VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

This is RRI World Service -Voice of Indonesia with Diplomatic Corner, a program which presents information about activities and progress of Indonesian diplomacy in the international world. 

The first information is from Hong Kong. Indonesian consulate general in Hong Kong assists victims of illegal money loaning practice.

To follow up problem of hundreds of Indonesian citizens/Indonesian Migrant Workers in Hong Kong who become victims of illegal money loaning, Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong until now has kept carrying out assistance and facilitation to publish immigration document for them. Until the news was published (21/10), more than 500 Indonesian Migrant Workers, victims of moneylenders have reported their problems to the Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong. They asked the assistance of the publishing of new passports because their passports were seized by Hong Kong police as evidence. This was stated by Indonesian Consul General in Hong Kong, Tri Tharyat in the meeting with representatives of the Indonesian Migrant Workers who become victims of illegal money loaning with passport’s pawnshop at the office of Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong on Sunday (21/10). Consul General, Tri Tharyat said that the Indonesian Consulate General is committed to providing assistance needed by the Indonesian Migrant Workers that become moneylenders’ victims in accordance with valid regulations. Until now, Consul General, Tri Tharyat added that the Indonesian Consulate General has verified the Indonesian Migrant Workers’ report and has issued more than 350 new immigration documents or new passports for them. Furthermore, Consul General, Tri Tharyat stated that the handling of the problem is also conducted through cooperation with Consulate General of the Philippines, because many migrant workers from the Philippines also become moneylenders’ victims. The Indonesian Consulate General and  Hong Kong Police also communicate intensively to follow the progress of the on-going law process.  

The next information is from Osaka, Japan.

Indonesian Consulate General in Osaka, Japan received the visit of 31 students of 9th grade of Cikeas Natural School, who are running Project Based Learning (PBL) program to Japan. During the program, they are scheduled to visit some facilities, including garbage burning center, recycle plastic bottle factory, local school and public transportation management. The Indonesian Consulate General hoped that the students apply the lessons which are obtained in Japan and also share the lessons to their friends and families after going back to Indonesia.

We end Diplomatic Corner with the information from Fiji. Honor for the World of Civil Aviation is granted to Anthonius Gunawan Agung.

At the opening of the 55th Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation for Asia and Pacific region which was held at Sheraton Fiji Resort, on October 22, 2018, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) gave plaque as honor to Anthonius Gunawan Agung. He was an air traffic controller who had secured hundreds of passengers that were boarding in Batik Air 6321 when taking off from airport at the same time earthquake occurred in Palu on September 28, 2018. Antonius Gunawan Agung prioritized to secure hundred people at Mutiara SIS Al-Jufrie airport by guiding Batik Air 6321 which would fly from Palu to Makassar and chose to stay at ATC tower until his work finished. The Batik Air which was guided by Antonius Gunawan flew safely. But, because of the earthquake, ATC tower collapsed. The honorable plaque was handed over by General Secretary of ICAO, Liu Fang to Indonesian representative from planning and controlling of Aviation Navigation Service Division. Anthonius Gunawan Agung has shown his total commitment for flight safety.

That was Diplomatic Corner.

Today's Mosaic of the Archipelago presents information: first, minimum wage of West Java increases becoming Rp 1.6 million. The second information is that Lampung volunteers are placed in Sigi regency. The last information of Mosaic of the Archipelago is that 253 Sinjai fishermen receive assistance of fuel conversion to liquefied petroleum gas.

Ministry of Manpower has decided the increase of the 2019 minimum wage of the province worth 8.03 percent so that the 2019 minimum wage of West Java will increase 8.03 percent from around Rp1.5 million in 2018 to become around Rp 1.6 million. The decision of the increase of the minimum wage will be announced on November 1st, 2018. This was stated by Head of Manpower and Transmigration Office of West Java, Ferry Sofwan Ari in Bandung, West Java on Tuesday. His side will discuss together with wage council related to the increase of the minimum wage. So this week, the wage council of the province will discuss the minimum wage. Ferry Sofwan also said that the increase of the minimum wage worth 8.03 percent is the result of the national calculation in the central level by Statistic Central Agency -BPS. From the calculation, Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration issued circular letter in order the decision can be followed-up by regional governments. Furthermore, Ferry added that the minimum wage of regency and city will be announced on November 21, 2018. Today, his side still waits the proposal of each regency and city related to the minimum wage.

