VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

 President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), in Jakarta on Monday ( 14 January ), visited the office of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) to check the Online Single Submission (OSS) service for investors. Jokowi, accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution and Minister/State Secretary Pratikno, was greeted by BKPM Chairman Thomas Lembong upon his arrival at the office located on Jalan Gatot Soebroto, South Jakarta.

Initially, the OSS service came under the coordinating minister for economic affairs, but the BKPM took over the task on January 2, 2019. The OSS service has an OSS Lounge, a call center at phone number: 1500765, and a technical help desk via e-mail, according to Susiwijono, secretary of the coordinating minister for economic affairs.

Meanwhile, Indonesia`s International Investment Position (IIP) was relatively stable in the third quarter of 2018. Indonesia`s IIP at the end of the third quarter of 2018 recorded a net liability of US$297.0 billion, or 28.5 percent of the gross domestic product, relatively unchanged from that at the end of the previous quarter, according to a statement from BI here recently.

The development was in line with the slightly higher Foreign Financial Liability position as compared to the increase in the Foreign Financial Asset position. (ant)

Earlier this week, North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un paid a visit to Beijing, China. During the three-day stay, he met Chinese President, Xi Jin Ping. This is the second visit of North Korean leader to Beijing. Last year, ahead of Kim Jong-un's meeting with US President Donald Trump in Singapore, Kim Jong-un had also met President Xi Jin Ping.

From this second meeting, North Korea received support from China to continue negotiations with the United States. In addition to discussing the issue of negotiations, Kim Jong-un also invited President Xi Jin Ping to visit Pyongyang. President Xi Jin Ping agreed without mentioning when he will pay the visit. Kim had felt the need to go to Beijing because North Korea had made Beijing its partner.

Kim Jong-un had expressed his disappointment in his New Year's speech, because the nuclear negotiations seem to be slowing down, not as expected. Kim Jong-un even   threatens that his attitude will change if Washington does not alter the sanctions imposed on his country.

While South Korean President, Moon Jae-in who had acted as the mediator, at a press conference on Thursday (January 10, 2018), said that Kim Jong-un's second meeting with President Donald Trump will be held again. He emphasized that Seoul would cooperate with Washington on sanctions against Pyongyang.

President Trump and Kim's second meeting has been awaited by many parties. Now, it depends on the United States whether to let Kim Jong-un's patience run out and cause the North Korean nuclear program to be resumed or to respond to Kim Jong-un's invitation to immediately resolve this issue. The world is looking forward to the further development.

Every January 10, the world community, including Indonesia, commemorates ‘One-Million Tree Day. In Indonesia, the government, private sector and various organizations take part in commemorating this important day. On the day, a large number of trees are planted simultaneously.

The commemoration of the one-million tree day by planting trees is very important, considering the number of trees in the world including in Indonesia has decreased dramatically. Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya affirmed that based on the results of a survey in 2013, around 24.3 million hectares of forest and land in Indonesia were in critical condition. The condition of the critical forests is caused by many factors, such as forest fires, illegal logging, the paper industry, new land clearing and other factors.

The Indonesian government through the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has made various efforts to improve the condition of the forest. Take for examples, there are construction of multipurpose forests, urban forests, mangrove rehabilitation, and the implementation of the 25-tree-planting movement that was launched by President Joko Widodo on August 2, 2017, involving students,, scouts, personnel of Indonesian Armed Forces -TNI, National Police -Polri, and other mass organizations.

The tree planting from 2014 to 2016, according to Minister Siti Nurbaya, has been realized by reaching an area of 4.20 million hectares. Tree planting activities from 2014 to 2016 will address critical land reaching 24 million hectares.

The question is whether the planted trees live and grow until now (?)

President Joko Widodo at the commemoration of the Indonesian Tree Planting Day in Ponjong Sub-district, Gunungkidul, 9 December 2017 expressed his concern about tree planting activities in the commemoration of the one-million tree day as a ceremonial activity. His concern is very appropriate, because so far, many trees have been planted but there is no follow-up. The tree planting activities have spent a lot of budget, but the results are not worth the costs incurred.

Thus, the commemoration of the One-Million Tree Day this year is a momentum to raise awareness that the planting plant is not enough; there must be a follow-up by caring for the planted trees and ensuring that the tree can grow well.

The World Bank provided clarification about a report entitled ‘Infrastructure Sector Assessment Program (InfraSAP) which was recently quoted by several media. The report states that infrastructure in Indonesia is of low quality and not well planned. The World Bank report released in June 2018 also mentions that the administration of Joko Widodo and Yusuf Kalla relies on State-Owned Enterprises SOEs in building infrastructure. This was reflected in the government's decision to provide direct assignments of a number of projects to the SOEs.

The World Bank immediately issued clarification regarding the news. In its release, the World Bank confirmed that the report had not been officially published and was still in the finalization stage. However, the World Bank did not deny the news.

In a written statement on Monday (7/1), the World Bank reported that in compiling the report, the World Bank collaborated closely and discussed with relevant parties in the government, such as the Ministry of Finance, Bappenas, various Coordinating Ministries, Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) and the Financial Services Authority (OJK).

InfraSAP is a comprehensive analysis related to various obstacles, which can reduce funding for commercial and private infrastructure. This report is one of the possible policy reforms that can be considered and carried out by Indonesia in the short and medium term.

The World Bank has started preparing the report since mid-2017. This is in accordance with the invitation of the Indonesian government to cooperate in finding solutions in a bid to be able to attract more private and commercial funding for infrastructure investment.

Apart from the clarification of the World Bank regarding the report, the Indonesian government has responded positively. Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyan assessed the World Bank report as a positive input for the government. The same statement was expressed by Minister of National Development Planning (PPN / Head of Bappenas), Bambang Brodjonegoro who claimed to have communicated with the World Bank regarding the InfraSAP report.

Indeed, the World Bank has not officially issued the InfraSAP report. But there is nothing wrong for the government to prepare itself for some improvements in infrastructure development planning. Take for example; one of the SOEs that will work on an infrastructure project can cooperate with the regional companies in the location. Thus, the project can have a direct double effect on the area; the infrastructure is built and regional companies can develop.