March 13, 2023 – Page 2 – Indonesia News Gazette

March 13, 2023

Need consistent enforcement of rules in tourist areas: MPR

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR)Lestari Moerdijathas called for consistency in the enforcement of rules at tourist destinations to maintain order and comfort as well as the continuity of tourism areas’ development.”Actions against various violations of rules in tourist destination regions with many tourists must be made consistent in order to maintain order and comfort as well as the continuity of the development of tourist areas in regions for the better,” she said in a statement received here on Monday. Currently, in Bali, the frequent traffic violations committed by foreign tourists have become a hot topic among people. Based on the records of Bali Regional Police from traffic stops carried out from late February to March 2023, at least 171 foreign nationals violated traffic rules during the period. ccording to Moerdijat, the case of Bali must become a lesson for other tourist destination regions in the country. “Orderliness and comfort are the attractiveness of a tourism area,” she said. Stakeholders in regions must be consistent in disseminating information regarding the importance of complying with the rules to create order so that tourists who come to an area can travel comfortably and safely, she added. She said she hoped that the target of achieving 7.4 million international tourist arrivals this year would not make the enforcement of rules in several tourism areas lax. She also expressed the hope that tourist destinations in Indonesia would become the main choice for international tourists not only because of their beauty, but also the orderliness and comfort of various tourism supporting facilities. Earlier, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno urged foreign tourists to comply with all laws, regulations, and existing norms during their vacation in Indonesia. “We are very open to foreign tourists, but they must comply with all laws, regulations, and all the existing norms in Indonesia,” he stressed on March 6, 2023. The minister also reminded motorcycle rental businesses to remind their customers to comply with traffic regulations, including not changing the license plates of rented motorcycles, as some tourists did in Bali.

Source: Antara News Agency

March 13, 2023

Indonesian police tracking 28 Rohingya refugees who fled from shelter

Banda Aceh (ANTARA) – Aceh police are tracking down 28 Rohingya refugees who fled from a temporary shelter in Ladong, Mesjid Raya Sub-district, Aceh Besar District.The refugees fled the shelter on Sunday (March 12, 2023) and Monday (March 13), Spokesperson for Aceh PoliceSenior Commissioner Joko Krisdiyanto said here on Monday. “Three Rohingya migrants fled on early Sunday and 25 others on early Monday,” he informed. The authorities only realized that the refugees were missing when they conducted a routine check at the shelter. Based on a preliminary investigation, the refugees escaped after climbing a tree and jumping over the wall of the shelter in Aceh province’s Social Affairs Office. “The police are tracking down Rohingya migrants with the help of local residents,” Krisdiyanto said. He asked people to report to the police if they have any information on the whereabouts of the refugees. “Do report (to the police) if you see and have information on the Rohingya migrants. They will be returned to the shelter,” he said. s many as 241 Rohingya refugees were accommodated at the Social Affairs Office’s Rumoh Seujahtera Beujroh Meukarya Ladong. In December 2022, 57 Rohingya refugees were evacuated to Aceh after their boat went adrift in Aceh Besar and in January 2023, another 184 refugees were found stranded in the waters.

Source: Antara News Agency

March 13, 2023

Aim to reduce motorcycle traffic with free exodus transport: govt

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Transportation has said that the free mudik (exodus) transportation service is being provided to reduce the number of people traveling on motorcycles during the 2023 Eid al-Fitr exodus.”We need to provide free exodus probably not only the Ministry of Transportation, but also other ministries,” Director General of land transportation at the ministryHendro Sugiatno said at a press conference, which was followed online on Monday. Business entities and companies would also provide free exodus services with the hope of reducing the number of people traveling on motorcycles during the exodus, he added. Sugiatno said that based on a survey carried out by the Transportation Policy Agency (BKT), the number of travelers during the 2023 Eid al-Fitr holiday period has been projected to reach 123.8 million. The number reflects an increase of 14.2 percent compared to the estimate of 85.5 million travelers during the 2022 Eid al-Fitr period. The survey also listed the top-five means of transportation that are expected to be used by people during the 2023 Eid al-Fitr holiday period. They comprise private cars, which are projected to be used by 22.07 percent or 27.32 million people; motorcycles, 20.3 percent or 25.13 million people; buses, 18.39 percent or 22.77 million people; intercity trains, 11.69 percent or 14.47 million people; and rented cars, 7.7 percent or 9.53 million people. Since private cars and motorcycles are dominating the list, the Ministry of Transportation is appealing to people to use the free exodus service to reduce the risk of traffic accidents, he said. ccording to him, the risk of traffic accidents is higher if people use motorcycles due to several factors, such as physical and nature-related conditions. “If we see the data of traffic accidents during exodus, the highest cause is tiredness, and the victims are (people on) motorcycles,” he added. The Ministry of Transportation has set a quota of 24,072 for bus passengers availing free exodus transportation services during the 2023 Eid al-Fitr exodus period. The quota comprises 18,528 for the departure flow and 5,544 for the return flow.

