VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian Vice President M Jusuf Kalla has expressed the hope that world parliaments would help address global problems under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Among these problems were social gaps, a clean water crisis, and industry and infrastructure inequality, Kalla said while speaking at the "World Parliamentary Forum on Sustainable Development" (WPFSD) in Kuta, Bali Province, which began Wednesday.

Parliaments have crucial roles in planning, budgeting and supervising programs, he stated and added that budget allocation and legislation are among the authorities of parliaments, he noted.

The House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI) is holding the forum that concludes September 5.

Initiated in 2017, this year’s event is themed "Combating Inequality through Social and Financial Inclusion," Chairperson of DPR's Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Board (BKSAP) and Chief of the Organizing Committee of WPFSD Nurhayati Ali Assegaf said.

Several parliament chairmen, 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.

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 SDGs 2030, Assegaf noted.

Speaking in connection with the theme, 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 through effective collaborations among stakeholders, academics, business entities, and society.

Several topics that were up for discussion at the forum comprised industrial infrastructure and innovation, DPR RI speaker Bambang Soesatyo noted in his remarks. (ANTARA)

Indonesia – the world's third-biggest democracy with the largest Muslim population worldwide – has emerged as one of China's most crucial partners in bilateral cooperation.

"Indonesia becomes China's most important partners in bilateral cooperation, including investment. Indonesia is the largest country in Southeast Asia," Consul General of the People's Republic of China Gou Haodong stated in Denpasar, Bali, on Monday (Sept 2).

The relations between China and Indonesia date back thousand years and continue to deepen.

China is currently venturing ahead across all sectors and will continue to intensify cooperation with other nations in the world.

"The Indonesian market is quite large, and it will greatly offer benefits to China that continues to invest in Indonesia," Haodong remarked.

In connection with investment, China had given due priority to humanity and mutual benefits.

Haodong pointed out that in 1978, China had begun implementing reforms and openness, in terms of investment. During that time, the government had issued policies with the objective of attracting investors.

After policy reformation in the nation, foreign investors have steadily invested their capital, and China has shown steady growth.

"Hence, the purpose of investment is not only to offer benefits to investors but also the country of China," he emphasized

Tourism Minister, Arief Yahya, inaugurated the Digital Tourist Market of Lake Cangkuang in Leles Subdistrict, Garut District of West Java, which is expected to lead to an increase in the number of tourists visiting the region.

"Millennials need a tourist destination which is attractive when captured on camera," Yahya said here on Monday.

According to the minister, millennials would need a tourist destination, which is well-designed. 
Garut District Head, Rudy Gunawan, said Lake Cangkuang is an interesting place to take selfies. It also has a historical site such as the Cangkuang Temple and a customary village, Kampung Pulo.

"Lake Cangkuang is quite a complete tourist destination. In addition to its natural beauty, we can learn about history, take good pictures and eat good food," he said.

Previously, Garut inaugurated two other digital tourist destinations in Lake Bagendit in Banyuresmi Subdistrict and Dayeuh Manggung in Cilawu Subdistrict.

Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi, inaugurated the first "oil and gas corner" at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait City, aimed at attracting investments in the oil and gas sector.

"The inauguration of the first oil and gas corner at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait City marks the important role of Indonesia’s Representative to attract investors in the oil and gas sector in Indonesia," said Minister Marsudi in a written statement issued by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs received here on Monday.

The statement was delivered by the Indonesian Foreign Minister during her opening remarks at the inauguration of the Oil and Gas Corner at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait City on September 1, 2019.

The inauguration is a form of new initiative and collaboration between the Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait and the Oil and Gas Special Work Unit (SKK MIGAS).

"The oil and gas corner will facilitate investors in the sector to learn about the potential of oil and gas exploration from Sabang to Merauke in Indonesia without having to visit Indonesia," said Marsudi.

The inauguration was also attended by the CEO of Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC), Shaikh Nawaf Al-Sabah, as well as several investors and business persons in the oil and gas sector in Kuwait.

The corner is also equipped with a collection of the latest literature and information on the upstream oil and gas industry, potential resources, and profiles of the oil and gas industry businesspersons in Indonesia.

"Through technological advancement, we will bring Indonesia's oil and gas potential to foreign investors," Minister Marsudi stated.

"The oil and gas corner at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait is the first we have ever established, and we seek to set up several others. The oil and gas corner will also be developed in other RI’s representatives around the world, especially in countries that have great cooperation potential in the oil and gas sector," she explained. 
The corner at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait was launched before the procurement of the Indonesia-Kuwait First Commission Assembly that was co-led by Marsudi and Kuwaiti Foreign Minister, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al Hamad Al Sabah, in Kuwait City on September 2, 2019.

"I expect that the oil and gas corner will be Indonesia's foremost storefront in attracting Kuwaiti investors in the Indonesian oil and gas sector," she said.

In accordance with President Joko Widodo's instructions on economic diplomacy, all Indonesia’s representatives will be mandated to attract investment and promote exports.

Indonesia is currently focusing on exploring 10 main oil and gas source points from Sabang to Merauke with a total estimated value of oil and gas resources of around 10 billion in equivalence with the crude oil barrel.

Kuwait is one of the first and largest energy partners for Indonesia with the value of oil and gas imports reaching US$214 million in 2018. The Indonesia-Kuwait bilateral trade value reached more than $403 million in 2018.

KUFPEC, the Kuwaiti oil company, has been a long-time partner for Indonesia in exploring its oil and gas sector potential since the 1980s.