Indonesia Highlights: President Jokowi Signs Revised Order on Covid-19 Vaccinations | Interpol Convict At Large in Bali | Beloved Children’s Rights Activist Kak Seto Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – President Joko Widodo has released guidelines for Covid-19 vaccines for the wider public, as vaccinations for this segment of society is set to begin next April.

Indonesian authorities in Bali have launched a manhunt for a Russian Interpol Red Notice convict who escaped the custody of immigration officials, ahead of his deportation from the resort island.

And children’s rights advocates across Indonesia are holding their breath, as beloved Indonesian child psychologist Seto Mulyadi or Kak Seto is hospitalized for prostate cancer. Read this and more on Indonesian Highlights:

DOK.Universitas Indonesia Jokowi giving a speech at UI's 71st anniversary

President Jokowi Signs Revised Order on Covid-19 Vaccinations

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo has inked a revised order on vaccinations to counter the Covid-19 pandemic on Saturday, February 13.

The revisions included new articles on vaccine recipients, making the vaccinations compulsory, and penalties for those resisting vaccinations, which will begin for the wider public next April.

“The Ministry of Health will determine and register members of the public who are eligible for the vaccine. If they are eligible, the vaccines are mandatory for them,” said article 13 of the order.

“Those who failed to get vaccinated will face penalties ranging from the curtailing of pensions, social aid or government aid, as well as fines,” the document adds.

However, article 14 of the order states that “the government will provide compensation for disability or deaths for those who are crippled or killed by the vaccine].” Indonesia aims to vaccinate over 180 million people before 2022 to achieve herd immunity against Covid-19. 

Source:

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/02/13/20205001/jokowi-teken-perpres-baru-ada-sanksi-penghentian-bansos-hingga-denda-jika?page=all#page2. 

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/02/13/22093971/perpres-jokowi-orang-yang-cacat-atau-meninggal-akibat-vaksin-covid-19-diberi?page=all.

Dok. Kantor Imigrasi Ngurah Rai, Bali. Russian Interpol fugitive Andrew Ayer alias Andrew Kovalenko in a mugshot on Thursday, (11/2/2021)

Interpol Fugitive At Large in Bali

Indonesian immigration authorities on the resort island of Bali were in for a shock after they discovered that Russian Interpol convict Andrew Ayer alias Andrei Kovalenko escaped their custody last Thursday.

“[Kovalenko] escaped from the Ngurah Rai immigration office in Denpasar after he was visited by a lady friend and compatriot,” said immigration official Putu Suhendra on Saturday, February 13. “This is a serious matter, as Kovalenko is an Interpol Red Notice fugitive.”

However, Putu declined to disclose why he was wanted by Interpol. “Kovalenko was serving a 1.5 year jail sentence for drugs offenses when we were processing his deportation and handover to Interpol.” He also did not say if Kovalenko’s friend was his accomplice.

Suhendra called on the public to notify the Immigration office in Bali if they spotted the two via Whatsapp. Kovalenko is the second Russian to make the news, after immigration officials deported his compatriot Sergei Kosenko at the end of January.

Kosenko was deported for various offenses, among them plunging a motorcycle into the sea and illegally working on a tourist visa.

Source:

https://regional.kompas.com/read/2021/02/13/18553611/usai-dijenguk-teman-wanitanya-buronan-interpol-kabur-dari-imigrasi-ngurah?page=all#page2. 

KOMPAS.com/BAHARUDIN AL FARISI Indonesian children's rights activist Kak Set in Jakarta on Tuesday (5/1/2021)

Beloved Children’s Rights Activist Kak Seto Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer

Indonesian child psychologist Seto Mulyadi alias Kak Seto has been hospitalized following his diagnosis of prostate cancer.

The chairman of the Indonesian Commission for Children’s Protection [KPAI] disclosed that he is undergoing treatment and a biopsy for the cancer, in an Instagram posting on Friday, February 12.

“I have been feeling unhealthy recently, and it turns out I was diagnosed with prostate cancer,” said the 69-year old. “Please pray [for my recovery,] so that I can carry on my work to ensure the welfare of children throughout [Indonesia].”

Aside from his work in KPAI, Kak Seto is best known as an Indonesian pioneer in children’s education who created puppet characters like Si Komo, a purple Komodo dragon to get his message across, not unlike his late American counterpart Fred Rogers aka Mr. Rogers. 

Source:

https://www.kompas.com/hype/read/2021/02/13/124342666/kak-seto-didiagnosis-kanker-prostat. 

https://www.antaranews.com/berita/1997777/kak-seto-akan-jalani-operasi-kanker-prostat