VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Mahendra Siregar during a press briefing held by the Commissioners of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) - 

Voinews, Jakarta - Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) Mahendra Siregar said that the stability of the national financial services sector is well maintained, supported by strong capital, adequate liquidity, maintained risk profile, so that it is expected to be able to face the potential slowdown in global economic growth.

Mahendra at the Services Sector Assessment Press Conference OJK Finance and Policy Results of the December 2023 Monthly Board of Commissioners (RDK) Meeting which was held virtually in Jakarta on Tuesday explained, Economic indicators show moderation in economic growth in several countries, especially in the European Union and China. 
 
"Slowing economic growth pushed inflation down closer to the inflation target, thereby providing room for the central bank to be more accommodative. In the US, the Fed indicated that it would reduce the policy interest rate by 75 bps in 2024 with the market assessing that the US economy is still quite resilient and is not expected to experience a recession", Mahendra Siregar said. 
 
According to Mahendra, the market is still paying close attention to future geopolitical developments, such as the escalation of tensions in the Red Sea as a result of the Palestine-Israel conflict, as well as the holding of general elections covering 50 percent of the world's population, especially in several major countries such as the US, European Union, India and Taiwan.

He added that, in general, sentiment on global financial markets tends to be positive in December 2023//VOI

Vice President Ma'aru Amin gives press statement in Yogyakarta - 

Voinews, Jakarta - Indonesian Vice President Ma’aruf Amin welcomed the opportunity for cooperation between Indonesia and Vietnam regarding the provision of halal certification. This was conveyed by the Vice President when answering media questions regarding the Vietnamese Government’s desire to collaborate with Indonesia regarding the provision of halal certification.

VietnameseAmbassador to Indonesia Ta Van Thong conveyed his will for cooperation sometime ago. In a press statement after reviewing the Self-Help Housing Stimulant Assistance Program (BSPS) and handing over social assistance from BAZNAS tothe community, in Sleman, Yogyakarta Special Region on Tuesday (9/10, VicePresident Ma’aruf Amin said there are two options regarding halal certification.

“I think we will respond to Vietnam’s wishes. There are two things, are they just a kind of management agency whose certification is in Indonesia or do they also have an agency for their own certification. Only we provide guidance and recognition. Vietnam can choose between the two”, Vice President Amin said. 

Vice President Ma’aruf Amin stated that he would encourage the Vietnamese government to communicate with the Halal Product Guarantee Organizing Agency (BPJPH) in Indonesia.

The Vice President explained that Indonesiaalready has various forms of cooperation in the sharia sector with a number ofcountries, including in Korea there is a halal institution with the name “This is Halal Indonesia” and in Shanghai, China under the name “Al-Amin”//VOI

President Joko Widodo gives a press statement before carrying out a working visit to three countries at the Halim Perdanakusumah Airport - 

Voinews, Jakarta - Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Tuesday (9/1) began a series of working visits to three Southeast Asian countries the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei Darussalam. In a press statement at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, Jakarta, President Joko Widodo said his visit is the first in five years.

"This afternoon, a limited delegation and I will make a working visit to the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei Darussalam. My last visit to these three countries was more than 5 years ago, and they had visited Indonesia. Maybe not once, twice, three times, maybe even five times, for both the prime minister and the president", President said. 

According to the President Special Staff Coordinator, Ari Dwipayana at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Tuesday (9/1), the bilateral visit to Brunei Darussalam was to fulfill the invitation of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

According to Dwipayana, this was also a response to the Sultan of Brunei's previous visit to Indonesia. Apart from that, the President plans to attend Prince Abdul Mateen's wedding during his working visit. Prince Abdul Mateen is the youngest son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. According to Ari, the President's visit to the three ASEAN member countries was to strengthen friendly relations and cooperation//VOI

The logo of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics in Saint-Denis, Paris, France. (ANTARA/AFP/Bertrand Guay/aa) - 

Voinews, Jakarta - As the new year has arrived, the highly anticipated multi-sport event Paris 2024 Summer Olympics is getting closer.

