GENERAL NEWS AND HEADLINES

Hospitals urged to triage admission of COVID-19 patients
CNN Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/uz9vkuk)

Persahabatan Central General Hospital (RSUP) managing director Rita Rogayah has urged all referral hospitals to accept only patients showing moderate to severe symptoms of COVID-19.

Rita added that the hospital had been admitting all patients with symptoms that ranged from mild to severe, but that hospital records showed it had admitted more patients with mild symptoms compared to those with severe symptoms, with mild cases comprising 30-40 percent of all cases and severe cases just 10-15 percent.

Prioritizing the admission of patients presenting moderate to severe symptoms would be useful for placing them in the appropriate wards for treatment. Rita said that patients with severe symptoms were placed in the intensive care unit (ICU) and patients with moderate symptoms would be treated in isolation wards, while patients showing only mild symptoms would be asked to self-isolate at home.

 

Police to discuss sanctions for PSBB offenders in Jakarta
Liputan6 (https://tinyurl.com/rhccl23)

The Jakarta Metropolitan Police (Polda Metro Jaya) are drafting sanctions for those that violate the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) that takes effect in the Jakarta special capital region on April 10, 2020.

Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Yusri Yunus said that the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) had met over Government Regulation No. 21/2020 on the PSBB.

The regulation touched upon matters concerning law enforcement, so the police, along with the Indonesian Military (TNI) and regional administrations, were obligated to ensure that all citizens acknowledged and adhered to the PSBB.

 

YLBHI urges police to revoke repressive policies
Media Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/r3habec)

Asfinawati (Asfina), the head of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute Foundation (YLBHI), has urged the police to revoke National Police Chief Telegram No. ST/1100/IV/HUK.7.1/2020 issued on April 4 by police chief Gen. Idham Azis.

The regulation was issued simultaneously with National Police chief telegrams No. 1098 on large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) and No. 1099 on staple goods.

Asfina said that the provisions of the telegrams could potentially violate due process and encourage the arrest of outspoken communities and individuals critical of government policies, and thus violate their right to freedom of expression.

She pointed out that the Constitutional Court (MK) had already revoked an article in the Criminal Code (KUHP) that criminalized insulting the President and the Vice President by issuing MK Decision No. 013-022/PUU-IV/2006.

Criticizing government policies should not be categorized as an act of contempt as stipulated in the revoked Article 207 of the KUHP, she added. Asfina expressed her hope that the government would instead take a more persuasive and humanitarian approach during the health crisis.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS NEWS AND HEADLINES

Health Ministry relaxes import requirements for medical equipment
Bisnis Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/tja559h, https://tinyurl.com/wnvkue8); Suara Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/rp2m387)

The Health Ministry has relaxed import requirements for medical devices and raw materials for medical equipment that have seen a rapid rise in demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The relaxation is being implemented to facilitate local producers that have diversified their business to produce medical equipment such as masks, protective health gear (APD) and hand sanitizer. The ministry's director general for pharmacy and medical equipment, Engko Sosialine Magdalene, during a teleconference with House of Representatives Commission IX today said there were now 39 businesses producing masks, 20 producing APD and 103 producing hand sanitizer, from respectively 22, three and 36 businesses. The relaxation of the import requirements was stipulated in Health Ministerial Regulation No. 7/2020 issued on Mar. 27.

 

JCI falls 3.16 percent as net foreign sales reach Rp 366.6 billion
Bisnis Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/uqm6sth); CNBC Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/sxozzkz);  CNN Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/qkjpfyk)

The Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) decreased by 3.16 percent, falling 150.93 points to 4,627.705 as foreign investors recorded a net sell of Rp 336.6 billion (US$20.71 million). PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BBRI), PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (TLKM) and PT Bank Mandiri (BMRI) saw the biggest sell-offs with Rp 121.1 billion, Rp 66.8 billion and Rp 27.8 billion, respectively. Reliance Sekuritas Indonesia analyst Lanjar Nafi said the country’s foreign exchange reserves being below expectations had caused negative sentiment that led foreign investors to sell their shares for profit taking.

 

Energy ministry signs gas network project worth Rp 309.1 billion
CNN Indonesia (https://tinyurl.com/v5kt9am);  Antara News (https://tinyurl.com/w54hypa)

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has signed a contract worth Rp 309.1 billion (US$19.01 million) for the second phase of a gas network project. The planned gas network will connect 33,518 households in six cities and regencies. The project is part of the government’s plan this year to build a gas network that reaches 49 cities and regencies, connecting 266,070 households.  However, the ministry’s oil and gas infrastructure planning and development director Alimuddin Baso said the government would evaluate contracts that had not been signed due to state budget reallocation in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Traveloka lays off workers amid pandemic
Kontan (https://tinyurl.com/tn6muuz)

Online travel agent Traveloka has reportedly laid off a significant number of employees as the COVID-19 pandemic hit travel and tourism businesses hard. The downsizing was said to affect 100 employees, 10 percent of the company’s total workforce, while some of those who remain are being paid half their regular salaries. Traveloka’s transportation head Caesar Indra said the company had received a massive amount of refund requests from customers whose travel plans had been affected by the pandemic. “The situation went downhill afterward,” he added.

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