Archive for September, 2007
By JASON LIOH
MALACCA: Four orang utans that were found not to be of a species found in Malaysia have been returned to Indonesia.
Malacca Zoo director Mohd Nawayai Yasak said the four were from the pongo pygmaeus wurmbii species normally found in the forests of Borneo.
He said the origins of the four, named Mamat, Minah, Dodi and Linda, was discovered after the Wildlife Protection and National Parks Department carried out DNA tests on all 60 orang utans in the country, including in zoos and theme parks.
“It was found that these four orang utans were different from the other species. There were no details of how they were acquired,” Nawayai said.
He said Dodi and Linda have been in the Malacca Zoo for the past five years while Mamat and Minah were seized from a theme park for not having the necessary permits 10 days ago.
Malaysia is a member of the Convention of International Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES).
CITES requires an animal to be sent back to its country of origin if it does not have proper import certification and cannot be established how it was brought into the country.
Nawayai said the orang utans would be handed over to the Indonesian Forestry Department.
They are scheduled to fly to Jakarta from KL International Airport today and would go through a rehabilitation programme before being sent to Kalimantan.
Source: http://thestar.com.my/news
September 28th, 2007
Prodita Sabarini, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali
The kickoff Wednesday of the 2007 Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart in Bali marks the return of the island as a major world tourist destination.
Bali, the country’s best-known tourist destination, has struggled to recover from the aftermath of the terrorist bombings in 2002 and 2005, which seriously damaged the tourism industry.
However, two years after the most recent bombings, Bali won its bid to host the PATA Travel Mart over destinations in China and India.
This year’s three-day Travel Mart is believed to be the biggest ever, with 423 buyers from 49 countries participating, more than last year’s event in Hong Kong, which was attended by 353 buyers. The Travel Mart also features 860 sellers from 36 countries.
Opening the event, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that Indonesia’s hosting of the Travel Mart provided an opportunity to promote the country’s tourism industry after several lean years due to natural disasters, security problems and the bird-flu scare.
Kalla said that the holding of Travel Mart marked the return of foreign confidence in Bali as a major world tourist destination.
He praised Bali’s natural beauty, hospitality and culture, but reminded delegates that Indonesia was about more than just Bali.
“Indonesia is not only Bali. There are a lot of other places in Indonesia, such as Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi, each of which offers diverse cultures,” he said.
However, for now, all eyes are on Bali.
“My first impression arriving in Bali has been good. The security has been diligent, and I am optimistic that tourists will continue to come to Bali,” PATA president and CEO Peter De Jong said.
After cutting the ribbon marking the opening of the event, the delegates quickly got down to business. The exhibition booths at the Bali International Convention Center were crowded with buyers and sellers sealing deals.
One seller, Elli Gobel, from Adventure Indonesia, said that the queue of buyers was long. “We have to do the transactions very quickly because once one buyer has sealed a transaction, other buyers are already waiting in line,” he said.
“The Culture and Tourism Ministry’s director general of marketing, Thamrin Bachrie, said that the PATA Travel Mart was expected to generate business worth about US$500 million, with Indonesia hoping to benefit to the tune of about $60 million.
Bachrie said that the ministry would launch “Visit Indonesia 2008″ in early November, targeting 7 million arrivals in 2008. This year, the target for tourist arrivals is 6 million.
He said that currently Indonesia’s brand was “Ultimate Diversity”, but the ministry was currently in the process of seeking a new brand.
De Jong said that Indonesia needed to find a strong brand to promote its tourism industry.
“Indonesia needs better branding. I think the trend in the world now is for sustainable tourism — ecotourism provides a good opportunity for the country,” he said.
“Indonesia has to work harder in promoting other areas. The message has to be stronger. Indonesia is not only Bali, but the people don’t have any idea of other places,” he said.
Source: The Jakarta Post
September 28th, 2007
Park information:
- Located between the islands of Flores and Sumbawa Island.
- Covers an area of between 1,875 and 2,321 square kilometers.
- Consist of three main Islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar
- Famous for its pre-historic and Komodo ‘’Dragons’’ – found only in this area of the world.
- Home to one of the richest marine environments in the world.
- Excellent coral reefs.
- Outstanding diving spots.
Facilities
- Rangers’ house, restaurant and information centers are located on both Komodo and Rinca Island
- Currently the best way to stay overnight at the park is to rent a local excursion boat and sleep on deck. Anchored just off shore from the park, this will allow an early morning trek in the reserve.
