Indonesian Sex Workers Enlisted to Fight Voter Apathy
With Indonesia lurching uncertainly towards national legislative elections this week, the shabby beer bars and brothels of Rawa Malang may seem like an unlikely spot for a bit of civic engagement. Sitting in a dust-blasted corner of town near Jakarta’s port, the area is a warren of dens ringed by shipping containers, a mountain of rubbish and empty lots. But with concerns mounting in the world’s third-largest democracy over shambolic polling preparations and voter apathy, sex workers are a novel tool in efforts to get citizens to vote, and vote correctly. Trained by election officials, around 50 sex workers have been armed with stickers and told to reach colleagues and customers alike, local elections commission education head Marlina Ismail said. “It’s the same as with housewives, for example. It’s more effective to reach them than the men because they automatically convey the message to their families,” Ismail said. “If we reach sex workers with a lot of customers we hope they can tell their customers about the election, especially how to vote.” Only a handful of brothel areas like this have been reached, but at Rawa Malang at least the message has caught on. “Everyone working here plans to vote. We have to do it,” said Ani, a 28-year-old who moved here from the Javanese countryside a year ago. “I’ve spoken with customers about this, I’m not sure how many ... Mostly, the customers already know how to vote,” she said. Her colleague Ati, 25, however, conceded not all customers were so attentive to her political entreaties. “If there are any drunks, you can’t get them to communicate,” she said. (April 6th 2009, AFP)
Moves on Illegal Logging to Hit Indonesia
Fresh US and European Union efforts to clamp down on the illegal timber trade are expected to take a multi-billion dollar annual toll on Indonesian exports because the south-east Asian nation has failed to enact standards for wood-based products in spite of years of debate. European parliament officials estimate up to 19 per cent of all wood and paper products entering the EU are of illegal or suspect provenance. Indonesia is one of the world’s biggest centers of illegal logging. It and other exporters are facing pressure because the US has added forest-based products to legislation requiring importers be able to verify the legality of their imports’ origin. The EU is also moving to enact a law to ban the sale of products that are not from certifiably legal sources. Hadi Daryanto, the official in charge of drafting the legality standards at the forestry ministry, said new rules should be ready within weeks, but officials have made similar claims for the past two years. European officials, however, say the rules may not be acceptable because the current draft has not received broad civil society endorsement, a key EU prerequisite. Hillary Benn, Britain’s environment secretary, said in March: “Illegal logging causes untold environmental damage, it harms communities and it threatens wildlife. If we import timber without ensuring that it is legally sourced, then we are contributing to these problems.” (April 6th 2009, AFP)
Govt Worried that Crisis will Bring Flood of Foreigners Looking for Work
The Department of Manpower and Transmigration (Depnakertrans) will tighten permission for foreign workers in anticipation of a coming wave of foreigners traveling to Indonesia, seeking work during the current economic crisis. The Minister of Manpower and Transmigration, Erman Suparno, told Bisnis Indonesia that closer scrutiny of foreign workers is a necessity to preserve local job opportunities, particularly in management positions. Erman told the press that Indonesia has always kept a watchful eye over foreign workers via coordination between the Department of Trade, the Investment Coordinating Board and the Department of Industry. He also reminded that all foreign workers in Indonesia must obtain a working permit from his department before commencing any employment. The Minister said that foreigner can only hold “non-strategic” positions while they train Indonesians to eventually assume those posts. Meanwhile, strategic positions must always be held by Indonesians. Data from the Department of Manpower through the end of 2008 show 85,453 registered foreign workers in Indonesia, an increase of 11.4% over the totals recorded in 2007. (April 4th 2009, www.balidiscovery.com)
Govt Not Serious in Reducing Gas Emissions: Greenpeace
Greenpeace is of the view that the government is not serious in its efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions through the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) scheme, an activist said. “The government policy is not in line with what President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has promised to the international world,” Greenpeace campaigner for South East Asia Bustar Maitar said. He said that the government could actually help reduce the greenhouse emissions by protecting its peat forests which were rich in carbon sinks but it did not do it. On the contrary, the Ministry of Agriculture has even issued a new policy which enables the opening up of new peat land areas for oil palm plantation development, he added. Besides, he said, the ministry last January also issued a policy allowing the use of natural wood as paper raw material until 2009, when industries were assumed to have been ready to switch to acacia timber estates. “But up to now, no one has developed acacia wood so that the ministry has extended the license until 2014,” he added. Bustar said that by protecting its forests the Indonesian government could actually reap a big profit from the international efforts to reduce the gas emissions, namely from the funding of industries to protect forests in developing nations. Greenpeace called on the government to immediately make efforts to reduce the rate of its deforestation, including lifting its law that allowed the conversion of peat land, he said. (April 4th 2009, Antara News)
NZ Man Dies after Bounty Club Brawl - Ambulance asks for Money Up-Front
