Indonesia is intensifying efforts to protect Sumatran tigers through community engagement and conservation partnerships.
During the Global Tiger Day 2024 event in Jakarta on Sunday, Ismanto, head of Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (TNBBS), highlighted the park’s collaboration with partners to safeguard Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae).
Beyond securing the conservation area, TNBBS focuses on community education to shift local perspectives on wildlife.
“We aim to transform negative mindsets into positive ones,” Ismanto explained.
Improving local livelihoods is a key strategy to reduce human-tiger conflict.
“By providing alternative income sources, we hope to minimize negative interactions with tigers,” he added.
Every July 29, the TNBBS organizes educational events to raise awareness about the importance of protecting endangered Sumatran tigers.
Ardi Bayu Firmansyah, a senior manager at Tambling Wildlife Nature Conservation (TWNC), emphasized the role of collaboration in boosting tiger populations.
Since 2012, tiger numbers in the area have doubled from 24 to 50, he said.
“Our region boasts an exceptional tiger density of six individuals per 100 square kilometers, the highest in Southeast Asia,” Firmansyah stated.
He reminded stakeholders about the critical need for ample space and prey for Sumatran tigers to thrive.
President of the InternationalPencak Silat Federation (IPSF), Prabowo Subianto, aspires to see pencak silat included as an Olympic sport.
This was conveyed by Chairman of the Indonesian National Olympic Committee (NOC), Raja Sapta Oktohari, after accompanying Prabowo to a meeting with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach in Paris on Saturday.
According to Oktohari, Prabowo’s attendance at the pencak silat exhibition at Pullman Paris Montparnasse further demonstrated his commitment to making the martial art an Olympic sport.
“‘We hope that pencak silat, as Indonesian heritage and pride, can be introduced to the world,” Oktohari said.
President of the Alliance of Independent Recognized Member of Sports (AIMS), Stephan Fox, along with representatives of national pencak silat federations from several countries, also attended the exhibition.
Oktohari reported that the AIMS President has pledged his support to assist Indonesia in gaining recognition for pencak silat and integrating it into the Olympic events, including the Youth Olympics and the Summer Olympics.
To achieve this goal, NOC Indonesia, the Indonesian Pencak Silat Federation, and IPSF will establish a task force to ensure pencak silat meets the requirements set forth by AIMS and the IOC.
Pencak silat has already fulfilled several criteria for IOC recognition. Over 80 countries have established their own national pencak silat federations, and the World Pencak Silat Championship has been held more than 20 times.
Oktohari highlighted pencak silat’s status as a UNESCO heritage, further strengthening its case for inclusion as an Olympic sport.
“There are many conditions that must be met, one of which is adhering to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Code,” he said.
He mentioned Indonesia’s aspirations to host the 2030 Youth Olympics and the 2036 Olympics.
“If Indonesia is awarded these opportunities, pencak silat could potentially be included as a contested sport,” he said.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that the first cabinet meeting at the new presidential palace in Nusantara Capital City (IKN), East Kalimantan, is awaiting the return of several ministers who are currently abroad.
“The meeting will be held after some ministers return home, as they are still in Paris,” he said during his visit to Nusantara on Sunday.
In the new capital city, he inspected and launched several infrastructure projects. He also invited public figures, including celebrities, to attend the event.
Jokowi and First Lady Iriana will spend the night at the presidential palace on Sunday and will work from his new office on Monday, according to an official at the Presidential Secretariat.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) decided to name the Presidential Office in Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara, as “Garuda Palace”, according to Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono.
“The president conveyed that this building should be called ‘Garuda Palace’ instead of ‘Presidential Office,'” Hadimuljono stated at a press conference in Nusantara’s Garuda Palace following a meeting with the president here on Monday.
According to the minister, Jokowi stated that the Presidential Palace, his official residence, should be called “State Palace.”
Hadimuljono, concurrently serving as acting chief of the Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN), affirmed that the new capital’s palace names are official and should be used during public conversations to refer to the palace.
Garuda Palace got itsname from the Garuda-shaped outermost ornamental cover of the palace, for which the final section was installed on July 12.
The two palaces are located in the same presidential palace complex in Nusantara City. The Garuda Palace, the president’s office, is the upper part of the palace building, while the State Palace is below it.
The government is revving up preparations for the inaugural Independence Day ceremony in Nusantara City to commemorate Indonesia’s 79th year of independence, which, in a break from tradition, will take place both in Nusantara and Jakarta.
