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September
The Saudi Arabia government opened domestic pilgrims to perform Umrah pilgrimages starting on Oct. 4 and pilgrims from abroad starting Nov. 1, 2020, as quoted by Reuters, on Wednesday.
Initially, the country does not allow the small pilgrimage since March due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
The reopening of Umrah enables up to 6,000 citizens and residents in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah every day.
According to the SPA report, only 30 percent of the normal capacity of 20,000 pilgrims are allowed to perform the daily Umrah pilgrimage as a measure to prevent transmission of the virus.
The capacity of the new daily umrah will be increased to 75 percent after two weeks, on Oct. 18, 2020.
Meanwhile, for the opening in early November, Saudi Arabia will only allow Umrah pilgrims from countries that are considered safe, with a capacity of 100 percent until the end of the pandemic.
Apart from Umrah, Saudi government also restricted pilgrimage (Hajj), which normally can gather around three million people from around the world, to only a few thousand domestic worshipers.
Official data shows that the Hajj and Umrah services bring in revenue for Saudi Arabia of up to $12 billion or equivalent to Rp177 trillion per year.
Confirmed Covid-19 infections by Saudi Arabia until Sep. 22, 2020 was 330,798 cases, an increase of about 500 new cases from the previous day, and a total death of 4,542 cases. (RRI)
September
Australia Attempts To Rescue Hundreds Of Stranded Pilot Whales
Written by Nur YasminRescuers were trying to refloat hundreds of whales stranded on a sandbar off the remote west coast of the Australian island of Tasmania on Tuesday, hoping to end one of the country’s worst beaching events.
Government scientists estimated about 90 of around 270 pilot whales trapped in shallow water had died since the stranding was reported a day earlier.
Aerial footage showed large numbers of the animals largely prone on a wide sandbar at Macquarie Harbour, about 200 km (120 miles) northwest of the state capital Hobart, while others floundered in slightly deeper water.
“We’ve got animals that are semi-buoyant so it probably won’t take too much to refloat those animals closer to the deeper water and will involve just a bit of grunt from specialized crew in the water,” Kris Carlyon, a wildlife biologist with the state government, told local media.
Pilot whales are a species of oceanic dolphin that grow to 7 meters (23 ft) long and can weigh up to 3 tonnes. Drawing them back out to sea is a labor-intensive process that can include physically pushing the animals or using specialized tarpaulins and pontoons to drag them to deeper water. Rescuers try to keep the whales upright to avoid disorientation.
Around 40 government scientists, 20 police officers, and local fish farmers and volunteers were involved in the rescue attempt, which experts said was the hardest they had encountered.
While the wet, cool conditions were beneficial for the whales, the rough waters and remote location were more challenging for their rescuers.
“It’s pretty ugly out there for people on the ground, but as far as the whales go it’s ideal,” Carlyon said. “If the conditions stay the same they can survive quite a few days.”
Scientists do not know why whales, which travel together in pods, sometimes beach themselves but they are known to follow a leader, as well as gather around an injured or distressed whale. (Reuters)
September
World Leaders To Mark 75th Year of UN As Pandemic Challenges Organization
Written by Nur YasminWorld leaders will come together, virtually, on Monday to mark the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, as the deadly coronavirus pandemic challenges the effectiveness and solidarity of the 193-member world body.
As COVID-19, which emerged in China late last year, began to spread around the world, forcing millions of people to shelter at home and dealing a devastating economic blow, countries turned inward and diplomats say the United Nations struggled to assert itself.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Reuters that the pandemic has exposed the world’s fragilities. He plans to tell world leaders on Monday that they need to work together at a time when there is a surplus of multilateral challenges and a deficit of solutions.
The 15-member Security Council took months to back a call by Guterres for a global ceasefire - to allow countries to focus on fighting COVID-19 - due to bickering between the world’s biggest powers: China and the United States.
