Source: The Jakarta Post
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Borobudur festival
Borobudur festival: Local artists perform a horse dance during the Borobudur Community Festival at Klipoh field in Karanganyar village near the world’s biggest temple in Magelang, Central Java. The event on Saturday was jointly organized by the Nahdlatul Ulama’s Muslim Cultural Institute, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Borobudur management. – Antara/Hari Atmoko
Friday, July 2, 2010
Cultural parade
Cultural parade; Participants of an old bicyble club are ready to get engaged in a carnaval in the framework of commemorating the city`s anniversary of Medan in one of the main road in that city, North Sumatra (July 1). Many participants from 21 sub-districts joined the 420th anniversary of the city. (Antara/Septianda Perdana)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
RI still has potential to attract investors
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia still has a good chance of attracting foreign investors as world trade has been improving.
Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) for investment, transportation, information and telecommunication Chris Kanter said in Jakarta Monday that actually Indonesia has some special features which attracted foreign investors.
"World trade would soon be restored, and the Asian region may rise quicker, and Indonesia will have the positive utility of economic restoration. In the restoration process and afterward Indonesia would become increasingly interesting to foreign investors," he said.
He said that some of the pluses Indonesia has include in attracting foreign investment include the large population, the readily available work force and productivity would could still be further raised, the availability raw materials, political stability and the still wide space for market mechanism application.
Besides, he added, costs not having directly to do with economic activities have been increasing, in other words a good corporate governance is already in existence.
Direct foreign investment to the developing countries especially to Indonesia, he said, may be restored in the 2010-2014 period.
However, in the competition of direct foreign investment, Chris Kanter said, the developing countries need to be improve themselves.
In the meantime, the independent commissioner of PT Indosat Tbk also suggested to strengthen the domestic market, produce a conducive climate for investment and improve infrastructure to reduce fixed production cost.
To boost domestic investment, Chris reminded the government to give concrete support.
Several stimuli like tax and custom duty reforms, policy and implementation synchronization, and improvements in manpower and infrastructure sector, are all considered the `sugar` which the government needs to provide. (*)
Source: Antara News
Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) for investment, transportation, information and telecommunication Chris Kanter said in Jakarta Monday that actually Indonesia has some special features which attracted foreign investors.
"World trade would soon be restored, and the Asian region may rise quicker, and Indonesia will have the positive utility of economic restoration. In the restoration process and afterward Indonesia would become increasingly interesting to foreign investors," he said.
He said that some of the pluses Indonesia has include in attracting foreign investment include the large population, the readily available work force and productivity would could still be further raised, the availability raw materials, political stability and the still wide space for market mechanism application.
Besides, he added, costs not having directly to do with economic activities have been increasing, in other words a good corporate governance is already in existence.
Direct foreign investment to the developing countries especially to Indonesia, he said, may be restored in the 2010-2014 period.
However, in the competition of direct foreign investment, Chris Kanter said, the developing countries need to be improve themselves.
In the meantime, the independent commissioner of PT Indosat Tbk also suggested to strengthen the domestic market, produce a conducive climate for investment and improve infrastructure to reduce fixed production cost.
To boost domestic investment, Chris reminded the government to give concrete support.
Several stimuli like tax and custom duty reforms, policy and implementation synchronization, and improvements in manpower and infrastructure sector, are all considered the `sugar` which the government needs to provide. (*)
Source: Antara News
RI again to compete in four international olympics
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia will again send SMA (senor secondary school) students to the international science olympics for physics, mathematics, biology, and chemistry in July 2010.
The teams on Monday were received by National Education Minister Mohammad Nuh at his office in Jakarta Monday in the company of SMA Development Director Sungkowo.
The minister said the ministry made a significant jump in preparing new doctors. "In the next five years there must be a significant jump in the production of potential young doctors," he said when receiving the Olympic team.
Starting in 2010, the minister said, the government provides Rp 1 trillion in scholarships until S3 level. Each year he said some 1000 to 3000 scholarships would be issued.
He said right now there are 23 thousand of the 270 thousand lecturers in the universities. The total is less than 10 percent of the total number of lecturers. "We must be able to prepare foreign scholarships for 400-500 seats and scholarships for 1,500 domestic seats," he said.(*)
Source: Antara News
The teams on Monday were received by National Education Minister Mohammad Nuh at his office in Jakarta Monday in the company of SMA Development Director Sungkowo.
The minister said the ministry made a significant jump in preparing new doctors. "In the next five years there must be a significant jump in the production of potential young doctors," he said when receiving the Olympic team.
Starting in 2010, the minister said, the government provides Rp 1 trillion in scholarships until S3 level. Each year he said some 1000 to 3000 scholarships would be issued.
He said right now there are 23 thousand of the 270 thousand lecturers in the universities. The total is less than 10 percent of the total number of lecturers. "We must be able to prepare foreign scholarships for 400-500 seats and scholarships for 1,500 domestic seats," he said.(*)
Source: Antara News
Indonesia Still Open to Illegal Foreign Fishing Boats
MEDAN, KOMPAS.com - The North Sumatra Fishermen’s Association executive board has asked sea security personnel to put in order and control the activities of foreign fishing boats still illegally operating in North Sumatra’s territorial sea.
"The operation of the foreign fishing boats are causing a loss to the traditional fishermen, because their catch had been declining," Secretary of the All Indonesia Fishermen’s Associations Central Executive Board Ihya Ulumuddin said in Medan Monday.
He said that ordinarily, the catch of the small fishermen was quite good, reaching 60 to 80 kilograms, but following the illegal operation of the foreign fishermen their catch reached only 30 to 40 kilograms.
"The problem is that most of the fishing areas of the local fishermen had already been controlled by the foreign fishermen with their sophisticated fishing gear," Ulumuddin said.
He said according to reports of the local smaller fishermen from Batubara Regency in the North Sumatra’s western coast, they often found the foreign fishermen illegally fishing in the sea. And, he added that two Malaysian fishing boats had been caught by the police while illegally fishing near Pandan Island waters in Batubara regency, North Sumatra.
The police has arrested 8 crew members of Thai nationality, in addition to several tons of fish catch as evidence, and the ship’s captain was a Malaysian. The foreign fishing boat is currently at Belawan port and still being legally processed by the North Sumatra water police authorities.
Source: Kompas.com
"The operation of the foreign fishing boats are causing a loss to the traditional fishermen, because their catch had been declining," Secretary of the All Indonesia Fishermen’s Associations Central Executive Board Ihya Ulumuddin said in Medan Monday.He said that ordinarily, the catch of the small fishermen was quite good, reaching 60 to 80 kilograms, but following the illegal operation of the foreign fishermen their catch reached only 30 to 40 kilograms.
"The problem is that most of the fishing areas of the local fishermen had already been controlled by the foreign fishermen with their sophisticated fishing gear," Ulumuddin said.
He said according to reports of the local smaller fishermen from Batubara Regency in the North Sumatra’s western coast, they often found the foreign fishermen illegally fishing in the sea. And, he added that two Malaysian fishing boats had been caught by the police while illegally fishing near Pandan Island waters in Batubara regency, North Sumatra.
The police has arrested 8 crew members of Thai nationality, in addition to several tons of fish catch as evidence, and the ship’s captain was a Malaysian. The foreign fishing boat is currently at Belawan port and still being legally processed by the North Sumatra water police authorities.
Source: Kompas.com
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Chinese investors eyeing West Kalimantan-Sarawak border region
Pontianak, W Kalimantan (ANTARA News) - A number of investors, including Chinese, were interested in building the West Kalimantan and Sarawak border region where they planned to build their businesses.
"They needed 20 thousand hectares of land," West Kalimantan Governor Cornelis said in Pontianak Friday.
He said that wages in China had been increasing and West Kalimantan is practically free of earthquakes.
West Kalimantan is also strategically located as it is in Indonesia`s sea lanes and bordering with Sarawak. But investors need to be given easy access to licensing, and need adequate infrastructure.
Cornelis also admitted West Kalimantan is still facing limited infrastructure, such as electricity, roads, and ports. And the province is still depended considerably on other areas, although it is a palm oil producer.
Since the province has no special port, West Kalimantan became dependent on Malaysia, Cornelis said. (*)
Source: Antara News
"They needed 20 thousand hectares of land," West Kalimantan Governor Cornelis said in Pontianak Friday.He said that wages in China had been increasing and West Kalimantan is practically free of earthquakes.
West Kalimantan is also strategically located as it is in Indonesia`s sea lanes and bordering with Sarawak. But investors need to be given easy access to licensing, and need adequate infrastructure.
Cornelis also admitted West Kalimantan is still facing limited infrastructure, such as electricity, roads, and ports. And the province is still depended considerably on other areas, although it is a palm oil producer.
Since the province has no special port, West Kalimantan became dependent on Malaysia, Cornelis said. (*)
Source: Antara News
Fish exports reach 621,800 US dollars
Padang, W Sumatra (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s fish exports in the first quarter of 2010 reached 621,800 dollars.
"Compared with last year`s first quarter, this year`s exports increased 7.72 percent or 44,570 dollars, Minister for Marine and Fishery Resources Fadel Muhammad said in Padang, Friday.
He added that Indonesia`s marine and fishery resources in the first quarter of this year had increased 15.27 percent compared to last year`s corresponding period.
The increase by 31 thousand tons from 203.44 thousand to 234.51 thousand tons came from non-tuna fish products.
"All in all, the balance of fish products still reached a surplus," he said. (*)
Source: Antara News
"Compared with last year`s first quarter, this year`s exports increased 7.72 percent or 44,570 dollars, Minister for Marine and Fishery Resources Fadel Muhammad said in Padang, Friday.He added that Indonesia`s marine and fishery resources in the first quarter of this year had increased 15.27 percent compared to last year`s corresponding period.
The increase by 31 thousand tons from 203.44 thousand to 234.51 thousand tons came from non-tuna fish products.
"All in all, the balance of fish products still reached a surplus," he said. (*)
Source: Antara News
Bakrie cooperates with Google to develop data service
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - PT Bakrie Connectivity (B-Con) signed a memorandum of understanding with Google International for cooperation in the development of data service in Indonesia.
The signing was done here on Thursday by B-Con
president director Erik Meijer and Google International`s director for Asia Pacific development Emmanuel Sauquet.
"Through the cooperation our data service would be directly integrated with various Google products," Erik Meijer said.
He said the combination would give an added value in the form of a speedy internet service combined with a speedy browser to provide what internet users in Indonesia want.
Emmanuel Sauquet meanwhile said he was optimistic his company could develop cooperation with B-Con to produce a unique and innovative distribution service.
"With that the Indonesian community could easily reach web browser Google Chrome and other Google products," he said.
B-Con earlier introduced CDMA-based internet access service 1xEVDO Rev A named AHA.
It also released USB device models Olive Type VME-110 and Huawei. The speedy access capacity of AHA to download reaches 3.1 Mbps and to upload up to 1.8 Mbps.
"AHA interface use is practical because it is built-in directly with Google Chrome Browser applications, Google search bar, live online news ticker and picasa," he said.
Saququet said AHA customers could easily access Google Chorme`s newest version that combines speed and power with ease and intelligence which is the trademark of Google. (*)
Source: Antara News
The signing was done here on Thursday by B-Con
president director Erik Meijer and Google International`s director for Asia Pacific development Emmanuel Sauquet."Through the cooperation our data service would be directly integrated with various Google products," Erik Meijer said.
