TVOne's Jakarta Lawyers Club talk show last night surprised me when the host Karni Ilyas invited Ali Imron, one of the terrorists who was responsible for the suicide bombing in Bali.now serving life time prison sentence, to speak via teleconference.
Although Ali Imron spoke through a television set, however it gave him as a prison convict, a very rare chance to talk an audience of millions of TVOne's viewers.
Claiming that he is still a terrorist, Ali Imron said that the recent Book Bomb terror and plan to bomb the Gas pipeline in Serpong on Good Friday were carried out by new generation of terrorists, and the 200 Kilograms of explosive they used were only materials for Fire Crackers, thus its destructive potential is very much lower compared to that of a TNT bomb.
He suggested anyone who wish to fight terrorists should meet and talk to him first if they want to succeed because as a terrorist he is the best person to seek advice for fighting terrorists.
The talk show was attended by the Chief of State Anti Terrorists Agency Asyaad Mbai, Chairman of NU, Chairman of the Indonesian Church Council Nathan Setiabudi, former Chairman of Muhammadiyah Safei Maarif, former leader of the Jamaah Islamiya Nasir Abbas, and many lawyers.
Considering that Ali Imron still proudly claim that he is a terrorist, I hope that our security agencies would be much more careful next time before they allow him to appear and talk in public.We do not want him to control activities of other terrorists from jail, the same way that jailed drug dealers control their retailers outside.
Showing posts with label Bali. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bali. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Happy Nyepi Saka 1933
Nyepi is a "Day of Silence" carried out by the Hindu people in the Island of Bali to commemorate every Saka New Year which this year is on 5 March. It is a Day of Silence, Fasting and Meditation from 6 a.m that day until 6 a.m the following morning.
Nyepi is reserved for self-reflection and as such, anything that might interfere with that purpose is prohibited. The main prohibitions are: no lighting fires (and lights must be kept low); no working; no entertainment or pleasure; no traveling; and for some, no talking or eating at all. The effect of these prohibitions is that Bali’s usually bustling streets and roads are empty, there is little or no noise from TVs and radios, and few signs of activity are seen even inside homes. The only people to be seen outdoors are the Pecalang, traditional security men who patrol the streets to ensure the prohibitions are being followed.
Although Nyepi is a Hindu holiday, but non-Hindu residents of Bali followed the Day of Silence as well, to respect for their fellow citizens. Even tourists are not exempted; although free to do as they wish inside their hotels, no one is allowed onto the beaches or streets, and the only airport in Bali remains closed for the entire day. The only exceptions granted are for emergency vehicles carrying those with life-threatening conditions and women about to give birth.
One day after Nyepi, known as Ngembak Geni, social activity picks up again quickly, as families and friends gather to ask forgiveness from one another, and to perform certain religious rituals together.
Source : Wikipedia.
Nyepi is reserved for self-reflection and as such, anything that might interfere with that purpose is prohibited. The main prohibitions are: no lighting fires (and lights must be kept low); no working; no entertainment or pleasure; no traveling; and for some, no talking or eating at all. The effect of these prohibitions is that Bali’s usually bustling streets and roads are empty, there is little or no noise from TVs and radios, and few signs of activity are seen even inside homes. The only people to be seen outdoors are the Pecalang, traditional security men who patrol the streets to ensure the prohibitions are being followed.
Although Nyepi is a Hindu holiday, but non-Hindu residents of Bali followed the Day of Silence as well, to respect for their fellow citizens. Even tourists are not exempted; although free to do as they wish inside their hotels, no one is allowed onto the beaches or streets, and the only airport in Bali remains closed for the entire day. The only exceptions granted are for emergency vehicles carrying those with life-threatening conditions and women about to give birth.
One day after Nyepi, known as Ngembak Geni, social activity picks up again quickly, as families and friends gather to ask forgiveness from one another, and to perform certain religious rituals together.
Source : Wikipedia.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Lombok oh Lombok
Indonesia has lots of beautiful places with potentials to attract much more tourists from foreign countries, one them is the Island of Lombok located just a few minutes trip by boat from the Island of Bali.
I visited Lombok on September 2003, one year after the first bombing in Bali on October 2002. At that time the island has beautiful beaches, international-class hotels, restaurants, but unfortunately they were rather empty of foreign or domestic tourists. After two days stay, I decided to return to Bali which was far more livelier in spite of the travel warnings imposed by several countries.
After that, I never visited Lombok again, although I have visited Bali several times.
That's my personal experience about Lombok, I believe that other people may have their own better or worst experience there. In order to know that, I have quoted an article (below) written by Colson in Holland on his blog Pelopor.nl.
Autumn 2005 we were on a Malaysia Airlines flight to Jakarta. We had two main projects ahead of us: with a two weeks interval our two sons would go through the motions of a Javanese wedding. Before, between and after these events which would take place on Sumatra, we planned to become average tourists that would enjoy holidays of about a week each in Jakarta, Yokyakarta and on Lombok respectively.
It was the first time I fell in love with the capital. It was a great start of November of that year. And the longing is still present. Jakarta is a place to return to for exciting discoveries.
Yet over a month later I was glad I had rented a disgustingly luxurious mansion near Senggigi the week previous to our flight home. We really had to recover after we had survived the very lengthy and ridiculously tiring culture shock of the two extended ceremonies. I had my daughter – who was single at that time – swear a solemn oath to me she would never dream of falling for an Indonesian guy or if she ever did not to surrender to pressure to have a Javanese wedding herself. She being an obedient daughter promised she would abstain.
Lombok proved to be a kind of ‘Bali about three or four decades earlier’. We went there with two of the newly weds and our daughter. Partly because of the threat of terrorist’s attacks that was still in the air late 2005, it was a quiet place those days. Extremely beautiful and fascinating. Without the upbeat Hindu colourfulness of the famous neighbouring island though. But with Gili islands nearby and Gunung Rinjani towering over us.
Helped by our promise to do some errands we were lucky enough to meet a number of really nice, friendly and hospitable local people. The language barrier was pretty much levelled because our daughter in law was, if necessary, our interpreter and spokeswoman. We left after a week of relaxation with the idea that Lombok was a place to return to and perhaps to stay.
Alas. I had to change my mind lately.
An American, a senior, who lives on the island for many years lost his cool after having gone through the lengthy ritual bombardment by sound which is part of Ramadhan. I admit I can more or less imagine what happened to him; but I had just one sleepless night in Jakarta at Idul Fitri years ago. At the time it didn’t pass my mind though to disconnect the Mosque’s loudspeakers. Mr George however was that angry that he even forgot to take off his shoes on entering the house of God. To be honest in that kind of emotional turmoil I would also would have kept my shoes on. But, well, I would have been to lethargic to take any initiative anyhow. But this guy did – and had to run for his life ( well, not literally) afterwards, because the flocks of faith felt hurt and insulted to the point of drastic anger. “Blasphemy!” they cried. So police protection came in handy and next the man is facing to be jailed for six years before being shipped back to his native country. Okay, he has no place to live either any more: the hot tempered believers has ruined his house and the premises.
