Indonesia’s Export-Oriented, Labor-Intensive Industries To Resume Fully Operations Despite Covid-19

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Ministry of Industry is currently conducting test runs on the Covid-19 health protocols in export-oriented essential industries to accelerate inclusive national economic growth in Indonesia. 

Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said that if the test runs were successfully done and no confirmed Covid-19 cases were found, all industrial sectors in Java and Bali could resume operations.

“We are currently conducting test runs on industrial activities under the category of the essential sector to operate in full capacity or 100 percent,” said Agus in a statement on Thursday, August 19.

Also read: Indonesia to Open Export-Oriented Essential Industries by Aug. 17

Currently, as the government has extended the Covid-19 level 4 restrictions on public activities in some areas, the export-oriented industries in the affected areas can only operate at 50 percent capacity in each shift.

He reiterated that the implementation of the test runs must follow strict health protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19 as it has also been mentioned in Home Ministry Instruction No. 34/2021. Companies and workers are required to use the country’s Covid-19 tracking app PeduliLindungi to screen employees when entering and leaving the factories.

The Ministry of Industry and local administrations will monitor the implementation of the test runs carried out by the companies. To conduct the test run, companies must be under the essential domestic industries or export-oriented industries. They are also required to have operational and mobility permits (IOMKI), which allows them to operate during the pandemic. Companies will also get priority in the test runs if they managed to get their workers vaccinated.

Also read: Indonesia Prepares 5 Measures to Live with Endemic Covid-19: Task Force

“Each factory is required to obtain IOMKI and report it regularly and they are encouraged to use the Covid-19 tracking app PeduliLindungi,” the minister said.

In Java provinces, 268 companies are participating in the test runs, involving 448,505 workers. “A total of 310,780 workers already received their first dose of Covid-19 shot, while 66,342 workers received the full two-dose course of Covid-19 vaccine,” he said.

(Writer: Ade Miranti Karunia | Editor: Bambang P. Jatmiko)

Source: https://money.kompas.com/read/2021/08/19/054000826/industri-esensial-orientasi-ekspor-dan-padat-karya-akan-diterapkan-wfo-100.