VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta. A joint team of the Indonesian military and police (TNI-Polri) has continued the hunt for members of the Nau Waker-led armed criminal group and ensured the people's safety in Puncak District, Papua.

"We will do our best to ensure the people's security," a spokesman of the Operation Nemangkawi Senior Commissioner Pol. M. Iqbal Alqudussy noted in a statement here on Friday.

Alqudussy remarked that the joint team had occupied the region under Nau Waker's control in Tembagapura.

"As the group was cornered, Nau Waker moved to Boega, torched houses and schools, and threatened and extorted local people," he stated.

Earlier, on Thursday (April 8), the armed criminal group, led by Nau Waker, torched several schools in Julukoma Village, Boega in Puncak District of Papua.

"They also threatened and extorted the residents of Boega," he remarked.

Nau Waker, a subordinate of the group's top leader Guspi Waker, has been placed on the list of wanted persons by the Mimika Police since 2018 for various crimes.

In 2018, Nau Waker was involved in the shooting of PT Freeport workers in Mile 69, Tembagapura, in which a WLP vehicle was damaged.

According to the police ballistic laboratory test, Nau Waker's weapon was a steyr-type rifle.

"Currently, the TNI-Polri personnel involved in the Operation Nemangkawi have continued to hunt down Nau Waker, who fled to Ilaga," he stated.

On Thursday (April 8) at 9:30 a.m. eastern Indonesian time, the armed group shot dead a civilian Oktovianos Rayo, 42, a teacher living in Julukoma Village, Beoga, Papua.

Rayo was shot twice when he was about to enter his house. Later on in the day, the group torched some schools in the village.

The armed group was hunted down by the joint team in the Operation Nemangkawi in Intan Jaya. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. The Indonesian government remains committed to boosting cooperative relations with Korea through the Indonesia-Korea Investment Roundtable Dialogue 2021 held here on Thursday (Apr 8).

Attendees comprised Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadia, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Indonesia Park Tae Sung, and Chairman of the Korean Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia C.K Song.

"We have specially prepared this agenda and invited various Korean companies that have invested in Indonesia to demonstrate the Indonesian commitment to strengthening economic cooperation between Indonesia and Korea," Pandjaitan noted in an official statement here on Friday.

For about five decades, Indonesia and Korea have been striving to bolster their cooperative relations. The dialog that was held was part of the Indonesian government's strong commitment to making Indonesia an investment destination for foreign and domestic investors, including businesses from the Republic of Korea, as one of the most important investors in Indonesia over the last few decades.

President Joko Widodo was also keen to foster cooperation between Indonesia and Korea, to which end the Indonesia-Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IK-CEPA) was signed.

"I believe that this form of cooperation can improve trade and investment relations between the two countries," Pandjaitan remarked.

In 2020, Korea will occupy the fifth position out of the 126 countries that offer large investments in Indonesia. There are 5,467 investment projects under Korean companies, with an investment value of US$1.8 billion.

The cooperation is expected to be developed in various other sectors, such as investment in the new Indonesia Investment Authority (INA) and also the development of downstream metals and renewable energy industries, in order to improve the existing investment climate.

The government has additionally introduced the Job Creation Law or Omnibus Law to support investment, enhance Indonesia's value on the global stage, and increase the number of small and medium enterprises in Indonesia.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to implementing the Omnibus Law, the Indonesian Government continues to step up the implementation of the vaccination program to thwart transmission of the virus in the community.

"The government believes that implementation of the Omnibus Law and current mass vaccinations can accelerate economic recovery in Indonesia after being affected by COVID-19," he added.

Meanwhile, Pandjaitan remarked that Indonesia's economy shrank by 3.49 percent in the third quarter of 2020, while a contraction of 2.19 percent was recorded in the fourth quarter of 2020, thereby indicating that policies made by the government are on the right track.

"Once again, we affirm that the Indonesian government remains committed to improving bilateral relations between Indonesia and Korea, and I believe the two countries can continue to work together and collaborate for a better future," Pandjaitan stated. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. President Joko Widodo, on Friday morning, departed for East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province that was hit by flash floods early this week to ensure that disaster mitigation efforts are running smoothly.

The president and his entourage departed from the Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase in East Jakarta at 6 a.m. local time aboard the Presidential Aircraft Indonesia-1 and are scheduled to land at the Frans Seda Airport in Sikka District, East Nusa Tenggara.

