STEP FORWARD TOWARD DEVELOPMENT OF 5,000 TRADITIONAL MARKET PROGRAM by Fardah

  Jakarta, April 30, 2016 (Antara) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in early April toured several eastern Indonesian regions to inaugurate seaports as part of his sea toll program.

        Near the end of the month, he came back to the region for his traditional market development program.

        The head of state inaugurated the Amahami Market in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, April 29, and attended the groundbreaking ceremony of Mama-mama Market in Jayapura, and visited Pharaa and Doyo Baru Markets in Sentani, Papua the next day.

         The development of 5,000 traditional markets and modernizing of the old ones are among the Jokowi administration's Nawacita (Nine Priorities) program during his five-year term.

         In Bima, he called for increasing connectivity among traditional markets in West Nusa Tenggara, including to the newly inaugurated Amahami Market and those in other provinces.

        "If possible, it should be connected with (those in) other districts and cities," Jokowi stated in his opening remarks.

        Connectivity would offer greater benefits to vendors and farmers, he noted.

TOURISTS LAUD RAPID PROCESS OF YACHT CHECKING IN SABANG by Fardah

Jakarta, April 29, 2016 (Antara) - Paul Von Wiese, captain of Calypso yacht, was impressed with the performance of Sabang officers manning the One Stop Service office at the CT3 BPKS pier for completing the yacht checking process within a matter of minutes.          Sabang officers broke the fastest checking record as in other Indonesian regions, it could take up to five days, according to Paul who had come with his wife, Mauren Von Wiese, to Aceh for the Sabang Marine Festival (SMF).          The festival started on April 26 and will last till April 30, 2016.          He underwent the check-in process at Sabang's pier on April 24.          "The process was excellent, very practical, and it did not take much time. Two years ago, we had spent five days to check-in, but this time, it needed just a few minutes at the Sabang port," he said on April 26.          The Captain of Swift Colin, Michael Wright, also lauded the cutting down of red tape in Indonesia's seaports.          "We hope this system could be maintained because good services like this will certainly attract many more yachts to visit Sabang," Colin Wright said.

INDONESIA STILL ON LOOKOUT FOR 33 GRAFT FUGITIVES By Fardah

 Jakarta, April 27, 2016 (Antara) - The Indonesian government is still on the lookout for 33 fugitives involved in corruption cases, after successfully arresting three fugitives extradited from overseas.      
     The three fugitives are, Samadikun Hartono, who was arrested in China recently, Totok Aria Prabowo, caught in Cambodia December 2015, and Hartawan Aluwi, who was nabbed in Singapore April 21 this year.

         "Tracking down fugitives is also a policy of the Jokowi-JK (administration). As an assistant, I follow the policy," Chairman of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Sutiyoso said recently.

         His office has made a roadmap to hunt down fugitives hiding overseas, Sutiyoso claimed.    
    Among the most notorious fugitives is Eddy Tansil, who escaped from the Cipinang prison in 1996, and most likely fled to China. Tansil was sentenced to 20 years in prison, for embezzling Rp1.3 trillion from Bank Bapindo through the Golden Key Group.

        "I am going to look for them even at the tip of the world. Their best option is to surrender," Sutiyoso said recently.

MORATORIUM IMPOSED ON JAKARTA BAY RECLAMATION by Fardah

Jakarta, April 25, 2016 (Antara) -  Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Rizal Ramli announced on April 18 the government's decision to impose moratorium on Jakarta Bay reclamation till the pros and cons of the multi-billion reclamation deal are studied.

       "We request that the construction work be suspended until all requirements and legal regulations are fully met," Minister Rizal Ramli, who was accompanied by Environmental Affairs and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya and Jakarta Governor Basuki Purnama Tjahaja (Ahok), told the press.

         A special joint committee is to be formed to look into the matter, Minister Rizal Ramli said. 
     The committee will comprise senior officials from related ministries.

         They will include two director generals and two directors of the Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Forestry, two director generals and two directors of the Ministry of Maritime  Affairs and Fisheries, two director generals of the Home Affairs Ministry, two directors of the Maritime Affairs Coordinating Ministry, and a representative of the cabinet secretary.

