VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indo defence 2022 Logo - 

More than 25 UK primes and small and medium-sized enterprises will join the Indo Defence Expo from 2 to 5 November 2022, showcasing how UK defence and security capabilities can support Indonesia’s ambitions to grow its indigenous defence industry.

UK industry is exploring opportunities to integrate Indonesian defence suppliers into their supply chains, manufacturing defence equipment not just for Indonesia, but for the world. Collaborations on defence and security are one of the key elements in the Indonesia-UK Partnership Roadmap, agreed by UK and Indonesian Foreign Ministers in April this year.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Tuesday, both countries have been enjoying many new opportunities to work together in these areas. The UK government delegation will be led by Mark Goldsack CBE, Director for UK Defence and Security Exports in the Department for International Trade, and Air Marshal Sir Gerry Mayhew KCB CBE from the UK Ministry of Defence. They will be exploring further opportunities for industrial collaborations, sharing UK defence and security knowledge and expertise on industrial capabilities, as well as working with partners looking to safeguard Indonesia against potential threats.

Increasing industrial partnerships and collaboration between Indonesia and the UK is a win- win for both countries, driving innovation, sustaining skills bases and helping achieve economies of scale. Through involvement in Hawk Trainer Aircraft, ForceSHIELD and STARStreak Air Defence Systems, Aero engines & Cyber Security large UK companies such as BAE Systems, Thales and Rolls Royce have proved the benefits of international co-operation and knowledge sharing.

With the creation of DEFEND ID and a thriving community of private sector companies, we expect to see an increase in the opportunities to share expertise, experience and knowledge as we champion Indonesia’s journey towards a self-sustaining defence and security industry. 

“Indonesia is a positive force in the region and beyond. A stronger and safer Indonesia means a safer world. The UK-Indonesia defence relationship is an essential element of the UK-Indonesia Roadmap which will turbocharge our relationship, by working together to create a safer, freer and more prosperous Indo-Pacific. Last month we welcomed to Bali Britain’s newest and greenest naval ship HMS Spey, demonstrating our commitment to working alongside Indonesia helping tackle security challenges and support nations against the impact of climate change. Indo Defence provides an exciting opportunity for UK and Indonesian government, military and industrial teams to continue to enhance collaboration to address common challenges in defence and security. I look forward to seeing how UK experience of Technology Transfer gives readiness to support a strong, independent and competitive Indonesian Defence industry”, British Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor Leste Owen Jenkins said.  

“As a strategic partner, the UK is supporting Indonesia’s vision of a self-sustaining defence industry to meet the requirements of its armed forces. Key to this is linking up industry to industry through new and existing dialogues, including around technology transfers and the sharing of UK skills and expertise, and joining together and identifying opportunities where there is a win-win. Both the UK and Indonesia will benefit hugely in the long term, and I am looking forward to engaging with Indonesian industry and government during my visit to Indo Defence”, Director UK Defence and Security Exports Mark Goldsack CBE said//VOI

The XV Congress and National Scientific Seminar in Surabaya, East Java - 

The Indonesian Librarian Association (IPI) held the XV Congress and National Scientific Seminar in Surabaya, East Java.

The activity, which was held on November 1-4, 2022, raised the theme "The Role of Librarians in the National Digital Ecosystem" and was attended by 600 participants from all over Indonesia.

Librarians will face challenges in the future, considering that the era of disruption requires librarians to become mentors, facilitators, motivators, and inspire them to develop the creative imagination needed by the community through information.

"Librarians must play a role in improving the competencies needed by today's society such as critical thinking, creative, communicative and building cooperation in solving problems," explained the Chairperson of the 2018-2021 IPI Central Executive, T. Syamsul Bahri in his remarks at the opening of the event.

According to Syamsul Bahri, global competencies in the era of disruption needed by librarians are the ability to combine digital and printed collections, the ability to access information in various formats, the ability to communicate with others through media that has developed rapidly.

Regarding the theme, the Governor of East Java, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, said that the task of the librarian is not simple.

"The decline in politeness in Indonesia in the digital world is dominated by the adult age group based on the Digital Civility Index report from Microsoft in 2022. The task of librarians is not only to make them love reading, but also to educate them to conduct digital interactions politely," said Khofifah.

Head of the National Library of the Republic of Indonesia (Perpusnas), Muhammad Syarif Bando, stated that nowadays, libraries must change to digital. “Like it or not, like it or not, libraries must transform from manual to digital. Because this is the digital era," he explained.

After the opening ceremony, the Head of National Library expressed his appreciation for the success of East Java province in the field of libraries.

“In recent years, the province of East Java has always been the champion in the development of public libraries. In addition to attending scientific congresses and seminars, librarians from various regions in Indonesia who attend are expected to be able to conduct studies to imitate the success of East Java province in the development of public libraries," he explained.

