VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Hot clouds from Mount Semeru as observed from Supiturang Village, Pronojiwo, Lumajang, East Java, on Friday, December 10, 2021. ANTARA PHOTO/Ari Bowo Sucipto/aww - 

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry drew attention to the importance of collaborative efforts from everyone to warn and remind the public of geological disaster mitigation information.

As a response to geological disasters, the government expedites strategic measures through several ministries and institutions, as a form of responsibility for the sustainability of community activities in disaster-prone areas.

Secretary General of the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Ego Syahrial in a statement here, Saturday noted that the main priority was public safety.

Comprehensive measures are arranged and executed in accordance with existing regulations, he said.

Through the Geological Agency, the ministry continues to conduct round-the-clock monitoring of 69 of the 127 active volcanoes. Mount Semeru in East Java was one of the volcanoes they observe.

"The study results, which came in the form of maps of disaster-prone areas for volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and ground movements, are directly submitted to regional governments and the authorities that use them," Syahrial explained.

The ministry constantly coordinates with both the national and regional disaster mitigation agencies to educate the public of the issues.

"Collaboration between the central government and regional governments, as well as through community involvement and other stakeholders are important in mitigating geological disasters," he emphasized.

The public is advised to always monitor geological activities through the MAGMA Indonesia application that offers real-time information regarding the said activities.

The application also displays a map of the location and time of occurrence, magnitude, depth, symbols of the earthquake mechanism around the earthquake location, name of the volcano closest to the earthquake center, and data sources.

"This application can be used as a way of identification and early warning in disaster mitigation," he explained.

Expediting the dissemination of information to the public regarding geological disaster mitigation is considered to have a positive effect in the long term.

"People will understand to conduct their activities according to applicable procedures," Syahrial concluded.

The ministry's efforts in mitigating geological disasters are still supported by equipment that are deemed far from ideal, despite the fact that their durability and reliability would determine the effectiveness of mitigation measures.

"Most of the mitigation equipment had been used for a long time. The equipment needs to be modernized," he stated.

He opined that by modernizing technology, disaster mitigation efforts would be much more optimal, as the device would be able to provide fast and accurate information on geological activities that occur.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry will also make further efforts, with the modernization of equipment as its priority, by allocating budget to meet those requirements.

"This is related to public protection in the future. Moreover, most of our people live in disaster-prone areas, the ring of fire. Thus, disaster mitigation is the most important aspect," he highlighted.

In order to modernize monitoring tools, financing for disaster mitigation in 2022 needs to be increased. The ministry has planned a budget of around Rp5.8 trillion (around US$404 million).

The budget will cover for infrastructure in order to supply energy for the community, such as the construction of a city gas network, distribution of LPG converter kits for fishermen and farmers, public street lighting, revitalization of new renewable energy infrastructure, electrical power distribution equipment, assistance for new electricity installations, and construction of the Cirebon-Semarang gas pipeline//ANT

Diplomatic Forum talk show organized by Voice of Indonesia in Bali on Friday (10/11/21) - 

The policy of the Indonesian government to open international flights to Bali has not given the impact yet. Head of Tourism Marketing of Bali Provincial Tourism Office, Ida Ayu Indah Yustikarini at the Diplomatic Forum talk show organized by Voice of Indonesia in Bali on Friday explained that until now, there had been no foreign tourist visits since the opening of the state border in mid-October 2021. 

Yustikarini further noted there were 431 foreign visits to Bali, but they were business people  and not classified as foreign tourists.

"For us in Bali, the impact of  the opening Bali for international flights that has been started since the last 14 October 2021, now for the foreign tourist- well I can say- still zero. But the data we have got  from Bank of Indonesia, we still have foreigners coming to Bali probably as businessmen, for those who are holding the business essentials visa, we have got 431 people. Even though there have been no foreign tourist arrivals, the provincial government of Bali makes sure all parties that Bali is very ready to accept foreign tourist arrivals, even amid  the spread of the Omicron variant" Yustikarini said. 