He said the combination would give an added value in the form of a speedy internet service combined with a speedy browser to provide what internet users in Indonesia want.
Emmanuel Sauquet meanwhile said he was optimistic his company could develop cooperation with B-Con to produce a unique and innovative distribution service.
"With that the Indonesian community could easily reach web browser Google Chrome and other Google products," he said.
B-Con earlier introduced CDMA-based internet access service 1xEVDO Rev A named AHA.
It also released USB device models Olive Type VME-110 and Huawei. The speedy access capacity of AHA to download reaches 3.1 Mbps and to upload up to 1.8 Mbps.
"AHA interface use is practical because it is built-in directly with Google Chrome Browser applications, Google search bar, live online news ticker and picasa," he said.
Saququet said AHA customers could easily access Google Chorme`s newest version that combines speed and power with ease and intelligence which is the trademark of Google. (*)
Source: Antara News
Pangkalpinang to develop wind, solar energy
Pangkalpinang, Bangka-Belitung (ANTARA News) - The Pangkalpinang city administration in Bangka-Belitung (Babel) province plans to develop wind and solar energy to overcome a local electricity crisis.
"We have made a plan with a Japanese scientist to develop wind and solar energy potentials here in our effort to overcome the power crisis in the city," Pangkalpinang Mayor Zulkarnain Karim said here on Saturday.
The mayor expressed optimism that the alternative wind and solar energy was fit to be developed in Pangkalpinang city, but it needed serious cooperation with private parties who are really expert in that field.
"The wind and solar energy after being developed here, will be used for street lights of which many have gone out because of electricity crisis," Zulkarnain said.
He expressed hope that the wind and solar alternative energy would be able to overcome power crisis being faced by Pangkalpinang branch of state electricity company PT PLN.
"The energy crisis here will remain a serious concern of the local government and therefore we have to seek out its best possible solution," Zulkarnain said.
But he added that the solution could not be made only by seminars on alternative energy with domestic and foreign experts, but also by expanding cooperation with a number of developed countries.
"Investors intending to invest in electricity sector here will think twice if power crisis continues to happen. Therefore we plan to find the best possible solution by making Pangkalpinang a trade and industrial city in Bangka-Belitung province," Zulkarnaen said. (Uu.O001/HAJM/H-YH/P003)
Source: Antara News
"We have made a plan with a Japanese scientist to develop wind and solar energy potentials here in our effort to overcome the power crisis in the city," Pangkalpinang Mayor Zulkarnain Karim said here on Saturday.The mayor expressed optimism that the alternative wind and solar energy was fit to be developed in Pangkalpinang city, but it needed serious cooperation with private parties who are really expert in that field.
"The wind and solar energy after being developed here, will be used for street lights of which many have gone out because of electricity crisis," Zulkarnain said.
He expressed hope that the wind and solar alternative energy would be able to overcome power crisis being faced by Pangkalpinang branch of state electricity company PT PLN.
"The energy crisis here will remain a serious concern of the local government and therefore we have to seek out its best possible solution," Zulkarnain said.
But he added that the solution could not be made only by seminars on alternative energy with domestic and foreign experts, but also by expanding cooperation with a number of developed countries.
"Investors intending to invest in electricity sector here will think twice if power crisis continues to happen. Therefore we plan to find the best possible solution by making Pangkalpinang a trade and industrial city in Bangka-Belitung province," Zulkarnaen said. (Uu.O001/HAJM/H-YH/P003)
Source: Antara News
LAPAN planning to launch own satellite
Bantul, Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Aeronautics and Space Agency LAPAN is planning to put its own satellite in orbit this year, a spokesman said.
"Right now we are still making preparations for the launching of the satellite named "Nano" with a rocket. The satellite will weigh less than 10 kilograms," head of LAPAN`s applied technology center, Dr Rika Andiarti, said on the sidelines of an Indonesia Rocket Competition 2010 at Pandansimo beach, Bantul, Yogyakarta, here on Saturday.
She said the "Nano" satellite would be used to monitor temperatures in the atmosphere or air humidity as well as for collecting other small data.
"In the future, we hope, we will be able to launch a bigger satellite for telecommunication and other purposes," she said.
She said LAPAN was currently making preparations for various tests for the launching of the rocket that would carry the satellite into space.
"In the next five years we must be able to produce a rocket to launch a bigger satellite so that Indonesia will no longer ask for help from other countries to launch a satellite," she said.
Vice dean of state Gajahmada University`s Technical Faculty Prof Dr Djamasri said by being able to put its own satellite in orbit Indonesia would be in a position to ensure its security in better ways.
"Now Indonesia still has to ask for help from other countries to put a satellite in orbit and this is risky because other countries could illicitly use the rocket and satellite also for their own interests," he said.
He said aeronautic technology especially concerning rockets was very useful and could be used for various purpuses such as disaster mitigation. It could also be used to support the country`s defense system, he said.
"If we can create a rocket able to cover a distance of 3,000 to 5,000 kilometers, our defense system will be stronger and other countries can then not treat us lightly," he said. (*)
Source: Antara News
"Right now we are still making preparations for the launching of the satellite named "Nano" with a rocket. The satellite will weigh less than 10 kilograms," head of LAPAN`s applied technology center, Dr Rika Andiarti, said on the sidelines of an Indonesia Rocket Competition 2010 at Pandansimo beach, Bantul, Yogyakarta, here on Saturday.
She said the "Nano" satellite would be used to monitor temperatures in the atmosphere or air humidity as well as for collecting other small data.
"In the future, we hope, we will be able to launch a bigger satellite for telecommunication and other purposes," she said.
She said LAPAN was currently making preparations for various tests for the launching of the rocket that would carry the satellite into space.
"In the next five years we must be able to produce a rocket to launch a bigger satellite so that Indonesia will no longer ask for help from other countries to launch a satellite," she said.
Vice dean of state Gajahmada University`s Technical Faculty Prof Dr Djamasri said by being able to put its own satellite in orbit Indonesia would be in a position to ensure its security in better ways.
"Now Indonesia still has to ask for help from other countries to put a satellite in orbit and this is risky because other countries could illicitly use the rocket and satellite also for their own interests," he said.
He said aeronautic technology especially concerning rockets was very useful and could be used for various purpuses such as disaster mitigation. It could also be used to support the country`s defense system, he said.
"If we can create a rocket able to cover a distance of 3,000 to 5,000 kilometers, our defense system will be stronger and other countries can then not treat us lightly," he said. (*)
Source: Antara News
Friday, June 25, 2010
Google: Indonesia about to Explode
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Google said that Internet use in Indonesia was expanding at a fast pace and was the leading emerging economy in terms of growth.
“Users are growing very, very fast. Indonesia is about to explode,” Google Asia Business Development director Emmanuel Sauquet said of Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.
“It has very diverse and very active online communities. It’s the right place for us to come now,” he said. “Compared to other emerging countries, Indonesia is the fastest growing country.”
Google is collaborating with a local wireless broadband Internet company Bakrie Connectivity, whose new modem will come with Google Chrome web browser as a standard feature. Indonesia’s population of more than 230 million people and low market penetration have made the Indonesia attractive for Internet companies.
The country has about 40 million Internet users, while it is also ranked third with the most registered Facebook users, after the US and Britain, with more than 22 million users.
A study by Yahoo! in Southeast Asia found that Indonesia is the largest and fastest growing online market in Southeast Asia. It marked a growth of 48 percent in 2010 of online usage compared to 22 percent last year. Yahoo! recently bought local social networking website Koprol.
Source: Kompas.com
“Users are growing very, very fast. Indonesia is about to explode,” Google Asia Business Development director Emmanuel Sauquet said of Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.“It has very diverse and very active online communities. It’s the right place for us to come now,” he said. “Compared to other emerging countries, Indonesia is the fastest growing country.”
Google is collaborating with a local wireless broadband Internet company Bakrie Connectivity, whose new modem will come with Google Chrome web browser as a standard feature. Indonesia’s population of more than 230 million people and low market penetration have made the Indonesia attractive for Internet companies.
The country has about 40 million Internet users, while it is also ranked third with the most registered Facebook users, after the US and Britain, with more than 22 million users.
A study by Yahoo! in Southeast Asia found that Indonesia is the largest and fastest growing online market in Southeast Asia. It marked a growth of 48 percent in 2010 of online usage compared to 22 percent last year. Yahoo! recently bought local social networking website Koprol.
Source: Kompas.com
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Creative Industries in Indonesia Expected to Get New Boost
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Indonesian government will boost development of the country’s creative industry so that it will contribute at least 8 percent to the national gross domestic product (GDP) by 2015.
"Therefore, we hope all sides will strengthen their commitment to promote the creative industry. The government will always try to create a conducive business climate but more importantly, industrial players must continue to develop their creativity so that their products will have a high competitive edge," Vice President Boediono said when he opened the Indonesian Creative Product Week 2010 on Wednesday.
The government is paying serious attention to development of creative industry because it is one of
the economic sectors which is expected to improve the people’s welfare.
In his address at the opening of the Jakarta Fair (PRJ) and International Expo in Kemayoran last week, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that besides improving their welfare, economic growth born out of creative economic activities would also serve as a correct and attractive means of enriching the nation’s cultural values. He said that developing a creative economy was in line with the country’s economic development direction which prioritizes inclusiveness and justice.
"By adhering to this principle, it will be possible to achieve high economic growth and strong economic stability for all groups of people in the country. We want prosperity to spread evenly and reduce the number of unemployed and poor people," the president said.
As part of the efforts to promote development of the creative industry and its products, the government has instituted an annual creative product week.
This year’s creative product week was opened by Vice President Boediono on Wednesday. In his opening remarks he said that the government had projected the national creative industry’s contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) to increase to 8 percent in 2015.
"So far, the national creative industry’s contribution (to GDP) reaches 7.6. We hope it can increase to 8-9 percent," he said.
He noted that the national creative industry had shown positive growth in the past five years. With the positive growth, the government was convinced that the national creative industry would be able to serve as one of the main pillars in implementing economic development in the future, he said. Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu on the occasion said meanwhile that this year the government had set itself a target of 5.8 percent growth in the country’s creative industries.
"Our target is to have at least an increase of 5.8 percent from the value of creative industries’ contribution to the GDP in 2009," she said at the launch of a Creative Industry Portal at the Jakarta Convention Center on Wednesday. She said, so far creative industry growth was recorded at an average of 3.8 percent per year. Yet, the government did not yet have data on the growth of creative industries in 2009 but estimated it had reached 4.5 percent.
Data at the ministry of trade show that the contribution of creative industries to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) amounted to Rp151 trillion, or 7.28 percent of total GDP in 2008. "There five biggest contributors to GDP were fashion, crafts, advertising, design and music," she said. Fashion contributed 43 percent, crafts 25 percent, advertisement eight percent, design six percent and music five percent.
The minister said that creative industries which had a double-digit growth potential, included computer services and software (12.5 percent), advertising (12 percent) and interactive games (14.9 percent). Last year, exports from the creative industry were valued at Rp114.9 trillion or 7.52 percent of the country’s total exports.
The government, she said, was trying to encourage the growth of creative industries by facilitating increased access to financing sources, technology, protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), raw material supplies, as well as providing promotional facilities and product exhibitions.
