VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia's industrial sector is expected to grow more aggressively in the second quarter of 2019 compared to the previous quarter, particularly due to increased demand during the fasting month and the upcoming Eid al-Fitr.

"We are sure that the growth will be higher than the first quarter, which reached 4.5 percent. It is expected to reach 5 percent," Secretary General of the Industry Ministry, Haris Munandar, said here on Monday.

Munandar expressed his optimism that the business climate in the country would return to normal after the General Election Commission announces the election results, along with the coming of Eid al-Fitr.

Some industries, such as food and beverages and the textile industry, have reported a sharp increase since the start of the second quarter.

"With the incoming Eid, people spend their money. The textile industry, and food and beverage, will also enjoy a sharp increase. There is also more money in circulation, as employers have to pay Eid bonuses to their employees," he said.

In the first quarter of 2019, textile and garment industry growth jumped to 18.98 percent, compared to 7.46 percent growth in the same period of 2018, and the industry's growth during 2018 was recorded at 8.73 percent.

Also, data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) showed that production of large and medium scale manufacturing industries in the first quarter of 2019 reached 4.45 percent year-on-year.

This growth was boosted by a sharp increase in production in the garment sector, reaching 29.19 percent with increased demand, especially in the export market. (ant)

Vice President Jusuf Kalla discussed Indonesia's efforts to handle refugees, during a meeting with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi.

"(We discussed) how to jointly handle the extraordinary issue of refugees today, both in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and conflict-plagued countries," Kalla said, while in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Thursday.

Kalla noted that Indonesia has experience in managing an influx of refugees, as it did in Galang Island, Riau Islands Province.

During the 30-minute meeting, Kalla also expressed Indonesia's preparedness to assist UNHCR in handling refugees.

"I told him that we are ready to do so through international cooperation, rather than to work alone," he said.

Meanwhile, Filippo praised Kalla for visiting the UNHCR office.

While in Switzerland, Kalla also met with President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer. Kalla said the meeting with Maurer allowed him to discuss cooperation in humanitarian fields, such as disaster mitigation programs.

Kalla arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday to attend an event entitled, "The Christchurch Call to Action”, which included discussions of the latest terror attacks in New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

While in Switzerland, Kalla also delivered a national address at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction forum held at the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG). (ant)

The Rotiklot dam in Fatuketi Village, Belu district of East Nusa Tenggara province has the capacity of irrigating 139 hectares of paddy fields and 500 hectares of other fields of crops around the dam, a local official said.

"The dam has the capability to irrigate second crops field during the planting season," head of the province's  River Region Working Unit Fery Moun Hepy said here on Sunday.

The dam, scheduled to be inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on Monday (May 20), could provide clean water for hundreds of villagers of Ainiba, Fatuketi, and Motadik in Kakuluk Mesak subdistrict.

The dam is situated some eight kilometers from Atambua City in Belu District. With its capacity to retain 3.3 million cubic meters of water, the dam could release 40 liter per second of clean water to Atambua City, Fery said.

"The construction of the dam was faster than its target, only 3.5 years while the construction contract was for 4 years," he said.

Rotiklot is one of seven dams included in the priority program of President  Joko Widodo's  administration to be built in East Nusa Tenggara.

In January 2018, the president has inaugurated Raknamo dam in Kupang District, East Nusa Tenggara. (ant)

Trade ministers from member economies of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) are convening in Chile, host of the APEC 2019, to strengthen regional economic integration, against a backdrop of slowing trade growth.

APEC's trade ministers reiterated the intention to continue economic cooperation for continued growth, as noted in a written statement issued by the APEC Secretariat and received in Jakarta on Sunday.

In a meeting held in the seaside town of Vina del Mar, Chile, APEC's trade ministers focused on ways to fortify collaboration between the 21 Pacific Rim economies, particularly on boosting trade, which for decades motored economic expansion across the region.

Working on the principles of consensus-based, non-binding voluntary dialogue, APEC has successfully encouraged and mobilized more trade, which contributed 45 percent of regional gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017. Despite recent trade frictions, the forum continues to engage on economic cooperation in the interest of mutual economic growth.

"Together we have constructed an integration orientated forum, through open and constructive dialog, that has helped underpin economic growth and prosperity in the region," said Chile’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Roberto Ampuero, who is chairing the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade meetings.

At the same time, Ampuero reinforced the need for APEC member economies to address emerging disparities resulting from trade policies.

"Our inclusive and sustainable growth priorities are directed as much by the conviction that there are important principles at stake, as they are by our determination to identify new sources of economic growth that puts people, and their future, at the center of our work," he stated.

Chile typifies how the APEC membership can facilitate growth. Since joining 25 years ago, Chile’s exports to the Asia Pacific region have grown almost 800 percent and generated a million jobs. Today, the APEC economies account for 66 percent of Chile’s total trade and 59 percent of its foreign investment. (ant)