Indonesia claims world`s largest melon

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A group of Indonesian farmers from the main island of Java have grown a melon weighing more than four kilograms that the country's record house claimed Friday was the world's largest.

"The honey-globe melon weighed 4.26 kilogrammes (9.37 pounds). We claim it to be the largest in the world," director of Indonesia's Museum of Records (MURI) Paulus Pangka told AFP.

"We have carried out a survey and found no other melon with such weight," he said, clarifying that the fruit was not to be confused with a watermelon.

The melon sold at auction for eight million rupiah (850 dollars). A regular melon would normally weigh about two kilogrammes and sell in Indonesia for around 20,000 rupiah.

Smile, it's Visit Indonesia Year

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

In addition to the government's efforts to improve safety and infrastructure, ordinary Indonesians can also contribute to the success of Visit Indonesia Year 2008 by doing what they do best -- smiling and being friendly, according to a minister.

Gearing up for the next year's big challenge, the government, as well as improving key infrastructure -- such as road and telecommunications networks -- will also launch a promotional campaign to raise public awareness of the event.

And, according to Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik, the success of the program will hinge on the friendliness of ordinary Indonesians.

"Our people must be friendly, show smiling faces, and all concerned must cater to foreign tourists in a friendly way so as to help the country promote its tourism industry next year," Jero said Wednesday.

On the business side, he said local administrations needed to facilitate investors by simplifying licensing procedures for the establishment of tourist facilities, such as hotels and resorts.

The administrators of airports and tourist attractions should also pay special attention to ensuring every possible convenience for visitors, he added.

To increase the awareness of the Indonesian people about the importance of promoting the tourism industry, the central government, in cooperation with local governments, would organize a workshop in Bandung next weekend to discuss what was needed to improve Indonesia's competitiveness in the tourism field.

On Saturday, also in Bandung, the government will launch a national campaign to improve the awareness of the public and stakeholders about the importance of properly welcoming foreign tourists and ensuring their safety, he said.

To guarantee the safety of tourists, the government will establish tourist police units in major tourism spots, in cooperation with the National Police, he said.

So far, Jero said the ministry had produced tourism kits, including tourist maps, calendars of events, stickers and pins that would be made available at hotels, travel agents, airline offices and tourist destinations so as to promote next year's campaign.

With the Visit Indonesia Year 2008 campaign, which will be inaugurated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Jan. 1, the country hopes to attract seven million foreign tourists and earn US$6.4 billion in foreign exchange.

The number of tourist arrivals is expected to increase to six million this year from 4.8 million in 2006. (nkn)

Stolen Javanese statues returned

By Lucy Williamson, BBC News, Jakarta

The statues were returned to the museum in the Javanese city of Surakarta after being found in the capital Jakarta.

Police have already arrested three members of museum staff and accused them of stealing statues from the collection and selling them off.

The five stone statues are all from central Java and date from the 7th to 9th centuries.

State investigators say the items are among nine pieces that went missing from the museum.

Three bronze statues and a porcelain plate are still missing.

No inventory

Investigators allege that the curator, helped by his staff, stole the pieces from the collection and replaced them with fakes.

The alleged scam was brought to light by a former employee, who told a professor at a local university what had happened.

The state archaeology body, which investigated her claims, said there had been no inventory at the museum for six years, and that many other items could be missing.

The museum, which was founded more than 100 years ago, is the oldest in Indonesia.

Students make documentary film to send environmental message

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Three Jakarta junior high school students who made a five-minute documentary film on mangrove forests won a video news competition Tuesday, beating hundreds of participants from more than 200 schools across the country.

The students of Jubilee School in West Jakarta documented the story of a mangrove forest in Pulau Rambut, Kepulauan Seribu Regency, which had been seriously damaged.

Adeline Tiffanie, the scriptwriter and reporter for the documentary, said her team, which also included Sean Trianto P. Kusmuljadi and Monica Celine Triono, chose to document the mangrove forest as they were concerned about its poor condition.

"The mangrove forest is significant in protecting the coast from abrasion and serves as a habitat for many living creatures including birds, fish and seaweed," said the eleven-year-old girl.

The winning team was selected by an independent panel of professional filmmakers and public figures in the "Kids Witness News" video education competition sponsored by PT Panasonic Gobel Indonesia in cooperation with the Jakarta Arts Institute and Hope Worldwide Indonesia.

PT Panasonic Gobel Indonesia commissioner Rahmat Gobel said this year's environment theme for the competition encouraged students to identify issues relating to climate change.

"With the problem of global warming, environmental issues have become more important," he said.

The company's president director, Ichiro Suganuma, told The Jakarta Post the project was also aimed at improving media content.

"Our company has created technology including video and television, but we also think it is important to improve the content of television itself," he said, adding the competition also encouraged students to develop valuable cognitive, communication and organizational skills.

The competition attracted 236 elementary and junior high schools from different parts of the country. On Tuesday, the top 10 teams, which won video equipment and the chance to attend a cinematography course at an arts institute, presented their films at Panasonic's office in East Jakarta.

The first winner received a gold trophy and a study trip to Singapore in December. The winning team will also represent Indonesia in the world competition in Osaka, Japan.

The "Kids Witness News" contest started in the USA in 1988. Up until 2006, more than 100,000 students around the world had participated in the competition.

In Indonesia, the competition took place for the first time in 2004.

Second place in this year's competition went to SMPN 4 state junior high school from Samarinda, East Kalimantan, while SDN 11 state elementary school from Pondok Labu, South Jakarta, won third place. The fourth and fifth-placed winners were SD Al Firdaus from Surakarta, Central Java, and SD Islam Dian Didaktika from Depok, West Java, respectively.