President Joko Widodo, accompanied by President-elect Prabowo Subianto, will preside over the ceremony in Nusantara. Meanwhile, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin will chair the ceremony in Jakarta with Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
The Nusantara Capital City Authority (OIKN) tested the flying taxi prototype at Aji Pangeran Tumenggung Airport in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, on Monday.
“This unmanned aerial vehicle (AUV) flew for about 10 minutes at an altitude of 50 meters and a speed of 50 km per hour,” OIKN’s Deputy for Green and Digital Transformation, Mohamed Ali Berawi, remarked.
He explained that the trial of flying taxis in Nusantara is the first step in realizing efficient and environment-friendly urban air transportation in Indonesia.
“This is proof of our commitment to developing future transportation technology,” he remarked.
Berawi explained that IKN Nusantara focuses not only on procuring AUV technology but also on developing and mastering it.
“We want to create an open innovation ecosystem where various parties can collaborate to develop this flying taxi technology,” he stated.
Meanwhile, to achieve the vision, the OIKN has collaborated with various strategic partners, both domestic andinternational.
The OIKN has established cooperation with Hyundai Motors Company for the development of the flying taxi prototype.
The OIKN expected that the flying taxi trial could trigger the development of the civil aviation industry in Indonesia.
Moreover, he is optimistic that flying taxis would be able to operate commercially in the next five years.
“We will continue to conduct research and development to ensure the safety and feasibility of flying taxis. We will also work with the central and regional governments to develop regulations that support public air transportation,” Berawi stated.
In addition to physical infrastructure, Berawi said his side also focuses on the development of competent human resources, especially in the field of technology.
He believed that IKN would become a center for innovation and technology development in Indonesia by providing an ecosystem that supports startups in air transportation technology.
“We are also collaborating with universities to produce graduates who are ready to grasp opportunities in the technology industry in the future,” he explained.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is seeking to ensure that Indonesia’s new capital Nusantara is safe with a zero crime rate. He will conduct a meeting with the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) on Tuesday to discuss reports about security issues in Nusantara.
“The President wants Nusantara to be a safe capital city and free from any crime,” deputy for protocol, press, and media at the Presidential Secretariat, Yusuf Permana, said in a statement released in Jakarta on Monday.
On Tuesday, President Widodo is scheduled to conduct a meeting with a number of security personnel consisting of Regional Military Commander VI/MLW, East Kalimantan Regional Police chief, Military Region Commander 091/ASN, Penajam Paser Utara District Military, and Penajam Resort Police in Nusantara.
“At the same time, (he) will hold a meeting to obtain a report related to improving services and protection for the community, and law enforcement, as well as increasing stability and security in Nusantara and its surrounding areas,” Yusuf informed.
President Widodostarted working from Garuda Palace, Nusantara, on Monday.
On his first day in the new office, he held a meeting with the Nusantara Capital Authority and Transportation Minister. He also received a visit from regional government officials posted in East Kalimantan.
Widodo is planning to work from his Nusantara office for two to three days before leaving for Jakarta to carry out other important agendas.
The President is also planning to hold a Cabinet meeting at Garuda Palace after all the ministers who are currently abroad on duty return home.
Batteries have a crucialrole in the clean energy transition and are an essential pillar of the cleanenergy revolution, according to Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.
“Green revolution finds its essence in batteries, which serve as a critical component that powers various things, starting from smartphones, electric vehicles (EV), and also a system of new and renewable energy,” he said at the International Battery Summit in Jakarta on Monday.
Pandjaitan opined that the role of batteries has become even more important in Indonesia, given that the country is entering a new era of technological advancement and environmental responsibility.
He then drew attention to Indonesia’s downstreaming policy, which is aimed at intensifying the downstreaming of various raw materials to produce goods of higher value.
In this regard, he said, Indonesia is seeking to make use of its abundant nickel reserves to become a prominent player in the production of electric vehicles and their batteries.
The minister noted that the downstreaming policy has brought significant benefits to the national economy by boosting the value of Indonesia’s exports, contributing to the gross domestic product, positively affecting the trade balance, and stimulating the emergence of new growth centers outside Java Island.
He said that Indonesia has been striving to transform into a global economic giant by making the most of its valuable domestic market and abundant natural resources that are vital for the energy transition.
The central government, he added, is making great efforts to carry out economic transformation through green industrialization by downstreaming natural resources and producing green products.
He then expressed the hope that all the innovations that Indonesia is pursuing currently will help future generations address energy-related issues.
Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force Marshal Mohamad Tonny Harjono has affirmed the Air Force’s combat and fleet readiness to guard the airspace of Indonesia’s new capital Nusantara.
