Indonesia’s recent plan on live cattle and beef import from Australia

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The Indonesia-Australia trade relationship is once again being put to the test. There have been strong rumors circulating about Indonesia’s plan to cut its live cattle and beef import quota from Australia to an amount that is only slightly over half of the 2011 quota.

Export permits may be issued for a total of only 283,000 head of live cattle for 2012. Interestingly, the news has attracted attention from Australian media more than Indonesian media. The plan for the quota cut is said to be related to the 2011 live cattle census.

How reliable is Indonesia’s census data? To the author’s knowledge, there has not been an official release regarding results from the 2011 live cattle census issued by the Indonesian government or Agriculture Ministry. However, according to various Australian news portals, the census concludes that Indonesia has 14.8 million head of cattle.

The results suggest a relatively significant jump from the usual historical trend. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) statistics, Indonesia’s live cattle stocks amounted to 12.8 million in 2009.
Between 2005 and 2009, annual stock growth had been about 4 percent.

This implies that to have 14.8 million head of live cattle in 2011 as determined by the census, between 2009 and 2011 Indonesia must have increased its annual stock growth by nearly twice as much as during the 2005-2009 period, namely by about 7.5 percent.

It is true that the Indonesian government through the Agriculture Ministry has implemented various programs in order to achieve self-sufficiency in livestock; a target which has been announced and, yet, delayed, since 2005. The programs have included lowering productive female cattle slaughtering rates, an artificial insemination program and many others.

However, doubling growth rates over the last two years requires new or far more effective programs than the ones Indonesia has already had since 2005. It is not clear whether such a program exists. The artificial insemination program, for example, has been challenged by poor environmental conditions, resulting in high calf-mortality rates.

Despite the effectiveness of the Indonesian government’s programs, it could also be the case that data on live cattle stocks prior to the 2011 census were underestimated. This is a worry, if we think about the quality of policy recommendations derived from inaccurate data.

In addition to the necessity of data, there are some other important aspects that should be considered. First, what is the proportion of home-produced livestock? Domestic stocks that are heavily reliant on imported seeds would question the sustainability and the meaning of being self-sufficient. Indonesia’s plan to cut its import quota can be perceived as “a payback” by Australian industries following a month’s export ban earlier this year.

Worsening trade links between the two countries could limit a number of initiatives that could transfer knowledge and technology from Australia, one of the biggest livestock exporters in the world, to
Indonesia, a country that desperately needs to improve its livestock industry’s efficiency and productivity.

Second, trade barriers would reduce consumers’ welfare. It is not clear whether the import quota cut has taken into account the increase of middle-income families in Indonesia.

These middle- to upper-income groups normally prefer imported beef. Limiting their choice of consumption goods may impact on other sectors, such as the hospitality industry.

Third, an import quota cut may increase the price of poultry due to substitution effects, on which Indonesians spend more. Increased poultry prices could, in turn, have a more substantial effect on inflation rates.

Nevertheless, self-sufficiency in livestock, as well as in other agricultural commodities, has always been and always will be the Indonesian government’s target. Such a policy normally receives strong political support; however, Indonesians are resilient and the government recognizes this characteristic.

Indonesians normally learn something well during periods of economic hardship. So while cutting the imports of live cattle and beef might increase domestic prices, the government knows that Indonesians will make some necessary adjustments at an individual level. However, this may not be the best policy ever employed by a government.

For Australia, there are a number of strategies available to it. Obviously, market diversification is on Australia’s agenda. According to the Federal Agricultural Minister, Senator Joe Ludwig, Australia considers new markets and expanding existing markets including Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Egypt and Turkey.

With regard to Australia’s trade links with Indonesia, there are several investment options. Australia can invest in breeding units. In 2007, according to the Central Statistics Agency, there were only 10 breeding units in Indonesia. Australia can also assist Indonesia to meet its increased demand for effective irrigation and pen systems.

Indonesia’s land limitations increase the demands for better pen systems. In West Nusa Tenggara, a team from the Agriculture Ministry reported that 100 percent of farmers surveyed kept their cattle in confinement (i.e. cages).

This issue is important, given the fact that it is often argued that a free range life for any kind of animal means it lives closer to its natural environment doing what it does best and, therefore, produces better quality meat.

Australia can also assist Indonesia in improving live cattle welfare and health control, an area with which Indonesia still seems to be struggling. It can also assist the Indonesian government in the provision of credit and investment in infrastructure. The high slaughter rate of female cattle is said to be due to farmers’ limited capital.

Most of the above investment options may not provide Australia with the same profits as exporting live cattle. But Australia’s continued goodwill could also indirectly strengthen its trade partnership on other trade commodities and, potentially, offer a wider scope of socioeconomic-political partnership with Indonesia.

As for Indonesia, its protectionist trade policy may be able to help Indonesia achieve self-sufficiency in livestock, but at a high cost. According to Vanzetti et al (2010), improved research and development would provide greater gains but it is a long-term investment.

