VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Coastal Mapping Center and Coastal Environment Geospatial Information Agency of Indonesia will verify 46 islands in Lampung province. The verification is to confirm the islands’ data of last year. Head of Public Relations and Communication of Bureau of Protocol and Public Relations of Lampung provincial government, Heriyansyah confirmed on Sunday that the Agency will verify the islands. Heriyansyah said based on information of the Head of the Agency, Muhtadi Ganda, the verification and standardization of the name need time for 2 days. The islands which have been registered last year, are spread out in 13 islands in South Lampung regency, and 33 islands are in Tanggamus regency. In the visit to Lampung, Muhtadi Ganda also said that Indonesia has more than 17 thousand islands. Those islands must be reported to United Nationwide Conference on Standardization of Geographical Named (UNCSGN) under the United Nations.

Muhtadi also said that until 2017, the Geospatial Information Agency only reported 16.056 data names of the islands and their coordinates. The standardization for social economic, tourism and   reference administrative boundary’s development in the region must be integrated. Meanwhile, assistant I of provincial government and People’s Welfare sector, Hery Suliyanto said that the number of islands in Lampung province is as many as 132 islands. Some of them are unknown small islands. However, those islands have great natural resource potential. About the verification of the islands in Lampung, Hery also said that as national and strategic reference in decision-making of various parties, the step is also useful to avoid trade of small land to foreigners.

Gadjah Mada University expands its cooperation in Indonesia, including in the Eastern regions. In the program “Alumni Greet” in Papua cooperation with 3 regencies in West Papua, namely Sorong, Tambrauw and Raja Ampat was conducted. The event was held for 4 days from February 2 until 5, 2018 as the support of Gadjah Mada University to the alumni to promote the region. The University’s rector Panut Mulyono, said recently that the university came to greet alumni who have worked and served for Papua. The university will always give spirit and help to guard alumni to continue serving for nation and state.

The MoU of the cooperation was signed by Rector of Gadjah Mada University, Panut Mulyono, Sorong regent, Johny Kamuru, Tambrauw regent, Gabrial Asem and Raja Ampat regent, Abdul Faris Umlati. Gadjah Mada University’s, Panut Mulyono hoped the cooperation will help the university to conduct college three-teaching event, especially to 3 regencies in West Papua. He explained that the program includes education, research, and service to people.

The government through the Ministry of Marine and Fishery invited a number of State Owned Enterprises of banking to facilitate capital for fishermen who want to change their fishing tools to be more environmently friendly ones. Minister of Marine and Fishery, Susi Pudjiastuti said in press statement on Saturday, Bank Rakyat Indonesia is one of state owned banks invited by the Ministry to facilitate capital lending for fishermen to change their fishing tools. Minister Susi Pudjiastuti has observed the data, verification and validation of fishermen’s ships with environmently unfriendly fishing tools in Tegal, Central Java on Friday (2/2). Data collection was conducted to make sure that the size of the ships and fishing tools are environmently friendly in accordance with ministerial regulation on prohibition on the use of fishing tools of 'Pukat Hela' and 'Pukat Tarik'. On the occasion, Minister Susi discussed with the participants and called on them to be honest when fishing. Director General of Fishing of Marine and Fishery ministry, Sjarief Widjaja said that the purpose of the program is basically to accelerate capital facilitation, especially for micro business credit scheme and retail for fishermen. Sjarief Widjaja explained that the program is in cooperation with a number of banks and non-banking institutions like through MoU between the Ministry of Marine and Fishery and Bank Rakyat Indonesia -BRI. The program gave very interesting sheme with a variety of convenience to fishermen with interest only four percent, far below the interest of banks in general.