VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Finance Ministry and Bank Indonesia continued burden sharing through the third joint decree (SKB). The burden sharing to overcome Covid-19 pandemic is effective until December 31 2022.

Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati in a press conference in Jakarta, Tuesday (24/8) said that the third joint decree was caused by the spike in Delta variant that requires a lot of funding, including for health and social treatments.

In general, the policy synergy in the third joint decree still holds the important principles of the fiscal, namely keeping the fiscal space and fiscal sustainability, or fiscal continuity for mid-term, as well as maintaining a productive quality spending. It also supports fiscal consolidation with deficit reduction policy in stages to be under three percent starting from 2023.

In the joint decree, Bank Indonesia will buy sovereign debt papers –SBN worth Rp 439 trillion, consisting of Rp 215 trillion in 2021 and Rp 224 trillion in 2022.

The sovereign debt papers issuance scheme is divided into two clusters. First, Bank Indonesia contributes to all interest costs for vaccination and Covid-19 health treatment. Then, the government bears the interest rate from sovereign debt papers issuance for Rp157 trillion in 2021 and Rp 184 trillion in 2022, with a three-month tenor of BI reverse repo rate.

The sovereign debt papers issuance whose interest rate was paid by the government will be used for health and social treatments. The health treatment budget includes vaccination, diagnostics (testing, tracing, treatment), therapeutic or Covid-19 patients treatment costs, incentive for health workers, medicine, health equipment, Covid-19 handling in regions, and other Covid-19 related health treatments.

While the social treatment budget includes funding for various protection programs for affected underprivileged people.

Governor of Bank Indonesia, Perry Warjiyo in a press conference affirmed that the state budget burden sharing extension will not reduce Bank Indonesia's independence as a central bank. 

He also said that the third joint decree will not affect the financial condition of Bank Indonesia. Although the cooperation will expand the deficit, Bank Indonesia's capital is still very huge and enough to maintain the continuity and financial condition of the central bank.

Jihane Almira Chedid, a representative of Indonesia at the Miss Supranational 2021 beauty contest held in Nowy Sacz City, Poland on Saturday (21/8) won some awards; one of them is the best national costume. The Indonesian Embassy in Warsaw in its written statement on Sunday (22/8) stated that aside from the Best National Costume award, Indonesia also won the Supra Fan Vote and the Continental Queens of Beauty. The embassy also mentioned that specifically for the national costume, Jihan, who performed the "horse" costume, defeated her competitors from the Philippines, Dominica, Sweden, Kenya, Thailand and Venezuela. The Indonesian Chargé d'Affaires Ad-Interim in Warsaw, Taufiq Lamsuhur explained that this Miss Supranational performance 2021 was not as usual because there were additional challenges for the participants due to the global pandemic situation. Thus, they were not able to bring a complete team.

Therefore, the Indonesian representatives tried to support as optimally as possible for Indonesian representatives at the event, since Miss Supranational event provides an opportunity for Indonesia to introduce Indonesian culture to the international public, particularly in Poland. Taufiq also affirmed that indirectly, the opportunity is for the promotion of Indonesian tourism, because the Indonesian representative sent to the event was the Indonesian Tourism Princess. The Indonesian government also promoted Indonesian cosmetics, the promotion of the fashion industry, and the creative industry as well as the diversity and richness of Indonesian culture.

On August 16, President Joko Widodo delivered his state speech at the 2021 Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia (MPR RI). Interestingly, at the event President Joko Widodo wore the traditional clothing of the Baduy Luar or outer Baduy tribe from the province of Banten. Jokowi often wears traditional clothes at every Annual Session of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly. Last year, he wore the traditional Sabu clothing from East Nusa Tenggara. Two years earlier, in 2019 the president wore the traditional clothes of the Sasak tribe of West Nusa Tenggara. At this annual session, Jokowi was seen wearing an all-black outfit with a blue headgear or telekung. In addition, the president also wore a sling bag made of woven bark and black leather sandals.

