VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

File photo of the central business district (CBD) in Singapore. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari) -

VOInews, Singapore : Singapore's economy grew 2.9 per cent in the second quarter of the year compared with the same period a year ago, according to advance estimates from the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) on Friday (Jul 12).

This was slightly slower than the 3 per cent growth recorded in the first quarter of 2024.

On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally-adjusted basis, Singapore's economy expanded 0.4 per cent in the April to June period, slightly faster than the 0.3 per cent reported in the first quarter.

Advance gross domestic product estimates are computed largely from data gathered in the first two months of the quarter.

They are intended as an early indicator of GDP growth for the quarter and may be revised when more comprehensive data is available, the ministry said. The advance estimate for GDP in the first quarter was 2.7 per cent, but was revised to 3.0 per cent.

The manufacturing sector grew 0.5 per cent in the second quarter compared with a year ago, reversing a contraction of 1.7 per cent in the first quarter. 

"Growth in the sector was supported by output expansions across all manufacturing clusters, except for the biomedical manufacturing and precision engineering clusters," MTI said in its release.

On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally-adjusted basis, the sector expanded by 0.6 per cent, compared with the 5.3 per cent contraction of the first three months of the year.

The group of sectors comprising the information and communications, finance and insurance and professional services sectors recorded the biggest growth of 5.6 per cent in the second quarter, though it was a slight moderation from the 5.7 per cent expansion in the previous quarter.

In the information and communications sector, growth was supported by continued strong demand for IT and digital solutions. For the finance and insurance sector, activities supplementary to financial services, banking and fund management segments supported growth.

On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally adjusted basis, the group of sectors grew 1.4 per cent. It shrank 2.8 per cent in the previous quarter.

The construction sector extended growth, expanding by 4.3 per cent in the second quarter, versus 4.1 per cent in the first quarter. The growth was boosted by an increase in public sector construction output.

On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally adjusted basis, the construction sector was back in the black at 2.4 per cent, compared with a contraction of 1.9 per cent in the first quarter.

The group comprising accommodation and food services, real estate, administrative and support services and other services grew 1.9 per cent in the second quarter, down from 3 per cent in the first quarter.

Besides the real estate and food services sectors, all other sectors in the group expanded.

"In particular, growth in the accommodation and administrative & support services sectors was supported by the sustained recovery in international visitor arrivals," MTI said.

On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally-adjusted basis, the sectors in the group collectively contracted by 0.5 per cent, a pullback from the 2.3 per cent growth in the first quarter. A slew of concerts in the first three months of the year was said to have boosted consumer-facing industries that quarter.

The wholesale and retail trade, and transportation and storage sectors collectively expanded by 2.5 per cent from a year ago, moderating from the 3.9 per cent growth in the first quarter.

All sectors in the group recorded growth except for retail trade, which shrank because of a decline in sales volumes of wearing apparel and footwear, watches and jewellery and optical goods and books.

Growth in the transportation and storage sector was mainly supported by water and air transport, while wholesale trade growth was driven by machinery, equipment and supplies, and other segments.

On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally adjusted basis, the sectors expanded 0.7 per cent as a group, down from 2.7 per cent in the first quarter//CNA - VOI

A member of the House of Representatives (DPR), Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, after a hearing with a health professional organization at the Parliamentary Complex in Jakarta on May 10, 2023. (ANTARA/DPR) - 

VOInews, Jakarta : The recruitment of specialist and sub-specialist doctors from overseas is expected to improve health services, considering they are still lacking in Indonesia, a member of the House of Representatives (DPR), Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, has said.

"We should view that this is part of improving the quality of health services in the country," he stated in a broadcast on the parliament's Youtube channel, which was accessed from here on Thursday.

Foreign doctors could also become partners of domestic general practitioners, specialists, and sub-specialist doctors, he added.

The recruitment of foreign doctors will be carried out strictly by referring to requirements laid down in Law Number 17 of 2023 concerning Health.

Earlier, House member Irma Suryani Chaniago said that her side can guarantee that the policy of bringing foreign doctors into Indonesia will not be implemented in an arbitrary way.

"We cannot allow foreign doctors to enter Indonesia arbitrarily," she added.

