VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - Indonesia's Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto has urged senior officials and unit commanders of the Indonesian Military (TNI) to be wary of "a foreign intelligence operation," saying it could affect stability in the country.

While delivering the keynote speech at the "Geopolitical & Geostrategic Symposium and Its Impact on Indonesia" here on Thursday, he pointed to a possibility of interference by a foreign intelligence agency in the conflict in Rempang, Riau Islands.

"We have reports from various sources that a foreign intelligence (agency) started to penetrate Rempang, which we have seen a lot in Aceh, Ambon, East Timor, and Papua. It is constant how foreign interference is greatly affecting our condition," he said.

In front of thousands of TNI high officials and unit commanders, he informed that a powerful country contributed to the geostrategic study.

"This study also came from a large country which we have good relations with. Maybe you can draw your own conclusions about which country it is, but I will not officially announce it," the minister added.

Before speaking further, he asked journalists to leave the symposium, saying his conversation with military officials from that point onward was sensitive and closed.

Thereafter, Subianto did not answer journalists' questions about the "foreign intelligence operation." After giving a brief description of the symposium, he immediately left for his office.

During the event, he urged TNI leaders to monitor the latest geopolitical situation, especially amid the war in Ukraine and Gaza.

"The geopolitical dynamics are developing so fast and they tremendously influence the whole world. For example, the war in Ukraine has caused global fuel prices to rise significantly," he pointed out.

Meanwhile, the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza may indirectly or directly impact the domestic situation since the majority of Indonesians are Muslims, he said.

"Events concerning the Islamic world must have had a psychological effect on our people," he added. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) has said that it is not in a position to support or reject the boycott of products associated with Israel, instead, it is focusing on boosting the competitiveness of domestic industries.

As a national industrial coach, the ministry is focusing on tightening the flow of imported goods to support domestic market development, acting secretary general of the Ministry of Industry, Putu Juli Ardika, said in a statement released by the ministry in Jakarta on Thursday.

"The Ministry of Industry is responsible for implementing policies that promote industry productivity and competitiveness. Our current focus is on steps to restrict the flow of imported goods to encourage the development of the domestic market," Ardika emphasized.

He noted that the government has stepped up efforts to protect the domestic industry from the entry of imported items by tightening import rules and reforming the domestic import legislation.

The tightening of the flow of imported products is expected to stoke an increase in the use of domestic products that also have superior quality.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto has said that the measure to tighten imports is included in the revised Regulation of the Minister of Trade (Permendag) Number 25 of 2022.

The revision concerns import policy and regulation and amends import trade regulations from border to border for eight commodities: bags, electronics, traditional medicines and health supplements, cosmetics, and other ready-made textiles.

The government has also continued to enhance domestic product consumption through the Domestic Product Improvement Program (P3DN), both through government spending via state and regional budgets and at the individual level.

In the Business Matching Phase V 2023 last March, President Joko Widodo reminded all agencies that use state and regional budgets to buy local products that have been widely entered in e-catalogs. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - A team from the National Alms Agency (Baznas) is scheduled to leave for Gaza to provide health assistance directly to the victims of Israeli military aggression.

"Inshallah (God willing), in the next batch, the third week of November (2023), we will go to Egypt and will enter Gaza," head for distribution and utilization at Baznas, Saidah Sakwan, said here on Thursday.

The agency has coordinated with the Egyptian International Committee of the Red Cross to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border gate, which connects Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

In carrying out its humanitarian mission, Baznas will provide special assistance in the form of medicines and other health equipment to support the treatment of the Palestinian people.

"We will also bring assistance, which we will specifically dedicate to fulfilling medicines and medical equipment. So, inshallah, we will do that in the next batch," she informed.

She noted that the medicines and supporting equipment would not be sent from Indonesia, instead, it would be procured and prepared directly in Egypt.

"So, we will buy medicines in Egypt, then enter through the Rafah gate, which is facilitated by the Egyptian Red Cross," she said.

A budget of Rp7 billion (around US$442,097) has been prepared for the second batch of Baznas assistance for the Palestinian people, she disclosed.

"We will bring a fund of 5 to 7 billion (Indonesian rupiah) because the needs for the second batch are medicine needs. We have received a listing from the Egyptian Red Cross," she added.

University students who have received scholarships from Baznas will be roped in to ensure the smooth provision of assistance to Palestinians.

"We have 300 university students who are recipients of Baznas scholarships in Egypt, and later, they will be involved to help in preparing the medicine needs," Sakwan said. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Indonesia stressed the importance of the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) at the AI Safety Summit (AISS) 2023.

"It is the responsibility of humans to ensure that AI development will improve people's welfare now and in the future," Deputy Minister of Communication and Informatics, Nezar Patria, said in a statement received here on Thursday.

Representing Indonesia at the AISS forum in London on Wednesday (November 1, 2023), he observed that if not anticipated, AI can pose several threats to humanity, such as incorrect algorithms and human bias in using AI.

"Especially those related to deep-faking and phishing, legal issues including copyright, job losses, and data privacy," he pointed out.

Indonesia then highlighted three important issues related to the ethical use of AI technology.

First, every party should be responsible in using AI, meaning those who develop and use AI must make short-, medium-, and long-term plans so that AI can continue to benefit society.

"Everyone must be aware of the impact of AI throughout their life cycle," Patria said.

The second is to establish a global and inclusive communication platform that regularly discusses the development, progress, and behavior of AI utilization.

Finally, Patria said, AI users must have good intentions in utilizing AI, and not utilize it for harmful activities that can pose a threat to mankind.

While closing his message, the deputy minister praised the United Kingdom government for organizing the forum, which specifically discussed the topic of AI safety for the first time at the international level.

"On behalf of the Indonesian government, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the UK government. Indonesia believes that this summit will encourage cooperation among invited countries and stakeholders," he said. (Antaranews)