Greater integration between northern Australia’s live cattle trade and Indonesia’s cattle industry offers the potential of not only meeting Indonesia’s food security objectives but also increasing processed meat export opportunities in rich neighboring ASEAN member states, which could benefit both countries.

Bandung to be closed to travelers for two hours for New Year’s Eve

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Travelers wishing to celebrate in Bandung on New Year’s Eve are advised not to enter the city between
5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Dec. 31 following an announced traffic regulation by authorities.

The Bandung Transportation Office and City Police are planning to close traffic access from outside the city, especially from the south, during the designated hours in an effort to avoid gridlock in the city.

Bandung City Police chief Sr. Comr. Widodo Eko Prahastopo said the traffic closure would be enforced from Cimahi municipality and Soreang, Bandung regency, while access from Lembang, in northern Bandung, would remain open.

“Those from outside Bandung who wish to celebrate New Year’s Eve in the city should enter before
5 p.m.,” Eko said in Bandung.

Bandung City Traffic Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Ahmad Yamin said the traffic closure would have to be taken considering the expected overflow of traffic entering Bandung from various directions.

Several venues in Bandung have become the favorites of many New Year’s Eve revellers.

One of them is Bandung Square, located in the heart of the city, and Gasibu Square, adjacent to the
Gedung Sate gubernatorial office on Jl. Diponegoro.

“We will apply traffic diversions in order to expedite traffic flow. If traffic flow is smooth, there will be no need for traffic redirection,” said Ahmad.

Separately, Bandung Transportation Office head Prijo Soebiandono said his office may close several toll road exit gates into Bandung, except the Pasteur exit gate, depending on traffic conditions in the city.

“If the traffic can still move, we will not close the toll exits, but if traffic is congested, we will not allow cars to enter the city,” said Prijo.

The closure to toll exit gates, he added, would possibly be implemented at 2 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

He said the police had the authority, through Law 22/2009, to enforce the closure on condition of the existence of alternative routes.

Jasa Marga Indonesian Highway Corp.’s Purwakarta-Bandung-Cileunyi section spokesman Iwan Mulyawan said closures of routes into Bandung could only be applied at the Pasteur toll exit gate, because 80 percent of 200,000 cars arriving from the direction of Jakarta entered the city through the turnpike exit.

“The traffic closure can be imposed if the traffic volume entering Bandung is extreme, or twice the number,” said Iwan.

Iwan predicted that the traffic volume entering Bandung during the New Year holiday would increase to between 10 and 15 percent, or 250,000 vehicles daily.

Traffic congestion in Lembang is predicted to rise on New Year’s Eve due to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono being highly likely to spend New Year’s Eve at the Indonesian Military (TNI) Air Force’s Special Commando Academy in Lembang.

Siliwangi Military Command spokesman Col. Benny Effendi said the presidential visit to the academy and a local dairy farm had been put on the agenda although it had not been determined whether or not Yudhoyono and his family would visit Lembang.

“They might stay there. The activities will be carried out in the military complex and secured by the Paspampres presidential security detail,” he said.

He added the planned visit would only be confirmed after Yudhoyono returned from Central Java on Wednesday.

After attending the New Year’s event at the TNI Air Force academy, Lembang Police chief Adj. Comr. Harsono said that Yudhoyono was scheduled to visit the Mount Tangkuban Prahu mountain resort on Sunday.

“From there, he will directly return to Jakarta via Subang,” Harsono confirmed by phone.

Harsono made sure police would not close the route to Lembang, a favorite tourist destination that is prone to congestion, even during a holiday like New Year’s Day.

“We are still conducting the Lilin Lodaya Operation. We will still be on duty with or without the presidential visit,” said Harsono.

Revelers gear up for New Year’s Eve

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Whether having a Rp 5 million (about US$550) dinner for two at a posh hotel or staying at home with friends, Jakartans are looking forward to having a great New Year’s Eve this weekend.

The Ritz Carlton Jakarta in Mega Kuningan, Central Jakarta, reported on Tuesday that 70 percent of the almost 400 seats in the hotel’s restaurant had already been booked for New Year’s dinner.

“Many of our guests reserve the seats for their families or friends. For the most part the reservations are not for quiet dinners but for sittings of 5 to 30 people,” said Ritz Carlton Jakarta spokeswoman Hanny Gunawan.

The dinner’s price tag was Rp 688,000 per guest, Hanny said. “Should the guests want a more private nuance for their New Year’s celebration, they can choose other events, including private dinners for couples,” she said. The private dinner, which is only available for five couples, is priced at Rp 5 million. “So far, we have had two reservations,” she said.

Shanti Setyaningrum, assistant director of communications and public relations at Hotel Kempinski Indonesia, Jakarta, said that the hotel had prepared up to 250 seats for New Year’s Eve dinner. “So far, 200 guests have booked,” she said. Each seat is priced at Rp 648,000.

Shanty also said that the hotel received many orders for cakes and delights for New Year’s Eve celebrations. The hotel’s Kempi Deli offers sweet delights, including Minced Fruit Pies, Gingerbread Houses, Vanilla Kipferl, Cinnamon Stars, Almond Stollen, Buches de Noel, Macaroon Trees, Marzipan Lebkuchen and Chocolate Santas.

