| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Oct 14 (ANTARA) - Thousands of refugees from the flash flood-affected area in Teluk Wondama district, West Papua, have left or are still leaving for neighboring villages, districts or provinces after the natural disaster paralysed their town last week. Some are still leaving for other provinces such as Southeast Sulawesi, South Sulawesi or Maluku provinces. On Thursday. for example, a second batch of refugees totalling 183 persons arrived in Baubau, Southeast Sulawesi. The arrival of the second phase increased the number of Wasior refugees in Baubau to 667 people. It was reported that the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) had accommodated at least 4,771 flood refugees in Manokwari, capital of West Papua while 2,554 others took their own shelters or returned to their families. According to BNPB, 2,652 other refugees had also been accommodated at six refugee sites in Wasior and 355 others in neighboring Nabire. For those who wanted to evacuate to other provinces there were at least four airlines --apart from ships provided by state-owned shipping firm PT Pelni-- which are ready to serve them free of charge. The ministry of transportation announced on Wednesday three national airlines had offered their services for refugees who wanted to leave Wasior after the area was hit by a flash flood claiming the lives of 145 people and causing 103 others to go missing last week. "The four airlines are Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Batavia Air, Lion Air dan Airfast," Director General for Air Transportation Herry Bakti S. Gumay said. The four airline companies are ready to fly them to their respective destinations during the emergency response period in the coming several days. "Batavia Air, for example is ready to fly refugees from Manokwari to Makassar, South Sulawesi. It is free of charge," the director general said. Airfast is preparing a BAE aircraft to carry out evacuation activities from Manokwari to its neighbouring towns. Merpati readies one Twin Otter aircraft and one jet airplane. Lion Air in the meantime also has provided one aircraft. The airlines made the commitment to fly refugees in line with the appeal by Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi to national airline firm to help Wasior natural disaster victims. State-owned shipping line PT Pelni also operates its fleet to help refugees. It deployed "KM Ngapulu" ship to transport refugees to Baubau. On Thursday, it had more than 400 refugees to disembark in Baubau. The arrival of the refugees was welcomed by Baubau Mayor MZ Amirul Tamim. "We are mobilising different parties which consisted of personnel from the military and police forces, health services and transportation office to handle the refugees," the mayor said. He said that his side has prepared a refugees command post and places to accommodate them. "We have also prepared logistics needs which are being handled by Baubau's Social Affairs Service," Amirul Tamim said. Head of Southeast Sulawesi's Social Manpower and Transmigration Service, Amiruddin said that the number of Wasior refugees arriving in the second batch was higher than that in the first batch. "In the first phase, there were 183 Wasior refugees. In the second one this time, their number reaches 484 persons," he said. He said that the arrival of the second batch had been prepared by Baubau's local government in coordination with relevant agencies. "We pick them at the pier when they arrived. When they disembarked we directly took them to the location of refugee camps. Of course with a tight escort by security officers," he said. He said that the 484 refugees in the second phase consisted of 52 children and 10 infants. "Among the 484 refugees, there are 10 injured victims and they have been rushed to the hospital to receive medical treatment," he added. He said that the social service officials took their data as soon as they arrived in the location of the refugee accommodation facilities. "This is done to know the whole number of refugees because their number may just be bigger than the one issued by Pelni," he added. In the meantime, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has instructed a two-week extension of the Wasior flash flood emergency response. "Extend the emergency response by two weeks from the original schedule," President Yudhoyono said when inspecting the flood-hit area at Wasior on Thursday. The emergency response was originally scheduled for only ten days from October 8-18, 2010 but based on the president's instruction, it will be extended until the end of this month. The emergency response would be prioritized to the injured and sick survivors. Yudhoyono said the government would provide temporary housing for victims of the recent flash flood. "Better accommodations will be provided for them while reconstruction efforts in Wasior are being made," he said in a dialogue with evacuees at a local military field. He said it was indeed not appropriate for people to stay in an evacuation center for a prolonged period and therefore the government would build temporary houses that meet minimum standards for them. Meanwhile, he hoped the evacuees would exercise patience. President Yudhoyono on the occasion also reaffirmed the government's commitment to rebuild Wasior after it was destroyed in the disaster. He had earlier on Wednesday said in a dialog with the flood-affected refugees at Manokwari Military District Command Headquarters, that the government was committed to reconstructing the flood-devastated Wasior area.***3*** |
Kamis, 14 Oktober 2010
WASIOR REFUGEES STILL FLOWING TO NEIGHBORING TOWNS
Rabu, 13 Oktober 2010
INDONESIAN NOODLES SAFE FOR CONSUMPTION
