Indonesia Highlights: Indonesia Signs Request Form to Access Up To 108 Million Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine | Indonesian Ulema Council to Discuss Covid-19 Vaccine Halal Aspects Friday | Master Kidz Indon

KOMPAS.com – As Indonesia will start its mass inoculation program next week, the government has done some efforts to ensure the availability of the Covid-19 vaccine in the country.

This includes the signing of a request form to the GAVI-coordinated Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility to gain access to free vaccines up to 108 million doses.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that hopefully, Indonesia will have enough vaccines for its 181 million citizens that are prioritized to receive the Covid-19 jab.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) will hold its plenary session to discuss the halal compliance aspects of China’s Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine on Friday.

Below are excerpts from the stories in Indonesia, curated by Kompas.com editors:

1. Indonesia Signs Request Form to Access Up To 108 Million Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine

Kompas.COM/MUHAMMAD NAUFAL A photo of Covid-19 vaccine.

Indonesia’s Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati have signed a request form to access free vaccine from the GAVI-coordinated Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility on Thursday, January 7.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the signing of the request form to GAVI-coordinated COVAX facility is one of the important accomplishments for Indonesia to gain access to a maximum of 108 million free doses of vaccine from GAVI [the Vaccine Alliance],” said Health Minister Budi in a televised statement on Thursday.

He expressed appreciation for the opportunity to gain access to the free Covid-19 vaccine from GAVI. The government will not pay for obtaining the vaccine. “We are grateful for the free vaccine from GAVI. Indonesia does not have to pay for the vaccine,” Budi said.

He went on to say that several parties have committed to providing Indonesia with the Covid-19 vaccine. China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd will provide 125 million doses of vaccine, 50 million doses of vaccine from AstraZeneca and Novavax, respectively. This means that Indonesia will be receiving a total of 225 million doses of vaccine.

“With the prospective vaccine from Pfizer and prospective 108 million doses of vaccine from GAVI, InsyaAllah [God willing], there will be enough vaccines for 181 million Indonesians,” Budi said.

Source: https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/01/07/201709674/indonesia-signs-request-form-to-access-up-to-108-million-doses-of-free-covid-19

2. Indonesian Ulema Council to Discuss Covid-19 Vaccine Halal Aspects Friday

KOMPAS.com/Nabilla Tashandra MUIs fatwa commission secretary, Asrorun Niam Sholeh.

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) will hold its plenary session to discuss the halal compliance aspects of China’s Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine on Friday.

“InsyaAllah [God willing] MUI’s fatwa commission will discuss the halal aspects of China’s Sinovac vaccine on Friday, January 8, 2021,” Council’s fatwa commission secretary, Asrorun Niam Sholeh, told journalists on Thursday, January 7.

MUI auditors have completed their review on Tuesday, Niam said.

He went on to say that the audit began since the vaccine was produced by the company in Beijing until it was stored in state-owned pharmaceuticals Bio Farma headquarters in Bandung, West Java.

“The documents needed by the MUI auditors to complete the review have also been sent by China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd,” he said.

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/01/07/17244641/jumat-mui-gelar-sidang-fatwa-kehalalan-vaksin-covid-19.

3. Master Kidz Indonesia Exports $163,000 Worth of Toys to the US

Dokumentasi Humas PT Kawasan Industri Kendal Master Kidz Indonesia, a Hong Kong-based toy company which operates in Kendal Industrial Park (KIK) in Central Java, began its first export to the US on Wednesday, January 6, 2021.

Master Kidz Indonesia, a Hong Kong-based toy company which operates in Kendal Industrial Park (KIK) in Central Java, began its first export to the US on Wednesday, January 6.

A statement from the company said that the total value of the toys exported to the US reached $163,450 comprising a total of nearly 19,000 items. The goods were sent through the Tanjung Mas Port in Semarang, Central Java.

“This is our first investment in Indonesia. We also see a great opportunity in Central Java. The Indonesian officials fully support us from the licensing process to operate the business and start exporting today,” said the company’s President Director Andy Chan in a statement on Thursday, January 7.

Source: https://money.kompas.com/read/2021/01/07/163900926/ri-ekspor-mainan-ke-as.