Minister Marwan visits South

Sumatran villages to
encourage development

Inforial
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta | Tue, June 7 2016 | 12:40 am

Disadvantaged 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
ideologys 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. Im 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 dont turn their backs
on the basic teachings, he said.
The minister also explained about the ministrys 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 laborintensive 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.