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Thursday, October 29, 2009

Private bliss at Panambungan Island

Makassar | Sun, 05/31/2009 9:54 AM |

Trinissa is the 5-year-old daughter of Erwin Aksa, the chairman of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association and the president director of eastern Indonesia's well-known Bosowa Group of companies, owned by his father, Aksa Mahmud. Erwin's aunt is the wife of Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

This intimate knowledge of the wealthy and well-connected is conveyed to me by Captain Nurdi Cahyo, head of the berthing section of the harbor master department at the Sixth Naval Base, Makassar.

Trinissa is also the name of Erwin's Rp 8 billion Bertram yacht, which he uses to entertain his VIP guests, and transport passengers from Hotel Imperial Aryaduta Makassar, a property owned by the Aksa Mahmud family, to Panambungan, a private island owned by the family.

Departing from the mainland at about 9 am and returning at 4 p.m., it is a 45-minute trip to the island on Trinissa. The trip costs Rp 400,000 per passenger and includes a lunch of fried rice, and if you are quick enough, some snorkeling gear. "We used to have 20 of them," the captain said, unable to explain why the rest had disappeared. I managed to get one after hours of waiting.

Panambungan is a small island about the size of two soccer fields and is one of the 18,110 islands that make up the Indonesian archipelago.

"If you really want, you can dive into the waters off the island, which is now the gravesite of many used cars *former Bosowa taxis*. There are no great diving sites," Nurdi said adding, "For diving, many people from Jakarta go further north to the Kapoposang National Marine Park. The trip from Makassar to Kapoposang is three times as long as the trip to Panambungan."

The water around the island is clean and it was delightful to spend a Saturday there swimming in the afternoon sun, snorkeling, treading on white sand, and admiring casuarinas and other types of pine trees. Big trees with cherry-like fruit that scattered autumnal colored leaves on the ground, and the sweet-smelling jasmine plants, added to the beauty.

Inter-tidal-like pools had formed along some parts of the island. Sprinkled with reefs and some debris, the clear light-blue water is too shallow for swimming. Snorkeling though, you are likely to spot small simple-colored fish, some silvery, swimming here and there around dull-looking coral and equally lackluster anemones.

However, lurking in the clear clean water, are tiny translucent jelly fish locally called "ice jelly fish", which cause severe itchiness if they make contact with the skin. There is also a sort of oval-shaped flat fish camouflaging itself to resemble a thin mound of sand. Perhaps it was a Sting Ray. It seemingly felt my presence and slithered away. Later, after exploring some other parts of the shallow water, I went back to that spot, but this unidentified underwater object had gone.

The structures built on the island are still very rudimentary, including the toilets and the bathrooms. That's why I decided to take a bath when I returned to my hotel in Makassar. Some people decided to stay at the rudimentary bungalows on the island, paying Rp 500,000 per night not including breakfast, according to Mery, the secretary of the hotel's sales department. Nurdi and Mery told me there is a two-year plan to turn the island into a properly built and managed resort with amenities similar to the cluster of resort islands just off Jakarta.

On the way back to Makassar I sat on the second story of the Trinissa in front of the steering wheel. The triangular transparent plastic window in front of me had been rolled up and the open sea before me was like a rhapsody in blue.

Holding the right and the left hand steel bars that make up the triangular window, I stood up. The strong wind and the pace of the yacht made me feel like I was flying. The flying sensation faded away when the contours of Makassar emerged on the horizon. Memories of the island suddenly flashed in my mind, prompting me to turn back.

Tulamben underwater paradise

The Jakarta Post , Tulamben, Bali | Sun, 05/10/2009 12:46 PM | Travel

When divers see calm waters on a sunny day, it is as if they are being called forth to heaven to enjoy the marine paradise below.

When we arrived at Tulamben, one of Bali's most frequented diving spots, the water was calm and there was a light breeze of refreshing wind.

Nature's beautiful welcome more than made up for our 2.5 hour drive from Sanur, where we had spent the night. Getting out of the car, there was a strong buzz of excitement among us.

Our diving guide from Bali Scuba, Chris, seemed to sense our mounting enthusiasm and tried to speed up preparations for our adventure. But he still needed to stick to the procedure. He explained the diving plan after the usual dos and don'ts briefing.

"We are going to dive at the following spots: the US Liberty Shipwreck, Coral Garden and the Drop Off," he said, pointing to the underwater map.

US Liberty shipwreckUS Liberty shipwreck

While some people were still putting on their BCD (Buoyancy Control Device), Chris signaled to those who were ready to go with him. We walked some 100 meters along the sandy beach from the Paradise Resort, our base camp, to begin our adventure, diving to the entry point site.

Chris reminded us to walk carefully when we were approaching the edge of the beach, which was full of volcanic stones as big as adult's fist.

In a day at least 50 divers visit the diving site. They usually came in groups and the must-see spot was the shipwreck location.

"When holiday season comes the number (of divers) can double," Chris said.

The US Liberty shipwreck, which was torpedoed by the Japanese army during World War II, attracts divers to Tulamben. Those who prefer snorkeling can enjoy the ship stern for it is only located some 6 meters under the water surface with average visibility of 12 to 30 meters.

History has it the ship, which sunk in Lombok waters, was about to be towed to Singaraja port in North Bali but as Singaraja was already occupied by Japan army, the shipwreck was rerouted to Tulamben beach.

Mount Agung's powerful volcanic eruption in 1963 pulled the shipwreck deeper to the seabed - its present home -where it is heavily covered with anemone, gorgonian and coral.

When we reached the shipwreck, two schools of bright, silver trevally fish swam past us as if patrolling the site. They perfectly contrasted with the dark sand.

Hundreds of trevally moved in circles. They swam around the shipwreck and did not seem afraid of us. Locally known as kuwe, the trevally even approached some divers. Chris got an amazing welcome from surgeonfish that swarmed him as if performing their welcoming dance. Fishes in Tulamben are indeed friendly and recognize no fear - unlike in other less visited diving spots.

I remembered when I got a similar warm welcome from a school of small fishes in Bunaken, North Sulawesi. It was a priceless moment. The fishes not only "danced" around me but they also "kissed" my diving mask.

So when I saw what happened to Chris, I lifted my underwater camera and began pressing its shutter release to capture the precious moment and other beauties nearby.

If we observed carefully enough, we could spot ikan sebelah (flounders) and blue-spotted stingrays that hid beneath the sand, waiting for their lunch.

Not far from the shipwreck, I saw dozen of garden eels, eating floating planktons. Their bodies danced to the gentle sea currents that moved gently in this site. Many others rested with half of their bodies submerged in the seabed.

Our second destination was the Coral Garden, which was located right in front of the Paradise Resort. This garden is 2 to 15 meters depths, making it the perfect destination for snorkeling.

This spot has both soft and hard coral with light density. Yet, they were rich with marine life, including Napoleon fish, pipefish, parrotfish and clownfish. Even barracudas, which had sharp teeth, were seen swimming nearby when we got there. Chris said divers could come across blacktip sharks if they were lucky.

