15 Years’ Jail for Heidi Murphy’s killer in Bali
A Bali court has jailed an Indonesian man for 15 years over a frenzied stabbing attack that killed Australian woman Heidi Murphy. Prosecutors had sought a life jail term for Ahmad Fahrul Rosi, who admitted stabbing Murphy at her Bali villa on February 10 this year. During his trial in the Denpasar District Court, Rosi begged for forgiveness and said he never intended to kill the Australian, only to steal from her to pay for his wedding. The court Monday (8/9) handed him a 15-year term, after taking into account his remorse and the fact he had apologized to Murphy’s family, judges and prosecutors. Murphy, who ran a clothing business in Bali, was stabbed dozens of times when she woke to find Rosi robbing her home. (Sept. 8th 2008, AAP)
Balinese Silver Design Patenting Case Worrying Artists
The reported patenting of Balinese traditional silver work designs by foreigners has given rise to anxiety among local artists including musicians. “As a musician, I feel concerned about this matter since it is a threat to Balinese culture. I will raise this issue every time I perform,” Nanoe Biroe, a young Balinese musician said here Saturday (13/9). Nanoe said the lack of protection of copyrights in Indonesia was alarming. He referred to cases in which pirated songs and music were already available in the market even before the original albums were released. He criticized the foreign parties that had stolen Balinese traditional silver work designs, saying the designs were part of Indonesia’s national heritage. Nanoe also worried that the silver work designs case would have a psychological impact on all artists in Bali. “It does not make sense that a silver craftsman was sued in court for allegedly violating a foreigner’s copyright on the craftsman’s creation. This will make other artists afraid to produce their creations,” he said. (Sept. 14th 2008, Antara News)
Jetstar Further Expands Bali Service
Australia’s low fares airline Jetstar will introduce a daily Brisbane-Darwin-Denpasar service from 3 December 2008, significantly boosting its international operations between Australia and the popular Indonesian holiday destination. Jetstar’s new daily A320 service, to operate through the carrier’s expanding international and domestic hub in Darwin, will provide one stop and highly competitive access to Bali from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. The services will complement Jetstar’s existing direct long haul services to Bali from Sydney (4 times weekly) and Melbourne (2 times weekly) with its fleet of two class A330-200 aircraft. Jetstar will also expand Brisbane-Darwin domestic frequencies from 6 to 13 times weekly, adding a new daylight service between both cities. The new services will expand Jetstar’s Darwin hub operations to 69 weekly domestic and international services out of Darwin with its single class fleet of 177 seat A320s. Jetstar’s Darwin-Adelaide services will offer a revised schedule from 3 December 2008 operating 4 times weekly.(Sept. 13th 2008, E-travel news)
Indonesian Govt “Gives Up” on Stopping Mud Volcano
Indonesia’s vice president said on Friday (12/9) the government had given up all hope of halting a mud volcano in East Java which has displaced thousands of people, hurt businesses, and destroyed the local environment. The disastrous mud volcano, which started erupting in May 2006 near Indonesia’s second-biggest city of Surabaya, has proved a huge problem for the government. The hot, noxious mud has displaced more than 50,000 people, submerged homes, factories and schools and is now flowing at a rate of more than 100,000 cubic meters a day. Various attempts to halt the flow have all failed. “The government has given up in terms of efforts to stop the mudflow, but will never give up when it comes to taking care of the people,” Vice President Jusuf Kalla told reporters. “There have always been people that said stopping the mudflow is not an easy task,” he said, adding the government had spent “trillions of rupiah every year” trying to solve the problem. Some scientists have said that energy firm PT Lapindo Brantas’ drilling for a gas exploration well set off the mud volcano, but Lapindo has denied it is to blame, saying the mud disaster was triggered by tectonic activity. Lapindo is linked to the Bakrie Group, controlled by the family of Chief Social Welfare Minister Aburizal Bakrie, who was recently ranked by a local business magazine as Indonesia’s richest man. The government has ordered Lapindo to pay 3.8 trillion rupiah, or about $400 million, in compensation to the victims and to cover the damage. (Sept. 12th 2008, Reuters)
Indonesian Man Dies of Bird Flu, Brings Toll to 112
An Indonesian man from Tangerang, a satellite town near the capital Jakarta, has died of bird flu, bringing the country’s death toll from the disease to 112, a Health Ministry official said on Thursday (11/9). The official, who declined to be named, said the 37-year-old man had worked as a driver for a cargo company at Sukarno-Hatta airport, Jakarta’s main airport for domestic and international flights. The man, who had had no contact with sick fowl, died in early July, after being treated at three different hospitals, the official said. Tests had showed he was infected with the H5N1 strain of avian influenza. The virus has infected 387 people in 15 countries, killing 245 of them, according to the World Health Organization’s August 10 tally. Indonesia has the highest toll of any nation. Although bird flu remains an animal disease, experts fear that the virus might mutate into a form easily passed from human to human, sparking a pandemic in which case millions could die.(Sept. 11th 2008, Reuters)
Nigerian Shot Dead by Indonesian Drug Police
A Nigerian man was shot dead by Indonesian police after he tried to escape a drug arrest in the second police killing of a citizen of the African country in as many days. The 38-year-old, identified only as Steve, was shot yesterday as he tried to flee police after being caught with 100g of heroin in Jakarta, the Jakarta Post newspaper reported. Police said they fired a warning shot before shooting the man, who died on the spot, the newspaper reported. Another Nigerian was shot dead and one wounded on Thursday (11/8) when they resisted arrest during a raid on suspected drug traffickers in the Indonesian capital. Indonesia executed two Nigerians by firing squad in June for drug trafficking. (Sept. 13th 2008, Reuters)
