Indonesia Highlights: President Jokowi Justifies Authorization of Untested Vaccines | General Election Commission Allows Ex-Corruptors to Run for Office | Walhi Slams Jurassic Park Project

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The raging coronavirus continues to dominate the headlines with Indonesia’s Covid-19 Task Force announcing that the country's number of Covid-19 cases is nearing 400,000.

Leading off our news highlights is a report on President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo justifying taking a chance with untested Covid-19 vaccines. Also hogging headlines is the story on the General Election Commission (KPU) allowing former graft convicts to run for office. While much of the national attention may be focused on the Covid-19 pandemic, Indonesia isn't one to turn a blind eye on developments that people feel are threats to the environment. We zoom in on a call from one of Indonesia’s top environmental organizations that has rejected a nature theme park built on an island inhabited by the Komodo dragon.

Screengrab YouTube Sekretariat Presiden Indonesias President Joko Widodo delivers his online speech during the recent 75th United Nations General Assembly on September 23, 2020.

1. President Jokowi: Vaccines Needed to Save Indonesia from Covid-19 Crisis

President Joko Widodo underlined the role of a Covid-19 vaccine in overcoming the pandemic in Indonesia. “A Covid-19 vaccine is not just a health-related matter of saving human lives. It also plays an important role in [Indonesia’s] economy recovery.” 

“An effective mass vaccine can release Indonesia from the pandemic and help revive the economy. However, it has to undergo proper clinical tests.” President Jokowi also urged that the public be properly oriented about the vaccines.

He called on Islamic organizations like Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah and Majlis Ulama Indonesia to assure the public of its benefit, and that they meet halal standards. He also called for their help in combating hoaxes and misinformation.

The Indonesian government has inked deals with pharmaceutical companies Cansino, G42/Sinopharm, Sinovac, and AstraZeneca to purchase Covid-19 vaccines. The vaccines are currently in the last stage of clinical tests.

Source:

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/10/26/15180551/jokowi-vaksinasi-tak-hanya-terkait-keselamatan-manusia-tapi-juga-ekonomi?page=all#page2 .

KOMPAS.com/Ardito Ramadhan D KPU Commissioner Evi Novida Ginting talks to the media (26/2/2020)

2. Indonesian General Election Commission Gives Unqualified Graft Convicts the Go-Ahead to Run for Office

The General Election Commission or KPU has allowed three graft convicts to run for office in the 2020 midterm elections after they changed their status from unqualified for public office [TMS] to qualified for public office.

“We changed the convicts’ status on the recommendation of the Election Supervisory Agency [Bawaslu] local branches in Dompu, South Lampung and Bengkulu where they are running [for office],” said KPU Commissioner Evi Novida Ginting.

“The Bawaslu justified the step on grounds the graft convicts served their time, and so were cleared of their convictions.”

Indonesia Corruption Watch researcher Egi Primayogha disputed Evi’s assertion.

“Bengkulu gubernatorial candidate Agusrin Maryono and his running mate Imron Rosyadi was initially ruled out of the elections, as his conviction was less than five years ago. Graft convicts can only run if their sentence was five years onwards,” said Egi.

“The same can be said of South Lampung regent candidates Hipni and his running mate Melin Haryani Wijaya, and Dompu regent candidate Syaifurrahman Salman and his running mate Ika Rezky Veryani TMS. All of their graft convictions were less than five years ago.”

Egi called on the KPU and Bawaslu to comply with their rules, and bar the nominees from running for office.

Source:

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/10/26/19120671/tindaklanjuti-putusan-bawaslu-kpu-tetapkan-3-eks-koruptor-jadi-calon-kepala?page=all#page2. 

HANDOUT/BOPLBF A Komodo Dragon at Komodo National Park, East Nusa Tenggara Province (13/9/2020)

3. Walhi Environmental NGO Criticizes Plans to Build the Jurassic Park on Island Inhabited by Komodo Dragons

The Walhi environmental NGO has joined a chorus of individulas and groups criticizing the government’s planned Jurassic Park project on East Nusa Tenggara province’s Rinca Island, one of the last habitats of the Komodo dragon.

“[The Jurassic Park project] has no scientific basis. Far from its developer’s claim of its sustainability, the project might spell the beginning of the Komodo dragons’ extinction,” warned Walhi Executive Director Nur Hidayati.

“The project also runs counter to the local people’s folk wisdom and might even displace them in their own land.” Aside from Walhi, entertainer Melanie Subono and the People’s Forum to Save Tourism in West Manggarai or Formapp NGO also rejected the Jurassic Park project.

The Ministry of Environment and Forestry denied that the Jurassic Park is unsustainable. The project is thought to be 30 percent complete and is expected to be complete by June 2021.

Source:

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/10/26/17372111/walhi-kecam-pembangunan-jurassic-park-komodo-tak-berbasis-keilmuan.