VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing between Perpusnas and PWI - 

The National Library of the Republic of Indonesia (Perpusnas) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) at the peak of the 2023 National Press Day (HPN) commemoration in Medan, on Thursday (10/2/2023). Head of National Library, Muhammad Syarif Bando, stated that this collaboration would bring progress for both parties.

"PWI and the National Library are civilization management institutions that have been recorded in the long history of the world. We hope that in the midst of an information explosion, media people will get quality references from libraries and vice versa, media people's products, both in the form of online and print media," he explained.

The Head of National Library of Indonesia explained, the library will increasingly get intellectual works produced by higher quality media people for community development in the future.
"This MoU will build synergy towards quality collaboration and presentation of information that is accountable, transparent and credible," he said.

The memorandum of understanding between National Library and PWI aims to improve institutional relations in the implementation of information dissemination to strengthen community literacy. "National Library and the press must inform the public about the importance of literacy. Because science supports the creation of technological developments. The technology can be obtained from reading books. This proves and explains how expensive science is,” he said.

In its implementation, the scope of this memorandum of understanding covers the development and utilization of library information sources, development and utilization of library resources, human resource development, optimization of publications and dissemination of information about libraries and literacy, as well as other activities agreed upon between National Library of Indonesia and PWI.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Friday (10/02/23), the party that signed the PWI was the Chairman of the Central PWI, Atal S Depari. The signing was carried out in the presence of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, who gave a speech at the peak of the 2023 HPN commemoration.

The President at the HPN 2023 peak event with the theme 'Free Press, Dignified Democracy' said that the main role of the media is now increasingly important to amplify the truth and reveal facts, especially in the midst of post truth, post fact and post truth ferocity. The mainstream media is expected to be able to maintain and maintain its mission to seek the truth, search the truth, and build optimism.

The President also reminded the press about responsible reporting. According to him, the press is free and reporting can be done by anyone. "We are less free now, the press has covered all information media that can appear in digital form. Everyone is free to make news and freely. Now this is the main problem, in my opinion, making responsible reporting, because society is flooded with news from social media. and other digital media," said the President.

The President's statement is in line with the intent and purpose of the memorandum of understanding with National Library-PWI, in which the library as a trusted source of information can be a reference for journalists in presenting valid and true news to the public.

On the other hand, PWI through its media network and journalists also have an obligation to optimize the publication and dissemination of information about libraries and literacy in order to educate the nation's life together with the news it produces.

National Library of Indonesia's important role was also stated by the Head of the Editor-in-Chief Forum, Arifin Asydhad, that the main task of the media is to strengthen public literacy. "The mass media needs to collaborate with many parties related to literacy, one of which is the National Library. So I think the mass media and the National Library have the same vision and mission, so there needs to be good cooperation in the future," he explained//VOI

A 4,200km undersea cable promises to deliver vast amounts of clean energy to Singapore. (Image: Sun Cable) - 

Singapore-based Sun Cable is going into voluntary administration, the clean energy firm said on Wednesday (Jan 11), months after billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes took on the role of chairman.

The company is aiming to develop a A$30 billion-plus (S$27.6 billion) project to supply solar power from Australia to Singapore, with the backing of tech billionaire and climate activist Cannon-Brookes and the richest man Down Under Andrew Forrest. 

However, the mega project has fallen short of funds as Cannon-Brookes and fellow Australian billionaire Forrest were unable to reach a consensus on its future direction and funding structure.

This prompted the company to appoint FTI Consulting as voluntary administrators. 

This leaves the proposed Australia-Asia PowerLink solar power export project hanging in the balance, as construction was expected to begin in 2024.

Future steps will likely involve seeking fresh capital, or selling the business entirely, Sun Cable said.

Cannon-Brookes, who became chairman of Sun Cable in October, said he remained confident in the project. "I fully back this ambition and the team, and look forward to supporting the company's next chapter," he said in a statement. The statement offered no comment from iron ore magnate Forrest's privately owned Squadron Energy, Sun Cable's other big stakeholder. 

It is still possible Squadron could put together a funding deal for the administrators, said a person familiar with the company's thinking who sought anonymity because of confidentiality provisions.

Last year's capital raising of A$210 million included milestones that have not been met yet, meaning that not all of that funding was made available.