Australia Announces US$5.3 Million to Boost Indonesia Food Security
Australia announced yesterday it will provide 50 billion rupiah (US$5.36 million) to help improve food security and reduce malnutrition among children in eastern Indonesia, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said. The contribution was announced by Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Bill Farmer, while visiting a clinic in Kupang, West Timor, and the WFP said in a press statement. WFP welcomed the contribution at a time when global food and fuel prices are rising, and the poorest and most malnourished people are finding it more difficult to survive every day. It said the funds will support WFP Indonesia operations in West Timor and Lombok Island, areas with some of Indonesia’s highest child malnutrition rates. In West Timor, some 200,000 children and pregnant and nursing mothers will receive assistance through WFP’s school feeding and mother/child nutrition program. West Timor is one of the poorest areas in Indonesia, with 51 per cent of children under 5 years of age underweight, and 55 per cent stunted, indicating chronic malnutrition, the WFP said. Local media reports said that malnutrition had killed more than 20 children in July, while thousands of other lives were in danger in East Nusa Tenggara province, including in the provincial capital of Kupang. (Sept. 11th 2008, Brunei Times)
10.1 Million Indonesians Still Illiterate
As many as 10.1 million of 220 million people in Indonesia are still illiterate, and 70 percent of them are female, the National Education Ministry said. The illiterate people are aged between 15 years to 44 years old, the ministry’s Director of Public Education, Ella Yulaelawati, said here Monday. The ministry has targeted to reduce illiteracy rate in Indonesia by 5 percent or 1.75 million in 2009 focusing on the female population. “There are many cases showing that women are being cheated by men, even by their own husbands because they cannot read,” she said. Provinces with the largest illiteracy rate are East Java, Central Java and West Java where more than one million people are still illiterate. Yulaelawati said teaching methods for illiterate people should be simple and based on the result of an analysis on the opportunity for an area to make a success. (Sept. 9th 2008, Antara News)
Four Japanese Arrested in NTB for Drug Abuse
Central Lombok police are still investigating four Japanese tourists suspected of holding a marijuana smoking party in a hotel room in the Kuta resort area recently, a spokesman said. Police arrested the four Japanese tourists on Tuesday night (Sept 9) at about 8 pm after receiving a tip-off from local residents, the public information officer of the West Nusatenggara (NTB) police, Adj Sr Com HM Basri said here Friday. Some 11.37 grams dried marijuana was found in the hotel room and would be used by police as evidence. The Japanese consulate general in Bali had appointed 4 lawyers to assist the four suspects. (Sept. 12th 2008, Antara News)
1,900 Police Personnel to Maintain Peace and Order during ABG - Bali
Peace and security during the Asian Beach Games (ABG) scheduled in Bali, Oct 18-26, 2008, will be maintained by 1,900 police officers, deputy chief organizer of the ABG I Gusti Bagus Alit Putra said here Tuesday (9/9). Alit Putra explained that the police personnel will consist of 1,800 from Bali and 100 from the Police Headquarters in Jakarta. “The police personnel would already be in place even before the arrival of the athletes and their officials, including during the games, hotels, and roads to be passed by the participants. “The games will be held in Sanur beach, Tanjung Benoa, Nusa Dua and Kuta beach, Badung regency,” Alit Putra, who is also Chairman of National Sports Council, Bali chapter. Taking part in the international sports event would be 10,000 athletes from 45 countries, accompanied by 2000 officials, and covered by the local and international press. “The games will consist of 17 water sports including beach volleyball, dragon boat race, paragliding, beach soccer, and surfing,” he said. (Sept. 10th 2008, Antara News)
Bali to Stage new Tournament of Champions Event - Tennis
The Bali Tennis Classic will be transformed next year into one of the most prestigious events on the WTA Tour calendar, offering a $1 million bonus. Currently held in the week following the U.S. Open and won on Sunday (14/9) by Patty Schnyder, the event will be renamed the Tournament of Champions with increased prize money from $225,000 to $600,000. The tournament will take place indoors from Nov. 4-8 at the Bali International Convention Centre with 12 players in four round-robin groups. It will only be open to players who have won at least one of the season-long International Series events. The International Series is part of the streamlined WTA Tour, consisting of 30 tournaments covering Australia, Asia, North Africa, the Americas and Europe. Each event will be part of the Road to Bali with players earning ranking points towards qualification for the season-ending tournament. (Sept. 15th 2008, AFP)
At least 21 Dead in Indonesia in Rush for Handouts
At least 21 Indonesians died in a small town in East Java as nearly 10,000 people gathered outside the gates of a wealthy family’s house on Monday (15/9), vying for small handouts that are an Islamic tradition during the holy month of Ramadan. Massing under a blazing sun, some people died of heat exhaustion, while others were trampled during a chaotic push toward the front gate, hospital officials said. Wealthy Muslim families are required to give the handouts, called Zakat, before the end of Ramadan. Crowds commonly gather at the gates of private homes & government offices in the hope of receiving the aid, and often become unruly. Local hospital officials from the town of Pasuruan said they had received 21 bodies and were treating dozens of people for injuries, all of them women. No security personnel were on hand as the handouts - about $4 - unraveled. Local television footage showed elderly women, some of them carrying crying children, being shoved into the iron gate, their hands outstretched. The owner of the house was being questioned by local police. (Sept. 16th 2008, AFP)
