Preserving national heritage

The Jakarta Post

As individuals, our conception of ourselves is largely rooted in the past. Memories of bygone eras help us preserve the past and connect us to places and people.

These memories are preserved in many forms. They vary from simple autographs and albums to traditions and objects with greater cultural significance such as music, dance or buildings and monuments.

These traditions and objects are referred to as cultural heritage.

Why should we preserve our tradition and culture? The answer lies in the question. If we don't preserve our own tradition and culture, we are disrespecting our own identity.

Secondary students of Singapore School, Pantai Indah Kapuk, North Jakarta, recently visited the National Museum, Central Jakarta, in an effort to dig deeper into the diverse areas of Indonesian history and culture.

In these passages they assert their sense of responsibility to preserve the past or what is handed down to us by our ancestors.

They also believe that nations and cultures must make similar decisions to preserve the traditions and monuments that are our heritage.

A culture may have diverse aspects to it, thus making the job of preservation rather difficult. Nevertheless, one should not forget that man has been living in diverse forms since time immemorial.

Let us learn from our students whose unsophisticated minds see nothing wrong in preserving cultural heritage.

Pramod K.

Secondary English Teacher

Cirebon's history crumbling away

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon

A number of deteriorating historical and traditional buildings in Cirebon, West Java, are on the brink of destruction due to poor maintenance and old age.

Head of the Cirebon Cultural Council, Ahmad Syubhanuddin Alwy, said 52 historical buildings in the city have been categorized as being in a poor state.

"(Cirebon's) historical and artistic buildings are in a sorry state. Most of them are in very poor conditions. I'm afraid that they will be wiped out if no action is taken to save them," he said.

"The neglected buildings no longer look beautiful, but rather rundown and eerie. Most of their parts are starting to crumble due to old age."

Ahmad believes that the destruction of the city's historical buildings, which are part of Cirebon's cultural heritage, could eventually erase the history of the city.

"The history of Cirebon will be lost together with the loss of the historical buildings. There should be concrete actions to save the old buildings, because besides being a part of Cirebon's history, the buildings are also part of national heritage," he said.

Most of the damaged historical buildings were constructed during the Dutch colonial era, while the older, more traditional buildings were inherited from the divided Cirebon sultanates of Kasepuhan and Kanoman.

Among the ancient buildings still intact are the Kasepuhan Palace, built in 1529, and Kanoman Palace, built in 1588.

According to Ahmad, the spectacular nature of buildings and artifacts from the Kasepuhan sultanate is due to the influence of three prominent cultures during the period -- Cirebon (Islam), Chinese (Buddhism) and Indian (Hinduism).

Aspects of the three cultures were manifest in the design of the official Kasepuhan ruler's vehicle, the Singa Barong horse carriage.

The Singa Barong was built in 1549 by Panembahan Losari, who was assisted by Ki Notoguno and Kaliwulu. The carvings on the carriage portray the blend between the three cultures, symbolized by a trisula (three-pronged spear) and an elephant trunk.

One of the Dutch-era buildings, built in 1910, was transformed into Cirebon's Kesambi Penitentiary.

"Dutch-era buildings that still exist up to now are, among others, the Bank Indonesia building, the PT BAT cigarette factory and the Santo Joseph church. They are the few remaining buildings from the Dutch era that are still standing strong," Ahmad said.

He urged the government to help salvage the historical and traditional buildings, and insisted that "precise actions" were required if a major part of Cirebon's history is to saved.

Cirebon's municipal council has also attempted to pressure the government into accepting responsibility for the restoration and preservation of the city's historical buildings.

The speaker from the council's commission on developmental affairs, Tjipto, said his committee would urge the government to allocate special funds for a restoration project.

"Preserving the historical buildings is very important for the sake of the younger generations, so that they can have a reference to the history of the nation," said Tjipto.

Indonesia, Unesco hold expo on Borobudur temple

Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s Cultural and Tourism Ministry and The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) organized a visual art exhibition entitled `The Thousand Mysteries of Borobudur` in Yogyakarta.

"This expo marks the revival of Borobudur through visual art performances from various works of arts," Jogja Gallery Curator Mikke Susanto said when opening the exhibition at the Jogja Gallery, here late Friday.

