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Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration Minister Abdul Halim Iskandar unveiled a digital village in Air Seruk village, Belitung, Bangka Belitung, on Saturday (November 20, 2021). (ANTARA/HO-Kemendes PDTT/FR)

Village digitalization must be followed by improvement in villagers' digital literacy, Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration Minister, Abdul Halim Iskandar, has said.

"Development of digital-based villages is important considering the current wide penetration of the Internet," he noted in a written statement issued here on Saturday.

"Despite this, digitalization should still be responded with adequate digital literacy because there are negative impacts in using Internet-based gadgets," he said.

Development of village digitalization is important to do to improve services for the people, he added.

Various village administration services would be easier to do through digitalization, he said while inaugurating a digital village in Air Seruk village, Belitung, Bangka Belitung, on Saturday.

"Digital technology would not only help village governments to access information concerning citizens, it would also facilitate villagers in accessing village (-related) information such as the realization of village funds and village budget utilization," the minister explained.

In addition, village digitalization could also be utilized to speed up the movement of the rural economy, he said.

Currently, villages in Indonesia have many quality products, both in terms of goods and services, he highlighted. With digitalization, promoting the products of Air Seruk village would be easier, he added.

"Right now, when you open the marketplace, there are many BUMDes (village-owned enterprises) online stores that promote farming, crafting, and tourism service products. This is certainly a very exciting development," he affirmed.

However, there are negative impacts of village digitalization that should be handled, he said.

"Digital literacy should be homework for villagers so that they are not impacted by the negative impacts of digitalization, such as the spread of hoaxes or illegal online loans," the minister expounded.

According to Belitung district head Sahani Saleh, Air Seruk village is a pilot project for village development in Belitung//ANT

East Kalimantan Tourism Office Head Sri Wahyuni. (ANTARA/Arumanto)

The East Kalimantan Tourism Office is promoting several cultural and tourism objects, with high potential, through holding some competitions this year.

The tourism and cultural competition features quizzes on East Kalimantan's tourism and culture as well as several traditional games matches, East Kalimantan Tourism Office Head, Sri Wahyuni, stated in Samarinda on Saturday.

Wahyuni noted that the competition will take place at the East Kalimantan pavilion in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) at Jakarta on Sunday, November 21.

"This activity is a follow-up introduction to East Kalimantan's tourism and cultural activities for Jakarta's community. The implementation is held at the TMII East Kalimantan pavilion," she noted.

The office head revealed that for holding the East Kalimantan tourism and culture recognition activities, some 60 community personnel in Jakarta will be involved in the showcasing of the tourism and cultural aspects.

The participants will be introduced to several traditional games from East Kalimantan Province, such as egrang, begasing, belogo, and menyumpit.

Wahyuni noted that Deputy Governor of East Kalimantan, Hadi Mulyadi, will be present to open the competition.

"The quiz match will be conducted in the preliminary and final sessions," she remarked.

The traditional games competitions will also be held through preliminaries and finals. The egrang and belogo categories will be divided into men's and women's groups, while there are no categories for begasing and menyumpit, she noted.

East Kalimantan is a province, with myriad potential, in terms of the nature, culture, forest tourism, adventure, scenic beaches, and seas. The province is named "Paradise of The East", according to the Tourism Office of East Kalimantan.

Earlier, Deputy Governor of East Kalimantan, Hadi Mulyadi, also affirmed his belief that Samarinda, the capital of East Kalimantan, can be an international destination due to the presence of the scenic Mahakam River//ANT

One of the WSBK racers during a free session practice at the Mandalika Circuit, Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), on November 19, 2021. (ANTARA PHOTO/AHMAD SUBAIDI/rst)

The Indonesian government is optimistic that the World Superbike (WSBK) racing event at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), will bring impact and benefit to the community.

"The WSBK event held in Mandalika, as one of the Super Priority Tourism Destinations, was a momentum that we must maintain to bring impact and offer benefits to the local community," Deputy for Tourism and Creative Economy Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Odo R. M. Manuhutu, noted in a written statement received here, Saturday.

The WSBK held on November 19-21 was projected to bring thousands of participants to Central Lombok and expected to have an impact on the tourism sector and Mandalika's creative economy, he remarked.

"This is a trigger for the tourism sector and the local creative economy to introduce Mandalika to the world," Manuhutu noted.

Meanwhile, Special Staff for State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister, Arya Sinulingga, noted that the WSBK event was supported through synergy between SOEs, including the Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), Aviata, Indonesian Construction SOE (PT PP), Pertamina, and State-Owned Bank Association (Himbara).

The Mandalika Special Economy Zone (SEZ), as the venue for the WSBK, is included in the Five Super Priority Tourism Destinations managed by ITDC.

"The Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit has become the new pride of Indonesians to hold international racing events," Sinulingga affirmed.

Furthermore, he pressed for optimizing the Pertamina Mandalika Circuit to encourage economic growth, especially in Central Lombok, NTB.

He also noted that related stakeholders must collaborate to maintain the Mandalika Circuit in an effort to maximize the use and facilitate economic growth for the surrounding community.

ITDC President Director Abdulbar M. Mansoer noted that the WSBK would attract tourists to visit Lombok and Indonesia as well as trigger the revival of Indonesian tourism.

Mansoer remarked that Mandalika was honored to host the closing series of the WSBK. The circuit has also cleared the homologation test by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM).

"We believe that we will be able to prove that Indonesia is a credible host to organize international race events. We hope that in future, more similar events would be held at the Mandalika SEZ to accelerate Indonesia's economic conditions following the pandemic," he concluded//ANT

Screenshot of Chairman of the General Elections Commission (KPU), Ilham Saputra at the Voting Simulation and Vote Counting on Simplification of Ballot Design and Election Forms for 2024 Election in North Sulawesi, November 20, 2021. (ANTARA/Tri Meilani A/rst)

Chairman of the General Elections Commission (KPU), Ilham Saputra, affirmed that the KPU will simplify the 2024 general election ballot after an evaluation of the 2019 general election.

"This is our effort to simplify voting and vote counting," Saputra noted on Saturday.

The KPU chairman conveyed the plan during the Voting Simulation and Vote Counting on Simplification of Ballot Design and Election Forms for 2024 at the North Sulawesi KPU office that was monitored here.

During the 2019 General Election, with regard to the five ballots, difficulties and confusion were experienced by the voters and the organizing staff to count the votes, he pointed out.

Voters also encountered difficulties in rechecking their voted ballots in accordance with the provisions imposed by the KPU.

Saputra noted that the policy of simplifying the ballot design is expected to improve the implementation of the 2024 General Election.

The Commission chairman remarked that the earlier simulation process had been conducted internally by KPU.

The ballot design was simplified through a research process, discussion forums, and inputs from experts in pursuit of a better voting system and mechanism, Saputra stated.

However, he believes that there were logical and political consequences that the KPU must accept in the form of the consequences of revisions in law.

"There are consequences if we want to simplify the ballot design. There will be law revisions on our plans," he remarked.

However, he emphasized that the KPU had done its best to facilitate the implementation of the 2024 General Election.

Saputra is optimistic that all respondents during the simulation would be actively involved in providing inputs.

"I hope everyone, who attended today's event, as voters, voting place (TPS) guards, and observers during today's simulation, would be actively involved in helping us to provide evaluations and inputs, so that we can redesign the ballot," he concluded//ANT