The 193-member General Assembly only adopted an omnibus resolution on a “comprehensive and coordinated response” to the pandemic earlier this month and it was not by consensus. The United States and Israel voted no.
A $10.3 billion U.N. appeal to fund fighting the pandemic in vulnerable and low-income countries is only a quarter funded. Guterres now has taken a lead in pushing to make sure any vaccine for the coronavirus is made available to everyone globally.
A senior European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the General Assembly should have acted months ago, but “we were all hampered by, and hit, by the COVID-19.”
‘MOMENTS OF DISAPPOINTMENT’
The United Nations headquarters is in New York, which was hit hard by the coronavirus. U.N. member states had to decide how to work virtually, which they did for several months before resuming some in-person meetings recently.
“We all suffered from the fact that we couldn’t meet ... A lot of attention was paid to process more than substance, unfortunately,” said the European diplomat. “I wouldn’t put the blame on the U.N. as an organization, it’s the member states that have to be more assertive and positive.”
A U.N. report released on Monday found that six out of ten people believe the United Nations has made the world a better place, but looking ahead three-quarters see the world body as essential in tackling global challenges.
“However, at the same time, over half still see the U.N. as remote from their lives and say they don’t know much about it,” the report said.
The one-day special event on Monday comes ahead of the annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations, which starts on Tuesday with no presidents or prime ministers physically present in New York. All statements have been pre-recorded and will be broadcast in the General Assembly hall.
The United Nations was created when countries came together after World War Two to prevent another such conflict. While there has not been World War Three, leaders will adopt a statement on Monday acknowledging “moments of disappointment.”
“Our world is not yet the world that our founders envisaged 75 years ago. It is plagued by growing inequality, poverty, hunger, armed conflicts, terrorism, insecurity, climate change, and pandemics,” the statement says.
“All this calls for greater action, not less,” it says. (Reuters)
September
Jakarta. Over 200 Indonesian Muslim pilgrims are still stuck in India because of the lockdown in the country.
"Our team, especially at the Indonesian Embassy in New Delhi and the Indonesian Consulate General in Mumbai, will continue to work hard to get 237 other pilgrims," Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in a press statement on Thursday.
Retno explained that the pilgrims are spread across several states in India, including Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, New Delhi, Maharashtra, Kamataka, Bihar, and Jharkhand.
The ministry has repatriated 122 pilgrims on Wednesday.
"Thank God, they arrived safely in Jakarta this morning. With their return, we have successfully repatriated 515 pilgrims or 2/3 of the total pilgrims in India," Retno said.
She said this issue was the focus of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia-India Meeting, at the ASEAN meeting last Saturday. All delegations, especially the Indian Foreign Minister, responded well.
"Because this is the context that ASEAN and pilgrims are not only come from Indonesia but also from other ASEAN countries, so I called out to help the pilgrims to return to their respective countries. the Indian Foreign Minister responded well," she said.
Previously, more from 700 Indonesian Muslim pilgrims went to India to attend the annual meeting of the Islamic organization on March 3, 2020. Before they had time to return to their homeland, the government of India locked down the country.
The event was followed in over 80 countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, to the United States. (RRI)
September
Creative Economy Ministry To Build Digital Economy For Music Sector
Written by Nur YasminThe Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy will focus on building a digital economy in the entertainment industry, one of which is in the music sector.
Amin Abdullah, Director of the Music, Performing Arts and Publishing at the ministry said that amid the increasingly rapid development of digital technology, the digital economy will become a necessity, including in the music industry.
"Eventually, the slower we are, the more we experience losses from changing analog-to-digital," Amin Abdullah said in Jakarta, on Thursday.
Amin Abdullah said that the ministry focuses on three main things in building digital economic growth through the creative industry sector, including one in the music sector.
"I think there are three things to build this. First creative products that excel in music, then secondly digital transformation, third entrepreneurship of musicians," Amin said.
He added that the COVID-19 pandemic is also a good step in introducing the potential of the digital economy to players in the Indonesian music industry.
