More carmakers caught in headlights of VW engine-rigging scandal

More carmakers caught in headlights of VW engine-rigging scandal
Volkswagen has admitted it installed illegal software into 11 million 2.0 liter and 3.0 liter diesel engines worldwide (AFP Photo/Josh Edelson)

Volkswagen emissions scandal

Iran's 'catastrophic mistake': Speculation, pressure, then admission

Iran's 'catastrophic mistake': Speculation, pressure, then admission
Analsyts say it is irresponsible to link the crash of a Ukraine International Airline Boeing 737-800 to the 737 MAX accidents (AFP Photo/INA FASSBENDER)

Missing MH370 likely to have disintegrated mid-flight: experts

Missing MH370 likely to have disintegrated mid-flight: experts
A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 commercial jet.

QZ8501 (AirAsia)

Leaders see horror of French Alps crash as probe gathers pace

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it), Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse), Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

… The Shift in Human Nature

You're starting to see integrity change. Awareness recalibrates integrity, and the Human Being who would sit there and take advantage of another Human Being in an old energy would never do it in a new energy. The reason? It will become intuitive, so this is a shift in Human Nature as well, for in the past you have assumed that people take advantage of people first and integrity comes later. That's just ordinary Human nature.

In the past, Human nature expressed within governments worked like this: If you were stronger than the other one, you simply conquered them. If you were strong, it was an invitation to conquer. If you were weak, it was an invitation to be conquered. No one even thought about it. It was the way of things. The bigger you could have your armies, the better they would do when you sent them out to conquer. That's not how you think today. Did you notice?

Any country that thinks this way today will not survive, for humanity has discovered that the world goes far better by putting things together instead of tearing them apart. The new energy puts the weak and strong together in ways that make sense and that have integrity. Take a look at what happened to some of the businesses in this great land (USA). Up to 30 years ago, when you started realizing some of them didn't have integrity, you eliminated them. What happened to the tobacco companies when you realized they were knowingly addicting your children? Today, they still sell their products to less-aware countries, but that will also change.

What did you do a few years ago when you realized that your bankers were actually selling you homes that they knew you couldn't pay for later? They were walking away, smiling greedily, not thinking about the heartbreak that was to follow when a life's dream would be lost. Dear American, you are in a recession. However, this is like when you prune a tree and cut back the branches. When the tree grows back, you've got control and the branches will grow bigger and stronger than they were before, without the greed factor. Then, if you don't like the way it grows back, you'll prune it again! I tell you this because awareness is now in control of big money. It's right before your eyes, what you're doing. But fear often rules. …

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Garuda provides special services for Indonesian workers


Jakarta  (ANTARA News) - National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is opening a special counter to provide services for Indonesian workers (TKI) at Soekarno-Hatta airport in order to smooth their departure to and arrivals from overseas. 

The special counter for the TKIs was officially opened by Minister of State Enterprises in the presence of Garuda Indonesia President Director Emirsyah Satar and Director General for Supervision and Development of Manpower I Gusti Made Arke on Thursday in Tangerang, Banten. 

"The special counter will provide services for TKIs on ticket purchasing, check-in and baggage reports. The counter is located in a restricted area between the Terminal 2E and 2F for domestic arrival so that it would provide secure and comfortable feelings for TKIs," Emirsyah Satar said. 

The special counter will also serve as a transit check-in counter for TKIs so that they no longer need to get out of the terminal to find a ticket sales counter in public places. 

Minister Sofyan Djalil welcomed the opening of the special counter for Indonesian workers at Soekartno-Hatta airport. He expressed hope that other airports would also open the same service. 

"With this facility, TKIs would be protected from naughty hands," he said.


Related Article:

Overseas demand for Indonesian workers stays high



Saturday, November 29, 2008

ICAO President: Stop Indonesian Flight Bans

Saturday, 29 November, 2008 | 07:59 WIB 

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: President of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Roberto Kobeh Gonzales urged the European Union to immediately stop flight bans to Indonesia. He said Indonesia has improved its flight safety standard, as well as its capacity, pilot quality, and air traffic service. “I hope the union will see it to stop it soon,” he said yesterday. 

Gonzales met the leader of the European Union to discuss the ban. He explained that Indonesia has been transparent by showing the ICAO audit report on its official site. “Not every country does this. Transparency is important,” he said. 

He asked the Indonesian government not to see the banning as a burden. “It is only a small snag. Indonesia is going the right way,” said Gonzales. 

However, he suggested that the Indonesian government increase flight safety by approving the aviation draft bill soon. 

He is amazed with the improvement Indonesia has made. Indonesia added more flight inspectors and integrated operators of air traffic service. “If there had been no progress, I would not be here,” he said. 

During his visit in Indonesia, Gonzales gave a speech for a seminar about the Air Navigation Service Provider. He was involved in a launching of a Civil Aviation Transformation Team (CATT) that works together with international aviation regulators like ICAO, the Aviation federation Administration (FAA-America), Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA-Australia), Japan, and the European Union. 

Meanwhile, Mandala's Director Warwick Brady said that since the flight ban applied, Mandala lost around 3,000 passengers. “The ban forbids foreigners from flying with Indonesian airlines,” he said yesterday. 

Earlier, Mandala offered to fly thousands of employees of the oil company Total E&P Indonesie. Due to the flight ban, this offer was canceled. Mandala can only fly local passengers. “The European Union has made a mistake by banning all airlines,” he said. 

Brady received a letter from Director of the Air Transportation Directorate of the European Union, Daniel Calleja, saying that he is happy with the progress Mandala made. 

