BANJARBARU (20 December 2019) – The Vice President KH Ma’ruf Amin believed that value of social solidarity could handle two nation’s big challenges, which was intolerance and poverty. These challenges could threaten the nation’s integrity if this did not handle seriously.

According to the Vice President, intolerance could take form as religion, ethnic, opinion, and politic diversity. “Intolerance getting stronger every day. If this is not getting attention, it can become the seed of radicalism, or in the worst case become the seeds of terrorism,” said the Vice President in his speech on the main event of National Social Solidarity Day (HKSN) 2019, in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan Province, Friday (20/12/2019).

Accompanied with Mrs. Wury Ma’ruf Amin, the Vice President stated that value of social solidarity could erase intolerance by developing the act of respect each other’s difference, right on the religion or the other difference. “With the spirit of tolerance, it can strengthen and protect Indonesian’s public character,” he said.

The second problem was the poverty and social gap. According to the Vice President, during the government era of Joko Widodo, the number of poverties has been reduced under 1 digit, until 9,431 percent.

However, for him, that number was equal to 25 million persons of underprivileged society. On the other hand, the number of social gaps between the rich and the poor was extensive.

“Many social conflicts which comes from the width of income gap. The efforts on improving the revenue with the social empowerment program can be done if there are high social solidarity feelings,” said the Vice President.

Social solidarity could grow the willingness to help. The Big business helped the small business, the rich people helped the poor. “Thus, there will be economical capacity transfer to cover up the economic gap,” he said.

In that opportunity, the Social Affairs Minister Juliari P. Batubara reported to the Vice President, that Social Solidarity was a basic value which created in mind, action and attitude of care and share each other. It based on the willingness, loyalty, togetherness, tolerance, and equality to improve the honor, dignity, and pride on every person in Indonesia.

The MoSA pointed out that in Indonesian’s people, there were spirit of togetherness, cooperation, family, and willingness to sacrifice without ulterior motives. “This has to improved, revitalized, empowered on the nation’s life,” said the Minister which accompanied with his wife, Grace Claudia P. Batubara. 

According to the Minister, in current time, Indonesian people still faced against many social welfare problems which consisted of poverty, neglected, disability, isolation, and disasters in a big amount.

“Meanwhile, the government has a limited capability, so that it needs the community’s role. Thus, modern social solidarity is an instrument towards social welfare through the caring and sharing movement by, from and for the society both individual or together based on the humanitarian, togetherness, cooperation, and family which being done in a planned, directed and sustainable way towards the realization of Indonesia’s Welfare,” said the Minister.

On the other hand, HKSN is hoped to become the “momentum” to move the social solidarity value again in the society, which being done in the central, provincial, and regency level,” said the Social Affairs Minister.

In this opportunity, the Minister also conveyed the appreciation and thank you to every stakeholder who had helped. Form the central, provincial, regency government, Indonesian Army-Police, non-government elements, business, volunteer, and many public elements. Almost all the Ministry of Social Affairs’ Officials from every level was also attended in the event.

On the same opportunity, there were handover of HKSN banner from the governor of South Kalimantan Sahbirin Noor, Governor of North Sulawesi Olly Dondokambey, which would be the host of HKSN 2020.

On the main event of HKSN 2019 which was attended by 1000 persons, there was award of Satya Lencana Kebhaktian Sosial by the RI President Joko Widodo toward some stakeholders.

There were many Regional Head around the country attended in the event. The activity was livened up with the traditional dance which demonstrated colossally, and accompanied with the choir from SMA 3 Banjarbaru.

Acting Head of Public Relation Bureau
The Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs
Sonny W Manalu