“Some of our customers choose to order the delights and enjoy them with their families at home or in other places,” she said.

While many Jakartans opt for special dinners in luxurious hotels, many others prefer more modest celebrations.

Annisa Karina Dewi, a resident of Rawamangun in East Jakarta, said that she had invited her girl friends to stay over in her home. “We plan to have a little party and spend the night watching DVDs,” she said.

She said spending New Year’s Eve at home was the best choice. “Not only is it cheaper, it is also safer. My parents don’t allow me to party outside during New Year’s Eve,” the 19-year old college student said. She added that an enjoyable party at home could be as much fun as watching a fireworks display.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Baharuddin Djafar said that the police had granted permission for four fireworks displays during New Year’s Eve. “The four displays will be held at Kelapa Gading [in East Jakarta], Ancol Dreamland [in North Jakarta], the National Monument Park [in Central Jakarta] and Bumi Serpong Damai [in Tangerang],” he told reporters.

According to him, all fireworks displays during the festivities would be monitored by police explosives experts to avoid any accidents.

“These guys are professionals; they know the scale of explosion a certain amount of explosives can create. They are needed at fireworks displays as these shows involve a huge amount of explosive material,” he said.

Baharuddin also reaffirmed the police’s stance in dealing with traffic violations during New Year’s Eve. “Do not ride on pickups or trucks. Do not overcrowd Metrominis [public minibuses] or ride on their rooftops,” he said, adding that any violations would result in vehicles being detained at the nearest police station for 10 days.

The police will not take the vehicles’ registrations or the drivers’ licenses. “We’ll just hold the vehicles as evidence of traffic violations,” Baharuddin said.

Revelers should be prepared for a wet New Year’s Eve as data from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency website shows that there is a chance of light rain in all regions in Greater Jakarta on Dec. 31. (lfr/mim)

Volkswagens — ‘a shortcut to happiness’

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Having worked on his 1961 Volkswagen Variant for two years, Yudha Bantono knows his car intimately.

The secretary for the Bali Volkswagen Division says his car, nicknamed “The White Shark”, is like a son or partner to him. Yudha was sharing his VW story along with hundreds of other VW fans in Sanur last weekend for the “Volkswagen Lost in Paradise” 20th birthday celebrations of the 416-member strong Bali Volkswagen Division.

Hundreds of VWs and their drivers from across Indonesia and as far away as Poland, Holland and Germany made the trip to Bali to share in the local club’s celebrations.

Across the field of Matahari Terbit off the Sanur bypass, families swapped VW stories and shared
the hard-to-find engine bits and pieces, taillights and rearview mirrors that keep these ancient VWs on the road.

And there are some stunners on show — under shade rests one of only two Karmann Ghia’s in Indonesia. This 1959 model low slung mustard and cream machine must be one of the sexiest looking cars ever built. The fingerprint of Volkswagen father Ferdinand Porsche is on every sensuous curve.

The Karmann Ghia is styled more like an early Porsche than a Beetle, but under the hood even the Ghia is powered by a VW engine.

Parked nearby is a Combi wagon with Surabaya plates — it looks like it’s about to expire with rust and its suspension appears to be failing.

“It’s got specialist hydraulics to lower the bus when camping, that paintwork was designed to look
distressed,” says an awed fan of the VW bus that has a surfboard strapped to the roof in homage of the role Combis played in 1970s surf culture.

These cars are loved and the passion people bring to their VWs is seen as club secretary Yudha shows off his White Shark.

Like a young boy with toys on Christmas morning, he bounces from panel to panel of the car, pointing out its original left hand drive steering wheel, its German made mark under the bonnet, its rare engine position, its perfection.

Bringing the car back from the dead demanded help from around the world, and Yudha turned to VW club members in Germany and Australia.

“It’s very hard to get parts for the Variant. A friend from Düsseldorf got these taillights and another friend from Australia located the rubber seal for the back hatch door. When I got the car, I felt like I had been given a prince to take care of — a prince that was dying of cancer. I am a vet and I felt it was my duty to heal this prince, this White Shark,” says Yudha who, like most VW owners, believes his car has a soul.

“A guy from Jakarta fell in love with my car — I could name my price. I thought about how much the car has cost [me] to rebuild and was considering selling. The next day I tried to start the engine and nothing. I called a mechanic and the engine started immediately — there was nothing wrong. I
am not a Hindu, but I took some cake to the White Shark and apologized for thinking about selling him. I gave him a kiss and said I knew he had a spirit inside and he started with no problem,” says Yudha of how close VW owners and their cars become. He points out that VW owners spend an enormous amount of energy caring for these classic cars and that spirit seems to come alive in the vehicles.

Volkswagen clubs are international with fans found in just about every nation, but more than the clubs is the global unity that goes along with driving a VW. Classic VW drivers always wave or toot horns when passing on the road, and that has offered Filip Habas and his family friendship and support on their epic road trip in a VW bus from Poland to Bali.

