Strong 5.8 Quake Hits North of Bali
A strong 5.8-magnitude earthquake hit the Bali Sea off the northern coast of Indonesia Friday (9/2), seismologists said. The quake, which was at a depth of 312 kilometers (208 miles), struck at 5:00 am (2100 GMT) about 215 kilometers north of Denpasar, Bali, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake was felt by residents throughout the Island however there were no reports of damage or injury. (February 10th 2008, AP)
Australian Student Arrested in Bali
An Australian student has been arrested in Bali for alleged drug possession. Denpasar Police drug squad head Gde Astawa said the 23-year-old was arrested in north Kuta on Tuesday (12/2) afternoon after he was found with 0.3g of methamphetamine. The man, who was born in Sri Lanka but is an Australian citizen, is only known by his initials AS. He is in police custody in Denpasar. The student faces a maximum five years imprisonment if convicted. “He is a student who had come to Bali for a holiday,” Astawa said. “He is frequently going back and forth to Bali for a holiday. In Bali, he often uses “shabu-shabu” (methamphetamine) because he is addicted,” he said. (February 12th 2008, AFP)
Australia’s Love Affair with Bali Posts 63% Growth
Australians’ love affair with Bali has surged in the latest calendar year with ABS figures showing a 63% growth in the number of Australians holidaying in Bali, and the “Island of the Gods” establishing itself as our second most popular Asian tourist destination. Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates that 206,427 Australian residents traveled to Indonesia on holiday in 2007 against 126,595 in 2006. The trend has been strong throughout the year and is continuing, says Garuda Indonesia’s General Manager, Australia and the Southwest Pacific, Mr. Poerwoko Soeparyono. “It’s fantastic to see so many Australians traveling to Bali again and we look forward to the time that Bali is again Australia’s number one overseas holiday destination,” he said. “2007 has been excellent for Bali and for Indonesia internationally, with the success of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) capping off a momentous year for Bali. More than 10,000 participants from nearly 190 counties gave our MICE business a huge boost and put us right back on the map. We were also gratified to see that Bali was the first overseas destination of the new Australian Prime Minister Mr. Rudd & even our former deputy Prime Minister is choosing to holiday in Bali. (February 15th 2008, AFP)
Sea Turtle Swims from Indonesia to Oregon in Epic Journey
Scientists tracked a leatherback turtle that swam from Indonesia to the US in an epic 20,000km (13,000-mile) journey as it searched for food - research they hope will boost international efforts to save the endangered species. Leatherbacks, which can grow up to 2.75 meters (nine feet) in length, have roamed the oceans for 100 million years. But researchers at the US National Marine Fisheries Service in California say commercial fishing makes the oceans too dangerous for the globe-trotting sea turtles, which face extinction if no action is taken. The leatherback is the world’s most endangered sea turtle. In a telephone interview Friday, Benson estimated that less than 5,000 adult females now live in the Pacific region. Males cannot be easily counted because they don’t come ashore. Conservationists estimate the breed could become extinct within 30 years. Turtles “face a myriad of risks from things like ingesting debris like plastic, to traveling through areas that are used by multinational fisheries - fisheries that would catch (the turtles) in the course of trying to catch fish,” Benson said. Benson called for action to protect leatherback turtles as they roam the seas. “It will be the responsibility of many countries to ensure the species survives in the Pacific Ocean for future generations,” he said. “It’s an animal that doesn’t recognize international boundaries. You can protect the nesting beaches but if you can’t protect the animal in the water, you haven’t done anything.” (February 9th 2008, AP)
Bali Earns US$72 Million from Aquatic Product Exports
Bali earned a total of US$71.8 million from aquatic product exports during 2007, an increase by 37 percent from US$52.4 million in 2006, according to a local official. The increase was attributed to good quality of the aquatic products which had satisfied foreign buyers, Ni Wayan Kusumawathi, head of the Bali provincial trade service, said here on Saturday (10/2). The province’s marine products had met the international standards and gone through laboratory tests, she said. Fresh and frozen tuna exports alone brought in US$59 million of foreign exchanges last year, up by 56 percent from US$37.6 million in 2006, she said. The volume of the tuna exports last year reached 18,621 tons, compared with 9,941 tons in 2006. Bali exported fresh tuna especially to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and Korea, and frozen tuna to European countries and the United States. (February 11th 2008, Antara News)
