VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Vice-President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Massoumah Ebtekar explained Iran's position to maintain a nuclear deal with six world’s powers. This was conveyed when she met Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Tuesday, May 2nd at the Presidential Palace Bogor, West Java. To reporters, Massoumah Ebtekar explained the importance of maintaining the agreed nuclear agreement in 2015 with five countries plus one. She said that the nuclear deal does not only involve Iran and Western countries alone, but more than that it also becomes an international agreement. According to Iran's move to defend the nuclear deal, it is an important step to ensure multilateralism in the world today. In addition, according to Massoumah Ebtekar, Iran's step in defending the nuclear deal is an important step to support the world's non-proliferation movement. She also hopes that the nuclear deal can go according to what has been agreed and implemented by Iran as a principle.

“And I also mentioned the importance the nuclear deal that Iran has made with the 5+1 and pointed the fact that this nuclear deal is not only a deal between Iran and the west, it is an international deal, it is an important step towards ensuring multilateralism in today’s world. And it is very important in terms of non-proliferation. I hope that this deal will be as Iran has complied and stood by its principles. I hope that it will proceed and continue and that can ensure that peace and security not only in our region but in the world will prevail,” Massoumah Ebtekar said.

A total of six world powers reached an agreement with Iran in a nuclear agreement in 2015. The six countries are the United States, Russia, Britain, France, Germany and China. Recently it was reported, Britain, France and Germany have proposed new sanctions for Iran related to the ballistic missile program and its role in the war in Syria. It is intended to persuade the United States to maintain a program agreement agreed with Iran in 2015. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has previously submitted an ultimatum to European countries that also signed the agreement to fix the deal he considers bad. If there is no change in the deal signed during the administration of President Barack Obama, then Trump will pull the United States from the Treaty of nuclear program and re-impose sanctions on Iran. (VOI/Ndy trans by Rezha/AHM)

The Special Envoy of the President for Dialogue and Interfaith Cooperation and Civilization Din Syamsuddin on Tuesday, May 1 at the Bogor Palace, West Java, expressed his wish that the Consultation Forum of World Muslim Scholars would be able to contribute to the formation of the world civilization. According to him, a forum of clerical consultations that address the theme of moderate Islam is needed to answer the challenges of the world, colored by differences in Islamic understanding by a handful of groups who have undermined the idea of Islam as a moderate religion. In addition, according to him, the world is currently faced with challenges of uncertainty, global damage and violence in the name of religion. According to him, Indonesia has taught the concept of moderate Islam that is characterized by the concept of Pancasila state ideology, the 1945 Constitution and Unity in Diversity or Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, which reflect the form of moderate Islam.

“And, therefore we need your ideas, we need your suggestion, especially to the idea from Indonesia on wassatiyat Islam for the world civilization and allow us from Indonesia to share our opinions on Indonesia’s experience, our experiences. Because we believe that the kind of Islam that we understood in Indonesia is indeed wasatiyatul Islam. And I personally see some to extend that the blue print and the architecture on Indonesian nation base on Pancasila and the 1945 constitution, and the national motto of the unity in the diversity is indeed in my opinion the manifestation of the middle path Islam or wassatiyatul Islam,” said Din Syamsudin.

Furthermore, Din Syamsuddin hopes that the Forum of Consultation of the World Muslim Scholars can encourage the revitalization of moderate understanding of Islam, not only in Indonesia but also around the world. According to him the existence of a moderate Wasathiyyat Islam will be able to encourage the development of a more peaceful, safer and prosperous world while encouraging the world development. (VOI/Ndy/trans by Rezha/AHM)

Indonesia has supported the establishment of a global moderate Islamic axis, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated.

"The position of Indonesia is very clear. We are pushing and committed to supporting the establishment of a global moderate Islamic axis," President Jokowi remarked at the Bogor Palace on Tuesday.

"We believe that with moderate Islam, we want to demonstrate to the world that Islam is a `rahmatan lil alamin` religion that is a mercy for the whole universe," he noted.

The president made the remarks at the opening of the High-level Consultation of Muslim Ulema and Scholars on Moderate Islam that was attended by some 100 Indonesian ulemas from Indonesia as well as from Yemen, Egypt, Iran, Morocco, Italy, the United States, and other countries.

The high-level consultation was also attended by Grand Imam and Grand Sheikh Al-Azhar Ahmad Muhammad Ath-Thayeb and was initiated by the President`s Special Envoy for Dialogue and Interreligious Cooperation and Civilization Din Syamsuddin.

"We, as Muslims, should become role models in developing peace and unity. We must be leaders in world peace. We must be a developed nation that serves as a driving force for global progress," the president emphasized.