"We intend to create a pilot project with several banks, including Bank BNI which has long been involved in the development of creative industries, to try to provide financing. With that we want to see the problem being faced to find their solutions," she said.
This will be done because so far creative industries still have limited access to capital sources at banks and other financial institutions. In the meantime, Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Agung Laksono said that the government was emphasizing efforts to explore creative economic potentials through Presidential Instruction no. 6 / 2009 on development of a creative economy.
The potentials of creative industry could among others be explored through the creative product week, which was opened on Wednesday. He said that the government was targeting transactions worth a total of Rp40 billion in the 2010 Creative Product Week (PPKI).
Laksono said that in 2007 transactions in the creative product week reached a value of Rp16 billion while in 2008 it stood at Rp34 billion and Rp31 billion in 2009. "We hope transactions this time will reach a total value of Rp40 billion," Agung Laksono.
"The PPKI 2010 which is now being held for the fourth time since 2007, is expected to become a reliable instrument for the development of creative economy. This should not be developed only through presentations on various advancements of creative products but also through efforts to encourage the creation of the seeds of entrepreneurship," the minister said.
Source: Kompas.com
"Therefore, we hope all sides will strengthen their commitment to promote the creative industry. The government will always try to create a conducive business climate but more importantly, industrial players must continue to develop their creativity so that their products will have a high competitive edge," Vice President Boediono said when he opened the Indonesian Creative Product Week 2010 on Wednesday.
The government is paying serious attention to development of creative industry because it is one of
the economic sectors which is expected to improve the people’s welfare.In his address at the opening of the Jakarta Fair (PRJ) and International Expo in Kemayoran last week, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that besides improving their welfare, economic growth born out of creative economic activities would also serve as a correct and attractive means of enriching the nation’s cultural values. He said that developing a creative economy was in line with the country’s economic development direction which prioritizes inclusiveness and justice.
"By adhering to this principle, it will be possible to achieve high economic growth and strong economic stability for all groups of people in the country. We want prosperity to spread evenly and reduce the number of unemployed and poor people," the president said.
As part of the efforts to promote development of the creative industry and its products, the government has instituted an annual creative product week.
This year’s creative product week was opened by Vice President Boediono on Wednesday. In his opening remarks he said that the government had projected the national creative industry’s contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) to increase to 8 percent in 2015.
"So far, the national creative industry’s contribution (to GDP) reaches 7.6. We hope it can increase to 8-9 percent," he said.
He noted that the national creative industry had shown positive growth in the past five years. With the positive growth, the government was convinced that the national creative industry would be able to serve as one of the main pillars in implementing economic development in the future, he said. Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu on the occasion said meanwhile that this year the government had set itself a target of 5.8 percent growth in the country’s creative industries.
"Our target is to have at least an increase of 5.8 percent from the value of creative industries’ contribution to the GDP in 2009," she said at the launch of a Creative Industry Portal at the Jakarta Convention Center on Wednesday. She said, so far creative industry growth was recorded at an average of 3.8 percent per year. Yet, the government did not yet have data on the growth of creative industries in 2009 but estimated it had reached 4.5 percent.
Data at the ministry of trade show that the contribution of creative industries to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) amounted to Rp151 trillion, or 7.28 percent of total GDP in 2008. "There five biggest contributors to GDP were fashion, crafts, advertising, design and music," she said. Fashion contributed 43 percent, crafts 25 percent, advertisement eight percent, design six percent and music five percent.
The minister said that creative industries which had a double-digit growth potential, included computer services and software (12.5 percent), advertising (12 percent) and interactive games (14.9 percent). Last year, exports from the creative industry were valued at Rp114.9 trillion or 7.52 percent of the country’s total exports.
The government, she said, was trying to encourage the growth of creative industries by facilitating increased access to financing sources, technology, protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), raw material supplies, as well as providing promotional facilities and product exhibitions.
"We intend to create a pilot project with several banks, including Bank BNI which has long been involved in the development of creative industries, to try to provide financing. With that we want to see the problem being faced to find their solutions," she said.
This will be done because so far creative industries still have limited access to capital sources at banks and other financial institutions. In the meantime, Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Agung Laksono said that the government was emphasizing efforts to explore creative economic potentials through Presidential Instruction no. 6 / 2009 on development of a creative economy.
The potentials of creative industry could among others be explored through the creative product week, which was opened on Wednesday. He said that the government was targeting transactions worth a total of Rp40 billion in the 2010 Creative Product Week (PPKI).
Laksono said that in 2007 transactions in the creative product week reached a value of Rp16 billion while in 2008 it stood at Rp34 billion and Rp31 billion in 2009. "We hope transactions this time will reach a total value of Rp40 billion," Agung Laksono.
"The PPKI 2010 which is now being held for the fourth time since 2007, is expected to become a reliable instrument for the development of creative economy. This should not be developed only through presentations on various advancements of creative products but also through efforts to encourage the creation of the seeds of entrepreneurship," the minister said.
Source: Kompas.com
E Java third biggest energy producer
Surabaya, E Java (ANTARA News) - East Java is the third biggest oil and gas producer in Indonesia after East Kalimantan and Riau.
"With 31 mining exploitation concessions, East Java is the third biggest oil and gas producer in the country," East Java regional secretary Rasiyo said in Surabaya Tuesday.
Besides the 31 mining exploitation concessions, cooperation contractors, East Java also has 32 mining exploration concessions.
"New oil and gas fields had been increasing in East Java, with one of the biggest ones, namely Block Cepu in Bojonegoro regency," he said in a seminar on optimizing hydrocarbon resources in the East Java sediments.
He said Cepu Block has reserves reaching 7.7 trillion cubic feet of natural oil equivalent or 650 million barrels.
Total oil potentials in East Java had reached 583.475.5 million barrels, while natural oil 10,301.7 billion cubic meters.
The new blocks are expected to attract investors in oil and gas explorations and exploitations. Investors with exploitations or explorations, will increase the oil and gas supplies in East Java and in Indonesia.
The East Java provincial administration continued inviting the upstream oil and gas developing activities to support the oil and gas management system in Cepu Block.
Rasiyo said the oil and gas concessions in East Java are located in the north, but practically none in the south.
Rasiyo told the authorized government institutions to conduct a research of the oil and gas layers in the middle and south of the province.
"Most of the oil and gas blocks in East Java are in the northern off shore of the Java Sea, like near Bawean island, Gresik, and small islands in Madura, while those on share are in the west of East Java like Lamongan and Bojonegoro," he said.
In the meantime, Head of BP Migas R Priyono said East Java has 42 basins with oil and gas potentials known since the 18th century, but started being managed only in the last five years.
The biggest basin is in the Cepu Block and Surabaya with a high prospect for management, but facing too dense population.
"In Surabaya, because of its too dense population, investors continued hesitating before making exploitations," he said.
Since 1970, oil production are found only in off shore coastal areas, while most of the carbonate rocks containing oil and gas are in Madura like in Cepu.
At least 47 villages in Sumenep had been predicted to have oil and gas reserves. "It has been a 100 years that people are walking on it, but only in the last five years development was started," Priyono said.
He said that one thing is interested is that in East Java compared to other areas, namely the existence of limestone with the prospect for development.
The limestone in Cepu block as far as the Madura strait is second to nothing to other areas, like the limestone in Tulungagung regency.
The limestone deposits in Tulungagung are found in abundance, reaching millions of cubic meters in many subdistricts like Rejotangan, Sendang, Kalidawir, and Besuki.
Most of the limestone deposits in Tulungagung is still managed conventionally. The local people are using the limestone in small amounts, for house foundation.(*)
Source: Antara News
"With 31 mining exploitation concessions, East Java is the third biggest oil and gas producer in the country," East Java regional secretary Rasiyo said in Surabaya Tuesday.
Besides the 31 mining exploitation concessions, cooperation contractors, East Java also has 32 mining exploration concessions.
"New oil and gas fields had been increasing in East Java, with one of the biggest ones, namely Block Cepu in Bojonegoro regency," he said in a seminar on optimizing hydrocarbon resources in the East Java sediments.
He said Cepu Block has reserves reaching 7.7 trillion cubic feet of natural oil equivalent or 650 million barrels.
Total oil potentials in East Java had reached 583.475.5 million barrels, while natural oil 10,301.7 billion cubic meters.
The new blocks are expected to attract investors in oil and gas explorations and exploitations. Investors with exploitations or explorations, will increase the oil and gas supplies in East Java and in Indonesia.
The East Java provincial administration continued inviting the upstream oil and gas developing activities to support the oil and gas management system in Cepu Block.
Rasiyo said the oil and gas concessions in East Java are located in the north, but practically none in the south.
Rasiyo told the authorized government institutions to conduct a research of the oil and gas layers in the middle and south of the province.
"Most of the oil and gas blocks in East Java are in the northern off shore of the Java Sea, like near Bawean island, Gresik, and small islands in Madura, while those on share are in the west of East Java like Lamongan and Bojonegoro," he said.
In the meantime, Head of BP Migas R Priyono said East Java has 42 basins with oil and gas potentials known since the 18th century, but started being managed only in the last five years.
The biggest basin is in the Cepu Block and Surabaya with a high prospect for management, but facing too dense population.
"In Surabaya, because of its too dense population, investors continued hesitating before making exploitations," he said.
Since 1970, oil production are found only in off shore coastal areas, while most of the carbonate rocks containing oil and gas are in Madura like in Cepu.
At least 47 villages in Sumenep had been predicted to have oil and gas reserves. "It has been a 100 years that people are walking on it, but only in the last five years development was started," Priyono said.
He said that one thing is interested is that in East Java compared to other areas, namely the existence of limestone with the prospect for development.
The limestone in Cepu block as far as the Madura strait is second to nothing to other areas, like the limestone in Tulungagung regency.
The limestone deposits in Tulungagung are found in abundance, reaching millions of cubic meters in many subdistricts like Rejotangan, Sendang, Kalidawir, and Besuki.
Most of the limestone deposits in Tulungagung is still managed conventionally. The local people are using the limestone in small amounts, for house foundation.(*)
Source: Antara News
Midea invests 2 million US dollars in Indonesia
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Chinese electronic company Midea Electronics invested an initial 2 million US dollars to enter the Indonesian market.
"By building a joint company, Midea is officially operating in Indonesia with an initial capital of 2 million US dollars," President Director of PT Midea Planet Indonesia (MPI) Jino Sugianto said after launching Midea Brand at Hotel Indonesia Kempinski in Jakarta on Wednesday.He said the money will be used to expand the marketing network.
He said that he became interested in entering the Indonesian market because the country has a very large population.
"Besides Indonesia is one of the three countries in the world besides China and India with the ability to revive in the recent global crisis," he said.
He also said that Indonesia has a very large market potential and a steady economic growth with the support of a favorable economic and political situation.
"This is what makes the Indonesian market very promising in our view," Jino said.
Midea Indonesia officially started operating in Indonesia on Wednesday in a joint company called PT Midea Planet Indonesia sharing 51 persen of the shares for Midea China and 49 percent for local company PT Maco Amangraha.
As an initial target, the company is aimed at Rp100 billion till the closing this year.
"In the next three years, we believe that we will enter the five biggest electronic players in Indonesia with sales reaching 30 million US dollars," he said.
He added that in the coming days he will also become interested to open a production center in Indonesia like what had been built in Vietnam, Thailand, and Belarus.
