VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Swiss Ambassador to Indonesia Kurt Kunz addressed the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) consultations in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Sunday (ANTARA)

The ASEAN Human Rights Declaration protects the freedom of opinion and expression of people in Southeast Asia, according to Swiss Ambassador to Indonesia Kurt Kunz.

"The freedom of opinion and expression is fundamental in a democracy," Kunz stated on the sidelines of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) consultations in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Sunday.

Clear legal rules or mechanism should be set out to safeguard the freedom of opinion and expression, he emphasized.

Kunz called for a mechanism to be put in place on rules and restrictions to which extent all can exercise the freedom of opinion and expression.

"Although everybody can express opinions freely, please do so in a responsible manner based on facts," he remarked.

Freedom of opinion and expression should not in any way hurt public sentiments, let alone tear the community apart, he cautioned.

"Everybody must express their opinions smartly without touching on the issue of ethnicity, religion, and race (SARA)," he stated.

Article 23 of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration stipulates that every individual has the right to freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to defend opinion without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information, either verbally, in writing, or other way chosen by the person.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations includes Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. (ANTARA)

As an infectious disease, respiratory disease such as tuberculosis needs long-term treatment. The high number of tuberculosis cases which are predominantly undergone by pregnant women and children will have direct and indirect impacts on maternal mortality rate and stunting. It was said by Indonesian Health Minister in his remarks read by Director General of Healthcare at the Indonesian Health Ministry Dr. Bambang Wibowo during the Anniversary of the Persahabatan Hospital in East Jakarta and the inauguration of the integrated tuberculosis clinic in Jakarta on Friday. Therefore, according to Dr. Bambang, the accessibility and quality of healthcare including respiratory diseases’ treatment are the current priority of the Indonesian Health Ministry.

“In accordance with the principles of healthcare, it must be quality, accountable, and transparent. In addition to the safety of patients, the quality of healthcare must be improved,” said Dr. Bambang Wibowo .

Dr. Bambang Wibowo also highlighted one of Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s visions which is the focus of the national development namely the development of eligible and competitive human resources, particularly in alleviating mortality rate and stunting// (VOI/AHM/Trs.Amanda)

The National Library of the Republic of Indonesia launched a book entitled "National Library: Icons of civilization and science" at the National Library Building in Jakarta on Friday (6/12). On this occasion, Chairman of the Public Relations Coordinating Board-Bakohumas who is also Director General of Public Information and Communication at the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, Widodo Muktiyo said that media literacy is an important element and the library is one of the cores of knowledge.

"This is part of meeting the needs of SDG, where media literacy is an important element and I think it is true; this library is one of the hearts of knowledge that must be amplified by fellows of Bakohumas both Ministries and Institutions. We -Kominfo will also continue to collaborate so that in the future, true knowledge is not something expensive; it is not something difficult but the knowledge becomes something easy," said Widodo Muktiyo.

On the same occasion, Head of the Indonesian National Library, Muhammad Syarif Bando said that reading is the elevator of the nation's intelligence and currently Indonesia is only ranked 16th in reading released by the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. The National Library also launched three applications in digital form,that make the National Library of Indonesia as one of the best National Libraries in the world in terms of scientific journal services. (VOI/NUKE)

Military and defense relations between Indonesia and Vietnam have improved. This was said by the Defense Attaché of the Vietnamese Embassy in Jakarta, Colonel Nguyen Tuan Duc, during the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam Armed Forces in Jakarta, Thursday (05/12). He stressed that Indonesia and Vietnam had collaborated in the defense and military fields. This can be addressed in the statement of the vision of defense cooperation between the two countries signed in 2017.

“The defense and military relation between Vietnam and Indonesia have been strengthened and developed, by the signing of MoU with Indonesia, MoU with Vietnam in 2010, and statement of the vision of defense cooperation between the two countries signed in 2017. Many contain areas of cooperation have been realized more and more substantially and effectively,” said Colonel Nguyen Tuan Duc.

Colonel Nguyen Tuan Duc further said that high-ranking Indonesian and Vietnamese military officials regularly hold meetings to share their views in finding solutions and maintaining cooperation that has already existed between the two countries. (VOI/AHM)