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80-160 year building use rights in IKN to attract investors: Minister

JAKARTA, Oct 12, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The Ministry of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) is offering building use rights (HGB) of up to 80 and extendable to 160 years to attract investors to the new capital (IKN) Nusantara.Balang Island Short Span Bridge in Penajam North Paser Regency, East Kalimantan (ANTARA/HO-ATR BPN/rst)"The efforts will benefit all parties, both to the welfare of those who live in the city or the business actors themselves," ATR Minister and BPN head, Hadi Tjahjanto, said to Antara here on Monday evening.The 80-year HGB permit is meant as an incentive for investors to invest in IKN Nusantara, he added. The 80-year HGB will be divided into three stages: the first phase will span 30 years, the second phase 30 years, and the third phase 20 years.In the first phase, the ministry will ask the investor to submit a report assessment. "The permit will continue up to 80 years," he said. The permit can be extended if it is profitable to the community. "If it is still used properly and beneficial to the community, we can still extend it for another 80 years, up to 160 years," the minister informed.He further said that his ministry has completed four regional spatial planning plans (RDTR) for IKN Nusantara, which will be submitted to the IKN Authority for immediate approval. Furthermore, RDTRs are being prepared for five regions and are targeted to be completed by the end of 2022.The ministry will provide facilities related to land, spatial planning, and business licensing in the IKN Nusantara area, which will then be submitted to the IKN Authority, he stated."We will facilitate it, and we will hand it over to the head of the IKN Authority, including RDTR, spatial planning, and land issues. We will help the process," he added.Written by: Rini Utami, Aditya Ramadhan, Resinta S, Editor: Suharto (c) ANTARA 2022 Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Thousands of educators, policymakers & technology leaders assemble to discuss the future of education in Indonesia

JAKARTA, July 26, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - On 3-4 August 2022, EDUtech Indonesia will once again bring together the entire Indonesian education ecosystem to discuss new strategies, pedagogies, and innovations to bring inspiration in education to all.Over the two days, over 100 expert speakers from K-12 Schools and higher education institutions across Indonesia and beyond will be addressing key themes such as Digital Leadership, Hybrid Learning, and Next-Gen Tools and Pedagogy in both English and Bahasa Indonesia.Headlining the festival agenda are Anindito Aditomo, Head of Agency for Standardization, Curriculum, and Assessment in Education, Ministry Of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, Republic Of Indonesia and Solehuddin Muhammad, Rector, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia. Anindito Aditomo will be opening the conference on the morning of 3rd August, while Solehuddin Muhammad, will evaluate the challenges and opportunity for Higher Education in Indonesia and the pandemic.Additional featured speakers at EDUtech Indonesia include:Widyawan, Director of Information & Systems, Universitas Gajah Mada Raden Arief Setyawan, Head of System and Information Technology Unit and Faculty Member of Electrical Engineering, Brawijaya University Agus W. Soehadi, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, Universitas Prasetiya Mulia Dr Teddy Mantoro, Director of Media-Tech Lab, Sampoerna University Dr Ivan Butar, Chair of Education, Monash University Indonesia CampusAnthea Calista, Vice Principal of Curriculum, PENABUR Secondary Kelapa GadingLilin I. Rahardjo, Head of Foundation, Merlion SchoolSudeep Palekar, Vice Principal Curriculum & Cambridge Exam Officer, Global SevillaMario Himawan, Indonesian Principal and Head of IT, Beacon AcademyEric Budiyono, Principal, Temasek Independent SchoolRunning alongside the conference is a virtual exhibition hall showcasing the latest education technologies by edtech leaders including Lenovo, Google for Education, Amazon Web Services, Zoom, Canvas by Instructure, Coursera for Campus and more.The two-day free-to-attend conference and exhibition is expected to gather over 2,000 education stakeholders from Indonesia and beyond.About EDUtech Indonesia 2022Date: 3-4 August 2022, LIVE ONLINEConference & Exhibition opening hours: 08:30 am WIBWebsite: https://www.terrapinn.com/virtual/edutech-indonesia/index.stmRegister: https://secure.terrapinn.com/V5/step1.aspx?E=10576About TerrapinnTerrapinn is a business media company. Its products are trade exhibitions, conferences, training solutions and electronic and print publications. For more information, please visit www.terrapinn.com.Note: Press registration for the conference is compulsory and advance scheduling for speaker/ sponsor interviews is recommended. Press passes are strictly reserved for reporters, journalists, editors only. Final issuance of press passes is subjected to Terrapinn's discretion. For your complimentary press pass, please contact the following:Jessica FoongMarketingTerrapinn Pte LtdJessica.foong@terrapinn.com Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Uttar Pradesh MSME Minister Rakesh Sachan Urged MSMEs to Invest in the State at SMEStreet GameChangers Forum 2022 Webinar

