VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing, Basuki Hadimuljono (left), hands over the World Water Council flag to Saudi Arabia, which will host the 11th World Water Forum, in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Friday (May 24, 2024). (Photo by: ANTARA/Putu Indah/rst) 

VOINews, Jakarta: Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono representing Indonesia, handed over the baton to the next host of the World Water Forum to Saudi Arabia on Friday.

"I hereby declare that the 10th World Water Forum is officially closed," he said in his speech at the 10th World Water Forum's closing ceremony in Bali on Friday.

Though the event has ended, the joint work is still not finished, the minister added.

He said that many things need to be improved, including the importance of continuing various concrete actions formulated at the forum.

"The various commitments in this forum must be followed by real action," he emphasized.

He said that the compendium of 113 projects worth US$9.4 billion, which was issued along with the ministerial declaration on May 21, 2024, must be realized to provide benefits to the public.

He also drew attention to the importance of increasing synergy between stakeholders, considering that water problems are related to climate change issues.

As reported by Antara, On the occasion, Deputy Minister of Water, Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Abdulaziz Alshaibani said that the 11th World Water Forum would be a joint step to realize better access to water in the future.

Alshaibani added that his country is trying to link the World Water Forum with other water forums, ensure close connectivity in the world water agenda, and promote togetherness in tackling world water issues.

"Let us remain committed to protecting our precious water sources," he remarked.

Indonesia has officially closed the 10th World Water Forum. The forum resulted in a ministerial declaration containing 16 points of agreement, three of them on Indonesia's priority agenda.

The first of the three points was the establishment of a Center of Excellence on Water and Climate Security to develop capacity and utilize superior facilities.

The second pertained to the mainstreaming of water management issues for developing countries on small islands. Even though it is surrounded by water, Indonesia still needs a proper management system to overcome the challenges of clean water quality and availability.

The third was the designation of a World Lakes Day since lakes are a source of water that supports humans and also have social and economic functions.// Antara/VOI

Black smoke is seen above the refinery complex of PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, on May 25, 2024. ( Photo by: ANTARA/Muhammad Solih Januar)

VOINwes, Jakarta: Oil refinery firm PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional (KPI) confirmed that the fire incident at its refinery in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, on Saturday morning has been successfully extinguished.

“Currently, cooling efforts are underway,” Bayu Arafat, General Manager of KPI Balikpapan, noted in a press release issued on Saturday.

As reported by Antara, The fire was extinguished using eight fire trucks and static firefighting equipment at the location, he revealed.

He remarked that the fire broke out within the refinery area, posing no direct threat to the surrounding community. However, continuous monitoring is being conducted.

“We are also closely monitoring fuel oil production to ensure that the supply remains unaffected,” Arafat stated.

The fire incident occurred on Saturday at around 05:00 (GMT+8) and access roads to the fire location have been closed by authorities.

The fire was successfully extinguished by approximately 7:30 local time, according to the press release.//Antara/VOI

Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto (left), and South Korea's Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy, Ahn Duk-geun, meet in Seoul on May 22, 2024. (Photo: ANTARA/HO-Kemenko Perekonomian)

VOINews, Jakarta: Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, has sought support from the South Korean government in negotiations with the United States to open the market for Korean-made electric vehicles (EVs) produced in Indonesia.

"I am hoping for help from Korea in talking to the US to ensure the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) provides market access for products resulting from the collaboration between LG and Hyundai (in Indonesia)," he said in a statement released by his ministry on Thursday.

Hartarto met with the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy of South Korea, Ahn Duk-geun, in Seoul on Wednesday.

As reported by Antara, South Korean companies Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution have invested in Indonesia and are currently building an EV battery factory in Karawang, West Java.

Besides Hyundai and LG's investment, there are several other collaborations between Indonesia and South Korea that are already running, such as the expansion of the Lotte petrochemical factory and the construction of the Krakatau Steel-Posco steel cluster, Hartarto noted.

However, there are several cooperation agreements whose implementation still needs to be pushed, Hartarto said.

They include expanding market access for Indonesian micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through South Korean e-platforms, implementing Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), producing hydrogen and ammonia energy, and building hydropower plants.

Hartarto expressed hope that Minister Ahn would help strengthen industrial, trade, and energy transition cooperation between the two countries.

He also invited Ahn to the 3rd Joint Committee on Economic Cooperation (JCEC) meeting in Jakarta in July 2024.

Meanwhile, Ahn outlined opportunities for cooperation related to the development of nuclear power plants through the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI).

The institution has developed the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology, which is designed to be safe and produce a lower carbon footprint than conventional reactors. SMR can serve as an alternative solution for supplying electrical energy, especially in remote or isolated areas.

The trade relations between Indonesia and South Korea are entering the fifth decade. Data from the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs showed that the total bilateral trade between the two countries reached US$20.8 billion in 2023.//Antara/VOI

Hajj pilgrims boarding a Garuda Indonesia aircraft that will transport them to Saudi Arabia in the Adi Soemarmo Airport, Surakarta, Central Java, Thursday (May 16, 2024). Photo by: ANTARA/Harianto/nbl.

VOINews, Jakarta: The Transportation Ministry urged flag carrier Garuda Indonesia to improve its Hajj flight services following flight delays and issues that disrupted Hajj departures from several embarkation points.

As reported by Antara,The ministry's Director General of Air Transport has reprimanded the airlines in a letter dated May 17, 2024. It highlighted Garuda's failure to operate some Hajj flights due to technical issues as proof that the airline is underprepared.

"We heard complaints from residents and other stakeholders concerning Garuda Indonesia's (Hajj flights) service. We reprimanded the airlines and urged them to carry out improvements," Minister Budi Karya Sumadi noted as per the statement here on Saturday.

Garuda Indonesia should make the 2024 Hajj flight services their main priority for the time being, the minister remarked.

The ministry also instructed the flag carrier to carry out improvements to ensure the smoothness of their Hajj flight services and that the last departures could be done in a timely manner by June 10, 2024.

"We urge Garuda Indonesia to devise a mitigation plan and promptly report delay in the recovery actions they carried out for the 2024 Indonesia Hajj flight transport to the Directorate General of Air Transport," the minister stated.

The letter also highlighted the non-fatal Garuda Indonesia flight 1105 incident in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on May 15, 2024, when the Boeing 747-400 aircraft was forced to return to base (RTB) due to an issue in one of its engines upon takeoff.

To prevent further disruption in Hajj flights, the ministry called on Garuda Indonesia to ensure its aircraft's maintenance and operational readiness and improve its monitoring of the fleet's airworthiness.

"The coordination between Garuda Indonesia and the owner of charted airplanes they operate should also be improved," Sumadi emphasized.

In response to complaints about Garuda's Hajj flight performance, President Director Irfan Setiaputra earlier affirmed that his side is committed to improving its performance and addressing all issues that might disrupt flights.

"We will continue improving and prioritizing the safety and comfort of Hajj pilgrims," Setiaputra stated in his short message on Friday (May 24).//Antara