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Minister Marwan visits South Sumatran villages to encourage development
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Photo courtesy of Village Ministry (-/-)
D
isadvantaged Village Development and Transmigration Minister Marwan Jafar recently visited a number of villages in South Sumatra to engage with local people concerning village management.
The June 2 trip saw the minister visit different places in the communities, ranging from Islamic boarding schools to village administration offices. The following is a brief report of his journey.
Role of ‘pesantren’ in village development
During his visit to the Al-Ittifaqiyah pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in the Ogan Ilir area, Marwan urged the community to preserve Pancasila as its ideology, which all Indonesians should see as the foundation for living harmoniously amid the differences across the archipelago.
The speech was given following the commemoration of the state ideology’s birth on June 1. During a ceremony that took place on that day, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo also issued a presidential decree that turned June 1 into a national holiday.
According to Marwan, pesantren communities have already proven their ability to shield the integrity of Indonesia as a nation. “I’m sure that Islamic boarding schools always strive to adapt themselves to the constantly changing conditions of society. It is important, however, for them to still retain their root mission so that they don’t turn their backs on the basic teachings,” he said.
The minister also explained about the ministry’s village development programs, in which pesantren could take part. Marwan furthermore said that the ministry has committed to devising programs that can benefit all Indonesians.
“The village fund, which is disbursed by the government, reflects an effort to intensify equal development. The main objective of the fund disbursement is to create a prosperous and wealthy state,” he explained.
Responsible use of village funds
Speaking about village funds, Marwan also urged village heads, who were present during his pesantren visit, to use the funds responsibly and efficiently.
“The village funds can function as a means of improving villages if they are used responsibly and efficiently. It is a blessing for village heads when the economic conditions of a particular village improves,” he said.
Efficient cash flow reporting
On the same day, the minister also took time to visit the Semambu village in the Indralaya district, Ogan Ilir regency. Accompanied by the village head, Suparmin, he said that village fund reports should be no more than two pages long.
“Just report the cash flow – no need to make the document too thick so that it will be easier for people to make and understand it,” Marwan said.
He also stated that village funds should be used to create labor-intensive projects that involve local citizens. This can impact the local economy tremendously and boost its growth.
“For example, we can just recruit locals to work together to construct new roads in villages – no need to use contractors to do the job,” he said, adding that the involvement of residents in village infrastructure projects can create a significant multiplier effect.