Columns between the soft and hard corals were the perfect hideout for shrimps. Local divers called them cleaner shrimps. One type was red and white but there was also one with combinations of red, white and green.

Fellow diver Emily Douglas from US was intrigued to find out if the shrimps were natural vacuum cleaners. She extended her hands to the shrimps, which immediately swarmed her hands and performed their famous duties.

Because of its average depth and generous light, this spot was also known as a perfect site for night-diving and heaven for hunting objects for macro-photography.

Our last destination was the Drop Off, located on the right side of Coral Garden. We walked to go to the side and had to go through the rocky beach.

The Drop Off site was formed naturally by a volcanic eruption. Our adventure began on a sandy slope, which was the starting point of the standard dive at Tulamben. At the end of the slope we could see the Drop Off's topography in the form of vertical walls whose depth could reach tens of meters.

The wall was heavily decorated with sponges and black coral. The marine life at this site is not very different to the Shipwreck site. There were butterflyfish, angelfish, Moorish idols and many other small fish with striking colors. Coral fish like groupers and anthias can also be seen at this site. Lucky divers can spot bigger fishes like whitetip and hammerhead sharks.

In general, Tulamben waters have relatively good visibility ranging between 12 and 30 meters. Its subtle currents make this place suitable for divers of any level.

Visiting Tulamben is a must for divers whenever they are in Bali. A growing number of diving operators are proof of the growing popularity of this recreational sport. Dive operators usually offer transport and accommodation, as well as alternatives to diving and snorkeling.

Tulamben has been included among spots recommended by nearly all diving operators, and is one of the best places to begin your underwater adventures.

Rising sea temperatures bad news for seaweed farmers

THE JAKARTA POST , SANUR | Wed, 10/28/2009 1:30 PM | Headlines

Seaweed farmers in Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan islands, Bali, are suffering from changing sea conditions as a result of climate change.

Community development group Kalimajari, which assists seaweed farmers in Nusa Penida, said sea temperatures had increased by between 2 and 3 degrees Celsius in the last two years, causing the outbreak of a disease locally known as ice-ice, a condition that causes seaweed to decay.

"Farmers have been complaining about sea temperatures getting hotter, and have found the outbreak occurs every planting cycle," I Gusti Agung Ayu Widiastuti, from Kalimajari, told a seminar on adaptation to climate change in coastal areas, in Sanur, Bali, on Tuesday.

She said the extreme changes in sea conditions had depleted stocks of Euchema seaweed, previously the most profitable species for farmers.

Seaweed production decreased from 500 tons in 2007 to 200 tons in 2008.

Seaweed farming is the main livelihood of people on the two islands. Normally, they earn between Rp 1.5 million and 2 million each harvest period, but now they struggle to make ends meet.

Armi Susandi from the National Council on Climate Change (DNPI) predicted that by 2100, 115 out of 18,000 islands in Indonesia would be submerged, rendering 800,000 homeless.

The DNPI also forecasted that 287 out of 5,345 square kilometers of Bali would be submerged by 2020. The total submerged area would double to 557 square kilometers by 2080.

"This will cause changes to fishery and agricultural patterns, and will badly influence the tourist sector," Armi said.

The DNPI is the country's focal point on climate change issues, it was set up under a Presidential decree and was tasked to coordinate policies and efforts to deal with climate change.

As the DNPI's executive chairman is no longer Rachmat Witoelar, many expressed doubt about the effectiveness of the council to tackle climate issues.

Rachmat, however brushed away the doubts saying there would be no changes in the council's role in dealing with climate change.

SBY to visit Malaysia to discuss migrant worker issues

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will soon visit Malaysia for talks on the protection of Indonesian migrant workers employed in the neighboring country.

While the fixed date for the trip has not been set, presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said Wednesday that issues surrounding the condition and fate of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia would be among the topics of discussion between leaders of the two countries.

The plan comes on the heel of the death of Indonesian domestic worker Muntik, 47, due to alleged abuse.

According to Dino, the President was “very concerned” about the death of Muntik and asked that justice would be upheld.

“Whatever her status, this [alleged abuse] is a crime. Her status is another problem. We hope the Malaysian government will take action against the perpetrators and bring them to justice in accordance with Malaysian law,” Dino said.

Muntik, from the East Java town of Jember, died at Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Selangor on Monday. She was allegedly abused by her employers. Antara reported that Muntik had been shaved bald, beaten with steel, and told to sleep inside a toilet.

The Malaysian police raided the house of Muntik’s employers and admitted her to the hospital following a report from an Indian-Malaysian lawyer.

In a press statement sent to The Jakarta Post, the Malaysian Foreign Affairs Ministry said the Malaysian government expressed its “deepest sympathy and condolences” to the family of Muntik and to Indonesians in general, and promised to take legal measures against the perpetrators.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to stress that the Government of Malaysia strongly condemns all forms of abuse against any workers, regardless of nationality or sector of employment.”

Greenpeace asks EU to help RI protect forests

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 10/28/2009 10:12 PM | National

From its “climate defender camp” in Riau, Greenpeace Indonesia has called on world leaders to help Indonesia protect its forest and to cut emissions in its fight against climate change.

The Greenpeace activists placed two large banners with portraits of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicholas Sarkozy in a peatland area in Riau ahead of the European Union leaders’ summit scheduled for Thursday in Brussels.

“The EU has accumulated a historical carbon debt by fuelling deforestation and forest degradation abroad. It is now the responsibility of European leaders to commit to substantial public funding to stop the last remaining tropical forests from going up in smoke,” Bustar Maitar, Greenpeace South East Asia forest campaigner, said in a statement.

Indonesia hosts the world’s third largest forested area with about 120 million hectares of rainforest. But the country also has the highest deforestation rate in the world with about 1.08 million hectares lost to widespread illegal logging, forest fires and farmland conversion.

Indonesia has promised to cut its emissions from the forestry sector by 26 percent by 2020.

“President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s words [on emissions reduction target of 26 percent] are a sign of hope for the millions of people who are already suffering the impacts of climate change,” Shailendra Yashwant, campaign director for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said.

“He needs financial assistance from developed countries to turn his commitments into action. The EU leaders must show leadership as he has and put their money where their mouth is.”

Saturday, October 24, 2009

The tolerant Tengger tribe


A tale of two religions: The Yandnya Kasada ceremony is celebrated not only by the Hindus, but also the Muslims living in and around the Bromo mountain. (JP/Indra Harsaputra)A tale of two religions: The Yandnya Kasada ceremony is celebrated not only by the Hindus, but also the Muslims living in and around the Bromo mountain. (JP/Indra Harsaputra)

At the foot of Mount Bromo, the sound of the dawn drums rose from several mosques in the middle of the Hindu Tengger settlements, as Hindus prepared for their annual Yadnya Kasada ceremony.

At the mosque, people prayed as another day of fasting began; in the Luhur Potent Temple, the shaman priests — the religious leaders of the Hindu Tenggerese — prayed too. Whatever their beliefs, all prayed devoutly, none disrupting the others.

