UNPRECEDENTED Occurrences require unprecedented actions. As Covid-19 strikes globally, the safety of the Indonesians in Myanmar is the priority of the Indonesian Embassy in Yangon. The capability to stay in touch with Myanmar friends and colleagues are also essential. Although the Covid-19 pandemic restricts people to gather, to the Embassy, being idle has never been an option.
Safety is priority
Prof. Dr. Iza Fadri, Indonesian Ambassador to Myanmar often reiterates that the safety of the Indonesian citizens is the priority. We use every channel possible (including the Embassy's social medias, whatsap group, zoom meetings and contacting them personally) to reach out to approximately 800 Indonesians in Myanmar, to ensure that they are updated with any developments concerning the pandemic and stay alert on how to stay safe.
Since April 2020, the Embassy has assisted Indonesian Citizens to repatriate. As the pandemic spreads wider, more Indonesians are repatriated. So far, 151 Indonesians have returned safely. We coordinate closely with Myanmar Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Myanmar Airways International to ensure its success. We deeply appreciate their support.
Economic blow or economic opportunities?
Restriction on overseas and domestic travels have resulted in the cancellation of a large-scale event including trade promotions. Therefore, The Indonesian Embassy encourages direct business-to-business contacts. Several Indonesian companies have successfully met their Myanmar importers or exporters for several product lines such as chemical raw materials, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG). especially food and beverages, cosmetics and personal care, grains, and coal. The trade value between the two countries is quite stable until July 2020 at USD464 million. In details, Indonesia exported products amounted USD593 million, while Myanmar exports to Indonesia USD128 million.
JAPFA Comfeed, Kalbe Myanmar, Telkom International, Wijaya Karya (WIKA), Mayora and Nabati are some of the companies that are successfully maintaining their positive business flow amid the pandemic. Notably in the early days of the pandemic and during quarantine in April 2020, JAPFA, the livestock company, was among the main suppliers of broiler chickens sold in Yangon markets. With their growing interests and expansion within Myanmar market, Indonesia is currently planning to form a business community consisting of Indonesian companies and entrepreneurs to increase the bilateral trade.
Amidst an uncertain situation, Myanmar has not lost positive sentiment from foreign investors and profitably approved USD5 billion new Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from October 2019 - July 2020. An Indonesian pharmaceutical company Kalbe Myanmar is one of the investors. The company has constructed a ready to operate drugs factory in Thilawa SEZ. The plant is currently undergoing clinical trials for their drugs before they are registered to the authorities. Once fully operational, Kalbe is committed to maximizing its factory capacity to help overcoming Covid-19 or another disease outbreaks in Myanmar.
Scholarships from Indonesia
Nine Myanmar students in July 2020 received scholarship to pursue their master's and doctorate degree in Andalas University (UNAND), Padang, Indonesia. The scholarship is under a direct of cooperation between the Embassy and UNAND. Among the awardees are graduates from the University of Medicine 1, Myanmar (Dr. Zarni Win), Technological University, Mandalay (Khin Thu Zar Htay), Mandalay University (Hnin Phyu Wai) and Yangon University of Distant Education (Thet Paing Oo, an alumnus of the Indonesian Language Course held in Yangon).
On 1 September 2020, the Myanmar awardees took part in a zoom meeting socialization event for new foreign students of the UNAND postgraduate program. Scholarship recipients from Thailand, Vietnam, United Kingdom and Tajikistan were also present. UNAND is one of the best universities in Indonesia and highly capable to organize an international program. The learning process is conducted online. When the pandemic ceases, the students will study in Indonesia.
From 2019-2020, twenty Myanmar students received scholarship under direct cooperation between the Indonesian Embassy and universities in Indonesia and many more from different schemes. Currently three Myanmar students are studying at Brawijaya University, East Java and eight students at Padang State University, West Sumatra, More scholarships are offered in the future.
Two of the awardees studying at Brawijaya University are teachers from the Indonesian International School Yangon (IISY). The students and teachers of IISY are mostly from Myanmar. With the objective to improve IISY quality, providing scholarships and trainings to the teachers are inevitable.
This year, fifty new students are accepted by IISY out of 200 applicants. The total number of IISY population is 358 students (ECCE to Grade X). The learning process are currently online and will continue until it is safe for the students to return to the school.
Covid-19 does not equal fewer engagements
The Indonesian Embassy is aware that Myanmar people are active users of facebook (fb). Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Indonesia's independence, we held a video competition "What does the friendship of Indonesia and Myanmar mean to you?", announced a week before 17 August 2020. We received more than 40 videos and uploaded them in our fb (Kbri Yangon) and instagram (indonesia in yangon). The Embassy reactivated its fb in January 2020. When the competition was announced in August 2020, it only had 466 friends. In the beginning of October 2020, it has 1,153 friends. The more than 147% increase is because the video competition allows more interactive engagements so we could promote Indonesia more.
One of the winners is Captain Aung Po, a Myanmar National Airlines pilot who studied in the Indonesian Government owned aviation school in Curug, Indonesia. He now owns a house production, which has been importing five Indonesian TV series to be played in Myanmar TV channels.
The Indonesian Embassy also reaches out to organizations that serve the people in need. Prof. Dr. Iza Fadri visited Yangon Muslim Free Hospital in November 2019 and saw how the hospital treated the patients equally regardless their religion. The Embassy donated a few times and in August 2020, Indonesia contributed required medicine. The value is considerably small, but we believe any contribution is helpful. Dawn Education Center is another non-profitable organization we supported this year with food and medicine supplies. Currently, we are in contact with Myanmar National Blood Center so we would be able provide them with required items within our reach.
Perceiving the pandemic as a challenge instead of obstacle, the Indonesian Embassy is determined to continue strengthen Indonesia Myanmar cooperation, so both nations could keep on harvesting from it.
Photo: MNA
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