TRANSPORTATION MODES BEING READIED FOR LEBARAN

 

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 17 (Antara) - The Transportation Ministry has prepared land, sea and air transportation modes to deal with the exodus of post-fasting month of Eid-Al-Fitr or Lebaran travelers.            Some 45 thousand buses, 447 trains with 1,400 carriages, 140 ships and 529 airplanes will be operated to transport millions of Lebaran revelers.         "We will evaluate all transportation modes to decide which modes can be operated and which cannot in an effort to provide a convenient passage for passengers," Transportation Minister Jonan said in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan on Friday.         The minister was making an observation tour of Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, to see the readiness of the Trisakti Seaport and Syamsudin Noor Airport in South Kalimantan.         Minister Jonan said four modes of air, land, sea and railway transportation systems had been readied three months ago. However, some of them are still under examination.

INDONESIA YET TO ACCEDE TO TOBACCO CONTROL CONVENTION

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 16 (Antara) - The pros and cons behind Indonesia acceding to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) have long been speculated, and the government's indecisive stand has placed it in a difficult position.          Various circles from the health sector and the younger generation have, so far, called on the government to ratify the FCTC treaty, which had been circulated by the WHO since May 21, 2003, in an effort to curb tobacco consumption.          However, the government has yet to accede to the convention as over six million people earn a livelihood as workers in tobacco industries or as tobacco farmers. Tobacco also contributes trillions of rupiah in taxes to the state     The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Youth Movement (GM-FCTC) has questioned the government's reluctance to accede to the convention amid increasing number of young smokers.          The GM-FCTC viewed the government's hesitance to ratify the convention as odd, especially during a time when 180 countries in the world, realizing the importance of controlling tobacco consumption, have acceded to the FCTC.          "It is ironical for Indonesia, as one of the initiator countries of the FCTC, to have not yet affirmed its commitment to controlling tobacco consumption by acceding to the FCTC," Margianta Surahman, a spokesman of the GM-FCTC, noted in a press statement in Jakarta on Wednesday.

EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO IMPROVE HAJJ PILGRIMAGE SERVICES

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 15 (Antara) - Some three months before the D-Day of this year's Hajj pilgrimage season in September, the Indonesian government is now streamlining its services for the departure of 168,800 would-be Hajj pilgrims to the Holy Land.          President Joko Widodo has also promised to hold a special meeting to discuss matters related to organizing the Hajj pilgrimage. The president made the statement while receiving a delegation of the Hajj Supervisory Commission (KPHI) in Jakarta on Tuesday.          According to KPHI Chairman Samidin Nashir, the president responded positively to his Commission's recommendations and vowed to hold a special meeting to discuss matters relating to the Hajj pilgrimage program.         "The KPHI has made recommendations on the improvements in Hajj services," Nashir stated.          The government is also holding a training course for officials, who will be assigned to provide Hajj services. The course was inaugurated on Tuesday by Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin.           He called on the course participants to improve their professionalism and maintain composure while providing services to the pilgrims.           "Do your job professionally with responsibility. Make sure you are able to have good control over your emotions while carrying out your tasks," the minister remarked while opening the training course for Hajj officials for the 2016 Hajj pilgrimage season at the Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory in East Jakarta on Tuesday.

GOVT CHECKS VEHICLES FOR LEBARAN TRANSPORTATION

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 14 (Antara)  - The government is conducting checks to determine the condition of vehicles that will be used to transport post-fasting Ied Fitr or Lebaran travelers who will be headed for their hometowns to celebrate the Muslim holiday festivities.         The Transportation Ministry is examining means of transport to be used for travel by air, land and sea to ensure the safety and security of homebound travelers, popularly known as pemudik. Such travels will start early next month.          "All modes are being checked. Physical examination of vehicles will be carried out till  June 24, 2016. Checks are not being carried out randomly; instead vehicles are being checked one-by-one. Vehicles found not roadworthy will not be allowed to operate during the Lebaran transportation season," Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan said after a cabinet plenary session on the 2016 Revised State Budget (APBNP 2016) and Reports on Iid Fitr Preparations, held at the Presidential Palace last week.          Ignasius Jonan said this year the Ministry of Transportation will check 1,200-1,400 buses, locomotives, passenger trains, airplanes and ships.

