VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Farmers in Lingga Regency, Riau Islands bordering Singapore and Malaysia, will harvest organic rice on 600 hectares of rice fields. Lingga Regent, Alias Wello, to Radio Republik Indonesia, Friday (16/2) said that organic rice commodities have been developed in the region since 2016 with community self-help, and continued in 2017 with special operations with the Army. In 2018, there will be an expansion of organic rice paddy fields to 2,000 hectares. The harvest is expected to be able to meet rice in this border area so that it can reduce dependence on imported rice. He is optimistic that in the future, besides being able to export rice to other countries, the area will become National rice-barn // KBRN, 17.2'18Sg/alika/ahm

The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association-PHRI stated that tourism in Karangasem regency, Bali began to rise after being paralyzed due to volcanic activity of Mount Agung. As quoted by Antara news agency, Chairman of Karangasem   Hotel and Restaurant Association Wayan Tama, in Amlapura, Bali, Saturday (17/2) mentioned that the average occupancy rate in the regency currently reaches about 20 percent. One of tourism business actors of Karangasem in Tulamben village, Sita Marlina, admitted that the rise of tourists’ visit dominated by tourists from Europe, China and Australia, as if gives a new breath for the economy of the local community. She hoped the related authority would immediately disseminate information related to the development of Mount Agung volcanic activity to the domestic or foreign community, so as not causing panic among the people and tourists. (ant.17 02 2018.nrl/alika/ahm)

The Indonesian government asked the Malaysian government to provide guarantees to continue guarding the case of the death of an Indonesian migrant worker from East Nusa Tenggara, Adelina Jemira Sao, who was allegedly tortured by her three employers before she died on 11 February. The Director of ProtectionofIndonesian CitizensandLegal Entities of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, at the Foreign Ministry on Thursday (15/2/2018) stated that Indonesia asked the Malaysian government to give justice for Adelina and give heavy penalties to the perpetrators.

"There is no need to open compensation. She obviously has got full compensation from the agent, but not from her employer. But since this is a legal process, surely we will ask for the compensation from the employers from the court process," Muhamad Iqbal said.

 
Furthermore Muhamad Iqbal added that both Indonesia and Malaysia saw the death case of the 29-year-old woman as a tragedy. Since post mortem results on Adelina's body have been issued by the Malaysian authorities on Thursday, February 15th, the repatriation of the body will soon be done. According to Iqbal, his side has been communicating intensively with the family of the deceased which is represented by Adelina’s uncle and her father, who are ready to receive the body at her hometown. (KBRN/RETNO/AHM)

Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeks to intensify culinary diplomacy or gastro-diplomacy as part of efforts to increase economic diplomacy that has recently become the attention of the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo in the Meeting of Indonesian Representative. Culinary diplomacy is, one of them, manifested through the opening of typical Indonesian restaurants in various countries spread all over the world. This was conveyed by Indonesian Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Arrmanatha Nasir in a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday, February 15^th.

“The Heads of Indonesian Representatives abroad are asked to be able to make efforts to open Indonesian market to introduce Indonesian food either in the context of opening restaurants, serving street food, or in the context of fine dining,” Armanatha said.

Arrmanatha Nasir added, culinary diplomacy is one effective ways to introduce Indonesia to the international public who has not known much about Indonesia. In addition, it is also expected through the increasing efforts of culinary diplomacy, Indonesia can increase exports of Indonesian products, especially Indonesian typical spices and food ingredients needed to make Indonesian processed food and beverage. So far, Indonesia itself has implemented culinary diplomacy by utilizing several culinary icons that have been popular worldwide. One of them in 2010, Indonesia promoted rendang as a typical Indonesian cuisine. Rendang Diplomacy turned out to produce good results. Rendang has become the most delicious food according to the US Cable News Network (CNN) version through Facebook Poll, followed by nasi goring or fried rice in the second position. (VOI/Rezha/AHM)