Repatriation process of Indonesians who were working as crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Yokohama, Japan, Sunday (1/3/2020). (Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo)

Jakarta - Some 69 Indonesian crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise ship, docked in Yokohama, Japan, over the spread of COVID-19, will soon be back to their home country.

On Sunday, Tokyo time, the Indonesian crew members who had been quarantined for more than two weeks on the ship, began the process of returning home.

After having lunch provided by the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo, the Indonesian nationals left the ship one by one, and had their body temperatures measured.

Those whose body temperatures are higher than the number set by the Indonesian Health Protocols were asked to return to the ship, a statement from the Foreign Ministry said.

A total of 69 Indonesian citizens aboard  the Diamond Princess cruise ship, who voluntarily participated in the repatriation process, left the ship using a bus. A  Garuda Indonesia plane was waiting to fly them back to the country.

The aircraft is due to depart from Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Sunday at 6 p.m. local time, and is expected to arrive at Kertajati Airport, West Java, around 12:30 am, Western Indonesia Time.

Furthermore, the dozens of Indonesian citizens will be taken to the port of PLTU Indramayu to go to the observation site on Sebaru Kecil Island, Thousand Islands, using sea transportation.

The Joint Team consisting of officers from the Indonesian Military Force, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo, is fully supported by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Japanese health officials during the repatriation process. (ANTARA)

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi held a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of Qatar, in Doha, on Feb 29, 2020 (ANTARA)

Jakarta - Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi had held six bilateral meetings on the sidelines of a work visit to Doha to attend the signing of a peace agreement for Afghanistan.

Retno Marsudi held a bilateral meeting with her counterparts from Norway, Qatar, and Uzbekistan, as well as with President Trump's Special Envoy to Afghanistan, German Special Envoy and British Special Envoy to Afghanistan, on Saturday (29/2) in Doha, Qatar.

"The Peace Agreement between the United States and Taliban to be signed today in Doha, Qatar is the first step toward peace process for Afghanistan," she said at the meeting.

Retno Marsudi was invited to represent Indonesia as a co-facilitator having made a major contribution to peace in Afghanistan, along with Germany, Norway, Qatar and Uzbekistan.

The five countries are also committed to continuing  to provide support so that the peace process between the United States and the Taliban can run in a sustainable manner for the sake of the people of Afghanistan so they can live in peace.

The most important part after the signing of the agreement was the implementation of the agreement, as well as the dialogue process between parties in Afghanistan called the Intra-Afghan Dialogue, she remarked.

The Foreign Minister also stressed that the future of the Afghanistan must be determined by its own people, and Indonesia is ready to contribute to  the peace process in Afghanistan, in accordance with the mandate of the Indonesian Constitution.

Indonesia has contributed in capacity building to Afghanistan by emphasizing the role of ulemas (Islamic scholars) and strengthening the empowerment of women for peace.

"I will fly tonight to Kabul to launch the Indonesia-Afghan Women Solidarity Network together with Indonesian women leaders to discuss the empowerment of women in promoting peace in Afghanistan," she stated. (ANTARA)

Military personnel of the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea Border Security Task Force of the Satya Tama Infantry Battalion 713 provide first aid training for students of SMP IT Nurul Huda Arso near Indonesia--PNG border. (ANTARA)

Jayapura,Papua - The Indonesian military (TNI) provided first aid training for 52 students of integrated Islamic junior high school (SMP IT) Nurul Huda Arso 2 in Keerom District, Papua Province, bordering Papua New Guinea .

The students were trained by military personnel of the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea Border Security Task Force of the Satya Tama Infantry Battalion 713 on how to carry a stretcher and remove an accident victim, Chief of the Information Service of the Cendrawasih Regional Military Command XVII Colonel Eko Daryanto said in a written statement released on Sunday.

During the first aid training they also distributed stickers "danger of drugs" among the public.

Second Lieutenant Syaban, the training's source person, expressed the hope that the activity would give the students skill to help victims or friends at the first chance when they had accident.

He said he and other members of the task force were pleased to see the students enthusiastically taking part in the training and distributing the stickers "danger of drugs" among the local people.

Komar, the headmaster of SMP IT Nurul Huda Arso 2, said the program was good for the students to shape their characters when they helped other people.

Muhammad Afandi, the school's student, expressed gratitude to TNI for the first aid training. (ANTARA)

Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) KH Muhyiddin Junaid (left) handed a souvenir to Religious Affairs Minister Fachrul Razi at the closing of the 7th KUII in Pangkalpinang, Friday night (Feb 28, 2020) (ANTARA)

Pangkalpinang, Bangka Belitung - The 7th Indonesian Muslim Congress (KUII) has urged President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to dissolve the Agency for Pancasila Ideology Education (BPIP) on the grounds it is no longer needed.

"We urge the president to return the interpretation of Pancasila to MPR (the People's Consultative Assembly) as mandated by the fourth tenet of Pancasila," Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) KH Muhyiddin Junaidi said at the closing of the congress in Pangkalpinang, on Friday night.

"All participants of the 7th KUII this year comprising various components of Islamic society in Indonesia, leaders (of regional branches) of Indonesian Ulemas Council .from all over Indonesia, leaders of Islamic mass organizations, leaders of Islamic Student and Youth Organizations (OKP), chiefs of Islamic boarding schools and Islamic schools, chiefs of Islamic institutes of higher learning, business world, Islamic philanthropic institutions, media, government officials, political parties and other Islamic figures have agreed to urge the president to dissolve BPIP," he said.

The congress, opened by Vice President Ma'ruf Amin on Wednesday (Feb 26) also encouraged the government to familiarize the public with the linkage between Pancasila and religions and to help strengthen religious values in Pancasila.

"We encourage the government to help strengthen religious values in Pancasila to get rid of slander that legislation containing religious values is not Pancasilaist," he said.

In addition, KUII also urged the government to uphold the law as fairly as possible without discriminating against mega corruption and hate speech cases. The government should also adopt a non-discriminative and digital-based state apparatus recruitment system that can be accessed by the entire Indonesian nation to create transparent process by involving public surveillance.

"We urge the government to protect Indonesian citizens from dangerous virus such as corona," he said. (ANTARA)