How to get there
- Labuan Bajo (West Flores) is the starting point to explore the Komodo National Park. Regular flights operate from Bali (Denpasar) to Labuan Bajo, or travel overland from Bali by private vehicle or public bus and inter-island ferries.
- The travel time from Labuan Bajo to Komodo Island is 4 hours by boat, and 2 hours from Labuan Bajo to Rinca Island.
- Overnight accommodation is possible either at the rangers’ house or on the deck of a local excursion boats
- Arrangement for accommodation at the Park can be with Travel Agents,� West Flores guides or directly with the local boat owners.
- Local excursion boat.
Komodo Island
- Loh Liang is the main landing point to see Komodo ‘’dragons’’ on Komodo Island.
- Komodos are often seen at the dry river bed Banu Nggulung, a half-hour walk from Loh Liang. When komodos were still fed before park visitors (a practice discontinued many years ago), Banu Nggulung was the traditional feeding ground. You are also likely to spot dragons looking for food around the Rangers’ camp in Loh Liang.
- Hiking around the Island is possible with a local guide. A round-trip climb up the slopes of Gunung Ara (580m) takes around 3.5 hours. Or, consider hiking to Poreng Valley, located 5.5km from Loh Liang. Along the way you may encounter komodos as well as buffaloes, wild boar, and a wide variety of bird species.
- Visit Komodo village, a friendly, Muslim Buginese village only a half-hour walk from Loh Liang.
- Snorkeling and relaxing at Pantai Merah (Red Beach) or Pulau Lasa is on the ‘’must do’’ list for Komodo Park visitors.
Rinca Island
- Loh Buaya is the access point to see Komodo ‘’dragons’’ on Rinca Island.
- You may see the dragon around the camp at Loh Buaya.
- Local guides generally know the spots where the komodos sun themselves.
- On a hiking tour you may also see long-tailed macaques, wild water buffaloes, Timor deer, wild horses, boars, and rare megapode birds.
Marine Ecosystem:
The three main marine ecosystems found at the Komodo National Park:
- Sea grass beds
- Coral reefs
- Mangrove forests.�
Marine Fauna:
Komodo National Park has one of the richest marine environments in the word. Forams, cnidaria, sponges, ascidians, marine worms, mollusks, echinoderms, crustaceans, cartilaginous, bony� fishes, marine reptiles, marine mammals (dolphins, whales, and dugongs), sea cucumbers (Holothuria), napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), and groupers are major sub-sea fauna found at Komodo National Park.
Marine Flora:
The three major coastal marine plants:
- Algae
- Sea grasses
- Mangrove trees.
Terrestrial Ecosystem:
- Long dry season (April to October) with high temperatures and low rainfall.
- A transition zone shared between Australian and Asian flora and fauna.
- Open grass-woodland savannas, tropical deciduous (monsoon) forests and quasi-cloud forests.
- A shared trait among many of the park’s terrestrial plants species is that they are xerophytes, capable of obtaining and retaining water to survive the cyclical drought period.
- Terrestrial plants includes: grasses, shrubs, orchids, and trees. �
Important food trees include Jatropha curkas, Zizyphus sp., Opuntia sp., Tamarindus indicus, Borassus flabellifer, Sterculia foetida, Ficus sp., Cicus sp., ‘Kedongdong hutan’ (Saruga floribunda), and ‘Kesambi’ (Schleichera oleosa).
Terrestrial Fauna
Many mammals found at the park are Asiatic in origin - deer, pigs, macaques, civets. Other mammals include Timor deer (Cervus timorensis), wild horses (Equus sp.), water buffalos (Bubalus bubalis), wild boars (Sus scrofa vittatus), long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), palm civets (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus lehmanni), the endemic Rinca rat (Rattus rintjanus), fruit bats, goats, feral dogs and domestic cats.�
Several bird species are Australian in origin - orange-footed scrubfowl, the lesser sulpher-crested cockatoo and the nosy friarbird. 27 species observed in the park’s savanna area include: Geopelia striata and Streptopelia chinensis.� Philemon buceroides, Ducula aenea, and Zosterops chloris are observed in the mixed deciduous habitat� that is home to 28 bird species.
Reptiles at the park include, of course, the legendary Komodo ‘’Dragon,’’ 12 snake species� including the cobra (Naja naja sputatrix), Russel’s pit viper (Vipera russeli), and the green tree vipers (Trimeresurus albolabris). Lesser lizards include 9 skink species (Scinidae), geckos (Gekkonidae), limbless lizards (Dibamidae), and the monitor lizards (Varanidae).� Frogs species include the Asian Bullfrog (Kaloula baleata), Oreophyne jeffersoniana and Oreophyne darewskyi.