The company which was buiilt in 1968 produced household utensils like air conditioners, refrigerators, electric fans, and washing machines.
In China, the company has been successful in becoming the biggest market shareholder in electronics.
President of the International Division of Midea China John Cen said the company has the support of 17 production centers in leading industries in China and in some other countries.
"We are also supported by R & D products of the latest technology with a marketing network in more than 150 countries," he said.
Up till 2008, total assets of the company set up by He Xiangjian had reached Rp59.4 trillion from merely Rp30.4 trillion in 1993.
Total sales up to 2009 reached Rp140 trillion, and targeted to increase by 20 percent to Rp170 trillion in 2010.
In Indonesia, he has prepared 30 after sales network outlets in Sumatera, Jawa, Bali, Kalimantan, and in Sulawesi.This number would be raised to 100 outlets by the closure of 2010.(H-NG/A014)
Source: Antara News
"By building a joint company, Midea is officially operating in Indonesia with an initial capital of 2 million US dollars," President Director of PT Midea Planet Indonesia (MPI) Jino Sugianto said after launching Midea Brand at Hotel Indonesia Kempinski in Jakarta on Wednesday.He said the money will be used to expand the marketing network.
He said that he became interested in entering the Indonesian market because the country has a very large population.
"Besides Indonesia is one of the three countries in the world besides China and India with the ability to revive in the recent global crisis," he said.
He also said that Indonesia has a very large market potential and a steady economic growth with the support of a favorable economic and political situation.
"This is what makes the Indonesian market very promising in our view," Jino said.
Midea Indonesia officially started operating in Indonesia on Wednesday in a joint company called PT Midea Planet Indonesia sharing 51 persen of the shares for Midea China and 49 percent for local company PT Maco Amangraha.
As an initial target, the company is aimed at Rp100 billion till the closing this year.
"In the next three years, we believe that we will enter the five biggest electronic players in Indonesia with sales reaching 30 million US dollars," he said.
He added that in the coming days he will also become interested to open a production center in Indonesia like what had been built in Vietnam, Thailand, and Belarus.
The company which was buiilt in 1968 produced household utensils like air conditioners, refrigerators, electric fans, and washing machines.
In China, the company has been successful in becoming the biggest market shareholder in electronics.
President of the International Division of Midea China John Cen said the company has the support of 17 production centers in leading industries in China and in some other countries.
"We are also supported by R & D products of the latest technology with a marketing network in more than 150 countries," he said.
Up till 2008, total assets of the company set up by He Xiangjian had reached Rp59.4 trillion from merely Rp30.4 trillion in 1993.
Total sales up to 2009 reached Rp140 trillion, and targeted to increase by 20 percent to Rp170 trillion in 2010.
In Indonesia, he has prepared 30 after sales network outlets in Sumatera, Jawa, Bali, Kalimantan, and in Sulawesi.This number would be raised to 100 outlets by the closure of 2010.(H-NG/A014)
Source: Antara News
Indonesia filmmaker wins "democracy video challenge"
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian filmmaker Adhyatmika has emerged as one of the six winners of the US Department of State`s second annual "Democracy Video Challenge" (DVC) short movie competition participated in by 700 cineasts from across the world.
Adhyatmika`s entry, a three-minute video titled "Democracy is yet to be learned", won the title for the South East Asia Region. It can be viewed on www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGIVYm-v3kM.
Adhyatmika and five other winning filmmakers from Iran, Spain, Colombia, Nepal and Ethiopia earned all-expense-paid trips to Washington DC, Hollywood and New York City in September.
In New York and Hollywood, the winners will spend time on TV/film sets, and will meet with directors, film technicians, professional talent agents, and new media experts. In Washington, DC, the winners will meet with democracy advocates, media, and US government officials.
Born in Jakarta, Adhyatmika is a graduate of the Puttnam School of Film, Lasalle College of The Arts in Singapore. "Democracy is not a thing, it`s a process," said Adhyatmika, characterizing his winning work as "a rather surreal satirical comedy about democratic life in Indonesia."
The Democracy Video Challenge partners and participating organizations include the Center for International Private Enterprise, the International Republican Institute, the International Youth Foundation, the Motion Picture Association of America, NBC-Universal, the National Democratic Institute, New York University`s Tisch School of the Arts, the Recording Industry Association of America, TakingITGlobal, University of Southern California`s Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, the US Department of State, WME and YouTube.(*)
Source: Antara News
Adhyatmika`s entry, a three-minute video titled "Democracy is yet to be learned", won the title for the South East Asia Region. It can be viewed on www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGIVYm-v3kM.
Adhyatmika and five other winning filmmakers from Iran, Spain, Colombia, Nepal and Ethiopia earned all-expense-paid trips to Washington DC, Hollywood and New York City in September.
In New York and Hollywood, the winners will spend time on TV/film sets, and will meet with directors, film technicians, professional talent agents, and new media experts. In Washington, DC, the winners will meet with democracy advocates, media, and US government officials.
Born in Jakarta, Adhyatmika is a graduate of the Puttnam School of Film, Lasalle College of The Arts in Singapore. "Democracy is not a thing, it`s a process," said Adhyatmika, characterizing his winning work as "a rather surreal satirical comedy about democratic life in Indonesia."
The Democracy Video Challenge partners and participating organizations include the Center for International Private Enterprise, the International Republican Institute, the International Youth Foundation, the Motion Picture Association of America, NBC-Universal, the National Democratic Institute, New York University`s Tisch School of the Arts, the Recording Industry Association of America, TakingITGlobal, University of Southern California`s Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, the US Department of State, WME and YouTube.(*)
Source: Antara News
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Bunaken: Breathtaking Underwater Life
Description
Ever fancy yourself being a mermaid? Being able to swim along with other creatures of the sea , moving to the rhythm of the waves? In the Bunaken Marine Park, you will encounter a real “mermaid”, and you can also get a glimpse of sea life here.
Bunaken is an 8.08 km² island in the Bay of Manado, situated in the north of the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Bunaken forms part of the administrative city of Manado , capital of North Sulawesi. The marine Park around Bunaken is part of the National Park that also includes the ocean around the island of Manado Tua – or Old Manado, Siladen and Mantehage.
Within the Bunaken Marine Park, visitors can see various strange and colourful marine life along its sea bed. To reach this park, you can take a motorboat. The journey from Manado takes around 40 minutes. Entrance fee is 25,000 rupiahs per person per visit.
The translucent waters of the Bunaken seas enable people to clearly view numerous sea biota. There are 13 species of coral reefs in this park, dominated by edge ridges and block ridges of rocks. The most attractive view is the steep vertical sloppy coral reef that plunges down as deep as 25-50 meters.
Feast your eyes on 91 types of fish found in the Bunaken National Park, amongst which are the locally known gusimi horse fish (Hippocampus), the white oci (Seriola rivoliana), yellow-tailed lolosi (Lutjanus kasmira), goropa (Ephinephelus spilotoceps and Pseudanthias hypselosoma), ila gasi (Scolopsis bilineatus) and others.
Divers may also meet mollusk like the giant kima (Tridacna gigas), goat head (Cassis cornuta), nautilus (Nautilus pompillius) and tunikates/ascidian.
For those who enjoy scuba diving, this is a great place to be. With about 20 dive spots to choose from, divers will have the chance to swim below the sea, and frolic joyfully while admiring the sea creatures.
Make sure to visit Bunaken during its best season between May to August. That way you can explore the Park to its fullest.
Baliem Valley: Home of the Dani's
Description
High up in the mountains of central Papua at an altitude of 1,600 meters above sea level, hemmed in by steep green mountain walls, lies the stunningly beautiful Baliem valley, home of the Dani tribe.
Baliem valley is 72 km. long, and 15 km to 31 km wide in places. It is cut by the Baliem river, which has its source in the northern Trikora mountain, cascading into the Grand Valley, to meander down and further rushing south dropping 1,500 meters to become a large muddy river that slowly empties into the Arafura Sea.
The first outsider to discover the valley was American Richard Archbold, who, on 23 June 1938 from his seaplane, suddenly sighted this awesome valley dotted with neat terraced green fields of sweet potatoes, set among craggy mountain peaks. This is Indonesia’s own Shangri-La.
Only recently emerged from the Stone Age, the Dani are known as the “gentle warriors”. With their simple tools of stone and bone, they nonetheless, managed to sculpt green fields that hug the hills, where they grow root crops, and raise pigs. They have also built outposts and lookout towers to defend their valley from hostile tribes.
Because of the fertile soil and their agricultural skills, the Dani together with the sub-tribes of the Yali and the Lani, are, therefore, the most populous in Papua, living scattered in small communities near their gardens among the steep mountain slopes. Today, they also cultivate bananas, taro and yams, ginger, tobacco and cucumbers.
The men's and women's huts (locally called the honai) have thick thatched roofs, which keep the huts cool during the day and warm during the cold nights.
Source: http://www.indonesia.travel/en/destination/372/baliem-valley
Jakarta: Dining Experience in Metropolitan City
Description
Jakarta today offers an excellent variety of sophisticated fine dining restaurants located in many parts of this sprawling metropolitan city.
The best Indonesian cuisine and international restaurants are found in unique surroundings as they are located in elegant and well appointed colonial buildings that enhance that special nostalgic atmosphere of fine, graceful dining like in those colonial days long gone.
The Oasis Restaurant on Jalan Raden Saleh in Central Jakarta, the Buddha Bar on Teuku Umar, Bunga Rampai on Jalan Tjik Ditiro and the Jittlada Thai restaurant on Jalan Sultan Agung are just a few prime examples. The Café Batavia across the old Stadhuis at Fatahillah Square in Old Batavia takes one back to the grand style of grand meals in the Dutch colonial era.
Meanwhile, Jakarta’s top hotels serve grand buffets for lunch in one all inclusive price where diners can pick from a wide selection of cuisine from Japanese sushi to juicy steaks and roast beef, to crunchy salads, and close the meal with chocolate cake, fresh fruits and delicious aromatic coffee.
Malls have also gotten into the fray to pamper diners, where entire floors are today dedicated to upscale restaurants, but there are also smaller bistros, cafes and fast food to cater to the thousands of busy professionals from the surrounding office towers, and shoppers and cinema buffs filling the attached cineplex.
The Kemang area in South Jakarta is a small world all its own where are some top international restaurants, among which the Turkish Anatolia restaurant, but also others serving first class Italian, Indian, Chinese, Indonesian, or Dutch cuisine.
And everywhere around this city one finds simple restaurants and street stalls so that no one can ever complain of having to go hungry for lack of food available.
While Gado-gado is Indonesia’s salad consisting of boiled spinach, watercress, beansprouts, boiled potatoes and boiled egg, poured over with ground peanut sauce sometimes eaten with lontong, which is rolled rice boiled in leaves. Another variety is the Ketoprak which consists of beansprouts, tofu and rice noodles served with fresh peanut sauce mixed with spices.
Source: http://www.indonesia.travel/en/destination/341/jakarta-dining-experience-in-metropolitan-city
Raja Ampat: Ultimate Underwater Expedition
Description
The roaring eng
ines fixed to a large wooden boat are finally quiet. Nothing can be heard but the rifting little waves, lapping against the vibrant paint on the sides of the vessel that gracefully slows down. Native birds hop on the tip of a small tree in one of the deserted islands in the distance.Raja Ampat or ‘Four Kings’, is the name given to these islands and comes from a local myth. The four major islands found here are Waigeo, Misool (which is home to ancient rock paintings), Salawati, and Batanta.
