Day: January 3, 2023

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West Papua Police prepare personnel to secure General Elections

The West Papua Regional Police have prepared personnel to secure the implementation of the 2024 General Elections, whose phases begin this year.

“We have law enforcement forces who are members of the Integrated Law Enforcement to prepare work procedure and concept in handling violations (during elections),” Chief of West Papua Police, Inspector General Daniel Tahi Monang Silitonga, informed in Manokwari on Tuesday.

He said that the police will focus on securing the phases from the campaign period until the voting stage because he believed that electoral violations will likely occur during those phases.

For now, the West Papua Police are still focusing on misdemeanors or minor offenses.

Silitonga highlighted that the police have criticized the appointments of some General Elections Commission (KPU) members that did not follow the existing rules.

The police chief further said that personnel have been prepared to secure the elections in the provinces of West Papua and Southwest Papua, the new province that was established in November 2022.

“Security will be carried out at every stage, from registration, and verification, to the voting, we will be actively involved,” he added.

He, however, did not disclose the number of personnel prepared for the 2024 General Elections.

Meanwhile, the Acting Governor of West Papua, Paulus Waterpauw, said that his administration is ready to help election organizers with a grant of funds.

He said the budget will be provided to election organizers, both the regional General Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) and the regional General Elections Commission (KPUD) as well as security forces.

Earlier, the KPU and the National Police (Polri) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on ensuring safe and exceptional general elections in 2024.

Some problems that will need to be anticipated during the elections will include logistics delivery, identity politics, and other things that can set the country’s democracy back, according to Polri Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo.

 

Source: Antara News

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South Sulawesi readies Rp20-bln aviation subsidy for three airports

The provincial government of South Sulawesi has readied aviation subsidy amounting to Rp20 billion for Arung Palakka Airport, H. Aroeppala Airport, and Andi Djemma Airport in 2023.

Among the three airports, Arung Palakka Airport, located in Bone District, received the highest subsidy allocation, worth Rp10 billion, to serve flight services.

“Hopefully, it would be used for flights in January. The budget has been included in the 2023 Fiscal Year Regional Budget. The budget is in the People’s Welfare Bureau, and the total is over Rp10 billion for the one (airport) in Bone,” Head of the South Sulawesi Transportation Office Muhammad Arafah remarked here on Tuesday.

The fund is used to reactivate subsidized flights at Arung Palakka Airport.

Speaking in connection with the airline that will be used, Arafah confirmed that it had yet to be settled whether the airport will use Susi Air again since this time, the process will go through an auction stage for a one-year contract period.

“Yes, (there will be an) auction stage. It (the plan) is like that for now, but we still want to discuss it,” Arafah remarked.

Meanwhile, the planned routes are Makassar-Bone-Kendari, Makassar-Masamba-Sorowako, and Makassar-Selayar.

Earlier, Arung Palakka Airport in Mappalo Ulaweng, Awangpone Sub-district, Bone District, South Sulawesi, started to operate again on Thursday, December 1, 2022.

The reopening of Arung Palakka Airport is owing to financial support from the South Sulawesi provincial government in the form of ticket subsidy worth Rp2.5 billion.

Susi Air, the airline operating flights at Arung Palakka Airport, uses the LET L-410 UVP-E20 aircraft that is a versatile twin-engine aircraft often deployed for short distances. The L-410 is operated by two pilots and has a capacity of 15 to 18 passengers.

Since 2017, general aviation had been halted at Arung Palakka Airport, as it is no longer included in the category of pioneering flight services subsidized by the Ministry of Transportation, particularly for underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions.

 

Source: Antara News

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2022 budget deficit at 2.38% of GDP, lower than estimate

Indonesia’s state budget deficit in 2022 reached just 2.85 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), lower than the 4.50 percent target set in the revised state budget, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati informed on Tuesday.

