SUN DOWN

A monkey sits on a wall as the sun sets over Uluwatu temple in Bali. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira

Lombok tobacco farmers shift to coal kilns

by Panca Nugraha , The Jakarta Post , East Lombok |

Tobacco farmers in East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, have turned to coal as a substitute for kerosene for drying their crops, in a bid to cut costs.

"The drying process takes two days and a lot of money is needed for fuel. However, I use coal, which is cheaper than kerosene," Mursan, 30, a tobacco farmer and owner of a tobacco kiln, told The Jakarta Post.

He said a kerosene-fired kiln required at least 4.5 tons of kerosene to dry nine tons of tobacco, while a coal-fired kiln needed only 600 kilograms of fuel for the same output.

"It's more economical because to produce the same volume and quality of tobacco, we spend only Rp 600,000 on coal, while with kerosene we have to spend Rp 2 million," he said.

Mursan added he had shifted to using coal because of the scarcity of kerosene and a government-prescribed quota on its purchase. He said he could buy up to 12 tons of the fuel last year, but was only allowed six tons this year.

However, the shift from kerosene to coal is not without its drawbacks, with producers having to spend up to Rp 10 million (US$1,100) on upgrading each kiln.

"Currently, we get our coal from cigarette company warehouses, but we hope to have a steady supply in place soon," he said.

Mursan produces about four tons of dried Virginia tobacco from his three-hectare farm in Jerowaru, East Lombok, and employs 60 farmhands. Good quality tobacco retails for up to Rp 25,000 per kilogram.

The harvest period for tobacco in Lombok starts at the end of July and runs until early October. But as in previous years, scant kerosene supplies for drying the tobacco are threatening the livelihoods of local farmers.

Kilns are a vital tool for tobacco farmers in Lombok because the 15 cigarette producers in the area only buy dried tobacco.

Some 23,000 tobacco farmers in West Nusa Tenggara share a total of 13,509 kilns, the provincial branch of the Indonesian Tobacco Farmers Association (APTI) said.

APTI head Lalu Hatman said 45 million liters of kerosene were required each year to run all the kilns. However, supplies from the state-owned oil company Pertamina amounted to only 27 million liters this year.

"Currently, there are only about 1,600 coal-fired kilns," Lalu said.

He added the government-sponsored conversion program still faced many obstacles, including funding for new coal-fired kilns and training farmers on how to use them.

Sumardji, a member of a local alternative fuel working group, said the government would no longer have to spend a lot of money on fuel subsidies if all the kilns were upgraded.

"The price of unsubsidized coal is much lower than subsidized kerosene," he said.

"This could also cut down farmers' production costs. However, farmers would still be burdened by the cost of upgrading to a coal-fired kiln."

Studies show each kiln requires an average 4,500 liters of kerosene per harvest season, or Rp 12.6 million at a subsidized price of Rp 2,600 per liter of kerosene. But a coal-fired kiln would use 11.25 tons of coal at Rp 950 per kilogram, or about Rp 10.68 million.

Production of Virginia tobacco in Lombok is a lucrative industry, with 22,000 hectares of farmland, mostly in East Lombok, dedicated to the crop. The provincial agricultural office estimates the total production to be 45,000 tons -- about 75 percent of the total national tobacco demand. Some 154,000 people are employed in the industry each year during planting and harvest season.

Garuda aims to double profit to Rp 516 billion

by Antara , Jakarta | Thu, 07/31/2008 7:56 PM | Business

Garuda Indonesia intends to double its net profit this year to Rp 516 billion from a year earlier, says its president director.

"We aim to increase it by up to two-fold," Emirsyah Satar said following a discussion on state-owned companies' performance here on Thursday.

The profit will be the result of the company's success in raising its transport capacity, improving efficiency and expanding its market, he said.

Garuda will increase its fleet, including operating planes, under a lease contract as part of efforts to improve its transport capacity, he said.

The national flag carrier is in the process of ordering 50 Boeing 737-800s, 10 Boeing 777-30ERs and three Airbus planes under a lease contract. The 50 Boeing 737-800s will be delivered in 2009 and 10 Boeing 777-30ER in 2010.

Last year, Garuda posted a profit of Rp 258 billion after it suffered losses for three consecutive years.

Garuda suffered a loss of Rp 811.3 billion in 2004, Rp 688.4 billion in 2005 and Rp 197 billion in 2006.

He said efficiency was a must in view of a persistent steep rise in fuel costs.

"Efficiency also includes selling non-productive assets," he said.(**)

Stricken boat in Bali shows unregulated fishing a concern: WWF

A stricken and leaking fishing boat in Bali is further proof that fishing activities in the Coral Triangle urgently need tighter management and controls, WWF said today.

The 30-metre Taiwanese vessel was discovered floundering on a Balinese reef off Padang Padang beach last week. Reports suggest the vessel has already leaked some oil while looters have emptied the holds of tuna and shark, believed to have been caught illegally.

“The fact that no-one knows anything about this vessel or where its captain and crew are is further evidence that unregulated fishing is a problem in this environmentally sensitive area,” said the leader of WWF’s Coral Triangle program, Lida Pet Soede.

The area known as the Coral Triangle covers 5.4 million square kilometres of ocean across six countries and is considered the most important marine biodiversity site on the planet.

The area has been likened to the Amazon rainforest and the Congo basin for its richness of species and for the role it plays in maintaining the health of the planet’s marine ecosystems, and it directly sustains the lives of nearly 130 million people.

Unregulated and illegal fishing activities pose major threats to the Coral Triangle’s unique marine biodiversity, and make it impossible to manage fish stocks and ensure vessels are sound and secure from oil leaks.

“The health of the Coral Triangle is critical to the livelihoods of millions of people and it is crucial that adequate management systems are in place to prevent the kinds of scenes we have seen in Bali over the last week, and to reduce the threat of oil spills and overfishing,” Ms Soede said.

WWF is calling on Coral Triangle countries to tighten controls over unregulated fishing and to safeguard environmentally sensitive marine areas against oil spills and overfishing.

“There is a lot that Coral Triangle countries can do to protect their communities against illegal fishing and potential environmental disasters like oil spills. Increased protection of sensitive areas, monitoring of fishing activities, and more accountability for owners of vessels such as the one that has wrecked off Bali will be good for local populations and good for the health of the region.”

An international symposium on coral reefs earlier this month found that around a fifth of the world’s coral reefs had disappeared and nearly half of the remaining reefs were in danger of disappearing within the next 20 years.

“At a time when coral reefs are such serious decline all over the world, it is crucial that we properly manage the Coral Triangle’s unique marine wilderness for the benefit of the whole planet,” Ms Soede said.

WWF is working with other NGOs, multilateral agencies and governments around the world to support conservation efforts in the Coral Triangle for the benefit of all.

For more information: Dewi Satriani, +62 21 576 1070, dsatriani@wwf.or.id, Justin Woolford, +41 22 364 9430, jwoolford@wwfint.org.

Lombok Island - the next Bali?

By MEGAN NEIL - AAP | Friday, 01 August 2008

UNSPOILED: Pristine Lombok Island is making a concerted effort to build itself up as the next Bali.

For years it has lived in the shadow of its more famous neighbour Bali. Now Indonesia's pristine Lombok Island is making a concerted effort to build itself up as the next Bali, while trying to maintain its natural charm.

Slower to catch the tourism train than its neighbour to the west, Lombok has been promoted as an "unspoiled Bali".

But a future US$600 million development may see it emerge on par with Bali as a world-class tourism destination, according to the United Arab Emirates-based developer.

Tourists visiting Lombok typically treat it as a side-trip to Bali, staying just a few days.

The Japanese and Australians, Bali's top two groups of tourists, come to Lombok for the surfing.

The Koreans come here to honeymoon, the Europeans see it more like an extension of Bali, and expats come from Jakarta for the relaxation, explains Dominique Duvivier, the general manager of Accor's Novotel Lombok.

But he says there's new interest in Lombok.

The hotel struggled to survive in the aftermath of the tourism downturn that followed the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings.

Business is particularly good this year though, with the hotel running at about 53 per cent occupancy compared to just 30 per cent at this time last year.

News of a new airport and UAE property developer Emaar Properties plans have helped generate interest in Lombok.

"I think Bali is too crowded so they need to find a plan B," Duvivier said of Lombok's visitors.

"Also this development program is bringing some new investors, some new tourists."

The Novotel Lombok is currently the only top-end hotel in the island's south, although there are other budget and mid-range accommodation options in the area.

Lombok's principal beach resort of Sengiggi is situated in the western part, closer to the capital Mataram, the current airport and Lembar, the main port for ferries to and from Lombok.

