Photo: The Jakarta Post

Indonesia’s sinking capital of Jakarta and the surrounding areas have been inundated with rain, triggering landslides and floods that have killed dozens of people.

Read more here

 

In the news

  • Last month, Indonesia and Australia’s diplomatic relations marked a 70-year milestone. Indonesia is presented to be one of Australia’s most important neighbour and strategic ally, but there remain bumps in the relationship. Check out ABC’s coverage of the story in both English and Indonesian. (ABC Australia)
  • The new year brought natural disasters to both Australia and Indonesia. Yet, in the toughest time, both countries have offered each other support, with Australian and Indonesian politicians expressing their condolences and sympathies, as the Jakarta Post explains. (Jakarta Post)
  • Indonesia is closing in on its overall gender gap, according to the 2020 Gender Global Gap Impact. There are more women participating in the labor market, but fewer in politics. Devina Heriyanto of the Jakarta Post further discuss. (Jakarta Post)
  • As both Australia and Indonesia are set to capture the opportunities presented by IA-CEPA, Ghian Tjandraputra explores how young people can a critical role in boosting trade growth in both countries. Check out his presentation here. (Skills Futures)
  • Great news for fans of Indonesia’s rising star, Niki and Rich Brian. They are set to mark a new milestone being  the first Indonesians to perform at Coachella. More information here. (Coconuts.co)

 

In the blog

  • Commonly known as ‘Little China’, Lasem is a small city with a rich history as one of the first coastal settlements of Chinese-Indonesians, as well as thriving trade and business opportunities which dates back to the 13th century. Read about ‘Lost Lasem’ here. (English)

 

Events

  • Bandung, 6-17 January- Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia is holding a two weeks course on Indonesian culture and language with an Adult Language Immersion Course hosted by IndoAustay. It is a great way to improve language capabilities, while putting it into practice in real life situations. More information here.
  • Brisbane, 29 February – Indonesian Diaspora QLD in conjunction with Rotary Club Archerfield are organising a dinner event to raise funds to support communities who are affected by the current bushfire and drought, from 5:30pm at the Australian International Islamic College. Purchase tickets here.
  • Jakarta, 12 January- Join AIYA Jakarta for some exercise in Monas with AIYA touch rugby! Asik! Check it out disini.   
  • Melbourne, 15 January- AIYA VIC Language Exchange is back! Come practice both Bahasa Indonesia and English while playing some fun games to kick-start your new year. More information here.
  • Melbourne, 20 February – 28 March – Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts (Asia-TOPA) returns to celebrate the creative imagination of artists and cultures in the Asia-Pacific region. The events have shows showcasing the cultures of various Asian countries. Alumni of the University of Melbourne are eligible to receive a 15% discount. Check out out here.
  • Sydney, 13 February, The Indonesian Literature Club in Sydney is holding their next group discussion at Customs House Library. For registration and information email [email protected]

 

Opportunities

  • The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is seeking a Visitors Officer (ongoing, full time), based in Jakarta, to provide support in a fast-paced environment to manage high-level visits and acts as the central point of contact for accurately managing the Embassy contact database. Read more about the position here. Applications close 15 January 2020 (11.30pm Jakarta time).
  • The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is seeking a Research and Public Affairs Officer, based in Makassar, responsible for monitoring the local media, and reporting on developments relevant to Australian interests within Makassar and surrounding regions. Read more about the position here. Applications close 15 January 2020 (11.30pm Jakarta time).
  • Attend the VILTA Annual Conference! Held on 6 March 2020, don’t miss out on Victorian Indonesian Language Teachers’ Association’s biggest event with speakers and participants from around the state coming to discuss all things Indonesian. This event will be held in Amora Hotel Riverwalk Melbourne. Register here.
  • Call for applications for the Alumni Grant Scheme (AGS) 2020! The AGS offers seed funding on a competitive basis for initiatives that create impact by putting your knowledge and skills to good use. The program provides up to AU$15,000, and up to 25 grants are available under the current AGS round. The AGS is open to all Indonesian nationals who have graduated from a recognised Australian tertiary institution, including those who are self-funded. It is also open to alumni of short-term studies or programs in Australia. See the guidelines – Submit your applications before 20 January 2020 at this link.
  • Pemberdayaan Perempuan Memerangi Kemiskinan (PPMK) is a microfinance organisation based in Yogyakarta that work to empower women to fight poverty. They also provide free English classes to children and are currently working to establish an English book library, so children can continue learning at home. They are seeking donations of new and secondhand English books. To coordinate any donations, contact PPMK on WhatsApp at +62 857-7610-7979 or at [email protected]. Learn more about PPMK’s work!
  • ACICIS is inviting all of its alumni to join the all-new alumni platform. It is packed with new features such as alumni directory, jobs and opportunities page, events page, interest-group pages, as well as other exciting features that will be added regularly. To sign-up, please visit their alumni website here.
  • Inside Indonesia publishes original pieces on a wide range of political, social, environmental and cultural issues in Indonesia. They accept articles from a diverse range of people who have an interest in Indonesia. To find out how to contribute, click here.
  • Applications for Westpac Asian Exchange Scholarships for Semester 2, 2020 closes TODAY. Click here to apply. 
  • Learning a language? Get Indonesian & English language help with UniBRIDGE Project. 

 

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