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Oct 13 (ANTARA) - While it is being recalled from Taiwan's supermarkets and food stores for allegedly containing methyl p-hydroxybenzoate and benzoic acid, Indonesian "Indomie" instant noodles remain on sale at home as the country's Food and Drugs Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has stated the fast food is still safe for consumption. "A product evaluation has been conducted before being sold to the public, the nipagin content in the noodle's soy sauce is still within the acceptable range ," BPOM head Kustantinah said. The soy sauce only contains 250 milligrams per kilogram of preservatives, which was still normal for consumption. According to the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) and risk study on additives, international terms had been used in the Indonesian Health Minister Regulation no 722 of 1988. "In noodle soy sauce, the maximum nipagin is limited to 250 milligrams per kilogram. In other food products besides meat, fish and poultry it reached 1,000 milligrams per kilogram," she said. Taiwan authorities late last week recalled all Indomie instant noodles from the market because they allegedly contain methyl p-hydroxybenzoate and benzoic acid. The two elements should only be used to make cosmetics. However, the Indonesian food monitoring agency said the instant noodle was safe consumption. Therefore, Indonesia has asked Taiwan to immediately clarify its allegations that Indonesian "Indomie" instant noodles were not safe for consumption. Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu that all Indomie instant noodle products for domestic and international markets were safe for consumption. "With regard to Indomie we hereby again state that it is safe for consumption," she said. She said Indonesia and Taiwan apply different standards with regard to foods , to instant noodles and ketchup in particular. "The two standards are both internationally accepted. It means Indomie products which are marketed in Taiwan are also safe for consumption," she said. Producer of Indomie instant noodle, publicly-listed food giant PT Indofood Sukses Makmur (ICBP) said its products exported to Taiwan always meet local food safety standards. ICBP Director Taufik Wiraatmadja said the company believed the reports carried in Taiwanese media did not concern its instant noodles intended for the Taiwanese market. ICBP has been exporting instant noodles to various countries for more than 20 years. The company always tried to ensure that its instant noodles complied with food safety requirements set by the countries where they were marketed. "ICBP should like to emphasize that its products are wholly compliant with globally-accepted guidelines set by the CODEX Alimentarius Commission, the international food standards body," he said. According to Minister Mari Pangestu, Indomie products withdrawn by the Taiwanese food control authorities were found to be not the ones marketed in that country. "Indeed they had confiscated some Indomie products but they were actually not the ones intended for marketing in that country. So that is what really happened," she said. In connection with it she said she had communicated with the Taiwanese food and drug control authorities and had asked for their clarification on the matter. "What we wish to avoid is a perception that Indomie products are not safe for consumption while in fact it they are. So we want a clarification, the Taiwanese food and drug control agency should give clarification on the matter," she said. In the meantime, the deputy head of the Taiwan Trade Office in Jakarta (TETO), Chen Win-Ping, has denied that "dirty competition" was behind Taiwanese authorities' action in recalling Indonesian-made instant noodles. "It is not true," Chen said. He said personnel from Taiwan's Health Ministry had found out in May that Indomie contained an excessive amount of preservatives. The finding was also reported to Indonesia's Industry Ministry. Chen added related authorities had also contacted PT Indofood to reduce the content of Methyl P-Hydroxybenzoate in their product to the level meeting Taiwan's national standards. "However, after an examination of Indomie products sold in several stores in Taiwan last week, we still found the products to be containing an excessive amount of Methyl P-Hydroxybenzoate. Therefore, we asked all supermarkets and stores in Taiwan to remove Indomie from their shelves," he said. However, in Indonesia, the Health Ministry still sees no need to warn Indomie instant noodle consumers in Indonesia after Taiwanese authorities recalled the product from the market on a large scale. Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih said the ministry was studying whether the Indomie instant noodles marketed in Taiwan were the same as those circulating in Indonesia. "We have not issued any call because we do not yet understand whether the same Indomie instant noodles are also sold to us. This needs to be investigated," she said. The minister said she had ordered the BPOM to conduct the investigation after learning that Taiwanese authorities had banned Indomie instant noodles from circulating in their market. In this regard, the BPOM is reviewing the quality of instant noodles circulating in the domestic market. "Today we also have instructed all of our branches across Indonesia to take repeat samples of instant noodles of all brands," BPOM Chief Kustantinah told a press conference at the BPOM building. BPOM would take repeat samples outside periodic samples to see the quality of the instant noodles, she said. "We will examine the samples all at once and not one by one to make the examination more efficient and cheaper," she said.***2*** |
Senin, 11 Oktober 2010
