GENERAL NEWS AND HEADLINES

Antigraft body issues circular on using DTKS for social aid distribution
Tempo, (https://tinyurl.com/yad67laq); TribunNews, (https://tinyurl.com/ybamp5so); Kompas, (https://tinyurl.com/ybb67q4s)

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has issued circular No. 1/2020 concerning the use of the Social Affairs Ministry’s integrated social welfare data (DTKS), as well as non-DTKS data, for social assistance to citizens affected by COVID-19.

KPK chairman Firli Bahuri stated that, through the implementation of the national corruption prevention strategy (Stranas-PK) action plan, the DTKS had been paired with data provided by the Home Ministry’s Population and Civil Registration Directorate General through population registration numbers (NIKs).

Firli said that improvements to the accuracy of information on all beneficiaries would be carried out periodically through data collection conducted by local administrations, as well as verification procedures to further ensure that social assistance is distributed to the right recipients.

 

Jakarta Police to move forward Operasi Ketupat to April 24
CNN Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/ya6jt3qw)

The Metro Jaya Regional Police Traffic Directorate will be move the starting date of Operasi Ketupat 2020 to Friday due to the fact that the Idul Fitri mudik (exodus) ban will go into effect on the same day.

Jakarta Police traffic director Sr. Comr. Sambodo Purnomo Yugo stated that the operation was initially to take place for one week after Idul Fitri. However, his team would still have to wait for the government’s decision on details concerning the date. He added that Operasi Ketupat 2020 would mostly focus on the ban on travel among citizens traveling to their respective hometowns amid the pandemic.

 

Regional elections expected to be held in June 2021
TribunNews, (https://tinyurl.com/y9pwt83j)

Election Organizations Ethics Council (DKPP) member Didik Supriyanto proposed that the regional head elections (Pilkada) be held no later than early June 2021.

Didik explained that early June would make it ideal for elected regional head candidates to be inaugurated by August 2021, which would give them enough time for 2021 and 2022 budget deliberations. Furthermore, the elected regional heads would then immediately be able to implement their promised policy plans, including ones concerning the handling of COVID-19 transmission in their respective regions.

Didik added that the June 2021 election could be used as a starting point for holding regional elections as directed by Constitutional Court decision No. 55/PII-XVII/2019.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS NEWS AND HEADLINES

Ministry mulls providing companies soft loans to pay Idul Fitri bonus
The Jakarta Post, (https://tinyurl.com/ybcp7rgr) 

The Industry Ministry is discussing the possibility of providing businesses with soft loans to enable them to pay Idul Fitri holiday bonuses (THR) as the economic downturn is forcing companies to withhold or cut the bonus payment. The ministry is in discussion with the central bank and the Financial Services Authority (OJK) over the matter, Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita told journalists. “During a dialogue with industrial company associations, the companies said they were willing to pay their workers’ THR even though they had to take loans out from banks,” Agus said.

The Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) submitted on Apr. 6 a proposal to the Office of Coordinating Economic Minister and the Workers Social Security Agency (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan), asking to postpone the payment of THR for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto reminded businesses that they were obliged to pay THR, despite the economic pressures brought about by the pandemic.

 

Air Asia extends flight suspension
CNBC Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/yc6dajwy); Kompas, (https://tinyurl.com/y8evsp5e) 

Low-cost carrier Air Asia Group has extended the suspension of flight operations in Indonesia, following approval from the authorities. Previously, Air Asia Indonesia had announced that it would be suspending domestic and international routes until Apr. 17 and May 17, respectively. “The suspension of domestic flights will be extended until May 7 for the Surabaya-Bali route and until May 18 for other domestic routes,” Air Asia’s spokeswoman Indah Permatasari Saugi said in an official statement.

 

Govt releases road map to reduce plastic waste
Bisnis Indonesia, (https://tinyurl.com/ycr78p95); Antara, (https://tinyurl.com/ydf3zt96) 

Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has announced a road map to reduce the country’s plastic waste by 70 percent in 2025. To achieve this objective, the government launched the National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) that includes five policy interventions. The interventions include limiting plastic consumption to less than 1 million ton per year, promoting the recycling principle in the design of plastic products, doubling plastic waste collection to over 80 percent by 2025, doubling waste recycling capacity by 2025, and building new waste disposal facilities for non-recyclable waste.

Through this initiative, the country could reduce plastic waste in the ocean and the wastewater system by 16 million tons, greenhouse gas emissions by 20 million per year, and create 150,000 new jobs while improving public health. Currently, Indonesia generates 6.8 million tons of plastic waste per year.

 

Bukalapak ranked as one of Asia-Pacific’s fastest growing companies
Kontan, (https://tinyurl.com/ybq55er5); Republika, (https://tinyurl.com/ybwokfym) 

According to the Financial Times’s list of the top 500 fast growing companies in Asia-Pacific, Bukalapak is ranked 14^th in the region and 2^nd in Indonesia. Bukalapak’s spokeswoman Gicha Graciella said the company recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 255.5 percent and an absolute revenue growth rate (ARGR) of 4,393.2 percent from 2015 to 2018. “The COVID-19 pandemic has not hindered Bukalapak’s growth performance. In March 2020, the company recorded a 20 percent year-on-year (yoy) increase in transactions,” she added.

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