VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manesseh Sogavare returned to Honiara on Monday after a week-long official visit to China, telling reporters Beijing would provide more budget support, and that criticism by Australia was "unneighbourly".

The United States, Australia, New Zealand and Solomon Islands' opposition party have called for Sogavare to publish details of a policing deal signed in Beijing last week, amid concern it will invite further regional contest. read more

Sogavare told a press conference on Monday in Honiara that Australia and the U.S. should not fear China's police support for Solomon Islands , ABC Television reported.

"Targeting China-Solomon Islands relations is ... un-neighbourly and lacks respect," he said.

China had agreed to provide budget support for Solomon Islands, he added.

Australia has historically been Solomon Islands' largest aid donor and security partner. (Reuters)

North Korea's Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, said on Monday that the United States should avoid any "foolish act" that could put its security at risk and rejected offers of talks as a ploy, state media KCNA news agency reported.

Kim made her comments after White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States remains concerned that North Korea would carry out another intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test, after it last week fired an ICBM off its east coast.

"The United States should stop a foolish act that could put its security at risk by provoking us," Kim said in a statement carried by KCNA.

She criticised U.S. plans for a nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine to visit South Korea and said that such efforts to increase "extended deterrence" would only push Pyongyang further from the negotiating table.

Kim also rejected U.S. calls for unconditional talks and said that Washington is wrong if it believes North Korea's disarmament was possible.

"The United States is being delusional if it believed that it could stop our advancement and achieve irreversible disarmament by temporarily halting joint military drills, deployment of strategic assets or easing of sanctions," she said.

North Korea has in recent days accused American spy planes of flying over its exclusive economic zone, condemned a recent visit to South Korea by an American nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine, and vowed to take steps in reaction. (Reuters)

VOINews, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated that one of his reasons for appointing Nezar Patria as Deputy Minister of Communication and Informatics was his vast experience in the media.

On Monday, the president inaugurated Budi Arie and Nezar Patria as the new minister and deputy minister at the Communication and Informatics Ministry.

"He (Patria) has lots of experience in the media, including serving as the Editor-in-Chief at The Jakarta Post and a high-ranking official at the Press Council," President Jokowi stated after appointing five new deputy ministers at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Monday.

Earlier, Patria had held the position of Special Staff V at the State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) Ministry since June 7 last year.

According to information provided on the SOEs Ministry's website, Patria had also served as the Institutional Director of the state-owned postal company Pos Indonesia from September 23, 2020 to April 25, 2022, and the president commissioner in a private company from November 31, 2021 to June 13, 2022.

The newly appointed deputy minister began his career in the media when he worked as a journalist at DR Magazine from 1999 to 2000 and continued at Tempo Magazine until 2008.

Furthermore, he had held the position of Deputy Chief Editor at CNN Indonesia.com during the 2014-2015 period before serving as Editor-in-Chief at The Jakarta Post.

In addition, the 52-year-old man had carried out duties as head of the Inter-Institutional Relations Commission at the Press Council during the 2016-2019 period.

"He also served at the SOEs Ministry. I believe that his experience will really help Mr Minister Arie in carrying out the duties ahead," the president stated while also drawing attention to Patria's experience in the SOEs Ministry. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), on Monday, inducted Djan Faridz and Gandi Sulistyanto as new members of the Presidential Advisory Council (Wantimpres).

"By Allah, I swear that I will be loyal to the 1945 Constitution of Indonesia and will carry out all laws and regulations as straightforwardly as possible as well as dedicate myself to the nation and the country," as read by Faridz and Sulistyanto at the inauguration ceremony in the State Palace here.

Presidential Decision No. 63/P of 2023 on induction of Wantimpres members, dated July 14, 2023, is the legal basis for their induction.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Wantimpres Chairperson Wiranto, Supreme Court Chief Justice Muhammad Syarifuddin, Presidential Staff Office Chief Moeldoko, as well as other cabinet ministers and officials.

Faridz served as public housing minister from 2011 to 2014 during Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's presidency. He earlier represented Jakarta as a senator of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) from 2009 to 2011.

Meanwhile, Gandi Sulistyanto served as Indonesian ambassador to South Korea from 2021 until his induction as a Wantimpres member. He earlier worked in private enterprises.

At the same inauguration ceremony, the president inducted Budi Arie Setiadi as the new communications and informatics minister to replace Johnny G. Plate, who was dismissed last May after being named a suspect in a corruption case.

Jokowi also inducted new deputy ministers on Monday. They are Pahala Mansury as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nezar Patria as Deputy Minister of Communications and Informatics, and Rosan Roeslani as Deputy Minister of State-owned Enterprises.

Paiman Raharjo and Saiful Rahmat Dasuki are also inducted as Deputy Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration and Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, respectively.  (Antaranews)