VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

As many as 40 world leaders and three international organizations have congratulated Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on winning the 17 April presidential election, following the May 21 announcement made by the General Elections Commission (KPU).

KPU's final tally indicated a win for incumbent President Jokowi and his running mate Ma'ruf Amin in the election by garnering 55.5 percent of the votes, outshining Prabowo-Sandi, who had received 44.5 of the votes.

"At the time the announcement was made by KPU, a number of heads of state congratulated the President. As of today, 40 countries plus three international organizations have expressed congratulations," Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said, after meeting President Jokowi at the Presidential Palace on Monday.

British Prime Minister Theresa May, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in were the among the world leaders who telephoned Jokowi to congratulate him.

Other leaders sent their congratulations through personal Twitter posts and diplomatic notes, including Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, as well as the U.S President Donald Trump, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

With the development of technology, according to Marsudi, options for sending congratulatory messages have become varied, and no longer are transmitted only through diplomatic channels.  She also expected Jokowi would receive more congratulatory messages, as diplomatic notes continue to arrive.

Marsudi noted that world leaders appreciated the elections in Indonesia, which were carried out by upholding democratic values, transparency and peace. (ant) 

Dune-Network, one of the French companies engaged in the tourism sector, will invest an initial Rp90 billion in North Sulawesi province, Provincial Secretary Edwin Silangen said in Manado, North Sulawesi province on Monday.

"They will invest in diving and life aboard ships," Silangen said.

Tourists will be taken to diving or snorkeling sites by boat, and they are scheduled to remain aboard the boats for several days, he said.

Silangen expressed his appreciation for this investment plan. Meanwhile, Dune-Network officials, during a visit to North Sulawesi, conducted a survey of the location of the area that is to become a branch of the tourism company, which will meet international standards.

"The North Sulawesi provincial administration makes it easier for all who invest in North Sulawesi. The very conducive investment climate, supported by the hospitality of its people, is very attractive to all investors, including Dune-Network," he said.

Meanwhile, Saribua Siahaan, Head of the Sub Directorate of Regional Promotion of the Investment Coordinating Board, said Dune-Network will bring thousands of divers for vacations to the waters of North Sulawesi.

"There are three thousand divers who will be brought by Dune-Network to North Sulawesi. In addition, this investment will increase employment and benefit other sectors in this area," he said.

Besides the waters of Pulau Lembeh and Likupang, there are other areas in North Sulawesi which are being surveyed by investors before being designated as diving and life aboard ship business locations. (ant)

Six special crossing paths for elephants are to be built along the Pekanbaru-Dumai toll road project, in a bid to protect the elephants’ habitat.

"There will be six crossing paths. One in Tekuana River, and five others in section 4 near the Balai Raja Wildlife Reserve," an official of PT Hutama Karya (Persero) for the Pekanbaru-Dumai project section 3-4 Dinny Suryakencana said in Pekanbaru, Riau on Monday.

The 131.48-kilometer long toll road is part of the Trans Sumatra Toll project, which has been designated as one of the national strategic programs.

The Public Works and Public Housing Ministry has routed the toll road to not pass near the protected forest, but it could not avoid passing through the elephants' home range, Suryakencana said.

The first path in Tekuana River would be in section 2 of the road, not far from the Minas Elephant Training Center in Siak District, a home for 13 wild Sumatran elephants. Five other routes are located in section 4 of the toll road project.

The crossing path would be a channel 4.5 to 11 meters in height and 25-45 meters in width that passes below the toll road. Workers will also grow some plants in the channel for the elephants.

Suryakencana disclosed that some construction workers have seen wild elephants and their trails at the location where the crossing path is to be built.

"This path is being prepared for elephants, and is not like other roads in the village, as we will maintain its natural contour," he said.

Meanwhile, head of Riau Natural Conservation Agency Suharyono said there are eight potential meeting points of the toll road and the elephants' home range around its enclave in Balai Raja Wildlife Reserves in Bengkalis District and Giam Siak Kecil.

The Balai Raja Wildlife Reserves includes six elephants, while in Giam Siak Kecil the agency has recorded some 50 to 60 wild elephants.

"The closest range between the toll road and the wildlife reserves is 65 meters, with six elephants staying in the reserves and 42 elephants moved regularly from Balai Raja to Giam Siak Kecil," he said. (ant)

Indonesia and the African region have established close relations in the political field since the Asian-African Conference in Bandung, in 1955. However, in the past two years, Indonesian President Joko Widodo has had a view to turning the already close political relations into more concrete economic relations. This was conveyed by the Director of Africa, Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Daniel Tumpal S. Simanjuntak at a Panel Discussion for the Africa Day 2019, in Jakarta, Saturday (05/25). According to Daniel, even though there are many trade challenges and obstacles that must be faced, Indonesia and countries in Africa have a lot of room of cooperation that can be done in the future. Daniel added that President Joko Widodo had instructed 3 important things to face barriers in the trade sector.

"We, as Indonesian officials are instructed by the President how we had to promote, to enhance investment, reduce and eliminate the possible trade barriers and promote possible technical cooperation. So these three are important issues that we can see in the near future," said Daniel Simanjuntak.

On the occasion, Daniel Simanjuntak conveyed a number of activities that have been and will be carried out by Indonesia to improve relations between Indonesia and the African Region, namely the Asia Africa Conference in 1955, the 2005 Asia Africa Summit, the 2018 Indonesia-Africa Forum, and the Indonesia Africa Maritime Dialog 2018. In 2019 the Indonesia-Africa Infrastructure Dialogue is scheduled to be held from 20-21 August 2019 in Nusa Dua, Bali to be participated in by Indonesia and 700 African countries.

The Panel discussions for the 2019 Africa Day were attended by Ambassadors of countries in Africa such as Algeria, Sudan, South Africa, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Morocco and Tunisia and several other foreign ambassadors in Indonesia. (VOI / AHM)