Source: Antara News Agency

March 13, 2023

Indonesia rejects imports of thrift clothes to protect MSMEs

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Minister Teten Masduki has strictly rejected the sale and purchase of imported used clothes or import thrifting to protect textile micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).The rejection has also stemmed from a desire to protect shoe textile products, which are also being produced by many MSMEs, he said during a media discussion at his ministry’s office here on Monday. The government has a very strong argument for rejecting the imports of used clothes, he added. Masduki said that the imports of used and illegal textile products would not align with the government’s effort to encourage local product consumption through the Proud of Indonesian Products National Movement. Through the national movement, the government has issued a policy mandating 40-percent spending on MSME products in goods procurement. On account of this policy, national economic growth could reach 1.85 percent and 2 million jobs could be created without new investment, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) has estimated. The minister said he believes that if similar efforts are made when it comes to household consumption, national economic growth will improve. Further, the import thrifting trend would also eliminate jobs because the textile industry is a labor-intensive industry that involves many workers, he explained. Masduki urged customs to be more stringent and improve their monitoring of the illegal entry of used imported clothes that have been banned by the Trade Minister’s Regulation No. 40 of 2022. “It is actually not difficult (to trace where such clothes are sold) since we have already investigated it. In addition through social media, they are also available in Pasar Senen, Gedebage, and Pasar Baru,” he noted. “From there, it will be easier to identify who imports them,” he added.

Source: Antara News Agency

March 13, 2023

BRIN developing true seed of shallot technology

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is developing true seed of shallot (TSS) technology that will use botanical seeds for shallot cultivation to address issues related to shallot productionin Indonesia.Head of BRIN’s Agriculture and Food Research OrganizationPuji Lestarisaid that the use of botanical seeds provides an alternative to bulb seeds and can be developed to improve shallot seed quality. “TSS has many pros compared to bulb seeds,” she highlighted in a statement received here on Monday. The technology can be applied on a large scale, and it can provide a large volume of seeds throughout the year owing to the high seed multiplication ratio: a single bulb can produce 200 to 300 botanical seeds. Shallot seeds derived from botanical seeds are tiny, and 35 kilograms of the seeds can be planted on a one-hectare plot. However, bulb seeds have larger volume and therefore, 1.2 tons of bulb seeds are needed to fill a one-hectare plot, making the cost of distribution high. Botanical seeds can be stored for more than a year and do not have a dormancy period, whereas bulb seeds can only be stored for two months, and the stock is not sustainable once the season changes. Lestari stated that the dynamics of shallot prices can determine national economic growth; yet intensive shallot cultivation and development across 32 provinces still cannot guarantee supply continuity, causing supply crunches at the end of the season. In the past 10 years, the national productivity rate of shallots has ranged from 8.5 to 10.5 tons per hectare, indicating stagnation. “BRIN has prepared a policy brief, particularly on land suitability or agro-ecosystem to push toward (greater) productivity, and (it) can become one of the efforts to give national recommendation on accelerating innovation research. 2023 to 2024, the output is policy recommendation,” she stated. Shallot is a strategic commodity with a high economic price in Indonesia. It is frequently used to spice up meals and cannot be easily substituted–one of the reasons why its availability needs to be maintained at affordable prices to prevent inflation. researcher at BRIN’s Horticulture and Plantation Research Center, Paulina Evy Retnaning Prahardini, said that the demand for shallots has risen with the growth in population. “This brings the consequences that plots must be expanded, shallot production effectiveness and efficiency has to be pursued and met,” she pointed out. To address the issue of farmers not wanting to use botanical seeds due to their longer harvest time compared to bulb seeds, transplanting has been recommended. For this, seedlings obtained from the seeds will need to be sown for about 30 to 42 days. The method will allow farmers to get a high-quality crop, which can be reaped in 55 to 60 days–the same amount of time it takes with bulb seeds.