“Mandala can meet the standards as it has been audited by various international institutions,” he said. Mandala has also completed an external audit, carried out by foreign institutions Airbus, Boeing Kenyon, and Altara-Australia. 

VENNIE MELYANI


Indonesia and Yemen ready to open direct flight service

Jakarta  (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and Yemen are ready to be linked by a direct flight service, House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Agung Laksono said here on Saturday. 

Speaking to the press after receiving a Yemeni delegation on the sidelines of the third Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) plenary session here Saturday, Laksono said he welcomed the Yemeni government`s decision to open a direct flight service to Jakarta. 

Laksono said when the Yemeni government`s decision was implemented, airline flights from Jakarta to Yemen and the other way round would no longer need to make stopovers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Singapore. 

The House speaker said a direct flight service between Indonesa and Yemen would strengthen and improve their trade and bilateral relations. 

The Yemeni delegation at the meeting with Laksono was led by Akram Abdullah Atiyah who appreciated the results of the APA meeting which were to be embodied in a Jakarta Declaration. 

Atiyah on the occasion also invited the Indonesian House speaker to visit Yemen. 

Laksono said trade relations between the two countries had yet to be established but their long-standing bilateral ties, including inter-parliamentary relations through APA, had always been good.


PLANTING A GREENER FUTURE


The Jakarta Post     |  Fri, 11/28/2008 7:57 PM  |  Jakarta

 

  

Volunteers plant a tree in a city park area in Srengseng, West Jakarta, on Friday. Three hundred volunteers participated in a Jakarta urban greenification program by planting 1,000 trees in the forested park. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)


Jakarta to plant 30,000 trees

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 11/29/2008 11:28 AM  

Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo planted a lobi-lobi tree in Srengseng city forest, Kembangan subdistrict, West Jakarta, at the launch of an ambitious planting project on Friday. 

"We need more trees, so we will cultivate them. We will plant 30,000 trees in Jakarta," Fauzi said. 

"It will take consistency and sustainable action to make this city greener." 

The project, powered by 300 volunteers, is sponsored by Jakarta Green Radio, the Medco Foundation, the Monfori Nusantara, the Bisnis Indonesia daily newspaper, and the Jakarta Green Monster organization. 

The volunteers planted a thousand trees in the 15-hectare-forest Srengsen forest. Most of tress planted are fruit trees seldom found in Jakarta, such as the cimpedak and kecapi. 

The launch comes as part of a massive national tree planting project, which will involve the planting and cultivation of more than 100 million trees throughout Indonesia. 

The Srengseng's forest is one of the largest green areas in the city. It is home to 26 species of birds and 68 kinds of trees. Besides this forest, Jakarta's green areas include the Suropati and Senayan parks. 

According to Fauzi, the city needs more green areas to reduce pollution and the impact of global warming. 

"Jakarta, which covers an area of 65,000 hectares, must allocate at least 14 percent of that space as green areas such as parks. Right now parks account for only 9.6 percent of the cities area," he said. 

Fauzi said that he was optimistic he could achieve this goal of expanding the city's green spaces. 

He also reminded Jakartans that they would have to change their way of thinking about how to use vacant lots in Jakarta. 

"Vacant land does not always have to be used for buildings; we must use more land for green areas. We don't need to repeat the mistakes we've made before." 

Authorities in Jakarta have made several efforts to re-green the city. The newest project involves buying five hectares of land along the tollroad to the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, which will be used for a park.(naf)


Community units take lead role in waste management

Olivia Dameria, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 11/29/2008 11:31 AM  

Community initiatives to better manage solid waste are not only considered the next effective solution to the city's chronic waste-management problems, they can also open up job opportunities. 

Imam Nur Akbari, marketing communication director of Aksi Cepat Tanggap, said waste recycling programs initiated in many communities in Jakarta have had multiplier effects in economic empowerment. 

"Communities are recycling nonorganic waste into quality goods and selling them to well-known hypermarkets," he said in a press conference on Friday. 

Aksi Cepat Tanggap is an NGO which addresses people's empowerment. The NGO is part of the Jakarta Green and Clean (JGC) program, initiated by a group of private companies and the city's Environmental Management Board. The companies include the household products firm PT Unilever Indonesia, the daily newspaper Republika and Delta FM radio. 

JGC is holding a competition to showcase the best initiatives in waste management which community units (RW) in the city's five municipalities have devised. 

Twenty-five community units have been named as finalists, and the final winner is to be announced Sunday. 

JGC focuses on improving society's environmental awareness about waste-management issues, as well as reforestation, the role of water catchment areas and community participation. 

"The biggest challenges are the extensive area requiring management and the density of the city's population. With more than 8,000,000 citizens in five municipalities, we try to raise people's awareness one step at a time," said Sinta Kaniawati, general manager of the Unilever Peduli Foundation. 

The public response has been very positive with 300 community units taking part in the program's third year. 

"JGC is a very inspiring program because it moves people to develop their volunteer sense," said Imam. 

In the Ibu Bersinar Sunlight program, groups of women turn nonorganic waste into valuable products. 

"Housewives have become very creative, fashioning such items as wallets, bags or pencil cases and selling them. Besides giving them additional income, they make good use of their spare time," said Sinta. 

Twenty handicraft centers produce the recycled goods, labeled Trashion, all over Jakarta, providing employment opportunities as well. 

Besides helping fix the city's waste problem, the program can help change Indonesia's eroded cleanliness image, Hanny Soemadipraja, Director of Masima Contents and Channels said. 