Filip is traveling with his wife, Agusta, and their two-year-old son Elios.

A VW specialist mechanic, Filip drove his VW bus 10,000 kilometers from Poland, across Russia and into Mongolia, where the family left the VW and took public transportation through China and Vietnam, linking up with VW fans along the way.

“We could not drive through China and Vietnam due to the bureaucracy and the cost — in China we would have to employ a driver and we travel cheap — we live in the car — its our traveling home. So we flew into Jakarta and went up to Bandung and got this bus — it’s my dream VW bus. With this we are driving around Indonesia,” says Filip who has met with many of Indonesia’s VW club members.

“We travel to different areas and meet the VW clubs — it’s like in Europe we meet people in VW shops and on the road. Driving a VW is like being a member of an international family. We have received help on the road from VW friends; they fixed the bus in Surabaya and again in Malang — every time it was VW fans that helped me,” says Filip of what he sees as “a family without borders”.

“VW club meetings like this one in Sanur are like miniatures of society. You can meet a coal miner, a dentist, a mechanic or a cook — there is a commonality of feeling among the wagon folk. My feeling is the reason people like VWs is because they make you happy — they are a shortcut to happiness,” says Filip.

That friendliness of VW drivers has an impact on the road, according to Made from Bali’s transport department who was on duty during the weekend anniversary celebrations.

Happy family: Fans of Volkswagens have a soft spot for another classic vehicle, the Vespa.Happy family: Fans of Volkswagens have a soft spot for another classic vehicle, the Vespa.“VW drivers are polite. We find they are not arrogant, they are disciplined drivers. I think they are safer drivers and at events like this they share driver knowledge and road ethics,” says Made.

Bali’s Volkswagen Division is also concerned for the environment, according to outgoing club president Wayan Artha.

“We have had events each month to mark this our 20th year as a club. One of our mottos for the year is ‘Go Green’. People say old cars pollute, so we planted 2,000 mangroves last month and we will certainly keep this site clean,” says Wayan, adding that the weekend event paid tribute to club founding members Putu Rumawan Salahin, Ida Bagus Sutama and Hendry who established the Bali VW Division back in 1991.

“I feel proud of the Bali VW Division and this event that has attracted 300 VW cars here — all the cars are here from the Beetle, the Combi, the Variant, the Safari and even Karmann Ghia. These cars are still on the road because they are so strong and long lived. VW’s are something beautiful to see,” says Wayan.

A club daughter and future VW driver, nine-year-old Esha believes VWs will be around for “maybe more than 1,000 years. I like VWs ‘cos they are cool. When I am old enough to drive, I want a Combi,” suggesting the folk of the wagon will be driving that shortcut to happiness for a long time yet to come.

Ryan Adriandhy: Taking comedy seriously

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Up and coming stand-up comedian Ryan Adriandhy takes jokes seriously.

The 21-year-old, who won the Stand Up Comedy Indonesia (SUCI) competition, believes comedy is “a heavy thing”.

His jokes do not come out of the blue but through thorough observation, research and serious thinking that involves logic as well as a good memory.

He even makes a mind map, kind of like a graduate student preparing a dissertation, before performing onstage.

Apparently, that is what all good stand-up comics do.

“All [stand-up comedians] need good preparation. We write down the material and rehearse, we have scripts that take the form of mind maps,” Ryan told The Jakarta Post in a recent interview.

No wonder Ryan asserts that stand-up comedy is actually a very technical thing.

“If not, there shouldn’t be classes for stand-up comedy. They also have formulas for it,” said Ryan, who spent 13 weeks learning about stand-up techniques from experts in the competition organized by Kompas TV.

Every week, he had to come up with new material and new jokes that he had to put systemically in a mind map before presenting to judges and viewers.

“My brain was burned out,” he said.

Who would have thought that being a comic could be so serious and tiring?

Even Ryan never guessed until he became one himself.

The man never imagined he would take up the profession with the primary goal to make others laugh.

Ryan heard about stand-up comedy when he was in junior high. A relative who studied abroad brought him DVDs of famous comics like Robin Williams and Ellen Degeneres and introduced the young Ryan to comedy shows.

He immediately developed an affinity for the genre.

But, he didn’t know he had any talent until he won an English storytelling competition in high school.

Ryan won because he changed the storytelling format into stand-up comedy.

“The jury laughed, the audience laughed. I was in doubt at first but that moment convinced me that I was able to do stand-up,” Ryan recalled.

Unfortunately, the clueless Ryan failed to pursue his talent further as he could not find a place or community that could accommodate his new interest.

In the end, what Ryan did was channel his newly found passion into social media.

The bespectacled man routinely shared the newest video links from renowned comics and posted one-liner jokes to his Twitter account, making him known as a comedy connoisseur in the twitterverse.

Opportunity finally came when a friend of friend Pandji Pragiwaksono, the host of SUCI, informed him about the competition.

Without a second thought, Ryan signed up and entered the next round as one of the finalists.

In the grand finale he beat Nur Insan Akbar and won first place, earning Rp 50 million (US$5,500) in cash.

