VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Religious Affairs Ministry's director for alms and waqf empowerment Tarmizi Tohor. (ANTARA/HO-Kemenag) - 

Religious Affairs Ministry's official confirmed that the ministry will collaborate with the National Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT) and Social Affairs Ministry to monitor Islamic alms institutions' activities and prevent misuse of alms for illicit purposes.

"Relevant regulations and Islamic laws must be observed during alms distribution to prevent funds from being misused to support terrorism-related activities," Religious Affairs Ministry's director for alms and waqf empowerment, Tarmizi Tohor, noted in a written statement received in Jakarta on Thursday.

The director pressed for collaboration in the monitoring process to prevent a recurrence of cases of alms funds abuse for illicit purposes as was earlier perpetrated by the Abdurrohman Bin Auf Alms Institution that was uncovered last year.

"The police investigation revealed that a total of six thousand donation boxes had been distributed by the ABA alms institutions in several regions," Tohor noted.

Tohor affirmed that alms institutions are required to register the permit with the Religious Affairs Ministry if they intend to place donation boxes at public places, such as at convenience stores, restaurants, and major roads.

The registration is necessary to ensure financial transparency in the alms distribution process, he emphasized.

"The alms distribution must be conducted in accordance with relevant regulations and Islamic laws to prevent the abuse of funds for terrorism purposes," Tohor emphasized.

The director confirmed that alms institutions that apply for permits must fulfil the criteria set in article 18 of Law No. 23 of 2011 on alms management by ensuring the organisation is functioning as a legal entity for educational, proselytization, and social purposes.

The alms institutions must also be a not-for-profit institution, have a coherent alms empowerment programme, and must consent to undergo a Sharia financial audit, he added.

"In essence, alms institutions must have a licence to ensure their professionalism," Tohor remarked.

Meanwhile, the ministry's alms institution accreditation and Sharia audit sub-directorate head Muhibuddin clarified that the obligation for activity permits is not a government intervention to alms management activities but is instead intended to boost financial accountability and governance.

"To dispel the misperception, I clarified that we are monitoring only donation boxes that are placed in public spaces and not donation boxes at religious establishments," Muhibuddin stated//ANT

National Police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo. (ANTARA/HO-Divisi Humas Polri) - 

The National Police has recruited 1,291 new senior non-commissioned officers with a background in the information technology (IT) sector to keep pace with future technological advancements, the police chief has confirmed.

General Listyo Sigit Prabowo said that the police force, as a guarantor of domestic security, must continue to innovate to face future security challenges.

"Police officers must be able to utilize digital technology and enhance their ability to provide security and services to the people. To answer those challenges, the police force has recruited 1,291 senior non-commissioned officers with special competency in information technology," Prabowo informed in an official statement here on Thursday.

Besides recruiting officers with an IT background, the police force has also demonstrated its commitment to inclusivity by recruiting 83 officers graduating from Islamic boarding schools and 410 officers originating from remote and border areas, he noted.

"We will continue recruiting youth with superior capabilities to the police force through pro-active recruitment programs," the police chief said.

The police force has also recruited 3,500 native Papuans as officers and 21 people with special needs as civil apparatus for the force, he added.

"This recruitment demonstrates our commitment for inclusivity to the people," Prabowo remarked.

At least 201 medical studies bachelor graduates and 250 senior non-commissioned officers specialized in nursing have also been recruited to enhance healthcare services and vaccination drives provided by the National Police, he informed.

For advancing the commitment to humanistic service, the police force has also constructed new facilities for people with disabilities and for vulnerable groups, the police chief said.

The police force has constructed thousands of child-friendly safe-rooms, disabled-friendly tents and toilets, elevators with handrails, special lanes and parking spots for people with disabilities, lactation rooms, as well as provided thousands of wheelchairs, he disclosed.

"The provision of such facilities is to enhance public service and advance a predictive, responsible, transparent, and just National Police," Prabowo stated.The National Police has recruited 1,291 new senior non-commissioned officers with a background in the information technology (IT) sector to keep pace with future technological advancements, the police chief has confirmed.

General Listyo Sigit Prabowo said that the police force, as a guarantor of domestic security, must continue to innovate to face future security challenges.