New Delhi, India, Jul 21, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Shri Rakesh Sachan, Cabinet Minister for Ministry of MSME and Khadi, Government of Uttar Pradesh, attended the SMEStreet GameChangers Forum 2022 Webinar as the Chief Guest and emphasised Uttar Pradesh's MSME Policies and Shri Yogi Adityanath's government's commitment to MSMEs' development in the state. Smt Mercy Epao, Joint Secretary, Ministry of MSME, Govt of India, attended the event as the Guest of Honour and delivered her keynote address, highlighting flagship MSME policies and schemes that are designed to give a boost to MSMEs in order to bounce back on a growth path after the pandemic.Shri Rakesh Sachan, Minister of MSME and Khadi in the UP Government, emphasised the UP Government's commitment to creating a positive and safe environment for business."We are working towards ensuring an all-around positive ecosystem for economic upliftment in the state. The last few years have shown a great level of enthusiasm from both MSMEs and the investor community from across the world in coming to our UP state.Highlighting the first 100 days of the second term of the Yogi government of Uttar Pradesh, the MSME Minister of UP mentioned the success of the Mega Loan Mela that Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath launched. Through this initiative, a loan of 16 thousand crores has been distributed to one lakh nine hundred thousand beneficiaries of the state.The Minister also highlighted initiatives like the sanctioning of common facility centres in various districts under the One District, One Product common facility centre (CFC) saying, "Such schemes are helping MSMEs from smaller towns like Azamgarh, Siddharthnagar, Sitapur, and Ambedkar Nagar. Similarly, the proposal for the upgradation of infrastructure facilities under the central government's Cluster Development Program shows that major development work is happening in Jalaun's Industrial Asthan Coach, Salarpur Industrial Area of Badaun in only the first 100 days of our government. The work of setting up the Woolen Thread Cosmetic Center in Prayagraj is going on. About 35% of the building work has been completed. While giving the keynote address to the SMEStreet GameChangers forum, Smt Mercy Epao, Jt Secretary of MSME Ministry emphasized on Central Government's focused approach towards creating a conducive ecosystem for the growth of MSMEs in the country. She said that the government has initiated many programs and schemes in credit facilitation, cluster development, technology centres, market linkages, skilling and capacity building, encouraging innovation and sustainability, and creating better coordination between the Central Government and State Governments. The Ministry of MSME is not only working on policies but also addressing the grievances of MSMEs through online Champions and Samadhan portals. The MSME Ministry has recently launched the CBFTE Scheme to support first-time exporters by assisting them financially with registration with EPCs, insurance premium testing, and certification of their products and services. Innovation, ZED and Lean schemes will help the MSMEs to become competitive in the global value chain. The Ministry has launched the Udyam Registration portal to encourage MSMEs to access various benefits offered by the government. It is also a step toward bringing the MSMEs into the formal sector. "Towards inclusive growth, the Ministry has been implementing NSSH Scheme to support SC/ST entrepreneurs mainstream their economic activities. It has been working with a focused aim of reaching 4% procurement by the CPSEs/Government from the SC/STs. To encourage women entrepreneurship, SAMARTH has bn announced on 8th March 2022 to reserve 20% seats for all skill programs n exhibition/fairs (both domestic & international)," said Smt Mercy Epao, "Skilling is one of the major programs taken up to encourage youth to take up entrepreneurship or find placement for livelihood.""We are also working on the final stage of development of the updated National MSME Policy. We have invited suggestions and recommendations from industry associations for ensuring a comprehensive National MSME Policy. "We are thankful to all industry associations, including SMEStreet Foundation, for submitting their recommendations for the updated MSME Policy," says Smt. Mercy Epao.The webinar was held on July 19th and was attended by over 4,000 MSME audience members via SMEStreet.in and various social media platforms. Shri P Udayakumar, CMD of NSIC, also participated in the forum and emphasised NSIC's commitment to building a new India which will have successful MSMEs and a sustainable growth ecosystem for the sector.Shri P Udayakumar, CMD, NSIC, Ministry of MSME, presented a special address in which he highlighted MSME schemes that are executed by NSIC. Shri Uadayakumar said, "While NSIC schemes are getting very positive feedback from MSMEs, I certainly see a very positive growth curve for Indian MSMEs in the next few years." The next few years will witness the great results of MSME success stories. I am extremely pleased to note that SMEStreet is organising a webinar on " Role of MSMEs in the chase of 5 Trillion economies."NSIC plays a major role in recharging the MSME units after the pandemic hit to get the business opportunities growing in an exponential way from the domestic and export markets.Earlier, Shri Faiz Askari, Founder Editor of SMEStreet and Secretary General of SMEStreet Foundation, welcomed the distinguished speakers into the second webinar of SMEStreet GameChangers Forum 2022 and said, "The MSME sector, in today's time, is at the crux of a global economic evolution. Scenarios are fast changing and Indian MSMEs are completely qualified to capitalise on the new regime of opportunities. We are SMEStreet. We are extremely excited to bring you this forum, which is aimed at highlighting contemporary opportunities for MSMEs. Through various webinars, podcasts, articles, and reports, SMEStreet will continue to explain and explore every single opportunity for MSMEs' growth. Today's webinar was phenomenally successful with respect to showcasing such opportunities, and I am thankful to our leaders and policymakers who are committed to creating an MSME-oriented ecosystem."In a special session delivered by Shri Samir Sathe, Executive Vice President, Wadhwani Advantage, Wadhwani Foundation MSME Development Services and the roadmap by Wadhawani Foundation were explained and highlighted.A panel discussion on the Roadmap for MSMEs with MSME Perspective in the Pursuit of India Becoming a 5 Trillion Dollar Economy was also organized, with distinguished panellists such as Shri P Uadayakumar, CMD of NSIC, Ministry of MSME, Shri Naresh Verma, Past President, Manufacturers Association Faridabad, and Shri Abhinav Jain, Founder, Almond Virtex participating. For the panel discussion, Shri Udayakumar mentioned, "NSIC offers fully integrated solutions to MSMEs, from incubation to last mile exports through various interventions. The latest game-changing interventions are Self Reliant India( SRI) Fund for equity infusion with a corpus of Rs 50000 Crs, A scheme for the first-time exporters supported by the Ministry, and Subsidy support for Micro enterprises for MSMEmart membership among another commercial scheme. We assure the MSMEs that we will provide all required commercial support and hand holding so that MSME units play a major role in making the 5 Trillion economies."Shri Naresh Verma spoke on the competitiveness and potential of Faridabad, Haryana-based manufacturers and also hinted at the government's proactive efforts to improve the level of ease of doing business. also pointed out some challenges like power and fuel supply for the smooth functioning of the business. Shri Abhinav Jain highlighted the role of new-age collaborative technologies that are enabling MSMEs to do business in the new era. Mr. Abdulhasan Al-Dairi, Chairman of Bahrain SMEs Society and Deputy Chairman of the United SMEs Organization (UNISMO), participated in the panel discussion and gave a global perspective on business and also touched upon opportunities for Indian and Bahraini MSMEs. A detailed report on the panel discussion will be published separately on SMEStreet.in.The forum also highlighted SealTech International as an MSME from Faridabad which is doing exponential work in the area of the oil and gas sector not only in India but across the globe and the USA in particular. Shri Raju Mishra, CEO & Director of SealTech International, presented details of his organisation's milestones. This section was part of the SMEStreet Foundation's Star MSME Showcase in which SealTech International was featured as a success story. SMEStreet GameChangers Forum 2022 is supported by the Ministry of MSME, Govt. of India, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Ahmedabad, National Small Industries Corporation, LexComply, and Almond-Vertix. SMEStreet Foundation is the executing agency for this activity, and global partners include Bahrain-based UNISMO, AASGON, and United Nations Global Compact, UK.About SMEStreet GameChangers Forum 2022On World MSME Day, June 27th, 2022, SMEStreet GameChangers Forum 2022-a series of webinars and podcasts were launched. The theme of the entire series is "The Role of MSMEs in Chasing the 5 Trillion Dollar Economy Target."SMEStreet is working along with its stakeholders to create a valuable and noteworthy ecosystem for MSMEs where meaningful discussion for the upliftment of Indian MSMEs can happen.SMEStreet is working along with its stakeholders to create a valuable and noteworthy ecosystem for MSMEs where meaningful discussion for the upliftment of Indian MSMEs can happen.The keynote address of the inaugural session of SMEStreet GameChangers Forum 2022 was delivered by Shri BB Swain, Secretary, Ministry of MSME, Government of India. Shri Swain highlighted the recent milestones that were achieved by the MSME Ministry towards MSME development. He mentioned, "Coordinated and collaborative efforts of stakeholders have to lead us to win over the recent pandemic. Today, we are on a recovery path, better positioned than the previous year, with a projected growth rate higher than that of the global economy."SMEStreet GameChangers Forum 2021In June 2021, SMEStreet GameChangers Forum was launched by the Then Hon'ble Union Minister of MSME Shri Nitin Gadkari and the Special keynote address was delivered by Hon'ble Governor of Kerala State Shri Arif Mohammad Khan. Shri Gadkari made an important announcement on this SMEStreet GameChangers Forum about introducing a revised and simplified process of MSME registration. PIB News Link (https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1727325)About SMEStreet FoundationSMEStreet.in was founded in 2014 with the aim to become an effective voice and an efficient Ecosystem for Indian MSME Entrepreneurs. Now, in 2022, with over 7 Lakh visitors per month, SMEStreet has been working sincerely for the MSME sector's holistic growth. Global Networking and Sectoral focus are making this platform the most popular MSME media platform in this part of the world. As an ecosystem, SMEStreet has also registered as a Section 8 company working along with this sector's advantages and building capacities through knowledge and networking. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Deputy Directors from Kenyan Ministry of ICT and ICT Authority along with INTERPOL’s Director of Cybercrime to speak at CyFrica 2022

