Welcome back to “Mari Berbahasa Indonesia” or Let’s Speak Bahasa Indonesia, which introduces Indonesian vocabulary and guides you to speak in Indonesian language. Mari Berbahasa Indonesia or Let’s Speak Bahasa Indonesia is a collaboration between Voice of Indonesia and the Language Development Agency of the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research & Technology. Today’s topic is“Di Baubau” (2x) which means “In Baubau.”

Here is a conversation entitled “Why?”(2x) which means “Mengapa?”. Chris, a vlogger from Australia, was talking to a tenun (woven cloth) craftsman in Baubau. Chris asked why many women in Baubau are very skilled in making tenun or woven cloth.

Chris (P)   : Mengapa banyak perempuan di sini pandai menenun?

Perajin(W): Menenun menjadi tradisi bagi perempuan Buton. Kami

         percaya menenun akan membawa kebaikan bagi keluarga.

Here are some vocabulary and expressions related to today’s topic. “Why”(2x) which means “Mengapa?”

In this conversation, there is the expression “Mengapa banyak perempuan di sini pandai menenun?”(2x)which means “Why are many women here skilled inweaving?”. In the expression, there is the wordwhy(2x) which means “why”, is used to ask for the reason or explanation about something. The phrase “Bagaimana ceritanya?”is actually asking about the story behind something.

Other examples.

Here is another example of using mengapa (2x) which means “why”.

Mengapa masyarakat Buton gemar makan ikan?  which means Why do the people of Buton like to eat fish?

Mengapa harga kain tenun Kamohu mahal?  which means Why is Kamohu tenun cloth expensive?

Kamohu is woven cloth from Buton Island, Southeast Sulawesi. Kamohu is an Intagible Cultural Heritage from Indonesia. On the other hand, there are many variations of woven cloth across Indonesia such as Terfo from Papua, Pandai Sikek from West Sumatera, Ulos from North Sumatra, and Endek from Bali.

Indonesia is hosting the 10th World Water Forum, the world's largest international water forum to be held on May 18-25, 2024 in Bali. During the 10th WWF event, delegates will visit the Jatiluwih tourist village.

The village will be decorated with manypenjor.Penjorare tall, curved bamboo stalks decorated with specially shaped young coconut leaves. In addition, delegates will also be welcomed with a traditional Balinese dance, the Rejang Dance, accompanied by tumbuk lesung traditional music.

Rejang dance is a traditional dance of the Balinese people. It is thought to have existed since the pre-Hindu era. This dance is performed as a sacred offering to welcome the arrival of the gods who descend to Earth.

Among the Balinese Hindu community, this Rejang Dance is always performed at various traditional and religious ceremonies held at the temple. It is also often performed to welcome guests. As one of the cultural heritages, this dance is also believed to have important values and spiritual meanings, so it is also believed to be a sacred dance and performed with full devotion.

This Rejang dance is usually performed by a number of female dancers in groups or in mass. In general, the movements of this Rejang Dance are very simple, because this dance focuses more on the spiritual value in it.

This Rejang Dance movement is usually dominated by ngembat and ngelikas movements or left and right movements while stepping forward slowly. Every movement in this dance is usually done with a tempo that tends to be slowly adjusted to the musical accompaniment.

This Rejang Dance performance is usually accompanied by Balinese gamelan music. The clothes of Rejang dancers are usually traditional Balinese clothes dominated by yellow and white colors equipped with a yellow shawl and flower crown.

Indonesia and Kazakhstan are committed to finishing the Investment Promotion and Protection Cooperation between the two nations, with the draft's second negotiation round being held in Bali, 6-7 May 2024. The agreement named Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) will play a crucial role in giving legal protection and business certainty for Kazakhstan investors in Indonesia and Indonesian business people intending to invest in Kazakhstan.

Quoting Antara, the Indonesian Ambassador for Kazakhstan M. Fadjroel Rachman in a press release of Indonesian Embassy in Astana, received in Jakarta, Sunday said both Indonesia and Kazakhstan is very committed to finishing the negotiation since the treaty will play a big role as a catalyst for investment growth from Kazakhstan to potential and priority sectors in Indonesia, and from Indonesia to Kazakhstan.

Ambassador Fadjroel said Indonesia and Kazakhstan reached a principle agreement for all main issues written in the agreement draft text.

This showed that Indonesia's position and approach have many similarities with Kazakhstan, apart from strong aspiration from the two to immediately finish the treaty in the first semester of this year.