"Police officers must be able to utilize digital technology and enhance their ability to provide security and services to the people. To answer those challenges, the police force has recruited 1,291 senior non-commissioned officers with special competency in information technology," Prabowo informed in an official statement here on Thursday.

Besides recruiting officers with an IT background, the police force has also demonstrated its commitment to inclusivity by recruiting 83 officers graduating from Islamic boarding schools and 410 officers originating from remote and border areas, he noted.

"We will continue recruiting youth with superior capabilities to the police force through pro-active recruitment programs," the police chief said.

The police force has also recruited 3,500 native Papuans as officers and 21 people with special needs as civil apparatus for the force, he added.

"This recruitment demonstrates our commitment for inclusivity to the people," Prabowo remarked.

At least 201 medical studies bachelor graduates and 250 senior non-commissioned officers specialized in nursing have also been recruited to enhance healthcare services and vaccination drives provided by the National Police, he informed.

For advancing the commitment to humanistic service, the police force has also constructed new facilities for people with disabilities and for vulnerable groups, the police chief said.

The police force has constructed thousands of child-friendly safe-rooms, disabled-friendly tents and toilets, elevators with handrails, special lanes and parking spots for people with disabilities, lactation rooms, as well as provided thousands of wheelchairs, he disclosed.

"The provision of such facilities is to enhance public service and advance a predictive, responsible, transparent, and just National Police," Prabowo stated//ANT

Archive photo: The National Monument, the heart of Jakarta, observed from Medan Merdeka Selatan Road, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday (Des 22, 2021). ANTARA/Dewa Ketut Sudiarta Wiguna - 

The Jakarta provincial authority is conceiving a regional development plan for 2023-2026, with emphasis on transforming Jakarta into a global economic and business centre after the capital city’s relocation to East Kalimantan, a province’s official stated.

“The capital relocation will help Jakarta to emerge as a global-scale economic and business centre,” the province’s assistant for economics and finance, Sri Haryati, noted during a seminar on Jakarta’s governance held at the Jakarta City Hall on Thursday.

The regional assistant noted that the drafting of the regional development plan will also take into account the continuity of current development programs after the term of Governor Anies Baswedan and Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria ends in October this year.

The new regional development plan is expected to address challenges faced by Jakarta as the new global economic and business centre after relinquishing its national capital status to Nusantara, East Kalimantan, she noted.

The plan will also provide a road map to improve Jakarta’s governance, human resources, and infrastructure and resources management to finance the regional economy and development and compete with global cities worldwide, the assistant added.

“Jakarta's vision for the future is not only to continue the existing development but also to develop the city to be at par with global metropolises," Haryati remarked.

The provincial authority will offer new opportunities to relevant stakeholders and experts to develop Jakarta as a global metropolis, she affirmed.

Earlier, Governor Baswedan affirmed that apart from continuing to be the nation's economic centre after the relocation of the national capital to East Kalimantan, Jakarta would remain the hub for various other sectors in the country.

"Jakarta will remain as the hub for cultural activities and a knot that unites the Indonesian nation. This is a certainty," the governor stated after attending a public dialog in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Saturday (Jan 22)//ANT

Secretary General of the Communication and Information Technology Ministry, Mira Tayyiba. (kominfo.go.id) - 

The Communication and Informatics Ministry is working towards cross-sectoral cooperation to tackle three priority issues brought up at 2022 G20 Indonesia Presidency's Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG).

Secretary General of the Communication and Information Technology Ministry, Mira Tayyiba, listed the three priority issues at the DEWG G20 -- Post COVID-19 Recovery and Connectivity, Digital Skills and Literacy, and Cross Border Data Flow and Data Free Flow with Trust -- for which participation of several stakeholders, including national knowledge partners and national strategic stakeholders, is deemed necessary.

"On this occasion, we open up opportunities to collaborate with anyone. We collaborate with academics from the University of Indonesia, Gadjah Mada University, Padjadjaran University, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies as DEWG's national knowledge partners," the ministry's secretary general noted here on Wednesday.

Tayyiba remarked that the ministry had also involved national strategic stakeholders as well as ministries and institutions to discuss digital issues relevant to related sectors.

