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Fulfillment of electricity needs is highly dependent on the availability of energy needed so that the synergy of fossil energy use, such as coal, natural gas and petroleum with renewable energy and new energy is increasingly important to ensure the sustainable growth of the Indonesian electricity sector. Related to the National Electricity Day October 27, Chairperson of the Indonesian Electricity Society (MKI), Supangkat Iwan Santoso said that the sustainability of the electricity sector is one of the main drivers of national economy and development. Currently, Indonesia's national electrification ratio only reaches 97.15%. Around 3% of electrification ratio needs to be pursued. This means that there are still around 7.5 million Indonesians who cannot enjoy electricity.

Meanwhile, addressing the national electricity problem, the government of Indonesia is trying to push electricity prices to be affordable and evenly distributed throughout Indonesia. Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ignasius Jonan when opening the 73rd National Electricity Day (HLN) program on Tuesday (October 23) at the Power - Gen Asia 2018 program, emphasized that electricity use must be evenly distributed at affordable prices.

Since 2014, the government has made the infrastructure design run with a 35,000 Megawatt (MW) project. This is aimed at reaching the national electricity equity and the most important impact is the effect of national economic resurgence. Towards the end of 2018, the government will decide to postpone a number of 35,000 megawatt (MW) electricity projects. But this does not mean that the project is stopped nationally. Minister Jonan emphasized that the postponement of several projects that would originally be carried out in 2019 to 2021, and even to 2026. Because, this is aimed at controlling imports in a bid to save the rupiah exchange rate against the unstable United States dollar. This postponement is a smart step to prioritize more macro-economic matters so that the economic stability of development that has been announced the government can be fulfilled.

What the government has done should also be supported by the private sectors. If the government cannot fulfill all of them, the private sectors need also to play their major role to address the shortcomings. Adequacy of electricity supply will ensure that the industry continues to grow, harmonize between urban and remote areas, such as access to communication, better lighting and transportation and to increase state revenues. But more importantly, electricity must be available to reach people who have not received electricity and is affordable for all of them throughout Indonesia.

That’s Commentary.

The release of birds and fish seed marks2018 Cultural Performance

Welcome back to my Indonesia.  Today we’ll bring you a topic about’’ The release of birds and fish seed  marks2018 Cultural Performance.’’

The release of about 50 kilograms of fish seed in the stream of Lamat Muntilan river, Magelang Regency, Central Java and the various birds marks the peak of the seventh 2018 cultural performance organized by groups of localpeople on Saturday. One of the committees of the 7^th culturalperformance , Sutikno explained that the release of these animals means that the local residents continue to pay attention to the importance to preserve theenvironment. He said that variuos fish seeds, such as Mujhair fish and turtles were released by the local community, including the ranks of local sub-district leaders.

Dozens of birds like kutilang, perkutu and sulingan kamparwere also released from the stream of the river close to the local residence of Pepe Village, Muntilan sub-district, Magelang Regency.

In the series of 7^th culturalperformance that took place from 13 until 21 October.  the local residents of Pepe Village, Muntilan sub-district, Magelang Regency carried out  action  “clean Lamat River” and the workshop with theme “Babad Sedulur Nglamat” was attended by some speakers. In addition, there were also a drawing and exposition, workshop of trash bank, kid play, traditional exhibition, educational and culinary exhibition.

In the peak event during 20 and 21 october 2018, art performance was held by some  local groups and some schools in Muntilan. Besides, mountain parade was also held and yellow rice was made from the local village to thesquare where stage has been established to perform with dozens of exhibition booths.

The cultural performance in Magelang regency was pioneered by Muntilam Museum Mission seven years ago. Sutikno explained that the annual agenda such as cultural performance is very important to support the spirit of the people’s brotherhood in the area. Headded that the cultural performance besides enhancing the local people’s brotherhood is aimed at uniting human beings with the world and the local area. The performance also builds spiritof ecological eduction which is the most important circle of the children. The local community makes the LamatRiver as meeting and learning place towards ecologicalawareness. The water stream of Lamat River flows from the foot of Mt. Merapi around 20 meters of east Muntilan, the biggest district in Magelang Regency.

That was My Indonesia today!

This is RRI World Service -Voice of Indonesia with Diplomatic Corner, a program which presents information about activities and progress of Indonesian diplomacy in the international world. 

The first information is from Hong Kong. Indonesian consulate general in Hong Kong assists victims of illegal money loaning practice.

To follow up problem of hundreds of Indonesian citizens/Indonesian Migrant Workers in Hong Kong who become victims of illegal money loaning, Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong until now has kept carrying out assistance and facilitation to publish immigration document for them. Until the news was published (21/10), more than 500 Indonesian Migrant Workers, victims of moneylenders have reported their problems to the Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong. They asked the assistance of the publishing of new passports because their passports were seized by Hong Kong police as evidence. This was stated by Indonesian Consul General in Hong Kong, Tri Tharyat in the meeting with representatives of the Indonesian Migrant Workers who become victims of illegal money loaning with passport’s pawnshop at the office of Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong on Sunday (21/10). Consul General, Tri Tharyat said that the Indonesian Consulate General is committed to providing assistance needed by the Indonesian Migrant Workers that become moneylenders’ victims in accordance with valid regulations. Until now, Consul General, Tri Tharyat added that the Indonesian Consulate General has verified the Indonesian Migrant Workers’ report and has issued more than 350 new immigration documents or new passports for them. Furthermore, Consul General, Tri Tharyat stated that the handling of the problem is also conducted through cooperation with Consulate General of the Philippines, because many migrant workers from the Philippines also become moneylenders’ victims. The Indonesian Consulate General and  Hong Kong Police also communicate intensively to follow the progress of the on-going law process.  