Jokowi reiterated the need for significant progress, including in the fields of economy, politics, and science and technology, in Muslim nations.

"Development in Muslim countries is no less than in other parts of the world, but on the other hand, there is alarming development in various parts of the world," the president pointed out.

With rapid growth in communication technology, the use of social media has lead to significant implications.

"On one hand, it can increase interaction, but on the other hand, social media is also used to disseminate hate speeches and to spread radicalism," the president stated.

The president also urged the scholars to unite to spread Islam that is wasaathiyah.

"If the scholars are united for a common cause to promote moderate Islam, then I am optimistic that the axis of the Islamic world would become mainstream and would give hope for the birth of a peaceful, safe, and prosperous world that is just and becomes an Islamic movement to bring about social equality," Jokowi added.

Indonesia, with almost half of its population residing in malaria-endemic areas, aims to be free of the mosquito-borne disease by 2020. Malaria is a potentially deadly disease caused by parasites and transmitted to people through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito, but it can be prevented. Hence, malaria elimination initiatives have officially been declared by the Indonesian Ministry of Health, which has set a target to free the country of the disease by 2020 through total eradication. The Ministry of Health aims to build partnerships and step up integration for malaria control with antenatal care and Expanded Programme of Immunization activities to ensure sustainability and to develop a routine malaria control program.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that in the outer island groups of Indonesia, the incidence of malaria is much higher, with an almost equal prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections. Global fund is supporting the malaria control program in Indonesia through intensification of malaria prevention and control activities. In the first round, the Ministry of Health is targeting to reduce malaria morbidity in five areas, with the highest endemicity, all of which are in the eastern Indonesian provinces. The WHO is also extending continued technical support to the Malaria Transmission Consortium that is supporting the malaria operational research through four universities in the country.

During this time, the number of malaria endemic areas in Indonesia is quite high, so Health Minister Nila F. Moeloek has expressed hope that there would be no more casualties due to malaria in future. The health minister has stated that the spread of malaria in the highest endemic areas are in the provinces of Papua, West Papua, and East Nusa Tenggara. Hence, the government is targeting no other high-risk areas of malaria by 2020.

All districts and cities are expected to be free of malaria by 2025, while all provinces are expected to achieve the target by 2027, and Indonesia is hoped to realize total elimination by 2030. Hence, prevention of malaria disease will need vigilance of health workers, government, and society to prevent the infectious disease.

"We are working hard for achieving total elimination of malaria," the minister said.

Malaria is a major public health problem in most tropical countries, including Indonesia, with some of its provinces in the eastern region recording high number of cases of this deadly disease. The Indonesian Ministry of Health has appealed to the public, especially tourists, to be wary of the transmission of malaria.

Based on data from the Ministry of Health, malaria is still endemic in the provinces of Papua, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, North Maluku, and West Papua, as the achievement of the target to eliminate the deadly diseases in these provinces is still zero percent. 

The Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA) has recorded that of the 80 percent malaria cases in Indonesia in 2017, Papua Province has reported the highest number of cases of the deadly disease, followed by East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and West Papua. The APLMA is an alliance of Asian and Pacific heads of government formed to accelerate progress against malaria and to achieve an Asia Pacific that is free of malaria by 2030.

In East Nusa Tenggara Province last year, the local Health Office recorded that as many as 29 thousand malaria cases had plagued the communities in the island province, with cases reported in the district of Sumba Island, followed by Lembata, Ende, and Belu.

In the province of Papua alone, the local Health Office has reported that four districts and the city of Jayapura remain endemic to the spread of malaria disease, with a very high number. The Papua Health Office stated that the highest rate was recorded in the district of Mimika, followed by Keerom, Jayapura, and the city of Jayapura.

To this end, the local health office has been striving to reduce the number of malaria cases in these four districts and other areas in the province of Papua.

Interestingly, the government of Teluk Bintuni District in West Papua last year was quite successful in suppressing malaria cases. The people in Teluk Bintuni District have been actively participating in the malaria elimination program for the last few years. The local Health Office has involved members of the community as health cadres, and the volunteers are trained to provide early treatment of malaria.

Malaria, the world`s most important parasitic infectious disease, is transmitted by mosquitoes that breed in fresh or occasionally brackish water. The symptoms of malaria include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, anemia, and jaundice, or yellow coloring of the skin and eyes. Convulsions, coma, severe anemia, and kidney failure can also occur. The severity and range of symptoms depend on the specific type of malaria. In certain types, the infection can remain inactive for up to five years and then recur. In areas with intense malaria transmission, people can develop protective immunity after repeated infections. Without prompt and effective treatment, malaria can evolve into a severe cerebral form followed by death.