Rizka Amalia, 11, of SMPN 4 Samarinda told the Post about the school's film on orangutan conservation.

"Orangutans have been threatened severely, mainly from natural disasters and human abuse ... this will lead to their extinction," she said.

"Through the video, we want people to understand how important it is to help save the orangutans," she added.

Rizka's teacher, Aidha, said one of the difficulties the students faced in making the video was when they had to film the orangutan babies. The babies were very sensitive because they had witnessed their parents being killed by humans, which left them traumatized and scared of people.

The best thing about the project, Aidha said, was that it prompted the students to pay more attention to orangutans and care about them.

"My students read a book that explained how orangutans were exploited in a circus, and they were so angry. To see my students' reactions and sincere attitude was the most wonderful experience for me," she said. (dia)

Japanese royal family members to visit Indonesia

The Jakarta Post

TOKYO (Antara): Members of Japan's royal family are planning to visit Indonesia early next year to mark the 50th anniversary of Indonesia-Japan relations, an Imperial Household Agency official said Wednesday.

The official said members of Japan's royal family would visit Indonesia in January 2008 and spend a week in the country.

"Prince Akishino and Princes Kiko will visit Indonesia to mark the 50th year of bilateral relations between the two countries," the Imperial Household Agency official said, adding that 2008 would be the Year of Indonesia-Japan Friendship.

He said during the visit, the Japanese royal family members would attend a ceremony to mark the 50th year of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Japan, and pay a courtesy call on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the State Palace.

Prince Akishino is the second son of Emperor Akihito and was born on Nov. 11, 1965, while Crown Prince Naruhito is the first son and was born on Feb. 23, 1960.

Govt to present medals to foreign tourists frequenting RI

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government will present medals to foreign tourists who have visited Indonesia at least 20 times, a minister said.

"We hope that by presenting the medals, we will encourage more foreign tourists to come to Indonesia," Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said here on Wednesday.

The medal presentation program for tourists was currently being processed and expected to be implemented in the very near future, the minister said.

According to the minister, Bali`s tourism office had data on the visits of foreign tourists, especially those from Australia who frequently came to Bali Island.

The minister was scheduled to launch a Tourism Awareness Campaign in Bandung, West Java, on November 25, 2007, as part of events to be organized prior to the launching of the Visit Indonesia Year 2008 program.

The campaign would also feature an art and culture parade by 17 art teams from all over Indonesia.

Indonesia is planning to launch a Visit Indonesia Year 2008 and expecting to attract seven million tourists, an increase from the 2007 target of six million.

For domestic tourists, Indonesia has set itself the targets of 118 million in 2008 and 117 million in 2007.

Six groups to play at Jakjazz Festival

TANGERANG (The Jakarta Post): Bumi Serpong Damai's (BSD) Jajan Jazz community will send six groups to perform at the Jakarta International Annual Jazz Festival at Bung Karno Sports Stadium.

The six -- Bianglala, Boby Group, Jazzmatic, Pro Rejected, Tiga Mawarnih, and Zania -- outshone another 13 groups during the selection process. The groups will perform at the festival that runs from Nov. 24 to 26, according to organizer Jeffry Tahelele.

He said there would be special stages for Jajan Jazz at the international festival, he said, adding that famous artists Tetsuo Sakurai and Spyro Gyra were among those invited.

He hoped the groups would get valuable experience by playing at the international event, he said. He also expected the event to build the profile of Jajan Jazz in the international community.

Jajan Jazz, launched in March 2005, stages regular performances at BSD housing complex's Taman Jajan food court every first Thursday of the month from 9:00 p.m. to midnight.

JaJan is one of a few jazz communities that have formed in the residential area.

East Nusa Tenggara wins national tourism contest

Denpasar (ANTARA News) - East Nusa Tenggara emerged as the first winner of the 2nd Indonesian tourism contest 2007 held at the Ksirarnawa Cultural Park in Denpasar, Bali, on Monday.

East Nusa Tenggara was represented by Heidris Donaldo Kiha and Magdalena Louisa Manongga who managed to eliminate 24 other participants in the contest.

General chairman of the foundation of the Indonesian tourism envoy association (ADWINDO) Dr Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna said the activity was a forum to unite all tourism envoys in Indonesia at national events as they had yet to share the same vision.

"We observe that tourism envoys at district, city or provincial levels have different visions and missions on Indonesia`s tourism," Wedakarna said.

He further said tourism envoys in the country were often not in synergy to promote Indonesia but tended to give priority to exposing their respective areas.

Wedakarna pointed out that the contest was not designed for competition of cultures from their respective regions in Indonesia as there was no superior culture or tradition on earth.

"The event is held more to seek Indonesia`s tourism envoys who are smart and able to give ideas on the national tourism in the future," he said.

Wedakarna said the 3rd Indonesia tourism contest 2008 was expected to take lace in Bangka Belitung province.

"Next year, Bangka Belitung province will host the Indonesian tourism contest at national level. Thus, we hope the province would make preparations for the upcoming event from now on," he said.

On the 2007 national tourism contest, East Java and Central Java came up as the second and third winners respectively.

The event also declared representatives from Nangroe Aceh Darussalam as intelligence tourism envoys 2007, representatives from Papua as peace tourism envoys and those from Bangka Belitung as friendship tourism envoys.

