Chairil Anwar 1922-1949:  Poet, Patriot And National Enigma IN commemorating this year’s Independence Day anniversary, Tempo features a special issue dedicated to iconic national poet Chairil Anwar. He played a vital role in inspiring people in the struggle for independence and with his unique style, succeeded in arousing the nation’s collective imagination. Today, he is acknowledged as the initiator of modern Indonesian literature. His biggest contribution is to have convinced the nation—during the 1940s—that language held extraordinary powers. In his short life, Chairil Anwar enriched the Indonesian language with his unique poetry. Economy: The Rush To Trim The Budget NOT long after economist Sri Mulyani Indrawati began her new-old job as fi nance minister, she wasted no time in stepping on the brakes. She is recommending that the government budget be slashed by Rp133 trillion, given that the targeted revenues from taxes never materialized. This budget cut will be the second tightening of the state fi nancial belt in President Joko Widodo’s less than two-year administration. Last May, he cut the budget by Rp50 trillion. Outreach: A Helping Hand For Kids With Cancer MORE than 4,000 children suff er from cancer each year, according to the Indonesian Commission for Child Protection (KPAI). Although medical treatment is covered by the Healthcare Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan), many of the children come from middle- to lower-income families in rural areas. They fail to get the proper care because most cancer treatment centers are located in cities. Fortunately, NGOs like the CFour Community in Banda Aceh and the Rumahku shelter in Banjarmasin provide free temporary accommodation for child cancer patients and their families. A Tempo English report to commemorate National Children’s Day on July 23.

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Chairil Anwar , Independence Day Special Edition , Special Edition , ,