VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, held a meeting with the Moroccan Ambassador to Indonesia Ouadiâ Benabdellah, at the Sapta Pesona Building, Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf Office, Friday (11/26/2021).

In the meeting, the two discussed the potential for cooperation in the creative economy sector, because previously Indonesia-Morocco did not have an MoU in this sector. In addition, the two countries also discussed the potential for cooperation in organizing international events.

The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy hopes that this cooperation will strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, especially in the tourism and creative economy sectors.

"Hopefully we can work together and collaborate with each other in developing tourism and the creative economy in both countries. Especially in the creative economy sector, because there is no MoU and cooperation agreement in the creative economy sector between Indonesia and Morocco. And can help promote and present quality and sustainable tourism," he said.

Morocco is one of the countries that contributes the largest tourism to Indonesia, from quantity to spending money. It was noted that before the COVID-19 pandemic, Moroccan tourist visits to Indonesia in 2017 reached 11,000.

The Moroccan Ambassador to Indonesia, Ouadiâ Benabdellah, said that Moroccan tourists have something in common with Indonesian tourists, namely they tend to stay long enough and buy creative economy products.

"Indonesia and Morocco have something in common when they travel, they come to stay for a long time, then they are both happy to buy handicrafts typical of that country, and come home with lots of suitcases to share with their relatives," said Ouadiâ.

Furthermore, Ouadiâ said that in 2019, the art of Moroccan sahrawi was present at the opening of the 2019 International Creative Crafts Exhibition. He hoped that in the future Morocco could be involved again in international events owned by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.

Ouadiâ also hopes that international events owned by Morocco such as the Rabat Festival can be collaborated with Indonesia.

"We also have the Rabat Festival, this event is the 2nd largest in the world, there are one million visitors who come and this event is also included in UNESCO. Hopefully this can be collaborated," he said//VOI-NK

Director general for resilience, zoning, and international industry access at the Ministry of Industry, Eko SA Cahyanto. (ANTARA/HO-Biro Humas Kementerian Perindustrian) - 

The Industry Ministry is committed to encouraging halal industry zones to cater to the increasing potential of the domestic and global halal market by enacting the ministerial regulation on halal industry zone permit application.

The ministry's director general for resilience, zoning, and international industry access, Eko SA Cahyanto, made the remark in a written statement released in Jakarta on Friday.

"Industry Minister Regulation No 17 of 2021 about halal industry zone permit application (aims to) accelerates the development of halal industry zone in Indonesia," he said.

The three halal industry zones that have been established are Halal Modern Valley in Banten, Halal Industrial Park in East Java, and Bintan Inti Halal Hub, he added.

"The industry zone has comprehended the potential of global halal industry investment, and we laud the three pioneers of halal industry zone in Indonesia," he remarked.

Cahyanto asked halal industry zone operators to apply for an industry zone license (IUKI) and conceive a master plan to cater to halal industry factories that have been established in their zone.

"By ensuring that all of the supporting facilities in halal industry zones, such as the management team and system, laboratory, certification body, and water processing plant, are halal-certified, this could serve as a selling point to enhance halal industry zone's competitiveness," the director general expounded.

He also noted that fiscal and financial incentives are necessary to accelerate halal industry development in Indonesia.

The ministry will propose incentives for halal industries that export their products, substitute imported materials, develop halal product processing technology, innovate with new halal products, and provide export assistance to other halal industries, he said.

Financial incentives are proposed to be provided for halal product processing, halal certification, material substitution with halal products, and enhancing the bankability of halal industries, the director general added.

To achieve the goal, the ministry will collaborate with relevant stakeholders to enhance halal industry development in Indonesia, Cahyanto said.

"Our measures that include accelerating fiscal incentives, rating system, innovation funding, and budget support are aimed at encouraging Indonesia's halal industry to reach the top-tier level among countries with halal industries," he remarked//ANT

Chief expert at the Presidential Staff Office (KSP), Fadjar Dwi Wishnuwardhani. (ANTARA/HO-Presidential Staff Office/KT) - 

Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) have thanked the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) for the help it extended in their safe and smooth repatriation from Hong Kong in accordance with the COVID-19 health protocols.

"We are grateful for the government's hard work, especially Mr. Moeldoko (Chief of KSP) and KSP that have paid attention to us in Hong Kong by handing out many masks since the pandemic began," said Nur Meliana, one of the Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong, according to a KSP press release received here on Friday.

Migrant workers who returned to the country were also provided free quarantine facilities, adequate food, and COVID-19 vaccines, Meliana noted.

However, Meliana, who is from Lampung, said she is worried that her colleagues, who returned home for annual leave, would not be able to go back to Hong Kong due to strict regulations there, especially the 21-day quarantine requirement.

"The problem is that the quarantine hotels are fully booked until the end of the year, even though many employers are willing to pay the hotel fees," she said.

In addition, according to her, Indonesian migrant workers planning to return to Hong Kong will also have to deal with constantly changing flight schedules. That is how the work visas of many migrant workers have expired, she explained.

Hence, she said she hopes that the Indonesian government can offer assistance to migrant workers who already hold Hong Kong identification cards.

KSP's chief expert, Fadjar Dwi Wishnuwardhani, said that KSP has coordinated with the Ministry of Manpower to provide assistance to PMI.

"We hope the Hong Kong government can give privilege to migrant workers," Wishnuwardhani said.

He also claimed that KSP has been intensively monitoring migrant workers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This effort is in accordance with President Joko Widodo's direction to provide protection and convenience for migrant workers, both those who have returned to the country and those who are still abroad," he added//ANT

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has signed Presidential Decree No. 19 of 2021 concerning the Determination of Indonesian Membership at the ASEAN Center of Military Medicine (ACMM). (ANTARA PHOTO/HO/Presidential Secretariat's Press Bureau/Lukas/aww/KT) - 

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has signed the Presidential Decree No. 19 of 2021 confirming  Indonesia's Membership at the ASEAN Center of Military Medicine (ACMM).

There were four considerations for the issuance of the Presidential Decree, as stated in its digital copy uploaded on the State Secretariat Ministry's documentation and legal information webpage jdih.setneg.go.id on Friday.

The  first consideration was that Indonesia routinely and actively sends its military personnel including medical personnel to international missions as one of the National Defense Forces (TNI)'s  main tasks in military operation other than war. 

Second, on May 25, 2016, in Vientiane, Laos, Indonesia and other ASEAN member states signed the Joint Declaration of the ASEAN Defence Ministers on Promoting Defence Cooperation for a Dynamic ASEAN Community, which adopted the terms of reference of the ASEAN Center of Military Medicine, it said.

The third consideration was that Indonesia wants to increase its active role in international cooperation in the military medicine field with other ASEAN member states and between ASEAN member states and Plus countries.  Indonesia deems it necessary to be a member of  the ASEAN Center of Military Medicine. 

The fourth was based on the previous three considerations, thus, the President decided to issue a decree regarding the Determination of Indonesia's Membership at ACMM, the ministry said.

The Presidential decree determines Indonesia's membership, rights, and obligations as per the prevailing rules of ACMM and the provisions of law, it added.

All costs that are subject to Indonesia's determination as an ACMM member will be borne by the state budget (APBN) and other legitimate and non-binding sources that follow legal provisions.

The Presidential Decree No. 19 of 2021 was signed in Jakarta on November 9, 2021.

The ASEAN Center of Military Medicine has a mission to establish practical, effective, and sustainable cooperation in military medical services for ASEAN Plus countries, both in normal and crisis situations, according to its official website//ANT