“The 2022 state budget deficit was recorded at Rp464.3 trillion, down 40.1 percent compared to last year’s deficit of Rp775.1 trillion. This shows a great fiscal consolidation. When compared to GDP, it is only 2.38 percent of the GDP,” Indrawati said at a press conference, which was followed from here on Tuesday.

Temporary state revenue realization reached Rp2,626.4 trillion, or 115.9 percent of the Rp2,266.2 trillion target outlined in Presidential Regulation Number 98 of 2022 regarding the 2022 state budget revision. The figure reflected a growth of 30.6 percent compared to 2021.

State revenue was supported by tax revenue, which reached Rp2,034.5 trillion, or 114.0 percent of the Rp1,784.0 trillion target, and showed an increase of 31.4 percent from tax revenue of Rp1,278.6 trillion recorded in 2021.

Moreover, non-tax state revenue (PNBP) reached Rp588.3 trillion, or 122.2 percent of the Rp481.6 trillion target. The 2022 PNBP reflected a growth of 28.3 percent from Rp458.5 trillion the previous year.

“The performance of state revenues, whether it is taxes, customs, and non-tax revenues, has been outstanding for two consecutive years. When the economy improves, we will also begin to improve all state revenues,” the minister informed.

She said that state revenues, which were boosted by rising commodity prices that included national leading export commodities, were used to protect the society and the economy.

State spending in 2022 was recorded at Rp3,090.8 trillion, or 99.5 percent of the Rp3,106.4 trillion target set in the presidential regulation.

The spending consisted of ministry and institution spending of Rp1,079.3 trillion, or 114.1 percent of the Rp945.8 trillion target; and spending on others of Rp1,195.2 trillion, or 88.2 percent of the target.

“Non-ministry or institutional spending includes energy subsidies and very large compensation, which we explained when the fuel price went up,” Minister Indrawati said.

The quantum of energy subsidies and compensation provided in 2022 reached Rp551.2 trillion, or 109.7 percent of the Rp502.4 trillion target. Initially, the target for energy subsidies and compensation was only Rp152.5 trillion.

 

Source: Antara News

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Unair sends 1.22 million InaVac doses to Health Ministry

Airlangga University (Unair) of Surabaya, West Java, has sent 1.22 million doses of the InaVac COVID-19 vaccine to the Health Ministry for supporting adult vaccinations.

An inspection of the InaVac booster vaccine by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) is still awaited, Deputy Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Community Development at Airlangga University, Professor Ni Nyoman Tri Puspaningsih, said on Tuesday.

“Every batch of the InaVac vaccine will be checked by BPOM. Even though it has received an emergency use authorization (EUA), it does not mean that the vaccine will be sent immediately. It must be checked again to avoid unwanted residue. We must make sure of the safety before delivery,” she informed in Surabaya on Tuesday.

The InaVac vaccine is ready to be sent to 34 provinces in the country, she added. She said she hopes that East Java province will receive some of the vaccine doses.

“We have sent a letter through the East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa to the Health Ministry to ask for some doses of the InaVac vaccine,” she informed.

Furthermore, Puspaningsih informed that this year, the Unair research team will continue to research vaccines for children, teenagers, and booster vaccines for teenagers because, in 2022, her party was still focusing on research for adult vaccines.

“We are waiting for the Technical Committee for Competency Testing (PTUK) for teenagers’ booster vaccine while also conducting research on children’s vaccine as the last one,” she said.

People can receive the InaVac vaccine after the Health Ministry distributes it to health services throughout Indonesia.

“Hopefully, East Java will receive some of the vaccines, because this is still a limited batch,” she added.

On November 5, 2022, the InaVac vaccine received EUA from BPOM as a primary vaccine for people aged 18 and above for boosting immunity.

The vaccine, which can be used to prevent a COVID-19 infection, has been made using an inactivated virus, that is, a virus that cannot reproduce and cause disease.

The vaccine was developed as part of an effort by the university to significantly contribute to and impact the health sector.

