The date refers to the demonstration by American workers on May 1, 1886, demanding an 8-hour working day. The demonstration led to riots in Haymarket, Chicago, and left 4 workers and 7 policemen dead.

 

In Indonesia, International Workers' Day was celebrated for the first time on May 1, 1920. At the time, Indonesia was still under Dutch colonial rule. President Soeharto's administration then stopped the day's open celebration because it was deemed synonymous with communism. During the Reform period, Workers' Day was celebrated again regularly in many cities and carried various demands ranging from welfare to the outsourcing system elimination. In 2013, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono declared Workers' Day on May 1 a national holiday.

 

For more than a century, workers have celebrated Workers' Day, but the challenges faced by workers are increasingly diverse. If in the past the challenges were only about overlong working hours, low wages, and workplace conditions unsuitable for health, now workers are facing technology and digitalization that are taking away their jobs.

 

For Indonesia, its migrant workers' condition abroad is also a challenge. Practices of human trafficking and slavery haunt Indonesian migrant workers. Apart from the conditions of domestic workers, the Indonesian government should also consider the conditions of its citizens who work abroad. In this case, the government has implemented various policies, programs, and agreements with countries to provide maximum protection for migrant workers.

 

Hopefully, the next Indonesian government will pay greater attention to the welfare of Indonesian workers at home and abroad, because workers contribute greatly to the country's economic development.

Even though it was centered 151 km southwest of the regency, the earthquake vibrations were felt as far away as the province's capital Bandung in the central, according to the seismic graphic information released by the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG).​ Although the vibrations caused by the earthquake were quite strong, this does not have tsunami potential.

 

BMKG later explained that it was an intra-slab earthquake. Head of the BMKG Earthquake and Tsunami Center, Daryono confirmed this.

 

"This occurred due to deformation of rocks in the Indo-Australian plate. Rocks that subducted under the Eurasian plate in the south of West Java (intra-slab earthquake)," said Daryono in a press statement on Sunday (28/4/2024).

 

Not only Garut and Bandung, Daryono said that the cities in the Jakarta metropolitan area such as Tangerang, South Tangerang, Bogor, and Jakarta itself also felt the vibrations. Some towns and regencies in Central Java such as Kebumen, Banyumas, Cilacap, and Purwokerto are also felt. (RRI.co.id/Muhammad Wildan Pratomo, Dedi Hidayat, Yosua Sihombing)

The Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia, Lambert Grijns, in his speech mentioned some interesting things regarding relations between the two countries. Among them are the large number of Indonesian citizens who apply for visas to the Netherlands and study there. He also mentioned evidence of close relations between the two countries, such as the arrival of a Dutch frigate and his deputy minister to Indonesia.

 

"One of our navy's most impressive frigates will pay a visit to the port of Jakarta next month," said Grijns.

 

Ambassador Grijns revealed that the two countries had completed the formation of a joint economic commission, as a follow-up to the comprehensive partnership between Indonesia and the Netherlands. Some of what they discussed was a sustainable infrastructure investment program for Indonesia worth around €300 million (around IDR 5.2 trillion). He claims his country is the European country with the largest number of investors in Indonesia.

 

"After all, we are the largest European investor (in Indonesia), with a large presence of Dutch companies," said Grijns.

 

Ambassador Grijns briefly touched on his term as ambassador to Indonesia which was coming to an end. Grijns recalled the visit of the Dutch king, Willem-Alexander to Indonesia four years ago. King Willem-Alexander called Indonesia a country with "old soul and a young heart".

 

"And I couldn't agree more, because in the past years I've witnessed the remarkable non-stop transformation of Indonesia, development fueled by optimism and ambition," continued Grijns.

 

Grijns acknowledged Indonesia's leadership under the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi, who was present on that occasion. He assessed that Indonesia had made a mark with its leadership in the G20 and ASEAN, as well as Indonesia's steps towards becoming an OECD member.

 

"As Indonesia makes great strides towards OECD membership... I will miss the warmth of you and your country," he told Foreign Minister Retno.

 

At this year's Koningsdag, various stalls of typical Dutch food such as croquettes, poffertjes, and frikandel could be tasted. Apart from that, there were stands from sponsors, most of them related to Dutch companies or culture. Visitors were seen crammed into the booths, accompanied by jazz music performances and prize draws.

Minister Retno stated that she had carried out intensive communication with world leaders. Minister Retno also explained that in the last two days, she communicated by telephone and exchanged messages to emphasize the importance of restraint and defuse conflict tensions.

 

“...Two things we convey in all communications. With the parties directly involved, what we are asking for is self-restraint and de-escalation, the importance of de-escalation," she said in a press statement after attending a meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Tuesday (16/4/2024).

 

The leaders included the ministers of foreign affairs from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and the European Union. Besides that, ministers of foreign affairs from Germany and the Netherlands, as well as the Deputy Secretary of State of the United States are also contacted by her.

 

"Meanwhile with our other friends, for example with the foreign ministers of Germany, the Netherlands, and Middle Eastern countries, we are encouraging everyone, we use our influence to prevent escalation,” she continued.

