VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOInews, Jakarta:  Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Kao Kim Hourn considered the views and recommendations of the Federation of Japan Chambers of Commerce and Industry in ASEAN (FJCCIA) important to improve industry in Southeast Asia.

Japan's recommendations are important because the Japan Chambers of Commerce and Industry operate throughout the ASEAN region and experience ASEAN business operations firsthand, Kao said at a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday (17/7).

"It is important for us to listen to the issues and concerns that have been raised and formulate them into policy recommendations," Kao said.

The ASEAN Secretary-General continued that the recommendations would be shared with ASEAN member countries and would continue to ensure that the organization would address existing problems at a practical level.

Kao argued that Southeast Asia has so far been the main investment destination for various parties, for that ASEAN needs to ensure that the region remains attractive to foreign investors.

"Japan is one of our main partners who wants to see investment continue," he said.

In addition, Kao argued that Japan has a great interest in the digital economy.

He added that Japan and ASEAN need to focus on training because someone needs to have digital skills to improve the skills of the ASEAN community.

Kao emphasized that the energy transition and circular economy are also top priorities for ASEAN in addition to the digital economy, green economy and blue economy.

"We hope that Japan will continue to make ASEAN a priority for the entry of PMA (Foreign Direct Investment)," said Kao.

Source: Antaranews

VOInews, Jakarta: A research team from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), in collaboration with Griffith University and Southern Cross University, Australia, has discovered the oldest cave painting or rock art in Indonesia, which is at least 51,200 years old.

The cave painting or rock art consisting of a number of illustrations of people, anoa, and pigs was found in a limestone cave located in Leang Karampuang, Maros-Pangkep, South Sulawesi.

"This discovery is the first rock art in Indonesia that is more than 50,000 years old," said Head of the Research Team from BRIN, Adhi Agus Oktaviana in Jakarta, Thursday.

Oktaviana assessed that this discovery has important implications related to understanding the origins of the earliest art.

She explained that the presence of more anoa and human images indicated an attempt by people in ancient times to communicate the message that at that time anoa were quite dangerous, so that people at that time had to work together to hunt anoa, although there are other opinions that indicate the images have a certain spiritual meaning.

Oktaviana said that her team's discovery indicated that narrative cave paintings were an important part of early Indonesian human art culture at that time.

"Humans have basically had the ability to communicate in the form of stories for more than 51,200 years, but because words cannot become stone fossils, all that remains is depictions in the form of art. This discovery in Sulawesi is the oldest evidence that can be known from an archaeological perspective," he said.

Oktaviana said that her findings have been published in the leading science journal, Nature, because they used the latest method in their discovery, namely through laser ablation U-series (LA-U-series) at Griffith University and Southern Cross University to obtain accurate dating on the thin layer of calcium carbonate that forms on the decorative art.

She emphasized that research on cave paintings or rock paintings is important to do, because research on rock paintings helps research on civilization and migration of ancient humans, where research using excavation or digging methods requires sophisticated technology and a lot of money.

On the same occasion, the Head of BRIN Laksana Tri Handoko appreciated the researchers for their findings . He considered this as an implementation of the responsibility of the nation's archaeologists in finding historical relics of the ancestors of the Indonesian people.

"Indonesia is rich in relics, and not just relics, but also authentic evidence of the richness of our culture and civilization in Indonesia," said Laksana Tri Handoko.

VOInews, Jakarta: Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi emphasized that the Sanggar Bimbingan educational institution, which is run independently, ensures that the right to education for children of Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) in Malaysia is fulfilled.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs explained that the Sanggar Bimbingan was established to provide basic education for PMI children and also to prepare children who return to Indonesia to continue their education in their homeland.

"Education is one of the important issues discussed in cooperation with Malaysia, especially access to education for our PMI children," said Retno, as stated in a press statement regarding a working visit to Malaysia, Wednesday.

Retno admitted that she had met with around 150 Sanggar Bimbingan students upon arriving in Kuala Lumpur, Tuesday (2/7), starting her working visit in Malaysia.

There are at least 57 Sanggar Bimbingan schools spread throughout the Malaysian Peninsula that are open to PMI children, she said.

Therefore, education will remain a priority in the issue of protecting Indonesian citizens and Indonesian diplomacy in Malaysia. Retno also emphasized the importance of ensuring access to education for PMI children, including through the Sanggar Bimbingan facility.

"In the meeting with the children (Sanggar Bimbingan), I also conveyed that the state will continue to try to be present, provide assistance and protection for them," said Retno.

According to ANTARA records, a number of Sanggar Bimbingan in Malaysia have collaborated with the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur to ensure that participants in the studio receive a national student registration number, so that they can continue their education in Indonesia smoothly.

The Sanggar Bimbingan for PMI children in Malaysia is also the destination for the implementation of the Real Work Lecture (KKN) teaching practice by a number of Indonesian students, such as that carried out by students from Jenderal Soedirman University in Purwokerto earlier this year.

Meanwhile, a number of other issues discussed during Retno's working visit to Malaysia included the border line agreement, cooperation in handling TPPO, the Myanmar issue, and support for Palestine. The Minister of Foreign Affairs also emphasized Indonesia's support for Malaysia's chairmanship of ASEAN next year.

VOInews, Jakarta: President Joko Widodo officially opened the Jakarta Fair 2024 at Pekan Raya Jakarta, Kemayoran, Jakarta, on Wednesday evening, June 12 2024. This annual event, which has become one of the icons of the city of Jakarta, was held again for the 55th time and attracted interest residents from various regions in Indonesia.

"The Jakarta Fair is an event that is eagerly awaited by the people of Jakarta, the people of Jakarta and also the people of Jabodetabek, as well as Indonesia," said the President.

In his speech, President Jokowi said that the Jakarta Fair is an event that is eagerly awaited by the public because it offers a variety of entertainment and shopping at affordable prices. Apart from that, the Jakarta Fair also presents a variety of festivities ranging from culinary delights, rides, carnival parades, to music concerts.

Last year's Jakarta Fair managed to attract more than 6 million visitors, an impressive figure and proof of the importance of this event in the Jakarta city calendar.

Chair of the Jakarta Fair Kemayoran 2024 Organizing Committee, Karuna Murdaya, said that the Jakarta Fair 2024 was attended by 2,550 booths and 1,550 tenants. He targets sales at the 2024 Jakarta Fair to reach IDR 7.5 trillion.

"The sales target is around IDR 7.5 trillion and the visitor target is similar to last year, but a little shorter," he said.

Murdaya also noted an increase in interest in several segments such as electric cars and cosmetics. He is also optimistic that the 2024 Jakarta Fair will run smoothly and successfully.

"Usually this is the first day of the Jakarta Fair and it is a bit quiet, but you can see here that the first night the enthusiasm is very high. "If we can look at the upcoming school holiday , hopefully this year's target we can achieve higher sales than last year," he said.

Also accompanying President Jokowi at the event were Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Hadi Tjahjanto, Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie Setiadi, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs Teten Masduki, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto, National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, and Acting. Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono.