The government has called for the speedy conclusion of parliamentary discussions on the bill on acquisition of land in the public interest to ensure the smooth implementation of its infrastructure development plans.
"Unless the law is passed, we will not be able to speed up infrastructure development," Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa said at the parliament building here on Monday.
Therefore, he said, he hoped that an agreement could be reached soon as discussions of the bill so far had already gone on for eight months.
"I wish my friends in the House factions could finish it this year because they have been talking about for the past eight months," he said.
He said the slow progress in the bill’s discussions would cause delay in the implementation of projects included in the master plan for the acceleration of Indonesian economic development and expansion.
"I have not been invited by the DPR (House of Representatives) to discuss the bill. If I have , we will certianly discuss it."
The government had earlier said it was ready to issue a government regulation (PP) if the discussions of the bill in parliament dragged on and could not be finished by the end of 2011. The chief of the National Economic Commission (KEN), Chairul Tanjung, said the President was ready to issue a PP to ensure legal certainty for ongoing or future projects.
"He hopes the discussions of the bill could be completed by the end of the year. But if they are not, he is ready to issue a PP," he said.
Chairul said that the government and the DPR leadership had actually made an agreement to finish the discussion of the bill in October 2011. But if the plan fails the President will issue a PP as a temporary regulation so that "investors will not question ’how we can invest in infrastructure if we do not have land.
If the law on land acquisition is passed it is hoped the need for land for infrastructure development will be easily met. Land acquisition has so far been the main obstacle hindering many infrastructure development projects in the country such as toll roads, airports and seaports.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Just Hangin' by The Pool
Catch me if you can: One participant in the latest craze leisure diving takes a beer down with him
They call it the 'leisure dive' - and it's coming to a pool near you this summer. Following the craze of planking which swept the internet, a website has flourished after compiling hilarious pictures of divers striking a comedy pose in mid-air before they hit the water. With the motto, 'live and let dive', the site recommends just how to get the most out of your split-second posing.
The ideal position is achieved with a diving board, giving swimmers enough height to get their hips parallel to the waterline. If successful then it's a shot worthy of the family album or at the very least, Facebook.
The people behind LeisureDive.com encourage originality but there seems to be a couple of recurring favourite looks. The most common is the hand on the hip, with a quizzical look and grasping a beer, book or bizarrely a croquet mallet.
Leisure diving looks set to take the place of planking - a phenomenon which involves lying face down in a public place, the weirder the better, and posting photos on social networking sites.
The favourite pose is to lie expressionless with a straight body, hands by the side and toes pointing towards the ground. The website founders ask for the best leisure dives to be sent to them - http://www.leisuredive.com/index.php - to be ranked against other competitors in the new craze.
And although it could make you incredibly popular on the internet, it's unlikely to do so with other holidaymakers relaxing at the hotel pool.
The ideal position is achieved with a diving board, giving swimmers enough height to get their hips parallel to the waterline. If successful then it's a shot worthy of the family album or at the very least, Facebook.
The people behind LeisureDive.com encourage originality but there seems to be a couple of recurring favourite looks. The most common is the hand on the hip, with a quizzical look and grasping a beer, book or bizarrely a croquet mallet.
Leisure diving looks set to take the place of planking - a phenomenon which involves lying face down in a public place, the weirder the better, and posting photos on social networking sites.
The favourite pose is to lie expressionless with a straight body, hands by the side and toes pointing towards the ground. The website founders ask for the best leisure dives to be sent to them - http://www.leisuredive.com/index.php - to be ranked against other competitors in the new craze.
And although it could make you incredibly popular on the internet, it's unlikely to do so with other holidaymakers relaxing at the hotel pool.
In Face of Fasting Month
In the face of the fasting month of Ramadhan in the next two weeks, the government is preparing steps to ensure that Muslims in the country will be able to carry out their rituals solemnly without facing shortages of basic needs and security disturbances.
In order to meet the need of people for basic necessities and other things during and in the post-fasting month festivities, the government is taking steps to ensure the availability of food, the smooth distribution of staples, stabilize commodity prices and ensure enough energy supplies. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday ordered his ministers to ensure the stability of basic commodity prices, and food availability across the country in the run up to and during the fasting month.
According to Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, the government has prepared four steps in the economic field to anticipate the worst possibilities during the fasting month and during the post-fasting Idul Fitri festivities. In a coordination meeting last week, the relevant ministers formulated the government steps to be carried out in the fasting month that would likely start on the first day next August.
"The first thing is that food must be available in all places," Hatta said.
Food was an essential element during Ramadhan and Lebaran and all people in the predominantly Muslim country must have access to food under whatever conditions, he said. In this case, National Logistics Agency (Bulog) has assured that it has a stock of 1.6 million tons of rice which are enough until the end of the year.
"Stocks are enough for six months ahead. Our supplies are estimated at 1.6 million tons. God Willing, we will have no problems in the post-fasting month festivities," Head of Bulog Sutarto Alimoesa added.
"We can even guarantee that rice stocks are enough until the end of 2011," he added.
The second thing was that the government would ensure smooth distribution of staple foods and other basic necessaries to all regions in the country. Therefore, transportation facilities and infrastructures must be in good condition, Hatta said.
"It must run smoothly. We have decided to anticipate it," he said.
The third strategy is that the government would try its best to stabilize the prices of commodities. After all, the government would tolerate any price hike if it did not go beyond the limits of propriety. Though now prices have begun to spiral up, yet the government sees that it is still within the reasonable level. Director General for Internal Trade of the Ministry of Trade Gunaryo said prices of commodities at present were still within the stable level so that market operations were not yet needed.
"Prices at present are relatively lower than those in the past year," he said. The director general said that market operations would be launched if prices were too high while stocks in the market were running short. "Market operations will be launched if price increases exceeded 15 percent. This is because we have to protect small traders," he added.
Basically, according to Hatta Rajasa, market operations will be carried out if prices are on the rise. "In case of a price surge we will intervene in the market by launching large-scale operations," he said.
For market operations, Bulog is preparing 800,000 tons of rice to be released into the market. Of the amount, 500,000 would be for market operation and 300,000 tons of commercial rice.
Actually, Bulog has now begun conducting market operations at a number of locations to stabilize the fluctuation rice prices. With the government step, the people should not be worried about shortage of stocks in the face of the fasting month and the festivities thereafter.
The fourth strategy was ensuring energy supplies, particularly electrical power and fuel oils. Therefore, there must be a good distribution system to ensure that energy supplies would reach all parts of Indonesia, the minister said.
But food is the most essential element during the fasting month. Therefore, Director General for Internal Trade Gunaryo inspected on Monday the bubulak abattoir in Bogor as part of the government efforts to assure the availability of food stocks, including meat. .
He said that food stocks, including meat, are enough in the face of the fasting month next August. He guaranteed the availability meat until the post-fasting Idul Fitri festivities. "We have secure stocks of food stuff such as rice, meat, chicken and others. They are enough until Lebaran (Idul Fitri)," he said.
In the meantime to ensure security during the fasting month in the capital city of Jakarta, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Command is planning to field around 20,000 personnel.
"We have 29,000 personnel and we will field up to 20,000 or two thirds of them for Ramadhan," Jakarta Metropolitan Police Command spokesman Senior Commissioner Baharudin Djafar said.
The police personnel would be assigned until seven days after the Idul Fitri post-fasting holiday. Their operations would include monitoring possible sweeps by community elements on entertainment centers.
In order to meet the need of people for basic necessities and other things during and in the post-fasting month festivities, the government is taking steps to ensure the availability of food, the smooth distribution of staples, stabilize commodity prices and ensure enough energy supplies. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday ordered his ministers to ensure the stability of basic commodity prices, and food availability across the country in the run up to and during the fasting month.
According to Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, the government has prepared four steps in the economic field to anticipate the worst possibilities during the fasting month and during the post-fasting Idul Fitri festivities. In a coordination meeting last week, the relevant ministers formulated the government steps to be carried out in the fasting month that would likely start on the first day next August.
"The first thing is that food must be available in all places," Hatta said.
Food was an essential element during Ramadhan and Lebaran and all people in the predominantly Muslim country must have access to food under whatever conditions, he said. In this case, National Logistics Agency (Bulog) has assured that it has a stock of 1.6 million tons of rice which are enough until the end of the year.
