"Best Port Welcome" Awarded to Bali's Benoa Port

PT Pelabuhan Indonesia III, Benoa branch, Bali, has received a "Best Port Welcome 2010" award from "Dream World Cruise Destination" magazine which is based in London, a spokesman said.
The magazine had presented the award to a representative of Indonesia’s tourism and culture ministry, Sapta Nirwandar, at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention 2011 that was held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Florida, on March 16, 2011, said Iwan Sabatini,general manager of PT Pelabuahan Indonesia III’s Benoa branch, said here Monday.
"We are grateful we have received the award as the best port. the award will be a motivation to further improve services at the largest sea port on the island ," Iwan said.
He added, the awards was evidence that Benoa port had already gained international trust and met world standards as port of call for cruise ships.
"We always provide international standard services to cruise ships which anchor at Benoa port," Iwan said.
Iwan said, to increase tourist visits to Bali by cruise ships, the company was continuing to improve the facilities and infrastructures at the port.
"We are gradually improving the facilities and infrastructure supporting the pier, so the service will be better in welcoming the cruise ships’ arrivals in Bali," Iwan added.
He noted, according to a schedule obtained from the various cruise ship companies abroad, at least 140 cruise ships in 2011 will visit Indonesia.
"We are targeting 40 units of the number of cruise ship visits to Indonesia will stop in Benoa port," Iwan hoped.

Indonesia's Tuna Exports to Japan Down 50 Percent

This photograph taken on February 24, 2011 shows fishermen unloading freshly caught juvenile tuna at Bitung town fishport in North Sulawesi province. Bitung is one of the major fish port in Sulawesi island. Fishing is a thriving industry in Indonesia an archipelago of 17,000 islands. 

Indonesia’s tuna exports to Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, dropped by around 50 percent in the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami which devastated the eastern coast of Japan last March 11, 2011.

"Our (tuna) exports to Japan dropped by around 50 percent," the marine affairs and fisheries ministry’s director general fishery product marketing and management, Victor Nikijuluw, said here Monday.
Indonesia usually exported 300 tons of tune per week to Tokyo, but last the the export volume was just 150 tons, he said. The country exports big eye and swordfish tuna to Tokyo.
Meanwhile, tuna exports to Nagoya and Osaka run normally because the two regions are not affected by the natural disaster. "Exports to Nagoya and Osaka are not affected," he said.
Earlier the ministry’s secretary general, Gellwyn Jusuf, had said that the Japan earthquake and subsequent tsunami had affected Indonesia’s fishery products exports to Japan, especially tuna and shrimp. The shrimp exports to Japan in the future might reach only one third of the usual shrimp export volume, he said last Thursday.
Indonesia would look for alternative countries of destination such as the European Union, the United States and China, as their demands for shrimp have increased, he said.

Leading American Universities' Expo in Six Indonesian Cities

A number of leading American universities planned to hold education exhibitions in six major cities in Indonesia from March 26 to April 3, 2011. The event will be held by ACCESS Education Beyond, an independent international education assistance program under the auspices of Putera Sampoerna Foundation (PSF).
"We wish to introduce leading American universities to students in Indonesia," Director of ACCESS Education Beyond Brook Ross said here Monday.
The American universities included the University of North Texas, Michigan State University, University of Hawaii, University of Arkansas, and Ohio State University. The exhibition will be started in Denpasar on March 26, in Surabaya on March 28, Balikpapan on March 29, Palembang on March 31, Medan on April 1), and in Jakarta on April 3. Brook Ross said 7,000 Indonesians are studying in the US.
"The number of Indonesian students in the US is only second to those in Southeast Asia after Thailand," Brook.
He had a commitment to bridge Indonesian students with higher learning institutions abroad by way of integrated approaches to schools, exhibitions, education discussions, and assistance programs. During the exhibition, the students could get information and consultations with university representatives. Presentations and seminars would also be held, he said.
"Representatives of the American universities will also meet their counterparts in the cities where the exhibitions are held to discuss cooperation opportunities," Brook Ross said.

Indonesia Govt Decides to Keep Tripoli Embassy Functioning

Air attacks: An RAF Tornado GR4 leaves a trail of heat haze as it takes off from RAF Marham, in Norfolk yesterday

The Indonesian government has decided to keep its embassy in Tripoli open to serve Indonesian nationals who are possibly still in Libya, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said.
"We have reported to the President that in essence our embassy will remain open although the number of staff has been reduced," Marty said at the presidential palace here on Monday.
The Indonesian ambassador to Libya Ibnu Said, according to Marty, had reported that 20 out of the 24 Indonesian nationals at the embassy had left for Tunisia on Monday.
"The group consists of nine embassy staff and 11 migrant workers so that only four people are left at our embassy and these four will keep the mission functioning to serve Indonesians who might need protection," he said. The four staff members remaining at the embassy were two diplomats, including the ambassador and two local staff.
"We will continue evaluating. Our staff is authorized to immediately close the embassy if conditions worsen as they are the ones who could give the best evaluation of the situation," he said.
The minister said several countries had already closed their embassies in Tripoli or stopped their activity due to increasing tension in the oil exporting country.
"Today, the staffs of the Vietnamese and Indian embassies also left the country. Most foreign embassies in Tripoli have closed. To my knowledge, only the Philippine and Indonesian embassies are still open although their staffs have been cut," he said.
Overall, Marty stated, a total of 839 Indonesian nationals in Libya had so far been evacuated to Tunisia.

