VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Rock climbing athlete Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi broke the Asian Games record with a time of 6,600 seconds in the speed qualifying round for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, Tuesday (3/10). His time beat the previous record set by Aries Susanti Rahayu, namely 7.61 seconds at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games.

(Antara News)

Forces from Manila, Britain, Canada, Japan and the United States kicked off on Monday two weeks of joint naval exercises in Philippine waters as a "show of force", amid flaring regional tension.

With more than 1,800 participants, the drills follow last week's move by Beijing to block Philippine fishermen from Asia's most contested maritime feature, the Scarborough Shoal, held by China in the South China Sea.

This year's "Sama Sama" drills are being held in the southern part of the island of Luzon, featuring naval exercises in areas such as anti-submarine warfare, air defence and search and rescue, the Philippine navy said.

"With this show of force and active engagement of our allies and partners, 'Sama Sama' transcends mere military exercises," Philippine navy chief Rear Admiral Toribio Adaci said at the opening event.

"It is a symbol of our enduring partnerships and our shared commitment to security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region."

In his remarks, Vice Admiral Karl Thomas, the commander of the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet, said, "It is important that all nations have a right to sail and operate in the West Philippine Sea, free from ... being coerced, free from being intimidated."

The West Philippine Sea refers to the portion of the South China Sea claimed by Manila.

Five vessels, two from the United States, and one each from Britain, Canada and Japan, joined the Philippine-hosted drills that will run until Oct. 13.

The navies of Australia, France, Indonesia and New Zealand also joined in by sending observers and experts.

"I am confident that no potential aggressor should be under any illusion other than this is a strong team of nations, a strong team of navies ... one navy sailing and operating together," Thomas added. (Reuters)

VOINews, Jakarta - Several ambassadors from Indonesia's friendly countries attended a batik fashion show titled "Istana Berbatik" in the courtyard of the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Sunday (October 1).

The fashion show was organized by the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry to commemorate National Batik Day, which falls on October 2.

The attending ambassadors wore their own collections of batik-styled clothing during the event, according to a statement received on Monday.

Ambassador of Fiji to Indonesia, Amenatave V. Yauvoli, expressed his pride in personally witnessing the collections of batik exhibited in the fashion show.

He stated that the event was successful in showcasing the beauty of batik collections that genuinely reflect Indonesian culture and values.

"We appreciate this event," the ambassador stated.

Meanwhile, Ambassador of Hungary to Indonesia, Lilla Karsay, said that she was delighted to have the opportunity to take part in the cultural fashion show.

She noted that she had earlier come to the palace to participate in a fashion show of kebaya, a traditional female costume in Indonesia.

The ambassador also expressed joy at being able to personally participate in Sunday's event with representatives from the Indonesian government and parliament.

Karsay spoke of having received gifts in the form of batik fabric, which she usually brought back to Hungary. She said she would usually ask a tailor in her country to transform the batik fabric into clothing.

The tailor can make a clothing out of the fabric by combining the aesthetic aspects of Hungarian folklore and Indonesian culture, she stated.

On the same occasion, Charge d'Affaires of the European Union, Stephane Mechati, opined that batik serves as a manifestation of the diverse culture of Indonesia.

He remarked that Indonesia is a big country that is blessed with varied motifs of batik, adding that batik constitutes a magnificent illustration of a beautiful culture.(Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inaugurated the operation of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Train (KCJB) on Monday, dubbed it "Whoosh", marking the introduction of the first high-speed train service in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

"By saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim (in the name of God), I officially inaugurate the operation of Whoosh KCJB," he stated during the inauguration at KCJB Halim Station in Jakarta.

Whoosh stands for "Waktu Hemat, Operasi Optimal, Sistem Hebat" (Saving Time, Optimal Operation, and Great System).

On that occasion, the official fare for KCJB had not been announced. However, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan noted that Whoosh fares are still free until mid-October of 2023.

The inauguration started at 9:00 local time, marked by Jokowi pressing the siren button.

After the inauguration, the president, accompanied by First Lady Iriana and his entourage, departed for Tegalluar Station in Bandung District, West Java, aboard the Whoosh train.

Minister Pandjaitan, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, Jakarta Acting Governor Heru Budi Hartono, and West Java Acting Governor Bey Machmudin also accompanied Jokowi.

The inauguration was also attended by several representatives from PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC), the operating consortium for KCJB.

With a top speed of 350 kilometers per hour, Whoosh connects Tegalluar Station in Bandung District, West Java, with Halim Station in Jakarta.

With a headway of 20-30 minutes, KCJB provides a new travel option, reducing the travel time between Jakarta and Bandung to just 36-44 minutes from around 3 hours.

This high-speed train features a spacious and modern design with three classes. It can accommodate 601 passengers in one trip, including with a special room for the disabled.

This train applies a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) concept to ensure an integrated service system with various types of transportation modes, an array of culinary delights, and facilities. (Antaranews)