         The Jakarta administration will send its deputy governor, development assistant, regional secretary, marine agency and the local government's team.

BELGIAN KING PRAISES INDONESIA'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT by Fardah

Jakarta, April 23, 2016 (Antara) - "Indonesia's economy is remarkable," King of Belgium Philippe told President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) when they met at the Royal Palace in Brussels, the Belgian capital on April 21, 2016.
       He has followed the economic development of Indonesia closely, and he gave high credit to the progress, King Philippe claimed.
       He particularly expressed his support to the economic deregulation measures carried out by President Jokowi, who is expected to reveal his 12th economic stimulus package aimed at boosting investment and trade, in the very near future.
       Belgium is Indonesia's key partner, in terms of trade and investment.
       Total trade between Indonesia and Belgium in 2015 reached US$1.67 billion, while investments amounted to US$7 million.           
   The European country's investments in Indonesia include those in diverse fields, ranging from power generation to the cocoa processing industry.

ENJOYING WHALE SHARK SIGHTINGS IN GORONTALO by Fardah

 Jakarta, April 23, 2016 (Antara)- Playing with gentle but giant whale sharks in open sea is not just a dream for animal lovers  while scuba diving or boating in Gorontalo waters in Sulawesi, where daily whale shark sightings are common currently.

        Up to six or seven whale sharks usually approach the boats in Gorontalo waters, in expectation of some food. 
   The giant fish have been spotted in the same spot in the last two years as a nearby shrimp factory has been throwing its unwanted shrimp shells and heads into the ocean.  
   "The whale sharks love to eat them. This means that whale shark sightings occur daily at this location," according to information provided by Miguel's diving center on http://miguelsdiving.com.

       The whale shark sightings have attracted many domestic as well as foreign tourists who come visiting Gorontalo, also known for its amazing under-water biodiversity which some divers term "one of Sulawesi's best-kept-secrets."
  Unfortunately, because the sharks are very gentle, many visitors try to touch them or take pictures too close to them.    

INDONESIA, TURKEY REAFFIRM COMMITMENT TO BOOSTING BILATERAL TIES by Fardah

 Jakarta, April 22, 2016 (Antara) - Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi and her Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavusoglu at a recent meeting reaffirmed the two nations' commitment to forging closer bilateral ties, particularly to intensify economic cooperation.   
    Turkey is one of Indonesia's closest partners. The two countries have signed the Indonesia-Turkey Joint Declaration Towards an Enhanced Partnership in a New World Setting. The declaration was signed by the Indonesian and Turkish presidents in Jakarta on April 5, 2011.

         Turkish investment in Indonesia in 2014 was recorded at US$64.1 million in 29 projects, rising significantly from $11.7 million in 22 projects in 2013. However, Turkish investment in Indonesia dropped to $3.9 million in 2015.

         The value of trade between Indonesia and Turkey in 2015 stood at $1.4 billion, which is the seventh-largest in Western Europe.

INDONESIAN CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS LOOK FORWARD TO VISITING JERUSALEM By Fardah

Jakarta, April 21, 2016 (Antara) - Every Christian and Muslim in Indonesia aspires to visit Jerusalem, where Jesus (Prophet Isa in Islam) was born and the Prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven from Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site for Muslims after the Al-Haram and Nabawi Mosques.          But this will only be possible if Palestine is free and Palestine is not occupied by Zionist Israel; then millions of Indonesian Muslims and Christians would willingly visit Jerusalem again and again.      In line with Islamic teachings in particular, there are three special places to which all Muslims are advised to undertake a journey to.   Allah's Messenger, the Prophet Muhammad, said, "I have set out deliberately on a journey to only three mosques: this mosque of mine (in Medina), the Sacred Mosque (in Makkah) and the Masjid Al Aqsa."       Al Aqsa (literally means "the Farthest Mosque") located in the Al-Haram Al-Sharif compound in Jerusalem, is the second house of prayer established on earth and the first Qibla (the direction to which Muslims face when praying).       The graves of over 100 prophets, including Ibrahim (Abraham), Yakub (Jacob), and Ishaq (Isaac), are in Palestine.          Tourist destinations in Palestine include the Mediterranean coast, the Jordan valley, the Dead Sea, the desert and its wilderness, mountains, over three thousand-year-old trees, the Battir Village's cultural landscape, the Church of Nativity and the pilgrimage route, and the old city of Jerusalem and its walls.

