VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The government has targeted to complete construction work on the Nanga Badau-Puring Kencana Road in West Kalimantan that borders Indonesia and Malaysia by 2021, Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono stated.

"Construction of the Nanga Badau-Puring Kencana Road that spans 25 kilometers will be started this year and is targeted for completion in 2021," Hadimuljono stated during a working visit to Silat Hulu Sub-district in Kapuas Hulu District, West Kalimantan, on Friday.

The minister affirmed that the government had continued the development of border regions, including those of 11 cross-border posts (PLBN), to boost the local economy.

"The government has continued to develop (the border regions), and it is hoped that this would proffer benefits to the people," he stated.

The Nanga Badau-Puring Kencana Road is situated at the northern tip of Kapuas Hulu District in West Kalimantan.

The government remains committed to developing the economy of border regions to reduce gaps and improve the quality of life of their residents. (ANTARA)

The Jakarta Metropolitan Police are still investigating a drug ring that supplied psychotropic drugs to Lucinta Luna, a transgender celebrity, arrested during the police's drug raid at Thamrin Residence Apartment, Central Jakarta, early Tuesday.  

"This case remains under police investigation. Yesterday, a suspect identified by her initials IF alias FLO had been apprehended," Jakarta Metropolitan Police Spokesman Sen. Coms. Yusri Yunus told journalists here Thursday.

The police investigators are still focusing on IF's drug ring and several people suspected of being involved in the Luna case, he said, adding that the new development of this drug offence would be revealed Friday.

Based on Luna's confession, IF alias FLO, owner of a beauty salon in South Jakarta, was nabbed in South Jakarta for allegedly selling psychotropic drugs, Yunus said.

The drug raid that the police conducted early Tuesday resulted in the arrest of Luna, 30, who was born as Muhammad Fatah, and seizure of two ecstasy pills as well as seven and five pills, respectively, of psychotropic drugs called "riklona" and "tramadol".

The police investigators charged Luna with Law No.35/2009 on Narcotics and Law No.5/1997 on Psychotropic Substances with which she is subject to five years in prison.

Indonesia's world of entertainment remains vulnerable to drugs as apparently revealed by the arrests of Luna and many other entertainers.

Over the past three years, besides Luna, several other entertainers who were apprehended for drug offences are Ammar Zoni, Rio Reifan, Roro Fitria, Fachri Albar, Fariz RM, Jennifer Dunn, Steve Emmanuel, Zul Zivilia, Jefri Nichol, Tri Retno Prayudati alias Nunung Srimulat, and Nanie Darham.

The more recent case that drew significant attention was of female movie star Nanie Darham being arrested in Jakarta on February 2 for allegedly trading cocaine, with police investigators accusing her of obtaining it from a drug lord outside Indonesia through social media platforms.

"The illicit drug is received from a drug trafficker outside Indonesia by ordering it through social media platforms by using a method of delivery," Yunus stated. (ANTARA)

In less than two months, the South Jakarta Metropolitan Police's anti-drug squad has apprehended seven suspected drug dealers who may belong to big syndicates around South Jakarta and Bogor, West Java.

The suspects supplied marijuana and crystal methamphetamine to those who ordered the illicit drug packages from their drug rings, Head of the South Jakarta Metropolitan Police's Narcotics Department Adjunct Sen. Coms. Vivick Tjangkung said Thursday.

Several dealers of marijuana, arrested on January 13, 2020, may belong to an Aceh drug ring because the way they packed the drug was similar to that of the Aceh drug ring.

Regarding the trafficking activities of crystal meth, many dealers committed their criminal acts in Tebet's area, Tjangkung said.

The police recently confiscated 5.5 kg of marijuana from four suspects only identified by their initials SR, FA, AS, and FS alias Feby. The police also seized 69.02 grams of crystal meth from five suspects -- IKC, HHA alias Helmi, A alias Adong, OK, and RA.

The average ages of those suspected drug dealers were between 21 and 40 years. They were jobless, and had been regularly involved in the drug trade, he added.

Indonesia remains under serious threat from drug dealers, as several individuals from its working-age population have been trapped in a vicious circle.

The National Narcotics Agency's (BNN's) report that some 50 Indonesians die of drug use every day has not yet deterred drug users in the country from consuming these banned substances.

The users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other types of addictive drugs are from any community and from distinct socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

Among the drug users are also entertainers. Over the past three years, at least 12 entertainers have been apprehended for drug offences. They are Ammar Zoni, Rio Reifan, Roro Fitria, Fachri Albar, Fariz RM, Jennifer Dunn, Steve Emmanuel, Zul Zivilia, Jefri Nichol, Tri Retno Prayudati alias Nunung Srimulat, Nanie Darham, and Lucinta Luna.

Therefore, Indonesia is perceived by both domestic and transnational drug dealers as a potential market due to its huge population and millions of drug users. The value of the drug trade in the country is estimated to have reached nearly least Rp66 trillion.(ANTARA)

Indonesia's rupiah continued to drop by 20 points, or 0.15 percent, to Rp13,694 against the United States dollar on Thursday evening, while this morning it was recorded at Rp13,684 against the dollar.

"Markets have been concerned over the large number of casualties of the coronavirus," PT TRFX Garuda Berjangka Director, Ibrahi Assuaibi, said in Jakarta.

On Wednesday, China's authority updated the total number of casualties in Mainland China, which has reached 1,367, while the number of people who have been infected also climbed to 14,840 people.

Throughout the day, the rupiah moved within the range of Rp13,672 against the dollar to Rp13,707.

Meanwhile, according to Bank Indonesia's exchange rate, the rupiah plunged Rp13,679 against the dollar this morning, while the day before, it was recorded at Rp13,659. (ANTARA)