VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian government sets the 1st of Shawwal 1441Hijr to fall on Sunday, May 24, 2020. A press release of the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ Public Relations received by Voice of Indonesia said the decision is based on an isbat (confirmation) deliberation to decide Eid Ul Fitr or 1 Shawwal 1440 Hijr led by Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi, at the Ministry of Religious Affairs Office in Jakarta, Friday (22 / 05). According to the Minister, in carrying out the isbat session the Ministry of Religious Affairs always uses 2 methods that have been an inseparable part of one another, namely the calculation (hisab) methods and the rukyat method by directly seeing the presence of the new moon. Hilal is the first young crescent that can be seen after the occurrence of conjunctions (ijtima, new moon) in the direction near the sunset which is the reference for the beginning of the moon in the Islamic calendar. This year, rukyah was implemented by the Ministry of Religious Affairs at 80 points in 34 provinces throughout Indonesia. The Minister said that of the 80 points, none of the rukyat (visual observer) team saw the new moon.

In addition, the Ministry of Religious Affairs Falakiyah Team stated that the height of the new moon in Indonesia is below the horizon, which ranges from minus 5.29 to minus 3.96 degrees. For these two reasons, the Isbat Session agreed to complete the month of Ramadan to 30 days so that the 1st of Shawwal 1441Hijr falls on Sunday, May 24, 2020.

"Therefore based on these reasons, namely Hisab, the new moon position is still below the horizon, and then the hilal visual observer report does not see the new moon, therefore the isbat meeting unanimously states that 1 Shawwal 1441 Hijriyah falls on Sunday, May 24, 2020," said Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi.

Unlike the previous year, the Isbat (confirmation) deliberation to decide Eid Ul Fitr or 1 Shawwal 1440 Hijr was only attended physically by the Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi, Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Zainut Tauhid Sa'adi, Chairperson of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives Yandri Susanto, Chairperson of the Indonesian Ulema Council KH Abdullah Jaidi, and Director General of Islamic Community Guidance Kamaruddin Amin. While the leaders of mass organizations, astronomers, the Religious Courts, and other Echelon I and II officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs followed the proceedings of the session through video conference. (VOI / AHM / Rilis Humas Kemenag/ Youtube Kemenag RI)

Jakarta (VOI News) - Indonesia has many opportunities for economic cooperation with China. During the first quarter of 2020, for the first time, the value of Indonesia's exports to China exceeded that of Indonesia's imports from China. This proves that Indonesian Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) continue to be active in the production and even export their products to China during the first quarter of 2020. It was stated by the Indonesian Ambassador to China, Djauhari Oratmangun in a telephone interview with Voice of Indonesia, Thursday (22/05). Djauhari Oratmangun said that one of Indonesia's export opportunities to China is the export of swallow nests, food products, and tropical fruits.

"So we see there are various opportunities, for example during the first quarter or 2020, Indonesia's swallow's nest exports increased significantly. We dominate almost 75 percent of the swallow nest market in China. Food products' exports also increased significantly. One that might be known is shrimp crackers, not to mention other food products. Then exports of tropical fruits such as mangosteen, salak or zalacca, and other tropical fruits also increased significantly. So it is food products," said Ambassador Djauhari Oratmangun.

Ambassador Djauhari Oratmangun further said that besides food export opportunities, Indonesia also has opportunities for establishing cooperation with China in the digital economy that can help Indonesia to accelerate its economic development.

"And lastly, I think this is also an opportunity, with COVID-19, because we have started in the past years, is cooperation in the field of the digital economy, which can help Indonesia to leapfrog or accelerate its economic development. Just look at the startups and unicorns that we already have, 4 now, maybe it will be 5 or 6. And we are the leader in the digital economy, compared to other ASEAN countries," Djauhari Oratmangun added.

Djauhari Oratmangun said that China is one of the leading countries in the digital economy. So, if Indonesia cooperates with China in this field, it will be able to contribute to the Indonesian economy after the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, he continued, countries in the world will face a new order in which one of the prominent ones is digitalization with the digital economy as one of its elements. (VOI / ADVENT / AHM)

President Joko Widodo has signed a new regulation on funding mechanisms for land acquisition for national strategic projects (PSNs).

Presidential Regulation Number 66 of 2020 concerning Funding of Land Acquisition for Development in the Public Interest in the Context of National Strategic Project Implementation was signed by President Widodo on May 19, 2020 and enacted the same day.

With the promulgation of the new regulation, the previous regulation —Perpres No. 102/2016 — on land acquisition for national strategic projects stands revoked.

According to a copy of Perpres No. 6/2020, obtained from the website of the Ministry of State Secretariat here on Friday, the government found that Presidential Regulation No. 102/2016 was no longer in line with the development of funding needs for land acquisition for national strategic projects, and therefore, it needed to be replaced.

In Article 3 of the Perpres, the government has regulated that funding for land acquisition for development in public interest can be done through a financing budget, with the aim of establishing long-term funds or reserve funds, or both. The long-term funds or reserves are the accumulation of financing and the results of its management.

In the latest regulation, two funding mechanisms for land acquisition for PSNs have been laid down, namely, funding implemented by the Minister of Finance with a mechanism for direct compensation payments to entitled parties, or payments to business entities that have already carried out compensation payments.

Furthermore, Article 21 explains that for land acquisition for national strategic projects, funds of those business entities can be used that have obtained the necessary authority, based on agreements for and on behalf of ministries or institutions, within the framework of providing infrastructure for a public interest, in accordance with statutory provisions.

"In the event that there is a need for acceleration of land acquisition for the National Strategic Project, the Minister/Head may first use the funds of the Business Entity for Funding for Land Acquisition," Article 21 paragraph 1 of the Perpres states. (ANTARA)

Indonesia’s count of coronavirus cases swelled to 20,796, as of Friday, with 5,057 people having recovered from the disease and 1,326 individuals succumbing to it, Achmad Yurianto, the government's spokesperson for COVID-19 response, stated.

The figures indicated a surge from the day before when the number of confirmed coronavirus cases reached 20,162, with 4,838 people recovering and 1,278 dying of the disease, he noted during a press conference at the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) in Jakarta on Friday.

In comparison with the previous day, the number of coronavirus cases recorded a rise of 634, the number of recoveries increased by 219, and the number of deaths surged by 48, he remarked.

Yurianto noted that all 34 Indonesian provinces were exposed to the COVID-19 disease. The number of affected cities and districts has reached 395, up to three from the day before.

Overall, the government has tested 229,334 specimens using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and molecular rapid tests (TCM).

In general, the government has utilized 69 RT-PCR laboratories and 35 TCM laboratories, he remarked.

Yurianto noted that the latest developments in COVID-19 cases indicated the ongoing spread of COVID-19, though the source of transmission had yet to be found. Some community groups are still prone to contracting the COVID-19 disease over non-compliance to the health protocol in place. (ANTARA)