Speaking at the Air Force Academy complex here on Monday, he said that the Air Force is ready to deploy Sukhoi fighter jets from the Hasanuddin Airbase in Makassar, South Sulawesi Province, promptly to counter any potential threats to Nusantara’s airspace.
“If we detect an unidentified aerial object compelling the Air Force to take action or to intercept, we will deploy our fighter jets from Makassar,” he noted.
He said that Nusantara city’s airspace is being monitored by the Air Force’s II Sector Command based in Makassar.
Air force bases in East Kalimantan’s Balikpapan and North Kalimantan’s Tarakan are also ready to provide backup, he added.
He noted that an Air Forceunit will be established at Nusantara’s VVIP Airport. This unit will comprise an air squadron, and its officers will be tasked with operating the presidential aircraft.
“There will be a Boeing 737 BBJ (Boeing Business Jet) and Super Puma helicopter for VVIP movement,” he added.
Nusantara’s VVIP Airport is being constructed on 621 hectares of land in Penajam sub-district, North Penajam Paser district, East Kalimantan. The airport will become operational in August 2024 at the earliest.
Harjono said that Air Force Headquarters officials will have offices at Dhomber Air Force Base in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan temporarily if the office building at IKN has not been completed.
Kepala Staf Kepresidenan Republik Indonesia, Moeldoko mengakui, pembelian kendaraan listrik dengan cara kredit masih sulit. Penyebabnya, karena masih belum banyaknya bank atau perusahaan leasing yang menerima kendaraan listrik sebagai salah satu yang dipertimbangkan untuk mendapatkan kredit.
Kondisi itu menjadi kendala dalam proses konversi ke penggunaan kendaraan listrik di Indonesia.
“Satu persoalan yang sebenarnya belum berjalan dengan baik, yaitu di leasing-nya. Belum semua bank membuka leasing, atau perusahaan leasing menerima mobil listrik sebagai salah satu yang dipertimbangkan untuk mendapatkan kredit. Itu yang masih menjadi kendala,” kata Moeldoko dalam Economic Update CNBC Indonesia, dikutip Jumat (9/8/2024).
Meski demikian, Moeldoko memastikan pemerintah akan terus berupaya mendorong proses konversi dari kendaraan konvensional ke kendaraan listrik. Diantaranya dengan membangun fasilitas charging station secara masif, serta memberikan bantuan pembelian kendaraan listrik.
“Sekarang ini pemerintah melalui PLN punya sebuah program yang sangat masif ya, bagaimana memenuhi kebutuhan mobil listrik di sektor charging station, SPKLU. Ini sudah bekerja ya. Berikutnya, beberapa perusahaan swasta juga sudah ada yang bermain di sektor itu, baik melalui SWAP maupun melalui SPKLU yang lebih permanen,” ujarnya.
Kemudian dari sisi skema bantuan kendaraan listrik, Moeldoko mengungkapkan, sebetulnya pemerintah sudah memberikan skena bantuan untuk 200.000 pembelian sepeda motor listrik. Namun, karena yang terserap hanya sedikit, maka pemerintah menurunkannya jadi 50.000 skema bantuan.
“Eh ternyata sekarang saja sudah terserap 44.000. Nah mungkin nanti tahun depan akan dinaikkan ya,” ucap dia.
Ia pun mengakui, konversi dari kendaraan konvensional ke kendaraan listrik masih belum banyak. Untuk itu, pemerintah menyiapkan instrumen kebijakan untuk mendorong upaya konversi tersebut.
“Ada Inpres (Instruksi Presiden) Nomor 7 Tahun 2022, di mana itu mandatori ya. Semua pemerintahan, baik pemerintah pusat maupun daerah, TNI/Polri supaya menggunakan (atau) beralih dari mobil konvensional menuju mobil listrik, baik itu mobil dinas Kementerian/Lembaganya, maupun mobil dinas pribadinya. Itu harus beralih ke mobil listrik secara bertahap,” kata Moeldoko.
“Ini semuanya tentu disesuaikan dengan kemampuan APBN kita ya. Kalau pergantiannya masif juga APBN-nya nanti repot juga kan begitu ya. Tapi instrumennya sudah ada. Mandatorinya ada, mengharuskan,” sambungnya.
Selain itu, Moeldoko menyinggung pilihan kendaraan listrik yang kini sudah beragam. Yang mana masyarakat sekarang sudah memiliki banyak pilihan, tidak lagi hanya satu atau dua merek tertentu saja.
