Indonesia Highlights: 34 Convicted Terrorists Take Oath of Allegiance to Indonesia | Jokowi Urges Accelerated Development of Electric Auto Industry | Nusantara Vaccine Initially Developed in the US, T

KOMPAS.com – Dozens of convicted terrorists took the oath of allegiance to Indonesia at the Gunung Sindur Detention Center in Bogor, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Thursday, April 15.

The move was part of the deradicalization programs to ignite enthusiasm and to reiterate a willingness to stand up for the nation.

In the presidential palace, President Joko “Jokowi '' Widodo called for automotive industry players to speed up the development of electric vehicles as one of the mainstay sectors in the country.

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

34 Convicted Terrorists Take Oath of Allegiance to Indonesia

A total of 34 convicted terrorists took the oath of allegiance to Indonesia at the Gunung Sindur Detention Center in Bogor, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Thursday, April 15.

Head of West Java’s Law and Human Rights Ministry Regional Office, Sudjonggo, said the oath-taking showed that they gave the country their undivided loyalty.

"This oath-taking is a form of guidance to defend the country," said Sudjonggo in a written statement received by Kompas.com, Thursday.

Sudjonggo said the move was part of the deradicalization programs to ignite enthusiasm and to reiterate a willingness to stand up for the nation.

Besides, the oath recitation is one of the requirements for the convicted terrorists to apply for parole later and other programs. "The implementation of oath-taking ceremony at the Gunung Sindur Prison is carried out gradually and continuously," said Sudjonggo.

Following the oath recitation, Sudjonggo said, both individuals and groups must be willing to leave terrorism. He also said that the pledge of allegiance was not a condition for receiving leniency.

He said that convicts who have pledged their allegiance are expected to become agents who help the government to enlighten the people around them to hinder the process of spreading radicalism in society.

Source: https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/04/15/193609974/34-convicted-terrorists-take-oath-of-allegiance-to-indonesia.

Jokowi Urges Accelerated Development of Electric Auto Industry

screen capture Youtube IIMS President Jokowi delivers his speech during the opening the Indonesian International Hybrid Motor Show Automotive Exhibition at the State Palace, Jakarta, Thursday, April 15.

Indonesia's President Joko “Jokowi '' Widodo called for automotive industry players to speed up the development of electric vehicles as one of the mainstay sectors in the country.

"The development of the electric car industry must also be accelerated. We hope it will become one of the leading industries in Indonesia," said Jokowi during the opening of the Indonesian International Hybrid Motor Show Automotive Exhibition at the State Palace in Jakarta Thursday, April 15.

As many nations are transitioning towards green energy to build environment-friendly cities, Jokowi wanted the automotive industry to also shift gears to embrace renewable energy resources.

The president said that in the future green economy can be one of the reliable resources in Indonesia as the country has strong potential in this sector. "The use of renewable energy such as B30, B100 must also be continued," Jokowi said, referring to biodiesel fuel products in the country.

The automotive industry, Jokowi added, is one of the drivers of the country's economy. It is because the industry involves many domestic business actors. Therefore, Jokowi urged the accelerated development of the automotive industry.

This also is a clear signal that the role of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) industry in the supply chain must also be encouraged and becomes a "strategic priority" for the country.

"The most important thing is the absorption of local labor and improvement of community welfare. That is our goal," said Jokowi. The automotive industry, Jokowi continued, must also be a priority for investment development.

Source: https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/04/15/144921574/jokowi-urges-accelerated-development-of-electric-auto-industry.

Nusantara Vaccine Initially Developed in the US, Tested in Indonesia, Says Covid-19 Task Force

DOK. covid19.go.id National Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito speaks during a streamed news conference on Thursday, April 15.

As the locally-developed Covid-19 vaccine known as Nusantara Vaccine remain controversial, a spokesman for the National Covid-19 Task Force Wiku Adisasmito said the vaccine was initially developed in the US, but the clinical tests were done in Indonesia.

"The Nusantara Vaccine is a type of vaccine that was initially developed in the US, while the clinical tests were conducted in Indonesia," Wiku told a streamed news conference on Thursday, April 15.

In principle, he said, all vaccines that are meant for the public must obtain permission from Indonesia’s Food and Drug Agency (BPOM) to ensure their safety, efficacy, and feasibility aspects.

Wiku added as long as all the criteria are met, the government will provide support for the development of the Nusantara Vaccine.

It was reported that the Nusantara vaccine which was initiated by former Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto came under the spotlight again.

BPOM decided to halt testing of the Nusantara vaccine at the second and third clinical stages last month after it determined that the vaccine does not meet ethical standards on good clinical practice, as well as discrepancies of data on its efficacy.

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/04/15/15330711/satgas-covid-19-vaksin-nusantara-dikembangkan-di-amerika-dan-diujicoba-di.