VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin (left).  (Photo by: ANTARA/Dokumentasi BPMI Setwapres)

VOINews, Jakarta: Vice President Ma'ruf Amin thanked Saudi Arabia for always working to make things better for Hajj pilgrims.

As reported by Antara, Amin expressed his admiration during an interview with Al Arabiya News Channel on May 7, which was later broadcast on his secretariat's YouTube channel.

"I would like to praise the Saudi Arabian government for granting us additional pilgrim quotas for this year and properly preparing services, including the swift process of visa issuance," he noted in a press release cited here on Saturday.

However, the vice president drew attention to the fact that Indonesia is still in need of an even higher number of quotas, as some of its prospective pilgrims had to wait for decades to finally perform the pilgrimage.

"More quotas will cut the waiting time, though only by several years," he stated.

Amin also commended the well-maintained coordination between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, noting that the Saudi Hajj and Umrah minister had acknowledged Indonesia's capability of administering the handling of its pilgrims.

"We still have room for improvements because Hajj pilgrimage is a matter of transporting (a host of) people in a short period of time. I believe we are still facing brand new issues. Hence, we need to work to prevent the emergence of such issues next year," he affirmed.

The vice president then drew attention to Medina, praising the holy city's rapid progress in the development of supporting infrastructure and facilities for Hajj pilgrimage.

"In my view, Medina's development stands among the world's fastest. The city has continued to improve, including by constructing more hotels, which in turn provide a higher level of convenience to pilgrims," he highlighted.

Amin also praised the efficient and well-run air transportation services offered by the airports in Medina and Jeddah that can handle an aircraft landing once every five minutes.

"Serving an enormous number of Hajj pilgrims is no easy task. Hence, thumbs up to the Saudi Arabian government for consistently making improvements in Hajj services every year," he concluded.//Antara/VOI

Founder and Director of the Ubud Food Festival Janet DeNeefe (third from left) at the 2024 Ubud Food Festival in Gianyar, Bali, on May 30, 2024. (Photo by: ANTARA/Luh Putu Anggreny/wsj).

VOINews, Jakarta: Food lovers from near and far gathered at the 2024 Ubud Food Festival (UFF), drawing culinary aficionados, both local and international, to witness a dazzling array of local and global gastronomic talents in action.

As reported by Antara,This year's UFF, themed "Take it to the Streets," was an exploration of the flavors of street food in Indonesia, where every bite reflected the rich tradition, innovation, and sheer happiness derived from food.

Foodies at the festival were spoilt for choice in terms of the plethora of Indonesian street food and had the opportunity to meet the finest culinary figures of Asia.

The 2024 Ubud Food Festival provided a space for business owners and culinary brands, both local and foreign, to promote their products to culinary lovers and visitors.

At the event, local and global culinary brands associated themselves with top chefs, restaurant owners, academics, and culinary entrepreneurs, creating a colorful culinary collaboration.

UFF founder and director Janet DeNeefe said she was happy to invite local and foreign visitors to experience the richness of Indonesian cuisine, which ranged from traditional to new-fangled culinary creations.

Visitors could savor Indonesian meatballs, Indonesian pancakes "martabak" that were nothing short of a feast for the taste buds, the legendary culinary delicacy of babi guling, and vegan snacks that can be consumed without guilt. The event was held to ensure satisfied faces and full bellies.

Food For Thought, an interesting discussion session to explore insights, became a platform for producers and consumers to share stories with one another, build networking, and realize a dynamic and sustainable culinary industry. This is in line with the UFF goal to celebrate street food in Indonesia and the richness of gastronomy.

Indonesian gastronomy has come under the spotlight owing to its plethora of foods prepared with abundant spices and are emblematic of cultural philosophies.

Entering its sixth year, the latest edition of the festival was held on May 31, 2024, which kicked off with a press conference and the opening of food booths. It was held until June 2, 2024, with a variety of programs that presented new and prominent culinary talents from Indonesia along with Asia's best chefs and Michelin star award recipients.

This year, the festival opened its doors as wide as possible by offering free admission. The festival officially opened at Titik Dua, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali, on Thursday, May 29, 2024, with the launch of an exhibition of mural works in collaboration with this year's festival committee.

The festival offered a platform for local culinary business players to promote themselves. Visitors could find a variety of local authentic specialties.

The 2024 UFF was an opportunity to introduce and praise the rich culinary arts of Indonesia. With a blend of culinary tourism, education, and community empowerment, the 2024 UFF was a must-visit agenda in Bali.//Antara/VOI

Ilustration of Tempe (Photo by: Pexels.com)

VOINews, Jakarta: The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology officially proposed tempeh, an intrinsic part of Indonesian food culture, to the UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage.

As reported by Antara, The proposal was submitted at the end of March 2024 and is pending discussion by UNESCO.

"We are optimistic that the tempeh culture will be added to the list of UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in Indonesia. We hope that the inclusion of tempeh culture in the UNESCO list can provide benefits not only for the people of Indonesia but also for the world," the ministry’s Director of Cultural Protection, Judi Wajudin, noted in a press release received here on Friday.

The Indonesian Tempeh Forum, as one of the initiator teams, hoped for public support, so that tempeh would continue to be sustainable and known around the world.

Mentor of the Indonesian Tempeh Forum Made Astawan stated that tempeh is currently consumed in 27 countries.

Several studies in the world found health benefits of tempeh due to the fermentation of soybeans in producing it.

"Moreover, the trend of vegetarianism or veganism is also getting more popular, along with increasing awareness of healthy food in the world community," Astawan highlighted.

Tempeh is a native food of Indonesia produced through the traditional knowledge and techniques of the ancestors. It is a food product that is nutrient-dense and offers health benefits.

"Although officially, the government has not formally determined it, but we tempeh lovers and makers have been setting June 6 as National Tempeh Day," Chairman of the Indonesian Tempeh Forum, Muslimatun, stated.

He deemed it important that the culture of tempeh be celebrated once a year, as the nation’s ancestors have gifted such a healthy food to society./Antara/VOI

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat speaking at the Singapore Police Force's workplan seminar on May 24, 2024. (Photo: SPF)

VOI News : The Singapore Police Force (SPF) will introduce a new Cyber Police National Service vocation later this year, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Friday (May 24).

Speaking at SPF's workplan seminar, Mr Heng said the new vocation will allow the police to "better tap" the expertise of full-time national servicemen (NSFs).

These NSFs will be deployed to the Cybercrime Command and Anti-Scam Command to detect and disrupt crimes.

The police said they are setting up a new Cyber Ops Cell by the end of this year to "coordinate intelligence, investigation, operation, and disruption responses to cybercrime cases requiring real-time interventions".//CNA