Work has started on a new US$72 million international airport, close to the town of Praya and about 30km south of the existing Salaparang airport.

Authorities believe the opening of the new airport, expected in 2010, will make Lombok a primary tourist destination, rather than just an add-on to Bali.

International travellers will be able to fly direct to Lombok. And the new airport will be able to handle 2.4 million visitors, a massive increase on the Salaparang airport's 800,000 passenger capacity.

Among them are expected to be a large number of tourists from the Middle East, drawn by Emaar's planned development of a 1,175 hectare site in south Lombok.

The development will be set along a seven-kilometre natural waterfront complete with five-star resorts, luxury residences, a marina, golf course and shops.

The Bali Tourism Development Corporation signed off on the Lombok mega-tourism project in March, with masterplanning for the development beginning in April.

The first five-star hotels are expected to open to guests in a few years time and further development will take place over a number of years.

Emaar says its project, set on the Kuta and Tanjung beaches, will be environmentally friendly, integrating natural elements into a residential, leisure and hospitality zone.

Unveiling the project in April last year, Emaar chairman Mohamed Ali Alabbar described Lombok as one of the most promising tourism destinations in Indonesia, adding it had the potential to be the magnet for world travellers.

"We are thankful to the Indonesian government for their trust in us to support their development initiatives that will help position Lombok on par with Bali as a world-class tourism destination," Alabbar said in a statement at the time.

Visit Lombok today and you're certainly not met with a carbon copy of Bali.

It's immediately clear that it's more laid back and less touristy, even though tourism is the island's largest source of income.

It's sometimes described as being like Bali 20 years ago, although at least one Lombok travel company says that's incorrect if you consider the landscapes and cultures that are uniquely Lombok.

As lombokhotelandtravel.com puts it: "As the old saying goes, 'You can see Bali in Lombok but you can't see Lombok in Bali'."

Whereas most Balinese are Hindu, Lombok's population is mainly made up of the island's indigenous Sasak people, most of whom are Muslims.

Entering one of the traditional villages, our guide reminds us that "this is not a museum, live people live here".

The 700 people, described by guide Anaf as one big family, live here in a cluster of 150 thatched houses.

Sade, situated near Kuta beach, is not a tourist setup but they do welcome visitors. Guides like Anaf show tourists around for a small donation.

There's nine other villages in this family, housing 4200 people, with Sade being the oldest, "the mother of the villages".

The Sasak people here continue a number of traditions, although some things have been adapted to the times.

"It's our tradition, if you like a girl you have to 'kidnap' her," Anaf says.

And so the parents live downstairs in a Sasak house, with the daughters sleeping up higher, next to the cooking area, until they're 15 because then "it's difficult to kidnap them".

Of course nowadays everyone has a mobile phone.

"The kidnappings happened long, long ago, not now," Anaf says.

After a call or a text message: "The girls wait at the front of the houses. It's more easy to kidnap them."

The first job of a Sasak family is still farming. And the girls have to learn how to weave the multi-coloured, intricate sarongs and songket fabric.

"Weaving is very important, it's passed down from mother to daughter," Anaf says.

"If the girl can't do weaving they're not allowed to get married in here."

It's also known for its pottery. And of course there's the diving, snorkelling, hiking and surfing.

Horse carts or cidomos blend in with cars and scooters in Mataram, and life generally moves at a slower pace than in Bali (which is hard to imagine when you first arrive in Bali and quickly discover everything moves according to Bali time).

Riots in Mataram in early 2000 had a big impact on tourism to Lombok, as did the flow-on effects from a drop in visitor numbers after the Bali bombings.

Before the October 2002 bombing, a lot of Australians came to Lombok, Anaf recalls.

The numbers dropped significantly after that, although a graph at the village shows international visitors to Sade increasing from around 1250 in 2002 to about 4000 last year.

"Tell your family to come to Lombok because Lombok is still natural," Anaf says as we leave.

Over at the Novotel Lombok, where the accommodation includes 23 Sasak villa rooms, set out in the style of a traditional Sasak village, Duvivier thinks the differences between Bali and its neighbour to the east are even greater than simply describing Lombok as the Bali of 20 years ago.

"In Bali, Kuta 20 years ago was still developed," he says.

"It's more than 20 years ago, I would say even 30 to 40.

"It's (Lombok) still natural. There's not too many places in the world where it's still very authentic."

He's confident Lombok can retain its own unique character even with the Emaar development.

"Bali is crowded ... We are far better in terms of beach here.

"There's a few Aussie guys living here and they surf all day, living here in semi-retirement."

Duvivier predicts Lombok will grow, "little by little, yes, but not like Bali".

"I've worked myself in many areas and this one is totally magical.

"When you see the sunset, it's breathless. You think 'wow, this is beautiful'."

Some 259 expatriates working in West Nusa Tenggara

Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - A total of 259 expatriates are currently living and working in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province, a local manpower official said.

The number breaks down into 237 males and 22 females, the head of NTB`s provincial manpower office, Imbang Syahruddin, said here Thursday.

About the foreigners` countries of origin, he said they came from the United States, Australia, Germany, Japan, France, New Zealand, and Africa.

In terms of field of work, he said 23 were employed in the farming sector, 143 in the mining industry, 25 in the construction sector, one in general industry, 34 in trade, 2 in accountancy, 32 in the services sector and one in the financial sector.

Most of the foreigners working in the mining sector were hired by PT Newmount Nusa Tenggara (NNT) whose gold mines are situated in Batu Hijau, Sumbawa Barat District.

Syahruddin said the number of foreign workers in NTB was nothing compared to the thousands of NTB people who were making a living as migrant workers in foreign countries.

He said in 2007 alone NTB had sent 35,605 migrant workers to many countries. The figure for 2008 was expected to be higher.

The numbers of migrant workers NTB had sent to different foreign countries was as follows : 21,905 to Malaysia, 13,389 to Saudi Arabia, 65 to Kuwait, 152 to Jordan, 17 to Taiwan, and 77 to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). (*)

COPYRIGHT © 2008

Should Indonesia Execute the Bali Bombers?

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia -- Indonesia announced recently that the three Bali bombers, Imam Samudra, Ali Gufron alias Mukhlas and his younger brother, the "smiling terrorist" Amrozi Nurhasyim, will probably be executed before the month of Ramadan this year, which begins on September 2. The three are likely to face a firing squad in the high security prison island Nusakambangan where they are being held, just off the south coast of Central Java. The bombers have been on the death row since being convicted in 2003 for the October 2002 bombings that claimed more than 200 lives.

The news comes after the rejection of their third appeal, but lawyers of the condemned say that they are now pursuing a judicial review of the case, because the anti-terror law used to convict them was passed after the bombings. Analysts say that it is unlikely they will succeed because they have already lodged three appeals using the same argument. The last move open to them to escape the firing squad under Indonesian law is to plead for a presidential pardon.

Seeking a presidential pardon requires that they admit guilt, but all three maintain that their actions were justified. Imam Samudra, the most eloquent of the three condemned bombers, has published a best selling book titled "Me against the terrorists" in which he argues that he is a defender of Islam and not a terrorist. Recently interviewed by Jihadmagz, a glossy jihadi magazine published in Jakarta, he explains that he and the other Bali bombers are holy Islamic wali (friends of God). Their execution will inevitably bring God's wrath upon the country.

The families of the bombers have been informed about the imminent executions and have prepared plain white clothes for the prisoners to wear when they face the firing squad. They have also booked cars to take them to the prison island as soon as they are summoned to a farewell meeting with their condemned relatives.

The Bali bombers bring a new twist to the death penalty debate in Indonesia. The question is, should the state assist terrorists by executing those who seek death? Death to the terrorists is victory, not defeat.

Islamist terrorists repeatedly declare that they love death more than life. In the Bali attacks, they encouraged and assisted a colleague to blow himself up with a suicide backpack. They define suicide attacks as "martyrdom operations."

Although the mechanics of Indonesian law make it impossible for the Bali bombers to escape the death penalty without begging for a pardon, sparing the Bali bombers from the firing squad would be prudent anti-terror strategy. As soon as the state kills the bombers, they will become martyrs. The executioner's bullet will be their crowning glory.

The availability of media sympathetic to terror acts, like the monthly Risalah Mujahidin magazine or the new glossy Jihadmagz, prove that some groups are working hard to widen the support base of terrorist ideology. Jihadi videos are easy to obtain through mail order in Indonesia. The networks of sympathizers will undoubtedly seize the news of the executions as an opportunity to glorify the terrorists.

The bombers have also mentioned in interviews that their execution might serve as a cue for sleeper cells to get into action. The recent foiling of a massive terror plot in Sumatra proves that terrorists here are still active.

