The high level of excitement and enthusiasm was palpable among Jakarta’s residents who witnessed the procession to transport the Heirloom Red-and-White Flag replica and the Indonesian Independence Proclamation manuscript copy to Indonesia’s new capital Nusantara.
The Presidential Secretariat noted in its statement on Saturday that thousands of Jakarta’s residents lined up on the roadside to view the procession from the National Monument in Central Jakarta to Halim Perdanakusuma Air Field in East Jakarta.
The intensity of their applause grew higher as the procession passed by them.
Ratih, a resident from Cibubur, East Jakarta, said she became part of history by personally witnessing the procession along with her family.
“The procession is very exciting and lively because of the drum band performance. We also want to educate our children (through the procession),” she remarked.
Ratih is upbeat that the procession would instill a sense of nationalism and love for the homeland in her children. She also said that her children might be inspired to join the Flag-Raising Troop (Paskibraka) after viewing the troop partaking in the event.
Meanwhile, Anisa, a student of Jakarta’s Vocational High School No. 59, said she was glad to have witnessed the procession up close, especially when she saw the passing by of the “Maung” tactical vehicle produced by domestic defense company Pindad.
“The person who brings the Heirloom Flag to the new capital is also very cool,” the student stated.
After a two-hour flight from Jakarta’s Halim Perdanakusuma Air Field, the Heirloom Flag and the Proclamation manuscript safely arrived at the Sepinggan Airport in Balikpapan, the city closest to Nusantara, at approximately 12:55 p.m. local time (UTC +8).
The second leg of the procession from Balikpapan to Nusantara took more than two hours. The two artefacts arrived at Nusantara’s Garuda Palace at 3:30 p.m. local time.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan on Saturday launched a pontoon boat that has been specifically designed to pull garbage from the Citarum River.
At the launch, he informed that the pontoon boat is a superior innovation from the Indonesian Army and developed as part of a sustainability initiative under Citarum Harum.
“This is an effort presented by the Indonesian Army to collect garbage using conveyor power that cleans the garbage without using human power,” Pandjaitan informed after launching the boat in Sector 9 of the Citarum River, West Bandung District, West Java.
The pontoon boat was produced by the Indonesian Army’s Equipment Center, he added.
According to the minister, the boat can work quickly to pull garbage from the river and load it onto a truck via a conveyor for sorting by a garbage sorting machine followed by incineration.
“This is the innovation in waste management that I have been dreaming about. I never imagined it could be realized by the Indonesian Army. This technology does not require a lot of manpower,” he said.
He added that the launch was part of the Citarum Harum program, which aims to tackle pollution and improve water quality in one of the longest rivers in Indonesia.
“This is using quite similar technology from our previous assistance given by the Netherlands and France,” Pandjaitan confirmed.
Moreover, he said that the price of one pontoon boat with conveyor made by the Indonesian Army ismuch more affordable compared to that of similar boats developed by the Netherlands and France, which cost US$1 million.
“Those given by the Netherlands and France are amounting to US$1 million. Meanwhile, this domestically made pontoon boat only (cost) Rp350 million (US$21 thousand). Therefore, I want this innovation to be perfected. It can also be offered through the e-catalog,” he expounded.
The “Image Possibilities” Coproduction Plan (IP PLAN) 2024 was launched in Changsha on July 30th. The event brought together international directors and producers, industry representatives, academic experts, and media for the official kickoff.
IP PLAN 2024 Launches: Global Call for Chinese Stories
Du Zhanyuan, President of China International Communications Group, expressed anticipation for the collaboration between Chinese and foreign filmmakers. He emphasized the importance of showcasing Chinese culture and development to the world through authentic and relatable storytelling.
The launch ceremony featured insights from IP PLAN mentor Vikram Channa and filmmaker Arthur Jones, who shared their experiences in international co-production and personal storytelling. Malcolm Clarke, a British documentary filmmaker and IP PLAN mentor, stressed the need for trust and creativity among filmmakers to effectively tell Chinese stories.
IP PLAN is a comprehensive production program seeking both original concepts and completed films. Selected projects will receive professional training, production support, with the opportunity to be broadcast on CCTV-9 and other international platforms.