Twitter Turns Five as Site Registers 200Million Users

Phenomenon: One of Twitters 200million users posts a tweet. The website started life on March 21, 2006

'Inviting coworkers'. Two words. Not spectacular.

Yet, as the first ever Twitter message – made five years ago today – those two words sparked a revolution in internet communication. It took three years to pass the billion-tweet mark. Now it posts that many every week.
Since co-founder Jack Dorsey posted it on March 21, 2006, Twitter has registered nearly 200million users. Dorsey has spent the last few days tweeting a timeline of sorts, sharing what he was doing just before the big launch.
On Sunday, he wrote : '5 yrs ago today, the eve of launching twttr to the company. Moving from @Biz, @florian & me, to all of our peers using it. Nervous. #twttr'
He needn't have worried. The site, which invites people to say 'what's happening' in 140 characters or fewer, was initially dismissed as a platform of very little value.
Now, it is an internet giant and even its sternest critics would be hard-pressed to dismiss its significance. Since its launch, Twitter has played a role in a wide range of headline-making events, from the Egyptian revolution to Charlie Sheen's battle with CBS.
Its use was springboarded in 2008, with Barack Obama’s apt post-election tweet: 'We just made history. All of this happened because you gave your time, talent and passion. All of this happened because of you. Thanks'.
Since then, the website has become uses by nearly every politician, who quickly saw its value. After its role in organising the 2009 Iranian protests against the country's disputed election, an adviser to George Bush suggested the site should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
It has also become a business tool, with many major companies now using accounts to advertise deals and encourage word-of-mouth marketing. It is often where news first emerges.
Michael Jackson's death in 2009 was first posted on Twitter by showbiz website TMZ. Also, Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement on it and the astronauts aboard the International Space Station used it to post incredible pictures at the press of a button.
Twitter's importance in communication was made plain during the moments after Japan's earthquake and tsunami this month. Twitter says it set a record of 6,939 tweets per second immediately after the 9.0-magnitude quake struck on March 11, and 177 million tweets went out as the day wore on.
'As much fun as we were having, there was always in the back of our heads the idea of the potential of something important coming from it,' Biz Stone, one of Twitter's founding members, told The Independent.
'Even if we didn't say it out loud and talk about it. Because we were just getting started and we really had no place saying anything like that.'
Despite operating at a loss for most of 2010, the company, which now integrates advertisements with its website, is valued at up to $10billion and employs more than 400 people.

Korean Consortium Buys 90 Pct Stake in Indonesia Coal Mine

A barge, transporting coal from Berau Coal, sails during an open-sea transhipment in Berau district in Indonesias East Kalimantan province August 17, 2010. The coal will be exported to Japan, China and other Asian countries, Berau Coals spokesman said on Tuesday. Indonesia is the worlds biggest thermal coal exporter. Picture taken August 17, 2010.

A South Korean consortium has acquired a 90% stake in a 244 million-ton Indonesian coal mine for $84.15 million, the Korea Resource Corp., or Kores said Tuesday.
Kores will invest $36.46 million in the coal mine, with production planned to start in 2013, the state-run resources company said in a statement.

