Duta Besar Republik Indonesia untuk Uni Emirat Arab Husin Bagis mendorong persatuan dan peran aktif warga negara Indonesia sebagai duta bangsa di negara itu.
“Di mana pun kita berada, kita membawa nama besar Indonesia. Mari kita bangun reputasi positif dan terus bersatu dalam kebhinnekaan,” katanya, berdasarkan rilis pers yang diperoleh ANTARA, Jakarta, Sabtu.
Pernyataan itu dia sampaikan saat Husin menjadi inspektur upacara perayaan Hari Ulang Tahun Republik Indonesia (HUT RI) ke-79 di Kedutaan Besar Republik Indonesia (KBRI) Abu Dhabi, Sabtu (17/8) waktu setempat.
Husin menilai perayaan HUT RI ke-79 di KBRI Abu Dhabi tidak sekadar upacara bendera, tetapi juga ajang memperkuat solidaritas dan kebanggaan nasional di tengah komunitas Indonesia yang berjuang di tanah rantau.
Dalam rilis tersebut disebutkan bahwa ratusan WNI di negara itu berkumpul sejak pukul 6.30 pagi waktu setempat untuk mengikuti upacara pengibaran bendera dalam rangka peringatan Detik-detik Proklamasi Kemerdekaan ke-79 Republik Indonesia.
Upacara tersebut dihadiri oleh warga Indonesia dari berbagai latar belakang, termasuk staf KBRI dan keluarganya, mahasiswa dan dosen, pekerja profesional di sektor perminyakan dan perusahaan lainnya, hingga pekerja migran di sektor rumah tangga.
Sejumlah peserta upacara mengenakan pakaian daerah dan pakaian nasional. Sementara itu, Husin Bagis mengenakan pakaian demang Betawi, lengkap dengan sarung songketnya.
Tahun ini menjadi tahun kedua upacara bendera diselenggarakan di kantor baru KBRI Abu Dhabi.
Kantor baru KBRI sekaligus residen Duta Besar itu merupakan hibah dari pemerintah UEA, yang menjadi bukti eratnya hubungan Indonesia dan UEA, serta mencerminkan kedekatan Presiden Joko Widodo dengan Presiden UEA Sheikh Muhamad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ).
Husin juga menyampaikan harapannya agar ke depan, hubungan RI dengan UEA semakin dekat.
Hubungan yang semakin erat terjadi setelah kunjungan Presiden Joko Widodo ke Abu Dhabi pada Juli 2024, yang akan dibalas dengan kunjungan Presiden MBZ ke Indonesia pada September mendatang.
Selain itu kedekatan hubungan kedua negara juga diharapkan akan semakin erat dengan dukungan UEA untuk penyelenggaraan Kejuaraan Pencak Silat Dunia ke-20 di Abu Dhabi pada Desember 2024.
Acara itu direncanakan akan dihadiri juga oleh Presiden baru Prabowo Subianto dalam kapasitasnya sebagai Presiden Persilat (Persekutuan Pencak Silat Antarabangsa).
Pihak berwenang Australia telah menolak masuk anak-anak dari seorang korban perang Israel yang tewas di Jalur Gaza meski memiliki saudara laki-laki yang tinggal di Australia.
Zuhair El Henday yang telah tinggal di New South Wales (NSW) selama beberapa tahun mengatakan telah berusaha sebaik mungkin tetapi gagal mendapatkan visa untuk keluarganya yang masih tinggal di Gaza.
“Saya telah membuktikan bahwa saya adalah warga negara sejati dan saya berkontribusi untuk negara ini, berkontribusi untuk masyarakat. Jadi, mengapa saya tidak berhak membawa keluarga saya ke sini agar mereka aman?” kata El Henday kepada SBS News pada Jumat (16/8).
Saudarinya, Lubna bersama suaminya, dua putra dan menantunya tewas dalam serangan udara Israel di rumah mereka di Kota Gaza pada November lalu.
Sementara, tiga keponakan El Henday selamat dari serangan tersebut.
Pengungkapan El Henday muncul setelah tuntutan terbaru pemimpin oposisi Australia Peter Dutton untuk melarang warga Palestina yang melarikan diri dari Gaza memasuki Australia.
Tuntutan tersebut telah memicu reaksi keras dari pemerintah dan organisasi masyarakat sipil.
Perdana Menteri Australia, Anthony Albanese mengatakan pemimpin oposisi selalu ingin memecah belah masyarakat.
“Peter Dutton selalu ingin memecah belah. Kami akan mendengarkan badan keamanan jika menyangkut keamanan nasional,” kata Albanese.
Senada, Presiden Jaringan Advokasi Australia Palestina, Nasser Mashni, mengecam Dutton dan mengatakan tuntutan tersebut memalukan.
Israel yang mengabaikan resolusi Dewan Keamanan PBB yang menuntut gencatan senjata segera, telah menghadapi kecaman internasional di tengah serangan brutal yang terus berlanjut di Gaza sejak serangan 7 Oktober tahun lalu oleh kelompok perlawanan Palestina, Hamas.
Serangan Israel sejak saat itu telah menewaskan lebih dari 40.000 orang, sebagian besar wanita dan anak-anak, dan melukai lebih dari 92.400 orang, menurut otoritas kesehatan setempat.
Lebih dari 10 bulan sejak serangan brutal Israel, sebagian besar wilayah Gaza telah hancur di tengah blokade terhadap makanan, air bersih, dan obat-obatan.
