REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDUNG -- Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the issue of protection of WNI (Indonesian Citizens) is always put as one of foreign political priorities. In the last nine years since 2014, Indonesia has successfully resolved a number of cases affecting WNI in the country of people.
“A total of 218,313 cases of WNI were successfully resolved. There are 360 WNI who were successfully saved from the death penalty,” Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said during the Annual Press Statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (PPTM) 2024 at Gedung Merdeka, Bandung, Monday (8/1/2024).
Repatriation of 18,022 WNI was successfully carried out from various emergency situations including from conflict zones and natural disasters. Meanwhile, 56 WNI were released from hostage-taking.
About Rp 1 trillion of WNI's financial rights were successfully returned. And, says Retno, more than 88,000 WNIs abroad facilitated the administration of vaccines.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi said that the paradigm of the way of thinking and service in the effort to protect the WNI has been significantly changed. The protection system was built and continuously strengthened, among other things by strengthening legal instruments from legislation to the Regulations of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In addition, various innovations were made, such as the construction of Seafarer Corner in Cape Town, Montevideo and Kaohsiung; the appointment of a strong WNI protection legal team in all countries where WNI is concentrated; and the preparation of contingency plans in all countries at risk of conflict and disaster.
“Protecting WNI is also a priority of the diplomats' education curriculum,” Retno said.
Digital innovations also continue to be strengthened, including SMS Blast present since the first month of the Work Cabinet; WNI Care Portal makes WNI protection service one door; Safe Travel mobile application to present protection via mobile phone.