Volunteer team of Taruna Siaga Bencana (Tagana) of Lampung province is placed in Sigi regency, Central Sulawesi to assist earthquake’s victims in the region. The team which consists of 15 personnel arrived in Palu on Tuesday morning by commercial plane. This was stated by Coordinator of the volunteer team of Lampung, Ferius Gunadi in a press release received by Antara News Agency in Bandarlampung on Tuesday (23/10). Ferius Gunadi said that Tagana of Lampung along with Tagana of Bengkulu with 18 personnel and Tagana of Riau Islands with 10 personnel were directly received by Director of Handling Disaster Victims ofIndonesian Social Ministry, Iyan Kusmadiana and Head of Social Office of Central Sulawesi, Ridwan Mumu. The Tagana will be on duty to register the number of refugees’ points, the number of tents which exist in the shelter, number of refugees who place the tents, the implementation of public kitchens, and psycho-socialsupport.

The last information of Mosaic of the Archipelago is that 253 Sinjai fishermen receive assistance of fuel conversion to liquid gas.

As many as 253 fishermen in Sinjai regency, South Sulawesi received fuel assistance to 3-kilogram liquefied petroleum gas -LPG at Fish Auction Center of Lappa, Sinjai regency, on Tuesday. Head of Fishery Office of Sinjai, Sultan H Tare said that the number of fisherman of Sinjai regency reaches 8,544 people supported by 2,014 ships by using catching tools, such as purse seine, bagan, jaring insang, tonda and ulur fishing rod as well as pole and line. The fishermen who receive the LPG are spread out at 4 districts in 11 villages in Sinjai regency. The most recipients are at Pulau Sembilan district and the remains on 3 districts are North Sinjai, East Sinjai and Tellulimpoe. Sinjai regency hopes that the assistance is utilized in accordance with its function so that small fishermen do not depend on fuels because the assistance provided can be more economical if using the liquefied gas. The recipient of the assistance was symbolically represented by Firman, fisherman from Pattongko village, Hasyim from Sanjai village, Umar from Pulau Buhung Pitue village and Mujair from Pulau Harapan village and Muri from Lappa village.

That was Mosaic of the archipelago.

This is RRI World Service -VOI with Today in History.

I’ll begin with October 23, 1956 when the Hungarian people's revolution against the Soviet Union started.

On October 23, 1953, the Hungarian Communist Party was dissolved by Imre Nagy, the nationalist Prime Minister of Hungary. Then, an independent and separate military government from the Soviet Union was formed.However, the Hungarian communist group with the help of the Soviet Union military and fund crushed the struggle of the people of this country and hundreds of people were killed. The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 could be crushed, but the struggle of the people of this country was still ongoing. Finally, in 1989, Hungary won its independence and became a member of NATO.

I’ll turn to October 23, 1983 when two major explosions occurred in the US military barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.

A high-powered bomb explosion on October 23, 1983 killed 220 marines, 18 sailors and 3 soldiers. All of them were part of a multi-national force that was trying to end the civil war in Lebanon. This incident began when two trucks were deliberately crashed into the US military headquarters in Beirut. The two trucks are known to carry 1.4 tons of explosives. The collision immediately triggered a super large explosion which destroyed the US military headquarters. Both truck drivers, Abu Mazen and Abu Sijaan were immediately killed on the scene. This was also believed to be a suicide bombing. Less than an hour after the attack on the American base, other terrorists detonated a bomb outside French barracks in Lebanon, killing 58 paratroopers. According to BBC, Mazan and Sijaan were part of the Islamic Revolution movement of Lebanese Radical Shiites based in Eastern Lebanon. Shortly after the incident, US Defense Minister, Caspar Weinberger said that Iran, Syria and the Soviet Union were behind the attacks.

