VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

North Korea and South Korea are scheduled to send a joint team called Korea Unification team in the 2018 Asian Games to be held in Jakarta and Palembang in August. It is scheduled to have a joint team defile at the opening of the 2018 Asian Games and several sports. This was stated by Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi after holding a meeting with South Korean Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lim Sung-nam in Jakarta on Wednesday (May 2nd).

“…They have already begun to discuss their participation in the Asian Games because the Asian Games issue is also contained in the declaration.  And then, we try to steep the format, while they will discuss. But, what is almost certain is that at opening. They will appear in a defile, of course in one defile. But the unified team in any sport will be continuously discussed between the two countries,” Retno Marsudi said.

Minister Retno Marsudi added that Indonesia as the host of the 2018 Asian Games is exploring the possibility to invite North Korean Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un as well as South Korean President, Moon Jae-in in the opening of Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta next August. In regard to the participation of Korean unification teams in the sports performance, North Korea and South Korea had previously sent a joint team in the Pyeongchang Olympics that was held earlier this year. At that time, the two Koreas sent a joint team for the women's hockey.(VOI/Rezha/RHM)

The number of followers of Islam in Japan continues to experience rapid growth. Almost every week, there is one or two Japanese citizens, especially its younger generation who embrace Islam. This was stated by Amin Kimiaki Tokumasu, President of Japan Muslim Association to RRI World Service, Voice of Indonesia on the sidelines of the High Level Consultation of World Muslim Scholars on Wasatiyyat Islam held at Novotel Hotel, Bogor, West Java from May 1-3, 2018. According to Kimiaki, nowadays, the Japanese people are willing to learn and understand the teachings of Islam, and view Islam as a life guidance.

“And now I think Islam in Japanese can get good point as guide of life. So, I think it is a chance, and at the same time, Japanese people understand Islam, and some enter Islam. In fact, in our association every week one, Japanese younger people become Islam, after this 2 or 3 Japanese enter Islam,” Amin Kimiaki Tokumasu said.

According to Kimiaki, in the past, most of Japanese society were farmers who did worship to the nature. But in line with the development of time, they feel the need to have good guidelines for life, and then they are interested and learning Islam. He added that today, Islam is a minority in Japan, but there is hope that it will be a great religion in the future. (VOI/DP/RHM)

Supreme Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un and President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting in 2018. They are scheduled to discuss the follow-up of peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula that had previously been done through the Inter-Korea Summit that resulted in the Declaration Panmunjom, or an early peace declaration between North and South Korea. Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi said that one of the discussions to be discussed at the meeting was the cessation of hostile propaganda between the two countries. The meeting could be easily done because currently, the highest leaders of North Korea and the President of South Korea have access for direct communication. This was disclosed by Minister Retno Marsudi after a meeting with South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister, Lim Sung-nam in Jakarta on Wednesday (May 2).

“By the end of this year, there will be a meeting; there will be a declaration mentioning the issue of termination of hostilities on the Korean Peninsula. Well, it was mentioned earlier that a hotline between the two leaders has been already established and existed. So, whenever needed, the two leaders can communicate more quickly and there is a plan of President Moon's visit to Pyongyang this year,” Retno Marsudi said.

In addition, Minister Retno Marsudi also remarked that North Korea and South Korea agreed to implement the process of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), to stop the entire conflict, achieve the ideals of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam explained that one of the series of CBMs process is the agenda of military meeting between the two countries, which will be conducted in mid-May 2018. (VOI/Rezha/RHM)

Extreme and radical interpretations of Islamic teachings can lead to false thoughts and actions. It is stated by Fazalghani Kakar, a member of the Suro Nahdlatul Ulama Council of Afghanistan to RRI World Service-Voice of Indonesia on the sidelines of the High Level Consultation of World Muslim Scholars on Wasatiyyat Islam (Islam middle way) that takes place from May 1-3 at Novotel Hotel, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia.

According to Fazalghani his country suffered for  40 years due to the extreme and radical understanding of Islam. Therefore,Muslim scholars in his country will combat or improve that wrong interpretation by teaching and providing a true understanding of Islam by educating the young generations of Afghanistan through Wasatiyyat Islam.   

“Actually as you see we in Afghanistan are suffering for the last forty years, and one of the basic reason of this suffering is the extreme and radical interpretation that some people and some groups make from the teaching of Islam.  That’s why we have to work on the other side, that is the wasatiyyat of Islam in the real picture of Islam to be presented to our youths and to the people, back in the country,” Fazalghani said.

According to Fazalghani radicalism arises due to ignorance and  jahiliiyyah (lack of knowledge)  in understanding the true teachings of Islam. Thus, muslim scholars in his country will through campaign and hard work, provide true education about Islam to the young generation. He also emphasized that radicalism existed in various places in this globe, then good cooperation between scholars and muslims believers is needed, and there is possibility to build cooperation with other religions. (VOI/DP/AHM)