The time of Yadnya Kasada is special for the Tenggerese because it is held every full moon in the month of kasodo (the tenth month). In this year, this festival fell on Sept. 5 and 6, coinciding with Ramadan.

But it causes no conflict in the community.

Although they have converted to Islam, Achmad Zaini, 35, a Ngadisari villager from Sukapura subdistrict, Probolinggo regency, and Satugia, 30, an Argosari villager from Senduro Lumajang subdistrict, still take part in Hindu rituals.

“Although I’ve now converted to Islam we still celebrate Kasada as our traditional ceremony,” Achmad says.

“It’s the same for any Tenggerese who are Christian. And there are plenty of Tenggerese Muslims who throw chickens, goats and flowers into the crater of Mount Bromo.”

Satugia also packed several kilograms of vegetables from his garden into sacks to be taken to the top of Mount Bromo. After performing dawn prayers, Satugia and several others got into a big truck for the hour-long drive to the famous mountain.

Early offering: A resident of Ngadisari village who is member of the East Javanese Tengger tribe takes an on foot journey to the Bromo crater for the Kasada ceremony.(JP/Indra Harsaputra)Early offering: A resident of Ngadisari village who is member of the East Javanese Tengger tribe takes an on foot journey to the Bromo crater for the Kasada ceremony.(JP/Indra Harsaputra)

“Before we had access to a vehicle, we used to walk from our village to the Bromo area, which took more than four hours. Now we’re too lazy to walk, because I might break my fast because of fatigue,” Satugia said.

According to tradition, offerings are thrown into the crater of Mount Bromo to recall the sacrifices of the ancestors, and to make offerings to the Almighty in return for blessings of fertility and security.

The Tenggerese believe that the Kusuma god, the son of Rara Anteng and Jaka Seger, who was sacrificed to the spirit of Mount Bromo, is their ancestor.

Sutomo, one of the elders of Argosari village in Lumajang said that most of the Tenggerese, who live in 19 villages and four regencies –Probolinggo, Lumajang, Pasuruan and Malang – are Hindu.

However, since the 1950s, many have converted to other religions, especially Islam and Christianity.

“Islam, and the other immigrant religions, entered in a peaceful manner and without any confrontation,” he said. “There are no conflicts in our society even though people have different beliefs.”

Sutomo is among the first generation of the Tenggerese-Lumajang who has embraced Islam. His father, Imam Supii, joined the Islamic Union Party.

Although his father was sympathetic with Islam, he did not convert. Sutomo joined the Islamic Youth Organization in 1962, although at that time he was a Tenggerese Hindu.

“In 1948, many scholars came to the Tenggerese settlement. I converted to Islam in 1971. Since then every year there have always been Tenggerese who have converted to Islam, whether because of marriage or because of personal awareness,” he said.

According to data from the Argosari village office, of the region’s 3,468 residents, 1,380 are Muslim.
Sutomo said Tenggerese who had embraced Islam had similar lives to Indonesia’s other Muslims, and many have joined Islamic organizations Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah.

What all the villagers have in common is their piety, whatever their faith.

“Like Bali, the Bromo area is visited by many tourists and all sorts of liquor are available. However, no villagers dare violate the customary rules that prohibit gambling, adultery, theft and drinking liquor. All the liquor is just for the tourists,” he said.

This piety, however, does not translate to fanaticism.

“There is no group such as the Islamic Defenders’ Front [FPI] or hard-line Islamic group here. And there are no raids or appeals in the fasting month for shops that sell liquor to close down for the fasting month. We also do not prohibit people to eat and drink in front of us when we are fasting,” he said.

Your offering, my treat: Lasmi Buwono, a Muslim resident of Sunogiri village near Bromo crater, goes home with a goat which was an offering from the Hindu Tengger tribe during Kasada ritual. (JP/Indra Harsaputra)Your offering, my treat: Lasmi Buwono, a Muslim resident of Sunogiri village near Bromo crater, goes home with a goat which was an offering from the Hindu Tengger tribe during Kasada ritual. (JP/Indra Harsaputra)

“Our customs and religious beliefs run in harmony here. We’re always open to religious differences, such as the rule of polygamy. Although Islam does not prohibit polygamy, all the Tenggerese have rejected polygamy,” he said.

Punishments apply to those who break social rules. According to Kartono Noto Raharjo, village head of Ngadas subdistrict in Sukapura Regency, any married man caught having an affair is fined 50 bags of cement, as is his co-offender; if the affair results in pregnancy, the couple is fined 100 bags of cement and expelled from the village in shame.

“This rule also applies to Tenggerese teenagers. If they are caught having sex before marriage they will be fined 50 bags of cement and made to marry.”

With one bag of cement priced at Rp 50,000 (US$5), the fines — up to Rp 5 million — are onerous, given the average monthly income of the Tenggerese is less than Rp 2 million.

Martiam, the village head of Argosari in Senduro subdistrict, Lumajang, also said there was no conflict or ill-feelings between Muslims and Tenggerese Hindu beliefs or those of other faiths.

“The Muslims here do not question their neighbors who follow different religions and look after dogs and sell food made from pork. We are used to dealing with stray dogs and occasionally they lick our feet,” he said.

During Idul Fitri, citizens embrace non-Muslims and offer hospitality, he said. And vice versa: During the Karo holidays or the Tenggerese holiday and Yadnya Kasada, Muslim citizens also celebrate.

“Whatever the religion, we believe that we are still Tenggerese and have a responsibility to maintain our heritage and traditions of our ancestors,” Martiam said.

“Although we follow different religions, we are still working in the rice fields together and we built a mosque by working together.”

Ayu Sutarto, a Jember scholar who has lived on the slopes of Bromo with the Tenggerese for five years, said that the Tenggerese community was like a miniature version of the Indonesian people who hold firmly to the values of Pancasila.

Despite their different beliefs, the Tenggerese society is friendly and open.

“Although they hold onto their traditions strongly, they are very tolerant about the differences,”
he said.

“There are never any conflicts related to religion there. There is no exclusion of Tenggerese people who choose to embrace another faith, whether Muslim or Christian.”

Benowo residents advised not to drink `polluted' well water

Residents living near the Benowo dump site in Surabaya have been warned against consuming ground water from their wells, which the local environment agency said have been polluted by waste from the landfill.

"We have conducted several research projects on the residents' wells and found that their wells contained poisonous substances, which could endanger their health," East Java environment agency head Dewi Putriani said recently.

Speaking in Surabaya, East Java, she said water from the wells around the landfill site could not be consumed, as it could potentially cause brain cancer.

Dewi said the pollution was produced by alkali-tainted water from the garbage infiltrating the soil and then streaming into the river when it rained. "As well as polluting wells and rivers, the alkali can be absorbed by plant roots. It will be dangerous if alkali is absorbed by - for example - spinach, which is then consumed by people," she said.

"It will endanger their health, just as if they consume water from wells around the landfill," she added.

The pollution was actually detected in 2004, when fish in ponds around the landfill site were found dead. People around Benowo had previously protested against the moving of the garbage dump from Keputih to Benowo, but their demands went unheeded. Dewi said the condition of the Benowo landfill was getting worse as it had to hold all the garbage produced by some 3.7 million households in Surabaya.