IGNORANCE OF SPATIAL CONDITIONS BLAMED FOR WASIOR FLOODS
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Oct 12 (ANTARA) - Ministers have brushed aside allegations that illegal logging has been the main cause of a flash flood in West Papua's Waisor town last week. They have come up with a conclusion that earthquake-affected vulnerable land, heavy rains and ignorance of spatial conditions for human settlement have been the causes of the flash floods that led to the loss of 145 lives and 103 others missing. According to Environment Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta, it is almost impossible that illegal logging has been the factor behind the flood. An earthquake has previously occurred that caused the land there to become unstable before it is showered by high intensity of rains that triggered the flash flood. After all, based on the spatial conditions, the area is not suitable for human settlement. "Inappropriate spatial conditions for human settlement contributed to the flash flood. Based on forestry sciences, the area is not suitable for human settlement. It is within a limited production forest area. We should be careful because if the forest cover is opened a little it could trigger landslides," Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan said on Monday. The forestry minister said that the area actually might not be made a human settlement because otherwise it would disturb the land spatial conditions and trigger landslides. After all the rain falls in that area are high. Wasior is located in a river flow area within a permanent forest production zone, and the government would not allow a forest concession to exploit the forest or to fell trees in the area. "The limited production forest area should not be transformed into a town because the area is steep. If it is resided by villagers with a developing population, residential area could expand up-side and could disturb the spatial condition which is steep, and that could trigger a landslide. But the main cause of the flood last week was heavy rains," Minister Zulkifli said. He said that the natural disaster was not caused by illegal logging and in the future the area should follow a good spatial planning and should be managed well based on the environmental principles. "I think the area should be managed based on a good spatial planning. Moreover, it is a nature reserve area. The forest cover may not be eliminated by whatever reasons. The spatial planning must be made based on the environmental principles and the principles of permanent forest production and nature preservation zones," he said. In the meantime, Environment Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta concurred with Minister Zulkifli that the flood in Wasior was not caused by illegal longing. Gusti Muhammad Hatta said it was almost impossible that illegal logging had been the factor behind the recent flood. "I think the initial cause of the flash flood was high intensity of rains," he said here on Monday. He said based on satellite images of 2000 and 2009 it was seen that forest coverage in the area had dropped just one percent. "Besides that one must know that forests in Wasior are natural reserves so that they are protected tightly and monitored closely so that it is almost impossible that a forest concession holder is operating there," he said. "There were no corporate logging activities there. According to our investigation with the help of satellite photos, only one percent of the forest area in Wasior district was denuded in 2000 and 2009, probably for household purposes," the minister said. He admitted that it was not impossible that tree felling had occurred but it must have been not on a big scale but just by individuals and not by big companies. In addition, he said, the region had been hit by an earthquake before the flood occurred so the land there had become unstable. "In fact, before the flood, an earthquake struck the area which made the land there more unstable ," the minister added. Because of the earthquake the earth structure there had changed and some of it had covered the river making the water in the river to overflow. "So this has happened because of a natural phenomenon. If land clearing has really occurred it must not have been too significant," he said. In an effort to handle the flood problems, the government is considering relocating the victims and carry out reconstruction and rehabilitation. "The government will soon prepare a spatial plan for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the town shortly after the emergency response period ends," Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono said. The blue print would serve as reference for the reconstruction of the flash flood-devastated town to make it better than previously, he said. The government would soon issue a regulation concerning coordination among ministries involved in the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts, he said. "A total of 12 school buildings and one hospital were damaged in the flash flood. Only the natural disaster mitigation board, regent, district military command and police resort chief are involved in the emergency response efforts. After the emergency response period has ended they will transfer the jobs to the relevant ministries," he said. Agung Laksono said that the government was also studying the possibility of relocating the flood victims. "The possibility (of relocating them) is still being studied," he said. The effort is to be taken with regard to providing a safer place for them after recent flash floods destroyed the area. "The government will find the best and most secure place for them," he said. The relocation process would later be put in a local regulation to prevent it from violating spatial regulations. "Today the government has already started finding the best places for the Wasior flood victims," he said. ***3*** |
