VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The governments of Indonesia and Australia have agreed to strengthen cooperation in economic and fiscal fields.

A press release that ANTARA received from the finance ministry in Jakarta on Monday said the cooperation is needed to renew policy information and experiences of both countries.

The memorandum of understanding on program of Indonesia and Australia partnership in economy was signed by Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg MP in Canberra, Australia.

The cooperation covers exchanges of visits, conference or workshops, joint researches , exchange of information, exchange of employees and schedule of annual cooperation.

Both sides will facilitate exchange of information on best policy practice and share of technical experience.

With this commitment a number of senior staff of Austalian Treasury would be assigned to the office of the Fiscal Policy Department (BKF) of the Finance Ministry.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said she welcomed the commitment and the recommendation of the Australian government to share experience in the fiscal management and taxation reform.

The cooperation renewed earlier memorandum of understanding between the two countries signed in 2013.

Earlier Australian Treasury and BKF held dialog on bilateral economic policy.

Every year the two fiscal authorities discuss and determine joint priorities in cooperation related to policies.

Various topics already discussed at the BEPD include international topics, regional topics, and bilateral issues of mutual interest . (ANTARA)

Cooperation between Indonesia and New Zealand, especially relations between the people of both nations, still needs to be further explored, former Indonesian ambassador to New Zealand Amris Hassan stated.

"Many areas can be explored by the younger generation, for instance, the digital industry, as New Zealand is very well-known in this field," Hassan noted during the appointment of the new board of Indonesia-New Zealand Friendship Council in Jakarta on Monday.

Sustainable agriculture, creative economy, advertising, geothermal, and disaster management are also fields that are favored by New Zealand for which cooperation with Indonesia can be forged.

As a country that is equally vulnerable to disasters due to being geographically located in the ring of fire region, Indonesia has gained a lot of knowledge on disaster mitigation from New Zealand.

Indonesia has "borrowed" New Zealand earthquake-resistant building standards since 1975, thereby becoming an example of important cooperation in the field of disaster mitigation.

"New Zealand is very capable of managing disasters through the development of technology," Hassan, who recently handed over the chairmanship of the Indonesia-New Zealand Friendship Council to Indradi Soemardjan, noted.

Under the new management, Hassan expressed hope that the organizational role, formed since the past eight years, will further strengthen relations and cooperation between the people of Indonesia and New Zealand through rejuvenation of the vision and mission, as well as younger members.

"There is still a lot of space for cooperation that needs to be filled both at the government and non-formal levels. This organization can bridge the gap," he stated.

Chairman of the Indonesia-New Zealand Friendship Council Indradi Soemardjan said he will work to encourage cooperation between the two countries in various fields, ranging from agriculture to technology.

In fact, he is ready to welcome a New Zealand startup delegation next week that will study the course of startup businesses in the country.

"They want to see how Indonesia manages our startup. Later, they will also visit the Go-Jek office," Soemardjan stated.

Soemardjan is a senior executive, who is active and enjoys sound relations with the business community in the ASEAN and New Zealand.

In addition to serving as director of PT Javanero and treasurer for the Sustainable Coffee Platform of Indonesia, he is also on the Global Advisory Board of Agrea LEAF of the Philippines and the New Zealand Institute Advisory Group at the University of Auckland.

Soemardjan was selected as a participant in the ASEAN Young Business Leader Innitiative in 2014, a program funded by New Zealand.

New Zealand Ambassador to Indonesia Trevor Matheson praised the leadership and contributions of Hassan during his eight-year tenure as chairman of the council and welcomed the appointment of Soemardjan to carry forward the role of Hassan.

"The appointment of a new chairman is a good opportunity for the business sector to engage more deeply," Ambassador Matheson noted.

The Indonesia-New Zealand Friendship Council has helped establish cooperation between private companies and promote business interests between the two countries.

The New Zealand Embassy is optimistic of working more closely with the council to improve bilateral trade and investment relations.

The bilateral relations between Indonesia and New Zealand have been upgraded to the level of comprehensive partnership, which was agreed upon during the visit of Indonesian President Joko Widodo to Wellington and at the meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in March 2018. (ANTARA)

The Japanese government conferred the star of service 2018 awards to two figures in East Java for their contribution as a friendship link for years between Japan and Indonesia, especially East Java and Japan.

The Japanese Consul General in Surabaya, Masaki Tani, through a broadcast in Surabaya on Monday, said that the Japanese Government had announced the recipients of the star of service awards for the Autumn of 2018 period on Nov 3, 2018.

"The two leaders in East Java are Mr. Tetsuro Okano, who has played an important role in the Japanese community in East Java for more than 30 years, and Mr. Ali Indranegara, who has served at the Japanese Consulate General in Surabaya for more than 40 years," he stated.

According to him, Okano had actively participated in various East Java Japan Club (EJJC) activities since he first lived in the city of Surabaya in 1988.

In addition, he was also involved in various activities that emphasized the importance of interaction and harmonization between the Japanese community and the local community in Indonesia, he added.

"He also has played a big role in improving education facilities for Japanese children in Surabaya," he remarked.

In recognition of Okano`s dedication to the welfare of the Japanese community in East Java, he was awarded the star of service "The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Ray."

Indranegara is a resident of Surabaya City who served as a local staff at the Japanese Consulate General in Surabaya from 1970 to 1997 and as a legal advisor to the Japanese Consulate General in Surabaya from 1997 to 2017.

Overall, he has supported the duties of the Japanese Consulate General in Surabaya for more than 40 years. In recognition of his contribution and dedication to Japanese diplomatic activities, he was awarded the star of service "The Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon."

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) also gave awards to 16 leaders and four organizations in Indonesia. Of the 16 figures, there were three figures in East Java, namely the Deputy Chairperson of Trustees, East Java Japan Club, Joshie Halim, for having been instrumental in designing the construction of the Surabaya Japanese School (SJS) for four years.

In addition, the award was also given to the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Cooperation of Surabaya State University, Prof. Dr. Djodjok Soepardjo. Soepardjo is known as a pioneer in Japanese Language research in East Java that has contributed to disseminating and developing Japanese language education in East Java.

The next award was given to deceased Mrs. Tomiko Oetoro for her services during her life in the East Java Japanese Association (PJJT) or what is now better known as "East Java Japan" Club (EJJC). (ANTARA)

Indonesian President Joko Widodo reminds the village fund provided by the government for the people to be used effectively. It was remarked by President when attending a socialization on the 2019 Village Fund’s Usage Priority and Evaluation of Banten Province Development Policy and Rural Empowerment, in Tangerang, on Sunday (11/4). On the occasion, President encouraged village apparatus and all parties to cooperate in a bid to ensure the effectiveness of village fund. Besides being used for building infrastructure, village fund can also be utilized to establish people’s economy.

“To village apparatus and all related parties, let’s supervise the use of village fund, so that it can be used effectively and provide benefits for our society especially for village society. The application of village fund has attracted other countries to implement the program. The World Bank told that a number of countries would like to apply the village fund program. They would like to know how it is applied, transferred, and used. Therefore, in the future, we hope village fund can be used not only to develop infrastructures, but also to empower rural economy and support village’s innovations,” said Joko Widodo.

Furthermore, President Joko Widodo pointed out that the village fund program has been allocated since 2015 and it has successfully repressed the number of poverty and stunting cases in society. Meanwhile, Indonesian Villages, Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration Minister, Eko Putro Sanjoyo told that the government successfully disbursed more than 99% of the total village fund to society in 2018. According to him, the achievement reflects the better management of village fund and the progress of rural development. (VOI/Ndy/Trs: Amanda/DP)