President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has signed Presidential Decree No. 30 of 2018 on National Wayang Puppet Day.

The decree, signed on December 17, 2018, stipulates that National Wayang Day be observed on Nov 7, every year.

Indonesian wayang has developed into a national cultural asset, with high value in building character and identity of the Indonesian nation.

The Wayang puppet theatre was inscribed in 2008 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.

This ancient form of storytelling originated on the Indonesian island of Java. Wayang has spread to other islands -- Lombok, Madura, Sumatra, and Borneo -- where various local performance styles and musical accompaniments have developed.

These carefully handcrafted puppets vary in size, shape, and style, with the two principal types prevailing are the three-dimensional wooden puppet, called wayang klitik or gol?k, and the flat leather shadow puppet, called wayang kulit, projected in front of a screen lit from behind. Both types are characterized by costumes, facial features, and articulated body parts.

Wayang shows are major social occasions. They have traditionally been featured at weddings, circumcision parties, and festivals. (ANTARA)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in hopes that the friendship and cooperation between his country and Indonesia will be stronger and stronger in 2019 and in the years to come.

That statement was conveyed by Moon in Indonesian as a greeting to welcome the New Year 2019.

The statement was posted on the official Twitter account of the South Korean presidential office @TheBlueHouseEng which was inserted in Moon`s personal account @moonriver365, marking that the words were made by the South Korean President.

According to South Korea`s Ambassador to Indonesia Kim Chang-beom, the statement was a sign of the closeness of the relations between Indonesian and South Korean leaders.

"It shows the closeness of friendship and partnership between them," Ambassador Kim Chang-beom said via a short message received by Antara here Sunday.

In the remarks linked to the official account of President Joko Widodo @jokowi, @Kemlu_RI (the official account of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry) and the Indonesian people, Moon expressed his appreciation for Indonesia`s support for South Korea which has been fighting for peace for the past year.

"We are able to show great strength because you are always with us," President Moon said as quoted from his post on December 27, 2018.

In the last link, Moon hopes that President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and the Indonesian people will always be healthy and happy.

Earlier, on December 24, 2018, President Moon sent a letter to President Jokowi to express his condolences over the tsunami that hit the coasts of the Sunda Strait on December 22, 2018. (ANTARA)

An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter Scale hit Bengkulu on Sunday afternoon, but no report of casualty and property damaged.

The quake hit at 15.39 local time, with an epicenter in Lebong, 633 kilometers northwest of Jakarta at a depth of 192 kilometers. 

Spokesman of the Bengkulu Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics office Sudianto said the epicenter was on shore, therefore, there is no potential to trigger a tsunami. (ANTARA)

President Joko Widodo President Joko Widodo attended the 2018 National Christmas celebration held in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, on Saturday (29/12).

“To all Christians, please  always be the  salt and light of the world, by always opening your  heart to receive wisdom. Because blessed is the one who gets wisdom, the profits outweigh gold and silver, more valuable than gems. By accepting wisdom, our path is full of happiness, full of a sense of well-being. With wisdom we work together to build Indonesia. With wisdom we help each other,” said President Joko Widodo..

Furthermore President Joko Widodo also said that a Christmas celebration should be a true celebration for Christians to bring peace to Indonesia. The President also appealed to the entire community to continue to maintain national unity. Meanwhile, the Head of the North Sumatra Regional Police Public Relations Division, Chief Commissioner of Police Tatan Dirsan Atmaja, said that the North Sumatra Regional Police deployed one thousand five hundred police personnel to secure the 2018 National Christmas celebration in Deli Serdang. He said, the number was added with around two thousand TNI personnel to secure more than 15 thousand people present to participate in celebrating Christmas which was attended by President Joko Widodo. (Ndy trans by PUTRI)