VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Secretary general of the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, Mira Tayyiba, at the Nuzulul Quran commemoration here on Thursday (April 29, 2021). (kominfo.go.id) - 

The Ministry of Communication and Informatics has urged Internet users, or netizens, to speak “good things” on digital platforms, especially during Ramadhan.

“Let us speak the right things, good things, and beneficial things,” secretary general of the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, Mira Tayyiba, said in a press release on the Nuzulul Quran (the day of the revelation of the Quran) commemoration here on Thursday.

Referring to the event’s theme ‘Let’s Speak Good’, Tayyiba urged the public to keep spoken and written communication positive, and understand that not everything posted on digital platforms is good, for instance, hoaxes and conflict spread online.

“This theme becomes contextual since in the digital era, we have opportunities to broaden the horizons, improve and develop knowledge through Internet utilization. Hence, the world seemingly turns to be borderless and information comes from all over,” she pointed out.

“Fake news, hate speeches, endless conflicts also throng our digital rooms,” she added.

She then highlighted that Nuzulul Quran means happiness, particularly for the ministerial staff because they can gather again in good health, either face-to-face or online.

“I have been missing this Nuzulul Quran commemoration because last year it was unable to be held. However, we understand the event was impossible to be organized due to the condition at that moment. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), this afternoon, we can celebrate by surely observing the health protocols,” she said//ANT

Indonesia's halal industry gains momentum amid pandemic - 

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, is focusing on developing its halal industry to meet domestic and global demand in light of trends that indicate sharia businesses grew amid the economic crises wrought by the pandemic.

The halal industry has been able to record positive performance despite the pressure on economies around the world owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, in 2019, the industry had recorded a growth of 3.2 percent — higher than global economic growth of 2.3 percent.

"Globally, spending on halal products in 2019 before COVID-19 occurred, especially on food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, fashion, and travel products had reached US$2.02 trillion," Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati informed on the sidelines of the online launch of a halal industry collaboration program on April 14, 2021.

Indonesia is the world's biggest market for halal products, particularly in the food, tourism, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics sectors, she pointed out.

"This potential must inspire business operators to work on the halal industry," she said.

Indonesia's sharia economy is focusing on developing the halal industry, sharia finance, sharia social finance, and sharia entrepreneurship.The government's support has been apparent from the several policies aimed at developing the halal industry, including the establishment of a Special Economic Zone (KEK) for the industry.

Supply chain cooperation is a necessity at this time for strengthening the ecosystem and creating a comprehensive supply chain cooperation, Indrawati said.

Hence, it is crucial to develop a cross-sector collaboration program to support the development of sharia economy and finance in Indonesia, which is targeting to become the world's sharia economy hub, she added.

"This (the Muslim Center of Excellence program) is an initiative from a very positive industry in order to strengthen the ecosystem of the halal industry in Indonesia and strengthen the capabilities and capacities of the industry, including MSMEs, in producing goods meeting the preferences of Muslim groups," she said.

Meanwhile, executive director of KNEKS, Ventje Rahardjo, expressed the hope that the collaboration would help strengthen Indonesia's goal to serve as a center for halal producers//ANT

Minister of Investment and head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Bahlil Lahadalia. (ANTARA/HO-Biro Pers Sekret/Rusman/am.) -- 

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the agriculture sector between 2015 and March, 2021 was dominated by investment in oil palm plantations, the Ministry of Investment / Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) has said.

Foreign investment in food crops, plantations, and livestock came from Singapore (53.7 percent) and Malaysia (15.8 percent), Jumina Sinaga, head of the sub-directorate for agribusiness at the ministry, informed during a webinar on 'How foreign investment can advance Indonesian agriculture’, here on Friday.

"This is in accordance with investment in oil palm plantations, which mostly come from the two countries," he said.

FDI realization in agriculture during the period reached US$9.5 billion, accounting for around 5.2 percent of the country's total FDI (in Indonesian value).

Meanwhile, domestic investment (PMDN) reached Rp173.9 trillion, accounting for 9.1 percent of the total PMDN in Indonesia.

"The FDI investment projects in the agricultural sector are mostly in Kalimantan and Sumatra," Sinaga said.

During the webinar, associate researcher at the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS), Donny Pasaribu, highlighted that almost all of the agricultural investment went into oil palm plantations during the period.

"Not the other way around (which is) don't invest in palm oil. We, however, feel that other sectors also need encouragement and have further opportunities (to be developed through FDI)," he said.

He highlighted the importance of foreign investment in agriculture for increasing agricultural productivity to ensure food price affordability and better food quality.

Foreign investment is expected to bring advanced agricultural technology to Indonesia, help promote Indonesian agricultural products in international markets, and improve national agricultural productivity, he added//ANT

CPO exports fetch US$3.74 billion in March - 

Indonesia’s crude palm oil (CPO) exports in March this year reached US$3.74 billion, an increase of 80 percent from US$2.08 billion recorded in the previous month.

The foreign exchange earnings were obtained from the export of 3,244 tons of CPO, an increase of 62.7 percent from 1,994 tons in February, 2021, chief of the Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association (Gapki), Joko Supriyono, disclosed in Jakarta on Friday.

“An increase in price and volume is believed to have led to palm oil exports soaring to around US$3.74 billion," he said.

According to Supriyono, national palm oil production in March this year rose by more than 20 percent to 3,712 thousand tons from 3,079 thousand tons the previous month. Compared to January, 2021, production was 10 percent lower in March.

“But, yoy (year-on-year), CPO production in the year ending March, 2021 was 1.6 percent higher,” he informed.

He said domestic palm oil consumption stood at 1,599 thousand tons in March, or lower than 1,604 thousand tons recorded in February, 2021.

Meanwhile, palm oil consumption for biodiesel production fell 0.5 percent to 625 thousand tons from 635 thousand tons in February.

However, domestic consumption in the first three months of 2021 was 3.8 percent higher than in the same period last year, Supriyono said//ANT