Archive for September, 2007
JAKARTA: Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto has promised his ministry will be able to complete its upgrade of damaged roads across the country 10 days before Idul Fitri, the public holiday to mark the end of Ramadhan.
“There are ongoing road repair projects conducted to increase the country’s road capacity, which are expected to be completed 10 days before Idul Fitri,” the minister was quoted as saying by Antara over the weekend.
He said there had been a marked improvement in the quality of the country’s roads this year.
“If you travel from Pekanbaru, in Riau province in Sumatra, to Surabaya in East Java, you will find that the road conditions in Indonesia are better this year than last year.”
Djoko said the road upgrade, which included road widening, is intended to smooth traffic for the Idul Fitri rush.
The annual Idul Fitri holiday sees millions of Indonesians return to their hometowns for family reunions.– JP
Source: The Jakarta Post
September 20th, 2007
Of the 14 million people expected to travel to their hometown for the annual Idul Fitri holiday, the government expects about half to depend on buses for transportation.
In addition, however, 97 ferries, 212 trains, 528 passenger ships and 211 planes are ready for the Islamic holiday exodus.
Director General for Land Transportation at the Transportation Ministry, Iskandar Abubakar, said this year there would be 30,000 buses able to carry 15 million passengers, compared to last year’s figures of 29,000 buses with a capacity of 14 million people.
“Although we plan to increase the number of buses, the load factor will be low,” Iskandar said Monday.
“Only about seven million people will use buses.
“Instead, they tend to use private vehicles or airplanes.
“The shift causes low demand on buses or other land transportation,” he said.
More than 1.8 million people are predicted to use motorcycles rather than public transportation, which would be an increase of some 30 percent on last year, Iskandar said.
“The increasing number of motorcycles on the road will create a special problem as it may cause a lot of traffic accidents.”
But Iskandar said train travel was still the most popular way for most Indonesians to reach their hometown for the holiday.
At Jakarta’s Gambir station, executive class tickets to Surabaya and Malang in East Java, Semarang in Central Java and Yogyakarta have been sold out for more than a week.
State-owned railway company PT Kereta Api said it decided to issue additional tickets for executive and business classes and has provided additional economy class seats.
But PT Kereta Api spokesman Noor Hamidi said he did not expect numbers to surge this year — instead the company was expecting a decrease from 2.63 million passengers in 2006 to 2.62 million for 2007.
The government said it would maintain a set limit for the upper and lower fares for buses at Rp 130 per passenger per kilometer and Rp 80 per passenger per kilometer respectively.
“For trains, economy classes will not experience the increasing ticket prices,” Iskandar said.
“But for non-economy classes, we will let PT Kereta Api decide.”
Iskandar said although the number of airplanes had been decreased to 226 planes, carrying capacity would be increased from 2.3 million passengers to 2.6 million people thanks to larger carriers. (13)
Source: The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
September 19th, 2007
SURABAYA - Pemkot terus berupaya mengembangkan jalinan kerja sama dengan kota-kota di luar negeri. Saat ini, yang mulai dikembangkan adalah kerja sama dengan pemkot di Australia.
Untuk itu, kemarin (17/9) Wali Kota Bambang D.H. menerima kunjungan Atase Pendidikan, Sains, dan Pelatihan Australia Dr Shannon Smith di rumah dinas. Pertemuan itu berlangsung sekitar satu jam. Beberapa pejabat pemkot terkait juga ikut serta.
Bambang mengatakan, kerja sama sister city Surabaya-Australia dimulai dengan pengembangan sister school. Ke depan, pengiriman guru-guru ke Australia terus dilakukan, terutama guru-guru dari sekolah yang telah ditetapkan sebagai sekolah bertaraf internasional (SBI).
Di lain pihak, Australia juga mengirimkan beberapa native speaker secara rutin ke Surabaya. “Saya pikir sebagai kota metropolis, kerja sama seperti ini sangat penting dilakukan,” ujar wali kota asal Pacitan tersebut.