I read the news and thought: not a very smart action and not a very relaxed reaction. And forgot about is.
And now there is another incident.
A German citizen, living on Lombok since the start of the millennium, noticed one or two of his statues in his garden had been vandalized the other day. He wasn’t amused. So he went to the local boss demanding him to find the culprits. In his indignation he allegedly said words expressing his anger like: “What kind of Muslims are living here??!!”.That ( of course, of course ) insulted the local people seriously since they just had finished their evening prayers – I go by the Jakarta Globe report. They were “deeply hurt” ( of course, of course). So mr Alexander “fled for the forest”and meanwhile “the enraged villagers trashed the resident’s villa and burned his motorcycle”( of course, of course).
I know: in Rome do as the Romans do. Which on Lombok is not that easy for foreigners. Because it obviously would mean one should be an extremely sensitive touch-me-not, who turns on outsiders even if they look at you and who doesn’t hesitate to damage property and burn down houses of those who annoy you.
I have postponed my return to Lombok indefinitely. I’m afraid I still have to practice a long time before I will be able to act in accordance with the peculiar habits of those people on Lombok.
I visited Lombok on September 2003, one year after the first bombing in Bali on October 2002. At that time the island has beautiful beaches, international-class hotels, restaurants, but unfortunately they were rather empty of foreign or domestic tourists. After two days stay, I decided to return to Bali which was far more livelier in spite of the travel warnings imposed by several countries.
After that, I never visited Lombok again, although I have visited Bali several times.
That's my personal experience about Lombok, I believe that other people may have their own better or worst experience there. In order to know that, I have quoted an article (below) written by Colson in Holland on his blog Pelopor.nl.
Lombok?
Autumn 2005 we were on a Malaysia Airlines flight to Jakarta. We had two main projects ahead of us: with a two weeks interval our two sons would go through the motions of a Javanese wedding. Before, between and after these events which would take place on Sumatra, we planned to become average tourists that would enjoy holidays of about a week each in Jakarta, Yokyakarta and on Lombok respectively.
It was the first time I fell in love with the capital. It was a great start of November of that year. And the longing is still present. Jakarta is a place to return to for exciting discoveries.
Yet over a month later I was glad I had rented a disgustingly luxurious mansion near Senggigi the week previous to our flight home. We really had to recover after we had survived the very lengthy and ridiculously tiring culture shock of the two extended ceremonies. I had my daughter – who was single at that time – swear a solemn oath to me she would never dream of falling for an Indonesian guy or if she ever did not to surrender to pressure to have a Javanese wedding herself. She being an obedient daughter promised she would abstain.
Lombok proved to be a kind of ‘Bali about three or four decades earlier’. We went there with two of the newly weds and our daughter. Partly because of the threat of terrorist’s attacks that was still in the air late 2005, it was a quiet place those days. Extremely beautiful and fascinating. Without the upbeat Hindu colourfulness of the famous neighbouring island though. But with Gili islands nearby and Gunung Rinjani towering over us.
Helped by our promise to do some errands we were lucky enough to meet a number of really nice, friendly and hospitable local people. The language barrier was pretty much levelled because our daughter in law was, if necessary, our interpreter and spokeswoman. We left after a week of relaxation with the idea that Lombok was a place to return to and perhaps to stay.
Alas. I had to change my mind lately.
An American, a senior, who lives on the island for many years lost his cool after having gone through the lengthy ritual bombardment by sound which is part of Ramadhan. I admit I can more or less imagine what happened to him; but I had just one sleepless night in Jakarta at Idul Fitri years ago. At the time it didn’t pass my mind though to disconnect the Mosque’s loudspeakers. Mr George however was that angry that he even forgot to take off his shoes on entering the house of God. To be honest in that kind of emotional turmoil I would also would have kept my shoes on. But, well, I would have been to lethargic to take any initiative anyhow. But this guy did – and had to run for his life ( well, not literally) afterwards, because the flocks of faith felt hurt and insulted to the point of drastic anger. “Blasphemy!” they cried. So police protection came in handy and next the man is facing to be jailed for six years before being shipped back to his native country. Okay, he has no place to live either any more: the hot tempered believers has ruined his house and the premises.
I read the news and thought: not a very smart action and not a very relaxed reaction. And forgot about is.
And now there is another incident.
A German citizen, living on Lombok since the start of the millennium, noticed one or two of his statues in his garden had been vandalized the other day. He wasn’t amused. So he went to the local boss demanding him to find the culprits. In his indignation he allegedly said words expressing his anger like: “What kind of Muslims are living here??!!”.That ( of course, of course ) insulted the local people seriously since they just had finished their evening prayers – I go by the Jakarta Globe report. They were “deeply hurt” ( of course, of course). So mr Alexander “fled for the forest”and meanwhile “the enraged villagers trashed the resident’s villa and burned his motorcycle”( of course, of course).
I know: in Rome do as the Romans do. Which on Lombok is not that easy for foreigners. Because it obviously would mean one should be an extremely sensitive touch-me-not, who turns on outsiders even if they look at you and who doesn’t hesitate to damage property and burn down houses of those who annoy you.
I have postponed my return to Lombok indefinitely. I’m afraid I still have to practice a long time before I will be able to act in accordance with the peculiar habits of those people on Lombok.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Over-explotation of Bali
Indonesia has a many attractive places for local and foreign tourists to visit, the most popular one being the Island of Bali.
Please find below an article about Bali written by Anak Agung Gde Agung, former Minister of Tourism, quoted from The Jakarta Post.
The answer to the above question is a resounding yes. Yes, Bali is definitely, and badly, overexploited. One has only to glance at the data below to be convinced that this is the current state of affairs there:
Bali last year had 5.75 million foreign and domestic tourists, which is almost twice the island’s population of 3.9 million (the ideal population based on the environmental support capacity is 1.5 million).
Of these 3.9 million “inhabitants”, the number of migrants from Java, Lombok and other parts of Indonesia has been rapidly increasing these past few years and currently is about 400,000, making the indigenous population only 89.7 percent of the local “inhabitants”.
All of Bali’s 48 beaches have undergone acute erosion, so much so that its coastline has lost 181.7 kilometers of land this last decade, which amounts to 41.5 percent of the island’s total shoreline.
In one year alone, in 2008, the satellite data showed that Bali lost 88.6 kilometers of its beaches, caused mainly by massive disregard of zoning and coastline laws.
This last decade, the average temperature in Bali rose from 28 to 30 degrees Celsius to 33. This is caused mostly by an increase in population density.
The number of hotel rooms, excluding those in the fast mushrooming villa complexes, has shot up
to 78,000 while the optimum number is 22,000, as indicated by the survey commissioned by the government.
A hotel room consumes on average 300 liters of water per day. With 78,000 rooms, this amounts to at least 23,400,000 liters of precious water used daily by the tourist industry.
