REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- US Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph R Donovan said that President Donald Trump's policy, which bans citizens of seven countries from entering the US, focuses on promoting security in the US border areas. "I think the concern is that Trump wants to review our procedures to ensure that we are providing the appropriate safety and security in our borders," Donovan said, after a courtesy meeting with Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Susi Pudjiastuti at the Ministry's building in Jakarta, on Monday.

Trump had previously signed 10 executive orders over the weekend, one of which is on imposing a ban of entry visa grants to citizens of Muslim-majority countries, including Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Sudan and Somalia. 

Referring to a statement released by the White House, the ambassador affirmed that the executive order is not about Islam and it has nothing to do with religion. "The executive order is about protecting America's security and borders, and it is a temporary step for approximately 90 days, when we can review our procedures," he remarked.

He further explained that the US government continuously communicates with the Indonesian Foreign Ministry in regard to the policy. "We are sharing statements from the White House about the executive order and communicating with the Foreign Ministry. We want all of you to understand that this is not about Islam and not about religion," he reiterated.

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President Joko Widodo had previously stated that Indonesia was not affected by Trump's policy. "Indonesia's constitutional principles on upholding equality and justice are clear, but the policy itself does not affect Indonesia at all," he noted.

For that reason, he believed that Indonesian citizens should not worry about the implementation of the policy, as it does not directly affect the country. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has urged Indonesian citizens residing in the US to remain calm, following the signing of the executive order.

According to the press release received by Antara in Jakarta on Sunday (Jan 29), the ministry had asked Indonesian nationals to continue abiding by the local regulations and to maintain orderliness.

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