PT PAL Delivers Warship to Defense Ministry

State-owned shipbuilder PT PAL on Monday handed over a warship, the KRI Banda Aceh, to the defense ministry to support the Indonesian navy’s operations. The warship was handed over symbolically by the company’s president director, Harsusanto, to Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro at the company’s general engine division here on Monday.
The event was witnessed by state enterprises minister Mustafa Abubakar, defense forces commander Admiral Agus Suhartono, navy chief of staff Admiral Soeparno and members of the House of Representatives’ Commission I (defense affairs). The 125-meter-long landing platform dock ship was designed specially as a military ship capable of carrying troops, combat and tactical vehicles and helicopters.
Before being handed over the ship had already undergone a series of test sailing from March 2 to 8 to see its performance and also a navigational inspection on March 14.
"All the targets set according to contracts tested have been met. Some capabilities have even surpassed targets such as the ship’s speed set in the contract at 15 knots but in the test the ship could sail up to 15.2 knot. This proves that the domestically produced ship could be relied upon and give pride," Harsusanto said.
State enterprises minister Mustafa Abubakar meanwhile expresed hope that the good relations between PT PAL and the ministry of defense and the navy could be continuously maintained and increased through development of main weapon system equipment or inputs given to PT PAL for improvement of the company’s future performance.
Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said the ship was needed by the navy "not only for carrying out its combat duty but also for other activities including humanitarian missions. Every year the navy (TNI-AL) conducts humanitarian mission Bhaskara Jaya," he said.
Since 1980 PT PAL has already built more than 200 ships of various kinds and measures. With regard to trading vessels the company has been able to build up to 50,000 DWT ships while it has also been able to build warships ordered by the navy.
With regard to speed patrol boats PT PAL has been able to produce various kinds and versions of the boat starting from 14-meter long up to 57 meter long boats. KRI Banda Aceh is the fourth warship of LDP version produced by PT PAL. The company has partnered with Daewoo International Corporation for building the ship.

Three of Indonesia's Dragons are Missing

Images from the release of young 10-month old Komodo dragons to the quarantine enclosure after their hatching process in the Surabaya zoo, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, Dec.21, 2010

Three young Komodo dragons have gone missing from a zoo in Indonesia, a spokesman said Tuesday, warning that the lost lizards were dangerous and fast on their feet.
The missing reptiles, which measured 50 centimetres (20 inches) to a metre long, were each around one year old and disappeared from their cage early this month, Surabaya zoo spokesman Agus Supangkat told AFP.
“We’re worried if the Komodo dragons escaped. They’re dangerous. Young Komodos like the ones missing love to climb trees and can move very fast.” The zoo has more than 50 of the giant lizards and trees in the cage had been trimmed to prevent any of the remaining animals escaping, Supangkat added.
“They could have been eaten by predators, stolen or escaped. The zookeepers have said they didn’t take them. The police are still investigating.” Until recently Komodo dragons were believed to hunt with a “bite and wait” strategy using toxic bacteria in their saliva to weaken or kill their prey, before descending in numbers to feast.
But in 2005 researchers found that dragons’ jaws are armed with highly sophisticated poison glands that can cause paralysis, spasms and shock through haemorrhaging.The world’s largest monitor lizard, Komodos can grow up to three metres (10 feet) long and weigh up to 140 kilograms (310 pounds). They are unique to a small group of islands in eastern Indonesia.

Infiniti to Challenge BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz

A new luxury brand is on the way to Australia with hopes of upsetting the establishment. BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus will soon have a new challenger in Australia from Nissan.

The Japanese car maker today confirmed it plans to sell a range of sedans, coupes and SUVs under its US-focused luxury brand Infiniti from around September 2012.
As part of a global expansion that now reaches more than 40 countries beyond its volume-selling US market, Infiniti ‘‘will not be a niche player’’ and take on established luxury brands in terms of price and specification. Three models will be initially sold in three stand-alone dealerships in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
The luxury marque that outsold Audi in the US last year says it differs from its competitors — including Toyota’s own luxury brand Lexus — by offering ‘‘aggressive, modern and edgy vehicle design’’, ‘‘inexcusably sporty driving dynamics’’ and a ‘‘boutique, hotel-type customer experience’’ akin to the attentive Japanese hospitality philosophy.
The three initial models include a BMW 3-Series-sized G37 coupe and convertible, an Audi A6/BMW 5-Series-sized ‘M’ large car and the uniquely styled FX crossover SUV hero, about the size of a BMW X5.
Engine choices comprise a 175kW/550Nm 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6, a 235kW/360Nm 3.7-litre petrol V6 (borrowed from Nissan’s 370Z sports car) and a range-topping 5.0-litre petrol V8 producing 290kW and 500Nm of torque. All will be mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission.
Infiniti Cars Australia general manager Kevin Snell was tight-lipped about prices at the brand’s pre-launch event this week, other than to say that Infiniti cars ‘‘will not be the cheapest luxury brand’’ and that they will be better equipped than European competitors. He also quashed any suggestion that Infiniti would follow the Lexus value-packed business model of leaving no features to the options list.
‘‘Infiniti customers are ‘quiet rebels’. They’re rebellious of the mainstream and are typically looking for something different,’’ says Snell.
‘‘They’re more of an individualist-type customer who are passionate about design and technology. They are early adopters and risk-takers and don’t like traditional conservative status and want to stand out from the crowd,’’ he says.
‘‘They might even be tired of an Audi, BMW or Mercedes their neighbour drives’’.
Infiniti arrives in a notoriously tough Australian luxury car market that rewards history and longevity. It took Audi years to crack the Mercedes-Benz and BMW juggernaut that accounted for the majority of luxury sales.
More recently Lexus has seen its market share drop. Despite 2010 growth of 11.8 per cent the brand’s sales were down about 20 per cent on only a few years earlier.
And it was only last year that Cadillac reversed its decision to re-enter the Australian market following the global financial crisis.

