Day: February 25, 2023

We can obtain (better) efficiency and competitiveness by improving the speed (of transporting products).

Jakarta (ANTARA) – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has said that he expects the Sayung-Demak section (Section II) of the Semarang-Demak Toll Road to accelerate logistics transport and serve as a sea wall that prevents coastal flooding.

“I really laud the construction of the Sayung-Demak Highway because it can also function as a sea wall,” he said at the inauguration of the toll road section in Demak district, Central Java province, on Saturday.

Coastal floods are likely to reach farther and higher areas in the future due to climate change, thus, a sea wall structure has been built along the Sayung-Demak section to prevent seawater from inundating settlements, he explained.

Furthermore, the President instructed local governments to optimize the use of the highway to bolster tourism activities in their respective regions.

“I also want to ask all governors, district heads, and mayors to immediately integrate all the toll roads, which have been completed throughout the country, with the existing production areas in their respective regions,” he added.

In this way, infrastructure can help improve the speed of transporting local industrial, agricultural, and plantation products, Widodo said.

“We can obtain (better) efficiency and competitiveness by improving the speed (of transporting products),” he added.

The Sayung-Demak section of the Semarang-Demak Toll Road’s Section II spans 16.01 kilometers in length (km) and was built at an investment cost of Rp5.9 trillion.

There will be two interchanges along the section, namely Sayung Interchange and Demak Interchange.

fter completing the Sayung-Demak section, the government will begin the construction of the Kaligawe-Sayung section (Section I) of the Semarang-Demak Toll Road later this year.

The Kaligawe-Sayung section, which will measure 10.64 km in length, is targeted to be completed by 2025.

Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, Agrarian and Spatial Planning Minister Hadi Tjahjanto, State Secretary Minister Pratikno, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, and Demak district head Eisti’anah also attended the inauguration ceremony on Saturday.

baca-jugaRelated news: Ministry carries out emergency handling after coastal flood in PanturaRelated news: Sea-level rise poses threat to Jakarta, Semarang, Demak coastal areasRelated news: PT PP bags tender to construct Semarang-Demak toll road

Source: Antara News Agency

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Cooperatives and SMEs Ministry has formed a special team to continue a now-defunct task force’s function in addressing the issues of eight problematic cooperatives.

“With the end of work term for the task force for problematic cooperatives, a special team then needs to be formed to conduct facilitation and monitoring of problematic cooperatives,” Deputy of Cooperatives at the Cooperatives and SMEs Ministry Ahmad Zabadi stated here on Saturday.

Eight cooperatives in question are Indosurya, Jasa Berkah Wahana Sentosa, Sejahtera Bersama, Pracico Inti Utama, Pracico Inti Sejahtera, Intidana, Timur Pratama Indonesia, and Lima Garuda.

The ministry gave some tasks to the special team, with the first being to facilitate the members’ annual meeting for those eight cooperatives, he noted.

The second task is to conduct daily monitoring of those cooperatives to see the progress made in the debt payment suspension scheme that has been approved by court.

The third task is to conduct the mediation process on the management of those cooperatives.

The fourth task is to coordinate with the management board of those cooperatives while lastly, the task is to report the progress of their facilitation and monitoring to the deputy of cooperatives at the Cooperatives and SMEs Ministry.

In January 2022, the ministry had formed a task force to resolve issues surrounding four problematic cooperatives following public complaints about them.

The initiative was in accordance with the government’s duty to protect people, including members of problematic cooperatives. The task force’s members came from different ministries and institutions, law enforcement, and even members of the general public.

The task force was formed to ensure systematic monitoring and to ascertain that the debt payment suspension decision was taken appropriately and accordingly.

In general, the task force has to record and appraise assets, such as the plot of land, infrastructure, and credits, through independent appraisal and conduct analysis of that record that includes probing the legal aspects, checking the location, and reviewing the problematic cooperatives.