"Stocks are enough for six months ahead. Our supplies are estimated at 1.6 million tons. God Willing, we will have no problems in the post-fasting month festivities," Head of Bulog Sutarto Alimoesa added.
"We can even guarantee that rice stocks are enough until the end of 2011," he added.
The second thing was that the government would ensure smooth distribution of staple foods and other basic necessaries to all regions in the country. Therefore, transportation facilities and infrastructures must be in good condition, Hatta said.
"It must run smoothly. We have decided to anticipate it," he said.
The third strategy is that the government would try its best to stabilize the prices of commodities. After all, the government would tolerate any price hike if it did not go beyond the limits of propriety. Though now prices have begun to spiral up, yet the government sees that it is still within the reasonable level. Director General for Internal Trade of the Ministry of Trade Gunaryo said prices of commodities at present were still within the stable level so that market operations were not yet needed.
"Prices at present are relatively lower than those in the past year," he said. The director general said that market operations would be launched if prices were too high while stocks in the market were running short. "Market operations will be launched if price increases exceeded 15 percent. This is because we have to protect small traders," he added.
Basically, according to Hatta Rajasa, market operations will be carried out if prices are on the rise. "In case of a price surge we will intervene in the market by launching large-scale operations," he said.
For market operations, Bulog is preparing 800,000 tons of rice to be released into the market. Of the amount, 500,000 would be for market operation and 300,000 tons of commercial rice.
Actually, Bulog has now begun conducting market operations at a number of locations to stabilize the fluctuation rice prices. With the government step, the people should not be worried about shortage of stocks in the face of the fasting month and the festivities thereafter.
The fourth strategy was ensuring energy supplies, particularly electrical power and fuel oils. Therefore, there must be a good distribution system to ensure that energy supplies would reach all parts of Indonesia, the minister said.
But food is the most essential element during the fasting month. Therefore, Director General for Internal Trade Gunaryo inspected on Monday the bubulak abattoir in Bogor as part of the government efforts to assure the availability of food stocks, including meat. .
He said that food stocks, including meat, are enough in the face of the fasting month next August. He guaranteed the availability meat until the post-fasting Idul Fitri festivities. "We have secure stocks of food stuff such as rice, meat, chicken and others. They are enough until Lebaran (Idul Fitri)," he said.
In the meantime to ensure security during the fasting month in the capital city of Jakarta, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Command is planning to field around 20,000 personnel.
"We have 29,000 personnel and we will field up to 20,000 or two thirds of them for Ramadhan," Jakarta Metropolitan Police Command spokesman Senior Commissioner Baharudin Djafar said.
The police personnel would be assigned until seven days after the Idul Fitri post-fasting holiday. Their operations would include monitoring possible sweeps by community elements on entertainment centers.
US Stars Accept YouTube Marine Ball Invites
Hollywood stars Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis have accepted YouTube invitations from two US marines, one serving in Afghanistan, to accompany them to military balls.
And singer-turned-actor Timberlake and “Black Swan” star Kunis are having fun with the invitations by a male and female Marine, which went viral on the video-sharing site last week.
“Marines have a lot of balls,” Kunis told the Today show on MSNBC on Monday, confirming that both of them had accepted their invitations to separate balls in November.
“We want to pay honor to our country and embrace their balls,” added Timberlake, who starred in last year’s Oscar-winning Facebook movie “The Social Network.” The story started when a Marine Sgt. Scott Moore, stationed in Musa Qala, southern Afghanistan, posted a video on YouTube inviting Kunis to the Marine Corps Ball on November 18 in Greenville, North Carolina.
Kunis, who co-starred with Natalie Portman in last year’s sexually-charged hit movie “Black Swan,” was asked about the invite during a press interview and spontaneously said she would go. That prompted female marine Corporal Kelsey De Santis to issue an invitation to Timberlake — co-starring with Kunis in a new movie “Friends With Benefits” — to a Marine Corps Ball on November 12 in Washington DC.
“So Justin you wanna call out my girl Mila, well I’m gonna call you out and ask you to go to the Marine Corps Ball with me,” said De Santis, who is stationed in Virginia and is a martial arts expert. Timberlake confirmed he will attend, quipping: “I don’t get asked out, ever. So, I was very flattered by that. And I hear that she’s trained in martial arts, so I’m hoping we can tussle at some point.
“That last bit was a joke,” he added.
And it doesn’t stop there: on Friday veteran US comedy actress Betty White, 90, was invited to a marine ball by Sgt. Ray Lewis, who has served in Afghanistan and Iraq. “She’s funny, she’s sweet, she’s mature, she’s the all around perfect woman,” Lewis says in the YouTube video invitation.
But the 89-year-old declined, diplomatically. “I am deeply flattered and truly appreciate the invitation, as everyone knows I love a man in uniform,” she said, in a statement forwarded by her publicist.
“But unfortunately I cannot accept, as I will be taping an episode of ’Hot In Cleveland,’” she said, referring to her hit show about three ageing showbiz veterans who find renewed fame when they unexpectedly land in Cleveland, Ohio.
And singer-turned-actor Timberlake and “Black Swan” star Kunis are having fun with the invitations by a male and female Marine, which went viral on the video-sharing site last week.
“Marines have a lot of balls,” Kunis told the Today show on MSNBC on Monday, confirming that both of them had accepted their invitations to separate balls in November.
“We want to pay honor to our country and embrace their balls,” added Timberlake, who starred in last year’s Oscar-winning Facebook movie “The Social Network.” The story started when a Marine Sgt. Scott Moore, stationed in Musa Qala, southern Afghanistan, posted a video on YouTube inviting Kunis to the Marine Corps Ball on November 18 in Greenville, North Carolina.
Kunis, who co-starred with Natalie Portman in last year’s sexually-charged hit movie “Black Swan,” was asked about the invite during a press interview and spontaneously said she would go. That prompted female marine Corporal Kelsey De Santis to issue an invitation to Timberlake — co-starring with Kunis in a new movie “Friends With Benefits” — to a Marine Corps Ball on November 12 in Washington DC.
“So Justin you wanna call out my girl Mila, well I’m gonna call you out and ask you to go to the Marine Corps Ball with me,” said De Santis, who is stationed in Virginia and is a martial arts expert. Timberlake confirmed he will attend, quipping: “I don’t get asked out, ever. So, I was very flattered by that. And I hear that she’s trained in martial arts, so I’m hoping we can tussle at some point.
“That last bit was a joke,” he added.
And it doesn’t stop there: on Friday veteran US comedy actress Betty White, 90, was invited to a marine ball by Sgt. Ray Lewis, who has served in Afghanistan and Iraq. “She’s funny, she’s sweet, she’s mature, she’s the all around perfect woman,” Lewis says in the YouTube video invitation.
But the 89-year-old declined, diplomatically. “I am deeply flattered and truly appreciate the invitation, as everyone knows I love a man in uniform,” she said, in a statement forwarded by her publicist.
“But unfortunately I cannot accept, as I will be taping an episode of ’Hot In Cleveland,’” she said, referring to her hit show about three ageing showbiz veterans who find renewed fame when they unexpectedly land in Cleveland, Ohio.
Indonesia's Export to Egypt Up 63.8 Pct
The Egyptian revolution that ousted former president Hosni Mubarak last February did not hamper Indonesia’s non-oil/non-gas exports (to that country) and even rose by 63.8 percent, an Indonesian embassy official here said.
"In the January-March 2011 period, our exports to Egypt even increased by 63.8 percent compared with that in the same period a year earlier," Walther S. Kariodimedjo, acting trade attache at the Indonesian Embassy said on Monday. Walther referred to the Indonesian Trade Ministry’s data which were compiled by the embassy’s trade section.
Based on the embassy’s trade section data, Indonesia’s exports to Egypt in the January - March 2011 period were recorded at 261.8 million US dollars, higher that that in the same period in the previous year which were 159.8 million, or an increase of 63.8 percent.
In the meantime, Indonesia’s imports from that country in the January - March 2011 period declined 26.3 percent to 44.9 million US dollars from 61 million dollars in the same period in 2010.
Indonesia’s imports from Egypt were dominated by among others phosphate, aluminum, cotton, fruit, carpet and textile. The two-way trade values of the two countries in the January - March 2011 period were 307.7 million US dollars, or an increase of 38.8 percent from that in the same period last year which were 220.8 million US dollars.