Bali Visited by 154,000 Foreign Tourists in January
Bali Island received 154,000 foreign tourists in January 2008, an increase by 29.88 percent from 107,800 in January 2007. “On average, Bali is visited by around 5,135 foreign tourists daily, an improvement compared to the days before the 2002 and 2005 bombings,” head of the Bali provincial tourism service I Gede Nurjaya said here on Friday (9/2). Bali should maintain and even improve its image internationally, he said. “The image has various aspects, namely safety, comfort, cleanliness, and good service,” Nurjaya said. The Bali administration had set itself the target of attracting 1.9 million foreign tourists in 2008. In 2007, the tourist island received a total of 1,664,047 foreign visitors. Bali was also planning to stage various tourism events to support the Visit Indonesia Year 2008. (February 11th 2008, Antara News)
Police Examine Materials Believed to be Home-Made Bomb Exploding in Bali
The Bali police are still examining materials which are believed for a home-made bomb which went off on a parking lot of restaurant Kak Man on Teuku Umar St. Denpasar on Sunday (17/2). The materials included cement, lime, wire, aluminum foil and carton, a spokesman for the Bali provincial police Senior Commissioner AS Rainiban said here Sunday. The police are also examining an electronic object thought to be a damaged radio set, he said, adding that a provisional finding showed the objects were not materials for explosives. The object formerly believed as a home-made bomb was firstly found by a scavenger. Being suspicious, he then reported it to the police. Bali was earlier rocked by two explosions on February 5 on Gatot Subroto I street, Denpasar, and on February 15 on Kebo Iwa Selatan Street. (February 17th 2008, Antara News)
Headless Corpse Washes up on to Ritz Carlton beach
The body of a man without a head or arms was found on the beach in front of the Ritz Carlton Hotel, at Jimbaran Beach on Monday (18/2) At approximately 4.30pm staff from the five start hotel saw the corpse floating off shore and alerted the local police station. The male body was dressed in only underpants and appeared to be that of a local (Indonesian) man. Forensic experts said it was unclear whether the mans head and limbs had been lost as a result of natural decay, or whether there had been intentional mutilation. According to a police spokesman, the limbs appeared to have been cut, which raised suspicion that there may be foul play involved. (February 19th 2008, Denpost)
Bali Wins Best Exotic Destination Award from English Magazine
The Island of Bali has received an appreciation as the Best Exotic Destination from the Luxury Travel Magazine. The January 2008 edition of Luxury Travel Magazine the magazine’s readers picked Bali Island as the Best Exotic Destination, Embassy First Secretary Mayuzar Adamy said in London on Monday (5/2). Bali managed to collect 17% of the total votes of the readers who joined the polling beating 13 other participants, including Mauritius and the Thailand Golden Triangle as other tourist destinations which had also been nominated as Best Exotic Destinations. Mayuzar said Luxury Travel Magazine viewed the world of tourism from various aspects, especially by medium and upper class readers. The monthly magazine provides analyses and expert information on world tourism to both the consumers and tourism operators. The magazine is published by Haymarket Media Group based in the United Kingdom and has branch offices in 27 different countries in the world, including China, the United States and several countries in Europe. According to editor Ms Alyson Cook, the number of readers of magazines published by Haymarket Media Group has reached 2.5 million worldwide. (February 5th 2008, Antara news)
Endangered Sumatran Tiger Body Parts Sold Openly in Indonesia
