VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo prioritizes the reduction of toll tariffs is only applied to logistic transportation. Speaking at the State Palace in Jakarta recently, the President said that he has asked the relevant ministries to reduce toll tariffs for logistic transportation. To reduce the toll tariff, President Joko Widodo mentioned several schemes that can be implemented by providing tax incentives in the form of tax holiday and extending the concession. Currently, the government is still calculating how to know exactly the amount of toll tariff reduction.

“I just ask Minister of Public Works, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, and Minister of Transportation, to possibly reduce the toll tariff related to our logistics transportation or transportation of goods as soon as possible next week at the end of this month. Please count it. Recently, I have received the calculation. But, there is no decision of tax holidays, and how long the concession is,” President Joko Widodo said.

Regarding some people who are concerned with the concession whether it could eliminate ownership of the state assets, President Joko Widodo affirmed that the concession to be taken does not eliminate the state ownership towards its assets. He also explained that the steps to reduce the toll tariff for logistic transportation are aimed at improving both the efficiency of goods delivery and the competitiveness of the Indonesian nation. (VOI/Ndy/Trans by Rhm)

Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi invited alumni of foreign scholarship recipients in a special meeting held at the Diplomatic Cafeteria of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta on Thursday night, (March 22^nd). During the meeting, she had an opportunity to interact directly and shared information related to Indonesian foreign policy with alumni of foreign scholarship recipients who are mostly millennial generations. After the meeting, Minister Retno Marsudi explained that the meeting which lasted for approximately two hours was one of Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs efforts to make the ministry get in touch with various community groups.

“We, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs want to reach out many groups, especially young people and professionals to share information about Indonesia's foreign policies. Of course, in this interaction, there are some inputs and explanations that may be straightforward. Let’s say there are opinions or information that still needs to be straightened out. Then, this is an opportunity for us to straighten out,” said Retno Marsudi.

On the same occasion, Minister Retno Marsudi also expressed her admiration for the alumni of the foreign scholarship recipients. She added that their love to their homeland is very big, although they have spent many years studying abroad. Their love to their home land is a potential for the Indonesian nation that must be developed. Therefore, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to make good relations with Indonesian students who get foreign scholarships, whether they are still studying abroad or have returned to their homeland. (VOI/RezhaRhm)

In relation to the recent bilateral visit conducted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo to New Zealand, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi wants Indonesian coffee to be better known in that country. Moreover, New Zealand people are known with very high coffee drinking habits. After meeting with alumni of foreign scholarship recipients in Jakarta, Thursday, March 22, Minister Retno Marsudi explained that Indonesian coffee itself has entered the New Zealand market, one of which is through a transaction that took place during the bilateral visit by President Joko Widodo.

“Coffee is a habit for the people of New Zealand, drinking coffee habit of New Zealand people is very high. Now, it means that the problem is why the coffee is not from Indonesia and the Indonesian coffee has been signed. Yesterday, when the President visited New Zealand, there were business meetings conducted during the visit and before the visit, there was a transaction in place yes, not a transaction that may be new in nature will appear later. But from the transaction, there are about $9.7 million dollars where $6 million dollars is from coffee,” Retno Marsudi said.

Minister Retno Marsudi added that many efforts have been made by the government of Indonesia to increase coffee exports to New Zealand. The promotion was through remarks disclosed by President Joko Widodo before a luncheon with New Zealand Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy. On the occasion, President Joko Widodo had joked by saying, "Do not forget, if you drink coffee, drink Indonesian coffee". (VOI/Rezha/Rhm)