The expo displays various paintings, statues, graphics, photography, and videos depicting the Borobudur Temple.

Visitors of the exhibition could get a picture about the Borobudur Temple in the past, before and after the restoration.

"The headline of this expo is a statue called `Unfinished Buddha`, which is a collection of the Borobudur Conservation Center," he said.

Among paintings on the Borobudur Temple being displayed in the exhibition included `Borobudur` by Indonesian most famous painter Affandi, `The State of Meditation` by Srihadi Soedarsono, and `The Crack Greatest of Borobudur` by IGN Hening Swasono.

A number of posters produced by UNESCO on the restoration process of the Borobudur Temple, were also shown in the expo.

"At least 29 artists participate in the expo," he said.

The exhibition will last from April 20 to May 9, 2007, at the Jogja Gallery, Yogyakarta northern square.

Borobudur Temple is one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world. This colossal relic of Borobudur Temple was built by Sailendra dynasty between 750 and 842 AD; 300 years before Cambodia`s Angkor Wat, 400 years before work had begun on the great European cathedrals.

Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles revealed Borobudur Temple in 1814. He found the temple in ruin condition and ordered that the site be cleared of undergrowth and thoroughly surveyed. The massive restoration project began from 1905 to 1910 led by Dr. Tb. van Erp. With the help of UNESCO, the second restoration to rescue Borobudur was carried out from August 1913 to 1983.

Chinese garden at Taman Mini a symbol of change

Anissa S. Febrina, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

In the scorching heat of East Jakarta last Wednesday, construction workers unloaded carved solid marble blocks, placing them under an unfinished 24-meter wide Chinese gate.

Several meters from the workers, children picnicked beside a two meter high stone statue of a lion, while their parents took pictures of the gate.

The whole scene would not be unusual in a housing complex in any Jakarta suburb. Anything remotely Chinese seems to sell like hotcakes these days.

But this Chinese garden project -- which has been running for little over five months -- is inside the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah amusement park. And it is something exceptional.

The project is worth noting in its scale and the sums of money put into it. But more important is how the garden project reflects the country's decision, post-Soeharto, to embrace Chinese culture.

"Every culture in Indonesia is represented by individual gardens in Taman Mini. We felt that it was about time that this window into Indonesia represented the Chinese culture," Indonesian Tionghoa Group (PSMTI) chairman Tedy Jusuf said last week.

After getting the nod from Taman Mini owner Yayasan Harapan Kita, which granted PSMTI an approximately one hectare lot at the back of the park, the group footed the bill for the groundbreaking and first phase of construction.

With plans boasting a mini Imperial Palace, a pagoda, a man -made lake and several other replicas of Chinese buildings, the project has needed some Rp 70 billion in investment.

Currently, visitors to the park can only see a wide gate bearing the sign "Indonesian Tionghoa Cultural Garden", two tall columns carved with Chinese mythical figures and two giant lion statues.

Several marble outdoor seats and smaller lion statues sit waiting to be placed somewhere permanent.

"We have only come up with around 10 percent of the investment required for the project. But, I believe that since the project is for a good cause, we'll be able to collect more donations," Tedy said.

The group also hopes the project, which is scheduled for completion by 2008, will attract more visitors to the 32-year old amusement park.

Visiting Chinese-themed amusement parks is nothing new for Jakartans.

Since 1999, when the government began trying to combat the anti-Chinese sentiment fostered under the New Order regime, private developers have been introducing their own versions of Little China.

New housing complexes, with their imported facades, have opened Chinese-styled food courts and bazaars, such as Kampung Cina in Cibubur, East Jakarta.

But building a Chinese garden inside Taman Mini, the pet project of former first lady Tien Soeharto, is altogether more interesting.

The late wife of Indonesia's ruler for 32 years first mulled the idea of building a miniature Indonesia in 1970.

Five years later, the 145-hectare amusement park was opened to the public, boasting several museums and displays of the culture of the country's then 26 provinces.

Chinese culture was most definitely not on the original park's list. Soeharto's regime forbade Indonesian Chinese from celebrating the lunar new year and other public displays of their culture.

The fact that a Chinese garden is welcomed in today's Taman Mini shows the park is keeping up to date with the country's political and cultural trends.

