Health Minister Supports MIU`s Plan to Ban Smoking
Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said she supported the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI)`s plan to declare smoking “haram” (forbidden for Muslims to do or consume). “I am glad to hear about the MUI`s plan, and I support it,” Supari said after a visit to a relative’s grave at the Giriloyo public cemetery in Magelang Saturday. She said she supported the planned ban because smoking was harmful to the population at large. About the fact that the ban would have fatal consequences for the cigarette industry from which the state is earning a considerable amount of revenue, she said this was a problem over which she had no authority. “It’s not a problem for the health minister but for the ministers of industry and trade. Meanwhile, I as health minister support the ban,” she said. (August 19th 2008, Antara News)
Hulu Bar Burns to the Ground
The Australian owned Hulu Bar & Café in Jln. Sahadewa (formerly Jln. Dhyana Pura) burned to the ground on Monday morning (18/8). Staff in neighboring offices noticed smoke and flames coming from the Hulu café at about 10.00hrs and attempted to fight the flames with whatever they could find. Ten fire fighting trucks were called to the scene but their attempts to quell the flames failed and the café burned to the ground. They were hampered by the fact that fire hydrants at the Casa Padma and Rama Gardens did not work. A spokesman for the police department said that it seemed that the cause of the blaze was an electrical fault. No one was hurt in the fire, however neighboring offices and rooms were also damaged by the fire. (August 19th 2008, Denpost)
Some 24 Foreigners now in Bali Jail
As many as 24 foreigners are currently being held in Denpasar`s jail for committing criminal offenses while holidaying on the Island of Gods, a local official said. “Of the number, 18 are convicted prisoners and six detainees,” Kerobokan Prison chief Yon Suharyono said here Wednesday (20/8). Hailing 10 different countries, the foreigners were mostly involved in drug-related offenses. They consisted of 11 Australians, four Japanese, two Swiss nationals, one Nepalese, one Algerian, one American, one South African, one Briton, one Hungarian and one Korean, They were convicted or being detained for drug abuse, drug trafficking and drug smuggling. Suharyono said the Denpasar prison had 897 inmates (600 convicted prisoners and 297 detainees) and of the number, 403 were convicted in drug cases. Of the 403 drug offenders, 303 were convicts and 100 detainees. Of the 403 convicted drug offenders, 268 were men and 35 women, and of the 100 drug-case detainees, 85 were men and 15 women. (August 20th 2008, Antara News)
Pastika Inaugurated as Bali Governor
Internal Affairs Minister H Mardiyanto inaugurated the newly elected Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika, and his deputy AAN Puspayoga, for the 2008-2013 term at the Bali provincial legislative assembly (DPRD), here Thursday. The Australian Ambassador for Indonesia, Bill Farmer, former Tourism Post and Telecommunication Minister, Joop Ave, and a number of functionaries in KODAM IX/Udayana and the Bali police department attended the high level security session. In the DPRD special session led by the House chairman, the elected Ida Bagus Putu Wesnawa Mangku Pastika/Puspayoga took over from Drs Dewa Beratha/I GN Kesuma Kelakan who have led Bali in the last five years.(August 19th 2008, Antara News)
Adidas to End Contract with Indonesia’s Shoe Maker
Adidas group, the world’s second-largest sportswear manufacturer, will end their contract with Indonesian shoemaker Prima Inreksa Industries in December, a paper reported on Saturday (23/8). Chief representative of Adidas Group Indonesia Georg Krebelder said both sides had signed an agreement, marking the termination of partnership. Adidas Group ordered 201 million pairs of shoes from the Indonesian shoe industry last year. The group had been ordering 500,000 shoes per month from Prima since 1997 before it first aired the idea of terminating the partnership in July, because Prima had been implicated in debts. Prima is one of six Indonesian companies manufacturing sport shoes for Adidas. Last year Prima owed 37.25 million U.S. dollars to state lender Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) and 8 million U.S. dollars to suppliers. (August 25th 2008, Xinhua)
German Couple Gassed to Death in Baturiti Villa
A young German couple were found dead in the bathroom of the Alamanda Villa in Baturiti, Tabanan on Saturday (23/8). Christian Burgmuller (24) was found naked on the floor, and Anna Marie Putterlik (22) in the bath tub, with no signs of aggression or foul play apparent. The couple checked in to the Villa on Friday (22/8). A friend traveling with them occupied a neighboring villa and became suspicious when the couple did come out of their villa on Saturday morning. When the friend investigated further he found the door unlocked and the couple already dead in the bath room. A forensic investigation determined that the cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning from a leaking gas water heater. (August 25th 2008, Denpost)