INDONESIA'S PLANNED MORATORIUM ON OIL PALM CONCESSIONS LAUDED by Fardah

 Jakarta, April 21, 2016(Antara) - President Joko Widodo's announcement last week about a plan to impose a moratorium on new permits for oil palm plantations has been lauded by some parties, particularly NGOs.

        The moratorium policy is aimed at preserving Indonesia's tropical rain forest, the world's third largest after forests in Amazon and Congo.

        The deforestation rate in the country, however, is very fast since land is being converted, particularly for plantation, and also due to forest fires.

       "There will be a moratorium on oil palm and mining," the head of state, popularly known as Jokowi, stated at the launch of a National Movement for Plants and Wild Animals protection in conjunction with the World Forest Day, in Karya Island of Thousand Islands, Jakarta, on April 14.

        The president said entrepreneurs and small business holders will not be allowed to expand land for oil palm concessions.

        According to the President, the government is also planning to declare a moratorium on mining areas.

INDONESIA DEMONSTRATES ZERO TOLERANCE AGAINST ILLEGAL FISHING by Fardah

Jakarta, April 21, 2016 (Antara) - Indonesia, under the administration of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), has demonstrated zero tolerance against illegal fishing activities in its seas.

        Since 2015, the government has blown up and sunk at least 174 fishing boats, mostly foreign fishing vessels, for poaching in Indonesian waters.

        During a visit to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London, on April 19, President Jokowi reiterated Indonesia's firm stance against illegal fishing as it violated the country's sovereignty and harmed the marine environment of the Indonesian waters.

        "Especially with regard to maritime resources, we will continue to uphold a firm stance to not tolerate any illegal fishing activities in our waters," Jokowi stated before delegates from 107 member states and 53 non-governmental organizations in his address to the IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee.

        Earlier, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti had stated that the government will continue to take firm action by destroying fishing boats caught illegally operating in Indonesian waters to preserve its marine resources.

JAKARTA BAY RECLAMATION PROJECT MIGHT MARGINALIZE URBAN POOR by Fardah

Jakarta, April 18, 2016 (Antara) - The Jakarta Bay reclamation project has become controversial after a bribery case concerning the mega project came to light, and demonstrations against the project were staged by fishermen and the urban poor affected by it.

        Calls to halt the reclamation project have been voiced by various parties, including Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti, and Environmental Affairs and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya, as well as by several legislators and NGO activists.

        Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok), however, has insisted that the work on the US$11.4 billion-worth project will continue as it will accommodate the interests of the public and state and will not harm the environment.

        "Oh, please go ahead, if intending to stop it (the project), and a regulation should be (first) issued for it, but it should be from the president. Moreover, (the measure to) stop (the project) could be tested (challenged) in the Constitutional Court," Ahok noted in response to calls to halt the project.

       Ahok said President Joko Widodo had no objections to any reclamation project as long as it did not harm the environment.

        "I think, in principle, the president, who himself was a governor, sees nothing wrong with reclamation. All over the world, reclamation projects are being implemented. The president said the important aspect is that it should not damage the environment," Ahok remarked on April 15.
   Ahok frequently cited Dubai and Singapore as successful examples of reclamation work, and the Jakarta Bay reclamation would make the city very advanced similar to them.  