Walther S. Kariodimedjo said that Indonesia’s main commodity in its exports of about 700 goods to Egypt was crude palm oil (CPO).
According to the Egyptian Central Bureau of Statistics (CAPMAS), Egypt’s CPO imports in the January - March period increased to 86.7 million US dollars compared that in the corresponding period i 2010 which were recorded at 70.5 million US dollars.
Walther said that Indonesia’s exports to Egypt since 2008 continued to increase from year to year and were in favor of Indonesia. In 2010, the two countries’ two way trade values totaled 1.07 billion US dollars, up 18.4 percent from 802.5 million US dollars in 2009.
CAMPMAS recorded that Indonesia had 50 main commodities exported to Egypt, which included CPO, rubber, car tires, papers, motor vehicle spareparts, computers, electric utensils, food stuff and drinks.
BI Aims to Boost Domestic Islamic Finance Industry
Bank Indonesia is aiming to raise the Islamic finance industry's share of the country's total financial market to 10-15% from around 3% at present, a deputy governor said Monday.
To that end, Bank Indonesia Deputy Gov. Halim Alamsyah said in a seminar that the central bank will continue to educate the public about Islamic finance.Alamsyah also said Indonesia's domestic Islamic finance industry was $10 billion to $12 billion in size as of June 30.
The Islamic finance industry is still in its infancy in Indonesia compared with neighbour Malaysia, despite the former having the world's largest Muslim population.
But now the government is keen to develop the local market to diversify sources of funding to help finance its budget deficit.
Indonesia, US Intend to Convene Entrepreneurs, Innovators
Indonesian Ambassador to the US Dino Patti Djalal
Indonesia and the United States are looking forward to an opportunity to bring together innovators and entrepreneurs from the two countries to exchange ideas, an Indonesian official said. "Both Indonesia and the US have a lot of talented people in the science and business sectors. Bringing them together will hopefully unleash great potentials for our future relations," Indonesian Ambassador to the US Dino Patti Djalal said here on Friday at a dialog titled "The Ups and Downs in Indonesia-US Relations".
Speaking through a teleconference from Washington, the ambassador said there was a need to change the mindset in terms of promoting more contacts between both countries and promoting more people-to-people relations was one of the keys.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel who also attended the discussion at the US Cultural Center in Jakarta expressed agreement to the idea to connect Indonesian innovators and entrepreneurs with their American counterparts.
"Relations between Indonesia and the US had turned into a new direction, especially since the signing of the Indonesia-US Comprehensive Partnership Agreement in 2010. I believe when we get our innovators and entrepreneurs together, there will be a lot of excitement on both sides," Dino said.
Speaking through a teleconference from Washington, the ambassador said there was a need to change the mindset in terms of promoting more contacts between both countries and promoting more people-to-people relations was one of the keys.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel who also attended the discussion at the US Cultural Center in Jakarta expressed agreement to the idea to connect Indonesian innovators and entrepreneurs with their American counterparts.
"Relations between Indonesia and the US had turned into a new direction, especially since the signing of the Indonesia-US Comprehensive Partnership Agreement in 2010. I believe when we get our innovators and entrepreneurs together, there will be a lot of excitement on both sides," Dino said.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Indonesian Climbers to Conquer Seventh Summit in 7th Month
After conquering six of the world’s highest mountain peaks, Indonesian mountain climbers grouped in the Seven Summits Expedition Mahitala Unpar, Bandung, left for Alaska, the United States on Saturday, to scale Mount Denali.
The climbers team consisting of Sofyan Arief Fasa, Janathan Ginting, Xaverius Frans and Broery Andrew left for Alaska from Soekarno-Hatta international airport in Tangerang, Banten province, at 02.00 pm western Indonesia standard time (wib) by China Airlines. The climbers grouped in the Seven Summits Expedition Mahitala Unpar (Bandung-based Parahiyangan University) or in short called ISSEMU on May 20, 2011 reached Mount Everest`s peak (8.848 masl) in the Himalayas, coinciding with the 103rd National Awakening Day.
Before reaching the Himalayas, they successfully reached Carstensz Pyramid (4,884 masl) on February 26, 2009 in Indonesia (Australasia), the Kilimanjaro (5,895 meters masl) via Machame on August 10, 2010 in Kenya (Africa), the Elbrus Peak (5,642 masl) in Russia (Europe) on August 24, 2010, Vinson Massive (4,897 masl) in Antarctica on December 13, 2010 and Aconcagua (6,962 masl) in Argentina (South America) on 9 to 29 January 2011.
According to the climbers spokesperson Widyastuti in Jakarta on Saturday (June 18, 2011) the team will conduct acclimatize before scaling the mountain in the North America. The team actually had just arrived in Indonesia on June 2 after completing their expedition to climb to Mount Everest`s peak.
When they arrived home, they were enthusiastically welcomed by their parents, climbers, relatives, students and lecturers of the university. Widyastuti said further that the success of the ISSEMU team was also thanks to the prayers and support of the Indonesian people.
The struggle of the ISSEMU team was started early in April 2011, and the main climbing effort was made on May 12, and the peak of Everest was reached on May 20, 2011 after going through many obstacles posed by bad weather conditions. The Indonesian Red-and-White flag was raised for the first time on six of the highest peaks of the world.
"One peak yet to be reached is Mt Denali’s in Alaska which we hope to accomplish next July," Widyastuti said.
In the meantime, Unpar rector Cicilia Laow wished that the four climbers become the first Indonesian team to hoist the country’s Red-and-White flag on the world’s seven highest mountain peaks. The university has since the beginning fully supported the activities undertaken by Mahitala, in addition to the full support from alumni of one of the leading universities in Bandung.
The university also expected all students involved in the team’s seventh expedition to fully concentrate on the climb. Cicilia Laow expressed hope that after the completion of the climb, all the four climbers should return to their campus. "No more dispensation," she said.
With high spirit and support from all parties such as from the campus, alumni as well as from the sponsor PT Mud King Asia Pacific Raya, the rector hoped the support can accelerate in the realization to be "The Seven Summiters".
Mahitala Unpar is a group of nature loving students set up on April 8, 1974. To date, it has a membership of around 700 people.
Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng when seeing off the team said that he was proud of the achievements of the Indonesian youths. The four Indonesian climbers who are now striving to set foot on the last mountain summit hopefully can reach the seventh mountain peak on the seventh of the month of this year or in line with their expedition planning from June 18 through July 26, 2011.
If the climb is successful then the four climbers deserve the title of "The Seven Summiters".
The climbers team consisting of Sofyan Arief Fasa, Janathan Ginting, Xaverius Frans and Broery Andrew left for Alaska from Soekarno-Hatta international airport in Tangerang, Banten province, at 02.00 pm western Indonesia standard time (wib) by China Airlines. The climbers grouped in the Seven Summits Expedition Mahitala Unpar (Bandung-based Parahiyangan University) or in short called ISSEMU on May 20, 2011 reached Mount Everest`s peak (8.848 masl) in the Himalayas, coinciding with the 103rd National Awakening Day.
Before reaching the Himalayas, they successfully reached Carstensz Pyramid (4,884 masl) on February 26, 2009 in Indonesia (Australasia), the Kilimanjaro (5,895 meters masl) via Machame on August 10, 2010 in Kenya (Africa), the Elbrus Peak (5,642 masl) in Russia (Europe) on August 24, 2010, Vinson Massive (4,897 masl) in Antarctica on December 13, 2010 and Aconcagua (6,962 masl) in Argentina (South America) on 9 to 29 January 2011.
According to the climbers spokesperson Widyastuti in Jakarta on Saturday (June 18, 2011) the team will conduct acclimatize before scaling the mountain in the North America. The team actually had just arrived in Indonesia on June 2 after completing their expedition to climb to Mount Everest`s peak.
When they arrived home, they were enthusiastically welcomed by their parents, climbers, relatives, students and lecturers of the university. Widyastuti said further that the success of the ISSEMU team was also thanks to the prayers and support of the Indonesian people.
The struggle of the ISSEMU team was started early in April 2011, and the main climbing effort was made on May 12, and the peak of Everest was reached on May 20, 2011 after going through many obstacles posed by bad weather conditions. The Indonesian Red-and-White flag was raised for the first time on six of the highest peaks of the world.