As supporters of the death penalty in Indonesia point out, texts in the Qur'an and in the Hadith traditions explicitly prescribe the death penalty. However, some Islamic scholars, like Tariq Ramadan, argue that the death penalty is a social and cultural construction, and not necessarily a universal Islamic value. A literal application of the death penalty texts would be a betrayal to the teachings of Islam, if according to the context the execution would produce injustice.

Ramadan cites the historic Umar bin Khattab, who as a rightly guided Caliph suspended the application of amputation for thieves in the time of famine even though the Qur'an is very explicit about the punishment of theft. Because of the famine, keeping to a literal interpretation of the explicit text would mean betraying the message of universal justice promoted by the Qur'an.

In this light, a long life in a damp prison and not the firing squad would be the more fitting punishment for the bombers.

Oceans to take center stage at int'l climate conference

By Dian Kuswandini , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Thu, 07/31/2008 10:24 AM | National

The first world conference in Manado next year will address the impact of climate change on oceans and the degradation of marine resources, an official says.

"All this time, discussions and focus on climate change have been dominated by issues such as forests and alternative energy," secretary for the office of the coordinating minister for people's welfare, Dwisuryo Indroyono Soesilo, said here Tuesday.

"In fact, oceans have a significant correlation with climate change as they cover two-thirds of the earth's surface."

He said of the 300 or so topics discussed during the 2007 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bali, only one topic was related to oceans.

"As a maritime country and the biggest archipelago on earth, Indonesia decided to initiate an effort to get the world's attention and commitment toward oceans by inviting multiple local and international stakeholders to the World Ocean Conference," he said.

The conference will take place in the North Sulawesi capital next May. The event, supported by the United Nations, will gather some 10,000 delegates from all over the world, including state leaders, ministers, scientists, entrepreneurs and activists.

Senior advisor to the maritime affairs and fisheries minister Gellwynn Jusuf said international citizens must be made aware of the issue of the oceans as the world's next frontier and their close connection to climate change.

Scientific research gathered by the ministry shows that oceans are the world's "mega carbon sink" and have been proved to effectively absorb gas emissions at a much greater rate than forests do.

The world's total ocean surface absorbs about 90 billion tons of carbon per year and releases 92 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere each year.

Oceans are also capable of storing 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere. The oceans' role in regulating climate change also involves the mangrove ecosystems that protect shorelines and minimize the threat of coastal erosion.

The waters surrounding Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and the Solomon Islands are known as the "Amazon of the Seas". Covering 75,000 square kilometers, the area contains 500 species of corals and is inhabited by more than 3,000 species. The area provides regional income of an estimated total of US$2.3 billion per year.

Research has also found the impacts of climate change on the condition of marine and coastal ecosystems range from rising sea levels to underwater tectonic activities.

"According to research, Indonesia could lose as many as 2003 islands by 2030 if no serious efforts to tackle climate change are made," Gellwynn said.

"It's clear now why we should send these messages to the world," Indroyono said, adding the conference would also seek recommendations for adaptation and mitigation.

"The outcome of this conference will include an international commitment articulated in the Manado Ocean Declaration."

Cathay plane damaged in mid-air, no danger posed

By The Associated Press , Hong Kong | Wed, 07/30/2008 8:01 PM | World

A Cathay Pacific jetliner bound for Hong Kong suffered midair damage to its air conditioning system, but the incident posed no danger to the flight's 347 passengers, the company said Wednesday.

The crew heard a noise as the plane cruised at 20,000 feet after leaving New York. The Boeing 747-400 made its scheduled landing in Vancouver on Tuesday morning, where crew members discovered that an air conditioning access panel had detached from the aircraft. It caused some minor damage to other parts of the fuselage.

"The fiber glass skin panel is a secondary structure which has nothing to do with structural integrity. The event had no impct on the operation of the aircraft," the Hong Kong-based carrier said in a statement.

"The event represented no danger to the aircraft or those on board."

The airplane was repaired and put back in service.

Last week, a Qantas flight bound for Melbourne made an emergency landing in the Philippines fter an oxygen cylinder exploded and blasted a large hole in the fuselage. (****)

Alicia Keys stubs out cigarette promotion for gig

By The Associated Press , Jakarta | Thu, 07/31/2008 1:21 PM | Headlines

Philip Morris International has pulled down billboards and posters promoting an Alicia Keys concert Thursday in Indonesia's capital after the singer protested the cigarette company's sponsorship.

The logo and slogans of A Mild cigarettes, produced by a Philip Morris affiliate, featured prominently in promotional materials for the concert.

The Washington-based Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids anti-smoking organization initially drew Keys' attention to the company's association with the show.

In a letter released by her record company, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, she said she had asked the company to stop the branding.

"I am an unyielding advocate for the well-being of children around the world and do not condone or endorse smoking," she said.

Philip Morris International did not say whether it was demanding its money back, nor reveal how much it had paid to sponsor the event.

"Whether tobacco sponsorship of music events leads to youth smoking is a matter of serious debate," the company said in a statement received Thursday. "Having considered the facts in this specific instance, we have decided to withdraw all branding associated with this concert."

More than 30 percent of Indonesia's 220 million people smoke, making it the fifth-largest tobacco market in the world, according to the World Health Organization.

In the United States, Philip Morris USA and other major tobacco companies are prohibited from sponsorships of concerts, but there are no such regulations in Indonesia. The affiliate, HM
Sampoerna, regularly sponsors sports events and pop concerts in Indonesia.

Philip Morris was not the sole sponsor of the concert, but the event is billed as an "A Mild Live Production," suggesting it is a major backer.

With health campaigns taking a toll on cigarette sales in the West, tobacco companies are focusing marketing campaigns on developing countries like Indonesia.(**)

International star artists, concerts to rock Jakarta

By Ary Hermawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It seems that Jakarta just cannot stop rocking this year.

As if the Java Jazz Festival, the Jakarta Rock Parade and big concerts from Incubus, My Chemical Romance, Skid Row, Duran Duran, Bjork and James Blunt were not enough, now there comes "Jakarta Jam", a two-day festival featuring four international acts on one stage.

The festival, to be held on July 31 and Aug. 1, is organized by Java Musikindo.

Performing on the first day of the festival are French-Canadian pop-punk band Simple Plan, American pop-punk band New Found Glory and local act Andra and The Backbone.

Colorado band OneRepublic and Welsh rock band Lostprophets will hit the stage on the second day of the festival. Rocker Melanie Subono, the daughter of none other than Java Musikindo founder Adrie Subono, will also perform in the musical event.

The members of Simple Plan are Pierre Bouvier (vocals), Charles "Chuck" Comeau (drums), Jeff Stinco (lead guitar), David Desrosiers (bass) and Sebastian "Seb" Lefebvre (guitar). Their third and self-titled album Simple Plan was released in January this year.

OneRepublic is known for their single "Apologize", which featured on their debut album Dreaming Out Loud. They are Ryan Tedder (vocals), Zach Filkins (guitar), Drew Brown (guitar), Eddie Fisher (drums) and Brent Kutzle (bass guitar and keyboard).

On July 31 at the Jakarta Convention Center, only a few hundred meters from the rock festival, American R&B singer Alicia Keys will stage her first concert here as part of the promotion of her new album, As I Am, which was released last year.

Her concert has been the target of protests by health organization Tobacco Free Kids because it is sponsored by A Mild cigarette brand, produced by Sampoerna, a subsidiary of tobacco giant Philip Morris International. The organization has accused the company of using its sponsorship as a way to market cigarettes to children.

Keys, a Grammy Award winner whose albums have sold in the millions, is involved in Keep A Child Alive, a program that aims to raise awareness of children's health and HIV/AIDS in poor countries.

The BBC reported that Keys released a statement asking for "corrective actions" and that she apologized for "any misleading advertising initially associated with the show".

The promoter for Keys' "As I Am" concert in Jakarta is Rini Noor Productions (RNP), which successfully staged the Duran Duran concert in April for their Red Carpet Massacre album promotion.

"I'm an unyielding advocate for the well-being and health of children around the world and do not condone or endorse smoking," Keys said, as quoted by the BBC.

"I look forward to bringing my music and message to my wonderful fans in Jakarta."

Jakarta Jam
July 31-August 1 at Tennis Indoor Senayan Stadium

Alicia Keys "As I Am" concert
July 31 at Jakarta International Convention Center in Senayan

Asia for Animal Conference in Bali

Tony Greenwood of Pinjarra’s Peel Zoo is involved in the sustainable rehabilitation, rejuvenation and revitalisation of Australian and International flora and fauna on a daily basis.