"With small but consistent efforts, Indonesia can be Green and Clean in the future. We are truly committed to making a brighter Indonesia," she said. 

Jakarta Green and Clean finalists 

Central Jakarta:

1.RW 03 Serdang
2.RW 04 Serdang
3.RW 09 Cempaka Putih Barat
4.RW 12 Cempaka Putih Barat
5.RW 01 Cempaka Putih Tengah 

North Jakarta:

1.RW 01 Semper Timur
2.RW 03 Semper Barat
3.RW 11 Warakas
4.RW 13 Warakas
5.RW 02 Sunter Agung 

South Jakarta:

1.RW 03 Mampang Prapatan
2.RW 02 Pasar Minggu
3.RW 07 Kebayoran Lama Selatan
4.RW 06 Cipulir
5.RW 06 Pesanggerahan 

East Jakarta:

1.RW 03 Malaka Sari
2.RW 06 Malaka Jaya
3.RW 04 Bambu Apus
4.RW 13 Cipinang Melayu
5.RW 02 Susukan 

West Jakarta:

1.RW 02 Slipi
2.RW 05 Palmerah
3.RW 09 Kebon Jeruk
4.RW 04 Kedoya Utara
5.RW 07 Kedoya Utara


Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Abandoned monorail lines to be used for city MRT

Tifa Asrianti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 11/26/2008 10:53 AM  

The city administration will use the abandoned monorail routes for its mass rapid transit (MRT) network. 

The east-west route is the monorail's blue line, which will link Kampung Melayu in East Jakarta to Roxy in West Jakarta. 

The administration is proposing the new route to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the MRT project advisor, in December. 

Governor Fauzi Bowo on Tuesday said a team of JICA experts would arrive in December to review the feasibility study for the North-South route, which spanned from Kota in West Jakarta to Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta. 

"The East route will link Kampung Melayu, Kali Malang and the planned bus terminal in Pulo Gebang, while the West route will probably link Kebon Jeruk and Tomang. The routes will meet at around Wisma Dharmala, Karet," Fauzi said. 

The stalled monorail project was planned with two routes, the green line and the blue line. PT Jakarta Monorail built some of the infrastructure required for the green line through South Jakarta's Kuningan business district and along Jl. Sudirman to Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta. 

The blue line was not built. 

"We will make some changes to the blue line," Fauzi said. "The MRT will go underground under Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio in Casablanca, South Jakarta, and come up aboveground at Jl. Lapangan Ros, Tebet," Fauzi said. 

Bambang Susantono from the Indonesian Transportation Society said the city administration should review all urban transportation before replacing one public transportation mode with another. 

"We are also reviewing the Study on Integrated Transportation Master Plan (Sitramp) from now until next year to see if one of the busway corridors is suitable for a monorail, light train or subway. We must study commuter patterns," he said. 

The MRT project, managed by both the central government and the Jakarta administration, is expected to be completed in 2014. 

Fauzi said the second phase loan agreement, which amounts to US$450 million, for the MRT project would take place in March 2009. The first phase of the loan was only US$17 million. 

PT Mass Rapid Transit Jakarta (MRTJ) president director Eddi Santosa said his company had only received Rp 63 billion from the first phase loan agreement, while the remaining Rp 100 billion went to the city transportation department for design and engineering. 

MRTJ has received Rp 49.5 billion from the city administration and Rp 500 million from traditional market operator PD Pasar Jaya. 

The North-South MRT project will be implemented in two phases. The first phase consists of feasibility studies, the formation of MRTJ and the construction of a 14.3-kilometer line from Lebak Bulus to Dukuh Atas, Central Jakarta. 

The second phase of development is construction of the line from Dukuh Atas to Kota.


Tuesday, November 25, 2008

An Australian-Indonesian Disaster Management Facility To Be Built

Tuesday, 25 November, 2008 | 18:31 WIB 

TEMPO Interactive, Lima, Peru:The Australia-Indonesia Disaster Reduction Facility, aimed at reducing the impact of natural disasters, will be built in Jakarta next year. The facility is a collaboration between the governments of Indonesia and Australia, following a meeting between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in Jakarta, last June. It is scheduled to begin operations in April 2009. 

"We all know that disasters can hit anytime without any notice, and it can create a huge effect on us,' President Yudhoyono told Indonesian and Australian reporters. "Disasters do not only claim lives, but also the livelihood of the survivors," he said at a press conference during the APEC conference in Lima, Peru, last Saturday. 

Experts from the two countries concluded that the frequency of disasters relating to climate change keeps on rising. During the period of 1987-1998, disasters struck around 195 times a year, increasing up to 365 times a year during the 2000 – 2006 period. The impacts of the disaster depended on how prepared people were to face disasters. 

The Sidr storm, which hit Bangladesh on November 2007, had almost the same power as the Nargis storm that struck Burma last May. However, as the preparation of the two countries – which have similar economic growth rates – was very different, so were the losses incurred. Around 3.000 victims were killed in Bangladesh, while more than 100.000 victims died in Burma. 

To fund the activity, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said his government has allocated US$ 67 million for the first five years. "We are doing this together because we both are heads of APEC's natural disasters mitigation task force," he said at a press conference with President Yudhoyono in Lima. 

BAMBANG HARYMURTI


National Space & Aviation Agency Ready for Sun Storm

Tuesday, 25 November, 2008 | 18:38 WIB 

TEMPO Interactive, Bandung:The National Space & Aviation Agency (LAPAN) is preparing personnel and a special control room to anticipate the peak of the sun cycle in October 2011 or August 2012. The peak of the activities which is marked by the many sunspots may cause a sun storm that can reach the earth. 