The result is a massive shortage of water in various parts of Bali and acute seepage of seawater penetrating inland, with sea levels rising by 50 centimeters in most coastal areas in Bali.
Massive illegal logging is occurring in the forests of West Bali, endangering the island’s few national parks.
Since 1983, Bali has lost 25,000 hectares of its forest, indicating a drastic reduction of one fifth of its forest reserves within a 20-year period.
The island’s pride, the Bali tiger (panthera tigris balica) is now long extinct and will soon be followed by its rare bird, the Bali starling (Leucopsar rothschildi) of which only a few dozen currently remain.
Around-the-clock traffic jams are now an everyday phenomena in most parts of Bali, especially throughout the regencies of Badung, Gianyar, Tabanan, Buleleng and the major highway around the whole of the island.
Bali has lost on average 1,500 hectares of lush agricultural land per year to the tourist industry over the past 30 years. Considering Bali’s small land mass, this is an enormous alienation shift.
The situation is especially critical since agriculture is the basis of Bali’s culture and land is regarded as
sacred by the islanders. With each land transaction, the temples, communal way of life, ceremonies and rituals of the Balinese who once lived on that land disappear in one swipe.
In its place comes a hotel, mall or restaurant that every day exudes an alien way of life, fast replacing the indigenous culture.
While the biodiversity erosion are caused by an overuse of natural resources due to an influx of tourists and changes in lifestyle are severe enough, the cultural erosions caused by the land alienations are more critical as they lead to the rapid extinction of the Balinese custom, tradition and identity.
Why has such a calamity befallen Bali? The answer lies in the government, both at the central and provincial levels, together with the tourist industry’s over focus on Bali.
This has its background in the mid-1970s when Indonesia, short of cash, decided to finance its development program through tourism. Bali, being already well-known worldwide, became the prime cash-cow target.
Since then, little has changed. This over-exploitation of Bali does not only erode the bio-cultural heritage of the island, but tends to inhibit the development of Indonesia’s many other magnificent tourist sites.
Take, for example, the Borobudur temple, the UNESCO–recognized world heritage site attracted only 85,000 visitors last year compared to more than 1 million for the similar Angkor Watt temple in Cambodia.
Another icon, Toraja, known for its unique ethnic culture, was only able to entice 5,000 tourists in 2009.
This also goes for Bunaken, famous for its world–class sea coral formations, which brought in an average of only 10,000 visitors annually versus Thailand’s Pattaya with 4.5 million tourists yearly.
Is it any wonder then that Indonesia, with its countless diverse treasures, could only attract 6.4 million tourists in 2009, a fraction of Singapore’s 10 million, Thailand’s 15 million and Malaysia’s 22 million visitors for that same period?
To save Bali from further rapid erosion and, at the same time, develop the other promising tourist sites throughout the archipelago, the government needs to do some fast-yielding rehabilitation programs.
This can be done by picking a selection of quick-win tourist sites that need only a little refurbishment in order to bloom.
Such examples are the Borobudur, Bunaken and Toraja, which need only small infrastructure touches to turn them into world–class tourist attractions, as they already have the international reputations to do so.
At the same time, the government needs to come up with a relevant branding statement as a national marketing tool to encourage the right type of tourists to come and visit Indonesia.
The right type of visitors will admire the land’s culture and create a spiraling upward effect of similar tourists coming, provoking more admiration for the local heritage.
It is high time that such a move be made by the government to foster more tourist attractions nationwide and save the biocultural heritage of Bali, which is on the brink of losing its self-identity.
Please find below an article about Bali written by Anak Agung Gde Agung, former Minister of Tourism, quoted from The Jakarta Post.
Is Bali overexploited?
Bali last year had 5.75 million foreign and domestic tourists, which is almost twice the island’s population of 3.9 million (the ideal population based on the environmental support capacity is 1.5 million).
Of these 3.9 million “inhabitants”, the number of migrants from Java, Lombok and other parts of Indonesia has been rapidly increasing these past few years and currently is about 400,000, making the indigenous population only 89.7 percent of the local “inhabitants”.
All of Bali’s 48 beaches have undergone acute erosion, so much so that its coastline has lost 181.7 kilometers of land this last decade, which amounts to 41.5 percent of the island’s total shoreline.
In one year alone, in 2008, the satellite data showed that Bali lost 88.6 kilometers of its beaches, caused mainly by massive disregard of zoning and coastline laws.
This last decade, the average temperature in Bali rose from 28 to 30 degrees Celsius to 33. This is caused mostly by an increase in population density.
The number of hotel rooms, excluding those in the fast mushrooming villa complexes, has shot up
to 78,000 while the optimum number is 22,000, as indicated by the survey commissioned by the government.
A hotel room consumes on average 300 liters of water per day. With 78,000 rooms, this amounts to at least 23,400,000 liters of precious water used daily by the tourist industry.
The result is a massive shortage of water in various parts of Bali and acute seepage of seawater penetrating inland, with sea levels rising by 50 centimeters in most coastal areas in Bali.
Massive illegal logging is occurring in the forests of West Bali, endangering the island’s few national parks.
Since 1983, Bali has lost 25,000 hectares of its forest, indicating a drastic reduction of one fifth of its forest reserves within a 20-year period.
The island’s pride, the Bali tiger (panthera tigris balica) is now long extinct and will soon be followed by its rare bird, the Bali starling (Leucopsar rothschildi) of which only a few dozen currently remain.
Around-the-clock traffic jams are now an everyday phenomena in most parts of Bali, especially throughout the regencies of Badung, Gianyar, Tabanan, Buleleng and the major highway around the whole of the island.
Bali has lost on average 1,500 hectares of lush agricultural land per year to the tourist industry over the past 30 years. Considering Bali’s small land mass, this is an enormous alienation shift.
The situation is especially critical since agriculture is the basis of Bali’s culture and land is regarded as
sacred by the islanders. With each land transaction, the temples, communal way of life, ceremonies and rituals of the Balinese who once lived on that land disappear in one swipe.
In its place comes a hotel, mall or restaurant that every day exudes an alien way of life, fast replacing the indigenous culture.
While the biodiversity erosion are caused by an overuse of natural resources due to an influx of tourists and changes in lifestyle are severe enough, the cultural erosions caused by the land alienations are more critical as they lead to the rapid extinction of the Balinese custom, tradition and identity.
Why has such a calamity befallen Bali? The answer lies in the government, both at the central and provincial levels, together with the tourist industry’s over focus on Bali.
This has its background in the mid-1970s when Indonesia, short of cash, decided to finance its development program through tourism. Bali, being already well-known worldwide, became the prime cash-cow target.
Since then, little has changed. This over-exploitation of Bali does not only erode the bio-cultural heritage of the island, but tends to inhibit the development of Indonesia’s many other magnificent tourist sites.
