Jakarta, IO – There were several key events that grabbed the public’s attention in 2022, as summarized by CNN Indonesia below:
MotoGP Mandalika
After 25 years of waiting, Indonesia was chosen to host MotoGP in March 2022. To mark this prestigious event, sixteen MotoGP riders was invited to the State Palace by President Jokowi. The president rode his favourite bike and took picture with the racers – Marc Marquez, Joan Mir, Alex Rins, Francesco Bagnaia, Jack Miller, Maverick Viñales, Alex Marquez and Takaaki Nakagami.
The 4.31-km-long track in Mandalika, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) saw the victory of Miguel Oliveira of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team. Aside from the race, the action of rain-averting shaman Rara Istiani Wilandari also grabbed international attention and widely reported in local and foreign media.
The murder of Brigadier J
Police Brigadier Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat (Brigadier J) was shot dead at the official residence of his superior, the former Police Internal Affairs Division (Propam) chief Ferdy Sambo in South Jakarta (8/7). Commemorating the 40th day of his death, his family and dozens of people gathered to offer prayers at an event called “4,000 candles for Josua” at Plaza TIM, Central Jakarta.
Sambo and his wife Putri Candrawathi, Second Patrolman Richard Eliezer Pudihang Lumiu, Chief Brigadier Ricky Rizal and family chauffeur Kuat Ma’ruf were charged with premeditated murder under Criminal Code article 340 and 338 juncto Articles 55 and 56. The trial is still ongoing and it is still not clear what the motive is.