"Likely to be affected by this phenomenon will be satellite operations, communications, flights and electrical power network," said LAPAN's Science and Aero Space Information Study deputy, Bambang Tedja Sukmana,yesterday. 

Bambang explained that the sun has an 11-year cycle. The last peak of the cycle occurred in 2000. Bambang admits that, at that time, LAPAN's analysts were so busy with their monitoring that they forgot to calculate the damages due to solar emission at the height of the cycle, particularly in Indonesia. "Now, we are using the knowledge we learnt for the users' benefit," he said. 

According to Bambang, the special control room in the LAPAN Bandung office will begin operations in in January 2009. There, all reports on the sun's condition from numerous observation posts in Indonesia will be gathered for further monitoring and processing. 

Later, when more sunspots are visible, which means that the sun's activities are getting stronger, LAPAN will announce early warnings to all concerned, such as the Indonesian Air Force, the Transportation Department, the state-owned electricity company and the Health Department. 

The peak of the sun cycle has become the attention of worlds' scientists, especially when a flare happens in the sun's atmosphere. Based on LAPAN's notes, the flare's power is equal to 66 million times more than the Hiroshima atom bomb in Japan. 

Such explosion can cause radiation and toss particles from the sun down to the earth in only one or two days. "The effects cannot be prevented or minimized," said Jiyo, a LAPAN analyst in ionosphere and telecommunication. 

ANWAR SISWADI


Smuggling attempts up this year: Airport customs

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 11/25/2008 3:28 PM  

Customs and Excise officials said they had intercepted more smuggling attempts at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport this year compared to the year before. 

They said the office had salvaged a total Rp 3.5 billion from the sale of confiscated goods, which went to the state. 

"Even though we've stepped up surveillance, the number of smuggling attempts has increased significantly," intelligence chief Eko Darmanto told tempointeraktif.com on Tuesday. 

The current global economic crisis had sparked an increase in the amount of goods smuggled into the country, Eko said.

Based on Customs and Excise office records, there were 397 foiled smuggling attempts up until November this year, as compared to 320 cases recording in the same period last year.


Seawater floods Semarang railway station

The Jakarta Post, Tue, 11/25/2008 11:28 AM 


 

(JP/Suherdjoko)


Tawang railway station in Semarang has been flooded with seawater due to high tides, known locally as "rob", for the past four days. 

The flood forced passengers to cross an emergency bridge erected as soon as the water in the station was knee high. 

"I didn't expect the water to flood through the station as high as it is. I came here to pick up my family who traveled from Jakarta," Wijanarko, a resident of Peterongan in Semarang, Central Java, said Monday. 

In anticipation of further problems, the Semarang branch of state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api will use Poncol and Tawang stations for business and executive class passengers. Poncol station is usually used only for passengers on economic class trains. 

"Passengers can choose between the two stations. Currently, Poncol is free from flooding. We also sell tickets for business and executive class trains in Poncol," said Poncol station head Tri Suwarno. 

Spokesman for the Semarang branch of PT Kereta Api, Warsono, said the relocation of business and executive trains from Tawang to Poncol had disrupted activity in Poncol. 

"But it's OK, because now we are in an emergency situation," he added. 

Also flooded as of Monday morning were part of Johar traditional market and the Kota Lama area. The water had dried up by noon Monday. -- JP/Suherdjoko


Sunday, November 23, 2008

Public bus tumbles and rolls to avoid train crash

The Jakarta Post | Sat, 11/22/2008 4:46 PM  

A bus packed with passengers skidded of track before rolling over to avoid a crash with a speeding train in Kediri, East Java, on Saturday noon. No life casualties resulted from the accident. 

The bus driver, Suwarno, explained that he already noticed the train at about 300 meters from a train crossing. However, he said, the bus brakes failed to function properly, forcing him to make a sudden turn off the road. 

“I had to do it because ahead of us there were already cars lining up to wait for the train to cross. I diverted the steer to the left,” Suwarno said. 

After making the desperate turn, the bus crashed onto a local village security post before finally landing on a flower garden. 

Witnesses said that the passengers, who were mostly factory workers of the country’s biggest clove cigarette manufacturer, PT Gudang Garam, exited the bus through the back door and a small exit on the roof of the bus. (and)


Tour d'Indonesia offers cyclists challenges

Niken Prathivi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta  | Sun, 11/23/2008 10:31 AM  

The organizers of newly resumed 2008 Speedy Tour d'Indonesia are confident the event, which starts Sunday, promises cyclists greater challenges. 

"We have 17 teams participating. The minimum number of participation for the event is between 10 and 15 teams, so 17 teams is an OK number," race director Sofyan Ruzian told The Jakarta Post over the phone Saturday. 

The annual event, which was listed on world cycling body International Cycling Union's (UCI) calendar in 2003, was absent last year due to sponsorship woes. 

In 2006, 24 teams from nine countries took part in the Tour. Initially, 10 foreign teams and eight local teams were expected to take part in the event this year. 

Following the withdrawal of three foreign teams -- Jajo Spirit of Switzerland, Mes Kerman of Iran and Nordland Hamburg-Palmares of Germany -- the organizers allowed two additional local teams to take part, taking the number of participating teams to seven foreign teams and 10 local teams. 

The German team Nordland Hamburg-Palmares signed up for the race, but reportedly canceled their participation because they could not afford the soaring airfare prices as a result of the global economic crisis. 