Playwright resurrects lost history of Sulawesi-Aboriginal bonds

Daniel Rose, Contributor The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

"It was a 400-year relationship -- at least!" exclaimed Julie Janson, an Australian playwright, interviewed during her recent visit to the Australian Embassy in Jakarta.

In Indonesia to take up a literature residency at Bung Hatta University in Padang, Janson hopes to bring a production of her latest work, The Eyes of Marege, to Jakarta, Bandung and Makassar next year.

The play tells the hidden story of links between Australian Aborigines and sailors and traders from South Sulawesi. Janson explained to The Jakarta Post that the Aboriginal people in Arnhem Land have inherited poetic song cycles which tell stories of the Makassans coming across the ocean in their perahu (boats).

"There are paintings of the Makassans and their perahu in caves, and a lot of traditional songs and dances that talked about the Makassans," she added.

But first, some background. Makassar, the capital city of South Sulawesi, has long been known to Australians as "Makassa" -- and thus the people are known as Makassans. From the 16th to 19th centuries, Makassa was one of the busiest seaport cities in the world. Makassan sailors traveled as far afield as China and India for trading purposes. Less known is that Makassan sailors also traveled regularly to northern Australia looking for teripang (sea slugs) and, while there, established relationships with the local people.

Janson, herself of distant Aboriginal ancestory, has always been attracted to anything indigenous. "I've been interested to find out the history of my family and the history of my Aboriginal family in Australia. That led me to Arnhem Land when I was only 24. As soon as I got up there, I heard about the Makassans". Many years later, she decided to write a play that would recreate the secret history of the people of Northeast Arnhem Land and the Makassan fishermen of Sulawesi at the turn of the 20th century.

The Eyes of Marege revolves around Birramen, a Yolngu (one of Australia's indigenous communities) man who voyages to Makassar to face the law for killing a Makassan fisherman over the theft of his sacred initiation dillybag (traditional bag).

"Marege was the Makassan word for Arnhem Land, or the north of Australia. Australians don't know the word, but people in Makassa do. So I wanted to introduce that word to Australians. The Eyes of Marege means the Aboriginal people looking back across the sea to look for the perahu (boats) coming," Janson said.

"There are something like 200 Indonesian words in the Aboriginal language in northern Australia that totally predate Europeans coming to Australia," said Janson, underlining the connection between the Makassans and indigenous Australians at that time. "I think Indonesians will find it very interesting".

The Eyes of Marege, which was initially the first part of a longer play, The Crocodile Hotel, was performed in Adelaide and Sydney with co-directors Sally Sussman and Asia Ramli Prapanca, and in collaboration with the comic and highly physical Teater Kita Makassar.

Asked about sources for The Eyes of Marege, Janson explained that, unable to read anything in Indonesian, she relied on history written by Australian writers, especially The Voyage to Marege by C.C. Macknight. The play also includes traditional songs, dances, music, and even adzan (the call to prayer in Islam), something that Australian audiences have rarely seen in an Australian production.

Perhaps most surprisingly, the play recounts that the Aboriginal people were excited every time the Makassans came ashore -- not only because they brought cloth, rice, and metal knives in exchange for sea slugs, but also for more personal reasons. Intermarriage was common between the two cultures.

The closeness of the historical relationship was confirmed for the playwright by one of the indigenous actors in the cast of the recent production of The Eyes of Marege. Recounted Janson, "Djakapurra (Munyarryun) said, "'My grandfather is buried in Makassa,' and all the Teater Kita Makassar men got up and hugged him, and said, 'Brother'".

Krakatau attracts tourists

Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung

Activity at Mount Anak Krakatau might have increased over the past few weeks, but rather than cause panic the volcano has attracted both local and foreign tourists.

Residents that live near the volcano, which is situated in the Sunda Strait, are carrying on with their regular activities.

Meanwhile, the surge of tourists has been a blessing in disguise for fishermen, who are able to earn more money by renting out their boats.

The rental fee for a 10-passenger motorboat -- which will circle the volcano at a radius of 3 kilometers -- ranges from Rp 750,000 (US$83.00) to Rp 1.5 million.

Fishermen charge a fee of Rp 20,000 for each visitor departing from Canti Harbor in South Lampung, with boat rides to Sebesi Island, the nearest island to Anak Krakatau, available in the morning.

Local fishermen said visitors favored Sebesi Island due to its proximity to Anak Krakatau. Some stayed overnight on the island to watch molten lava flow down the mountain at night and in the morning.

The number of people wishing to observe the natural phenomenon has grown -- from dozens to over a hundred each day -- ever since the volcano was put on the second-highest alert status late last month.

Those who are afraid of going near the mountain can visit the Anak Krakatau Observation Station in Hargopancuran village, Rajabasa district, South Lampung regency.

However, the breathtaking sight of flowing lava can only be seen from the northern side, which faces Anyer, Banten.

Matondang, 37, said he came with his family to watch the volcano erupt after hearing about it in the news.

"I'm curious. I've visited three times with family members and neighbors. But we only dare observe it from the monitoring post," said the resident of Kalianda, South Lampung.

Bandarlampung resident Suharni came to observe the volcano after hearing about the spectacular view.

"People come out of curiosity to watch the volcano spew sand and smoke," she said.

The Meteorological and Geophysics Agency, however, has issued a warning prohibiting anyone from getting close to the mountain.

Visitors are only allowed to observe it from a distance of 3 km, due to the danger of volcanic material and poisonous gas emissions.

Station head Andi Suhardi said Anak Krakatau's eruptions, which were followed by either shallow or deep tremors, fluctuated from around 150 to 300 times daily.

So far, he said, the volcano's increased activity had not created panic among Lampung residents.