The initiative aims to foster global collaboration, promote cultural exchange, and create compelling visual stories that highlight the richness of China’s stories. IP PLAN is jointly organized by China International Communications Group, CCTV-9, and Discovery Channel. Submissions are open until August 31st.
The designer of the Garuda Palace at the new national capital IKN Nusantara, Nyoman Nuarta, has said that the palace’s design represents the unity between more than 1,300 tribes or ethnic groups of Indonesia.
Nuarta, who was contacted by ANTARA from here on Saturday, revealed that he chose Garuda as the form of the palace building so that “there would be no jealousy” between regions.
“I chose Garuda as the foundational idea because everyone is familiar with it. It is impossible to put each ethnic group identity in one building,” he added.
Indonesia has more than 1,300 ethnic groups with their own unique cultures, traditional houses, arts, and crafts.
“In order not to cause jealousy (between the groups), I do not want to use tribal identities for the palace building design. It feels unfair. Thus, I chose Garuda as the core idea,” he explained.
He said that Indonesia’s Garuda Pancasila symbol was created by Sultan Hamid II from Kalimantan.
“After I decided to use the (Garuda idea), there was not a single group that protested. I do not want to cause division because of wrong design,” Nuarta added.
Meanwhile, he welcomed the opinions saying the Garuda Palace’s design gives a “mystical impression.”
According to him, people’s opinions are more or less influenced by their own experiences.
While speaking about the structure of the Garuda Palace, Nuarta said that its current brass color will slowly change to bluish green, like the color of the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Statue in Bali. This color change is called the patina effect.
In addition, the blades of the Garuda structure are made of weather-resistant steel, and will change from reddish to dark color in one to two years.
“Garuda looks dashing with its head like that (looking straight). It is up to people’s perceptions,” the designer said.
A report from People’s Daily: The crested ibis, known as the “bird of good fortune,” is widely cherished by people in Northeast Asia. In 1981, researchers discovered seven wild crested ibises in the heart of the Qinling Mountains in Northwest China’s Shaanxi province. After years of breeding and conservation, the global population of crested ibises has increased to over 10,000.
China’s protection of crested ibises serves as a global model for saving endangered species, and significant progress has been made through the collaborative protection efforts of China and Japan. Thanks to this magical bird, I have also developed a deep bond with China.
My name is Akio Nakajima. I’m a researcher of the Institute of Human and Environmental Symbiosis Research in Dokkyo University.
In the late 20th century, wild crested ibises disappeared in Japan due to environmental degradation caused by economic development, illegal hunting, and other factors. The captive crested ibises also lost the ability to breed.
From 1998 to 2018, China gave seven crested ibises to Japan, helping the country rebuild the species. As a result, the number of captive crested ibises living on Sado island, Niigata prefecture, Japan, has been steadily increasing.
I have been engaged in crested ibis conservation, research, and rewilding programs on Sado Island since 2000. It was also in that year that a female ibis named Mei Mei gifted by China arrived in Japan. It received good care and protection in Japan and mated with Yuu Yuu, the offspring of two crested ibises, Yang Yang and You You, which were gifted by China in 1999. They went on to have many offspring together.
In 2007, Japan returned 13 young crested ibises to China, which were all descendants of Mei Mei and well protected in the Dongzhai National Nature Reserve in Luoshan county, Xinyang city, central China’s Henan province.
Since then, I have been closely following news about the nature reserve, keen to learn more about these birds. I also hoped that one day I could visit the reserve and see them for myself.
In October 2017, I traveled to Tongchuan city, Shaanxi province to participate in an exchange event about crested ibis protection. While there, I received an invitation to the fourth crested ibis release event at the nature reserve and immediately changed my schedule. Upon arriving at the reserve, I visited a crested ibis breeding station and was impressed by the dedicated work of Chinese experts in protecting the species, which led to a significant increase in their population.
The facilities at the breeding station were very well-arranged to support the crested ibises’ growth and living conditions, while also offering visitors a memorable experience. I was filled with excitement when personally seeing the crested ibises that had returned to China from Sado Island ten years ago, along with their offspring, living peacefully.
