VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The 2023 World Beach Games will be held in Bali 2023 by involving more than 1,000 athletes, 1200 officials from around the world. The presence of this international activity involving many countries is expected to be able to revive the economy and tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chairman of the Indonesian National Olympic Committee -NOC Raja Sapta Oktohari, on Wednesday in Jakarta, said he was optimistic that the Bali ANOC World Beach Games (AWBG) multi-event beach sports event, scheduled from 5-12 August 2023, would be successful and be able to revive tourism on the island of the gods which was slumped down due to the pandemic. He also said that in addition to being attended by all athletes and officials, there will also be a General Assembly attended by representatives of 205 NOCs and 36 international sports federations in the world such as the IOC World Olympic Committee, Olympic Council Asia and the WADA international anti-doping association.

Raja Sapta Oktohari explained, in order to make this world-level event a success, he continues to coordinate with many parties, from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, to the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy and the Ministry of SOEs. This coordination is very necessary because the AWBG event can provide a multilayer effect in almost all sectors in Indonesia, especially in Bali. As is the case with the sports blueprint regarding Indonesia's seriousness in increasing achievement, by aiming to enter the top 5 of the 2044 Olympics, ahead of the 100th anniversary of Indonesia's independence.

AWBG 2023 will compete in 10 mandatory sports, namely aquathlon, beach handball, beach football, beach tennis, beach volleyball 4x4, beach water polo, beach wrestling, individual word discipline karate, kite surfing, and a 5km outdoor swimming pool, in addition to four additional sports submitted by the host and the other two submitted by ANOC.

Minister of State-owned Enterprises, Erick Thohir asked the State-owned Bank Association (Himbara) for the microcredit program (KUR) for the micro, small, and medium businesses in Indonesia. As quoted by Antara, Minister Erick Thohir in Jakarta (13/7) said that the government provided Rp373 trillion for the microcredit program (KUR) this year and only 50 percent was absorbed. Besides, Minister Erick Thohir also said that President Joko Widodo targeted the bank to provide funding for the MSME up to 30 percent in 2024. Minister Erick further remarked that the Rp373-trillion funding allocation was the biggest amount, considering the government gave subsidies up to 13 percent, while the share for the microcredit program was up to 3 percent. The government also performs periodical evaluation in giving the microcredit program subsidy. This will be adjusted to the state's finances. As many as three ministries, including the State-owned Enterprises Ministry, Investment Ministry, Cooperatives and SME Ministry were assigned to increase the remaining 50 percent microcredit program and agreed to connect the MSME data in each ministry. The State-owned Enterprises Ministry will integrate 12.7 million female clients in the PNM Mekaar program and the MSME clients of state-owned banks into the Online Single Submission (OSS). Besides, Minister Erick Thohir said that the microcredit program needs collaboration, not only among the ministries, but also the regional governments. He also said that there are still 50 percent to be absorbed. Therefore, the government hopes the regional government, governors, and regents should be open to cooperation. This will not succeed without cooperation.

Since July, the government of the Special Region of Yogyakarta has revived the tradition of Tuesday Wagen in the Malioboro area after two years of vacuum due to Covid-19 pandemic. Tuesday Wagen has been held since 2017. The tradition, which is held every 35-day market day, is considered a holiday for traders and shops in Malioboro by conducting various activities, such as working together to clean the area, and to perform arts along Malioboro street from afternoon until night. Besides, according to the Secretary of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Kadarmanta Baskara Aji, the Tuesday Wagen is a part of preserving tradition as well as an arena for the development of cultural arts, which has provided lots of benefits.

The Tuesday Wagen was held on July 12, 2022 and it will be adjusted to the Javanese calendar with a calculation of 35 days. The difference is that Tuesday Wagen’s activities are no longer the same as before the Covid-19 pandemic. In the past, in one day there could be ten stage points along Malioboro to exhibit various artistic attractions. Now, holding Tuesday Wagen with the priority of health protocols is only at one point. This is to prevent Covid-19 cases from rising. This activity is centered in the March 1 Oemoem Serangan Monument area which is around the Kilometer Zero Point area - Fort Vredeburg Museum.

Many traditional and contemporary art-culture performances entertain tourists who pass by in the shopping center area in Yogyakarta from 15.30 WIB local time until the evening. Because it is also a testing ground for Malioboro semi-pedestrians, and motorcycle access along the area is temporarily closed from 18.00 to 21.00 WIB. Head of the DIY Culture Office, Dian Lakshmi Pratiwi, explained that various activities presented to visitors during the "Tuesday Wagen" activity in Malioboro are art performances. In addition, there are eco-printing batik workshops, Javanese script workshops, and traditional fashion carnivals. For "Tuesday Wagen" activities in the following months, Dian opens opportunities for people who would like to present art and cultural performances in Malioboro. They will be first selected by a curation team prepared by the Regional Government Special Region of Yogyakarta along with the Yogyakarta City Government.

The United States will deepen its presence in the Pacific Islands. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in a video speech at the Pacific Islands Forum in Suva, Fiji, Wednesday (13/7) as quoted by Tempo.co (13/07) said that U.S. funding for the Pacific Islands would triple to $60 million dollars per year for a decade, subject to congressional approval. In a speech delivered virtually at the meeting, Kamala Harris also announced plans to open more U.S. embassies in the South Pacific. She acknowledged that in the past, Pacific Island nations might not have received enough attention from the United States. She added that now the United States wants to "significantly deepen its presence in the Pacific region". The involvement of powerful and wealthy nations is nothing new in the Pacific Islands. Poor economic growth has made countries in the region very dependent on world aid, especially countries that are super powers, such as the United States, China, Russia, and Australia. For decades, Australia has been one of the largest donors to Pacific Island countries. In the region, Australia is investing in the health, education and government sectors. Besides the United States and Australia, another country involved in the development of the Pacific Islands is China. For years, China has sought a presence in the region, involved from the construction of airport runways, highways and stadiums to education and fishing. China's presence in the Pacific Islands is increasingly in the spotlight after the controversial pact with the Solomon Islands was agreed some time ago. What is the purpose of the super power countries' involvement in development in the Pacific region? Some observers, as quoted from Suara.com (08/06/2022) said that Beijing's goal of funding infrastructure projects in key strategic locations is to "allow China's military access" from the air and sea. But, other observers point out that some countries use money to gain power and influence. Meanwhile, the United States' initiative according to a number of experts, as quoted from www.voaindonesia.com (14/07) is a reaction to China's increasing influence in the tropical island countries. Whereas historically, the Pacific Islands region was under Western influence. The good initiatives of the great powers needn’t be disputed. Although it is not a secret, no country is fully concerned with the welfare of other countries, without any interest. Cooperation that exists between major powers, such as the United States, China and Australia with countries in the Pacific Islands needs to be supported. Most importantly, it must not damage or harm the Pacific Islands countries. In establishing cooperation with the great powers, the Pacific Island countries need to avoid being dictated to by the great powers. The sovereignty of the Pacific countries should be maintained.