VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Workers began construction of a helipad in the observation area for 188 Indonesian citizens on Sebaru Island, Thousand Islands, DKI Jakarta Province. (ANTARA)

Jakarta - Workers have begun construction of a helipad for use in the possible evacuation of 188 Indonesian citizens on Sebaru Island, Thousand Islands, DKI Jakarta Province.

Based on Antara's observations on Tuesday, workers transported empty sacks, iron and other equipment from the dock in the western part of the island to the island’s southern coast.

The empty sacks are being filled with beach sand and piled along the shoreline to prevent rising sea waters from reaching the helipad, which is expected to be completed in the next two days.

Earlier, Commander of Joint Regional Defense Command I (Pangkogabwilhan) Vice Admiral Yudo Margono had alerted a helicopter to prepare evacuations from Sebaru Island to carry Indonesian citizens if they were exposed to the coronavirus.

Three helicopter units were prepared at Pantara Island, Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base and onboard the KRI Banda Aceh (593).

"We have prepared if the worst happens," Yudo said.

Dream Cruises reported earlier that Hong Kong's Department of Health had confirmed that all guests and crew onboard World Dream had cleared extensive health screenings and temperature checks.

All samples taken from the 1,814 crew members tested negative for COVID-19, Dream Cruises officials confirmed. (ANTARA)

Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati (ANTARA)

Jakarta - One of the incentives provided to the tourism sector to overcome the impact of the coronavirus, was discounts on airline tickets of up to 50 percent, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati affirmed.

"We estimate that plane ticket discounts can reach 50 percent. Thirty percent from the government and 20 percent from airline companies," she said at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Jakarta, Wednesday.

The government had allocated Rp444.9 billion for discounted ticket prices of 30 percent for 25 percent of the total number of airline seats, Sri Mulyani said.

She also reminded airline companies to provide separate discounts for tourists, not to use incentives provided by the government as a replacement.

"If the airline company offers a discount, it cannot be subverted with the 30 percent we give, so it must be above that," she said.

The former managing director of the World Bank reminded airline companies to follow this provision, as they would also get relief from state-owned enterprises such as Angkasa Pura with service facilities and Pertamina through aviation fuel discounts.

The government and Pertamina provided incentives in the form of aviation fuel discounts to airports in nine tourist destinations with a total discount of 265.5 billion rupiahs, which is valid for three months, she further said.

"Aviation fuel and Angkasa Pura will provide discounts on various service facilities including aircraft parking and others," she said.

Sri Mulyani stated that giving incentives was an attempt by the government to reduce the impact of the coronavirus or COVID-19 spread, which had suppressed state revenue through the tourism sector. (ANTARA)

Jakarta (VOI News) - Bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Germany from year to year is getting stronger and growing.There are many fields of cooperation between the two countries that are still continuing now. It was said by the German Ambassador to Indonesia Peter Schoof to the Voice of Indonesia after the Diplomatic Forum talk show held by Voice of Indonesia in collaboration with Dompet Dhuafa and the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) in Jakarta, Wednesday (26/02). According to Peter Schoof in 2020 Germany will hold the largest manufacturing exhibition, Hannover Messe, which will be attended by Heads of State throughout the world, including Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

"The big highlight of this year is the participation of Indonesia as a partner country in Germany at Hannover which is the Hannover Messe. Hannover Manufacturing Fair is the biggest manufacturing fair in the world. Indonesia is a partner country, again the partner country. President Jokowi will travel to Germany in April. So we are very proud to have him, our cooperation extends to many fields. They are going to be many memoranda of understandings and hopefully also new business contracts are going to be signed this year. We are the country that is advising very closely Indonesia in the field of technical and vocational education and also so renewable energy because I think in Germany we have worldwide the best technology in this field," said Peter Schoof.

In addition, Ambassador Peter Schoof said the focus of cooperation between Indonesia and Germany so far has been in the field of land management and renewable energy. Even Germany will also develop investment in Indonesia. // (VOI / Ahmad Faisal / AHM)

Jakarta (VOI News) - The Indonesian National Library supports the policy of Indonesian President Joko Widodo to improve the literacy rate of the Indonesian people in a bid to establish oustanding human resources. It was remarked by Head of the Indonesian National Library Muhammad Syarif Bando when opening the National Coordinating Meeting on Library 2020 in Jakarta on Tuesday (Feb 25).

"The Indonesian National Library has taken into account the policy of President Joko Widodo in advancing the quality of Indonesian human resources by improving the literacy rate of the Indonesian People which is currently still below all countries in Asia. Literacy is also concerned with how a country implements its policy, explores and exploits its natural resources in a bid to enhance the prosperity of its society, said Syarif Bando.

Furthermore, Syarif Bando called on the Indonesian society not to think about the low literacy rate opinion imposed by the international community because in fact Indonesia still encounters problem in providing appropriate facilities for reading. Therefore, he called on Indonesian people to support the government's effort by cooperating in developing reading access in all regions across Indonesia. The National Coordinating Meeting was officially inaugurated by Indonesian Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian and it is held from February 25-27, 2020// (VOI/NK/R/AL/AHM)