VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Labor Party together with the Indonesian Peasant Union (SPI) raised the issue of agrarian reform to commemorate National Farmers Day (HTI). This was conveyed when holding an action to convey opinions, in the Arjuna Horse Statue area, Central Jakarta, Saturday (24/9/2022).

"First, the action to raise the issue of agrarian reform, there is a promise from the government. In particular, President Jokowi also promised to redistribute land to farmers of around nine million hectares," said President of the Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI) Said Iqbal, at the Horse Statue location, Gambir, Central Jakarta. , Saturday (24/9/2022).

"We are with the workers and peasants, I am representing the top brass from the Labor Union Party to the Presidential Palace. Earlier, we met with the Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Heru Budi Hartono, and we raised three issues," said Said Iqbal.

"The second issue is rejecting the omnibus law, namely the land bank. In the omnibus law the concept of a land bank is only the commercialization of agricultural lands," said Said.

"So that farmers are moved not to get land rights for the farmers themselves. But land banks have a more profitable concept for corporations and even tend to keep farmers away from their land," said Said Iqbal.

Said said the last issue was related to fuel price adjustments. That until now farmers have not received Direct Cash Assistance (BLT) in lieu of fuel subsidies.

"It is proven that farmers do not get BLT. Therefore, SPI and the Labor Party reject the increase in fuel prices which is more burdensome for farmers," he said. (RRI)

A United Nations committee found on Friday that Australia had violated the human rights of a group of islanders off its north coast by failing to adequately protect them from the impacts of climate change, such as by cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The complaint, filed over three years ago by eight Torres Strait Islanders and their children, is one of a growing body of climate cases being brought around the world on human rights grounds, and the ruling is expected to embolden others.

Rising sea levels have already damaged food sources and ancestral burial sites, scattering human remains, the islanders argued, saying their homes are at risk of being submerged.

"I know that our ancestors are rejoicing knowing that Torres Strait Islander voices are being heard throughout the world through this landmark case," said Yessie Mosby, a Kulkalgal man and Traditional Owner on the island of Masig who is a claimant in the case. "This win gives us hope that we can protect our island homes, culture and traditions for our kids and future generations to come," he said.

Environmental charity ClientEarth working with the claimants said it was the first legal action brought by climate-vulnerable inhabitants of small islands against a nation state, setting several precedents.

The Committee said Australia had violated two of the three human rights set out in a U.N. Treaty, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), pertaining to culture and family life, but not article 6 on the right to life.

It called for Australia to provide the islanders with an effective remedy.

Australia's Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said in emailed comments to Reuters that the government was working with the islanders on climate change and stressed that the case predated the current administration.

"The Australian Government is considering the Committee's views and will provide its response in due course," he added.

Torres Strait Islanders are part of Australia's indigenous population, along with Aboriginal people, who live on small clusters of low-lying islands dotted between Australia and Papua New Guinea.

The case was filed when the former conservative government, seen as a laggard in the battle against climate change, was in power. Since then, parliament has passed legislation on emissions cuts and Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has visited the islands this year.

Some 173 of the 193 U.N. Member States have ratified the Covenant, including Australia. There is no enforcement mechanism but there are follow-up steps, and states generally comply with the committee's findings. (Reuters)

 Vietnam's finance ministry on Friday said it is proposing to the legislature cutting the special consumption tax and value-added tax on fuels to keep inflation under 4% this year.

The move will follow this week's decision by the central bank to raise policy rates and several previous cuts in taxes on fuels since March, including the environment tax and Most Favoured Nation tariff.

The finance ministry is proposing two scenarios for the cuts - a 50% cut in special consumption tax and a 20% cut in value-added tax or a 50% cut in both the taxes, it said in a statement.

According to the ministry, tax collection would be reduced by 7.4-12.2 trillion dong ($312.24-$514.77 million), with the average consumer price index 0.1%-0.15% lower if the new tax rates are in place for six months from November.

Vietnam, a regional manufacturing hub, reported gross domestic product growth of 7.72% in the second quarter this year, but like many of its neighbours is facing mounting inflationary pressure as prices of food and energy rise across the world. (Reuters)

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been given medical clearance to return to prison after completing rehabilitative treatment at a Kuala Lumpur hospital, the health ministry said on Friday.

Najib, 69, started a 12-year prison sentence on Aug. 23 after Malaysia's top court upheld a graft and money laundering conviction against him in a case linked to a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal. He pleaded not guilty.

Since Sept. 4, Najib has been in and out of hospital for issues related to stomach ulcers and high blood pressure, according to his daughter and government officials.

The Health Ministry said on Friday Najib was in good health after undergoing several checks in hospital.

He has also been taught by the hospital's physiotherapists techniques on how to exercise by himself, the ministry said in a statement.

Najib, who has also been fined nearly $50 million, remains on trial in four other corruption cases. He has consistently denied wrongdoing and has applied for a royal pardon. (Reuters)