Despite claims that Taman Mini is a true representation of this culturally diverse country, the park that Soeharto built is more a symbol of the Java-centered Indonesia of his rule.

But, ethnocentrism aside, the park does serve as a public space in the capital.

These days, the park -- which will celebrate its 32nd anniversary on April 20 -- still boasts an average of 30,000 visitors on weekends and public holidays.

The park is still the best place for elementary students to explore traditional houses from all over the country. The park is also well known for its museums, including the gigantic inverted cone of the Purna Bhakti Pertiwi museum, which is filled with souvenirs from foreign countries.

The park is still a place where families and friends can roll out their plastic mats, unpack their picnic baskets next to the man-made lake and have lunch together.

Unfortunately, the park has seen very little in the way of upgrades. Taman Mini might have seemed sophisticated by 1970s standards, but it could do with a makeover today.

Banyan Tree Launches Private Villa Brand

China Hospitality News, April 17, 2007

Singapore-listed Banyan Tree Holdings has announced Banyan Tree Residences, a new luxury brand targeting top tier travelers and investors.

The new Banyan Tree Residences are now available at Banyan Tree properties in Phuket and Bangkok, Thailand; The Seychelles; Lijiang, China; and Bintan, Indonesia.

The concept of Banyan Tree Residences is to allow investors to buy their own signature villa, townhouse or apartment which becomes part of the inventory of these exclusive resorts, and receive an annual guaranteed return of 6% per annum for six years, with options to renew or share in revenues generated by the property.

"Banyan Tree Residences enable investors to diversify their portfolios whilst receiving guaranteed returns, without worrying about managing the property when they’re not there. Of course all of our owners enjoy the lifestyle benefits which have become synonymous with the Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts brand," stated Richard Skene, assistant vice president, Banyan Tree Residences.

Owners are entitled to 60 days complimentary use of their Residence every year, membership at the exclusive Banyan Tree Residence Club and privileged access to the Banyan Tree Private Collection.

Banyan Tree currently manages and operates 21 premium hotels and resorts in highly sought-after city, beach and mountain resort locations, as well as 58 spas, 68 galleries and 2 golf courses. Approximately 30 new Banyan Tree Group hotels and resorts are slated to open by 2010 in destinations that will include Mexico, Barbados, India, China and Greece.

Aceh teams up with Irish firm to develop Sabang port

Andi Haswidi, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

The Sabang Free Trade Zone Management Board (BPKS) in Aceh province will team up with Ireland's Dublin Port Company (DPC) to develop Sabang into a world-class port at a cost of some Rp 4 trillion (about US$445 million).

BPKS deputy president Nasruddin Daud said Tuesday in Aceh's capital, Banda Aceh, that the two bodies would set up a joint venture company, to be called PT Sabang Hub International Port, in June to develop the port.

The construction of the port, which is expected to begin soon after the establishment of the joint venture company, is scheduled for completion in five years.

Sabang is an island located at the most western tip of the archipelago within the boundaries of Aceh province.

"The total investment, which it is estimated will come to about Rp 4 trillion, will be shared fifty-fifty between Dublin Port and us," he said. "Right now, we are still at the pre-qualification stage for consultants to design the port," he explained.

Nasruddin said that the contract between the BPKS and DPC, which would be signed in June, would run for 50 years.

After the long conflict in Aceh ended following the tsunami disaster in 2004, both the central and provincial governments have agreed to afford Sabang special treatment as the island is believed to have the potential to serve as an import-export hub.

Sabang will now be developed as a free-trade zone, a status that it also held back in the 1960s, and will have the capacity to accommodate ocean-going vessels.

Financing for the development of the port, Nasruddin said, would come from the central government, but would be separate from the funds allocated to the province for reconstruction work, which, in Sabang's case, was being funded by the BRR, provincial government and central government.

"We received Rp 100 billion out of last year's national budget, and Rp 195 billion from this year's budget. In addition, we received Rp 3 billion from the provincial budget in 2006, and will receive another Rp 1.5 billion this year," he said.

"As for the BRR, this year they are going to spend Rp 45 billion on rehabilitating local infrastructure, including the water purification plant and water mains," he said.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post earlier, the director of the Aceh Provincial Investment Coordinating Board, Teuku Zainal Arifin Panglima Polem, said that a "world-class resort" would also be built on Sabang.

