VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Javanese people, especially from Yogyakarta have various kinds of traditional ceremonies which are still preserved. One of them is Mitoni that is carried out when the first pregnancy has been 7 months old. In the tradition of Yogyakarta people either from common people or royal family, Mitoni is the most important ritual among other traditional rituals. If this ritual is ignored, people believe that the bad luck may happen to the mother and the unborn child. According to the tradition, Mitoni can be implemented on the dates of 7th, 17th, and 27th before full moon on Javanese calendar. The ritual is conducted at the left and right of the house facing to sunrise. Mitoni ceremony cannot be implemented randomly, but there are ways and sequences to implement it. This starts from “splashing”. The splashing is conducted by 7 closest relatives with the aim of asking safety for baby in the mother’s womb. The water which is used is from 7 springs by being accommodated on bucket which is made from brass. Then, the water is mixed with various kinds of flowers such as rose, jasmine, kantil flower, and kenanga flower. Then, this is continued with “Brojolan”. Brojolan usually is led by the mother of the pregnant woman. The pregnant woman will wear clothes called ‘Jarik’ which is twisted with a rope called ‘Letrek’. The Letrek is thread with red, white and black colors. Then, the mother of the pregnant woman puts the looms called ‘Tropong’ or chicken egg into the clothes and drops it so that the childbirth will take place smoothly. It is continued by breaking through two coconuts which are described a pair of Wayang figures with handsome and beautiful faces. It’s hoped that baby who is born has handsome or beautiful face. Thus, Mitoni ceremony is continued with “Angreman” procession which sings love of a mother and father to their baby. The pregnant woman will be guided to another room to change dresses with 7 different ones. The last procession is “Dodol Rujak” or in English means selling fruit salad. This procession is that the pregnant woman will make Rujak by being accompanied by her husband. Then, the guests will buy it by using Kereweng as currency. It is meant that the baby will get good fortune and to be able to support her/his family. Basically, the ceremony is gratitude expression to the God for safety and tranquility. But, this is expressed in the symbols which have different meanings.

The implementation of the National Examination for Junior High Level (SMP) or the equivalent is held simultaneously starting today, April 23 until April 26 in Indonesia with the total number of the participants nearly 4.3 million students. 63% of the participants follow the UN-based computer (UNBK) while the others still follow the exam by conventional way, namely by pencil and paper (UNKP). When asked how difficult is about the use of ‘HOTS’ model (Higher Order Thinking Skills) in the National Examination of Junior High School and the equivalent, Head of National Education Standards Agency (BSNP), Bambang Suryadi responded that the model has become the policy of the Ministry of Education and Culture to introduce the assessment with HOTS model that aims to train critical, creative, and analytical thinking skills among students so that they do not learn by memorizing patterns. This is in line with one of the goals of the 2013 Curriculum that does encourage the critical, creative, and analytical thinking skills. Minister of Education and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy said to Antara News Agency in Jakarta on Sunday (22/4) that about 10 to 15 % of the existing questions are related to HOTS model. The level of difficulty is adjusted to the ability of Junior High School students. Why does HOTS model seem difficult for the students? Secretary General of the Federation of Indonesian Teachers Union (FSGI), Heru Purnomo perceives that only some teachers apply HOTS in school learning. The approach of HOTS model is related to the 2013 curriculum. Meanwhile, most of the students who sit at IX class, attending the UN-based computer -UNBK still use Education Unit Level Curriculum -KTSP. In fact, any kinds of education models given in the national examination for Junior High School students or the equivalent levels will not be considered difficult, if the participating examinees have well prepared for the exam. Students’ great motivation to understand teaching materials at school, including support from parents, teachers, and the environment becomes very meaningful to be successful in the final exams, such as the National Exam, the School Exam or the Nationally Standardized Exam (USBN).

The city government of Bandung continues to organize the environment to create a much greener, cleaner and more comfortable city. Therefore, planting trees on the riverbanks is being intensively conducted. All rivers passing through Bandung will be planted by trees to prevent from erosion, to controll sediment transport, sedimentation and to prevent from  environmental damage. Head of Landscape Gardening of Housing and Settlement Office of Bandung, Iwan Sugiono said that the tree planting on the riverbanks becomes one of the programs initiated by the Office. The program is called 'Land Rehabilitation Movement'. Through the program, the land in Bandung continues to be rehabilitated. Iwan mentioned that the types of tree that is suitable with the condition of the river are rubber, bamboo, dadap trees, Cangkring and Banyan trees.