 

Minister Retno Marsudi also explained that diplomatic efforts had been made in international forums, including at the UN Security Council, although they had not yet produced significant progress. Furthermore, Minister Retno added that all parties currently have begun to calculate the impact if an escalation occurs.

 

Government to mitigate economic impacts

Meanwhile, Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto said the Indonesian government is preparing to mitigate the impact of Middle East tensions on the global economy. According to him, phenomena such as rising oil prices, global financial market uncertainty, and the rise in US dollar value should be mitigated.

“...Of course, what we have to mitigate is the shift of assets to safe havens. In this case, the US dollar, gold and nickel have also experienced increases. The exchange rate and stock price index have also weakened globally. However, compared to peer countries, Indonesia is still relatively safe," said Hartarto after attending the same meeting.

Minister Hartarto said further that the government will execute some economic policies to mitigate the impact. That includes fiscal and monetary integration, maintaining exchange rate stability.

"Of course, we need to implement several policies, including fiscal and monetary integration, maintaining exchange rate stability, maintaining the state budget and revenue, and monitoring increases in logistics and oil prices,” he continued.

Minister Airlangga also said that the government continues to carry out structural reforms, maintain investors' expectations, and strengthen competitiveness to attract long-term investment to the country.

"I think what he's doing is a mistake. I don't agree with his approach," Biden told Univision, an American Spanish-language TV network, when asked about Netanyahu's handling of the war, as reported by AFP.

 

Biden reiterated that an Israeli drone attack last week that killed seven aid workers from a U.S.-based charity in Gaza - and sparked a tense phone call with Netanyahu - was "outrageous." Therefore, he called for a ceasefire.

 

"So I what I'm calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a ceasefire, allow for the next six, eight weeks, total access to all food and medicine going into the country," added Biden.

 

His remarks on a ceasefire marked a shift from his previous comments, in which he has said the burden lies with Hamas to agree to a truce and hostage release deal. Biden also stepped up pressure on Israel to let more aid into devastated Gaza, saying he had spoken with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt and they were "prepared to move this food in."

 

"There's no excuse to not provide for the medical and the food needs of those people. It should be done now," he added.

 

The Biden interview underlined the dramatic shift his Israel policy since Israel's killings of the World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza sparked global outrage. (AFP)

"Today we have the arrival of the Azamara Onward cruise ship. There are 500 passengers, and 180 people disembark, both those who bought tour packages and those who are independent," said the Acting Mayor of Sabang, Reza Fahlevi in ​​Sabang on Tuesday (9/4/2024) as reported by Antara.

 

The 180.45 meters-length cruise ship was docked at Pier CT-3 BPKS in the Port of Sabang. MS Azamara Onward previously sailed from Port Klang, near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After a day's stopover in Weh Island, the cruise ship will continue its journey to the Port of Hambantota, Sri Lanka.

 

Acting Mayor Fahlevi said that even though his arrival was during Ramadan, his party still welcomed him according to the standards that apply in Sabang. He explained that as a tourist destination, every tourist who enters Sabang will impact the community's economy. This will positively influence the people of Indonesia's westernmost city, which depends on tourist arrivals, in addition to the fisheries and agricultural sectors.

 

"We hope that more and more of them will shop here. They will spend money in Sabang, buy existing products, and use the services offered by tourism actors in Sabang," he said.

 

Meanwhile, Deputy Head of the Sabang Area Concession Agency (BPKS), Teuku Zanuarsyah said that besides the MS Azamara Onward, the Bahamas-flagged MS Crystal Serenity cruise ship will also stop in Sabang on Wednesday (10/4/2024), on Eid al-Fitr day.

 

According to Zanuarsyah, the BPKS and Sabang city government continue to collaborate to increase foreign tourist visits to Sabang, thereby impacting the community's economy. He said that it must also be supported by service quality improvement.

 

"This year there are several other cruise ships that will also visit Sabang city, namely in May, November, and December, that is what has been scheduled," he said. (Antara)

President Jokowi wore a black suit, cap, and white koko shirt underneath, and wore a black sarong. Meanwhile, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin also wore a black jacket with a white koko, a black sarong, and a black cap.

 

"Dear congregants, the President and Vice President were present to participate in the 1445 Hijri Eid al-Fitr worship. The worship will be held at 07.00 a.m.," said the Grand Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque, Nasaruddin Umar, when welcoming the President's arrival at the Istiqlal Mosque.

 

Eid al-Fitr worship at the mosque was led by Imam H Ahmad Husni Ismail, and the Eid sermon was delivered by Abdul A'la Basyir. The theme was "Strengthening Togetherness by Maintaining National Unity".

 

From the RRI's monitoring, people packed Istiqlal Mosque to perform Eid worship with their families. Public enthusiasm is also very high, which can be seen from the density of people entering the Al-Fattah entrance, one of the mosque's main entrances. One of the congregants, Roy, confirmed this.

 

"Yes, (I attend) just with the family. The queue to get in was quite busy, there was an inspection too. I left Jakarta after the morning prayer from home, the equipment was ready," said Roy.

 

Roy complained that the parking lot was full, making him park his vehicle outside the mosque. He hopes the worship can be carried out solemnly.

