VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi invited alumni of foreign scholarship recipients in a special meeting held at the Diplomatic Cafeteria of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta on Thursday night, (March 22^nd). During the meeting, she had an opportunity to interact directly and shared information related to Indonesian foreign policy with alumni of foreign scholarship recipients who are mostly millennial generations. After the meeting, Minister Retno Marsudi explained that the meeting which lasted for approximately two hours was one of Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs efforts to make the ministry get in touch with various community groups.

“We, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs want to reach out many groups, especially young people and professionals to share information about Indonesia's foreign policies. Of course, in this interaction, there are some inputs and explanations that may be straightforward. Let’s say there are opinions or information that still needs to be straightened out. Then, this is an opportunity for us to straighten out,” said Retno Marsudi.

On the same occasion, Minister Retno Marsudi also expressed her admiration for the alumni of the foreign scholarship recipients. She added that their love to their homeland is very big, although they have spent many years studying abroad. Their love to their home land is a potential for the Indonesian nation that must be developed. Therefore, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to make good relations with Indonesian students who get foreign scholarships, whether they are still studying abroad or have returned to their homeland. (VOI/RezhaRhm)

In relation to the recent bilateral visit conducted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo to New Zealand, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi wants Indonesian coffee to be better known in that country. Moreover, New Zealand people are known with very high coffee drinking habits. After meeting with alumni of foreign scholarship recipients in Jakarta, Thursday, March 22, Minister Retno Marsudi explained that Indonesian coffee itself has entered the New Zealand market, one of which is through a transaction that took place during the bilateral visit by President Joko Widodo.

“Coffee is a habit for the people of New Zealand, drinking coffee habit of New Zealand people is very high. Now, it means that the problem is why the coffee is not from Indonesia and the Indonesian coffee has been signed. Yesterday, when the President visited New Zealand, there were business meetings conducted during the visit and before the visit, there was a transaction in place yes, not a transaction that may be new in nature will appear later. But from the transaction, there are about $9.7 million dollars where $6 million dollars is from coffee,” Retno Marsudi said.

Minister Retno Marsudi added that many efforts have been made by the government of Indonesia to increase coffee exports to New Zealand. The promotion was through remarks disclosed by President Joko Widodo before a luncheon with New Zealand Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy. On the occasion, President Joko Widodo had joked by saying, "Do not forget, if you drink coffee, drink Indonesian coffee". (VOI/Rezha/Rhm)

The condition of river and lake water that is dirty or polluted in various cities across Indonesia, especially in Jakarta encourages the Indonesian Institute of Sciences-LIPI to find a solution to solve the problem. The LIPI researchers have proposed a solution with their artificial tool called ‘LIPI Ultrafine Bubble Generator’-LUTOR. They said that this tool is able to clean the water of the lake or river by making the bacteria located at the bottom of the lake work more actively. Head of LIPI Instrument Development Center, Anto Tri Sugiarto at the World Water Day commemoration in Jakarta on Thursday (March 22^nd) explained that this tool works by creating tiny oxygen bubbles in the water.

“Nano bubbling is so simple like this; if at home, we have an aquarium with some bubbles inside. The bubbles are large and then loose upwards. So the oxygen, the air has not been taken in the water. If we shrink again into micro bubbling, it is also formed but afterwards, it is released, too. But if we make Nano bubbling, a very small size of oxygen will be very stable in the water because it is so small and stuck by water pressure,” said Head of LIPI Instrument Development Center, Anto Tri Sugiarto.

Anto Tri Sugiarto added, the high levels of oxygen in the water make bacteria work faster, and river or lake water will become much clear, because, the bacteria will eat a variety of organic waste contained in the bottom of the river or lake. For its use, LUTOR only needs to be placed in a river or lake. The LUTOR will take oxygen from above the water level and then inject it into water in the form of small bubbles of oxygen or Nano bubbles while working. (VOI/Rezha/Rhm)

President Joko Widodo expects that ASEAN unity and centrality should be the concern of every ASEAN member country. This was stated when he received Secretary-General of ASEAN, Lim Jock Hoi at the State Palace in Jakarta. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno LP Marsudi perceived that with the unity and centrality of ASEAN, it is expected that ASEAN can contribute in shaping a peaceful and prosperous ecosystem in the region.

“Then, the second hope of President Joko Widodo is that 50 years ahead, there will be a lot of challenges related to unity and centrality of ASEAN. This is very important. This means to keep ASEAN relevant and able to make ASEAN contribute to the creation of a peaceful and prosperous ecosystem in the region as has been done in ASEAN region over the last 50 years,” Retno Marsudi said.

Furthermore, Retno Marsudi also stated that besides emphasizing the importance of ASEAN unity and centrality, President Joko Widodo also disclosed about the construction of ASEAN Secretariat building in Jakarta. In his meeting with ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi, President Joko Widodo hopes that the ASEAN Secretariat has a duty to strengthen ASEAN visibility by disseminating information quickly and accurately. In addition, the President also hopes that the construction of the new ASEAN Secretariat building can contribute to the efficiency of ASEAN's performance, especially in the management of a number of ASEAN meetings in Jakarta. (VOI/NdyRhm)