Africa, May 17, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - As the pursuit for a robust African cybersecurity landscape gathers momentum, Tradepass has taken the initiative to host the 4th edition CyFrica at The Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, Kenya on 28-29 June 2022. To ensure the summit has the right guidance and attracts the right set of faculties, CyFrica 2022 now has Deputy Directors from the Ministry of ICT - Kenya and ICT Authority - Kenya, Timothy Were and Philip Irode respectively as part of its Advisory Board.The summit aims to attract 1500+ pre-qualified cybersecurity experts (in-person & virtual) including the Heads of Information Security, Risk, Compliance, Forensics and Cyber Law from the leading public and private enterprises across Africa.In an interview preceding the summit, Timothy Were (Deputy Director, Ministry of ICT - Kenya) stated his thoughts when asked about the reason behind majority of the African companies still not taking a major step to improve their cyber-defense, he expressed, "Ignorance, fear of exposure that could decrease customer and regulator confidence in the firms and not being alive to the fact that the ground is changing could be some of the reasons why firms are not improving their defense."He also added, "I would like to welcome each and every one of you to the CyFrica 4th edition, Karibu Kenya."Top renowned organizations like KnowBe4, Uniken, Gigamon, Plena Solutions Ltd., Wallix, Kaspersky, Acronis, IronTree and ManageEngine will be the face of the event as they will have their own exclusive exhibition booths to showcase their cutting-edge security solutions. Fiona Konchellah (VP of Sales - Africa, Uniken) expressed her excitement for the summit, she said, "I'm thrilled to be a part of CyFrica 2022, alongside some of the top cybersecurity experts. I'm looking forward to discussions on Africa's rapidly growing cybersecurity market, as well as sharing and learning best practices to ensure a safer Africa."She further added, "Now more than ever, it is crucial that we work together to identify and tackle cybersecurity threats in order to bring Africa's digitization initiatives and aspirations to fruition." While talking about the state of Africa's cybersecurity, Anna Collard (SVP Content Strategy & Evangelist, KnowBe4) mentioned, "According to KnowBe4's African Cybersecurity Awareness survey released in early 2022, 54% of respondents did not know what a ransomware attack is and 34% have lost money because they fell victim to a scam. To ensure Africa's people benefit from the increasing digitisation public and private sectors need to do more to raise consumer awareness around cybersecurity and threats and build a security culture within their own organisations."The summit will power two knowledge-packed days filled with insightful presentations on the most pressing industry topics, deep dive panel discussions with the leading thought leaders, live showcase of the best cybersecurity solutions and abundant networking opportunities.The confirmed speakers for the summit include Timothy Were - Deputy Director, Ministry of ICT Kenya; Philip Irode - Deputy Director, ICT Authority, Kenya; Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola - Chair, African Union Cyber Security Expert Group (AUCSEG) Nigeria; Neil Walsh - Ambassador & Regional Representative to Eastern Africa, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Kenya; Cyrus Kamau - CIO, National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) Kenya; Bonface Asiligwa - CISO, KENTRADE Kenya; CRAIG JONES, Director of Cybercrime, INTERPOL; Laura Temesi - Head Cyber Partnerships and Communication, Standard Chartered Kenya; Ishaaq Jacobs - CISO, Sasol South Africa; Kabuthia Riunge - CISO, KCB Group PLC Kenya; Thelma Kganakga - CISO, Equity Bank Kenya; Amenyo Lotsu - CISO, ARB Apex Bank Ghana; Zechariah Akinpelu - CISO, Unity Bank Nigeria; Tim Theuri - Executive Head of Cybersecurity, M-Pesa Africa, Kenya; Cynthia K - Information Security Lead, GE Kenya; Stephen Obare - CIO, National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Kenya; George Ochola - Head Information Technology Security, National Bank of Kenya; Bernard Ambaka - CSO, Kenya Power; and Simion Rutto - Group Head of Forensics and Security Services, Britam Kenya. Vijay Babber (Senior Channel Manager MEA, Gigamon) expressed his excitement for the summit, and whilst talking about the state of Africa's cybersecurity in a hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructure he said, "Gigamon is excited to be participating in person in this year's Cyfrica event. We are seeing more and more companies' cloud migration strategies accelerating, with hybrid cloud becoming the de-facto standard. The need to protect and secure hybrid cloud networks from cyber-attacks has become mission critical. When deploying applications into the public cloud, the security model becomes more nuanced, bringing on-board many challenges. With Gigamons Deep Observability Pipeline we overcome many if not all these challenges by providing access to all the data that we broker to the security tools, any source any destination. Our team will be happy to discuss the challenges and how Gigamon can help. We look forward to meeting you during the event."Organizer and CEO of Tradepass, Sudhir Jena expressed, "We feel extremely privileged to have Timothy Were and Philip Irode, the Deputy Directors from Kenyan Ministry of ICT and ICT Authority, as the Advisory Board Members for CyFrica 2022. Their involvement will not only aid us in expanding the participation for the summit but will also help in catering to many different sectors from the continent and foster the right collaborations for a better cyber landscape."For more information about the event, log on to:https://cyfricasummit.com/About TradepassProviding access to the global emerging markets, Tradepass brings together people, products and solutions to power events for unparalleled business and networking opportunities. Being the most accredited event company, it helps organizations: enter new markets, grow sales pipeline, close prospects, raise capital and identify the right solution-providers.As a deal facilitator, Tradepass is always determined about exposing the most agile liquid growth markets, to enable all-round scalability and growth. Media contact:Shrinkhal SharadPR & Communication Executive shrinkhals@tradepassglobal.com+ (91) 80 6166 4401Tradepass Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Eradicating corruption within SOEs