"One peak yet to be reached is Mt Denali’s in Alaska which we hope to accomplish next July," Widyastuti said.
In the meantime, Unpar rector Cicilia Laow wished that the four climbers become the first Indonesian team to hoist the country’s Red-and-White flag on the world’s seven highest mountain peaks. The university has since the beginning fully supported the activities undertaken by Mahitala, in addition to the full support from alumni of one of the leading universities in Bandung.
The university also expected all students involved in the team’s seventh expedition to fully concentrate on the climb. Cicilia Laow expressed hope that after the completion of the climb, all the four climbers should return to their campus. "No more dispensation," she said.
With high spirit and support from all parties such as from the campus, alumni as well as from the sponsor PT Mud King Asia Pacific Raya, the rector hoped the support can accelerate in the realization to be "The Seven Summiters".
Mahitala Unpar is a group of nature loving students set up on April 8, 1974. To date, it has a membership of around 700 people.
Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng when seeing off the team said that he was proud of the achievements of the Indonesian youths. The four Indonesian climbers who are now striving to set foot on the last mountain summit hopefully can reach the seventh mountain peak on the seventh of the month of this year or in line with their expedition planning from June 18 through July 26, 2011.
If the climb is successful then the four climbers deserve the title of "The Seven Summiters".
What Will Happen if Indonesia Lack of Food Stocks
Vice President Boediono said Indonesia must always make sure it has sufficient food stocks because food shortages would have far-reaching and fatal consequences such as the threat of poverty, social unrest, security disturbances and other problems.
"Food scarcity can result in an increase in social disturbances and security threats," Boediono said in remarks at the opening of the 13th National Farmer-Fishermen’s Week here.
He said agriculture in Indonesia and the world was now facing its greatest-ever challenge, namely the threat of food scarcities. Therefore, he said, national farmers must work with the aim of increasing food production.
Rising food prices had also become another challenge to the world community, in addition to uncertainties about availability and supplies. To avoid the problems, Indonesia must make sure it can always meet its need for various types of food such as corn, bananas, cassava, and other edible tubers.
If food supply meets the national market’s demand, the nation can be certain that domestic food prices will be stabilized, something that will also have a positive impact on the state’s economic conditions.
Indonesia’s food production must be increased continuously and therefore synergy was needed between the government, private sector, agriculture observers, the farmers and fishermen’s communities. They should all be involved in the production line.
"We must be grateful that God has given us vast natural resources to be used as agricultural areas, and it all must also be used properly," he said.
If the natural resources can be managed well, then it can increase agricultural productivity, so that Indonesia can be free from the global food crisis threat. Furthermore, in order to increase food production, the government must continue fulfill the availability of agricultural facilities and infrastructures such the sufficiency of fertilizer, seeds and other facilities needed.
"Food scarcity can result in an increase in social disturbances and security threats," Boediono said in remarks at the opening of the 13th National Farmer-Fishermen’s Week here.
He said agriculture in Indonesia and the world was now facing its greatest-ever challenge, namely the threat of food scarcities. Therefore, he said, national farmers must work with the aim of increasing food production.
Rising food prices had also become another challenge to the world community, in addition to uncertainties about availability and supplies. To avoid the problems, Indonesia must make sure it can always meet its need for various types of food such as corn, bananas, cassava, and other edible tubers.
If food supply meets the national market’s demand, the nation can be certain that domestic food prices will be stabilized, something that will also have a positive impact on the state’s economic conditions.
Indonesia’s food production must be increased continuously and therefore synergy was needed between the government, private sector, agriculture observers, the farmers and fishermen’s communities. They should all be involved in the production line.
"We must be grateful that God has given us vast natural resources to be used as agricultural areas, and it all must also be used properly," he said.
If the natural resources can be managed well, then it can increase agricultural productivity, so that Indonesia can be free from the global food crisis threat. Furthermore, in order to increase food production, the government must continue fulfill the availability of agricultural facilities and infrastructures such the sufficiency of fertilizer, seeds and other facilities needed.
Indonesia's Future Lies in Oceans
Indonesia, one of the world’s largest maritime countries with about 5.8 million square kilometers of marine territory, recently observed World Oceans Day by reminding the people of the important role of oceans for the nation’s future.
The world’s oceans which account for about 70 percent of the Earth’s surface are essential to food security and the health and survival of all life, power the climate and are a critical part of the biosphere.
The official designation of World Oceans Day (WOD), which falls on June 8, is an opportunity to promote global awareness of the current ocean-related challenges such as depleted fishery resources, the impacts of climate change, deterioration of the marine environment, and maritime safety and security problem
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in his message for World Oceans Day 2011 theme "Our oceans: greening our future", said "All activities and policies related to oceans and the marine environment need to acknowledge and incorporate the three pillars of sustainable development: environmental, social and economic. Only then can we achieve the development objectives set by the international community."
He also urged governments and all sectors of society to embrace the individual and collective responsibility to protect the marine environment and manage its resources in a sustainable manner for present and future generations.
Indonesia has around 92,000 km-long beach and coastal areas, second after Canada. It is the biggest archipelagic country in the world, with around 70% its territory is waters and it has 17,480 islands.
"Local governments must have an awareness of the importance of developing the oceans for the future of the nation," Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said when commemorating the World Ocean Day here recently.
In daily activities, the community enjoys the marine services, such as for transportation, consumption, and recreation, he added. Defense Minister Poernomo Yusgiantoro, who joined Fadel in the WOD commemoration, said small islands in border regions have double functions, namely as marine security and the development of economic potential.
As many as 12 islands in border regions such as Nipah Island, Miangas Island, and Berhala Island are given priority for the double functions. Poernomo also pointed out the very important role of oceans as trading routes because 90 percent of goods in the world is transprted over oceans.
"Therefore, marine security is important to support economic activities in these regions," he said, adding that the country has placed its troops at 12 of 92 outer islands of its border areas.
Despite the huge marine potentials, however, Indonesia has so far been able to utilize only eight percent of its marine potentials so there should be strong efforts to encourage their greater use, according to Minister Fadel Muhammad. The country’s marine and fishery resource potentials are still wide open for development through aquaculture, marine tourism, mining, maritime transportation, and development of marine services.
The contribution of the fishery sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2010 reached 3.1 percent. The ministry had set itself the target of increasing the fisheries sector’s contribution to GDP from 3.1 percent to 3.5 percent in 2011.
Fishery exports in 2010 ware estimated to reach a total value of 2.79 billion US dollars, up from 2.46 billion US dollars in 2009. Chairman of Indonesian Fishery Product Processing and Marketing Association Thomas Darmawan recently suggested that the government support traditional fishermen by giving them a subsidy to buy more sophisticated fishing tools.
For example, he said, many traditional fishermen in Indonesia did not have cooling devices to preserve their catches’ freshness during transportation. "Our fishermen also need capacity building trainings such as how to operate sophisticated fishing tools or learn other useful fishing skills," he said.
As part of the capacity building plan, Fadel had asked higher education institutes to create reliable and capable human resources for the maritime and fishery sector in Indonesia. "The Higher Education Cooperation Forum is of strategic significance in the development of maritime-and-fishery-related education and national development in the maritime and fishery sector," Fadel said after meeting with Vice President Boediono at the latter’s office last May 2011.
The Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry had also set aside Rp212 billion, or 33 percent of its total budget, to improve the welfare of fishermen through several empowerment programs. Minister Fadel said that the programs included housing for fishermen, villagers’ fish pond empowerment, fishermen’s groups improvement and procurement of boats for fishermen through regional governments.
He will propose a budget of Rp1.2 trillion especially for improving the welfare of fishermen in 2012. The ministry plans to hold a forum and expo themed Indonesian Blue Revolution or IBREF 2011. Around 60 marine industries will take part in the expo to be held from October 6-9, 2011 at the Jakarta Convention Center.
IBREF 2011 is a forum to promote a change in the developmental paradigm from land- to sea-oriented, and balance between land and marine development, Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said recently when launching the forum and expo.
"The event is also a means to promote the wealth of Indonesia’s marine resources and the beauty of its submarine environment. It will show Indonesia as a strong and great maritime nation," the minister said.
Indonesia organized the first World Ocean Conference (WOC) in Manado, North Sulawesi, bringing together experts and officials from over 70 countries, in May 2009.