Smith mengatakan, banyak hal yang dapat dipelajari para guru Surabaya di Australia apabila kegiatan pertukaran benar-benar terlaksana. Mulai metodologi pengajaran, pedagogik, hingga manajemen kelas. “Para pengajar akan didatangkan dari universitas di Australia,” jelasnya.
Para guru nantinya diajak melihat langsung sistem pendidikan di sekolah-sekolah di Australia. Smith tidak memungkiri bahwa sistem pendidikan Australia dan Surabaya tentu berbeda. Namun, dengan pengayaan wawasan, kualitas guru diharapkan semakin bertambah.
“Mungkin solusinya, akan dicarikan sekolah-sekolah dengan sistem pendidikan yang hampir sama. Secara umum sebenarnya tak terlalu berbeda,” sambungnya.
Kepala Dinas Pendidikan Pemkot Sahudi menambahkan, pengembangan SBI lewat jalinan kerja sama dengan Negeri Kanguru itu memang penting. Menurut dia, sudah selayaknya guru-guru kelas SBI mendapat pengalaman internasional untuk memperkaya proses pembelajaran. “Karena itu, pengiriman guru-guru SBI bakal dilakukan secara berkala,” katanya.
Rencananya, setiap sekolah SBI diminta mengirimkan empat guru di bidang sains dan bahasa Inggris. Waktu yang diberikan untuk para guru menimba ilmu antara satu hingga tiga bulan.(kit/ara)
Source: Jawa Pos
September 18th, 2007
PONOROGO (East Java), Sept 17 (Bernama) — Fire continued to raze protected forest areas on the slope of Mt. Cendono, Gragi, Randu Alas and Gajah in the subdistricts of Slahung and Sambit, Ponorogo District, East Java Province, early Monday.
Quoting a news report filed by Indonesia’s Antara news agency, the fire was suspected of having been started in a plantation owned by a local villager around the slope of Mt. Cendono and Gajah in Sambit Subdistrict.
Santoso of the Lawu Forestry Unit said tens of hectares of forest areas in Ponorogo were gutted by the fire which started on Sunday.
“Besides, the fire might also be triggered by a prolonged drought as there are many dried wood and bushes which are prone to fire,” he said.
Source: — BERNAMA
September 18th, 2007
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Jakartans have not wasted their time in racing out for train tickets to their hometowns for next month’s Idul Fitri holidays.
Gambir station in the center of the city saw lines of people forming as early as 3 a.m. Sunday for tickets that were snapped up in a matter of hours.
State-owned railway company PT Kereta Api had decided to issue additional tickets for those who missed out on last week’s ticket reservation, which sold out last week.
Kereta Api’s Greater Jakarta spokesman Ahmad Sujadi said the queues formed long before the ticket booths’ opening time of 7 a.m.
“Most of them bought the executive class tickets to Malang and Surabaya in East Java and Semarang and Yogyakarta in Central Java,” he said, as quoted by news portal Detik.com.
Ahmad added that the additional executive class tickets for the Jakarta-Malang and Jakarta-Yogyakarta trains between Oct. 10 and 12 had sold out.
Sujadi said Kereta Api would provide even more tickets to discourage people from buying tickets from scalpers.
“If no one buys tickets from the scalpers, their business will cease by itself,” he said.
Besides additional tickets for executive and business class, Kereta Api will also provide additional economy class seats between Oct. 10 and 12.
“However, people can’t make ticket reservations for economy class. They have to wait in line before the departure time,” he said.
While train tickets have proved popular, no one has so far reserved ferry tickets at Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta.
A travel agent there said many ship passengers were switching to planes because they were faster, despite the more expensive ticket price.
Some people have decided to forgo public transport for the holiday, making the switch to faster, cheaper — and much more dangerous — motorcycles.
A taxi driver, Priono, 52, said he would ride his motorcycle to his village in Wonogiri, Solo.