The Bali Zoo will be the main point of discussion at the upcoming Asia for Animals Conference to be held in August 27th-29th 2008, due to its transformation from being dilapidated and often insensitive of the animal’s natural habitat, to being respected and admired around the world.

Tony Greenwood’s initial interest in the animal kingdom was borne from a young age and has been continued through to the current day. Tony’s experience has spread through countless countries and regions, including New Zealand, Australia, the South Pacific Islands and South East Asia, with expertise focusing on the building and renovation of private zoos. Mr Greenwood’s prime interest is in the connection made between animals and humans alike – this is reflected through Peel Zoo’s slogan, promoting it as a place “Where Animals and People Say G'day”.

Currently, Tony Greenwood is at the forefront of a number of projects, both nationally and internationally. His ventures include Peel Zoo, Bali Zoo and a number of upcoming heritage sites eager for restoration. Bali Zoo’s revitalization is significant in the world of animal care, promoting the animal’s rights, as well as the workers of the Zoo.

Seeks to promote a care-based approach to the needs of animals as well as staff working at the Zoo, doing away with the profit-based stance often taken within the world of animal care which involves the wider community.

Prior to its ‘make over’, Bali Zoo was considered small and thoughtless of its inhabitants – now Bali’s only Zoo flaunts large, open-space enclosures, which are filled with lush native vegetation. Many Australian and International visitors have approached Tony, commending him for his enthusiasm, hard work and years of accumulated knowledge which has been focused on Bali Zoo and its now world acclaimed dedication to the animal kingdom, transforming it into “Nature’s Education Centre”.

One of the major focal points that Tony concentrates on is Stop Animal Abuse worldwide which is educated through natural habitats, leaving behind the concrete and metal jails that were once called zoos. The world is quickly catching up with the idea to “Live Today With Tomorrow In Mind.”

Tony Greenwood’s ongoing contribution to the animal kingdom ought to be praised throughout the zoological arena, considering his ongoing efforts to rekindle the relationship between man and animal

Megawati calls for application of Pancasila values in world

Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - Former president Megawati Soekarnoputri said she hoped the values contained in Pancasila, Indonesia`s state ideology, can also be implemented in the world for the sake of humanity and global peace.

Megawati expressed the hope in her speech at the International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS) at the Borobudur Hotel here Wednesday.

She said Indonesia was a nation with diverse cultures but despite the cultural differences its many ethnic groups were able to live side by side through the years.

Sectarian conflicts had admittedly happened in Indonesia but the country was eventually able to overcome the problems, she said.

According to the Indonesian Democracy Party-Struggle (PDIP) leader, conflicts in the world were getting worse day by day due to misunderstandings between the west and Islam.

Therefore, she said she hoped Pancasila could also become a reference for he world. "We as Indonesians will not lose faith in Pancasila, and it would be good if the world also implements it," she said.

She believed that peace and harmony could be reached if the five principles of Pancasila -- belief in God, humanity, unity, democracy and social justice -- were applied in the world.

Pancasila was expected to become a reference for the world to build better conditions for different nations to live side by side, she said.

On the occasion, Megawati was accompanied among others by Hasyim Muzadi, chairman of the central executive board of Nadhatul Ulama (NU, the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia) who is also the ICIS`s secretary general.(*)

COPYRIGHT © 2008

Garuda Indonesia responds to Western Australia's demand for Bali by adding new aircraft to the route

Garuda Indonesia will place the newly delivered Boeing 737-800 Next Generation series aircraft on the Perth Bali route from 18 August, 2008. This move is in direct response to the resurgence in tourism to Bali from Western Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the state recorded a 75% growth in holiday makers travelling to Indonesia in the first quarter of 2008. From 18 August, Garuda Indonesia will add another daily service to the two flights that are currently operating daily (except Wednesday). And, from 3rd September, an additional Wednesday service will bring the total operation from Perth to Bali to triple daily, providing a growth in capacity of 61.5%. This is in addition to four direct flights per week to Jakarta from Perth. The daily flight commencing 18 August, GA725, will depart Perth at 1425 arriving in Bali at 1810. This will give West Australians the option of a mid afternoon flight to add to the daily morning flight which departs at 0715 (GA727), and the six times weekly evening flight GA729 departing at 1715. Garuda Indonesia’s General Manager WA, Mr. Iskandar Basro said, “Western Australians have had an ongoing love affair with Bali for years, prompted by great value packages and a strengthening Australian dollar. The word is out that there is no other place in the world where you can holiday in luxury for such great prices.” “The addition of a further 1248 seats by 3 September should go a long way to ensuring that Western Australians can continue this romance. “ The capacity increase from the West Coast follows Garuda Indonesia’s announcement last month of an additional 1013 seats per week being added to East Coast Australian routes to Bali by 3 September. For further details Garuda Indonesia reservations can be contacted on 1300 365 330.

RI, Australia strengthen defense cooperation

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and Australia again held a dialogue to strengthen their defense cooperation, especially in the areas of maritime security and counter-terrorism.

"We discussed what we have done so far under our cooperation scheme while also touching on regional stability and global security as well as their impact on our two countries," the chairman of the Indonesian delegation to the Sixth Indonesia-Australia Strategic Defence Dialgue, Maj Gen Sjarifuddin Tippe, said here on Monday.

He said until now the two countries were still facing various problems in their sea border areas which needed solid cooperation and coordination between the two countries like joint security partrols.

Tippe further said to improve cooperation in various fields especially in defence, the two countries had agreed to improve mutual confidence, appreciation and respect.

"So all kinds of cooperation should be based on mutual trust and mutual appreciation and respect," he said.

In addition to officers exchange and joint military exercises and patrols in the territory of the two countries, Indonesia and Australia also agreed to improve cooperation in the exchange of information and intelligence.

Indonesia and Australia started their defence cooperation in 1968 with a joint mapping program in Indonesia. In the 1980s, the cooperation was conducted under the supervision of an institution called the Indonesia and Australia Defense Cooperation Program (DCP).

DCP had routine activities each year such as holding meetings alternately in Australia and Indonesia. Some cooperation was already conducted with the army and air force of Indonesia.

Cooperation of the two countries came to a standstill due to the East Timor crisis in 1999 with the exception of educational program.

The two countries tried to mend their bilateral cooperation as marked by an informal meeting between Indonesian and Australian defense officials in 2001.(*)

COPYRIGHT © 2008

Smiles all around

Tom Cockrem finds a warm welcome in the island of Sumba's silent villages.

Sumba: the name sounds so primal, more resonant of Africa than Asia. But here I am, a mere 40-minute flight east of Bali on an island few Bali boppers ever visit. Had you landed in a spaceship, you'd be hard pressed to ascertain where on earth you had lobbed.

I am in the town of Waingapu, Sumba's capital, on the island's east coast. It's more a sprinkling of buildings than a town and the nearest thing it has to a CBD is a market. There is little that informs of Indonesia since the inhabitants look like Melanesians - perhaps an indication that we are close to Papua New Guinea.

But you don't come to Sumba for Waingapu, as captivatingly offbeat as it is. You come for the villages: the so-called "silent villages of Sumba". And in the hope the culture that produced them has remained intact.

My hopes are high. I am, or seem to be, the only foreign visitor in town and I'm looked at by the locals as if I really am from Mars.

There is one other reason why you'd want to visit Sumba: the textiles. In particular the ikat, which has achieved international acclaim for its spectacular and intricate designs and impossibly perfect weave. Animal and vegetal motifs are used, along with human figures that have attitude and style. Only natural dyes are used. The rich rust red comes from the sap of the kombu tree and the blue from fermented indigo.

Ikat designs are created by masking parts of the threads before they are dyed, an incredibly arduous and highly skilled task. Dutch ethnographers made a point of collecting Sumba's royal textiles early in the 20th century and many examples are now in museums. In the craft shops in Bali it's the gorgeous Sumba ikat that is most prominently displayed to attract passing trade.

Ikat cloth, as tribal legend dictates, is produced in villages near the coast. One such is Rende. To get there from Waingapu, it's best to hire a guide (one is sure to approach you at the market) who will take you by motorbike: a 60-kilometre, bottom-jolting ride.

Is it worth it? Absolutely. Rende is an authentic Sumbanese clan village. It has two parallel rows of massive thatched houses, with peaked roofs soaring up to 20 metres high. Between the rows of houses are tombs. Each one is marked by a limestone slab set atop two limestone supports.

