VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The West Jakarta Police took into arrest some members of an international drug smuggling syndicate after 30 kilograms (kg) of illicit drugs were seized in Siak, Riau Islands, in June.

Head of the West Jakarta Police's anti-drug unit Adjunct Senior Commissioner Erick Frendriz remarked here on Wednesday that the suspects were allegedly linked to an international drug syndicate from Malaysia that had smuggled methamphetamine through the eastern coast of Sumatra.

"Our team had conducted analysis and surveillance before we arrested the suspect at the Griya Tika Utama housing complex in Pekanbaru, Riau, on Tuesday (Sept 3)," Frendriz stated.

The syndicate is believed to plan the smuggling of drugs from Dumai in Riau to Jakarta.

During the raid, the police confiscated three suitcases containing the drugs. However, no further information is yet available on either the quantity of the drugs seized by the police or the number of suspects in the case. (ANTARA)

National railway company PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA) is currently in the process of developing battery-powered tramway as a more convenient and environmentally safe means of transportation.

"The battery-powered tramway will have run smoothly instead of the one with locomotive. Thus, it will be more convenient to operate," President Director of PT INKA Budi Noviantoro remarked in Madiun, East Java, the company’s home base, on Wednesday.

Noviantoro revealed that the tramway prototype had been modeled, and the battery testing process was currently underway.

"The trial run will be off for 20 to 30 round trips to figure out the battery endurance," Noviantoro added.

Noviantoro stated that the brand-new technology tramway was manufactured over the past year. A unit comprised two cars equipped with passenger seats and standing passenger grab handles.

PT INKA has pinned high hopes on this battery-powered tramway becoming a popular choice of public transportation owing to its selling price being designed to be low-priced.

"This tramway is well-suited as the city’s futuristic mode of transportation that is eco-friendly and efficient," Noviantoro emphasized.

Since the tram is yet on trial, its mass manufacturing had yet to begin. After the conclusion of the trial period, the tramway will be launched and marketed, both locally and abroad. (ANTARA)

The House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI) is holding the World Parliamentary Forum on Sustainable Development (WPFSD) in Kuta, Bali, on Sept 4-5.

Initiated in 2017, this year’s event is themed "Combating Inequality through Social and Financial Inclusion," Head of DPR's Inter-Parliamentary Partnership Agency (BKSAP) and Chief Committee WPFSD Nurhayati Ali Assegaf revealed.

Several parliament chairmen, such as from Portuguese, Gambia, Timor Leste, and Saudi Arabia, as well as representatives of international organizations around the world, including President of the lnter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Gabriella Cuevas Barron, were attendees at the WPFSD.

Assegaf noted that the parliament played a significant role in adopting universal, inclusive, and sustainable development policies to ensure that no one would be left behind as it forges ahead to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.

Speaking in connection with the theme raised, Assegaf highlighted the crucial need to support social and financial inclusiveness for putting an end to poverty and realizing equitable development.

Multisectoral cooperation also plays a significant role in SDGs that can be achieved through effective collaborations among stakeholders, academics, business entities, and society.

DPR RI speaker Bambang Soesatyo noted in his remarks that several topics to be discussed at the forum comprised industrial infrastructure and innovation. (ANTARA)

The Agrarian and Spatial Planning Ministry/National Land Agency (BPN) has launched an integrated digital-based agrarian and spatial services at its 42 branch offices, the minister, Sofyan A Djalil stated here Wednesday. "Initially, 42 branch offices of the National Land Agency in Greater Jakarta, Bandung City, Surabaya, Palembang, Medan, Balikpapan, and Makassar will start using the service," Djalil said.

New clients may use the digital-based platform to apply for a mortgage loan, the minister explained. The platform would enable people to report and check their land/spatial information and liabilities, he added.

One of the prime services offered by the ministry's new platform was a digital signature.

The digital signature, offered by the platform, would be soon available to validate legal land documents, Djalil explained.

Besides the digital signature, the ministry's latest platform also includes several services such as land mortgage liability, land/spatial information, and land registration.

State-owned lender Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN) acting president director, Oni Febrianto Raharjo, also lauded the ministry's new platform on land/spatial services.

"This new platform may help the bank apply for a liability certificate over certain lands. This certificate is a requirement for the bank before organizing a land auction," Raharjo said. (ANTARA)