JAKARTA, Feb 28, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - In October 2021, former Garuda Indonesia commissioner Peter Ghonta took the lid off various problems brewing in the company.State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir (L) meets Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin (R) to file report on the Garuda Indonesia case at the Attorney General's office, Jakarta, Tuesday, January 11, 2022. (ANTARA/HO-Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources/pri)Gontha urged the State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Ministry to dismantle past cases of alleged corruption in the company related to aircraft leasing.He cited issues related to powerful groups in the company and the price difference between Boeing 777-300ER aircraft rental and CRJ1000 aircraft purchase.Ghonta spoke of having reported the problems to several institutions ranging from the director-general of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights to the chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir then filed a report on an alleged graft case in the financially beleaguered state-owned airline PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) to the Attorney General's Office.The report outlines the government's plan to restructure Garuda Indonesia as well as provides evidence regarding the procurement of ATR 72-600 aircraft.We provide evidence from the investigative audit, so it is not an accusation, he asserted.For the past two years, Garuda Indonesia had faced a financial storm due to past mismanagement that caused the company's debt to swell to more than Rp140 trillion, Thohir remarked.Meanwhile, Thohir noted that the Garuda Indonesia case was not just about an aircraft but pertaining to an ecosystem.He encouraged the Garuda Indonesia case to be resolved, as it was impossible to buy or rent an aircraft without a business plan and without calculating flight routes.In the absence of such a calculation, Garuda ultimately paid the aircraft rental fee of up to 28 percent to the lessor as compared to only eight percent to other airlines' aircraft lessors."Hence, there is a system and there is a solution, so that in the future, Garuda will not repeat similar cases again since due to no management, the loss will also affect the people, in the form of expensive tickets," he pointed out.In addition, the SOEs Ministry has taken steps to restructure and salvage the state-owned airline.The ministry will focus on transforming the airline to make it more accountable, professional, and transparent.More than 470 creditors have submitted claims of up to US$13.8 billion, or equivalent to Rp198 trillion, to Garuda Indonesia as of January 5, 2022, as part of a debt recast.The figure has been cited by Garuda Indonesia's Suspension Debt Payment Obligation (PKPU) team, Thohir remarked.After the verification is completed, the PKPU team will take a decision on January 19, 2022, regarding the amount considered to be valid and can be included in the restructuring process, he remarked.The Garuda management had earlier submitted a proposal to reduce its liabilities by more than 60 percent, from US$9.8 billion to US$3.7 billion through restructuring.The proposal aimed to help the company survive amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has protracted for two years.Save GarudaCommission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives formed a working committee to rescue national carrier Garuda Indonesia."In principle, the Committee for Rescuing Garuda is a follow-up to the three work meetings undertaken by Commission VI with the SOEs minister, deputy ministers, and the Garuda Indonesia Board of Directors," Head of the Committee for Rescuing Garuda Martin Manurung stated.Manurung explained that the working committee will work not only to look for management issues within the state-owned airline but also to explore options offered by the government.The deputy chairman of Commission VI stated that the formation of the working committee was also a form of political support for Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives for Garuda Indonesia to stay afloat."We want Garuda Indonesia, as a national flag carrier, to be able to stay in the air, to be able to fly, as an airline of national pride," Manurung noted.Meanwhile, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir expressed support for the establishment of a working committee by Commission VI of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) to rescue and reform national carrier Garuda Indonesia.Establishment of the working committee is proof of DPR RI's concrete support and commitment to monitoring the state-owned airline's rejuvenation process, the minister noted.The political support that the legislature has exhibited would be key to rescuing the flag carrier, the minister noted while adding that his ministry is committed to cooperating with the parliament's working committee for seeking solutions to remedy issues that have plagued the national airline.The ministry will also inform the working committee, which will monitor the airline's restructuring and reform progress, about Garuda Indonesia's future business and reform plan, he added.The State-Owned Enterprises Ministry cannot rescue the airline alone, and we need to collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including DPR RI's Commission VI, in mending Garuda Indonesia, Thohir remarked.Transforming Garuda Indonesia is a must to ensure the flag carrier survives amid the economic uncertainty posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and to ascertain that it records positive performance after the pandemic, he noted.The ministry has also collaborated with the Attorney General's Office to investigate allegations of corruption by the airline management in the past, the state firm minister remarked.Thorough reforms in the law enforcement and business aspects are expected to bolster Garuda Indonesia's performance to become more accountable, professional, and transparent in the future, Thohir affirmed.Jiwasraya, Pension FundEfforts to eradicate corruption by the minister are also being made in the insurance business sector.Thohir revealed that the completion of Jiwasraya's mega scandal case provided a solution for the aggrieved parties."However, what distinguishes us from other corruption cases is that the Jiwasraya case has a solution for those who were harmed. It is not a pending case for which there is no explanation. Those who were harmed will be recompensated for their losses," Thohir stated.The minister drew attention to no solution being found to this day in several cases of corruption in pension funds and insurance. No refund was offered to the cheated parties.For instance, the case of illegal online loans where no perpetrators or masterminds had yet been revealed and no refund was provided to the victims and deceived parties.Thohir affirmed that the collaboration was necessary to solve the Jiwasraya case.President Joko Widodo gave directions that the Jiwasraya case should be solved immediately.After looking at the facts and evidence, an audit investigation from the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) and a report from the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), the Ministry of SOEs officially reported the Jiwasraya case to the Attorney General's Office."The Ministry of SOEs does not want to become trapped in legal problems, and it focuses on corporate issues," the minister stated.In addition, Thohir will fix pension funds in state-owned enterprises comprehensively this year.The pension fund has become a breeding ground for corruption, with the pensioners' bills not being paid in the end, he pointed out.To this end, the minister of SOEs urged Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives to jointly conduct a focus group discussion on exposure regarding pension funds."We are ready, but we cannot clean it up right away, as there is a binding law. Hence, the Ministry of SOEs cannot intervene," Thohir noted.Meanwhile, he remarked that comprehensive improvement in pension funds in the state firm became one of the SOE Ministry's programs in 2022.The existence of state-owned companies aims to provide the greatest profits to the state.Thereafter, the profits will be channeled back through various programs for the people, starting from infrastructure development to welfare improvement, and others.There is no place for corruption within SOEs.The accountability, transparency, and anti-graft approaches must continue to be implemented to build prosperous SOEs.(c) ANTARA 2022. Reporter: Azis Kurmala; Editor: Sri HaryatiANTARA/HO-Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources/pri Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Myanmar Government to Re-Open Schools, Revive Economy and Support Currency to Overcome ‘Triple Crisis Situations’ of Pandemic, Economic Slowdown and Issues of National Stability

