VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has assured that the research and innovation development budget managed by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is sufficient.

She pointed out that the BRIN budget is also supported by the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) on Wednesday.

"Next year, the indicative ceiling will slightly decrease to Rp5.9 trillion (around US$392 million). However, if BRIN needs more, there is around half a trillion rupiah from LPDP," she said.

This year, the government has allocated a budget of Rp6.66 trillion to BRIN. In 2022, the budget allocation was Rp6.46 trillion, with an absorption of Rp5.8 trillion.

As of June 2023, she informed that the realization of this year's budget allocation has only reached Rp1.7 trillion (around US$112.9 million).

"We hope that by the end of the year, other components like salaries can be absorbed, so we can ensure that the budget is sufficient," said Indrawati, who is the deputy chair of BRIN's steering board.

She assured that the government is always ready to meet the need for research funds.

"We continue to monitor the needs, from laboratory construction to equipment purchases. The head of BRIN said the equipment is expensive," she added.

However, she stated that the most important thing is that the equipment can be used by researchers.

In 2022, the government allocated Rp1.17 trillion (US$77.6 million) sourced from State Sharia Securities (SBSN) to build some BRIN facilities.

However, the budget realization only reached Rp957 billion (US$63.5 million).

This year, the government re-launched the development budget for BRIN with an initial ceiling of Rp240 billion, which was increased to Rp519 billion (around US$34.4 million). Until June, the budget realization had only reached Rp20 billion.

"There is still half a trillion rupiah (from the development budget) that must be absorbed within the next six months," Indrawati said. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Bintang Puspayoga has emphasized that women must not be left out of peace and security agendas.

"Women are strong peace activists and capable negotiators," she said while delivering her remarks at the ASEAN Women Peace and Security (WPS) Summit here on Thursday.

At the conference themed "High-Level Dialogue to Advance the Implementation of the Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security," Puspayoga observed that conflicts have a profound and often disproportionate and harmful impact on women and girls.

She added that women and girls are more vulnerable to gender-based violence that is worsened by conflict.

"To this end, women's participation is very meaningful in the peace process to improve the effectiveness, legitimacy, and sustainability of peace," she said.

According to the minister, women have a natural sensitivity that can help build a sense of mutual respect and inclusivity among various groups.

However, she said, in conflict prevention, peace negotiation, and post-conflict reconstruction, women are often viewed as weak, and their voices are often underestimated.

She added that, as the chair of ASEAN in 2023, Indonesia has picked the theme "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth," which symbolizes the country's commitment to increasing the significance and relevance of ASEAN in the region as well as on the global stage.

She expressed the hope that the ASEAN WPS conference would help strengthen commitment and collaborative action to fully advance the agenda of women, peace, and security.

"Let us identify concrete steps and real actions regarding how women implement peace and security that will bring transformative changes across ASEAN," she said.

The minister expressed optimism that when women are empowered and children are protected well, prosperity will be available for all.  (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is optimistic that Ewer Airport in Asmat District, South Papua Province, would open isolation and accelerate the mobility of individuals and goods in the region.

"Connectivity between regions, be it a district, province, or island, is very important. Great connectivity can speed up the mobility of people and goods. It can also open up isolation," he said during the inauguration of the Ewer Airport Terminal on Thursday as broadcast from the Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel.

He noted that Ewer Airport has, so far, served flights from Timika twice a week, flights from Kamur four times a week, and flights from Merauke four times a week.

The president is upbeat that Ewer Airport would also open tourism in Asmat and provide a multiplier effect for the economy in South Papua.

On the same occasion, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi  stated that the construction and development of transportation infrastructure in Asmat District showed the government's commitment to equitable distribution of development across Indonesia, especially in South Papua.

He said that the government also built a passenger terminal at Ewer Airport having a touch of minimalist architecture, with ornaments and interiors inspired by Asmat culture.

"Like the installation of a miniature Asmat boat that is not just a means of transportation but also a philosophy of life and death for the Asmat tribe," Sumadi explained.

He said that Ewer Airport has been developed from 2018 to 2022, with a total budget of Rp287 billion using the state budget.

The Ewer Airport has a runway sized 1,650 m x 30 m to accommodate ATR72-600 type aircraft. Meanwhile, the passenger terminal, measuring 488 square meters, can accommodate up to 14 thousand passengers per year, Sumadi noted. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) have agreed to the drafting of a roadmap for development cooperation for the next five years.

"Indonesia will soon also start renovating Port Moresby Hospital, developing fire stations and conducting waste management in Vanimo, developing schools in Wutung, and providing scholarships for PNG students," he stated on Wednesday (July 5), as broadcast by the Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel.

The president's remarks were made during the joint press conference after meeting Prime Minister James Marape at APEC Haus, Port Moresby, PNG.

During the meeting, Jokowi echoed Indonesia's commitment to advancing cooperation with Pacific countries, including PNG.

The two leaders also discussed efforts to enhance economic cooperation between Indonesia and PNG. The president noted that the bilateral trade value in 2022 had surged to US$307 million.

"We need to increase this by pushing for the continuation of the PTA (preferential trade agreement) deliberation, the establishment of a business council, visits of trade and investment missions, and participation of Indonesian state-owned companies in road construction in PNG," he expounded.

Meanwhile, the president said he welcomed new connectivity initiatives and the resumption of activities in the Indonesia-PNG border.

The head of state commended the new initiatives of the opening of the PNG Express sea route; direct flights from Denpasar, Bali, to Port Moresby; ratification of the Basic Agreement on Border Arrangement; and the reopening of the Skouw-Wutung land border post.

Jokowi said he discussed Indo-Pacific cooperation with Marape. He also conveyed the commitment to increasing engagement between Indonesia and ASEAN and the Pacific region.

"Including by inviting Pacific representatives to the East Asia Summit and organizing the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum," he remarked. (Antaranews)