Jazy Sports Beacon of the Philippines, National Team of Japan, Tinelli Collosi of Australia/New Zealand, National Team of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Cycling Association and Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling Team of Iran will be among the participating teams. 

The Tabriz team is one of the strongest teams on the Tour. Its cyclist, Mehdi Faridi, came out as the King of Mountain at the 2006 Tour. The team was also crowned the best Asian team in 2007. 

The US$100,000 tour will run from Nov. 23 to Dec. 5. The cyclists will travel a 1,726-km route, from Jakarta to Bali. The route this year is longer than that of the 2006 tour, which was 1,352.2 km and completed in nine stages. 

The tour's 80-km Jakarta stage will kick off at 8 a.m. at the South Plaza of the Bung Karno Sports Complex in Central Jakarta. 

Two cyclists from the Kuala Lumpur team were disqualified because they were below the 18-year-old age requirement, Sofyan said.


Saturday, November 22, 2008

France and The Netherlands Recheck National Airlines

Friday, 21 November, 2008 | 19:08 WIB 

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The European Union is softening their stand over their flight ban on Indonesian airlines. Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal said France and the Netherlands will send their inspection team to Indonesia in the near future to begin a technical collaboration. "They will check equipments, security and comfort standards of Indonesian airlines,' he said yesterday. 

The Netherlands, Jusman said, has even carried out a pre-inspection of Indonesian airlines. "The joint inspection will improve the credibility of Indonesian inspectors," he added. However, the flight ban will still continue until next year. 

The EU have drastically reduced their objections. There are currently seven issues from a total 69 points that are still in question. According to Jusman, the arrival of European ambassadors earlier had a significant role in improving relations and communication between Indonesia and the EU. "We often meet and exchange information. We even held teleconferences if there was any problem in communication," he said. 

TITI SETIANINGTYAS


Friday, November 21, 2008

Jakarta to rearrange school and working hours

The Jakarta Post | Fri, 11/21/2008 5:58 PM | Jakarta 

The Jakarta city administration will issue a regulation to shift school hours earlier by half an hour to 6.30 a.m. starting Jan. 1 to ease morning and noon traffic congestion. 

"We will propose this new arrangement to Governor Fauzi Bowo. If he approves, it will take effect in Jan. 1," Vice Governor Prijanto said after a meeting with related city agencies on Friday. 

The administration will also issue a non-mandatory instruction for private companies in Jakarta to rearrange their operation hours according to the location of their offices. 

"For the private offices, we urge those located at North and Central Jakarta to start their operation hours at 7.30 a.m., 8 a.m. for offices located in West and East Jakarta and 9 a.m. for those located in South Jakarta," Prijanto said. 

The start of working hours for civil servants, he said, would remain at 7.30. 

According to a recent survey commissioned by the city administration, there are 20.7 million people making a journey in the city in one day where about 3 percent of them rely on trains, 57 percent on motorized vehicles and 40 percent by bicycles or foot. 

They survey also shows that about 32 percent of all the destinations are working places, 30 percent schools, 12 percent shopping malls and 26 percent for other purposes. (anb)


Thursday, November 20, 2008

Asia Pacific Airlines discuss aviation safety in Bali


Jimbaran, Bali Province (ANTARA News) - The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) is holding an Asia Pacific Aviation Safety Seminar 2008 (APASS 2008) at Jimbaran, Bali, from Nov. 20 to 21 to discuss latest developments in aviation safety. 

Some 150 participants from 17 airlines in Asian and Pacific countries are taking part in the seminar hosted by Garuda Indonesia, according to Garuda President Director Emirsyah Satar here on Thursday. 

The seminar`s participants also include aircraft manufacturers, suppliers, aviation safety experts and academics. 

The two-day seminar titled "Asia Pacific Aviation Safety" is part of ongoing efforts of AAPA members to continuously improve aviation safety in Asia Pacific. 

The seminar was important because it would discuss the most crucial aspect of aviation, namely safety, said Satar. 

Garuda, as the national flag carrier of Indonesia, was obliged to help the government develop and improve the safety aspect of aviation in Indonesia, he said. 

The Garuda Indonesia chief hoped that domestic airlines would compete in improving aviation safety. 

During the seminar, which was officially opened by AAPA Director General Andrew Herdman, the participants were expected to exchange ideas and discuss the important fundamentals and application of aviation safety best practices, in-service experience and lessons-learned with leading aviation safety experts from within and outside the region.


Garuda to reopen Denpasar-Brisbane route next month

The Jakarta Post | Wed, 11/19/2008 10:27 PM  

State airline company Garuda Indonesia will reopen the Denpasar- Brisbane route next month, president director Emirsyah Satar said Wednesday. 

Emir said demand for direct flights between the two cities had recovered after plummeting following the 2005 second bombing in Bali, which led to the termination of the route. 

"The three weekly flights can potentially bring tourists to Indonesia, particularly to Bali," he said in Denpasar, as quoted by Antara news agency. 

Garuda currently flies to four cities in Australia with twice weekly flights to Perth, six per week to Sydney and five per week to Melbourne. 

"The total monthly seat capacity to and from Australia currently stands at 28,004 seats. With the Brisbane route, we will add another 3,516 seats," Emir said.


Lion Air seals $380m deal with ATR for new aircraft

The Jakarta Post, Thu, 11/20/2008 10:35 AM   

Airline company Lion Air signed Wednesday a memorandum of understanding with aircraft manufacturer ATR for an order of 10 ATR 72-500 aircraft and an option on another 10. 

Signed during the opening of the four-day Indo Defense and Aerospace Expo and Forum at the Halim Perdanakusumah Air Force Base in Jakarta, the deal is worth more than US$380 million including the extra options. 

