By: Devi Putri Anjani )*
Labuan Bajo, which cannot be denied anymore because of its natural beauty, is ready to participate in enlivening the 2023 ASEAN Summit by presenting a variety of local MSMEs that have quality products and good quantity on the international stage.
Ahead of the 42nd ASEAN 2023 Summit held in Labuan Bajo, local MSMEs have prepared international quality products ready to enliven the event.
In this regard, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Wamenparekraf) Angela Tanoesoedibjo together with Deputy Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) II Kartika Wirjoatmodjo went directly to review the site preparation and infrastructure for the area.
Several locations that have high potential for ogling at the ASEAN Summit include Komodo International Airport, Marina Waterfront Area in Kampung Ujung, Meruorah Komodo Labuan Bajo Resort, and Creative Hub Labuan Bajo in Puncak Waringin, Public Electric Vehicle Charging Station (SPKLU) at the Regent’s Office West Manggarai, Human Settlements Service Field, Natural Resources, West Manggarai Regency Spatial Planning, and the Golo Mori area.
Therefore, of course, this is inseparable from the involvement of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Labuan Bajo at the 2023 ASEAN Summit by having a positive impact on the local community.
Responding to this, Angela Tanoesoedibjo said that her party fully supports the implementation of the ASEAN Summit and also wants the community to be involved in this activity for the success of the ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo.
Not only that, the involvement of local MSMEs in the ASEAN Summit has a positive impact, namely promoting local products is expected to penetrate the international arena.
Angela also hopes that the involvement of local MSMEs will be able to drive the community’s economy in the Labuan Bajo area, especially the Province of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).
In addition, the Director of the Implementing Agency for the Bajo Flores Authority (BPOLBF) Shana Fathina stated that there were supporting events involving local artists and the tourism sector which were expected to provide experiences in Labuan Bajo as well as visitors who came to disseminate information about ASEAN to the public.
Some time ago, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his family also participated in reviewing the readiness of local MSMEs and tourist sites in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, NTT.
To welcome delegations from ASEAN countries, Jokowi monitors locations that need beautifying, including the airport area to the hotel where the guests are staying. It is also intended that local locations get promotions to the Heads of Government of ASEAN countries.
According to Bey Machmudin, Deputy for Protocol, Press and Media at the Presidential Secretariat, this review is indeed important to promote other parts of Indonesia in the Eastern Region.
During the review, Joko Widodo and his family visited several MSME outlets and bought souvenirs made by the local community, such as NTT woven fabrics, hats, and so on.
Bey Machmudin also revealed that at the upcoming 2023 ASEAN Summit, MSME actors will be able to present souvenirs of good quality and with regional characteristics, so that ASEAN country guests will be interested in buying local MSME products as souvenirs.
On the other hand, local MSME actors also explained that they had prepared woven cloth and made the best use of it, apart from using it for the cloth itself as well as for making bags, clothes, earrings.
In fact, the quality they provide is no joke, the work of these local SMEs makes natural coloring the basis and in each motif it has its own philosophy.
The highlighted quality was proven by the President’s daughter-in-law, Selvi Ananda, by buying a blue Sikka patterned rope bracelet for La Lembah Manah, President Joko Widodo’s granddaughter.
Apart from souvenirs, according to Shana Fatina, local food and traditional dances were also prepared to welcome the delegates to the upcoming 2023 ASEAN Summit. MSMEs involved include providing woven fabrics, sasando, coffee, processed moringa, and so on.
Local food prepared for the delegates included Kolo (rice cooked in bamboo), Rebok (food made from fried corn flour), Songkol (food made from cassava cooked in bamboo), and ikan kuah asam (fresh fish soup). ).
On the other hand, Shana also hopes that the ASEAN Summit will have a significant impact on MSMEs. In fact, to support the event, he has submitted a list of dozens of MSMEs to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) and the Ministry of State Secretariat (Kemensetneg) with the best choices and qualities they have.
NTT MSME products are also promoted through the spot spouse program (activities of heads of state wives) as hampers containing local products throughout the East Nusa Tenggara region.
For this reason, the involvement of MSMEs in the upcoming 2023 ASEAN Summit is also encouraged to maintain their supply of goods from normal days and also maintain the quality of goods that will be sold during the event.
So, in the upcoming 2023 ASEAN Summit Labuan Bajo is ready from various sides including local MSMEs with excellent quality and quantity to welcome guests from these countries.
)* The author is a Media Ambassador Contributor