The judges lauded Ryan’s ability to create fresh and popular jokes.

The fast-talking comic said he got all the material for his jokes from daily observations. “I observe people’s manners. I can just sit for hours and pay attention to my surroundings and take notes of everything that I can develop into jokes,” he said.

Ryan admitted nothing changed much after he won SUCI except for the media exposure and the amount of his followers on Twitter.

However, talking to him in person, fans may be disappointed as he is not the type of guy that will make you laugh throughout an entire conversation.

“There is a big misunderstanding that comics should be funny in their daily life,” he said.

Despite his hilarious performances, Ryan is a serious guy offstage, especially when it comes to discussing stand-up.

During the interview, he explained everything he knew about stand-up comedy from theories and tips to becoming a successful comic in a serious tone.

“Don’t try to be funny, don’t tell jokes, just tell the truth,” he shared one of comic’s credo.

Ryan believes that a good comic is the one who stays true to the stage. “By being true to yourself, you make yourself more genuine … and the emotion can be felt more [by the audience],” he added.

Maybe comedy is indeed a serious thing as it deals with the truth. And for that, Ryan has prepared an answer. “Stand-up comedians are not trying to be funny, but trying to tell the truth in funny ways.”

With all this wisdom, Ryan sounds ready to make the profession his way of life.

And will he?

“Probably, if I can make a living out of this, it’s gonna be very fun,” he answered pensively.

But before things get more serious, Ryan said all he wanted now was to graduate from college as soon as possible.

The graphic design student at a private university in Jakarta is thinking of becoming a comic illustrator apart from being a professional stand-up comedian. Amid his busy schedule doing off-air stand-up, Ryan is working as an intern at a Jakarta-based illustration company.

But can he handle both jobs?

A description of himself on his Twitter account mentions that he is a beginning comic.

“I want to live creating something, not from working [for others],” he shared of his ambitions.

The statement may explain why Ryan takes stand-up comedy seriously, as he hopes to be able to live from it.

His seriousness can be seen in his continued involvement in Standup Indo, an off-air community for local comics.

Together with Pandji and the other finalists in the comedy competition, Ryan established the group ahead of SUCI to gather other aspiring comics in the country.

Ryan and his friends seem to be on the same mission to show the public that stand-up comedy is
indeed a serious business.

City to build more parks next year

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In a bid to increase the number of green areas in the city, the administration plans to convert 20 hectares of land to parks.

Jakarta parks and cemeteries agency chief Catharina Suryowati said increasing the number of green areas in Jakarta had always been the main job of the agency every year.

“This year, we have converted about 10-15 hectares of land. And next year, I hope it can reach about 20 hectares,” she told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Catharina said the agency had purchased the land that was spread over 21 locations in the city’s five municipalities.

Among the locations are Cilangkap in East Jakarta, Mohammad Kafi in South Jakarta and Kebagusan in South Jakarta.

“We just don’t buy the land and merely convert it into green space. We also want it to become a place for people to interact,” she said.

She said that some of the parks would have at least a jogging track, space for people to exercise, a playground for children and a place for people to just hang out.

Some others would become more like small city forests, she added.

“Interactive parks of a size of between 200 and 1,000 square meters with additional functions are usually located in residential areas. While city parks are more than 1,000 square meters,” she said.

Catharina said the city currently had only 90 interactive parks, far less than the 500 the agency had
targeted.

The biggest problem, she said, was that so few residents wanted to sell their lands to the agency.

“It’s a difficult task, but we’re always trying to hit our target. My hope is that every year, the sub-agencies can turn at least two lots in residential areas into interactive parks,” she said.

The Jakarta administration has set a target of 34.51 percent of the city’s 662 square kilometers to be green space by 2030.

Currently, only 10.95 percent of Jakarta’s open space is utilized as green areas, which fails to meet an earlier spatial planning target of reserving 13.9 percent of the city for green areas by the end of 2010.

This year, the agency has closed 27 gas stations throughout the capital and turned them into green and public spaces.

The area previously occupied by the 27 gas stations constitutes 4 percent of Jakarta’s total green space.

Urban analyst and the coordinator for non-profit organization Jakarta Green Map (JGM), Nirwono Joga, said that JGM had found that there was about 16 percent of privately owned land in Jakarta that had the potential to be altered into green space.

“If the administration could acquire 10 percent of that, the target could be reached faster. But there has to be some kind of mechanism, like giving incentives to the owners, so they will happily sell or even donate their lands for green areas,” he said.

Cultural events, glitzy parties mark year’s end

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Bali will welcome the New Year by organizing various cultural and community events, adding to the joyous atmosphere of year-end festivities.

The Denpasar administration will celebrate the end of the year by holding an event titled “Bid Farewell to 2011’s Sun”, which will also mark the closing of the annual Denpasar Festival, a four-day event involving thousands of local artists, handicraft makers, cloth designers and culinary masters.

The last day of the festival will feature various competitions, art and culture parades and performances from 10 a.m. Saturday until the turn of the year from 2011 to 2012.