"Many people come here (to the observation station) to watch Anak Krakatau spew hot ash, with most of them staying overnight to observe the lava flow at night," Andi said.

He said visitors not only came from Lampung, but also from other areas, such as Jakarta, South Sumatra and even from abroad.

"A number of English tourists came here yesterday to watch the spectacle. They wanted to get closer to the mountain, but I stopped them," said Andi.

The Lampung provincial and South Lampung regency administrations have yet to carry out disaster mitigation measures.

Lampung Disaster Mitigation Response Division head, Ella Saleh, said her office had urged coastal communities, such as in South Lampung, Bandarlampung, West Lampung and Tanggamus, to be prepared for a major eruption.

Sulawesi's Tomini Gulf 'badly in need of protection'

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu

Tomini Gulf is one of the biggest bays in Indonesia, bordering 13 regencies in the Gorontalo and Central Sulawesi provinces.

The bay hosts 56 islands -- called the Togean Islands -- which are spread over 90 kilometers at the center of Tomini gulf.

Among them are six big islands including Batulada, Talatakoh, Togean, Una-Una, Waleabahi and Waleakodi.

The others include beautiful, small islands surrounding the six larger ones and all are continually visited by European tourists.

Based on a biodiversity zone division, Tomini Gulf is located in the Wallacea zone -- which is historically separate from Asian and Australian continents.

The name Wallacea is after the English researcher Alfred Russel Wallace, who explored eastern Indonesia in 1854-1862.

The bay is famous for its underwater beauty and is perceived as a heaven for divers -- it's said to be a home to many coral reefs and various colorful species of fish.

Parigi Moutong Regent Longky Djanggola recently told The Jakarta Post that in 2003 former president Megawati Soekarnoputri declared Tomini Gulf the gate of "Mina Bahari".

Parigi said the gulf area was a mainstay for increasing state income, as well as for providing more jobs for local people.

The Sulawesi Regional Development Cooperation Office, or Badan Kerjasama Pembangunan Regional (BKPRS), reported however that some gulfs in Sulawesi, including Tomini Gulf, had been damaged by excessive development.

The damaged areas reported included coral reefs, mangrove forests and the banks of rivers that emptied into the Tomini Gulf.

The most obvious damage could be found in Togean Island National Park in Tojo Una-Una regency, Central Sulawesi, said the BKPRS.

Data from the provincial planning board indicated 8.7 percent of coral reefs, 4.6 percent of algae and 5.11 percent of mangrove forests had been damaged.

Tojo Una-Una Regent Damsik Ladjalani said the damage was caused by illegal fishing and local habits that included throwing garbage into the sea.

And he said this was despite efforts by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which has declared Tomini Gulf one of world's treasures in need of protection because it has valuable marine assets.

The Central Sulawesi administration reported the local sea produced about 330,000 tons of fish each year, of which 214,000 tons was processed annually.

Fishermen seek pelagis fish, tuna and oil (cakalang) fish, along with shrimp, seaweed, sea cucumbers and pearls.

New temple found near Mt. Agung

AMLAPURA (The Jakarta Post): An expedition team that examined an ancient temple, discovered on the slopes of Mount Agung in 2002, said Thursday it might become an addition to Bali's group of Sad Kahyangan temples -- the island's six most prominent.

Sad Kahyangan temples include Besakih, Lempuyang, and Andakasa temples in Karangasem, Batur Temple in Bangli, Batukaru Temple in Tabanan, Goa Lawah Temple in Klungkung, and Uluwatu and Puncak Mangu temples in Badung.

Expedition team member I Gusti Ngurah Ariawan from the Gung Tap Sai foundation said an ancient inscription had been found in September.

According to Ariawan, from the inscription, the temple's name was Tunggal Besi Dingarata Temukus.

"There were clues in the temple found in Temukus village at the end of September. At that time we found an ancient inscription," he said as quoted by beritabali.com.

Ariawan said that the temple could be classified as a Sad Kahyangan temple according to the inscription. He said that the inscription had been read by priest Ida Pedanda Gde Nyoman Gunung, as witnessed by the expedition team. -- JP

Culture shock, legal concerns haunt women

Wasti Atmodjo, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

Beware should you fall into a relationship or get married to a foreigner. This is the gist of a book entitled Love and Shock by Hartati Wurwijaya Papafragkos, 40, which was discussed at Sidik Jari Museum in Denpasar late last week.

Expect problems, including conflicts with your in-laws, culture shock, and even legal issues Hartati, said.

The discussion was attended by local women -- including Dayang Suri, Sri Novi Sagitarini and Novie Yane -- who had gone through some of the same experiences as Hartati.

The women had met their husbands mostly through the Internet. Through cyber communication the women decided to marry -- but without the benefit of a pre-marital agreement or an understanding of the backgrounds of their husbands, including their families and places of origin.

The best result would have been a legitimate and lawful marriage, Dayang said. However, many women found themselves in a "contract marriage" or "just friends" during the men's stay in the country.

Frankly speaking, Novie said, love didn't play a big role in the relationships, although fun and money may have. The most traumatic for her, she said, was when she was "estranged" by her husband without compensation.

The four women thought that, because tourist numbers were up, other women probably had the same experiences.

"We meet a lot of mixed couples -- between local women and foreign tourists in Bali -- on the beach, hotels and other locations.

"The women are mostly still young and can easily fall victim to sex crimes," Hartati said.

"Some might have good luck, but many others will end up with culture shock and severe stress."

