VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Saudi Arabian Cabinet on Tuesday (27/10/2020) renewed its statement of rejection of any attempts to link Islam and terrorism.

The cabinet also condemns cartoons that offend the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, as quoted from Al Arabiya, Wednesday (28/10/2020).

However, the statement does not refer to calls in some Muslim countries to boycott French products over images of the Prophet displayed in France.

The statement added that the cabinet also renewed "its condemnation and rejection of any terrorist act or practice and acts that give rise to hatred, violence, and extremism," while emphasizing that intellectual freedom is a means of respect, tolerance, and peace. (RRI)

Commemorated every October 28, the Youth Pledge was a major milestone in the Indonesian's history of the independence movement.

This pledge is a crystallization of the spirit to affirm the ideals of the establishment of the Indonesian state.

"Youth Pledge" is the decision of the Second Youth Congress which was held for two days, 27-28 October 1928 in Batavia (Jakarta).
This decision affirms the ideals of an "Indonesian homeland", "Indonesian nation" and "Indonesian language".

This decision becomes the principle for every "association of Indonesian nationalities" and for "to be broadcasted in various newspapers and read before the meetings of the associations".

The term "Youth Pledge" itself did not appear in the congress decision but was given afterward. The idea for holding the Second Youth Congress came from the Indonesian Student Student Association (PPPI), a youth organization with members from all over Indonesia.

On the PPPI initiative, the congress was held in three different buildings and was divided into three meetings.
Here are the meetings:

FIRST MEETING, on Saturday, October 27, 1928, at the Katholieke Jongenlingen Bond (KJB) Building, Banteng Field.

In his remarks, Soegondo hoped that this congress could strengthen the spirit of unity in the hearts of the youth. The event continued with Moehammad Jamin's description of the meaning and relationship of unity with youth. According to him, there are five factors that can strengthen Indonesia's unity, namely history, language, customary law, education, and will.

SECOND MEETING, on Sunday, October 28, 1928, at the Oost-Java Bioscoop Building.

The two speakers, Poernomowoelan and Sarmidi Mangoensarkoro, agreed that children should receive national education, there must also be a balance between education at school and at home. Children also need to be educated in democracy.

THIRD MEETING, at the INDONESISCHE CLUBHUIS KRAMAT BUILDING

In the next session, Soenario explained the importance of nationalism and democracy apart from the scouting movement. Meanwhile, Ramelan argued that they could not separate the scouting movement from the national movement. The scouting movement from an early age educates children to be disciplined and independent, things that are needed in the struggle. Before the congress closed, the song “Indonesia” by Wage Rudolf Supratman was played. They greeted the song with great fanfare.

Then, Congress announced the formulation of the results. The following are the three congress' decisions as listed on the inscription on the wall of the Youth Pledge Museum. The original writing uses the Indonesian language in the van Ophuijsen spelling.

First: We, the sons and daughters of Indonesia, claim to have one blood, Indonesian soil.
Second: We, the sons and daughters of Indonesia, acknowledge one nation, the Indonesian nation.
Third: We, the sons and daughters of Indonesia, acknowledge the language of unity, the Indonesian language. (RRI)

Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, and Australia’s Minister of Home Affairs, Peter Dutton, stressed bilateral cooperation in legal and security affairs during an online meeting on Tuesday.

Mahfud and Dutton also discussed issues involving regional security, repatriation of foreign terrorist fighters, maritime security cooperation, and counter-terrorism at the 7th Indonesia-Australia Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) on Law and Security (7th RI-Australia MCM Meeting).

“We can deal with the threat of terrorism and others only with strong and sustainable cooperation, through various programs and law enforcement action plans, preventive action, deradicalization, counter-terrorism, termination of funding channels and use of cyber technology by terrorist networks, illegal drugs, human trafficking, and also response to the COVID-19 pandemic," Mahfud observed.

Indonesian Ambassador to Australia, Kristiarto Legowo, and chairman of the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK), Hasto Atmojo Suroyo, were present at the meeting.

The meeting was also attended by the secretary, expert staff, and deputies of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Indonesian Navy, and the Densus 88 counterterrorism squad, among others.

At the meeting, the Coordinating Minister said bilateral, regional, and multilateral cooperation is a necessity.

"I believe that no country in the world can handle a situation like this (coronavirus pandemic) on its own," he noted.

During the meeting, they also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the two countries on capacity building and increasing the protection and assistance for witnesses and victims. The MoU was signed by the chair of the LPSK and the Australian Minister of Home Affairs.

Minister Dutton said the relationship between Indonesia and Australia is very significant as the two countries are partners in the security and maritime sector.

"This collaboration is a big achievement. For us, Indonesia is an important partner in the region and has the same level of trust," he remarked.

The two also ministers expressed their appreciation for the cooperation between the two countries so far.

"I believe that bilateral relations between Indonesia and Australia are getting stronger based on the principles of equality, mutual respect, mutual trust, and mutual benefit," Mahfud remarked.

The Malaysian government is deeply concerned about the increasingly open hostility towards Muslims and condemns rhetoric that incites provocative actions that tarnish the good name of Islam.

"We strongly condemn the inciting rhetoric and provocative actions that seek to tarnish the good name of Islam as witnessed by the world recently in the form of populist speeches and the publication of blasphemous caricatures depicting the Prophet Muhammad," said Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato Seri Hishamuddin Hussein in his statement in Putrajaya, Wednesday.

Malaysia is committed to upholding freedom of speech and expression as a fundamental human right as long as these rights are exercised with respect and responsibility so as not to violate or violate the rights of others.

"In this context, to humiliate and tarnish the Holy Prophet of Islam and associate Islam with terrorism is outside those rights," he said, adding that such actions are provocative and disrespectful to Islam and over two billion Muslims worldwide.

"As a democratic and moderate Islamic country with a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, Malaysia continues to promote and maintain harmonious relations and peaceful coexistence, not only among our people of different religions and beliefs but also in a global context that diverse communities," he said.

Malaysia will continue to work with the international community to promote mutual respect between religions and prevent religious extremism at all levels.

Earlier, the opposition leader who is also PKR president Dato Sri Anwar Ibrahim said the statement by French President Emmanuel Macron that Islam is facing a world crisis is attacking because it makes little sense.

"This promotes a deadlock. It makes 'problems' only Muslim matters from a destructive perspective embedded in French doctrine. There is no defense for violence and murder, which is a misguided killer monster that misleads Islam," he said.

He also expressed his condolences to Samuel Paty for all the victims.