Furthermore, it was stated that this month, National Library of Indonesia held the National Library Gemilang and National Peer Learning Meeting as part of the Social Inclusion-Based Library Transformation program.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Wednesday, the XV IPI Congress was arranged in the form of a scientific seminar with speakers from the Ministry of Administrative Reform and Bureaucratic Reform, Ministry of Home Affairs, Head of the National Library of Data and Information Center, Taufiq A. Gani, Indonesian Reading Ambassador, Gol A Gong, East Java Reading Ambassador, Heralda Syafira, motivator for Paso Deka Dewanto, and Universitas Airlangga Rahma Sugihartati.

As well as holding an accountability report for the IPI Central Executive for the 2018-2021 period, selecting new management for the IPI Central Board for the 2022-2025 period, compiling a work program, reviewing AD/ART and code of ethics, and making a working visit to the East Java provincial library.

IPI is a non-profit organization that was founded on July 6, 1973 as a forum for librarians with the aim of increasing the professionalism of Indonesian librarians, developing library and information science, devoting and practicing the power and expertise of librarians for the nation and state as well as promoting and providing protection to members//VOI

The initial shock from a deadly crush among Halloween party-goers in South Korea is turning into public outrage over the government's planning missteps, as business owners say police were more focused on crime and COVID than crowd safety.

The crush on Saturday night killed 156 and injured 152 as revellers flooded narrow alleyways. Experts blamed a lack of adequate crowd and traffic control for aggravating the surge: Police dispatched just 137 officers to the area despite estimating as many as 100,000 people would gather that night in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon.

The disaster that followed has angered many South Koreans.

"It's no different from war," said Kang Sung-jun, 76, who was mourning the victims at a makeshift altar on Tuesday. "I think if people with responsibilities had paid more attention to the people's movements, this kind of accident would not have happened."

Yoon Hee-keun, chief of the National Police Agency, apologised on Tuesday and pledged to investigate.

"We confirmed that there were multiple calls to our hotline before the accident which urgently warned of the danger of large crowd gatherings, but our on-site responses to those reports were insufficient," Yoon told a news conference.

South Korean authorities have a long history of managing large political rallies, but the annual festivities in Itaewon in Seoul did not have a central steering entity.

Business owners in the neighbourhood have said they met with local police officials before the festivities, but officers were mostly focused on curbing drug and sexual abuses and other crimes, as well as the spread of COVID-19.

Oh Seung-jin, a Seoul police official, acknowledged on Monday that authorities did not have a manual on how to respond to large gatherings without an organiser, and had focused on crime prevention.

Interior Minister Lee Sang-min has fuelled public anger by saying more police and firefighters would not have prevented the disaster, and warning against politically motivated criticism.

Opposition lawmakers slammed Lee's remarks, urging President Yoon Suk-yeol to sack him.

Lee issued a statement on Monday saying he regretted his comment and would focus on finding the cause of the accident.

The deadly crush poses a crucial test for Yoon, who is already struggling with low approval ratings as he tries to fuel a post-COVID economic recovery and deal with North Korea's nuclear and missile tests.

Botched disaster responses have proven politically fatal for other South Korean leaders, and Yoon took heat in August for his initial handling of flooding around the country.

Yoon reacted relatively quickly to the crush, visiting the scene, launching a task force team to investigate the accident and designating Itaewon as a disaster zone. He on Tuesday called for concrete crowd management measures.

Many South Koreans said they were in shock over how a casual night out had turned deadly.

"I'm devastated. They were going to see their friends for a good time, but instead, their warm hearts disappeared. I am so sad that I can't even express my sorrow," Kim Keun-nyeo, 54, said an altar near Seoul city hall.(Reuters)

A temporary morgue for some of the people killed in South Korea's Halloween party crush is now a huge lost-and-found, where hundreds of items such as a "Happy Halloween" backpack and a Minnie Mouse hairband await their owners.

The Wonhyoro sports centre was quiet on Tuesday, three days after the crush in the popular Itaewon district during Halloween festivities, as a few people sifted through more than 800 recovered lost items.

Five kilometres from the scene of the disaster, the modern sports facility was used in the initial hours to keep the bodies of some of the 156 people crushed to death when a chaotic surge of crowd poured into a narrow alley late on Saturday. 

On Tuesday, its floor was laid with 256 pairs of shoes, 258 pieces of clothing, 124 bags and 156 electronic items, and other personal belongings, including stuffed animal key chains and festive Halloween masks.

Mobile phones and identification cards were kept separately at a police station.

One survivor of the crush walked through the items looking for her bag, her left leg in a cast from her injury that night. She couldn't find what she was looking for.

The woman, who declined to give her name, said she and her friend were about to head home when the crowd swelled dangerously and ended up in a large crowd pushing forward into a narrow, sloped alleyway. She got jammed in place near the bottom of the hill.

"I was smothered at the far bottom (of the alley), but I survived because my upper torso wasn't pressed under," she said. She said her friend was also rescued.

South Korea is in a week-long period of national mourning and top officials pledged on Tuesday to answer questions about how the tragedy unfolded and how the government could prevent similar disasters. read more

The death toll is 156 with 151 injured, 29 of whom were in serious condition. At least 26 citizens from 14 countries were among the dead.

A police officer told Reuters the gym opened for owners and family members on Monday to claim their lost items, but few have come so far.(Reuters)