I made a thorough observation of the environment and facilities, especially the living conditions of the crested ibises. I could not wait to share this information with my colleagues and friends in Japan.
The next morning, I joined the crested ibis release event hosted by the nature reserve. A total of 22 captive crested ibises returned to the nature, bringing the number of released ibises in the region to 100. From the initial few individuals to the large-scale release, this achievement embodies the tremendous efforts of Chinese experts.
The sight of the graceful crested ibises spreading their wings and flying high ignited a powerful feeling within me, as if I could already see a future where these birds soar freely in the skies of Northeast Asia.
A year later, I returned to the nature reserve to observe the breeding habits of crested ibises. At a crayfish farming ponds where crested ibises often forage, I saw an ibis feeding. Crested ibises enjoy eating crustaceans, and the vibrant colors of their feathers come from the chitin in these creatures. Through binoculars, I saw their beautiful plumage, which indicated that they were receiving good care and protection.
I also learned that local elementary schools often launch promotional campaigns about crested ibis conservation. I hope that Japanese and Chinese schools can engage in more exchanges and cooperation on crested ibis protection in the coming future.
Through my interactions with Chinese experts, I gained valuable insights into the conservation of crested ibis and the harmonious coexistence between the birds and the local community. The Chinese people’s hospitality and friendliness made a lasting impression on me throughout this process.
I am very much looking forward to visiting China again, the nature reserve in particular, to engage in more extensive discussions with Chinese experts about wild crested ibis monitoring and scientific research cooperation between Japan and China. I also hope to make due contributions to the conservation of crested ibis.
According to historical documents, the crested ibis was a migratory bird with a widespread presence across Northeast Asia. I believe that in the near future, with the collaborative efforts of people in Northeast Asian countries, these “birds of good fortune” will restore their migratory habits. They will then serve as a bridge and symbol of friendly exchanges among Northeast Asian countries.
Preparations for Indonesia‘s Independence Day ceremony in Nusantara, the new capital city in East Kalimantan, are over 90 percent finished, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics announced on Saturday.
“Nusantara is ready for the August 17 celebration,” said Usman Kansong, the ministry’s Director of Information and Public Communication.
The government will hold the ceremony in Nusantara’s State Palace. Government officials, local leaders, and ambassadors from various countries are scheduled to attend the event.
Usman said that transportation for the guests has been arranged.
The toll road connecting the province’s capital Balikpapan and Nusantara has been inaugurated. It will reduce travel time by car from 2.5 hours to just one hour.
This year’s Independence Day ceremony will be historic for the Indonesian nation as it will take place in two locations: Nusantara and Jakarta.
President Joko Widodo will lead the ceremony in Nusantara, while Vice President Ma’ruf Amin will lead the one in Jakarta.
The Heirloom Red-and-White Flag and the Independence Proclamation Text Parade, which involved all elements of society, was a milestone, and reflected Indonesia’s unity and mutual assistance, Presidential Secretariat’s Director of Protocol, Press, and Media Yusuf Permana said.
“What is interesting about this parade is the route. Usually, the route is only from Monas to the Merdeka Palace, but this time, we have created history by doing this parade from Monas to IKN Nusantara,” Permana remarked.
For the first time in history, the heirloom flag duplicate and the proclamation text manuscript copy were paraded from the National Monument (Monas) in Jakarta to the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) in East Kalimantan on Saturday.
The parade was part of the 79th Anniversary of the Independence Day celebrations.
It began with the handing over of the two heirloom duplicates in the Monas Kemerdekaan Room to the 2023 Retired Paskibraka (Heritage Flag Force) Team.
Kachina Ozora from Central Kalimantan served as the flag bearer and Keyla Azzahra Purnama from South Sumatra as the proclamation text bearer.
The event involved 180 young people from Jakarta’s Abang-None, or the city’s tourism ambassadors, 122 retired Paskibraka members from Jakarta, and students from the State Institute of Public Administration (IPDN) and state polytechnics.
Local arts and creativity further enlivened the event, creating a strong cultural nuance throughout the parade.
The parade crossed several iconic points in Jakarta, from the Patung Kuda Monument, the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout, Semanggi, to the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base.
