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Czech Republic offers help to solve Central Java’s waste problem
For better ties: Visiting State Secretary of the Czech Republic Foreign Affairs Ministry Miloslav Stasek (right) talks to Indonesia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mahendra Siregar at the latter’s office in Jakarta recently
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or better ties: Visiting State Secretary of the Czech Republic Foreign Affairs Ministry Miloslav Stasek (right) talks to Indonesia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mahendra Siregar at the latter’s office in Jakarta recently. Stasek was in Indonesia to boost the bilateral ties and enhance economic cooperation between the two countries. (Courtesy of Czech Foreign Ministry)
Waste can be in both solid and liquid form and can be turned into energy and make money.
The technology to convert waste to energy in process called incineration is rather old, but it is relatively new to Indonesia. Normally, we can generate electricity by burning solid waste. There are many new technologies and methods to create gas.
Indonesia produces 175,000 tons per day or 63.87 million tons of waste per year. The situation in many provinces in the country is alarming. For example, waste production in Central Java, the third-biggest province in Indonesia, has been growing rapidly over the years. According to the Central Java provincial administration’s data, waste production reached 5.7 million tons in 2016, a significant increase from 5.3 million tons in 2015.
But there is no need to worry as the Czech Republic is ready to help the people of Central Java to produce energy from their waste.
“We have very good waste-to-energy technology. I already met Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo and told him that we are ready to solve the problem of waste in Central Java,” Miloslav Stasek, state secretary of the Czech Republic’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, told The Jakarta Post recently in Jakarta.
Stasek was in Indonesia on Dec. 9 to 12 to foster economic cooperation between the Czech Republic and Indonesia. He and his entourage visited Yogyakarta, Central Java and Jakarta.
The first incinerator plant was built in Brno, Czech Republic, in 1905. The country has the advanced technology to treat waste. It recently signed an agreement with Iran to build and operate a 20-megawatt incinerator power plant.
According to Stasek, the Czech Republic is already active in Central Java and wanted to be more active in the future in other areas.
“We built a sugar factory in Central Java. We also supplied some turbines to power plants and 100 trucks for the construction of infrastructure. Now, we want to invest in tourism, health and the creative industry,” Stasek said.
Besides Semarang, he also visited Jepara, the hub of Central Java’s furniture industry.
“We visited Jepara and saw for ourselves how people make beautiful furniture. They can export their furniture to the Czech Republic,” Stasek said.
Stasek also visited Yogyakarta and met Governor Hamengkubuwono X to explore more opportunities for economic cooperation.
He visited the newly built Yogyakarta International Airport and other facilities. Since there is no rail connectivity from the airport to Yogyakarta, the Czech Republic is interested in building a railway line and supplying train cars.
“We conveyed our intention to improve connectivity in Yogyakarta province,” Stasek said, adding that his country was also interested in investing in tourism as thousands of Czech tourists visit Indonesia’s top tourist destinations, including Borobudur and Prambanan temples.
The Czech Republic, according to Stasek, is also considering starting a direct flight to Indonesia.
Since Yogyakarta is both a top tourist destination as well as the cradle of Javanese culture, Stasek said that his side would soon appoint an honorary consul in Yogyakarta.
The Czech Republic is a developed country with a gross domestic product (GDP) of US$245 billion and has $145 billion in foreign exchange reserves. It is facing a shortage of work force due to an aging population. All its leaders of industries want to invest in emerging economies like Indonesia.
“We see a huge potential in Indonesia, which is a G20 [Group of 20] member with more than 270 million people. We want to enhance our economic cooperation and our investments. We already have half a billion dollars in trade with Indonesia. There will be a bright future for our relations in the future,” Stasek said.
He also met newly appointed Deputy Foreign Minister Mahendra Siregar in Jakarta to discuss the entire gamut of bilateral relations.
According to Stasek, both countries must try to increase trade and cooperation in the defense and education sectors.
Echoing a similar view, Czech Ambassador to Indonesia Ivan Hotek said the Czech Republic and Indonesia would be celebrating 70 years of bilateral relations.
“Both countries have huge potentials. We must work together to take these old relations to a new level,” he said.
