustainable model of the Citizenship by Investment programme will now involve the implementation of an improved multi-faceted approved real estate application process, the removal of loopholes and the strict enforcement of escrow and project milestone requirements.

The evolved St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme will invite bold and creative investors to facilitate the development of innovative industries in St Kitts and Nevis including construction of real estate developments pursuant to the new administration’s priority infrastructure list. “All projects must bring substantial benefit to the people of St Kitts and Nevis,” noted the Prime Minister.

The government will approve real estate projects to be developed and of these, a designated number of real estate units will be available to be sold to qualifying investors. Real estate projects will be constructed and completed according to a pre-defined schedule and a designated escrow drawdown process will also be implemented.

Only approved real estate developments will be eligible for the Citizenship by Investment option and most importantly, current “Approved Projects” will lose this designation once the new Citizenship by Investment regulations have been gazetted and approved, meaning stakeholders of these projects will need to apply afresh to become an “Approved Development”.

Minimum investment for approved real estate will remain at US$200,000 but there will be an introduction of penalties for the circumvention of minimum investment sums including:

Fines of up to US$200,000 on summary conviction
Revocation/suspension of Approved Development status
Removal of Authorised Agent licence
Blacklisting on the Citizenship by Investment website as a person or entity not authorised to submit a Citizenship b Investment application

A new Public Good Investment Option (PGIO) will replace the Alternative Investment Option (AIO) and will focus on effecting real transformation for the country by investing into areas that will benefit the citizens of St Kitts and Nevis – these projects must maximise local employment, transfer technological skills and increase capacity building. Investors of the PGIO must assume all financial risks associated with the projects and, if the investment results in the development of real estate on State land, investors must agree to transfer all real estate to the State on substantial completion. Investors looking to contribute to the PGIO will be required to apply to the Board of Governors to be designated as a Public Good Investor. To qualify under the PGIO, an applicant must contribute US$175,000, excluding relevant due diligence, processing and Government fees.

Investors can also apply for citizenship through the purchase of a qualified private home, for a minimum investment of US$400 000.00 for each main applicant. Unlike the preapproved real estate option, investing through a private home means a single-family home is sold as one unit and cannot be converted into apartments, condominiums or divided otherwise. The use of shares is also prohibited.

A private home that has been purchased through the Citizenship by Investment Programme cannot be sold for a period of five years after the granting of the citizenship and the property may never be eligible for use in a subsequent Citizenship by Investment application.

Having established the citizenship by investment industry 40 years ago, the progressive government of St Kitts and Nevis believes that these changes to its programme will once again set a much-needed positive tone and direction in the investor immigration industry.

St Kitts and Nevis has created a name for itself as a financial nexus with an attractive citizenship programme underpinned by a sound legal framework and robust multi-layered due diligence.

For nearly 40 years, St Kitts and Nevis has been the pioneer of the global investor immigration industry.

Watch the full video announcement here.

PR St Kitts and Nevis
Government of St. Kitts and Nevis
mildred.thabane@csglobalpartners.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8720436

December 27, 2022December 28, 2022

Cianjur quake victims may move into new homes before April 2023

Residents of Cugenang sub-district in West Java’s Cianjur district who were affected by the November 21, 2022, quake could be relocated to their new homes before Eid al-Fitr or April 2023, the Cianjur district head said.

While housing construction has continued, the district authority is waiting for data on residents who will be relocated to Cilaku sub-district from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Herman Suherman informed here on Tuesday.

“We are still waiting for the repeat verification data performed by the BNPB on residents that will move into the new homes,” the district head added.

At least 85 out of the 200 homes allocated for Cugenang residents in Cilaku sub-district are ready to be handed over to recipients, he said, while expressing the hope that residents would soon move into their new homes.

Meanwhile, Suherman confirmed that the government is ready to provide assistance and disburse Rp350 thousand–Rp500 thousand (US$22.4-32) in cash subsidy to non-productive residents once every three months for a year.

“Productive-age residents will receive training to help them become new MSME entrepreneurs, consistent with the Cianjur authority’s target to create thousands of new entrepreneurs,” he said.

The government will also assist residents who want to establish new businesses once they relocate to their new homes, he added.

“Residents who are active in farming will receive a land plot close to their new home, hence, they could resume working according to their expertise after moving in,” the district head informed.

The Cianjur district authority has reported that the November 21 earthquake claimed 635 lives. Further, the 5.6-magnitude earthquake caused minor damage to 26,586 houses, moderate damage to 16,068 houses, and major damage to 13,633 houses.