Menurutnya, dengan semakin banyaknya pilihan, membuat masyarakat semakin terdorong untuk beralih dari kendaraan konvensional ke kendaraan listrik.
“Tadinya masyarakat Indonesia tidak banyak pilihan ya, hanya merek tertentu, tapi lihat sekarang, coba lihat kalau pergi ke pameran mobil listrik, itu luar biasa. Beberapa brand baru diperkenalkan, sehingga masyarakat banyak pilihan dan karena banyak pilihan pasti masyarakat sudah mulai banyak tertarik nih sekarang,” pungkasnya.
Badan Pelaksana Otorita LabuanBajo Flores (BPOLBF) mengajak para pelari untuk melakukan olahraga jogging di destinasi wisata Parapuar Labuan Bajo yang menawarkan variasi jalur jogging yang tidak hanya berada di tempat yang rata tapi juga menawarkan jalur lari di area perbukitan.
“Walaupun lokasi ini sedikit menantang, area ini beberapa kali menjadi lokasi jogging saat Jumat Sehat para pegawai BPOLBF dan juga pernah dijadikan jalur jogging oleh Menparekraf bersama tim sehingga lokasi ini sangat mungkin untuk dijadikan jalur jogging,” kata Pelaksana Tugas (Plt) Direktur Utama BPOLBF Frans Teguh dalam keterangan yang diterima di Labuan Bajo, Senin.
Ia menambahkan saat ini sudah terdapat jalan eksisting sepanjang 1,5 km di Parapuar Labuan Bajo yang dapat dimanfaatkan untuk menjadi jalur jogging, baik untuk wisatawan maupun masyarakat.
Ke depan, lanjut dia beberapa titik lokasi di destinasi Parapuar Labuan Bajo juga akan didesain untuk menjadi area joging bagi para pengunjung. Jalanan yang menanjak tentu menjadi salah satu tantangan tersendiri bagi para pelari.
“Salah satu potensi yang ada di Parapuar adalah lokasi ini dapat dijadikan sebagai jalur jogging bagi para runners yang ada di Labuan Bajo dengan titik start dan finish di jalan masuk Parapuar yaitu sekitar 300 meter dari SPBU Wardun Labuan Bajo dan dua rest area di Taman Parapuar atau di Natas Parapuar,” katanya.
Ia menambahkan BPOLBF memiliki beberapa program di internal kantor, salah satunya adalah Jumat Sehat dimana pada setiap hari Jumat pagi, seluruh pegawai melakukan aktivitas olahraga dari pukul 06.00 Wita-08.00 Wita seperti senam, yoga, meditasi, zumba, dan juga jogging di kawasan Parapuar.
Selain itu, beberapa waktu lalu, Menteri Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno juga melakukan jogging dengan titik start Hotel Meruorah ke Parapuar dan kembali ke Hotel Meruorah.
Lebih lanjut, Frans juga menyampaikan terkait dengan jam buka dan tutup lokasi kawasan, maka untuk yang berminat melakukan Joging pada jam-jam tertentu seperti subuh atau pagi hari dapat menyampaikan permohonan izin terlebih dahulu kepada pihak BPOLBF dengan mengunjungi Kantor BPOLBF yang terletak di Jalan Soekarno Hatta Nomor 88, Labuan Bajo dan bertemu dengan pihak yang berwenang seperti kepala divisi atau direktur atau menyampaikan surat permohonan izin melalui Call Center BPOLBF di nomor (+62) 81-138-794-555.
Beberapa pilihan jalur jogging ini juga dapat dilanjutkan dengan jalur trekking yang pernah dijelajahi tim BPOLBF seperti pertama Short Track dengan jarak tempuh sekitar satu jam, jogging dimulai dari pintu masuk kawasan menuju Natas Parapuar dan kembali ke pintu masuk kawasan.
Jalur kedua, Medium Track dengan jarak tempuh sekitar dua jam, jogging dimulai dari pintu masuk kawasan menuju Natas Parapuar hingga mencapai salah satu gua tersembunyi yang berada dalam kawasan dengan jarak 129 meter dari Natas Parapuar dan kembali ke pintu masuk kawasan.
Jalur ketiga, Long Track dengan jarak tempuh sekitar tiga jam, jogging dimulai dari pintu masuk kawasan menuju Natas Parapuar menyusuri area trekking yang berjarak 700 meter dari Natas Parapuar ke arah salah satu mata air di dalam kawasan dan kembali ke pintu masuk kawasan.