"Sabang is an excellent place for eco tourism with its beautiful beaches. It's also the perfect spot for divers. We plan to develop the island as an exclusive resort so as to attract big-spending tourists," he said.

According to a recent BKPS report, some 70 to 80 foreign tourists visit Sabang every weekend, with many of them being NGO officers working in Aceh. Tourists also come from German and other parts of Europe for the excellent diving around the island.

Indonesia to host Asean tourism investment forum

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia was scheduled to host the ASEAN Tourism Investment Forum (ATIF) in Bali on September 20, 2007, Director General for Tourist Destination Development of the Culture and Tourism Ministry, Sambudjo Parikesit, said.

ATIF which would be held for the second time in Bali after the one in Kuala Lumpur, is held to invite ASEAN countries to be places for investment in the tourism sector, Sambudjo said here Tuesday.

"We will invite prospective investors from ASEAN and the Middle East to invest in Indonesia," he said.

After Emaar International, an investor from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, which will build resorts, hotels and recreational sites on an area which used to be the Lombok Tourism Development Center at Mandalika Beach, Central Lombok, another investor also from the Middle East, Limitless, is also interested in making an investment in Indonesia, he said.

"Limitless wishes to invest in the retail and residence businesses in Jakarta, and the retail, residence and tourism businesses in Bali," he said.

However, Sambudjo had yet to elaborate on the investment Limitless would make in the tourism sector in Bali. "They want to conduct a feasibility study first on the relevant financial aspect and regulations," he said.

Meanwhile, Emaar International would soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on investment in Indonesia late this month, he said.

"I got the information from Pak Alwi (Alwi Shihab, Indonesian president`s special envoy for the Middle East) that Emaar International will sign an MoU late in April on investment in Lombok," he said.

An Emaar group which has twice visited the location where it would make an investment, plans to build resorts, hotels, golf courses and other recreational sites on a 1,200-hectare plot of land.

Umrah tourism boost

Hotels in Mecca and Medina are near to full capacity as the Umrah season gets underway and large numbers of pilgrims flood into the cities, reported Arab News.

Umrah season usually lasts until the second week after Ramadan, which this year will end in mid October.

Hotels are reporting large numbers of pilgrims from Indonesia, Turkey, Malaysia, Morocco, Singapore and Sri Lanka, while locals are also flocking to the sites.

Ecotourism to save Ciliwung river

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Jakarta administration has stepped up its efforts to improve the water quality of the Ciliwung River, which passes along the capital, as much-anticipated cooperation with neighboring cities to mend the river has been ineffective.

The administration is currently attempting to develop eco-tourism in the Ciliwung's upstream riverbank areas from Kelapa Dua in East Jakarta to Pejaten in South Jakarta.

"The eco-tourism project is still limited in the capital. We hope our neighboring authorities can follow (the project) so as to upgrade the water quality of the river," said Ridwan Panjaitan, head of the City Environmental Management Body's pollution control unit, on Saturday.

He said the program would empower residents living close to the Ciliwung's riverbanks to clean their portions of land.

"By doing so, there will no longer be people dumping waste into the river," he said.

He said the eco-tourism concept could also be developed in upstream areas because populations there were not as dense as downstream.

The program will be implemented in 13 neighborhoods in Srengseng Sawah and Lenteng Agung, both in South Jakarta, and in Tanjung Barat in East Jakarta. It will push for better sanitation, more efficient spatial planning and reforestation.

Ridwan said the program was developed in partnership with the University of Indonesia and Trisakti University.

"We will also involve figures who have succeeded in promoting clean and green concepts, such as Pak Chaeruddin, who will then turn Pesanggarahan River into a clean eco-tourism area," he said.

A waterway project is also on the way for the Ciliwung's downstream areas from Karet in Central Jakarta to the Manggarai watergate in South Jakarta.

The 4.2-kilometer waterway project aims to resolve long-standing transportation snags in the capital.

The City Transportation Agency earlier said that the pilot waterway project would begin in June. The administration has already setup three small ports along the route.

The Ciliwung river is one of the largest rivers passing through the capital. However, the river's water is now severely polluted.

Many claim the presence of people living illegally along the river's 117-kilometer bank is the main source of pollution for the Ciliwung.

