Disaster Watch, Indonesia to Send Satellites

 

VIVAnews - The National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (Lapan) will launch two new satellites in an effort to help lessen damage from natural disasters.  

Deputy of Aerospace Technology, Soewarto Hardhienata, said the Lapan A 2 and Lapan A 3 satellites have extended features in remote monitoring as they are able to transmit disaster warnings. 

"Each satellite has different mission. Both are launched to help ease communication and reduce damage from natural disasters," he said during the workshop of ASEAN Cooperation Project on Utilization of Space-based Technologies for Disaster Risk Management in Bogor, West Java, today.  

Lapan hosts the workshop of which participants are representatives of Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, and Indonesia.  

An official of the Board of Regional Disaster Mitigation, Agus Wibowo, said Indonesia has been typically hit by hydrological disasters such as floods and strong winds.  

He said that Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi are extremely prone to disasters.

Vivanews

Indonesia Mulls Over IMF's Request on Funds

 

VIVAnews - The Indonesian government mulls over proposal on the increase of capital from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to its donor countries worth US$430 billion in total. 

Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo said Indonesia had called for more time to the IMF during the G-20 Summit for a discussion over the request. 

"The fund injection has been in line with the commitments of G-20 leaders," said Agus in Jakarta on Tuesday. 

According to the Minister, the 14th capital increase is required to make healthy of the monetary agency. 

However, the Indonesian government cannot approve the request at once. 

"Indonesia will process the request first off," he said. 

The G-20 countries had agreed to settle the commitments on the additional funds during the annual meeting between IMF and the World Bank in the coming October at the latest.

Vivanews