GENERAL NEWS AND HEADLINES

Govt readies health protocols as Indonesia looks to resume sports competitions
The Jakarta Post (https://tinyurl.com/y63k32br)

The government and national sports associations have signed an agreement on the implementation of health protocols for sports competitions as the country prepares to resume the previously postponed soccer and basketball leagues.

National COVID-19 task force chief Doni Monardo signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the Youth and Sports Ministry, the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) and the Indonesian Basketball Association (Perbasi) on Thursday.

Doni explained that all competitions would be held without spectators in venues to prevent COVID-19 transmission. Organizers should also coordinate with local COVID-19 task forces and health agencies prior to matches.

All athletes, team officials and competition organizers will also be required to regularly undergo polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to ensure that no one was infected by the coronavirus. The COVID-19 task force will provide the testing facilities. The national COVID-19 task force also forbade athletes, officials and match organizers with a history of chronic illness from taking part in competitions.

Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali conveyed his hope that the associations would comply with the strict health protocols. He also urged the public to watch the matches through television and other broadcast media.

 

Bakamla, Foreign Ministry discuss Chinese coast guard vessel’s trespass in Indonesian waters
Tempo (https://tinyurl.com/y3dzbysu) 

The Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) chief Vice Adm. Aan Kurnia visited Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi on Thursday, during which they discussed a number of strategic issues, including security in the North Natuna Sea, in which the country has been engaged in several skirmishes with China.  

Tension has been mounting in the North Natuna Sea in the past weeks. Last week, Bakamla drove off a Chinese coast guard vessel that entered Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the North Natuna Sea near Riau Islands without authorization. The vessel, Chinese coast guard ship 5204, was detected by Bakamla patrol ship KN Nipah 321 through an automatic identification system at around 10:00 a.m. local time on Saturday.

Upon Bakamla’s warning, the Chinese ship insisted it had the right to patrol around the so-called nine-dash line – China’s geographic expression in the South China Sea that denotes China’s traditional fishing grounds. One of the nine dashes slices through waters north of the Natuna Islands.

Bakamla eventually managed to forcibly drive off the Chinese ship.

 

Gelora Party to support Gibran, Bobby
Tempo (https://tinyurl.com/y2zhmsls) ; Detik (https://tinyurl.com/y4b7gllo) 

Gelora Party chairman Anis Matta officially announced his party’s support for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and son-in-law, Bobby Nasution, in the upcoming 2020 regional elections. Gibran and Bobby will compete in the Surakarta and Medan mayoral elections respectively.

Anis explained the Gelora Party’s decision to support Gibran and Bobby was based on regional political dynamics in Surakarta and Medan. Anis added that the Gelora Party’s regional chapters enjoyed freedom to choose which candidates to endorse.

Anis also asserted that Gibran and Bobby’s candidacies in the 2020 regional elections were not related to President Jokowi’s alleged wish to establish a political dynasty. “We might call it a dynasty if [Gibran and Bobby] inherited mayoral positions without elections,” said Anis.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS NEWS AND HEADLINES 

House’s initial draft: Bank supervision to return to BI starting 2023
Bisnis Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/y4xfsum5) 

Banking supervision will be returned to Bank Indonesia (BI) starting 2023, according to an initial draft of the revised Law No. 23/1999. Besides returning the banking supervisory function, the draft also legalizes monetary financing by allowing the country’s central bank to buy government bonds from the primary market during emergencies. House of Representatives Legislation Body (Baleg) member Achmad Baidowi denied the allegation that the BI Law revision would benefit certain interest groups. “The current draft is for internal discussion. Baleg has not made any decision,” Achmad said.

 

DEN to regulate national fuel reserves through Perpres
CNBC Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/yxzbunca) 

The National Energy Council (DEN) plans to regulate national fuel reserves through presidential regulation (Perpres). Currently, Indonesia has no fuel reserves. The only available fuel reserves are operational fuel reserves owned by state oil and gas holding company PT Pertamina. DEN secretary-general Djoko Siswanto proposed a national fuel reserve of 30 days of fuel imports. Meanwhile, the Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas) is preparing its own regulation on national fuel reserves. According to the BPH Migas regulatory draft, fuel distributors must prepare 23 days’ worth of fuel reserves within five years, including aviation turbine fuel (avtur), aviation gasoline (avgas), gasoline, diesel and kerosene.

 

Govt nullifies 180,000 preemployment cards
CNN Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/y2lx6o4f) 

The preemployment card management has nullified the status of 180,000 cardholders, equivalent to 3.8 percent of total participants. Preemployment card program management spokesperson Louisa Tuhatu said the nullified participants were members of the first to fourth batches. Currently, the program is opening registration for the ninth batch. The management revoked their participation status because these participants did not spend their Rp 1 million (US$67.75) budget on any virtual training sessions. The unused budget will be returned to the state coffers.

 

Energy ministry aims for 3 percent national energy mix from biomass
Kontan (https://tinyurl.com/y28exouq) 

The government will increase the use of biomass to reduce fossil fuel consumption, particularly of coal. Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry bioenergy director Andriah Feby Misna said the government aimed to increase biomass use in cofiring by 1 to 3 percent in the national renewable energy mix by 2025. Under the cofiring scheme, the government will optimize the use of biomass pellets from organic waste. Andriah also said the ministry would push for the utilization of 30 percent blended biodiesel (B30) and the testing of 40 percent blended biodiesel (B40).

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