VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Deli Serdang library officially open - 

The Head of the National Library, Muhammad Syarif Bando, together with the Regent of Deli Serdang, Ashari Tambunan, inaugurated the Deli Serdang Regency Public Library Service Building.

Regent Ashari expressed his gratitude to all parties for the assistance in the construction of this new library building. He added that library services would re-open after being closed since 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Deli Serdang Regency Public Library Service Building was built using the 2021 Physical Special Allocation Fund for the Library Sub-sector in the amount of Rp. 10 billion.
“I would like to express my appreciation to all parties, especially the President of the Republic of Indonesia, not only because of the building financed by the State Budget but more than that because of his main thoughts, his desire to create intelligent human beings. One of the efforts is done through the availability of various facilities. And the library is one of the most important facilities," he said on Friday (11/2/2022).
He explained that all levels of society can access information through library services. Libraries are not only for citizens in the age of formal education. "All parties, even housewives, children, or even workers who have free time to study and read can take advantage of this," he explained.

According to a release receibed by Voice of Indonesia on Friday (11/02/22) that in line with this, the Head of the National Library of Indonesia, said that the inauguration of the library service building is the beginning of the Deli Serdang Government's policy to invite the whole community to make the library an open learning space.
He appealed to regional libraries to prepare books of applied science and digital books so that they could be used by the community to improve their standard of living. Libraries must be inclusive so that they can reach marginalized communities.
“Do you have to enter S2-S3 again for people who are already married? Impossible. But there are books of applied science. The most relevant. And this is the big job. My message is to hold books of applied science for the community with the help of literacy activists," he said.
Member of Commission X DPR RI Sofyan Tan who was also present was proud of the inauguration of the Deli Serdang Library Building. According to him, Deli Serdang has abundant natural resources (SDA) potential and needs to develop human resources. That way, the existing natural resources can be processed into products to improve the welfare of the community.

“I admit that Mr. Syarif Bando and his entire staff were quick and agile to adapt. I hope that the Deli Serdang library can really give birth to innovations so that it makes the library a place for people to explore knowledge. It must be able to produce various activities that make this building a means for recreation while learning,” he said.
Sofyan is also committed to continuing to support the National Library of Indonesia in carrying out similar activities in other areas. "I will continue to fight so that in 2023 the National Library of Indonesia's budget must be Rp. 1 trillion," he added.
On the same occasion, there was also the inauguration of the Literacy Mother of Deli Serdang Regency for the 2022-2024 Period, Yunita Siregar. Followed by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the National Library of Indonesia with the District Government. Deli Serdang, Kab. Pakpak Bharat, Simalungun Regency, as well as a joint understanding with the Nahdlatul Ulama University of North Sumatra, and the Lubuk Pakam Medistra Health Institute//VOI

Executive Agency for the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority meeting - 

G20 activities centered in Bali are certain to have a considerable economic impact on the surrounding area, and Indonesia in general. Labuan Bajo is no exception, East Nusa Tenggara which has the opportunity to host the Side Meeting, which is a series of G20 activities. No less than 10 side meetings will be held in Labuan Bajo from May 2022 to November 2022.

Shana Fatina, President Director of BPOLBF (Executive Agency for the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority) explained that on paper the direct economic impact is predicted to reach USD 3 million and will circulate in Labuan Bajo and surrounding regencies.

"The calculation assumes that G20 tourists have seven times the purchasing power of tourists in general. Ten side meeting activities with approximately 800 participants multiplied by USD 2000. This is still a rough calculation, not to mention if there are participants who want to increase their stay," said Shana Fatina during a media meeting in Labuan Bajo, NTT, Thursday (10/02/2022).

Therefore, continued Shana, BPOLBF, NTT Regional Government, NTT Regency Government, Kemenparekraf and relevant stakeholders joined hands determined to make the G20 side meeting event in Labuan Bajo a success. The key is collaboration of various parties, and also the active role of the community, of course.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Friday (11/02/22), various preparations were made, from the availability of hotel rooms, infrastructure readiness to tour packages to various tourist destinations in Labuan Bajo and the surrounding regencies. Where is Labuan Bajo as a hub for other districts in Flores.