"On one hand, what happened in the era of COVID-19 is a blessing, it encourages us to enter the era of the digital economy as quickly as possible," he explained.
Amin said the ministry has visited various regions to see the potential of music industry players there in utilizing the digital era to market their work.
"We have been to areas where it becomes a super-priority area for tourism and the possibility of digitization. In that area, their production is good. We just need a touch on how to do entrepreneurship and digitization," he said.
Amin said that music industry players must see that the digital economy becomes a new opportunity to monetize their work.
"So it is not just a great masterpiece, but how can this be prosperous. There is no other purpose for the creative economy other than for the welfare," he added. (Antaranews)
September
Finance Minister Asks ADB Support On Tax Reform
Written by Nur YasminFinance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati emphasized that tax reform cannot be done alone, and requires collaboration with other countries.
"Our low tax ratio and the reforms we carried out shows that we cannot do it alone," Sri Mulyani said at the Asian Development Bank's 53rd Annual Meeting in Jakarta, on Thursday.
Sri Mulyani said that cooperation with other countries for tax reform could open up opportunities to exchange ideas and experiences regarding violations of taxation practices.
She said that Indonesia has done tax reforms to improve the tax ratio through cooperation with various international institutions such as the IMF, World Bank, and the OECD.
Indonesia is also involved in combating the erosion of the tax base and the diversion of profits or Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) and has a Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (P3B) because it is an open economy country.
“Indonesia is an open economy and we are also a country rich in natural resources. Many company operations actually cross borders and that opens up many opportunities for tax evasion," Sri Mulyani said.
He assessed that cooperation on tax reform would be easier if it was carried out with nearby countries because many countries in the Asia-Pacific are also working to combat tax avoidance.
"Personally, we have received and welcomed a lot of support from the World Bank, IMF, and OECD in designing reforms, and we hope for the ADB [to support]," the minister said. (Antaranews)
September
Health and Economy Must Run Simultaneously Amid Covid-19
Written by Nur YasminPolitical Communication Observer from Pelita Harapan University (UPH), Emrus Sihombing, assessed that in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia, health and the economy could run simultaneously.
"Simultaneous health management with economic activity is the right choice for Indonesia's current socio-economic conditions. Do not confuse it with a country that has a small area and extraordinary foreign exchange reserves. But the hot point of health promotion is communication in handling the Covid-19 case," Emrus said on Thursday.
The choice to solve health and economic problems could not be carried out substantially, in fact, it had the potential to create new social problems, he said.
The main point of communication, he said, was to promote health promotion communication in handling the Covid-19 case in a massive, structured, systematic, creative, innovative, and sustainable national level down to the family level, so that people already have awareness, attitudes, and behaviors that are strictly adhering to all health protocols.
In addition, he explained, the public fully understands the fatal risks to themselves and their family members, when they are negligent or careless for a moment it is not in line with health protocols.
Emrus said health communication for handling COVID-19 must be in hotspot orbit, only then will health and economy be carried out simultaneously. The COVID-19 cases in the country, he added, Indonesia does not have to choose whether to solve health or economic problems.
"As a phenomenon faced by the community regarding the Covid-19 case, there are still other options, which in my opinion are better, namely health handling is carried out simultaneously with the economic activity in the community, of course in a health promotion communication room handling the Covid-19 case," he concluded. (RRI)
September
Government Collaborates With UNICEF To Provide Affordable Vaccines
Written by Nur YasminThe Indonesian government is collaborating with UNICEF to present an effective and affordable Covid-19 vaccine. Both parties are also determined that the COVID-19 vaccine should be available for all elements of society.
Minister of Health Terawan Agus Putranto said they use the COVAX Facility scheme fronted by the vaccine alliance, GAVI. Indonesia will have safe, fast, and equitable access to the Covid-19 vaccine when it is found and then produced.
"UNICEF and its partners are committed to countries that have joined COVAX, including Indonesia, to procure and deliver a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine quickly and on a large scale," Terawan said at the Siwabessy Auditorium, Ministry of Health, Jakarta, on Wednesday.
