VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The biggest sporting event in Asia, the 2018 Asian Games, taking place in Jakarta and Palembang since August 18, has entered the middle of the period. The sports event involving 45 countries in the Asian region provides its own excitement and entertainment for the people of Indonesia and the world. The presence of supporters from each country to encourage their team is a special feature of this ongoing event. The presence of supporting communities as well as foreign tourists can certainly be one of the momentum to expand friendship among people from various parts of Asia, especially for the citizens of Jakarta and Palembang. At this moment, a friendship application named Tantan claims to have experienced a significant increase in users.A week before this grand event was opened, one of the friendship application vendors noted a surge in user activity along with an increase in the number of compatibilities between users by 56 percent. When athletes are fighting for the glory of their country, supporters can use the moment to add their friendship. Jack WU, Marketing Director of one of the friendship applications on Friday (08/24/2018) sid that he saw a very significant increase in users during the 2018 Asian Games period. He commented that of course this was a good thing and he hoped his application can be a bridge to expand friendship among various parts of the country in Asia. Jack WU hopes that with the wider friendship, of course many positive things can happen. He also wants this application to open opportunities for cooperation between countries on the Asian continent.Jack Wu asserted, his friendship application guarantees users with a high level of security and a variety of sophisticated filtering systems such as fake account identification. This social application is specifically designed for young people in their 20s. This Friendship application also offers a new way to meet each other. With a swipe and match system, it allows two users to start a conversation when they like each other. This application also claims to get one billion swipes per day and has a total of seven billion matches for its users. In Indonesia, this application captures more than millions of users.

In Indonesia, precisely on the island of Java, there are many adrenaline-driven tours such as tubing, rafting and body rafting. In Pekalongan, for example, there is a tourist spot called 'Black Canyon' or 'Kedung Sipingit'. It is one of the natural attractions in Kayu Puring Village, which offers adrenaline- pumping tours along a fairly swift river flow with clear blue-water, surrounded by fascinating large black cliffs.In Black Canyon visitors can do many activities such as fishing, river tubing, trekking to body rafting. By paying Rp. 100,000 you can enjoy many facilities, such as welcome drinks, lunch, safety gears like helmets and life jackets, instructors or guides, certificates and vehicles to the start point. The tourist spot is still free but the route is quite difficult, so a guide is very necessary for the safety of visitors and groups.The water flow in Kedung Sipingit comes from Welo river which flow offers a level 3 current sensation that is suitable for beginners and professionals alike.One Tubing trip is limited between 5 to 20 people. All that is for the convenience and safety of tourists. For 4 hours visitors will be pampered with natural scenery that is very beautiful with a vast expanse of forest and fresh air that feels pretty cool. The sensation of the river tubing on the Welo River is quite adrenaline pumping and make your travel excitement more complete.This place is perfect for visitors who like challenges and to test adrenaline. But for those who are not so adventurous it is recommended not of course. You’d better stay at the side, enjoy the scenery and fresh air. From the center of Pekalongan towards the Black Canyon or Kedung Sipingit is about 34 Km. It takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes by car. After arriving in front of a gate signed “Welcome to Petungkriyo Ecotourism”, you just go straight to Kayu Puring village with a distance of 5 Km to arrive at the base camp of Welo river tubing Kedung Sipingit. This place is still in wilderness and beautiful, with heavy river currents and steep cliffs. So for the sake of mutual convenience visitor must maintain and preserve nature by maintaining cleanliness and not littering.

The Indonesian Air Force PC-2 Radio Station or known as the AURI PC-2 Radio Station is located in Playen Sub-district, Gunung Kidul Regency. The station plays an important role in maintaining the independence of Indonesia during the Second Dutch Military Aggression in Yogyakarta. Through the radio, the news about the General Offensive of March the 1^st, 1949, an event when the Indonesian Armed Forces and fighters attacked the Dutch soldiers, was broadcasted. The broadcast was carried out at 2 O’clock A.M. on March the 2^nd 1949 to the entire Indonesian Air Force radio networks. Through the “NBM” Tangse Radio, the broadcast about the General Offensive of March the 1^st 1949 was delivered to the “SMN” radio station in Rangoon. Then, it was continued to New Delhi and representatives of the Republic of Indonesia in Washington DC, the United States of America. The Indonesian representatives at the United Nations before the session of the United Nations Security Council on March the 7^th 1949 explained about the broadcast. Thus, it made the international world aware of the emergency of the government of the Republic of Indonesia.The Indonesian Air Force PC-2 Radio or the AURI PC-2 Radio is currently functioned as a monument or museum. The government of Gunungkidul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta is committed to developing the museum as the center of educational and historical tourism. Head of the Central Indonesian Air Force Museum “Dirgantara Mandala”, Colonel Dede Nasrudin to Radio Republic Indonesia in Yogyakarta said that the museum will be featured with various facilities. Therefore, it can be empowered as an educational and historical tourism destination. In the future, there is also a possibility to establish broadcasting academy in the area of the museum. The development of the museum will start in 2019. Colonel Dede Nasrudin also explained that the broadcasting mission involve 26 people; some of them are ex-announcers of Radio Republic Indonesia (RRI). Director of RRI in Yogyakarta said that there must be clear narration in connection with RRI’s major role in the history of maintaining the independence of Indonesian nation. Therefore, the struggle of maintaining the independence of Indonesia can always be remembered and taken as a good example for other announcers of RRI.

After prolonged conflict and avoidance of direct meeting with the Afghan government, finally with the Russian initiative, the Taliban is willing to carry out negotiation. Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov said that he had invited the Taliban and confirmed that the Taliban will meet with Kabul government in Moscow on September 4. This Russian initiative is aimed to solve not only the problem in Afghanistan, but also as part of Moscow's efforts to protect the interests of its citizens in Afghanistan. However, the presence of the Taliban is not without conditions. The Taliban still wants the United States to attend the meeting. Russia said that in addition to the two conflicting parties, it would also invite China, Pakistan, India, Iran and the United States. The crisis in Afghanistan should have been resolved a long time ago if the Taliban did not insist that they only want to negotiate with the United States. Even today, they are still reluctant to negotiate with the Kabul government. There is a change in attitude from the Taliban.  They complied with the ceasefire proposed by Kabul during Idul Fitri. Last Sunday (August 19, 2018), the Afghan government offered again a ceasefire to the Taliban until the upcoming Prophet's birthday celebration. Now, hope is beginning to arise with the Taliban's willingness to negotiate with the Afghan Government. Currently, the Taliban actually have begun to open themselves with outsiders through their political office in Qatar. Even, Taliban representatives also reportedly met with a senior official of the US Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alice Wells. Although the meeting was not publicly admitted by the US. The United States argues that there is no resolution to the Afghan problem without involving the Kabul government. Although the planned meeting will take place several days to come, it is a piece of hope for the realization of peace in Afghanistan. Indonesia has also attempted to arrange a meeting for both conflicting parties some time ago. Is it possible that the meeting will take place in Indonesia and continue to Moscow? And finally, both sides will obtain resolution to stop the 17-year conflict and start the reconciliation step. Let’s see and wait next outcome of the meeting in early September.