VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The first cluster of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) dialog and meetings in 2020 is ongoing in Malaysia amid a regional outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) that has already affected thousands. The First Senior Officials’ Meeting of APEC was held in Putrajaya, Malaysia, according to a written statement issued by the APEC Secretariat and received in Jakarta on Tuesday (25/2).

The global community was just coming to terms with the potential effects of the spread of COVID-19 when activities among officials from around the Asia-Pacific region started on February 3, 2020, in Putrajaya. However, APEC working groups and committees still met to discuss work plans and agendas to be advanced in 2020, a red-letter year for APEC. The meetings covered several topics, including trade and investment, structural reform, business mobility, sustainable development, and corruption.//Antara

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad proposed his resignation to the King of Malaysia Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah on Monday (Feb24). The shocking announcement came amid speculation that Mahathir trying to form new coalition which will rule out Anwar Ibrahim as his promised successor.It is unclear who will be the next prime minister or whether general election should be conducted. Mahathir’s party, Partai Bersatu Adat Malaysia(Bersatu)announced on Monday (Feb 24) that in supporting prime minister, they will come out from powered coalition, namely Pakatan Harapan.Political confusion of Malaysia deepend when Malaysian Minister of Economic Affairs, Mohamed Azmin Ali and Minister of Housing and Regional Government, Zuraida Kamaruddin were fired from Anwar Ibrahim’s party, People’s Justice Party, on Monday morning. They were viewed as key figures in effort to form new government and to avoid Anwar to be Malaysian prime minister. As response, Anwar Ibrahim mentioned that they are "betrayers" in their party and accused member of Mahathir’s party plan for the change in  the incumbent coalation. Anwar Ibrahim and Mahathir Mohammad are known to have less harmonious relationship. But, both made up before the Malaysian general election in 2018. At that time, Mahathir promised to hand over the power to Anwar Ibrahim.  That promise will probably not be fulfilled, because Mahathir has resigned and the Pakatan Harapan coalition is no longer solid.//Trans

Tsunami is the disaster which occurred repeatedly in Indonesia. During the Dutch colonial era, all kinds of disaster succeeded to be documented. This was stated by Head of National Disaster Management Authority, Doni Monardo at soft launching  event of  Asia Disaster Management and Civil Protection Expo and Conference in Jakarta on Monday (Febr 24).  Doni Monardo added that the Authority will cooperate with a number of agencies in the Netherlands to register disaster which heppened in the Dutch colonial era.

"We have a cooperation with a number of agencies in the Netherlands. They will give information about disaster in the past in our country. Even, hundreds years ago, the Dutch officials who existed in Indonesia noted the disasters every day. All documents are existed at the Dutch museum. The agreement has been made at the first meeting" Doni Monardo said. 

Head of BNPB, Doni Monardo further said that although the MoU has not been signed yet, the Dutch museum welcomed the cooperation. This is intended as of Indonesia can learn symptoms of disaster.   Asia Disaster Management and Civil Protection Expo and Conference is the biggest exhibition in the world related to the handling of disaster. The exhibition is conducted as an effort to put Indonesia as a solution center of disaster in the Asian region. The exhibition which will hold on October 20 – 22, 2020 at JIExpo, Kemayoran, Jakarta, will be participated in by around 300 participants and display disaster response equipments and early warning system// NK/ Trs-yati