Moreover, they are required to create recommendations on handling those cooperatives, monitor the compensation process, conduct evaluation, and report the results.

baca-jugaRelated news: andgtovt extends moratorium on savings and loan cooperatives’ licensingRelated news: Farmers urged to pursue modern farming through cooperativesRelated news: Cooperatives and SMEs ministry outlines six priority programs

Source: Antara News Agency

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Trade is encouraging micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) players to develop their businesses and target exports to non-traditional countries.

“We have to target non-traditional countries. This is very suitable for MSMEs,” Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan stated at the Legendary Brand Festival event here on Saturday.

Hasan explained that exports in American and European countries are currently slowing down due to the geopolitical conditions and the threat of global recession.

Nevertheless, non-traditional countries, such as those in the South Asian region, like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India, have huge trade potential for business players in Indonesia.

The minister explained that Indonesia had recorded a surplus in trade transactions with Bangladesh of US$2 billion, a US$3-billion surplus with Pakistan, and a US$9-billion surplus with India.

part from South Asian countries, African and Middle Eastern countries also have the potential to become trade partners.

Hasan remarked that the total population of those non-traditional countries reached almost 3.5 billion, thereby opening up vast opportunities for Indonesia’s local products.

“The purchasing power there is high. It is quite a big loss if business players from Indonesia do not make the most of it,” he emphasized.

He further noted that in general, those non-traditional countries do not apply tough conditions to be fulfilled in terms of trade agreements, akin to what is usually followed by countries in the US or Europe.

For instance, countries in South Asia do not demand to conduct goods export transactions to Indonesia despite their countries importing goods from Indonesia.

Hasan noted that his ministry also supports opening export access to those countries to keep the logistics costs low.

The effort is made through trade cooperation with several countries that serve as hubs for export goods that will then be forwarded to destination countries.

“(For export) to the Middle East, it can be carried out via the United Arab Emirates and then possibly to South Asia or Africa,” he remarked.

baca-jugaRelated news: Boosting MSME multiplier effect through incubationRelated news: Cooperatives and SMEs ministry outlines six priority programsRelated news: MSMEs must seize opportunities in political year: Minister

Source: Antara News Agency

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati affirmed that Indonesia has clocked significant progress in digital infrastructure development to expand reliable and affordable internet access across the country, especially in remote areas.

“Hence, this year, the government targets the development of 300 new base transceiver station towers and the provision of internet access at more than 9,700 locations (nationwide),” Indrawati stated at the High-Level Symposium on Digital Public Infrastructure, a G20 side event organized under India’s Presidency.

The minister highlighted that the mobile phone penetration rate in Indonesia had reached 77 percent of the total population, while 59 percent of Indonesia’s population already had a social media presence.

The Indonesian government has currently set its sights on developing various digital services for the people, including e-government and e-taxation ecosystems and the National Social Security Agency (BPJS) system.

Indrawati also underscored her ministry’s determination to undergo digital transformation by highlighting that the Finance Ministry had developed the MPN G3 (State Revenues Module – Generation Three) system to regulate state revenues promptly and accurately and manage up to one thousand transactions per second.

Moreover, the ministry has developed other systems to bolster public services through digital platforms, such as the E-Filing system for residents’ and entities’ tax reporting, the Indonesia National Single Window (INSW) for export-import data synchronization, and online Government Securities (SBN) purchase system.

Furthermore, the government is determined to distribute cash social assistance to residents directly to each resident’s bank account to boost financial inclusion among people, she affirmed.

The minister then expressed hope that digital infrastructure development in Indonesia will continue to progress in order to facilitate residents to access more services through digital media.

part from Indrawati, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, managing director of the International Monetary Fund Kistallina Georgieva, Governor of the Central Bank of Brasil Roberto Campos Neto, and General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements Agustin Carstens also participated in the symposium.

baca-jugaRelated news: Indonesia accelerating ICT infrastructure developmentRelated news: Ministry encourages development of higher-level digital infrastructureRelated news: Ministry seeks to ensure digital transformation benefits people

Source: Antara News Agency

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Women’s Empowerment and Children Protection Minister Bintang Puspayoga emphasized that women played a crucial role in pursuing gender equality and sustainable development.