Take, for example, the Borobudur temple, the UNESCO–recognized world heritage site attracted only 85,000 visitors last year compared to more than 1 million for the similar Angkor Watt temple in Cambodia.
Another icon, Toraja, known for its unique ethnic culture, was only able to entice 5,000 tourists in 2009.
This also goes for Bunaken, famous for its world–class sea coral formations, which brought in an average of only 10,000 visitors annually versus Thailand’s Pattaya with 4.5 million tourists yearly.
Is it any wonder then that Indonesia, with its countless diverse treasures, could only attract 6.4 million tourists in 2009, a fraction of Singapore’s 10 million, Thailand’s 15 million and Malaysia’s 22 million visitors for that same period?
To save Bali from further rapid erosion and, at the same time, develop the other promising tourist sites throughout the archipelago, the government needs to do some fast-yielding rehabilitation programs.
This can be done by picking a selection of quick-win tourist sites that need only a little refurbishment in order to bloom.
Such examples are the Borobudur, Bunaken and Toraja, which need only small infrastructure touches to turn them into world–class tourist attractions, as they already have the international reputations to do so.
At the same time, the government needs to come up with a relevant branding statement as a national marketing tool to encourage the right type of tourists to come and visit Indonesia.
The right type of visitors will admire the land’s culture and create a spiraling upward effect of similar tourists coming, provoking more admiration for the local heritage.
It is high time that such a move be made by the government to foster more tourist attractions nationwide and save the biocultural heritage of Bali, which is on the brink of losing its self-identity.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Orangutan Conservation
During the 2007 Climate Change Conference in Bali, President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono announced the launching of Indonesian Orangutan Conservation Strategy and Action Plan until 2017 which will provide new Protected Area for Orangutan.
In this connection, an International Workshop on Orangutan Conservation is held today and tomorrow in Bali, aiming to stabilize the habitat and populations of Orangutan by 2017, and to complete a three years-old rehabilitation program to release previously captive Orangutans back into the wild by 2015.
Please find below an article about this that I have quoted from The Jakarta Globe.
In this connection, an International Workshop on Orangutan Conservation is held today and tomorrow in Bali, aiming to stabilize the habitat and populations of Orangutan by 2017, and to complete a three years-old rehabilitation program to release previously captive Orangutans back into the wild by 2015.
Please find below an article about this that I have quoted from The Jakarta Globe.
A male baby orangutan drinks a bottle of milk at an animal nursery in Safari Zoo, Cisarua, Bogor, Indonesia in this file photo. Conservationists and animal rights activists have urged the Indonesian government to stop deforestation in order to protect rapidly decreasing orangutan populations. (EPA Photo/Weda)
Cooperation Urged to Bring Indonesia’s Dwindling Orangutans Back From Brink
Sanur, Bali. Conservationists, wildlife experts and government officials are set to meet today at an international conference in Bali to save the orangutan from extinction.
The International Workshop on Orangutan Conservation, which will run through Friday at the beachside resort town of Sanur, is aimed at stabilizing the habitat and populations of both the Sumatran and Bornean subspecies by 2017, as well as completing a three-year-old rehabilitation program to release previously captive orangutans back into the wild by 2015.
However, the chief of the Borneo Orangutan Survival foundation, Bungaran Saragih, on Wednesday said that very little progress had been made toward either goal.
“First, there are still no visible signs of stabilization of orangutan habitats or their populations,” he said.
“Second, the rehabilitation target is still far out of reach, because in the three years since the plan was announced, we haven’t seen a single individual released back into the wild.”
Part of the problem, Bungaran said, was the difficulty in finding suitably large, undisturbed areas of forest in which to release the animals.
“At BOS, we have around 850 orangutans in rehabilitation [centers], but we can’t release them precisely because of this problem,” he said.
Bungaran di d, however, say the international workshop was a step in the right direction and would allow all stakeholders to share their experiences on the current dire situation facing orangutan, as well as to evaluate actions taken thus far.
“Since 2007, there has been almost no coordination between the various stakeholders — the government, NGOs, the private sector,” he said.
“I believe that this opportunity to evaluate the implementation of the action plan couldn’t have come at a better time. Hopefully we can reach some kind of understanding and get the full cooperation of all stakeholders.”
According to Bungaran, one of the main obstacles toward realizing the action plan was the apparent reluctance of the government and private sector to get involved in orangutan conservation efforts.
“Protecting orangutans should not be the sole domain of NGOs,” he said. “We need support from the government and from businesses, and that’s the message we’ll try to get through at the workshop.”
There are an estimated 7,500 Sumatran orangutans left in the wild, and some 45,000 of their Bornean cousins. The latter subspecies is categorized as endangered, while the former is critically endangered.
Orangutan expert Sri Suci Utami Atmoko, from Jakarta’s National University, said that more needed to be done to protect the animals.
“The current quandary is in law enforcement,” she said. “There are just as many cases these days of illegal orangutan trading — particularly in Kalimantan — as there has always been.”
In terms of releasing rehabilitated orangutans into the wild, Suci said businesses needed to play a bigger role in the conservation effort.
“Consider this: nearly 70 percent of orangutans live outside protected parks and reserves,” she said, “so it’s crucial that we get the private sector to contribute their land and efforts, otherwise forget about protecting the orangutan.
“There’s this impression that only conservationists, scientists and the government should deal with orangutan conservation, but we want all stakeholders, particularly businesses, to contribute to the effort. The national action plan will never work otherwise.”
Suci said that many logging and plantation companies across the country wanted to help but were hampered by poor coordination by the authorities, which she accused of not being serious about designating conservation areas for orangutans.
“That’s a shame, because the companies are really keen about helping out, and we’d really like to welcome them on board,” she added.
Harry Santoso, director of biodiversity at the Ministry of Forestry, conceded that the orangutan release program was “going rather slow,” but blamed it on the dearth of institutions willing to contribute to the effort.
“It’s going to be tough to meet the 2015 target because there aren’t that many institutions in the country that deal with orangutan conservation,” he said. “That’s why we’re hoping for a breakthrough at this workshop.”
Harry dismissed accusations that the government had been dragging its feet on the issue of orangutan conservation by arguing that its job was to supervise, facilitate and regulate, and not to get involved in the implementation of programs.
“That’s why we’re focusing on strengthening the existing regulations, facilitating stakeholders and increasing supervision for orangutan conservation,” he said. “Our hope is that other stakeholders, such as the private sector and NGOs, also play a part.”
The International Workshop on Orangutan Conservation, which will run through Friday at the beachside resort town of Sanur, is aimed at stabilizing the habitat and populations of both the Sumatran and Bornean subspecies by 2017, as well as completing a three-year-old rehabilitation program to release previously captive orangutans back into the wild by 2015.
However, the chief of the Borneo Orangutan Survival foundation, Bungaran Saragih, on Wednesday said that very little progress had been made toward either goal.
“First, there are still no visible signs of stabilization of orangutan habitats or their populations,” he said.
