VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Logo of CDNLAO General conference in Jakarta - 

Indonesia was selected to host The 28th General Conference of Directors of National Libraries in Asia and Oceania (CDNLAO).

The 28th Conference of Heads of National Libraries in Asia and Oceania was held in Jakarta, on 24-27 October 2022. The National Library of the Republic of Indonesia (Perpusnas) is the organizer of an annual activity between Heads of Libraries in Asia and Oceania which discusses the condition of libraries in the Asian region. the Pacific. This year, the 28th CDNLAO meeting raised the theme Library Service Impacts on Community: Sustainability, Inclusion, and Innovation.

This meeting has three main objectives, namely to exchange information and promote cooperation in library development in Asia and Oceania; assist libraries in least developed countries through collaboration; and understand the development of library art among libraries in Asia and Oceania.

The Head of National Library, Muhammad Syarif Bando, explained that the manifesto of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)-UNESCO 2022 states that public libraries are a force for education, culture, inclusion and information, as agents for sustainable development, and fulfilling individual needs for peace and prosperity. spirituality of all individuals.

"Therefore, UNESCO encourages the central and local governments to support and be actively involved in the development of public libraries," he explained in Jakarta, Friday (21/10/2022).

The manifesto also states that public libraries are local information centers, making all kinds of knowledge and information available to their users. “Libraries provide publicly accessible spaces for generating knowledge, sharing and exchanging information and culture, as well as promoting community engagement,” he added.

This is in line with the priority program carried out by Perpunas, Social Inclusion-Based Library Transformation (TPBIS). Starting in 2018, TPBIS has succeeded in developing knowledge insights and various skills that are useful for community efforts to improve a better standard of living.

“The success of the library in TPBIS can be measured by the ability of the library to design and present itself as a public space so that people can share experiences and knowledge; contextual study space; and space to practice skills and skills needed by the community to increase capability and productivity,” he explained.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Saturday (22/10/22), TPBIS will also be presented by the Head of National Library in a special session of resource persons. This year is the third time Indonesia has hosted the event. Previously, Indonesia was chosen to host in 2007 and 2012. Supposedly, the 28th CDNLAO meeting was held in 2020 in Indonesia. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this meeting was postponed.

The 28th CDNLAO meeting will be filled with material from nine resource persons related to three sub-themes namely sustainability, inclusion, and innovation. The speakers were the President of IFLA, Vicki McDonald (Australia); IFLA Regional Manager Asia-Oceania, Lin Lin Soh (Singapore); National Library of Iran, Esmat Momeni; National Library of Vietnam, Nguyen Ngoc Anh; National Library of the Philippines, Edgardo B. Quiros; National Library of Singapore, Alicia Yeo; Qatar National Library, Tan Huism; and the National Library of China, Xiong Yuanming. The meeting was held in a hybrid manner and was attended by representatives from IFLA and 29 countries in Asia and Oceania//VOI

Bilateral meeting between UK Minister of State for Asia, Energy, Climate and the Environment at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Indonesian Minister of Environment and Forestry Her Excellency Siti Nurbaya Bakar in Jakarta - 

UK Minister of State for Asia, Energy, Climate and the Environment at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will visit Indonesia from 22 to 24 October 2022 to meet Indonesian Minister of Environment and Forestry Her Excellency Siti Nurbaya Bakar to discuss bilateral cooperation between the UK and Indonesia on climate and environment, particularly on forestry and sustainable land use (FOLU). 

“This is my first official visit to Indonesia as Minister for Asia, Energy, Climate and the Environment. With Indonesia’s G20 Presidency this year, they play a leading role in ensuring that all commitments set in the G20 agenda are met, including on energy transition, as we strive to tackle the increased impacts of climate change and keep the Paris Agreement temperature goal within reach. I applaud Indonesia’s international leadership on climate and environment issues, including Indonesia’s ambitious Forest and Land Use Net Sink 2030 target and Operational Plan, and the establishment of the new SVLK timber standard, seeking to ensure Indonesia’s timber is legal and sustainable. I look forward to meeting Minister Nurbaya to discuss how we can take forward our collaboration with Indonesia on climate change, biodiversity, environment and low-carbon
development" UK Minister of State for Asia, Energy, Climate and the Environment Lord Zac Goldsmith said. 

Accroding to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Saturday (22/10/22), on this occasion UK and Indonesian Environment and forestry ministry sign an MOU on forestry and land use. During his visit Lord Goldsmith is scheduled to meet senior officials from Ministry for Foreign Affairs to discuss the UK-Indonesia roadmap. He will meet ASEAN Secretary General Dato Lim Jock Hoi to underline the UK’s commitment to the Dialogue Partner relationship with ASEAN, following recent approval of the ASEAN/UK Plan of Action, which will strengthen security ties, deepen economic partnerships and increase resilience to shared challenges such as climate change. 

"As the UK is a Dialogue Partner for ASEAN, I will meet Secretary General Dato Lim Jock Hoi. Our partnership with ASEAN is at the heart of our presence in the Indo-Pacific and I am committed to taking the relationship from strength to strength” Minister Lord Zac Goldsmith added. 

