VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOInews.id: Indonesian Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin shared Indonesia’s experience in detecting early tuberculosis (TB) cases during the 37th Stop TB Partnership (STP) Board Meeting held from Tuesday to Thursday (6–8/2/2024) in Brasilia, Brazil.

VOI News :  The Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN) and the Ministry of Transportation carried out a location survey for the proof of concept (PoC) for urban air mobility at two airports in East Kalimantan.

"The trial of this urban air mobility mode will be carried out before the Republic of Indonesia's 79th anniversary in 2024," the deputy for green and digital transformation at OIKN, Mohammed Ali Berawi, said in Jakarta on Thursday.

"This momentum only exists through IKN development and must be utilized. We hope that there is technology that can be utilized for creation, development, and increasing the capacity of Indonesia's human resources," he added.

The two airports where the survey was carried out were the Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan International Airport in Balikpapan and the Aji Pangeran Tumenggung Pranoto (APT Pranoto) International Airport in Samarinda.

Berawi said he strongly supports collaborative initiatives between East Kalimantan airports and international companies, including for conducting an urban air mobility trial in Nusantara and its surrounding areas using advanced technology.

Meanwhile, the director of digital ecosystem development at OIKN, Tonny Agus Setiono, emphasized the importance of comprehensive collaboration between the government and the private sector, as well as determining the feasibility of the transportation mode.

"Trials must be carried out with thorough assessment and certification and also need to be continued for studies regarding operational feasibility and preparation of recommendations for the scope of new policies in urban air mobility," he said.

Therefore, the PoC will not only focus on studying the feasibility of the transportation mode, but also developing systems, human resources, and future policies, he informed. ( Antara/VOIRRI)

VOI News :  The Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) has emphasized that cooperatives have the potential to act as a driving force for the establishment of waste banks in the community.

"Cooperatives and waste banks have close relations in the context of plastic waste management and sustainable development, as well as being involved in the establishment and management of waste banks," the ministry's secretary, Arif Rahman Hakim, said on Friday.

During the "Complaints and Receiving Public Aspirations in the Cooperatives and SMEs Fields" discussion, he stated that cooperatives can establish waste banks to improve waste management and create new resources for their members.

Hakim underlined that waste management is a serious challenge that Indonesia is facing given its growing population and changing lifestyles, which has contributed to a continued increase in waste.

"This requires a smart and sustainable solution. This is why a cooperative-based approach is highly relevant," he added.

He said that even though Indonesia already has large landfills and waste processing sites, they are not yet fully effective.

Therefore, the government is continuing to seek various solutions, and one of the solutions that is currently being implemented widely is the establishment of waste banks, he added.

"The circular economic approach has a meaningful impact on the economy, environment, and society," he said.

According to data from the Ministry of National Development Planning, the circular economy could potentially increase Indonesia's GDP by up to Rp638 trillion (around US$40.81 billion) by 2030. (Antara/VOIRRI)

VOI News : Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas extended his best wishes to the press on National Press Day 2024, which fell on Friday, and urged journalists to continue strengthening concord among religious communities.

"Happy National Press Day! I hope that the Indonesian press will continue to take part in enlightening people and strengthening harmony among religious communities. I would like to thank journalists for synergizing with the Religious Affairs Ministry in supporting religion development," he said in Jakarta.

He lauded the theme "Escorting National Leadership Transition and Safeguarding National Integrity" for this year's National Press Day, saying that it is highly relevant given Indonesia's current statehood dynamics for two reasons.

First, this year's National Press Day has come just days before the voting day of the 2024 General Elections (February 14). He emphasized that the press can play a significant role in achieving Indonesia's dream of honest, fair, and confidential elections.

To that end, he asked Indonesian journalists to assist the government in encouraging people to exercise their voting rights wisely and prudently.

"As the fourth pillar of democracy, the press wields a strategic role in overseeing every stage of national development, including the period of national leadership transition," he said.

Elaborating on the second reason, he stressed that the upcoming elections must not disrupt the well-fostered harmony in Indonesia and emphasized the importance of anticipating any potential for discord in the aftermath of the elections. (Antara/VOIRRI)