Under these are buried ancestral princes and chiefs who have been deified by death. A single slab weighs about 30 tonnes and is crowned with two tall totems, each intricately carved. The word "silent" is applied to the villages not for morbid reasons but because there are so few folk in residence: some elders, women, children and the family of the raja. Most clan members live outside on the farmlands. The villages are reserved for ceremonial use such as weddings, festivals and funerals. The houses' "steeple" roofs are used as storage vaults for family treasures: tortoiseshell combs, gold implements, gilded garments and turbans

Ambon to welcome int'l sail race participants from Darwin

Antara , Ambon | Mon, 07/28/2008 7:57 PM | National

Ambon will welcome all the participants of an international sailing race that started in Darwin, Australia, on July 26, says a local tourism official.

The sailboats will be greeted with traditional art performances at the finish line in the waters off Amahusu village, Nusaniwe district, Monday night or early Tuesday morning, said Maluku Tourism Office head, Ape Watratan.

"Coordination has been made by the Ambon Tourism Office and the local committee for the event. The first boat arriving in Ambon will be presented with garlands by officials from the two parties. The garlanding will be followed by traditional dance performances," he said.

Sixteen sailboats are participating in the international event which has been held regularly since 1976. The names of the foreign participating boats are Balladier, Cloudy Bay, Cruise Missile, Diva, Enigma, Helsal II, Hepzibah, Jasmin, Kishka, Lothlorien,Malaika, Marrawudi, Marjani, Sea Fox II, Serenity 2 and Warna Carina.

In 1999, the race was suspended for security reasons as a communal conflict was then raging in Maluku. In 2007, the race was held again with only six boats participating.

"The participation of the 16 foreign boats in this year's race indicates that foreign countries' confidence in Maluku's security conditions and stability has returned. Many foreign tourists will
come to Maluku in the days ahead.

"The race will surely have a strategic impact on Maluku's tourism industry and other sectors," he said.

Ape said he was optimistic the race participants would gain favorable impressions of Maluku as the local committee had prepared the holding of many activities to entertain them such as the operation of decorated pedicabs, the organization of tug-of-war and beach volleyball competitions.

The arrival of the racers itself is also expected to attract many domestic and foreign tourists.

The race started on the deck of the HMAS Bathurst at Australia's Anchorage naval base in Larrakeyah, Darwin. (**)

Warning? Sure, but let's not ruin the whole holiday

Australian tourists at Legian Street's Bounty Club foam party, where patrons are urged to get "wet and wild" in a pool of suds.
Photo: Ardiles Rante

By : Peter Wilmoth, Bali ( theage.com.au)

IT'S after dark in Kuta and the place is pumping. People spill out of the surf shops and the stalls selling luggage, handicrafts and jewellery. But what really speaks volumes is the queue outside the famous Made's Warung, the stylish two-level restaurant in the heart of Bali's tourist precinct.

There's even a bit of Warung rage, as a wiry Aussie loudly castigates a waitress for letting another group go ahead of his. "We were here before them," he snarls.

You wouldn't know the Australian Government had issued a travel advisory warning of the "very high threat" of another terror attack against Western interests and venues frequented by foreigners in Indonesia. People aren't fleeing the hotspots of Bali. Far from it: here, they are fighting to get in.

There's something else interesting about the tourist crowd at Made's tonight. Enjoying their gado gado, sashimi platters and Bintang beers are not only couples and groups, but families with children, escaping to warmer climes during the school holidays. As six kids sit happily at one table, a father throws a laughing baby into the air. Later, about 11pm, a family strolls along the beachside nightclub strip.

These scenes last Thursday night are testament to Australians' resilience in the face of international terrorism and their determination that nothing — not even the shadow of the 2002 and 2005 bomb blasts — will ruin their holidays in the Bali sunshine.

But is this a foolhardy attitude? Are these carefree holiday-makers being too cavalier?

Steve Shuttleworth, a 31-year-old fisherman from Perth, is walking in Legian with his surfboard. He learned about the travel advisory by email.

"To be honest, if I really took it to heart I wouldn't be here," he admits. "(But) I feel safe because I'm making a concentrated effort to avoid nightclubs. I'm going to small restaurants and bars. I'm going to get out of the mainstream area and go to Java.

"It is a concern. I guess you don't believe it can happen to you. Logically you'd be mad to be here. Why would you go somewhere where there's a real live threat of being blown up?"

The sense here is a mixture of defiance, scepticism and denial. Many tourists say they are not going to let the terrorists "win", others say the travel advisory is overly cautious and terrorism can happen anywhere, any time.

Nick, originally from Melbourne, has lived and worked in Sumatra for 15 years, first attracted by the promise of Indonesia's great waves. On holiday in Bali, he scoffs at the government warnings

Returning Aussies drive Bali tourism to record

Bali is enjoying a resurgence in tourism, thanks partly to an increasing number of Australians rediscovering the Island of the Gods.

Australians are flocking to the resort island in droves, despite the Australian government maintaining its travel advisory warning tourists against visiting Indonesia.

The US government recently lifted its travel warning for Indonesia, saying the security climate in the country no longer warrants such a warning.

Balinese tourism operators say the time has come for Australia to follow suit.

"I think it's well overdue for Australia to drop its travel warning," says Australian Nigel Mason, the owner and operator of tour operations company Bali Adventure Tours.

"...It could almost be seen as political rather than anything else I think."

The number of Australians visiting Bali has continued to grow this year, after a big jump in 2007, prompting Garuda Indonesia to add extra flights from Darwin, Melbourne and Sydney.

The airline also expects to boost capacity from Perth.

It says the number of Australians travelling to Bali rose by more than 57 per cent in the first quarter of 2008 compared to last year.

The growth was even larger from Perth and Darwin, at 75 and 71 per cent respectively, while numbers from Victoria/Tasmania grew by 44 per cent and by 49 per cent from NSW/ACT.

It builds on strong growth in 2007, with Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showing a 63 per cent increase in the number of Australians holidaying in Bali last year.

During the calendar year, 206,427 Australian residents travelled to Indonesia on holiday, up from 126,595 in 2006.

But tourism to Indonesia has declined since the late 1990s.

The 2002 and 2005 terror bombings, which killed more than 230 people, including 92 Australians, had a huge impact on Bali's tourism industry.

Tourism operators such as Mason believe the industry has finally recovered.

"The tourism market to Bali has recovered but the Australian market is still recovering," Mason says. "It's almost back to what it was but not quite."

Between January and April this year, foreign tourist arrivals in Bali increased by 25.8 per cent to 594,068, compared to a year earlier.

Australia is Bali's second biggest source of tourists, with the 78,500 Aussie visitors making up more than 13 per cent of the island's foreign tourists in that period, slightly closing the gap on Japan on close to 20 per cent.

Alicia Keys Apologises To Fans In Indonesia

The multi-million record selling and 10 times Grammy-Award winning R'n'B star has apologised over cigarette adverts.

The international R'n'B star has apologised after it was revealed by a health charity that her forthcoming concert was helping to market cigarettes to children.

Keys is due to perform on Tuesday the 31st of July in Jakarta, Indonesia and posters were put up around the city to promote her 'As I Am' concert.

Campaigning organisation Tobacco Free Kids say the adverts for the concert act as a billboard for tobacco firm Philip Morris International and its Indonesian subsidary, Sampoerna.

After this information came to light, Alicia Keys insisted action had been taken to remove the adverts.

She said, "When I was informed that my July 31st As I Am concert in Jakarta, Indonesia was partly sponsored by a tobacco company, I immediately asked for an investigation and that corrective actions be taken."

"As a result, the tobacco company has respectfully withdrawn their sponsorship and all billboards, signage and other forms of advertising will be immediately removed."

Ms Keys is actively involved in bringing awareness to children's health and the HIV/AIDS epidemic in poor countries through her involvement in Keep A Child Alive. Ms Keys informed that she does not condone or endorse smoking and apologised for "any misleading advertising initially associated with the show."

By: Ilesha Campbell

Serial killer Ryan facing death penalty: police

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - National Police spokesman Abubakar Nataprawira said on Monday Verry Idham Henryansah alias Ryan, the main suspect in a serial killing and mutilation case, may face the death penalty.

He said the suspect would be prosecuted on charges of breaching article 340 of the Criminal Code which was punishable by 20 years in jail, life or death.

"I think, the element of premeditation exists in the case. It is impossible for him to kill ten people if he had not planned it," the police spokesman said.

Nataprawira said besides article 340, Ryan had also breached article 339 of the Criminal Code on murder accompanied by other crimes. This article carried a punishment of up to 15 years in jail.

He said because the crimes occurred in two places -- Jakarta and Jombang district in East Java -- the investigations would be carried out by police of the two provinces.

"The mutilation case will be handled by the Jakarta police because it happened in South Jakarta while the serial murders case will be tackled by the East Java police because they took place in Jombang," Nataprawira said.

On the location of the prosecution, it would be left to the Supreme Court to decide whether it would be held in Jakarta or in Jombang.

