VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOInews, Jakarta: A research team from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), in collaboration with Griffith University and Southern Cross University, Australia, has discovered the oldest cave painting or rock art in Indonesia, which is at least 51,200 years old.

The cave painting or rock art consisting of a number of illustrations of people, anoa, and pigs was found in a limestone cave located in Leang Karampuang, Maros-Pangkep, South Sulawesi.

"This discovery is the first rock art in Indonesia that is more than 50,000 years old," said Head of the Research Team from BRIN, Adhi Agus Oktaviana in Jakarta, Thursday.

Oktaviana assessed that this discovery has important implications related to understanding the origins of the earliest art.

She explained that the presence of more anoa and human images indicated an attempt by people in ancient times to communicate the message that at that time anoa were quite dangerous, so that people at that time had to work together to hunt anoa, although there are other opinions that indicate the images have a certain spiritual meaning.

Oktaviana said that her team's discovery indicated that narrative cave paintings were an important part of early Indonesian human art culture at that time.

"Humans have basically had the ability to communicate in the form of stories for more than 51,200 years, but because words cannot become stone fossils, all that remains is depictions in the form of art. This discovery in Sulawesi is the oldest evidence that can be known from an archaeological perspective," he said.

Oktaviana said that her findings have been published in the leading science journal, Nature, because they used the latest method in their discovery, namely through laser ablation U-series (LA-U-series) at Griffith University and Southern Cross University to obtain accurate dating on the thin layer of calcium carbonate that forms on the decorative art.

She emphasized that research on cave paintings or rock paintings is important to do, because research on rock paintings helps research on civilization and migration of ancient humans, where research using excavation or digging methods requires sophisticated technology and a lot of money.

On the same occasion, the Head of BRIN Laksana Tri Handoko appreciated the researchers for their findings . He considered this as an implementation of the responsibility of the nation's archaeologists in finding historical relics of the ancestors of the Indonesian people.

"Indonesia is rich in relics, and not just relics, but also authentic evidence of the richness of our culture and civilization in Indonesia," said Laksana Tri Handoko.

VOInews, Jakarta: Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi emphasized that the Sanggar Bimbingan educational institution, which is run independently, ensures that the right to education for children of Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) in Malaysia is fulfilled.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs explained that the Sanggar Bimbingan was established to provide basic education for PMI children and also to prepare children who return to Indonesia to continue their education in their homeland.

"Education is one of the important issues discussed in cooperation with Malaysia, especially access to education for our PMI children," said Retno, as stated in a press statement regarding a working visit to Malaysia, Wednesday.

Retno admitted that she had met with around 150 Sanggar Bimbingan students upon arriving in Kuala Lumpur, Tuesday (2/7), starting her working visit in Malaysia.

There are at least 57 Sanggar Bimbingan schools spread throughout the Malaysian Peninsula that are open to PMI children, she said.

Therefore, education will remain a priority in the issue of protecting Indonesian citizens and Indonesian diplomacy in Malaysia. Retno also emphasized the importance of ensuring access to education for PMI children, including through the Sanggar Bimbingan facility.

"In the meeting with the children (Sanggar Bimbingan), I also conveyed that the state will continue to try to be present, provide assistance and protection for them," said Retno.

According to ANTARA records, a number of Sanggar Bimbingan in Malaysia have collaborated with the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur to ensure that participants in the studio receive a national student registration number, so that they can continue their education in Indonesia smoothly.

The Sanggar Bimbingan for PMI children in Malaysia is also the destination for the implementation of the Real Work Lecture (KKN) teaching practice by a number of Indonesian students, such as that carried out by students from Jenderal Soedirman University in Purwokerto earlier this year.

Meanwhile, a number of other issues discussed during Retno's working visit to Malaysia included the border line agreement, cooperation in handling TPPO, the Myanmar issue, and support for Palestine. The Minister of Foreign Affairs also emphasized Indonesia's support for Malaysia's chairmanship of ASEAN next year.

Presiden Joko Widodo and the first lady getting ready to cut the Tumpeng or yellow rice cone to commamorate Bhayangkara day (Photo : Vico Setpres) - 

VOInews, Jakarta : President Joko Widodo emphasized the big challenges facing the National Police in the future in his address at the 78th Bhayangkara Day Commemoration Ceremony at the National Monument, Jakarta, on Monday, July 1 2024. The President said that the police are always under strict public supervision and have a role central to community life.

“The National Police don't have holidays. The National Police is everywhere, no area is overlooked by the National Police. "But on the other hand, this means that the people are also watching closely all the movements and actions of the National Police," said the President.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Monday (01/07/24), the President underlined that the challenges that will be faced in the future are increasingly complex, including geopolitical, economic, technological and climate change issues. On the other hand, the implementation of the National Police's duties also greatly influences the nation's resilience in facing various challenges and the nation's competitiveness in the midst of global competition.

"So in the future the National Police must be more agile, more adaptive and have a strategic perspective. "It must be a cooling system and glue for diversity, it must be professional and not selective in law enforcement, and it must have technical capabilities that are superior to those of criminals," he explained.

