VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Bajo is an inseparable ethnicity with the sea. Bajo community residence is very unique; most of their houses are built on the water. In the past, they even lived in boats or Lepa. Currently, Bajo people have spread throughout the archipelago, mostly in Sulawesi. There is one tradition of fishing that Bajo community usually does, which requires them to travel long distances. The tradition is called Bapongka. Bapongka is a Bajo community tradition that uses traditional equipment and keeps the marine environment from damage.

Bapongka is sailing tradition for a living survive or to get sea products to another region or province, for several weeks and even months. They went to sea in groups. Each group consists of three to five boats, each boat consists of one person. The formation of small group of Bapongka is done based on closeness. Usually the small group will meet each other in a fishing location then form a large group consist of 15 or even 20 boats.

The traditional boat called ‘lepa’, which is equipped with outrigger and roof made of sago leaves. Generally the boats are run with oars, although the boats are now equipped katinting machine. During the fishermen perform Bapongka, they brought quite a lot of foodstuffs such as sago and some equipments, such as petromax lamps, water containers, cooking and eating utensils, sleeping gear, and catching equipment for sea cucumbers and other marine products.

Bapongka tradition has a good impact for marine conservation, especially coral reef, because it only using simple equipment. In performing the Bapongka tradition, Bajo community have some taboos that must be obeyed. The prohibition for Bajo people is believed to affecting the catch, such as not to throw something at sea when doing Bapongka. They should not dispose rice washing water, cooking charcoal,  coffee grounds, chilli water, ginger water, orange peel, kitchen ash into the sea. When washing the rice, the water put on the boat, and will be shed after approaching the mainland. Likewise with wood charcoal used cooking, ash kitchen, orange peel, chili water and ginger water.

The simplicity of boats and equipments as well as the prohibitions that should not be violated because it is believed to be a disaster. While, Bajo community also believe the sea has a ruler in the form of spirit, called Mbo. All things make the Bapongka tradition of Bajo community highly appreciate and preserve the nature, as their local wisdom.

The Asian Games 2018 is going to take place in Jakarta and Palembang for a few months to come. But seemingly, President Joko Widodo has not been satisfied with the promotion of this international event that has not been carried out at maximum. In a limited meeting at Bogor Presidential Palace in West Java on April 18 and at Presidential Office in Jakarta on 4 May, President Joko Widodo reminded that the 18^th Asian Games does not become a fever amidst the Indonesian community. The President asks the echo of the Asian Games to resound throughout Indonesia. Indeed, the Asian Games is an event with the national and international scale; it does not belong to the host cities: Jakarta and Palembang.

In response to the President's criticism of the promotion of the Asian Games, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of Asian Games Indonesia –Inasgoc, Erick Thohir said that the role of state institutions is very important in promoting the Asian Games. On the sidelines of the 2018 Asian Games entitled "BRI Sunday Fest" in Jakarta on last Sunday (6/5), Erick expressed his hope that state institutions such as TVRI and RRI must play a major role in promoting the Asian Games. In addition, the Indonesian National Police -Polri must guarantee the security during the event. He views that both state media have wide network throughout Indonesia and the Polri also have professional personnel to safeguard the 18^th Asian Games.

To promote the Asian Games 2018 which will take place on August 18 to September 2 is the common responsibility of all state institutions, including the Indonesian Armed Forces –TNI, Polri and the general public. Both TNI and Polri have the main task to maintain security in the implementation of the Asian Games. The Ministry of Youth and Sports and Inasgoc must take advantage of many channels in addition to expecting state agencies to promote in short time ahead. Schools, social media and private institutions should also cooperate to further intensify the promotion of the 2018 Asian Games.

Diplomatic Corner, a program which presents information about activities and progress of Indonesian diplomacy in the international world.

The first information is from Russia.

