VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

First of May or so-called 'May Day' has been set as the day of the world workers’ struggle by the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions at its Congress in 1886. In addition to demanding eight hours of work for one day, the moment gave the new spirit of the working-class struggle of that era. The date was chosen because it was inspired by the success of labor action in Canada in May 1872. Meanwhile in the United States, it was enforced from May 1st, 1886 to commemorate the event of labor demonstrations at Haymarket which ended with shootings by the authorities. Consequently, many victims could not be avoided.

Now, the groups of workers around the world commemorate May 1st as a day of labor or May Day and the date is often used as an activity to express their aspirations and demands. The workers usually demand an increase in wages, health and safety protection, workplace conditions or other conditions related to their welfare.

Unfortunately, in some countries including in Indonesia, this aspiration or demonstration activity often ends in riots. In 2017, some groups of workers that commemorated May Day in Jakarta and several other big cities resulted in anarchy even though there was no casualty. Such actions are actually very detrimental to Indonesia. The entrepreneurs or foreign investors will think over and over to invest. They will assume that workers in Indonesia tend to ask a lot of demands and to be anarchic. As a result, such a situation is less conducive in terms of business convenience.

It's not surprising if many foreign investors shift their look to Vietnam, Thailand or Cambodia as a place to invest their capital. The reason is not just the ease of investing such as low taxes, and longer land use permits. Indonesia is considered to have too many national holidays, in addition to the problem of labor demands or work wages that are often delivered in ways that are not praiseworthy.

President Joko Widodo ever reminded that Indonesia is lagging behind in the economic, trade or development sectors compared with its neighbors in ASEAN region. One reason is that some foreign investors look at other countries. Indonesia is a democratic country. Through demonstration, everyone can express their aspirations, but they must obey the existing rules not to make something anarchic.

Heads of states and governments of ASEAN member countries have just met in the 32nd ASEAN Summit in Singapore on April 28, 2018. The theme of the Summit was "Resilient and Innovative ASEAN”.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi expressed that Indonesia was satisfied with the positive results agreed at the 32nd ASEAN Summit.

In addition, Indonesia also welcomed the initiative of ASEAN Smart Cities Network. Each country proposes a maximum of three cities to become part of the ASEAN Smart Cities Network's cooperation. In the plenary session, President Joko Widodo said that he viewed the initiative as very good one. The urban problem is very complex and the ASEAN Smart Cities Network is one of the answers to the challenge by building a sustainable and inclusive city with the support of technology and innovation.

It’s natural for Indonesia to support this smart city network proposal. Because, Indonesia is currently developing the Movement towards 100 Smart Cities in 2018. The President includes three cities in Indonesia in the network of ASEAN Smart Cities Network, namely Jakarta, Banyuwangi and Makassar.

Banyuwangi and Makassar are considered to have fulfilled six smart city indicators in Indonesia, namely Smart Living, Smart Environment, Smart Mobility, Smart Governance, Smart Economy, and Smart People.

Indonesia, especially Jakarta, Banyuwangi and Makassar should make use this ASEAN smart city network. Because it will open big opportunities for small and medium enterprises to further develop and find new markets. In turn, this will improve the welfare of Indonesian people.

It is hoped that the presence of this ASEAN smart city network will also increase collective security against common threats, trans-boundary threats such as terrorism, transnational crime and cyber-crime.

May ASEAN Smart Cities Network be the answer to the challenges of building an innovative and resilient ASEAN community.

Indonesia has supported the establishment of a global moderate Islamic axis, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated.

"The position of Indonesia is very clear. We are pushing and committed to supporting the establishment of a global moderate Islamic axis," President Jokowi remarked at the Bogor Palace on Tuesday.

"We believe that with moderate Islam, we want to demonstrate to the world that Islam is a `rahmatan lil alamin` religion that is a mercy for the whole universe," he noted.

The president made the remarks at the opening of the High-level Consultation of Muslim Ulema and Scholars on Moderate Islam that was attended by some 100 Indonesian ulemas from Indonesia as well as from Yemen, Egypt, Iran, Morocco, Italy, the United States, and other countries.

The high-level consultation was also attended by Grand Imam and Grand Sheikh Al-Azhar Ahmad Muhammad Ath-Thayeb and was initiated by the President`s Special Envoy for Dialogue and Interreligious Cooperation and Civilization Din Syamsuddin.

"We, as Muslims, should become role models in developing peace and unity. We must be leaders in world peace. We must be a developed nation that serves as a driving force for global progress," the president emphasized.

Jokowi reiterated the need for significant progress, including in the fields of economy, politics, and science and technology, in Muslim nations.

