VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Here is the Headlines of several national newspapers published today, February 8 2018.

We begin with Kompas entitled, “Moment to Revitalize Puncak”

After three days, the search of landslide victims in Riung Gunung, Puncak, Bogor, West Java was stopped on Wednesday (7/2) evening. There was not clear evidence on more victims still being under the landslide. However, the emergency period still continues until the next 10 days until February 18. Public Works and Public Housing Ministry is expected to immediately finish the road normalization after landslide. During this period, four-wheeled vehicles cannot pass through the Jakarta-Cianjur main road. Bogor Regency Disaster Mitigation Agency BPBD’s Emergency and Logistic Division Head, Sumardi at the slide location said that 60 personnel of BPBD will still be posted at Riung Gunung.

Moving on to Republika with “Alms of State Civil Apparatus Not Compulsory” 

The government is forming presidential regulation on alms collection amounting to 2.5 percent of Muslim State Civil Apparatus’s monthly payment. Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister, Lukman Hakim Saifuddin said, the alms collection is not compulsory. That was said by the Minister in a press statement at the Religious Affairs Office in Jakarta, on Wednesday (7/2). He reasons that the Muslim State Civil Servants who object the alms collection can file request to their ministry or institution. The mechanism of request must be written.

We end today’s Headline with Media Indonesia, “Puncak Revitalization Must Not Be Just a Plan”.

The seriousness of the central government in revitalizing Puncak area, Cisarua, Bogor Regency, is crucially needed after the landslide in the area. The plan affirmed by Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono on Tuesday (6/2) is expected to be realized soon, and not ended as a plan only. Bogor Agricultural Institute’s spatial planning and environmental researcher, Ernan Rustiadi did not believe that the regency’s government had political willingness to revitalize Puncak. Because, for the regency government, Puncak area is merely for tourism, and is focused on its economic function, not their protection functions. Meanwhile, House of Representative’s Commission IV member, Firman Soebagyo in Jakarta, Wednesday (7/2) expects the central government to take over the Puncak revitalization, and to create special body for the revitalization. Firman said, in short term, House’s Commission IV plans to have a meeting with the government on the revitalization.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo Recognizes Significant Progress in Handling Land and Forest Fire.

Welcome to the segment of My Indonesia. The title of today’s edition is ‘Indonesian President Joko Widodo Recognizes Significant Progress in Handling Land and Forest Fire’.

In a Coordinating Meeting of Forest and Land Fire Control 2018 which took place in Jakarta on Tuesday (6/2), President Joko Widodo reiterated the commitment of governors, regents, mayors, TNI leaders and Polri leaders in their respective areas to protect their territory from fire. The statement  was conveyed by the President, considering that this year's weather conditions are  estimated to be drier compared to last year. All parties are demanded to be prepared. In addition, along with the implementation of the Asian Games in August, Indonesia is predicted to enter the dry season. President Joko Widodo asserted, this is betting of Indonesia's reputation in the eyes of the international world, if there is smoke that may disrupt the implementation of Asian Games event. Moreover, the President also said that land and forest fires can be prevented if all parties can work together, so that it is no longer to become national disaster and international spotlight.

Learning from forest and land fires in 2015, President Joko Widodo greatly appreciated, within two years there has been a significant progress in controlling the case. He said, there is a very significant reduction of hotspots. By 2015, the number of hotspots reached 21,929 points, in 2016 down to 3,915, and in 2017 down to 2,567 hotspots.

President  Joko Widodo said that at the Asian Summit, the Prime Minister of Malaysia and Singapore usually complained about smoke.  But this year, Indonesia received appreciation from the two countries. Learning from the forest and land fires in 2015, the Indonesian government has established Early Detection System of Fire Prevention since 2017. In the system, there has been shown daily hotspot data and fire map. The people can access through sipongi.menlhk.go.id  page. In addition, an integrated system has also been built among the related stakeholders in handling the land and forest fire.

The Ministry of Environment and Forestry in cooperation with the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (LAPAN) have facilitated detection and monitoring. The regional governments and businesspeople have conducted fire prevention efforts with standard operating procedures (SOPs) that are defined in terms of facilities and personnel and unfueled land clearing techniques. They also establish and foster a fire-caring society (MPA), so that people are aware of the importance of self-prevention efforts.