The next information is from Osaka, Japan.

Indonesian Consulate General in Osaka, Japan received the visit of 31 students of 9th grade of Cikeas Natural School, who are running Project Based Learning (PBL) program to Japan. During the program, they are scheduled to visit some facilities, including garbage burning center, recycle plastic bottle factory, local school and public transportation management. The Indonesian Consulate General hoped that the students apply the lessons which are obtained in Japan and also share the lessons to their friends and families after going back to Indonesia.

We end Diplomatic Corner with the information from Fiji. Honor for the World of Civil Aviation is granted to Anthonius Gunawan Agung.

At the opening of the 55th Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation for Asia and Pacific region which was held at Sheraton Fiji Resort, on October 22, 2018, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) gave plaque as honor to Anthonius Gunawan Agung. He was an air traffic controller who had secured hundreds of passengers that were boarding in Batik Air 6321 when taking off from airport at the same time earthquake occurred in Palu on September 28, 2018. Antonius Gunawan Agung prioritized to secure hundred people at Mutiara SIS Al-Jufrie airport by guiding Batik Air 6321 which would fly from Palu to Makassar and chose to stay at ATC tower until his work finished. The Batik Air which was guided by Antonius Gunawan flew safely. But, because of the earthquake, ATC tower collapsed. The honorable plaque was handed over by General Secretary of ICAO, Liu Fang to Indonesian representative from planning and controlling of Aviation Navigation Service Division. Anthonius Gunawan Agung has shown his total commitment for flight safety.

That was Diplomatic Corner.

Today's Mosaic of the Archipelago presents information: first, minimum wage of West Java increases becoming Rp 1.6 million. The second information is that Lampung volunteers are placed in Sigi regency. The last information of Mosaic of the Archipelago is that 253 Sinjai fishermen receive assistance of fuel conversion to liquefied petroleum gas.

Ministry of Manpower has decided the increase of the 2019 minimum wage of the province worth 8.03 percent so that the 2019 minimum wage of West Java will increase 8.03 percent from around Rp1.5 million in 2018 to become around Rp 1.6 million. The decision of the increase of the minimum wage will be announced on November 1st, 2018. This was stated by Head of Manpower and Transmigration Office of West Java, Ferry Sofwan Ari in Bandung, West Java on Tuesday. His side will discuss together with wage council related to the increase of the minimum wage. So this week, the wage council of the province will discuss the minimum wage. Ferry Sofwan also said that the increase of the minimum wage worth 8.03 percent is the result of the national calculation in the central level by Statistic Central Agency -BPS. From the calculation, Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration issued circular letter in order the decision can be followed-up by regional governments. Furthermore, Ferry added that the minimum wage of regency and city will be announced on November 21, 2018. Today, his side still waits the proposal of each regency and city related to the minimum wage.

Volunteer team of Taruna Siaga Bencana (Tagana) of Lampung province is placed in Sigi regency, Central Sulawesi to assist earthquake’s victims in the region. The team which consists of 15 personnel arrived in Palu on Tuesday morning by commercial plane. This was stated by Coordinator of the volunteer team of Lampung, Ferius Gunadi in a press release received by Antara News Agency in Bandarlampung on Tuesday (23/10). Ferius Gunadi said that Tagana of Lampung along with Tagana of Bengkulu with 18 personnel and Tagana of Riau Islands with 10 personnel were directly received by Director of Handling Disaster Victims ofIndonesian Social Ministry, Iyan Kusmadiana and Head of Social Office of Central Sulawesi, Ridwan Mumu. The Tagana will be on duty to register the number of refugees’ points, the number of tents which exist in the shelter, number of refugees who place the tents, the implementation of public kitchens, and psycho-socialsupport.

The last information of Mosaic of the Archipelago is that 253 Sinjai fishermen receive assistance of fuel conversion to liquid gas.

As many as 253 fishermen in Sinjai regency, South Sulawesi received fuel assistance to 3-kilogram liquefied petroleum gas -LPG at Fish Auction Center of Lappa, Sinjai regency, on Tuesday. Head of Fishery Office of Sinjai, Sultan H Tare said that the number of fisherman of Sinjai regency reaches 8,544 people supported by 2,014 ships by using catching tools, such as purse seine, bagan, jaring insang, tonda and ulur fishing rod as well as pole and line. The fishermen who receive the LPG are spread out at 4 districts in 11 villages in Sinjai regency. The most recipients are at Pulau Sembilan district and the remains on 3 districts are North Sinjai, East Sinjai and Tellulimpoe. Sinjai regency hopes that the assistance is utilized in accordance with its function so that small fishermen do not depend on fuels because the assistance provided can be more economical if using the liquefied gas. The recipient of the assistance was symbolically represented by Firman, fisherman from Pattongko village, Hasyim from Sanjai village, Umar from Pulau Buhung Pitue village and Mujair from Pulau Harapan village and Muri from Lappa village.

That was Mosaic of the archipelago.