VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

 Japan plans to add $6.75 billion to its already record annual military spending in a rush to bolster air and maritime defences as it becomes more concerned about threats posed by China and North Korea.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government on Friday approved the outlay as part of a supplementary budget. While such additions to defence spending are common, the 774 billion yen that lawmakers will be asked to approve is the largest amount ever, according to Japan's Ministry of Defence.

"As the security environment around Japan worsens at unprecedented speed, our urgent task is to accelerate the implementation of various projects," the defence ministry said in its spending proposal.

The cash injection will let Japan, three months earlier than planned, upgrade surface to air missile launchers on islands at the edge of the East China Sea and Patriot PAC-3 missile batteries elsewhere that are the last line of defence against any incoming North Korean warheads.

China's increasing pressure on Taiwan is causing jitters in Japan because Beijing's control of the island would bring Chinese forces within around 100 kilometres (62 miles) of its territory and would threaten key maritime trade routes that supply Japan with oil and other goods. It would also provide China with bases for unfettered access to the western Pacific.

The extra spending will also let Japan more quickly acquire anti-submarine missiles, maritime patrol planes and military cargo jets, the defence ministry said.

The additional military outlay comes after Kishida's ruling party in October included a goal of almost doubling defence spending to 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) in election pledges.

For decades the pacifist nation has stuck to a policy of keeping defence spending within 1% of GDP, easing concern both at home and overseas about any revival of the militarism that led Japan into World War Two.

The additional spending plan approved by Kishida's government on Friday also includes pre-payments to defence contractors for equipment to help them deal with coronavirus pandemic disruptions that have hurt their finances.

The proposed supplemental spending combined with defence outlays approved for the year to March 31 comes to about 1.3% of Japan's GDP. (Reuters)

The Indonesian Biodiversity Foundation (KEHATI) is rallying support to preserve 162 types of bamboo in Indonesia.

Out of the 1,439 varieties of bamboo in the world, 162 thrived in Indonesia, KEHATI Foundation Agriculture Program Manager, Puji Sumedi Hanggarawati said in a  press release on Friday.

Hanggarawati noted that Indonesians have since long used bamboo for various purposes, such as building houses and transportation facilities; making weapons and household appliances; creating musical instruments; and preparing food and herbal medicine.

She affirmed that bamboo was used to make fishing equipment, rafts, and traditional houses, such as the Rumah Rakit from South Sumatra, Baduy Customary House in Banten, and Honai Customary House in Papua.

"From birth to death, the life of Indonesian people cannot be separated from the function of bamboo plants," she highlighted.

However, Hanggarawati noted that not many Indonesians, including those from the younger generation, possessed knowledge about bamboo. She pointed out that bamboo was available in several forms and offered myriad benefits and advantages, as well as played roles in nurturing civilization and human life.

"Hence, the involvement of all parties is needed to educate and preserve Indonesian bamboo plants," she added.

Hanggarawati explained that in addition to bamboo plants being used as construction materials, food, and medicine, they have the ability to absorb water and bind to the soil to prevent erosion, sedimentation, and landslides.

She noted that bamboo can also absorb carbon dioxide, with an absorption capacity of 100 to 400 tons per hectare annually, which means it can be used to support climate change mitigation.

KEHATI Foundation, established in 1994, has a mission to serve as a catalyst in discovering innovative ways to protect Indonesian biodiversity. It also has a purpose to support the green economy and sustainable, clean, and open public policy. (Antaranews)

As part of its continuous effort to find innovative and creative ways to facilitate access, opportunity, and connection to high-quality online resources in arts and education, British Council Indonesia is delighted to officially launch its Digital Library today.

Hugh Moffatt, Country Director, British Council Indonesia said: “With the changing times, we want to continue to connect Indonesia with the best of the UK’s knowledge and resources. This new digital library has something for everyone – from Harry Potter to The Economist, to live music concerts and professional development tools and can be enjoyed anywhere, at any time.”

 “Now more than ever, it is important to facilitate cultural exchange and collaboration and we hope young and old will take advantage of this great hub for creativity and culture, and benefit from the rich resources we have gathered in this unique digital library.” Hugh continued.

British Council has a long history of having a physical library since its first established in Indonesia in 1948, before it’s closed. Embracing the digital sphere, this newly launched British Council Digital Library in Indonesia will provide users with unlimited access to thousands of entertainment content and academic resources - including online study resources, popular eBooks and audiobooks, and award-winning movies and documentaries.

Through Digital Library, we also wish to support research, online teaching, and learning with diverse content, from online academic to electronic and audiobooks. It is a gate to digital information which are free and accessible, providing a global perspective and curated materials from multiple sources in one place. 

For arts and culture enthusiasts, as a member, you can access diverse choices of popular and independent films, digital theatre, and Selector Radio in the Digital Library will unlock physical boundaries to access music and connect with UK’s music experts and artists.  (VOI)

The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) supports the establishment of a roadmap for artificial intelligence (AI) development in ASEAN to facilitate the advancement of the ASEAN community in various sectors, including the creative industry.

Head of BRIN Laksana Tri Handoko made the remarks here on Thursday while opening the 'ASEAN Workshop on the 4th Industrial Revolution: Implementation of Artificial Intelligence in the Creative Industries'. The workshop is being held on November 25–26, 2021 in a hybrid format.

"The results of the workshop will serve as a reference for establishing a roadmap for research and development of artificial intelligence in ASEAN," he stated.

During the meeting of the 76th ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation (COSTI) in Bali in 2019, as the host, Indonesia encouraged other member states to use artificial intelligence technology in the creative industry sector, he noted.

Thus, the Indonesian National Secretariat of COSTI followed up the drafting of the concept note on the issue since 2019, he said.

The drafting will be continued through the workshop, which ASEAN member states are participating in, he said. A number of science and technology experts in the creative industry are scheduled to speak at the workshop, he added.

Furthermore, the head of BRIN asked ASEAN COSTI to help science and technology institutions in the region to better cooperate in supporting the creative industry sector in ASEAN.

In addition, the workshop could effectively unite ASEAN member states for resolving the concerns raised by rapid changes due to Industrial Revolution 4.0, he noted.

However, Handoko said he is optimistic that ASEAN COSTI will lead the transformation in the ASEAN region through their expertise, knowledge sharing, technology, practice, and world-class training.

"I believe that this workshop is one of ASEAN COSTI's attempts to establish various advanced research collaborations by attracting the best talents in ASEAN to make the region become the center of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 movement," he remarked.