Hartati invited all parties to be watchful. Beyond vigilance of parents and families, the community and government needed to educate on the disadvantages of mixed marriages, she said.

Hartati and Dayang called for the government not to focus exclusively on how to attract more foreign exchange and taxes from tourism.

"Spend part of the revenues to protect our female citizens and daughters."

The book, published in March 2007, consists of Hartati's writing and contributions from five other women, whose husbands come from Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy and the Netherlands.

Culture shock is the deepest problem faced by women who follow their husbands to another country, said Hartati, who was forced to follow her husband to Greece.

"I was forced to leave my job and become a housewife. I longed for my family, Indonesian food -- "sambal" chili sauce -- or just eating without using spoons and forks. At my husband's home, eating using spoons and forks is an obligation."

Hartati recalled that her parents-in-law spat on her when she entered her husband's house for the first time. She said she cried and complained ... until she realized that the spitting was a kind of approval -- a thumbs-up on her appearance.

"So, if you're not prepared for this, don't count on doing it by trial and error," she said.

But Hartati said she knew she was better off than some of her colleagues who ended up in legal disputes or else divorced, some without compensation or the right to raise their children.

Nearly 40 percent of mixed race marriages end in divorce, she said. It's not cheap to hire a lawyer to settle such problems, she reminded, adding that some of her colleagues had depleted all their resources this way.

With Love and Shock, Hartati hopes to both educate the public and assist women struggling in mixed marriages, as proceeds from the book will be channeled through the Melati Worldwide community forum -- an organization of housewives married to non-Indonesian husbands. The organization, based in Italy, has a membership of about 1,500 with women in many countries.

Since its April launch, 400 books have been sold, Hartati said, adding that her book would be translated into English and Japanese. -- JP

Malaka state donates 100,000 ringgit for Batam Qur`an Center

Batam (ANTARA News) - Malaysia`s state of Malaka has contributed some 100,000 ringgit (300 million rupiah) to Batam-based Quran Centre in a bid to help develope this institution, an official said.

"Malaka state was very impressed on the Quran Centre learning program which turns out young male and female Quran readers and disseminates Quranic knowledge to the people," Hamadi Rahman, Quran Centre director said here Sunday.

Malaka administration submitted the donation when Riau Islands governor Ismeth Abdullah and Hamadi visited the neighboring state of Malaka on Thursday (Nov 15).

The donation will be used to step up the Al Quran learning program, Hamadi said, adding that this institution has been preparing an Al Quran library to keep the collection of the Moslems` holy book in the world.

In addition, Riau Islands administration has also been preparing a dormitory for Quran Centre students.

Professionals learning to love Ragunan Zoo

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It has been 20 years since Rina visited Ragunan Zoo during a holiday with her family.

Her memories of the zoo were of dirt and discomfort. Like almost every other middle-class professional in the city, she as unlikely to include a trip to the zoo in her plans for the weekend, and toured the malls instead, she says.

But on Saturday, she was back there once again, on a company trip organized by her employer, Citibank.

"I thought it was dirty and not as comfortable as malls. I would have never come here if it wasn't for my work. But I've changed my mind now... it is quite clean," said Rina, adding that she'd consider returning again.

Her company, Citigroup's Citibank, organized a corporate social action day to clean the zoo. The company sent 1,500 employees to sweep the ground, paint benches, plant trees and bathe animals.

Rina was on the sweeping team, cleaning up dried leaves and garbage. Other employees got to bathe elephants and paint benches.

The activity was part of Citigroup's attempt to organize a global community day involving its employees around the world in environmental activities.

Ditta Amahorseya, the country vice president for corporate affairs, said Citigroup's Indonesian office chose Ragunan Zoo to introduce the zoo's functions to the employees.

"Many of them have never been here before. This is a chance for them to see that the zoo is not only a nice recreational area but also has played many roles in preserving the environment."

Zoo director Sri Mulyono said that the zoo mainly functioned as an animal conservation and research laboratory.

"Somehow, most people know it as recreational area only. However, it also functions as a city water catchment and green area," he said.

The 140-hectare zoo was established in 1964. It has some 3,500 animals and visitors can walk, cycle or take a horse and cart or train to get around.

It attracts some 300,000 visitors a month.

The number of visitors to the zoo lags behind that of an average shopping mall, which sees an average 1 million visitors a month. Among middle- and upper-class Jakartans, open space like public parks and the zoo have lost their popularity to mushrooming malls (lln).

Major award for Indonesian film at APSAs

Cynthia Webb, Contributor The Jakarta Post, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Indonesia's filmmakers and friends at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards were thrilled to hear the announcement of the winner of Best Children's Feature Film:

"And the winner is,Singing on the Cloud" (Denias, Senandung di atas Awan) directed by John De Rantau, his first feature film."

The producers, Ari Sihasale and Nia Sihasale Zulkarnaen, a married couple, both with a history in acting and television worked for two and a half years on their dream of making their first film, which has an important message for young people - the value of education and how it opens doors of opportunity.

Their second film, now in the planning stages, has the same theme and tells the story of a dedicated and inspiring teacher in a remote area of Sumatra.

With them in Australia was 19-year-old Janias Miagoni, a young man from West Papua, on whose life story the film is based. About 10 years ago he desperately wanted to go to school, but the remoteness of his home and his family situation made it almost impossible. The film tells the story of how he achieved his dream.

Janias has just finished senior high school at St John's College in Darwin, with the aid of a scholarship, and next year he will be attending the University of Melbourne to study information technology. He now has a laptop computer, and is looking forward to showing the film to his family and friends back home during the coming holidays. They have not yet seen it because there is no electricity where they live, in Aroanop village on Jayawijaya mountain.

