VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

 President Joko Widodo has expressed hope for free halal certificate for micro businessmen including street food vendors such as meatball and chicken noodle sellers.

"I hope there would be no fee for these micro businessmen," the president, or Jokowi as he commonly known, said after a mass gathering at Deltamas Square in Hegarmukti Village of Bekasi District on Sunday.

The president admitted that micro businessmen have asked the authority to provide halal certificate for their products. "Other micro businessmen, street vendors, also seek for halal certificate."

On the draft government regulation on halal product assurance, Jokowi said, it has been discussed by the government.

"It (the regulation) is related to many small and micro businesses, home industries, in kampongs and villages," he said.

According to Jokowi, halal certificate ideally could be issued in one day.

Previously Secretary General of the Indonesian Noodle and Meatball Traders (Papmiso) Bambang Hatyanto has expressed hope for halal certification for their products.

Any issue regarding to halal certification of their products could reduce their turnover by 50 percent, he said.

President Joko Widodo appreciates the diversity of the Indonesian sarong. This was revealed by the President when he and First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo attended the Sarong Festival at the  Southeast Plaza of Bung Karno National Stadium Complex, Jakarta, Sunday, March 3, 2019.

"I saw from several provinces that we all have sarong production. Both in the form of weaving, some in the form of songket, some in the form of batik, and other types of sarongs. This is a cultural diversity that is not owned by other nations," said the President .

Therefore, the President said that there will be a certain day in one month to wear sarongs together. "It can be once a week, it can be every two weeks, it can be once a month. We'll see later," said the Head of State.

The cultural diversity contained in this sarong, according to the President, must be placed in the best place. This is a form of our appreciation for the work and production of sarongs from every province that has a variety of patterns, motifs and colors, and has a high philosophy.

"I really appreciate the Festival of Sarong that was held today. Hopefully we all give awards, give appreciation to the works exhibited today," said the President as reported by the press release of the Deputy of Protocol, Press and Media of the Presidential Secretariat, Bey Machmudin.

On that occasion, the President and Mrs. Iriana both wore a long-sleeved white shirt and gloved in maroon. Upon arrival at the venue, both of them first reviewed the existing stands, including the Dekranasda booth in NTT and Belu, Rusari booth, to the sarong craft stand from the Donggala, Sigi, Lombok, Lampung and Banten affected areas.

After giving a speech, the President took the time to try the sarong weaving on the stage with Syamsudin, a weaving craftsman from Gresik.

Previously, the President also attended and greeted at the Blangkon Association and Nusantara Shawl Gathering at the West Plaza  Bung Karno National Stadium Complex.

Accompanying the President and Ms. Iriana in this event included, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Minister of Religion Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, and Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi.

In addition, there was also present the Chairperson of the Advisory Council of the President Sri Adiningsih, member of the Advisory Council of President Sidarto Danusubroto, and Chair of the Manila IGK 2019 Glove Festival. (biro pers )

Vice President Jusuf Kalla left for Singapore on Sunday ( 3 / 3 ) to visit Ani Yudhoyono, the wife of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) who is being treated at the Singapore National University Hospital for blood cancer.

The vice president, accompanied by his wife, Mufidah Kalla, departed from the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta at 01.30 p.m. local time by Presidential Plane Bae RJ - 85.

Kalla and entourage including former coordinating minister for economic affairs Chairul Tanjung, former environment minister Rahmat Witular and the vice president`s chief secretary, Mohamad Oemar were expected to arrive at Changi Airport in Singapore at 04.20 p.m. local time.

Ani Yudhoyono has been treated at the hospital since Feb 2, for blood cancer at the recommendation of the president`s medical team.

Earlier, on Feb 21, President Joko Widodo and First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo also visited Ani Yudhoyono.

The other state officials and former officials who had visited Ani Yudhoyono were Chairman of the People`s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Zulkifli Hasan, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa, former chief of the National Police General (ret) Sutarman, former Jakarta governor Sutiyoso, and former foreign minister Marty Natalegawa.

Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have also visited the wife of Indonesia`s sixth president at the hospital. (ant) 

Representatives of APEC economies are aiming to raise global public awareness on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in order to reduce poverty and food insecurity.

IUU fishing has undermined the region`s food security, according to the APEC`s Oceans and Fisheries Working Group in a written statement received in Jakarta on Saturday.

"Illegal fishing takes money out of the hands of those playing by the rules. It takes food out of people`s mouths. It undermines the governments` efforts to achieve sustainable fisheries," Patrick Moran, Lead Shepherd for APEC`s Oceans and Fisheries Working Group, stated.

The fisheries industry is a global juggernaut, valued at US$144 billion annually. Small-scale fishing accounts for 90 percent of the sector, which feeds more than 50 percent of the population of developing countries, including in the Asia-Pacific region.

However, 20 percent of the fish captured globally is lost to IUU fishing that exacerbates food insecurity and poverty, robs families of income, and undermines attempts at sustainable fisheries, while also encouraging crime.

Hence, Chile hosting APEC for 2019 has declared its commitment to improving the health of oceans -- that includes addressing marine debris as well as the fisheries sector -- as one of its priorities.

Multiple instruments, binding and non-binding, are available to rein in IUU fishing, but execution of treaties can be improved and require supportive policy and legal implementing frameworks.


Better monitoring and tracing of fishing-related vessels, including refrigerated transport vessels, can also help rein in illegal activity. APEC can help its economies prepare the tools to achieve these goals.

"APEC can harness its great power to help its economies. The greatest enemies of IUU fishing are communication and collaboration, because the fish have to be sold. If there is illegal fishing somewhere in APEC, it can be communicated to everyone in the region, so action can be taken. The idea is to deny market access. We can help develop the tools (for this) and help the economies implement those tools," Moran stated. (ant)