VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - The Nusantara Capital City Authority (OIKN) is exploring cooperation opportunities with Shenzhen city, People's Republic of China, to realize the vision of developing the new Indonesian capital (IKN) as a smart city.

"In order to realize the vision of building a smart and sustainable forest city, IKN continues to learn and absorb knowledge from the experiences of advanced cities in the world," OIKN head Bambang Susantono said in a statement released in Jakarta on Saturday.

Susantono lauded the remarkable transformation that has been carried out in the past four decades by Shenzhen — a city that has become a reference for the planning and development of several cities.

"The government can take notes from the 40 years of experience of Shenzhen in terms of planning and development processes to develop Nusantara, which is currently undergoing the initial phase of development," he said.

Earlier on July 27, 2023, Indonesian President Joko Widodo met with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in Chengdu, China, with both countries inking eight agreements, including a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the transfer of knowledge and experience for the development of IKN.

The MoU was signed by Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, and Susantono on behalf of the Indonesian government on the sidelines of the meeting.

At the MoU signing, the Chinese government was represented by head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Zheng Shanjie, and Shenzhen Mayor Qin Weizhong.

As a follow-up to the bilateral meeting, Susantono on Saturday met with Mayor Qin to explore ways to implement concrete actions under the cooperation agreement forged earlier by the governments of Indonesia and China.

The OIKN head also met with the representatives of the Urban Planning and Design Institute of Shenzhen (UPDIS), which has taken an active role in the city's development process.

Susantono also visited the command center in Shenzhen, where he got the opportunity to witness the implementation of several latest smart city-related technologies developed in the city.

During his meeting with Susantono, Qin shared his experience in developing Shenzhen, which has successfully transformed from a small town to a metropolis in 40 years.

At present, Shenzhen is one of the 10 global financial centers, one of China's best smart cities, and a reference for the development of other cities in the world. Based on the city's success, the mayor offered his support for the construction and development of IKN.

Susantono welcomed the offer, saying that OIKN is always open to experience exchange activities and cooperation schemes, including investment. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Chairperson of the Muhammadiyah central executive (PP) Anwar Abbas has said that cooperation between the government, society, and various parties is needed to eradicate poverty in Indonesia.

After opening the 2022–2027 PP Muhammadiyah Community Empowerment Assembly (MPM) National Meeting (Rakernas) at Muhammadiyah University Purwokerto (UMP), Central Java, on Saturday, Abbas expressed the hope that the MPM work program will become a movement that empowers the community's economy.

"So, the MPM chaired by Nurul Yamin and friends have already made a plan. This planning is the result of a congress decision, which becomes a work program in Solo," he said.

The work program has also been socialized to the regional and branch levels, he said, adding that it is hoped that it will become an activity or movement for community economic empowerment that would run from Sabang to Merauke.

"If we can do it well, we hope it will bring prosperity to the people's economy," he said.

Thus, the number of lower-class people will decrease and in return, the number of middle-class people will increase.

The shape of social well-being and distribution of wealth in Indonesian society is like that of a pyramid, he noted.

"We will help transform the shape into a diamond-like shape, where the top is small, the middle is large, and the bottom is small," the deputy chairperson of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) said.

"The top is two percent, in the middle 95 percent, below three percent," he added.

He said such a society would transform again into a mountain, where the bottom is blunt and where there are no more poor people because everyone is living in prosperity.

He described this as an ideal social order that the Indonesian people must aspire to.

"And I think this cannot only be done by the government and not only can be done by the community. The government and society must work together in order to overcome this problem," he stressed.

He said that Constitutionally speaking, based on the provisions of Article 34 of the 1945 Constitution, the state should look after the poor.

However, the state has limitations so the government must instead support every effort made by elements of society who are trying to eradicate poverty in the country, he added.

Therefore, the government should pay attention to events -- such as the MPM National Working Meeting -- which seek to reduce poverty.

Regarding the concrete steps that Muhammadiyah has taken to reduce poverty, Abbas said the organization has made several efforts, including helping people in the agricultural sector by choosing good seeds and teaching them how to cultivate good soil and how to use the right fertilizers.

"Mr. Latuconsina from Maluku once guided people in an area by choosing the right fertilizer to help their cocoa plants bear fruit again," he informed.

"After the people's cocoa plantations bear fruit, their economy will start moving again. That's what we hope for," Abbas said.

He also expressed the hope that there will be no unemployment in the country and that everyone will contribute to the nation in their respective capacities.

The MPM PP Muhammadiyah National Working Meeting, which is themed "Community Empowerment Ecosystem Collaboration," is taking place from July 28–30, 2023. It is scheduled to be closed by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Muhadjir Effendy. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Director General for Multilateral Cooperation at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry Tri Tharyat has said that Indonesia is pursuing three priorities during its chairmanship of MIKTA this year.

"In the midst of unparalleled multidimensional crisis, our leadership is pursuing three priorities," he informed during an online discussion held by the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), which was followed from here on Friday.

MIKTA is a group of middle power countries consisting of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey, and Australia.

Tharyat said he believes that in the midst of global competition between major powers, middle powers like MIKTA have an important role in ensuring peace and stability.

During its leadership of MIKTA this year, Indonesia is pursuing three priorities, including efforts to strengthen multilateralism.

Indonesia, he said, believes that multilateralism is the best way forward to ensure that all countries are on equal footing.

The next priority is efforts to achieve an inclusive recovery. The sustainable development goals (SDGs) remain at the core of MIKTA's agenda, supported by inclusive dialogue with external partners.

Meanwhile, the third priority is digital transformation. Efforts to realize digital transformation are being made by building norms, sharing best practices, and forging more intensive joint responses and actions.

"While dealing with unprecedented global economic and security challenges, MIKTA will always be guided by shared values such as democracy, respect for international rules, and multilateralism," Tharyat said.

MIKTA encourages cooperation and inclusive dialogue to build a shared future that promotes global peace, security, and prosperity, he added. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Middle power countries have an important role in ensuring peace and stability, director general for multilateral cooperation at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tri Tharyat, has said.

"Middle power (countries) have a significant advantage in promoting peace and stability because of their impartial agility," he explained during an online discussion held by the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), which was accessed from here on Friday.

Apart from being impartial, middle power countries also tend to be flexible and non-confrontational, he said.

Unlike major powers, middle powers tend to refrain from engaging in power struggles, making them well-suited for mediating disputes and building constructive measures, he added.

Among the middle power countries, the MIKTA group, which consists of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey, and Australia, is a key player that is poised to make a major contribution to solving global issues, according to Tharyat.

MIKTA is a geographically, culturally, linguistically, and religiously diverse group.

"This showcases how middle powers can leverage their collective influence to address global issues," he said.

In the midst of growing minilateralism, middle power countries like MIKTA could also play an important role in ensuring that such cooperation initiatives complement, and do not undermine, the existing multilateral framework, Tharyat added.

"Right now, those minilateralism are becoming more of the norm instead of the exception," he noted.

In the midst of a number of forums such as the Group of 20 (G20), G7, and BRICS, which have different perspectives on many substantive issues, middle powers such as MIKTA must act as constructive intermediaries between minilateral groups and broader multilateral institutions, he said.

This can be done by encouraging dialogue and cooperation as well as preventing potential divisions on the global stage. (Antaranews)