Vindry Florentin, Jakarta – The Jakarta administration has admitted to sponsoring Ratna Sarumpaet's trip to the 2018 "The 11th Women Playwrights International Conference" event in Santiago, Chile. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said the funds had been prepared a long time ago.
"The proposal and the request were made and processed in February. Everything has been done since a long time ago," Anies said after attending the 73rd National Armed Forces (TNI) Anniversary at the TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap, Jakarta, Friday, October 5.
According to Anies, the Jakarta administration has always supported artists so they can seize the limelight at international events. Ratna Sarumpaet was once the chairman of the Jakarta Arts Council.
"So this is a normal process, which happens to many artists in Jakarta, because this time there is a ban, so it is being discussed, the rest is no difference," said Anies.
Anies said the Jakarta administration also paid for ethnomusicologist Frengky Raden's trip to South Korea. "We provide 100 percent of the funds," he said.
A few months ago, the Jakarta administration sent hundreds of children to Broadway, the United States,for theatrical training. The children were also sent to Kazakhstan.