Indonesia is the fourth largest coffee producer in the world after Brazil, Vietnam and Columbia. Through business forum of “Promoting Indonesia – Vietnam Cooperation in Coffee", the Indonesian embassy in Hanoi along with Vietnam Coffee – Cacao Association (VICOFA) on February 6, Indonesian coffee started its market in Vietnam’s potential market.  Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam, Ibnu Hadi said that the forum is aimed to promote the opportunity and to cooperate in reaching the target of bilateral trade worth $10 billion dollars in 2020. In 2017, Indonesian and Vietnam’s total trade increased 16.36 percent to become $6.50 million dollars from $5.58 million dollars. The forum was attended by ambassadors from neighbor countries, coffee industry players/ Indonesian entrepreneurs and Vietnamese companies. The invitees appreciated positively the Indonesian coffee and the forum was filled with coffee cupping Specialty Coffee. The forum ended with business matching between Indonesian and Vietnamese entrepreneurs.

Russia and Indonesia immediately agree to buy Sukhoi jets.

Russia and Indonesia will immediately approve the technical details of the Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet delivery contract. The Sukhoi delivery is a form of military’s cooperation between Russia and Indonesia. This was stated by Vice Director of Russian Federal Service for Technical and military’s cooperation, Mikhail Petukhov, as reported by Russian News Agency website which was quoted by Republika on Tuesday (6/2). According to Petukhov, the experts of the both sides will immediately prove technical aspect which is separated. Before being reported, Indonesia planned to buy 10 multi-function Sukhoi jets of Su-35 to replace Tiger F-5 made in the United States of America, which has operated since 1980. Then, hi-tech Rusia Rostec Company reported that Indonesia has received a commercial offering for 11 fighter jets of Su-35. Sukhoi Su-35 is multi-war fighter, heavyweight, and has high cruising range. 

Indonesia’s nurse in Kuwait achieves the best award.

An Indonesian Diaspora who works as nurse of Health’s Ministry in Kuwait received an award as the best Staff Nurse 2017 at Farwaniya hospital. He is Suparman, a nurse who succeeded to give good image of Indonesian nurse in Kuwait, especially Farwaniya region. The nurse is known as a person who is friendly, religious and responsible for his job which is assigned on him at medical room. The awarding event was attended by Governor of Farwaniya province, Sheikh Faisal Al-Hamud Al-Malik Al-Sabah. The Indonesian nurse has shown his ability to compete with his co-nurses from many countries. Last month, Ali Pulungan also received an award as the best nurse staff and Agung Setiadi was as the third best nurse staff.

Welcome back to the regular program -Music Corner, a musical segment which introduces you to Indonesian music either traditional or modern one. In today’s edition, we will present Indonesian regional songs from Jambi. The song is "Batanghari" by Susi. This lyric tells about the Batang Hari River, the longest river in Sumatra which becomes a famous tourist attraction in Jambi province. Batang Hari is described as a river that looks calm, though actually swift. Batanghari song also mentions some places flown by the Batang Hari River, such as Penyaguan and Tanggo Rajo. The uniqueness of the song -Batanghari is the lyric in the form of poem from beginning to end. Jambi region's mainstay song is also impressive that Jambi is a region of poem. Rang Kayo Hitam is a powerful and courageous king who lived in the days of the Jambi Malay Kingdom which was under the rule of Mataram Kingdom. One day, Rang Kayo Hitam thwarted a tribute delivery from his brother to the Mataram kingdom. The Mataram kingdom also planned the attack and told a master to make a dagger. The keris was taken by Rang Kayo Hitam and named Siginjai. The legend of Rang Kayo Hitam's bravery and magic power was also revered in the song "Rang Kayo Hitam". The song "GADIS RIMBU BUJANG" comes from Tebo Sub-district and was composed by Lukman Sa'i. This song is often sung in a duet because it is a song about a young man who is interested in a girl from Rimbo Bujang. The initial lyric of the song "GADIS RIMBO BUJANG " is sung by men, because it tells the youth attraction to the girl. Meanwhile, the reff song "GADIS RIMBO BUJANG" is sung by women who tell that the girl also likes the youth. The song composed by Yahya AB tells the story of someone who always fared badly. In addition, he is materially deprived, but the person always faces trials and insults. But at the end of the lyric of the song "KETIMUN BUNGKUK", there is a message that the wheel of life continues to spin; after bad luck, surely good fortune will come soon.