The government has designated four levels of river water quality for the Ciliwung. Level one indicates that the water is potable and good to be used raw.

In Bogor, the river's water quality has been graded as level two, which means it can be used only for recreational activities. After passing the Condet area in East Jakarta, the Ciliwung's water quality falls to level four.

The government said it would need five years to upgrade the water quality by only one level.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to sign the decree on the management of the Ciliwung River by the end of the year.

The Jakarta, Banten and West Java administrations had earlier agreed to jointly rehabilitate the three big rivers that are the provinces' main sources of water -- the Ciliwung, Cisadane and Citarum rivers.

Indonesia to extend visa on arrival for more countries

www.chinaview.cn 2007-04-14 14:42

JAKARTA, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia is ready to extend the visa on arrival facility to 11 more countries in a bid to boost revenues from tourism industry, local press said Saturday.

English daily The Jakarta Post said a senior official with the Foreign Affairs Ministry had named the 11 countries likely to receive visa on arrival facilities, including Algeria, the Czech Republic, Fiji, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Panama, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Tunisia.

Several foreign envoys welcomed reports of Indonesia s decision to extend the visa on arrival facility, which is currently available to the citizens of 52 countries and regions.

The main purpose of the extension is to boost tourist arrival numbers, which dropped by 2.61 percent to 4.87 million in 2006 from 5 million in 2005, according to local media reports.

The visa on arrival was first introduced on Feb. 21, 2004.

Under the system, tourists from selected countries do not have to apply out of the country for visas but can instead purchase them on arrival at Indonesia's international airports and seaports.

Sleman to launch Trumpon Resort

The Jakarta Post

YOGYAKARTA: Amid the decreasing number of tourist arrivals in the region following the May 27 powerful earthquake and Mt. Merapi eruption, the Sleman administration is to launch Trumpon Resort as a new tourist destination in the regency.

Sleman Regent Ibnu Subiyanto is scheduled to officially open the new resort on April 15, in a festive ceremony held at the resort. During the launch, various tourist attractions including art performances and a fishing competition will be held.

Speaking to journalists while visiting the site earlier this week, head of Sleman Tourism and Culture Office, Dwi Supriyatno, said the resort was basically a further development of the Trumpon tourist village.

Located in Merdikorejo village, Tempel subdistrict, Sleman regency, Trumpon, according to Supriyatno, has everything it needs to be developed into a tourist destination, including plantations, homestays, fishing ponds, beautiful scenery and cultural richness.

A 25-meter high, three-story observation tower has been built at the resort for visitors to enjoy the beautiful scenery -- including three volcanoes and two mountain ranges at a distance.

"As a tourist object, having all of these, Trumpon is one of a kind," said Supriyatno, adding that the development of Trumpon would hopefully empower the community and boost social and economic development in the region. -- JP/Sri Wahyuni

Uzbekistan wants cooperation in tourism sector with RI

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Uzbekistan admires and is impressed by the progress Indonesia`s tourism industry is making and therefore would like to cooperate with Indonesia in the sector, Alisher Shaykhov, chairman of the Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said here Thursday.

Indonesia was a very interesting country and therefore Uzbekistan wished to set up mutually beneficial cooperation with Indonesia, Alisher said after presenting a paper at the Indonesia-Uzbekistan Investment Seminar and Business Forum.

Uzbekistan was most interested in Indonesia`s tourism sector, Alisher said, adding that Indonesia was more advanced than Uzbekistan, especially in the tourism sector.

Thus, Uzbekistan was inviting Indonesia to enhance cooperation in the tourism field besides in other sectors, he added.

The governments of Indonesia and Uzbekistan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on July 18, 1995.

Meanwhile, Director General for Asia and the Pacific and Africa of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Primo Alui Joelianto said although the MoU had not been implemented to materialize cooperation programs, the ministry realized the two countries were more interested in efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector.

The cooperation was materialized among others through exploring tourist sites in both countries, he said.

In addition, he said, the two governments were planning to revive the sister city cooperation relationship between Banda Aceh and Samarkand as Islamic religious tourist destinations.

"The two cities have the potential to attract many tourists who are expected to enjoy religious tourist sites and to know cultures and social lives in the two cities," he said.

