VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

This is RRI World Service Voice of Indonesia with Mosaic of Indonesia. In today’s edition, we will present news about  Gunungkidul develops Geopark of Mt. Sewu,

Natural Resources Conservation Center of West Sumatera proposes Natural Preservation of Maninjau to become Research Center of The ministry of Environment and Forestry, and the news on planting thousands of Mangroves will save the South Ocean of Kulon Progo.

Listener, the regional government of Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta keeps developing  Geopark of Mt.Sewu to become tourism concept which gives effect on conservation, education and the increase of people’s welfare.  Regent of Gunungkidul, Badingah,  told to RRI in Yogyakarta on Monday that dozens of geo-heritages which are developed to become National Earth Park if  preserved will bring prosperity to society.The regent also said that the welfare which will be achieved, must get support for bureaucratic reform which continues to be improved, so that the development of Mt.Sewu tourism will give multiplier effect for people’s welfare. Furthermore, Badingah said that in early 2018, his office will more focus in development of Mt.Sewu tourism. With the concept of the development is still accordance with the plan of Middle Term of Development of Gunungkidul regency as tourism and cultural destination, so that the attendance of tourist will have a significant impact on people’s economic growth because tourism sector to be the mainstay sector. The concept will supported by human resources which run in the agriculture. He also said that  Geopark of Mt.Sewu which has been recognized by UNESCO as Global Geopark Network covering 3 regencies, namely Gunungkidul, Pacitan and Wonogiri. The sites at Mt.Sewu are not only  geological site, but also there is also non-geological site or geo-forest and cultural site or archeology. 

Natural Resources Conservation Center of West Sumatera proposes Natural Preservation of Maninjau to become Research Center of The ministry of Environment and Forestry. It is related to the finding of new species of Raflesia which was ever  found in another country before.

Head of I Area Section of Natural Resources Conservation  of West Sumatera, Khairi Ramadhan said on Monday that in Indonesia which hasraflesia flower, can inventory the flower at   Maninjau Natural Conservation which is latter become as laboratory for the next future.Maninjau Natural Conservation is prpoposed to become research place because type of   raflesia at the location is never found yet, either inIndonesia, Malaysia or Philippines.

Khairi Ramadhan added based on the information of raflesia expert from Bengkulu University, Agus Susatya, that the type is never found yet before, either in Indonesia, Malaysia or Philippines, but the similar type was ever found in Malaysia namely Raflesia Tuan Mudae. but, after testing at the laboratory, the result is different with Raflesia Tuan Mudae, most likely Raflesia in Maninjau is the new type, and researchers still look for other references from Raflesia experts in Malaysia and Philippines.

Thousands of mangroves are planted at Wanatirta mangrove eco-tourism of Jangkaran village of Kulon Progo on Monday (8/1) as efforts to save South Ocean from abrasion. The plant is a program of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of PT Taman Wisata Candi (TWC) Borobudur Prambanan and Ratu Boko. The Executive Director of the company, Edi Setijono said in Yogyakarta on Monday that at the South Coast of Kulon Progo, abrasion becomes a serious problem, due to se water increasingly eroded the coast.  Mangrove area must be protected because it will be a buffer for ecosystems as well as tourist attractions when the International airport in Kulon Progo has been in operation. On the same occasion, the regent also said the attendance of the company is very important for  Kulon Progo, because the most western regency in the region of Yogyakarta, becomes the only one regency which becomes suspension of Borobudur forYogyakarta. Furthermore the regent said that Mangrove forest must be preserved well, because will be a starting point for tourists, who want to enjoy the tour in Kulon Progo.

In 2018, 171 regions in Indonesia will carry out simultaneous regional head election -PILKADA. This is the third simultaneous election, after the ones in 2015 and 2017. The implementation of the election which will be held on 27 June 2018 seems  different from the previous two elections as this year’s election is adjacent to the holding of the 2019 Presidential Election -PILPRES.

Chairman of the General Election Commission -KPU, Arief Budiman remarked that  there are 158 million voters who will participate in the 2018 election, almost 80% of the total national voters. This quantity is far greater than the 2015 election with a total of 96 million voters, and the 2017 election with a total of 41 million voters.

This year’s simultaneous election is followed by not only male candidates, but also female ones. However, many say that women's political participation in the  election is paid less attention by political elites. Political parties pay more attention to the electability and capital strength in nominating their cadres. They tend to use the 2018 election as a barometer for success in the 2019 Presidential Election. These electability and capital requirements are applied equally between male candidates and female ones. As a result, women's candidacy opportunities in the election are smaller because women politicians are generally less well-known and they do not have huge financial capital.

A discussion entitled "Opportunity of Women Candidates in 2018 Regional Election" was held in Jakarta on Sunday (January 7th). A politician from the United Development Party -PPP, Lena Maeyana, who was present, views that the political condition increasingly overlook Indonesian women. Indonesian law No. 7 of 2017 states that 30% of women's representation must be applied at the central level. In fact, in the previous General Election Law, 30% of women's representation is also regulated until the regency/city level.

Article 28D Paragraph (3) of the 1945 Constitution states that every citizen has the right to have equal opportunity in government. However, in the context of the 2018 regional election, the involvement of women has not been materialized as expected.

According to the Coordinator of Civil Society for Women and Political Alliance (Ansipol), Yudha Irlang Kusumaningsih, the participation of women in the 2018 election will simultaneously produce many policies that show women's partiality, especially if the candidates are elected as head of the region. A policy that shows women's partiality is necessary, given that women's empowerment is one of the 17 global sustainable development goals (SDGs) for the 2016-2030 period. That is to improve welfare evenly. The fifth point in the goal of sustainable development is to achieve gender equality and empower women. One way is by ensuring full and effective participation, and equal opportunity for women to lead at all levels of decision making in political, economic, and social spheres. Yudha also views that the empowerment of women at the regional government level is also considered urgent, because women are currently considered not equal to men. A number of studies have shown that poverty rates, school dropouts, income, and women's nutrition are still poor compared to men. It is important for women to advance in the election as representatives of their regions such as governors, mayors, regents, or deputy governors, deputy mayors and deputy regents. Thus, if there is a problem concerning women, this will be addressed by women as well.