Eight Injured in Air Turbulence on Garuda Flight
to Osaka
Eight passengers on Garuda flight GA882 to Japan were injured when the aircraft encountered severe air turbulence 2 hours prior to landing at Osaka international airport. None of the passengers were seriously injured, most suffering from head wounds after hitting the overhead baggage compartment. A spokesman for Garuda Indonesia Airways said that this kind of incident was not uncommon and that the passengers concerned where injured as a result of not wearing their seatbelts during the flight. (Bali Post 2nd June 2005)
Polio Outbreak Continues in Indonesia
On 9 June 2005, six new polio cases were confirmed in Indonesia, bringing the total number of cases to 34. Five of these cases are from neighboring districts (Lebak, Cianjur and Bogor districts), while one of these new cases is from the Sukabumi district. Indonesia inoculated 6.2 million children last week in a bid to stamp out the disease, which was considered to have been eradicated before the recent outbreak. Polio is an incurable and sometimes fatal waterborne virus that usually affects children, causing paralysis. The WHO is aiming to halt the spread of the disease worldwide by 2005. It says a slight increase in the Indonesian total was expected, because authorities had been investigating a number of suspected cases. (ABC News June 7, 2005)
Government Restarts Nationwide Unleaded
Gasoline Campaign
The government has restarted a nationwide campaign promoting the use of unleaded gasoline, imploring suppliers to introduce the fuel to outlets across the country by the end of the year. Announcing the move, State Minister of the Environment Rachmat Witoelar cautioned that a major obstacle to realizing the program lay in the funding. It is estimated the government would have to pay an extra 10 percent in subsidies or around Rp. 10 trillion (US$1.06 billion) to producers to provide a nationwide supply of unleaded gasoline, the equivalent of an Rp. 120 a liter of gasoline. The modification of refineries, meanwhile, costs between US$180 million and $200 million. However, activists insist the costs the nation pays in health care and the loss of income from people made sick or incapacitated by pollution is much higher. Ahmad Safrudin of the Committee for Leaded Gasoline Eradication (KPBB) said research in 1999 estimated the health and social costs borne by residents due to air pollution caused by leaded gasoline in the city of Bandung amounted to $106 million. “In Bandung... around 30 percent of students below 18 years old have lead content in their blood higher than the safe limit of 10 micrograms a deciliter. That’s very alarming as (high levels) can cause IQ point reductions, symptoms of autism and respiratory problems,” Ahmad said. (Jakarta Post, June 8th 2005)
Indonesia Braces for Terror Attack
Australian intelligence has determined a terror attack in Indonesia is in the advanced stages of planning, and has issued a travel alert for its citizens. In Jakarta, Indonesian police chief Gen. Da’i Bachtiar told reporters coded e-mail messages indicating that a bombing is planned in Jakarta have been intercepted. There has been an increase in the intensity of their communication, he said. Another senior police official said that terrorists had shifted strategy, and were now more likely to use suicide bombers than car bombings. The information we have picked up with the Australians is very credible, the source said. Western interests in the capital continue to be the main target of the terrorists. Friday, Australia issued a travel advisory that warned, Attacks could occur at any time, anywhere in Indonesia and could be directed at any locations known to be frequented by foreigners. (UPI 12th June 2005)
Second Package Sent to Indonesian Embassy “
Harmless”
A second package sent to the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra containing a white powder has proven to be harmless just one week after another letter containing a harmless white powder was sent to the embassy, forcing its closure for two days. On Friday, a similar letter was sent to Australia’s Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, at Parliament House. Its contents were also found to be non-toxic. “AFP and emergency services isolated and secured the package, it has since been tested and has since returned a harmless result,” said Sergeant Cook. “The AFP are treating this as a serious criminal offence, and it will be investigated to the full extent,” he said. (ABC News June 7, 2005)
Bali Judge Receives Suspicious Package in Mail
Indonesian police says they are checking a letter containing a “strong smell” sent to the head of the Denpasar court that recently jailed Schapelle Corby on drugs charges. The investigation follows an incident last week when Indonesia’s embassy in Canberra was sealed off in a biological agent scare triggered by an envelope containing a white powder. Although it later proved to be harmless, authorities believed it was the work of supporters of Corby, a 27-year-old Australian woman who was jailed for 20 years last month for attempting to smuggle marijuana onto Bali. Bali police spokesman AS Reniban said that the judge, Nengah Suriada had a dizzy spell on opening the noxious letter last Friday. “Members of the police forensic laboratory, including officers from Jakarta, are investigating the smell and the letter has been taken for laboratory tests,” Reniban said. Mr. Reniban said a second unopened letter also sent to the Bali prosecutor’s office had been collected for investigation. The results of the tests were not yet known. Australian outrage against the Corby verdict has threatened to upset improving relations between the two countries, despite renewed pledges of friendship by Canberra and Jakarta. Many Australians have threatened to boycott Bali as a holiday destination and some have demanded a return of cash donated to aid victims of last year’s tsunami. (Bali Post 7th June 2005).
