VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

    photo : kpu klaten

One of the crucial problems during the regional election that will be simultaneously held in 270 regions on December 9 2020 is not only about people’s participation but also keeping the neutrality of the state civil apparatus. The state civil apparatus’ neutrality is regulated in Law no. 5 year 2014. Article 70 verse 1 of the Law says that state civil apparatus involved in candidates’ campaign can be charged 6-month imprisonment. Based on data from the State Civilian Bureaucracy Commission until August 2020, there were 499 reports on suspected neutrality violations. Then after further investigation, 389 state civil apparatus were proven guilty. 

The neutrality violations done by them included giving support for prospective candidates on social media or mass media, introducing prospective candidates through campaign equipment, attending activities that benefit the candidates, declaring themselves as prospective candidates, inviting or intimidating people to support a candidate. State civil apparatus’ neutrality is important to avoid division and conflict of interest, as well as to guarantee the bureaucracy as the keeper of unity in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. Therefore, neutrality must be kept and monitored so that the regional election can be fair and honest between candidates who have power and those who do not possess power relations in a government bureaucracy environment.

Therefore, to keep the state civil apparatus neutral, Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform along with Ministry of Home Affairs, National Civil Service Agency, State Civilian Bureaucracy Commission, and Election Supervisory Board had readied Joint Decree on Guidance for Monitoring State Civil Apparatus Neutrality in Simultaneous Regional Election 2020. The Joint Decree signing was done on September 10 20202 at the Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry Office in Jakarta. The Joint Decree aims to be the guidance for government institutions in keeping the neutrality of state civil apparatus, especially during the Simultaneous Regional Election 2020.

Besides, there must be synergy, effectiveness, and efficiency to be created in monitoring the state civil apparatus’ neutrality and realizing legal certainty towards neutrality violation. It is certainly expected that the violation of state civil apparatus neutrality will not happen again or at least is kept at minimum level with the synergic monitoring.

PHOTO : MY INDONESIAN

The Cendrawasih dance is a dance from Bali. Created by Balinese artist, I Gde Manik, this dance was firstly performed in the 1920s in Buleleng Regency. Since then, the Cendrawasih dance has continued to develop with new creations. The latest creation of Cendrawasih dance is arranged by the choreographer N.L.N Swasthi Wijaya Bandem. In accordance with the name, the Cendrawasih dance was inspired by Cendrawasih bird which means Manuk Dewata in Balinese language. This dance tells a story about a pair of Cendrawasih birds. The bird species is indeed known as cheerful birds which like dancing and singing when they fall in love. But explicitly, this dance has a philosophical meaning about the beauty of the matchless island of Bali.

The Cendrawasih dance is usually performed by two or more female dancers in pairs. Some of the dancers acted as male and female birds. This dance is divided into 3 stages, namely the beginning called pepeson, the main part called pengawak and the last part called pengipuk. The initial part of this dance begins with the performance of a dancer who act as a male Cendrawasih bird. All Cendrawasih dancers wear kemben, cloth, crown with crest, and gold necklace. Like Balinese dances in general, Cendrawasih dance is accompanied by Balinese Gamelan.

PHOTO : FACTS OF INDONESIA

Main Expert Diplomat of Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Prayitno Atiyono hoped the diplomats can become the top marketers of Indonesian coffee products because coffee is an Indonesian economic power and potential diplomacy pillar. In a webinar held by University of Jember, East Java on Saturday (5/9), Prayitno said that the Indonesian diplomats can perform marketing intelligence in coffee, building Indonesian diaspora power, and connect Indonesian coffee business people with foreign counterparts in their assigned countries.

According to Prayitno, marketing intelligence includes gathering information about existing coffee trade regulation, competitors, and a country’s coffee preference. The diplomats were also asked to start business cooperation with local business people, including actively promoting Indonesian coffee by involving Indonesian diaspora.

Prayitno, who also asked Indonesian coffee exporters to target Latin America, stated that Indonesian embassies in Argentina, Chile, and other countries are ready to facilitate Indonesian coffee promotion in the region.

The readiness to promote Indonesian coffee was conveyed by Indonesian Ambassador to Finland and Estonia which is located in Helsinki, Ratu Silvy Gayatri. She said that Finland is a potential coffee market for Indonesia considering their coffee consumption reaching 12 kilograms per person per year.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Consul General in Dubai, Ridwan Hasan said that besides developing the 24 specialty coffees, they recommend Indonesia to consider Indonesian typical coffee so it is more recognizable by the global community.

They also recommend opening Indonesian coffee shops abroad such as in the United Arab Emirates that is an international trade center or at Dubai International Airport as a hub for many international flights.

PHOTO : BRITISH COUNCIL 

September 8 is commemorated by the world as International Literacy Day. Since 1967, every year International Literacy Day has been commemorated to remind people of the importance of literacy as a matter of human dignity and rights.

UNESCO notes that there is progress in efforts to eradicate illiteracy. However, currently at least, 773 million adults worldwide still lack basic literacy skills. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia said that the illiteracy rate at the age of 15-59 years in Indonesia reaches 1.78 percent of the total population. When compared with previous years, this figure continues to decline. Director General of Early Childhood Education –PAUDat the Basic Education and Secondary Education Ministry of Education and Culture, Jumeri said that his side is targeting the achievement of illiteracy by 0 percent by 2023.The Illiteracy must be done, although it has to face challenges. Then what efforts should becarried out and what kind of literacy learning program is effective amid the Covid-19 pandemic? Of course, every country has its own answers and methods. Indonesia has chosen “Literacy Learning in the Covid-19 Pandemic, Momentum for Paradigm Change” as the theme for the commemoration of International Literacy Day 2020. This theme refers to the theme carried out by UNESCO, namely, “Literacy Teaching and Learning in the COVID-19 Crisis and Beyond with a Particular Focus on The Role of Educators and Changing Pedagogies”.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, various efforts, innovations and participation must be carried out. If in the period before the pandemic, the introduction of literacy at an early age might be mostly done in Early Childhood Education (PAUD) or kindergartens. However nowadays, it is mostly done in the family. Parents can use any method to introduce characters, including through online broadcasts, of course with tight supervision. Currently, a lot of children actually recognize characters through broadcasts on the internet. Direct community participation in the eradication of illiteracy in their neighborhood must be further enhanced. One of them is through reading gardens. With the support of the government, of course the reading gardens in the community will be able to improve their role. In addition to eradicating illiteracy, and creating individuals who can read, write and count, the provision of the reading gardens is one solution to addressing gaps in the distance learning process. The reading gardens can facilitate environmental, character and social learnings for children. Of course, health protocols should not be ignored.

Based on the awareness that literacy is the right of every human being, illiteracy freedom should be the concern of all stakeholders. The involvement of every individual with any method must be boosted. The government support for community participation in literacy eradication could be further improvedby providing financial assistance, training and facilities to people who actively contribute to efforts to eradicate illiteracy. So, zero percent illiteracy in Indonesia in 2023 can be achieved. In the end, this can improve the welfare of the Indonesian people.