VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta. Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi has ensured that basic necessities for the fasting month of Ramadhan will be available at stable prices, thereby circumventing the need for imports.

"I can ensure that during Ramadhan this year, the price of basic necessities would be stable and affordable. There is a possibility of the price declining, as we have entered the harvest period," Lutfi remarked during a visit to the Kramat Jati wholesale market here on Wednesday.

The minister monitored the prices and supply of basic necessities at the wholesale market that can serve as a reference for consumers in the retail market.

"I have checked the availability at the Kramat Jati wholesale market. As we can see, the prices of all goods are stable and tend to decline," the minister stated.

The price of shallots is stable in a range of Rp18 thousand to Rp21 thousand per kilogram (kg), while the price of chili declined, from Rp100 thousand to Rp70 thousand per kg.

"With the incoming harvest, the price might continue to decline," he noted.

The price of garlic stood at Rp18 thousand to Rp21 thousand per kg and reached Rp32 thousand to Rp35 thousand per kg.

Lutfi made assurance that the government will not import the commodities since domestic supply could meet the demand.

"I think all the commodities are available. I observed that the price of premium quality rice is stable. The local supply is adequate to meet the demand. Hence, we do not need to import," the minister remarked. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab undertook a visit to Indonesia on Wednesday to meet with President Joko Widodo and Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi to deliberate on endeavors to take bilateral ties to the next level.

The trio would discuss issues on the COVID-19 pandemic, peace and security cooperation, as well as steps to intensify trade partnership, worth £2.7 billion annually, between the UK and Indonesia.

Raab was also scheduled to hold a meeting with Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin to discuss the significance of international cooperation in pandemic preparedness as well as bilateral cooperation in the health field, including in telemedicine, researches through the UK’s Newton Fund, and genome sequencing through the UK’s Fleming Fund.

This was his fourth visit to Southeast Asia as foreign minister as well as the foremost visit since the publication of the Integrated Review, the British Embassy noted in a statement here on Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Raab's visit signals Britain's keenness to bolster relations with countries in the region, according to the embassy.

This year, several British ships, which are part of the British Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Queen Elizabeth, will embark on their maiden visit to the region.

"We are deepening our trade relationship. Deployment of the Carrier Strike Group marks the beginning of a new era of cooperation in the defense sector. The UK is investing in long-term partnerships as a force for good in the region,” Raab stated.

Meanwhile, British Ambassador to Indonesia Owen Jenkins expounded that this visit would reinforce the existing sound ties between the UK and Indonesia and was testament to Britain's willingness to direct its attention largely on the Indo-Pacific region.

"We have forged bilateral cooperation for development in various fields. This visit will explore where we can do more, and we are optimistic of making good progress," Jenkins stated.

After the visit to Indonesia, Raab will head to Brunei-Darussalam, the current ASEAN chairman, on Thursday (Apr 8), to discuss trade, climate, and security issues.

He will thereafter partake in the second UK-ASEAN ministerial dialog to explore the status of a Dialogue Partner for Britain before returning to the UK aboard a new British Air Force aircraft, the Voyager. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. The 2021 Hajj Pilgrimage Implementation (BPIH) costs had yet to be determined, and a working committee meeting will be held to deliberate on this matter, according to the Religious Affairs Ministry.

"There is no decision yet. This year's hajj costs are still being discussed intensively by the Working Committee of the Religion Ministry and Commission VIII of the House of Representatives (DPR)," acting Director General of Hajj and Umrah Implementation at the ministry, Khoirizi H. Dasir, stated in his official statement here on Wednesday.

Dasir noted that the ministry and the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) had yet to determine this year’s Hajj costs. The figures presented at the Joint Hearing Meeting with the Commission VIII were merely scenarios.

The discussion centering on the hajj costs were included in the preparation and mitigation stages of organizing the pilgrimage during the pandemic.

The discussion was held while awaiting official information from Saudi Arabia on the departure quota for this year's pilgrims. Hence, the discussion on the Hajj costs is conducted on the basis of several assumptions on quotas, according to the formulated scenario.

"Since there is no certainty about the quota, the discussion about the cost of Hajj is based on assumptions, starting from the quota of 30 percent, 25 percent, 20 percent, and even up to only five percent," he said.

Meanwhile, he did not contend about the potential rise in the cost of Hajj on account of three influencing factors: the increase in the dollar exchange rate, the tax rise from five percent to 15 percent, and the necessity to apply health protocols.

"Hajj pilgrimage during a pandemic requires swab checks, maintaining distance, and limiting room capacity. There are also provisions on quarantine and others. All of these will certainly have an impact on the cost of Hajj," he stated.

He emphasized that the Religion Ministry along with the Commission VIII are working on the preparations to offer the best service to the pilgrims. For instance, to reduce mobility during pilgrimage, the ministry plans to provide three meals a day, so that the pilgrims do not have to venture out in search of food.

"The Religion Ministry, along with Commission VIII, will continue to do everything possible. Hence, if there is an increase in the Hajj costs, it is expected to not be a burden on the pilgrims," Dasir stated. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. North Korea said on Tuesday it would not take part in the Tokyo Olympics due to coronavirus concerns, dashing South Korean hopes that the Games could be a catalyst to revive peace talks.

It will be the first time North Korea has missed a summer Olympics since it boycotted the Seoul games in 1988, during the Cold War.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in had hoped the two countries, still technically at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, could field a combined team in Tokyo and rebuild momentum for an improvement in relations.

The withdrawal is also a setback for Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s plan, agreed in 2018, to pursue a joint Korean bid to host the 2032 Games.

When South Korea hosted the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018, Kim sent his sister to head the national delegation, and both teams marched under a unified flag at the opening ceremony and fielded a combined women’s ice hockey team.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula rose last month when the North resumed missile tests, although both sides said they wanted to continue dialogue.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry said Seoul had hoped the Tokyo Olympics would be a chance to “foster peace and reconciliation” and expressed regret that it could not happen.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said the North Korean move “would appear consistent ... with the DPRK’s stringent response to COVID-19,” referring to North Korea by the acronym of its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, which took office in January, has sought to engage North Korea in dialogue but has been rebuffed.

The Tokyo Organising Committee said it would “continue to prepare the best possible stage to welcome athletes from all countries and regions”.

The International Olympic Committee said it had asked the North Korean organising committee several times for a telephone conference to discuss the coronavirus situation in North Korea, but North Korea had been unable to comply.

“The IOC has not received any official application from the NOC of DPRK to be released from their obligation to take part in the Olympic Games according to the Olympic Charter,” an IOC spokesperson said.

North Korea’s sports ministry said on its website that the decision to pull out of Tokyo had been made at a meeting of its Olympic committee with Sports Minister Kim Il Guk on March 25.

“The committee decided not to join the 32nd Olympics Games to protect athletes from the global health crisis caused by the coronavirus,” it said.

North Korea says it has not had any coronavirus cases.

The March 25 meeting also discussed ways to develop professional sports technologies, earn more medals at international competitions and expand public sports activities over the next five years, the ministry said.

Kim, known to be a fan of U.S. basketball, has expressed a desire to promote professional sports in North Korea. (Reuters)