VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian President Joko Widodo emphasized that 92 years ago Youth Pledge event brought positive energy to unite the nation.

"The Youth Pledge brings a positive energy that unites competition and differences, it doesn't have to make us forget about common problems, common interests, and common goals," said President Joko Widodo who was seen on the YouTube page of the Presidential Secretariat, Wednesday.

President Jokowi delivered this virtually in his remarks at the commemoration of the 92nd Youth Pledge Day of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

"We can solve everything by unifying and working together," added the President.
According to President Jokowi, being united and working together is the key to achieving an advanced Indonesia.

"We must continue to make efforts to maintain unity, becoming Indonesia is not enough to be just part of Indonesia's territory. We must work together to care for Indonesianism," said the President.

Indonesianism, according to the President, must always be maintained in a spirit of solidarity and a sense of brotherhood.

"We must help each other in a spirit of solidarity. There is no Java, no Sumatra, no Sulawesi, no Papua, there are fellow countrymen," said the President.

"We must continue to strive for unity by respecting differences, maintaining tolerance, and continuing to maintain the integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia."

In commemoration of the Youth Pledge, the President also invited the spirit of the youth oath to continue.

"The spirit of the Youth Pledge must continue to burn," he said.

In the big flow of globalization that often occurs, said the President, there is fierce competition between countries and also between individuals.

"It is not uncommon for the competition to end in efforts to defeat each other, destroy each other. This becomes negative energy that harms all of us," said the President.

92 years ago, the Youth Pledge brought youth from all over the archipelago to set aside differences in ethnicity, religion, and regional language to swear to become one Indonesia, one homeland, one nation, and one language, so now unity is also needed to build an Indonesia that is fair and equitable.

"To realize one Indonesia, we must also work together to build Indonesia fairly and equitably by building from the periphery, from villages, from the frontier islands to the border," said the President.

The government has also built infrastructures that facilitate interregional, inter-island connectivity to unite Indonesia, including the 30th TVRI station in West Papua.

The station will serve the people of Papua, provide a variety of quality information so that Papuans get the same access to information as people in other parts of Indonesia. (Antaranews)

To mark the Kashmir Black Day on 27 October 2020, the Embassy of Pakistan held a Webinar titled "ISLAMOPHOBIA – Effects on Humanitarian Aspects of Muslim Minority Communities in South Asia: Kashmir Perspective". This was the third program this month which was held in connection with the Kashmir Black Day.
The Speakers included
1- Prof. Dr. Yusny Saby
2 -Mr. Jamal Nasir, Charge d'Affaires of Pakistan Embassy Jakarta.
3 -Drs. Nur Munir, Head of IMERC, University of Indonesia
4 -Dr. Surwandono S.Sos., M.Si Head of Magister Program of International Relations Department Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta
5 -Khairunnisa Simbolon, MA - Lecturer in International Relations Department Universitas Lampung

Charge d'Affaires Mr. Jamal Nasir delivered a detailed presentation on the rising wave of Islamophobia, reasons behind the rise of Islamophobia, and Implications on the Muslim communities around the world in general, and South Asia in particular.

He specifically highlighted the plight of Muslims in India, especially in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK) where the Indian occupation forces have unleashed a reign of terror and brutalities.

Mr. Nasir emphasized that India, under the RSS inspired regime, is systematically suppressing the religious minorities, Muslims in particular.

He quoted recent statements by the Top Leadership of the ruling BJP where they refuse to consider Muslims as equal citizens.

He also highlighted various discriminatory policies introduced by the current Indian Government, including the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and the NRC.

He also spoke about the brutal lynching of Muslims by Cow Vigilantes, demolition of Mosques, and the recent killing of 50 Muslims in Feb 2020 when they were protesting against the Government's discriminatory policies.

Other speakers also presented their views on the topic and stressed the need for that the International Community should take notice of the situation in the IIOJK.

The Webinar was attended by more than 160 participants including Deans of Universities, Professors, Lecturers, Researchers, Members of Religious Organizations, and Students. (VOI)

President of the Singapore Coffee Association, Victor Mah, was all praises for the taste of Indonesian coffee during a cupping series program organized by the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore.