The twin-turboprop, 72-seat aircraft will be operated by Lion Air's subsidiary Wings Air as a feeder service to Lion Air's Boeing 737-900ER twin jets. 

"With our brand new fleet of ATR 72-500s, we will able to develop a strong low-cost network, feeding Lion Air's major hubs," Lion Air CEO Rusdi Kirana said in a press statement. 

ATR CEO Stephane Mayer said the deal would "increase our presence in the expanding Indonesian market and continue the growth of our large fleet in Southeast Asia which has become a booming market in the last three years". 

With the arrival of ATR 72-500s, Wings Air will discontinue the operation of its McDonnell Douglas MD-82 and DHC-8-300 fleets. 

Wings Air's ATR 72-500s are powered by higher power rated PW 127 engines driving six-blade propellers and will be equipped with the Elegance cabin incorporating the latest developments in passenger amenities and comfort. 

The Franco-Italian aircraft manufacturer claims that all ATR models are compliant with noise regulations and have a large margin with regard to Chapter IV (ICAO) noise limits. -- JP/Novan Iman Santosa


Wednesday, November 19, 2008

European Union Offer Assistance to Improve Indonesian Aviation

Wednesday, 19 November, 2008 | 17:01 WIB 

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The European Union (EU) is offering to cooperate in order to improve Indonesian aviation. 

Director General of Air Transportation Budhi Muliawan Suyitno said that the EU was now more open. 

“Before, the EU only imposed a flight ban but now its is offering assistance,” he said yesterday (18/11). 

He mentioned that five EU countries are serious about offering technical assistance. 

Germany, France, and the Netherlands will offer assistance for security and safety affairs while Sweden and the UK are offering training for human resources. 

This Friday, Directorate of Air Transportation will have a teleconference with the EU flight safety unit to talk about the progress over Indonesian aviation. 

“It is better to talk through a teleconference so there’ll be no miscommunication,” said Budhi. 

Budhi went on to say that the replacement of the EU ambassador to Indonesia, from Pierre Phillipe to Julian Wilson, will have a positive impact. 

Wilson is a cooperative person with good intentions of improving the relations between both parties. 

Since end of November 2007, the EU has banned Indonesian airlines from flying to Europe. 

The EU said it considered Indonesian airlines did not meet the proper safety standards. 

At an evaluation meeting on July 10 in Belgium, Indonesia offered three options. 

One of these was to encourage Indonesian flight regulators by working together with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to improve safety standards. 

Budhi explained the cooperation will be realized soon. 

Five aviation inspectors will be appointed on November 27 when ICAO President Robert Kobeh Gonzales comes to Indonesia. 

In addition, the Civil Aviation Transformation Team (CATT) will also be formed through cooperation between ICAO, the Federation Aviation Administration (FAA-America), and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA-Australia). 

A representative office for the CATT team will be located at Transportation Department and be responsible to the Director General of Air Transportation. 

VENNIE MELYANI


News Focus: EU expected to lift flight ban on Indonesian airlines

By Eliswan Azly 

Jakarta  (ANTARA News)  - It has been two years now that Indonesian aircrafts have been banned from flying to European destinations. But the Indonesian government and airline companies are still hoping the European Union would lift the flight ban. 

Air Transportation Director General Budhi Muliawan said in Jakarta on Tuesday the European Union had once indicated that it would lift the ban next year following improvements in its community-level relations with Indonesia. 

A team of government officials was reported to have met with the European Union recently to discuss not only air transportation issues but also matters on fishery. During the meeting there were indications that the EU was already open to cooperation with Indonesia. 

The EU said it had ignored seven findings with regard to Indonesian flights. "But when the team returned to Indonesia the number of ignored findings increased to 33. God willing, the EU will lift its ban in 2009," the director general said. 

"We hope it could be endorsed this year," the director general said. 

He said that seven findings were still under negotiations while 29 others were referred to the bill on aviation. 

"The total number of findings is 69. The seven which are still under negotiations include the number of competent flight instructors for wide-bodied planes and navigation system. 

"They are also available for talks through a teleconference on Friday (Nov.21)," he said adding that the EU new ambassador to Indonesia also had a goodwill to improve relations.  

Offer of technical assistance 

A number of European countries such as Germany, France and the Netherlands had also offered technical assistance for security and flight safety. "Sweden and the UK even offered human resources training in aviation," he added. 

He said that the matter constituted a concrete step for them to open themselves to close and concrete cooperation with Indonesia. 

But Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal said that so far they had not yet taken any decision yet. 

The European Union has imposed a ban on Indonesian planes to fly over its airspace along with those of other countries since July 2007. In every three months, the European evaluates the condition of the airlines subjected to the ban. 

In the meantime, President Yudhoyono during the 7th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Beijing last month, also took the opportunity to lobby European leaders to lift the EU ban on Indonesian flights to Europe. 

The president raised the flight ban issue at a meeting with EU president Jose Manuel Barroso in the summit`s sidelines. At that time there was still a clause on the Aviation Bill which was still an issue, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said. . 

According to Wirayuda, the EU Commission was in principle sticking to its previously stated position, namely that Indonesia should revise its transportation law to better ensure passenger safety. The EU also wanted to see safety regulations at airline operators` level. 

After the Indonesian tranporation law had been revised, the EU would conduct periodic assessments of Indonesian airlines` safety conditions until they reached a score of 65. 

"The scores of some of the airlines, have now already risen from 25 to 35," he said adding that the EU was expected to lift the ban on the Indonesian airlines one after the other. 

