GENERAL NEWS AND HEADLINES

Defense Ministry seeks to implement Bela Negara program in universities
CNN Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/y54984b7); TribunNews (https://tinyurl.com/y6l93pjt)

Deputy Defense Minister Wahyu Sakti Trenggono has given an assurance that the Bela Negara (State Defense) program, proposed by the Defense Ministry and the Education and Culture Ministry, will be implemented in a tertiary education-environment and will differ from a militaristic education.

“I want to make a correction, [the program] is not a militaristic education. It is about defending the state. Calling it a military program gives the impression of militarization. However, state defense is a different matter,” Trenggono said on Wednesday.

As the independent learning program was devised by both ministries, the Bela Negara program’s learning format is still being discussed. The program emphasizes that no militaristic training will be given to students and that the program is entirely voluntary.

The Education and Culture Ministry’s higher education director general, Nizam, said that students who chose to partake in the program could become reserve officers.

 

Involving foreign parties in KAMI declaration endangers Indonesia: House
Detik (https://tinyurl.com/yyp3cmyg), (https://tinyurl.com/y5y44v3w)

Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia Zuhair Al-Shun attendance at the Save Indonesia Coalition (KAMI) declaration at the Proclamation Monument on Tuesday has drawn criticism from House of Representatives Commission I, overseeing defense and foreign affairs.

House Commission I chairwoman Meutya Hafid said that although every citizen reserved the right to convey their aspirations to the government, the founding members of KAMI should have been more cautious in involving foreign parties in events, such as the coalition’s declaration, as it might undermine internal and domestic affairs.

“I think that the involvement of foreign ambassadors in political movements violates the rules. Moreover, it can be dangerous in domestic matters,” Meutya said.

 

IDI to file lawsuit concerning Indonesian Doctors Council
Tempo (https://tinyurl.com/yxoj6ga5); Kompas (https://tinyurl.com/y427vf7e); Detik (https://tinyurl.com/y5k2eck7)

Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) deputy chairman Slamet Budiarto has said he will file a lawsuit if proposals to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to postpone the inauguration of the members of the 2020-2025 Indonesian Doctors Council (KKI) are ignored. This is because the IDI, along with six other organizations and associations, has claimed that the names contained in Presidential Decree (Kepres) No. 55/2020 concerning the dismissal and appointment of KKI members, were not names they had proposed.

IDI chairman Daeng M. Faqih said that in line with the President’s wish for better health governance and furthering the bureaucratic reform agenda, it was important that the process of proposing names of KKI members fell within the law’s provisions.

Despite these concerns, Jokowi inaugurated the new members of the KKI on Wednesday at the State Palace. The new members came from the IDI, the Indonesian Dentists Association (PDGI), the Association of Indonesian Medical Education Institutions (AIPKI), the Association of Indonesian Dental Education Institutions (AIPKGI) and the College of Medicine.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS NEWS AND HEADLINES

Sidrap Wind Power Plant II to supply 60-70 MW of power
CNN Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/y49ag4ra)

The Sidrap Wind Power Plant II (PLTB Sidrap II) in South Sulawesi is slated to provide 60 to 70 megawatts (MW) of power from 22 turbines with a 3.64 MW capacity each. It will add to the 75-MW capacity provided by the first phase of the power plant from 30 turbines. Sidrap Wind Power Plant spokesperson Niko Priyambada said the additional power capacity was decided from the projected rise in demand for electricity in Southern Sulawesi and the government’s electricity procurement plan. The Indonesian branch of US-based renewable energy firm UPC Renewables, PT UPC Renewables Indonesia, is preparing a US$125 million investment to develop the second phase of the power plant. As many as 85 percent of land has been acquired to develop the power plant on 40-50 hectares of land.

 

BRI’s net profit falls to Rp 10.18 trillion in first half
CNBC Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/y38pf2ha); Kontan (https://tinyurl.com/y3vpw46b); Kompas (https://tinyurl.com/y6nlmtnk)    

State-owned lender Bank BRI recorded Rp 10.18 trillion (US$688.62 million) consolidated net profit in the first half, a 36.88 percent decline from the same period last year. The fall in the bank’s net profit is in line with the decline in its net interest margin (NIM), which fell to 5.6 percent. BRI executive director Sunarso said the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the bank’s financial performance. In addition, the bank had to give credit restructuring to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Contributing to the bank’s profit was credit distribution, which grew 5.23 percent to Rp 922.97 trillion, fee-based commission (FBI) from digital transactions, which grew 18.59 percent to Rp 7.46 trillion and third-party funds (DPK), which grew 13.49 percent to Rp 1.1 quadrillion. Rp 725.27 trillion, or 78.58 percent of the credit, was given to MSMEs. However, BRI was able to maintain its non-performing loan (NPL) rate at 3.13 percent.

 

Shopee kicks off year-end shopping event with optimism
The Jakarta Post (https://tinyurl.com/y3ybzg7o) 

E-commerce platform Shopee Indonesia has launched a three-week shopping event called 9.9 Super Shopping Day, offering free delivery and late-night discounts, amid the online shopping boom during the pandemic. Shopee Indonesia director Christin Djuarto said that they believed the online shopping trend would continue to rise, predicting that this year’s event would exceed last year’s achievement of 17 million transactions, a nearly threefold increase from 5.8 million transactions during the event in 2018. Christin added that recently Shopee had seen a rising demand for sport and outdoor items. “To cater to this trend, we will be launching an official Adidas store on our platform,” Christin said. The event will commence on Aug. 18 and run until Sept. 8.

 

OYO Indonesia refund and payment complaints go viral
The Jakarta Post (https://tinyurl.com/y5ptm46l)

Budget hotel operator OYO Indonesia customers and partners have brought to social media their complaints of neglect by the India-based company, as many encountered refund and payment problems for months. Instagram account @oyobikinrugi_ (OYO causes losses) has gone viral for collecting and sharing stories from OYO customers and partners on how the company has failed to address refund and payment issues, among other things. The account operators, who consist of a group of people whose complaints were not responded to by OYO, said it had collected data on 45 OYO customers, partners and vendors, who collectively claimed losses up to Rp 4 billion (US$270,578). However, some consumers, partners and vendors that have reported cases to the National Consumer Protection Agency (BPKN), the Finance Ministry, the Business Competition Supervisory Comission (KPPU) or the police have received repayment from OYO, the group said.

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