Nay Pyi Taw, Oct 19, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The Myanmar Government announced today it would reopen schools from next month and take urgent measures to support its currency and accelerate economic recovery so as to restore national stability quickly amid an unprecedented 'triple crisis' situation in the country.Myanmar is facing crises of pandemic infection, economic slowdown and national stability at the same time, a situation not shared by any other country in ASEAN or even Asia. Hence, even as the country pursues recovery, it looks forward to support from the international community, the Government said in a statement.COVID-19 UpdateBased on latest data from the Ministry of Health, as of 16 October 2021 Myanmar had recorded 486,851 COVID-19 cases and 18,329 fatalities deaths (most of whom were aged 45 to 75) since the first confirmed case of infection on 23 March 2020. Currently, the daily average COVID-19 positivity rate in Myanmar is 7.7%, which is lower than that of some ASEAN countries.The first wave of the pandemic started in March 2020 and the second in August 2020. In the third wave that started in May 2021, a high incidence of the Delta variant has been behind the 343,533 confirmed cases and 15,113 deaths to date. The Ministry of Health is still responding to the third wave even though cases have declined since July 2021.Currently, 113 townships - about a third of Myanmar's total - are regarded as 'high burden' and are under the Stay-At-Home (SAH) programme. The Ministry of Health intends to ease restrictions gradually, after ascertaining there is no community transmission after lifting of SAH.Update on Vaccination Status and VaccinesAs of 16 October 2021, 4.57 million people were fully vaccinated, while 6.65 million people have received one dose each. The cumulative vaccinated population is 11.22 million and cumulative vaccinations administered stood at 15.8 million doses. Myanmar has received 31.3 million doses of vaccines as of 17 October 2021. These include:Ministry/Organization | Type | Country of Origin | Amount (doses)Ministry of Health | Covishield | India | 4,500,000Ministry of Health | Sinopharm | China | 21,300,000Ministry of Health | Sinovac | China | 4,000,000Ministry of Defense | Sinopharm, Covaxin, Spunik V | China, India, Russia | 802,800Private sector | Sinopharm | China | 700,000Grand total (National Figure) | 31,302,800Over October and November 2021, 8.0 million doses of Sinopharm are scheduled to arrive through Myanmar Government procurement channels. The Ministry of Health is collaborating with GAVI COVAX Facility ("COVAX") to receive 4.05 million doses of COVAX vaccines, and separately 2.2 million doses of SINOVAC vaccine. Ongoing discussions to receive Pfizer vaccine from the facility are also in progress.Reopening of Schools and Colleges by November 2021To accelerate recovery of social and economic activity, Myanmar Government has directed the Education Ministry to prioritise the re-opening of schools which had shut on 9 July 2021 due to the spread of COVID-19. While schools were reopened on 21 July, the Ministry again closed them on 27 August due to the third wave of the pandemic.The Education Ministry will re-open schools from November 2021 by working with the Ministry of Health to vaccinate all remaining unvaccinated students (mostly between the ages of 12 and 17, by the end of this month). Over 2.2 million students have been vaccinated nationwide so far. All teachers have already been vaccinated. These vaccinations involved mostly the use of the SINOVAC vaccine, with two doses administered over an interval of 28 days.To facilitate the reopening, schools will be ranked according to health and safety readiness in matters such as availability of disinfectants, sanitisers, personal protection equipment, thermometers, face masks and shields, and of hygiene facilities such as toilets, wash basins, wells and water purifiers.In view of some reports of civil disobedience, security measures will also be introduced in schools to prevent disruption and ensure the safety of teachers and students."The reopening of schools is an urgent priority of our country. Vaccination and health protocols are a pre-requisite. Hence, teachers and students, including those between 12 and 18 years of age should get vaccinated. Myanmar Government encourages students to complete at least lower secondary education and endeavours to nurture more educated resources for the future development of Myanmar," said Education Minister Dr. Nyunt Phay.Reviving Business Confidence Within Myanmar and With International CommunityThe Myanmar Government has identified the main economic and financial challenges as confidence in banking and financial institutions, reviving employment and business activity, attracting and supporting foreign investors and economic partners, and ensuring stability of the kyat currency.MIFER notes with concern the ongoing four-prong economic sabotage by opponents of the Government who continue to try to stir panic in the financial sector while openly declaring 'war' within Myanmar. These opponents appear to be supported by foreign elements.It involves attempts at disrupting international economic and financial relations in order to halt existing development projects and delay disbursement of grants, aid and concessionary loans; deterring inflows of Foreign Direct Investment by projecting a negative image; boycotting payment of electricity bills and of Government lotteries to disrupt revenue collection; and spreading rumours to trigger a local banking and financial crisis.Despite the sabotage, the Government will do its utmost to support the economy as well as all Myanmar people.MIFER has stepped up dialogue with leaders of foreign chambers of commerce and accelerated international economic exchanges. A notable development has been the highly successful virtual Myanmar-Russia business matching seminar held last month."Myanmar Government has already implemented measures to ensure continuity in the agriculture sector, including farmers and those involved in livestock and fisheries sector. We have also extended soft loans/financial aid to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)," said Minister Aung Naing Oo."We detect a great sense of urgency among local businesses to return to normalcy. Our priority is to restore confidence, create jobs and revive commercial activity. Despite the challenges, investor confidence is clearly increasing. We are also greatly encouraged by the positive response of Russian business groups who are very keen to forge bilateral economic activities," he said.Supporting The Myanmar KyatCentral Bank notes with collective concern the recent weakness of the kyat. To restore confidence in the currency, the following actions have been or will be implemented:- Encouraging and strengthening online banking payments- Tax reduction and incentives (waiver or deferral of the payment of rental fees)- Regulatory and other measures to streamline online transactions, reduce barriersto business and regulatory red-tape, and improving commercial transparency- Issuing Central Bank's notifications to have trust in the domestic banking system- Regulating drawing limit from the banks.National Security Matters"Despite the efforts of Myanmar Government to restore political, social and economic stability amid the pandemic, those opposed to recovery have stepped up violence and disruption of the economy. The Government has a duty to ensure political and social stability and will exercise this duty with firmness and restraint at the same time even as it seeks to win investor confidence, and revive economic and social activity such as re-opening of schools and cinemas," the Minister said.Issued by Ministry of Information, Union Government of MyanmarFor more information, please contact: mediacontact@e-information.gov.mm Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Full HBL for primary, special education schools from Sept 27 to Oct 6

