Indonesia’s drug regulator (BPOM) said in a statement the syrups were not registered in the country.

Its health ministry said it is talking to experts from the WHO that are investigating the case in Gambia and it has formed a team with the country’s paediatric association (IDAI) and a Jakarta-based hospital to look into the cases.

It said the illness had infected 40 children across the country so far but didn’t say when the cases were first reported.

IDAI was quoted by Indonesian newspaper Kompas as saying 131 cases have been reported between January and September, adding the cases in Gambia are unrelated to those in Indonesia.

The health ministry said early findings point to potential intoxication as a cause of the illness, but no definitive cause has been found yet. The ministry said further research was needed.

Indian authorities said on Wednesday they found 12 violations of good practices at a factory of Maiden and halted production of cough syrups at the plant.

JAKARTA: Indonesia President Joko Widodo said on Wednesday (Oct 5) that football’s world governing body FIFA had offered to help his country to address its football problems, having spoken to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino over a deadly stadium stampede.

In one of the world’s worst football disasters, hundreds of fans were crushed as they tried to flee the overpacked stadium in Indonesia’s East Java region on Saturday, after police fired tear gas to disperse agitated supporters of the losing side Arema FC, who had poured onto the pitch.

Authorities said at least 131 people died, among them 33 minors.

The president, commonly known as Jokowi, said he had ordered a full audit of stadia across the country to ensure compliance with safety and security protocols.

He said he had spoken by phone on Monday to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who offered his support.

“He said if needed, FIFA can help fix Indonesia’s soccer management,” he said, referring to Infantino.

Football is hugely popular in the country of 270 million people, where the sport has had its fair share of problems, from hooliganism and heavy-handed policing to event mismanagement.

Asked earlier about the possibility of FIFA sanctions over the disaster, Jokowi said that was a matter for FIFA to decide.

FIFA, which called the incident “a tragedy beyond comprehension” has asked Indonesia’s football federation for a full report.

FIFA did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Wednesday.

Indonesia has set up a fact-finding team comprised of football experts, academics and ministry officials in hopes to reveal the culprits, and its police are currently investigating dozens of its officers over a suspected ethical breach, having suspended nine of them.

Kurniawati’s company receives plastic from recycling centres across the greater Jakarta area – which has 30 million people – at its factory in Banten province outside the city.

Then the company exports recycled plastic to European countries and also distributes it locally to be processed and used as packaging or textiles.

Kurniawati resigned from her consultant job to start the firm, tackling head-on the massive challenges faced by the world’s fourth most populous country in dealing with the plastic crisis.

As one of the initiators of the Beach Clean Up Jakarta movement, she saw how Jakarta is littered with plastic waste and was frustrated that little was being done to change the situation.

“OUR PROBLEM”

Hundreds of piles of crushed clear plastic bottles sit piled neatly in the Banten factory, ready to be sorted to make sure no labels or caps are left behind.

The bottles are then cleaned thoroughly to eliminate contamination before being cut into small flakes, ready to be transported to clients for processing and reuse as packaging or textiles.

Fajar Sarbini, a 24-year-old employee, hopes more Indonesians will start recycling.

“People throw away their waste mindlessly, they should at least sort out sharp materials so they won’t hurt garbage collectors,” he said.