Indonesia Highlights: Indonesia’s Covid-19 Cases Pass One Million Mark | Indonesia's Papua Province Urge Calm After Online Racist Tensions | Five Dead, 24 Receiving Intensive Treatment after Gas Well

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia continues to face an uphill climb against Covid-19, as the number of cases in the country reach over a million.

Yet the pandemic is by no means the only ongoing problem faced by the country. The government is facing renewed political tensions in Papua, after a disagreement over the Sinovac vaccine between one of President Joko Widodo’s political stalwarts and a human rights figure in the province turned ugly because of racial tensions.

And the Indonesian public realized that the search for oil and gas should be left to the experts, after a burst gas well in Sumatra killed five people and injured 24 others. Read on to get more on these news, as curated by our editors:

KOMPAS.com / KRISTIANTO PURNOMO Three people pray before the grave of a loved one who was killed by Covid-19

Indonesia’s Covid-19 Cases Pass One Million Covid-19 Mark

The Covid-19 pandemic continues to rage unabated throughout Indonesia, nearly a year after the country’s first case was found last March. The government could not contain the virus, as it tallied over a million cases for Covid-19 nationwide.

“[Indonesia’s Covid-19] cases currently stand at 1,012,350, after another 13,094 cases were found nationwide over the past 24 hours,” said the Indonesian Covid-19 Task Force on Tuesday, January 26 in its website www.covid19.go.id .

The number of those killed in the Covid-19 pandemic stood at 28,648 people, after another 336 people died in the pandemic. On the upside, 820,356 of Covid-19 were given a clean bill of health.

“There are an estimated 163,256 active Covid-19 cases, and another 82,156 people were suspected ”of having the coronavirus.” Covid-19 has been found in 510 regencies and cities across Indonesia’s 34 provinces, or 99 percen of the country’s territory.

Source:

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/01/26/15525501/update-tambah-13094-kasus-covid-19-indonesia-lewati-1-juta-orang?page=all#page2. 

KOMPAS.com/KRISTIAN ERDIANTO Former National Commission on Human Rights [Komnas HAM] Commissioner Natalius Pigai, who was the recipient of a racist slur from longtime President Jokowi campaigner Ambroncius Nababan

Officials in the Indonesian province of Papua are calling for the Papuan public to remain calm, after a racist slur aimed at Papuan-born former Commissioner for the National Commissioner of Human Rights [ Komnas HAM] Natalius Pigai made the rounds of social media.

“[The Papuan Provincial Administration] urges the Papuan people not to be provoked by a racially-charged social posting from Volunteers for [President] Joko Widodo and [Vice-President] Ma’ruf Amin or Pro-Jamin head Ambroncius Nababan,” said Administration spokesman Jery Yudianto.

Speaking to the Antara state news agency on Tuesday, January 26, he urged the Papuan public to be “more wise in expressing themselves on social media,”Papua Regional Police head Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw confirmed that the police will arraign Ambroncius as the prime suspect behind the racial attack on Natalius.

“We have reported [Ambroncius] to the National Police, and we are authorized to arrest the perpetrators, among them the people who disseminated the slander on social media.” Meanwhile, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency or Bareskrim forcefully detained Ambroncius, after the police declared him as a prime suspect behind the incident.

They also took over the investigation from their Papuan counterparts, after they determined that Ambroncius lived in the Jakarta area. The Police also continued their investigation in spite of the Pro-Jamin head’s apology for his stunt. Investigators have 24 hours to press charges against him.

Ambroncius apologized to Natalius, and denied that he aimed to insult Papua or its people. “[The slur] was aimed solely at Natalius for his opposition to the mass Covid-19 vaccination program. Besides, the whole issue was meant to be a satire,” he maintained.

“Natalius reported Ambroncius after the latter posted the slur on Facebook. However, Natalius shared Amoroncius’s slight towards him on his Twitter feed, in a bid to expose and shame him. Ambroncius also apologized to President Jokowi for his indiscretion, and pledged to take responsibility for his actions if he was caught. If found guilty, he faces up to five years in jail.

Source:

https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/01/27/061050174/indonesias-papua-province-urge-calm-after-online-racist-tensions?page=all#page2. 

handout Hundreds of affected by a geothermal project in Mandailing Natal, North Sumatra seek refuge at a local church

Five Dead, 24 Receiving Intensive Treatment after Gas Well Burst on Indonesia's Sumatera Island

A high-pressure burst of gas at a well from a geothermal project operated by Indonesia's PT Sorik Marapi Geothermal Power (PT SMGP) killed five, including babies, and injured 24 others in Mandailing Natal, North Sumatera.

“As of now, the total number of victims reached 29 people, including five deaths,” said a spokesperson for the Mandailing Natal regency M. Sahnan Pasaribu on Monday, January 25.

Sahnan said the victims have been treated in Panyabungan Regional General Hospital (RSUD) and Permata Madina Hospital. Following a coordination meeting, we will focus on providing treatment for the victims and burial matters, he said.

The incident occurred in the geothermal plant in Sibanggor Julu Village in Puncak Sorik Marapi District, Mandailing Natal regency. At that time, PT SMGP was drilling the well at the geothermal site. Suddenly, the well released thick smoke, which was allegedly containing poisonous gas.

The alleged poisonous gas spread through the surrounding areas where many residents were doing activities on their farms. All of them are the residents of Sibanggor Julu Village in Puncak Sorik Marapi District, Madina Regency.

Source: https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/01/26/161149774/five-dead-24-receiving-intensive-treatment-after-gas-well-burst-on-indonesias.