Minister ensures food prices stable as Ramadhan 1444 H arrives

We work hard, so that the stock is available and the price is affordable. Magelang, Central Java (ANTARA) – Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan made assurance that the prices of staple foods are stable as Ramadhan 1444 H arrived on Thursday.The minister, here on Wednesday, revealed that several commodities whose prices were stable the day before Ramadhan included onions, chicken eggs, chicken meat, and rice distributed by the State Logistics Agency (Bulog). “Onions cost Rp30 thousand (per kg) and chicken meat was priced at Rp33 thousand to Rp35 thousand (per kg), so they are still cheap,” he remarked. “The ones in the market in Mojokerto also have even lower prices, and they are still available in large quantity,” he remarked. Moreover, the minister emphasized that the stock for MinyaKita, or subsidized cooking oil provided by the government, was still available in large quantities in traditional markets. His ministry decided to not distribute the subsidized cooking oil to modern retail and marketplace, as it is intended for the middle to lower-class population. The minister expects that the stability of food stocks and prices can be well-maintained throughout the 2023 Ramadhan and Eid al-Fitr period. “We work hard so that the stock is available and the price is affordable,” he affirmed. ccording to the latest data from the National Strategic Food Price Information Center, the price for food commodities on Wednesday, March 22, tended to decline in the last three days. Rice was priced at Rp13,250 per kg; chicken meat cost Rp35 thousand per kg; beef, Rp133,800 per kg; and chicken eggs, Rp29,850 per kg. Meanwhile, the price of shallots fell to Rp37,400 per kg; garlic, Rp33,500 per kg; red chili, Rp49,700 per kg; cayenne pepper, Rp60,350 per kg; cooking oil, Rp19,350 per kg; and granulated sugar, Rp15 thousand per kg. baca-jugaRelated news: Anticipate bad weather risk to maintain food supply: BIRelated news: andgtovernment probes cause behind rice price hike despite harvest periodRelated news: Jakarta supervising food distribution to markets ahead of Ramadan

Source: Antara News Agency (ANA)

KLHK reaffirms commitment to improving water quality in Indonesia

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) reiterated its commitment to improving water quality by controlling the pollution load from waste entering rivers in Indonesia.Director General of Pollution and Environmental Damage Control of KLHK Sigit Reliantoro stated that the ministry continues to develop collaboration with all stakeholders to jointly improve water quality through various concrete actions and programs. “The activities carried out are the construction of facilities and infrastructure,” Reliantoro noted in a statement in Jakarta, Thursday. KLHK also encourages local governments to improve water quality through the Regional Performance Response Index (IRKD) as an assessment of local government performance in improving water quality. IRKD is an indicator that describes the local government’s response to the achievement of the target of the Environmental Quality Index (IKLH) in Indonesia. In 2022, the IKLH achievement was recorded at 72.42 points from the target of 69.22 points set by the National Medium Term Development Plan, thereby indicating an increase of 0.97 points from the previous year. Specifically for the Water Quality Index (IKA), the figures have increased, as the number of districts and cities that recorded an increase in the index reached 192 (4,884 monitoring points), while a decrease in index was recorded in 157 districts and cities (3,881 monitoring points). The increase in IKA in 192 regencies and cities was due to the availability of budgets for the implementation of activities, such as the supervision of industry and guidance for small-scale businesses. baca-jugaRelated news: Indonesia’s water quality index still below target: ministry In addition to encouraging local government involvement, the KLHK involves the community through river care communities to implement programs to improve river water quality, such as conducting river patrols and routine cleaning activities as well as scavenging garbage in rivers and around the banks. Moreover, industrial development is necessitated to be more adherent to regulations through the Corporate Performance Rating Program (PROPER) mechanism. So far, KLHK has carried out various good practices for improving water quality in Indonesia starting from installing real-time and online water quality monitoring tools (ONLIMO) in Indonesian rivers as an early warning system. The other steps encompass waste-water treatment through domestic waste-water treatment plants (WWTP), small-scale business WWTP, biodigester, and use of river equivalents with ecoriparian development. Ecoriparian is a concept that utilizes the equivalent of a river that was originally used as a garbage disposal site and build pollutant load reduction facilities, such as a domestic WWTP, community empowerment facilities, and an environmental education tourism spot as well as green open spaces. Various regulations aim to improve water quality in Indonesia, including those related to water pollution control in the form of Government Regulation Number 22 of 2021 concerning the implementation of environmental protection and management that regulates the protection and management of water quality. Moreover, Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry Number 5 of 2021 pertains to procedures for issuing technical approvals and letters of operational feasibility in the field of environmental pollution control. This regulation regulates the procedures and requirements for business actors, who will discharge waste-water into water bodies and utilize waste-water in the environment. “Ministerial regulations govern the quality standards for disposing of waste-water into water bodies,” Reliantoro concluded. baca-jugaRelated news: Four Indonesian provinces have high marine water quality: ministry Related news: Improve quality of drinking water, sanitation facilities: PPN Minister