INDONESIA FACES FRESH HOSTAGE CRISIS AS FOUR MORE SAILORS KIDNAPPED by Fardah

Jakarta, April 16, 2016 (Antara) - With the Indonesian authorities still struggling to secure the release of the 10 sailors kidnapped by the Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf group, the nation is now facing yet another hostage crisis in which four more Indonesians were abducted in the Malaysia-Philippine maritime border waters.          The four Indonesian crew members were kidnapped on April 15 at 6:31 pm local time when unidentified pirates tried to hijack two Indonesia-flagged boats, tugboat TB Henry and Barge Christi.         The two boats were on their way from Cebu, the Philippines, to Tarakan, North Kalimantan, when the hijacking occurred, the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement in Jakarta, on April 16.        The boats carried 10 Indonesian crew members. Of the 10, one was shot, five managed to escape, and four were abducted by the pirates.        The injured crew member was rescued by the Malaysian Maritime Police and taken to Malaysia for medical treatment. He is in a stable condition, according to the ministry.          The five crew members, who had escaped the kidnapping, and the two boats were also taken by the Malaysian police to Lahat Datu seaport, Malaysia.         The ministry is currently communicating with the managements of the companies which own the boats, as also with the authorities of Malaysia and the Philippines, to seek details about the piracy incident and coordinate measures to ensure release of hostages.

INDONESIA DECLARES WAR ON DRUGS, NEEDS TO PLUG SMUGGLING FROM MALAYSIA By Fardah

Jakarta, April 16, 2016 (Antara) - The Indonesian government has declared a war against drugs and the authorities have intensified security measures to thwart illicit drug smuggling into the country.  
    In the latest success, the Indonesian army personnel safeguarding the country's border with Malaysia managed to foil an attempt to smuggle two kilograms of crystal methamphetamine into the Panga Bintawa of Entikong check-point area, West Kalimantan Province, on April 13, 2016.

         "The Indonesian border security task force personnel have captured two suspects," the Chief of Rem 121/ABW military command Brig. Gen. Widodo Iryansyah said on April 14. 
    The suspects, identified as Ewd, 26, and Fb, 41, were questioned and confessed that the two kilograms of the crystal meth caught from them was smuggled from Tebedu, Malaysia, into Entikong.

        Furthermore, the Indonesian police disclosed that some 800 kilograms (kg) of crystal methamphetamine had been smuggled from Malaysia into Indonesia since 2012 by an international drug syndicate involving two Indonesian prisoners.

         Prisoner Ricky Gunawan alias Ricky Bom-bom is lodged in the Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta, while Anciong alias Karun is lodged in the Tanjung Gusta Penitentiary in Medan, North Sumatra.   

PRESIDENT JOKOWI'S EUROPE VISIT EXPECTED TO BOOST ECONOMIC TIES by Fardah

Jakarta, April 16 , 2016 (Antara) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is slated to make a European trip that will take him to Germany, Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands from April 17 to 23, to boost economic ties.          The visit is expected to gain concrete results including in completing early stage negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Indonesia and the European Union (EU), according to Trade Minister Thomas Trikasih Lembong following a limited cabinet meeting led by Jokowi to discuss the preparation of his European tour in Jakarta, April 16.          When the CEPA is realized, Indonesia would gain access to the markets in EU that comprises 28 member countries with a total population of 530 million and an economy of US$ 18.5 trillion per year.         Besides, the visit is also expected to boost foreign direct investment from Europe to Indonesia, according to the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).          Europe's investment potential was quite huge, but Indonesia had yet to optimally benefit from it, Franky Sibarani, the BKPM chief, noted in a statement.           The realization of investment from Europe reached Rp149.8 trillion during the 2010-2015 period, he remarked, hoping that the President's upcoming visit would boost European investment in Indonesia.

INDONESIAN SEAWEED INDUSTRY'S ROADMAP TO HELP ACHIEVE PRODUCTION TARGET by Fardah

Jakarta, April 14, 2016 (Antara) - The Indonesian government is currently working on creating a roadmap for developing the seaweed processing industry.

           The roadmap, which is being drafted under the supervision of the coordinating minister for economic affairs and to be included in a presidential regulation, will set a production target, development direction, and a plan of action to realize the target of seaweed cultivation.

          "The industry ministry cannot alone carry out the development of the seaweed industry, and therefore, the work is being coordinated by the coordinating ministry for economic affairs," Abdul Rochim, the food, seafood product and fishery industry director of the industry ministry, noted recently.

           Indonesia is a major supplier of dried seaweed in the world, with a total production of 237.8 thousand tons, or 56 percent of the world's seaweed production reaching 424 thousand tons.