Indonesian student association in Russia held sport competition among students of ASEAN member countries on Sunday (29/4/2018). The title of the competition was ‘Permira ASEAN Student Games 2018’. The sport competition was participated in by 7 countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Kamboja, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar. The games with the theme “let’s play together, build friendship and fair play “ was opened by displaying flags from each country of ASEAN countries and it was accompanied with traditional songs from those countries. At the opening, the participants also performed opening creation dance with the name “Perdamaian” or in English “peace” dance from East Kalimantan. Thus, cutting ‘Nasi Tumpeng’ was done by Indonesian Ambassador to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, Wahid Supriyadi as a sign that the event was begun. Tumpeng is a cone-shaped rice dish with side dishes of vegetables and meat. Garin Yudha Primaditya as head of the committee said that the event was hoped to be able to strengthen relations among ASEAN countries, to unite ideas and to strengthen ASEAN young people in the future. There are 3 sports which were competed namely badminton, table tennis and futsal. In addition to the sport games, there was also ASEAN stand bazaar Indonesia. The winners of the event for the first time were single man badminton from Vietnam, single woman table tennis from Vietnam, and futsal was from man group of Malaysia and Indonesia only ranked on the 2nd and 3rd. Around 300 participants and guests who attended the event, were very enthusiastic to hold the sporty event for the first time by Indonesian Student Association in Russia.

The next information is from Aceh province.

Governor of Aceh, Irwandi Yusuf received the visit of Qatar Ambassador to Indonesia, Ahmed Jassim al-Hammar in Aceh on Monday (30/4/2018). In the meeting, he offered investment in Sabang port to Qatar. In addition, the Governor also said that Aceh province wants to open direct flight route between Aceh and Qatar. To Ambassador Ahmed Jassim, Governor Irwandi Yusuf further said that many Acehnese people are currently working at oil companies in Qatar. Ambassador Ahmed Jassim welcomed the investment offered by the government of Aceh. The Ambassador also appreciated good relations which have been established between Qatar and Indonesia so far. The Ambassador also said that he will conduct the official visit in the future in a bid to discuss in detail various kinds of cooperation which are probably explored.

We end Diplomatic Corner with the news on Indonesia Fair 2018 in Dhaka.

The event was held as integrated promotion event is which combined with trade mission, culture performance and tourism. During 3 days of the implementation of the event starting from April 26-28, 2018, the Indonesia Fair held in Dhaka, Bangladesh was visited by around 10,000 visitors of Bangladeshi people. Indonesian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Rina P. Soemarno said that the event succeeded to record transaction worth $279.19 million dollars or more than Rp 3.76 billion, which was received from business meeting and trade exhibition. Ambassador Rina stated in a press release on Tuesday (1/5) that the achievement is a good start to strengthen Indonesia-Bangladesh trade cooperation. Especially, Ambassador Rina gave appreciation to Indonesian businesspeople who participated in Indonesia Fair 2018. She hoped that the national businesspeople could expand their business to see market potential of Bangladesh which is so big. The visitors of the exhibition were entertained with Indonesian traditional dances from 6 provinces namely West Sumatera, Aceh, Kalimantan, Papua, Jakarta, and West Java by the Indonesian embassy’s art team in  Dhaka and Dhakabashi. The event also showed short movies, documentary or fiction to introduce social life of Indonesian people. Bangladeshi people and the businesspeople who participated in the exhibition, hoped that the event can become annual event in Bangladesh.
 

On May 3rd, 1993, there was a major event. The event was necessary to be studied, especially for media people. Because,on the 3rd of May, the basic principles of press freedom were commemorated to maintain the freedom of media from any attack or indendpendency. This also paid tribute to the the fallen media people in carrying out their profession. On this date, the momentum of the world press communityoccurred to promote the basic principles of press freedom.

What about Indonesia's plural and diverse society with all its problems (?) Moreover, the world considers that Indonesia is one of the largest democracies in the world, and holds a commitment to guarantee the press freedom and freedom of expression.

In 2018 and 2019, Indonesia is in the process of political years; many political elites, public figures and political party leaders often make maneuvering that bias between their political interests and concern of their people. Very often, there are hate speech, contradictions, call for anarchy because they want to attract the most votes and triumphs, not to mention the dissemination of false information or hoax. Here, the media as mediator must play a major role how to provide correct information rather than hoaxes and and how balanceamong the interests of political parties, political opponents and society. The media should not become the trigger of the commotion so that people can be avoided from provocationas a result of the commotion.

It is no secret that the largest stakeholders or mass media owners are those who are engaged in the world of politics. In presenting the information, they could include messages to follow their political ideals.

On the occasion of international press freedom day, it is time for media people in Indonesia to learn from history, the struggle to fight for the freedom of the press, both in the country and overseas because many lessons can be experienced to be more mature in disseminating information or educating the community. So, the media is wise to receive the information obtained and does not cause anxiety and anarchy.