HOUSE LEADERS REPORTED TO ETHICS COUNCIL
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Oct 11 (ANTARA) - The bickering between lawmakers and the House of representatives (DPR) leaders over a "cordial meeting" between the House leadership and Police chief candidate Commissioner General Timur Pradopo continued on Monday with four Commission III members on legal affairs filing a complaint to the House's Ethics Council. On the other hand, House Deputy Speaker Pramono Anung called on the Commission III members to have dialogues and stop what he called as polemics regarding the "cordial meeting." He asked protesting legislators not to waste energy and involve the House's Ethics Council. The squabble began when the DPR leadership held a closed-door meeting last week with the police chief candidate before he underwent a fit-and-proper test by Commission III, an event which members of Commission III saw as deviating from the normal practice. "The invitation of the House leadership to the Police Chief candidate for a cordial meeting is an unusual proceeding ahead of a candidate's fit-and-proper test," Gayus Lumbun of the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDIP) said. Pradopo, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's sole candidate for National Police Chief, still has to go through a fit-and-proper test to be conducted by the House's Comission III which deals with legal affairs. Earlier, House Speaker Marzuki Alie also announced the content of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's letter on the proposed name of the police chief candidate before it was read in a House plenary. Besides that, the House leadership also had a closed-door meeting with the Police chief candidate Commissioner General Timor Pradopo before a fit-and-proper test was conducted on him by Commission III. However, according to House Deputy Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso, the meeting was only a cordial one. "There was nothing special in the meeting," Priyo said. Priyo explained that cordial meeting with Pradopo based on the agreement reached a House leadership meeting earlier. "The House leadership at a meeting agreed to have a cordial meeting with the Police chief candidate before the fit-and-proper test is conducted," Priyo said. Yet, lawmakers of Commission III have different opinions. Gayus Lumbuun and Bambang Soesatyo for example, have criticized the House leadership's cordial meeting. Bambang Soesatyo of the Golkar Party, said House Spealer Marzuki Alie's invitation to Timur Pradopo before the latter's fit-and-proper test was an unethical act. "It can even arouse the people's suspicion. By meeting Pradopo before he passes the fit-and-proper test, the House leadership has stolen the start," he said. Bambang agreed with Gayus Lumbuun that the holding of the cordial meeting with a candidate for a top post in a state institution was uncommon. Gayus in his statement called on the House leadership to always act in accordance with House rules. "According to existing House rules, House leadership members fulfill the same functions as ordinary House members and everything they plan to do should be approved by the other members through a House plenary meeting or at a meeting of the House's Consultative Body (Bamus)" Gayus said. Finally, the discontent lawmakers collected signatures to express a vote of no confidence. In response to this, House Speaker Marzuki Alie ridiculed the action of a group of lawmakers in issuing a "no confidence" motion against the House leadership. "They felt as if they (Commission III) were the most rightful so that they were not prepared to be bypassed ," Marzuki Alie said. He said if Commission III was of the view that the House leadership meeting with Pradopo was against House rules, it should show the House leadership's mistake and the House rule concerned. "Show us the rule we have violated. They should not disturb the House leadership's business. Is the leadership not allowed to invite Timur. Are people not allowed to meet the House leadership," he said. He said that what the House leadership had done in inviting Pradopo for a cordial meeting was a normal thing. "There is no problem with the meeting with Timur. The House leadership did not take over the Commission III's function," Marzuki said. Amid calls for a dialogue to end the polemics, four members of Commission III on behalf of 31 other colleagues who had signed a letter of no-confidence motion filed a complaint to the House's Ethics Council on House leadership's recent action in holding a closed-door meeting with Police chief candidate. "We have just received this complaint and we will process it to see whether it meets the requirements to be discussed further and ruled on," Nudirman Munir, a member of the House Ethics Council, said upon receiving the written complaint. The four Commission III members who reported the House leaders were Syarifuddin Suddeng of the People's Conscience Party faction (F-Fanura), Eva Sundari of the Indonesian Democratic Party Faction (FPDIP), Bambang Soesatyo of the Golkar Party faction (FPG) and Ahmad Yani of the United Development Party faction (FPPP). The four lawmakers represented their colleagues in the Commission III. "The Ethics Council is the proper place to file a complaint and we will process this report based on the standing procedures," Nudirman said. Sudding said the action taken by the four Commission III members was intended to correct the House leadership which was suspected to have violated the House's internal rules. He said the 31 