“It’s a lot cheaper than taking a bus. I can spend up to Rp 450,000 (US$47.90) if I take a bus, while I only spent Rp 100,000 during last year’s Idul Fitri riding on a motorcycle,” he said. (08)
Source: The Jakarta Post
September 17th, 2007
….G-Land. G-Spot. Gee-Whiz Land!..a world famous wave that is definitely not overrated.. an awesome, overpowering arena..and, until exploitated, it will remain a prime destination of the surfing world, a place where surfers can come to live out a long awaited fantasy….
- Recent comments by various surf media about G-Land, or Grajagan, a now legendary surf spot on the southeastern coast of Java. (Indonesia Surfing-Periplus Action Guide)
Exotic surf travel almost never has the kind of grace and logic that it does in magazines and movies. Beautiful, uncharted waves are out there, but its a long, tedious, sometimes dangerous job finding them. Only a few surfers ever sail out into the great unknown. This is why many people today think of Grajagan (G-Land), in southeast Java, not just as a perfect wave, but as a perfect adventure.
More than a name or a place, G-land is a haven. So close but yet so far from Bali, G-land is a magnet for swell and is definitely not overrated. The set up in G-land is simple, the relaxed atmosphere and pumping waves make for an experience like no other surf trip. Starting with the fact that its located at the edge of a jungle filled with birds, reptiles, insects and other creatures not found on the beaches of Sydney or Los Angeles.
G-Land is a long fast wave typical of most Indonesian waves, suggested surf board length at 68 ” 72 Gun ” unless you surf like a top 44 contender, so bring a couple of Guns and your hot-dogger for the small days or down at 20/20s. You should bring at least 2 boards, Indonesian waves are powerful and its possible to break boards, so be prepared and bring at least two boards.
Source: http://my-indonesia.info
September 14th, 2007
This is very popular sport and spectacle is held regularly at least twice a month during September to October begin at 09.00 at Bangkalan, Sampang and Pamekasan on the Island of Madura about half an hour by ferry from Surabaya. Bull Racing is great event in Madura, especially the annual races for the islands championship which are usually held by the local administrator after the harvest time in September or October. The final are held at Pamekasan, capital of the island, one a year. Special races can be organized, given three days advance notice. For further information please contact the East Java Provincial Tourist Office, Jl. Wisata Menanggal, Surabaya, and Phone: (031) 8531815, 8531820.
Source: http://my-indonesia.info
September 14th, 2007
SURABAYA - Oh oh, kamu ketahuan, tidak puasa… Pelesetan lagu Ketahuan milik grup Matta itu kemarin (12/9) melantun di kawasan Lokalisasi Bangunsari. Lagu tersebut meluncur dari kelompok TPA AL-Hadi kemarin sore. Kelompok yang berkostum tas kresek itu merupakan salah satu peserta Kirab Ramadan yang diikuti sekitar 300 anak.
Anak-anak tersebut berasal dari 30 TPA dan SD se-Kecamatan Krembangan. Mulai pukul 16.00, mereka berjalan memutari kawasan lokalisasi, Jalan Rembang, Jalan Demak, dan Jalan Lasem. Kirab itu bermula di depan Masjid At-Taqwa dan juga berakhir di masjid tersebut.
TPA Al-Hadi yang menyanyi lagu Ketahuan merupakan salah satu peserta yang atraktif. Peserta lain pun tak mati gaya. Para remaja putri dari Nasyiatul Aisyiyah Kecamatan Krembangan, misalnya. Mereka berjalan sembari membagi-bagikan selebaran berisi pesan Ramadan untuk para penghuni lokalisasi. Selebaran berukuran 10 x 20 sentimeter itu bertajuk Pesan untuk Sahabat di Lokalisasi.
Yang cukup unik adalah tiga setan cilik yang kemarin ikut berpawai. Tentu, yang menjadi setan adalah tiga anak yang tubuhnya dilumuri cat oleh panitia. Kadang-kadang, mereka bertingkah cukup kocak.