           Indonesia exports 152.9 thousand tons, or 64.3 percent of its total dried seaweed production, to China, Malaysia, and Singapore, among others.

           Seaweed production is an integral part of the Indonesian blue economy initiative and fisheries industrialization program.

KOMODO EXERCISE FOCUSES ON MARITIME PEACEKEEPING OPERATION by Fardah

Padang, W Sumatra, April 13, 2016 (Antara) - The Indonesian Navy is hosting three international events focused on maritime peacekeeping operation as part of its international diplomacy, in Padang City and Mentawai Isles District, West Sumatra Province, between April 12 and 16, 2016. 
    The three events are the Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK) 2016, the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2016, and the 15th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS).   
    Part of the Indonesian Navy's defense diplomacy during peace time, the events are aimed at promoting a common understanding on tolerance and transparency among navies of various countries.

        The biennial Komodo Exercise's theme is "Readiness and Cooperation for Peace."
   The first MNEK was organized in 2014 in Batam and the Islands of Anambas and Natuna, and saw 14 navies from ASEAN member countries and other states participating.

JAKARTA BAY RECLAMATION PROJECT BELIEVED TO WORSEN ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION by Fardah

 Jakarta, April 13(Antara)- Jakarta Bay, a shallow water body located in the north of Jakarta, has been reeling under the impacts of environmental problems such as water pollution, sand and coral extraction, mangrove clearance, and sedimentation.

         The bay has been in the news again lately following the recent arrests of Jakarta's legislator Sanusi, President Director of PT Agung Podomor Land (APLN) Ariesman Widjaja, and the real estate company's employee Trinanda Prihantoro by the Corruption Eradication Corruption (KPK).

         Sanusi is suspected of having received Rp2.14 billion in two stages from PT APLN in connection with discussions over regulations related to the Jakarta Bay reclamation project.

        The KPK has also banned Sugianto Kusuma alias Aguan, the chairman of another major real estate developer Agung Sedayu Group, from leaving the country.

        PT Agung Sedayu, through its subsidiary PT Kapuk Naga Indah, is listed as one of the eight companies involved in the Jakarta Bay reclamation project, according to Kompas online media.

WEST SUMATRA TO HOST MULTILATERAL NAVAL EXERCISE KOMODO 2016 By Fardah

Jakarta, April 9, 2016 (Antara) - The Indonesian Navy will organize the biennial Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK) 2016 focusing on maritime peacekeeping operations, in Padang and Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra Province, from April 12 to 16, 2016.

        "The exercise is unique when compared to other multilateral naval exercises in the region, since it emphasizes on non-warfighting aspects of operational-level exercises," the Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff, Admiral Ade Supandi, said in his remarks posted on the official website of MNEK 2016 (www.komodoexercise.org).

        The Second MNEK will be held coinciding with the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2016, and the 15th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS).     
     "The three major events are significant as these will help in the implementation of the navy's diplomacy role, and contribute to regional peace and security," the admiral said while holding mass prayers along with some two thousand naval officers for safe implementation of the three maritime events.  
    The first MNEK was organized in 2014 in Batam and the Islands of Anambas and Natuna, and saw the participation of 14 navies from ASEAN member countries and other states.

INDONESIA PRIORITIZES SAFETY OF SAILORS HELD HOSTAGE BY ABU SAYYAF by Fardah

Jakarta, April 9, 2016 (Antara) - The Indonesian government has been carrying out a peaceful approach it its attempt to free 10 sailors being held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf group in the Philippines.          The safety of the hostages is the government's priority, the foreign ministry has stated.          "We never talk about the deadline. Our focus is to save the 10 Indonesians no matter when and how long it takes," Arrmanatha Nasir, spokesman of the foreign ministry, said in Jakarta, April 8.         Every effort to secure the release of the hostages was "well monitored," Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said earlier, and added that Jakarta had intensified its coordination with Manila authorities.        She had received valid information that the 10 Indonesians, kidnapped in waters near the Philippines on March 28, 2016, were in good condition, she also revealed.         Various media reports have stated that the deadline for ransom had been set for May 8, but the ministry denied of having known nor mentioned about the deadline.          The Abu Sayyaf group has demanded a 50 million peso ransom, or about Rp14.2 billion.