“For instance, speaking about employment with the Manpower Ministry and education with the Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry. In addition to ministries and institutions, we collaborate with industry players and associates involved in e-commerce, Big Data, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, and digital literacy," she stated.

The national strategic stakeholders involve the Big Data and AI Association, the Indonesian Telematics Society, Siberkreasi, the Indonesian e-Commerce Association, the Indonesia Cyber Security Forum, and the Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association.

"Hence, through this DEWG, we expect to create real programs that are relevant for everyone. Not only for developed countries but also for developing countries. We can use the DEWG as (our collective method to express ourselves), and hence, we must work on it together," she stressed.

All-encompassing

Tayyiba, who also served as chair of DEWG G20, explained that the working group was part of the Sherpa Track G20, a melting pot of discussions on digital issues that cover all aspects of development, especially those pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There are many issues that will be discussed in the Sherpa Track, ranging from trade, industry, education, to health and many more. Discussions on these issues are facilitated through the G20 working group overseen by the ministry and its supporting institutions. It should be noted that almost all working groups drew attention to digital issues. Whether it is discussion about education, it is related to the digital scope, (so is) employment (related to) the digital scope," she admitted.

Tayyiba noted that the Sherpa Track had entrusted the ministry to function as a supervisor for DEWG for discussion on cross-sectoral digital issues.

“The duty of the Communication and Information Technology Ministry is to streamline all digital issues, so that they are coherent and cohesive. For instance, the issue of women's empowerment or child protection can be addressed by using an approach based on digitalization aspects, such as digital literacy and online safety," Tayyiba remarked.

The ministry expressed its commitment to make the most of Indonesia's G20 Presidency as an opportunity to reinforce the digital sector, both at the national and international level.

“Hence, these issues are not only national agendas that we are fighting for in a global context but we are also using this opportunity to consolidate the management of national digital issues. It is not surprising that digital issues are discussed in all sectors, as digital (related matters) are fluid and can be used by many people," she stated.

Supporting the DEWG trial

Spokesperson of the Communication and Information Technology Ministry, Dedy Permadi, stated that national knowledge partners were involved in discussing and developing the contents of the DEWG forum trial.

"We involve national knowledge partners or national substance partners comprising the UI, UGM, UNPAD, and CSIS Indonesia. The four national knowledge partners, along with the Communication and Information Technology Ministry, prepare the contents of the DEWG trial. We also compel other stakeholders to work together to support the success of G20," Permadi remarked.

The spokesperson explained that the four partners were chosen to better establish the substance of the working group during Indonesia's G20 Presidency.

“Our consideration was that we are striving to be as inclusive as possible. However, not everyone can be involved. Hence, we see that in substance, we can complement each other with a national knowledge partner,” he stated.

Permadi spoke at length about the origination of the G20 Presidency driven by global problems, starting from the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997-1998 that later rose to the Global Financial Crisis.

“This forum was formed because in the past, the G7 was not sufficient to respond to global problems that were actually not only the domain of rich countries but also middle-class countries. Thus, the G20 was formed. From the very start, it has addressed global issues, as we were facing the crisis at that time," he expounded.

"During the course of its journey, several global issues were eventually addressed owing to the presence of the G20 forum. For instance, in 2008, when the global economic crisis took place, and it became the worst global financial crisis in the last 80 years at that time. I also included the Iraq nuclear crisis in 2009 and the Syrian crisis in 2017," he stated.

“Then, in 2019, when a trade war broke out between the United States and China, the G20 became part of solving world issues, including when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. At the G20 forum, solutions were discussed. In the Finance Track, for instance, there is a rescheduling of debt payments, so that countries can survive in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Permadi elaborated.

He highlighted that digital issues were of utmost importance for Indonesia, because since 2019, Indonesia has been a country fighting for the inclusion of digital issues to be discussed at the G20 forum. Digital issues had been discussed at the Task Force level, and with Indonesia's support, it has since been successfully taken to the Working Group level.

"Indonesia has been fighting (for holding discussion on digital issues) since 2019, and in 2020, it was fought for again, and it was agreed to (have its priority upgraded). Hence, Indonesia is the first country to lead the Digital Economy Working Group at the G20 forum," he concluded//ANT