Indonesian Ex-Minister Jailed for Graft

An Indonesian court Tuesday sentenced a former government minister to 20 months in jail for corruption and ordered him to pay a IDR50 million ($6,000) fine.
Former Social Affairs Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah had bypassed the tender process and directly appointed suppliers of imported cattle, sewing machines and sarongs meant for victims of natural disasters, the court heard.
“The defendant Bachtiar Chamsyah has been proven legally and convincingly to have carried out an act of corruption,“ chief judge Tjokorda told the anticorruption court in Jakarta.
“He is sentenced to one year and eight months in jail,“ he said.
Chamsyah's sentence was lower than the three years demanded by prosecutors. Indonesia scored 2.8 out of 10 in Transparency International's annual Corruption Perceptions Index for 2010, ranking it 110th out of 178 countries.

Indonesia to Sell Global Bonds to Three Countries

Indonesia is ready to offer bonds to the international market namely to Switzerland, Britain and the United State to raise funds to cover its budget deficit.
"Their governments have confirmed. That is no longer a problem. But we still have yet to see market conditions. In general they view positively on Indonesian conditions," the acting chief of the Fiscal Policy Agency, Bambang Brodjonegoro, said here on Monday.
He said after roadshows the three countries also gave appreciation to Indonesia’s capability in dealing with inflation and maintaining its national resilience.
"We are updating our financing plan for the next year. The challenge might be more about inflation which we are now still discussing and then sustainability of the budget. But overall it is positive. They are ready to enter," he said.
The issuance of the global bonds will follow the financing plans that have been put in the 2011 budget and is for supporting the issuance of state debentures.
"It will be done in line with the 2011 budget plans. Some have been issued for domestic markets. In the future the focus will also be on the domestic market. This one is for covering the balance," he said.
Bambang assured the issuance of the global bonds would not clash with the Japanese plan to increase debts for rehabilitating that country recently hit by earthquake and tsunami.
"With regard to Japan I believed they could be self-reliance. What we see now is the market conditions which are still following Japan. Therefore our roadshow is non-deal in nature and no decision is made," he said.
He said the bonds to be issued have a long-term tenure as most investors prefer that. Moreover now when the bond market potential is promising and relatively good in terms of market demand.
"The market potential is big. I believe they all see Indonesia’s performance is good. Ours is also relatively good in terms of demand compared to that offered by rivals that have the same tenure. It is not a problem. What we need to see now is how is the market in general," he said.
Bambang could not as yet tell about the indicative target to be achieved saying it was under the authority of the Directorate General of Debt Management.
"I do not know. That is under the authority of Rahmat (the director general of debt management). I could not tell ahead of him," he said.
The government has already named three securities namely JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank and UBS to offer the bond which is expected to be issued in the first semester this year.

Bilateral Meeting between SBY and Xanana

 Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (R) drives East Timor Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao (L) in a golf cart during the latters visit to the presidential palace in Jakarta on March 22, 2011. Gusmao and Yudhoyono discussed bilateral issues between the two countries.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao held a bilateral meeting at Merdeka Palace here Tuesday.
PM Xanana is on a visit in Indonesia from March 22 to 25. He arrived at the Merdeka Palace at 11 am Western Indonesian Standard Time (WIB), and the bilateral meeting began at 11.15 am.
Presidential special staff in charge of international relations Teuku Faizasyah said that following the bilateral meeting, the two leaders would witness the signing of five memoranda of understanding (MoUs).
Yudhoyono on the occasion was accompanied by Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, National Education Minister Muhammad Nuh, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi, Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam and National Defense Forces (TNI) Chief Admiral Agus Suhartono.
Members of Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao’s delegation include Foreign Minister Zacarias da Costa, Economic and Development Minister Joao Goncalves, Infrastructure Minister Pedro Lay da Silva, Tourism, Trade and Industry Minister Gil Alves, Agriculture and Fishery Minister Mariano Assanami Sabino, Commander of The Timor Leste Armed Forces Major General Taur Matan Ruak and Timor Leste Ambassador to Indonesia Manuel Serrano.
On March 23, Xanana will attend an international convention on defense in Jakarta. Jakarta International Defense Dialogue (JIDD) is a International Conference which will be participated in by defense delegations from over 30 countries including heads of state, defense ministers and also chiefs of staff.
JIDD organized by the Ministry of Defense and the Indonesian Defense University (IDU) will be held at the Jakarta Convention Center from March 23 to 25, 2011. Timor Leste, formerly known as East Timor, declared its independence on May 20, 2002, following a United Nations sponsored referendum in 1999, which the people of Timor Leste voted in favor of independence and separated from Indonesia.