VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo urged Indonesian military (TNI) and National Police (Polri) youth officers to make the dire situation arising from the COVID-19 pandemic work in their favor by bolstering national strength and achieving leapfrog progress.

"We must not only be able to solve problems arising from the pandemic but we must also be able to make the dire situation presented by the pandemic to work in our favor by strengthening the nation and making leaps of progress," the president remarked during the teleconferencing ceremony of officers at the State Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday.

The president revealed that officers physically present at the State Palace this year were only the best ones or the recipients of Adhi Makayasa from the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Polri, as well as the parents of the finest officers.

"We avoid face-to-face meetings in the Palace yard, but this time, we hold it virtually. Only Adhi Makayasa recipients and their parents are physically present at the State Palace representing the brothers," the president remarked.

The head of state highlighted the need for Indonesians to fully comprehend the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic that has hit the country and also 215 nations in the world. The pandemic of this infectious disease has raised complex health and economic issues, but the Indonesian nation will continue to persevere to surmount over all difficulties.

"Some 215 countries in the world are reeling from the same problem, but as a warrior nation, we must not surrender," he emphasized.

The head of state reiterated that in the wake of this pandemic situation, Indonesian people could create various leaps of progress. Breakthroughs or policy maneuvers are deemed necessary to solve the problems arising from the new type of Coronavirus.

The crisis caused by the pandemic is also expected to strengthen mutual cooperation among members of the community. To this end, the president has called on the TNI-Polri teenage officers to expedite their mechanism of working and study the development of industrial technology to resolve the crisis owing to the COVID-19.

"The crisis caused by the COVID pandemic can strengthen our care and cooperation. Boosting our unity and togetherness, accelerating efforts to improve the way we work, and also expediting the development of our technology and industry," he added. (ANTARA)