Meski sudah berjalan sekitar 2 kilometer, anak-anak itu tak memperlihatkan raut muka capai. “Saya senang sekali ikut acara seperti ini,” tegas Yudha dari TPA AL-Hadi yang kemarin kebagian tugas membawa spanduk.
Acara kemarin sudah berlangsung tujuh kali. “Tujuannya, mengingatkan masyarakat untuk selalu mawas diri karena kita akan memasuki Ramadan,” jelas Alimuddin, ketua panitia.
Kemarin, Angkatan Muda Muhammadiyah juga membagikan hadiah kepada kelompok karnaval terbaik sebagai bentuk apresiasi. “Yang menjadi pertimbangan penilaian adalah kekompakan dan kreativitas,” ujarnya. (nar)
Source: http://www.jawapos.co.id
September 13th, 2007
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
All 33 of the country’s provinces will showcase their economic potentials during a three-day regional investment promotion expo to be held in Batam starting today.
This will be only the second exhibition ever to promote business and investment opportunities in all of the country’s provinces, according to a release from the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), which is organizing the event in collaboration with the Batam Authority.
BKPM chairman M. Lutfi is scheduled to open the event, at which a number of foreign trade agencies and business associations have confirmed their participation.
According to the release, these include the Taipei Economic and Trade Office in Indonesia, Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro), Korea Trade Center (Kotra), Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry, British Chamber of Commerce, and Indonesia-Australia Business Council.
Indonesia is in dire need of more investment, in particular from overseas, in order to fuel the economy so that it can grow by more than 6 percent annually, in line with the government’s target.
The government is hoping that the desire to attract investment will promote competition among the provinces in terms of ensuring a business-friendly climate.
As of the end of the first semester, total realized investment in Indonesia in 2007 stood at US$4.10 billion, an almost 20 percent rise from the same period last year, when the figure for the same period was $3.51 billion, involving 486 projects.
Of this, the chemical and pharmaceutical sector accounted for $1.52 billion worth of investment, followed by the paper and printing sector ($423 million), food processing ($298.7 million), mining ($282.5 million), and trade and repair sector (239.6 million).
By location, East Java came first with $1.57 billion, followed by Jakarta ($1.05 billion), West Java ($410.8 million), and Riau ($403.8 million).
The release added that after Batam, the BKPM will organize a similar event in Surabaya in October.
Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/
September 13th, 2007
Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya
Cellular phone operator PT Bakrie Telecom, through its CDMA brand Esia, has expanded its services to the East Java cities of Surabaya and Malang.
Supported by 102 base transceiver stations in the two cities, the company is upbeat about competing with other CDMA operators and more established players in the area, Bakrie vice president director Erik Meijer said.
At present, TelkomFlexi, a brand developed by the country’s largest telecom firm PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom), reigns supreme as the market leader in the province, boasting more than 1.7 million subscribers.
As part of its promotional efforts, Bakrie will offer free talk time until Nov. 30 for calls between subscribers within the same city.
Following its initial promotional period, the company will charge Rp 50 per minute for calls.
With plans to also expand its services to Semarang, Solo, Medan and Yogyakarta in the near future, Bakrie aims to eventually reach 3.2 million nationwide subscribers from its present total of around 2.5 million subscribers.
Throughout the year, the company is scheduled to earmark US$220 million in capital expenditure to strengthen and expand its network.
Responding to Bakrie’s move, Telkom has introduced a promotional program, which allows its subscribers to enjoy a Rp 49 per minute tariff for calls between TelkomFlexi users.
“With the arrival of new competitors, we need to continue to be creative, not only to retain our existing customers, but also to entice new ones,” Telkom consumer director Ermady Dahlan said.
In addition to its tariff policy, Telkom will also continue to expand its network by adding 34 base transceiver stations to the company’s existing 275 stations in the province.
Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com
September 11th, 2007
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