VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan admitted he received many offers of assistance from the World Bank during his visit to Washington DC, United States, earlier this week.

However, from the many offers he received, Luhut admitted that he only asked the World Bank to help Indonesia in the mangrove rehabilitation program, which will be implemented on 600 thousand hectares of land in the next four years.

"The World Bank offers a lot of assistance, but I say we are sufficient. They said, 'We prepare a budget for vaccines', I said we are sufficient. Until they ask what can be helped, I said,' You can help us in the mangroves. We have a 600 thousand hectare replanting program and it is the largest mangrove replanting program in the world," he explained in a webinar held by UGM in Jakarta, Tuesday.

Other than showing interest in the mangrove program, Luhut said that the World Bank also wanted to take part in coral reef rehabilitation programs. However, Luhut firmly reminded that these programs were made for the future of the Indonesian generation.

"So we are not just to please you. So you don't have to serve them, okay? The first (to pay attention) is the next generation. I think the message is very clear," he said when telling the results of his meeting with the World Bank.

He also said that the world does not need to lecture Indonesia on environmental issues as if Indonesia is considered an undisciplined country or does not pay attention to environmental problems.

"So I said, you don't have to lecture us on environmental issues. Because I gave an example, in 2015 I handled forest fires, there were 2 million ha burned. But America burned 4 million ha, Australia 6 million ha, and you guys I never make a fuss. So diplomacy is straight forward (firm) but with a humble tone (humble tone)," concluded Luhut. (Antaranews)

Commission IV of the House of Representatives (DPR) has called on the Agriculture Ministry to issue a regulation for a ban on the exports of whole coconut to meet demand for the domestic industry.

During a meeting with echelon I officials of the Agriculture Ministry here on Tuesday, the commission head Sudin stated that the government had encouraged to improve the downstream industry.

However, whole coconut, as a raw material for various processing industries, had been extensively exported to China, he pointed out.

"I urge (the ministry) to issue a ministerial regulation to ban coconut exports because (export) will only benefit certain people. The government has striven to improve the downstream industry, but now, we are facing a shortage of coconut as raw material," he emphasized.

Sudin remarked that parts of coconut that can be utilized as industrial raw material are coconut water, coconut flour, coconut shell, and fibers, all holding high value as semi-processed and processed products.

President Joko Widodo has encouraged investment in the agriculture sector to support the downstream industry that will boost the commodity’s value, he stated.

"However, in fact, the raw material was exported while we are still facing shortages. This is not a good policy," Sudin pointed out.

According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), agricultural commodity exports during the period from January to September 2020 has reached US$21.10 billion, comprising US$2.34 billion exports of fresh product and US$18.76 billion of processed products. (Antaranews)

Trade Minister Agus Suparmanto said the importance of building the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) community as the key to economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

"The main key for APEC is the ability to build a sense of togetherness as a community to ensure the success of achieving APEC's goals," said the Trade Minister through an official statement in Jakarta, Tuesday.

Minister of Trade Agus Suparmanto conveyed that the sense of togetherness between APEC economies as a community will encourage the APEC economy to achieve its goals.

The dream of APEC to realize regional economic integration and strengthen regional connectivity will be more easily realized if APEC can create a sense of togetherness and the Bogor Goals have created a strong foundation for APEC to make this happen, said Trade Minister Agus while attending the APEC Ministerial Meeting or AMM which took place on Monday (16/11) virtually.

Also attending the meeting is the Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi.

This meeting discussed the follow-up to the real work program of the APEC forum in supporting APEC's 2020 priorities, including efforts to deal with the pandemic and promote economic recovery in the Asia Pacific region.

APEC's sense of togetherness as a community emphasizes the importance of directing APEC's focus in reducing the development gap among APEC economies, as well as narrowing the gap, especially in the utilization of the rapidly growing digital economy.

The principle of APEC as a community also plays an important role in efforts to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery, which currently continues to be APEC's top priority.

"Indonesia continues to support APEC's efforts in overcoming the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by enhancing more facilitative policies on trade and encouraging the importance of collective efforts of all economic members to avoid interfering actions that can exacerbate the impact of the pandemic on trade performance," explained Trade Minister Agus.

Through APEC's track record that has shown its role since 1989, Indonesia remains optimistic that APEC can continue its key agendas through various initiatives and capacity building so that the various challenges ahead in the region can be addressed and resolved together.

"It is hoped that the work program that has been agreed upon by APEC can provide concrete results for strengthening the economy in the region, and show a positive signal for the business climate which has been causing uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Agus.

In addition, the Trade Minister also conveyed that in order to achieve APEC's goals in the future, the APEC forum needs to continue to support the multilateral trade system and the re-functioning of the WTO, promote regional economic integration, and strengthen connectivity in Asia Pacific region.

The Trade Minister also reiterated that APEC's goals need to be based on a sense of togetherness between APEC economies as a community. (Antaranews)

The Radio of the Republic of Indonesia (RRI) signs a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with the Vietnamese radio station Voice of Vietnam (VoV) in Jakarta, on Tuesday.

The event was opened by the director RRI Muhammad Rohanuddin and director of VoV Nguyen The Ky, and was attended by the Indonesian ambassador to Vietnam Ibnu Hadi and Vietnam ambassador to Indonesia Pham Vinh Quang.

“With this cooperation, we can work closely and intensify mutual understanding between two people. I appreciate the enthusiasm so we can proceed with the signing online thanks to advancements in the digital age. On behalf of Vietnam, we wish happiness and success,” The Ky said virtually on Monday.

“This MoU enables us to collaborate in cultural exchange between Indonesia and Vietnam, and this is a form of international cooperation that will enhance our bilateral relationship. It is important to promote our cultures to each other’s people,” Rohanuddin said.

In 2014, RRI and VoV signed a similar agreement to exchange information around communication, media, and broadcasting.

“This MoU reinstalment signs a strong commitment that gives positive contribution especially in media. This event is also coincided with the 68^th anniversary of Indonesia and Vietnam relations,” Ambassador Ibnu Hadi said virtually from Vietnam.

“This MoU signing is not only sign of development between Vietnam and Indonesia, but also of Asean regional cooperation,” Ambassador Pham Vinh Quang said virtually.

RRI and Voice of Vietnam also in talk to exchange human resources to better learn about each other’s cultures. (VOI)