The world’s oceans which account for about 70 percent of the Earth’s surface are essential to food security and the health and survival of all life, power the climate and are a critical part of the biosphere.
The official designation of World Oceans Day (WOD), which falls on June 8, is an opportunity to promote global awareness of the current ocean-related challenges such as depleted fishery resources, the impacts of climate change, deterioration of the marine environment, and maritime safety and security problem
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in his message for World Oceans Day 2011 theme "Our oceans: greening our future", said "All activities and policies related to oceans and the marine environment need to acknowledge and incorporate the three pillars of sustainable development: environmental, social and economic. Only then can we achieve the development objectives set by the international community."
He also urged governments and all sectors of society to embrace the individual and collective responsibility to protect the marine environment and manage its resources in a sustainable manner for present and future generations.
Indonesia has around 92,000 km-long beach and coastal areas, second after Canada. It is the biggest archipelagic country in the world, with around 70% its territory is waters and it has 17,480 islands.
"Local governments must have an awareness of the importance of developing the oceans for the future of the nation," Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said when commemorating the World Ocean Day here recently.
In daily activities, the community enjoys the marine services, such as for transportation, consumption, and recreation, he added. Defense Minister Poernomo Yusgiantoro, who joined Fadel in the WOD commemoration, said small islands in border regions have double functions, namely as marine security and the development of economic potential.
As many as 12 islands in border regions such as Nipah Island, Miangas Island, and Berhala Island are given priority for the double functions. Poernomo also pointed out the very important role of oceans as trading routes because 90 percent of goods in the world is transprted over oceans.
"Therefore, marine security is important to support economic activities in these regions," he said, adding that the country has placed its troops at 12 of 92 outer islands of its border areas.
Despite the huge marine potentials, however, Indonesia has so far been able to utilize only eight percent of its marine potentials so there should be strong efforts to encourage their greater use, according to Minister Fadel Muhammad. The country’s marine and fishery resource potentials are still wide open for development through aquaculture, marine tourism, mining, maritime transportation, and development of marine services.
The contribution of the fishery sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2010 reached 3.1 percent. The ministry had set itself the target of increasing the fisheries sector’s contribution to GDP from 3.1 percent to 3.5 percent in 2011.
Fishery exports in 2010 ware estimated to reach a total value of 2.79 billion US dollars, up from 2.46 billion US dollars in 2009. Chairman of Indonesian Fishery Product Processing and Marketing Association Thomas Darmawan recently suggested that the government support traditional fishermen by giving them a subsidy to buy more sophisticated fishing tools.
For example, he said, many traditional fishermen in Indonesia did not have cooling devices to preserve their catches’ freshness during transportation. "Our fishermen also need capacity building trainings such as how to operate sophisticated fishing tools or learn other useful fishing skills," he said.
As part of the capacity building plan, Fadel had asked higher education institutes to create reliable and capable human resources for the maritime and fishery sector in Indonesia. "The Higher Education Cooperation Forum is of strategic significance in the development of maritime-and-fishery-related education and national development in the maritime and fishery sector," Fadel said after meeting with Vice President Boediono at the latter’s office last May 2011.
The Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry had also set aside Rp212 billion, or 33 percent of its total budget, to improve the welfare of fishermen through several empowerment programs. Minister Fadel said that the programs included housing for fishermen, villagers’ fish pond empowerment, fishermen’s groups improvement and procurement of boats for fishermen through regional governments.
He will propose a budget of Rp1.2 trillion especially for improving the welfare of fishermen in 2012. The ministry plans to hold a forum and expo themed Indonesian Blue Revolution or IBREF 2011. Around 60 marine industries will take part in the expo to be held from October 6-9, 2011 at the Jakarta Convention Center.
IBREF 2011 is a forum to promote a change in the developmental paradigm from land- to sea-oriented, and balance between land and marine development, Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said recently when launching the forum and expo.
"The event is also a means to promote the wealth of Indonesia’s marine resources and the beauty of its submarine environment. It will show Indonesia as a strong and great maritime nation," the minister said.
Indonesia organized the first World Ocean Conference (WOC) in Manado, North Sulawesi, bringing together experts and officials from over 70 countries, in May 2009.
Saudi Beheads Indonesian Woman Convicted of Murder
An Indonesian woman was beheaded by the sword on Saturday after being convicted of murdering a Saudi woman, the interior ministry said.
The woman named Roiaiti Beth Sabotti Sarona, according to a transliteration from Arabic, was found guilty of killing Saudi Khairiya bint Hamid Mijlid by striking her repeatedly on the head with a meat chopper and stabbing her in the neck, the ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency.
The ministry did not elaborate on the motives of the crime, nor it did disclose the relation between the two women. But Indonesian officials say that around 70 percent of the 1.2 million Indonesians working in Saudi Arabia are domestic staff.
The beheading in the western province of Mecca brings the number of executions in the ultra-conservative kingdom this year to 28, according to an AFP tally based on official and human rights group reports.
London-based watchdog Amnesty International called on Saudi Arabia last week to stop applying the death penalty, saying there had been a significant rise in the number of executions carried out over the past six weeks.
It said at least 27 people have been executed in Saudi Arabia in 2011, "the same as the total number of people executed in the whole of 2010. Fifteen people were executed in May alone." In 2009, the number of executions reached 67, compared to 102 in 2008.
Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under Saudi Arabia’s strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law.
The woman named Roiaiti Beth Sabotti Sarona, according to a transliteration from Arabic, was found guilty of killing Saudi Khairiya bint Hamid Mijlid by striking her repeatedly on the head with a meat chopper and stabbing her in the neck, the ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency.
The ministry did not elaborate on the motives of the crime, nor it did disclose the relation between the two women. But Indonesian officials say that around 70 percent of the 1.2 million Indonesians working in Saudi Arabia are domestic staff.
The beheading in the western province of Mecca brings the number of executions in the ultra-conservative kingdom this year to 28, according to an AFP tally based on official and human rights group reports.
London-based watchdog Amnesty International called on Saudi Arabia last week to stop applying the death penalty, saying there had been a significant rise in the number of executions carried out over the past six weeks.
It said at least 27 people have been executed in Saudi Arabia in 2011, "the same as the total number of people executed in the whole of 2010. Fifteen people were executed in May alone." In 2009, the number of executions reached 67, compared to 102 in 2008.
Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under Saudi Arabia’s strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law.
Audi Sees "Dramatic" Industry Shift Towards Emerging Market
Audi AG Chairman Rupert Stadler stands next to the new Q5 Hybrid car during a presentation during the first media day of the 81st Geneva International Motor Show at the Palexpo in Geneva March 1, 2011.
German premium car maker Audi AG expects emerging markets to fuel growth for the auto industry in coming years, with the luxury-car segment anticipated to grow faster than the overall market.
“The so-called BRIC-states plus Indonesia and South Korea will account for more than half of the global economic growth until 2025,“ Chief Executive Rupert Stadler said Thursday at a luncheon event organized by the American Chamber of Commerce. BRIC is the acronym for Brazil, Russia, India and China.
“We have to decide now how we want to position ourselves for this future,“ Stadler said. He noted, however, that the U.S. will remain a key market for the auto industry and added that competition there is heating up again after the recovery of U.S. rivals. Stadler said he wants to increase Audi's footprint in the U.S. without granting high rebates to boost market share.
He reiterated that Audi is considering starting car production in the U.S. “We want to transfer our successful strategy from China and Europe to the U.S.,“ Stadler said. He didn't elaborate on the time frame when production in the U.S could start.
The world's third-largest luxury car maker by sales volume after BMW AG and Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz brand targets a new global sales record of more than 1.2 million cars this year after selling 1.09 million vehicles in 2010, driven by booming demand for luxury cars across the globe. China is set to be become Audi's largest market this year with anticipated sales of around 280,000 cars.
Stadler told German TV station DAF in an interview that Audi might even surpass the 280,000 sales mark in China this year. In the first five months of the year, Audi sold around 535,400 cars worldwide, up almost 18% on the year.
Stadler dismissed recent media reports suggesting the new small A1 suffers from sluggish demand. “Its selling very well,“ he said, adding that the car is on track to reach its sales target of 120,000 cars in 2011.
