VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta. Several Indonesian warships moored at East Java's Tanjungwangi Port and lowered the national flag to half-mast on Monday to honor 53 submariners who were on board KRI Nanggala - 402 when it sank near Bali.

The warships included KRI Bontang, KRI Oswald Siahaan, KRI Rimau, KRI Bawean,KRI Rigel-933, which located the missing submarine using a multi-beam sonar and magnometer.

Not only warships, but the Indonesian Navy's Marine SAR command post for Nanggala-402 at Tanjungwangi Port in Banyuwangi district, East Java, and the Taftib marine battalion in Surabaya also hoisted the Red and White flag at half-mast.

Earlier, in Jakarta, House of Representatives (DPR) speaker Puan Maharani had made an earnest request to lawmakers to fly the national flag at half-staff at their residences as a mark of respect for the 53 submariners who died on duty.

Maharani also ordered the hoisting of the national flag at half-staff at the parliament building to honor the sailors who were on board KRI Nanggala-402 when itsank in the waters north of Bali Island on April 21, 2021.

Contact with the German-made submarine was lost while it was preparing for a torpedo drill.

Indonesian Navy’s Chief of Staff, Admiral Yudo Margono, confirmed that the submarine had sunk after several of its components were retrieved during the search mission.

"The components (that have been found) are torpedo tube-straighteners, coolant pipes wrap, a bottle of periscope lubricating oil, prayer mats, and heat-retaining sponges," Margono disclosed at a recent press conference. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. Indonesia on Monday received 3.852 million ready-to-use COVID-19 vaccine doses developed by AstraZeneca, as part of the second shipment of vaccines under the COVAX multilateral scheme.

“Tonight, Indonesia has received 3,852,000 ready-to-use vaccine doses. The first shipment batch through the COVAX facility was received by Indonesia on March 3 (2021), with a total of 1.1 million doses,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi, at a press conference from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang  west of Jakarta, on Monday evening.

With the receipt of the second batch of vaccines, the total number of vaccines the country has procured under the COVAX scheme has reached 4,965,600 doses.

Combined with the vaccines procured through bilateral cooperation, the number of vaccine doses received by Indonesia so far has reached 67,465,600.

While making efforts to ensure that Indonesia’s domestic vaccination needs are met, the government is continuing to advocate for equal access to vaccines for all countries, Foreign Minister Marsudi said.

These efforts are reflected in Indonesia’s active role in discussions on global vaccine issues, especially in its capacity as co-chair of the COVAX AMC Engagement Group, she added.

“We have expressed our concerns on the emergence of new (COVID-19) waves in a number of countries in the world, and the discovery of new variants in a number of countries,” she said.

She also highlighted the rising global demand for vaccine shots, even as vaccine shipments are seeing delays.

For that reason, the Indonesian government is continuing to work towards securing vaccine provisions for Indonesians, she said.

“Day and night, we continue to work in order to ensure that the national vaccination program can continue to be carried out. Day and night, we continue our diplomacy efforts to ensure our vaccine needs are met,” she added.  (Antaranews)

Jakarta. The development of the function of "food estate" in the city of Yogyakarta continues to be optimized, not only to fulfill food security as the main function but also to support efforts to handle stunting and even develop it for tourism activities.

"Optimization of the function of the barn is carried out because it is possible to develop other uses of the food estate. Not only for the fulfillment of food but also for other functions that can be utilized, "said Head of the Food Security Division of the Yogyakarta City Food and Agriculture Service Imam Nurwahid in Yogyakarta, Monday.

In the city of Yogyakarta, continued Imam, the food estate program cannot be carried out like in other areas that have large areas but it is carried out with local wisdom and modifications according to the conditions in the city.

According to Imam, the spirit of the food estate program in Yogyakarta City has actually been carried out through Karang Kitri activities which include agricultural and secondary crops cultivation which produce carbohydrates and vegetables which are then integrated with fish and livestock farming as a source of protein.

"In the community then a vegetable village developed which used alleys to grow vegetable food sources in the yard or in the village alley," he said.

In 2019, there are 93 vegetable villages and 32 vegetable aisles. This number has grown to 111 vegetable villages and 52 vegetable aisles by 2020.