Indonesia Seizes Funds from Suharto Family Firm
Indonesia’s government has seized $134 million from a firm linked to former president Suharto’s family. According to a spokesman for the government this was a sign that the authorities are taking a harder stance against the powerful Suharto dynasty. The government’s attempts to recover money from the Suharto family are seen as a key test of its commitment to fighting graft in a country that ranks among the world’s most corrupt. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was elected in 2004 on promises to tackle endemic graft. Finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, a key reformer in Yudhoyono’s government, said that Bank Mandiri had been ordered to transfer the money belonging to Timor Putra Nasional, the controversial car company owned by Suharto’s youngest son, to a government account to “secure state money”. “Timor” defaulted on its loans to Indonesia’s state banks after the 1997-98 financial crisis.The firm was set up by Hutomo Mandala Putra, also known as Tommy Suharto, to build Indonesia’s national car, and attracted widespread criticism as it simply sold a re-badged version of South Korean-made cars. The Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency sold Timor to Vista Bella Pratama, a small company, in 2003. The anti-graft agency said recently that Vista Bella was affiliated to Timor. Tommy Suharto has denied any link with Vista Bella. Transparency International ranked Suharto, who died in January, as the world’s leading “kleptocrat” with a fortune estimated at $15-$35 billion. (August 30th 2008, Gulf News)
President Yudhoyono to Open Asian Beach Games I - Nusa Dua
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was scheduled to officially open the Asian Beach Games (ABG) I, an Asian beach sports competition in Nusa Dua of Bali, on October 18, 2008. A release received from the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) said here on Sunday (30/8), the plan was conveyed by Chairman of ABG I Organizing Committee Rita Subowo when at a meeting with Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika in Sanur, Bali, on Sunday. “The president has received us twice and the latest was during a cabinet meeting. The president is scheduled to open the event, while the vice president will close it on October 26,” Ritas said. With 17 sports events being competed in the event, at least 45 countries with around 3000 athletes have confirmed their participation. The sports events also include beach football, beach volley ball, jet-skiiing and takraw. “We have also obtained assurance about the presence of British and Qatary royal families and a number of sports ministers and the Beijing Olympic Committee chairman as well as General Chairman of the international Olympic Committee Jaques Rogge during ceremony,” Rita said. However security posed a priority during ABG I, especially as it will coincide with the first Bali bombing anniversary. In the meantime, Bali Governor Made Pangkupastika said he would coordinate the security with all relevant agencies in the province. (September 1st 2008, Antara News)
Husband and Wife Brutally Murdered - Bashed and Burned for Rp. 100,000
The owners / operators of the Anugrah car showroom on Jln Gatot Subroto were brutally bashed about the head, and then set alight in a sadistic double murder on Friday (29/8). Yudianto Siono (49) was probably killed by two blows to the back of the head with an iron bar. Yenni Suryawati (48) was also beaten about the head, however was apparently still alive when the couple were doused in kerosene and set alight in their own bedroom. On Monday (2/9) an employee of the showroom Anak Agung Rai Yoga (44) confessed to the murder. According to Mr. Rai he had asked Yenni to borrow Rp 100,000 on Friday at 18.30pm. Yenni became irritated by the request; however she gave the man Rp.200,000 by throwing the money at him. Rai was offended by the woman’s manner and bashed her head against the wall until she was unconscious. He then found a length of iron bar and hid until the woman’s husband came in. He then killed the man with two swift blows to the head. Once Rai had dragged the bodies into the bedroom he doused them with kerosene and set them alight. Rai then fled with twelve million rupiah, and went to gamble at a cock fight.When the bodies were discovered on Sunday by another employee, Rai feigned shock and grief, however he confessed to the murder the following day. The couple’s children were in Java on a study tour at the time of the incident. (September 2nd 2008, Denpost)
