Day: January 17, 2023

Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has asked regional leaders and the Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkopimda) to strengthen regional development to boost the central government’s 2023 working plan for realizing economic transformation by increasing productivity.

“2023 must be the momentum to accelerate economic growth to encourage economic transformation. I wish to remind you, first, that regional leaders and the Forkopimda must conceive breakthroughs to invigorate regional development,” he said at the closing ceremony of the “2023 National Coordination Meeting of Regional Heads and the Regional Leadership Communication Forum” in Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday.

He also urged regional leaders to consult and coordinate with the central government, particularly if they believe sectoral policies made by ministries or other government institutions could impede development.

He then asked each region to develop a distinct development characteristic by combining the comprehensive, inclusive, and sustainable development and distribution approaches.

“Specifically, I ask for more attention to efforts to improve the production chain and value chain at the regional level, as well as efforts to increase the competitive excellence of regional economies at the village level,” Amin said.

As the institutional aspect could propel regional and national economic growth, he asked regional leaders and the Forkopimda to enhance cooperation and collaboration within their administrations and among other strategic stakeholders.

He also urged regional authorities to innovate in providing digital public services.

“We hope digital technology advances will play a part in ensuring price affordability, stock availability, and distribution lines, including in efforts to bolster MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises), as well as (build an) effective social protection system,” he expounded

Amin also urged all parties to preserve the democratic way of life ahead of the 2024 General Elections and help realize strategic policies of the central government, particularly on inclusive economic growth and inflation control.

“In the end, by saying Alhamdulillahirabbil’alamin (Praise be to God, Lord of All the Worlds), I declare the ‘2023 Regional Heads and Regional Leadership Communication Forum National Coordination Meeting’ concluded,” he announced.

Source: Antara News

Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has asked the National Amil Zakat Agency (Baznas) to prioritize the extremely poor in the distribution of zakat (alms) assistance.

“I urge Baznas to prioritize and cover the extremely poor people through (effective and efficient) distribution,” the Vice President said in a virtual speech on the 22nd anniversary of the agency here on Tuesday.

So far, the agency has contributed to improving people’s welfare by distributing aid to the community, he noted.

“Baznas has also participated in conducting the government’s important mission of improving people’s welfare,” he said.

Amin then urged the agency to consistently build public trust so as to encourage more people to pay their zakat so that it could be shared with beneficiaries.

At the end of his speech, the Vice President congratulated the agency and said he expected it to continuously manage national zakat in a professional manner.

“This noble task of managing zakat, infaq and charity, which are collected on a national scale, should consistently be conducted in a trustworthy and professional manner. Happy 22nd anniversary to Baznas,” he remarked.

Baznas chairperson Noor Achmad lauded the agency’s improvement, saying it was owed to the collaboration of many stakeholders, such as its members, community organizations, as well as media, all of whom took part in contributing to the agency’s progress.

“We have to be honest that Baznas is not big because of anyone (in particular), but because it was the work of all (stakeholders), from the beginning until now,” he said.

“Ranging from mass organizations to the journalists, they are the forces, one unified as one, so that Baznas can become as big as it is today,” he added.

Source: Antara News