VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

During the launch of the book “Admired and Despised: the Life and Works of Christaan Snouck Hurgronje” by Leiden University Professor, Wim van den Doel - 

The Research Center for Society and Culture and the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV)-Jakarta together with the National Library (Perpusnas) of the Republic of Indonesia, the Pustaka Torches Foundation and the ANTARA Journalistic Photo Gallery held the launch of the book “Admired and Despised: the Life and Works of Christaan Snouck Hurgronje” by Leiden University Professor, Wim van den Doel, Saturday (13/5/2023).

Snouck Hurgronje is a historical figure, a scientist from the Netherlands whose story is controversial among historians. The book, translated from Dutch, describes the adventures of Snouck's life.
In his book, Wim van den Doel tells the life of Christaan ​​Snouck Hurgronje as a person who is full of nuances and extraordinary, despite the controversy over his being considered a spy.
“Snouck is very happy living with the Sundanese people. He really wanted to live a life among the Muslims. He didn't even like the Dutch living in Batavia just to get rich quick or to have a career as a Civil Servant. He doesn't like it at all,” said Wim.

Born in Oosterhout on February 8, 1857, continued Wim, Snouck had lived and studied in Mecca. Because of his intelligence and understanding of Islam, Snouck was appointed as an official adviser to the Dutch East Indies colonial government and played an active role in formulating the strategy for the Aceh War (1873–1913) with General van Heutsz.
In 1890, the book tells that Snouck married a Sundanese woman named Sangkana. People think that Snouck married a Sundanese just to get information and spy, but based on the letter that Wim read, this is not the case.

Together with Sangkana, Snouck was blessed with four children. When giving birth to her fifth child, Sangkana died with the baby being born. From the letter that Wim found, Snouck's life became dark.
Snouck didn't want to do anything, didn't want to eat. Snouck was completely shocked by his wife's death.
"Snouck wouldn't have done all of that if he didn't really love his wife," said Wim.

The Head of the National Library, Muhammad Syarif Bando said that as a Malay Professor at Leiden University, Snouck had written more than 1,400 articles about the situation in Aceh and the position of Islam in the Dutch East Indies.

His books have become reference material in various socio-anthropological studies and have inspired writers to create books, as well as educational materials for all walks of life.
"Snouck's great thoughts made him known as a colonial architect in the field of Islamic theology and its correlation in socio-cultural aspects," he said.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Sunday, the Head of National Library of Indonesia revealed that as a preservation and deposit institution, National Library continues to preserve, utilize, and disseminate Snouck Hurgronje's works.

Meanwhile, in a mini symposium, Professor of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Jajat Burhanudin explained that the Indonesian-Netherlands Cooperation in Islamic Studies (INIS) published a number of translated editions of books published by the Netherlands on Islam in Indonesia, including Snouck's work. However, the publication is very limited.

"Snouck's books are very limited in Indonesia which can be accessed by the general public," he said.
Jajat continued, starting from Java, Snouck's encounter with Indonesian Muslims was followed by observing the ways of Javanese clerics in practicing Islam so that the religion developed into an established system.

The book launch event was also attended by the President of Leiden University, Annetje Ottow; Leiden University Library Director, Kurt de Belder; Director of KITLV-Jakarta, Marrik Bellen; General Manager of the Indonesian Torch Library Foundation, Kartini Nurdin; and Professor of UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Jajang A. Rohmana.

The event was also enlivened by a photo exhibition from the digital collection of the Leiden University Library, the Netherlands. The exhibition will take place from 13-25 May 2023 in the Exhibition Zone, 4th floor of the RI National Library Service Facility Building//VOI

Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits - 

As Indonesia hosts the first of two Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits this year in Labuan Bajo on Tuesday (May 9), key issues on the agenda include the acceleration of negotiations on the text of a code of conduct with China.

The code seeks to serve as a guideline for conduct to prevent military incidents and manage conflict in the South China Sea. 

Despite the ongoing negotiations, “we are not optimistic that there will be a signing this year”, said Ms Sharon Seah, senior fellow and coordinator at the ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

“The train may have already left the station because of events that are happening on the ground,” she said. 