Source: Antara News Agency (ANA)

Mary Kay Highlights the Importance of Women’s Leadership and Private Sector Engagement in Conservation at the World Ocean Summit 2023

Dallas (ANTARA/BusinessWire)-Mary Kay Inc., a global advocate for corporate sustainability and signatory to the UN Global Compact Sustainable Ocean Principles, continues to play an important role in ocean conservation. In February, the beauty brand launcheda groundbreaking, user-friendly platformoffering valuable guidance, decision-support tools, and practical knowledge for marine practitioners. Following the announcement, Mary Kay recently participated at the10th World Ocean Summit and Expo 2023in Lisbon, Portugal, organized by Economist Impact.The World Ocean Summit is an annual global event that brings together the widest cross-section of the ocean community, from business and finance to governments, national and international policymakers, civil society, and academia. Over 1,500 attendees from more than 100 countries attended the three-day summit, where 188 speakers addressed some of the most pressing challenges facing the ocean, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Mary Kay Portugal’s General Manager, Sandra Silva, was one of the distinguished panelists at the summit’s”Putting Coral Reef Restoration at the Heart of Ocean Conservation Action”discussion, where she joined other notable speakers including Yabanex Batista from the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (United Nations), Tom Moore from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Saudi Arabia), and Deborah Brosnan from Deborah Brosnan and Associates. Silva emphasized the importance of ocean conservation, stating, “The ocean is critical for the livelihoods of billions of people, and we all have a role to play in ocean conservation and a sustainable ocean economy. Mary Kay supports women’s empowerment in all facets of life and business, including the health of our planet.” Martin Koehring, head of Economist Impact’sWorld Ocean Initiative, stated, “Keeping momentum on ocean action, including through our summit andpublications, is vital. This year, the summit drove progress by featuring cross-industry sessions to leverage synergies and encourage cross-sector engagement. Mary Kay’s participation in the World Ocean Summit and Expo 2023 demonstrates its continued commitment to ocean conservation and its dedication to creating a sustainable future for all.” The World Ocean Initiative transforms the momentum and focal point of the World Ocean Summit into a year-round program on the ocean that powers the full capabilities of Economist Impact, combining the ingenuity of a think-tank with the creativity of a media brand to engage a globally influential audience. The World Ocean Initiative seeks to enlighten, motivate and cultivate better collaboration between businesses, policymakers, investors, scientists, and NGOs to seek solutions to the most pressing ocean challenges and opportunities. Mary Kay has been working to elevate ocean health and coral reef awareness through its partnership with The Nature Conservancy for over 32 years. One of the key projects Mary Kay supports is called “Super Reefs,” which identifies, protects, and grows a global network of highly resilient coral reefs that can survive in a warming ocean. “The Super Reefs team brings together reef governments and communities with experts in ocean science, conservation, and management from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Stanford University, and The Nature Conservancy, along with private sector support from Mary Kay at this critical moment in the history of coral reefs,” said Dr. Elizabeth McLeod with The Nature Conservancy. Click hereto watch Putting Coral Reef Restoration At The Heart Of Ocean Conservation Action panel discussion.DID YOU KNOW? The CEO Water Mandate is a UN Global Compact initiative that mobilizes business leaders on water, sanitation, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. (Mary Kay is a signatory and joined in February 2021).The Sustainable Ocean Principles, produced in consultation with over 300 stakeholders, provide a framework for responsible business practices across sectors and geographies. They build upon and supplement the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. (Mary Kay is a signatory and joined in February 2021).The ocean has a key role to play in transitioning to a net-zero, resilient, and equitable economy, and delivering on the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The global business community has a shared responsibility, to take necessary action to secure a healthy ocean. (Mary Kay is a member and joined in August 2022).ABOUT MARY KAY One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty company in 1963 with one goal: enriching women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in more than 35 countries. As an entrepreneurship development company, Mary Kay is committed to empowering women on their journey through education, mentorship, advocacy, networking, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in enriching lives today for a sustainable tomorrow, partnering with organizations from around the world focusing on promoting business excellence, supporting cancer research, advancing gender equality, protecting survivors of domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams. Learn more atmarykayglobal.com, find us onFacebook,Instagram, andLinkedIn, or follow us onTwitter.About The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters, and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably, and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in 76 countries and territories –37 by direct conservation impact and 39 through partners– we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visitwww.nature.orgor follow@nature_presson Twitter.About the World Ocean Initiative Economist Impact’s World Ocean Initiative supports the development of a sustainable ocean economy by addressing the greatest challenges facing our seas: climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Year-round and at our flagship World Ocean Summit, we inspire bold thinking, enable new partnerships, and explore the most effective action for a healthy blue planet. Find out more atimpact.economist.com/ocean.Contacts Mary Kay Inc. Corporate Communications Source: Mary Kay Inc.