In addition, the Mataram Food Granary program was also carried out in a wider area in the region. In the city of Yogyakarta, there are six sub-districts that have become Mataram Pangan Lumbung namely Suryodiningratan, Kricak, Kadipaten, Bausasran, Purbayan, and Karangwaru villages.

Plants to fish and livestock that are produced from vegetable villages, vegetable aisles or food barns can be used for the fulfillment of nutritious food needs.

"The food barn and vegetable village produce food products that meet the balanced needs of carbohydrates, vegetables and protein that can be utilized by the people in the region," he said.

Until now, continued Imam, all vegetable villages, vegetable aisles and food barns in Yogyakarta are able to produce and grow products on a regular basis.

For tourism, continued Imam, it has begun to be developed in several locations of the Mataram Food Barns, namely Purba Asri which is in Purbayan Kotagede Village.

In that location, there are even artifacts in the form of ancient Javanese buildings that are still original and preserved today which were later developed into Mataram Coffee Lumbung. Even in that location, teak plants are also maintained, whose leaves are used for wrapping or serving Sego Lumbung Mataram.

Likewise in the Mataram Markisa Food Barn in Karangwaru Village, Tegalrejo. In that location, a restaurant has been developed which is managed by regional UKM players to enjoy the atmosphere of the Buntung River.

"There are many interesting cultural activities that can be synergized with the existence of the Mataram Food Barn to the vegetable village," he said.

Even so, continued Imam, the focus on agricultural activities must still be prioritized while other functions are to support the fulfillment of nutrition and tourism will develop automatically when the movement exists and is carried out consistently. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. The government is preventing the entry of Indian citizens and travelers from India to Indonesia starting Saturday, April 24, 2021 in an effort to prevent the COVID-19 case in Indonesia from being like in India.

Director General of Immigration Jhoni Ginting in a press statement received in Jakarta, Monday, said that visa services for Indian citizens had also been stopped since Thursday, April 23, 2021.

He explained that the policy was to respond to the latest dynamics of the spike in daily COVID-19 cases in India. He added that the refusal to enter applies to all foreigners who have a history of travel from Indian territory within 14 days before entering Indonesian territory.

"Apart from refusing entry to foreigners, we have also temporarily suspended the issuance of visas for Indian citizens," said Jhoni.

In addition, the Government of Indonesia limits the entry points at several Immigration Checkpoints (TPI).

The entry point for Indonesian citizens who will return to Indonesia is only through TPI Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Juanda Airport, Kualanamu Airport, Sam Ratulangi Airport, Batam Center Seaport, Sri Bintan Pura Sea Port, and Dumai Sea Port.

"For Indonesian citizens who enter, of course, they still have to follow strict health protocols according to the rules of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force," he said.

The government has indeed made various policies to control COVID-19 cases. Recently, the COVID-19 Task Force made a Lebaran 2021 homecoming circular which regulates people if they want to leave the city before and after Lebaran 2021.

The COVID-2021 Task Force circular letter is an addendum to SE 13/2021 concerning the Elimination of the Idul Fitri 1442 Hijriah Homecoming and Efforts to Control the Spread of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) During the Holy Month of Ramadan 1442 Hijriah.

The addendum, which was signed on April 21, 2021, regulates the extension of time for domestic travelers, namely D-14 prohibiting homecoming or April 22-May 5 2021 and on D + 7 the prohibition of going home 18-24 May 2021

Member of Commission IX DPR RI Rahmad Handoyo hopes that the government's decision to tighten, then eliminating homecoming can prevent the COVID-19 tsunami like in India.

"With the tightening, people will rethink when they want to travel," he said.

Meanwhile, MUI Secretary General Buya Amirsyah Tambunan invited the public to take the COVID-19 tsunami in India as a lesson. People in the red zone must make concrete efforts, for example, praying at home is more comprehensive.

"India must be used as a valuable lesson not to be repeated in RI. Precious lessons should be kept in mind so that it will not be repeated. Ramadan's gentle momentum must be maintained," said Buya Amirsyah Tambunan. (Antaranews)