In May, parent Volkswagen AG inaugurated its new production plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., a cornerstone of the German auto maker's global expansion plan and a crucial step to make its loss-making U.S. operations profitable again. Volkswagen wants to roughly triple its U.S. sales volume to more than 1 million by 2018, with the Audi brand accounting for 200,000 cars.
Audi is a key earnings contributor for Europe's largest auto maker by sales. Audi's first-quarter revenue was up 27% on the year at EUR10.5 billion. Operating profit rose to EUR1.12 billion from EUR478 million in the same period last year. Audi's operating return on sales was 10.6% in the first quarter after 5.8% last year, making it one of the world's most profitable car makers. Chief Financial Officer Axel Strotbek said earlier this year he expects profitability in 2011 to remain at last year's level.
Now Apple Wants to Block iPhone Users from Filming Live Events
On the way out Apple is developing software that will sense when an iPhone user is recording a live event, and then switch off the devices camera.
The days of filming a live concert or sporting event on your iPhone may soon be a distant memory. Apple is developing software that will sense when a smartphone user is trying to record a live event, and then switch off the device's camera.
Anybody holding up their iPhone will find it triggers infra-red sensors installed at the venue. These sensors would then automatically instruct the iPhone to shut down its camera function, preventing an footage from being recorded.
Only the iPhone's camera would be temporarily disabled; other features, such as texting and making calls, would still work. Apple filed a patent application 18 months ago in Calfornia. It has just come to light after being obtained by The Times.
Such a development would be welcomed with open arms by many concertgoers, fed up with their view being blocked by a sea of glowing mobile phone screens. However, the real reason Apple is developing the technology is to placate broadcasters upset that members of the public are posting footage of events on websites including YouTube when they have bought the exclusive rights.
Many of these firms sell their own recordings of high-profile events, including Glastonbury and Wimbledon, and dislike being pipped to the post by reams of amateur footage online.
Assisting record companies in this manner is likely to help Apple secure more favourable terms with labels when negotiating deals to place music for sale on its iTunes website. It could also potentially provide Apple with another source of revenue by charging people to film live events.
The development comes just days after iPhone users in the U.S. found out they no longer have to rely on hackers to 'unlock' their devices to switch carriers or save money when travelling.
Apple quietly started selling 'unlocked' iPhones in the U.S. for the first time on its websites and in stores, for $649 and $749 depending on how much memory they have.
The devices are identical to the versions sold for use on AT&T Inc's network, but don't require a two-year contract. The buyer will separately have to buy a Subscriber Identity Module, or SIM card, from a carrier to activate the phone.
Apart from AT&T, the only national U.S. carrier that's compatible with the phone is T-Mobile USA, and it can provide only phone calls and low data speeds.
Densus 88 Arrests Two Terror Suspects in Jakarta
The Densus 88 counter-terrorism squad arrested two terror suspects identified by their initials IM and AH here, Wednesday evening.
"The two suspects, IM and AH, were detained last night in Jakarta following information from other terror suspects," Brig Gen Ketut Untung Yoga Ana, a spokesman of the National Police, said here Thursday.
They were suspected of having been involved in the military training in Aceh Province, he said. Previously, police have arrested 14 alleged terrorists, namely two in Pekalongan (Central Java), two in East Kalimantan, seven in Jakarta, two in Central Sulawesi and one in Bandung (West Java ½Province).
The two suspected terrorists arrested in Kutai Kartanegara District, East Kalimantan Province, are Muhammad Sibghotulloh alias Faisal and Yuwardi. They were suspected to being involved in the bombing of Adz Zikra mosque in Cirebon, West Java, recently.
The suspects were also believed to have planned police shooting in Palu, central Sulawesi, supplied weapons from the Philippines. Yuwardi and Faisal were arrested by the Densus 88 of the National Police on June 11, 2011. Meanwhile, the Densus 88 counter-terrorism squad arrested a terror suspect at Jalan Salemba, Central Jakarta, early Thursday.
"True, we are still developing the case," said an officer of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police who spoke on condition of anonymity here on Thursday.
The terror suspect, identified by his initials as IR, was arrested in front of the YAI campus. Chief of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s public relations service Snr Comr Baharudin Djafar confirmed the arrest of the terror suspect who had been declared a fugitive.
"True, but for more details, contact the Indonesian Police Headquarters for confirmation," he said. Baharudin stated he had received a report from the chief of the Central Jakarta police that Densus 88 had arrested a terror suspect, identified by his initials as IR.
"The two suspects, IM and AH, were detained last night in Jakarta following information from other terror suspects," Brig Gen Ketut Untung Yoga Ana, a spokesman of the National Police, said here Thursday.
They were suspected of having been involved in the military training in Aceh Province, he said. Previously, police have arrested 14 alleged terrorists, namely two in Pekalongan (Central Java), two in East Kalimantan, seven in Jakarta, two in Central Sulawesi and one in Bandung (West Java ½Province).
The two suspected terrorists arrested in Kutai Kartanegara District, East Kalimantan Province, are Muhammad Sibghotulloh alias Faisal and Yuwardi. They were suspected to being involved in the bombing of Adz Zikra mosque in Cirebon, West Java, recently.
The suspects were also believed to have planned police shooting in Palu, central Sulawesi, supplied weapons from the Philippines. Yuwardi and Faisal were arrested by the Densus 88 of the National Police on June 11, 2011. Meanwhile, the Densus 88 counter-terrorism squad arrested a terror suspect at Jalan Salemba, Central Jakarta, early Thursday.
"True, we are still developing the case," said an officer of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police who spoke on condition of anonymity here on Thursday.
The terror suspect, identified by his initials as IR, was arrested in front of the YAI campus. Chief of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s public relations service Snr Comr Baharudin Djafar confirmed the arrest of the terror suspect who had been declared a fugitive.
"True, but for more details, contact the Indonesian Police Headquarters for confirmation," he said. Baharudin stated he had received a report from the chief of the Central Jakarta police that Densus 88 had arrested a terror suspect, identified by his initials as IR.
Indonesia Cleric Gets 15 Years for Inciting Terror
A poster of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is hung as supporters of Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir gather after Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashirs hearing verdict at the South Jakarta District Court on June 16, 2011 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Bashir was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison on terrorism charges.The Indonesian Muslim cleric known as spiritual leader of the militants who carried out the deadly 2002 Bali bombings was sentenced Thursday to 15 years in prison for his support of a terror training camp uncovered last year.
Abu Bakar Bashir's conviction for incitement of terrorism followed two unsuccessful attempts by prosecutors over the past eight years to link him to terror activities, including a conviction that was later overturned in the Bali attacks that killed 202 people.
The relatively stern sentence for Bashir, now 72, shows Indonesia's continuing resolve to tackle its deadly extremist movement. The verdict was announced at a Jakarta courthouse amid tight security, with nearly 3,200 police and soldiers patrolling the surrounding area.
Bashir, who denies involvement in terrorism, rejected the ruling, and his lawyer said it would be appealed. "This verdict ignores Sharia law and is based on the infidel law, so it's forbidden for me to accept it," Bashir said in the courtroom.
Hundreds of Bashir's supporters outside the court, some carrying placards saying "Free Abu Bakar Bashir," reacted to the ruling with shock. Many shouted "God is Great" and others wept. Their leaders urged them to be calm. The crowd dispersed peacefully.
The aging cleric has been a potent symbol for Indonesia's radical Islamists and, even if not operationally involved in terrorist attacks, is believed by experts to provide crucial ideological sanction for violent extremism.
Prosecutors said Bashir provided key support for a jihadi training camp discovered in early 2010 in westernmost Aceh province that brought together men from almost every known Indonesian extremist group. Militants there allegedly intended to carry out attacks on foreigners and assassinations of moderate Muslim leaders such as Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Bashir was found guilty of inciting terrorism in connection with the jungle camp. But he was not convicted of a charge of funding terrorist activities, with the panel of judges saying there was not enough evidence to prove that Bashir knew that money he raised was used to purchase guns for the training camp.
Arrested militants testified that Bashir watched a video of the Aceh military training and received written reports assuring him that funds he had raised were being used for the struggle to build an Islamic state.
Bashir denied involvement in the camp but repeatedly defended it as legal under Islam. He told reporters before the verdict that the trial was an attempt by the U.S. and Australia "to eliminate me from Indonesia."
