Weekend Recap: Indonesia's Potential as Global Cultural Hub and Measles Case Response

Jakarta (ANTARA) - A number of noteworthy stories from the weekend (23/2) are worth revisiting, ranging from the Culture Minister highlighting Indonesia’s potential as a global cultural centre to the Health Ministry’s response to a measles case involving an Australian national who had travelled from Indonesia.

Fadli Zon: Indonesia Has the Potential to Become the World’s Cultural Centre

Culture Minister Fadli Zon said Indonesia has the potential to become the world’s cultural centre owing to its cultural mega-diversity.

“With more than 17,000 islands, approximately 1,340 ethnic groups, and hundreds of regional languages, Indonesia is regarded as a country with cultural mega-diversity, positioning it as a potential global cultural centre and superpower in the field of culture,” Fadli Zon said in a statement received in Surabaya, East Java, on Sunday.

NU Launches 41 Nutrition Service Units at Islamic Boarding Schools

The Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) inaugurated 41 NU Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) based at the Darul Quran Islamic Boarding School in Bengkel, Labuapi, West Nusa Tenggara, as a step towards strengthening pesantren self-sufficiency.

“This programme is designed to improve the quality of human resources at pesantren so that a generation of quality and competitive individuals can emerge,” said PBNU Chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf in a statement in Jakarta on Sunday.

KPAI: Sukabumi Child Abuse Case Classified as Filicide

The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) stated that a case of violence against a child allegedly perpetrated by a stepmother, which resulted in the victim’s death in Sukabumi Regency, West Java, constitutes filicide.

“The case in Surade, Sukabumi Regency, in which a child with the initials N (aged 12) was abused by a stepmother, falls under filicide — the killing of a child by a parent, in this case a stepmother,” said KPAI member Diyah Puspitarini when contacted in Jakarta on Sunday.

Flood Survivors in East Aceh on Alert as River Widens by 30 Metres

Survivors of the flash flood in Ranto Panyang Rubek hamlet, East Aceh, Aceh, are on high alert as the river has widened by up to 30 metres and developed strong currents in the aftermath of the disaster.

“The riverbank has become much wider. There were never waves like this before — now we are frightened. It has widened by roughly 30 metres already, from 100 metres,” said Ridwan (40), a flood survivor.

Health Ministry Responds to Australian Measles Case Linked to Indonesia

The Health Ministry has received an official notification from Australian health authorities regarding a measles case with a travel history from Indonesia, and is coordinating with Australia and WHO Indonesia to ensure the response meets international standards.

Head of the Health Ministry’s Communication and Public Information Bureau, Aji Muhawarman, said in Jakarta on Sunday that the notification was made through the International Health Regulations (IHR) mechanism. The information was conveyed via the Australia IHR National Focal Point and has been verified and followed up by the Health Ministry’s PHEOC.