Ryan is the main suspect in the mutilation case of Heri Santoso (40) whose body parts (consisting of seven parts) were found in a suitcase, a backpack and a plastic bag in two locations in Jalan Kebagusan Raya, Pasar Minggu, East Jakarta, on July 12, 2008.

He is also the main suspect in the murders of nine others whose bodies were found buried in the backyard of his father`s house in Maijo hamlet, Jatiwates village, Jombang district East Java. Four of the bodies were found on July 22, 2008 and five others on Monday (July 28).(*)

Indonesian prosecutors seek life over Aust woman's murder

Indonesian prosecutors have sought a life sentence for a man accused of stabbing an Australian woman to death on the island of Bali.

Ahmad Fahrul Rozi allegedly murdered 34-year-old Heidi Murphy as he tried to rob her villa in the resort area of Canggu in February.

"We urge the panel of judges to sentence Ahmad Fahrul Rozi to life imprisonment as he has been proven legally and convincingly to have committed a murder preceded by a robbery," prosecutor Eddy Artha Wijaya told the Denpasar district court.

Rozi allegedly fled Bali shortly after the murder but police tracked him down to the city of Malang, in East Java, where he was arrested.

Prosecutors also requested a 10-month jail sentence for another man accused of being an accomplice. The trial will resume on August 4.

Raja Ampat, Papua's underwater paradise

By Arief Suhardiman , The Jakarta Post , Raja Ampat, Papua |

"Wobbegong!" Saka screamed as he rose to the surface to tell me there was a shark. I hurriedly put on my snorkel and jumped into the katingting (wooden boat) into the sea.

After swimming about 25 meters, I saw four of my friends diving 4 meters deep, surrounding the shark.

The shark was lurking beneath the coral, hidden by the white sand. Not content with the view from the surface, I decided to dive for a closer look at the tasseled wobbegong.

At a distance of 1 meter, the shark stayed motionless with only its broad tassel-swathed head showing from behind the coral. It was a rare moment.

With some prodding by Saka, the 1-meter-long shark came out of hiding.

My four peers soon surfaced, faces shining with pleasure at having seen and photographed this unusual shark.

TV presenter Riyanni Djangkaru poses with "the Ugly Face" Wobbegong. (JP/Arief Suhardiman)

"At last, I got to see the Ugly Face!" cried Riyanni Djangkaru, host of an adventure program broadcast on a private TV station, as she described the wobbegong with a hearty laugh.

Saka, our diving guide from the Maritime and Fisheries Office of Raja Ampat, Papua, was also beaming. We all celebrated our successful encounter with the shark on board with laughter and applause. The shark made up for our previous dive trip, when we found nothing but a whale squirting out its breath near our boat as we left Waiwo for the Friwin dive spot, Raja Ampat, northwest of the province of Papua.

From Batu Lima, the place where we spotted the wobbegong, Saka asked boat owner Pak Ibrahim to sail to Mioskon, just a short trip away.

There was a rather strong current in the waters 10 to 20 meters deep. I followed the sea flow along with thousands of gold-banded fusiliers and some parrotfish.

Later Saka took me to shallower waters, where sunlight and crystal-clear water enabled me to see through a distance of more than 30 meters.

Kicking my fins, I trailed the Biak native until a spectacular view appeared. It was a fascinating stretch of reefs with soft and hard coral and a myriad of exotic fish dancing around, as though in a welcome ritual.

There were clusters of Acroporidae, Alcyoniidae and others forming 1 to 5 meters of coral mounds. Gorgeous fish species such as goldies, cardinalfish, angelfish, butterflyfish and surgeonfish were playing on sea anemones and coral.

The whole setting presented a panorama of very beautiful and peaceful marine life. It made me realize that through this particular spot, Raja Ampat shows its class as a haven for divers across the world, even a snorkeler like me!

Back on board the boat we continued to admire the underwater natural beauty and hoped for yet more thrilling sights as the boat was heading for the next spot, Chicken Reef, in half an hour. On arrival, the sea was as still as a stretch of carpet, and Saka startled us with a sudden dive to check the water currents, leaving us laughing.

"Barracuda!" shouted Saka, the Mike Tyson look-alike, as he surfaced. While my friends were preparing to dive, I plunged right away to witness swarms of barracuda at a depth of 4 meters.

In this spot there were also giant clams and clownfish having fun on the anemones.

A Giant Clam is spotted in Raja Ampat waters. (JP/Arief Suhardiman)

Satisfied with our diving activities in three spots, we took a break on an islet to fill our stomachs after feasting our eyes on the surrounding landscape. The second day of the diving and snorkeling trip wound up in the Cape KRI spot.

This spot offered us the sight of flying rays flapping their fins around 1.5 meters above the water surface.

"Manta...rays!" I cried out as I noticed the fish jumping not far from the back of my friend Panji.

Then I plunged again into the sea current while watching from the surface my friends diving 15 meters below. From slanting drop-off rims I dived down to a depth of 5 meters to take a close look at marine biota, such as golden and brown Faviidae corals forming seabed domes. The silvery reflection of trevally fish exposed to the sun added to the charm of the sea and the specialness of every corner of Raja Ampat.

Manta Rays

After breakfast, we set out on another diving trip amid rather strong winds. The waves were quite high with a strong enough current following the night-to-dawn downpour in the area.

We arrived at Manta Point after more than an hour to start the third day. Two speedboats had arrived earlier, one of which carried Miss Universe 2006 runner-up Kurara Chibana.

As we shifted our gaze from the beauty queen of Japanese origin to the ripples left on the surface of the water by tiny jumping fish, a small dark fin was seen emerging and moving around, followed by several other fins.

"Manta... Manta!" yelled Saka. I also hurried to the water with my snorkel along with the other divers to approach the manta rays.

I got overexcited seizing the opportunity for a close glance. Five mantas were swimming down there, tussling for plankton with numerous gold-banded fusiliers.

The mantas were scattered all over, which made it difficult for us to swim closer to them. So we had to find out where they were heading and screamed at each other when any of us noticed their positions.

My great desire to snap mantas at close quarters separated me from my peers. I kept praying while trying to find the right strategy to approach them and photograph them safely. All I could think about was how to avoid what had befallen Steve Irwin -- "The Crocodile Hunter" of a TV program -- some time earlier.

As I was preoccupied with the search for the fish, a manta was moving toward me. My heart was pounding and I was overwhelmed with admiration, fear and the urge to take pictures. There was no way of withdrawing as the moment would mark my first underwater photos.

"It's the right time!," I thought, pressing the shutter release. The manta was drawing closer to me ...

The flap of its 3.5-meter wings prompted me to refrain from disturbing it and risk infuriating it. I finally lowered the camera as it was even closer, with our eyes meeting and holding.

Moments later I saw its mouth open wide to suck in plankton. When it was only about 3 meters from me, it turned away.

"Alhamdulillah," were my words in praise of God while again photographing the manta before it swam even farther.

Night snorkeling

After dinner I intended to go fishing because I felt something missing in Papua without this activity. Moreover, I'm a sports-fishing buff myself and three of my friends would be diving to find bamboo sharks. But as it was forbidden to fish in the resort area, I was going to head for the open sea by hiring a fishing boat.

In fact, the area around the jetty was teeming with the fish the locals call Bobara (giant trevally), weighing 1-3 kg. "If only the Seribu Islands that could be like this," I thought, an impossible wish given Jakarta Bay is now virtually the septic tank of the capital city.

By starlight, I followed my three friends diving from the jetty to start a bamboo shark hunt. Though I previously thought that sharks were mostly ferocious, further tips indicated that this species was not aggressive, which encouraged me to join the search.

As I shone the flashlight around, my eyes got fixed on a light brown fish in desert soldiers' camouflage pattern. "It's a shark!"

It was unbelievable to have found this shark in such shallow waters.

Sadly, though, the fish began to move to the left and right quickly in a frightened manner. I kept calm so as not to make it panic even more. Yet the shark was now going farther away from me, which spurred me to chase it but it dodged very fast and disappeared into darkness as I got closer.

The sight of the bamboo shark failed to quench my desire to observe blue spotted rays. Earlier in the day, several of these rays were frequently seen roaming around the jetty. This was the ray species that had reportedly killed Steve Irwin.

And my Raja Ampat trip proved to be rewarding.

The one I was looking for moved toward me, perhaps attracted by my flashlight. But the ray finally paused at a distance of about 3 meters from me, leading to another two-way stare.

Despite my composure to avoid any disturbances that might cause panic, the ray withdrew after a while. So the shark and ray wound up my night snorkeling.

Last day

The dive spot on our last day was Mike's Point, which only took a short time to reach using the Maritime and Fisheries Office's speedboat. Here we did the same diving routine before the groups accompanying Kurara Chibana arrived at the spot.