All the activities will be held at Puputan Badung Field, said the head of the city’s Cultural Agency, Made Mudra.

In the afternoon, religious leaders will hold mass prayers at the Catur Muka statue during the “Bid Farewell to 2011’s Sun” procession.

Following the procession, there will be a cultural parade themed “Baris — The Reflection of Denpasar’s Heroic Spirit”, during which nine kinds of Baris traditional warrior dances will be performed by students and art groups from traditional villages.

The nine dances are Baris Tombak Ringan, Baris Kupu-kupu, Baris Sikep, Baris Panah, Baris Wayang, Baris Tamiang, Baris Cina, Baris Pendet and Baris Tongklang Penambangan.

“This is a part of our efforts to revitalize dances that are nearly extinct,” Mudra said, adding that the nine dances have been updated from their initial versions, but still retain their original characteristics.

The city will also host a parade featuring ogoh-ogoh (giant papier-mâché effigies) and a Balinese marching band, as well as other traditional art performances.

Bali’s most famous beach, Kuta, will be closed to traffic to accommodate thousands of people expected to celebrate the last night of 2011 there.

The closure of access to Jl. Legian and Jl. Pantai Kuta will start at 4 p.m. Saturday and will continue until Sunday morning, said Denpasar Police chief Sr. Comr. Suryanbodo.

“People who want to go to Legian and Kuta should park their vehicles at Kuta Central Park. Tourists can use vehicles provided by their respective hotels.”

He said the road would be closed to vehicles in order to avoid traffic jams and prevent security disturbances during year-end celebrations.

“We will turn Kuta and Legian into pedestrian areas to make the area more convenient for people.”

To prevent security disturbances, the police will deploy a large number of officers, including from the Mobile Brigade. Personnel from community guards and pecalang (traditional security officers) will help the police to safeguard crucial locations.

To attract more guests, major hotels in Bali are competing to organize the most interesting and festive year-end celebration.

The InterContinental Bali Resort will hold a countdown party welcoming the dawn of 2012 at the Sunset Bar in front of Jimbaran Bay.

“Starting at 11 p.m. and continuing until early morning, there will be a display of fireworks to light up the sky over the waters of the bay as we welcome the New Year with dynamic bursts of color,” said the resort’s public relations director Dewi Anggraini.

On the first day of 2012, the resort will hold more unique events. The highlight event on “recovery day” is “Release a Turtle and Make a Wish”.

Guests will be invited to adopt a baby turtle and release it into the waters of the bay before sunset.

“Make a special wish for the coming year ahead and hope that your little turtle has a long life in the sea,” Dewi said.

The Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel in Kuta will hold a spectacular year-end celebration, the “Masquerade Eve Party”, starting 8 p.m. Saturday at the Kharisma Ballroom.

Obituary: Rising fashion star brought color to catwalk

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Designer Adesagi Kierana, who died in an apparent accident in Bandung on Sunday, was remembered with affection by fellow designers and celebrities, many of whom were regular clients of his colorful designs.

Singer Titi DJ was a loyal patron of the 34-year-old designer, renowned for his dynamic and innovative use of color.

“Adesagi has been my favorite designer since he began his career,” she told The Jakarta Post on Monday. “He was bold enough to use primary colors in his designs, and I love color. And he provided daring designs in the Indonesian fashion world, so he was a perfect match with me. His creations also helped make me look slimmer without wearing a corset.”

She said she also lost a dear friend.

“He had such a gentle personality, he was a sweetheart to me. He was such a good, good person. The Indonesian fashion world has lost one of its best designers.”

Titi was among several celebrities who participated in Adesagi’s first solo show, “Almost Famous”, during the Indonesian Fashion Designers Association [IPMI] annual event in October 2011. Others included singers Ruth Sahanaya and Dewi Sandra, as well as Manohara, who was a close friend of Randy Yan, who died with the designer due to apparent carbon monoxide poisoning from a water heater. Adesagi and Randy were spending the New Year’s weekend in the designer’s hometown, friends and colleagues said.

“I’m still in shock,” Dewi tweeted.

Fellow designers expressed sadness that he died just as his career was taking off. Born Ade Candra Kirana Sagi, the graduate of Bunka School of Fashion worked as a fashion stylist for Ramli, and later as a designer for Martha Beauty Gallery and creative designer for Susi Hedijanto, according to Kamus Mode Indonesia (Indonesian Fashion Encyclopedia). He became an independent designer in 2002, with a vow to become the “creator of colorful dreams”, as he described himself in his Twitter biography.

“The IPMI show was his first and last show, and his determination was just paying off,” said designer Sapto Djojokartiko, who knew Adesagi for 14 years. “He told me a lot about his life. The deepest impression he has left on me is from the struggles of his career, but also how he remained humble regardless of his achievements.”

Ninuk Mardiana Pambudy, a journalist and co-author of Kamus Mode Indonesia, said Adesagi was starting to make his mark, especially in bringing ready to wear to a wider market.

