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Star News INDONESIA, Tuesday, (12 Desember 2023). JAKARTA - Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam revealed that he follows political developments in Indonesia, even memorizing the names of the Presidential Candidates (Capres) and Vice Presidential Candidates (Cawapres) who will contest in the upcoming 2024 presidential election. For this reason, when he met the Vice President (Wapres) K.H. Ma'ruf Amin, he took the opportunity to ask directly about Indonesia's political conditions ahead of the 2024 elections.
"He [the President of Singapore] also knows who the candidates will be in the presidential election in Indonesia, he knows the candidates Mr Prabowo and Mr Gibran, he also knows Mr Ganjar and Mr Mahfud, also known as Mr Anies and Mr Muhaimin Iskandar. "What are these three like and what will the future look like according to the Vice President, asked like that," said the Vice President's Special Staff for Communication and Information, Masduki Baidlowi, at St. Regis Hotel, in his statement after accompanying the Vice President in a bilateral meeting with the President of Singapore which took place today at the Singapore Presidential Palace, Monday (11/12/2023).
Receiving this question, continued Masduki, the Vice President answered that all contestants in the Presidential Election would fight well and the Election would run smoothly and safely.
"For Indonesia, the most important thing is whoever will become and will be elected as president and vice president. What is important, said the Vice President, is that everything can run smoothly and safely so that it does not disturb the condition of political stability in the country and of course it also does not disturb Indonesia's relations with its neighbors. "nearest neighbors, including Singapore," he said.
On the same occasion, Masduki said that at today's meeting, the President of Singapore also asked about inter-religious relations in Indonesia, including the development of Islamic mass organizations in the last 20 years and into the future.
"The Vice President [also] answered optimistically, with various factual arguments, of a field nature, one of which he explained about how the guidance carried out by various parties, in this case the Minister of Religion and the Ministry of Religion [in maintaining inter-religious relations] had going well," he explained.
In fact, he continued, not only from the government side, the involvement of civil society and religious organizations in maintaining harmonious relations between religious communities is also continuing.
"It's not only the state and government that do that, but also what happens in Indonesia is that civil society and mass organizations also work well, such as Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah, and others, [including] churches "All churches and their figures can carry out interreligious dialogue well," explained Masduki.
"It is also mentioned there that there is an FKUB, a Forum for Religious Harmony, which has been running well, and is even funded by the respective regional governments at the provincial level, at the regional government level, and everything is explained well," he added.
Meanwhile, in terms of strengthening cooperative relations between countries, Masduki explained that the meeting which took place quite warmly between the President of Singapore and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin also discussed three other strategic issues.
"Firstly, the Vice President conveyed President Jokowi's greetings to the new President of Singapore, [as well as] inviting him to come to Jakarta. "So when [the time], it will be determined and it will be agreed that the visit will be carried out as soon as possible," he said.
Second, said Masduki, the Vice President emphasized the importance of increasing and expanding cooperation between the two countries in the investment sector, even though so far it has been going well.
"Singapore is one of the biggest investors in Indonesia, so Indonesia is offering how Singapore can invest in the health sector, which plans are already underway to date. "The land is in Sanur, Bali," he stressed.
Then thirdly, the Vice President also emphasized the importance of Indonesia-Singapore cooperation in the halal industry sector. As the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, according to him, Indonesia can become Singapore's strategic partner in developing the halal industry which is mutually beneficial for both countries.
"Aside from that, how can there be cooperation between the governments of Singapore and Indonesia in this case in the field of certification, there is the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) in Indonesia and there is a Religious Council in Singapore, so that the standardization of these two countries can adapt and cooperate with each other , so that each product is not hampered by each of the two countries. "And of course this will also be realized by the governments of Singapore and Indonesia," concluded Masduki.
Author: Wiwid
Editor: Meli Purba