The event will be an opportunity for Indonesian athletes to prove themselves and excel.

The 2024 Olympics will become the 33rd edition of the games after modern Olympic games were introduced in 1896. It is the third time for France to host the multi-sport event after previously in 1900 and 1924.

So far, five Indonesian athletes have secured a spot to compete in the event that will take place from July 26 to August 11.

Nevertheless, there are still opportunities for other athletes to join archers Arif Dwi Pangestu and Diananda Choirunisa,

gymnast Rifda Irfanalutfi, and climbers Desak Made Rita and Rahmad Adi Mulyono to compete in the event held every four years.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports, Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI), and National Sports Committee of Indonesia (KONI) are targeting more athletes to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Earlier, Indonesia had sent 28 athletes and one alternate athlete during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. At the event, Indonesia finished with five medals: one gold, one silver, and three bronze.

"The hope is that there will be more athletes who qualify for the Paris Olympics compared to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics," Secretary General of KONI Tb. Lukman Djajadikusuma told ANTARA.

Opportunities for Indonesia

Indonesia still has opportunities to have more athletes qualify for the multi-sport event, as various important tournaments are due to be held to collect points and qualifiers for several mainstay sports, including badminton and weight lifting.

Djajadikusuma stated that all relevant parties, including the government and sports federations, are focusing on preparations for the Olympics.

For several sports, their athletes have already qualified for the Olympics, while in other sports, the qualifiers had yet to be completed.

He affirmed that hopes are pinned high on Indonesia being able to continue its medal-winning tradition, both in badminton and weightlifting. In addition, medals are expected to be secured in rock climbing, as some Indonesian athletes are world record holders, he noted.

For badminton, the Olympic qualification period (Race to Paris) commenced on May 1, 2023, and will conclude on April 28, 2024. The Race to Paris Ranking List as per April 30, 2024, will be used to determine the initial qualifying list.

The total quota places for badminton is 172 comprising 86 for men and 86 for women. Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) has a maximum of eight quota places for men and a maximum of eight quota places for women.

So far, several Indonesian top badminton athletes, such as Jonatan Christie, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, Fajar Alfian, Muhammad Rian Ardianto, Bagas Maulana, Muhammad Shohibul Fikri, Apriyani Rahayu, and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti, have big opportunities to secure a spot in the Olympics since their ranks in the Race to Paris list are relatively safe in the top 10.

Furthermore, for weightlifting and rock climbing, Indonesia's top athletes, such as Eko Yuli Irawan, Veddriq Leonardo, and Kiromal Katibin, need to participate in several crucial tournaments to secure more points to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Preparation

Not only through intensive coaching and training but the athletes are also preparing themselves by partaking in various elite tournaments.

The COVID-19 pandemic, indeed, also played a role in making these athletes to always be in a ready mode because several competitions, including multi-sport events, had to be postponed and then carried out at relatively short intervals.

For instance, the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, held in 2023, took place not long after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics that was held in 2021. The two multi-sport events were earlier postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The short intervals between competitions become a challenge for athletes, as they have to stay in good mental and physical condition.

"The championships that are held every now and then are to improve what is still lacking, so that at the top of the championship at the Olympics, everything will be special," Head of the Indonesian Men's Singles Badminton Coach Irwansyah remarked.

Badminton athlete Jonatan Christie stated that the busy tournaments in 2023 and 2024 can be faced with thorough preparation.

He expressed optimism that the preparation would help him to perform maximally at every competition.

“There are many events going on, so it drains your energy and mind, and the muscles you use can face problems too. I think there are many aspects that make things possible, so then again, preparation for the event is the most important," he remarked.

A sense of determination in the athletes and administrators coupled with the prayers of the people are expected to ignite the spirit, so that more familiar names from Indonesia will be able to compete in Paris.

Apart from that, Indonesian young athletes are also expected to be able to create new history for the country//ANT-VOI