The national Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has urged the authority to relocate residents away from areas considered vulnerable during quakes due to their proximity to the 9-kilometer-long Cugenang fault.

Source: Antara News

December 27, 2022December 28, 2022

Effendy stresses health protocol compliance on New Year’s Eve

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, Muhadjir Effendy, on Tuesday underscored the need for following the health protocols during New Year’s Eve celebrations to prevent COVID-19 transmission.

“Residents are urged to continue observing the currently enforced health protocols,” Effendy said in a statement issued here on Tuesday.

The coordinating minister also urged residents to be mindful of weather conditions and increase their vigilance against hydrometeorological disaster risks.

“We remind residents to remain cautious and vigilant considering the high rainfall intensity could increase the potential of hydrometeorological disasters,” he said.

Meanwhile, he affirmed that the government has taken actions and implemented strategies to ensure smooth mobility for residents keen to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

“We have readied various measures, per President Joko Widodo’s instructions, to ensure a secure and orderly New Year’s Eve celebration,” Effendy said.

A traffic management plan and basic foods and vehicle fuel have also been readied to accommodate residents’ movement during the day, he added.

“Besides those arrangements, we have no other special policies regarding New Year’s Eve celebration. Residents can enjoy the New Year’s Eve festivities, yet they must remain careful,” the coordinating minister said.

He added that residents’ active role in maintaining order and following the health protocols will be key to ensuring smooth New Year’s Eve celebrations in Indonesia.

According to the analysis of the Health Ministry and National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), as well as the recent Home Affairs Ministry circular, the COVID-19 situation in Indonesia has improved significantly, the minister noted.

Moreover, as the activities restriction enforcement (PPKM) status has been designated at Level 1 for all provinces in Indonesia, residents will be more confident about celebrating New Year’s Eve while adhering to the health protocols, he added.

Source: Antara News

December 27, 2022December 28, 2022

Bangkit graduates’ TeDi app helping people with disabilities

Their concern over the discrimination faced by persons living with disabilities led six young innovators to develop an application called TeDi or Teman Disabilitas (Friend for People with Disabilities).

All six were college students who were participating in the 2022 Bangkit program, the Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry’s career development program in the information and technology sector, which is also a part of the ministry’s Freedom of Learning in Campus (MBKM) program.

“We were very concerned about the discrimination experienced by (our) colleagues living with disabilities. At that time, we saw a friend with disabilities get rejected by online motorcycle taxi drivers,” one of the innovators and a student of Padjadjaran University Najma said.

She recounted one occasion when her deaf colleague had a miscommunication with a security officer who did not understand sign language and thought that the colleague was mocking him—and it caused a scene.

Therefore, Najma and her team decided to make the application to help people understand what people living with disabilities are trying to convey.

“We conducted some research and found that there was no app that could facilitate many types of disabilities at once. Usually, one app is only for one type of disability (for instance, only to help deaf people). Hence, we decided to create an app, which could help many types of disabilities,” she said.

According to 2019 data from the World Health Organization (WHO), about 40 percent of people living with disabilities have more than one type of disability. The United Nations has declared December 3 as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

TeDi is the first Indonesian mobile app whose features can serve users with three types of disabilities at once, namely the blind, deaf, and speech impaired.

There are three features for visually impaired people in the app, namely for object, currency, and text detection.

The object detector can help the visually impaired recognize objects in front of them; the currency detector can identify the denomination of a currency note; while the text detector can help the visually impaired read books.

Najma said that the application tells users about objects, currency, and text through voice.

Another member of the team, Hazlan Muhammad Qodri, said that in the near future, the team will add a color detection feature to help blind persons.

“There will also be other additional features, namely ‘Family Help’, thus if you (the users) need help, there will be a notification on the mobile phone of (the users’) friend or family member,” he informed.

Meanwhile, for the deaf and speech-impaired people, TeDi has an Indonesian sign language (BISINDO) translator feature, as many people do not understand the language.

The development of the TeDi app was aimed at making the life of people with disabilities easier. It was one of the 15 best projects of the 2022 Bangkit program.

Each selected project received Rp140 million in financial assistance from the Indonesian government and Google to continue the development of the app.

Collaboration

The TeDi app was created thanks to the collaboration of six participants of Bangkit 2022 who studied machine learning, cloud computing, and mobile development during the six months of the program.

The participants included Najma and Julio Fahcrel, who were pursuing their statistics major at Padjadjaran University and learned machine learning at Bangkit.