Underwater enthusiasts flock to this region because it offers the world’s best marine sights. Two days earlier, some of these travelers had been at a deafening corner of a tourist trap in Bali. Once they took their flight to the bird head of the island of Papua everything changed as they embarked on a diving tour of a lifetime. In the Raja Ampat islands, divers can explore vertical underwater walls. The thrill of drift diving is another great challenge. These are the awesome experiences you will find in Raja Ampat.
Meanwhile, on this tour several divers were well equipped and looked advanced. The territory within the islands of the Four Kings is enormous, covering 9.8 million acres of land and sea, home to 540 types of corals, more than 1,000 types of coral fish and 700 types of mollusks. This makes it the most diverse living library for world’s coral reef and underwater biota. According to a report developed by The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International, around 75% of the world’s species live here. When divers first arrive here their excitement is palpable. It’s common to hear people praise God as they take in the remarkable scenery. Others prefer to remain in silence taking in the overwhelming sight of so many islands with crystal clear water that softly brushes over the white sandy beaches.
“Disini bagus!”, says the friendly local guide who had been appointed by the tour operator who runs an eco-lodge in Raja Ampat, indicating that they have arrived at one of the most fantastic diving sites. On other days, this guide is just a simple fisherman. The local fishermen here are accustomed to foreigners and are friendly, especially when offered pinang (betel nuts) or some sweet candies. These are very popular and offering these sweets is considered polite and a good way to win an instant smile. The fishermen usually eat this snack during Para-para Pinang, or social chatting and exchanging funny stories while chewing Pinang. In many respects, like nature, culture, and history, these fishermen are closer to the Moluccas.
"No doubt about it, Raja Ampat is definitely the richest place for fish that I have ever been." -
-Dr G.R. Allen
"I was like a five-year-old, seeing a reef for the very first time. I was awestruck, held by the incredible power of this richest reef. We must, with all available resources, preserve the beauty of Raja Ampat. This may be the last frontier." --Michael Aw
"I love the people, I love the diving, it's super! I've never been for a second time to the same dive destination but now I'm thinking about going back for the third time! Should I say more?" --Peter van Dalen
(These testimonials are taken from www.iriandive.com)
While the landscape may look like a dream, this is not an illusion. As you embark on your dive, the phrase ‘Attention to detail’ takes on new meaning as pigmy seahorses swim around your fingers. Manta Rays and wobbegongs will glide right by you. Tuna fish, giant trevallies, snappers, and even barracudas are there to complete your underwater ‘meeting list’. Not to mention the friendly assistant of the dugong, and a busy colleague, the turtle. Natural and untouched beauty is the main attraction here. With no unnecessary adages, the sky, the lush islands, the sea, and everything above and under it is genuinely saying ‘Welcome to Raja Ampat Islands; your personal Disneyland of diving sites’.More facts about the Raja Ampat Conservation Area:*
This area is home to 1,511 species of reef fish in the Bird’s Head Seascape;
1,320 species of reef fish in Raja Ampat;
75% of all known coral species in the world;
10 times the number of hard coral species found in the entire Caribbean;
In the Birds Head Seascape there 600 species of hard coral recorded;
5 species of endangered sea turtles;
57 species of Mantis Shrimp;
13 species of Marine Mammals;
And 27 species of endemic reef fish found only in that area
*according to a tour operator
Source: http://www.indonesia.travel/en/destination/248/raja-ampat
Saudi Investment in Indonesia Reaches USD8 Billion
MAMUJU, KOMPAS.com - The Saudi government has invested around US$8 billion in Indonesia since the two governments established cooperation 50 years ago, a spokesman said. The Saudi government invested US$2 billion in Indonesia in the early days of the cooperation, spokesman for the Saudi Embassy in Indonesia Ahmad Ali Kattonah said here on Monday.
"The increase in investment was the result of good bilateral cooperation particularly in the economic field," he said.
He expressed hope the Saudi relations with West Sulawesi province which started this year would involve all parties particularly stakeholders in the region.
"The first phase of cooperation we will develop with the West Sulawesi provincial government will cover investment in the religious field according to the local government’s proposal," he said.
Source: Kompas.com
"The increase in investment was the result of good bilateral cooperation particularly in the economic field," he said.
He expressed hope the Saudi relations with West Sulawesi province which started this year would involve all parties particularly stakeholders in the region.
"The first phase of cooperation we will develop with the West Sulawesi provincial government will cover investment in the religious field according to the local government’s proposal," he said.
Source: Kompas.com
Birthday dish
Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo, center, cuts the ceremonial tumpeng (cone-shaped rice dish) as Deputy Governor Prijanto, right, looks on during Jakarta’s 483rd anniversary celebration at the National Monument in Central Jakarta on Tuesday. Antara/Ujang Jaelani
Source: The Jakarta Post
US, Indonesia explore uncharted deep sea
A deep-sea expedition by the United States and Indonesia sets off this week to explore one of the world's last frontiers, an adventure that researchers hope could lead to cures for diseases and help in predicting deadly tsunamis.
Scientists portray the trip to Indonesian waters as a throwback to a time when explorers blazed new trails into unknown territory.
The expedition, which is set to begin Thursday and wrap up in early August, is the maiden voyage for a high-tech U.S. science ship and the first joint deep-sea exploration by Indonesia and the United States.
Scientists will use a powerful sonar mapping system and a robotic vehicle equipped with high-definition video cameras to explore hundreds of square miles (kilometers) north of the Indonesian archipelago, providing an extraordinary glimpse of one of the globe's most diverse, complex and little-known marine ecosystems.
"The world's oceans are great mysteries to us, but there are few greater mysteries than this area in Indonesia that we're going to be exploring," Craig McLean, the official responsible for the execution of ocean exploration at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said in an interview.
Indeed, while a dozen men have been to the moon and back, only two have explored the deepest ocean and returned to tell the tale. This voyage won't be adding to that list; an unmanned, remote-controlled vessel will be exploring the deep sea.
But it will illuminate a little known part of the world.
Probing the ocean's depths is a costly, and potentially dangerous, affair, with only a relatively small number of countries and research centers investing in the effort. NOAA takes part in several international missions a year, but officials describe this one as its most complex.
A major goal is to create a high-resolution map of the ocean floor that will allow scientists to better understand how tsunamis form and spread and to make more accurate models to forecast earthquake-spawned waves in the future. The region straddles a series of fault lines, making it very seismically active. In 2004, a tsunami off Indonesia's western coast killed more than 230,000 people in a dozen countries.
Indonesia's Minister for Marine Affairs and Fisheries Fadel Muhammad said scientists also want to explore ecosystems living around underwater volcanos, some of which remain active.
Oceans cover about 70 percent of the earth's surface, but little is known about the sea floor. And not just remote parts of the Pacific; U.S. officials say they've only mapped a small part of the exclusive economic zone that extends into waters off the American shore.
"There actually is a reasonable degree of artistic fiction included in most world maps that portray the ocean," McLean said. "Our job, among many, is to fill in those blanks."
The exploration might even point the way to cures for human diseases. Though not a dedicated research trip designed to snap up thousands of samples of plants and sea animals, Indonesian scientists will collect specimens that could have medicinal qualities, such as attacking harmful bacteria or fighting the spread of cancer cells. An example of such a compound is discodermolide, a potential cancer drug extracted from a deep-water sponge.
Scientists from both sides say this venture is mostly about exploration, meaning they will allow their curiosity to guide them.
The United States will send scientists and a converted U.S. Navy ship, the Okeanos Explorer, to Indonesian waters. Indonesia's contribution is a research vessel, the Baruna Jaya IV, which will collect specimens that, together with all rights for future use, will remain in the country. The United States hopes to join in collections at a future date.
The Okeanos comes equipped with a multi-beam sonar mapping system that can generate high-resolution, wide-angle images in very deep water.
It also has a remote-controlled robotic vehicle, about as big as a small-sized sports-utility-vehicle, that's attached to the ship by a cable and capable of operating at depths more than twice the mile-deep (one-and-a-half-kilometer-deep) oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It has chemical sensors, movable arms, high-definition video cameras and a strong lighting system. Images will be transmitted to the ship by fiber-optic cables, beamed to a satellite and then sent to scientists on shore watching on plasma TV screens.
John McDonough, deputy director of the NOAA office of ocean exploration and research, said these scientists can contribute to the expedition by asking the pilot on the ship steering the robotic vehicle to pursue whatever strikes their fancy.
"The real objective here is to find something of interest that the science communities will want to come back to," McDonough said. "It's really establishing a sense of place."
---=
Associated Press writers Robin McDowell in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Randolph E. Schmid in Washington contributed to this story.
Source: The Jakarta Post
Indonesia's Potential to be Biggest Fish Exporting Country
BANDA ACEH, KOMPAS.com - Consultant of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Erik Hempel said Indonesia may be the world’s biggest fish exporting country.
"We know that Indonesia has big fish resources and therefore may have the potential to become the most fish exporter," Erik Hempel told a national workshop in Banda Aceh Tuesday.
Erik Hembel said the impost important key to become an exporter is the need to develop information and international trade regulations. The per capita fish consumption in the world had been increasing and predicted that in 2010 the world fish production will reach 150 tons, so that the chance to become the biggest fish exporting country may be realized.
But several considerations need to be noted namely that fish need always to be fresh. The fish imports and exports of the developing and developed countries are in a good balance.
It has been estimated that the biggest fish exporting country in 2007 is China with 11 percent, followed by Norway seven percent, and Thailand six percent, while Indonesia with only two percent in 2007, ranking only the 12th in the world’s fish exports.
In the meantime, the biggest fish importing country in the same year are the developed countries with 79 percent, the European Union with 43 percent, and the developing countries only 21 percent.
Sumber: Kompas.com
Third Biggest Oil and Gas Producer in Indonesia
SURABAYA, KOMPAS.com - East Java is the third biggest oil and gas producer in Indonesia after East Kalimantan and Riau.
"With 31 mining exploitation concessions, East Java is the third biggest oil and gas producer in the country," East Java regional secretary Rasiyo said in Surabaya Tuesday.
Besides the 31 mining exploitation concessions, cooperation contractors, East Java also has 32 mining exploration concessions.
"New oil and gas fields had been increasing in East Java, with one of the biggest ones, namely Block Cepu in Bojonegoro regency," he said in a seminar on optimizing hydrocarbon resources in the East Java sediments.
He said Cepu Block has reserves reaching 7.7 trillion cubic feet of natural oil equivalent or 650 million barrels. Total oil potentials in East Java had reached 583.475.5 million barrels, while natural oil 10,301.7 billion cubic meters.
The new blocks are expected to attract investors in oil and gas explorations and exploitations. Investors with exploitations or explorations, will increase the oil and gas supplies in East Java and in Indonesia. The East Java provincial administration continued inviting the upstream oil and gas developing activities to support the oil and gas management system in Cepu Block.
Rasiyo said the oil and gas concessions in East Java are located in the north, but practically none in the south. Rasiyo told the authorized government institutions to conduct a research of the oil and gas layers in the middle and south of the province.