The Indonesian government was now making programs to draw six million foreign tourists, including those from Uzbekistan and other countries in Central Asia.

"I also want the two countries to step up the cooperation in the air transportation sector," he said.

Aston International to build 13 new hotels in Indonesia

Jakarta (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - Aston International Hotels said it will build and operate 13 new hotels in Indonesia in the next 5 years.

This year, Aston would build five new hotels and in 2008 eight hotels, president Charles Brookfield told the newspaper Kompas last week.

Brookfield said Aston wanted to expand the market in Indonesia, which he saw as offering wide business opportunities.

The five new hotels to be operational this year would be a 300- room hotel in Denpasar, Bali, a 72-room hotel in Palu, Central Sulawesi, a 120-resort hotel in Ambon, Maluku, a 300-room hotel in Cengkareng, West Jakarta and 10 villas in Seminyak, Bali.

Ritz Carlton to open new resort on Bintan

The Jakarta Post, Fadli, Batam

Ritz Carlton is to open a new resort in the Bintan Resort Tourism Zone on Bintan island in Riau Islands province by the end of 2008 at a total cost of US$65 million.

The 77,000-square meter resort, which will boast 60 villas, is expected to attract more tourists to the area, Bintan Resort Development Corp.'s public relations manager Nia Firtica said Tuesday in Batam.

The resort, the construction of which will start in July, will also have a conference center that can accommodate 600 people.

It is expected to be fully operational by the end of next year and will create 200 new jobs.

Nia said that Ritz Carlton would manage the resort, which would be built by PT Pacific Palace Jakarta.

Ritz Carlton currently manages 63 hotels throughout the world, one of which is located in Jakarta and one in Bali. It is developing 35 more hotels in a number of different countries.

Besides the Ritz Carlton resort, Malaysian property company Landmark Holdings is also planning to build a large resort on the island. "The construction of the resort, which will be called Waterfront City, will begin next year," Nia said.

According to Nia, the Ritz Carlton and other tourist projects had been encouraged by the development of the Singapore Integrated Resort, which was due to open on the island in 2010.

"The investors' main reason for developing projects here is the steady increase of the number of tourists visiting the island," Nia explained.

At least 333,000 tourists from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea, India and the Middle East visit the island annually. The Bintan Resort Tourism Zone was inaugurated in 1996.

With a total area of 23,000 hectares, the special resort zone, which is less than an hour by ferry from Singapore, so far houses five hotels and resorts built at a total cost of $4.8 billion, and employs 4,500 workers.

Saudi Prince Alwaleed may invest in Indonesia's hotel industry

Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, The Jakarta Post - 2007-04-02 14:40

Jakarta, April 2, 2007 (Bloomberg) - Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, the world's 13th-richest man, said he may invest in hotels in Indonesia, a day after the government passed laws making it easier for overseas companies to build properties.

"We are looking at certain opportunities in the hotel industry that will hopefully materialize in the coming months," Alwaleed told reporters in Jakarta after meeting Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Friday.

Value of the possible investment "will depend on the location, size of the projects, and discussions we have with the owners." Alwaleed has a 55 percent stake in Kingdom Hotel Investments, which has interests in 33 hotels and resorts, including the Four Seasons George V in Paris.

Kingdom Hotel, which earlier this month teamed up with Ayala Land Inc., the Philippines' biggest developer, wants to expand in Asia to offset the impact of conflict in the Middle East, which has deterred visitors to Lebanon and Egypt.

The Middle East accounts for about half of its assets, with Egypt and Lebanon representing 18 percent each, according to the company's Web site.

President Yudhoyono wants to give equal treatment to overseas and domestic investors in a bid to attract US$22 billion of investment annually and help boost economic growth to an average 6.6 percent a year.

On March 29, Indonesia's Parliament passed a government proposed law to give tax breaks to investors and ease bureaucratic hurdles.

The new law seeks to ease government rules and slash the number of days required to obtain land-use rights in Southeast Asia's biggest economy.

The law also pledges tax incentives including on income tax and an exemption from tariffs on imported machinery.

"The investment law that was passed by Parliament here will encourage people, investors to come to Indonesia," Alwaleed said in a press briefing.

