VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOInews, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, has urged people to exercise their voting rights during the 2024 General Elections to lower the number of "Golput" and elect legitimate leaders.

"Golput" is an abbreviation for "Golongan Putih" (White Group), which refers to those choosing to abstain from voting in a general election.

"We seek to increase the participation of the people as voters because a high rate of voters' participation and a low rate of 'Golput' can sociologically and politically affect the legitimacy of elected figures," he explained during a dialogue on "Successful 2024 General Elections toward an Advanced Indonesia" in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He opined that a high rate of voter participation in an election could help the country produce leaders and legislators that represent all elements of society and genuinely heed the people's aspirations.

Minister Mahfud then noted that the participation of voters could significantly affect the legitimacy of the authority wielded by elected figures.

"Therefore, it is necessary for the people to exercise their voting rights during the 2024 General Elections," he said.

Furthermore, he affirmed that by actively participating in the elections, people can help Indonesia transform into a developed country.

In order to get competent leaders and legislators elected to manage the country, the people should exercise their voting rights, he stressed.

"The general elections can be a momentum for us to renew national ties and unity by building a legitimate government for the sake of continuing development and advancing the nation," he pointed out.

Based on data from the General Elections Commission (KPU), the number of people in the Official Voters' List (DPT) for the 2024 General Elections has reached 204,807,222. They comprise Indonesian citizens living in 38 provinces and abroad.

Of the total voters, 203,056,748 live in Indonesia, while 1,750,474 reside in 128 other countries. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - The Transportation Ministry deployed emergency response officers to evacuate passengers from an Argo Semeru train that derailed on the crossing between Sentolo and Wates stations, Kulon Progo district, Yogyakarta, on Tuesday and investigate the incident.

"The evacuation team is already deployed to evacuate and ensure the passengers' safety. They are also coordinating to bring in a series of heavy equipment and supporting locomotives to evacuate the affected facilities," the ministry's director general of railways, Risal Wasal, informed in a statement released on Tuesday.

To evacuate the affected passengers, a series of extraordinary trains (KLB) have been sent from Yogyakarta, he informed.

The Directorate General of Railways (DJKA) is coordinating intensively with the emergency response team to ensure there are no victims, Wasal said.

"At the same time, we will investigate and explore the chronology of the incident to immediately take further steps to handle it," he added.

The ministry has also expressed concern over the derailment involving the Argo Semeru train series bearing the registration number KA 17 on the Surabaya Gubeng-Gambir route.

The incident took place at the intersection between Sentolo and Wates stations, Km 520+4, on Tuesday at 1:15 p.m. local time. Ten minutes later, an Argo Wilis train came from the west and brushed past the Argo Semeru train, resulting in both rail tracks getting blocked. The carriages of the two trains were damaged and not fit to continue the trip.

As per the latest data from the ministry, three passengers suffered minor injuries in the accident and were attended to by officials from state-owned railway company PT KAI's Operational Regional (Daop) 6 Yogyakarta. There were no casualties.

PT KAI's next efforts include evacuating passengers from the two trains and repairing the damaged rail tracks.

For trains running through the Wates-Sentolo area, KAI will devise an operational pattern in the form of detours and transfers to different trains or buses. (Antaranews)

VOI, Jakarta - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) praised China's interest to invest in the housing and health sectors for the new capital city (IKN) Nusantara in East Kalimantan.

Jokowi made this statement during a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang at the Diaoyutai State Guest House, Beijing, China, on Tuesday.

"I appreciate the design planning cooperation between IKN Nusantara and Shenzhen City and also Chinese private companies' interest to invest in the housing and health sectors in IKN," the president remarked.

IKN has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Shenzhen City, which in the last four decades has transformed from a small city to a metropolis, for the construction of Indonesia's new capital city.

"We also ask for your support to accelerate the realization of investment in IKN Nusantara," Jokowi told PM Qiang.

In addition, the president lauded the positive development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries over the last decade where China has become Indonesia's largest trading partner and second-largest investor.

According to Jokowi, this strong cooperation helps strengthen regional and international cooperation where peace and stability are the main issues.

During the meeting, Jokowi was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, interim Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment as well as State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir and Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan.

Meanwhile, PM Qiang was accompanied by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Tang Renjian, Deputy Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission Cong Liang, Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Lu Kang, Director of the Prime Minister's Office Kang Xuping, Director General of the ASEAN Department of the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry Li Jinsong, and Assistant of Foreign Affairs Minister Nong Rong.

On September 6, 2023, PM Qiang took a test ride on the Jakarta-Bandung Fast Train (KCJB) along with Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. Thereafter, on September 8, 2023, PM Qiang met with President Jokowi at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.

Furthermore, on September 16, 2023, PM Qiang also met with Vice President Ma'ruf Amin during his visit to Nanning, China, to discuss investment in high-speed trains to electric cars (Antaranews)

VOI, Jakarta - Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Abdullah Azwar Anas expressed his support for the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in Canberra, Australia, to continue to conduct digital transformation.

"This (digital transformation) is being implemented to provide people with an easier access to public services while adapting to their varied needs," he noted in a written statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Minister Anas remarked that the embassy constituted the governmental unit closest to Indonesian citizens in Australia since the services it offers are directly related to the need of citizens.

"Hence, we would like to encourage KBRI to ensure that the services offered meet the expectations of the Indonesian citizens," he noted in the presence of Indonesian Ambassador to Australia Siswo Pramono during his visit to the KBRI on Monday (October 16).

The government is currently promoting the implementation of the Electronic-Based Government System (SPBE), he said, adding that such a system is aimed at integrating and interconnecting all bureaucratic digital applications.

"It is necessary to accelerate the realization of digital transformation through the implementation of SPBE by optimizing Prospera (Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Economic Development) and other means," he remarked.

Anas also reiterated that President Joko Widodo had called for impactful bureaucratic reform to provide the people with agile and swift bureaucratic services.

"Let us imagine bureaucracy as a component of a vehicle. In this context, bureaucracy is the engine that makes the vehicle move. As an engine, bureaucracy should remain in its prime condition, so it can push the vehicle toward its destinations," he elaborated.

To conduct digital transformation in Indonesia, the government has issued several regulations, including Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No.95 of 2018 concerning SPBE and Perpres No. 13 of 2022 regarding the architecture of national SPBE.

"These regulations serve as the manifestations of the Indonesian government's commitment to accelerating the integration of business processes, data and information, infrastructure for information and communication technology, applications, and information security, with the objective of making improvements in public services," he remarked.

The government is taking a double-track approach to succeed in reforming Indonesian bureaucracy. The first track concerns general bureaucratic reform aimed at enhancing accountability and efficiency, while the other track is related to thematic bureaucratic reform.

By conducting thematic bureaucratic reform, the government seeks to alleviate poverty, draw more investments, control the inflation rate, and increase the government's spending on domestic products.  (Antaranews)