Yustikarini at the Diplomatic Forum with the theme "The Impact of Opening International Flights to Bali" explained that the readiness of the Province to accept foreign tourists amid the outbreak of the Omicron variant is because the complete dose of vaccination has reached more than 90 percent. 

Meanwhile, related to no foreign tourist visits to Bali, Deputy Chairperson of the Badung Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association Management Agency, Arya Wibawa Raka as one of the speakers at the Diplomatic forum explained that foreign tourist visits were not only related to Indonesian government regulations and Bali readiness but also related to policies of other countries which provide travel permit to Bali. 

"I think you have to understand that we decided to open our border, but that's from our side. How about the other side? What is our Market? Is Australia- for example- that is one of our primary markets. Has the government of Australia allowed their citizens to go traveling overseas? And what is the regulation also in Australia, for their people who's coming back from holiday. This is the kind of thing that we have to understand" Arya Wibawa Raka said. 

In addition, Arya Wibawa Raka asked the government to make diplomatic efforts with other countries' travel permits to convince them that Bali is safe and comfortable to visit, particularly health sector//VOI-BRG

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno virtually at RRI Voice of Indonesia Diplomatic Forum on Friday in Bali  - 

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno on his statement virtually at RRI Voice of Indonesia Diplomatic Forum on Friday in Bali hoped that Bali tourism could immediately recover after being deeply affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Sandiaga also said that the Indonesian government decided to change the regulations and restrictions imposed on foreign tourists using direct flights to Bali.

"We all hope that tourism in Bali will revive as quickly as possible. One of the new term goals is to change the restrictions for international tourists who take direct flights. 

Although Kemenparekraf does not have authority over aviation laws and regulations we will continue to work with related ministries and agencies.  

We hope that with more flexible travel rules and focus on precautionary principles Bali may once again welcome international tourists from potential markets such as Australia, India, South Korea and Malaysia" Uno said. 

Moreover, Sandiaga Uno noted that the Covid-19 pandemic which had spread for the last 2 years, had changed the global tourism landscape and would never return to the same as before the pandemic occurred. 

In 2020, the number of foreigners’ arrivals to Indonesia decreased by 75 percent compared to the previous year. The room occupancy rate is only at 17.7 percent in October 2021. 

Nevertheless, he said that Indonesia must be grateful because the Indonesian government was able to control the rate of transmission of the virus in the last 2 months//VOI

 Protesters in Myanmar closed businesses and stayed off the streets on Friday in a "silent strike" against rule by the military and its ousting of the Southeast Asian country's democratically elected government in a February coup.

Photos published by Myanmar media showed deserted streets and markets in towns across the country, while protesters in the northern city of Shwebo wore black clothes and marched in silence.

"We need to send a message to the world about Myanmar's terrible human rights violations," protest leader Khin Sandar told media.

"Silence is the loudest shout. We want our rights back. We want revolution. We express sadness for our fallen heroes," she said.

Myanmar was plunged into crisis when the military overthrew leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her government on Feb. 1, triggering daily protests in towns and cities and fighting in borderlands between the military and ethnic minority insurgents.

Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, 76, is facing various charges and was sentenced to four years in prison on Monday on the first of them - incitement and breaching coronavirus regulations - drawing international condemnation of what critics described as a "sham trial". read more

The junta chief later reduced her sentence by two years on "grounds of humanity" but the charges she still faces could see her jailed for many years.

Junta forces seeking to crush opposition have killed more than 1,300 people, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) monitoring group.

Last Sunday, five people were killed and at least 15 arrested after soldiers used a car to crash through an anti-coup protest in the city of Yangon. Myanmar's state media has dismissed reports of the incident as disinformation.

Minn Khant Kyaw Linn, a student activist from the General Strikes Collaboration Body protest group said participation in the "silent strike" had been widespread.

"You can see how much people hate the junta," he said. (Reuters)