"We offer attractive tour packages so that the participant's stay can be longer, besides that in some spots we also provide a place for the community to offer their creative products. Tourist attractions are also held in a number of places, of course with strict health protocols," said Shana.

In the midst of this hope, the threat of a pandemic is certainly not an easy challenge. Therefore, the cooperation of various parties, including the community, will determine the success of this event.

"Strict health protocols are of course an obligation, besides that a travel bubble will be implemented for mutual safety. We hope this pandemic can decrease so that people can taste the sweet fruit of this activity, after tourism has been slumped for a long time due to the pandemic," hoped Shana.

Here are 10 G20 Side Meeting Agenda in Labuan Bajo :  

May 2022 : Tourism Working Group

27 June 2022 : 2nd seminar/workshop ECSWG (Enviroment and Climate Suitainability)

28-29 June 2022 : 2nd ECSWG meeting (Enviroment and Climate Suitainability)

20 July 2022 : 3rd DETF Meeting (Digital Economy Task Force)

21-22 July 2022 : 3rd DEFT Meeting (Digital Economy Task Force)

19-20 September 2022 : 3rd TIIWG Meeting (Trade, Investment and Industry Working Group Meeting).

21-23 September 2022 : TIIWG Meeting (Trade, Investment and Industry Ministerial Meeting)

21 September 2022 : Seminar (Finance Track)

22-23 September 2022 : 4th IFAWG (International Financial Architecture)

October 2022 (TBD): Tourism Ministerial Meeting (Site Visit)

Head of the national library, Syarif Bando in South Sumatra - 

The National Library (Perpusnas) synergizes with the Regional Government, both Provinces and Regencies/Cities throughout South Sumatra in an effort to increase the community literacy development index (IPLM) and the level of reading fondness for the people of South Sumatra (Sumsel).

Head of the South Sumatra Provincial Library Service, Fitriani, stated that IPLM and the level of interest in reading in the province will increase in 2021, compared to 2020. He explained that this was the result of the work of the local government supported by the National Library of Indonesia.

"From 13.63 in 2020, in 2021 it has increased to 14.57. The level of fondness for reading has increased from 52.38 percent to 55.84 percent," he said in an audience at the National Library Service Facility Building, Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan No. 11, Central Jakarta, on Thursday (10/2/2022).

On this occasion, the Head of the National Library of Indonesia, Muhammad Syarif Bando, and his staff received a visit from the Regency/City Literacy Fathers/Mothers in South Sumatra and the Paser Regency Government of East Kalimantan.

The visit of Mr./Mrs. Literacy to regencies/cities throughout South Sumatra was led by the Chair of the South Sumatra Province PKK Mobilization Team, Febrita Herman Deru, Head of the South Sumatra Library Service, Fitriana, and the Literacy Ambassador of South Sumatra Province, Ratu Tenny Leriva Herman Deru. Meanwhile, the Paser Regency Government is led by the Regent of Paser, Fahmi Fadli.

Fitriana explained that the hearing was a follow-up to the direction from the Governor of South Sumatra in the 2021 South Sumatra Literacy Festival. It was stated that the audience would add insight and knowledge about libraries, especially about literacy. South Sumatra has 17 regencies/cities. He hopes that the National Library of Indonesia can provide support in the form of assistance in improving the quality of the library.

South Sumatra Literacy Ambassador, Ratu Tenny Leriva, explained that various programs will be implemented in an effort to increase the literacy index and the level of liking for reading throughout this year. These programs include the Digital Reading Corner at MONPERA and the Reading Corner at PS MAll Palembang, Launching of free Sign Language Training, Literacy road shows, workshops and talk shows, as well as book donations for the community. "We hope that we can continue to synergize and also have full support from the National Library of Indonesia," said the woman who is familiarly called Iva.

