VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

As an infectious disease, respiratory disease such as tuberculosis needs long-term treatment. The high number of tuberculosis cases which are predominantly undergone by pregnant women and children will have direct and indirect impacts on maternal mortality rate and stunting. It was said by Indonesian Health Minister in his remarks read by Director General of Healthcare at the Indonesian Health Ministry Dr. Bambang Wibowo during the Anniversary of the Persahabatan Hospital in East Jakarta and the inauguration of the integrated tuberculosis clinic in Jakarta on Friday. Therefore, according to Dr. Bambang, the accessibility and quality of healthcare including respiratory diseases’ treatment are the current priority of the Indonesian Health Ministry.

“In accordance with the principles of healthcare, it must be quality, accountable, and transparent. In addition to the safety of patients, the quality of healthcare must be improved,” said Dr. Bambang Wibowo .

Dr. Bambang Wibowo also highlighted one of Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s visions which is the focus of the national development namely the development of eligible and competitive human resources, particularly in alleviating mortality rate and stunting// (VOI/AHM/Trs.Amanda)

The National Library of the Republic of Indonesia launched a book entitled "National Library: Icons of civilization and science" at the National Library Building in Jakarta on Friday (6/12). On this occasion, Chairman of the Public Relations Coordinating Board-Bakohumas who is also Director General of Public Information and Communication at the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, Widodo Muktiyo said that media literacy is an important element and the library is one of the cores of knowledge.

"This is part of meeting the needs of SDG, where media literacy is an important element and I think it is true; this library is one of the hearts of knowledge that must be amplified by fellows of Bakohumas both Ministries and Institutions. We -Kominfo will also continue to collaborate so that in the future, true knowledge is not something expensive; it is not something difficult but the knowledge becomes something easy," said Widodo Muktiyo.

On the same occasion, Head of the Indonesian National Library, Muhammad Syarif Bando said that reading is the elevator of the nation's intelligence and currently Indonesia is only ranked 16th in reading released by the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. The National Library also launched three applications in digital form,that make the National Library of Indonesia as one of the best National Libraries in the world in terms of scientific journal services. (VOI/NUKE)

Military and defense relations between Indonesia and Vietnam have improved. This was said by the Defense Attaché of the Vietnamese Embassy in Jakarta, Colonel Nguyen Tuan Duc, during the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam Armed Forces in Jakarta, Thursday (05/12). He stressed that Indonesia and Vietnam had collaborated in the defense and military fields. This can be addressed in the statement of the vision of defense cooperation between the two countries signed in 2017.

“The defense and military relation between Vietnam and Indonesia have been strengthened and developed, by the signing of MoU with Indonesia, MoU with Vietnam in 2010, and statement of the vision of defense cooperation between the two countries signed in 2017. Many contain areas of cooperation have been realized more and more substantially and effectively,” said Colonel Nguyen Tuan Duc.

Colonel Nguyen Tuan Duc further said that high-ranking Indonesian and Vietnamese military officials regularly hold meetings to share their views in finding solutions and maintaining cooperation that has already existed between the two countries. (VOI/AHM)

Director for Center of Macro Economy of the Finance Ministry Hidayat Amir stated on the sidelines of the 9th Annual International Forum on Economic Development and Public Policy (AIFED) in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Friday, Dec 6, 2019. (ANTARA/Dewa Wiguna/sh)

Indonesia is projected to exit the middle income trap by 2036, bolstered by the development of human resources, according to the Finance Ministry.

"Economic transformation has been carried out to build a strong basis for improving Indonesia's economy," the ministry's Director for Center of Macro Economy, Hidayat Amir, remarked on the sidelines of the 9th Annual International Forum on Economic Development and Public Policy (AIFED) in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Friday.

In 2036, public income is expected to reach US$12,233 per capita and will continue its rising trend to touch US$23,199 per capita by 2045, he noted.

In 2020, Indonesia is projected to become a nation, with public income surpassing the middle income level.

In its endeavor to achieve the target, the government has designed the national medium-term development plan (RPJMN) for the 2020-2024 period, with focus on the development of human resources, infrastructure, and bureaucratic and regulatory simplification, among others.

The government has allocated Rp2,540.4 trillion (some US$177 billion) of state expenditure in its 2020 state budget plan.

Of the total expenditure, Rp505.8 trillion (US$35.28 billion), or some 20 percent, will be used for education, and Rp132.2 trillion (US$9.22 billion), or five percent, for the health sector.

In the fiscal policy, Amir stated that the ministry had provided tax incentive in the form of close to 300 percent research and development (R&D) deduction for certain R&D activities conducted in Indonesia .

The government has also offered tax incentive for education and vocational training as well as research and development, with a maximum reduction of up to 200 percent of the total expenses incurred by a company.

Citing data of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Amir stated that Indonesia held vast potential, with its population estimated to reach 319 million in 2045.

Of the total population, some 47 percent belong to the productive age group, while 70 percent of them are from the middle income group.

Amir noted that Indonesia had a better economy as compared to BRICS countries, or Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Indonesia's economic growth is more stable as compared to BRICS since five years back, it was ranked as the most vulnerable among the five fragile countries according to Euromoney's Country Risk Survey.

Indonesia's positive economic growth of five percent has drawn global recognition, with the Fitch Ratings reaffirming Indonesia’s rating at BBB, Moody's (Baa2), and Standard and Poor's (BBB).

Indonesia is ranked 73rd in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business (EoDB), surpassing India that stood 77th, South Africa at 82nd, and Brazil at 109th. (ANTARA)