VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

In December, two national days have special meaning for Indonesia. Bela Negara or Country Defense Day, is celebrated every December 19, and National Social Solidarity Day, is celebrated every December 20.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) underscored the importance of universities relaxing the curriculum to make it more flexible and less rigid to produce competitive human resources.

"(Universities should) open up to new paradigms and ways that are more responsive, from mono to multi, and from mono to inter and also transdisciplinary," he remarked during the virtual launch of the Merdeka Belajar Episode 6 program themed “Transformation of Government Funds for Higher Education” here on Tuesday.

Additionally, universities should change the orientation of theory building to problem solving and impact making. Lecturers must also facilitate students to learn through any media and at any time.

"A good university is one that builds an ecosystem for free learning and makes use of widely open materials and media. The new normal standard must also be formulated from various policies," he noted.

To implement the new normal standard, a policy must be formulated on key performance indicators of lecturers and policies for higher education priority programs along with budget allocation, infrastructure, and various standard operating procedures (SOP).

"Likewise in the field of research and community services, various new normal standards must be formulated," Jokowi noted.

In the midst of developments in digitalization development, research and technology development should be given top priority. Various digital technology developments, such as big data analysis and artificial intelligence, can now be applied in various fields of life, he affirmed.

"Innovations by utilizing this must be pursued by universities in Indonesia for the welfare of society and progress of the nation," he remarked.

Furthermore, technological developments and innovations are expected to support the development of food and energy self-reliance as well as entrepreneurship development of MSMEs in various sectors.

"Higher education must be transformed to become more dynamic. Create breakthroughs, build a competitive climate to increase competitiveness, establish synergies, collaborate with BUMN (state-owned companies), and industry, digital-based talent pools, and other cooperation models to optimize capabilities and encourage better performance," the head of state remarked.

Universities must capitalize on the energy and courage to bring about changes to produce superior quality human resources, he noted. (ANTARA)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) denounced French President Emmanuel Macron's statement that insults Islam.

"Indonesia strongly denounces the statement of the French President that has insulted Islam that has hurt the sentiments of Muslims around the world," President Jokowi stated at the Merdeka Palace here on Saturday.

President Jokowi conveyed the statement after meeting with religious leaders in Indonesia, including representatives from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Muhammadiyah, the Indonesian Church Trustees Conference (KWI), the Indonesian Church Association (PGI), Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI), the Indonesian Buddhist Association (Permabudhi), the Indonesian Confucian Religion Council (Matakin) and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, and Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi.

"That can create divisions among followers of various religions at a time when the world needs unity to face the COVID-19 pandemic," Jokowi stated.

The head of state believes that freedom of expression that fails to uphold honor, sanctity, and the holiness of religious values and symbols can under no conditions be justified and should be stopped.

"Associating religion with acts of terrorism is a big mistake. Terrorism is terrorism. Terrorists are terrorists. Terrorism has no law with any religion," he noted.

Indonesia also strongly denounced the violence in Paris and Nice.

"Indonesia strongly condemns the violence that occurred in Paris and Nice that claimed lives," the president stated.

Earlier, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry denounced Macron's remarks on Islam and support for depiction and publication of cartoons on Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which have sparked much ire in the Islamic World. To register its protest, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry summoned French Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor Leste, Olivier Chambard, on Tuesday, October 27, 2020, and sought an explanation for Macron's controversial statements.

Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, Teuku Faizasyah, told ANTARA here on Wednesday that Ambassador Chambard was summoned to apprise him of Indonesia's official stance on the anti-Islam remarks made by Macron recently in a speech.

The Indonesian government objected to President Macron's comments linking Islam to terrorism or extremism, affirming that associating any religion to acts of terror cannot be justified and would deeply offend adherents of the religions, Faizasyah stated.

Macron's remarks following the beheading of Samuel Paty, a history and geography teacher, for showing cartoons of Prophet Muhammad during a class recently have sparked controversy and fueled a backlash from Muslims worldwide over the past few days.(ANTARA)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) denounced French President Emmanuel Macron's statement that insults Islam.

"Indonesia strongly denounces the statement of the French President that has insulted Islam that has hurt the sentiments of Muslims around the world," President Jokowi stated at the Merdeka Palace here on Saturday.

President Jokowi conveyed the statement after meeting with religious leaders in Indonesia, including representatives from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Muhammadiyah, the Indonesian Church Trustees Conference (KWI), the Indonesian Church Association (PGI), Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI), the Indonesian Buddhist Association (Permabudhi), the Indonesian Confucian Religion Council (Matakin) and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, and Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi.

"That can create divisions among followers of various religions at a time when the world needs unity to face the COVID-19 pandemic," Jokowi stated.

The head of state believes that freedom of expression that fails to uphold honor, sanctity, and the holiness of religious values and symbols can under no conditions be justified and should be stopped.

"Associating religion with acts of terrorism is a big mistake. Terrorism is terrorism. Terrorists are terrorists. Terrorism has no law with any religion," he noted.

Indonesia also strongly denounced the violence in Paris and Nice.

"Indonesia strongly condemns the violence that occurred in Paris and Nice that claimed lives," the president stated.

Earlier, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry denounced Macron's remarks on Islam and support for depiction and publication of cartoons on Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which have sparked much ire in the Islamic World. To register its protest, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry summoned French Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor Leste, Olivier Chambard, on Tuesday, October 27, 2020, and sought an explanation for Macron's controversial statements.

Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, Teuku Faizasyah, told ANTARA here on Wednesday that Ambassador Chambard was summoned to apprise him of Indonesia's official stance on the anti-Islam remarks made by Macron recently in a speech.

The Indonesian government objected to President Macron's comments linking Islam to terrorism or extremism, affirming that associating any religion to acts of terror cannot be justified and would deeply offend adherents of the religions, Faizasyah stated.

Macron's remarks following the beheading of Samuel Paty, a history and geography teacher, for showing cartoons of Prophet Muhammad during a class recently have sparked controversy and fueled a backlash from Muslims worldwide over the past few days.(ANTARA)