members of Commission III who signed the protest or the vote of no confidence only intended to straighten out House leadership practices that violated House rules. In response to the protest, leaders of the House of Representatives asked the Commission III members to stop polemics and hold a dialog instead. Deputy Speaker of the House Pramono Anung said on Monday that the House leadership would ask the Commission III members not to prolong the polemics over the meeting. "We should now stop the polemics. We will ask our colleagues Commission III members to sit together," Pramono Anung said. Anung asked the commission members not to sharpen the problem and not to involve the House's Ethics Council. "We should not protract the problem into an internal conflict in the House. Let's sit together and find the best way. We should not spend energy for that," Anung who is a former secretary general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (DPIP) said. For this, he said, the House leadership would decide a schedule for the meeting between the commission members and the House leadership. "It is expected that all House leaders would attend the meeting so that the polemics over the meeting between the DPR leaders and the police chief candidate would be stopped," he said.***1*** |
Jumat, 08 Oktober 2010
JAVA BADLY NEEDS DOUBLE TRACK RAILWAYS
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Oct 9 (ANTARA) - Java island which hosts about 58 percent of Indonesia's 238 million population badly needs double track railways to meet the increasing demand for railway transportation services and to avoid train accidents like the one that killed at least 34 people and injured 43 others in Pemalang, Central Java last Saturday. However, to build a double track railway from Jakarta to Surabaya in East Java, state-owned railway firm PT KAI will need funds totaling Rp9 trillion. "If the government is able to provide funds in that amount, double track railways can be built and be finished by 2014," Director General for Railway Affairs Tundjung Inderawan said. Even though it lacks funds, the government will do its best to prevent a recurrence of last Saturday's train tragedies in Central Java, Tundjung Inderawan said. He was referring to the two septate tragic railway accidents in which trains collided in the Purwsari and Pemalang regions, recently. "Having learned a lesson from the latest accidents, we will do our best to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future. We will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of state railway company PT KAI, and based on the evaluation results, make the needed reforms and improvements to the company's management," Tundjung said. The tragedies remind the government that the development of double track railways is now urgent, at least in the sections whose train flow is busy so that it could be managed easily. "We cannot avoid the need for double track railways because the flow of trains has increased extraordinarily. And if we are still using single track, it will cause us troubles to manage it," legislator Mulyadi of the House Commission V on transportation affairs said. Mulyadi made the remarks when, together with other legislators from Commission V, observed the Tawang Railway Station in Semarang, Central Java, recently. They were accompanied by Central Java Governor Bibit Waluyo, Semarang Mayor Soemarno, Chief of PT KAI for Semarang Septa T. Ramadhin. He said that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had serious attention to the development of the country's railway system. His attention could clearly be observed in his address before the House of Representatives recently. "In his address when delivering the government's financial notes before the House plenary, the president's attention was clearly seen when he stressed the importance of increasing the funds for the development of the railway infrastructures," he said. He said that there were several problems with the railway transportation problem in Java that needed to be solved in the face of the increasing number of train passengers. "If it manages its business effectively and efficiently, PT KAI could reap profit that could recover its costs. So for this purpose, PT KAI is expected to continue increasing its services in the future," he said. However, the state-owned railway company will need a fund of at least Rp9 trillion to build the country's railway system with double tracks, particularly in Java island where the mobility of travelers using trains is increasing. Speaking to the press at Gambir Railway Station in Central Jakarta in responding to the Pemalang train accident this week, Railway System Director General Tundjung Inderawan said Java's double track railways could be built if the fund of that amount was available. He said that the construction of double tracks on Java's northern and southern lanes had been planned by the government as one of its steps to develop the country's land infrastructure sector. According to the director general, lane sections that already have double tracks are the Jakarta-Cirebon and the Cikampek-Purwokerto sections. Other sections where construction of double tracks are already underway included that in the middle lane which passes by Purwokerto and that in northern lane which stretches from Larangan to Petarukan. "The development of others like the Semarang-Surabaya section should be completed," said Tundjung Inderawan. President Director of PT KAI Ignasius Jonan said that the double track railways that should be built in Java had length of sections of 400 km. According to Tunjdung Inderawan, besides for developing new double track railways, the Rp9 trillion is also needed to revitalize old tracks, replace railway sleepers, improve rail curvature and other railway improvement. But due the limited funds from the government, the directorate general of railway system was forced to work out a partial funding program, the director general said. He admitted that his directorate general faced fund problems in the development of railway infrastructure and in revitalizing old railway tracks. The government could not meet the budget proposal every year. "The government usually only approves about 40 to 50 percent of the budget proposal," he said. Therefore, apart from the government PT KAI is also allowed based on the law to seek for funds from the private sector. In certain locations, the construction of double track railways has involved contractors from Japan, for example, or from France. ***2*** |