Israel dituduh melakukan genosida di Mahkamah Internasional (ICJ) yang memerintahkannya untuk segera menghentikan operasi militer di kota selatan Rafah, tempat lebih dari 1 juta warga Palestina mencari perlindungan dari perang sebelum diserang pada 6 Mei.
Himpunan Nelayan Seluruh Indonesia (HNSI) Kabupaten Natuna, Kepulauan Riau (Kepri), meminta pemerintah menertibkan kapal ikan asing (KIA) yang kerap beraktivitas di Laut Natuna Utara.
Wakil Sekretaris HNSI Kabupaten Natuna Hayatullah saat dihubungi melalui sambungan telepon dari Natuna, Sabtu, mengatakan kapal ikan asing masif melakukan aktivitas penangkapan ikan di perairan Indonesia yakni di bagian timur dan barat Natuna.
Terbaru. kata dia lagi, beberapa hari lalu nelayan Natuna kembali menemukan nelayan asing yang beraktivitas menangkap ikan di bagian utara.
“Kapal nelayan asing sangat sering memasuki wilayah Indonesia, apalagi kapal dari negara Vietnam,” ujar dia.
“Untuk wilayah banyaknya nelayan asing itu mulai dari utara 5/8 sampai wilayah timur 4/9,” ujar dia pula.
Dia menyebut, maraknya KIA di perairan Indonesia merugikan nelayan, sebab hasil tangkapan menjadi berkurang.
Ia menjelaskan nelayan Natuna merupakan nelayan tradisional. yakni mencari ikan menggunakan mata pancing, sedangkan nelayan asing menggunakan jaring.
“Negara kita harus mengambil tindakan tegas terhadap nelayan asing yang melanggar batas wilayah, kalau tidak kasihan sama nelayan tradisional,” kata dia lagi.
Menurut dia, jika hal ini terus berlangsung akan menghilangkan sumber ekonomi masyarakat, yang pada akhirnya menambah jumlah masyarakat miskin di Natuna.
“Harapan saya di hari kemerdekaan kita ini, untuk ke depan pemerintah harus memperkuat armada kita untuk di wilayah Natuna Utara agar para nelayan aman dalam mencari nafkah,” ujar dia.
Secara terpisah, Dedy, nelayan tradisional Natuna mengatakan beberapa hari lalu dirinya menemukan puluhan kapal ikan asing (KIA) di Laut Natuna Utara.
“Sekitar 30 mil dari Pulau Laut (Kecamatan Pulau Laut),” ujar dia lagi.
Dia menuturkan, KIA tersebut melakukan aktivitas penangkapan ikan, dan dirinya sempat mengabadikan video keberadaan mereka lengkap dengan titik koordinatnya.
“Ada videonya, saya rekam lengkap dengan titik koordinat,” kata dia.
Ia berharap presiden terpilih nantinya memilih Menteri Kelautan dan Perikanan yang tegas dalam memberantas KIA.
“Di zaman Bu Susi (mantan Menteri Kelautan Perikanan) mana ada sebanyak itu (KIA), paling satu atau dua aja,” ujar dia.
Menurut dia, keberadaan KIA di Laut Natuna Utara menyebabkan hasil tangkapan nelayan berkurang.
Ia menyebut, kapasitas KIA yang kerap dirinya temukan bisa mencapai ratusan gross tonnage dan diduga menggunakan alat tangkap terlarang.
“Kalau malam, laut seperti kota, terang, kalah lampu di Pulau Laut,” ujar dia pula.
Pelatih Chelsea Vincenzo “Enzo” Maresca dibuat pusing oleh jumlah pemain yang terlalu banyak dalam skuadnya menjelang laga melawan Manchester City Minggu malam esok.
Chelsea memiliki 43 pemain dalam tim pertama dan lebih dari 50 nama lain masih terikat kontrak, termasuk yang dipinjamkan. The Blues mengeluarkan lebih dari satu miliar pound (Rp20,3 triliun) selama dua tahun terakhir.
“Saat ini ada 43 pemain dan itu bukanlah hal yang bagus,” ujar Maresca seperti dikutip AFP pada Sabtu.
Pelatih asal Italia itu pun menyerahkan persoalan ini kepada manajemen Chelsea.
Dia menunjuk hidung Wakil Direktur Olahraga Chelsea Paul Winstanley dan Laurence Stewart sebagai orang yang semestinya bertanggung jawab menuntaskan masalah itu.
Maresca menyadari harus meraih kepercayaan suporter yang mengharapkan kestabilan Chelsea setelah ditinggalkan pelatih Mauricio Pochettino.
Fan Chelsea merasa tidak nyaman lantaran pemain jebolan akademi mereka harus pindah ke berbagai klub demi menyeimbangkan anggaran.
Salah satunya adalah Conor Gallagher yang terpaksa tidak dibawa ke laga melawan Manchester City karena masih dalam proses pindah ke Atletico Madrid.
Pelatih Manchester City Pep Guardiola menilai jumlah pemain yang sangat banyak membuat Chelsea seperti memiliki dua skuad.
“Namun tentu soal alasan mereka melakukan itu bukan urusan saya,” kata dia.
City mendominasi 50 pertemuan terakhir dengan Chelsea dengan 27 kemenangan. The Blues menang 18 kali.
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.