The conversation on the code of conduct is in addition to the eradication of human trafficking, preparation of a roadmap for Timor Leste’s full membership in ASEAN and signing of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Protocol.

On the cards are also strengthening health architecture, energy security, regional food and financial stability, and digitisation of the economy and the tourism sector. The three pillars of Indonesia’s chairmanship based on its theme are ASEAN matters, epicentrum of growth, and the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific. Experts expect Jakarta to show its leadership in tackling some of the region’s most sensitive issues.

“Particularly in the areas of political security issues, people tend to look up to Indonesia, and that's where Indonesia has a special expertise,” said research professor Dewi Fortuna Anwar.

The first ASEAN summit was hosted by Indonesia, which came up with “the most important document”, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, noted Prof Anwar from the Research Center for Politics, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) in Jakarta.

The document forms the regional code of conduct for Southeast Asia, she said. Experts said the road ahead will be challenging. There is a “sharpening of grip” multilaterally by the United States and China, with potential flashpoints likely in Taiwan and South China Sea, said researcher at the Centre for Strategic & International Studies Muhammad Waffaa Kharisma.

“There's a pressure for ASEAN to be relevant in that sense. And then internally, for example, (for it to deal with) the economy and development issues (and) how ASEAN can stay resilient in the middle of crises like the climate,” he said.

The issue of ASEAN unity and centrality will be “foremost in the minds of the leaders”, said Ms Seah.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in a press conference in Jakarta previously that it is important to strengthen ASEAN’s capacity and ensure the bloc works more effectively to overcome future challenges.

“It is important to continue to maintain the unity and centrality of ASEAN so that ASEAN is able to continue to be a locomotive for regional peace and stability,” she said//VOI-CNA

Sorong Regency Literacy Festival which was held at the Ball Room Aimas Convention Center, on Monday - 

The Sorong Regency Government (Pemkab) is committed to instilling literacy in an effort to improve the quality of human resources (HR). Literacy is an essential factor in efforts to build a knowledgeable, innovative, creative and character-driven society. The Sorong Regency Government has three efforts to increase literacy. First to build a literacy house, Acting Regent of Sorong, Yan Piet Moso said, the illiteracy rate in Sorong Regency is still high. For this reason, it is necessary to have budget support and policies through the Library and Archives Service.

"We are building literacy houses on campuses or in the main square. Of course, this commitment must be collaborated and synergized with various stakeholders, both academics and literacy activists," he said at the Sorong Regency Literacy Festival which was held at the Ball Room Aimas Convention Center, on Monday, (8/5/2023).

Second, coordinating with various parties in supporting literacy programs. Real collaboration with various parties, one of which is the mother of literacy. Third, changing and building a positive new mindset in viewing literacy.

"In developing strategies and grounding literacy, it must be holistic and thematic, it is very important to build and change the mindset of the millennial generation towards literacy," he explained.

The Acting Regent of Sorong added, Sorong Regency won the Most Innovative Predicate in 3rd place in the underdeveloped area category in the 2022 Innovative Government Award (IGA) assessment for the innovation of the Fun and Innovative Agile Reading Park (TABAGASI).

"This innovation has many enthusiasts, to date there have been approximately 3,000 applicants who have entered online and offline. I hope that in the future this can be implemented in a system," he added.

In an effort to instill literacy in Sorong Regency, the Central Government through the National Library (Perpusnas) provides its support by providing Special Allocation Funds (DAK) assistance in the education sector in the library sub-sector.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Monday, Head of National Library Muhammad Syarif Bando explained, Sorong District has received DAK of Rp 10 billion for the construction of library service buildings, plus another Rp 1 billion for ICT, furniture and collections. Apart from that, a mobile library car (MPK) has also been handed over.

"This is an affirmation and attention from the central government to realize President Joko Widodo's program on improving the quality of human resources. Of course we are very selective in choosing areas that will receive assistance," he explained.

Not only in Sorong Regency, Head of National Library of Indonesia said that the construction of library buildings has also been built in Merauke Regency and Jayapura Regency.