Ambassador Fadjroel further remarked that currently there is a strong intention of Kazakhstan to invest in Indonesia, especially in Nusantara Capital City. Kazakhstan's smart mobility company has launched pilot project investment in Nusantara and Balikpapan. Moreover, BI Group, the biggest Kazakhstan construction company, is exploring investment opportunities in Nusantara.

The negotiation was attended by Kazakhstan government delegates consisting of Foreign Ministry, Justice Ministry, Trade and Integration Ministry, and Investment Agency "Kazakh Invest". 

Meanwhile, Indonesia was represented by Foreign Affairs Ministry, Investment Ministry, and Financial Services Authority. The two are committed to have another round of negotiation in June 2024 through video conference to finish the BIT text discussion immediately.

Welcome to “Mari Berbahasa Indonesia” or Let’s Speak Bahasa Indonesia, which introduces Indonesian vocabulary and guides you to speak in Indonesian language. Mari Berbahasa Indonesia or Let’s Speak Bahasa Indonesia is a collaboration between Voice of Indonesia and the Language Development Agency of the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research & Technology. Today’s topic is “Di Baubau” (2x) which means “In Baubau.”

Here is a conversation about “Bagaimana ceritanya?” (2x) which means “What is the story behind it?”. Chris, a vlogger from Australia, was talking to a guide at Buton Place Fort in Baubau, Southeast Sulawesi. Chris was responding to the guide’s story about sacred stone at the Buton Palace Fort.

Penjaga (W) : Batu Popaua ini dianggap sakral oleh masyarakat Buton.

Chris (P) : Bagaimana ceritanya, Bu?

Penjaga (W)   : Konon batu ini menjadi tempat pertama kali sultan pertama Buton menginjakkan kaki.

Here are some vocabulary and expressions related to today’s topic. “Bagaimana ceritanya” (2x) which means “What is the story behind it?”

There is the expression “Bagaimana ceritanya?” (2x) which means “What is the story behind it?”. In the expression, there is the phrase bagaimana (2x) which means “how”, which Indonesians use to ask about an event. The phrase “Bagaimana ceritanya?” is actually asking about the story behind something. The word bagaimana (2x) which means “how” is usually followed by ceritanya (2x) or kisahnya (2x) or kejadiannya which means “the story” or “the event”.

Other examples.

Here is another example of using bagaimana (2x) which means “how” in asking about an event or how something happened.

Adri : Semalam ada pencurian di perumahan saya ( 2x) which means Someone breaks into my house last night.  

Dina : Bagaimana kejadiannya ? ( 2x) which means How did it happen?

Intan : Konon candi ini dibangun dalam satu malam ( 2x) which means They say, this temple was built in one night.

Kiki   : Bagaimana kisahnya? ( 2x) which means Tell me the story behind it.

Buton Palace Fort was a Buton Sultanate defense fort, which was built in the 16th century. The fort is located in Baubau City, Buton Island, Southeast Sulawesi. The fort was known as Wolio Fortress. The word “wolio” means “the people who live in Buton and Baubau, Southeast Sulawesi '' or a “language spoken by the people of Wolio ''.

Pacitan in East Java is famous for its caves and beautiful beaches. For beach tourism, Pacitan does have sandy beaches in the south coastal area, such as Klayar Beach, Buyutan, Kasap, and Watu Karung. These beaches are some examples of beautiful beaches in Pacitan.

There is also Soge beach that complements the beauty of Pacitan's south coast. Soge Beach is located in Sidomulyo Village, Ngadirojo District, Pacitan Regency, East Java. The distance from Pacitan City is about 30 kilometers with a driving time of approximately one hour.

Usually white sandy beaches are located a little further in, interestingly Soge Beach is located on the edge of the highway and this is an attraction in itself. Many tourists take pictures on the side of the highway with Soge beach as the background. The natural atmosphere of this beach is still very natural, the blue sea and the natural scenery around it are truly enchanting. The beach is very clean and the waves are quite large.

To enjoy the beauty of Soge beach, you have to pay an entrance ticket of 2,000 rupiah for children and 3,000 rupiah for adults. On weekends and holidays, the entrance ticket price is slightly different, it is 3,000 rupiah for children and 5,000 rupiah for adults. Ticket prices are subject to change at any time.

Traveling to Soge Beach, you can play in the sand, play in the water, swim, or even just sit under the coconut trees. Not only that, you can also go around the small lake using a speed boat rented by local fishermen.

For 15,000 rupiah, you can go around the lake several times. The lake is formed from sea water that does not fully return to the sea when the low tide phenomenon occurs, because there is a high sand dune.