Mah, concurrently a member of the ASEAN Coffee Federation, commended the high quality and vast array of Indonesian coffee varieties.

The Indonesian Embassy in Singapore, in collaboration with Bank of Indonesia's Singapore office, and the Singapore Coffee Association, presented 11 types of coffee from various regions in Indonesia, according to a statement received here, Tuesday.

Some 30 guests from various circles of Singaporean coffee enthusiasts, including baristas, cafe owners, coffee traders, and diplomatic circles attended the event.

Chargé d'affaires of the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore Didik Eko Pujianto stated that Indonesia, located on the Ring of Fire, is home to several volcanoes that has its own pros, including the many highlands.

In the highlands, coffee plants can thrive and have become a crucial export commodity.

Pujianto further called for optimally tapping the potential of Indonesian coffee, especially to boost the community's economy.

"Hence, the Cupping Series Program is right on target to further promote the quality of Indonesian coffee to Singapore," he affirmed.

Many coffee varieties, each with its quintessential uniqueness, were promoted during the activity.

Meanwhile, Colombian Ambassador in Singapore Manuel Hernando Solano Sossa enthusiastically partook in the coffee cupping session owing to his keenness to sample the taste and get a whiff of the aroma of Indonesian coffee.

As the ambassador of one of the world's coffee producers, Sossa emphasized the importance of holding such events to edify and acclimatize the public to different Indonesian coffee commodities.

They held the Cupping Series Program with stringent adherence to health protocols under the Singapore government’s provisions. (Antaranews)

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR), Ahmad Basarah, has criticized French President Emmanuel Macron over his defense of the right to depict and publish cartoons of Prophet Muhammad, citing freedom of expression.

“The freedom of expression is a fundamental part of democracy, but it does not mean that every individual is free to do whatever he or she wants by violating other people's rights, including the one related to faith,” Basarah said in a statement here on Tuesday.

Commenting on global news reports of Macron’s controversial ‘anti-Islam’ remarks, Basarah said, as a developed nation, France must be able to show inter-faith tolerance towards all religious adherents, including Muslims inside and outside the country.

Therefore, President Macron is advised to be wise in making statements so they do not make Muslims inside and outside France feel offended, he said adding, Islam currently has 1.9 billion adherents all over the world.

“All states must participate in maintaining world peace,” said the senior politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP).

Macron's remarks following the beheading of Samuel Paty, a history and geography teacher, for showing cartoons of Prophet Muhammad during a class on October 6, 2020, have sparked controversy and fueled a backlash from Muslims worldwide over the past few days.

Abdullakh Anzorov, 18, who killed Paty on October 16, 2020, was later shot dead by the French police. Anzorov had felt offended over Paty showing the cartoons in class.

"France will not give up our cartoons," Macron said while responding to Paty's death, as reported by the BBC.

Following his death, Paty was bestowed the Légion d'honneur, France's highest honor.

In the aftermath of his murder, cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad, made by Charlie Hebdo, were projected onto public buildings.

In response to Macron's “Islamophobic” behavior and “hostility” towards Islam, Prophet Muhammad, and Muslims all over the world, the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) denounced the French leader and categorized him as a "kafir harbi” or infidel.

“Macron's decision to bestow Samuel Paty with the Légion d'honneur is obviously a crime against the teachings of Islam," the FPI central executive board disclosed in its letter dated October 24, 2020.

In the letter signed by FPI general chairman Ahmad Shabri Lubis and FPI secretary-general Munarman, the Muslim-based organization also urged Muslim communities globally to rise from the oppressions of the "modern civilization of ignorance" that projects Islam as an enemy.

Prior to the Paty case, French satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo had frequently published cartoons on Prophet Muhammad that had triggered public ire in several Muslim-populated nations.

Two people had attacked the offices of the magazine on January 7, 2015, after Charlie Hebdo published cartoons on Prophet Muhammad saying their publication was under the freedom of expression. At least 12 persons were killed and 11 others were injured in the attack. (Antaranews)