“He wasn’t the type of designer to produce a ‘fantastic’ creation to attract attention. But he had distinctive, edgy and fluid designs that were high quality. In doing ready to wear, Adesagi helped Indonesian fashion to be enjoyed and appreciated by many people. It’s not easy for a young designer to set up their own ready-to-wear business but he had the courage to do it.”

Up and coming designer Didiet Maulana said vibrant designs and color were Adesagi’s design trademarks. “He wanted to make women of all ages beautiful.”

Didiet counted Adesagi and Randy, a boutique owner and commercial model, as friends. “Randy was a loveable person, he always brought good vibes and was positive. He was a very hard worker.”

Didiet said he would remember the colors of Adesagi’s personality.

“He was always smiling and caring for people,” he said of Adesagi, whose mother had died in December 2011. “The color of his life was always spring and summer, even if there was a storm happening. He always gave people a summer breeze.”

SBY outlines economic strategy to IDX

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If the stock market was “Kid-Zania”, then President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s speech at the first day of trading on Monday was like a father laying out his financial plans so that the kids could continue playing grown-ups.

In so many words, Yudhoyono said the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) owed much of its positive performance in 2011 to prudent fiscal and monetary policies formed under his stewardship.

The stock market ended a bumpy year on Dec. 30, 2011, with the Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) at 3,821.99, growing by a modest 3.2 percent compared to the previous year, making it nonetheless the third best performer globally in an era of great economic uncertainty.

In his keynote speech, Yudho-yono told stock traders that the country had to be prepared for another round of uncertainty as decision makers in the US and Europe were still struggling to avoid another recession.

A government-appointed think tank, the National Economic Committee (KEN), warned recently that crises in the developed world would weaken Indonesian exports, create foreign liquidity problems and hurt investment growth. The committee said Indonesia’s financial markets were poised to bear the brunt of high volatility.

Gloomy outlook aside, there was room for hope, Yudhoyono said, especially after Fitch Ratings had reinstated the status of Indonesian sovereign debt to investment-grade level. Yudhoyono said he would maximize efforts to cash in on the positive momentum.

Yudhoyono’s strategy for weathering the external turbulence is to maintain his style of economic leadership, which has been characterized by a conservative fiscal policy — meaning a low state budget deficit, high domestic consumption and double-digit export growth.

In the finalized 2012 state budget, the government predicted revenue of Rp 1,292.9 trillion with expected state spending of Rp 1,418.5 trillion; and a budget deficit of 1.5 percent of GDP. Yudhoyono said the 2011 budget deficit stood at 1.3 percent, well below the 2 percent target.

The Finance Ministry said that it hoped to maintain inflation at a maximum of 5.3 percent this year. The inflation rate stood at 3.79 percent in 2011.

“We have to maintain the fiscal policy, the debt to GDP ratio, inflation rate and the interest rate. When the government achieves such conditions, it is the economic actors’ time to step up,” the President said.

Yudhoyono may argue that the performance of the stock market should reflect the country’s economic fundamentals, which he has vowed to maintain.

However, analysts have long argued that the IDX suffers from a structural problem of having too much foreign funds in its investment pool, which makes it extremely vulnerable to external shocks.

Foreign funds traditionally control more than 60 percent of daily transactions in the stock market, which reached Rp 24.2 trillion by the end of last year.

Considering the large amount of so-called “hot” money, volatility in the Indonesian financial market directly translates into more pressure on the rupiah.

IDX president director Ito Warsito brushed off fears over the inability to increase the proportion of Indonesian investors, saying that it was an accepted characteristic of the Indonesian stock market.

He denied that more foreign investors would cause instability in the secondary market.

“An increase in the number of foreign investors is a logical consequence of Indonesia being of interest to global investors,” he said.

In his speech, Yudhoyono failed to address these concerns, which have the potential to destabilize the economy. KEN, the economic think tank that the President personally appointed, warned that Indonesia should reactivate the currency-swap agreement with China and Japan under the Chiang Mai Initiative in order quell this single-most detrimental force in the economy.

Discovering enchanting Selayar, South Sulawesi

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Selayar Islands regency in South Sulawesi has every reason to make its island group a marine tourist destination.

Located between the Flores Sea and the Makassar Strait, the regency has diverse and beautiful tourist attractions on offer.

Apart from Taka Bonerate National Park, Selayar has a number of gorgeous sites and diving areas. Several islands in the regency also possess captivating natural scenery.

Selayar covers an area of 1,357 square kilometers and comprises 132 islands, of which only 29 are inhabited. Belang-belang is one of those islands, where during the full moon various species of turtle come ashore to lay their eggs.

“Many people go to the island to catch turtle eggs during the full moon to sell in Bali. We fear the turtles in the area may become extinct because of illegal hunting so we’ve assigned security guards there,” said Selayar Islands Regent Syahrir Wahab.

There is also Batu Island, with its unique landscape comprised entirely of stones. The island is home to numerous swallows, and locals have made this zone of birds their source of living.

Tourists and nature lovers who aren’t inclined to go to Taka Bonerate have several alternatives not far from the city of Benteng – the capital of Selayar Islands regency.

