VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Feb. 1 - The Australian city of Perth was ordered into lockdown on Sunday after a security guard working in hotel quarantine tested positive for COVID-19, ending the country’s longest coronavirus-free run.

Feb. 1 - Some 28 Acehnese fishermen who have just been repatriated from India are conducting self isolation in Jakarta before being flown to Aceh province.

"They will be quarantined for five days and then flown to Aceh after they are really declared free from the COVID-19," Chief of the Liaison Agency of the Aceh Provincial Government (BPBA) Almuniza Kamal said on Sunday.

While in Jakarta, the 28 Acehenese fishermen stayed at Mercure Hotel on Gatot Subroto Street to conduct self isolation and undergo swab test, he said.

Almuniza said the Aceh government will continue to pay attention to the entire people of Aceh as a manifestation of Aceh Governor Nova Irfansyah's commitment.

The Aceh government expressed gratitude to all sides, particularly the Foreign Ministry, the Indonesian Embassy in India, and the fisheries resources surveillance station of the Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (PSDKP-KKP RI)), that have assisted the repatriation of the Achenese fishermen.

Since early last year a total of 160 Acehnese fishermen have been detained abroad for trespassing in the waters of other countries such as Myanmar, Thailand and India, he said.

The 28 Acehnese fishermen arrived in Indonesia on Friday after being set free in India's islands of Andaman and Nicobar.

The Indian coastal guard police Durgabai Deshmukh arrested them at a location 55 nautical miles from Nicobar Island on March 3, 2020.

"With the advocacy of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, the Indonesian Embassy in New Delhi, and the hard work of the Aceh government and the PSDKP-KKP), the Andaman court set them free on January 16, 2021," deputy secretary general of Panglima Laot Aceh (leader of the local traditional sea community) Miftach Tjut Adek confirmed here on Friday.

Miftach expressed gratitude to the Aceh governor and the central government for their hard work and tireless advocacy for the Acehnese fishermen that led to their immediate release. Normally, the detention period may last for up to three years.

"In the past two years, our 160 fishermen were detained in the three countries of Myanmar, India, and Thailand. They were released immediately owing to the advocacy of the Aceh government and the central government," he affirmed.

With the repatriation of 28 Acehnese fishermen, three other fishermen from Aceh are yet being detained in India. (Antaranews)

Feb. 1 - The Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) Cultural Park in Bali will be temporarily closed from February 1, 2021 to curb the risk of COVID-19 transmission, with the increased number of visitors.

"The decision was taken as our support to the government's policy to stop the COVID-19 transmission, especially in Bali Province," GM Marketing Communication & Event GWK Cultural Park, Andre Prawiradisastra said here on Sunday.

Previously, the popular tourist destination was closed when the pandemic gripped the country in March and was only reopened in early December 2020.

Prawiradisastra said the cultural park's management paid serious concern on the efforts to stop the spreading of the coronavirus.

"The decision to close the park has considered the fact that the increased number of visitors has, at the same time, increased the risk of COVID-19 transmission," he stated.

The park closure, he added, would also protect its workers from being infected with the virus.

Meanwhile the Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno said the decision to close GWK Cultural Park is a synergy to curb the COVID-19 transmission.

"Once we can lower the COVID-19 curve, we will give adequate time for them to prepare for reopening (of the tourist destination)," he said.

The minister would work in coordination with Bali Province and Badung District administrations on the closure of GWK Cultural Park.

"I will surely coordinate with the provincial and district governments, because GWK is a popular destination visited by up to 5 thousand tourists per day," Sandiaga Uno said. (Antaranews)

Feb. 1 - The Aceh Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) released a Sumatran tiger cub (Panthera tigris sumatrae) that has recovered from the snare wound, to Mt Leuser National Park.

"After some observations and thorough health check, the veterinarian team said that he has recovered and could be released to his nature," head of Aceh BKSDA Agus Arianto said here on Sunday.

Arianto said, the tiger cub named Danau Putra was released to the Mt Leuser National Park (TNGL) on Saturday (Jan 30) with the help of the military and police, the Forum for Leuser Conservation and the subdistrict head.

Danau Putra was found trapped on its right foreleg in a villager's field in Gulo Village, Darul Hasanah Subdistrict of Southeast Aceh District on January 22, 2021.

"The wire snare has caused serious wound to the tiger cub, when he tried to free himself from the snare," he said.

The BKSDA team evacuated the tiger cub to Kutacane, the capital of Southeast Aceh District, for further medical treatment.

The Sumatran tiger cub aged between 1-1.5 years and weight 50 kilograms was released in a forest area some three kilometers from the location where he got trapped.

"Local villagers believe that the tiger cub came from the Mt Leuser National Park hence he should be returned to where he belongs," he said.

Arianto has called on people living around the forest to help protect the endangered species and its habitat.

The law has banned the use of snare, poison, and high-voltage fence that could harm the protected animal. (Antaranews)