The team also comprised Pratama Azmi Atmajaya, an information technology student at Telkom University, as well as Sang Bintang Putera Alam, an information technology student at Jember State Polytechnic, who studied mobile development during the program.

Meanwhile, two other members, Gilang Martadinata, who was pursuing an information technology major at President University, and Hazlan Muhammad Qodri, who was pursuing an informatics major at Pancasila State University Yogyakarta, learned cloud computing during the program.

According to information from the Google Play Store site, TeDi was launched on November 14, 2022.

Fahcrel expressed the hope that in the future, his team will further develop the application by improving the existing features as well as presenting new features for the currently supported disabilities and other kinds of disabilities.

“Prior, we have tested (the use of) this application at a special school and received positive feedback as they are happy since this application has a currency detection feature, while there is no such feature in other applications,” he said.

Najma, Fahcrel, and Qodri said they were grateful for joining the Bangkit 2022 program since it improved their technical and non-technical skills, such as foreign language and communication skills.

“The Bangkit (program) really changed my life because it really had an impact on my life. What I learned on campus and at Bangkit was very different (more advanced),” Najma said.

Qodri also informed that the Bangkit program had changed many things in his life. He said that he will focus more on software development in the future.

Creating digital talents

Acting director general for higher education, research, and technology at the Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry, Nizam, said that MBKM is one of the government’s programs for creating competitive superior human resources.

Hence, it not only involves theoretical learning, but also projects.

There are a number of programs included in the MBKM program—Bangkit, Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA), Kampus Mengajar (Campus Teaching), Village Development Projects (Thematic Real Work Lectures), and internships.

Furthermore, other programs such as Independent Campus Young Fighters, Independent Student Exchange, Humanitarian Projects, Research Projects, Independent Studies, and Independent Entrepreneurs are also a part of the program.

Bangkit is a career preparedness program that has been implemented by the ministry in collaboration with Google, GoTo, and Traveloka since 2020. It has created a thousand digital machine learning, mobile development, and cloud computing talents so far.

Director of government relations and public policy at Google Indonesia, Putri Alam, informed that 67 percent of the participants of the Bangkit 2022 program came from small and medium cities. Furthermore, 25 percent of the participants were female.

Since most of them came from small and medium cities, the learning process of the program, which was conducted virtually, posed some difficulties due to the uneven distribution of information and communication infrastructure, especially in the eastern regions of Indonesia.

However, it did not dampen the enthusiasm of students in joining the program. In 2022, a total of 63 thousand students registered for the Bangkit program, and 3,100 were selected to take part in it.

Since 2020, at least 6,400 participants have been selected and more than 5 thousand participants have successfully graduated from the program.

The number of colleges whose students have taken part in the Bangkit program has also increased from 251 in 2021 to 284 in 2022.

It is expected that more campuses and students will take part in the Bangkit program, so there will be more young digital talents across Indonesia.

Source: Antara News

December 27, 2022December 28, 2022

Ready to monitor President’s five priority agendas: KSP

The Presidential Staff Office (KSP) is ready to oversee the five priority agendas of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Vice President Ma’ruf Amin’s administration in 2023.

The five priority agendas are downstreaming and industrializing natural resources; optimizing clean energy sources and enhancing the green economy; increasing legal, social, political, and economic protection for the people; continuing the digitization of the economy so that Indonesian micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can immediately upgrade their class; and ensuring the sustainable development of the new capital (IKN) Nusantara and the National Strategic Program.

“KSP will oversee and ensure that the priority agenda and policies of the President are not only sent, but (seep) properly down to the lower levels,” the head of KSP, Moeldoko, said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

In 2022, the KSP carried out the tasks assigned by the President, namely overseeing national priority programs and the national strategic program (PSN), he informed.

Even though facing a rather difficult situation in 2021–2022, the KSP managed to work well.

“I have also received an order to map out the conditions of the many national strategic programs,” he said.

Moeldoko further said that in 2023, the world is expected to face situations full of turmoil, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, which will move dynamically and be difficult to predict.

By understanding these complex conditions, Indonesia is expected to formulate an appropriate crisis management strategy to ensure that all goals can be achieved, he added.

Despite the geopolitical conflicts and crises that are continuing to haunt the world, the five big national agendas must continue to be pursued to achieve the Advanced Indonesia goal, President Widodo emphasized earlier.

The agendas are aimed at developing an inclusive, fair, and sustainable Indonesia, the President said during the annual session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the joint session of the House of Representatives (DPR) and the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) at the Parliamentary Complex here on August 16, 2022.