The existence of the Benowo landfill is vital for city residents after the Keputih dump site in Surabaya was closed in 2001. Since then, all household garbage has been dumped at the Benowo landfill. The city's households produce 2,500 tons of garbage per day; however, Benowo can only accommodate 1,400 tons per day.

Dewi said this inability to manage the waste properly had caused residents' wells to become polluted by dangerous materials or liquids.

The Surabaya municipal administration has built waste processing installations and introduced several programs to alleviate the problem, including encouraging residents in the city to separate wet and dry garbage. However, the programs are not yet effective enough to overcome the city's waste disposal problem, as the volume of garbage continues to increase in line with the increasing number of local residents.

Surabaya waste and sanitation management head Aditya Wasita said, with its daily capacity of 1,400 tons of garbage, the 37,000-hectare Benowo landfill site was expected to be full within the next four or five years.

I LOVE YOU?


New FM expected to lift RI’s profile

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Save me from myself

Yoz Tanuwiria | Sun, 10/18/2009 11:58 AM | Discover

Recently I was watching Bride Wars (I know, this is not a particular kind of movie a guy might watch) but believe me, it turned out to be more than just a movie. It was fodder and inspiration for this month's column.

The movie may be filled with a lot of comedy scenes to balance its message. The scenes when the two brides / best-friends play one another along, thinking that both want to be more "prominent" than the other.

Liv (the blonde bride) turned Emma's (the brunette bride) skin orange, a week before she got married, and Emma dyed Liv's hair blue a day before her important meeting with clients - which resulted in her dismissal.

With a seamless touch by a great director, these provocative incidents were turned into box-office attractions. However, in real life you might feel "betrayed" if your best-friend behaved like that.

The idea of "overpowering others" has been with us ever since humans hungered for dominance. Selfishness may come from various sources, but its outcomes have never been good.

Selfishness has an array of consequences ranging from unhappiness to hatred, and even to the point of personal vendetta.

Feuding, winning, being the only one in the spotlight. what's it all about? Is our life like some kind of an American Idol contest, where the judge announces the verdict and that's it - that's your life for the next half century?? NO WAY!

Take a look at the Capulets and Montagues (from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet) from the 16th century. They ended up losing both their children because they couldn't settle things. The same thing is happening now within our nation. The politicians sitting in office are aiming more for personal gain than the needs of citizens.

Our nation's is now in jeopardy of losing its trust for each other and the government won't run as it's supposed to in such circumstances. These two examples indicate that no matter what era we live in, selfishness accomplishes nothing.

I was reminded by the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu who, at an event, The Clinton Global Initiatives 2006, said: "God created humans differently to make us realize our needs for one another."

If we are selfish, we are in breach of that rule. The rule gives us an indication about the possibility of achieving peace, of an enemy-less world, with harmony and compassion.

It's so easy to hurt others. But to mend the hurts, takes forever. Think of how many wrinkles and grey hairs you could prevent if you could take this life just a bit easier. Stop just for a second to appreciate the world around you. Be less paranoid that not all people (including yourself) are planning someone's downfall. It's too distressing a thought even to mention. Then just imagine carrying that same thought in your brain for..Think of your age times 12 months. Isn't that just a suicidal attempt?

It's not others who are your worst enemy. It is YOU with all your self-seeking intentions, and a security device controlling your emotions gone kaput. Go fix it before it's too late.

Lombok celebrates Chinese New Year


Lombok is an island that boasts a variety of cultures and religions, all mingling together to create a fascinating blend of people, and resulting in a series of celebrations and festivals throughout the year.

The majority of the population of Lombok are the indigenous Sasak people, who practice a moderate form of Islam, often blended with old animist traditions and beliefs that existed on the island before the advent of organized religion. On the west coast and in the cities, live large communities of Balinese, whose predecessors settled in Lombok in the 17th century, and who still practice their colorful form of Hinduism. Communities of Arab settlers, Bugis seafarers, Christians from Flores and, of course, many Chinese whose families have settled throughout Indonesia over the centuries, all live together in harmony on this idyllic island.

On Jan. 26, Lombok's Chinese communities will be celebrating the Chinese New Year. These celebrations in Indonesia incorporate beliefs and practices brought to Indonesia by Chinese immigrants who still follow traditions handed down from their parents.

Chinese New Year (also called the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year) is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first New Moon in the Chinese calendar (Jan. 26) and ends on the 15th day (called the Lantern Festival), on Feb. 9.

As the Chinese year 2008 was signified as the "Year of the Rat", 2009 (or the year 4707 in the Chinese calendar), begins the "Year of the Earth Ox".

Last year Lombok was treated to a fantastic cultural performance to celebrate Chinese New Year. The celebration of Chinese New Year in itself was a unique event as, in the past under restrictive Indonesian laws, no Chinese celebrations or Chinese national holidays were acknowledged or allowed to be publicly celebrated. It is only since 2002 that Chinese New Year was officially declared a public holiday in Indonesia.

The event, organized by Sahara Restaurant & Club and The Lombok Guide, was originally planned to be a low-key inaugural celebration, featuring a dragon dance through the center of Senggigi. However, the event turned into much more - thanks to the amazing skills and performance of a little-known Barongsai or Dragon/Lion Dance troupe, based here in Lombok.

The Chinese New Year celebrations started on the beachfront at the Senggigi Beach Hotel, where the hotel was celebrating with a special Chinese buffet and New Year party. Guests were treated to a fantastic demonstration of traditional and modern Chinese martial arts, featuring some top athletes, all trained in Lombok. The highlight of the evening was the Lion Dance, performed by two agile and highly entertaining "lions", in a skilful display of athleticism and theater.

From the hotel, the Barongsai troupe progressed to Sahara Restaurant & Club in Senggigi Plaza, where a large crowd of local Indonesians, tourists and resident Chinese were waiting. There the crowd of around 100 were treated to another wonderful Lion Dance performance, accompanied by drumming and traditional music. Eager local Chinese fed traditional red envelopes containing money into the mouths of the hungry dragons, much to the delight of everyone watching. Chinese belief is that the Barongsai bring good luck on New Year and red envelopes are traditionally offered to the Barongsai when they visit.

From Senggigi Plaza, the parade continued to Senggigi Jaya Supermarket for more blessings and envelopes, and then proceeded along the main street of Senggigi, gathering a crowd of excited spectators who followed them to Restaurant Taman for another performance in front of surprised guests of the restaurant. The procession then danced and drummed their way to Square Restaurant in Senggigi Square, where another New Year celebration was taking place, before making their way back down the main street and home. All in all, it was a highly successful first-time celebration of Chinese New Year in Senggigi which brought a diverse range of people and cultures together!

This year, many of Lombok's hotels are planning celebrations and offering special accommodation packages to welcome Chinese New Year again. Be sure to check out the buffet theme dinners that will feature delicious Chinese foods and, hopefully, you'll be lucky enough to feed a friendly dragon or lion as it dances its way into the New Year.

