Tomorrow, West Kalimantan will again get supplies from India so that West Kalimantan's oxygen stock will be safe for the next eight daysPontianak, West Kalimantan (ANTARA) - West Kalimantan Governor Sutarmidji has said that his province has received medical oxygen from Malaysia and is expecting supplies to arrive from India soon to help meet soaring demand for oxygen amid a COVID-19 spike.
"Tomorrow, West Kalimantan will again get supplies from India so that West Kalimantan's oxygen stock will be safe for the next eight days. One ISO tank of oxygen from India is to be channeled via the Indonesian Ministry of Health," he informed while reviewing the distribution of oxygen at PT Spectro, an oxygen distributor company, in Kubu Raya District on Saturday.
He said PT Spectro ordered oxygen from Malaysia through his assistance and with the help of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) -- West Kalimantan chapter, the Indonesian Consulate in Sarawak, the Kingdom of Sarawak, and a trade association in Malaysia.
"We don't buy (medical oxygen directly) from India, but it's (being sourced) from the Ministry of Health. We are only charged with the distribution cost, so we will give this free to the community because it should not be sold," Sutarmidji said.
West Kalimantan has also received cylinders from donors that will be distributed free of charge to the community, he added.
"We will continue to make sure the stock for 20 hours per day. Hence, we have managed to obtain oxygen from Malaysia. The local government had looked everywhere and used our good relationship, so we did not bother the central government," he remarked.
Director of PT Sparco Kubu Raya, Handoko Yonestulin, said his company and the Malaysian company enjoy good relations, hence the procurement of oxygen was smooth and the delivery could be directly handled by the distributor in West Kalimantan.
He said his company is continuing to monitor the supply of oxygen from Kuching, Malaysia to West Kalimantan. A total of 1,600 cylinders have arrived so far and have been distributed directly to the public, he added.
"As many as 1,600 cylinders have arrived and 1,600 more will arrive this afternoon. Residents who want to fill oxygen must prepare their ID cards with a PCR letter. (We will provide) 350 cylinders a day and they will be free, but only for those carrying out self-isolation," he informed.
Translator: Rendra Oxtora, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