"The central government's attention to the people in Papua is extraordinary, but a joint commitment is needed, both from the government, community leaders and academics," he continued.

On this occasion, the Head of the National Library of Indonesia received two books by the Acting Regent of Sorong, with the titles Secrets behind Prophetic Prophecies and Prophecies for Theophanic People Tribe A3 and Anu Beta Tubat Mutual Mutual Assistance for the True People of Maybrat. On the same occasion, the Acting Regent of Sorong, Yan Piet Moso confirmed Dr (Can) Anace Mosso as Mother of Literacy for Sorong Regency. The Acting Regent also confirmed 30 District Literacy Mothers throughout Sorong Regency.

Mother of Literacy in Sorong Regency, Dr. (Can) Anace Mosso said that the existence of Mother Literacy acts as an inspirational figure for the community in increasing the cultivation of a love of reading.

It is said, there are various programs that will be carried out by the mother of literacy. Among them, setting up reading corners in each district, reading aloud campaigns, and storytelling.

"This activity is a step towards mother literacy to increase the literacy of the people of Sorong," he said.

The Sorong Regency literacy festival was also enlivened by a literacy exhibition which was attended by a number of schools in Sorong Regency. Each literacy exhibition stand held various activities. One of them, at the SMA N 5 literacy exhibition stand in Sorong Regency, asked school students to rewrite local wisdom stories based on the fairy tales read. Apart from that, there is also a writing competition, activities to make pencil cases from ice cream sticks, decorations from balls and coconut shells//VOI

Capital Market Talk activity - 

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy/Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf) in collaboration with the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) held a Capital Market Talk activity as an effort to increase understanding and opportunities for tourism and creative economy business actors (parekraf) regarding the capital market, especially schemes Initial Public Offering (IPO).

The activity took place in Bekasi City and is the second city in a series of program activities "Roadshow of Parekraf Business Towards IPO".

The Director for Access to Financing of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Anggara Hayun Anujuprana, in his statement, Thursday (13/4/2023), said that this activity aims to introduce and inspire companies in the tourism and creative economy sector about the capital market, especially the Initial Public Offering (IPO) scheme.

He said the opportunities and potential for parekraf business actors to penetrate the capital market were very high. Data from the Indonesian Central Securities Depository (KSEI) states that the number of retail capital market investors has exceeded 10.31 million investors as of December 2022. This number has increased by 37.68 percent compared to the end of December 2021 or as many as 7.48 million investors.

"This opportunity is expected to encourage and accelerate Tourism and Creative Economy business actors to be able to take the floor on the Indonesia Stock Exchange with an initial public offering scheme or better known as an Initial Public Offering (IPO)," said Hayun.

Therefore, said Hayun, Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf prepared various tiered programs that could support the capacity and capability of parekraf business actors in penetrating the capital market as an effort to obtain capital.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Thursday, in addition to literacy activities related to the capital market in the Capital Market Discussion activity, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy also developed the "KreatIPO Coaching Clinic" which is a one on one meeting activity with supporting professionals in order to identify IPO readiness for regulatory, financial, legality and underwriter readiness aspects.

Apart from that, there is also selection to enter the IDX Incubator, coaching by IDX Incubator and monitoring by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, as well as holding a Demoday to bring together companies with supporting professionals who will help prepare for the IPO.

Head of IDX Incubator, Aditya Nugraha, explained, IPO is not the finish line in fundraising companies in the capital market. Rather, it is a starting point because companies can raise funds through the issuance of new shares through a rights issue or private placement.

"Besides aiming to seek unlimited funding, an IPO is also useful for enhancing corporate image, accelerating GCG, obtaining tax incentives, and others," said Aditya.

Meanwhile Claudia as the Main Commissioner of PT Taurindo Guide Indonesia Tbk or better known as Pigijo, revealed five main keys for business actors to be able to penetrate the capital market through the IPO scheme. Namely business strategy (product market, technology, agility), timing (external conditions and trends), having a professional support team, equity story, and networking.

"Companies with fewer than nine employees or even small companies can do an IPO. Because now the government is opening up opportunities by providing acceleration boards," said Claudia//VOI