Jemaah Islamiyah, the radical group co-founded by Bashir, thrust Indonesia into the front lines of the battle against terrorism with its bombings on the tourist island of Bali that killed 202 people, many of them Australians and Americans.
Since then, the government's counterterrorism campaign has had notable successes, including convictions of dozens of Jemaah Islamiyah operatives in the Bali blasts. Three were executed.
Key radicals also have been killed in shootouts, hundreds of foot soldiers arrested, and the capacity of groups like Jemaah Islamiyah to strike at government and Western targets within Indonesia has been disrupted.
The sentence is "an indication of how strong the Indonesian government's commitment continues to be in terms of prosecuting terrorism in open trials and through effective law enforcement," said Sidney Jones, an expert on Southeast Asian terrorism at the International Crisis Group.
"But it doesn't have a direct impact on the strength or weakness of the terrorist threat. Most of the people we see active now are operating in small groups without direction from a single leader like Bashir," she said.
Australia welcomed the verdict, with Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd saying it will bring "some measure of justice" to the families of victims of terrorism, and that "full credit" goes to Indonesian authorities for pursuing the case.
Authorities raided the Aceh camp in February of last year, and arrested more than 120 suspected terrorist in the ensuing months. Some experts say the camp's organizers envisaged it as a vehicle for radicalizing the Acehnese people and as the nucleus of a future Islamic state.
In his summary of the trial, presiding judge Herry Swantoro said militants arrested in the raids had testified that they learned to use weapons, read maps and other aspects of military training at the camp. Prosecutors had said Bashir raised about 1.03 billion Indonesian rupiah ($120,800), which was used to buy guns, ammunition and equipment for jihadist training.
Bashir spent previous stints in detention. He was arrested almost immediately after the Bali bombings, but prosecutors were unable to prove a string of terrorism-related allegations and reduced his four-year prison sentence to 18 months for immigration violations.
Soon after his release, he was re-arrested and sentenced to 2 1/2 years, this time for inciting the Bali blasts, a charge that was overturned on appeal. He was freed in 2006. Brian Deegan, whose 21-year-old son Josh was among the 88 Australians killed in the Bali bombings, welcomed the sentence.
Deegan, a lawyer in the southern Australian city of Adelaide, said victims and their families would be satisfied with Bashir's harsher sentence this time. "It gives a degree of satisfaction that the courts are treating him more appropriately than they did with respect to the Bali tragedy," Deegan said.
Millions of Indonesians to Have Electronic ID Cards
Of the total 172 million eligible people in Indonesia, 67 million living in 187 districts/cities in the country will get electronic identity (e-ID) cards this year.
"The remaining 105 million in 300 districts/cities (will have e-ID cards) in 2012," Dr Hammam Riza, head of the communications and information technology center of the Technology Application and Study Agency (BPPT), said here Thursday.
Dr Hammam was optimistic that the target would be achieved as scheduled. In 2010, e-ID card pilot projects were carried out in six sub districts in six districts, by involving around 150,000 residents.
The program of the life-long National Identification Numbers (NIK) has been carried out nation-wide from 2010 to 2011. In the e-ID cards, 8-kb chips containing 27 kinds of data and using 10 finger-print and eye biometric system of each resident, will be inserted.
"The objective of the e-ID cards is to prevent ID forgery or double, so every resident will only have one ID. Besides, the e-ID cards can also be used for other purposes, such as banking, taxation, insurance and Direct Cash Assistance," he said.
The home affairs ministry has allocated a budget amounting to Rp6.3 trillion from the state budget for the application of the e-ID cards, including for the logistics such as cards, card readers, finger print scanners, cameras, signature pads, servers, and trainings for 40,000 operators in every district/city.
"It’s now in the stage of tender," he said, adding that most of the equipment has to be imported. Multi-function e-ID cards have been applied in Jembrana District, Bali Province, by using "smart cards" with chips but without biometric.
"Jembrana District is a success example, but later on, they have to change their Jembrana ID cards to the national e-ID cards because the national Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) checking is different," he said. India and China have applied e-ID cards, he said. India uses biometric system without chips, while China uses chips without biometric system.
"The remaining 105 million in 300 districts/cities (will have e-ID cards) in 2012," Dr Hammam Riza, head of the communications and information technology center of the Technology Application and Study Agency (BPPT), said here Thursday.
Dr Hammam was optimistic that the target would be achieved as scheduled. In 2010, e-ID card pilot projects were carried out in six sub districts in six districts, by involving around 150,000 residents.
The program of the life-long National Identification Numbers (NIK) has been carried out nation-wide from 2010 to 2011. In the e-ID cards, 8-kb chips containing 27 kinds of data and using 10 finger-print and eye biometric system of each resident, will be inserted.
"The objective of the e-ID cards is to prevent ID forgery or double, so every resident will only have one ID. Besides, the e-ID cards can also be used for other purposes, such as banking, taxation, insurance and Direct Cash Assistance," he said.
The home affairs ministry has allocated a budget amounting to Rp6.3 trillion from the state budget for the application of the e-ID cards, including for the logistics such as cards, card readers, finger print scanners, cameras, signature pads, servers, and trainings for 40,000 operators in every district/city.
"It’s now in the stage of tender," he said, adding that most of the equipment has to be imported. Multi-function e-ID cards have been applied in Jembrana District, Bali Province, by using "smart cards" with chips but without biometric.
"Jembrana District is a success example, but later on, they have to change their Jembrana ID cards to the national e-ID cards because the national Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) checking is different," he said. India and China have applied e-ID cards, he said. India uses biometric system without chips, while China uses chips without biometric system.
Time for Indonesia to Have Multi Airport System
The time has come for Indonesia to build a multi airport system because it will not only reduce density in the main airport, it will also give an alternative to the metropolitan population in traveling and reduce distance to the airport.
This was a conclusion in a discussion "The need for Multi Airports in several big cities in Indonesia in anticipation of future demands for air transportation", head of the training and development institute of the transportation ministry Denny Siahaan said here Thursday.
Denny also said that a multi airport system can also promote regional economic growth and increase competitiveness among airport managers. He said the building of multi airports is also carried in a decision of Transportation Minister No KM 7 of 2010 on a strategic plan of the Transportation Ministry of 2010-2014, which include the building of a multi airport in Jakarta to support the Soekarno Hatta international airport.
He also stated that the discussion attended by transportation ministry officials, transportation experts, aviation and airport practitioners as well as private companies also drew a conclusion that a multi airport system needs to be built in a metropolitan center, especially with airport hubs with primary service scales, and with more than five million passengers per year.
He said there was an idea to build Halim Perdana Kusuma airport, Budiarto airport in Curug, and Pondok Cabe airport into multi airports. The location of a new airport had also been set in Cikarang and some other areas, as alternatives to accommodate increased demands for air transportation in the future.
An aviation observer and former airport technical director Ir. Yayoen Wahyoe said on the occasion that technical matters need to be considered in building a multi airport namely prioritizing operational delays rather than over capacities. In the meantime, former president director of PT. Angkasa Pura I Fachri Zainuddin said at the discussions that in building multi airports in metropolitan areas in Indonesia need close coordination between the central government, regional administrations, airport authorities, ATC activities, airline businesses and land transportation.
"Another very important consideration is the national space plan and provincial, regency and city space plans," he said.
In the meantime airport director of the transportation ministry Bambang Tjahjono said in 2010 there are 12 airports managed by PT Angkasa Pura I with a total capacity of 30,700,440 people and a movement of 49,237,437 passengers. There are 13 airports run by PT. Angkasa Pura II with a total capacity of 30,815,000 people and a movement of 62,215,834 passengers.
In the meantime, he said the number of passengers in the 2009-2014 period had been projected to grow by 10 pct, in the 2015-2020 period by 8 pct, in the 2021-2030 period by 5 pct, in the 2009-2014 period by 17 pct, in the 2015-2020 period by 10 pct, and in the 2021-2030 period by 10 pct.
Navy Ship That Buried bin Laden Returns Home
Family members hold up welcome signs as the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier returns to its homeport at Naval Station North Island in Coronado, California June 15, 2011. The USS Carl Vinson returned from a seven month deployment that became historic last month when the aircraft carrier buried Osama bin Laden at sea.