Sam Cutler: Rural Bali still magnetic



The Jakarta Post | Thu, 10/15/2009 10:50 AM | Surfing Bali

If you are the owner of Keith Richard’s — yeah of the Rolling Stones — guitar, you’d imagine you could live just about anywhere in the world you chose.

Former tour manager for Stones, Sam Cutler, is the owner of one of Richard’s guitars, along with a collection of other guitar-greats that would make a sane R and B enthusiast sob with envy.

And Cutler would give them all up in a heartbeat to grow veggies on a wide, mountain ringed valley in Bali.

Cutler, best known for his management of The Rolling Stones American tour in 1969 that climaxed in the murder of gun wielding Meredith Hunter by Hell’s Angels at the 1969 Altamont tour, has lived all over the world and his discovery of Bali a week ago has left him gob-smacked.

“Look at that, ooh it’s so beautiful,” says Cutler on a drive through Klungkung Regency in Bali’s southeast. “It’s all so rich. You can feel it. Over that hill there, on the other side, I can feel the ridge to the valley below. It’s so, so beautiful. I will live here — give me 18 months and I’ll be sorted,”
Cutler left his British home at 15 years of age and headed to India. You can already guess his character, “How did my mother feel about it; well she only rented me,” says Cutler of the woman he admires, most probably, the most of anyone in his — to date 65 years span.

The run from England’s grizzling-grey post war rationing to Cutler’s imagined sunny, hashish loaded freshly post-Colonial India was a good several thousand plus or minus kilometers across seas and unknown lands.

“You must remember, England had a long history with India and drugs like hashish. I first mucked around with the drugs tobacco and hashish at 13. Well, it was that, really, in that awful grey post-war England, or child suicide,” says Cutler matter-of-factly during an Ubud Writers and Readers Festival ‘In Conversation’ with authors session.

Bali dreaming: Author and Rolling Stones 1969 tour manager Sam Cutler calls Bali “home”.Bali dreaming: Author and Rolling Stones 1969 tour manager Sam Cutler calls Bali “home”.

He stopped his run in Turkey instead. Not a bad performance for a 15 year-old Brit.

From there Cutler has moved to many a country. One of his favorites, before he discovered Bali this week, was Spain.

“I had a 400 year-old home there. No electricity, well it was 400 years old. I used a 12 volt car battery and set up a car’s headlight to read by and then we had what they called in Europe, Aladdin’s Lamps.

They give off such a mellow color — a warm yellow light. And we had a gas fridge [refrigerator]. I really think that’s the way to go – gas for fridges are marvelous — it’s all over Spain now.”

Cutler has, momentarily, ceased his inter-continental wanderings, wandering instead across the world’s largest island and smallest continent, Australia, by bus.

“At the moment I’m living in a bus near Byron Bay. But give me 18 months and I will have found my place in Bali. It really is all so beautiful and I’m now 65 and writing, so growing veggies and living in a simple house, solar power and warm rain — not the cold rain of England — will do me nicely,” says the world traveler that played a bass note in rock and roll history, and a brave English lad to boot.

Nusa Dua Fiesta 2009



Venue: Nusa Dua, Bali - Date: Sat, 10/17/2009 - Wed, 10/21/2009

Nusa Dua Fiesta 2009 presents:

Nusa Dua Golf Tournament, 2nd Garuda Indonesia Bali International Marathon, Kebo Iwa Colosal Dance by Padma Nara Swara Art Studio (Guruh Soekarno Putra), Traditional Wedding Make-up Competition recorded by MURI, Coral Reef Restoration, Turtle Released, Green Camp Hosted by Dik Doank and Fun Games & Competitions.

Canada helps Islamic leadership in Indonesia

Canada has donated C$13.5 million (Rp 122.77 billion) to Indonesia to boost the quality of Islamic leadership in the world’s most populous Muslim country, the Canadian Embassy in Jakarta said in a statement.

Canadian Ambassador to Indonesia, Mackenzie Clugston, and Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs, Maftuh Basyuni, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Friday “to build the capacity of several Islamic institutions of higher learning in Indonesia and ensure their outreach functions well with local communities”.

The MoU, the embassy added, also aimed to build the capacity of the Religious Affairs Ministry, “in order to effectively integrate democratic governance practices and issues in their strategies, programs and budgets”.

“This important project will help further strengthen the long-standing relationship between Canada and Indonesia which has led to a greater mutual understanding of our respective cultures, values, and principles,” the ambassador was quoted as saying.

“Based upon a very long and strong partnership that exists between our two governments I believe this project has the potential to be a great success.”

Under the Supporting Islamic Leadership in Indonesia (SILE) project, the funds will be mostly used to develop Sultan Alauddin State Islamic University in Makassar, South Sulawesi, and the Sunan Ampel State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN) in Surabaya, East Java.

The project will last for six years and include three elements: enhancing community level participation, strengthening the UIN/IAIN’s internal management and technical assistance to the Religious Affairs Ministry’s planning and gender mainstreaming, the statement said.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Blowing smoke: City targets polluting vehicles

Car owners in Jakarta must ensure their vehicles pass emissions tests or risk being ticketed, as the Jakarta administration gets ready to team up with traffic police to enforce the ruling from next month.

“Starting in November, we’ll ticket the owner of any public or private vehicle that doesn’t have a sticker saying it has passed an emissions test,” Ridwan Panjaitan, head of the Jakarta Environmental Management Agency’s (BPLHD) law enforcement unit, said Thursday.

He added police would also confiscate driver’s licenses and vehicle registration documents from non-compliant car owners.

Vehicle exhaust emissions account for 70 percent of air pollution in Jakarta, the world’s eighth most polluted city.

Ridwan said the enforcement, stipulated in a 2005 bylaw on air pollution, had been delayed because the administration needed time to educate the public and prepare the garage and mechanics needed for the tests.

He added there were 238 garage and 568 mechanics across the city certified to carry out the tests.

Agus Saleh, the manager of a certified garage on Jl. Fatmawati, South Jakarta, said he had ordered the stickers from the BPLHD but had not received any.

“We’re just waiting for the stickers,” he said.

Andrew Tanuji, the owner of a certified garage in Mangga Besar, West Jakarta, likewise had no
stickers.

“I haven’t received the stickers I ordered,” he said, adding he only had 100 leftover stickers from last year.

Andrew said he doubted the BPLHD would be serious about mandating the obligatory emissions tests.

“Last year, the BPLHD said they would impose the ruling in January [this year], but they’ve delayed it,”
he said.

He added many car owners were not aware of the November deadline to have the emissions tests done, pointing out there had been no increase in demand for the tests at his garage.

Ridwan said that from Oct. 20-29, the Jakarta administration would hold free emissions tests on several main thoroughfares.

Motorists without a sticker will be subject to on-site tests. If a car fails the test, the owner will get a formal warning to fix their car at a certified garage.

Antasari’s indictment ‘sleazy fairy tale


Lawyers for former antigraft leader Antasari Azhar have called the indictment of their client, replete with graphic descriptions of a sex scene involving key witness Rhani Juliani, “a sleazy...

