GENERAL NEWS AND HEADLINES

Muted celebrations mark Indonesia’s independence day
The Jakarta Post, headline; Kompas, p.2

Indonesia celebrated 75 years of independence in a somber mood on Monday, with many deciding to pull back from the usual ritual of flag-hoisting ceremonies and pole-climbing competitions as COVID-19 continues to spread, a crisis that one historian has deemed one of the worse the country has faced in its modern history.

Indonesia reported 1,821 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing its official infection total to 141,370, data from the government’s coronavirus task force show. While the country celebrated its independence day on Monday, it added 57 new deaths, taking its fatalities to 6,207, the highest COVID-19 death toll in Southeast Asia.

Due to the coronavirus, the Merdeka Palace imposed health protocols to prevent COVID-19 transmission, resulting in only a handful of officials and dignitaries being able to attend a flag-hoisting ceremony, a radical departure from the usual hustle and bustle of the annual celebration. Social distancing measures also prompted a reduction in the number of members of the flag bearer team, which was cut to only eight from the usual 68.

The Presidential Palace said the number of attendees at the ceremony had been cut to only 34, including 14 dignitaries invited to join the occasion.

Former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has expressed optimism that despite the current pandemic, Indonesians should take pride in the fact that the country had become the largest economy in Southeast Asia and had risen to become a member of the Group of 20.

 

Indonesia aims high for 2045
Media Indonesia, headline; Kompas, headline

Despite the country’s unusual commemoration of its independence day as COVID-19 health crisis is still ongoing, Indonesia will not stop pursuing its aim to be a developed country by 2045.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a number of significant reforms in several sectors necessary to boost Indonesia’s development,” said National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) economic deputy Bambang Prijambodo, who also serves as the head of Indonesia’s 2045 vision team.  

Yose Rizal Damuri, the head of the department of economics at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), however, said that Indonesia must overcome three main problems to achieve the target, namely those related to capital accumulation, human resources and productivity.

 

RI’s COVID-19 test number way below WHO standard
Koran Tempo, Berita Utama

The number of COVID-19 swab tests, or also known as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, conducted by Indonesia throughout August has yet to reach half of the standard set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The country recorded this month’s highest daily swab test on Aug. 7, during which 15,599 people were tested and 2,473 were declared infected with the disease.

On one hand, according to WHO, at least 1,000 per 1 million people should be tested each week. This means that Indonesia, whose population reaches 269,6 million, must test at least 38,5 thousand citizens per day.

On the other hand, however, Tempo discovered that the government had reportedly held back the number of swab tests, despite the pandemic showing no signs of abating. Based on a documents detailing COVID-19 management in eight provinces acquired by Tempo, the government said that it was not necessary to increase the country’s testing capacity to more than 30 thousand per day.

COVID-19 task force spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito did not deny nor confirm when asked about the report. Wiku said that the government was making an effort to increase the country’s testing capacity according to the WHO standard.

 

Indonesians volunteer for COVID-19 vaccine trials
The Jakarta Post, p.2

In the past several months since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Indonesia, people have come together to help each other amid what many see as an insufficient government response. Now, with the country pinning its hopes on developing a vaccine, public participation appears to be once again playing a vital role.

At least 1,620 Indonesians are scheduled to take part in the final stage of clinical testing, phase III trials, of a COVID-19 candidate vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech.

The six centers that are hosting the gradual trials are Unpad’s university health center and its teaching hospital, as well as Sukapakir, Garuda, Ciumbuleuit and Dago community health centers (Puskesmas).

Herlina is scheduled to begin her participation in the trials on Aug. 25 at the Dago community health center.

The trials, aimed at assessing the efficacy and safety of the candidate vaccine, will be a doubleblind, placebo-controlled trial. This means the clinical trial team will inject half of the volunteers with the candidate vaccine and the other half with a placebo. Neither the participants nor the trial team will know who receives what.

West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil has also signed up as a volunteer for the trials to show his support and trust toward the researchers.National COVID-19 task force chief Doni Monardo has also registered as a volunteer for the trials, according to task force spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito, who said it was “part of the government’s commitment to provide the maximum protection for citizens against the danger of COVID-19”.

 

Police look into involvement of immigration officials in Djoko Tjandra’s escape
Republika, p.4

The National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) is currently looking into the involvement of officials from the Law and Human Rights Ministry’s Immigration Office in facilitating graft convict Djoko Tjandra to make an escape.

National Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Argo Yuwono said that the police would investigate the Immigration Office’s higher-ups who were allegedly involved in making Djoko’s escape possible as well as removing Djoko from Interpol’s red notice.