“Second, the rehabilitation target is still far out of reach, because in the three years since the plan was announced, we haven’t seen a single individual released back into the wild.”
Part of the problem, Bungaran said, was the difficulty in finding suitably large, undisturbed areas of forest in which to release the animals.
“At BOS, we have around 850 orangutans in rehabilitation [centers], but we can’t release them precisely because of this problem,” he said.
Bungaran di d, however, say the international workshop was a step in the right direction and would allow all stakeholders to share their experiences on the current dire situation facing orangutan, as well as to evaluate actions taken thus far.
“Since 2007, there has been almost no coordination between the various stakeholders — the government, NGOs, the private sector,” he said.
“I believe that this opportunity to evaluate the implementation of the action plan couldn’t have come at a better time. Hopefully we can reach some kind of understanding and get the full cooperation of all stakeholders.”
According to Bungaran, one of the main obstacles toward realizing the action plan was the apparent reluctance of the government and private sector to get involved in orangutan conservation efforts.
“Protecting orangutans should not be the sole domain of NGOs,” he said. “We need support from the government and from businesses, and that’s the message we’ll try to get through at the workshop.”
There are an estimated 7,500 Sumatran orangutans left in the wild, and some 45,000 of their Bornean cousins. The latter subspecies is categorized as endangered, while the former is critically endangered.
Orangutan expert Sri Suci Utami Atmoko, from Jakarta’s National University, said that more needed to be done to protect the animals.
“The current quandary is in law enforcement,” she said. “There are just as many cases these days of illegal orangutan trading — particularly in Kalimantan — as there has always been.”
In terms of releasing rehabilitated orangutans into the wild, Suci said businesses needed to play a bigger role in the conservation effort.
“Consider this: nearly 70 percent of orangutans live outside protected parks and reserves,” she said, “so it’s crucial that we get the private sector to contribute their land and efforts, otherwise forget about protecting the orangutan.
“There’s this impression that only conservationists, scientists and the government should deal with orangutan conservation, but we want all stakeholders, particularly businesses, to contribute to the effort. The national action plan will never work otherwise.”
Suci said that many logging and plantation companies across the country wanted to help but were hampered by poor coordination by the authorities, which she accused of not being serious about designating conservation areas for orangutans.
“That’s a shame, because the companies are really keen about helping out, and we’d really like to welcome them on board,” she added.
Harry Santoso, director of biodiversity at the Ministry of Forestry, conceded that the orangutan release program was “going rather slow,” but blamed it on the dearth of institutions willing to contribute to the effort.
“It’s going to be tough to meet the 2015 target because there aren’t that many institutions in the country that deal with orangutan conservation,” he said. “That’s why we’re hoping for a breakthrough at this workshop.”
Harry dismissed accusations that the government had been dragging its feet on the issue of orangutan conservation by arguing that its job was to supervise, facilitate and regulate, and not to get involved in the implementation of programs.
“That’s why we’re focusing on strengthening the existing regulations, facilitating stakeholders and increasing supervision for orangutan conservation,” he said. “Our hope is that other stakeholders, such as the private sector and NGOs, also play a part.”
Sunday, June 13, 2010
A Teenager Marrying a Cow
Ngurah Alit, an 18 years old teenager in the Island of Bali, was forced to marry a Cow, after he was caught having sex with the animal.
Please find below an article about this that I have quoted from The Jakarta Globe.
Please find below an article about this that I have quoted from The Jakarta Globe.
It was on a terrace between two paddy fields like this that Balinese teenager Ngurah Alit was caught having sex with a cow, who he claimed had flirted with him. (AFP Photo/Jewel Samad)
Teenager Passes Out Marrying Cow He Had Sex With
A Balinese teenager caught in the act of intercourse with a cow passed out on Friday when he was forced to marry the animal in a ceremony witnessed by hundreds of curious onlookers.
As the Jakarta Globe reported earlier in the day, Ngurah Alit, 18, an unemployed youth from the seaside village of Yeh Embang in Jembrana, was caught stark naked positioned behind the cow in a rice paddy field.
In his defence, Alit admitted to the act of bestiality but claimed the cow, which he believed was a young and beautiful woman, had wooed him with flattering compliments.
As part of a Pecaruan ritual, a ceremony to cleanse the village of the unholy act of a man mating with a cow, Alit was forced to “marry” the animal.
Alit, however, according to Detik.com, passed out surrounded by locals and police, who were attempting to prevent a number of journalists from covering the spectacle.
It is unclear whether or not he got to say “I do.”
Alit’s collapse prompted his mother to begin screaming hysterically, while other family members shouted at photographers not to take pictures.
“Poor kid. He’s actually a quiet kid,” said one villager.
As part of the ceremony, Alit’s victim and new bride was drowned in ocean.
Alit, on the other hand, was symbolically drowned and bathed on the beach.
“Only his clothes were thrown into the sea,” the villager said.
Village chief Ida Bagus Legawa declared that the village had been “cleansed” from the “defilement from the incident.”
As the Jakarta Globe reported earlier in the day, Ngurah Alit, 18, an unemployed youth from the seaside village of Yeh Embang in Jembrana, was caught stark naked positioned behind the cow in a rice paddy field.
In his defence, Alit admitted to the act of bestiality but claimed the cow, which he believed was a young and beautiful woman, had wooed him with flattering compliments.
As part of a Pecaruan ritual, a ceremony to cleanse the village of the unholy act of a man mating with a cow, Alit was forced to “marry” the animal.
Alit, however, according to Detik.com, passed out surrounded by locals and police, who were attempting to prevent a number of journalists from covering the spectacle.
It is unclear whether or not he got to say “I do.”
Alit’s collapse prompted his mother to begin screaming hysterically, while other family members shouted at photographers not to take pictures.
“Poor kid. He’s actually a quiet kid,” said one villager.
As part of the ceremony, Alit’s victim and new bride was drowned in ocean.
Alit, on the other hand, was symbolically drowned and bathed on the beach.
“Only his clothes were thrown into the sea,” the villager said.
Village chief Ida Bagus Legawa declared that the village had been “cleansed” from the “defilement from the incident.”
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Giant Sea Turtles in Bali
Giant Sea Turtles are endangered species that are protected by the law in Indonesia, therefore people are not allowed to trade and consume them.
But it seems that there are many people who love to eat said forbidden Turtle's meat, and obviously willing to pay high price for it, that some restaurants and food stalls are willing to break the law and sell them.
And recently, the Associated Press reported that the Police have just confiscated 71 Giant Sea Turtles from a food stall in Denpasar, Bali.
Photo: Courtesy of Google/AP.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Surfing and Yoga in Bali
Every year, people from all over the world come to the island of Bali to enjoy its beautiful beaches, friendly people and wonderful culture.
This has attracted many people to build business in the island, one of them is an Australian lady namely Janine Hall who built a Surfing and Yoga Retreat. Please find the story below that I have quoted from Kompas.