The procurement and purchase of vaccines will be carried out through the Supply Division of UNICEF based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Through this division it is possible to place orders for large quantities of vaccines at a lower price, resulting in significant savings.
"This partnership will enable Indonesia to purchase new vaccines such as the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) at 1/3 of the current market price. If measured nationally, this could prevent nearly 10,000 child deaths every year," Debora Comini, UNICEF Representative Indonesia said.
Comini explained, the Covid-19 pandemic motivated this agreement Confirmed cases that continue to increase and put the country with the highest number of deaths in Southeast Asia, it is important for Indonesia to get easy access to new medicines and vaccines.
He considered that in the future, many countries would strive to meet the needs of vaccines and drugs in their regions.
For this reason, through this cooperation agreement, he believes Indonesia will get many benefits including reducing the price of vaccines and drugs as well as establishing vaccine development cooperation between Indonesian domestic producers (Biofarma) and UNICEF.
"While we are looking forward to the COVID-19 vaccine, we have to remember to focus on the basics. Routine immunizations for children, strong supply chains, trained health workers, and community awareness of the benefits. This is a basis that we must not forget," he said.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, Indonesia has been actively establishing international and multilateral cooperation, including through the WHO Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator - COVAX Facility, to strive for easy access, safety, and affordable vaccine prices.
With Indonesia's entry into the COVAX Facility, Indonesia is guaranteed access to affordable and quality COVID-19 vaccines for 20 percent of the population at risk by the end of 2021.
Until now, the Indonesian government has continued to maintain intensive communication with GAVI and the COVAX Facility to know the timing of vaccine supplies and the price.
"Hopefully this endeavor will work well and cooperation both inside and outside is no longer an option, but a necessity so we can win. the war against COVID-19," he concluded. (RRI)
September
"Asian Art Boom" Enhances Indonesian Contemporary Arts
Written by Nur YasminThe contemporary art market in Indonesia has developed because of the "Asian art boom" of the last two decades, during which the increasing global attention to art from China has helped to increase the popularity and price of Indonesian artworks in the market.
This was conveyed by Director of David Zwirner Gallery from Sisi Art Gallery, Galuh Sukardi in a discussion on Indonesian Contemporary Art, virtually, on Tuesday.
"More Indonesian artworks are selling due to the increase in collectors, both in Indonesia and abroad, who is looking for works by Indonesian artists," she said.
Galuh explained the historical perspective of the development of contemporary art in Indonesia in the last two decades, Indonesian artists are increasingly aware of their identity and have a better understanding of colonial history, she said.
Indonesian artists are now taking advantage of the development of access to information and technology in the production of works. The popularity of contemporary art in Indonesia is also supported by private parties such as the MACAN Museum and active communities such as Ruangrupa.
Indonesian contemporary art shows the entrepreneurial spirit of Indonesian artists, who are independently active in producing bottom-up works of the community in cooperation.
The Indonesian Embassy in London held the Indonesian Contemporary Art discussion in collaboration with the Anglo-Indonesian Society (AIS) organization, which comprises British and Indonesian citizens.
In addition, the discussion also featured British Balinese artist Sinta Tantra who made paintings with an architectural scale, such as bridges. Sinta Tantra wants to make art more of a part of people's daily lives, presenting the social and economic functions of art.
"Art in the public sphere can reach a wider audience and across borders," she said.
One of Sinta Tantra's latest exhibition shows, entitled Modern Times, is inspired by the experience of Charlie Chaplin's visit to Bali in 1932.
Modern Times presents Sinta Tantra's signature paintings on new mediums such as woven fabrics in honor of Balinese culture and metal cutting (inspired by features industrial in the Charlie Chaplin films).
Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the two speakers have the view that both artists and galleries will be required to explore the use of new media in exhibiting works, such as virtual exhibitions through augmented reality. (Antaranews)