VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian government has been able to increase agricultural efficiency by 48 percent over the past four years by encouraging agricultural modernization through agricultural tools and machinery (Alsintan) assistance. To encourage the modernization of agriculture with the assistance of machinery and agricultural equipment have been going on since 2015. Director General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities (PSP) Pending Dadih Permana noted at a press conference that the use of agricultural tools and machinery to encourage agricultural modernization can increase farming efficiency by 35 to 48 percent. The director general remarked that Alsintan was provided in the form of two-wheeled tractors and four-wheeled tractors; water pumps; rice transplanting equipment; choppers; cultivators; excavators; hand sprayers; corn planting tools; and semi-manual corn planting devices. Permana explained that the Ministry of Agriculture encourages modernization in agricultural cultivation as a whole, including land-processing activities, planting, harvesting, and processing agricultural products.  In 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Directorate General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities, plans to develop a swamp area of 500 thousand hectares spreading across Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Sulawesi. (ANTARA)

The Indonesian government will remain focused on accelerating the country`s industrialization as it will bring multiplier effects to national economy.Therefore, the government is resolved to create conducive investment climate,Head of Industrial Research and Development Agency (BPPI) of the Ministry of Industry, Ngakan Timur Antara, said in Jakarta on Sunday (11/25).Ngakan said his agency has taken strategic steps such as economic policy packages, incentives and ease of doing business facilities.The multiple effects of the policy included added values of raw materials, local workers absorption, increase in foreign exchange earning from exports, taxes and excise duties.The efforts could accelerate even distribution and national inclusive and quality economic growth. This leads the government to carry out economic transformation which shifts consumption- to manufacturing-based economy.The Ministry of Industry is consistent with the implementation of the industrial down-streaming in the non-oil/gas processing sector with an emphasis on stock chain approach so that it would be more competitive in the domestic, regional and global levels.Referring to Central Statistics Agency (BPS) data, in the third quarter of 2018, the manufacturing industry still has the largest contribution to the national gross domestic product (GDP) of 19.66 percent. (ANTARA)

Indonesian President Joko Widodo asked the public not to be easily agitated by hoaxes and negative issues that could undermine the national unity. President Joko Widodo when delivering his speech after receiving a traditional 'Rajo Balaq Mangku Nagara' title in Griya Agung, Palembang on Sunday morning, said he was sometimes surprised by the fact that difference in political choice could make people reluctant to talk to each other. Jokowi said that regional head elections (district head and governor elections) and presidential race are held not only this time, but they are routinely held once in every 5 years. Therefore, the President earlier in Lampung said that people should not be hostile toward each other and sacrifice their harmony only because of general elections and differences in choice. (ANTARA)

President Joko Widodo praised the harmony among religious followers in Lampung Province. This shows that Lampung’s condition is peaceful and conducive. This was stated by President Joko Widodo in his remarks during a visit to the Darussaalamah Salafiyah Islamic Boarding School in East Lampung Regency on Friday. He said that the Indonesian people are brothers and sisters across the country, Indonesia. Thus, they must keep o maintaining the unity. In the gathering at the Islamic boarding school led by KH Imam Sibawi, there were representatives of other religions. President Joko Widodo also reminded the democratic festivity to be carried out during the election of regional heads and presidential election could strengthen the nation's integrity and unity. (Ant-Mar)