Source: Antara News Agency

March 13, 2023

Ministry sets free exodus quota of 24,072 for bus passengers

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Transportation has set a quota of 24,072 for bus passengers availing free mudik (exodus) transportation services during the 2023 Eid al-Fitr exodus period.”The free exodus quota that we have prepared is for 24,072 people. For the exodus (departure) flow, we have prepared a quota of 18,528, and for the return flow, we have prepared a quota of 5,544,” director general of land transportation at the ministry, Hendro Sugiatno, said at a press conference that was followed online on Monday. The ministry will deploy a total of 585 buses during the exodus: 459 buses for the departure flow and 126 buses for the return flow. part from this, the ministry will use 30 trucks to ferry 900 motorcycles belonging to exodus travelers: 15 will carry 450 motorcycles during the departure flow, and another 15 will carry 450 motorcycles during the return flow, Sugiatno informed. The free exodus service will be provided for several destination cities and districts, which have been divided into four groups. The first is the Sumatra island group, which comprises Palembang and Lampung. The second is the West Java group, which includes Garut, Tasikmalaya, and Cirebon. Third, the Central Java and Yogyakarta groupwhich comprises several destination cities and districts such as Solo, Tegal, Pekalongan, Semarang, Demak, Jepara, Pati, Blora, Boyolali, Klaten, Wonogiri, Purwokerto, Cilacap, Wonosobo, Kebumen, Magelang, Wonosari, and Yogyakarta. The fourth group is East Java, with Madiun, Surabaya, Tuban, Malang, and Tulungagung as the destination cities and districts. For the return flow, the ministry will provide free transportation from 8 cities to Jakarta: from Cirebon to Jakarta, Madiun-Jakarta, Surabaya-Jakarta, Solo-Jakarta, Purwokerto-Jakarta, Wonogiri-Jakarta, and Yogyakarta-Jakarta. For the transportation of motorcycles using trucks, the ministry will provide a round-trip service from Jakarta to 5 destination cities: Jakarta-Solo, Jakarta-Semarang, Jakarta-Purwokerto, Jakarta-Wonogiri, and Jakarta-Yogyakarta. The Ministry of Transportation will keep online registrations for the free exodus service open from March 13 to April 14, 2023, on the MitraDarat application.

Source: Antara News Agency

March 13, 2023

Referral service transformation could reduce state health burden: Govt

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Government spokesperson and ambassador for the adoption of new habits, Reisa Broto Asmoro, has said that the transformation of the referral health service system could ease the state’s health burden.”This is a good step to improve access to referral services for the Indonesian people and reduce the burden of health financing,” she observed at a “Health Broadcast,” which was followed from here on Monday. ccording to her, the implementation of the transformation of referral services is already visible. The transformation of referral services has become more focused, she said. smoro further said that the transformation of referral services is aimed at preventing an increase in the number of patients suffering from diseases that contribute to the highest number of deaths in Indonesia, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, and kidney disease. It is also aimed at preventing severe conditions due to infectious diseases such as COVID-19, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. She noted that improving a system needs time because there are several services that cannot be optimized yet. Nevertheless, the government is serious about realizing a healthy Indonesia and protecting people from diseases and experiencing severe conditions. The spokesperson expressed the hope that the transformation that is being carried out in referral health services would improve people’s faith in the medical treatment and services provided by health workers or health facilities within the country. Director for the management of health services at the Ministry of Health, Sunarto, said that the transformations in the healthcare system, which consist of six pillars, are interrelated and important to one another as one unit. The two main goals of the transformation of the referral health service system are to improve the quality of and access to healthcare. This means that the improvement of access will be focused on so that both health workers and the community can access services at vertical hospitals more easily.

Source: Antara News Agency

March 13, 2023

All provinces in Papua have achieved UHC: State health insurer

Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) – All provinces in Papua have achieved Universal Health Coverage (UHC), according to the National Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan). region is declared to have achieved UHC if at least 95 percent of the entire population already participates in the National Health Insurance (JKN) program. Regional Deputy Director of BPJS KesehatanMangisi Raja Simarmata stated here on Monday that as of March 1, 2023, the JKN program had covered more than 98 percent of the population in all Papuan provinces. He noted that since 2018, regions in Papua’s provinces had achieved UHC. “We would like to express our highest gratitude and appreciation to all officials of provincial governments throughout Papua for achieving UHC,” Simarmata remarked. He explained that the achievement of UHC is not the end while emphasizing that local governments in Papua should be able to maintain and increase the number of active JKN participants to ensure that their citizens are covered by health services. “The participation of local governments in improving health service facilities is crucial, so that people, who seek treatment, can be served in their region, without the need to be referred to outside Papua,” Simarmata stated. He remarked that on Tuesday (March 14), the government will bestow awards on provincial governments in Papua, which include Papua, Central Papua, South Papua, Papua Pegunungan, West Papua, and Southwest Papua, that have successfully achieved UHC. Some 38 of the 42 districts and cities in Papua will also receive the award. On a separate occasion, the West Papua Provincial Government and seven district governments under it — Manokwari, Fakfak, Kaimana, Bintuni Bay, Wondama Bay, South Manokwari, and the Pegunungan Arfak — had achieved UHC at 105.2 percent in 2023. Head of the BPJS KesehatanOffice in Manokwari Dr Dwi Sulistyono Yudo on Monday accentuated the importance of providing health insurance for the community as a form of protection and sustainable health services.

Source: Antara News Agency