VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo believed, ASEAN-India can be a center of economic growth in the Indian Ocean region, which will support the creation of prosperity and stability in the circle of Indo- Pacific. The President's confidence is due to many potentials that ASEAN and India have. One of them is the productive age population of about 1.5 billion people from almost two billion people. It was announced by President Joko Widodo in the Plenary Session of the ASEAN-India Warning High Level held on Thursday, January 25, in New Delhi, India.

Moreover, the optimism of world economic growth also has an important role. It is expected to rise to 3.7 percent by 2018 from 3.6 percent in 2017. Deputy for Protocol, Press and Media Secretariat President Bey Machmudin reported that President Joko Widodo also appreciated the ASEAN-India cooperation that has boosted the economic growth of each country.

The ASEAN economy is predicted to grow 5 percent, while the Indian economy is expected to grow 7 percent by 2018. However, there are still some unstable global conditions that ASEAN and India must face. Therefore, the President Joko Widodo invited ASEAN along with India to continue the Comprehensive Regional Economic Partnership negotiations that will represent almost half the world's population.

Joko Widodo encouraged the strengthening of cooperation between Indonesia and Vietnam

President Joko Widodo encouraged the strengthening of cooperation between Indonesia and Vietnam on a number of issues. During a bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, on the sidelines of the ASEAN-India Summit in New Delhi, India, Friday, January 26, President Joko Widodo raised the discussion on two main points that need to be taken into consideration by both countries.

First, the President reiterated the importance of accelerating the settlement of negotiations on exclusive economic zone boundaries. Exclusive economic zones can also be accompanied by cooperation in the field of widespread terrorism and maritime handling. In this case the President welcomed the achievement of a preliminary agreement on the boundaries of the exclusive economic zone last November. The second focus the President attempted to address was the policy in the automotive sector enacted Vietnam.

The policy sets standards and agreements tans of imported vehicles to the country. Therefore, President Joko Widodo asked the Vietnamese Prime Minister to give Indonesia a chance to learn more about the policy. The president also encouraged six agreements in education, law, and gas utilization in the border region the continental shelf, the rural development, the strengthening of maritime security cooperation, and the coal supply signed last year, continue to be implemented.

Indonesia Participated in the 38^th FITUR, Madrid.

In order to promote Indonesian Tourism to the international market, the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism participated in the 38th International Tourism exhibition, FITUR, in Madrid on 17-21 January. The exhibition that was opened by King of Spain Felipe VI (six) was attended by 165 countries, the tourism Minister of the member countries of the World Tourism Organization, and the world's top tourism officials. During the exhibition, the stand of the Indonesian pavilion was visited by approximately 5,000 visitors, business travel entrepreneurs, print and electronic mass media, as well as visitors who are interested to come to Indonesia for travel and business trips. For Indonesia, the Feature is a very appropriate momentum to attract Spanish tourists. The event also directly brought together Indonesian sellers with potential buyers from Spain.

Indonesia Indonesia has the largest coconut plantation in the world, with a total area of 3.86 million hectares (ha) or 31.2 percent of the total world’s area of about 12 million hectares. Approximately 98% of coconut plantations in Indonesia is community plantation, and the rest are state plantations and private plantations.

Spreading of coconut plantation is almost evenly distributed throughout Indonesia, with the highest share in Sumatra reaching 34.5 percent. Especially in the area of West Sumatra, coconut plantation area continues to be expanded as part of efforts to preserve the typical commodities of the area

Coconut is the most widely used by the community. Coconuts are used in various foods or the water can be consumed directly. Once picked, coconut fiber is disposed. Coconut fibers need to be disposed to get the coconut meat as the main part of fruit that the market is interested in. The risk of disposing coconut fibers can occur at any time. Not to mention, how to peel it manually that is less efficient in the middle of industry that requires large-scale coconut production, because it takes a long time

Regarding to this, a student of State Polytechnic Payakumbuh, West Sumatra, Ruri Jalil Jabar and his friends innovate to make a peeler of coconut fiber withl roller cylinder model. This tool can help to improve performance and reduce the risk experienced by coconut fiber peeler.

Not only made roller silinder, but Ruri and his friend previously also looking for the most effficient technique to peel coconut fiber automatically by a machine. Finally, they succeded to make coconut fiber peeler that works using motor rotation forwarded to speed reductor. The roller then separates coconut meat from its fiber perfectly. According to Ruri, the peeler still need to be enhanced in order to be used by small industries.

Ruri sair that pleny innovations made by Polytechnics students could be benefial for people. According to him, the most important thing that polytechnics students must be sensitive toward any problems occured in society thus they can give technical solution to solve the problem.

By this innovation, Ruri and his team hoped that they not only gave solution, but also to make achievement as the first champion of designing agriculture machine and tool at the 9th Agriculutural Technic Week in Aceh.

Khairul Saleh, an animal ecologist from WWF Indonesia, told RRI World Service Voice of Indonesia on Friday in Jakarta that the protection of orangutan population in Indonesia should be done optimally given the high vulnerability to extinction. He mentioned the steps include the prevention of criminal acts of illegal hunting of orangutans. In addition, he said, efforts to integrate  orangutan habitat in Indonesia is also needed to connect the existing orangutan population. The effort is aimed not only as a preventive measure but also a conservation effort for orangutan habitat in Indonesia.

“We are connecting fragmented orangutan habitats for various reasons. so that the population can be connected, and can be sustainable preserved in the long run. The protection of the habitats must also be legally accommodated, for example in a spatial planning, especially for areas outside protected areas," Khairul Saleh said. 

Furthermore Khairul Saleh said, forest conservation also endangers the existence of orangutan habitat in Indonesia. The efforts, according to him, must be initiated with measures step that can still protect orangutan habitat. In addition, Khairul Saleh also encourages law enforcement efforts from the police officers against illegal orangutan poaching that threatens the preservation of the habitat. Recently, Indonesia is shocked by the finding of orangutans bodies in Kalimantan. Police confirmed it would pursue the perpetrators of the orangutans murder, including a company which is later proven to provide funds  for such a foul action. (Ndy/Alika)

The Tourism and Cultural Office of Jakarta is preparing to deploy licensed and professional tour guides who are incorporated in the Indonesian Tour Guides Association (HPI) to support the Asian Games and Asian Paragames 2018. When opening the Youth Guide Training Head of the Tourism and Cultural Office of Jakarta, Tinia Budiati said in Jakarta on Thursday, January 25th that Jakarta will hold a big event this year, namely the Asian Games and Paragames, so that the role of guides to support the events is required.

At the 18 Asian Games which will be held from August 18 to September 2, Jakarta will receive tens of thousands of guests, such as athletes, coaches, officials and other supporting personnel. The Asian Games will then be followed by the Asian Paragames from October 8 to 16. Some 9.5 thousand athletes; 2.5 thousand personnel of the Asian Olympic Council; and 5.5 thousand technical delegates from 45 countries will participate, or be involved, in the event. At least 3.5 thousand media representatives are expected to cover the event. (Ant)