VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan targets Indonesia to have its own electric car or electric vehicle (EV) created by the children of the nation by 2025 or 2026.

"In 2025 or 2026, Indonesia to have EV cars manufactured by the children of the nation," Pandjaitan stated during a seminar in Jakarta on Thursday.

The minister noted that there are various EV players, representing half of the global production volume, that are interested in Indonesia.

One of the international EV manufacturers that showed interest to develop EV in Indonesia is Geely, which is one of the top EV manufacturers from China.

"We spoke to Geely months ago, and the climax is we offered joint research to establish EV in Indonesia two days ago," Pandjaitan revealed.

According to the minister, Geely greatly welcomes the offer to conduct joint research on EV with Indonesia.

He spoke of having reported to the president about Geely's interest, and the president welcomed and approved it.

"Currently, we are discussing technical matters, and the president agreed to it," he remarked.

According to Pandjaitan, now is the best time for Indonesia to own and develop EV as the creation of the children of the nation since the global transition from conventional to electric vehicles is occurring at a rapid pace, and the sales share of EV surpasses the critical point.

Global EV sales could grow rapidly after exceeding the critical point of 5-10 percent.

EV adoption is moving faster because of the multiplier effect of individuals or groups using new innovations, products, or technologies before they are used by the wider population, also known as early adopters.

The manufacturing sectors also had a critical point of 10 percent of total sales from EV sales and then EV sales could triple.

"When else will we have an EV car made in Indonesia? Hence, we will do research together, and we will take a leapfrog," Pandjaitan stated.  (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Thursday urged Indonesian furniture makers to look for foreign partners as an effort to enter into the global market.

He said that the domestic furniture industry is ranked 17th in the world, with a total revenue of only US$2.8 billion amid the world furniture market potential, which can reach US$766 billion.

"How can we be at number 17? Because we did not partner with those in other countries. We must fix this," he said during the 2023 Indonesia Furniture and Design Expo in Tangerang, Banten, on Thursday.

According to Jokowi, who was a furniture entrepreneur, Indonesian furniture products in the 1990s were always dominant at international exhibitions, such as in Italy, Germany, France, and other countries.

However, Indonesia's furniture industry still ranks below Vietnam (2nd) and Malaysia (12th), he added.

"Even though we have complete resources: raw materials, human capital, and cultural resources," he said.

Jokowi encouraged domestic furniture industry players to look for partners from other countries, such as those in Europe, the United States, and China.

"Be open and willing to partner," he emphasized.

He said that Indonesia has advantages in the furniture industry, such as raw materials, human resources, and also artistic and cultural wealth. Hence, if this potential is used effectively, the industry should be able to succeed in the global market.

Jokowi also expressed his excitement to visit the exhibition. He also intentionally stayed at the Jakarta Presidential Palace since Wednesday night rather than at the Bogor Presidential Palace to be closer to the exhibition location in Tangerang, Banten.

"It always feels like coming back home when I attend such an event," he stated. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, announced on Wednesday that the government had completed eight national strategic projects (PSN), including toll roads and industrial estates.

"The President will inaugurate the projects soon," he said at the "Eight Years of National Strategic Projects" event in Jakarta.

The eight strategic projects consist of five toll road constructions in Java and Sumatra, the Labuan Bajo tourism area in East Nusa Tenggara, the Merah Putih Catalyst Industry in West Java, and the Weda Bay Industrial Park in North Maluku.

During the event, Hartarto also presented a book titled "Infrastructure Transformation towards the Golden Indonesia: Reflections on the Implementation of the PSN Series" to record the development of PSN.

Citing a study from the Indonesia-Australia Partnership Program for the Economy (Prospera), he said that PSNs had been able to achieve economic equality in Indonesia.

The achievement is reflected in the distribution of PSNs across the country. There are 25 projects in Sumatra, 16 projects in Kalimantan, 17 projects in Sulawesi, 15 projects in Bali and Nusa Tenggara, 10 projects in Maluku and Papua, 50 projects in Java, and four national scale projects.

To date, 161 PSNs have been completed, with a total value of Rp1,134.9 trillion (around US$73.9 million) over eight years, he remarked.

On the same occasion, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that due to massive infrastructure development, Indonesia's competitiveness rank had risen from 44th in 2022 to 34th this year, according to the International Institute for Management Development.

He stated that in the last eight years, 11 million workers had been absorbed due to the completion of 161 PSNs, and that the big number of workers is also one of the factors in increasing Indonesia's competitiveness.

Jokowi instructed that all PSNs be completed in the first semester of 2024. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - The Indonesian Health Ministry is offering opportunities for public participation to provide inputs to the government regarding the structure of regulations derived from Law Number 17 of 2023 on Health.

"We invite the entire community to echo their aspirations regarding the implementation of the Health Law. The various inputs will be important for the preparation of more comprehensive derivative regulations for the Health Law," the ministry's spokesperson, Mohammad Syahril, stated when confirmed on Thursday.

After being ratified from the Health Draft Bill on July 11 into a Health Law, the government is drafting derivative regulations for implementation of the law, he stated.

He ensured that the process of drafting regulations would be carried out openly and transparently, involving the widest possible public participation.

In order to accommodate various inputs and aspirations and open a space for discussion with all elements of society, Syahril noted that the ministry has provided a special channel that can be accessed on the page https://partisipasisehat.kemkes.go.id

This portal is accessible to the public to enter their inputs or suggestions regarding the process of drafting Government Regulations (RPP) implementing Law Number 17 of 2023 concerning Health, he remarked.

Apart from encouraging public participation, Syahril said that the ministry will also conduct dissemination of information and consultation on the substance of the RPP Health Law that will be implemented online via the Ministry of Health's YouTube channel.

According to Syahril, absorbing all stakeholders' aspirations is important to accommodate various inputs and proposals that had not been accommodated in the Health Law.

He expressed hope that this opportunity would be utilized properly to realize meaningful public participation, so that their rights can be heard, considered, and explained well.

The Health Ministry has delegated derivative regulations from Health Law Number 17 of 2023 into 108 articles to be regulated in 101 Government Regulations (PP) articles, two articles of Presidential Regulations (Perpres), and five articles of Health Minister Regulations (Permenkes). (Antaranews)