VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between  ASEAN and European Union can contribute to develop Small Medium Enterprises -SMEs. Minister of Trade, Enggartiasto Lukita disclosed that FTA between ASEAN and European Union can contribute to develop SMEs and to handle negative campaign on palm oil. The input was affirmed when leading Indonesian delegation in consultation of the 16th ASEAN Economic Ministers’–European Union (AEM-EU) Trade Commissioner in Singapore on Friday (2/3). The subject in the meeting was to strengthen cooperation in the two regions. In the consultation,  the implementation plan of the negotiation between ASEAN and European Union was also discussed. Minister Enggartiasto emphasized the importance of cooperation between the two regions and the need for more comprehensive discussion about the agreement in FTA of the two regions. Before the meeting of ASEAN and UE consultation, Minister Enggartiasto conducted  bilateral meeting with EU Trade Commissioner, Cecilia Malmström. Both Minister Enggartiasto and Commissioner Cecilia appreciated the improvement which had been agreed on the negotiation of the 4th Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Partnership Agreement (I-EU CEPA) on February 19 until 23 in Surakarta, Central Java and especially, UE promised to give attention to Indonesia’s palm oil.

Indonesia reaches $9.1 million dollars in Gulfood exhibition. Indonesia participated in the Gulfood exhibition in Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on February 18 until 22. During the exhibition, the total transaction from Indonesia reached $9.1 million dollars. Head of Indonesian Trade Promotion Center Dubai, Heny Rusmiyati through press release received by Voice of Indonesia explained that Indonesian Consulate General in  Dubai cooperated with Indonesia Trade Promotion Center Dubai to facilitate and to meet the Indonesian entrepreneurs with buyers at Gulfood. Gulfood is one of the biggest food and beverage industrial exhibitions in the world. As many as 22 Indonesian companies participated in the Gulfood exhibition. The products, which were displayed by Indonesian companies, consisted of various finished food products or raw materials of food making, such as palm oil and its derivatives, biscuits, instant noodle, kinds of beverages, jelly candy, canned tuna, and cheese packing. Visitors who came to Indonesian stand, were from United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, Bahrain, Egypt, India, China, Algeria, Kenya, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Togo, and Russia.

Oil from Indonesia penetrates Australian market. Through Melbourne, oil Fastron PT. Pertamina Lubricants penetrates Australian market. President Director of PT. Pertamina Lubricants, Supriyanto D.H. explained that currently, his office has distributor of PT. Pertamina Lubricants products in  Australia, which has base in Melbourne. To more dominate market, the company opened PT. Pertamina Lubricants branch office in Sydney on Friday, March 2nd. Indonesian Consulate General in Melbourne supported the branch office and disclosed that the office will strengthen marketing of Indonesian products in Australia which has been initiated by the Indonesian Consulate General in Melbourne as a concrete form of economic diplomacy. The export opportunities will open larger, and will increase the trade balance for Indonesia.

God creates creatures in a couple. In modern era, there are a lot of ways which can be conducted by human beings to find their couple. Take for example, people can use social media. Indonesia is rich of cultures, customs and traditions. One of the traditions in Indonesia is about  matchmaking of couple. Tradition to look for a couple from Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi is named ‘Kabuenga’; elopement tradition is still preserved by Osing (Using) tribe in Banyuwangi; Omed-omedan tradition from Bali, especially in Banjar Kaja region, Sesetan district, South Denpasar and Lakudo people in Central Buton regency, Southeast Sulawesi province have tradition to look for a couple called ‘Kamomose’. Kamomose is from word “Komomo” meaning flower which  almost blooms and  “Poose ose” means lined up regularly. So literally, Kamomose is a tradition where girls who sit in line-up to be regularly introduced to the village’s young men. The tradition is usually conducted after local people celebrate Eid Al-Fitr. In the beginning procession of Kamomose tradition, the girls  are protected for 6 days and nights by their parents or village’s elders who are given trust to take care them. Afterwards, the girls will be made-up like bride by wearing Buton traditional cloth. Then, they come out from house and line-up with other girls by face to face while carrying a basin. The procession is a meeting between the village’s girls and young men. If a young man is interested in one of the girls, he will throw peanut into the girl’s basin. Besides peanut, the young man will put money or jewelry. The next procession on Kamomose tradition is that the girl negotiates with her family to select and to ask permission from her family. If they agree, the next event will be continued with self-introduction stage and then it’s a more serious stage, such as engagement and wedding proposal. This tradition is still conducted by the local people of Buton regency until now. 

Provincial government of West Sumatra is optimistic to make Sikakap seaport on Mentawai Island as the biggest Integrated Center of Marine Fisheries in the Western Indonesia. Fishery potential in the West Sumatra, especially on Mentawai Island is not optimally utilized yet. The development of Sikakap seaport could answer the challenge of distribution of fishery product which is constrained. Vice Governor of West Sumatera,  Nasrul Abit mentioned that the Integrated Center of Marine Fisheries at Sikakap seaport will accommodate cultivation fishery products and capture fisheries at sea. He also explained, fishery products from Mentawai will be exported easier through Bungus seaport. Access to Bungus is easier after the Integrated Center of Marine Fisheries of Sikakap is built. Nasrul Abit added that all marine potential in Mentawai could increase people’s welfare if it is able to be cultivated well. He also said that it’s time for Mentawai to focus on working on sustainable economic potential, rather than surviving with timber commodities that have been taken decades from Mentawai. Meanwhile, regent of Mentawai Island, Yudas Sabaggalet added that Integrated Center of Marine Fisheries of Sikakap has been completed with access to the location and support of 15 ships for fishermen. The government promotes cooperation among cooperative of fisherman in Sikakap with Public Company of Fishery of Indonesia Perindo.

Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo statue was inaugurated in Ambarawa, Central Java. The statue of figure of Indonesian independence movement is expected to awaken the spirit of nationalism. The statue was inaugurated by Home Affair minister, Tjahjo Kumolo, on Saturday (3/3). Minister Tjahjo Kumolo  said dr. Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo was one of the pioneers of the National awakening movement. According to the minister, the inauguration of the statue is an appreciation to Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo’s service for the Indonesian independence. Through his ideas in his writing, Tjipto Mangoenkoeoesmo was able to awake spirit of Indonesian people to be free from colonialism. Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo along with Douwes Dekker and Ki Hajar Dewantara are 3 heroes who are known triad. They had role to spread out ideas about the Indonesian government and very critical against the Dutch colonial government at that time. Tjipto Mangunkusumo was burried at Kupang public cemetry, Ambarawa. Hopefully, with the existence of Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo statue on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman and also dr. Tjipto park, the national figure will be always remembered by people.

Provincial government of South Kalimantan will propose Kiram,  natural tourism area as Special Economic Zone of tourism to the central government. Head of Tourism office of South Kalimantan, Heriansyah said in Banjarmasin, on Saturday that besides Kiram, other tourism objects which proposed to be Special Economic Zone in 2018, are Mt. Mawar, Riam Kanan, Kahong valley etc. The potential of the tourism objects will be introduced to the world. According to Heriansyah, besides Loksado, South Kalimantan has other beautiful natural tourism potential, but lack of promotion. Heriansyah also said, to increase and introduce the tourism potential, the provincial government held promotion of tourism destination on March 2-4 in 13 regencies and cities of South Kalimantan with the theme South Kalimantan Tour Travel Fair 2018. Heriansyah also said that the event had 48 participants, consisted of travel bureaus, hotels, government’s institution and banks. According to Heriansyah, the event was as effort to support national program, namely to invite one million foreign tourists. Meanwhile, South Kalimantan governor, Sahbirin Noor said that his office will continue to support tourism development efforts both for infrastructure and promotion. The governor also said that South Kalimantan is trying to explore the other potential of new economic growth, outside mining. One of them is tourism which proven to be able to give big contribution for improving the economy of the local people.

President Joko Widodo inaugurated Inspector General of Police, Heru Winarko as Chief of the National Narcotics Agency -BNN at the State Palace in Jakarta on Thursday (1/3/2018). Heru replaces Police Commissioner General Budi Waseso who is going to get retired. Seeing his track record, Heru Winarko, who was born in Jakarta on December 1^st 1962, is  a prudent figure in his institution. He was graduated from Police Academy (Akpol) in 1985. His career man is quite brilliant in the police. Several positions which were held by Gen. Heru Winarko include Deputy of Corruption Eradication Commission -KPK and Expert Staff for Ideology and Constitution at the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs -Menko Polhukam. But, there is also some doubt in some individuals about Gen. Heru Winarko's ability as the new chief of BNN. This may be because the previous positions are not directly related to drug problems. Is he able to  combat against drug trafficking in Indonesia and obtain achievement like Budi Waseso did or even, the achievement is better? President Joko Widodo once said that Gen. Heru was chosen for this position because of his background in KPK. He is believed to have high integrity for the post considering that the money circulating in this illegal business is very huge and tempting. The President also expects to have good standards brought from KPK to BNN so that BNN becomes a more professional institution than before. The research outcome conducted by BNN along with Depok Health Research Center at the University of Indonesia -UI shows that almost 6 million Indonesian citizens are trapped in various types of narcotics. The users can be found not only from the adult but also the school children from elementary level. If this is not dealt with immediately, Indonesia could lose a generation because of the influence of drugs. A lot of drug users, especially the addicted ones make drug dealers and drug agents increasingly supply the illegal drugs into Indonesia. The last case was that BNN successfully foiled the distribution of 1.6-ton methamphetamine –Shabu-shabu from a Taiwanese-flagged fishing boat in the waters of the Riau Islands. Last July 2017in a discussion, BNN's Deputy of Prevention, Inspector General Djohardi Wirogioto said that the use of narcotics in Indonesia is the largest in Asia. As long as Chief of BNN, Budi Waseso successfully revealed a lot of drug syndicates. During 2016 and 2017, BNN seized more than 100 tons of drugs with various types and handled 807 cases and arrested more than 1.200 suspects. BNN also managed to uncover 46 types of new narcotics. Even in 2016, BNN shot dead 79 drug dealers who resisted when arrested. In addition, cases of money laundering that came from drugs were also uncovered. The money amounted to almost Rp10 trillion. BNN has established a Task Force of anti-narcotics in all regions in Indonesia, consisting of students, students, private and government agencies, and the public. This achievement not only shows Budi Waseso’s achievement, but also shows that drugs have become the main enemy of the state, especially for younger generations. The data shows how terrible the onslaught of drug networks in Indonesia. Heavy duty awaits Inspector General of Police, Heru Winarko as  new Chief of National Narcotics Agency -BNN. Hopefully, he is able to continue the task to better fight against drugs. Indonesia must be free from drug trafficking. Mr. Heru Winarko, happy working!