Graft watchdog Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has urged the police to probe deeper into the involvement of Immigration Officials in Djoko’s red notice status removal. “In this context, it is important to note that the Immigration Office Director General, Jhony Ginting, is formerly a prosecutor, who must have been aware about Djoko’s status as a fugitive,” said ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS NEWS AND HEADLINES

Muted celebrations mark Indonesia’s Independence Day
The Jakarta Post, headline; Kompas, p.2

Indonesia celebrated 75 years of independence in a somber mood on Monday, with many deciding to pull back from the usual ritual of flag-hoisting ceremonies and pole-climbing competitions as COVID-19 continues to spread, a crisis that one historian says is one of the worse the country has faced in its modern history.

Indonesia reported 1,821 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing its official infection total to 141,370, data from the government’s coronavirus task force shows. While the country celebrated its Independence Day on Monday, it added 57 new deaths, taking its fatalities to 6,207, the highest COVID-19 death toll in Southeast Asia.

Due to the coronavirus, the State Palace imposed health protocols to prevent COVID-19 transmissions, resulting in only a handful of officials and dignitaries being able to attend a flag-hoisting ceremony — a radical departure from the usual hustle and bustle of the annual celebration. Social distancing measures also prompted a reduction in the number of members of the flag-bearer team, which was cut to only eight from the usual 68.

The State Palace said the number of attendees at the ceremony had been cut to only 34, including 14 dignitaries invited to join the occasion.

Former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has expressed his optimism that despite the current pandemic, Indonesians should take pride in the fact that the country had become the largest economy in Southeast Asia and had risen to become a member of the Group of 20.

 

Indonesia aims high for 2045
Media Indonesia, headline; Kompas, headline

Despite the country’s unusual Independence Day commemoration because of the COVID-19 health crisis, Indonesia will not stop pursuing its aim to be a developed country by 2045.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a number of significant reforms in several sectors necessary to boost Indonesia’s development,” said National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) economic deputy Bambang Prijambodo, who also serves as the head of Indonesia’s 2045 vision team.  

Yose Rizal Damuri, the head of the department of economics at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), however, said Indonesia must overcome three main problems to achieve the target, namely those related to capital accumulation, human resources and productivity.

 

RI’s COVID-19 test number far below WHO standard
Koran Tempo, Berita Utama

The number of COVID-19 swab tests — or also known as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests — conducted by Indonesia throughout August has yet to reach half of the standard set by the World Health Organization. The country recorded this month’s highest daily swab tests on Aug. 7, during which 15,599 people were tested and 2,473 were declared infected with the disease.

According to WHO, at least 1,000 per 1 million people should be tested each week. This means that Indonesia, which has a population of 269.6 million people, must test at least 38,500 citizens per day.

On the other hand, however, Tempo discovered that the government had reportedly held back the number of swab tests, even though the pandemic is showing no signs of slowing down. Based on a documents detailing COVID-19 management in eight provinces acquired by Tempo, the government said it was not necessary to increase the country’s testing capacity to more than 30,000 per day.

COVID-19 task force spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito did not deny nor confirm the claims when asked about the report. Wiku said the government was making an effort to increase the country’s testing capacity according to WHO standards.

 

Indonesians volunteer for COVID-19 vaccine trials
The Jakarta Post, p.2

Since the first COVID-19 cases were found in Indonesia, people have come together to help each other amid what many see as an insufficient government response. Now, with the country pinning its hopes on developing a vaccine, public participation appears to be once again playing a vital role.

At least 1,620 Indonesians are scheduled to take part in the final stage of clinical testing, phase III trials, of a COVID-19 candidate vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech.

The six centers that are hosting the gradual trials are Padjadjaran University’s (Unpad) health center and teaching hospital, as well as the Sukapakir, Garuda, Ciumbuleuit and Dago community health centers (Puskesmas).

Herlina is scheduled to begin her participation in the trials on Aug. 25 at the Dago Puskesmas.

The trials, aimed at assessing the efficacy and safety of the potential vaccine, will be a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. This means the clinical trial team will inject half of the volunteers with the potential vaccine and the other half with a placebo. Neither the participants nor the trial team will know who receives what.

West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil has also signed up as a volunteer for the trials to show his support and trust of the researchers. National COVID-19 task force chief Doni Monardo has also registered as a volunteer for the trials, according to task force spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito, who said it was “part of the government’s commitment to providing the maximum protection for citizens against the danger of COVID-19”.

 

Police look into involvement of immigration officials in Djoko Tjandra’s escape
Republika, p.4

The National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) is currently looking into the involvement of officials from the Law and Human Rights Ministry’s Immigration Directorate General in helping graft convict Djoko Tjandra evade capture.

National Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Argo Yuwono said that police would investigate the immigration office’s higher-ups who were allegedly involved in making Djoko’s escape possible as well as removing Djoko from Interpol’s red notice.

Graft watchdog Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has urged the police to probe deeper into the involvement of immigration officials in the removal of Djoko’s red notice status.

“In this context, it is important to note that the Immigration Director General Jhony Ginting is formerly a prosecutor, who must have been aware about Djoko’s status as a fugitive,” said ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana.

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