The eastern coast is a sport diving area with scenic underwater panoramas featuring diverse coral and marine biota similar to that of Taka Bonerate. With a similar topography, the area is a favorite.

Baloyya Beach is known for its sloping white sand and clear blue water, adorned with varied coral reef underneath. Near the beach are two natural caves and several islets. Situated south of the western coast of Selayar, Baloyya is only about 9 kilometers from Benteng. Jammeng, a tourist village not far from Benteng, is also a convenient place for relaxing. Aside from the undersea beauty, the area boasts a cascading waterfall.

Selayar also offers historical sites and relics to visit. In Benteng, a large bronze gong created around 1686 is preserved as an heirloom. It is said there are only two such gongs in the world, the other found in Vietnam.

At the Padang Village Museum in Benteng there are heirlooms such as a large anchor and cannon as well as relics indicating traces of shipping and trade relations in the 17th and 18th centuries between China and the islands.

A sightseeing tour of Benteng, with coconut trees lining its coastal fringe, is particularly enjoyable. The city is a producer of snacks made of melinjo and kenari nuts and also grows citrus fruits. The process of making the snacks by hand is fascinating to observe.

At the sea terminal of Pamatata in Selayar, visitors can feast their eyes on a landscape of tree-shaded rocky promontories along the shoreline. On the way to Benteng, about 50 kilometers away, travelers are pampered with expanses of white sand and rows of coconut trees.

Before visiting Benteng from South Sulawesi’s mainland, visitors can stop and rest in Bulukumba regency. In the regency dubbed “Butta Panrita Lopi” or boat craftsmen’s settlement, tourists can observe the process of phinisi or traditional wooden boat building that is unique to South Sulawesi.

Near the terminal of Bira in Bulukumba, from which visitors cross the strait to Selayar, they can go to the Cape of Bira, an area with very fine white sand and clear water that offers good swimming and diving.

Touring the Selayar Islands does take time and consume energy. But as soon as one arrives at Pamatata and reaches Benteng it is well worth the effort, as these sites — let alone the national park of Taka Bonerate — enchant and offer magnificent journeying well worth exploring.

Govt to end private car fuel subsidies in April

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The government says it will end the sale of subsidized fuel to private cars in Greater Jakarta in April, pending approval from the House of Representatives.

“In these [next] three months, we’re first going to test the mechanism. Only public transportation vehicles, motorcycles and fishermen would be able to buy subsidized fuels,” downstream oil and gas regulator BPH Migas Agus Budihartono committee member said at the Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister in Jakarta on Monday.

The government would also install radio frequency identification devices (RFID) on public transportation vehicles to monitor fuel consumption, Agus added.

Subsidized fuel limits would eventually be expanded to other provinces, although the government has offered no clear time table.

Agus said the government was waiting for the revision of a 2006 presidential regulation on fuel prices to give it a legal basis to regulate subsidized fuel users.

After the revision is completed, the government will officially propose its plan to the House, which rejected a similar proposal last year for what it said was inadequate analysis of the effects of the fuel subsidy restrictions.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik said he was confident that the House would pass the proposal this year since the 2012 State Budget mandated that fuel limits be implemented in April.

“We’ll discuss with the House. Now we’re arranging the fixed proposal. We will announce the details next week,” Jero said.

The government has long been criticized for “poorly targeted” subsidies, as hundreds of trillions of rupiah in fuel subsidies have gone to the relatively well off, reducing resources for infrastructure development and social spending.

President Susilo Bambang Yu-dhoyono has conceded the point to critics, agreeing to reduce spending on subsidies, although maintaining that raising subsidized fuel prices was not the only way to do so.

Observers said fuel prices hike would be an immensely unpopular policy that might trigger price hikes across the board, which might in turn trigger grassroots protests.

Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Darmin Nasution told The Jakarta Post that limiting fuel subsidies might lead to a 0.6 to 0.9 percent increase over the 4.5 percent headline inflation rate predicted for 2012, while raising fuel subsidies might boost
inflation estimates by one percent.

The quota for subsidized fuels has been set at 40 million kiloliters (kl) for 2102 — slightly lower than 40.49 kl last year — which includes a 2.5 million kl fiscal reserve to allow the government to use funds allocated for fuels for development if the quota is unmet.

Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa said the government would create a team to help BPH Migas supervise subsidized fuel distribution to prevent “excessive distortions” in the field.

A lawmaker from House Commission VII overseeing energy, Satya W. Yudha from the Golkar Party, said the Commission was waiting for the government’s official proposal.

If the proposed scheme was the same as last year’s, Satya said the Commission would verify if gas stations could provide more non-subsidized fuels in April.

“If the infrastructure is not ready, it doesn’t matter. I suggest that we provide non-subsidized Premium [one of most-used subsidized fuels] for private cars so that they will have choices,” he said over the telephone.

Pri Agung Rakhmanto, an energy expert from the ReforMiner Institute, urged the government to develop a definitive mechanism as soon as possible to implement its policy.

Rakhmanto attributed government failure to convince the House last year to a lack of clarity in implementing the restrictions.