VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - The Indonesian government on Monday dispatched humanitarian aid for the people affected by Tropical Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine State of Myanmar last May.

The humanitarian aid was sent off directly by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy and Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Lt. Gen. Suharyanto at Soekarno Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten, on Monday.

They were accompanied by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indonesian delegations.

"This aid delivery is held based on the instruction of President Joko Widodo in response to the aid request official letter delivered by Myanmar to Indonesia," Effendy informed.

The aid worth US$525,464 is in the form of 45 tons of logistics supplies and equipment, comprising tarpaulins, family tents, refugee tents, carpentry tools, instant foods, hygiene kits, blankets, mattresses, and generators, the minister said.

"In addition, Indonesia has also provided a Herculean aircraft carrier to bring AHA Center (ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management) aid from Subang, Malaysia, to Yangon," he added.

According to Effendy, Indonesia has provided the aid to Myanmar as part of its humanitarian solidarity effort in the region as well as in its capacity as the chair of 2023 ASEAN.

"Earlier, similar humanitarian aid was also delivered by Indonesia in 2011 when Myanmar was struck by a flood," he informed.

Suharyanto led the direct aid handover to humanitarian representatives from Myanmar on Monday at 2 p.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB).

The aid was transported on Garuda Indonesia GA 8560 and My Indo Airlines airplanes which were scheduled to arrive at Yangon International Airport, Myanmar, at 5 p.m. local time the same day.

Tropical Cyclone Mocha devastated building infrastructure and public facilities in most of Rakhine state. As per temporary data and estimates, around 1.23 million people were affected by the disaster and 70 percent of Rakhine state was damaged in the cyclone.

The rainy season further exacerbated the situation, with 90 percent of public facilities experiencing severe damage. (Antaranews)

VOInews, Jakarta: Chairman of the General Elections Commission (KPU) RI Hasyim Asy'ari inaugurated 240 KPU members in 48 regencies/cities from 7 provinces for the 2023-2028 Period in the yard of the KPU RI Office, Jakarta, Sunday (06/25/2023).

In the event, hundreds of KPU members who were inaugurated also took oaths and signed inauguration minutes and integrity pacts. The Chairman of the KPU RI in his remarks reminded the newly appointed regency / city KPU members to be trustworthy as election organizers.

"You have just taken an oath of promise as members of the regency/city KPU. As a consequence of the oath and promise, it means that you are bound to what has been said to all of you and also because this oath is based on our respective religions, the oath is bound to Allah SWT, God Almighty," said Hasyim Asy'ari when giving a speech, as quoted by Antara.

He also hopes that the inaugurated members of the regency/city KPU will work in accordance with the provisions of the laws and regulations and uphold the code of ethics as election organizers.

During the inauguration ceremony, there were several regency/city KPU members who were inaugurated virtually through the Zoom application connection.

In Decree No. 57/SDM.12-Pu/04/2023 signed by KPU Chairman Hasyim Asy'ari in Jakarta on Friday (23/6), the KPU appointed 240 members in 48 regencies/cities in 7 provinces, namely Bengkulu, Jakarta, West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, Gorontalo, and Bangka Belitung. (VOI/Agus)

VOInews, Jakarta: The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the condition of Indonesian citizens (WNI) in Russia remains safe amid the rebellion of the Wagner mercenary group. This was conveyed by the Director of Protection of Indonesian Citizens and Indonesian Legal Entities (BHI) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Judha Nugraha in a statement obtained in Jakarta. Sunday. He added that there are currently 14 Indonesians in Voronezh and 11 in Rostov.

Previously, the Indonesian Embassy in Moscow had issued an appeal to Indonesian citizens in several regions in Russia to remain calm and cautious due to the security situation. In a statement released through social media Sunday, the Embassy also urged Indonesian citizens to always carry identity documents (passports) in traveling and daily activities in connection with efforts to increase security in public places, public transportation, train stations and airports. (VOI)

VOINews, Jakarta - The Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry launched the 2023 Kenduri Swarnabhumi program on Sunday to invite and encourage the community to preserve the Batanghari River in Jambi.

"This year, we are given the mandate and trust by the ministry to hold the Kenduri Swarnabhumi," the Ministry's Director General of Culture Hilmar Farid said here on Sunday.

The Kenduri Swarnabhumi program aims to promote Malay culture and increase public awareness about the relationship between culture and environmental conservation, especially river preservation in Jambi.

Farid said the activity is a continuation of the same program last year which sought to retrace the history and Malay civilization in the 600-year-old Batanghari drainage basin.

The program activities will take a closer look at the drainage basin history from the 7th century to the 14th century.

"The activities of Kenduri Swarnabhumi in 2022 received highly positive attention from all circles and Insya Allah (God willing), this time, it is even bigger and more interesting than last year," Farid said.

According to him, the implementation of Kenduri Swarnabhumi is a joint effort in maintaining the cleanliness and sustainability of the Batanghari River, through cultural and historical approaches.

"The Batanghari River has a long-established civilization that is rich with wisdom, and it is related to the river's important role in human life, animals, and plants, and the ecosystem around it," he explained.

The program is also expected to provide a positive impact on cultural development and mutual cooperation in Jambi.

Batanghari is the longest river in Sumatra and is an important part of the West Sumatra and Jambi communities. The upstreams of the Batanghari River are located in the South Solok area, West Sumatra, and Kerinci, Jambi Province. (Antaranews)