After arriving at Balikpapan Airport in East Kalimantan, the entourage carrying the flag and the proclamation was welcomed by the Presidential Security Guard (Paspampres).
The parade was not only a symbolic procession but also a reflection of the national spirit.
Through the parade, Indonesia showed its commitment to advance while still upholding its national values.
The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) stated that the Indonesian government is committed to developing domestic research and innovation by increasing funds and quality human resources for research.
“This year, our consumption in the use of funds from the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education Agency (LPDP) is much bigger because the scheme has begun,” Head of BRIN Laksana Tri Handoko stated in Cibinong, Bogor, Saturday.
Handoko made the statement at the 29th Hakteknas (National Technology Day) Commemoration at the Soekarno Science and Technology Area (KST) on Saturday.
He explained that earlier, only around Rp100 billion (USD1 = Rp15,949.90) was used annually, but this year, almost Rp500 billion was channeled just for research, and this does not include equipment procurement.
Handoko stated that the research funds are also supported by the government’s commitment to providing research equipment, which come from both the state budget and through cooperation schemes with the private sector.
He explained that the commitment aims to create quality human resources for research, not only for the government through ministries and institutions but also for all stakeholders, including academics, the industry, and so on.
“With that, we hope that the industry will be more confident, like the pharmaceutical industry that has started to develop formula-based manufacturing,” he remarked.
In addition, Handoko highlighted that various BRIN research facilities available can also be utilized by academics, both lecturers and students, for conducting research.
He said that this is an effort by the government to bridge the interest of academics in conducting research, but so far, it has been hampered by inadequate campus laboratory facilities.
“In fact, in some cases, such as food production research, the production was conducted here (BRIN laboratory),” he remarked.
Through those efforts, Handoko is optimistic that research and innovation would become fundamental factors in national development in the future
The Sepaku Intake in Sepaku Sub-district, North Penajam Paser District, East Kalimantan Province, is designed to reduce flooding in the new capital city Nusantara area, an official from the IKN Infrastructure Development Task Force stated.
“The Sepaku Intake can minimize flooding in the Sepaku area, which is part of the new capital city (IKN) Nusantara,” Head of the IKN Infrastructure Development Task Force Danis Hidayat Sumadilaga remarked on Saturday.
He described the Sepaku Intake as a large pool to store water during heavy rains and when the Sepaku River overflows to prevent major flooding.
According to Sumadilaga, the flooding that still occurs in the Sepaku area was not caused by the construction of the new capital city but had been commonplace before the construction of IKN.
Hence, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) is striving to prevent flooding, including by building the Sepaku Intake.
Furthermore, the PUPR Ministry is improving the river basin area in the Sepaku Sub-district.
“The handling and improvement in the Sepaku Watershed is also an effort by the government to overcome flooding in Sepaku as part of the IKN Nusantara area,” he remarked.
Sumadilaga stated that improving the Sepaku Watershed is expected to overcome flooding in an area of approximately 37 hectares.
The handling of the Sepaku Watershed requires the acquisition of around 2.5 hectares of land, he remarked.
The 2.5 hectares of land is included as an asset under control (ADP), so the land acquisition mechanism can be carried out through relocation or compensation.
Sumadilaga stated that according to Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 75 of 2024 concerning the Acceleration of IKN Development, relocation or compensation is allowed according to the agreement with the community affected by the development.
In addition, in the early stages of the 2022-2024 IKN development master plan, the PUPR Ministry also began utilizing the Sepaku Intake raw water that was currently managed to supply tap water with a water purification technology for IKN.
Pemerintah saat ini sedang menuntaskan payung hukum terkait penggunaan Bahan Bakar Minyak (BBM) jenis subsidi. Ketentuan mengenai kriteria pengguna BBM subsidi itu tertuang dalam Revisi Peraturan Presiden (Perpres) Nomor 191 tahun 2014 tentang Penyediaan, Pendistribusian dan Harga Jual Eceran BBM.
Lalu sebenarnya, siapa yang berhak ‘nenggak’ BBM subsidi khususnya Jenis BBM Tertentu (Solar) dan Jenis BBM Khusus Penugasan (JBKP) seperti BBM pertalite?