In this place there is also the Soge Beach Blue Bridge. The construction of this bridge is very futuristic, with a curved pipe at the top that resembles a giant dome frame. You can take pictures with the background of this 50-meter-long bridge while enjoying Soge beach from the mouth of the river. There is also a gazebo for resting and several restaurants on the beach.

If you are visiting Pacitan, take your time to see the beauty of Soge Beach.

Indonesia and Papua New Guinea held a ministerial meeting of the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) of the Republic of Indonesia - Papua New Guinea in Jayapura, in order to strengthen cooperation related to state border management.

Acting Director General of Regional Administration of the Ministry of Home Affairs Amran in a written statement quoted by Antara, Saturday (11/5) explained that the results of the SOM (Senior Official Meeting) and JMC meetings are the basis to follow-up and discussion at the Joint Border Committee (JBC) Forum of the Republic of Indonesia - Papua New Guinea during the 2024 trial period which will be held in Indonesia at the end of this year.

The meeting was hosted by the Papua New Guinea Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jayapura on May 8 and 9, 2024. The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Retno Marsudi. 

The Joint Border Committee is known as a forum that more technically discusses border management cooperation of the Republic of Indonesia - Papua New Guinea.

Amran explained that the Senior Official Meeting and the Joint Ministerial Commission Forums are official forums in taking political policies that have a positive and complementary impact. The Joint Border Committee forum of the Republic of Indonesia - Papua New Guinea has been implemented and chaired by the Director General of Regional Administration of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

This Joint Ministerial Commission meeting discussed various strategic issues including security and political cooperation, economy, education, and infrastructure. Some of these cooperation issues have also become important notes discussed at the Joint Border Committee Forum of the Republic of Indonesia - Papua New Guinea at the end of 2023 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. One of the important points in the meeting was to build border cooperation between the Republic of Indonesia - Papua New Guinea, especially on cross-border, security and defense.

Economic and development cooperation was also discussed at the Business Forum of the Republic of Indonesia - Papua New Guinea, which provided the basis for the implementation of a joint task force and joint feasibility study for Papua New Guinea and Indonesia on the Preferential Trade Agreement.

TripAdvisor, a travel guide platform, released its list of the 25 best of the best hotels in the world in 2024 recently. The list is part of the annual Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Hotels Awards, celebrating some of the highest-ranked hotels in the world based on the platform's reviews. Vice President & General Manager of Hotels, Tripadvisor, Dan Mitchell explained, the title of 25th best hotel in the world is recognized by thousands of tourists because of its extraordinary service, stunning design and complete facilities, which redefine what it means to experience an extraordinary hotel stay. .

Among the 25 hotels, there are two accommodations from Indonesia, namely Adiwana Suweta in Ubud, Bali, in fourth place and Padma Resort Ubud also in Ubud, Bali, in ninth place. Adiwana Suweta is located on Jalan Suweta, Bentuyung Sakti, Ubud District, Gianyar Regency, Bali. Reporting from its official website, this boutique resort has a number of accommodation types, including Adiwana Room, Suweta Suite, One Bedroom Private Pool Villa, and Two Bedroom Private Pool Villa. During their stay, guests can also do a number of activities, including swimming in the infinity pool with panoramic views of the trees, spa, taking a cooking class, doing yoga at sunrise, exploring Ubud, and dining in the swimming pool with floating breakfast.

Padma Resort Ubud is often included in TripAdvisor's list of the best hotels. This hotel is located in Banjar Carik, Village, Puhu, Payangan District, Gianyar Regency, Bali. One of the attractions of this accommodation is its infinity pool which has a natural panoramic backdrop. This is coupled with various existing facilities, including a spa, jogging track, bamboo bridge and kids club. Various types of rooms are available at this accommodation, including Premier Room, Premier Deluxe Room, Premier Twin Room, Premier Club Room, Premier Club Pool View and Family Premier Room.

Almost all traditional snacks or cakes originating from Central Java province have a sweet taste. Apart from that, snacks from Central Java also have a simple shape but a tempting taste. In Jepara district, this sweet taste and simple form can be found in Moto Belong.

In Javanese, Moto Belong means glaring eyes. Indeed, its appearance is unique because it is shaped like an eye. It is made from cassava and other mixtures such as young coconut and banana.

Though Moto Belong means glaring eyes, it has attractive colors such as red, yellow and green which are quite tempting.

The origin of the name Moto Belong is taken from Javanese, namely moto means eyes, while belong means glare. The food is called Moto Belong because the shape of the snack resembles the shape of a bulging eye.