 

"Parking is quite far because it's already full inside. I was riding a motorbike with my wife and children," he said.

 

Some officers from the Greater Jakarta metropolitan police and Jakarta's transportation agency made parking arrangements inside and outside the mosque. Several unofficial parking lots have emerged, disrupting traffic flow. (RRI.co.id/Rizki Supermana)

In his remarks, President Jokowi said that Indonesia was concerned about the humanitarian events that occurred in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. The President also stated that the country was concerned about the internal conflict taking place in Sudan, which he said had caused many victims.

 

"Therefore, for the umpteenth time we are carrying out a humanitarian mission again by sending aid to Egypt and Sudan to help our brothers and sisters who need help," said President Jokowi, quoted from a statement from the Indonesian Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday.

 

President Jokowi continued that the aid sent was worth approximately IDR 30 billion (about US$1.8 million). The aid is in the form of medicines, medical equipment, and other assistance. The President claimed that the aid sent had been adjusted to needs on the ground, and according to the requests of the two countries.

 

"And other assistance tailored to existing needs on the ground, in accordance with official requests from the governments of Egypt and Sudan," he continued.

 

President Joko Widodo added that the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) chairman, Suharyanto led the delegation to deliver aid. He said the delegation comprises elements from ministries, institutions, and government partners.

 

On a separate occasion, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi, said this was the umpteenth time this aid had been sent. Recently, Retno said, Indonesia sent aid by parachutes to deliver aid from the air via Jordan.

 

Minister Retno added that aid from Indonesia sent by land had reached more than 4,400 tons. The assistance came from the Indonesian government, community, and non-governmental organizations. Retno also confirmed that almost all aid from Indonesia had gone to Palestine.

 

Previously, the Indonesian government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received diplomatic notes from Egypt and Sudan. Both asked for humanitarian assistance for the people facing conflict and disease outbreaks.

 

The Egyptian government hopes for Indonesia's assistance in dealing with Palestinian refugees who entered Egypt as a result of Israel's invasion of Gaza, Palestine. Currently, Rafah hosts more than 1.5 million refugees.

 

The Sudanese government also hopes for similar assistance for its people who are victims of internal conflict and a cholera outbreak. There are at least 2,525 suspected cases of acute watery diarrhea or cholera suffered by local people, thus requiring medical equipment.

"Indonesia strongly condemns Israel's attacks on Iranian diplomatic buildings and facilities in Damascus," said a statement from the ministry, as monitored in Jakarta on the same day.

 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs called this attack a "violation of international law and the UN Charter", although it did not specify the exact violation. The ministry also said the attack "could erase the prospects for peace" in the Middle East.

 

"This attack is one of many Israeli actions that have increased the escalation of the conflict and could erase the prospects for peace in the (Middle East) region," the ministry continued.

 

A British war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, as quoted by AFP, said the attack killed 11 people. Seven of them were senior officials of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, the organization said. However, Iran's ambassador to Syria, Hossein Akbari, told Iranian television that at least five people were killed.

 

The Syrian Ministry of Defense said that "the attack destroyed the entire building, killing and injuring everyone inside". The ministry also said work is underway to recover the bodies and rescue the wounded from under the rubble.

 

Israel said it would not comment on the reported attack. However, Iranian officials reportedly "vowed a stiff response". This is due to fears of further violence between Israel and Iran's allies, triggered by the war in Gaza, Palestine.

"There are small- and large-caliber munitions (at the depot), and the total munitions there is 65 tons," Subiyanto stated in Jakarta on Sunday (31/3/2024), as reported by Antara.

 

General Subiyanto explained that expired munitions are returned and collected to the depot for checks, verification, and other steps until their disposal. However, he did not yet divulge the total financial losses incurred by the state due to the incident.

 

"Our disposal facility is in Pameungpeuk (Garut Regency, West Java)," he said.

 

Meanwhile, Subiyanto confirmed that the military, especially the Kodam Jaya, is still combing the accident site after the fire on the ammunition depot was brought under control at 3:45 a.m. local time. He added that the unit is also examining residential areas possibly affected by the explosion. He expect residents who found debris or bullet casings to report to the authorities immediately.

 

"For the post-explosion measure, the Jakarta Regional Military Commander, assisted by the explosives defusion unit and the military police, are combing and cleaning the site," he said.

 

Earlier, East Jakarta Fire Mitigation and Rescue Service confirmed the cooling process for parts of the Army ammunition depot in Ciangsana burned on Saturday was completed on Sunday at 8:15 a.m. The agency's Operation Section Chief, Gatot Sulaeman, said the cooling to depots no. 5 and no. 6 affected by the conflagration and explosion took eight to 10 hours. He also said no further explosion occurred during the cooling process at the ammunition depot.

 

Meanwhile, Chief of Indonesian Army Staff, General Maruli Simanjuntak in a written statement on Monday (1/4) apologized to the community around the depot for the incident. He said that the army would evaluate all ammunition depots in the area.

 

Maruli admitted that it was quite risky for the TNI to store flammable materials in the area. However, he was very grateful that there were no fatalities as a result of this incident.