"Development in Muslim countries is no less than in other parts of the world, but on the other hand, there is alarming development in various parts of the world," the president pointed out.

With rapid growth in communication technology, the use of social media has lead to significant implications.

"On one hand, it can increase interaction, but on the other hand, social media is also used to disseminate hate speeches and to spread radicalism," the president stated.

The president also urged the scholars to unite to spread Islam that is wasaathiyah.

"If the scholars are united for a common cause to promote moderate Islam, then I am optimistic that the axis of the Islamic world would become mainstream and would give hope for the birth of a peaceful, safe, and prosperous world that is just and becomes an Islamic movement to bring about social equality," Jokowi added.

Indonesia, with almost half of its population residing in malaria-endemic areas, aims to be free of the mosquito-borne disease by 2020. Malaria is a potentially deadly disease caused by parasites and transmitted to people through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito, but it can be prevented. Hence, malaria elimination initiatives have officially been declared by the Indonesian Ministry of Health, which has set a target to free the country of the disease by 2020 through total eradication. The Ministry of Health aims to build partnerships and step up integration for malaria control with antenatal care and Expanded Programme of Immunization activities to ensure sustainability and to develop a routine malaria control program.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that in the outer island groups of Indonesia, the incidence of malaria is much higher, with an almost equal prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections. Global fund is supporting the malaria control program in Indonesia through intensification of malaria prevention and control activities. In the first round, the Ministry of Health is targeting to reduce malaria morbidity in five areas, with the highest endemicity, all of which are in the eastern Indonesian provinces. The WHO is also extending continued technical support to the Malaria Transmission Consortium that is supporting the malaria operational research through four universities in the country.

During this time, the number of malaria endemic areas in Indonesia is quite high, so Health Minister Nila F. Moeloek has expressed hope that there would be no more casualties due to malaria in future. The health minister has stated that the spread of malaria in the highest endemic areas are in the provinces of Papua, West Papua, and East Nusa Tenggara. Hence, the government is targeting no other high-risk areas of malaria by 2020.

All districts and cities are expected to be free of malaria by 2025, while all provinces are expected to achieve the target by 2027, and Indonesia is hoped to realize total elimination by 2030. Hence, prevention of malaria disease will need vigilance of health workers, government, and society to prevent the infectious disease.

"We are working hard for achieving total elimination of malaria," the minister said.

Malaria is a major public health problem in most tropical countries, including Indonesia, with some of its provinces in the eastern region recording high number of cases of this deadly disease. The Indonesian Ministry of Health has appealed to the public, especially tourists, to be wary of the transmission of malaria.

Based on data from the Ministry of Health, malaria is still endemic in the provinces of Papua, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, North Maluku, and West Papua, as the achievement of the target to eliminate the deadly diseases in these provinces is still zero percent. 

The Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA) has recorded that of the 80 percent malaria cases in Indonesia in 2017, Papua Province has reported the highest number of cases of the deadly disease, followed by East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and West Papua. The APLMA is an alliance of Asian and Pacific heads of government formed to accelerate progress against malaria and to achieve an Asia Pacific that is free of malaria by 2030.

In East Nusa Tenggara Province last year, the local Health Office recorded that as many as 29 thousand malaria cases had plagued the communities in the island province, with cases reported in the district of Sumba Island, followed by Lembata, Ende, and Belu.

In the province of Papua alone, the local Health Office has reported that four districts and the city of Jayapura remain endemic to the spread of malaria disease, with a very high number. The Papua Health Office stated that the highest rate was recorded in the district of Mimika, followed by Keerom, Jayapura, and the city of Jayapura.

To this end, the local health office has been striving to reduce the number of malaria cases in these four districts and other areas in the province of Papua.

Interestingly, the government of Teluk Bintuni District in West Papua last year was quite successful in suppressing malaria cases. The people in Teluk Bintuni District have been actively participating in the malaria elimination program for the last few years. The local Health Office has involved members of the community as health cadres, and the volunteers are trained to provide early treatment of malaria.

Malaria, the world`s most important parasitic infectious disease, is transmitted by mosquitoes that breed in fresh or occasionally brackish water. The symptoms of malaria include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, anemia, and jaundice, or yellow coloring of the skin and eyes. Convulsions, coma, severe anemia, and kidney failure can also occur. The severity and range of symptoms depend on the specific type of malaria. In certain types, the infection can remain inactive for up to five years and then recur. In areas with intense malaria transmission, people can develop protective immunity after repeated infections. Without prompt and effective treatment, malaria can evolve into a severe cerebral form followed by death.