VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Chairperson of the Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia Daily Executive Wisnu Bawatenaya on Tuesday at the Jakarta Presidential Palace called on all Hindus in Indonesia to participate in the 2019 General Election which will be held in April. Although he did not mention support to one of the candidate pairs, he hoped that Hindus in Indonesia could exercise their right to vote on the voting day.

"So I said earlier to welcome the party of democracy with independence and joy. So it’s like looking at a crossroad, at the end of a three-way intersection, we just choose where we are going. Of course we will lead the best way. More people come to polling stations. All must come to use their rights and their obligations," said Wisnu.

Furthermore, Wisnu Bawatenaya also hopes that the Indonesian nation can maintain solid unity amidst the diversity owned by the Indonesian people. He also hoped that the upcoming April elections would run peacefully and smoothly. (VOI/Ndy/AHM)

President Joko Widodo received the Executive Board of Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI) at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday morning. During the meeting, the President was accompanied by Minister of Religion Lukman Hakim Syaifuddin and Special Staff of President, Ari Dwipayana. After meeting the President, the Chairperson of the Parisadha Hindu Dharma Indonesia Wisnu Bawatenaya said that during the meeting, PHDI reported the plan to commemorate the Day of Silence or Nyepi Day to be celebrated on March 7, 2019. Related to that, Wisnu said that the PHDI would organize rituals at Prambanan Temple on Wednesday as part of the series of Nyepi Holy Day Celebration. In addition, he conveyed that the Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI) will also carry out the Santi Dharma activities as the culmination of the Nyepi Day commemoration in Bali Province. President Joko Widodo is scheduled to attend the peak of Nyepi Day commemoration. Responding to the report, according to Wisnu Bawatenaya, the President has instructed that the whole series of Nyepi Holy Day celebration activities can be carried out in an orderly and safe manner.

"We come to report to the President on the occasion of the Nyepi holy day which falls on March 7. Then tomorrow, on Wednesday, March 6, we will carry out a ritual at Prambanan temple, then we will also carry out the Dharma Santi in Bali at the Art Center. The time will be adjusted to the president’s schedule. We will carry out around April 5 in Bali. President Jokowi has told us to carry out this activity in an orderly and safe manner," said Wisnu Bawatenaya.

Wisnu Bawatenaya further said that the Dharma Santi celebration which is scheduled to be held in April, will be a means to unite all Hindus which spreads throughout Indonesia. At the peak of the Nyepi Holy Day celebration, all Hindus will form a joint commitment in building a more advanced Indonesia in the future. (VOI/Ndy/AHM)

President Joko Widodo received the Executive Board of Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI) at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday morning. During the meeting, the President was accompanied by Minister of Religion Lukman Hakim Syaifuddin and Special Staff of President, Ari Dwipayana. After meeting the President, the Chairperson of the Parisadha Hindu Dharma Indonesia Wisnu Bawatenaya said that during the meeting, PHDI reported the plan to commemorate the Day of Silence or Nyepi Day to be celebrated on March 7, 2019. Related to that, Wisnu said that the PHDI would organize rituals at Prambanan Temple on Wednesday as part of the series of Nyepi Holy Day Celebration. In addition, he conveyed that the Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI) will also carry out the Santi Dharma activities as the culmination of the Nyepi Day commemoration in Bali Province. President Joko Widodo is scheduled to attend the peak of Nyepi Day commemoration. Responding to the report, according to Wisnu Bawatenaya, the President has instructed that the whole series of Nyepi Holy Day celebration activities can be carried out in an orderly and safe manner.

"We come to report to the President on the occasion of the Nyepi holy day which falls on March 7. Then tomorrow, on Wednesday, March 6, we will carry out a ritual at Prambanan temple, then we will also carry out the Dharma Santi in Bali at the Art Center. The time will be adjusted to the president’s schedule. We will carry out around April 5 in Bali. President Jokowi has told us to carry out this activity in an orderly and safe manner," said Wisnu Bawatenaya.

Wisnu Bawatenaya further said that the Dharma Santi celebration which is scheduled to be held in April, will be a means to unite all Hindus which spreads throughout Indonesia. At the peak of the Nyepi Holy Day celebration, all Hindus will form a joint commitment in building a more advanced Indonesia in the future. (VOI/Ndy/AHM)

The Indonesian government on Thursday, February 28, officially imposed zero tariffs on Palestinian imported commodities. Indonesian Minister of Trade, Enggartiasto Lukita, Palestinian Ambassador in Jakarta, Zuhair al Shun and Indonesian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, A.M. Fachir, held a meeting with the Indonesian Vice President, Jusuf Kalla, at the Vice Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on Thursday regarding the start of the tariff abolition. In the initial stages, the implementation of the decision was applied to commodities of dates and olive oil which are planned to be exported before the Ramadan fasting month this year. In his press statement, Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita, said Vice President Jusuf Kalla also stressed that "zero tariffs" will also be applied to other Palestinian commodities and without feasibility studies like trade other agreements in general with other countries.

“We are friends, we are brothers, so we are not talking about profit or not profit. Even the Vice-President re-emphasized that he would oder to apply zero tariff for any commodities Palestine wants to export to Indonesia,” said Enggartiasto Lukita.

Meanwhile the Palestinian Ambassador in Jakarta, Zuhair Al Shun, welcomed the long-awaited decision of the Indonesian government. He has also submitted a list of other commodities which are considered potential to be given zero tariff in Indonesia. The Ministry of Trade noted that so far the volume of trade between Indonesia and Palestine had only reached 3.5 million US dollars. Palestine is the 164th Indonesia's export destination. The main export commodities to Palestine include coffee, tea, pasta, bread, perfume and soap. Meanwhile, Palestine is the 162nd source of import for Indonesia, with dates as the main import commodity. (VOI/RETNO/AHM)