 

Source: Antara News

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West Papua: Tarera-Aiduna fault activity triggers 5M quake in Kaimana

A 5-magnitude earthquake caused by Tarera-Aiduna fault activity shook the east coast of Kaimana, West Papua, at 4:32 p.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB) or 6:32 p.m. local time in West Papua.

The earthquake was centered at 3.77 degrees south latitude and 133.50 degrees east longitude, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) informed here on Tuesday.

The earthquake was located 10 km undersea and 8 km east of Buruway, Kaimana, West Papua, head of the BMKG’s Earthquake and Tsunami Center, Daryono, said.

Based on the epicenter and the hypocenter, the earthquake was a shallow one and had a strike-slip mechanism, he added.

He said that the earthquake was felt in the Kaimana area at a Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) of II-III, meaning the tremors were felt indoors and were similar to those produced by a truck passing close by.

As of 4:55 p.m. WIB, the results of BMKG monitoring recorded one aftershock measuring 3.5 in magnitude, he informed.

“The modeling results show that this earthquake did not potentially cause a tsunami,” he said.

BMKG appealed to the public to remain calm and not pay heed to unreliable information on earthquakes or other natural disasters. In addition, people were advised to avoid entering buildings that were cracked or damaged in the quake.

“Before returning home, check and make sure your house is earthquake resistant or there is no damage from earthquake tremors that could endanger the building’s stability,” he said.

On August 2, 2021, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake was recorded 94 km south of Kaimana city, West Papua, due to rock deformation in the Graben-Aru active fault.

Based on its epicenter and the hypocenter, the earthquake was an intermediate one and did not have the potential to cause a tsunami, BMKG reported.

On Monday (January 2), a 4.9-magnitude earthquake in Jayapura, Papua, caused damage to some structures in the region..

 

Source: Antara News

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COVID emergency status still valid despite PPKM revocation: ministry

The COVID-19 emergency status in Indonesia is still in place even though the government has officially lifted the public activity restrictions (PPKM) policy, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Mohammad Syahril, said on Tuesday.

“Indonesia is still in this disaster (COVID-19) emergency, and President Joko Widodo is the one who issued the rule,” he said here.

According to him, the PPKM policy is a form of government intervention derived from Presidential Decree Number 11 of 2020 on the declaration of COVID-19 as a public health emergency.

The PPKM policy is one of the instruments implemented by the government to control the COVID-19 pandemic while regulating work-from-home, setting emergency levels in regions, and issuing travel rules, he explained.

Syahril further said that revoking the COVID-19 emergency status will need special considerations on the part of the government.

The considerations include ensuring the COVID-19 situation can be controlled maximally. Apart from that, the government is still waiting for the revocation of the global pandemic status by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Indonesia is one of the countries that have received a warning from the WHO to remain vigilant, he noted.

“A surge in cases is still possible to occur again in Indonesia. Thus, (we) must stay vigilant until the WHO declares the pandemic (status) has been revoked,” he said.

President Joko Widodo, on December 30, 2022, announced an end to the PPKM policy, which had been enforced to control COVID-19 transmission in Indonesia.

The revocation of the PPKM policy means that there will be no more restrictions on public activities and mobility, he said.

“However, I ask all people and the nation to remain careful and vigilant,” the President said.

The first case of COVID-19 in Indonesia was confirmed in March 2020. According to data from the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, as of January 3, 2023, the nation has recorded 6,721,095 COVID-19 cases, 6,551,477 recoveries, and 160,648 deaths.

 

Source: Antara News

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Ministry provides general allocation funds for West, Southwest Papua

The Finance Ministry has provided general allocation funds (DAU) of Rp370.80 billion for provinces, districts, and cities in West Papua and Southwest Papua for January 2023.

Preparations for allocating the funds to 12 regional governments had been conducted since December 2022, with the total disbursement made by the State Treasury Office (KPPN) reaching Rp370.80 billion, head of the West Papua office of the Directorate General of Treasury, Bayu Andy Prasetya, said in Manokwari on Tuesday.

