JAKARTA - The engineering profession is known as a problem solver who is able to provide practical solutions in solving various problems with the breadth of knowledge possessed. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the nation's engineers have made concrete contributions in producing no less than 69 innovative products in the health sector, including Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits, PCR Test Kits, and ventilators.
In the 2021 Indonesian Engineers Association (PII) Congress held in Nusa Dua, Bali, Friday, December 17, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin conveyed his hopes to PII. "Hopefully the leaders in the elected PII management will continue to think visionary, act collaboratively and encourage innovation, and have a high national commitment," said the Vice President.
On the occasion of the PII congress with the theme "Strengthening Professional Engineers towards Indonesian Leadership on the World Stage", the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto was also present and delivered a keynote speech in front of delegates from all over the country. "Engineers are people who are educated to produce innovation, the more engineers, the more opportunities we will open for solutions that were never thought of before," said Coordinating Minister Airlangga.
In line with current global conditions, the momentum of Indonesia's leadership on the world stage at the G20 Indonesia Presidency must be utilized to promote joint economic recovery and transformation. With the theme “Recover Together, Recover Stronger”, Indonesia encourages an inclusive, strong and sustainable global economic recovery.
Coordinating Minister Airlangga also said that Indonesia was the first emerging country to become the G20 Presidency. In addition, Coordinating Minister Airlangga also appreciated the PII Central Management for choosing a theme that was very in line with Indonesia's vision as the G20 Indonesia Presidency which focused on the success of three things, namely inclusive health care, digital-based economic transformation, and the transition to sustainable energy.
"In the three visions of the Indonesian G20 Presidency, Indonesian engineers can take on a role through various innovations," said Coordinating Minister Airlangga.
The first vision in Indonesia's G20 Presidency is a global health architecture. Engineers must take up their role in driving the creation of lighthouse projects that strengthen the resilience of the world's health systems, such as innovations in medical devices, drugs, and vaccine production. One of these efforts will encourage ASEAN, especially Indonesia, to become a transfer hub for vaccine development and production.
The second vision is digital-based economic transformation. The goal of this vision is to expand the use of digital and connectivity for post-pandemic economic recovery. This initiative has a target of creating a lighthouse project in the form of utilizing Low Orbit Satellite communication systems to increase digital inclusiveness worldwide.
The third is the vision of energy transition. Related to this vision, engineers can help create models for the adoption of technologies that accelerate carbon emission reduction, such as the transition of energy from fossil fuels to renewable energy and the development of high voltage direct current transmission. This effort will be supported by a new model of sustainable financing mechanism involving the private sector.
The government is also committed to providing support, among others through Fiscal Incentives and Funding for Productive Innovative Research, the support is in the form of competitive research funding programs and initiatives aimed at increasing the nation's competitiveness through product/technology commercialization or implementation of policies/governance or managed publications. by the Education Fund Management Institute.
In order to encourage innovation in the private sector, or for engineers working in the business world, the Government has also provided incentives in the form of Super Deduction Tax for companies conducting R&D or Research and Development activities through the Regulation of the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia Number 153/PMK.010/2020 concerning Granting of Gross Income Reduction for Certain Research and Development Activities in Indonesia.
The government also continues to support PII to strengthen professional engineers in Indonesia so that they can reach the required number of engineers. "I hope that PII can continue to encourage the birth of reliable Indonesian engineers, thereby strengthening Indonesia's position in the world leadership arena," concluded Coordinating Minister Airlangga.
On that occasion, PII conferred the highest award for Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Awards to Ir. Soekarno, Ir. Djuanda Kartawidjaja, and Dr. Ing. Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie.
Also attending the event were the Deputy Minister of Public Works and Public Housing of the Republic of Indonesia John Wempi Wetipo, Governor of Bali Wayan Koster, and Chairman of PII Heru Dewanto.
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