Popular Notary Wibosono Jailed for
Falsifying Documents
Notaries JS Wibosono and Rudiyanto were sentenced to 5 months jail on Thursday (9/6) for falsifying documents. According to court reports, Wibosono and Rudiyanto had been accused of creating false documents in order to facilitate the sale of a property. The accused were found guilty and as well as serving a 5 month jail sentence were ordered to return the sum of 90 million rupiah, and the land in question to the company PT Trisetya Bali Sakti. (Denpost 10th June 2005)
Microsoft to Let Indonesia Use Pirated Software
Microsoft is to grant Indonesia an amnesty on pirated versions of its Windows software used on government computers in exchange for a token payment, a report says. Under the deal, up to 50,000 computers running illegal software would be legalized at $US1 each, Information Minister Sofyan Djalil said. In exchange, Indonesia would promise to purchase authorized Microsoft merchandise in the future and launch a major crackdown on a pirated software racket that is believed to be one of the world’s worst. “Microsoft is being realistic. They can’t force developing countries like us to solely use legal software since we can’t afford it. They want us to gradually reduce our use of it,” Mr Djalil said. A study by the Business Software Alliance, an organization representing leading manufacturers including Microsoft, showed that 87 per cent of the software on the market in Indonesia was pirated in 2004. Counterfeiting in Indonesia cost the industry millions of dollars, the study said. (ABC News 9th June 2005)
Another Woman Brutally Slain in Sanur District
A twenty year old woman was found brutally murdered in a room behind the Bali Bintang Furniture showroom on Bypass Ngurah Rai, Pesanggaran on Monday (6/6). The girl was found by an employee of the furniture store when he was trying to locate the usual occupant of the room, Bambang (30) of Banguwangi. The girl was found naked, bathed in blood with severe head injuries, the identity of the girl is not yet known. Police are eager to question “Bambang” in relation to the murder; however he has not yet been located. (Denpost 7th June 2005)
Three & Half Year Jail Sentence for 3gr of Marijuana
Wahyudi (23) was sentenced to three and half years jail by a Denpasar court on Thursday (9/6) and ordered to pay a 100 million rupiah fine after being caught with only 3 grams of marijuana. Wahyudi was arrested on Jln Bypass Ngurah Rai in January 2005 when police found the illegal substance stuffed in the suspects left shoe. (Denpost June 10th 2005)
Hundreds of Guests Admitted to Hospital for
Food Poisoning After Wedding
Hundreds of guests from a wedding party in the Bangli district were treated at the local public hospital following a severe bout of food poisoning on Wednesday (8/5). A total of 39 people were admitted to the Bangli district hospital, 17 of those required treatment in the intensive care unit. Authorities’ suspect that pre-prepared rice meals caused the poisoning, however samples of the food are still undergoing investigation at a Denpasar laboratory. (Denpost 10th June 2005)
Corby Hires Indonesian “Soap Star” in Bid for
Popularity
Corby’s Indonesian legal team revealed the recruitment of a new “information officer”, soap opera actress Anisa Tri Hapsari, to a packed media conference, with lawyer Hotman Hutapea saying the view of the Indonesian public would be critical in deciding the outcome of the appeal. Perth-based QC Mark Trowell, who met the Corby family in Indonesia last week, said he had been given no idea the actress was to become part of Corby’s bid for freedom, and did not think it would have an effect on the judges deciding Corby’s fate. Mr. Trowell, one of Perth’s leading litigators, was drafted in along with fellow WA QC Tom Percy to provide legal advice in the case following a request from the Howard government. (AAP Jun 13th 2005)
Australian Exporter Loses 60 million Rupiah of
Goods to Thieves
Desley Keys an Australian exporter lost over 60 million rupiah worth of goods and cash when her cargo store, Bali Budaya was raided by thieves on Monday (6/6). The owner of the business was in Singapore at the time of the incident, however reported the theft as soon as she returned to the property on Jln Waribang in Kesiman, East Denpasar. The thieves escaped with 5 exclusive gold rings as well as Rp. 350,000 of cash. This is the second time that the cargo store has been broken into this year. Police are still investigating the case. (Bali Post 8th June 2005).
German National Arrested for Possession of Hashish
Patrick Guy Prinzen (35) was arrested on Wednesday (9/6) for possession of 0.7 grams of hashish. Patrick, a German citizen, is a permanent resident of Australia where he usually lives in Melbourne, Victoria. Patrick was apparently reported by neighbors who claim to have seen him using the illegal substance at his rented home in Jln Nakula , Seminyak. Police confronted the suspect outside Bintang supermarket in Seminyak where he was searched and found to have four small packs of hashish. Prinzon could face 10 years jail if found guilty by the Denpasar courts. (Bali Post 14th June 2005)