After a cameraman and two divers from the groups went underwater, Kurara and her partner followed. I had the opportunity the photographing the shooting of this film about ecology starring Kurara before my camera housing was affected by fog.

Diving in Raja Ampat's different areas gave us a lot of pleasure and impressions. The natural splendor of the island group will tempt everyone to return for more excitement.

"It was fun! I'll come back next year for my vacation!," the Miss Universe 2006 runner-up assured everyone at the end of her diving adventure in Raja Ampat.

Mandala Airlines expects exemption from EU ban

By Irawaty Wardany , The Jakarta Post , Denpasar | Mon, 07/28/2008 10:15 AM | Bali

PT Mandala Airlines expects to be excluded from a ban on flying to Europe following improvements in its management and operations, a company official said Friday.

"We already operate in accordance with international standards, so we believe we should not be included in the list (of banned airlines)," Mandala chief executive officer Warwick Brady said.

The European Commission imposed a flight ban on all Indonesian air carriers last July following a series of fatal accidents.

He said Mandala, one of the country's oldest carriers, had not yet offered international flights, but believed the inclusion of Mandala in the list would harm the airline's image.

Mandala along with Garuda Indonesia, AirFast and Premi Air are on fast track programs supervised by transportation authorities to improve airline security and inspections.

In 2007, the 39-year-old company ordered 30 new Airbuses to replace its Boeing 737-200 aircraft and also purchased a safety system that allows the tracking of any incident related to the company's aircraft.

"We've stopped the operation of all Boeing 737-200 since February 2008," he said.

"We expect to receive the delivery of six to eight new aircraft a year," he said, adding that the company had invested US$1.8 million in a new, younger fleet of aircraft.

He added that the company was now operating 16 aircraft, including the Airbus A320, A319 and Boeing 737-400, to serve more than 25 routes in Indonesia.

The company cooperates with Singapore Airlines Engineering Company on aircraft maintenance.

He said the company had also been audited for safety and operations by independent auditors like Airbus, Boeing, European Union, International Air Transport Association (IATA) and several oil companies like Total, Kenyon and Conoco Philips which had agreements to fly with Mandala.

"We completed the IATA Operational Safety Audit certification requirements last year and now we are waiting for the certificate," he said.

He added that Mandala would continue to invest in the improvement of its service and flight safety system to gain recognition as a national carrier with world-class safety standards.

Rather than expand its route abroad, Brady said the company was focusing on strengthening Mandala's brand in Indonesia: "Our first priority is domestic."

He added that in the last few months the carrier had been flying at more than 80 percent capacity.

"We expect to carry a million passengers this year," he said.

President Yudhoyono opens micro-credit summit in Bali

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is slated to open an Asia-Pacific regional micro credit summit in the resort island of Bali on Monday (July 28).

The president and entourage including First Lady Ani Yudhoyono and a number of ministers left Halim Perdanakusuma Military Air Base here for Bali by a Garuda special flight on Sunday afternoon.

At 9.30 a.m. on Monday, the president will open the meeting to take place at the Bali International Convention Center in Nusa Dua.

During the opening ceremony, Yudhoyono will be accompanied by Governor of Bank Indonesia (the central bank) Boediono, Director of the Micro Credit Summit Campaign Sam Daley Haris and founder of Bangladesh`s Grameen Bank Muhammad Yunus.

On the occasion, Muhammad Yunus in his capacity as an international micro credit figure will present a token of appreciation to Ani Yudhoyono for her service in the development of micro finance in Indonesia.

After opening the summit, Yudhoyono will receive Muhammad Yunus at the Hotel Intercontinental Bali Resort.

The president and entourage will return to Jakarta at around 3 p.m. on Monday.

The summit will later be chaired by Honduras President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales.

President Rosales has expressed deep support for the summit, saying support for the micro financial sector laid a fundamental basis for the creation of strong democracy and good governance and was imperative to improve productivity and competitive edge to reduce the poverty rate. (*)

COPYRIGHT © 2008

Mediation in Animale case fails to reach settlement

By Irawaty Wardany , The Jakarta Post , Denpasar | Mon, 07/28/2008 10:14 AM | Bali

Mediation by the Bali Legislative Council has failed to resolve the dispute between PT Mitra Garment Indoraya, the producer of the Animale clothing line, and its employees.

The mediation meeting on Thursday was attended by company representatives and employees, but the local Manpower Agency was not able to find a solution as both parties refused to back down from their position.

The company's employees, represented by Ichsan Tantowi, steadfastly repeated their demand that all workers who had participated in the strike should be rehired by the company as permanent workers.

The company insisted only workers with good records would be hired.

"We are ready to start work anytime the company needs us as long as we can all be hired as a permanent workers," Ichsan said at the tripartite meeting at the Bali Legislative Council in Denpasar.

Speaking on behalf of the company, Wayan Sulastra from the human resources division said, "We are open for workers who really want to work in the company, not for those who only want to make problems."

He was apparently referring to workers who had joined a two-week strike in protest against the company's new payment scheme.

Sulastra said they could apply for work anytime but he would only select workers with good records.

"To date, 300 employees that have come back to work in our company," he said.

Commenting on the strike, Sulastra said the company had never paid its workers less than Denpasar's regional minimum wage of Rp 800,000 (US$87) a month.

Ayu, one of the employees, said their payment had been reduced from Rp 7,000 (76 US cents) to Rp 3,000 for each piece of cloth completed.

"The problem is the regional minimum wage increases every year while the amount the company pays decreases, which makes it difficult for us to meet the minimum target," she said during the strike.

"So we have finish at least 38 pieces of clothes everyday to be able to get paid Rp 800,000 (a month)," she said.

She added that to meet the target they could not even go to the toilet sometimes because they had to rush.

Sulastra refuted her claim.

"Even though there are some workers who fail to meet the target payment, they are subsidized by the company," he said.

He said the reason for the new payment scheme was that orders for the company's products had fallen by up to 50 percent, affecting revenue.

AA. Gde. Anom Wartawan, head of the industrial relations and manpower dispute division at the Manpower Agency, said the company did not have a mutual cooperation agreement, a written document binding the company and its workers.

Such documents detail the responsibilities and rights of both the company and the workers.

Made Arjaya, head of Bali Legislative Council's Commission I, which oversees legal and administrative affairs, ordered the Manpower Agency to start an investigation into the company's situation.

"We want the result delivered to us two weeks from now and later we will make a recommendation to the governor to determine what steps should be taken on this matter," he said.

Emaar to invest Dh8bn in Indonesia

Dubai-based Emaar plans to invest more than Rp20 trillion (Dh8 billion) in total over a 15-year period in the tourism sector of an Indonesian province, according to a media report.

Emaar will develop a tourism project on a 1,250-hectare plot of land previously owned by Lombok Tourism Development Corporation in Central Lombok. It has also pledged to invest more than Rp20trn in total over 15 years period in tourism sector in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province," NTB Governor Lalu Serinata was quoted as saying by Antara News Agency.
In May, the company had opened an office in Jakarta which was leading its efforts at identifying new growth opportunities in the country and ensuring the on-schedule delivery of the project.

The Dh2.2 billion Lombok project will be an environmentally friendly project, which will energise the tourism sector. Master planning for the development has already begun. Besides, the project will have more than 17 kilometres of natural waterfront, which will support a marina, apart from luxury residences and resorts by five-star hospitality chains.

"With our development plans for Indonesia, Emaar is consolidating its geographic expansion in Asia," Chairman Mohamed Ali Alabbar had said in a statement. According to Serinata, the NTB administration has committed to Emaar 's requests for a clean water facility, which could supply 30,000 cubic metres per day and a three-lane road to the city's international airport.

Emaar's expansion to Indonesia is in line with its Vision 2010 to become one of the most valuable companies in the world through geographic expansion and business segmentation.

The company has a growing presence in Asia.

Lombok project, which will be spread over 1,1250 hectares, will have natural waterfront and support a marina

By Parag Deulgaonkar

Seeking deepwater fun and other delights in Maluku

Last month The Jakarta Post's Ati Nurbaiti was invited to Ambon to take part in a journalism workshop on covering Maluku, organized by the Forum of Maluku Women Journalists. Below is her report from the sidelines.

The things to worry about when you're trying to live with fish! How to breathe underwater, how to float at a stable level, how not to pop your lungs, how not to bump into your buddy's tank (ouch!), how to avoid earaches, etc., etc., etc.