“On January 2, 2023, all KPPNs, those being the Manokwari, Sorong, and Fakfak KPPNs, transferred the allocation fund for January 2023 period to the Regional General Cash Accounts (RKUD) of each regional government in the West Papua and Southwest Papua regions,” he informed.

He said that the mechanism for distributing the 2023 DAU was different from the one adopted last year, under which the fund distribution was made through the State Treasury Office (KPPN) of the respective region.

“Changes in the policy and mechanism for disbursement of general allocation funds are aimed at bringing closer and improving services to regional governments,” he explained.

Overall, the fiscal capacity of West Papua in 2023 is Rp29.83 trillion, an increase of Rp2.09 trillion compared to 2022, when the fiscal capacity consisted of spending on institutional ministries and allocations for Transfers to Regions (TKD).

“Ministry and institution spending amounted to Rp8.05 trillion, an increase of Rp120 billion, and the allocation of TKD for West Papua and Southwest Papua provinces amounted to Rp21.78 trillion, an increase of Rp1.97 trillion compared to one of 2022 of Rp19.81 trillion,” Prasetya informed.

Of the total general allocation fund, Rp72.72 billion has been disbursed to West Papua province, Rp32.88 billion to Manokwari district, Rp41.77 billion to Fakfak district, Rp25.01 billion to Teluk Bintuni district, Rp31.47 billion to Kaimana district, Rp13.49 billion to Arfak Highlands district, Rp27.06 billion to Sorong district, Rp22.78 billion to South Sorong district, Rp23.28 billion to Raja Ampat district, Rp23.98 billion to Tambrauw district, Rp23.04 billion to Maybrat district, and Rp33.27 billion to Sorong city.

“In accordance with the Finance Minister Decree Number 44/KM.7/2022, in the event that the regional government does not submit regional financial data or information, a delay in the distribution of general allocation fund block grants can be made,” he said.

 

Source: Antara News

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COVID treatment funding to remain until regulation revoked: ministry

The mechanism for government financing of COVID-19 treatment will end only if the related regulations are officially revoked, the Indonesian Health Ministry has informed.

“As long as the regulations have not been revoked, the provision will still apply,” Head of the ministry’s Communication and Public Services Bureau Siti Nadia Tarmizi informed in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The rules for financing COVID-19 patients in Indonesia are still regulated by the Decree of the Minister of Health Number HK.01.07/Menkes/1112/2022 concerning technical guidelines for reimbursement claims for COVID-19 patient services expenses, which was issued on April 7, 2022.

As of now, the government is still evaluating the treatment cost of COVID-19 patients, as the provisions for the implementation of community activity restrictions (PPKM) have been revoked.

Later, the mechanism for covering COVID-19 patients’ bills will be made the same as that for other diseases in general, Tarmizi said.

“In the future, COVID-19 financing will be similar to other diseases. If it is included in a disaster, it could be referred to the Disaster and Epidemic Law,” she added.

However, if a patient has obtained private insurance protection, the financing mechanism will be carried out independently.

“If the patient has insurance, they can use it,” she disclosed.

Separately, the president director of the Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan), Ali Ghufron Mukti, informed that until now, his agency is still evaluating the financing mechanism for COVID-19 patients.

“If the government declared COVID-19 as endemic, BPJS Kesehatan will cover it. The payment will use Ina-CBGs based on the diagnosis group,” he said.

On December 30, 2022, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that the plan to change the financing mechanism for COVID-19 patients is part of the transition from the pandemic to the endemic phase.

The plan is also based on the government’s decision to end the PPKM policy, which was enforced to control COVID-19 transmission in Indonesia.

The revocation of the PPKM policy means that there will be no more restrictions on public activities and mobility, he noted.

Nevertheless, the government has not lifted the health emergency status as the pandemic has not completely ended.

 

Source: Antara News

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