Source: http://pr-gb.com
September 27th, 2007
Indonesian villagers in the province of Yogyakarta have released 200 baby Olive Ridley turtles in a bid to help save the species.
Under Indonesian law it is forbidden to hunt, capture or eat sea turtles but they have been hunted almost to extinction.
Six months ago an environmental group called the Kutilang Foundation began educating people in coastal regions to help them to save turtles from predators.
The group is teaching villagers to save eggs and has even given them money to buy eggs from poachers, which are then buried near their homes until they hatch and are then released into the sea.
Villager Khoirun said: “I want my great-grand-children to know what turtles are like. If we keep eating their eggs then they’ll become extinct.”
He said the foundation helps him to buy eggs for 7p each from poachers. The 29-year-old fisherman said he spends much of his spare time protecting turtle eggs and nurturing newly hatched turtles.
Convincing villagers, some of whom used to be turtle hunters, and turning them into conservationists is not an easy job for Lim Wen Sin, the project co-ordinator.
Mr Lim said: “The problem is many people treat turtles as commodities. They don’t view them as protected animals.”
Apart from their eggs and meat, turtles are also killed for their shells which are used as ornaments in homes.
Source: http://itn.co.uk/news
September 26th, 2007
Award-winning Export Service Centre Exhibit at AsiaWorld-Expo Booth 2D18
[ClickPress, Mon Sep 24 2007] New lines of eco-friendly sandals and hand-crafted leather handbags from Indonesia will be on display at the China Sourcing Fair: Fashion Accessories Export Service Centre’s (http://www.exportservicecentre.com) booth 2D18 Oct. 12-15, 2007 at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong.
The Export Service Centre will also feature a special export package of its newest sterling silver jewelry and other innovative creations at its award-winning booth.
“Buyer interest in our Indonesian-made, hand-crafted products at the April show was outstanding,” said Eugene Verspoor, general manager of the Bali-based Export Service Centre. “The significant number of new orders we received during and after the show is a great endorsement of Indonesian producers’ design leadership and understanding of international markets.
“We are a boutique supplier, offering a select range of stunning hand-made products in quality not readily available elsewhere in Asia. One of our main advantages to buyers is our personalized sourcing services. We work hand-in-hand with buyers to blend Asian innovation with latest materials and designs from Bali.
“We are expecting to build on our highly successful April show and are aiming again to earn another ‘Best of Show Awards’ for our stunning booth. Of course, our products are the stars – but the striking design of our black booth helps draw buyers in!”
High-tech Meets Traditional Sourcing at the Export Service Centre Booth 2D18
Buyers who visit the Export Service Centre booth 2D18 can not only see the heirloom quality 925 silver earrings, pendants and bracelets on exhibit, but also order and pay for a selection of jewelry online.
The unique service is offered in partnership with Global Sources Direct. Export Service Centre products are available at http://www.GlobalSourcesDirect.com under ‘Bali Originals’ section.
Verspoor said: “We will be offering a special at-show package of mix ‘n match jewelry at very attractive price points. Buyer can touch the product and order small lots online from any computer with Internet access. Our door-to-door air courier delivery means products can be waiting at the buyer’s office when he returns from his trade show visit.”
Export Service Centre at the China Sourcing Fair: Gifts & Home Products
The Export Service Centre will also exhibit at the China Sourcing Fair: Gifts & Home Products, Oct. 20-23 at the AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, booth number 7S15
It will be offering its latest line of eco-friendly lines of natural, museum-quality home décor, furniture made from recycled teak, and bolsters, throws and pillows made from water hyacinth, banana fiber and leather.
Buyers interested in the Export Service Centre’s entire range of products can visit its website at http://www.globalsources.com/escindo.co or see its advertisements in Global Sources Home Products, Gifts & Premiums and Fashion Accessories magazines.
Source: www.clickpress.com
September 25th, 2007
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia on Saturday confirmed to get one title at the Taiwan Open as two of its top-seeded singles will meet in an Indonesian all final in the men`s singles.
In the semifinal round of the Gold Grand Prix, Taufik Hidayat booked one ticket for the final after beating Lee Hyun of Korea 21-13, 17-21 and 21-15.
Taufik will meet, Sony Dwi Kuncoro who got the ticket for the final after beating another Indonesian single, Simon Santoso 22-24, 21-19 and 21-15.
