No More Red Zones
Indonesia had no Covid-19 high-risk red zones as of Sept 19, according to the Covid-19 risk map. The country is now dominated by yellow (low risk) and orange (medium risk) zones. The number of yellow zones increased from 423 cities to 481 cities, while the number of orange zones decreased from 89 to 31. Green zones have also increased from one city to two. However, the general public should remain vigilant and follow strict health protocols.
Related link:
Jakarta’s Mobility Rate Improving as Kids Go Shopping
Public mobility in Jakarta has increased significantly since July with the recent easing of PPKM restrictions, according to Google Mobility Report data on Sept 18. Workplace mobility rose from -50 percent in July-August to -18 percent compared to the baseline, which represents median value data from Jan 3 to Feb 6, 2020 – before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
Public transport activities also saw an increase from -40 percent in July-August to -32 percent in September. MRT passengers reached over 100,000 Sept 15-21, compared to just over 11,000 for Aug 30-Sept 5. Mobility to retail and recreation areas also rose from -30 percent to -20 percent, while mobility to grocery stores and pharmacies was 6 percent. The reopening of tourist attractions and outdoor sports facilities contributed to a rise in mobility in outdoor spaces from -60 percent to -37 percent.
Meanwhile, mobility is also improving for children under 12, who may now enter malls, shopping centers, and non-quarantine hotels with parental supervision, as stipulated in Jakarta Governor Decree 1122/2021 on PPKM Level 3 implementation. To enter non-quarantine hotels children must have a negative antigen test result (taken one day prior) or negative PCR test result (taken two days prior). Children are still not allowed into cinemas. The governor’s decree is valid from Sept 20 to Oct 4, 2021.
Related links:
- https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20210922145127-20-697909/kepgub-baru-anies-anak-boleh-masuk-mal-hotel-wajib-antigen
- https://katadata.co.id/maesaroh/berita/614c0031238de/mobilitas-jakarta-meningkat-seperti-sebelum-ppkm-kasus-covid-19-naik
Jakarta Governor Decree No. 1122/2021
Booster Vaccines Are For Health Workers Only!
Many people are clamoring for a booster vaccine, despite it being reserved only for health workers, The Association of Indonesian Hospitals (PERSI) said. PERSI Secretary-General Lia Gardenia Partakusuma reiterated this, saying the booster vaccine is currently only for health workers, as stipulated in Ministry of Health Circular Letter HK.02/I/1919/2021 issued on July 23, 2021. Boosters for non-health workers will only be available starting next year and will carry a fee for patients.
Related link:
AmCham Cares: Sampoerna
Sampoerna remains committed to supporting Indonesia’s recovery from the pandemic, prioritizing the health and safety of its employees, and supporting the government in achieving herd immunity.
To this end, it has vaccinated all direct and indirect employees eligible for vaccination, approximately 65,000 people, with the majority through the independent vaccination program Vaksinasi Gotong Royong (VGR) in cooperation with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN).
Sampoerna's support for the vaccine roll-out extends to other stakeholders. It facilitated vaccination for surrounding communities by becoming a VGR vaccination center (Sentra Vaksinasi) and donated Rp 6 billion to support mass vaccination programs.
Sampoerna has received a series of appreciations for its contribution in supporting the government on Covid-19 handling. Most recently from the Ministry of Manpower for its participation in building herd immunity, and for absorbing thousands of additional personnel during the pandemic.
For more information, visit Sampoerna's Instagram: @insidesampoerna
Cybersecurity Best Practices with AmCham & US Embassy
AmCham Indonesia and the US Embassy, Jakarta held a “Cybersecurity Best Practices: How Companies Can Leverage the NIST Framework” webinar on Sep 23. Initiated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), part of the US Department of Commerce. The NIST Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity is a voluntary tool consisting of industry standards and best practices to help organizations manage cybersecurity risks. The webinar was aimed at spreading awareness of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework among the private sector and the government of Indonesia.
Opening remarks were made by the US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Kleine and Deputy for Identification and Detection of the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN) Dono Indarto. Both officials agreed the event was a good step in strengthening US-Indonesia relations on the issues of data privacy and cooperation between companies and governments, considering the existing gap in the cybersecurity regulations.
John Kim, US Embassy Legal Attaché, emphasized the importance of awareness of cybersecurity protection in the cyber world. To enhance cooperation between Indonesia and the US, the Embassy has established a Cybersecurity Working Group in Indonesia.
NIST International Policy Specialist Amy Mahn spoke on the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, partnerships to support the implementation of cybersecurity protection, and help organizations create and improve cybersecurity infrastructure. Within the framework, there are five different technical functions: identify, protect, detect, respond, and recover to support cybersecurity risk management, both from the preventive and reactive stage. Mahn gave a closer look at these functions, detailing how the technicalities will be implemented by the sectors or organizations.