SINGAPORE - All primary schools will start full home-based learning from Sept 27 until the end of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) sitting on Oct 6 amid a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases. In a statement on Saturday (Sept 18), the Ministry of Education (MOE) said that the measures will also apply to Special Education (SPED) schools offering the national curriculum. "This will better protect our younger students who are not yet medically eligible for vaccination," said MOE. "This is to minimise the risk of school-based transmissions and reduce the number of students placed on Quarantine Order or Leave of Absence prior to the examination," said the ministry on Saturday (Sept 18). This year, PSLE sitting starts on Sept 30 and ends on Oct 6.  A similar arrangement was made last year in the lead up to the start of written papers for the PSLE. Education minister Chan Chun Sing said in a Facebook post on Saturday: “Our students are taking their national exams amidst challenging circumstances – let us all do our part to support them and protect our school community.” Schools will remain open for students who require additional support during the period of HBL. Parents who are unable to work from home or secure alternative care arrangements can approach their children's schools for assistance. MOE kindergartens, kindergartens care services and student care centres will operate normally. Students are encouraged to do an Antigen Rapid Test (ART) swab test at home on these dates to allow time to take a confirmatory Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) swab test if necessary. More on this topic   Related Story More data needed before kids in S'pore get Covid-19 vaccine   Related Story Pace of reopening amid Covid-19 depends on price S'pore is willing to pay, say experts PCR is necessary if pupils test positive for ART swab or when they get two consecutive invalid ART results. • Primary 6: Either on Sept 27 or 28  • Primary 1 - 5: Either on Oct 4 or 5 MOE urged all students and staff to continue practising good personal hygiene, adhere to safe management measures and exercise social responsibility. The ministry said it will implement additional measures to keep schools safe, where necessary. The move to HBL comes amid another wave of Covid-19 infections in Singapore, which is expecting to see 1,000 new cases a day soon. Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary had said in Parliament on Tuesday (Sept 14) that the 367 Covid-19 cases among children below the age of 12 account for 0.6 per cent of all local infections. More on this topic   Related Story How to get the most out of home-based learning   Related Story Lessons from home-based learning during circuit breaker period