“The nation’s grand agenda must not stop. Great efforts must continue to be made. There are at least five big agendas that I have emphasized earlier,” he added.

The first of the five big agendas involves the downstreaming and industrialization of natural resources.

The President informed that the downstreaming of the nickel industry led to an 18-fold increase in the exports of iron and steel. In addition to tax revenue, the country’s foreign exchange is expected to rise so the rupiah exchange rate will remain stable.

According to Widodo, Indonesia should build an integrated ecosystem for the industry that will support the development of the global green economy ecosystem.

The second agenda involves the optimization of green energy sources and lays emphasis on improving the green economy.

As for the third agenda, Widodo called for continuing efforts to strengthen the community’s legal, social, political, and economic protection.

He emphasized that the realization of civil rights and democratic practices as well as the political rights of women and the rights of marginalized communities must be guaranteed.

The fourth agenda aims to continuously support MSMEs to level up. The government has continued to boost economic digitalization to empower MSMEs, thereby leading to the development of 2 decacorn companies and 9 unicorn companies, he said.

According to the President, at least 19 million MSMEs have entered the digital ecosystem, and the figure is targeted to reach 30 million by 2024.

The fifth agenda highlighted by the President is that the construction of the national capital of Nusantara (IKN) must not stall.

“The IKN is not only for state civil apparatus but also a city of innovators and entrepreneurs. The city will not only house government offices, but it will also become a new economic driving force. It will not only be an ordinary city but it will be a forest city with world-class education and health services,” he said.

Source: Antara News

December 27, 2022December 28, 2022

KPK names 149 as suspects in graft cases in 2022

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named 149 people as suspects in corruption cases in 2022.

“KPK has named 149 suspects or an increase of 38 suspects from the previous year,” KPK deputy chairperson Alexander Marwata said at a press conference on “KPK’s Performance and Achievements” at the commission’s Red and White Building in Jakarta on Tuesday.

This year, the commission conducted 113 preliminary investigations, 120 full investigations, or 12 investigation orders (sprindik) more than the previous year, he informed.

Then, the number of prosecutions increased by 33 from the previous year to 121, the number of “inkracht” (with permanent legal force) cases climbed by 34 from the previous year to 121, and the number of decisions executed rose by 11 from the previous year to reach 100.

The KPK also handled one criminal case involving corruption by a corporation and developed five cases with the imposition of money laundering (TPPU) articles.

According to Marwata, the KPK continues to be committed to providing a deterrent effect on perpetrators of corruption, namely by not only imprisoning perpetrators, but also optimizing asset recovery through additional criminal compensation.

Therefore, he said, the KPK is also continuing to work on developing cases of money laundering (TPPU).

Vice President Ma’ruf Amin earlier emphasized that the arrests made by KPK must be conducted in congruence with the enhancement of anti-corruption education and prevention.

“The corruption eradication mission has been formulated as a comprehensive program by the KPK, and the education, prevention, and enforcement aspects would be correlated,” he said here on Wednesday.

Amin made the statement in response to Maritime and Investment Affairs Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan’s remarks on December 20, 2022, in which he appealed to the anti-corruption agency to reduce the number of arrests as it will tarnish Indonesia’s image.

The coordinating minister emphasized the need to pursue digitization to reduce corruption in Indonesia.

“If (corruption) prevention and education (aspects) are successful, I think the enforcement will be close to zero. Consequently, if prevention and education are not successful, (then) enforcement will remain. Hence, what is important is to enhance education and prevention to reduce enforcement,” the Vice President said.

Several countries have pursued the three approaches in their anti-corruption crusade, he noted.

“The approach is common in the global community, including the KPK, through the three tenets of education, prevention, and enforcement,” Amin affirmed.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, Muhadjir Effendy, said that in principle, he agreed with efforts to bring down arrests.

“It is best to reduce the enforcement aspect, including arrest operations. It could only be realized if the education (efforts) successfully motivate residents to change their corrupt mentality and officials to comprehend the harmful effects of corruption, but, it will take time,” he added.

He affirmed that the Mental Revolution movement, initiated during President Joko Widodo’s presidency, is an effort to reduce corruption among state officials and the people, but it will take time to produce an effect.

Source: Antara News

December 27, 2022December 28, 2022

Acute kidney failure: Police put two suspects on DPO list

Investigators from the Directorate of Certain Crimes (Dittipidter) of the National Police (Polri) have put two people on the wanted list (DPO) in connection with cases of acute kidney failure among children in Indonesia.

