VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The West Java provincial government has targeted to attract 48 million domestic tourists and 1.8 million foreign travelers to visit the province this year.

The target can be realized with the launch of the West Java Calendar of Events 2019, Head of the West Java Tourism and Culture Office Dedi Taufik stated here on Tuesday.

"May the launch of the West Java Calendar of Events 2019 be able to attract more tourists," he remarked, adding that the tourism sector is expected to contribute Rp43.5 trillion to West Java's Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) from 2019 to 2023.

During this year, West Java will have held 262 events, including 113 arts events, 85 cultural events, 23 culinary programs, and 24 sport events, he noted.

Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Budi Karya Sumadi confirmed the Patimban Port development project, in Subang Regency, West Java, went according to plan. For this reason, the Minister of Transportation targets Patimban Port to be operational by mid-2020.

"What we can plan is that maybe in the middle of next year, we will start the first use of the car terminal. Therefore I will coordinate so that it can be resolved, then everything will be finished by the end of 2020, "said the Minister of Transportation after holding a meeting at the Patimban Port Project Site on Sunday (23/6).

With the target to operate in mid-2020, Menhu hopes that road access from and to Patimban Port can be completed.

According to the Minister of Transportation, the progress of the construction of the Patimban Port is currently 29%. Whereas for the car terminal which will operate in the middle of next year the progress has reached 35%.

For information, the presence of a Car Terminal in Patimban Port is expected to reduce traffic density, especially for export-import of vehicles at Tanjung Priok Port. During this time, heavy vehicles, including export-import vehicles, contributed to traffic congestion, especially the section between Bekasi-Tanjung Priok, Jakarta.

The Patimban Port Terminal Car will have a capacity of 250 thousand to 300 thousand vehicles per year.

Reduce Logistics Costs

Meanwhile on the same occasion the Director General of Sea Transportation R. Agus H. Purnomo said the purpose of the Patimban Port development was to reduce logistics costs by bringing production centers closer to ports, strengthening economic resilience, reducing traffic congestion in Jakarta by distributing vehicle traffic flows, and ensuring shipping safety, including oil and gas exploration areas.

The construction itself is carried out in 3 (three) stages. In the first phase, Patimban Port is planned to be able to serve 3.5 million containers (TEUS) and 600,000 motorized vehicles (CBU). In the second stage, the service capacity will increase to 5.5 million TEUs and in the third stage will increase again to 7.5 million TEUs.

In general, Patimban Port will serve container and motorized vehicle types which are transported using large-sized vessels.

"Later the Patimban Port will also be supported by a support area (Backup Area) to support logistics efficiency from and to Patimban Port covering 356 hectares," Agus said.

Besides the activities carried out by the Ministry of Transportation, work has been carried out on the making of road access by the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (KemenPUPR).

The government hopes that the operation of Patimban Port can streamline the cost of exporting Indonesian products abroad, one of which is automotive products. (kemenhub)

Before leaving for Don Mueang Military Base to depart for Jakarta, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) took time to receive an honorary visit from the President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Takehiko Nakao, at Athenee Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday (23/6) yesterday.

In the closed meeting, the President was accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Economy Darmin Nasution, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, and Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung.

Minister of Foreign Affairs (Minister of Foreign Affairs) Retno Marsudi in his statement to reporters explained, the ADB President conveyed his appreciation to President Jokowi who had brought the current Indonesian economy in a fairly good condition.

"Nakao praised Indonesia's solid fiscal and macroeconomic management, as seen from economic growth of 5.2 percent, inflation of 3.2 percent, and prudence in fiscal management and foreign exchange reserves," said the Foreign Minister.

According to the Foreign Minister, the ADB President assessed that Indonesia is one example of a well-developed economy in the region. (setkab)

ASEAN Cooperation with Partners The speech continues to grow. In this regard, many fields of cooperation can be utilized specifically by youth and universities, including through the use of the ASEAN Trust Fund (ATF) and the ASEAN Project Fund (APF). "Thus the excerpt explained by Benny YP Siahaan, ASEAN External Cooperation Director, while providing socialization on "Utilization of the ASEAN Trust Fund and ASEAN Project Fund" as well as "Latest ASEAN Development" to students and academics in the International Relations Study Program, Faculty of Psychology and Socio-Cultural Sciences (FPSB), Indonesian Islamic University (UII) On Saturday (6/22).

Until January 31, 2019, there were 65 types of Trust Funds and Project Funds with a total fund of USD 207 million or around 3 trillion Rupiah. Unfortunately, Indonesia is one of the ASEAN member countries which is still not optimal in utilizing the ATF and APF. Therefore, Benny added that Indonesia as the host of ASEAN Capital must be able to utilize the ATF and APF optimally as an effort to realize ASEAN community integration and the concrete implementation of the ASEAN action plan with the Speech Partners. Furthermore, the potential contribution of Indonesian students in various ASEAN programs with their Partners also included youth exchange programs, ASEAN scholarships and prisons. "The role of youth is also very important to continue the continuity and relevance of ASEAN to the community," said Benny.

Dean of FPSB, UII Yogyakarta, DR. H. Fuad Nashori, M.Sc, in his remarks underlined the importance of HI Study Program students to find out about issues of diplomacy issues and the development of issues in the region. Furthermore, it was also conveyed that Indonesia's free and active diplomacy had made a great contribution and produced an impact and peaceful solution to various problems in the ASEAN region and the world.

This socialization activity is coupled with the activities of the Diplomatic Course of students of the HI Study Program, FPSB, UII Yogyakarta. Participating in the presentation of the event was Ambassador Foster Gultom and Head of Sub-Directorate of American, European and Other Regions, Danang Waskito, who explained the technical negotiations and procedures for ASEAN trials with Partners Speaking. Participants also received an introduction to the session through the East Asia Summit (EAS) simulation activities by discussing the issue of Combating Marine Plastic Debris.

The joint activity received a positive response from participants, both students and instructors. The students were also very enthusiastic about the role of the EAS state delegation in the trial simulation activities, with the main task of producing a draft EAS agreement to deal with the problem of plastic waste. The activity was seen as providing experience in the form of negotiation, diplomacy and public speaking practices for the participants.

FPSB UII appreciates the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and believes that after this the participants will increasingly understand the complexity of diplomacy and the process of achieving an agreement in the session.

This socialization of the use of ATF and APF is not the first time held by the Directorate General of ASEAN Cooperation c.q. Directorate of ASEAN External Cooperation. A similar activity was held in Cirebon on August 31, 2018 by involving various national Ministries / Institutions in collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat. (kemenlu)