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No specific terrorist threat to Singapore despite Japanese advisory: ISD

SINGAPORE - The Internal Security Department (ISD) said on Tuesday (Sept 12) it has seen no specific nor credible intelligence of imminent terrorist threat to Singapore. This is despite an advisory recently issued by the Japanese Foreign Ministry to its citizens in South-east Asia, including Singapore, warning of a possible terror attack in crowded places. In response to media queries, the ISD said that it has reached out to its Japanese counterparts. "They also have no specific intelligence," it said. But the department urged members of the public to still remain vigilant and promptly contact the ISD counter-terrorism hotline at 1800-2626-473, or report via the SGSecure app, any suspicious persons or activities they might come across. An advisory on the website of Japan's Foreign Ministry that was issued on Sunday said that there was "information of a growing possibility" that a suicide bomber may target places where many people gather, such as places of worship, including in Singapore. It said Japanese residents should continue to strengthen their vigilance against terrorism and take measures such as monitoring the latest information and following the instructions of the local authorities. Should they visit a place that is "easily targeted by terrorism", such as tourist, religious, "Western-related", or government facilities, they should pay attention to their surroundings, added the advisory. Similar advisories were sent to Japanese citizens in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Myanmar. Security agencies in other Asean countries have also responded to the warning. Malaysian news outlets reported on Tuesday that Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said there was no basis to the advisory issued by the Japanese Embassy. The Philippine national police and armed forces said they has not received any report of possible terror attacks linked to Tokyo's warning, according to other reports. A Thailand foreign ministry spokesman said the Japanese Foreign Ministry did not reveal the source of the information that led it to issue the alert, nor reveal which exact locations in the region the alert referred to, reported the Bangkok Post. Japanese citizens are advised to "stop unnecessary and non-urgent travel" to Singapore, according to a classification by the Japanese foreign ministry on its website. They are advised to refrain from travelling to other parts of South-east Asia, such as Malaysia and Thailand, for any purpose. More on this topic   Related Story Community vigilance crucial to curb terrorism and radicalisation: ISD   Related Story No specific terrorist threat to S'pore arising from Afghanistan situation: ISD

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MOT deputy secretary Han Kok Juan to helm civil aviation authority from Aug 2

SINGAPORE - A new director-general will helm the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) from Aug 2. The Ministry of Transport (MOT) said on Wednesday (May 12) that Mr Han Kok Juan, who is currently deputy secretary at the ministry and senior deputy-director general at CAAS, will take on the role. He will be appointed first as director-general designate at CAAS from June 1 to Aug 1. The 47-year-old will replace Mr Kevin Shum, 50, who has headed CAAS since Aug 2, 2015. Mr Shum will be posted to Mr Han's former role as a deputy secretary of transport. Mr Han has been the deputy secretary at MOT since September 2019. MOT said he has helped to advance the ministry's agenda in aviation, maritime and international relations, among other issues. He is also credited with playing a key role in coordinating the transport sector's response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Before his appointment at MOT, Mr Han was the deputy secretary in the Law Ministry from November 2015 till September 2019. Among his contributions there were leading a team to support the Parliamentary Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods. Mr Han studied at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He later obtained a Masters in Public Administration from the Peking University in China. On Mr Shum, MOT said he led the Changi air hub to new heights during his time at CAAS. This is illustrated by Changi Airport reaching an all-time high of 68 million passengers in 2019, and Singapore Airlines carrying a record 36 million passengers to 136 destinations. Changi Airport Terminal 4 and Jewel Changi Airport were also opened on his watch. MOT said Mr Shum had worked with the aviation sector to innovate and invest in technology. He had also overseen significant enhancements to Singapore's air traffic management system. "Under his watch, the safety record was exemplary," said MOT. "Employment and productivity increased during the period." The ministry lauded his role in strengthening Singapore's profile and contributing to the development of the international aviation regulatory regime. For example, he had chaired international committees and contributed to multilateral efforts to revive the international air transport sector amid the Covid-19 pandemic, said MOT. "The Ministry of Transport would like to put on record its appreciation to Mr Kevin Shum for his significant contributions in his six years as the Director-General of CAAS," MOT added.

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UREEQA’s Extraordinary Partnership with the Ministry of Education in Cyprus

