VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani has said that the government`s debts are used prudently in line with the principles of good budget management so far.

"To those who have called on the government to be careful in using debts, I can assure that their demand has been what the government has always done so far," she said in a press statement received here on Friday evening.

She said debts were used as part of budget management in stages and very carefully with regard to preventing possible shock on the economic engine that may slow it down. Debts and tax revenues are fiscal policy instruments used by the government to improve infrastructure, education, health or social security, she said. Sri Mulyani said there is nothing to worry about with regard to current debt because it is well managed to remain below the level allowed by the law.

"Mere focusing on its amount while neglecting the big context and the government`s policy would be incomplete and even misleading," she said.

Sri Mulyani said it was important to put the issue in the right context so that people or political elites would not become hysteric and worry too much to make them unproductive.

"It would be different if it is what they have intended to always raise the issue to make people uneasy, threatened and panic for certain political gains," she said.

Sri Mulyani said the destructive political efforts really ran counter to the spirit of building a good democracy. ( antara ) 

Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Erik Solheim, praised Indonesia`s efforts in restoring its peat ecosystems, saying it should serve as an example for other countries.

"The destruction of peatlands around the world will be a major blow to the Paris Treaty and for younger generations," Solheim said in a press release issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) on Friday.

Solheim says the international community is paying attention to Indonesia as one of the world`s largest peatlands with over 15 million hectares (ha). After the great forest and land fires in 2015, particularly peatland fires which are highly difficult to put out, the Administration of President Joko Widodo made peat improvement and governance a national priority.

After a meeting on Thursday of the Peatland Global Initiative Partners (GPI) in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, Solheim requested the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo to learn from Indonesia`s experience in the recovery of peat ecosystems. "The Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo must learn from Indonesia," he said.

Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar was the event`s keynote speaker. Also present was Prime Minister of the Republic of Congo, Clement Mouamba, Minister of Environment of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Amy Ambatobe Nyongolo and Minister of the Environment of the Republic of Congo, Arlette Soudan-Nonau. Bakar explained the great land and forest fire in 2015, especially the peat fire, was a valuable lesson for the Indonesian Government which it responded to through policies to improve peat governance and prevention of peat fires.

"Indonesia managed to reduce the fires as much as 93.6 percent. This success is a testament to the seriousness of President Joko Widodo to make the most common land and forest fire prevention in peatlands as a national priority," Bakar said.

One of the key successes of Indonesia is the ability to effectively engage all parties across the board, including encouraging the involvement of the private sector to meet its legal obligation on peatland management. The real efforts of President Joko Widodo in managing the peatland saved millions of Indonesians from forest and land fires in the 2016-2017 period, after occurring annually for almost two decades. Strong and thorough peat governance undertaken by the Indonesian government is an exact example for all countries in the world who have similar problems.

This achievement is in line with President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla`s instructions in November 2015 which should be recognised internationally.

"Because the majority of land and forest fire problems in peatlands are universally applicable," Bakar said, during her visit to the 3rd Peatland Initiative Global Partner (GPI) meeting in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo.

In the future, two countries with the largest peat in the world, the Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo will soon undertake a study in Indonesia. "Indonesia will lead south-south cooperation to tackle the Congo Basin peat for the world," Bakar said.

The Congo Basin covers three countries that have the second largest peatland in the world. The three countries are Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon. In addition to Indonesia and the two Congos, the other largest peat country in the world is Peru. ( antara ) 

President Joko Widodo exercised with General Chairman of Golkar, Airlangga Hartarto at the Presidential Palace in Bogor, West Java on Saturday morning. On the sidelines of the sport exercise, the President acknowledged that both of them discussed matters related to the development of the Indonesian nation. One of the points mentioned is discussed about the vice presidential candidate who will accompany President Joko Widodo in the 2019 Presidential Election. They discussed the criteria of the vice presidential candidate to advance in the upcoming presidential election. But, the President refused the discussion of the vice presidential candidate leading to the election of one of the figures. He views that the discussion of certain figure that will accompany him in the upcoming Presidential Election is still away ahead.

“I mentioned earlier about the possible criteria that Golkar has; what are the desired criteria of Golkar. The discussion is still about the criteria instead of individual. In our own internal, it still is not finished yet,” President Joko Widodo said.

Furthermore, President Joko Widodo said that the discussion about the vice presidential candidate in the upcoming 2019 presidential election is still under discussion. He said that he still needs to meet a number of Chairmen of political parties and set the criteria in the internal forum of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle –PDI-P. Meanwhile, Airlangga Hartarto said that both of them discussed the criteria of the vice presidential candidate who can support President Joko Widodo. Airlangga also affirmed that Golkar Party has an infrastructure that is committed to maintaining the integration of the Indonesian nation, especially in facing the 2019 Presidential Election. (VO/Ndy/Trans by Rhm)

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla will attend the National State Defense Camp held by Kwartir Nasional (Kwarnas) an organization managing the National Scout Movement, on Sebatik Island, Nunukan Regency, North Kalimantan on May 1 - 6. Vice Chairman of the Kwarnas Scout Movement for Youth Members Budi Prayitno in his written statement in Jakarta on Sunday said that the National State Defense Camp will bring together Indonesian young people from various regions in the campground. One of the goals of organizing the event is to increase the intensity of interaction and mutual cooperation among the participants. Meanwhile, Chairman of Kwarnas Scout Movement Adhyaksa Dault said that for the younger generation, outdoor activities such as camps will encourage effective education for children. All the activities of the Scout Movement are aimed at building the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, practicing Pancasila, and conserving the environment. Therefore, Scout Movement in 34 provinces, 514 cities/districts are actively involved in mutual assistance, to realize the great ideals of Indonesia. (ANTARA)