And the fish just dart here and there and back and forth, heading straight up and down, around and around, popping up just to get a quick peek at the bizarre visitor -- that big two-legged alien in black -- and darting back! Funny old fellows, sketched and dotted and striped, painted and winged or given a orange lion's mane or even the odd batik motif -- depending on the whim of whatever or whoever thought up such creatures and their wavy homes of multicolored sponges or bottle-like corals.

The "one cheek fish", as locals appropriately call the flatfish (pleuronectiform), slides away rapidly on its side in the sand. There's a cave or two to explore, and sunbeams pour down into the cool blue-green world.

It's this relaxing, wondrous sight of the underwater garden that entices even timid and clumsy nonathletic types to the ocean.

And in Maluku these wonders are available all year round. In early June it was raining almost every day, fishermen were warned against going out to sea and the guys at the only diving operation open, the Blue Rose, said it wasn't possible to dive around the south -- but north was fine.

That was a terrific surprise. So on a bright Monday, a short drive outside the capital took us to the Leihitu district, and a 15-minute bumpy speedboat ride led us to three lovely dive sites. Under the calm surface, suddenly the tour begins around coral walls alive with busy creatures in every direction -- and at the end, it's hard to say goodbye.

The view "is even better at Pulau Tiga," says my guide, "but that's 45 minutes away," with extra costs for the fuel. If you're with a group of four, he says, guests can go up to neighboring Seram Island where more adventures await.

With the sea making up most of the province of the "Spice Islands", water activities are obviously a core part of the tourist attractions here. Later this year Seram is holding a deep sea fishing festival and tourism promoters are promising plenty of excitement for lovers of water sports, including jet skiing.

But a closer look at the brochures confirms that all the hype is about what could be -- much of the fun is not quite there yet ...

Almost 10 years after community clashes in the province, critics say the government here lacks focus, trying to do everything and achieving nothing, instead of concentrating on Maluku's vast ocean potential.

The perception that Maluku is not yet safe is the main obstacle to tourism, officials say. Yet a number of direct elections have been held without much trouble in a place that did indeed see an unprecedented amount of bloodshed.

But now residents want their life back, and tourists could contribute to local recovery -- besides spreading the fairly good news that safety issues here are pretty much the same as in other areas in Indonesia, as is sanitation.

CULTURAL FORUM

Two representatives from Papua wearing traditional costumes (first and second from right) attend a four-day meeting in Bandung, West Java, on Wednesday. Comprised of delegates from the country’s 24 provincial cultural park management offices, the forum is a chance for managers to share their experiences operating the parks on limited regional budgets. (JP/Yuli Tri Suwarni)

Ambon culinary treasure real adventure

As in other areas outside of Bali, the hospitality industry here needs some help -- starting with the dreary and dreadful hotel breakfasts.

Knowing there's not much for them at that hotel buffet, visitors to Ambon seek out local guides for culinary adventure -- and adventure it is, from morning till night.

In the morning, head for the local coffee shops or rumah kopi. Start off the day's exploration with a look at the menu, filled with a variety of cakes and coffees -- and their funny-sounding names.

No one in our group was in the mood for toast or nasi goreng. Instead, my friends and I had our table loaded with punti (sticky rice cake and brown sugar), adisa (grilled cassava, also cooked with brown sugar) and the coffee of our choice. I had the nutty Kahlua with milk.

The next morning, a friend came by with a bag full of "the best lupis in town" -- another kind of sticky rice topped with brown-sugar sauce and shredded coconut. You soon learn Ambon locals always claim to have the "best" of this or that.

Naturally, for lunch and dinner, the choice is seafood -- the table often laid out with five or six kinds of fish and various sauces. A favorite is the colo-colo, a dip made with fresh green tomato and lemon that locals, again, boast is "only found here!"

Fish soup was the main entree on another occasion -- delightfully fresh and, fortunately, unspoiled by too many distracting side dishes.

Little did we know that was because something else was in store!

After our soup, it was durian time -- not a pretty sight, with our hosts tossing skin and seeds into the nearby gutter. If the tide had risen at that moment, Ambon would have been filled with spiky -- and rank -- durian skin.

By their second night here, visitors to Ambon know to eat measured portions, no matter how much your hosts deplore your appetite. When it comes to eating in Maluku's capital, you have to be ready for anything -- if it's not durian, it's a meal pushed on you barely 30 minutes after dinner!

The roadside is where the locals go to satisfy midnight cravings for giant squid, which is served either in a red sauce or simply fried and accompanied by juicy side dishes. One stall was in front of the Ambon Express Daily, not a bad place for a few hungry journalists.

Midnight feasting is the ultimate sign of peace having returned to Ambon, a tiny capital that saw its share of bloodshed back in 1999. Peace means anyone, regardless of religious affiliation, can join friends at any time of the day or night. And, unlike before, Ambon teems with nightlife.

Our midnight stall was located near the Al Fatah mosque and Silo church, each a symbol of "the other side's" camp during the city's religious conflict. These days, everyone mingles among the area's throng of stalls.

On the way back to the airport, your hosts will inevitably make one last recommendation -- to stop and pick up ikan asar, large, smoked fish, which you can have packed up for the flight home, complete with a lemon and chili sauce.

While you're at it, don't forget to check out what the legendary botanist Alfred R. Wallace raved about when he came to Maluku in the 1860s -- breadfruit!

He dedicates almost an entire page of his The Malay Archipelago to reminiscing about the "true breadfruit", which he called "a luxury I have never met with either before or since". In his chapter on "Amboyna", Wallace even discussed how to make the breadfruit, or sukun, available in London's Covent Garden Market.

While nothing extraordinary to Indonesians, foreign fans might want to test who does, indeed, have the best breadfruit.

While returning from a diving trip in Leihitu, this writer was given an entire bag filled with the stuff -- by the boat driver. I protested, offering him half, but he insisted he didn't want any.

I later realized why: he came from Latuhalat, south of Ambon, and had earlier said, "Sukun? The best sukun comes from my place!"

-- Ati Nurbaiti

EU Keeps Indonesia On Airline Blacklist, Adds Gabon

The European Commission added the west African state of Gabon to its airline safety blacklist on Thursday and maintained a ban on all Indonesian airlines flying to the European Union.

Safety experts from all 27 EU states called for the Indonesian ban to be upheld after meetings with airlines Garuda, Mandala and Air Fast and with local aviation authorities.

"The Indonesian authorities have still not developed and implemented an efficient oversight program on any of the carriers under their regulatory control," a European Commission statement said.

A ban on Iran's Mahan Airlines, imposed last September, was lifted, following EU safety inspections in Iran.

The year-old Indonesian ban follows a series of air crashes in Indonesia and reports of deteriorating safety standards since deregulation of the country's aviation sector in the late 1990s.

On Thursday, a Garuda Indonesia pilot was charged with negligence over a crash last year that killed 21 people when the plane he was landing skidded off the runway at Yogyakarta airport.

No Indonesian carriers fly to the EU, but the ban affects the sprawling archipelago's tourist industry, as Europeans have been warned not to use Indonesian airlines on transit routes, such as between Jakarta and the island of Bali.

Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani rejected media allegations the EU had maintained the Indonesian ban for political reasons.

"We do not have a political agenda to pursue," he told reporters. "All we want is to guarantee the safety of EU citizens. If an airline has respected all of the safety and security rules, then they'll be struck off the blacklist."

The Commission added airlines from Gabon to its blacklist, except for Gabon Airlines and Afrijet which will be restricted from expanding their European operations any further and will be regularly inspected.

The updated list also maintains a ban on all carriers from Equatorial Guinea, the Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Swaziland and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

(Reuters)

Penang to help promote tourism in Aceh

By Antara , Banda Aceh | Thu, 07/24/2008 4:06 PM | National

Malaysian state Penang will help promote tourism in Aceh to Malaysian and foreign tourists, says tourism council.

Penang Tourism Action Council (PTAC) Chairman Datuk Kee Phaik Cheen said here on Thursday that the PTAC would help promote Aceh so that foreign tourists visiting Penang would add Aceh to their itineraries.

Datuk Kee and his delegation consisting of representatives of 28 tourism agents, hotels and hospitals, were in Aceh to strengthen cooperation with their counterparts.

Aceh and Penang have close historical ties. Penang has an Aceh kampong and an Aceh mosque, Datuk Kee said.

Many Aceh people especially come to Penang for medical treatment, he said.

A lot of foreign tourists visiting Penang, continue their trip to Medan, North Sumatra, instead of Aceh, he said.

"We will try somehow to encourage foreign tourists visiting Penang to continue their travels to Aceh," he said.

He said Aceh had many good tourist sites such as Weh Isle which is known for its marine park and the freshwater lake in Central Aceh regency.

"They are huge potentials in the tourism sector here. They should be properly managed and well promoted," Kee Phaik Cheen said.(**)