This edition of Today in History ends with October 23, 2002 when there was hostage taking at the Moscow Theater by Chechen rebels.

October 23, 2002 was the most gripping day in the Moscow Theater, Russia. Around 850 people from various countries, who enjoyed a grand music concert performance, Nord Ost, were suddenly shocked by the arrival of dozens of terrorists in black uniforms and wearing masks. The attackers, led by Movsar Barayev, claimed that they were from an Islamist separatist movement in Chechnya. They demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya and ended the Second Chechen War. At that time, 129 hostages and 41 Chechen guerrillas were killed. Most of the hostages were killed by gas fired by Russian troops at the Chechen rebels.

That was Today in History

This is RRI World Service -Voice of Indonesia with Diplomatic Corner, a program which presents information about activities and progress of Indonesia’s diplomacy in the international world.

First information is that Indonesia Establishes Resilience Education Cooperation with Jordan.

The Indonesia National Resilience Institute -LEMHANNAS and the Royal Jordanian National Defense College -RJNDC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning cooperation in Education, Training and Strategic Studies in the Field of Defense and Security which took place in Amman on Wednesday (17/10). The signing of the MoU was carried out by  Governor of LEMHANNAS, Retired Lieutenant General, Agus Widjojo from the Indonesian side, and Brigadier General Abdullah. S. Al Shdaift, as the RJNDC Commander from Jordan. General S. Al Shdaift said that Jordan wants to learn a lot from Indonesia's experience of thousands of islands and diversity but is able to maintain unity and security. On the other hand, Governor Agus Widjojo emphasized that LEMHANNAS also wants to share experience with Jordan that is able to maintain its national security amidst an unstable political situation of Middle East. The signing of this MoU is considered important because both parties stated that it is necessary to conduct strategic studies on the latest regional and international issues in the field of defense and security.

The second information is that ASEAN and Partners continue to strengthen cooperation in science and technology.

ASEAN and its speaking partners continue to strengthen cooperation in the fields of science and technology. This was noted by Indonesian delegation from the results of the 10th Meeting of Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science & Technology (IAMMST-10), the 75th ASEAN COST and Other Related Meetings on 15-19 October 2018 in Cebu, the Philippines.

In the meeting led by the Philippines, there were three ASEAN Dialogue Partners, namely Japan, the European Union and the United States. In regard to this, Indonesia will host the 6th JASTIP Meeting (Japan-ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Platform) Symposium in Tangerang, Banten on November 1, 2018. JASTIP is a collaborative platform to support the achievement of SDGs’ targets through science, technology and innovation (STI).

Furthermore, Indonesia will host the 16th ASEAN Food Conference meeting in Bali, October 15-18 next year, with the theme "The Big Picture: Outlook and Opportunities of Food Technology and Culinary for Tourism Industries." In addition, Indonesia will also deliver 19 proposals for cooperation in January 2019, in the ASEAN-EU Joint Funding Scheme (JFS) program.

The last information is that Inclusive Palm Diplomacy Guards Indonesia's Palm Interests.

To strengthen national palm diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs involves all stakeholders in the preparation of the palm oil diplomacy strategy. Collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Palm Oil Research Center, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs represented by Directorate of Trade, Commodities and Intellectual Property held an input network meeting and dialogue entitled "Palm Diplomacy: Challenges and Strategies" in Medan, North Sumatra on Thursday (18/10). Director of Trade, Commodities and Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tri Purnajaya in opening the seminar and input network said that there are at least three points that underlie the need to strengthen national palm diplomacy. First, palm oil is Indonesia's largest export commodity today. Second, it’s a new and renewable energy source. Third points is that the number of workers absorbed by the palm oil industry continues to grow. These three aspects show the major role of oil palm in achieving the SDGs sustainable development targets, the fulfillment of world food, and supporting the improvement of the welfare of small palm-oil farmers.

That was Diplomatic Corner.