Indonesia Can Become Big Country

Tangerang, Banten, June 3 (Antara)- Indonesia has an opportunity to become a big, solid country and to be reckoned at the international arena, Social Affairs Minister Salim Segaf Al Jufri said here on Sunday evening. "The indication for our country to become a big one is not an imagination but an opportunity," the minister said at the 8th congress of Indonesian Muslim Students Action Front (KAMMI) at Pondok Cabe Open University building here. His confidence about Indonesia`s opportunity to become a great country was because it has a big population and the largest Muslim populated country. Besides, he noted that the philanthropy in Indonesia was great, not only from the financial side but also from the spirit of mutual help and solidarity. "We have better and better human resources but what we need is not only intellectually intelligent but also spiritually and emotionally smart," he noted. According to him, intellectual intelligence alone is not enough because the reality can be seen from frequent brawls among high school students, even college students as well. Salim added that another reason for Indonesia to become a big country was that it has abundance natural resources both in the land and in the sea that can be exploited for the welfare of its people. But he said the country still has weaknesses in providing aid and lack of courage to determine its attitude in the international community. "Therefore we hope the students can help and support the program of the government. The students have high spirit and opportunity to make this country a big one," the social affairs minister said.