Hides and bones of endangered Sumatran tigers are sold openly in Indonesia for traditional medicines and jewelry, an environmental group said in a report published Wednesday (13/2). The Britain-based wildlife monitoring network TRAFFIC, said tiger body parts, including canine teeth, claws, fur, whiskers and bones were on sale in 10 percent of the 326 retail outlets surveyed during 2006 in 28 cities and towns across Sumatra. Based on the number of teeth on sale, the group estimated that 23 tigers were killed to supply the products sold by goldsmiths, souvenir and antique shops and traditional Chinese pharmacies. The number has dropped since the group’s previous survey in 1999-2002, when an estimated 52 tigers were killed. “Sadly, the decline in availability appears to be due to the dwindling number of tigers left in the wild,” said Julia Ng, TRAFFIC’s program officer for South-East Asia. All of TRAFFIC’s surveys indicated that Medan, the capital of North Sumatra, and Pancur Batu, about 15 kilometers away, is the main hub for the trade in tiger parts. The population of the Sumatra tiger, or Panthera tigris sumatrae, is estimated to be less than 500, Ng said. It is classified as critically endangered on the IUCN-World Conservation Union’s list of the world’s most-threatened species. Tonny Soehartono, director for biodiversity conservation at the Indonesian ministry of forestry, said efforts were being made to deal with the illegal wildlife trade. Sumatra’s remaining few tigers are also under threat from rampant deforestation by the pulp and paper and palm oil industries. The report warned that “unless tackled immediately,” the combined threats of habitat loss and illegal trade will be the “death knell” for Indonesian tigers. (February 15th 2008, Antara News)
Indonesian Muslim Authorities Rule Valentine Celebrations Illegal
Indonesia’s highest Islamic council has declared Valentine’s Day celebrations illegal, while a ban was issued by authorities in West Sumatra province on observing a holiday in hotels and restaurants, local media reports said Thursday (14/2). Ma’ruf Amien, chairman of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI), warned the country’s Muslims the celebration of Valentine’s Day is ‘haram,’ or prohibited by Islam. Amien, who is also head of the council’s commission of edicts, said the romantic holiday encouraged drunkenness and other types of immorality. Meanwhile, West Sumatra’s Bukittinggi municipal administration banned residents from celebrating Valentine’s Day on grounds that such celebrations were contrary to local Minangkabau traditions and Islam. ‘The Valentine’s Day celebration is not our culture as it usually relates closely to immoral acts where, during the celebration, young couples tend to hug and even kiss each other. This is an immoral act, right?’ the Post quoted Ismet Amzis, Bukittinggi’s deputy mayor, as saying. A ban was imposed by the administration on cafes, restaurants, hotels and other tourist sites planning to hold Valentine’s Day celebrations. The city administration also planned to shut down a number of tourist spots, including the city’s tourist icon Jam Gadang, which is known to attract visitors on Valentine’s Day. Some 100 public order officers would be deployed to closely monitor cafes, restaurants, hotels and other public places Thursday, and authorized to detain amorous young couples found on the streets or at tourist sites, Amzis said. (February 14th 2008, AINS)
Teenager Becomes Indonesia’s 104th Bird Flu Fatality
A 16-year-old boy from Indonesia’s central Java province died of the H5N1 strain of the avian influenza virus, bringing Indonesia’s bird flu death toll to 104, the Health Ministry said on Saturday (16/2). The Indonesian health ministry said on it’s website that the boy had fallen ill on February 3, and died a week later at the Moewardi hospital in the city of Solo, central Java. According to the statement, the boy, identified as APP had contact with sick chickens before he died. His death was Indonesia’s 104th out of 126 diagnosed cases of the H5N1 strain of bird flu. Both figures are the highest in the world. (February 16th 2008, Reuters)
Indonesian 2007 Growth Was Fastest in 11 Years
Indonesia’s full-year growth for 2007 clocked in at 6.32 percent, the fastest rate since the country was hit by the Asian financial crisis 11 years ago, official data showed Friday (15/2). The figure was slightly higher than the government forecast of 6.30 percent, but remained lower than the pre-crisis level of 7.8 percent recorded in 1996. However, the Indonesian economy contracted 2.15 percent in the last quarter of 2007 compared to a year earlier, but grew 6.25 percent compared to the same quarter in 2006, said Slamet Sutomo, deputy chairman of the statistics bureau. (February 15th 2008, AFP)
Indonesia in 100th Rank in World Press Freedom
Press freedom in Indonesia in the eyes of non governmental organizations monitoring international media in 167 countries in the world as surveyed by Reporters Without Borders (RWB) ranked the 100th. Under the index, freedom of the press in East Asian countries will be better in Southeast Asia. Press freedom in East Asia ranks the 30th to 40th except the People’s Republic of China (RRC). In fact, press freedom in Timor Leste is much better than that in Indonesia, and was in 92nd position. (February 16th 2008, Antara News)