Prince Alwaleed is the world's 13th-richest man with $20.3 billion, according to Forbes magazine. He raised $398 million in an initial public offering of Kingdom Hotel in February 2006, selling shares at $9.25.

Kingdom Hotel teamed up with Ayala Land to build a $153 million hotel and residence complex in Makati, Manila.

Indonesia Jan-Feb tourist arrivals up 13.59 pct yoy

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Foreign tourist arrivals in the first two months to February rose 13.59 pct year-on-year to 639,937 with arrivals at the resort island of Bali leading the increase, data from the Central Bureau of Statistics showed.

It showed that tourist arrivals via Bali's Ngurah Rai airport during the first two months, rose 47 pct year-on-year to 238,777.

The country's tourist industry has been hurt by a number of terror attacks in recent years.

Lombok tourist island no paradise for full-time residents

Panca Nugraha, The Jakarta Post, Mataram

Many residents of Gili Trawangan, off Lombok Island in West Nusa Tenggara province, lack access to such basics as education and healthcare, despite the rapid growth of tourism in the area.

Gili Trawangan, an exotic island of some 360 hectares, is famed for its natural beauty and friendly people. Administratively, the island, situated in the waters north of Lombok, is part of Pemenang district in West Lombok regency, along with two smaller islands -- Gili Air and Gili Meno.

"Trawangan has become a major tourist destination in West Nusa Tenggara. More and more foreign tourists are spending their vacation on Trawangan rather than at Senggigi in Lombok or in Bali, despite arriving by plane in Bali," said Akmal, a spokesman for a hotel on Gili Trawangan.

The island offers tourists white-sand beaches and clear seas, where they can dive, snorkel or simply swim.

It also offers visitors tranquility, with motorized vehicles banned from the island. People get around by bicycle or horse-drawn carriages called cidomo.

"This has actually been regulated in the awiq-awiq traditional ordinances. This is one of the reasons why tourists like it here -- the tranquility and no pollution," said a cidomo driver, Nasri.

In many ways, the expansion of tourism on the island has benefited residents. Nasri is one of some 2,900 residents on the island making a living directly from tourism. He can earn up to Rp 150,000 (about US$17) a day as a cidomo driver, far more than he would make doing the same job on Lombok Island.

Despite this, residents do not have the same access to healthcare they would if they lived on Lombok. Nasri, for example, said he and his wife did not know what to do when they were going to have a baby, because there are no midwives on the island.

"There is an auxiliary community health center, but it is seldom manned by health workers. Moreover, they are incapable of assisting in deliveries," he said.

Residents have to cross to Pemenang village on Lombok, where there is a community health center.

"Stories abound of mothers delivering babies on the boat or the moment they arrive at Bangsal jetty in Pemenang. It's bad luck if deliveries occur at night or during bad weather," said a neighborhood chief on Trawangan, Muhammad Alex.

The local administration did build a community health center on Gili Air. However, residents still have to cross in boats from Trawangan, so most prefer just going to Pemenang, because it is easier from there to get to a hospital in the provincial capital Mataram in the event of difficulties.

Healthcare has seemingly been neglected on Gili Trawangan. According to Alex, a floating clinic was operated in the area for a time in 2004, providing services every three days to residents on the three islands, including Trawangan. However, the service only lasted for a few months.

Trawangan residents say officials also have neglected education. There is an elementary school and a junior high school on the island, with the two having been merged to form the one-roof Basic Integrated Education System.

The elementary school was established in 1989 and the junior high school was only opened three years ago. The island also faces an acute shortage of teachers.

"What makes it more difficult is that we only have four teachers, one assistant teacher and two contract teachers, despite the fact that there are 10 classrooms and 390 students. We have never had a religion teacher or a sports teacher ...," said the school's vice principal, H.M. Laduni.

Laduni said the nine employees from hotels on the island helped out by acting as honorarium teachers, for which they are paid Rp 150,000 a month from contributions collected by the hotels.

"However, we still expect the government to look into this matter immediately because we should have at least 16 teachers. We have sent several proposals but still have not received a reply," he said.

According to Laduni, hotels on the island only hire local residents as security guards and gardeners, with the higher-paying positions being filled by people from outside the area.

"We cannot blame anyone because our human resource development is still poor. However, without attention from the government, when will we be able to fill higher positions?" asked Laduni.