Rabu, 06 Oktober 2010
WEST PAPUA'S WASIOR TOWN CRIPPLED BY FLOODS
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Oct 6 (ANTARA) - The district town of Wasior in West Papua province has over the past three-days been crippled by floods that caused at least 64 deaths and 451 people to go missing. Besides, a total of 91 people sustained serious injuries, 68 minor ones and about 3,000 others were evacuated. "Land and air transportation was also paralyzed as roads were cut off and Wasior's airstrip was inundated. The area can now be reached only by sea," Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono, said. In order to help the victims, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered central and regional government officials to handle the flash floods in Wasior, Telok Wondama district, West Papua province, in a coordinated way. "The president asked the coordinating minister for people's welfare and the minister/state secretary to coordinate with West Papua government so that the victims could be handled well, including those at the evacuation centers," Presidential Spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said here on Wednesday. He said that the floods in Wasior had claimed more than 64 hundreds were still missing victims. "This must be given serious attention and the central government will give priorities to saving lives and evacuating the victims well," he sad. Pasha said that the president also expressed condolences to the victims and their families. "In connection with the floods, the president asked the head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Syamsul Maarif to inspect the location and take note of the latest developments in West Papua," he said. The BNPB has sent 60 units of platoon tents, 80 units of family tents, 200 rolling tents, 60 units emergency beds, 500 packages of clothes, 100 pieces of mats, 2,250 ready for consumption foods and 2,250 kg medicines. Thirty-one houses had been heavily damaged and health facilities, schools, roads, bridges and a hotel had also been damaged. "The Wasior airstrip is still inundated and cannot be used for landing and therefore my flight there had been postponed," he said. President Yudhoyono has also sent logistical supplies worth Rp2 billion to reduce the burden of flood victims in Wasior, West Papua. "The President has sent aids for the flood victims," Agung Laksono said. Agung said the President was very concerned over the disaster and therefore had sent the aid. The aid consists of clothes, blankets, medicines, food, mats, milk for under five children and others. "If all goes well the aid is expected to arrive on the scene on Thursday," he said. Agung said the President had asked all the ministries concerned to monitor the development there and conduct an emergency response. "I have been asked to keep coordinating the ministries concerned with the problem. The President said all ministries concerned had to pay special attention to the victims and evacuees," he said. As the area could only be reached by sea, the Indonesian Navy has sent its KRI Kalakay-818 to West Papua to help flood victims in Wasior. The warship from the Eastern Fleet arrived at Wasior on Wednesday at around 2.30pm local time, Eastern Fleet Command spokesman Lt Col Yayan Sugiana said here on Wednesday. "The ship left Manokwari for Wasior on Tuesday," he said. He said the ship carried 58 people including 13 health workers as well as heavy equipment to clean up debris. He said the medical team immediately worked to help victims upon arrival. KRI Kalakay had been able to evacuate 53 survivors including 16 children. "Of the 53 survivors helped one was seriously wounded and seven others lightly injured," he said. He said the ship would operate there for the next 14 days. According to data from the National Disaster Control Agency 64 people had been killed in the flash floods that happened in the disrict following heavy rains recently. The government is planning to send a floating hospital, KRI Dr Soeharso-990 warship to Wasior's Wondama Bay. "The government will send 'KRI Dr Soeharso' which is expected to arrive two to three days ahead ," Agung Laksono said. KRI Dr Soeharto is expected to help provide health service to the victims. "The district town is still the crippled conditions and could not be reached through land and air. Therefore it is expected that floating ship is the correct means to provide the victims with health services through the sea lane," he said. Heavy rains have fallen in the region from Sunday to Monday. Those who died in the disaster were likely because they had been sunk after being carried away by the flood that also carried with it logs and rocks from a lake in the mountain "You can see now , Wasior has been hit by flood. Jayapura is often hit by floods and landslides as well. This was caused by irresponsible forest and land reclamation," Paelo said.***3*** |
WHY DON'T WE USE COAL TO PRODUCE CHEAP ELECTRICITY?
