VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the latest innovation of the Treaty Room website, http://treaty.kemlu.go.id which is the International treaty database provided in the framework of public services. Press information from the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta, Friday said that the site can be accessed anywhere and anytime by the general public. The site contains various international agreements that Indonesia has signed since it achieved independence. Director General of Law and International Agreements of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Damos D Agusman said that the site contains thousands of international agreements. Damos also pointed out that the site managed by the Directorate General of Law and International Agreement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a form of accountability and transparency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Indonesians and foreign people, as well as become an educative tool for younger generations. With the site, the general public can now easily find various international agreements signed by Indonesia with other countries. (Kemlu.13.1'18-Mar/edit r/Trans by Rhm)

To control the price of rice, Ministry of Trade has conducted market operations in some regions prone to price hike since November 2017. Minister of Trade, Enggartiasto Lukita said that the price hike is caused with the scarcity of medium rice that also leads to price hike. At a media gathering held on Friday, January 12, Minister Enggar explained that market operations were not able to reduce the price of rice caused by lack of supply. To that end, the Ministry of Trade also agrees with the Association of Indonesian Retailers -Aprindo and rice distributors to sell premium rice at the highest retail price. Another attempt by the government is to import rice. This choice is taken because high price increases inflation rate and the rice contributes high to the inflation.

"...Import is not something taboo and basically in trading, there is import, and there is export. So, this is a contemporary solution until the price is stable and harvest time comes," Enggartiasto said.

Minister Enggar further explained, the type of imported rice is not grown in Indonesia or special rice and will enter the market as medium rice. The amount of rice to be imported is 500 thousand tons and comes from Thailand and Vietnam. The import rice will enter Indonesia before the harvest and the harvest outcome shall be purchased by Bulog with set price. (Skr)

An International Relations Observer of University of Indonesia, Beginda Pakpahan in Jakarta on Friday encouraged ASEAN member states to maintain centrality in facing challenges within the region. After celebrating its 50th-year anniversary, according to him, ASEAN is still facing challenges namely the Korean Peninsula issue, and South China Sea dispute, including global terrorism in Southeast Asia.

In addition to maintaining centrality in ASEAN, Beginda also encouraged ASEAN member states to be able to develop their regional cooperation scale in indo-pacific and Asia Pacific. Thus, they have to maintain peace and stability both regionally and internationally.

"...ASEAN should strive to maintain unity as well as to maintain the centrality of ASEAN in response to this. That's the first. This means that if ASEAN is united and ASEAN has a centrality in the formation of regional architecture, it will help ASEAN and other countries in maintaining peace and stability and prosperity in the region of Southeast Asia and East Asia. And this effects on the global course. Secondly, we hope ASEAN cooperation can open also cooperation to indo-pacific circle that exists in for example Indian Ocean because there is IORA there and also to Asia Pacific because there is APEC there. This can help to maintain peace of stability as well as regional security and hope also at the global level," Beginda said.

Furthermore, to enhance the role of ASEAN member states both at regional and global level, Beginda Pakpahan said that ASEAN member countries should be able to improve coordination in choosing strategic issues, including in responding to existing challenges. This effort can be done to build a common leadership in ASEAN, including eliminating the emergence of rivalry of big countries that intend to gain influence in ASEAN. (ndy)