Janias, (re-named Denias in the film), is played by young actor Albert Fakdawer, who has already won three awards in Indonesia for his performance.

Ari and Nia said: "We were concerned about how Western movies are infiltrating Indonesia, and we are really trying to bring our own stories such as this one to the forefront, and also introduce Indonesians to the cultures of our other islands.

"There are so many tribes in Indonesia. No matter what the background, it is possible for them all to be friends. We are all one big family."

Ari Sihasale, who comes from Ambon, heard the story of Janias from Sam Koibur, who was Janias' teacher.

It was a financial challenge to take the 27 crew and actors to West Papua, seven hours from Jakarta by plane, for the 35-day shoot. Many of the cast were tribal people of Irian Jaya.

It was also difficult to find investors in Indonesia, as this film was not considered or so they produced it themselves. However, the doubters were proved wrong, as it has received a very good audience response in Indonesia, especially from young people.

"We did it from the bottom of our hearts, so the message communicated to the audience," Nia said. "The message of the film is, struggle for what you want with all your power."

"Aside from the beautiful scenery of Papua Island, the film also has the beauty of the young boy's spirit to learn," the couple told the young audience at Miami High School, on the Gold Coast, last Monday morning.

True to their commitment to youth and education, they were there to offer inspiration to a group of senior high school film students. The visit will be part of an international television broadcast, and eight of these lucky young people were given tickets to the awards ceremony the following evening, at the Sheraton Mirage Hotel.

One student asked Janias how it felt to have a movie made about him.

"I am excited. I was just a barefoot kid. I never thought a film would be made about me. Thank you for telling my story," he added, smiling at Nia and Ari.

There has also been great sadness in his young life, when his beloved mother died, and he began to speak about it, but became emotional and was unable to continue. He said she had told him, "If you become a clever boy, you can conquer the mountains, otherwise they will conquer you"

Changing cyclists' second-class citizen status

Jakarta Post

Tired of swearing at the mindless busway projects that have brought Jakarta's traffic to a virtual standstill during "rush hour"?

Something was telling me to leave my car in the garage and go to work by bicycle once or twice a week. Why not? Cycling would surely burn fat and help shift some of this ugly flab around my waist that seems to have grown from sitting for too long amid the sea of immobile cars.

Also, leaving the car in the garage would help the environment, as it would help decrease CO2 emissions. Politicians and environmentalists often preach about the dreadful consequences of climate change, yet they get around the city in cars, too.

The thought of going to work by bicycle just wouldn't stop swimming around in my head. I would stare at my silver secondhand mountain bike I bought at a flea market in 2004 as it sat idle in the carport.

The most difficult thing at first was to beat the laziness out of myself and the lame excuses, like, "Oh, but your office is almost 20 kilometers away", or "What if it rains?", or "Going by bicycle is rather unsophisticated".

I later learned, however, that long-haul cycling on Jakarta's merciless main roads is both fun and adventurous -- albeit sometimes dangerous.

A cyclist's number one enemy is the angkot (public minivan).

Angkot drivers, I discovered, will overtake you, cut you off and suddenly come to a screeching stop right under your nose without bothering to use indicators.

On more than one occasion, angkot drivers have shouted rude words at me for being too "slow", or for not riding close enough to the edge of the road.

Then there is enemy number two: the omnipresent reckless motorcyclists. Like the angkot drivers, motorbikes let out a deafening roar, especially since many do not have mufflers.

Motorists will honk like mad if they get stuck behind a cyclist. Not only are they impatient with your "slower" pace, but they are also afraid, perhaps, that you will lose balance and sideswipe their dear car as they narrowly overtake you.

Indeed, you need the patience of a saint to be a cyclist in Jakarta; a city where you will receive a warm welcome at upscale hotels and shopping malls if you arrive in a flashy car, but will be met with unfriendly stares if you peddle up to the lobby on your bike. Unless you are a foreigner, maybe.

My heart jumped with joy the other day when President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered the city administration to build special lanes for cyclists. The call comes at a time when skyrocketing oil prices are sending chills down the already-nervous government's spine.

Ah, yes, some of the President's men, like Andi Mallarangeng, and a growing number of political celebrities, are avid cyclists who have joined the Bike to Work Community.

If and when city bureaucrats heed Yudhoyono's call, cyclists might eventually have their second-class citizen status raised. Personally, I am among those who doubt the plan will materialize in the foreseeable future in Jakarta, where the streets have not been designed to accommodate cyclists. This means Jakarta would have to start from the scratch to build suitable facilities.

Equally important is some kind of campaign aimed at improving public awareness about cyclists and why they should be respected just like other road users.

It's a shame Governor "Bang Kumis" Fauzi Bowo hasn't offered more support and provided bicycle lanes along the main streets, as the existing pedestrian sidewalks are far too narrow to be shared with cyclists.

Pessimists joke that bicycles may one day take over the capital's main streets, in which case the infamous city law and order officers would confiscate them and then dump them in Jakarta Bay.

This is what happened with becak (pedicabs) in the 1980s when the then governor Wiyogo sent the human-powered, three-wheeled transportation vehicles to the bottom of the ocean, on the grounds they moved too slowly on the increasingly busy city streets.

Bang Kumis, we need cyclist lanes!

-- Pandaya

Metissages dances along line between textile design and contemporary art

Margaret Agusta, Contributor Jakarta Post, Jakarta

An interesting experiment in the melding of diverse sectors, thought frameworks, discourses and cultures called Metissages: A Crossbreeding of Contemporary Art and Textiles is currently on display at the National Museum, more popularly known as Musium Gajah, in Central Jakarta through Nov. 23.