"Most of the oil and gas blocks in East Java are in the northern off shore of the Java Sea, like near Bawean island, Gresik, and small islands in Madura, while those on share are in the west of East Java like Lamongan and Bojonegoro," he said.
In the meantime, Head of BP Migas R Priyono said East Java has 42 basins with oil and gas potentials known since the 18th century, but started being managed only in the last five years. The biggest basin is in the Cepu Block and Surabaya with a high prospect for management, but facing too dense population.
"In Surabaya, because of its too dense population, investors continued hesitating before making exploitations," he said.
Since 1970, oil production are found only in off shore coastal areas, while most of the carbonate rocks containing oil and gas are in Madura like in Cepu. At least 47 villages in Sumenep had been predicted to have oil and gas reserves.
"It has been a 100 years that people are walking on it, but only in the last five years development was started," Priyono said.
He said that one thing is interested is that in East Java compared to other areas, namely the existence of limestone with the prospect for development.
The limestone in Cepu block as far as the Madura strait is second to nothing to other areas, like the limestone in Tulungagung regency.
The limestone deposits in Tulungagung are found in abundance, reaching millions of cubic meters in many subdistricts like Rejotangan, Sendang, Kalidawir, and Besuki. Most of the limestone deposits in Tulungagung is still managed conventionally. The local people are using the limestone in small amounts, for house foundation.
Sumber: Kompas.com
"With 31 mining exploitation concessions, East Java is the third biggest oil and gas producer in the country," East Java regional secretary Rasiyo said in Surabaya Tuesday.
Besides the 31 mining exploitation concessions, cooperation contractors, East Java also has 32 mining exploration concessions."New oil and gas fields had been increasing in East Java, with one of the biggest ones, namely Block Cepu in Bojonegoro regency," he said in a seminar on optimizing hydrocarbon resources in the East Java sediments.
He said Cepu Block has reserves reaching 7.7 trillion cubic feet of natural oil equivalent or 650 million barrels. Total oil potentials in East Java had reached 583.475.5 million barrels, while natural oil 10,301.7 billion cubic meters.
The new blocks are expected to attract investors in oil and gas explorations and exploitations. Investors with exploitations or explorations, will increase the oil and gas supplies in East Java and in Indonesia. The East Java provincial administration continued inviting the upstream oil and gas developing activities to support the oil and gas management system in Cepu Block.
Rasiyo said the oil and gas concessions in East Java are located in the north, but practically none in the south. Rasiyo told the authorized government institutions to conduct a research of the oil and gas layers in the middle and south of the province.
"Most of the oil and gas blocks in East Java are in the northern off shore of the Java Sea, like near Bawean island, Gresik, and small islands in Madura, while those on share are in the west of East Java like Lamongan and Bojonegoro," he said.
In the meantime, Head of BP Migas R Priyono said East Java has 42 basins with oil and gas potentials known since the 18th century, but started being managed only in the last five years. The biggest basin is in the Cepu Block and Surabaya with a high prospect for management, but facing too dense population.
"In Surabaya, because of its too dense population, investors continued hesitating before making exploitations," he said.
Since 1970, oil production are found only in off shore coastal areas, while most of the carbonate rocks containing oil and gas are in Madura like in Cepu. At least 47 villages in Sumenep had been predicted to have oil and gas reserves.
"It has been a 100 years that people are walking on it, but only in the last five years development was started," Priyono said.
He said that one thing is interested is that in East Java compared to other areas, namely the existence of limestone with the prospect for development.
The limestone in Cepu block as far as the Madura strait is second to nothing to other areas, like the limestone in Tulungagung regency.
The limestone deposits in Tulungagung are found in abundance, reaching millions of cubic meters in many subdistricts like Rejotangan, Sendang, Kalidawir, and Besuki. Most of the limestone deposits in Tulungagung is still managed conventionally. The local people are using the limestone in small amounts, for house foundation.
Sumber: Kompas.com
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Jakarta Great Sale 2010
The most eagerly anticipated event, Jakarta Great Sale (JGS), was once again smash the town. This extravagant shopping spree was underway on June 18th 2010 and set to run until July 18th 2010. If you happen to be in Jakarta this month, prepare your feet-ness to stop by over 33 malls which scattered throughout the town, includes Arion Plaza, Atrium Senen, Emporium Pluit, Mall of Indonesia, Senayan City, Blok M Mall, and Pluit Village. Jakarta Great Sale 2010 will be supported by 69 brands (national and international) at some 1,200 outlets with discount up to 80 percent.
This series of event is merely to commemorate the 483rd Anniversary of Jakarta that falls on June 22nd 2010 and promises to be the most alluring events of the year. The Governor of Jakarta, Fauzi Bowo, is expected this would be a great moment to promote Jakarta which renowned for its shopping paradise for recent years, also arouse the enthusiasm of domestic shoppers to splurge and enjoy the jovial shopping time in Indonesia.
This sweet temptation will also be colored with puppet festival, gastronomic culinary “Waroeng Jajan Nusantara”, live music performance, and also mid-night shopping in some malls. Moreover, this extravagant event was enlivened by the sparkling 33 fireworks which launched simultaneously from 33 different malls as a sign of the commencement of Jakarta Great Sale 2010.
Source: http://www.indonesia.travel/en/news/detail/136/jakarta-great-sale-2010
This series of event is merely to commemorate the 483rd Anniversary of Jakarta that falls on June 22nd 2010 and promises to be the most alluring events of the year. The Governor of Jakarta, Fauzi Bowo, is expected this would be a great moment to promote Jakarta which renowned for its shopping paradise for recent years, also arouse the enthusiasm of domestic shoppers to splurge and enjoy the jovial shopping time in Indonesia.
This sweet temptation will also be colored with puppet festival, gastronomic culinary “Waroeng Jajan Nusantara”, live music performance, and also mid-night shopping in some malls. Moreover, this extravagant event was enlivened by the sparkling 33 fireworks which launched simultaneously from 33 different malls as a sign of the commencement of Jakarta Great Sale 2010.
Source: http://www.indonesia.travel/en/news/detail/136/jakarta-great-sale-2010
Sentani Lake festival
Sentani Lake festival: Asmati performers stage a traditional dance to honor their ancestors during the Sentani Lake Festival in Kalkhote, East Sentani, Jayapura, Papua, on Sunday. The annual event features Papuan art, culture and cuisine and will run until Wednesday. Antara/Hermanus Prihatna
A French’s tribute to Indonesian youth
Some say that spirit of spring is best captured in France. Strolling in Paris’s Jardin des Tuileries while watching the revealing fashion of the mademoiselles somehow best defines the joyful mood of spring.
This same spirit is what the CCF (French Cultural Center) Jakarta has brought to the tropical Indonesia, through their annual program themed Printemps Français (Spring in France).
This same spirit is what the CCF (French Cultural Center) Jakarta has brought to the tropical Indonesia, through their annual program themed Printemps Français (Spring in France). According to Mr. Patrick Perez, Director of CCF Jakarta, the program’s main purpose is to introduce French culture through its warm spring to Indonesia.
This year, the program included Michael Cousteau, one of France’s best conductors. On Thursday,
June 10, 2010, in Balai Sarbini Jakarta, Michael performed with the Nusantara Symphony Orchestra (NSO), bringing the theme “A French Tribute to The Young Audience”.
The concert featured four works: Symphony No. 4 in C Minor from Henri-Joseph Rigel, Nyi Ronggeng from Yazeed Djamin, Petite Suite from Claude Debussy, and Peter and the Wolf from Sergei Prokofiev.
The concert started at 8 p.m. with great anticipation from the public, showed by completely filled seats
of the hall. As Michael lifted his baton to start the first piece, it was evident that a French aroma was in the air.
Rigel is a composer who worked in Paris in the late 18th century, thus predating the romantic era.
Rigels’ work started with a fanfare and had a generally harmonious spirit, played beautifully the entire time.
“This type of music is very easy to play for Indonesians” says Michael in a short interview before the show.
“Indonesian people, maybe because of the expressive nature of the language, like to play music that is articulate, harmonious and fast-paced”.
The second performance, though, attracted much more attention. The composition Nyi Ronggeng is a work by Yazeed Djamin (1950–2001), a renowned Indonesian pianist and composer.
In this work, he portrays the life of a ronggeng dancer of West Java, where most traditional dances
are folk dances enjoyed by peasants after a hard day’s night at the rice paddies.
Ronggeng dancers are pretty girls who travel and perform from village to village, often falling into the trap of eroticism, until they are no longer young and settle down unwillingly.
The work consists of four movements, accompanied by the rhythm of kendang, a traditional Sundanese drum, by Jalu Gatot Pratidina.
It was amazing to see two kinds of music, from very different backgrounds, playing in synergy to present a unique harmony.
Michael Cousteau understood the music deeply, as his baton controlled the pace of both.
The composition reminded one of a 1950s movie soundtrack, typically strong in percussion and strings.
The most unique part was the third movement, which portrayed the dilemma of a beautiful ronggeng dancer at the peak of her fame. Brass and string, accompanied by percussion, played alternately with strong, bold movements.
Later on, the orchestra stopped to show a real ronggeng dance, performed beautifully by Gita Novia Sofyan in brilliant red and blue kebaya (sundanese dress).
The audience was mesmerized by Gita’s movement and the music, as she flashed her selendang (scarf) vigorously. The applause grew louder when Gita put her selendang around Michael’s shoulders, asking him to dance along as if Michael was a Sundanese farmer.
After the intermission, Michael presented the audience with a different version of dance, Debussy’s Petite Suite. Michael defines Debussy as “intellectual, with an emphasis more on the touch of fingertips rather than movement of a whole hand”.
The last part, The Ballet, featured pure dancing in the literal sense of its title, bringing the audience into a world of graceful movements with a delicate violin and woodwind performance.
After Nyi Ronggeng, Peter and The Wolf, a composition written in 1934 when Prokofiev took the challenge of writing music for children to promote music at an early age, was performed. The narrator Rangga Bhuana happened to be the son of Indonesian theatre-master N. Riantiarno.
His theatrical skill came to life when he told the story of Peter.
The audience was welded to their seats like little children, as he described how Peter dropped down from a tree and captured the tail of the bad wolf, accompanied by strings and brass that personify both characters.
The NSO and Michael Cousteau provided a breath of fresh air to those normally put off by classical music become of its apparent inaccessibility.
The children in the audience enjoyed the play so much that they sat on the stairs quietly as Rangga and the NSO told the story of Peter.
Seeing children amazed by this type of entertainment, among the many false portrayals of life presented by today’s soap operas, should make NSO and the CCF proud. There is still good entertainment out there.
Source: The Jakarta Post
National 'Recognition' on Catfish from Indonesia
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - At least two tons of catfish were unloaded at the east parking lot of the Jakarta Senayan Sports Stadium this weekend, not to feed football match spectators but to get ’recognition’ as one of the country’s food resilience commodities. Catfish, locally called ’lele’ is a very popular dish served in various food stalls beginning from roadside food tents to luxury restaurants.
Affordable by the lower segment of society, the most popular type of this fish dish is "pecel lele," or fried lele served with chilli sauce and vegetables.
As if coming out of the blue, people flocked to the Senayan parking lot on Saturday where different kinds of lele were displayed or served like boiled and fried lele shredded meat and pecel lele.