This has attracted many people to build business in the island, one of them is an Australian lady namely Janine Hall who built a Surfing and Yoga Retreat. Please find the story below that I have quoted from Kompas.
Women Strike A Pose in Bali
Sabtu, 15 Mei 2010 | 09:56 WIB
KOMPAS.com - Janine Hall isn't the first mid-30s executive to decide there is more to life than a career that demands a 24/7 commitment. But she may be the first to decide the antidote to her mid-life crisis is to run off to Bali and set up a surfing and yoga retreat for women called Surf Haven Bali.
"I figured there had to be women like me who felt totally burnt out and wanted to just get away from everything and hang out with their friends," says Hall, a New Zealander whose fashion marketing career had necessitated stints living in London, Sydney and Tokyo.
Hall had loved Bali since childhood visits, so it wasn't difficult to pick a location. The yoga and surfing combination seemed a good fit with today's women and with Bali, she says.
"Lots of women are really into yoga and I decided to add the surfing element because of where we are situated and also it's a challenge that is totally refreshing," Hall says.
She also wanted quality accommodation. "You get to a point in life where you don't want to share bathrooms or stay in bunks." Consequently, guests stay at two luxury four-bedroom villas at the resort in Seminyak.
Hall has employed the Australian nutritionist and award-winning restaurateur, Samantha Gowing, to design the menu with a view to using local produce and maximising health benefits. "We did surveys and found that nutrition is uppermost in our guests' wish list," she says.
Gowing turned the Grace Darling Hotel into one of Melbourne's first gastro pubs during the 1990s. She now runs Gowings Food Health Wealth, a successful nutrition and well-being business in Byron Bay, as well as consulting to the spa industry, here and internationally.
The seven-day retreats each month are limited to eight women. Packages including accommodation, 15 hours of surfing tuition (with instructors trained by the Australian Surf Industry Training) daily yoga and meditation classes, three hours of spa treatments, all meals, a full-day Bali tour and airport transfers, are priced from $2311, twin share.
Hall had loved Bali since childhood visits, so it wasn't difficult to pick a location. The yoga and surfing combination seemed a good fit with today's women and with Bali, she says.
"Lots of women are really into yoga and I decided to add the surfing element because of where we are situated and also it's a challenge that is totally refreshing," Hall says.
She also wanted quality accommodation. "You get to a point in life where you don't want to share bathrooms or stay in bunks." Consequently, guests stay at two luxury four-bedroom villas at the resort in Seminyak.
Hall has employed the Australian nutritionist and award-winning restaurateur, Samantha Gowing, to design the menu with a view to using local produce and maximising health benefits. "We did surveys and found that nutrition is uppermost in our guests' wish list," she says.
Gowing turned the Grace Darling Hotel into one of Melbourne's first gastro pubs during the 1990s. She now runs Gowings Food Health Wealth, a successful nutrition and well-being business in Byron Bay, as well as consulting to the spa industry, here and internationally.
The seven-day retreats each month are limited to eight women. Packages including accommodation, 15 hours of surfing tuition (with instructors trained by the Australian Surf Industry Training) daily yoga and meditation classes, three hours of spa treatments, all meals, a full-day Bali tour and airport transfers, are priced from $2311, twin share.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Scuba Diving in Tulamben, Bali.
The island of Bali has lots of beautiful places to visit, one of them is Tulamben, a premier Scuba Diving location in the eastern part of the island.
Here are some facts about Tulamben that I have quoted from The Jakarta Post :
On Jan. 11, 1942, an American ship USAT Liberty was struck by a Japanese torpedo. Then an American destroyer USS Paul Jones towed it to the shore of a small village of Tulamben to unload its cargo and supplies. The Liberty remained in Tulamben partially submerged in water.
Then in 1963, Mount Agung erupted and the lava and earthquakes pushed the ship further down into the water, where it rests on the ocean floor parallel to the shoreline.
Underwater playground: Scuba diver is seen near the Liberty wreck. Courtesy of Tulamben Wreck DiversUnderwater
Marine life: Large varieties of tropical fish charm divers in Tulamben Bay, one of Bali’s main dive sites. Given the number of visitors to the bay, protection of marine life is critical.
Here are some facts about Tulamben that I have quoted from The Jakarta Post :
On Jan. 11, 1942, an American ship USAT Liberty was struck by a Japanese torpedo. Then an American destroyer USS Paul Jones towed it to the shore of a small village of Tulamben to unload its cargo and supplies. The Liberty remained in Tulamben partially submerged in water.
Then in 1963, Mount Agung erupted and the lava and earthquakes pushed the ship further down into the water, where it rests on the ocean floor parallel to the shoreline.
Underwater playground: Scuba diver is seen near the Liberty wreck. Courtesy of Tulamben Wreck DiversUnderwater
A day trip from south of Bali to Tulamben costs €72 (US$105) including equipment, two guided dives, lunch and drinks, return transfer and insurance. Trips from other places like Kuta, Legian, Jimbaran, etc. can also be arranged at an extra cost.
For those who wants a scuba diving certificate (SSI & PADI), there are diving schools that offer three leisurely days of classes from beginner courses to professional diving.
Besides, tourists can enjoy spa services and scenic spaces. The black stone beaches might not be ideal for beach-bound sunbathers, but the resort pools and decks all are very good.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Australian Travel Warning
The Australian government has warned its citizens who wish to travel to Bali during the Hindu Nyepi New Year on 16 March to respect local laws and regulations.
Stay Indoors, Respect Traditions in Bali
Thursday, 21 January 2010 | 14:49 WIB
KOMPAS.com - Australians traveling to Bali in March have been warned to respect strict laws surrounding the local new year. Custom requires that all people in Bali observe a day of silence from 6am on Tuesday, March 16 until 6am Wednesday, March 17 - the Balinese New Year.
Authorities require that all people in Bali stay indoors, make no noise and switch off all lights for the duration of this period. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs says tourists must remain in their hotels during this 24-hour period and seek the advice of hotel management regarding movement around the hotel grounds.
Balinese across the island strictly observe this tradition and people leaving their homes or hotels between between these times risk being forcibly returned to their homes or hotels by Balinese traditional village level security personnel.
DFAT says this is an important cultural event for the people of Bali and Australians are urged to be sensitive and strictly observe local custom to avoid giving offense. The Australian Consulate-General in Bali will be closed on Tuesday, March 16 and reopen at 8am on Wednesday, March 17, 2010
DFAT's general travel advice for Indonesia remains unchanged and includes a warning of the possibility of terror attacks. Three Australians were among the nine people killed in the suicide bombings at the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta last July.
I hope that all foreigners, not just Australians, who are traveling to Bali and other regions in Indonesia would always respect local laws, regulations, religious rituals and customary traditions. That way their stay here would be safe and joyful.
Thursday, 21 January 2010 | 14:49 WIB
KOMPAS.com - Australians traveling to Bali in March have been warned to respect strict laws surrounding the local new year. Custom requires that all people in Bali observe a day of silence from 6am on Tuesday, March 16 until 6am Wednesday, March 17 - the Balinese New Year.