She said that foreign doctor recruitment will need to meet a number of requirements in the Health Law.

"Ask them (the public) to read this law so that they understand that the prerequisites for recruiting foreign doctors are clear, strict, and firm. There are rules that must be met, so there is no need to worry," she added.

Article 248 of the Health Law states that "medical personnel and health workers of foreign nationality who graduated abroad can carry out medical practice in Indonesia only as specialist and sub-specialist personnel or other certain levels."

They will also need to undergo administrative assessment and competency evaluation before being recruited.

The competency evaluation will be carried out by the Minister of Health by involving ministers overseeing the fields of education, advisory, and collegium//Antara - VOI

Illustration: Indonesian shuttler Anthony Sinisuka Ginting. ANTARA FOTO/M Risyal Hidayat/rwa/am - 

VOInews, Jakarta : The Indonesian badminton team is determined to maintain its tradition of winning gold medals at the upcoming 2024 Olympics in Paris, said M. Fadil Imran, secretary general of national badminton association PP PBSI.

"If asked about targets, athletes and teams will try their best following the expectations of the Indonesian people," he added at a press conference at the PP PBSI Cipayung National Training Center, East Jakarta, on Thursday.

"I hope that there will be results that match expectations; at least the tradition of winning gold medals can be maintained," he said.

The Indonesian badminton team has also undergone a series of trainings and simulations to prepare for the upcoming quadrennial sporting event.

Trained by top badminton coaches, the Indonesian team is currently set to fly toChambley-Bussières, France, for a pre-Olympics training camp.

"This is important because the Olympics are demanding not only physically, but also mentally and psychologically," Imran explained.

"I hope that athletes can be happy, comfortable, relaxed, and confident because we have worked hard for years," he added.

Earlier, Youth and Sports Minister Dito Ariotedjo said that at the upcoming Olympics, Indonesia will be represented by 16 male athletes and 13 female athletes who will vie for medals in 12 sports, namely badminton, sports climbing, judo, archery, shooting, surfing, athletics, cycling, rowing, swimming, weightlifting, and gymnastics.

Badminton is the sport where Indonesia has been most consistent in winning Olympic gold.

Susi Susanti, Alan Budikusuma, Rexy Mainaky/Ricky Subagja, Tony Gunawan/Candra Wijaya, Taufik Hidayat, Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan, Tontowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir, and Greysia Polii/Apriyani Rahayu are badminton athletes who have won gold for the country at the Olympics//Antara-VOI

The Cultural Goodwill Spice Route (MBJR) ship on Thursday (July 11, 2024). (ANTARA/BKHM Kemendikbudristek) -

VOInews, Jakarta :The Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry has said that the Cultural Goodwill Spice Route (MBJR) program has strengthened Indonesia's maritime history and position as the world's maritime axis.

Director of cultural development and utilization at the ministry, Irini Dewi Wanti, said that state warship (KRI) Dewaruci has been deployed for the program.

Under the program, the ship traverses and stops at seven points along the spice route, starting from Jakarta to East Belitung, Dumai, Sabang, Malacca in Malaysia, Tanjung Uban, Lampung, and back to Jakarta.

"This spice route ignites the memory and pride in identity as a maritime nation, which has been built for thousands of years through the warmth of spices, assimilation of knowledge, culture and civilization, and diplomacy," she informed here on Thursday.

During Cultural Diplomacy Through the Nusantara Spice Route, an online talk show, she confirmed that the MBJR program is part of Indonesia's diplomacy and aims to share knowledge of the spice route in the archipelago.

The local governments of areas where KRI Dewaruci halts also prepare discussion forums, workshops, and festivals.

The involvement of experts, such as archaeologists, cultural experts, academicians, media, and activists could strengthen spice route diplomacy as a shared heritage.

This shared heritage concept, Wanti said, supports efforts to get UNESCO world heritage-recognition for the spice route.

"We need support from the international community. We will carry out goodwill visits to neighboring countries first, which is to Malacca, because it is one of the important points for spice shipping in the archipelago," she informed.

In Malacca, she will gather support to propose the spice route as a UNESCO world heritage.

She said she expects the annual MBJR program to strengthen and enrich the narrative and literacy about the spice route that begins in Indonesia//Antara-VOI