“Women’s involvement in promoting change and taking part in decision-making are also important aspects in pursuing gender equality and encouraging sustainable development,” the minister stated during an event titled “2023 Indonesian Women Gatra Citra Award” here on Friday.

To create social inclusiveness and promote such gender equality and equity, the ministry consistently collaborates with several stakeholders to address challenges that impede women’s progress across Indonesia, she noted.

Leadership capacity is also being improved in order to enable women to have greater courage in participating as well as voicing their aspirations in all aspects and scales of development.

“Collaboration among governments, public figures, religious figures, political figures, mass organizations, and women’s organizations is essential to emulate gender equality; ensure effective and efficient policies focused on women’s protection; and continuously create empowered women,” she elaborated.

t the event, the minister handed out awards to 14 women.

Puspayoga expected that the award would motivate more women to inspire others as well as push towards change for facilitating their empowerment and gender equality.

“Through this awarding, we expect that there will be more great women who, not only become an inspiration for all of us but also become the agents of change that contribute to (the progress in) women’s empowerment and gender equality in many aspects,” she affirmed.

The event is held through collaboration among the ministry, Yayasan Duta Indonesia Maju (Foundation of Developed Indonesia Ambassador), and Gatra Media Group.

Founder Yayasan Duta Indonesia Maju Lisa Ayodia noted that the awards were bestowed to demonstrate the extent of women’s contributions and efforts in areas, such as medical science, nationalism, clean and green energy, environment, education, and retail.

baca-jugaRelated news: Minister promotes gender equality in digital and green economyRelated news: Pursuing awareness to push women’s leadership : MinisterRelated news: Quality care for children crucial in stunting prevention: Minister

Source: Antara News Agency

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry ensured offering protection to D, 17, victim of battery assault perpetrated by the son of an official of the Finance Ministry’s Directorate General of Tax, by facilitating his recovery.

“We ensure that safety, facilitation, and recovery are guaranteed, both for (physical) or mental health,” Acting Deputy Assistant for Children Requiring Protection at the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry Atwirlany Ritonga stated here on Friday.

Ritonga vouched to always ensure adherence to the law while conducting those functions, without interfering or impeding the progress in law enforcement.

“Of course, we must make sure of it, as one institution that is responsible for child protection,” she noted.

Commissioner of the National Child Protection Commission Diah Puspitarini commended the South Jakarta Police Department’s effective and efficient performance.

The commission ensures fulfilment of the rights of the victim, including recovery and rehabilitation, by always conducting monitoring.

“Monitoring will always be conducted, particularly in the rehabilitation process of the victim, the witness, thoroughly until its conclusion, with synergy from several stakeholders,” Puspitarini noted.

On the same occasion, head of South Jakarta Children Protection and Empowerment and Population Control, Fathur Rohim, affirmed that his administration had coordinated with several stakeholders to assist the assault victim.

“Maybe these one or two days, we will pay a visit to the victim at Mayapada hospital, and we will ensure that the victim has received psychological assistance,” Rohim noted.

He expects all levels of the government to always collaborate in the process to facilitate the victim’s recovery at the earliest.

The Police has named MDS and S as suspects in the alleged assault case of D, and both have been placed in detention.

ccording to the urine test conducted on the two, which came negative for drugs, they committed the assault while being fully conscious or aware.

Two pieces of evidence confiscated by the police showed that the perpetrators allegedly allowed the violent act to take place.

The incident occurred on Monday, February 20, at 8:30 p.m. local time.

On February 24, 2023, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati terminated RAT, the father of MDS, from his position as official at the ministry’s Directorate General of Tax, following the battery assault case.

Source: Antara News Agency