Thousands of sailors aboard the USS Carl Vinson jubilantly returned to their home port Wednesday, four days before Father's Day and nearly seven weeks after the ship carried Osama bin Laden's body to a burial at sea.Jim Rhoades, who came from Philadelphia to greet his son, held a sign that read: "Mission Impossible: This Time for Real," a reference to President George W. Bush's 2003 speech at the same location after the invasion of Iraq. The sign featured a photo of bin Laden with red X's over his eyes.
"It just says that these guys have done well," said Rhoades, 50. "They deserve credit."
The USS Carl Vinson was in the North Arabian Sea on May 2 when it received a Navy SEAL team carrying the al-Qaida leader's body. The body was placed in a weighted bag, an officer made religious remarks, and it was dropped into the sea.
Sailors have been ordered to avoid talking about the operation. Rear Adm. Samuel Perez, the Vinson strike group commander, relented only slightly when asked to describe sailors' morale in early May.
"I think everybody was pretty stoked," Perez told reporters. "I think that first week of May everybody was sitting there looking around very proud to have been part of that piece of history."
Several thousand family members and friends cheered and waved American flags and "Welcome Home" signs as the carrier arrived at Naval Base Coronado from its six-month deployment — a far higher turnout than a typical homecoming. There were five live bands, compared to the usual one or two when carriers return.
About 5,000 sailors, pilots and crew members walked off the ship with hundreds of family members who were invited for the final leg from Hawaii. One father hugged his newborn son for the first time.
Security was tight but not unusual. Family and friends were questioned at the gate and walked through metal detectors before approaching the ship.
Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Ray of Lewiston, Maine, was greeted by his wife and two young children, dressed in red, white and blue. "We were able to go out there and accomplish our mission," he said. "We met or exceeded every goal we were supposed to meet."
"It just says that these guys have done well," said Rhoades, 50. "They deserve credit."
The USS Carl Vinson was in the North Arabian Sea on May 2 when it received a Navy SEAL team carrying the al-Qaida leader's body. The body was placed in a weighted bag, an officer made religious remarks, and it was dropped into the sea.
Sailors have been ordered to avoid talking about the operation. Rear Adm. Samuel Perez, the Vinson strike group commander, relented only slightly when asked to describe sailors' morale in early May.
"I think everybody was pretty stoked," Perez told reporters. "I think that first week of May everybody was sitting there looking around very proud to have been part of that piece of history."
Several thousand family members and friends cheered and waved American flags and "Welcome Home" signs as the carrier arrived at Naval Base Coronado from its six-month deployment — a far higher turnout than a typical homecoming. There were five live bands, compared to the usual one or two when carriers return.
About 5,000 sailors, pilots and crew members walked off the ship with hundreds of family members who were invited for the final leg from Hawaii. One father hugged his newborn son for the first time.
Security was tight but not unusual. Family and friends were questioned at the gate and walked through metal detectors before approaching the ship.
Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Ray of Lewiston, Maine, was greeted by his wife and two young children, dressed in red, white and blue. "We were able to go out there and accomplish our mission," he said. "We met or exceeded every goal we were supposed to meet."
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Strengthening ASEAN Education System with IT
A member of Commission X of the House of Representatives Angelina Sondakh said ASEAN may strengthen its education system using information and technology tools optimally.
"For example, the government may set up an online forum for ASEAN teachers and students for interaction and share information about the education system in each member country," she said here on Tuesday in response to the 18th ASEAN Summit held in Jakarta on May 7 and 8.
Angelina hoped the online forum would help ASEAN students and teachers to improve and strengthen education in their countries. The former Miss Indonesia said ASEAN member countries needed to improve its education system to a high level such as those in some other Asian countries and in the West.
She also said an almost similar culture in ASEAN countries might help the process of interaction and transfer of knowledge among the students and teachers in the region. Apart from benefiting the students and teachers, ASEAN cooperation in education sector was also expected to help develop the research sector for academicians and practitioners.
Earlier in the 18th ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, representatives from ASEAN youth community who had the chance to meet ASEAN leaders said they wished for more training and education on entrepreneurship and leadership.
"Such programs should not only help us improve our skills but also enable us, youths in ASEAN countries, to get to know each other better," Lion Florish III, a member of the community said.
Meanwhile, Indonesian youth representative Iman Usman said the youth plays an important role in realizing the ASEAN dream to be a single community in 2015. Therefore, activities that support the youth in raising their quality as humans must be supported by all parties, especially governments.
Iman also called on the governments of ASEAN countries to provide more scholarships for young people from countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam in the hope it would help boost the development of human resources in the four countries.
BlackBerry Torch 9800
BlackBerry 6 OS delivers a touch of magic for the corporate crowd.
Last Wednesday I took at look at the Torch 9800, running the slick BlackBerry 6 OS which has borrowed some of the best aspects of Android and iOS to bring the Volvo of smartphones into the modern age. Today I want to wrap up with a look at a few apps.
The browser has long been BlackBerry's Achilles' Heel so, as a fan of Android and iOS, naturally the new WebKit browser caught my attention. The Torch 9800 is not as fast to render pages at the iPhone 4 or high-end Android phones, but once pages load you've got the joys of flick to scroll, pinch to zoom and tap to zoom which focuses on columns of text. You can also open multiple windows and easily switch between them.
Complicated web pages, such as the full front page of the SMH, remain responsive - impressive since the Torch 9800 lacks the processing grunt of its high-end competitors. The developers have embraced technologies such as HTML5 and CSS3 to help BlackBerry 6 OS keep up with the times.
I still think that Mobile Safari is the best smartphone browser and the BlackBerry browser is rough around the edges. For example, if you click in a text box in Mobile Safari it automatically zooms in so you can see what you’re typing. Not so with the BlackBerry. Just like the early Android browser, the BlackBerry team really need to swallow their pride and turn more to the iPhone for inspiration when it comes to the little things that make the difference between a good and great mobile browsing experience.
Those hoping for Flash-compatibility on the Torch 9800 are out of luck - although it’s reportedly on the roadmap (and has been for a long time). RIM announced this week that we won’t see Flash on the new Bold 9900 running BlackBerry 7 OS, which isn’t promising. I think people are more likely to tolerate the lack of Flash in a business-focused phone like a BlackBerry than a consumer-focused phone like the iPhone 4. Regardless of what Steve Jobs says, the high-end Android phones prove that you can get smooth Flash performance on a smartphone.
The Torch 9800's 3.2-inch 480x360 LCD screen is very impressive and stands up well to what I've dubbed the Costello test (see the image below). Viewed on the 9800 you get good viewing angles, great contrast and detail, excellent skin tones and very white whites.
It's up there with the iPhone 4, although the Torch 9800 betrays its lower pixel density when you look at pages with thumbnails of photos - they look pixelated on the Torch 9800’s 187 ppi screen compared to the iPhone 4’s razor sharp 329 ppi display.
The other new app I thought worth a look is Social Feeds, offering easier access to your various social media feeds. The Torch 9800 features standalone Facebook, Twitter and MySpace apps, but Social Feeds is compatible with AIM, BlackBerry Messenger, Facebook, Google Talk, MySpace, Twitter, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and various RSS feeds. You can elect to receive notification of updates and integrate Social feeds with the Messages Application.
Logging into Facebook reveals some of the tight contact integration that I love about some Android devices. You’ve got the option to sync your phone with Facebook’s Messages, Calendar and Contacts apps, including the ability to update an existing contact's photo if they’re a Facebook friend. Notifications from services such as Facebook and Twitter show up in the home screen’s notification bar.
Social Feeds shows a combined timeline of all your social networking feeds, plus it’s easy to tap the top menu and narrow it down to one feed. You can also see notifications show up in your Messages inbox along with your email and text messages. Meanwhile if you tap on an entry in your contacts list, you’ll see recent activity including their social networking updates.
There are plenty of other great new features I’ve failed to mention, but the slick WebKit browser and beautiful execution of Social Feeds say to me that the BlackBerry team is paying more than lip service to its promises to make BlackBerry 6 OS a great tool for work and play.
Taking many of my favourite Android features, stirring in a pinch of iOS and baking it all into a solid, corporate-friendly, touch-enabled mobile OS has produced a very slick device in the Torch 9800. As the smartphone war hots up and some players fall by the wayside, it’s clear that BlackBerry still has a lot to offer and corporate users can have the best of both worlds.
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