VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

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)

Indonesia and Africa both share common interest in several important topics, such as economic sovereignty, government reform, and solidarity. In addition, the two sides support each other in various multilateral forums and international organizations. Minister of Village, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Eko Putro Sandjojo in his remarks at the 2019 Africa Day in Jakarta, Saturday (05/25). On this occasion, Minister Eko Putro welcomed progressive steps towards the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

“We also welcome the progress of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Oncethe agenda runs, it will serve to promote intra African trade and economic integration as well as strengthen Africa's trading position in the global market,” said Eko Putro Sandjojo.

Meanwhile, the Algerian Ambassador to Indonesia, Abdelkader Aziria, who is also the Dean of the 54-member African Ambassador group, said that the existing cooperation between Indonesia and the African continent could increasingly improve the African countries themselves. Africa Day is also commemorated as the day of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity which became the forerunner of the African Union. (VOI/AHM)

The Minister of Religion Lukman Hakim Saifuddin today reviewed the supervision post for the departure of special Umrah and Hajj pilgrims at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta Airport , Cengkareng.

In addition to the Directorate General of Hajj and Umrah ( PHU ), the Minister of Religion had a dialogue with the celestial parties, immigration, airport authorities, and also a number of Umrah pilgrims who were going to the Holy Land.

"This program is very cool, a concrete form of cross-sectoral cooperation. It's just a matter of technical improvement, "said the Minister of Religion after conducting a review, in Cengkareng, Sunday (5/26).

Improvement needs to be done, said Minister of Religion, because this surveillance post is still in the socialization period. Ministry of Religion makes this integrated monitoring post in order to optimize supervision in the form of completing the examination of Umrah documents and receiving complaints from the Umrah and special Hajj pilgrims.

"The Ministry of Religion, specifically the Directorate General of PHU, wants to take a preventive, preventive approach so that there are no problematic Umrah or special pilgrimages so that when they are in the Holy Land facing problems, especially those related to incomplete travel documents and so on," said the Minister of Religion.

"So it is necessary to have an integrated check, not only from the Ministry of Religion but also immigration, and other related Ministries,  Agencies so that every special Umrah or Hajj pilgrimage gets assurance of their departure and return," he continued.

Because the supervision posts currently available are still in the socialization period, upgrading needs to be done. Minister of Religion expressed his appreciation to Angkasa Pura 2 for providing space for service counters. The Minister of Religion hopes that the Ministry of Religion can get a more permanent counter.

In addition to counters, service upgrades also need to be done on system aspects. Minister of Religion hopes that the service will soon be integrated with the Integrated Umrah and Special Hajj Service System (SIPATUH) so that supervision can also be done online.

Moreover, the Ministry of Religion's supervision system is also integrated with immigration so that the Ministry of Religion's supervisory output becomes one of the indicators in immigration checks, in addition to tickets, passports and visas.

Soetta Airport Immigration Officer, Tessa, who was present at the occasion welcomed the Minister of Religion's hopes. According to him, the mechanism is even better and will be taken into consideration by the immigration authorities.

To the Minister of Religion, the representative of Angkasa Pura 2 Heru Karyadi explained that his party was preparing the Umrah and Hajj terminal. Angkasa Pura has also conveyed to the development planner to include the technical supervision of the Ministry of Religion Umrah in the flow. After the security check, there is integrated supervision from the Ministry of Religion.

"Now in the basic stages of designing. It's Possible in 2021 will start operating, "he said.

This Umrah and Special Hajj Surveillance Post was released the first time by Arfi Hatim in early May 2019. Present accompanied, Director of Umrah and Special Hajj ( PHU ) Arfi Hatim, Secretary of DG PHU Ramadan Harisman, and Director of Domestic Hajj Services Muhajirin Yanis. (Ministry of Religion Public Relations / EN)