Exhibited in Bandung, the home of the Bandung Institute of Technology with its school of art and design, and numerous textiles factories and outlets, before making its way to Indonesia's capital, this exhibition is being shared with textile and art lovers here through the French Cultural Center and the French National Fund of Contemporary Art and Private Collections.

The exhibition, initiated by Yves Sabourin, of the Fine Art Delegation of the Department of Culture and Communication in France, to provide a forum for a dialogue between contemporary artists and textile designers and practitioners from all around the world, has already been shown in 18 venues in its country of origin and in several other countries worldwide.

This current show in Jakarta features the core exhibition of 52 works from both institutional and private collections, with the added twist of the inclusion of seven tradition-based textile pieces from Indonesia.

According to Yves Sabourin, as quoted in a preface to the exhibition, "The result of the meeting between contemporary artists and textile makers was the enabling of the artists to become involved in the exploration of forgotten or previously unknown techniques, while the textile practitioners got the opportunity to express themselves through personal interpretations of their own techniques."

The results of this ambitious and amazing undertaking now on display are at once diverse, thought-provoking, and certainly interesting; often on several levels at once.

At the very minimum, this exhibition revives and reiterates the age-old debate of what art actually is, and at what point a creatively produced object crosses over the line of the functionality of design into the realm of the purely aesthetic.

There are a number of objects in the show whose beauty and visual (sometimes also textural) attractiveness and ill-defined function land them squarely in the middle of the definition of artwork; others that are clearly created as "art" in the easily accessible form of tapestry or wall-hanging; others that either directly (through clear visual definition of form) or indirectly (through the title and written explanation presented with each piece) define themselves as designed objects; and still others whose function is recognized immediately before the beauty or interesting aspects of their appearance and specific presentation are registered by the mind.

Among the pieces clearly delegating themselves to the "art" category are the small, truly eye pleasing disk titled Vegetal Snow created by Martine Aballea; the tiny perspective piece titled The Rug Room by Frederique Petit; Birth of a Shadow by Johan Creten; and Temptation by Jill Galleni.

Of the tapestry pieces and wall hangings in this display, The Mongrel by Claire Rado captures the eye and intrigues the mind with its play between the positive and negative space of the strings being woven and the illusion of form in the woven segment of the rectangle wall hanging. Like a number of other works in the show (both those having no defined function and those defined by their potential use), this piece speaks volumes about the materials used and the process through which it was created. Like many modern art objects, including abstract paintings, these pieces set forth the issue of how something becomes art or defines itself as art through its material elements and their inherent qualities.

Another tapestry piece, titled Rotten Candies, by Tatiana Trouve, introduces another aspect of presentation in contemporary art; the message bound tightly within the lines, forms and colors of an object. This piece, that at first glance presents itself in the traditional form of a flat, rectangular wall hanging, carries the eye down to the realization that dimensional borders can be crossed, as well as the barrier between technical constraints and creative expression, while at the same time attempting to set out the idea that textiles and designs often function as an extension of the misogynistic treatment of women.

Two other piece, which similarly define themselves by shape as "clothing", but then offer that something extra that makes one think they might actually be appropriately "framed and hung on a wall", are the thoughtfully aesthetic Laos Transformation by Frederic Molenac, and the breathtakingly beautiful Naive by Harry Dharsono from Indonesia.

Among the still other pieces in this surprisingly extensive traveling exhibition, are a few that scream out so loudly what it is that people expect them to function for that the more subtle aspects of the artistic playfulness or thoughtfulness of their creators take a lot more thought and a bit more time to comprehend. Two of these are Custom Bra by Sylvie Fleury of France, and Disposable Gucci by Indonesian artist Wiyoga Muhardanto. The first piece draws immediate attention to the cleverness of efforts to customize the female form into alluring fashionableness, and only secondarily hints at the underlying perception of woman as sex machine. The second piece, although articulate enough in its purpose of pointing out that fashion with all of its brief transitions can become an obsession, if not a true addiction, seems poised on the edge of seriously insightful profundity without actually diving in.

This impressive exhibition, which offers much of interest to artists, artisans, and textile and art lovers alike, is well worth the trip into one of the busiest parts of Jakarta. However, be forewarned, the National Museum's opening hours are short at 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and fall during heavy traffic times.

Balikpapan market home to gemstones

The Jakarta Post, Balikpapan

Kebun Sayur market in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, is famous for its gemstones and semi-precious stones, with buyers both foreign and local regularly visiting the market in search of jewelry and other handcrafted wares.

Most famous among the market's offerings are gemstones, such as agate, amethyst, opal, topaz and turquoise.

The majority of the semi-precious stones come from Kalimantan, although some of the jewelry creations combine local gemstones with semi-precious stones from Abudabi, Bangkok, Dubai, India and Tanzania.

Nurhayati, a jewelry designer and owner of one of the market's many shops, Upik Shop, told The Jakarta Post she found her inspiration in trends and traditions both local and international.

"The Dayak people tend to combine all kinds of colors in designing necklaces, bracelets, brooches and other kinds of jewelry. Their creations are so classic and elegant.

"And Bangkok's trend in stringing stones into luxurious jewelry complements Indonesian style," said Nurhayati, who has run her jewelry shop since 1986.

The workers in Nurhayati's shop not only make and sell jewelry in a colorful array of necklaces, bracelets and brooches, but also invite customers to see firsthand how the jewelry is made.