Source: Antara News Agency (ANA)

Posyandu as key to handle stunting at community level: Minister

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy, stated that integrated health posts (posyandu) played an important role in handling stunting in the community.”Posyandu is able to conduct early detection regarding child growth and development and monitor children’s health conditions,” Effendy noted in his statement received here, Wednesday. To this end, the minister urged local governments to strengthen the role of posyandu to support the government’s program in accelerating stunting prevalence reduction. “The local government can establish additional posyandu and optimize training for cadres in the village, especially regarding accurate measurements of the baby’s height and weight,” he stated. He said that training for health cadres, starting from village midwives, Family Welfare Development (PKK) activists, and other health workers, was increasingly important to improve the quality of health services, especially at the posyandu level. Effendy remarked that the government, through the Ministry of Health, had begun distributing standardized weighing and anthropometric tools to all posyandu across the country. baca-jugaRelated news: Minister presses for cross-sectoral cooperation to address stunting The effort aims to standardize measurement methods for each child in the region, including the same reporting method, he remarked. “After all of these anthropometric tools have been distributed, the coverage of weighing and measuring in the area is expected to reach 90-percent data accuracy,” he stated. Meanwhile, the current stunting prevalence in Indonesia, based on the Indonesian Nutrition Status Survey (SSGI), is 21.6 percent. The government is targeting the prevalence of stunting to drop to 14 percent by 2024. In addition, field epidemiologist from Jenderal Soedirman University in Purwokerto, Dr Yudhi Wibowo, believes that posyandu could become one of the front guards in the program to accelerate stunting reduction in Indonesia. “Besides being able to aid in the early detection of stunting, posyandu can help to intensify dissemination of information regarding efforts to prevent stunting for parents through healthy lifestyles and family consumption patterns since posyandu is the closest health service to the community at the village level,” Wibowo remarked. baca-jugaRelated news: Minister calls to expedite data collection on stunting, poverty Related news: Stunting can erode the future of nation’s children: BKKBN

Source: Antara News Agency (ANA)

