VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi inaugurated the Diplomacy Bridge connecting Cibunar Village, Tarogong Kidul Subdistrict, and Mangku Rakyat Village, Cilawu Sub-district, Garut, West Java, Friday 13 July. The bridge built on the Cimanuk River was built from donations from ASEAN Charity Golf - Jakarta Ambassador Golf Association led by Deputy Foreign Minister AM Fachir. Diplomacy Bridge is built to replace the damaged bridge hit by flood in 2016. In her speech, Minister Retno Marsudi said, the construction of the Diplomacy Bridge is a manifestation of diplomat awareness to the welfare and safety of Indonesian society.

“This is a humanitarian issue, and this humanitarian issue has no boundaries, or in the sense we help anyone who needs help. Therefore, we must maintain our care and concern even though our profession is being a Diplomat. We prove that we care about the society,” said Retno Marsudi.

Furthermore, Minister of Retno accompanied by Deputy Minister AM Fachir and several high officials from the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ASEAN explained, the bridge was chosen as a form of donation because it reflects the duties of the diplomat. The Minister mentioned one of the duties of diplomats is to bridge the differences of opinion. He added that the bridge is called a diplomatic bridge with the hope to remind the public to resolve their differences with diplomacy. (VOI/Rezha/AHM)

Indonesian Minister of Defense Ryamizard Ryacudu said the threats that must be faced by various countries in the world including Indonesia has developed. At present, the threat that must be faced by the state is no longer a real open war between countries. It is now threatening the sovereignty and integrity of the nation. Ryamizard Ryacudu in his speech at the opening of the Indonesia International Defense Science -IIDS 2018 seminar in Jakarta, Wednesday (11/7) stated that Indonesia is ready to fight against the threat.

“In the perspective of Indonesia in the future, the threat is no longer an open war between nations or I call it an unreal threat. This unreal threat can become evident if Indonesia's sovereignty is disturbed, integrity is disturbed, and the safety of the nation is disturbed, we wage war. We wage war only to defend,” he remarked.

Furthermore, Minister Ryamizard stated that one form of an unreal threat is a misguided mindset. This mindset ultimately encourages ordinary people to commit acts of terror that often do not make sense. Therefore, to counter such action which is increasingly widespread, Indonesia and several other ASEAN countries are working together on an initiative called Our Eyes. The purpose of cooperation is to strengthen the regional system and early detection. This cooperation is conducted in the form of strategic information exchange. This collaboration platform was inaugurated last January in Bali. Our Eyes is a joint operation of six countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines. (Rezha Hadyan/Trans/Ndy/AHM)

Indonesian President Joko Widodo officially opened the 2nd International Musabaqah Tilawatil Qur'an Recitation Contest, the 8th National Musabaqah Tilawatil Qur'an among Boarding Schools, and the 5th Congress of Jam'iyyatul Qurra wal Huffaz Nahdhatul Ulama at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (11/7). In his speech, the President expressed his hope that the Qur'an recitation of the Quran contest in both international and national level, can spread the values ​​of humanity not only to Indonesia, but also to all over the world. The humanitarian values ​​are in accordance with the empowerment program currently being run by the Indonesian government. In this case, Jokowi gave an example of the existence of Micro Wakaf Bank, Boarding School-based vocational education, asset redistribution program, and agrarian reform.

“I hope the beauty of the Quran recitation from MTQ will be heard all over Indonesia and around the world. It echoes the values ​​of humanity, the values ​​of social piety, the values ​​that give priority to the defense of the weak, the poor, the values ​​that the government is currently working on in the economic empowerment programs of the ummah” he stated.

The 2nd International MTQ and the 8th National MTQ among Boarding Schools will be held from 11 to 15 July at Ash-Shiddiqiyah Boarding School, Karawang, West Java. This international and national MTQ is participated in by hundreds of participants from boarding school all over Indonesia. MTQ was also participated in by participants from six ASEAN countries and Pakistan. On the occasion, the President also received a giant embroidered Quranic Manuscript from a Malaysian businessman, Lee Kim Yew. (VOI/Ndy/AHM)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is content with the increasing development of cooperatives in Indonesia, including their contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP).

"I am satisfied with the significant development in cooperative sectors, and their contribution to increasing the GDP by 4.48 percent, from 3.99 percent earlier," the president remarked while attending the main event of the 71st anniversary of National Cooperatives Day at the Bumi Serpong Damai Indonesia Convention Exhibition in Tangerang on Thursday, July 13.

He pointed to a significant increase in the development of the cooperative sector in Indonesia.

"However, what we really need is a leap in mutual cooperation based on the economic system that we have," the president remarked.

On the occasion, President Jokowi also pinned a gift to several figures, who received the award, and reviewed the National Cooperatives Day Expo 2018 that showcased Indonesian cooperative products.

On the occasion, the president was also scheduled to disseminate information on a policy in which the Final Income Tax (PPh) for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) is set at 0.5 percent .

President Jokowi will acquaint the public with the policy in which PPh for MSMEs is set at 0.5 percent.

Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister AAGN Puspayoga remarked that the 71st National Cooperatives Day 2018 is themed, "Strengthening Cooperatives to Support National Economic Growth."

Puspayoga said equitable economic growth is needed to realize a just society.

"The cooperatives have a strategic role to achieve equity, as there could be economic growth but it is enjoyed only by a certain group of people," the minister pointed out.

Furthermore, he noted that to increase the role of cooperatives in realizing equitable economic growth, in accordance with the directive of President Jokowi, the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs has run the Cooperatives Total Reform through three strategic steps: Reorientation, Rehabilitation, and Development.(ANTARA)