ECONOMIC INTEGRATION NEEDED TO FACE TRADE WAR

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 28 (Antara) - In the face of possible trade war between giant economies of the United States and China, Indonesia has to improve the structure of its exports and help strengthen regional economic integration.         Indonesia is now reviewing the impact of the trade war threat following the possible tariff wars of the two countries.         The United States has issued a threat on Monday June 18 to slap a 10 percent import duty on US$200 billion worth of Chinese goods after Beijing decided to raise the import duty on US$50 billion worth of US commodities in response to similar measure taken by Washington on Chinese goods.         "Indeed, this trade war will come into force next month, and from now on, the minister of economy has the opportunity to evaluate what the pros and cons are. We will examine its impact to avoid negative ones," Vice President Jusuf Kalla noted at the Vice President's Palace on Tuesday (June 26).         The vice president remarked that the trade war between the United States and China will have an impact on Indonesia. Hence, it is necessary to examine the extent of the impact on the economy and the opportunities that can be utilized in the situation.

RI TAKING STEPS TO PREVENT HAZE DURING ASIAN GAMES

by Andi Abdussalam

by Andi Abdussalam    Jakarta, June 23 (Antara) - Indonesia, which will host the 18th Asian Games, has since recently been making efforts to prevent forest fires, in order to prevent haze from hindering the major sporting events.         The Asian Games will be held in the capital city Jakarta and South Sumatra's provincial capital Palembang from Aug 18 to Sept 2. Therefore, many of the efforts to fight haze are being made in South Sumatra.          The provincial government of South Sumatra continues to maximize the efforts to prevent forest and land fires by preventing the occurrence of hotspots, especially in flammable areas, ahead of the 2018 Asian Games.           Head of South Sumatra's Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), Iriansyah, stated in Palembang on Friday that it regularly monitors the possibility of the emergence of hotspots by maximizing patrols in the hope that the Asian Games would not be disrupted.          Land and air patrols continue to be maximized, so that hotspots would not occur, he noted.          He added that that if hotspots arise, especially in the peatlands, it would be difficult to prevent fires.

SAR RESUMES SEARCH AT LAKE TOBA FOR SUNKEN BOAT'S VICTIMS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 21 (Antara) - Rescuers of a joint team comprising military and police personnel along with locals are continuing the search for some 184 people, who are reportedly still missing after "KM Sinar Bangun" sank in Lake Toba, Monday.          So far, the rescuers have managed to find only 22 victims, of which three have died, but some 184 others are estimated to still be missing based on family reports, as the ship did not have any manifest.          The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has announced that it will continue to search for the victims. Head of the Medan SAR Office Budiawan noted at an integrated command post at Tigaras Port, Simalungun District, on Thursday that the search began since 7:30 a.m. local time after the morning roll-call.          However, prior to this, it had earlier deployed its team of divers at 7 a.m. local time to look for passengers at the lake bed.          "They did not join the morning roll-call, as they were immediately ordered to dive," he clarified.          Despite weather conditions in Lake Toba not yet being conducive due to the rains, rescue operations have continued unabated. Basarnas has deployed 10 rubber boats in addition to its ship to comb through the waters of Lake Toba in search of the victims.          "The team remains on the pitch, and there are no reports that they have returned," he stated.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS DURING LEBARAN DROP 30 PERCENT

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 19 (Antara) - The number of traffic accidents usually increases sharply during Eid Al-Ftri or Lebaran season, as millions of people heading to their hometowns to celebrate Eid festivities pack the roads.          However, the government has made its best to reduce the traffic accidents during this year's Lebaran season through the launch of 'Operation Ketupat 2018' by the Indonesian National Police (Polri).          The number of accidents during the Ketupat Operation 2018, from Wednesday (June 7) (H-8) to Monday (June 18) (H + 3), was 1,478 cases , or 30 percent, down compared to the same period in 2017.         "From H-8 to H + 3 Lebaran, the number of traffic accidents was recorded at 1,478 incidents, down 30 percent compared to that during the operation 'Ramadniya Ops' in the previous year, which reached 2,110 incidents," Head of the Public Information Bureau of the National Police Brigadier General Mohammad Iqbal stated in a short message to Antara on Tuesday.

GOVERNMENT BRACES FOR RETURN FLOW OF EID TRAVELERS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 18 (Antara) - The government has ensured that all institutions are ready to face the return flow of Eid or Lebaran travelers, who have celebrated the post-fasting festivities in their respective hometowns.          It had earlier forecast that this year, over 19.5 million people will return home for reunion with families or friends and to celebrate the festivities after fasting for a month. The government had granted a collective leave or holidays from June 11 to June 20, 2018.          The collective Lebaran holidays will end next Wednesday on June 20, so it is expected that the the return flow of Lebaran travelers will peak in the next two days.          Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi noted that all institutions are ready to face the peak of the return flow of Lebaran travelers that is expected to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday on June 19-20.          "The government has made sound preparations since the start of the return flow of travelers," Minister Sumadi remarked on Monday.    ased on aerial monitoring, the flow of traffic on several toll roads and non-toll roads is relatively smooth. There were a few traffic jams, but they were not significant.