INDONESIAN AUTHORITIES UNCOVER MAJOR DRUG RACKET RUN FROM PRISON CELLS by Fardah

   Jakarta, April 9, 2016 (Antara) - Some 75 percent of drug distribution was run by several inmates from prison cells, information from Indonesia's National Narcotic Agency (BNN) has revealed.

        The most notorious inmate running his business from the country's jail cell is death row convict Freddy Budiman, who is known as the drug kingpin. 
   Freddy was sentenced to death in 2013 for importing ecstasy from Shenzhen, China, after police officers raided a truck containing 1.4 million such pills in Jakarta.

        From the Nusakambangan prison, he had operated the drug trafficking business in three countries, the Netherlands, Pakistan and Indonesia, according to Merdeka.com.

         In addition to the Freddy case, some 800 kilograms (kg) of crystal methamphetamine had been smuggled from Malaysia into Indonesia since 2012 by an international drug syndicate involving two Indonesian prisoners, according to the police.

         The prisoners are Ricky Gunawan alias Ricky Bom-bom of the Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta, and Anciong alias Karun of the Tanjung Gusta Penitentiary in Medan, North Sumatra Police.   

FOR JOKOWI, CONNECTIVITY CRUCIAL TO UNITE INDONESIA AS BIG NATION by Fardah

  Jakarta, April 8, 2016 (Antara) - Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic nation, with more than 17 thousand islands stretching over 5,000 km across the equatorial ocean.

         Therefore, inter-island connectivity is crucial to unite Indonesia as a big nation, sprawling from Sumatra to the Papua Islands, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) affirmed.

         "Two-third of Indonesian territory is water, and one-third is land. Our focus should be on water as we are an archipelago. In the past, the Majapahit and Sriwijaya kingdoms had gained eminence as they had focused on the seas," he pointed out.

         For that purpose, the head of state has instructed to start new sea toll routes to boost inter-island connectivity in the country.

INDONESIA STRENGTHENS TIES WITH SOUTH PACIFIC NATIONS by Fardah

Jakarta, April 7, 2016 (Antara)- Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan and his delegation's recent trip to Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG) demonstrates Indonesia's commitment to forging strong bilateral relations with South Pacific countries.          The Indonesian delegation arrived in Suva, Fiji, on March 30 for a visit aimed at boosting bilateral relations between Indonesia and Fiji.         Minister Pandjaitan paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister J.V. Bainimarama, held a bilateral meeting with Fiji's Minister for Agricultural, Rural, Maritime Affairs and National Disaster Management Ina Seriaritu, and a luncheon with Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola.         The minister extended financial assistance worth US$5 million to help the victims of the Winston typhoon that hit Fiji in February and delivered a letter from President Joko Widodo to Prime Minister  Bainimarama.         In addition to the financial aid, Indonesia also sent US$3 million worth of goods for the victims of the typhoon.         The minister remarked that Indonesia will deploy engineer troops to help reconstruct Queen Victoria School in Lawaki.

NO DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH ISRAEL AS LONG AS PALESTINE REMAINS OCCUPIED: INDONESIA by Fardah

Jakarta, April 1, 2016 (Antara)- "As long as Palestine does not gain its independence, Indonesia will keep challenging the Israeli occupation," President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said in his opening remarks at an extraordinary summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jakarta on March 7, 2016.

         The President's observation was a direct quote from the response the country's founding father President Sukarno gave to a reporter who asked him in 1962 as to why Indonesia did not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

         So far, all seven Indonesian presidents have been consistent in supporting Palestine's struggle for independence.

         Such a stance is, in fact, in line with the country's Constitution, UUD1945, which states that Indonesia is against colonialism on Earth.

         Therefore, Indonesia should ignore Israel's wish to have diplomatic relations with Indonesia because the Jewish nation is still colonizing Palestine, El Nino M Husein Mohi of the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party said on March 31.