Nurhayati said many prominent figures have visited her shop to purchase jewelry, including entertainers Ully Artha, Ully Sigar Rusady, Ulfa Dwiyanti and Tukul Arwana; the second runner-up for the 2006 Miss Indonesia pageant, Rahma M. Landy; and several wives of state officials.

The market, which opens daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., also features rattan mats called lampit, and various home decorations made from Kalimantan wood.

Sasirangan batik, silk batik and Kalimantan "Saho" are available at stores such as Kumalasari Shop, often at prices far lower than available at area retail centers.

Sasirangan and "Saho" batik prices start at Rp 75,000, while the most luxurious variety of silk batik sells for Rp 500,000.

Precious stones, such as zircon, crystal and white diamond valued at hundreds of thousands of rupiah, can be found in shops such as Permata Dua Saudara.

"I always seek polished diamonds in Kebun Sayur market because this is the trade center for precious and semi-precious stones in Kalimantan," said Zulkarnaen, a longtime visitor to Kebun Sayur.

"I think Kalimantan's diamonds are brighter than diamonds from Africa or other countries."

Honey bears charm park visitors

Nurni Sulaiman, The Jakarta Post, Balikpapan

Hunkered down in her home in the Natural Environmental and Education Park in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, is Anna, a honey bear.

Ignoring all the humans around her, she tucked into her food. She is one of five bears living in the facility, ranging from five to 10 years old. There are three males -- Haris, Benny and Batik -- and two females, Anna and Idot.

The bears have been the pride of the park since 2003 and in the past few years the city has made the honey bear its official animal.

"Honey bears are solitary animals. Those which survive in the jungle can sense human presence from two kilometers away. The captive bears are quite familiar with humans, as long as there is not too much noise," said park manager Satria Imam Pribadi.

Anna and her colleagues seem to enjoy their activities in the 1.3-hectare enclosure. Anna usually plays for two hours and is provided with meals at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. every day.

Satria said the animals must be left to roam freely in the enclosure to prevent fights, adding that Harris and Batik in particular did not get on well.

The enclosure is in the form of natural forest an is enclosed with an electrified fence.

"It's not fatal, but only creates some pain or shock. All the animals have been trained to stay away from the fence," said Satria.

Visitors can not directly interact with the five bears, but can watch them from a boardwalk a meter away.

The 250-meter boardwalk is made of 90-cm wide planks and a 90-cm wall from bangkirai timber, and was still under construction The Jakarta Post visited the park recently.

"It will have surrounded half the enclosure at 400 meters long by next week," said Satria.

Although the animals are familiar with humans, signs at the park advise: "Honey bears are very sensitive and shy. Walk slowly and speak softly!", with pictures of a bear hiding.

Visitors are not allowed to smoke or bring food and drink with them onto the boardwalk.

The honey bears were all rescued from human homes, where they were mistreated.

Harry, the largest, is blind due to abuse. The four other bears also have health problems and have no teeth, which were probably pulled out by their owners.

"They were kept by humans before. The authorities had to seize them because they were not taken care of and were suffering," said Satria.

The bears are fed with boiled tempeh, or soyabean cake, eggs, rice and vegetables, with the same nutritional content as their natural diet. However, their favorite food, unsurprisingly, is honey.

Honey bears survive in the tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia. In Indonesia they are only found in Kalimantan and Sumatra.

The park is also home to numerous rescued cats.

"They were neglected or abandoned by people on the streets, so we take care of them. As their number gradually rises, each time a cat is brought to the park, we sterilize it first so they won't breed," added Satria. The cats have also been vaccinated to prevent rabies and worms.

"We also provide a children's park so they can enjoy the natural surroundings while playing," said Satria.

Marine sector 'holds future of tourism'

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The future of tourism in Indonesia revolves around the promotion of coastal areas and the involvement of local communities in environmental conservation efforts, a marine tourism official said Thursday.

Currently a mere 10 percent of foreign and domestic tourists visit coastal areas in Indonesia, despite widespread international recognition of the country's marine attractions, the secretary general of the Indonesian Marine Tourism Association, Didien Junaedy, said.

He said the natural environment was the key draw card in such areas and that any developments made to attract tourists should not have a negative impact on the environment.

"That is why marine tourism should not be designed or developed to become mass tourism. If we made it similar to land-based tourism, which is mainly mass-based, it would be very difficult to maintain the environment," he said at a discussion on improving marine tourism.

He said in order to develop Indonesia's marine tourism sector in an eco-friendly way, the government would need to have a very sound regional design plan, which prioritized environmental conservation in coastal areas.

"The government must be able to control development, even if it means a quota is placed on the daily number of tourists allowed to visit certain areas," he said.

Didien said Indonesia could easily compete with other countries around the world in terms of marine tourism.

"The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is nothing compared to the reefs in the Wakatobi Islands, which is the longest atoll in the world. And Raja Ampat in Papua can easily beat the Caribbean Islands."

Deputy regent of the Thousand Islands regency Abdul Rahman said preserving the environment and improving infrastructure were crucial aspects of developing the tourism sector.

"We are still striving to bring electricity to the Thousand Islands. We have already built underwater cable connections for the purpose.

"At the moment people use generators that run for about 15 hours, which is very inefficient and also produces a lot of pollution," Abdul said, adding that a longer airstrip had also been built in the regency.

He said tourism in the Thousand Islands regency had contributed to a reduction in poverty in the area.

"People are not only benefiting from tourism economically, but they have also become more environmentally aware and they realize the islands' economic potential depends on the environment." (uwi)
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