Actually the EU admitted there had been an improvement in the safety performance of three airlines, namely Garuda Indonesia, Merpati and Airfast, Wirajuda said. 

More important to note, the EU explained that they had not discriminated against Indonesian airlines. "They said they had recently also banned two EU airlines. So they are not discriminating," he said. 

However, the European leaders that had talked with Indonesia even showed their preparedness to help Indonesia. "They asked about what had really been the problem and what they could do to help," he said. 

The minister said the negotiations with the EU would continue until the ban was lifted. "At least, they could first lift the ban on airlines that had already improved their safetry performance, Wirajuda said. 

Earlier Teuku Faizasyah, a spokesperson of the foreign ministry was quoted by AFP as saying that the European Union`s decision to extend a flight ban on all Indonesian airlines for safety reasons could be politically motivated. 

The European Commission and the EU`s Air Safety Committee unanimously rejected a request by Indonesian airlines to be taken off the region`s blacklist of unsafe airlines. 

"The way we see it, the EU always puts their actions (in terms of) technicality issues. But we question if there are political motivations behind the decision," he said.. 

The EU found three key airlines that had applied for a "fast track" lift of the ban, including flag-carrier Garuda Indonesia, could not be confirmed as safe enough for European skies, despite concerted efforts to improve safety. 

In maintaining the ban on all 51 Indonesian airlines, the EU said Indonesia had not introduced an efficient safety oversight regime and that safety gains had not yet been assessed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. 

Indonesia had been hoping to have the bans lifted on at least four airlines by the end of July. 

"We are disappointed with the prolonging of the ban," Faizasyah said. "We`ve done some improvements so we do hope that those actions taken could be considered." 

The ban was imposed on Indonesian airlines last year after a string of deadly crashes in the archipelago, which is heavily reliant on air links. 

An Adam Air plane crashed into the sea off Indonesia`s Sulawesi island in January 2007 due to pilot error, killing everyone on board. Two months later, a Garuda jet burst into flames on landing in Central Java, killing 21 people. 

The pilot of that plane was charged in court with negligence and "deliberately" causing damage to the aircraft on Thursday, and could face up to life in prison.


Rampant red tape for auto checks

The Jakarta Post, Wed, 11/19/2008 11:11 AM  |  Bali 

BULELENG: Members of the Buleleng legislative council (DPRD) have uncovered rampant red tape in the local vehicle roadworthiness services office that operates under the supervision of the Buleleng Transportation Office. 

The DPRD finding showed officials had inflated the official charge for roadworthiness checks from the standard Rp 40,000 (US$4) to Rp 60,000, with no improvement in service in the office long considered a den of corruption for a long time. 

Councilor Gede Suartana said he was forced to send a team to double-check a tip-off from the public that the office had rampantly raised the price of the vehicle checks. 

"Initially, we just wanted to know the condition of the vehicle roadworthiness check office. Now we want to seek a way to wipe out the illegal levy collection," Suartana said. 

During the spot inspection, legislators also found most of the equipment for the roadworthiness checks was out of order. 

They found no activities at all at the workshop designed for roadworthiness checks, with one of the attendants saying the room was used as a parking lot for employees' motorcycles. 

"Because it gets hot outside, all the motorcycles were moved here -- for safety and to protect them from the sunlight," the unidentified attendant said.



Eurocopter to open subsidiary in Indonesia

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 11/19/2008 5:12 PM  

European civil and military helicopter manufacturer Eurocopter is set to expand its global presence by opening a subsidiary company in Indonesia by the end of next year. 

The EADS subsidiary, which was established in 1992 and have operated in Indonesia for the last 30 years, will set up its first Indonesian headquarters in Jakarta and will employ between 70 and 100 workers, according to reports by Kompas.com. 

The local office will cooperate with state-owned aircraft maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) in providing sales and after-sales services to its local customers. 

Eurocopter and PTDI had earlier signed a cooperation agreement for a local helicopter assembly factory for Super Puma MK helicopters in October this year. 

The company has previously secured a production permit for 118 BO 105 series choppers.

 

Monday, November 17, 2008

'Reduce waste' to cope with budget cut

Tifa Asrianti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 11/17/2008 10:54 AM  

The city administration should reduce garbage rather than relying on its budget to finance the operation of garbage trucks, an activist says following reports that the city budget will be lower next year. 

Bagong Suyoto, head of the coalition for national garbage management, said the smaller budget would not pose a problem if the administration implemented a 3R (reduce, reuse and recycle) program in the trade, industry and education sectors. 

"The city administration should also enforce the Garbage Law by drafting a bylaw on extended producer responsibility (EPR), so each producer recycles the garbage that results from their products," he said. 

In the 2009 draft budget, the city sanitation agency asked for Rp 568.34 billion (US$47.93 million), about Rp 23 billion less than the budget this year. In 2007, the budget was Rp 710.26 billion. 

Bagong said the city administration should also encourage more communities to process their own garbage by allocating funds for neighborhood waste management units. 

"If the administration uses this approach, they can save the agency up to 30 percent," he said. 

Eko Bharuna, the agency's head, said local communities had helped process 8 percent of the city's total garbage produced this year, or between 450 and 500 tons of garbage. 

"We aim to raise the figure up to 20 percent over the next five years. It is hard to encourage the public to process garbage, so we still have to transport garbage to the dump," he said. 

Jakarta produces 6,000 tons of garbage per day. The garbage volume is predicted to reach 6,894 tons per day in 2010 and 8,210 tons per day in 2025, according to a sanitation agency report. 