The event also celebrated the Indonesian translation of the NIST framework, with certificates awarded to the founder of HeyLaw, Dr. Awaludin Marwan, and his team for doing the translation.
Policy Dialogue on Embedding Climate Change into Asia's Recovery Strategy
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance will host a virtual policy dialogue on embedding climate change into Asia's recovery strategy on Sept 30. The event will bring together economic policymakers in the ASEAN region and ask them how they plan to turn their climate ambitions into action.
Date: Thursday, September 30, 2021
Time: 5:30 pm-6.45 pm Jakarta time, 6:30 am-7:45 am, Washington, DC time
Venue: www.imf.org/live (no RSVP needed)
Joining the discussion will be:
- Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Finance, Indonesia
- Ravi Menon, Managing Director, Monetary Authority of Singapore
- Benjamin E Diokno, Governor, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
- Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, Minister of Finance, Thailand.
The event will be moderated by IMF Deputy Managing Director Antoinette M Sayeh.
Please see the program details here.
Indonesia’s 2021 Internet Freedom Index Declines
Indonesia has slipped one rank in terms of internet freedom, according to US nonprofit Freedom House in its 2021 Freedom on the Net report. Out of 70 countries assessed, Indonesia scored 48/100 (previously 49) in internet freedom ranks and is categorized as Partly Free - scores closer to 100 indicate greater freedom, with China scoring 10/100 and Iceland scoring 96/100. Freedom House highlighted Indonesia’s Ministerial Regulation 5/2020 regarding the regulation of prohibited content, online attacks, and arrests of civil society groups over criticism of the government response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and internet disruption in Papua.
The full report is linked below.
Related links:
- https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-net/2021/global-drive-control-big-tech
- https://www.cnnindonesia.com/teknologi/20210923080400-185-698267/indeks-kebebasan-internet-indonesia-di-2021-menurun
Indonesia’s G20 Priorities: Inclusivity, Sustainability, and Green Economy
President Joko Widodo outlined Indonesia’s priorities for the next year when assuming the G20 presidency in a recorded statement to the UN General Assembly on Sept 22. He said he was committed to working for the benefit of all, including vulnerable groups which must be prioritized, and highlighted prioritizing inclusiveness and the importance of multilateralism in the upcoming G20 calendar of activities.
He also spoke of Indonesia’s firm and clear commitment toward climate resilience, low carbon development, and green technology, and underlined the importance of the “burden-sharing” concept instead of “burden-shifting,” whereby richer countries need to fund the climate response of developing countries.
Related links:
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/indonesia-leader-lays-out-priorities-for-g-20-presidency/2021/09/22/531af698-1bf4-11ec-bea8-308ea134594f_story.html
- https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2021/09/23/jokowi-touts-inclusiveness-in-second-unga-speech.html
Support Independent Journalism: Subscribe to The Jakarta Post
In these difficult times, our hometown English language newspaper, The Jakarta Post, is more important than ever. Given the difficulties of physical circulation and the economic slump, the Post needs to boost its online subscribers – a goal we heartily support at AmCham Indonesia. Quality English language news is vital for our businesses, our home offices, and the flow of information out of Indonesia. It is for this reason, that we are urging all of our members and readers to subscribe to JP! Information is what will help get us through this crisis. Below is information about how to sign up.
JP Premium Digital Subscription Packages
https://www.thejakartapost.com/packages
Monthly subscription – Rp 50,000
Yearly subscription – Rp 600,000
Now is the Time to Join AmCham!
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We offer a full slate of meetings, events, and information for our community online. But we can only do this through the support of our members. If you are not yet an AmCham member, please join now.
AmCham Indonesia is open to all companies with an interest in US business relations and we have many non-American members. We are a community and we welcome you!
Reach us at [email protected] or click below!
AmCham Office and Events
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The AmCham Office is on the work-from-home status and all face-to-face meetings and events have been postponed. We are having a number of meetings online using the Zoom platform. You will be notified of virtual meetings as they are scheduled.
What is Your Company Doing on COVID-19?
Please let us know what measures your company may be taking in the form of donations and other assistance to help Indonesia during this time of confusion and concern. Contact [email protected] with your news. We would like to publicize the ways that our AmCham companies are pitching in.
Stay well
We urge you to send us press releases and other information that we can pass on to the broader AmCham community. If you have items of interest, please email material to [email protected]. Follow this link to information provided by the US Embassy
Stay safe, call a doctor if you have a high fever, cough, or difficulty breathing. Stay healthy above all else.
AmCham Update is AmCham's regular newsletter on developments related to the pandemic crisis and other issues in Indonesia. It is edited by AmCham Managing Director A Lin Neumann and written by the AmCham Staff. Paul L Goddard is the Managing Editor