The head of state will visit several flash flood-hit areas in East Nusa Tenggara.

The president had earlier instructed his ranks to dispatch relief aid to the affected areas.

The first phase of presidential aid comprising five thousand packages of basic necessities had been dispatched on Tuesday aboard the Indonesian Air Force's Hercules aircraft and the Indonesian Navy's warship

Nearly 3,500 of the five thousand packages of basic necessities arrived in Adomara and Lembata and were distributed to the affected people.

The next presidential aid comprising 10 thousand packages of basic necessities will be sent later while awaiting a mode of transportation.

The president has also sent 13 thousand packages of basic necessities to help alleviate the burden of natural disaster victims in Bima District, West Nusa Tenggara Province.

As of Thursday, 163 people had lost their lives due to the Seroja tropical cyclone that triggered flash floods in East Nusa Tenggara, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

"In total, 163 people died, while 45 others remain missing in East Nusa Tenggara," BNPB Chief Doni Monardo stated at an online press conference here on Thursday.

Most deaths were reported in East Flores District, particularly Adonara Island, where 71 people died and five others remain missing, he stated.

In Lembata District, 43 people died and 25 others are missing, while 27 people lost their lives and 14 others are untraceable in Alor District, he remarked.

The natural disaster has also claimed six lives in Malaka District and three lives in Kupang District, with one person still missing.

In Kupang City, the disaster claimed the lives of six residents.

The tropical cyclone, which triggered flash floods, strong winds, and landslides, affected Kupang City, East Flores, Malaka, Lembata, Ngada, West Sumba, East Sumba, Rote Ndao, and Alor.

At least 1,083 families comprising 2,683 people were affected by the flash floods.

The BNPB has deployed helicopters to support the evacuation process and distribute relief aid as well as other logistics in the province. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has urged the Developing Eight Group (D-8) countries to help free the world of the COVID-19 pandemic and pursue global economic recovery by augmenting their vaccine production capacity.

Addressing the 10th D-8 Summit, held online on Thursday, President Jokowi highlighted the rising vaccine nationalism amidst efforts to promote equitable access to vaccines at affordable prices for all countries.

"This means that the world must be able to multiply the (vaccine) production capacity. There must not be restrictions on vaccine production and distribution. Here, D-8 countries can play a role by offering their production capacity," he said.

The D-8 member states can ramp up vaccine production to promote equitable access to vaccines and push for transfer of technology, he told leaders of the D-8 grouping, which includes Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

"Some of us, including Indonesia, are in the process of developing vaccines on their own, and D-8 must be open to cooperate in developing and producing vaccines in the future," President Jokowi said.

The Indonesian leader also urged D-8 member states to aid global economic recovery efforts, saying they hold an inter-regional trade potential of more than US$1.5 billion

"Inter-regional trade facilities within the scope of D-8 need to be pushed and trade barriers must be reduced. Strengthening inter-regional trade among D-8 member states is the key and will serve as the engine of economic development," he said.

Digital technology, digitization, artificial intelligence, computing power, and big data are also sectors that need to be developed, he noted.

He said technology has given birth to various breakthroughs and D-8 should use technology for the benefit of the people's welfare, considering that the sector reflects the picture of economy in the future.

The issue is in line with the theme of the 10th D-8 Summit — Partnership for Transformative World, Using the Power of Younger Generations and Technology — which highlights the need for younger generations of D-8 to benefit from the fourth Industrial Revolution and adapt to the changing information and communication technology landscape.

Indonesia has been a vocal proponent of equal and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The country is among the co-chairs of the COVAX Advance Market Commitment Engagement Group (COVAX AMC EG).

Indonesian Vice Foreign Minister Mahendra Siregar had also pushed for vaccine multilateralism during the 17th Session of the D-8 Council of Ministers meeting, held on Wednesday (April 7, 2021). He had said that the D-8 must ensure that vaccines can be distributed fairly for all without any hindrance.

“In this regard, we need to support the COVAX platform as the only platform to ensure equal access and affordable prices of vaccines for all,” he stressed.

He also called on the D-8 to prioritize strengthening research and development, as well as the health and pharmaceutical industry and network, in the D-8 countries. (Antaranews)