PEAK OF EID TRAVELERS WITNESSED AT MERAK PORT

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 14 (Antara) - The peak of Eid Fitr or Lebaran travelers passing from Java to Sumatra through Marak Port was witnessed on Tuesday night and the wee hours on Wednesday (June 14)    The state-owned waterway transportation service (PT ASDP) recorded that from 8 a.m. on Tuesday until 8 a.m. on Wednesday (June 14), a total of 175,803 homecoming travelers had crossed the Sunda Strait from Marak Port in the western tip of Java to Bakauheni harbor in the eastern part of Sumatra.      According to Land Transportation Managing Agency (BPTD) Head for Banten, Johny Siagian, the peak of Lebaran travelers at Merak Port occurred on Tuesday to Wednesday, or three days to two days (H-3 to H-2) before Lebaran festivities.          Indonesian Muslims are scheduled to celebrate the post-fasting Lebaran festivities on Friday and Saturday, pending the official announcement of the government on Thursday evening.         Based on data at the ASDP, out of the 175,803 passengers crossing to Sumatra on Tuesday or Wednesday morning, 32,317 were pedestrian passengers and 140,040 were travelers on vehicles (public and private vehicles).

OVER 653 THOUSAND VEHICLES HAVE LEFT JAKARTA FOR LEBARAN

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 13 (Antara) - The state-owned toll construction firm Jasa Marga has predicted that until Wednesday (June 13), some 652,922 vehicles had left Jakarta for Eid or Lebaran in Java through Cikampek Toll Road since eight days ago.          Jasa Marga predicted that on Wednesday (June 13), two days before Lebaran, some 89,838 vehicles will leave Jakarta through the Cikampek Toll Road, adding the number to 563,083 vehicles that had passed the Cikampek turnpike since Wednesday last week.          Jasa Marga, through its official statement in Jakarta, on Wednesday, predicted that the number of vehicles was 89,838, or up 33.86 percent from the normal traffic volume of 67,121 vehicles.          The Cikampek Toll Road is the main lane for Lebaran travelers willing to celebrate the post-fasting festivities in Java, which hosts some 57 percent of the Indonesian population of over 237.6 million people.          The 563,083 vehicles that had left Jakarta until Tuesday via Toll Gate (GT) Cikarang Utama Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road increased by 39.8 percent from the normal traffic volume of 402,672 vehicles.

GOVERNMENT TO ROOT OUT SEEDS OF RADICALISM AT CAMPUSES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 8 (Antara) - Amid concerns over the spread of radicalism in society and the exposure of universities to radical ideology, the government is doing its best to erode the seeds of radicalism at campuses.          Recent disclosures of activities linked to terrorism at university campuses have heightened concerns, prompting the government to firmly continue its deradicalization efforts to prevent radicalism from spreading further.      "Indeed radicalism did not emerge suddenly. It took a long process," President Joko Widodo noted when his views were sought on the issue during a visit to Majasari Village in Indramayu, West Java, on Thursday (June 7).          According to Widodo, as quoted by the presidential secretariat's deputy for protocol, press, and media Bey Machmudin, in a written statement, deradicalization efforts had, so far, been made by the government through the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) and through military or police actions.          It is reported that the BNPT has highlighted that seven state universities are allegedly exposed to radicalism.

SOME SIX MILLION LEBARAN TRAVELERS TO USE MOTORBIKES

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 5 (Antara) - The exodus of post-fasting Eid el-Fitr or Lebaran travelers will begin next week when revelers are going home to celebrate post-Ramadan fasting festivities in their hometowns on June 15-16, 2018.          This year, it is estimated that more than 19.5 million people will return home to have family or friend reunions and to celebrate the festivities after fasting for one month.          Of the 19.5 million Lebaran travelers, some 6.39 million are estimated to use two-wheeled motor vehicles, according to the Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI).          Hence, the organization asked travelers, especially those driving motorcycles to pay attention to safety during their journey because motorcyclists are most prone to accident.          In a press conference titled Lebaran 2018 Transportation, he explained, the number of travelers of two-wheeled vehicles is estimated at more than 6.39 million. Two-wheeled vehicles riders during the Lebaran exodus always contribute about 70 percent to the accident rate.          MTI accordingly asked Lebaran travelers using motorcycles to give attention to their safety by arranging time to take rest and limiting passengers and luggage.