FOOD COMMODITIES ADEQUATE FOR LEBARAN

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 14 (Antara) - The stocks of various essential food commodities, including rice which is a staple food for the Indonesian people, are adequate to meet the people's needs in view of the upcoming Ied Fitr or Lebaran festivities.          The State Logistics Board (Bulog) currently has 2.1 million tons of rice in stock, sufficient to meet people's requirement for the coming seven months. "Bulog has some 2.1 million tons of rice stock. The people's monthly rice requirement is some 300 thousand tons," Bulog Procurement Director Wahyu has stated.       To meet the need for other commodities, the Agriculture Ministry is organizing massive market operations in 4,000 locations throughout Indonesia, aimed at keeping prices of staple foods stable.          "We are carrying out massive market operations in 4,000 locations in Indonesia daily. A short term solution is a massive operation ahead of Ied Fitr Muslim holiday," Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman pointed out while observing the launch of a market operation in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, on Sunday (June 12).          During the market operation at Pasar Minggu, commodities such as rice, shallots, cooking oil, red chili and sugar were sold. Housewives swarmed the premises of the horticulture office to buy basic necessities being sold at prices below regular market prices.

SUBSIDY CUT NOT TO REDUCE DIESEL OIL SUPPLY

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 11 (Antara) - The government's plan to cut its diesel oil subsidy will have no impact on the volume of diesel oil supplies which currently amount to about 16 million kiloliters.          However, Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Minister Sudirman Said has not given any assurance about whether it will lead to lesser consumption of biodiesel, being intensively promoted by the government.          In the 2016 State Budget (APBN 2016), a provision of Rp1,000 per liter has been kept for diesel oil subsidy. The Draft 2016 Revised State Budget (RAPBNP 2016) will have a subsidy figure based on the cut applied.          Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said the fixed diesel oil subsidy of Rp1,000 per liter in the APBN 2016 will be reduced to Rp350 per liter in the RAPBNP 2016.          As a result of the cut, the fuel oil and liquefied petroleum gas subsidies in the APBNP 2016 will amount to Rp40.63 trillion, down from Rp63.68 trillion in the APBN 2016.          Earlier, ESDM Minister Sudirman Said informed Commission VII on energy affairs of the House of Representatives (DPR) about the government's plan to cut diesel oil subsidy by Rp650 per liter and that it will form the basis of the figure in RAPBNP 2016.      Sudirman stated the government was yet to discuss the impact of diesel oil price after the subsidy cut, but it is expected to adjust itself to the market price within a three month period.          The minister admitted that the government has made significant corrections in the APBN 2016. In the energy sector, the world oil price slide was the main factor for budget adjustment.

INDONESIA MIGHT NEED TO IMPORT MAIZE

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 10 (Antara) - Indonesia has set a target to produce 24 million tons of maize this year, more than its estimated need of 21.4 million tons, yet agribusiness circles say the country still needs to import the commodity.          "Let us review the price of maize at the end of this month. If it does not come down, it means there is no additional domestic production. If there are no stocks, it will be impossible for us not to import the commodity," Indonesian Agribusiness Club Secretary, Tony Kristiyanto, said on Tuesday.          Therefore, Indonesia still needs to import maize because domestic production has not increased while demand for the commodity continues to soar.          Indonesia's maize production has been increasing over the past several years. In 2014, the country's production of the commodity reached 19.01 million tons, up 2.68 percent from the 19.51 million tons produced in 2013.          Last year, maize production in the country was about 20.6 million tons, 8.7 percent more than in 2014.          However, the rising domestic needs and little progress in production this year might force the country to import the commodity. Tony noted that Indonesia had to import maize since it is used as animal feed.