The Presidential Staff Office via its Twitter account explained that the preparation of this traditional clothes was assisted directly by Jaro Saija, Baduy community leader who is also the head of Kanekes Village. In the Twitter account of the Presidential Staff Office, it was also explained that the president chose to wear traditional Baduy clothing as a form of respect and appreciation for the nobility of the traditional values and culture of the Baduy tribe. The traditional clothes consist of Telekung, Kutung, Beubeur and Samping Aros. Telekung itself is a headgear. In his appearance, Jokowi wore a black telekung with a dark blue pattern. Telekung is often called as Koncer or Roma and it is the original woven fabric of the Baduy community.  Then, Katung or Jaman Sangsang, is a long-sleeved white traditional clothing without a collar. Jokowi chose to wear a black Katung, in line with his telekung color which is also dominated by dark colors. To complement the traditional clothes worn by President Joko Widodo, a beubeur is also seen. Beubeur is a belt draped around the waist, beubeur is made of cloth. Jokowi also perfected his look with Samping Aros, an indigo-colored sarong with white stripes worn to the knees.

A historian named Asep Kambali said the clothes worn by President Jokowi at the Annual Session was the traditional clothes of the Baduy Luar or outer Baduy tribe. Because the clothes worn are black and neatly sewn wearing buttons.  As quoted by dispar.bantenprov.go.id, the all-black color attached to the Baduy Luar traditional clothes symbolizes that they are no longer pure. This is because, unlike the Baduy Dalam tribe or inner Baduy tribe, Baduy Luar tribe is familiar with various innovations and technologies from the outside world, which are not allowed by the Inner Baduy.

Today, August 24 is a historic day in the journey of television broadcasting in Indonesia. Television of the Republic of Indonesia –TVRI officially broadcast its first broadcast on August 24, 1962. The first broadcast of TVRI was marked by the premiere of the 4th Asian Games at the Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta. For a quarter of a century, broadcasters established under the Decree of the Minister of Information No.20/SK/VII/61 broadcast television programs without competition.

In 1987, the first private television station, RCTI officially was on air. This was followed by SCTV which aired in 1990. These two commercial broadcasting stations were established on the same date, 24 August. Afterwards, the world of television broadcasting in Indonesia was increasingly widespread with the presence of more television stations with their respective target audiences. Quoting digital broadcast.kominfo.go.id, in 2021, the number of television stations broadcasting analogously in Indonesia reaches 701. It is hoped that by November 2022, Indonesia will fully implement the Digital TV broadcasting system.

The government through the Ministry of Communication and Informatics is modernizing Indonesian television broadcasts by switching from analog broadcast to digital one. The original plan was that the initial phase of Analog Switch-Off (ASO) or the cessation of analog TV broadcasts began on August 17, 2021. With some considerations, the plan is postponed to April 2022. The considerations underlying the delay are that Indonesia is still focusing on handling the Covid-19 pandemic and economic recovery as well as further preparation stages. In the future, Indonesian people can continue to enjoy free digital television broadcasts to get very clear picture quality, clear sound, and sophisticated technology

Currently, the way to watch television programs is no longer sitting in front of the television. With streaming or video on demand broadcast facilities broadcast on the official website of television broadcasting stations and various platforms, Indonesian television programs can be enjoyed anywhere and anytime with an internet connection. This is also a challenge for television broadcasting stations. Because they have to compete with individual or group creations that produce audio-visual shows. But at the same time, it is an opportunity for Indonesian television broadcasters to widely spread their broadcasts.

Within nearly 60 years of Indonesian television broadcasting, there is hope for Indonesian television programs to go global. Indonesia has the possibility to do so. The diversity of art, culture, customs and natural charm of Indonesia can be an amazing attraction for television programs for the world community. If it is realized, the potential of natural and human resources, combined with digital technology, is possible; in its time, Indonesian television programs to be presented attractively will be enjoyed by the international community.