Small and medium-sized businesses in Indonesia can now take advantage of the new online devices ASEAN Solutions for Investments, Services and Trade (ASSIST) - to convey their problems when doing business in the ASEAN region. The online ASSIST facility was developed with the support of the European Union. Met after the Outreach event on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 in Jakarta, Director of Trade Negotiation Services, Directorate General of International Trade Negotiations, Indonesian Ministry of Trade, Iskandar Panjaitan said that the organization facilitated Indonesian entrepreneurs to know more about foreign trade policies, especially in ASEAN.

“This is among the 10 ASEAN countries, so of course trade only has competence for the country but does not have the competence to question in other ASEAN member countries so they become facilitators later. If there are questions from our business people or from investors about the policies made by Thailand, for example, he can later do this through ASSIST. Later by management at the ASSIST he will ask the vocal point designated in another country. For Us, the Vocal Point is trading," said Iskandar Panjaitan.

ASSIST itself is a free online facility developed by ASEAN financially supported by the European Union under the ARISE Plus program. This makes it easy for business owners to complain online with ASEAN member countries when facing export problems. The European Union also encourages the Indonesian business community to take full advantage of the free online service. (VOI/NK/AHM)

The Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) in Hong Kong will be temporarily closed for public activities, except for immigration services, until April 30 Consulate general Tri Haryat said in Hong Kong on Tuesday that this was because some 7.2 tons of ballots packed into 362 sealed packages were being stored on the office’s fourth floor since March 31.

“There are ballots stored here, so we need to keep the documents safe until the elections," Haryat stated.

Some 140,000 Indonesian diaspora and migrant workers in Hong Kong will cast their ballots at the 32 polling stations from April 7 to April 14.

According to the Indonesian Overseas Elections Committee in Hong Kong, a total of 180,232 Indonesian diaspora in China were registered to vote.

Similar to other overseas polling stations, the voting in Hong Kong will be held on April 17.

For this year’s election, Haryat said that polling stations were set up across three locations, including at Victoria Park, to avoid disturbances. “We have learned from the previous elections, and therefore, this time, we set up dozens of polling stations,” Haryat noted.

Five years ago, the presidential election in Hong Kong was centered only at Victoria Park's polling station, and as the result, the committee was overwhelmed while helping people cast their ballots.

Indonesia will hold its first ever simultaneous presidential and legislative elections on April 17. The incumbent presidential candidate Joko Widodo and his running mate Ma'ruf Amin will compete against Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno. (ANTARA)

The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism has encouraged all tour and travel agencies incorporated in the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA) to move forward and start using digital platforms for their business.

The use of digital platforms is the best business-doing transformation to be carried out by the country's tour and travel industry since almost 70 percent of tourists visiting Indonesia have taken advantages of online services for all of their traveling needs, said Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The Tourism Minister delivered his statement during the ASITA's National Work Meeting held at the Sapta Pesona Building.

"Nowadays, the customers prefer to use online services. Therefore, we can no longer rely on walk-in service and ask customers to come to the travel agent offices to book tickets and choose their tour packages," Minister Arief Yahya remarked.

He hopes that the cooperation between tour operators and travel agencies incorporated in ASITA can help improve the competitiveness of the national tourism sector.

"We need to move forward, and the main requirement is go digital. Without using digital technology, we won't be able to progress, and it will be difficult for us to compete in the increasingly strict world market," Yahya said.

On the same occasion, Chairperson of ASITA Nunung Rusmiati on behalf of tour and travel industry expressed appreciation for all the supports given by the government to the industry, particularly in an effort to reduce flight fares.

"Thanks to the government for listening to our complaints regarding flight fares, and now the airplane ticket prices are back to normal," she stated. (ANTARA)

Elections using the Mobile Ballot Method has been held since April 8, 2019. Members of the organizer of Foreign election (KPPSLN) have been deployed to 29 Mobile Ballot Box voting points. In Malaysia, the highest location for Indonesian Migrant Workers is in Sime Darby. The total permanent voter list (DPT) in Sime Darby is 5 thousand. The Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia, Rusdi Kirana hoped the Indonesian migrant workers will no longer face difficulty in getting permits from their working unions when they want to cast their vote in the 2019 Election.

"Ask them to help. It's not saying illegal, but convenience in our citizens to be able to use their rights," said

Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia, Rusdi Kirana.

The democracy fiesta is really enthusiastically welcomed by all Indonesian migrant workers at Sime Darby. The arrival of roving ballot boxes is scheduled according to the shift of each worker. (KBRN/GEA/AHM)