VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Director General of the Treasury of the Finance Ministry Marwanto Harjowirjono has stated that the state treasury is safe and able to finance various government projects that have been allocated in the state budget (APBN).

"The state cash position is currently safe. Disbursements of various bills for activities and projects financed by the State Budget can be resolved properly," Marwanto said, when contacted in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The management of the state treasury is centrally supervised through the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and is no longer operated by the State Treasury Service Office (KPPN), noted Marwanto.

He stressed that the cash reserves of the state treasury have not been depleted, contrary to recent media reports.

"It should be stated that the KPPN is currently not managing cash directly. Therefore, it is not true if it is reported that the KPPN reserves are empty," said Marwanto.

Previously, information had circulated that KPPN's cash had been depleted due to management problems in state finances.

The state’s cash vacuum is thought to have occurred due to the use of funds for holiday allowance (THR) payments in May and the 13th salary in July 2019. (ant)

Bilateral relations between Indonesia and the Philippines have been established since 70 years ago. During this period, Indonesia and the Philippines have established close cooperation in maintaining regional stability and peace and establishing increasingly close and broad cooperation. In the trade sector, the value of Indonesia's trade in the Philippines in 2018 increased by 4 percent. This was conveyed by the Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Yohana Yembise, in her speech representing the Indonesian government at the 121st Philippine Independence Day reception and the Commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of Indonesia-Philippines Relations in Jakarta, Wednesday (18/06).

“I’m proud to share that in 2018 alone, we have enjoyed 4 percent increase in our bilateral trade value. In 2018, compared to the initial year a total of 7.78 billion US dollars. Tourism and investement cooperation have been also growing rapidly. And I am confident that this cooperation will never cease to grow in the coming years,” said Yohana.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Leehiong T. Wee said Indonesia for the Philippines was more than a neighboring country. After the tsunami in Aceh in 2014, the Philippines was the first country to send humanitarian aid to Indonesia. Vice versa, when a typhoon struck the Philippines in 2013, Indonesia provided assistance for the rehabilitation in Marawi in the Southern Philippines. According to Leehiong T. Wee this shows the closeness between the two countries. (VOI / AHM)

East Java Governor Khofifah Indarparawangsa met President Joko Widodo on Tuesday at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta. After meeting the President, Khofifah explained that during the meeting, she reported two Drafts of Presidential Regulations which had been discussed between the East Java Provincial government and the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs. Both drafts are related to Gresik – Bangkalan – Mojokerto – Surabaya – Sidoarjo – Lamongan (Gerbangkertasusila) and Suramadu projects. In the Presidential Decree on Gerbangkertasusila, Khofifah explained that the East Java Provincial Government plans to build a megapolitan area that connects a number of cities in East Java, namely Gresik, Bangkalan, Mojokerto, Surabaya, Sidoarjo, and Lamongan. To support the development of the megapolitan area, Khofifah emphasized the importance of the aspect of connectivity.

"Then in the drafts, we want to reinforce how the connection between Gerbangkertasusila is connected, including the seaport that exists at some point. Because seaport is in Lamong Bay besides Tanjung Perak. Then in Lamongan there is also in Probolinggo and it is connected to the toll road. So that's the reinforcement that we want to get," she said.

Meanwhile related to the Suramadu Presidential Decree, Governor Khofifah Indarparawangsa said that the East Java provincial government hoped that with the Suramadu bridge connecting Java and Madura Island, Madura Island could be utilized for industrial development. In addition, according to her, the East Java provincial government also hopes that in Madura, Indonesian Islamic Science Park can be built. The park is hoped to become the center of the spread of Islam which can unite Islam internationally and Wasathiyyah Islam.

"We want that at the foot of Madura there is Indonesia Islamic Science Park. It needs about 101 hectare o land, 20 percent for education, 30 percent for art, and 50 percent for tourism. We hope that the Indonesia Islamic Science Park will become an international center for Islamic dissemination with Wasattiyah Islam, midline Islam, peaceful Islam, loving Islam," Governor Khofifah said.

.

In addition to being the center of the spread of Islamic teachings, Khofifah also wants the Indonesian Islamic Science Park in East Java to later become the center of world Islamic finance. (VOI/Ndy / AHM / EDT)

The governor of Jakarta, Anies Baswedan, expressed pride over Jakarta becoming a host of the launch of the C40 Cities Climate Action Planning Program for the Southeast Asian region.

"I am truly proud, as Jakarta becomes a host for the launch of the C40 Cities Climate Action Planning Program for the Southeast Asian region. The activity is being held in Jakarta from today until tomorrow," Jakarta Governor Baswedan remarked at the launch of the C40 Cities Climate Action Planning Program for the Southeast Asia region at the Jakarta City Hall on Tuesday.

Being the host of this activity lends an opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences among others.

Moreover, Baswedan, along with representatives of the five cities of Jakarta in Indonesia, Hanoi in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Quezon City in the Philippines, expressed joint commitment to fulfilling the Paris Agreement.

The five cities and 70 other cities, under the auspices of the C40, officially launched the C40 Climate Action Planning Program for the Southeast Asia Region.

Furthermore, Governor Baswedan highlighted the need to discuss varied challenges related to environmental issues encountered by the Jakarta government in a bid to find the best alternative solutions from different parts of the world.

"Our challenge today is how to ensure that economic development in Jakarta is also in line with ecology. This is since in the past, economy and ecology apparently worked hand in hand," he emphasized.

Some of these environmental issues comprise greenhouse gas emissions, the transition from private vehicles to public transportation, land subsidence, and water discharge from upstream areas. (ANTARA)