VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo reminded the relevant ministers as well as the national sports committee that Indonesia's nomination to host the Olympics in 2032 is a momentum for Indonesia to improve the country's image and also all forms of deficiencies, in terms of sports aspects and also sports infrastructure readiness.

"Hosting the Olympics is not something to show off, but a way to improve the image and dignity of the nation. Therefore, we must make this candidacy a momentum to organize ourselves, to improve various things that have been lacking so far. Starting from preparing sports infrastructure, athletes' achievements, increasing global feasibility as an organizing city, and so on," said President Jokowi in a briefing at a limited meeting regarding Indonesia's nomination to host the 2032 Olympics, on Wednesday (4/11/20).

Jokowi stated that Indonesia must quickly adapt and study the new norms set by the IOC (International Olympic Committee), as a guideline to host a good Olympics.

"I also received reports that the IOC is currently setting new norms for hosting a simpler and more cost-effective Olympics. I think this is good and this new norm is important to study and adapt. This new philosophy, the Olympics, is no longer to show luxury but to what extent we can carry out new norms, which are expected to be more cost-effective and simpler," said Jokowi again.

Therefore, Jokowi requested that the roadmap for the nomination of the host for Indonesia be well prepared, following the timeline set by the IOC.

"I ask that the roadmap for our nomination for the 2032 host is really well prepared, based on the timeline set by the IOC. This determination of the host will be set in 2024 and the selection process will begin at the latest in 2023," Jokowi concluded.

To host the 2032 Olympics, Indonesia must compete with Australia, Germany, Korea Unification, Qatar, the People's Republic of China, and India. Selection will take place in 2023 and the official announcement will take place in 2024. (RRI)

Austrian police raided 18 properties and arrested 14 people in a massive manhunt on Tuesday for possible accomplices of a convicted jihadist who shot dead four people and injured 22 others in a late-night rampage in the center of Vienna.

The gunman, who was killed by police minutes after opening fire on crowded bars on Monday, had been released from jail less than a year ago. He was identified as Kujtim Fejzulai, a 20-year-old Austrian who also held North Macedonian nationality.

It was the first such militant attack in Vienna in a generation, and the government pledged robust action.

“We will defend our fundamental values, our way of life and our democracy with all our strength,” Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said in a national address about what he branded an Islamist terror attack.

“We will find and hunt down the perpetrators, those behind this and their associates, and mete out a just sentence. And we will pursue all those who have anything to do with this outrage with all available means.”

Swiss police also arrested two men on Tuesday near Zurich in an investigation of possible links to the gunman.

Speaking later to broadcaster ORF, Kurz urged European nations to take more decisive action against terrorism.

“We must give everyone who wants to integrate the chance to integrate, but we must at the same time make clear that our basic values are not negotiable,” he said.

The attack followed recent deadly assaults by lone Islamist attackers in Nice and Paris. Many Muslims have been angered by the publication in strictly secular France of satirical caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad.

“WE WILL REMAIN UNITED”

In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron visited the Austrian Embassy to write a message of condolence in German that read: “In joy and in sorrow, we will remain united.”

Both he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke to Kurz to offer their support as expressions of solidarity poured in from around the world.

Islamic State claimed responsibility on Tuesday for the attack without providing evidence, the group’s Amaq News Agency said in a statement on Telegram.

An elderly man and woman, a young passer-by, and a waitress were among those killed in the attack, Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said. A German woman was also killed, Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said.

Vienna’s mayor said three people were still in critical condition.

The normally bustling center of Vienna was largely empty on Tuesday as the public heeded government calls to stay inside and a manhunt for a possible second gunman was underway.

The gunman, armed with an assault rifle, a handgun, and a machete, had opened fire at six places including a bar near Vienna’s main synagogue on Monday as people enjoyed the last night out before a COVID-19 curfew took effect.

Interior Minister Nehammer said Fejzulai had recently served about eight months of a 22-month sentence for seeking to travel to Syria to join Islamic State.

“He was released early exactly because he gave the impression that he had engaged with deradicalization programs and was prepared to integrate himself into society,” Nehammer told a news conference.

Fejzulai had posted a photo on a social media account before the attack, showing himself with weapons, Nehammer said.

Whether anyone else was involved in carrying out or preparing the attack remained unclear.

After saying overnight that another attacker was on the loose, Nehammer said there was no indication of another assailant in large volumes of mobile phone footage of the attacks sent in by the public, but it could not be ruled out.

North Macedonia’s Interior Ministry said it believed three people - all born in Austria and holding dual Austrian and North Macedonian citizenship - had been involved in the attack. It identified them only by initials and gave no further information.

A man identified as Fejzulai’s grandfather told a local television channel in North Macedonia that his grandson would visit his ancestral home, the tiny mountain village of Cellopek, every year. (Reuters)

The Chairman of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly Bambang Soesatyo asked for the support of the Speaker of the Turkish Parliament, Mustafa Sentop, to help speed up the completion of the negotiations for the Indonesia-Turkey Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IT-CEPA), as an effort to restore the national economy that was affected by the pandemic.

Bambang Soesatyo made the request during an official meeting with the Speaker of the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday (3/11).

“Parliament has an important role in completing the IT-CEPA negotiations. Therefore, I request Your Excellency's help to accelerate the completion of these negotiations", said the Speaker of the MPR in a meeting with the Chair of the Turkish Parliament, as conveyed by the Indonesian Embassy in Ankara on Wednesday.

During the pandemic, Indonesian textile exports to Turkey fell 49 percent In response to this request, the Speaker of the Turkish Parliament said that he would ask the relevant commission in the Turkish Parliament to immediately review the latest status of the agreement, and find the best way so that the Turkish government can speed up the negotiation of the agreement that has been going on for almost four years.

The bilateral trade value between Indonesia and Turkey in 2019 reached $1.6 billion with a surplus on the Indonesian side of more than US $ 800 million.
This figure is the largest compared to the value of Indonesia's trade with countries in the Balkans and Eastern Europe others in surplus, it is estimated that there is still potential for an increase in the short term of around 600 million US dollars if the two countries have signed the IT-CEPA.

Indonesia's main export products to Turkey are industrial raw material products that Turkey really needs to increase its exports to world markets, such as palm oil derivative products, rubber, and various types of yarns and automotive components.

"Therefore, the increase in Indonesian exports will strengthen the local industry in Turkey," said Trade Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Ankara Erik Nababan.

Apart from discussing the acceleration of the IT-CEPA settlement, the Chairman of the MPR RI also expressed his sympathy and condolences for the earthquake that killed over 100 people and injured nearly 1,000 victims in Izmir Province, Turkey.

Together with Sentop, Bambang also discussed several strategic collaborations that have been taking place between the two countries including the defense industry, manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine which is expected to enter the clinical trial, infrastructure, and investment stages soon.

Meanwhile, in inter-parliamentary cooperation, the Speaker of the MPR also used the opportunity of the meeting to ask for Turkey's support for ​​the Indonesian MPR to establish a World Syuro Assembly. The assembly will cover all elements of the legislature, both in countries that adopt a one-chamber or two-chamber system.

The Chairman of the Turkish Parliament immediately supported this idea from Indonesia.

Apart from being accompanied by the Indonesian Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, in the meeting the Chairman of the MPR was also accompanied by two Deputy Chairmen of the MPR, namely Fadel Muhammad and Syarief Hasan. (Antaranews)