Taking 9 Hours Towards New Zealand, Vice President Ma'ruf Continues Halal Diplomacy Mission

JAKARTA - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin left for New Zealand in order to continue halal diplomacy to the world community.

The vice president and his entourage departed from Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (Soetta) Tangerang, Banten, using the Boeing 777-300 ER Presidential Aircraft, Sunday, February 25, at around 19.00 WIB.

Acting Governor of Banten Al Muktabar along with the ranks of the Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkompimda) released the departure of the Vice President and Mrs. Wury Ma'ruf Amin when they were about to board the plane's stairs.

The vice president will travel by air for 9 hours 10 minutes to Auckland International Airport, New Zealand. It is estimated that it will arrive in New Zealand's largest city on Monday 26 February at 10.10 local time.

The arrival of the Vice President for the first time in Kiwi Country will be welcomed by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia to New Zealand concurrently Samoa, Kingdom of Tonga, Cook Islands, and Niue Fientje Maritje Suebu and the Indonesian Defense Attache in Wellington Colonel Chb Herwanto Setyono.

After about two hours of transit in Auckland, the Vice President continued his journey to the New Zealand capital, Wellington, using a Falcon TNI AU aircraft, while the group departed using three charter aircraft.

The Vice President's working visit to New Zealand began with an agenda of friendship with the ranks of the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) Wellington on Tuesday 27 February.

On the same day, the agenda continued at a meeting and discussion between Vice President Ma'ruf and New Zealand Prime Minister Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, Deputy Prime Minister of Rt Hon Winston Peters, and met a number of other important figures at the Parliament Building. In addition to holding several meetings, the Vice President is also scheduled to give a public lecture on Harmony between Religions at Victory University, Wellington, on Wednesday 28 February.

On Thursday 29 February, the Vice President and his entourage were scheduled to return to Auckland to attend the Business Forum with Halal Industry Players and National Dialogue with the Indonesian People in New Zealand.

"There is consistency in the visit of the Vice President to several countries, previously Europe. Now New Zealand. The consistency is an ideal so that Indonesia becomes an important part of the world's halal," said Vice President Masduki Baidlowi spokesman in a press statement ahead of departure.

Apart from Mrs. Wury Ma'ruf Amin, during this visit the Vice President was also accompanied by Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives Ahmad Helmy Faishal Zaini, Head of the Secretariat of Vice President Ahmad Erani Yustika, Deputy for Administration Sapto Harjono WS, Special Staff to the Vice President for Bureaucratic Reform M Nasir, and Special Staff to the Vice President for Communication and Information Masduki Baidlowi.