A strong earthquake measuring 6.1 SR Struck Makasar, Sulawesi

A strong earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale struck Southeast Sulawesi early Friday local time, the U.S. Geological Survey has reported.

The quake hit at 2:33 a.m. Friday local time.

It struck at a depth of six miles and had its epicenter about 135 miles north-northeast of Baubau.

An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck off West Sumatra in Indonesia on Sept. 30 and killed more than 1,100 people and leaving around 90,000 homeless.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Incredible foreign help

The Jakarta Post | Fri, 10/09/2009 11:29 AM | Opinion

Every school child knows that this country is rich and beautiful. Less known to them is the country’s vulnerability to disasters as this has been less emphasized in the classroom. When schoolchildren become adults, this lack of awareness sticks.

This is part of the reason why we tend to be slow in tackling disasters like the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that rocked West Sumatra on Sept. 30 killing more than 1,000 people, destroying thousands of buildings and devastating scores of towns and villages.

It took the President two days before he let foreign help come in. During that time-lapse, victims had been buried under tons of rubbles breathing dusty air in scorching heat and very cold at night.

Relatives of the victims stood helplessly nearby as their loved ones fought fear, hunger and thirst. For them, one second was hell and one minute could make the difference between life and death.

Fortunately, help from the international community soon poured in after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono gave the green light.

They promptly reinforced our search and rescue teams who had toiled into the night and who had to work without adequate equipment.

Hence, it is comforting for Indonesia and the people of West Sumatra in particular to learn that helping others is still strong valued among the international community.

Instant help has come from virtually every corner of the globe including China, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and others.

And not only from governments but also from groupings like the United Nations, the European Union, ASEAN as well as various local and foreign non-government organizations.

Even an ongoing festival in the city of Ohio in the US decided to raise disaster relief donations for Indonesia.

It was reminiscent of the help we received in the 2004 Aceh tsunami. The Aceh and Nias rehabilitation agency (BRR) recorded this help in a series of books launched recently, wrapping up its four-year work.

One of those books noted that “individuals of every race, religion, culture and political persuasion across each and every continent worldwide, along with governments, the private sector, non-government organizations and other national and international bodies, reacted in an unprecedented show of human concern and compassion.”

Help from more than 15 countries, 50 NGOs and thousands of social workers poured into Aceh after the Boxing-day tsunami. The agency noted that most of the US$7.2 billion pledged was converted into real commitments, an unprecedented achievement in disaster management.

This wave of human compassion is repeating itself in West Sumatra and in Jambi, which was rocked by no less violent an earthquake a day after the one that hit Padang. Apart from reducing the pain on the ground, the work of our foreign friends has helped reinforce our trust in humanity.

For all their generous assistance, it is appropriate for us to say a big thank you. Our thanks will never be enough to repay our indebtedness.

It is best if we could help ourselves more. For this reason we urge the government to streamline its disaster mitigation body to face future disasters, including raising awareness among our people that ours is a disaster prone country.

Police : Terrorist suspects siblings

Police said Friday the two terror suspects shot dead in a raid earlier in the day and one captured are siblings from the same family.


Police arrested Fajar in Bekasi, West Java, prior to the raid on a boarding house in Ciputat, South Tangerang, where two suspects were shot dead after throwing three pipe bombs at officers.

Police believe the two terrorist suspects killed were M. Syahrir and his younger brother Syaifuddin Zuhri. Fajar is the youngest of the three.

Their brother-in-law, Ibrohim, was a terror suspect killed in a raid in Temanggung, Central Java, in August.

Residents living near the boarding house said Fajar rented a room at the house last month, while Zuhri and Syahrir joined him about a week ago. (bbs)

Sumatera Deat toll at over 800 and feared to be a thousand


West Sumatra earthquake death toll rose to 803 by Friday night the provincial Natural Disaster Management Board (Satkorlak) has reported. The number is expected to rise in the coming days.


Satkorlak reported that 359 people and 312 others died in Padang Pariaman and Padang City, respectively, two areas worst hit by the 7.6-magnitude quake last week.

The board also recorded 891 residents suffering from major wounds and 1,365 from minor injuries, kompas.com reported. Some 241 people are still missing and presumed dead.

As many as 133,739 homes were destroyed, 60,831 moderately damaged and 65,492 others suffered minor damages.

Cultural, Photo Exhibition on Ubud Festival

A full-day workshop on batik is scheduled to be held on the fourth day of the annual Ubud Writers and Readers Festival today, to give participants knowledge on one of the iconic art forms of Bali.

Renown Batik artist Nyoman Suradnya will tell the story of batik and demonstrate the tools, materials and techniques needed to produce a piece of batik cloth.

This workshop will start at 10 a.m at Nomad Cafe, Ubud.

Today's festival will also include a photo exhibition showcasing works of emerging young Indonesian photographers.

Taken from different areas of photographic spectrum, they represent the future of Indonesian photography.

The "Image makers of the future" exhibition is scheduled to be held from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m at Alila Ubud.

Another special event is a lunch session with Indonesian writers: NH Dini, Laksmi Pamuntjak, Dede Oetomo and Nurhady Sirimorok, that will be an occasion to delve into Indonesian literature while enjoying the country's finest dishes.

This session will start on 12:30 p.m at Maya Ubud Resort and Spa.

At today's festival, the International Publishers Forum will bring together around 15 publishers from Asia-Pacific and give opportunity for authors and translators to speak directly to them about the possibility of publishing their works.

"Meet the Publishers" forum is going to be held in Bhagawan starting 10 a.m.

Four books are also set for launching on the festival today.

Singapore-born American author Wena Poon will launch her romance titled The Proper Care of Foxes, on 1 p.m at Casa Luna.

Located at Four Seasons Sayan at 6 p.m, there will be a launching of "Not a Muse", an anthology about the 21st century woman featuring more than 100 poets from 24 countries.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Aburazal Bakri to be a new Golkar Leader


Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Aburizal Bakrie was elected the new chairman of the Golkar Party early on Thursday, paving the way for the much-anticipated alliance with the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Aburizal secured 296 votes to edge out closest rival Surya Paloh who collected 240 votes for the post relinquished by Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Tuesday. Two other candidates – House of Representatives lawmaker Yuddy Chrisnandi and former president Soeharto’s son Hutomo “Tommy” Mandala Putra – were voteless.

Organizers of the Golkar’s national congress in the Riau capital city of Pekanbaru registered 538 eligible voters for the election.

Aburizal, former House speaker Agung Laksono and former Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung hugged each other as they celebrated the victory, Antara reported.

“Congratulation, congratulation,” Surya told Aburizal, who will lead Golkar for the next five years.

In his acceptance speech, Aburizal said he would dedicate his time for the party to help revive its past glory.

Aburizal had previously said he would choose party jobs over government post if elected the Golkar chief.

Speculation has been rife that Yudhoyono will allocate at least two ministerial posts for Golkar in exchange for its support for the next government.

A strong earthquake struck south of the Philippine


A strong earthquake struck south of the Philippines on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey reported.