Apart from Moto Belong, this traditional Jepara snack is often pronounced Moto Blong. It is not served with coconut milk sauce like many other traditional snack, but is eaten with grated coconut. The ingredients for making Jepara's typical Moto Belong are cassava, salt, granulated sugar, grated young coconut, banana and vanilla as well as food coloring. Whole bananas that have been peeled are covered with smooth cassava dough that has been colored and then steamed until cooked.

The way to serve Moto Belong is quite simple, when it is cooked, just cut it into thin pieces so that the shape resembles an eye. Pieces or slices of Moto Belong are then mixed with grated coconut and added with a little sugar and salt to add a savory taste.

Moto Belong is one of Jepara's traditional snacks which is widely sold in traditional markets with prices starting from Rp. 5000.

Indonesian Ambassador to Japan/ Heri Akhmadi/ welcomed the visit of members of Commission VII (7) of the Indonesian House of Representatives at Wisma Duta Tokyo/ Tuesday (7/5/2024)// The Ambassador hoped  their  visit to the Nuclear Power Plant Fukushima Daiichi as part  of the itinerary  in Japan can provide a direct picture of nuclear energy processing as a combined primary energy consisting of oil and natural gas/coal/new and renewable energy//

On that occasion/ Ambassador Heri Akhmadi also explained the Indonesia-Japan cooperation within the framework of the Asian Zero Emission Community or AZEC includes 78 related projects in Indonesia/ among others the development of renewable energy through solar power generation system installation projects in various locations in Indonesia//

According to him/ cooperation related to AZEC is important as an effort to answer the challenge of global climate change// He added, Indonesia needs appropriate action to reduce the level of greenhouse gas emissions gradually// This is in line with Indonesia's commitment to Increasing Nationally Determined Contributions // National Net Zero Emissions are targeted to be achieved by 2060//

Chairman of the House Commission VII/ Sugeng Suparwoto/ believes/ Indonesia can formulate policies that maintain Indonesia's acceleration in achieving Net Zero Emissions by 2060//

He said/ Japan's efforts to reduce nuclear radiation levels to a safe point should be studied by Indonesia which requires a lot of energy// According to him/ nuclear is one option for Indonesia to be able to achieve Net Zero Emissions//

Sugeng Suparwoto added/ during the visit of Commission VII members to Japan/ they received offers of potential Japanese opportunities and innovations/ not only in the economic sector/ but also industry// During this working visit 6 – 12 May 2024/ apart from visiting the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant/ the delegation also held a meeting with the Director General of International Policy on Carbon Neutrality, Ministry of Economy/ Trade/ and Industry of Japan//

In  the meeting/ a number of topics were discussed/ including the development of renewable energy within the AZEC framework and the preparation of the Draft Law on New Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation//

Good news comes from the Indonesian culinary world, especially in Indonesian coffee. Barista from Indonesia, Mikael Jasin, succeeded in winning the 1st place title in the 2024 World Barista Championship. In this event, he defeated 53 national champions from 50 countries, who competed from May 1 to 4, 2024 in Busan, South Korea. Mikael Jasin was one of the baristas who made it through to the semi-finals and continued on to the final round which was attended by 6 best baristas in the world.

From his LinkedIn page, Mikael Jasin is the founder of So So Good Coffee Company & CATUR Coffee Company since 2020. He has been involved in the barista world for more than 10 years before finally starting his own coffee company. His journey to become a barista began when he was in Melbourne, Australia in 2011. At that time, he had just finished college and worked part time as a barista, a job that Mikael Jasin pursued with all his heart.

At the World Barista Championship in Busan, South Korea 2024, Mikael Jasin served his signature drink called Aji espresso. This drink comes from Ethiopian landrace coffee varieties that are inoculated with yeast and heat and grown at Finca El Diviso in Huila, Colombia. He made Aji espresso by mixing three types of milk, namely 60 percent milk, 20 percent cashew milk and 20 percent oat milk. All ingredients are evaporated to a concentration of 80 percent. The milk mixture is then clarified with lemon juice, aromatic palo santo infusion, palo santo vanilla syrup, and Indonesian cocoa nibs. Then, the mixture is combined and served at 50 degrees Celsius. Certain temperatures can create new flavors, such as melon, watermelon and sage, with a soft texture and black forest cake finish. Mikael Jasin also made espresso from Gesha coffee produced at Finca Deborah in Volcan, Panama. The ground Gesha coffee beans are brewed with a longer brewing ratio of 2.5:1 giving aromas of jasmine, orange blossom, orange, honey and a soft golden raisin finish. These two kinds of coffee impressed the judges and confirmed him as first winner.