Indonesia’s status as this year’s G20 President, as well as its size and resources, positions it as a critical country to galvanise world action on tackling climate change.

"With Ministry for Foreign Affairs, I will discuss the UK-Indonesia Roadmap, which underlines the importance of the bilateral relationship between our countries" Minister Goldsmith explain. 

Indonesia has the third largest tropical forest area in the world, vital for supporting millions of livelihoods and for absorbing greenhouse gas emissions. The UK welcomed Indonesia’s leadership at COP26, including President Joko Widodo speaking at the World Leaders’ Summit event on forestry and land use//VOI

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was barred from holding public office on Friday after the top election tribunal found him guilty of unlawfully selling gifts from foreign dignitaries and heads of state, a lawyer and a minister said.

The ruling adds to the political and economic uncertainty plaguing Pakistan since earlier this year when Khan was ousted from power, and supporters took to the streets in different cities in protest, blocking roads and highways and setting tyres on fire.

The 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician was accused of misusing his 2018 to 2022 premiership to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were received during visits abroad and worth more than 140 million Pakistani rupees ($635,000).

The gifts included watches given by a royal family, according to government officials, who have alleged previously that Khan's aides sold them in Dubai.

According to a list shared by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, the gifts include seven wrist watches, six made by watchmaker Rolex, and the most expensive a "Master Graff limited edition" valued at 85 million Pakistani rupees ($385,000).

The list, which Reuters could not independently verify, also contained perfumes, diamond jewellery and dinner sets.

Khan in a statement later on Friday denied any wrongdoing and termed the decision "biased", adding he had legally purchased the items. He called on supporters to stop protests, saying he would challenge the ruling in court and it would likely be overturned.

The tribunal, the Election Commission of Pakistan, is yet to officially release a ruling providing details such as how long the former premier would be barred from public office. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told a conference on Friday that Khan would be disqualified for five years.

Since being removed from office, Khan has held protest gatherings across the country calling for snap elections, but the government has said they will be held as scheduled in October or November next year.

The political instability has also fuelled economic uncertainty, with international ratings agencies questioning if the current government can maintain difficult economic policies in the face of political pressure and looming polls.

Under Pakistani law, a legislator found guilty of corruption or misuse of public office can be barred for up to five years.

Faisal Chaudhry, a lawyer in Khan's team, told Reuters the tribunal had no jurisdiction in the matter and that a challenge would be filed.

"It's an illegal and unconstitutional order," he said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the ruling, however, writing on Twitter that the prime minister's post was made into a source of personal income through "corrupt practices".

"The idol of 'honesty and trustworthiness' was shattered," Sharif said.

Michael Kugelman, the director of South Asia Institute at The Wilson Centre said, "No matter how you slice it, and no matter how it plays out, the ruling worsens an all-encompassing political crisis that will make it all the more difficult to address Pakistan’s perfect storm of other crises - economic stress, resurgent terrorism, and floods."

'CERTIFIED THIEF'

Khan supporters protested in different cities, officials said.

In the northwestern city of Peshawar, where Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party runs the provincial government, groups of supporters, dozens each in size, blocked a number of key roads including the highway connecting the city to the capital Islamabad, to the dismay of drivers.

"I am going to our village for the weekend with my family and was waiting in the car for more than two hours as the roads are blocked by the PTI workers," said Hameed Khan in Peshawar.

"We didn't disqualify their leader, then why do they punish us?"

A few dozen protesters tried to block one key artery into Islamabad and were pushed back with teargas, said police official Sohail Khan. He said that the protesters attacked the police with bricks, injuring three officials, and had tried unsuccessfully to block others roads in the capital as well.

Dozens of Imran Khan’s supporters also blocked roads in the eastern city of Lahore, setting fire to tyres.

Khan opponent Maryam Nawaz, from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), told reporters in London in recorded comments telecast by local Geo News TV: "It is proved now that he is a certified thief." (Reuters)

Taliban security forces killed six Islamic State members in an overnight operation in the Afghan capital, Kabul, a spokesman for the ruling group's administration said on Saturday.

The Islamic State members killed in the raid on their hideout were involved in two major attacks in recent weeks, one on a city mosque and the other on a tutoring institute in which dozens of female students were killed, said the spokesman, Qari Yusuf Ahmadi."They were the attackers of the Wazir Akbar Khan mosque and also ... of Kaaj Institute," said Ahmadi, who said one Taliban security force member was killed in the operation.

No group claimed responsibility for either attack.

The blast at the female section of the Kaaj Institute education centre on Sept. 30 killed 53 people, most of them girls and young women. 

On Sept. 23, at least seven people were killed and more than 40 wounded in blast near a mosque in Wazir Akbar Khan, a heavily fortified neighbourhood once home to a "Green Zone" of embassies and foreign force bases. 

Since the Taliban took over in 2021, they say they have focused on securing the country after decades of war.

However, a series of blasts have rocked the capital and other urban areas in recent months and the United Nations has said security is deteriorating.

The Afghan affiliate of Islamic State, known as Islamic State Khorasan, after an old name of the region, are enemies of the Taliban.

Fighters loyal to Islamic State first appeared in eastern Afghanistan in 2014, and later made inroads in other areas. (Reuters)