A New Zealand honeymooner has died after he got involved in a fight with bar staff at the Bounty night club in Kuta over the weekend. Sean Keith William, 23, from Palmerston NZ died after being involved in a brawl with night club staff and two bouncers during a night out with his wife at the Bounty Discotheque at Kuta beach on Sunday (12/4), police spokesperson. According to the victim’s wife, Sarah, the pair had gone to the Bounty at approximately 1 am on Sunday morning; Sean had become agitated when he was refused entry to the second level of the club, despite the fact that they had tickets to enter the venue. He then threw a beer glass at the staff who retaliated by also throwing a glass at Sean which apparently hit his left temple. Sean was then set upon by six men, some of whom were employed by the club as bouncers, and yet were wearing sailor’s uniforms and were not easily identified as security staff. Despite Sarah’s cries to stop the fight, the beating continued until Sean was bruised, beaten and bloody around the head. At this stage the victim was still able to walk and was assisted by his wife back to the Hotel Sariyasa Samudra in Legian. On returning to the hotel Sarah noticed that her husband’s condition had started to deteriorate, and alerted the Hotel staff to call an ambulance. Despite the call to BIMC for assistance, the hospital refused to send an ambulance until the couple guaranteed to pay 3 million rupiah. The Metro Bali also reported that despite calls for assistance no ambulance would be sent to assist until the 3 million rupiah had been raised. By 6am the man was dead. According to police spokesman Dodi Negara, detectives are still investigating the case and examining CCTV evidence that shows the victim being beaten by 3 staff, bartender Nengah Suastika, and security guards Dony and Andreas Seran - a professional boxer. The bartender and bouncers were arrested and face between seven and 12 years in jail for assault. Three other men are also being questioned. An autopsy report showed that Sean Williams died of internal bleeding and head injuries suggesting that he was beaten. (April 13th / 14th 2009, Radar Bali)
Police Ask Scantily-Clad Motorcyclists to Cover Up
The Chief of the Bali Police, Inspector General Teuku Ashikin Husein, has renewed his call for closer scrutiny and control over scantily clad tourists riding motorcycles on Bali’s streets.The Chief told his officers, “for now is enough to give them a warning and give them a t-shirt to wear.” The top policeman in Bali was quick to suggest his officers be on guard against unwanted side effects of his order. Smiling, he warned: “We’d be wrong if local residents all headed for the streets with half-naked bodies in order to get a free shirt. Let’s not have them happen, it could bankrupt us.” According to Kompas.com, Chief Ashikin called on the people of Bali to guard the island’s purity: “Free Bali from those things which can pollute the island, such as narcotics, free sex and other factors such as tourists wearing little clothes driving around our cities.The Police Chief has asked his officers to politely approach tourists seen wearing swimming suits on public streets. Ashikin explained: “I was asked by the director of the traffic police if there is law against motorcycle riders not wearing clothing. The answer is no. “All we have is a rule against those failing to wear a helmet.” “Because this is not addressed in our traffic laws, all the police can do is try to reduce the number by applying persuasive pressure and giving guidance to the tourists who are inadequately dressed,” added Ashikin. (April 11th 2009, www.balidiscovery.com)
Bali Halts New Hotel, Home-stays and Villa Construction
The Kompas Newspaper reports that following criticism and input from a number of sources insisting Bali’s environment is under severe threat, the Provincial Government of Bali has decided to refuse new permits for hotels, home-stays and new commercial villas in all regencies and cities on the island with effect from Wednesday, April 8, 2009. At a public meeting to discuss development for 2010, Bali decided to make preserving its environment as a chief priority after the relief of poverty, improving social welfare and education. In the past, environmental concerns received a low priority among development concerns. In response to the moratorium, the Secretary of the Bali branch of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI), Perry Markus, said that his organization would not take issue with the decision. At the same time, he said he hoped the government would make the regulations and law on the issue firm and clear. Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) records around 145 hotels operating in Bali with 80% of that total in the Badung regency. At the same time, Bali’s Tourism Authority estimates that there are hundreds of illegal commercial villas operating on the island. (April 11th 2009, www.balidiscovery.com)
Thai ASEAN Summit Cancelled, President Returns Home
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono decided to return home from a visit to Thailand on Saturday (11/1) afternoon to attend an ASEAN Summit plus Three after Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajive had cancelled the meeting. Minister/State Secretary Hatta Rajasa said President Yudhoyono was expected to arrive back in Jakarta at 6.15 pm after the Thai prime minister announced the cancellation of the meeting on security concern following demonstrations near the venue of the meeting. According to ANTARA journalist who was among President Yudhoyono`s entourage, President Yudhoyono was unable to continue his journey to the meeting, after arriving at U Tapao military airbase at around 11.10 am on Saturday. After waiting and having lunch at a resort located around an hour drive from Pattaya, President Yudhoyono received information that the Thai prime minister had decided to cancel the meeting and therefore he decided to return home. President Yudhoyono had left Jakarta at 7.30 am along with a number of cabinet ministers. Acting coordinating minister Sri Mulyani meanwhile had already been in Thailand several days ago.(April 12th 2009, Antara News)
