The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) launched a series of public awareness campaigns on biodiversity preservation in the industry 4.0 era under the commemoration of National Flora and Fauna Day on Nov 5.

"The commemoration of Flora and Fauna Day aims to improve public awareness on the importance of protecting and preserving flora and fauna," Atit Kanti, LIPI's head of the Biological Research Center, noted in Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday.

"Today, we attempt to strengthen again our care for and awareness of environmental preservation," Kanti remarked while speaking at a seminar on Management of Indonesian Biodiversity Toward Industry 4.0 Revolution and Sustainable Development Goals.

Kanti appealed to protect floral and faunal habitats, especially to prevent endemic and endangered species from becoming extinct.

Every stakeholder, especially industrialists and the public, in general, must care for environmental preservation in the industry 4.0 era.

In the meantime, the Environmental Affairs and Forestry Ministry will hold the Nusantara Biological Diversity (Biodiversity) Expo at Banteng Square, Central Jakarta, from Nov 8 to Dec 8, 2019, to draw attention of the millennial generation to Indonesia’s biodiversity.

"As the expo is themed 'Promoting Flora and Fauna to the Millennial Generation for Excellent Indonesia,' we hope that several millennials would visit the Nusantara Biodiversity Expo and partake in the preservation of animals and plants," Djati Witjaksono Hadi, spokesman of the Environmental Affairs and Forestry Ministry, stated on Monday.

As the world's largest archipelagic nation, Indonesia has abundant species of plants and animals as well as a unique ecosystem.

Indonesia has over 25 thousand species of flowering plants, comprising 10 percent of the world's flowering plant species.

The country also has some 500 mammalian species, 600 reptilian species, some 1,500 species of birds, some 270 species of amphibians, and over 2,500 species of fish, or constituting 45 percent of the world's fish species.

The younger generation should be aware of this country's biodiversity, so they can participate in the preservation and conservation of nature.

The exhibition is being held to mark National Flora and Fauna Day focused on stepping up awareness among members of the younger generation over the criticality of preserving and protecting the country's biodiversity. (ANTARA)

Indonesian State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani are scheduled to leave for Dubai on Tuesday to forge cooperation in several areas aimed at curtailing the country's oil and gas imports.

"Today, I will accompany Mrs. Finance Minister to Dubai to forge cooperation between the two governments as part of the efforts to curb oil and gas imports," Thohir stated following a joint meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs in Jakarta on Tuesday.

However, he desisted from divulging the agenda of the visit to Dubai, including the areas of cooperation. He only noted that the cooperation is related to oil and gas imports.

Curbing the trade deficit is one of the areas of focus of President Joko Widodo's agenda during his second term of office.

According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia's oil and gas imports in 2018 had reached 50.4 million tons, while its diesel oil imports had touched 4.6 million tons, thereby indicating that diesel oil represented nine percent of the country's oil and gas imports.

Oil and gas imports were valued at US$29.81 billion, constituting 18 percent of the total non-oil/non-gas imports that had reached $158 billion.

Meanwhile, diesel oil imports represented 1.6 percent of the total non-oil/non-gas imports. (ANTARA)

The Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Ministry will, in the next five years, focus on its projects to connect toll roads with strategic areas, including ports, airports, industrial areas, and tourist destinations.

PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono remarked that development of the Trans Java toll road will enhance connectivity and further boost the local economy and build new economic centers in Java Island.

"We have lands readied to be developed as new economic centers, such as those in the districts of Ngawi and Nganjuk. It is the ministry's task to connect the toll road with the industrial areas," Hadimuljono noted in a statement in Jakarta on Monday.

Development of the Trans Java toll road will not only boost inter-city transportation connectivity but also be integrated with industrial areas and support access to tourist destination areas.

The minister affirmed that development of the Trans Java toll road will also ease the flow of logistics.

"The Trans Java toll road will smooth the flow of logistics. It will reduce logistical costs and cut short the delivery time," Hadimuljono explained.

The Transportation Ministry had earlier highlighted three key factors behind the high national logistics costs currently reaching 24 percent of the gross domestic product.

The three factors are transportation connectivity, inter-mode transportation cost, and inventory cost, head of the ministry's research and development agency Sugihardjo stated.

According to Sugihardjo, Indonesia continues to lag behind its neighboring nations in terms of infrastructure development. (ANTARA)

Indonesia has invited the United States to establish concrete cooperation in implementing the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific that encompasses the four main sectors of maritime, economy, Sustainable Development Goals, and connectivity.

The statement was made by Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, who was representing Indonesia at the 7th ASEAN-US Summit in the IMPACT Arena, Nonthaburi, Thailand, on Monday.

"We spoke of the US having a financial scheme, through the International Development Finance Corporation, that is used to fund partnerships in the sectors of infrastructure, digital connectivity, and energy in the Indo-Pacific region," Minister Marsudi told reporters.

The ASEAN, home to a population of 647 million, is the third-largest economy in the Indo-Pacific and the fifth-largest in the global stage.

The minister also remarked that South-East Asia had better political stability and economic growth, as well as a bigger population belonging to the productive age group, as compared to other regions.

"With such potentials, establishing partnership with the ASEAN would not only be beneficial for the region but also for the US," she noted.

During the meeting, Indonesia expressed hope for the trade war between the US and China to soon be resolved, so as to avoid its impact on nations across the globe.

In the meantime, the US government, represented by the National Security Adviser Robert Charles O'Brien, reiterated the US' commitment to a strategic partnership with the ASEAN and its role in the Indo-Pacific region.

"As stated in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, we share the same vision for the future for this diverse and dynamic region based on respect for sovereignty, commitment to good governance, and compliance with the rule of law," O'Brien, who was appointed as the special envoy of President Donald Trump to attend this year's ASEAN-US Summit, stated.

In addition, President Trump extended invitations to leaders of ASEAN countries to attend the ASEAN-US Special Summit, scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2020. (ANTARA)