VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - Malaysia is proposing the creation of a free trade agreement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) its premier said on Friday at a summit of the two blocs.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said such an agreement would be the first of its kind between ASEAN and Gulf states.

"This agreement is crucial in advancing progressive, inclusive and sustainable growth especially as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and face geopolitical uncertainties," he said in a speech at the ASEAN-GCC Summit in Saudi Arabia on Friday.

ASEAN, a 10-member bloc of more than 600 million people, has for years been seeking to integrate its economies, worth a combined $2.3 trillion, through trade, investment and harmonised standards and customs procedures.

However, efforts to establish free trade deals have been protracted, with some members with exports-reliant economies going it alone in seeking better access to their key markets.

ASEAN is part of the Regional Cooperation Economic Partnership (RCEP) along with China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. (Reuters)

VOINews, Jakarta - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has called for an immediate end to the Israel-Palestine violence to prevent further human casualties and asked for full respect of international humanitarian law during the conflict.

In a joint statement issued by ASEAN foreign ministers on Friday, the bloc expressed its concern over the recent escalation of armed conflict in the Middle East.

ASEAN member states comprise Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The bloc "strongly condemns the acts of violence which have led to the deaths and injury of civilians, including ASEAN nationals," and has called upon all parties to create safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian corridors.

"ASEAN reaffirms our support for a negotiated two-state solution that allows both Israelis and Palestinians to live side-by-side in peace and security, consistent with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions," the statement said.

"This will be the only viable path to resolving the root cause of the conflict," it added.

The bloc further urged all parties to protect and ensure the safety and security of all civilians, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

ASEAN also asked the international community to support the peace process in order to ensure long-lasting peace and stability in the region.

In the over 10 days that Israel has bombed Palestinian territories, nearly 3 thousand people, including 750 children, have been killed.

Israeli strikes have targeted buildings in the densely populated areas of the Gaza Strip following Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on Oct 7.

The humanitarian crisis has worsened following Israel's decision to cut off water, electricity, and other supplies to Gaza, leaving two million people experiencing shortages of basic necessities.

After targeting a hospital in Gaza on Tuesday, Israel on Thursday attacked the Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza, where around 500 Palestinian Muslims and Christians were seeking shelter. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar has said that Indonesia and Malaysia can exchange insights and experiences regarding the handling of forest and land fires.

"I think we can simply learn from each other since Indonesia will be the coordination center for handling transboundary haze," she explained at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, on Friday.

Based on available data, the haze from forest and land fires within Indonesia has not spread to Malaysia, the minister said.

For that reason, it would be incorrect for Malaysia to lodge a complaint with Indonesia, she added.

"According to data, there is no transboundary haze, so they (Malaysia) cannot state a complaint to Indonesia," she stated.

In fact, she added, the forest and land fires that are currently blazing in several regions in Indonesia have been triggered by activities in concession areas under the management of foreign companies, including those from Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, and China.

"Hence, I think we should simply learn from each other," Bakar emphasized.

Speaking about a letter received from the Malaysian government, Minister Bakar clarified that the letter did not contain complaints.

Through the letter, the Malaysian government offered Indonesia assistance in handling forest and land fires, she informed.

"I have read the letter. It does not contain complaints. They (Malaysia) just informed us that the air quality in their territory is not in a good condition and stated their willingness to cooperate with Indonesia," she elaborated.

Furthermore, the minister affirmed that the government is currently formulating a system for handling forest and land fires by taking into account the fact that Indonesia has a vast territory.

Earlier, it was reported that the Malaysian government had sent Indonesia a letter regarding forest and land fires.

The letter was sent by Malaysian Minister of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has reiterated the need for an immediate end to violence in the Gaza Strip in Palestine, while emphasizing the importance of prioritizing humanitarian issues amid the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Speaking at the 1st Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Gulf Cooperation Council (ASEAN-GCC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Friday, the President invited both ASEAN and GCC to jointly prevent the situation in Gaza from deteriorating further.

"We should not forget that the root of the problem is Israeli occupation against Palestinian territories. That is the very thing we should resolve according to the international parameters that have been agreed upon," he said during the summit, which was followed via the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel.

He urged ASEAN and the GCC to make their stance clear and solid to support a just solution that can help realize lasting peace in the besieged Palestine enclave.

ASEAN has pushed for an immediate end to the violence and called for full respect for international humanitarian law amid the ongoing armed conflict.

In a joint statement released by ASEAN foreign affairs ministers on Friday, the regional bloc condemned the acts of violence that have left civilians, including citizens of ASEAN countries, dead and injured. It also pushed the creation of safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian corridors.

"We reaffirm our support for the negotiated two-state solution that allows both Israelis and Palestinians to live side-by-side in peace and security, consistent with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions," ASEAN said, according to the joint statement.

"This will be the only viable path to resolving the root cause of the conflict," the bloc affirmed.

Over the past 13 days, Israel has continued to shell Palestine, killing approximately thousands of people.

The Palestinian health ministry said in a statement on Friday that at least 4,137 Palestinians have been killed and 13,000 wounded in Gaza in Israeli strikes since October 7.

Israel has been mounting attacks on buildings located in densely populated residential areas, which, it alleges, are being used by Hamas.

The humanitarian disaster has been further exacerbated by Israel's decision to cut off the supplies of water, electricity, and fuel to Gaza, depriving 2 million people of their right to access basic necessities.

The worsening living conditions of the people have raised the concern of the United Nations and human rights activists.

Following an attack on a hospital in Gaza on Tuesday (October 17, 2023), Israel bombed Greek orthodox church Saint Porphyrius on Thursday (October 19), where some 500 Palestinian Muslims and Christians were sheltering. (Antaranews)