Authorities require that all people in Bali stay indoors, make no noise and switch off all lights for the duration of this period. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs says tourists must remain in their hotels during this 24-hour period and seek the advice of hotel management regarding movement around the hotel grounds.
Balinese across the island strictly observe this tradition and people leaving their homes or hotels between between these times risk being forcibly returned to their homes or hotels by Balinese traditional village level security personnel.
DFAT says this is an important cultural event for the people of Bali and Australians are urged to be sensitive and strictly observe local custom to avoid giving offense. The Australian Consulate-General in Bali will be closed on Tuesday, March 16 and reopen at 8am on Wednesday, March 17, 2010
DFAT's general travel advice for Indonesia remains unchanged and includes a warning of the possibility of terror attacks. Three Australians were among the nine people killed in the suicide bombings at the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta last July.
I hope that all foreigners, not just Australians, who are traveling to Bali and other regions in Indonesia would always respect local laws, regulations, religious rituals and customary traditions. That way their stay here would be safe and joyful.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Protection of Turtles in Bali
The Green Turtle in the Indonesian island of Bali is an endangered species that should be protected. In this regards, I would like to quote an article in The Jakarta Post below :
Indonesia rejects Bali plan for turtle sacrifices
Niniek Karmini , Associated Press , Jakarta | Fri, 11/27/2009 4:19 PM | National
Indonesia has rejected a push by the resort island of Bali for rare turtles to be legally slain in Hindu ceremonies, siding with conservationists of the protected reptiles against religious advocates, an official said Friday.
Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika enraged environmentalists by advocating a quota of 1,000 green turtles to be killed each year, strictly for ceremonial purposes.
He said legally killed turtles should not end up in cooking pots, served to tourists in restaurants as soup or turtle skewers as they had in the past.
"It would be supervised tightly, and any violation would have to punished," Pastika told reporters in Denpasar, Bali, on Wednesday.
Turtle meat is a traditional delicacy in Bali, the only province with a Hindu majority in Indonesia's Muslim-dominated archipelago. But Indonesia banned the turtle trade and consumption a decade ago amid international concerns about the endangered species' dwindling numbers and threats by animal welfare groups of a tourist boycott of Bali.
Masyud, a spokesman for the Forestry Ministry which is also responsible for animal conservation, said Friday the governor's request for a Bali exemption from national protection laws was recently rejected on scientific advice.
"The law clearly mandates it was not possible, that the green turtles are included in the animals listed for protection," said Masyud, who like many Indonesians uses only one name.
Tens of thousands of green turtles nest on Indonesia's coasts, but sites have dwindled due to poaching and development.
Conservationist generally respect the Hindus' need for turtles in rituals, but railed against the number proposed.
Wayan Geria, coordinator of the Turtle Education and Conservation Center at Bali, described the quota plan as an embarrassment to protection efforts.
Creusa Hitipeuw, coordinator of the Indonesia turtle program of the World Wildlife Fund, said introducing such a high quota could trigger large-scale illegal trade and consumption.
"We recognize the need for the use of turtles in a ceremony, but it has to be managed well," she said. "What we are afraid of is the commercial trade. It's a death trap for this kind of population."
Bali Hindu Faith Council head Ngurah Sudiana called for Jakarta to approve a smaller quota.
"The central government should understand the need for green turtles as part of traditional ceremonies because it relates to our faith," Sudiana said. "Prohibiting it will hurt Balinese people."
Up to five turtles are needed for sacrifice at each of the 100 to 150 large ceremonies a year in Hindu temples around Bali, he said.
Turtles were traditionally decapitated. But since they became protected in 1999, ceremonies in many temples have changed with turtles being symbolically sacrificed through their release to the sea alive.
Associated Press writer Ali Kotarumalos contributed to this report.
Indonesia rejects Bali plan for turtle sacrifices
Niniek Karmini , Associated Press , Jakarta | Fri, 11/27/2009 4:19 PM | National
Indonesia has rejected a push by the resort island of Bali for rare turtles to be legally slain in Hindu ceremonies, siding with conservationists of the protected reptiles against religious advocates, an official said Friday.
Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika enraged environmentalists by advocating a quota of 1,000 green turtles to be killed each year, strictly for ceremonial purposes.
He said legally killed turtles should not end up in cooking pots, served to tourists in restaurants as soup or turtle skewers as they had in the past.
"It would be supervised tightly, and any violation would have to punished," Pastika told reporters in Denpasar, Bali, on Wednesday.
Turtle meat is a traditional delicacy in Bali, the only province with a Hindu majority in Indonesia's Muslim-dominated archipelago. But Indonesia banned the turtle trade and consumption a decade ago amid international concerns about the endangered species' dwindling numbers and threats by animal welfare groups of a tourist boycott of Bali.
Masyud, a spokesman for the Forestry Ministry which is also responsible for animal conservation, said Friday the governor's request for a Bali exemption from national protection laws was recently rejected on scientific advice.
"The law clearly mandates it was not possible, that the green turtles are included in the animals listed for protection," said Masyud, who like many Indonesians uses only one name.
Tens of thousands of green turtles nest on Indonesia's coasts, but sites have dwindled due to poaching and development.
Conservationist generally respect the Hindus' need for turtles in rituals, but railed against the number proposed.
Wayan Geria, coordinator of the Turtle Education and Conservation Center at Bali, described the quota plan as an embarrassment to protection efforts.
Creusa Hitipeuw, coordinator of the Indonesia turtle program of the World Wildlife Fund, said introducing such a high quota could trigger large-scale illegal trade and consumption.
"We recognize the need for the use of turtles in a ceremony, but it has to be managed well," she said. "What we are afraid of is the commercial trade. It's a death trap for this kind of population."
Bali Hindu Faith Council head Ngurah Sudiana called for Jakarta to approve a smaller quota.
"The central government should understand the need for green turtles as part of traditional ceremonies because it relates to our faith," Sudiana said. "Prohibiting it will hurt Balinese people."
Up to five turtles are needed for sacrifice at each of the 100 to 150 large ceremonies a year in Hindu temples around Bali, he said.
Turtles were traditionally decapitated. But since they became protected in 1999, ceremonies in many temples have changed with turtles being symbolically sacrificed through their release to the sea alive.
Associated Press writer Ali Kotarumalos contributed to this report.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Rabies in Bali is not Bioterrorism
Series of terrorists attacks in several places in Indonesia have traumatized the people and government officials in Indonesia.
People in the island of Bali are so paranoid that when the Rabies virus plagued the island recently, local government officials alleged that it was terrorist attack using bio chemical weapon, a.k.a Bioterrorism, from foreign country.
However, this allegation was later denied by the Molecular Biology Laboratory at the University of Udayana’s School of Medicine in Bali. According to the Head of the Laboratory Ni Nyoman Sri Budayanti, the virus entered Bali through inter-island animal trafficking from other Indonesian islands of Flores and Sulawesi. Detailed media report can be found by clicking here.