Meanwhile, the Regent of Paser, said that after visiting the National Library, he got many new insights. He admits that his district is lagging behind in literacy development. "We feel that Paser is missing a lot," he said.

His party seeks to improve the quality of literacy and libraries in Paser. Therefore, he hopes to get assistance from the National Library in the form of assistance for library transformation based on social inclusion, digital reading corners, and special physical allocation funds for library development.

"We hope that the Head of the National Library of Indonesia can grant our request, because we want to catch up with us in literacy development in Paser Regency," he explained.

In his speech, Syarif Bando explained that the National Library supports efforts to improve the quality of human resources (HR). "I am morally assigned as the head of a non-ministerial institution that is directly responsible to the President, to explain the importance of reading in supporting the government's 2020-2024 RPJMN (National Medium-Term Development Plan), especially for improving the quality of human resources," he said.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Thursday (10/02/22) Syarif Bando described, at this time, society is entering the era of technology with very fast changes. Along with this, the library must also make a paradigm shift where its function is 10 percent for collection management, 20 percent for knowledge management, and 70 percent for knowledge transfer.

"If this is not done, people will have left the library for a long time. Libraries are no longer about books on shelves, but how can people who cannot get money be assisted so that they earn money with books of applied sciences," he explained.

Furthermore, Syarif Bando conveyed the importance of reading and literacy development in the constellation of global interests. Today's literacy can not only be interpreted as a basic ability to read and write. According to him, community literacy ability is the possession of knowledge and skills that can be implemented to create goods/services that can be used in global competition.

He emphasized that the depth of knowledge instilled in students is the cause of the quality of college graduates who have not been able to innovate to create competitive goods and services.

"This is the basis for the President (to say) there is no other way, other than making HR the key word for the 2020-2024 RPJMN," he said.

Therefore, increasing library accessibility as a knowledge transfer space needs to be done to accelerate the realization of superior human beings. "That is, humans who master science and technology, can create jobs, can reduce unemployment, can increase per capita income, and can increase the country's foreign exchange for welfare," he explained.

Responding to hopes and requests from the South Sumatra Province and Paser Regency, Syarif Bando expressed his commitment to providing mobile library car assistance, social inclusion-based library transformation assistance, and Digital Reading Corner for both regions. In this activity, the accreditation certificate was handed over to the Paser Regency Public Library//VOI

Travellers sit in the international terminal of Kingsford Smith International Airport the morning after Australia implemented an entry ban on non-citizens and non-residents, intended to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Sydney, Australia, Mar 21, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Loren Elliott) - 

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday (Feb 6) that the reopening of the country's borders to international tourists may not be far away, adding that the parliament will debate the matter this week.

Australia, which shut its borders in March of 2020, has been going through a staggered reopening in recent months, allowing in only its citizens and residents, skilled migrants, international students and certain seasonal workers.

In January, Morrison said he hoped international borders could fully reopen before Easter.

His popularity has been sliding in recent months, however, in part reflecting questions about his handling of the Omicron outbreak, and he faces pressure from a federal election that must be called by May.

While the highly transmissible Omicron variant keeps spreading, hospitalisations and deaths have been stabilising, with News Corp newspapers over the weekend quoting unnamed sources as saying that Australia may reopen its borders within two or three weeks.

"We are looking forward to be able to make that decision to open up our borders and welcome visitors back to Australia again as soon as we safely and possibly can," Morrison said on Sunday. "But I really do not believe that that is far away."

The first 2022 sitting of the Australian parliament is to start on Monday and Morrison said that reopening borders to tourists will be addressed "very early on".

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said in an interview on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Insiders programme on Sunday that the government is "very close" to deciding.

Australia, which has nearly 95 per cent of the eligible population aged 16 and over double-vaccinated against the coronavirus and nearly 9 million people with more than two doses, requires all international travellers to be vaccinated or provide evidence of a medical vaccination exemption to enter the country.

As of midday on Sunday, the country's latest daily reports showed 43 coronavirus-related deaths: 28 in New South Wales state, nine in Queensland and six in Victoria//CNA