VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian Ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Ibnu Hadi received the Medal for Peace and Friendship among Nations from the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO). The award was given directly by Chairman of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organization, Nguyen Phuong Nga, at the VUFO office in Hanoi, Tuesday afternoon (24/11). In his remarks, Nguyen Phuong Nga said that this award was given for the active and tireless contribution of Ambassador Ibnu Hadi to promote cooperation between Vietnam and Indonesia, including in building and fostering friendly relations among the people of the two countries. Nguyen Phuong Nga also remarked that he was impressed by the various activities that were carried out by Ambassador Ibnu Hadi and the Indonesian Embassy in Hanoi to promote friendship of both nations. VUFO is a friendly organization which gets the mandate by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam with the mission of developing people-to-people diplomacy and promoting peace, solidarity, friendship and cooperation among communities. The Medal for Peace and Friendship among Nations is the highest award given by VUFO to individuals who actively contribute to strengthening good bilateral cooperation and relations with Vietnam.

IPB University officially collaborates with Polissia National University, Ukraine. This cooperation was marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. Rector of IPB University, Arif Satria, in a press release on Thursday (26/11), welcomed this cooperation. According to Rector Arif, the collaboration with various universities in the world is very important. The activities that can be carried out between the two parties through this collaboration are staff and student exchanges, conducting seminars and summer courses, and joint international research. This collaboration between IPB and PNU is supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in Kiev and involves the IPB University International Program Directorate intensively.

Ngobeng is a tradition of serving food in traditional activities in Palembang, Sout Sumatra, such as weddings, circumcisions, thanksgiving, and celebrations of religious days.

This tradition is predicted to have been carried out for the first time in the era of the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate and is an Islamic tradition that has been assimilated with local culture, namely eating together by using hands directly while sitting cross-legged according to the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad.

Technically, Ngobeng is conducted by passing the dish to a dining area which is covered with a tablecloth. This way aims to make food arrive immediately and relieve the burden for those who bring it. There is someone in charge of bringing a basin or kettle filled with water for guests to wash their hands. Because, the guests eat without using a spoon.

One dish in Ngobeng is intended for eight people so that the audience can still reach the dishes that have been served by the event organizer. Serving food in Ngobeng is in the form of iwak (side dish), pulur (vegetables, chili sauce, and fruits), as well as white rice or oil rice served in a pan and placed in the middle of the dish.

The Ngobeng tradition is rarely practiced by the people of Palembang, especially young people. S, they are not very familiar with this tradition because the presentation of food at various events in Palembang has been replaced by the buffet method.

November 29 is commemorated every year in Indonesia as the Day of the Indonesian Civil Service Corps (Korpri). Korpri is an organization that  brings together all employees of the Republic of Indonesia whose members consist of the State Civil Apparatuses, employees of State-Owned Enterprises, Regional-Owned Enterprises and their subsidiaries.

The roles and progress of Korpri members always change over time. In the New Order era during the reign of President Soeharto, Korpri was used as a tool to protect the government in power. However, since the reform era in 1998, Korpri has turned into a neutral organization, which does not take sides with certain political parties.

This year, Korpri is commemorating its 49th anniversary. With increasing age, it is hoped that all Korpri members can improve their performance in their services, especially services to the public. Especially amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, employees who are members of Korpri are required to provide maximum services to the public. This is in accordance with the theme of the 2020 Korpri Day, namely "Contribute, Serve and Unite the Nation".

In a speech delivered virtually at the peak of Korpri's 49th anniversary, Sunday (29/11), President Joko Widodo saw the momentum of the Covid-19 pandemic as an opportunity for Korpri, especially the State Civil Apparatuses to do various things in improving themselves. One of the expected improvements includes the transformation from a long and cumbersome procedure or red tape in doing things to a more concise one by taking advantage of advances in information technology.

The pandemic has indeed forced people to work from home with all difficulties and limitations. However, this should not be a barrier for government employees in providing services. On the contrary, with information technology, services can be provided more quickly, effectively and efficiently. The Indonesian Civil Service Corps must remain professional in carrying out their duties even amid the pandemic.

Korpri members must also be neutral so that professionalism is maintained. Especially before the Regional Head Election which will be held on 9 December. According to the law, Korpri members must always be neutral, prohibited from participating in practical politics and taking side with any political party or a candidate for regional head.

The Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment develops the maritime sector in collaboration with Denmark through the Second Bilateral Maritime Forum between the Republic of Indonesia and the Kingdom of Denmark. Expert Staff for Maritime Law at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Okto Irianto in a press release on Saturday (28/11) said that this forum was a follow-up and evaluation of the first Bilateral Forum and the signing of a cooperation agreement in the maritime sector between the two countries on September 7 2018.

He explained that amid the Covid-19 Pandemic situation, there are so many challenges in the oceans that are threats to Indonesia and Denmark. Environmental problems such as pollution and marine debris, illegal activities such as smuggling of illegal drugs, weapons, and also rare animals are challenges that must be faced.

On the one hand, these challenges can provide opportunities for both countries to balance the socio-economic life of the community with the preservation of ecosystems in the maritime sector through various innovations. According to Okto Irianto, the forum is two-way nature, where Indonesia and Denmark have the opportunity to discuss various topics in turn. Indonesia discussed Sustainable Marine Development and the handling of the Covid-19, while Denmark discussed the delivery of environmentally friendly goods and environmental issues, as well as the digitization of the maritime sector. Director General of the Danish Maritime Authority, Andreas Nordseth said that this meeting was a good opportunity for the two countries to exchange experiences that they have had, especially from the maritime sector.

Meanwhile, Danish Ambassador to Indonesia, Lars Bo Larsen emphasized that there are three important issues that can be jointly guarded by Indonesia and Denmark. Both countries can oversee and encourage the real implementation of Maritime Spatial Planning which includes capacity building and certification related to these issues, Green Shipping which can help improve joint maritime sector management, and Marine Debris Management to develop related regulations regarding waste management.