People came to the parking lot as it was the venue of a "Grand Catfish Festival 2010". No less than First Lady Ani Yudhoyono also attended the festivity. When she inaugurated the event, she declared catfish as one of the country’s food resilience commodities, calling on people to eat the protein-rich fish and encourage the cultivation of the fresh water fish.
"I have one grandchild and I want to teach her to eat lele when she has reached the age of five years," she said.
At the inauguration of the "Grand Catfish Festival 2010," the First Lady said the food resilience program should not be measured from carbohydrate content only but also from the availability of protein content, and catfish was rich in protein. Catfish, according to Ani Yudhoyono, not only contained 17 percent protein but was also low in cholesterol, had a delicious flavor.
"Catfish prices are low making it affordable by common people. Lele or catfish is one of the country’s food resilience commodities," Ani said.
To enliven the catfish festival, a total of 37 stalls of ’pecel lele joined forces to sell one ton of "pecel lele" worth Rp6.000 per package. Some 600 kilogram (kg) of live catfish was put up for sale directly to the public at the price of Rp7.000 per kg.
"About 400 kg of catfish will be used for cooking demonstrations that will be followed by 150 participants from the Greater Jakarta area," Soen’an Hadi Purnomo of the Maritime and Fisheries Affairs (KKP) said.
In order to meet the need for catfish at the festival, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries had supplied two tons of catfish to be sold to the public at a low price. Soen’an Hadi Purnomo, who is head of Data Center for Statistics and Information (Pusdatin) of KKP, said the two tons of catfish were donated by the Directorate General of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
"Some of the catfish will be sold live, some after being cooked, and some parts for the purposes of cooking demos," he said.
According to First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, catfish-related exhibitions will also feature the festival which is held from June 19 to 20 at the Parking Lot of the Bung Karno Sports Stadium in Senayan. The public could get various kinds of information ranging from technical catfish cultivation, feed, until processed catfish.
Another interesting thing was the holding of special business meeting to bring together catfish farmers and entrepreneurs. Some stakeholders such as PT Alang-alang from Boyolali, abon (boiled and fried shredded meat) catfish producers, "Cat Fish Club", Lele Lela, Department of Marine Fisheries in Yogyakarta and Central Java, to the catfish feed companies took part in the festival Ani said cultivating catfish ponds did not require extensive land. After all, catfish has strong resistance against moody water making its cultivation much easier and offering opportunities that could improve the people’s welfare.
For the purpose, Ani urged the Civil Servant Wives Organization (PKK) in the regions throughout the country to encourage backyard cultivation of catfish.
"Raise catfish in the yards for both own consumption and for sale. So this catfish can make families healthy and prosperous," she said.
Even in Jakarta which has a dense population and limited land, catfish farming can be run, Ani said. At the event, organized by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Ani also called on the entire community to change their outlook that often saw catfish as an unhealthy food product.
Moreover, Ani also urged parents to teach their children to eat fish which had high protein in an effort to improve the quality of human resources. The catfish festival is intended to improve the image of cultured fish which is often considered as not clear but a clean fish which is safe and healthy for consumption and could improve the intelligence and welfare of the people.
The catfish festival includes such activities as business meetings which bring together catfish entrepreneurs. It also presents cooking competitions for various kinds of catfish menus. Exhibitions on various kinds of processed catfish food products ranging from catfish abon (shredded meat), catfish crisp, pecel lele to catfish soup.
National production of catfish in 2008 reached 114,371 tons, and in 2009 it increased nearly 75 percent to around 200 thousand tons. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries has set itself a target of an increase catfish production by 450 percent to 900 thousand tonnes in 2014.
Catfish is a popular fish species in communities that has a significant growth of approximately 32 percent per annum during the period 2005-2009. The national consumption of catfish in 2009 only reached 30.17 kg per capita per year, still below the recommended 31.40 kg per capita per year.
The Grand Catfish Festival aims to encourage the development of the catfish industry in Indonesia, particularly in the marketing aspect and encourage the development of catfish consumption in the community.
Source: Kompas.com
Indonesian Pavilion Visited by Two Million in Shanghai
SHANGHAI, KOMPAS.com - The number of people visiting the Indonesian pavilion hit a record of 2 million on the 50th day of the World Expo in Shanghai, China, to end in October 2010.
"We have set ourselves the target of attracting up to 3 million visitors during the six-month expo. But in less than two months their number has reached 2 million," Widharma Raya Dipodiputro, the pavilion’s director, said here on Saturday.
The World Expo which opened on May 1 is the world’s third biggest event after the Olympiad and World Cup final. Widharma said the number of people visiting the Indonesian pavilion reached 2 million at around 14.00 local time on Saturday.
On the occasion, Widharma presented a token of appreciation to Chen Wen Hao of Gu Bei region as the 2,000,000th visitor and Shwai Yan Ju as the 1,999,999th visitor. Judging from visitors’ enthusiasm, he said his side had planned to revise upward the target of attracting visitors to 6 million.
"We expect an average of 1 million people to visit the pavilion per month so we will raise the target to 6 million up to (the end of) October," he said.
The Indonesian pavilion covers an area of 4,000 sq meters, which is larger than those of Malaysia or Thailand.
Source: Kompas.com
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Lake Sentani Festival: Loving Culture for Our Future
Experiencing the various cultures flourishing in villages around Lake Sentani, Papua is the best prelude of adventure in Papua, Indonesia. These diverse attractions will not be dispersed in distant spots, since an immensely organized event will be held on June 19-23, 2010 in Sentani Lake, Jayapura District, 45 km south of Jayapura, the capital of Papua. The event is prominently called Lake Sentani Festival 2010, sustaining a grand theme, “Loving Culture for Our Future”.
The festival is one of the threads of festival held in Papua during these few months, following the successful Raja Ampat Marine Festival 2010 in Waisai, and in line with the upcoming Baliem Valley Festival 2010 on August 9, 2010 in Wosilimo, Wamena. Papua has been blessed with one of the most unimaginable cultural magnificence in Indonesia. These festivals are exceptional and worth visiting.
Some of the activities you will see in the Lake Sentani Festival 2010 are the colossal traditional dance performed on dugout canoes, showing the rich cultures of the people, and skillful dancers in keeping the canoes balanced. The dance will show “the pieces of early Lake Sentani’s secret” as the local government and Jayapura society intend to introduce. "The theme is to motivate all citizens to love its existence as a civilized human being through the strengthening of cultural character by protecting and conserving nature of Papua, especially the indigenous communities of Sentani Lake", said the Head of Jayapura Regency, Mr. Hebel Suwae.
Other attractions during the festival are dances from around the nation, attractions of Papuan drums called tifa, flute drums, art and cultural exhibitions, Lake Sentani tour, and fireworks on the lake. Preparation of Papuan food is also one of the interesting elements shown in the festival. Competitions such as hair weaving contest and bark painting contest are peculiarities you will not find elsewhere. During the events, photographers and alike will not be bored with extravagant costumes and crafts. It is a sight that comes once in a blue moon, so do not miss it.
Reaching Lake Sentani is far from complicated. Jayapura’s Sentani Airport connects almost all flights in and to Papua. Garuda Airlines and Merpati Airlines are two major airlines that fly to the destination.
For further info, please visit http://sentanilakefestival.com
Photo: Courtesy of Michael Thirnbeck
Source: http://www.indonesia.travel/en/news/detail/135/lake-sentani-festival-loving-culture-for-our-future
Indonesia Builds Rp 20 Billion Hospital in Gaza
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - In a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Jakarta recently, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono spoke of Indonesia’s plan to construct a hospital in Gaza, Palestine.
"We will build a hospital in Gaza worth Rp20 billion in the hope it will increase public health facilities in Gaza," the President said at the Merdeka Palace, last May 29, when speaking at a joint press conference after meeting with visiting Mahmoud Abbas.
A staunch supporter of Palestine, Indonesia was also ready to give any kind of humanitarian aid needed by Palestine and to continue to contribute to the development of capacity for the establishment of a free Palestinian state as it had been doing so far through a forum of Asian-African countries, Yudhoyono said.
To follow up the plan, an Indonesian delegation consisting of among others House Speaker Marzuki Alie, a number of Indonesian members of parliament (DPR), and Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Agung Laksono, will visit Gaza, on June 30.
"Until now, the visit has been scheduled. Members of the DPR’s Commission I have obtained permission from the coordinating minister for people’s welfare, who will also join the MPs, and so the House Speaker, too," Hidayat Nur Wahid, chairman of the DPR’s Inter-parliamentarian Cooperation Board, confirmed here, Wednesday (June 16).
They are expected to witness the laying of the first corner stone marking the beginning of the hospital construction on a 1.5 hectare-plot of land in Gaza.
"The visit is also part of the DPR’s task regarding international relations, and is also meant to deliver assistance collected from the Indonesian people for Gaza," he said.
Earlier this month, Dino Patti Djalal, a presidential spokesman said that the Indonesian government will join other countries in ensuring that humanitarian aid sent through the freedom flotilla mission will reach the Gaza Strip.
"It is true (we will join the effort). That has become the mandate of the UN that the aid must reach Gaza," Dino Patti Djalal said at the presidential office on June 4.
In principle, the aid must reach Gaza by whatever means, he said. On May 31, Israeli troops attacked humanitarian aid carrying ship Mavi Mamara that was attempting to break the Israeli blockade in the waters en route to Gaza.
Reports from various sources said nine people were killed and more than 30 others injured in the attack. A total of 12 Indonesians joined the group, and two of them sustained gunshot woudns during the Israeli attack. Indonesia’s MER-C (Medical Emergency Rescue Committee) had sent four volunteers to join the flotilla, namely Nurfitri Taher (Upi), a Mer-C project officer, Arief Rahman, a medical doctor, Nur Ikhwan Abadi, a mechanic, and Abdillah Onim, a non-medical worker.
In Gaza, they would carry out certain assignments related to Indonesia’s plan to build a hospital in Gaza. Besides, MER-C, other Indonesian NGOs that had sent volunteers to join the humanitarian mission to Gaza are KISPA (Indonesian Committee for Palestinian Solidarity) and "Friends of Al-Aqsa".
Dr. Joserizal Jurnalis, a MER-C presidium member who had visited Palestine several times to give emergency medical treatments to victims of Israeli atrocities, said some Rp15 billion has been collected from the Indonesian people to help finance the hospital.
"I hope that the President (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) will inaugurate it," Dr Joserizal Jurnalis said after attending a hearing with some legislators at the Parliament Building, last June 9, 2010.
He once told a television journalist that the planned hospital to be located at Bayt Lahiya, north Gaza, will most likely be named "Hospital Indonesia".
MER-C, the health ministry, the state secretariat and the foreign affairs ministry have held several meetings to discuss the planned construction of the hospital, first initiated in 2008.
Indonesia had earlier sent a number of ambulances, medical equipment and medicines for Gaza civilians. Meanwhile, "Dhompet Dhuafa" (DD) national charity institution has announced its plan to build artesian wells and clean water installations for the Gazans to get clean water.
"Now the people of Gaza are suffering under the pressure of Israel. Their clean water supply comes from Israel," DD Program Director Arifin Purwakananta said in Jakarta early June.
Gaza residents are in constant fear that their clean water supply will be stopped any time by Israel or be poisoned, he said. DD plans to make five to ten artesian wells and clean water installations to meet the Gaza people’s need for clean water, he added.