Ministry to hold cross-border festival in Jayapura

Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) – The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry will hold a cross-border festival in Jayapura city, Jayapura, in 2023, and is aiming to attract at least two thousand visitors to the event.Head of the Jayapura Tourism OfficeMatias Manosaid that Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno expressed his intention to conduct the festival during a visit to the border post in Skouw village on Tuesday (March 21, 2023). “Aside from the cross-border festival, other activity to rouse tourism in Jayapura city is the ten-km run competition,” he added. The ten-kilometer race will involve Indonesians and Papua New Guineans living in the city, he informed. “So, the setup of the competition is five kilometers in Indonesia, then five more kilometers in Papua New Guinea,” he said. Mano informed that the race has been designed with such a setup so that people will become interested in coming to the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea border in Skouw village. He also disclosed that the ministry is intending to make Jayapura a creative city, just like Ambon city in Maluku, which is known for its music. “This is also in accordance with President Joko Widodo’s directive when he established Papua Youth Creative Hub in Jayapura city on Tuesday, March 21, in which he expected a Jayapura street carnival event (to be held),” Mano said. He informed that the carnival will kick off in June as part of the Sentani Lake festival, which will take place in Jayapura. “(This initiative) can serve as a direction for us in creating Jayapura as a city of fashion, on top of other choices from Jayapura municipal government should they wish to make Jayapura a city of dance, it is possible,” he said. baca-jugaRelated news: Minister to develop two tourism activities at Indonesia-PNG borderRelated news: Tourism, investment development to be focused in 4 Papua districtsRelated news: Papua urged to develop tourism sector more seriously: BPS

Source: Antara News Agency (ANA)

Papua Bawaslu asks people with disabilities to monitor election stages

Hence, we strive to assure and inspire (people with disabilities) to be involved in every stage of the election process. Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) – The General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) of Papua province has invited people living with disabilities to participate in supervising the implementation of the 2024 General Elections so that they can be conducted fair and square. member of Papua provincial BawasluAnugrah Patatold ANTARA here on Thursday that his party is intensively carrying out dissemination in a number of areas to encourage the community to participate in monitoring the general elections. “On Monday (March 20, 2023), we disseminated the implementation of the participatory election supervision to persons with disabilities in Jayapura city, so that they can find out how far the progress (of the implementation of election stages),” he noted. He said that according to Article 5 of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections, people living with disabilities have the same voting rights as non-disabled people as long as they meet the requirements. Persons living with disabilities also have the right to become participants (prospective legislative members or executive leaders) or the organizers of the general elections, the Bawaslu member added “Hence, we are striving to assure and inspire (people living with disabilities) to be involved in every stage of the election process,” he stated. It is expected that the Bawaslu’s attempts can improve the confidence of people living with disabilities to participate in determining the future leaders of the country, he added. “We want this group (persons with disabilities) to not feel inferior and ashamed to use their rights (as voters) to know about the progress of every stage of the general elections,” Pata said. Through this dissemination, his party also hopes to encourage people with disabilities to take part in preventing potential election violations. “If persons with disabilities can be confident and enthusiastic to be actively involved in overseeing every progress of (election) stage, certainly their voting rights can be accommodated properly” he added. The general elections are scheduled to take place on February 14, 2024. The most recent stage of the general elections carried out by the General Election Commission (KPU) was voters’ personal data verification, which was held from February 12 to March 14, 2023. baca-jugaRelated news: Bawaslu prohibits political campaign activities during RamadanRelated news: Election delay will cause complicated legal issues: MahfudRelated news: andgtovernment to ensure 2024 general election commences as per timeline

Source: Antara News Agency (ANA)