The meeting between Taufik and Sony in the US$170,000 tournament will be its fifth, with the last two victories gained by Taufik.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian men`s doubles Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan also booked one ticket for the final round after beating another Indonesian duo, Joko Riyadi/Hendra A Gunawan 14-21, 21-14, 21-15.
The world`s third rank will challenge Lars Paaske/Jonas Rasmussen of Denmark who beat the eight-seeded Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif/ Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari of Malaysia 24-22, 19-21, 21-9.
Indonesian mix doubles duo, Nova Widianto/Lilyana Natsir, meanwhile failed to move on to the final after defeated by Kamilla Rytter Juhl/Thomas Laybourn of Denmark 21-16, 15-21, 13-21.
The other mix doubles, duo Flandy Limpele/Vita Marissa managed to get the ticket for the final after beating Han Sang Hoon/Lee Hyo Jung of Korea 21-18, 21-4.
Vita also got ticket for the final of the women`s doubles with Lilyana Natsir after defeating Lee Kyung Won/Lee Hyo Jung of Korea 21-18, 21-4.
Winner of the China Masters will meet host shuttlers Chien Yu Chin/Cheng Wen Hsing.
While the final for the women`s singles would feature former China players who are fighting for other countries, namely Wang Chen of Hong Kong and Pi Hongyan of France. (*)
Source: Antara News
September 24th, 2007
Hadi DP Mahmud
JAKARTA, INDONESIA
23-Sep-07
RAMADHAN in Jakarta is a wee bit different than in Brunei. News in the sultanate becomes drag (and dull) as the holy fasting month carries on. Activities and events are played down to a minimum to conserve the energy of those fasting. Only the nation’s foodstalls appear to be truly eventful. Towards the end of the day, the stalls are usually packed with adults and kids who have only one thing foremost on their minds _ food.
Just the same, Muslims in Jakarta typically break their daily fast in a festive atmosphere that is not complete without the special meals they craved all day. But watch the news, and the difference is there to see.
Some two million Jakartans live well below the poverty line. In the month during which Muslims are encouraged to give, this makes Ramadhan a peak season for beggars and the homeless.
Then there is begging, one level up. In light of what the media calls ‘lucrative begging’, Jakarta has seen vegetable or fruit sellers on its streets resorting to the art of pity-seeking to boost their income during the month. (It also happens to be a month of fasting, an activity at which most beggars excel.) Many of these people aren’t normally beggars, but are banking on increased generosity during Ramadhan.
Lucrative begging is a phenomenon that happens all over the world. The Gulf News has reported an increase in the number of street beggars in Lahore, Pakistan. Beggars in Lahore can earn more than 20,000 rupees a month, by some estimates _ more than the roughly 4,600 rupees per month people earn on average in Pakistan. A female beggar in Jakarta said, “I earn Rp30,000 a day from begging. I would not get that much if I was still selling vegetables.”
However, Jakarta recently introduced a bylaw that will make life for Jakarta’s beggars more difficult. It will become illegal to beg on Jakarta’s streets. Here’s the catch _ it will also be illegal to give to beggars.
Prostitution, considered a sin in Islam, is also a well-known trade in the world’s largest Muslim country. There are no laws banning prostitution in Indonesia, home to an estimated 650,000 sex workers. Another thriving market in Indonesia is tobacco. The tobacco market in Indonesia is the world’s fifth largest, and the country’s $10 billion tobacco industry provides jobs for seven million people.
Now, during the fasting month, the two trades are about to be fused together.
After banning prostitutes from soliciting during the holy fasting month, The Jakarta Post reported that Indonesian authorities are in talks of offering sex workers positions in key cigarette producing jobs.
In Java island’s Malang district, officials plan to give sex workers money to buy tobacco and paper and train them to produce hand-rolled cigarettes, which will be supplied to cigarette factories.
“We can’t ask them to stop operating during Ramadhan without giving them an alternative means of income, as this is our moral obligation,” Ihwanul Muslimin, head of Malang’s public order police unit, was quoted as saying in The Jakarta Post.
Other than that, the fasting month is the same throughout as it is celebrated in Brunei. Mosques are filled with people performing the tarawih prayers, and charitable acts are seen throughout the month.
Source: The Brunei Times
September 24th, 2007
A MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR plan to protect forests and lessen global warming is set to be backed by an alliance of nations home to more than 80 per cent of the world’s tropical rainforests.