In an article entitled "More Than Just A Massacre" published by Australia’s ABC on its website, Michael Brull wrote that the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla was bringing water filtration equipment to Gaza.
"The reason it chose to do so was because there is virtually no clean drinking water in Gaza. Partially due to the damage done to greenhouses during Israel’s attacks on Gaza from 2008-2009, Gaza’s water supply system was reported to be on the verge of collapse in September last year. There was an urgent need to find clean drinking water, because, as Amnesty International had pointed out, some 90-95 percent of water in Gaza was not fit for drinking," he further wrote.
Kate Allen, head of Amnesty International UK said , "Israel’s continuing blockade of Gaza is preventing the importation of urgently-needed materials to repair water and sewage treatment works."
As noted in the Ha’aretz report, the unclean drinking water had caused respiratory and intestinal problems to babies in Gaza, wrote Michael Brull, who has a featured blog at Independent Australian Jewish Voices. The people of Gaza have been on a diet for years. They have lost weight. Their children’s growth has been stunted, and their babies have suffered anaemia.
Source: Kompas.com
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Religious festival
Religious festival: A car featuring a giant effigy of Saraswati God (Hindu's God on science) is paraded on Jl. Slamet Riyadi in Surakarta city of Central Java during a National Festival of Hindu's Sacred Arts. The festival will last until Thursday. JP/Suherdjoko
Source: The Jakarta Post
Source: The Jakarta Post
Sunday, June 13, 2010
President: Make Bali Festival forum to develop creativity
Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called on the public and regional government of Bali to make the annual Bali Cultural Festival a forum to develop creativity and innovation.
"Make the festival not only a mere arts party but a forum for cultural dialogues that are enlightening and educative," he said at the opening of the 32nd Bali Cultural Festival here on Saturday evening.
He said in its efforts to maintain its cultural identity in the current era of globalizaton Indonesia is faced with a problem of cultural intervention which is not always in line with local wisdom and of identity crisis.
"Certainly we must not be carried away by global currents which often move without limits. We must continue to safeguard our national identity and cultures, Indonesian cultures that have own character and spirit," he said.
President Yudhoyono on the occasion also appealed to make the Bali Cultural Festival a means of promotion for tourism in Bali in paricular and in the country in general.
"Let us present the products of our artists and culturalists to attract tourists so that they could enjoy our various cultures and multi-cultural expressions," he said.
The month-long annual festival is also participated in by foreign arts troupes such as from Japan, the US, Canada, France and India.
Seen attending the opening of the festival were first lady Mrs Ani Yudhoyono, Bali governor I Made Mangku Pastika, tourism minister Jero Wacik and several cabinet ministers and some foreign ambassadors including US ambassador Cameron Hume. (T.SYS/H-YH/S026)
Source: Antara News
"Make the festival not only a mere arts party but a forum for cultural dialogues that are enlightening and educative," he said at the opening of the 32nd Bali Cultural Festival here on Saturday evening.
He said in its efforts to maintain its cultural identity in the current era of globalizaton Indonesia is faced with a problem of cultural intervention which is not always in line with local wisdom and of identity crisis.
"Certainly we must not be carried away by global currents which often move without limits. We must continue to safeguard our national identity and cultures, Indonesian cultures that have own character and spirit," he said.
President Yudhoyono on the occasion also appealed to make the Bali Cultural Festival a means of promotion for tourism in Bali in paricular and in the country in general.
"Let us present the products of our artists and culturalists to attract tourists so that they could enjoy our various cultures and multi-cultural expressions," he said.
The month-long annual festival is also participated in by foreign arts troupes such as from Japan, the US, Canada, France and India.
Seen attending the opening of the festival were first lady Mrs Ani Yudhoyono, Bali governor I Made Mangku Pastika, tourism minister Jero Wacik and several cabinet ministers and some foreign ambassadors including US ambassador Cameron Hume. (T.SYS/H-YH/S026)
Source: Antara News
Friday, June 11, 2010
C Sulawesi to attract 6,000 foreign tourists in 2012
Palu (ANTARA News) - C Sulawesi will soon declare 2012 as Visit Central Celebes Year to attract 5.000 to 6,000 foreign tourists.
Head of the Central Sulawesi Culture and Tourism Agency Suaib Djafar here expressed optimism that the target will be achieved with the support of hotels, restaurants, tourist agencies, airline companies, tourist objects, the media, the government and the public.
He said that in the last two years the number or foreign tourists to the region increased from 1,800 in 2008 to close to 4,000, with the support of a conducive security situation.
With regard to facilities, Suaib said, the local administration is increasing the capacity of Palu`s Mutiara airport scheduled for completion in 2011 and Garuda Indonesia and slated to open flights to the airport in July 2010. (Uu.H-NG//A014/P003)
Source : Antara News
Head of the Central Sulawesi Culture and Tourism Agency Suaib Djafar here expressed optimism that the target will be achieved with the support of hotels, restaurants, tourist agencies, airline companies, tourist objects, the media, the government and the public.
He said that in the last two years the number or foreign tourists to the region increased from 1,800 in 2008 to close to 4,000, with the support of a conducive security situation.
With regard to facilities, Suaib said, the local administration is increasing the capacity of Palu`s Mutiara airport scheduled for completion in 2011 and Garuda Indonesia and slated to open flights to the airport in July 2010. (Uu.H-NG//A014/P003)
Source : Antara News
Monday, May 17, 2010
UGM wins Indonesian robot contest
Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - Yogyakarta`s Gadjah Mada University (UGM) won the Indonesian Robot Contest at the Yogyakarta State University Sports Hall, and will join the national robot contest in Malang, East Java, in June 2010.
"UGM beat 14 other higher learning institutes in Yogyakarta, Central Java and Kalimantan in the Indonesian Robot Contest KRI)," chief organizer of KRI and the Indonesian Intelligent Robot Contest (KRCI) Pramudi Utomo said here on Sunday.
Besides KRI, he said, UGM also won the wheeled KRCI and footed KRCI, while the Yogyakarta State University (UNY) won the battle KRCI.
He said 29 higher learning institutes (PTNs)comprising seven state PTNs and 22 private PTNs in Yogyakarta, Central Java, and Kalimantan, took part in KRI and KRCI, Region III.
"Sixty one teams from 29 higher institutions took part in the four competitions, namely KRI, wheeled KRCI, footed KRCI, and battle KRCI," he said.(*)
Source: Antara News
"UGM beat 14 other higher learning institutes in Yogyakarta, Central Java and Kalimantan in the Indonesian Robot Contest KRI)," chief organizer of KRI and the Indonesian Intelligent Robot Contest (KRCI) Pramudi Utomo said here on Sunday.
Besides KRI, he said, UGM also won the wheeled KRCI and footed KRCI, while the Yogyakarta State University (UNY) won the battle KRCI.
He said 29 higher learning institutes (PTNs)comprising seven state PTNs and 22 private PTNs in Yogyakarta, Central Java, and Kalimantan, took part in KRI and KRCI, Region III.
"Sixty one teams from 29 higher institutions took part in the four competitions, namely KRI, wheeled KRCI, footed KRCI, and battle KRCI," he said.(*)
Source: Antara News
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Pamekasan student to represents RI in international physics competition
Pamekasan, E Java (ANTARA News) - A student of a senior secondary school (SMA) in Pamekasan, Madura, East Java, Mohammad Shohebul Maromi, had been chosen as Indonesian `ambassador` to the International Physics Olimpiade (IphO) in Croatia, in July this year.
Mohammad Shohebul Maromi had previously won an Asian physics competition in Taipe, Taiwan, in April this year.
"There were two SMA students of Pamekasan taking part in the Asian physics competition at that time, namely Mohamad Shohebul Maromi and Ali Ichsanul Qouli," Head of SMA, Pamekasan, Basyair, said on Monday.
But only Mohammad Shohebul Maromi will take part in the competition in Croatia, where he was third best of the 16 participants from other countries.(*)
Source: Antara News
Mohammad Shohebul Maromi had previously won an Asian physics competition in Taipe, Taiwan, in April this year.
"There were two SMA students of Pamekasan taking part in the Asian physics competition at that time, namely Mohamad Shohebul Maromi and Ali Ichsanul Qouli," Head of SMA, Pamekasan, Basyair, said on Monday.
But only Mohammad Shohebul Maromi will take part in the competition in Croatia, where he was third best of the 16 participants from other countries.(*)
Source: Antara News
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
The International Rinjani Mountain Climbing July 2010
The International Rinjani Mountain Climbing event in Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), is scheduled in July 2010, with more foreign mountain climbers taking part.
"I have several times coordinated preparations of the international event in Jakarta, and this time its schedule has been set in July 2010," Head of the NTB Cultural and Tourism Agency Lalu Gita Ariadi said here Tuesday.
Ariadi said the organizers of the international event was set up by the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Natural Conservation (PHKA), of the Forestry Ministry.
Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia after Mt Kerinci (3,800 meters) in Sumatra, and has become very popular to local and foreign tourists.
The geo-tourism potentials include the beautiful cauldron, lake, peak, waterfalls, hot springs, caves, erruption history, blast-hole and new lava flow, and has therefore been suggested to become the first geopark in Indonesia.
The 3,726 meters high volcano had been suggested to be developed into Indonesia`s first geopark, or one of the 54 geoparks in 17 countries of the world.
Since placed under the management of RTMB, Rinjani had been several time been given national and international awards like the World Agency Award 2004 and the Tourism For Tomorrow Awards in 2006 and 2008.
The Rinjani Mountain Climbing will be started in mid-April to early in December, depending on weather conditions.
The route of the climb will reach Lake Segara Anak, by two routes namely the Senaru climb in 7-10 hours on foot covering eight kilometers, and Sembalun route in 8-10 hours.
Visitors who are already at Pelawangan would still need 4-5 hours to reach the peak of Rinjani through the climbing routes in forests.
Source: http://www.indonesia.travel/en/news/detail/126/the-international-rinjani-mountain-climbing-july-2010
"I have several times coordinated preparations of the international event in Jakarta, and this time its schedule has been set in July 2010," Head of the NTB Cultural and Tourism Agency Lalu Gita Ariadi said here Tuesday.
Ariadi said the organizers of the international event was set up by the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Natural Conservation (PHKA), of the Forestry Ministry.Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia after Mt Kerinci (3,800 meters) in Sumatra, and has become very popular to local and foreign tourists.
The geo-tourism potentials include the beautiful cauldron, lake, peak, waterfalls, hot springs, caves, erruption history, blast-hole and new lava flow, and has therefore been suggested to become the first geopark in Indonesia.
The 3,726 meters high volcano had been suggested to be developed into Indonesia`s first geopark, or one of the 54 geoparks in 17 countries of the world.
Since placed under the management of RTMB, Rinjani had been several time been given national and international awards like the World Agency Award 2004 and the Tourism For Tomorrow Awards in 2006 and 2008.
The Rinjani Mountain Climbing will be started in mid-April to early in December, depending on weather conditions.
The route of the climb will reach Lake Segara Anak, by two routes namely the Senaru climb in 7-10 hours on foot covering eight kilometers, and Sembalun route in 8-10 hours.
Visitors who are already at Pelawangan would still need 4-5 hours to reach the peak of Rinjani through the climbing routes in forests.
Source: http://www.indonesia.travel/en/news/detail/126/the-international-rinjani-mountain-climbing-july-2010
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