In facing increasingly sophisticated transnational crimes, the President emphasized the importance of the National Police being adaptive and having superior technical capabilities. "The National Police must also be able to follow developments in science and technology and collaborate to strengthen our country's security," added the President.

With the 2024 regional elections taking place soon, the President asked the National Police to support the democratic party by maintaining neutrality, stability and election integrity. Previously, the President also appreciated the hard work and dedication of the National Police in maintaining the stability and security of the 2024 Election democratic process and Indonesia's major development agendas.

"Maintain neutrality, maintain stability and safeguard our democracy so that regional elections can be held safely, honestly and fairly," stressed President Joko Widodo.

President Jokowi ended his remarks by expressing great hope for the National Police to become more agile, adaptive and professional in carrying out their duties. "Be a Bhayangkara person who upholds the National Police Tribrata, who is solid internally, who is synergistic externally, especially with the TNI, and loyally serves and protects the community," he concluded//VOI

Acting Director of the National Library, E. Aminudin Aziz and Federal State Budgetary Cultural Institution, Margarita Rudomino All Russian State Library for Foreign Literature take a picture after signing an MOU (Photo : Perpusnas) - 

VOInews, Moscow : The National Library of the Republic of Indonesia (Perpusnas) collaborates with two libraries in Russia, namely the Federal State Budgetary Cultural Institution (Margarita Rudomino All Russian State Library for Foreign Literature) and the National Library of the Russian Federation.

The signing of a memorandum of mutual understanding was carried out by the Acting Director of the National Library, E. Aminudin Aziz, with the head of the relevant library, in Moscow, Russia, on Friday (28/6/2024).

Plt. The Director of the National Library stated that the institutional collaboration with overseas partners was his party's effort to exchange information and experience in improving the quality of library services to the public.

"We can learn from each other from the good practices carried out by partners and also by the National Library. Apart from that, this institutional collaboration is aimed at establishing a wider network and placing the National Library on their institutional map. "In this way, when there is a program that has the potential to be collaborated, National Library can take part in it," he said.

He hopes that the collaboration will provide opportunities for National Library employees to take part in the world library network. "The point is to exchange information, ideas and experiences to provide greater benefits to the community and increase the dignity of the National Library institution," he said.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Monday (01/07/24), Cooperation with the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Culture (Margarita Rudomino entire Russian State Library for Foreign Literature), Plt. The Director of the National Library said it was an effort to collect collections of Indonesian manuscripts and Indonesian collections in the world.

Meanwhile, Ad Interim Head of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Culture (Margarita Rudomino of the Russian State Library for Foreign Literature) Maria V. Belokolenko explained that cooperation could be followed up by holding online seminars in the field of literature between the two countries. "We really want to visit the National Library as a return visit," he explained.

He said the library was founded in 1921 and named after its founder and first head, Margarita Ivanovna Rudomino. The library has more than 4.5 million collections in 154 foreign languages ​​built since 1922.

The collection consists of books, periodicals, scientific papers, fiction and non-fiction. In addition, the library has 2,600 collections in Indonesian, most of which are publications from the 1960s to the 1980s.

"There are 554 collections about Indonesia in various languages ​​in the world, namely English, Russian, German, Dutch, French, Indonesian and Japanese. "Most of this collection is a donation from various parties," explained Maria.

At the signing of another memorandum of understanding at a different location, the Head of the National Library of the Russian Federation, Vadim Duda, stated that cooperation must be followed up with the implementation of activities. "This can also be a bridge between the two countries to introduce culture through service collaboration and exchange of library materials," he said.

The National Library of the Russian Federation has duties and obligations with the National Library, namely collecting all national publications through deposit laws. Until now, this library has more than 50 million collections.

Programs that can be followed up between libraries of the two countries are the exchange of information and knowledge in the fields of libraries and information management and information technology; staff exchanges and visits; exchange of library materials; organizing joint programs such as seminars and exhibitions in the library sector; as well as other agreed aspects.

National Library Main Secretary Joko Santoso who also accompanied Plt. The Director of the National Library explained that visits to a number of libraries in Russia provided new views and comparisons for improving the quality of management of library material deposits, library services and the implementation of information technology to support library performance.

The magnum opus works of world-class writers from Russia such as Fyodor Dostoevsky, Leo Tolstoy, Alexander Pushkin, Nikolai Gogol, Anton Chekhov and others, are displayed in various corners from the courtyard to the library rooms, including their memorabilia, statues and sculptures. statues and others. All this to celebrate the rich intellectual and literary heritage of the Russian nation. "This is very openly done in Indonesia, especially to continue to introduce the work and thoughts of Indonesian writers, which are no less important," said Joko Santoso.

During a visit to the two libraries, Plt. The Director of the National Library was accompanied by the Main Secretary of the National Library Joko Santoso, the Head of the Legal, Organization, Cooperation and Public Relations Bureau Sri Marganingsih, the National Library librarian Chaerul Umam, and a team from the Indonesian Embassy in Moscow//VOI