VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian government's action in responding, defending, and fighting for the fate of Palestinian people reflects anti-colonial policies, according to the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).

"Indonesia’s stance reflects anti-colonialism as stated in the opening of the 1945 Constitution. It is also apparent from Indonesia's consistent action," MUI General Secretary Anwar Abbas noted in a written statement received here on Thursday.

According to the mandate of the 1945 Constitution, independence was the right of every nation.

Abbas believed Indonesian people will support Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi to fight for humanity and justice.

"Good luck to the minister of foreign affairs," he stated.

US President Donald Trump and Israel had influenced the United Nation (UN) members to support the mission to reject the Palestinian people's sovereignty over Jerusalem.

The Indonesian government has consistently supported the Palestinian people's sovereignty and been courageous to speak the truth.

However, Indonesia will face a severe challenge from the superpower country and its allies over its stance.

"Indonesia and Tunisia will fight and initiate a special UN Security Council meeting to discuss the fate of the Palestinian nation and its people," Abbas stated. (ANTARA)

The Bandung Immigration Office, West Java, has prepared special visa extension for the area’s Chinese nationals over most flights from Indonesia to China cancelled over the Coronavirus outbreak plaguing the country in the past months.

"We have received instruction from the Immigration Directorate General Office to provide a special stay permit extension for Chinese nationals living here," Bandung Immigration Office Chief, Uray Avian stated in Bandung City, Thursday.

The chief expounded that steps for requesting a stay permit extension will remain unchanged, but no new fingerprint and biometric data was captured by the officers.

"The two steps will be omitted since we avoid direct physical contact (with foreigners)," Avian remarked.

Chinese tourists were recorded as the largest group of foreign travelers visiting Indonesia during the 2016-2017 period. Indonesia had received at least 1.97 million Chinese tourists in 2017, and the figure increased to 2.7 million in 2018.

However, the number has dropped significantly this year, chiefly after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak as a global health emergency on January 30. (ANTARA)

President Joko Widodo emphasized that the Indonesian government did not have plan to repatriate former ISIS members who had renounced Indonesian citizenship. After inaugurating  new Head of the Marine Security Agency ( Bakamla)  at the State Palace, Jakarta on  Wednesday (12/2), the President explained that  the Indonesian government has security responsibilities towards all Indonesian people. The President also asked his staff to  identify comprehensively all ISIS members  of  former Indonesian Citizens.

"I think it has been announced that the government has security responsibilities for 260 million Indonesians//  That's what the government prioritizes. Therefore, the government does not have a plan to repatriate the people  who are there, ISIS of  ex-Indonesians. Secondly, I ordered that 689 people to be identified one by one, their names and who are they? Where do they come  from? So that the data is complete. So,  prevention  of  deterrence can be done here before the data is entered into immigration. This is firm," President Joko Widodo said. 

Meanwhile, related to the children of ISIS members who were former Indonesian citizens, President Joko Widodo stated  that they have the opportunity to return to Indonesia. However, the repatriation is restricted to children under  10 years. (NDY)

The process of ratification of the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement IA-CEPA or Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has been completed by the two countries, and will be implemented in April. At the launching of the website "70 Years 70 Stories" in Jakarta, Wednesday (12/02 ), Deputy Ambassador of Australia, Allaster Cox, hopes that Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement is able to encourage trade and investment for both countries. He also said that  the IA-CEPA is a new Australia - Indonesia comprehensive economic partnership agreement which is just nearly ratified between the two countries and will enter into force soon. It's an agreement to boost trade and investment between our two countries and there is a range of measures to increase trade and opportunities for both countries. So I think after the agreement enter into force which probably in April, 99 percent of all Indonesian exports will enter Australia duty free and a range of goods will enter the Indonesian market with new greater access and will open up opportunities also for Australian exports and imports into Indonesia's own production, there is also a new arrangement to encourage investment and other opportunities.

Deputy Ambassador Cox further stated that the most important aspect of this agreement was to increase the knowledge of businesspeople in both countries in terms of investment opportunities. Indonesia-Australia trade value for the past several years was US$16 to 17 billion dollars. Hopefully, the Partnership Agreement can be a stimulus and catalyst within the next 5 to 10 years. (NK)