The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.7 and was located in the Celebes Sea, 175 miles southeast of Jolo, Sulu Archipelago, and 730 miles south of Manila. The quake hit at 5:41 p.m. EDT, or 5:41 a.m. Thursday local time.

USGS did not report any damages or injuries.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Indonesian Migrant Workers (TKI) pay high price to work abroad


Indonesian migrant workers have to pay agencies a year's salary to find employment in Taiwan, and about six months' salary to move to Malaysia or Singapore, states the 2009 Human Development Report launched on Monday.

Asian migrants moving to the Gulf often pay 25 to 30 percent of what they expect to earn over two to three years in recruitment and other type of fees, the report's lead author, Jeni Klugman, said.

She added that under the agreements struck between the governments of Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, recruitment fees were equivalent to four or five months' salary, processing time averaged about four months, and 15 per cent of wages were withheld pending the migrant's return home.

"In contrast, smugglers reportedly charge the equivalent of one month's salary. Given these differences, it is not surprising that only 26 percent of migrant workers in Thailand were registered in 2006."

The report, commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), showed that both internal and international migration involved extensive official documentation, which could inhibit mobility or lead to illegal migration.

While there are large numbers of licensed recruitment agencies, 1,500 in the Philippines and close to 2,000 in India, many ignore the legal caps set on fees charged for their services.

"The difference between wages at home and expected wages abroad is perhaps the most important determinant of the price of recruitment agency services," the report said.

"People with less skills and who are poorer are more likely to move. But with the current economic downturn, there has been a decrease in demand for migrant workers," the report says, adding that unequal opportunities were a major driver of economic migration.

Indonesia has an emigration rate of 0.9 percent. The major continent of destination for migrants from Indonesia is Asia with 77.5 percent emigrants living there.

The US is host to nearly 40 million international migrants - more than any other country. However, as a share of total population, Qatar has the most migrants - with more than 4 in every 5 person being a migrant. Indonesia has 135,600 representing 0.1 percent of the total population.

Remittances are unequally distributed. Of the total US$370 billion remitted in 2007, more than half went to countries in the medium-human-development category, against less than 1 percent to low-development countries. In 2007, Indonesia received $6,174 million in remittances, with an average remittance of $27 per person, compared to $108 for the OECD.

Bali : Ketupat War



Residents hurl tipat or ketupat (boiled rice wrapped in woven palm leaf pouch) during an annual traditional war at Kapal village, Badung, Bali, on Monday.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Thousands people feared died after powerful earthquake in Pandang


Sinking feeling: Dozens of injured victims receive medical treatment at makeshift tents erected outside Padang’s Dr. M Djamil Hospital (right below), which also suffered major damage in Tuesday’s 7.6-magnitude quake. JP/J. Adiguna

The death toll from Wednesday's powerful earthquake in West Sumatra is believed to be in the thousands, as rescue teams struggle to dig people out of the rubble of buildings.

The Social Services Ministry’s crisis center said Thursday at least 529 people had been confirmed dead and 440 seriously wounded, while Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari said in Jakarta before flying to Padang that the death toll could hit the thousands, given the widespread destruction.

“There are still thousands of victims buried or trapped under the debris of collapsed buildings,” West Sumatra disaster mitigation task force secretary Sudirman Gani said in the provincial capital Padang.

They may have died instantly when the 7.6-magnitude quake toppled hundreds of buildings across the bustling port city of 1 million people, he added.

Until late Thursday hundreds gathered around a building where some 60 elementary and high school students were attending extra-curricular lessons when the quake hit, sharing the despair and hope of parents watching the search and rescue work.

“We still heard cries for help as of last night but we can’t hear them today,” said Refi Effendi of the Padang police, detik.com reported.

The quake was felt across Sumatra, including in Medan, Bengkulu and Jambi, as well as in Malaysia and Singapore.

A series of aftershocks has hit the affected cities, while another powerful earthquake jolted Jambi early Thursday morning, killing at least one person and damaging 1,100 homes in the hardest hit district of Gunung Raya, local officials said.

The 7.0-magnitude quake hit at around 8:52 a.m., with the epicenter located 46 kilometers southeast of Sungaipenuh, Jambi, at a depth of 10 kilometers, said the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.

Jambi’s Kerinci regency spokesman Amirsyam said many residents stayed out of their homes after the latest quake, while officials set up tents and public kitchens for displaced people.

Back in Padang, telephone connections were patchy, making it hard for rescuers to work out the extent of the destruction and loss of life.

“I've been through quakes here before, and this was the worst,” American Greg Hunt, at the Padang airport, told Reuters.

“There’s blood everywhere, people with their limbs cut off. We saw buildings collapse, people dying.”
A Reuters reporter in the city said rescuers were pulling people from buildings, but there was little sign of much aid being distributed yet.

Fuel was also in short supply and there was a report of looting, while some shops had run out of food.
President Susilo Bambang Yudho-yono, who visited Padang on Thursday to see the devastation, said the country could coordinate the relief efforts itself, but welcomed help from abroad.

Australia, South Korea and Japan were among nations offering aid or help.

The President ordered the military to deploy emergency response teams from Jakarta, West Sumatra and North Sumatra.

A day after it was struck by the quake, Padang remained without electricity, state power firm PT
PLN said.

“Major power substations in Lubuk Alung, Padang Industrial Park, Pauh Limo and Simpang Haru are still down,” PLN corporate communications head Ario Subijoko said in Jakarta.

Padang’s Minangkabau International Airport was operating, although most of the people there were camped out on prayer mats after fleeing the city.

Many people trying to get a flight to West Sumatra were disappointed after arriving at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Thursday because tickets on all flights to Padang had sold out.

Syahrial, a would-be passenger, said he had asked at all the airlines' ticket counters at the airport and at several travel agents, but to no avail.

“I'll likely travel by bus to my hometown in West Sumatra, because I’m really concerned about my family and friends in Pariaman,” he said.

He added he had tried to contact his family in Pariaman since Wednesday, but mobile phone communication links were down.

Malaysia congratulates RI over Batik

Official delegations from the Malaysian government congratulated Indonesia over the handmade batik that had just been listed as world heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Minister of Culture and Tourism Jero Wacik said on Friday.

UNESCO has officially declared that Indonesia's batik as one of the world heritage during a ceremony in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

"Delegations from Malaysia came to Abu Dhabi (to attend the UNESCO ceremony). They congratulated Indonesia's delegations after the ceremony," Jero told Antara news agency during the inauguration of People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) members.

He said that all 114 UNESCO member countries had agreed that batik was Indonesia's contribution to world heritage.

Jero said that he was very happy and proud after noticing that Malaysia had congratulated Indonesia over the batik.

Jero suggested that Indonesia citizens wear batik all the time.

"After batik, our next job is angklung and gamelan (Indonesia's traditional music instruments)," he said.

Prior to batik, UNESCO has also named keris (a traditional Javanese dagger) and wayang (puppets) as Indonesia's world heritage.

Indonesia had competed against other batik producing countries, like Malaysia, to be included on UNESCO's world heritage list.

