VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Azis Syamsudin attended the Second Plenary and the closing of the General Session of the ASEAN Parliamentary Organization (AIPA) virtual meeting.

Where the session discussed various issues of concern to ASEAN countries, such as in handling COVID-19 and tension in the South China Sea.

"All members of the 41st AIPA Session agreed to resolve the Covid-19 pandemic and its effects, both from the response to Covid-19 and cooperation related to vaccine production and distribution. So that economic recovery in ASEAN can return to normal, in accordance with the aspirations of the ASEAN Economic Community," Azis said in Jakarta, on Thursday.

Regarding the South China Sea Conflict, Azis Syamsuddin said that delegations from ASEAN countries agreed to create peace, ease tensions, take multilateral cooperation steps in upholding the application of international law, including the United Nations Convention on The Law Of The Sea (UNCLOS).

"We hope that all parties involved in the South China Sea dispute can prioritize the Multilateral approach in finding the best solution for the realization of an ASEAN centrality that is peaceful, safe, stable, and prosperous," he said.

Azis added that in addition to the COVID 19 and South China Sea issues, various resolutions had been taken at the 41st AIPA session such as the economic, social, organizational, women's, and youth parliamentary sectors.

"We hope that the results of all agreements can be implemented in each AIPA Member State in order to build a better ASEAN to be Cohesive and Responsive and uphold ASEAN centrality in realizing an inclusive Indo-Pacific region," he concluded. (RRI)

Australia disbursed an aid fund worth of AUD $23 million to help ASEAN in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that the funds will be distributed to four program activities, namely strengthening of the health system, regional security, migrant workers, and regional digital capacity.

"About AUD $1 million will be used to support the ASEAN Response Fund," Retno said during a teleconference, on Thursday.

On the same occasion, ASEAN invited Australia to work together to prevent the region from being turned into a stage for geopolitical competition.

Retno said that Australia had agreed to a Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in 2005, which contained the principle of rejection of threats and the use of force, commitment to solving problems peacefully, and prioritizing cooperation.

"These principles are expected to continue to be applied amidst the current geopolitical challenges," she added.

Retno said that in the virtual meeting, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne appreciated the ASEAN statement issued by the foreign ministers of member countries on Aug. 8 regarding the importance of maintaining peace in the region.

The minister also said that ASEAN is open to collaborating that creates peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region through cooperation.

"We also reiterated our appreciation for Australia's support from the start for the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific," she concluded. (RRI)

Publicly-listed automotive giant PT Astra International Tbk has donated 50 more ventilators, worth Rp20.8 billion, for several areas in 18 out of 34 provinces in Indonesia.

“Astra is consistent and will always work hand in hand to support the efforts by the government, community, and medical workers to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Indonesia. By donating these ventilators, we hope they can handle COVID-19 patients quickly," Astra president director Djony Bunarto Tjondro said in a written statement released on Thursday.

He expressed the hope that the COVID-19 pandemic will end soon.

This the fifth time the company has provided aid to help the government and the community break the chain of COVID-19 spread.

The aid is the continuation of the first to fourth phases of assistance, worth Rp131 billion, extended between March and May 2020. With the fifth phase, the company’s assistance to the state to help contain the spread of COVID-19 has reached Rp151.8 billion.

In the June-July, 2020 period, 10 ventilators were distributed through the company's group coordinator in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, South Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, and Papua.

Forty more ventilators will be gradually handed to 18 provinces — Aceh, North Sumatra, Riau, West Sumatra, South Sumatra, Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara, Bali, West Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, and Papua.

The Astra group representatives will hand over the assistance to hospitals or other government agencies, in accordance with the directives from the local COVID-19 task force. (Antaranews)

Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) is entering its 75th year. The existence of RRI has improved because of technological developments. But the journey of radio broadcasts in Indonesia is not only about the RRI story.

Even though Indonesia had become independent, the Dutch still made various efforts, one of which was during Military Aggression II in 1948. The Dutch re-entered Indonesia to spread slander, saying that Indonesia was dissolving and the RRI was taken over by the Dutch.

When all means of communication were cut off, there was one communication transmitter in Bener Meriah, Aceh that survived the bomb, which is Radio Rimba Raya (RRR).

Thanks to the transmitter that survived the bomb, Radio Rimba Raya is still active and voice Indonesia's presence through liaison radio.

"So what Radio Rimba Raya uses is PHB radio through its voice mode to send Indonesian messages," President Director of the Public Broadcasting Institute Radio Republik Indonesia Mohammad Rohanudin said.

RRR was broadcasted throughout the world from Aug. 23 to Nov. 2, 1949. This broadcast was the basis for holding the Round Table Conference meeting in The Hague, Netherlands, and stated that Indonesia was sovereign.

The RRR also became the forerunner of RRI's overseas broadcasts since Dec. 30, 1948. One of the former Indonesian Army RRI antennas from the X Gajah Division can still be found in the middle of the Rimba Raya Forest, Timang Gajah District, Aceh, or 280 kilometers southeast of Banda Aceh.

In the past, this radio broadcast throughout the world using three languages, namely Urdu, English, and Indonesian.

The RRR was a savior for Indonesia because it successfully denied the statement that Indonesia had surrendered to the Netherlands, which was aired by Radio Hilversum of the Dutch.

In addition, RRR also became a substitute for Radio Rakyat Indonesia (RRI) which was then controlled by the Dutch. All RRI stations were destroyed by the Dutch and they also tracked the location of the transmitter.

The then commander of the Elephant X Division, Colonel Hoesin Yoesoef, secured the RRR antenna and transmitter by moving around in the middle of the forest. Not only that, he also hid a small generator that is a source of power. However, RRR aired every night.

In 1987, Colonel Hoesin died in Bireun with the last rank of Colonel of the Indonesian Army in the ranks of the Bukit Barisan Military Command. Apart from Colonel Hoesin, there is another living witness who plays a role in maintaining the safety of the RRR transmitter. He is Sultan Aman Mar, a soldier from the X Gajah Division.

Before the Dutch chased it down, RRR transmitter was placed at the army headquarters of the X Elephant Division, Sungai Krueng Simpo near Bireun, North Aceh Regency. Then, the RRR transmitter was moved to the Bur Ni Bios forest, Ronga-Ronga to avoid being chased by the Dutch and the last one hid in the Forest Rimba Raya. (RRI)