To increase tourist arrivals to Tanah Lot, Bali, the government of Tabanan Regency in cooperation with Tanah Lot Tourism Destination held a series of events entitled 'Tanah Lot Art and Culture Weekend'. The events were held for three days on April 20 to 22, 2018. Tabanan Regent, Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti revealed that after the eruption of Mount Agung, tourist visits to Tanah Lot had decreased to 0.78 percent. Therefore, it takes an innovation that can attract tourists, such as by holding a series of festivals. The operational manager of Tanah Lot Tourism Destination, Toya Adnyana added that the theme of the festival is "Harmonization of Art and Culture in Modern Visualization", which consists of various series of event such as art culture and festival, after sunset illuminated garden (light garden), as well as coffee festival. Art culture and festival is packed with the concept of harmonization of Balinese traditional art and modern visual, interactive multimedia, lighting and audio. While after sunset illuminated garden (light garden), packed with the concept of visual artwork in the form of optical illusion creation.

Gender equality activists in the utilization of natural resources incorporated in Women’s Solidarity of Palembang, South Sumatera, prepare an exhibition of agricultural products that will be held in Kambang Iwak Palembang, on April 22, 2018. Palembang Women’s Solidarity organizer Ressy Tri Mulyani in Palembang said that the exhibition was conducted to enliven the Earth Day commemorated internationally. In addition to hold an exhibition, the Women’s Solidarity of Palembang along with other environmental activists took action to distribute fruit-seeds and tree protection, at the yard of the People's Struggle Monument of Palembang. According to Ressy, the activity is aimed to show the role of women in managing forests and land well. As an agrarian country, agriculture is the main source of livelihood for most Indonesians and nearly 60 percent of those managing agriculture are women. Ressy Tri Mulyani moreover added that women have an excellent role and knowledge in every stage of land management. However, it can not be used as a reference and consideration in various governance and decision-making processes related to issues including women's rights to land. Through the momentum of the Earth Day Commemoration this year, it is hoped the women get Greater attention, and involved maximally in managing process of natural resources and making decision on forest and land.

Exports of Indonesian automotive products will return to Vietnam, after export market access of Indonesian automotive products to the country had temporary stopped. Press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta, Tuesday (17/4) stated that this is one of the issues discussed in the 3rd Session of the Joint Commission of Indonesia-Vietnam. The Joint Commission Meeting, held in Hanoi, Vietnam, led by Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Vietnam Foreign Minister Pham Bihn Mihn. Automative products is one of Indonesia's largest exports to Vietnam, reached about 293 million US dollars in 2017. Previously, at the end of 2017, the Government of Vietnam issued a regulation restricting the automotive import in the country. Retno Marsudi said that as one of Indonesia's close neighbors, the bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Vietnam continues to grow rapidly year on year, especially after the two countries agreed on strategic partnership agreement in 2013. In the economic field, the trade value of both countries continued to increase to 6.8 billion US dollars in 2017, or 8.64 percent compared to 2016. In addition, there is an increase in the value of two-way investment between the two countries. In 2017 Vietnam's investment to Indonesia increased by about 300 percent, while Indonesian investment to Vietnam increased by about 36 percent in 2017. Various achievements in the field of economic cooperation are in line with the targets of the strategic action plan of the two countries, for the 2014-2018 period. In the meeting, the two Foreign Ministers agreed the positive momentum of economic cooperation between the two countries should be kept on guard. Therefore, the two Ministers agreed to immediately develop a new action plan for the 2019-2023 period, as a guide and the target of cooperation between the two countries, within the next five years. The Action Plan will be completed by November 2018. Several new sectors proposed by the Foreign Minister to enter in the new action plan including strategic defense industry, cultivation of crops and marine animals, marine tourism, renewable energy and creative industries. Minister Retno Marsudi expects that the new action plans can be completed by 2018 by admiting new opportunities. The two Foreign Affairs Ministers will encourage wider interaction with various business communities to explore innovative steps to make use various opportunities. Minister Retno Marsudi has said, some identified sectors remain opened for businessmen of Indonesia and Vietnam, such as downstream sector of oil and gas, hotel and property.