| By Andi Abdussalam |
Jakarta, Oct 5 (ANTARA) - Indonesia has large coal deposits that can be used as a cheap alternative energy to replace expensive fuel oils so that the government no longer needs to spend huge amounts of funds to subsidize state-owned electricity firm (PLN) which so far still uses costly oil to produce electricity for the people. However, most of Indonesia's coal production so far is for exports and only about 25 percent is for domestic consumption. "Some of the coal production is exported so that supply for the need at home became small," Nurdin Tampubolon, deputy chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR)'s Commission VI for energy affairs, said recently. Next year, for example, only about 24.17 percent of the coal production in the country will be used for domestic consumption. Based on data from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Indonesia's coal production in 2011 is set at 326.65 million tons. But only 24.17 percent or 78.97 million tons are earmarked for domestic consumption. Nurdin Tampubolon said that Indonesia actually had enough energy sources to meet the need of its electricity and industry at home. Indonesia is the biggest coal producer in the world with a huge amount of coal deposit which could be exploited for about 100 years. According to the ministry of energy, Indonesia has at least 19 billion tons of coal deposits that may replace oil and gas as a source of energy in the future. Only a small part of the coal deposits has so far been used while the country's coal production has reached over 250 million tons per year. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has predicted that Indonesia's coal production in 2011 would reach 326.65 million tons, up 24.45 percent from that a year earlier which stood at 262.48 million tons. Based on ESDM Minister Darwin Saleh's decree August 31, 2010, the coal production for next year is expected to came from 53 coal mining companies in the country. Of the 53 firms, 42 coal exploitation contract companies, one state-owned firm and 10 authorized coal mining enterprises. The ministry also predicted that coal need for domestic consumption was about 78.97 million tons in 2011. The minimum need for coal at home was set at 24.17 percent of the targeted 362.65 million tons. Of the total domestic consumption, the ministry predicted that generators' need for coal in 2011 is about 66.28 million tons while the need of the state-owned electricity firm PLN was set at 55.82 million tons. Primary Energy Director of PLN Nur Pamudji said that the need for coal of PLN based on the energy ministry was in accordance with the state-owned power firm's request. He said that of the allocation of 55.82 million tons, about 23.32 million tons would be used for PLN's 10,000 megawatt power generators and the remaining 32.5 million tons for generators other than the 10,000 MW power program. "This year, the need of PLN for coal reaches 38 million tons," he said. Other allocation of Next year's coal production would be channeled to private power generators amounting to 8.97 million tons, PT Freeport Indonesia 0.83 million tons, PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara 0.47 million tons and PT Pusaka Jaya Palu Power 0.19 million tons. In the meantime, metallurgy factories will need 0.43 million tons which consist of 0.14 tons for PT Inco and 0.2 million tons for PT Aneka Tambang. Allocation for cement, fertilizer, pulp and textile factories will amount to 12.35 tons which consist of 8.86 million tons for cement factories, 0.92 million tons for fertilizer firm, 0.6 million tons for pulp and 1.97 million tons for textile and textile-product factories. Of the 53 coal mining companies which were expected to produce the 326.65 million tons next year, publicly listed PT Batubara Bukit Asam (PT BA) is expected to produced 15 million . The company's present capacity is around 12 million tons a year. PT BA even intends to become Indonesia's biggest coal producer in 2016 with its production to reach 70 million tons a year. Its president director, Sukrisno, said. He was optimistic the target would be met. It would beat PT Adaro Tbk.'s production which is around 45 million tons a year. "With the additional coal shipping railway infrastructure and coal collection port we are optimistic we will become the biggest national player," he said at the signing of cooperate to develop the 270 kilometer long coal shipping railway from Tanjung Enim to Tanjung Api-Api recently. Sukrisno said his company's coal production this year was expected to reach 12 million tons. To meet coal demands in the national and international market the company had raised its coal output significantly, Soetrisno said on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of Indonesian Fire and Rescue Challenge (IFRC) recently. on Monday. The project worth US$1.6 billion and financed by an Indian investor is expected to be able to increase coal shipping capacity significantly and operate in 2014 with a load capacity of 35 million tons a year. Sukrisno said PT BA's coal reserves reached 6.5 billion tons. "We will continue exploring them while acquiring mining companies in Kalimantan," he said. ***2*** |