VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno is in Beijing, China, to ensure the commitment of China Railway Corporation to support the acceleration of construction of the Jakarta-Bandung, West Java.  Jakarta-Bandung high speed rail project. Minister Rini Soemarno in a press release of the Ministry of SOEs in Jakarta on Thursday ( 5/4) mentions that this rapid train project should be immediately accelerated in May 2018, especially in critical construction areas. Including transfer of technology  and strengthening of Indonesia's human resource competency to have the expertise of fast-track project construction.

The construction is planned to be massive at 21 points deemed most critical starting in early May 2018.  At the meeting, China Railway Corporation declared its commitment to accelerate the development of tunnels for fast trains, including the Walini tunnel. Walini will be designed into a new city in Bandung West with an area of ​​1,270 hectares.  --KemenBUMN.5.4'18.mar

Cooperation between Japan and ASEAN member countries is strengthening. Such strengthening can be proved by the increasing direction of cooperation between Japan and ASEAN in the fields of politics, economy and socio-culture, even the security issue in the region which is the focus the main to encourage the welfare of the world community.  This was conveyed by Senior Political Researcher, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Dewi Fortuna Anwar, in the Symposium of 45 Years of Cooperation between Japan and ASEAN at the LIPI Auditorium Jakarta, Wednesday (04/04). 

"So far our focus is Asia Pacific, especially East Asia, which is the center of rapid economic development, as well as concerns such as North Korea, South China Sea conflict in particular, and in North Asia, the East China Sea region", She said. 

Meanwhile, International Political Researcher from Keio University, Japan, Yuichi Hosoya, to Voice of Indonesia said China also has an important role in building the region. Therefore, cooperation between Japan and ASEAN can be encouraged by building partnerships and connectivity with China,  so it can be more beneficial for the country involved.   VOI-Ahmad Faisal 

Swiss-flagged research vessel that performs a world-wide cruise mission, Fleur de Passion, traverses 500 years of Portuguese cruise, Ferdinand Magellan, stops in Jakarta. The vessel, once a World War II minesweeper, anchored in the Port of Sunda Kelapa, Jakarta from April 3 to 12. In addition to tracking Ferdinand Magellan's voyage, Fleur de Passion also carries out some scientific data collection for maritime research purposes.  When welcoming the media crew aboard Fleur de Passion on Wednesday, April 4, Swiss Ambassador to Indonesia, Yvonne Baumann, said the abandonment of Fleur de Passion in Jakarta is a form of Swiss appreciation of Indonesia as a maritime country. 

" Of course, the high sea ship fleet of Switzerland is now competence whatsoever, to Indonesia, the great archipelago with the second largest coastline in the world and which is going to be global maritime fulcrum", Yvonne said. 

She added, "Of course, this is a fleet of highly capable Swiss ships, present in Indonesia, a large archipelagic country with the largest coastline in the world and a country that will become a global maritime axis".

In addition, Ambassador Yvonne Bauman said that the Port of Sunda Kelapa, Jakarta was chosen as the Fleur de Passion aboard location, because it has a long maritime history, both in Indonesia and the world as a whole. Before stopping in Jakarta, Fleur de Passion aboard first stop in Ternate, North Maluku, November 2017 // Ternate is one of the ports that Ferdinand Magellan visited on its voyage in 1521. The entire Fleur de Passion voyage mission is carried out by the personnel of The Ocean Mapping Expedition program initiated by The Foundation Pacifique, a non-profit organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, engaged in social-humanities, environmental, and scientific research. (VOI-Rezha)

The Constitutional Court held its chief election on Monday April 02. The election was to replace Arief Hidayat who terminates his term of office of the Constitutional Court during the period 2015-2018. The Constitutional Court is the frontline of law enforcement in the field of law. Its task is to overcome problems related to legislation and mediate disputes on General Election and Election of Regional Head -Pilkada. The presence of the Constitutional Court which was formed after the fall of the new order has given new horizons in the matter of law and constitution in Indonesia. The Chief of the Constitutional Court is an important position to oversee the Constitution in Indonesia, which is free from the influence of the Executive and Legislative.

The election of the Constitutional Court chief for the period 2018-2020 was conducted by voting at the plenary session of the judges. All judges of the Constitutional Court: Anwar Usman, Maria Farida, Wahiduddin Adams, Aswanto, I Gede Pasek Palguna, Suhartoyo, Manahan Sitompul, and Saldi Isra have the rights to vote and to be voted, except Arief Hidayat who only could cast his vote. Because, he has been elected twice namely in 2015 and 2017.

In regard to the election of the new chief of the Constitutional Court, former chief of the Constitutional Court, Mahfud MD hopes there is a new breakthrough in the election process. This was viewed necessary to restore the authority of the Constitutional Court which had been dropped when its former chief involved in an unlawful case. The presence of the Constitutional Court for the next 3 years is very decisive, as it will certainly play a major role in handling possible disputes of election of regional heads in 2018, legislative election and president elections in 2019. Therefore, this major court needs high concentration, neutrality and impartiality from organizations, institutions, political parties to executive and legislative bodies. The Constitutional Court must be independent, fair and honest in issuing its verdict. At the plenary session on Monday, April 2nd at 3 P.M. by voting, the nine judges of the Constitution elected Anwar Usman as new chief of the Constitutional Court from 2018-2020.