VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta. The government is looking to certify outermost islands, including those bordering other nations, Vice Agrarian and Spatial Layout Minister Surya Chandra stated.

Planned certification of the outermost islands accords with the instruction of President Joko Widodo keen on realizing the certification of all outermost islands, including Karang Unarang Island in Nunukan District (bordering Malaysia), Chandra remarked during a visit to Nunukan District on Tuesday.

"Currently, the government, through President Joko Widodo's instruction, is seeking to certify all outermost islands," he remarked.

The government's move to certify the outermost islands, including those bordering other nations, is aimed at circumventing any unilateral claim over the Indonesian territory, he explained.

To certify Karang Unarang Island, the vice agrarian and spatial layout minister will visit the island located off the Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippine triangle on Sebatik Island.

Chandra noted that only part of the outermost islands was certified and was optimistic of the certification of the outermost islands receiving the government's endorsement in future.

In a bid to protect the country's border areas against foreign territorial claims, the government has declared 111 outer islands that include some not previously stated as border areas. (Antaranews)

Jakarta.  Indonesia's participation in Hannover Messe, an eminent industrial technology exhibition, is an opportunity to showcase the potential of the country's industries and bolster economic ties with Germany.

"We believe that participation in Hannover Messe will further strengthen bilateral relations between Indonesia and Germany," Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita noted in a statement here on Tuesday.

Germany has, until now, been one of Indonesia's key economic partners in Europe. Diplomatic ties between both nations have existed since 1952.

"Not only in the fields of trade, investment, and industry, but also the synergy between the two countries will touch on the dimensions of sustainable development," the minister stated.

Kartasasmita disclosed that Indonesia will become the official partner country for the Hannover Messe expo for three consecutive years: 2021, 2022, and 2023.

"We have received letters from Deutsche Messe in December 2020 and January this year regarding the opportunity for Indonesia to become the country's official partner in the Hannover Messe 2021 and 2023 as well as special features in 2022," he stated.

This year's Hannover Messe will be held digitally on April 12-16, 2021, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Joko Widodo and the Chancellor of Germany  Angela Merkel will be virtually present at the opening ceremony of the Hannover Messe 2021 Digital Edition.

"We believe this event is a great opportunity for Indonesia to present its industrial vision and introduce the roadmap for Making Indonesia 4.0 to the world," Kartasasmita noted.

This year, Indonesia will feature 156 participants comprising large-scale industrial companies, small- and medium-sized industries and startups, industrial estates, industrial associations, BUMN, as well as ministries and institutions.

At the opening ceremony, the two leaders will witness the inking of an MoU between Indonesia and Germany on Quality Infrastructure targeted to improve standardization, technical regulations, accreditation, suitability assessment, metrology, and product safety as well as to support bilateral trade activities between both nations. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. A Russian Interpol fugitive Andrew Ayer, alias Andrey Kovalenka, was deported from Bali to his country of origin Russia, after serving a prison term of 1.6 years at the Kerobokan Prison in a narcotics case.

"He was handed over to the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office and will be deported. We also apply an entry ban (against Ayer)," head of Bali's Law and Human Rights regional office Jamaruli Manihuruk stated here on Tuesday.

Ayer was deported at 13:10 local time aboard a City Link Airplane flight number QG685 ETD from the Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali to Jakarta before he would be flown to Singapore and Moscow, in the presence of two personnel of the Russian Interpol to stand guard.

The 32-year-old earlier served term in the Kerobokan Prison in connection with a narcotics case. He was a drug dealer in Russia and had fled to Indonesia. The Russian police had been coordinating with the Interpol and Indonesian Police to net Ayer.

The Bali police arrested him on October 1, 2019, while he was conducting a drug transaction at a cafe in Kuta, Badung.

After serving his year-long jail term at the Kerobokan prison, Ayer was transferred to the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office on February 3, 2021, though he escaped on February 11.

He was then arrested at the Seminyak II Villa on Umalas Street 1, North Kuta, Bali, on February 24 and placed in detention for 28 days.

The police also arrested Ayer's girlfriend, Ekaterina Trubkina, for allegedly facilitating the escape. Trubkina was deported on March 19.

Meanwhile, the authority questioned the immigration officers stationed when Ayer fled.

"We stress here to all immigration personnel to implement appropriately the standard operation procedures," he remarked. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. The Finance Ministry has projected Indonesia's economy to grow by up to seven percent in the third quarter (Q3) of 2021 along with rising economic activities.

"There will be significant improvements in the second quarter of 2021. According to our calculations, our economy can grow above seven percent year-on-year," Chief of the Fiscal Policy Board at the Finance Ministry Fabrio Kacaribu noted during an online press briefing on the state budget here on Tuesday.

The increase in economic activities resulting from the successful handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and implementing the national vaccination program will drive positive economic growth in the second quarter of 2021, he remarked.

The economic activities consistently improved since the third quarter of 2020 until the end of 2020 when the economy contracted 2.19 percent, or better than that of other G20 and ASEAN member states, he remarked.

The signs of economic recovery emerged in the first quarter of 2021 as was visible from the strong purchasing managers index (PMI), export and import recovery, and increasing consumption and investment.

“We look at consistent improvement in the first quarter, with the growth estimated at minus 1 to 0.1 percent. This shows significant quarter-to-quarter improvement as reflected in the figures," he noted.

Kacaribu expressed belief that the improvement will continue until the end of 2021 when the economy will grow in the range of 4.8 to 4.9 percent along with strong positive sentiments toward the direction of economic recovery.

On a separate occasion, Bahana economist Satria Sambijantoro projected the third-quarter economic growth to reach 7.82 percent year-on-year after a 0.85-percent contraction in the second quarter. (Antaranews)