Head of the public information section of Polri’s public relations division, Senior Commissioner Nurul Azizah, said that the two perpetrators were identified as E, the president director of CV Samudera Chemical, and AR, the director of CV Samudera Chemical.

Their DPO list issuance was based on their whereabouts remaining unknown after investigators found evidence of the mixing of propylene glycol (PG), which is suspected of containing ethylene glycol (EG) and diethylene glycol (DEG), by the company on November 9, 2022.

“Therefore, investigators published a DPO list for the two perpetrators with numbers B/12163/XI/2022/Bareskrim dated November 25, 2022, on behalf of E and B/16164/XI/2022/Bareskrim dated November 25, 2022, on behalf of AR,” Azizah informed in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The investigators first named two companies as suspects, namely, pharmaceutical company PT Afi Farma and the supplier company for medicinal raw materials, CV Samudera Chemical, in relation to drugs syrup contamination with chemicals EG and DEG, which have been strongly suspected of causing acute kidney failure in children.

EG/DEG is a compound that has a simple structure, but a high level of toxicity. It has been regulated by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and has been included in the list of toxic substances. Therefore, its use is prohibited in Indonesia, she informed.

While the use of PG is permitted as a solvent and carrier for substances that are unstable or insoluble in water. The safe threshold for EG/DEG contamination is 0.1 percent.

However, based on their testing, samples of 42 propylene glycol (PG) drums taken by investigators contained EG and DEG exceeding the standard threshold of 50 percent to 99 percent.

“Investigators have confiscated evidence related to the incident and secured it directly to the state storage house for confiscated objects in North Jakarta,” she informed.

In addition, investigators summoned and examined six witnesses in connection with the case, who have been identified by their initials as T, A, H, W, DS, and ML.

Source: Antara News

December 27, 2022December 28, 2022

Jakarta: Govt turns to salt seeding to anticipate extreme weather

The government is preparing a weather modification plan involving salt seeding to check the growth of rain clouds and suppress extreme weather that is expected to occur on December 28, 2022, in Jakarta.

The weather forecast is based on data conveyed by a researcher from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

“We will try to modify the weather with a competition pattern, which is burning salt-seeding material to disrupt cloud growth. This is done by adding main condensation,” acting head of the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) of Jakarta, Isnawa Adji, said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He informed that salt seeding is one of the schemes of the weather modification technique (TMC).

Jakarta BPBD coordinated with Air Wings 1 Squadron 2 of the Indonesian Air Force, BRIN, and National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base, East Jakarta, on Tuesday regarding the weather modification.

Based on this coordination, the Indonesian Air Force prepared several types of aircraft, including the CN-212 aircraft, which can carry 800 kilograms of salt-seeding material and release it using manual deployment techniques.

Meanwhile, the Cassa aircraft type can carry 2.4 tons of salt and it takes two hours to prepare the salt-seeding material, while the Hercules aircraft type can take a minimum of 5 tons of seeding material.

Adji said that TMC would only be effective starting in the morning until around 5 p.m. local time, with effective results occurring within the succeeding 4–15 hours.

Even so, TMC can only be implemented in Jakarta if the regional head declares an emergency alert status, he added.

“Regarding this, BNPB stated its readiness to carry out the TMC assisted by the Air Force, BRIN, and BMKG,” Adji said.

Meanwhile, Jakarta BPBD is also preparing to face potential hydrometeorological disasters by carrying out a number of efforts, including establishing flood mitigation supporting facilities and infrastructure in each flood-prone urban village, he informed.

In addition, the agency has ensured the readiness of disaster preparedness posts and evacuation sites along with supporting equipment at the administrative city/district, sub-district, and urban village levels, and asked that they be kept on standby and activated when a disaster occurs.

Jakarta BPBD has alerted 267 disaster mitigation personnel/TRC in all urban villages in Jakarta to accelerate disaster coordination and mitigation.

Earlier, BRIN’s climatology researcher Dr. Erma Yulihastin, via her personal Twitter @EYulihastin, informed of the potential for extreme rain and storms, based on data from the satellite-based disaster early warning system called Sadewa.

“People who live in Greater Jakarta and especially Tangerang or Banten, please be prepared for extreme rain and storms on December 28, 2022,” she wrote on her Twitter account.

Storms from the sea will move toward land through two routes, namely from the west through westerly winds that bring rainstorms from the sea and from the north through strong surface winds.

Based on the early warning, Banten, Jakarta, and Bekasi areas will be the central locations for the storm, which is expected to last from noon until the evening of December 28, she said.

Source: Antara News