Indonesia

State-owned electricity firm PLN has announced its intention to supply Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) on 450-volt ampere (VA) contracts with six months of free electricity as part of the government’s latest expansion of social aid. According to PT PLN (Persero) president director Zulkifli Zaini, the company has started gathering data of around 500,000 pre-paid customers from small businesses …

Vaccines and drugs against COVID-19 are currently being researched and developed. Scientists are also trying other alternatives that are more practical and brief by using the blood plasma of patients recovering from COVID-19 as a ‘medicine’. The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) for Jakarta region, expressed willingness to collect blood of recovered COVID-19 patients for trial of treatment using convalescent blood …

The COVID-19 pandemic has been affected to several industries that have to postpone their projects. The construction of Phase 2A of the MRT railroad project starting from Thamrin to Monas has been eventually postponed. MRT JAKARTA CONSTRUCTION The MRT Jakarta Managing Director, William Sabandar, said the project is delayed for three months, which Jakarta has also been enforcing Large-Scale Social …

Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has grounded the majority of its fleet as part of the large-scale social restriction (PSBB) to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. And, the number of air travels is expected to continue to drop in May 2020, especially right through the normally busy Idul Fitri holiday at the end of the month. “We will have salary cuts and …

Almost all modes of transportation in Indonesia get suspended in the wake of the coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the regions that applying the Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) and are the red zone areas. Lion Air Group, Lion Air, Batik Air, and Wings Air, planned to reopen its domestic flights starting May 3, 2020, after its service suspended. The …

The government plans to provide cash and production subsidies for 2.4 million poor farmers, which categorized to be poor across the country, to help them maintain their harvest and survive the COVID-19 crisis. According to Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto on Tuesday, the government will provide a monthly stipend of Rp 600,000 ($38) for the next three months in the …

The Ministry of Education and Culture is preparing at least three countermeasure policies to aid workers in the creative industry affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This was stated by The Ministry of Education and Culture’s Director General of Culture, Hilmar Farid on Monday, April 27. “First, it must be a matter of safety because there are social restrictions in place. …

United Arab Emirates (UAE) who is facing the Corona Virus (COVID-19) also provide assistance to friendly countries. Indonesia is one of the countries that was given assistance by the UAE. On Monday, April 27, 2020, the UAE dispatched a plane carrying 20 tons of medical supplies for the prevention and control of COVID-19 in Indonesia. This equipment is expected to …

The current downward trend is happening in global crude oil prices. But this not following by the Indonesian government which hinted that retail fuel prices for certain types of fuel (JBT), subsidized fuel, and specially designed fuels (JBKP) would not be lowered. The decision was noted in the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministerial Decree No. 83 K/12/MEM/2020 inked by Minister …

Fasting As a part of yearly rituals, Muslims around the world fast during the holy month of Ramadhan. In Indonesia, a country with the world’s largest Muslim population, fast for around 14 hours a day for one whole month. Fasting is believed to be beneficial for the immune system, but during the COVID-19 outbreak, observing a fast can be a …