In conclusion, I felt that serious efforts must be made to eliminate the Rabies virus in Bali, considering that the island is a very important destination for foreign and domestic tourists.
People in the island of Bali are so paranoid that when the Rabies virus plagued the island recently, local government officials alleged that it was terrorist attack using bio chemical weapon, a.k.a Bioterrorism, from foreign country.
However, this allegation was later denied by the Molecular Biology Laboratory at the University of Udayana’s School of Medicine in Bali. According to the Head of the Laboratory Ni Nyoman Sri Budayanti, the virus entered Bali through inter-island animal trafficking from other Indonesian islands of Flores and Sulawesi. Detailed media report can be found by clicking here.
In conclusion, I felt that serious efforts must be made to eliminate the Rabies virus in Bali, considering that the island is a very important destination for foreign and domestic tourists.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Ubud Writers & Readers Festival
The island of Bali is the most popular destination for foreign and Indonesian tourists.
The main reason is because the Balinese people have strong culture, tradition and are very devoted to their religion, making them kind and friendly toward visitors. They believe that any act of crime in the island can only be committed by outsiders. For this reason, the suicide bombings that killed hundreds of innocent people in Bali in 2002 & 2004, failed to stop tourists from coming to the island.
As a matter of fact, such barbaric actions have made the Balinese more creative in promoting the island. One example is the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival which took place every year since 2004, attended not only by writers & readers from Indonesia, but also from many other countries as well.
I have visited the village of Ubud several times, first one in 1979 where I stayed for 3 months. The village is famous for its creative works of arts, especially paintings. Many foreign artists have lived & worked there a.o Antonio Blanco, Walter Spies etc. But I have never attended the Ubud festival simply because of my working schedule in Jakarta. I hope that next time I go to Bali, I will be able to attend the festival.
The main reason is because the Balinese people have strong culture, tradition and are very devoted to their religion, making them kind and friendly toward visitors. They believe that any act of crime in the island can only be committed by outsiders. For this reason, the suicide bombings that killed hundreds of innocent people in Bali in 2002 & 2004, failed to stop tourists from coming to the island.
As a matter of fact, such barbaric actions have made the Balinese more creative in promoting the island. One example is the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival which took place every year since 2004, attended not only by writers & readers from Indonesia, but also from many other countries as well.
I have visited the village of Ubud several times, first one in 1979 where I stayed for 3 months. The village is famous for its creative works of arts, especially paintings. Many foreign artists have lived & worked there a.o Antonio Blanco, Walter Spies etc. But I have never attended the Ubud festival simply because of my working schedule in Jakarta. I hope that next time I go to Bali, I will be able to attend the festival.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Poisonous Liquor in Bali & Lombok
Bali & Lombok are two popular destinations in Indonesia, and as such they have become very important sources of foreign currency income.
Therefore, it is very important for our country to maintain conditions which are favorable for foreign tourists, so that more would want to come.
Apparently, there have been disturbing news about Bali & Lombok i.e. about the death of more than 23 people, including at least 4 European and American tourists, after drinking local made Liquor.
VOA reported that the first victims arrived at the Sanglah Hospital, Denpasar-Bali, more than one week ago. According to the hospital's head of Forensic Department i.e Dr Ida Bagus Putu Alit, all the victims were attacked by acute intoxication by methanol. As a result, they will coma, unconscious, after that renal failure and also go blind.
Meanwhile, BBC reported that the victims have drunk Arak i.e Wine made from Rice or Palm, tainted with methanol. Because of that, more than 50 foreigners and local people have been taken ill. Such local brews have become increasingly popular because imported alcohol is expensive, with the government imposing taxes of up to 400%.
The local Police is currently investigating the case, and they have questioned two suspects.
Considering the important role that Bali & Lombok have played as Indonesia's sources of foreign currency income, I hope that investigation of the case would be carried out thoroughly ASAP, and those responsible would be punished accordingly.
Therefore, it is very important for our country to maintain conditions which are favorable for foreign tourists, so that more would want to come.
Apparently, there have been disturbing news about Bali & Lombok i.e. about the death of more than 23 people, including at least 4 European and American tourists, after drinking local made Liquor.
VOA reported that the first victims arrived at the Sanglah Hospital, Denpasar-Bali, more than one week ago. According to the hospital's head of Forensic Department i.e Dr Ida Bagus Putu Alit, all the victims were attacked by acute intoxication by methanol. As a result, they will coma, unconscious, after that renal failure and also go blind.
Meanwhile, BBC reported that the victims have drunk Arak i.e Wine made from Rice or Palm, tainted with methanol. Because of that, more than 50 foreigners and local people have been taken ill. Such local brews have become increasingly popular because imported alcohol is expensive, with the government imposing taxes of up to 400%.
The local Police is currently investigating the case, and they have questioned two suspects.
Considering the important role that Bali & Lombok have played as Indonesia's sources of foreign currency income, I hope that investigation of the case would be carried out thoroughly ASAP, and those responsible would be punished accordingly.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Murder of a Reporter in Bali
People all over the world are expecting that members of Parliament consists of respectful, good, honest and patriotic persons who have high moral standard and self integrity. That way, they can properly serve the people who elected them as representative in handling state affairs.
In reality, we saw/heard/read news about unlawful conducts of Members of Parliament (MP), many of which have been prosecuted & jailed. The latest one being a candidate MP in Bali i.e Nyoman Susrama, who according to Temporinteraktif, has been arrested by the Police and named as suspect in the murder of a Journalist of a local news paper Radar Bali i.e. Agung Gede Narendra Prabangsa.
The arrest was made 3 months after the Police found the dead body of Agung near the Padangbai sea port on 16 February 2009. Earlier, the Police said they are investigating the possible motives of the murder, the most likely being Agung’s article in Radar Bali about misappropriation of funds in the development of an international kindergarten project headed by Nyoman.
Considering that Nyoman is a candidate in the local Parliamentary election last April, in which his political party won a seat, I hope that the Police would thoroughly investigate whether or not he is really involved in the murder.
In reality, we saw/heard/read news about unlawful conducts of Members of Parliament (MP), many of which have been prosecuted & jailed. The latest one being a candidate MP in Bali i.e Nyoman Susrama, who according to Temporinteraktif, has been arrested by the Police and named as suspect in the murder of a Journalist of a local news paper Radar Bali i.e. Agung Gede Narendra Prabangsa.
The arrest was made 3 months after the Police found the dead body of Agung near the Padangbai sea port on 16 February 2009. Earlier, the Police said they are investigating the possible motives of the murder, the most likely being Agung’s article in Radar Bali about misappropriation of funds in the development of an international kindergarten project headed by Nyoman.
Considering that Nyoman is a candidate in the local Parliamentary election last April, in which his political party won a seat, I hope that the Police would thoroughly investigate whether or not he is really involved in the murder.
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