Sebelumnya memang berhembus kabar bahwa kelak yang akan dilarang menggunakan BBM subsidi adalah kendaraan dengan cubicle centimeter (CC) yang tinggi di atas 2.400 CC sekelas Pajero dan Fortuner.
Lantas, bagaimana arah kebijakan pemerintah untuk mempertajam siapa saja yang berhak untuk mengkonsumsi BBM Subsidi?
Anggota Badan Pengatur Hilir Minyak dan Gas Bumi (BPH Migas), Saleh Abdurrahman mengungkapkan, pada dasarnya pemerintah akan mengarahkan agar pembeli BBM jenis Solar Subsidi bisa lebih tepat sasaran kepada masyarakat yang memang berhak.
“Arah kebijakan pemerintah tentu penyaluran subsidi (BBM) yang tepat sasaran,” ujarnya kepada CNBC Indonesia saat ditanya arah kebijakan pemerintah untuk mendetailkan siapa saja yang berhak membeli Solar Subsidi, Rabu (7/8/2024).
Perihal apakah mobil sekelas Pajero dan Fortuner nantinya tidak bisa membeli BBM Solar Subsidi, Saleh menilai sejatinya memang mobil dengan CC mesin tinggi seharusnya mengkonsumsi Jenis BBM Umum (JBU) atau BBM yang tidak disubsidi oleh pemerintah.
Alasannya, pengguna mobil sekelas Fortuner merupakan masyarakat yang termasuk dalam golongan mampu. “Sebetulnya dari sisi spek mesin mobil-mobil Fortuner dan lainnya, BBM-nya yang cetane number (CN) tinggi dan mereka umumnya kalangan mampu, jadi semestinya pakai JBU,” jelasnya. “Detailnya kita tunggu Revisi Perpres (191/2014) ya,” tegasnya.
Di sisi lain, Deputi Bidang Koordinasi Infrastruktur dan Transportasi Kementerian Koordinator Bidang Kemaritiman dan Investasi (Kemenko Marves), Rachmat Kaimuddin juga angkat suara perihal apakah mobil sekelas Pajero dan Fortuner tidak lagi berhak untuk membeli BBM bersubsidi.
Rachmat menegaskan saat ini pemerintah belum tuntas dalam proses merampungkan aturan yang akan mendetailkan siapa saja atau kendaraan apa saja yang berhak untuk membeli BBM Solar Subsidi.
“Detailnya nanti kalau sudah final ya, sekarang belum,” kata Rachmat kepada CNBC Indonesia saat dikonfirmasi, Rabu (7/8/2024).
Sebelumnya, Sekretaris Jenderal Kementerian ESDM Dadan Kusdiana mengatakan bahwa saat ini progres penerbitan aturan yang akan mengatur siapa saja yang berhak membeli BBM bersubsidi di Indonesia seperti Solar Subsidi dan Pertalite tinggal menunggu persetujuan dari Presiden RI Jokowi.
“Sekarang, kalau di pembahasan di level saya, di eselon 1 sudah selesai, sudah dibahas di levelnya Pak Menteri sudah selesai, di Menko, sekarang lagi (proses di) Bapak Presiden (Jokowi),” beber Dadan saat ditemui di Kantor Kementerian ESDM, Jakarta, Jumat (26/7/2024).
Memang, revisi aturan tersebut terhitung sudah lama tengah digodok oleh pemerintah beberapa tahun belakangan. Dadan mengatakan hal itu lantaran banyaknya pertimbangan untuk menentukan siapa saja yang berhak untuk membeli BBM bersubsidi dari pemerintah. “Iya, tapi ini kan kita memutuskan yang berhaknya siapa, yang tidak berhaknya siapa, itu kan banyak pertimbangan,” tegasnya.
Dia menyebutkan, selain kriteria Pertalite yang akan dijabarkan dalam aturan tersebut, Dadan mengatakan untuk kriteria masyarakat yang berhak untuk menerima BBM bersubsidi jenis Solar Subsidi juga akan dipertegas dalam revisi aturan yang akan diterbitkan tersebut. “Kita ingin lebih memastikan saja, yang tidak, yang ini, yang boleh, yang itu. Lebih diperjelas, ditegaskan,” tandasnya.