Hallo Phenomenon on Friday Prayer seen in Padang after earthquake



Padang
- West Sumatra, people surprised with Halo Phenomenon, the sun seen surrounded by rainbow in ring form.
" That is a unique rainbow. we have to stop and see it".
Said the driver to his friend at main road heading to Ganting area, Padang, Friday, 2/10/2009."

The residents also rush out from their houses to see this rare event.

"That is a Hallo Ring," said a residents while they on the way to Friday Prayer held on yard of Gantiang Mosque which is collapsed after 7.6 magnitute.

Aid for Sumatra Quake Relief are Welcome





Disaster strikes without a notice. So did the powerful earthquake that rattled western Java at around 3 p.m. Wednesday. The 7.3-magnitude quake was strong enough to knock down houses, killing dozens of people and injure many more in several West Java towns.

According to a statement from the National Disaster Management Agency, the powerful quake severely damaged at least 11,000 houses and at least another 13,000 others in 10 towns were slightly damaged. It forced around 3,000 people to flee their homes.

On Thursday, financial aid began to pour in for the quake victims, including food, medicine and water from various government agencies and the private sector.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Indonesian Song " Bersama Bintang"




Gratisan Musik

Indonesian Batik's Day


Jakarta is set to become an ocean of batik this Friday, with the city administration officially calling upon all residents to wear batik in recognition of UNESCO's decision to add the traditional dyeing technique to its list of elements of intangible cultural heritage.

The administration sent a formal request to all government offices and private companies in the city to ask their employees to wear batik on Oct. 2, the date when UNESCO will officially announce the listing, deputy governor for culture and tourism affairs, Aurora Frida Tambunan, said Monday.

"We hope this will inspire many city residents to join in and show their support for the listing," she told reporters.

Aurora said she also expected to see many students and those working in service and tourism sectors wearing batik.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has also asked Indonesians to wear batik on Friday.

The listing, which will give the age-old tradition of batik technology some degree of protection under a UNESCO charter, will be made official at an event in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, between Sep. 28 and Oct. 2.

To celebrate the listing, the Jakarta Culture and Tourism Agency has also arranged a number of special offers for city residents.

Head of the agency, Arie Budhiman, said all residents could enter any city-run museums between Oct. 3 and Oct. 7 free of charge, provided they were wearing batik outfits.

"This is our way of appreciating them," Arie said.

Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta is also ready to give free admission to visitors wearing batik on Oct. 5.

Meanwhile, Ancol recreational complex in North Jakarta will give visitors wearing batik a 40 or 50 percent discount on admission to selected facilities.

The government's call to wear batik has gained significant support from the Internet community and business people.

As of Monday evening, for example, more than 3,000 people had joined a Facebook group "Mari Bersama Pakai Batik Tgl. 2 Okt 2009" (Let's wear batik on Oct. 2, 2009).

Indonesian Shopping Center Association chairman Stefanus Ridwan welcomed the call and said he would forward it on to members so they could ask their employees and tenants to wear batik on Friday.

Batik is a wax-resistant dyeing technique used on textiles.

Due to modern advances in the textile industry, the term "batik" is also used to refer to fabrics incorporating traditional batik patterns that are not necessarily produced using traditional batik techniques.

Historically, Indonesians, wore batik on formal occasions.

Nowadays batik has become increasingly popular even among younger generations, with batik factories producing more wearer-friendly and fashionable batik clothing.

In Indonesia, batik is said to have originated from Javanese courts, but several other regions have their own styles of batik.

Batik is widely worn in neighboring countries Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand and has also been discovered in archeological remains from ancient Egypt dating back to the fourth century BCE.

Rp. 6.76 T = Usd. 670M means for Our people


The government has argued the fund to bail out Bank Century came from the Deposit Insurance Agency (LPS), and not from the state fund. However, the initial capital of Rp 4 trillion to set up the LPS came from the state budget, which is made up of 70 percent taxpayer money.

Should the LPS's capital decline to less than Rp 4 trillion due to the costs of salvaging banks, the government is required to inject more capital into the agency from the state budget, according to the LPS law.

The LPS has Rp 18 trillion of managed funds as of July 31, invested in Bank Indonesia certificates and state bonds.

The following is a list of what the Bank Century bailout cost translates into for most Indonesians:

1. The fund can be spent building 13,520 single-story elementary schools with six classrooms outside Jakarta.

2. The fund is almost seven times the Rp 1 trillion that the government allocated to supply schools with US$200 computers.

3. The fund is equal to two Russian-made kilo-class submarines, or 15 Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets.

4. The fund is the equal to the amount of money the Jakarta administration has allocated to manage waste until 2015.

5. The fund is more than enough to finance the uncompleted Jakarta monorail project, with Rp 1.9 trillion to spare.

6. The fund is equal to the Public Works Ministry's allocation this year to construct irrigation networks for the agricultural sector.

7. The fund is equal to the Public Works Ministry's allocation this year to construct new national-scale roads in Sumatra and Java.

8. The fund is equal to the annual remittances of 50,000 Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong.

Miyabi Japanese porn Star banned ?


KUDUS, Central Java: As debate rages over the planned visit to Indonesia by Japanese porn star Maria “Miyabi” Ozawa, Communications and Information Minister Mohammad Nuh has said no one can stop her from coming to the country.

“As long as she doesn’t do any porn activity in Indonesia, then legally, [her visit] can’t be prohibited,” Nuh said recently in Kudus, Central Java, as reported by newsportal detik.com.

Several religious groups have protested against Miyabi’s plan to visit Jakarta in October to shoot a film titled Menculik Miyabi (Kidnapping Miyabi). The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has warned that Miyabi must never enter Indonesia, with MUI chairman Ma’aruf Amin saying Miyabi’s reputation as a porn star could have an adverse effect on Indonesians.

Nuh noted that the group’s opposition Miyabi is not about hatred, but is merely a call for morality.

“So we should also respect the opinions of those who oppose [the visit],” Nuh said, adding that it would have been better if the controversial plan hadn’t been made in the first place.

“Creativity must not ignore social sensibility,” he said. — JP

West Sumatra’s Padang Disaster


Thousands of people are feared to remain trapped under the rubbles of buildings destroyed by the 7.6-magnitude earthquake that rocked West Sumatera on Wednesday afternoon at 17.35. the death toll at least 75 people dead and other still missing.

West Sumatra’s Padang Disaster Task Force chief Dedi Hadinal said Thursday morning that among the victims are those trapped under the rubles of two story buildings or even high rise buildings.

Among them are guests at Hotel Ambacang on Jl. Bundo Kanduang at the center of Padang town, Damar Plaza shopping market and LIA language course building on Jl. Ketip Sulaiman and Adira Finance office on Jl. Sawahan and BNI bank office on Jl. Imam Bonjol.

Dedi said that about 200 guests at Hotel Ambacang are still unaccounted for, and they are assumed to be trapped under the hotel’s ruins.

In addition, Dedi estimated there were many other victims trapped in the rubbles of two-story shop houses in Padang.