NICOSIA, Apr 14, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - UREEQA is thrilled to announce a brand-new partnership with the Republic of Cyprus' Ministry of Education, Department of Secondary General Education's music program. This pilot affiliation will grant students from the blockchain-oriented EU nation the opportunity to have their original musical creations protected, managed and monetized on UREEQA's innovative new platform.The exciting new relationship with the Ministry's Department of Music will enable Cypriot Creators aged 12 to 18 to submit their work for a chance to gain entry into UREEQA's Closed Beta -- where artwork of all kinds is verified to be original, minted as a non-fungible token (NFT) with a digital seal of authenticity on the blockchain."Our love of creative work binds us together as global citizens like nothing else," UREEQA CEO Harsch Khandelwal said, "and we're incredibly excited to unite with budding artists in Cyprus. We can't wait to see what these young creative minds will bring to our platform, and we're certain that the benefits associated with our system and our Responsible Minting technology will further stimulate an already robust NFT culture in Cyprus. This will truly be a win-win for Cyprus and UREEQA."Dr. Georgia Neophytou, who oversees the nation's music program(s) as the Inspector of Music Education, echoed Khandelwal's excitement, stating that "The better I understand the principles of it, the more I appreciate the relevance and value this technology could bring to the artists and Creators of Cyprus; even more so, since Cyprus will be the first country in the EU to pilot this. We are a small country, and these kinds of wins are always sought after and critical to us."The pilot alliance represents a significant step into a new, previously untapped realm for UREEQA's increasingly diverse and extensive portfolio of pledged artists and partners, but there's nothing random about the connection between the two parties.Through this novel approach, UREEQA is offering access to a new service to Creators from all walks of life, while Cyprus has the opportunity to break new ground in embracing the blockchain and related digital assets -- particularly at the grassroots. The University of Nicosia in the nation's capital was the first post-secondary institution in the world to offer a course in blockchain, the first to offer a degree in the same discipline, and the first to write academic certificates to the blockchain.There's no telling what this arrangement could do for music produced by Cypriot youth whose work may have otherwise been lost in the creative world's enormous abyss, or how many new musicians or musical producers might emerge upon being motivated by a chance to introduce their creations to a dynamic and influential community like UREEQA's.In the early stages of the Closed Beta, the UREEQA platform has most notably secured pledged assets from Lifehouse bassist and vocalist Bryce Soderberg, drumming legend Kenny Aronoff, as well as welcoming various music industry leaders to our Board of Advisors, including Kevin Leflar of officialCommunity and Janice Scott, a former VP at the music copyright organization SOCAN.Now, several talented students in Cyprus will be among the ranks at our Closed Beta, and that prospect could inspire hundreds if not thousands of them to further build their musical skills and bolster their portfolios."The Republic of Cyprus has a history rich in the arts and culture," Khandelwal added, "and we look forward to helping shine a light on that."About the Department of Secondary General Education in CyprusThe Department of Secondary Education of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth in Cyprus is responsible for both Public and Private Secondary Schools in the country. It currently serves more than 60,000 students aged 12 - 18 at more than 150 schools, 10 of which are specialized music schools.About UREEQAThe UREEQA platform strives to protect Creator's work, their rights and their revenue by harnessing the power of blockchain technology.Established in Canada in 2020, UREEQA will modernize the inefficient and bureaucratic systems currently in place for copyright, patent, industrial design and trademark protection. By building a robust and compelling Package of Proof for source creative work, UREEQA only mints Validated NFTs to represent creative rights. This helps keep buyers safe by giving them confidence that the work they are purchasing was minted by the smart contract approved by the Creator of the work and is therefore authentic.UREEQA provides value and opportunities for its Creators, Validators and Tokenholders via URQA, the token at the heart of the UREEQA ecosystem.For more information on UREEQA and upcoming announcements please visit our website (https://UREEQA.com), join our Telegram channel (https://t.me/UREEQA), and follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/UREEQA_Inc).Disclaimer:Statements in this article, including any statements relating to UREEQA's future plans and objectives or expected results, may include forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties inherent in technology development and commercialization. As a result, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Football: Leipzig’s clash with Liverpool threatened by new German Covid-19 travel rules

BERLIN (AFP) - Germany's strict new travel restrictions have cast doubt over RB Leipzig's Champions League last 16 meeting with Liverpool, after a government spokesperson told AFP on Monday (Feb 1) that the rules do not exempt professional athletes. The ban on travellers from countries hit by new, more contagious coronavirus variants such as Britain contains "no special provision for professional sportspeople", an interior ministry spokesperson told AFP. Introduced on Saturday and in place until February 17, the new rules could scupper Premier League champions Liverpool's trip to Leipzig's Red Bull Arena the day before. Unless they are granted special exemption, Liverpool staff and players would be unable to enter Germany from Britain according to the rules. While coach Jurgen Klopp would be allowed into the country as a German national, he would have to leave most of his team behind. Germany introduced the tougher travel restrictions on certain countries in a bid to limit the spread of new coronavirus variants. The countries affected by the ban are Britain, Ireland, Portugal, Brazil and South Africa, as well as the southern African kingdoms of Lesotho and Eswatini. The entry restrictions cover arrivals by air, bus, rail and sea, and allow exceptions for medical workers and others in key jobs. Yet the interior ministry spokesperson said Monday that there would only be "a few, narrow exemptions".

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MHA refutes allegations by Australian national that he saw inmates being walked to execution

SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Home Affairs has refuted the allegations of an Australian national who claimed to have suffered here while in remand for drug charges. Businessman Philip George Sceats gave an account of his time behind bars to Australian media, after he was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for his drug charge last year. He said he was a "broken man" after close to a year behind bars, claiming to have seen 14 fellow inmates being "walked to their execution" - a fate he faced as he had been charged with importing cocaine. He also claimed that he was subjected to a strict regime under which inmates were caned "on the bare bum" if they did something wrong, and that his cell lights were never turned off. In response to queries from The Straits Times, MHA clarified on Sunday (Nov 1) that contrary to his assertions, Mr Sceats "was never housed together with inmates on death row." He was kept instead in a separate area meant for remanded persons at Changi Prison, said the ministry, which oversees the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and Singapore Prison Service. The ministry also noted that the cells for those in remand are fitted with lights that are scheduled to automatically switch off at night. Mr Sceats was given an hour of "out-of-cell" time, along with all other inmates in remand, said the ministry, in response to Mr Sceats' claim that he had only 20 minutes of freedom everyday. The ministry further clarified in their statement that inmates are only caned for serious offences, such as aggravated or repeated assault on another inmate, or assaulting a prison officer. This punishment is reviewed by an independent committee and is confirmed by the Commissioner of Prisons before it is carried out, said the ministry. More on this topic   Related Story Drug runner escapes death penalty after Court of Appeal reviews case   Related Story Ministry of Home Affairs refutes fresh claims from Malaysian rights group Lawyers for Liberty It added that the Singapore authorities had facilitated consular access to him throughout his remand here. The Australian High Commission in Singapore was informed of the arrest of Mr Sceats, said the ministry. He had been arrested at the airport in March 2018, after airport officers found 39.4 g of cocaine and methadone tablets in his luggage. The CNB subsequently applied for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for Mr Sceats in February 2019, following further investigations, said the ministry. More on this topic   Related Story Parliament: Statistics, studies show death penalty deterred drug trafficking, firearms use and kidnapping, says Shanmugam He was issued a stern warning for possessing methadone tablets. Since his release, Mr Sceats told Australian media that he had been framed for smuggling cocaine and he is determined to find out what happened.

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