VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta - The government of Indonesia will firmly continue its diplomacy of defending Palestine in international forums through the year of 2020, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi stated in her Annual Press Statement remarks in Jakarta, Wednesday. "Indonesia is aware that the road we will face would be steep and not easy to run into. Yet the efforts to support Palestine will not ever be down," Marsudi said.

The efforts, including zero tariff for Palestine's products to enter Indonesia following two commodities that have already duty free, which are dates and virgin olive oil, she said.

Aside from that, the government will also continue the construction of an Indonesian hospital in Hebron and school in Ramallah, extension of hospital building in Gaza, training of unconventional water treatment, as well as building capacity for Palestine polices, notably related to the country's membership in Interpol.

At the same occasion, Marsudi explained about Indonesia's plan of measure as this nation occupies the positions of non-permanent member of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and member of the Human Rights Council (HRC).

For this year's membership of UNSC, Indonesia is carrying the theme of counter-terrorism, "and will conduct the Informal Gathering Security Reform to encourage the reform of UNSC, also to encourage the similar view of the institution."

While for HRC, Indonesia will not allow the international institution to be a political tool for certain parties, Marsudi reiterated.

This Annual Press Statement is one of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' agendas that the minister delivers remarks in the beginning of the year. (ANTARA)

Badung, Bali - Some 24,169,561 passengers were served at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali throughout the year of 2019, indicating an increase of 390,383 passengers or two percent compared to the same period in 2018. "We are very grateful to have achievements up to par with that of last year, even exceeding the number because when many other airports have decreased the number of passengers, our records still show a positive trend throughout 2019," said General Manager PT Angkasa Pura I of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Herry A.Y. Sikado when contacted from Mangupura, Wednesday.

Based on the data from the Air Traffic (LLAU) for the 2019 operational year, there were also 155,344 aircraft movements in and out of Bali via air routes.

Compared to 2018 with 162,623 aircraft movements, there had been a decrease in the number of aircraft movements of 7,289, or down by four percent.

Meanwhile, out of a total of 24 million passengers during 2019, international routes have once again outperformed domestic routes.

The comparison was recorded at 13.89 million passengers on international routes, while there were 10.28 million passengers on domestic flight routes with a proportion of 57 percent to 43 percent.

"The distribution of passengers based on the routes in 2019, repeated the 2018 record with the same percentage. The record reiterates that Bali's appeal remains strong," he said.

The record number of passengers during 2019 also reinforced the growth rate of passengers over the past five years, he continued.

The number of passengers served has continued to grow in the last five-year period. The highest growth rate occurred in 2016, with passenger growth of 2.87 million passengers or 16.8 percent compared with 2015.

On average, the annual average growth rate of Ngurah Rai Airport passengers over the past five years has reached 9 percent.

During the last five years, Ngurah Rai Airport has recorded a stable growth rate. However, the maximum capacity of the airport, which is at 24 million passengers which has been reached in 2019, Herry Sikado added.

With the projection of domestic and foreign tourists who will continue to come into the Island of the Gods, his office has conducted various studies related to the development plan of the Ngurah Rai airport.

At the moment, it is in the process of formulating an airport development master plan that will later reach a maximum capacity of 37.6 million passengers in 2026.

"For now, we have completed air infrastructure that aims to increase runway capacity to cater to aircraft movements per hour. It is called Rapid Exit Taxiway (RET)," he said.

By the end of January, he expected for the infrastructure to be operational.

"At the moment, our maximum runway capacity is at 32 aircraft movements per hour. With the operations of the RET, the runway's capacity can be increased every hour, which can certainly accelerate the movement of planes in the air," he said. (ANTARA)

Jakarta - The Trade Ministry of Indonesia is hiring a team of international attorneys to confront the European Union (EU) over the palm oil dispute before the World Trade Organization (WTO). This follows the EU's discriminatory policies of Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II) and Delegated Regulation against Indonesia’s palm oil products.

"From the beginning, we have been assisted by a legal team from which we chose the international attorney based in the EU capital of Brussels, Belgium," Pradnyawati, Director of Trade Security of the ministry, remarked here Tuesday.

The ministry underwent a tender internationally, to process the response to the allegation of the EU's discrimination over Indonesia's palm oil products.

"This process has been committed for over a year since from the beginning President Joko Widodo had stated his discontent towards the EU's policies. We have taken some decisions," Pradnyawati emphasized.

The national team of attorneys is also involved in this measure to learn to solve the dispute at the international level, Pradnyawati added. (ANTARA)

Jakarta - Indonesia’s foreign affairs ministry urged Indonesians in Iraq and Iran to remain vigilant and follow the local authorities’ instructions and appeals amid rising tension in the region after the US killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

"In connection with the political and security situations in Iraq, Iran, and the surrounding areas, Indonesian citizens are advised to always maintain communication with the nearest Indonesian representatives," the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry noted in a statement on Wednesday.

"Immediately contact your local/nearest RI Representatives if you need information and assistance," the statement noted.

Mentioned herewith is the list of hotline numbers that can be contacted:

The Indonesian Embassy in Baghdad: +964 780 6610 920 / + 9647500365228

The Iranian Embassy in Tehran: +989120542167

The Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait City: + 965-9720 6060

The Indonesian Embassy in Manama: + 973-3879 1650

The Indonesian Embassy in Doha: + 974-33322875

The Indonesian Embassy in Abu Dhabi: + 971-566-156259

The Indonesian Embassy in Amman: +962 7 7915 0407

The Indonesian Embassy in Damascus: +963 954 444 810

The Indonesian Embassy in Beirut: +961 5 924 676

The Indonesian Embassy in Muscat: +968 9600 0210

The Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh: +966 56 917 3990

The Indonesian Consulate General in Dubai: + 971-56-3322611 / + 971-56-4170333

The Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah: + 966-50360 9667

"As a precautionary measure against a possible escalation in tension and its impacts on Indonesian citizens, a contingency plan has been prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs along with Indonesian Representatives in the region," the Foreign Affairs Ministry stated.

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also reactivated the crisis center number +62 812-9007-0027.

In the meantime, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi had earlier summoned Iranian Ambassador to Indonesia Mohammad Azad and the United States Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph R. Donovan Jr. amid the flare-up in tensions between both conflicting nations.

While addressing the Christmas celebrations at the Foreign Ministry on Monday, Marsudi highlighted the significance of Indonesia summoning the two ambassadors to send across a peace message while stressing that the use of violence to settle their differences will be beneficial to none.
"We hope both sides would do their utmost to exercise self-restraint, so the escalation of conflict can be avoided," she reiterated.

The escalation of conflict between Iran and the United States will lead to uncertainty in the Middle East and will ultimately have a global impact. Moreover, without new conflict, the global economy has come under pressure, she remarked.

The minister highlighted Indonesia's direct interests in creating peace in the Middle East to protect millions of Indonesian nationals, who stay, live, and work in the region.

Hence, the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East will undoubtedly have an impact on the Indonesian community in the region, she pointed out. (ANTARA)