The grouping of up to 20 countries will be announced during UN talks on climate change in New York on Monday, following a meeting chaired by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
The alliance will claim negotiations on a post-Kyoto protocol are not adequately tackling deforestation, which contributes up to a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. It is expected to call for billions of dollars in climate change funding to be allocated to nations that preserve their forests.
The alliance is expanding rapidly. Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said that a month ago, eight nations were to participate. Days ago, the number rose to 12 and now another eight have asked for invitations.
Critically, the alliance includes Brazil and Indonesia, which are the world’s fourth- and third-largest greenhouse-gas emitters when deforestation is taken into account.
Members also include Costa Rica, Colombia, the Congo, Malaysia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea and Peru.
With Indonesia hosting the pivotal UN meeting in December to determine a new formula to combat global warming, Dr Yudhoyono is in a unique position to shape the debate.
Indonesia’s UN representative said Dr Yudhoyono’s trip to New York showed his personal commitment to the issue.
As well as heading the meeting of rainforest nations, Dr Yudhoyono will attend a leaders’ global warming summit called by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and a General Assembly session on climate change.
Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar said the rainforest nations would commit themselves to sustainable forest management and develop an action plan at the New York meeting.
The alliance aimed to increase the bargaining position of rainforest nations at the Bali negotiations in December to shape the successor to the Kyoto Protocol, Mr Witoelar said.
In an effort to swing attention away from reducing industrial carbon emissions, Mr Witoelar said tropical forest management had to become part of the post-Kyoto agenda. The concept of “avoided deforestation” had to be recognised and rewarded, he said.
Essentially, countries with remaining tropical forests are asking to be compensated, probably with carbon credits, for not logging them. Under the Kyoto Protocol, a carbon credit scheme of financial incentives specifically excludes forest protection. Only replanting is eligible for assistance.
A recent World Bank report was highly critical of continued forest logging in Indonesia.
Source: http://www.theage.com.au/news
September 21st, 2007
JAKARTA: Justice and Human Rights Minister Andi Mattalatta inaugurated Wednesday a copyright on Indonesian batik called “batikmark” — a measure expected to provide a legal identity to Indonesian-made batik.
The launch of the Indonesian batik copyright was held in conjunction with the opening of the Gebyar Batik Nusantara batik exhibition by First Lady Ani Yudhoyono at the Jakarta Convention Center in Central Jakarta.
“Batikmark hopefully will … sustain batik as part of our traditional Indonesian heritage and will help promote Indonesian batik to the international community,” Mattalatta told Antara.
“It is also expected to increase the consumers’ trust on the quality of Indonesian batik.”
He said the government, through the Yogyakarta Grand Handicraft and Batik House, would issue certificates of batikmark for producers which had met all the national standards for batik production. – JP
Source: The Jakarta Post
September 21st, 2007
Philippine-based international fashion designer Rajo Laurel, known for his avant-garde collection, will join BALI FASHION WEEK VII on November 22-24, 2007 at the Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel to display some of his premium works in recent years.
Rajo studied at the famed Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and later went to the prestigious Central St. Martin’s in London. At the start of his career he has received Air France’s Young Designer of the Year (1994), Most Promising Designer of the Year (1996) and The Loop’s (Editor’s Choice Award) Favorite Designer (1998).
He has also won awards at the ASEAN Young Designers Competition (Singapore, 1993), the Smirnoff Fashion Design Awards (Philippines, 1995) and the Asia Collection “Makuhari Grand Prix ‘97” (Japan, 1997).
He has staged several major galas and has been invited to join group shows and exhibitions such as the Philippine Centennial Show (Sydney, 1997), Saks Fifth Avenue Bridal Exhibition (New York, 2001) and the Ties That Bind; Shanghai-Philippines Expositions (Shanghai, 2003). In 2004 and 2005, Rajo represented the Philippines in the KL Fashion Week held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
At present, Rajo is one of the most in-demand fashion designers in the Philippines, counting among his clientele the top personalities, celebrities and politicians: former Philippine President Corazon Aquino and current Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
His creations frequently grace TV screens, concert stages and the covers and pages of magazines. Aside from specializing in quality made-to-order couture clothing, Rajo is the president of HOUSE OF LAUREL, which is a high-end garment company that specializes in designer ready-to-wear clothing for women, expecting mothers and children as well as accessories like bags, jewelry and shoes. He has also established LAUREL ET ROSS, which is a garment company that specializes in creating and manufacturing corporate uniforms.
Source: http://www.fibre2fashion.com
September 20th, 2007
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