Future steps are likely to involve voluntary administrators FTI Consulting seeking fresh capital or selling the business entirely, Sun Cable said//CNA

Crude oil storage tanks are seen in an aerial photograph at the Cushing oil hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, U.S. April 21, 2020. REUTERS/Drone Base/File Photo - 

Oil prices fell on Wednesday as an unexpected build in crude and fuel inventories in the U.S., the world's biggest oil consumer, and economic uncertainty reignited demand worries.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures decreased by 79 cents, or 1.1 per cent, to $74.33 a barrel at 0503 GMT, while Brent crude futures fell by 75 cents, or 0.9 per cent, at $79.35 a barrel. 

Both contracts rose during trading on Monday and Tuesday, rebounding from a sharp selloff in the first week of 2023.

U.S. crude oil stockpiles jumped by 14.9 million barrels in the week ended Jan. 6, sources said, citing data from the American Petroleum Institute (API). At the same time, distillate stocks, which include heating oil and jet fuel, rose by about 1.1 million barrels.

Analysts polled by Reuters expected crude stocks to fall by 2.2 million barrels and distillate stocks to drop by 500,000 barrels.

The large increase in U.S. inventories in the API estimates has dragged down oil prices and the risk of recession is also capping the oil price uptrend in the short run, said analyst Leon Li at CMC Markets.

Traders will be looking out for inventory data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration due later on Wednesday to see if it matches the preliminary view from API. 

The oil market has been pulled lower by worries about U.S. interest rate hikes to curb inflation which would trigger a recession and curtail fuel demand.

The prevailing market sentiment is bearish on the demand side with China is still dealing with widespread COVID-19 outbreak and the U.S. and Europe at risk of an economic slowdown because of rising interest rates, with supply disruptions minimal for the time being, Claudio Galimberti, a senior vice president at Rystad Energy, said by email.

The market structure for futures reflects that weakness with both the front-month Brent and WTI contracts remaining in contango, where prompt month prices are trading lower than forward month prices, typically a sign that there is less short-term demand for oil.

Prices gained earlier this week on hopes for fuel demand growth in China, the world's second-largest oil consumer, after easing its COVID-19 curbs and resuming international travel.

"Monday's news that China had issued a fresh batch of import quotas suggests the world's large importer is ramping up to meet higher demand," ANZ Research analysts said in a note. The big focus this week is on U.S. inflation data, due on Thursday. If inflation comes in below expectations that would drive the dollar down, analysts said. A weaker dollar can boost oil demand as it makes the commodity cheaper for buyers holding other currencies//CNA

 Deputy for Marketing of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Ni Made Ayu Marthini - 

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy/The Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf) implemented a specific strategy to continue to promote the potential of the Indonesian parekraf sector both in local and global markets.

In the discussion room Marketing and Special Interest Tourism and MICE - Event at the 2022 Parekraf National Coordination Meeting at the Grand Sahid Jaya Hotel, Central Jakarta, Friday (12/16/2022), Deputy for Marketing of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Ni Made Ayu Marthini said there was a shift in parekraf market trends post-COVID-19 pandemic, where currently tourists prefer to travel that is of a higher quality and full of activities, not just relaxing.

In addition, the age range of parekraf market consumers in Indonesia is currently dominated by the millennial generation who are hungry for knowledge and information that is interesting, concise, concise and clear. "So as a means of promotion, it must be catchy, short, clear and full of pictures," said Marthini.

According to a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Saturday, to attract the millennial market, said Marthini, in addition to short, solid and clear promotions, holding unique and interesting events during the _low season_ can also be a means to attract millennial market tourism. "So during the _low season_ we don't even relax, instead we have to make activities so there is _traction_ during the _low season_," he said.

Marthini added that digitalization also plays an important role in marketing the potential of the Indonesian parekraf sector to national and international markets. "Like it or not, we have to embrace digitalization and use it as a means of promotion (parekraf potential)," said Marthini.

Young Expert Immigration Analyst at the Directorate of Immigration Traffic at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Wachid Kuntjoro Djati added that to support the marketing of the Indonesian Parekraf market abroad, his party always collaborates with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy. One of them is through the implementation of a visa-free visit policy for foreign tourists.

"So this policy was implemented as an effort to recover the Indonesian economy which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Especially as an effort to recover the parekraf sector," said Wachid.

This discussion was also attended by echelon I and II officials within the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, and representatives from various local governments and members of the media//VOI