Rohingya refugees in Aceh must not run away: UNHCR

Banda Aceh (ANTARA) – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has asked Rohingya refugees in Aceh to not run away to continue their travel illegally so as to avoid the risk of human trafficking.Senior communications assistant, UNHCR Indonesia, Muhammad Yanuar Farhanditya, said that his administration will consistently work with the local authorities to improve the security of shelters to prevent refugees from fleeing. “Moreover, we are also providing education on the risk of human trafficking and smuggling (that could happen to) refugees if they decide to continue their travel illegally,” he added. He delivered the statement in response to a recent incident wherein 12 Rohingya refugees ran away from the Aceh Social Affairs Office in Ladong. They were caught as they were about to leave for Medan, North Sumatra. “Some 12 Rohingya refugees who escaped have been returned to the Aceh Social Affairs Office in Ladong,” he noted. He said that as soon as information regarding their capture was received, his administration immediately ensured that the refugees’ rights were respected. “We work with the authorities to ensure that their human rights are still respected and they still have access to protection and seeking for protection,” he elaborated. Head of the Banda Aceh Police Department’s Criminal Unit, Fadhillah Aditya Pratama, said that among the people who were caught, one was allegedly an agent who was picking them up and one was a driver. They were placed under heavy surveillance once they were brought to the police station, he said. “Personnel caught Rohingya refugees in Lambaro, Aceh Besar District, when they were about to get in a car, which allegedly was to go to Medan,” he informed. The Rohingya refugees included Abdul Manan, Mohammad Tareq, Mohammad Hamid, Mohammad Hubaib, Siddek Ahmed, Mohammad Siddiq, Ziyabullah, Rahmatullah, Abul Bosir, Ismail, Mukhtar Husain, and Abdullah. The agent has been identified as Mohhammed Alam Mohd Sharif, a Myanmar national from the Medan shelter for Rohingya refugees, and the driver has been identified as NS, a resident of Samalanga, Bireuen, Aceh. “They were caught by the Iskandar Muda Military Intelligence Unit, and then handed to Banda Aceh Police Department for further proceedings,” he informed. baca-jugaRelated news: Indonesian police tracking 28 Rohingya refugees who fled from shelterRelated news: 1,155 Rohingya refugees landed in Aceh in 2020-2022: Foreign MinistryRelated news: Komnas HAM gives special attention to Rohingya refugees in Aceh

Source: Antara News Agency (ANA)

Papua using digital tech to reduce disaster impact: BPBD chief

We provide the information system so people can get information about disasters from any region Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) – The Papua Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) is utilizing digital technology to reduce the impact of disasters and increase community preparedness and response during natural disasters.”We continue to innovate by providing information to the public so they can be prepared,” chief of the Papua BPBD, William Manderi, said here on Thursday. s Papua has a high risk of hydrometeorological disasters due to extreme weather, mitigation needs to be done, he added. He said that his agency has launched the Papua Disaster Mitigation Data and Information Management System (SIMDIP). Papua Police have also launched the Serlok Bencana (disaster location) application, which allows the public to report the locations of natural disasters. “We provide the information system so people can get information about disasters from any region,” he said. That way, communication regarding disaster preparation can be made smoother, he explained. It would also allow BPBD to obtain information about the situation in disaster-affected areas, making disaster mitigation efforts more effective, efficient, and quick. “The community can report the disaster locations, so the handling can be quicker, thus reducing the impact of disasters,” he explained. It is expected that this form of innovation will be utilized by the public, he added. Earlier, on March 6, 2023, he expressed his commitment to strengthening preparedness against disasters triggered by climate change, which causes 75 percent of disasters. Manderi said that disaster preparedness can help minimize casualties. For strengthening alertness against disaster, he informed that his agency is collaborating with community leaders to prepare residents living in disaster-prone areas, such as on mountain slopes or along riverbanks, especially during heavy rainfall. “Public information must be done frequently to minimize casualties when disasters occur. For instance, (advising them to) move to their relatives’ homes that are not prone to disasters,” he said. baca-jugaRelated news: Bogor: BNPB provides Rp500 mln for Empang landslide victimsRelated news: andgtovt to relocate landslide-affected residents of Cisadane river bankRelated news: BNPB explains disaster mitigation to Serasan Island residents

Source: Antara News Agency (ANA)