However, the rising volume of garbage has not been followed by an increase in the number of dump trucks. 

The agency has 795 trucks, with 336 trucks aged between 10 and 15 years and 197 trucks above 15 years. Eko said that with the current load, the city needed 1,000 trucks. 

Eko said the older trucks could only make one trip to Bantar Gebang dump in Bekasi, West Java, each day. As a result, he added, the volume of remaining garbage reached 10 percent or between 1,500 tons and 1,600 tons per day. 

He said the budget decrease could cause more garbage to be left behind because it would not cover for the cost of fuel. 

When the gasoline price was Rp 4,500 per liter, the budget for the operational costs of the trucks was Rp 28 billion for 2008, he said. 

"There are fixed items in our agency's budget, such as tipping fee and truck operational costs. The reduced budget can only cover us until September 2009, so there won't be any budget for the last three months. We will try to get more budget during the revision period," he said. 

Sayogo Hendrosubroto, a councilor from Commission D overseeing development, said the last couple of budgets proposed by the sanitation agency were too small. 

"We always ask for budget details and calculations from the sanitation agency, but they never give them to us. The budget is still under deliberation, there is still room for change," he said.


BUSINESS AS USUAL

The Jakarta Post | Mon, 11/17/2008 6:54 PM 


 

BUSINESS AS USUAL: People buy meatball soup from a vendor in a flooded street in Cieunteung, about 30 kilometers south of Bandung city, on Monday. Some 400 houses in the village have become inundated over the past three weeks. JP/Yuli Tri Suwarni


Sunday, November 16, 2008

Jakarta air getting healthier: Official

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Bangkok |  Sat, 11/15/2008 11:00 AM  

While compulsory emissions testing for private cars continues to be delayed, the Jakarta administration claims air quality is getting better across the city thanks to regular car-free days. 

Data from the Jakarta Environment Management Board (BPLHD) shows Jakartans breathed healthy air on 104 days up to October this year, compared to only 73 days last year and 45 days in 2006. 

The city launched "voluntary" emission checks for private cars in 2006. 

BPLHD chairman Budirama Natakusumah said Car-Free Day significantly contributed to a reduction in air pollution in the city. 

"Up until October we had carried out Car-Free Day 18 times this year, including along the city's main street of Jl. Jend. Sudirman," he told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the Better Air Quality conference in Bangkok on Thursday. 

Budirama said concentration of particulate matter measuring 10 mm (PM10) decreased by an average of 40 percent each Car-Free Day. 

The amount of carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) declined an average of 63 percent and 67 percent respectively. 

The pollutants expelled by motor vehicles and industries cause various diseases, particularly respiratory disease, hypertension, kidney failure, coronary disease and cancer. 

Budirama said the office used a mobile air monitoring unit to measure air quality during Car-Free Day, which was mostly conducted on weekends when many Jakartans stay at home. 

Jakarta, which organized three car-free days last year, has five air quality monitoring stations, but only three of them are in good condition. 

"We plan on holding Car-Free Day 22 times next year. Hopefully, we can also enforce the law on mandatory emissions tests for private cars and motorcycles," Budirama said. 

In 2005, the administration issued a bylaw requiring all private cars to test their emissions, in an effort to clean the city's air. 

Under the bylaw, vehicle owners are required to have their vehicles tested twice a year. Owners of vehicles that pollute heavily are fined Rp 2 million or face two months in prison. 

Budirama said the delay in enforcing the law was due to technical problems, holding back the supply of certificates and stickers for emission tests. 

Chairman of the Public Health School at the University of Indonesia, Budi Haryanto, doubted the validity of the air quality figures, saying data from Car-Free Day could not represent the real condition of the whole city. 

"We need to verify the data given the fact more and more people are falling ill because of air pollution in Jakarta," he said. 

Budi said results from measuring the air quality on the weekend would be different to tests on working days, when millions of private cars and motorcycles flocked to Jakarta. 

Chairman of the Indonesian Lead Information Center (KPPB), Ahmad Safruddin, who is also involved in the Car-Free Day campaign, said hydrocarbon (HC) in Jakarta remained a big problem. 

"We need to improve fuel quality in Jakarta and retrofit catalytic converters in order to cut pollutants of HC, PM10 and CO," he said.


Saturday, November 15, 2008

Indonesia unveils Lippo Village track

By Pablo Elizalde Friday, Autosport.com, November 14th 2008, 10:37 GMT

The new Lippo Village street circuit will host this season's Indonesian round of the A1GP championship, it has been announced. 

A press conference was held on Thursday to unveil the new track, which will host the first ever street race in Indonesia on 6-8 February next year.  

The 3.2km circuit has been designed by Herman Tilke and will run clock-wise, incorporating 12 corners, with an estimated average speed of nearly 180km/h. 





"This is an opportunity everyone to lend their support not only for the long-term benefit of the surrounding area, but Indonesia as a whole," said Gordon Benton, an urban planner involved in the project. 

"We have now joined an elite group of nations capable of hosting global motorsport series on street circuits. Such circuits include Surfers Paradise, Durban, Valencia, Monaco, Long Beach, Melbourne and Singapore." 

The track will have all the standard infrastructure of an international motorsport venue such as race control tower, public grandstands, exhibition malls, a pit complex, hospitality suites and media centre.


Markets to make 10,000 biopores

The Jakarta Post, Sat, 11/15/2008 10:54 AM   

JAKARTA: City-owned market operator PD Pasar Jaya plans to create 10,000 biopores in 151 traditional markets across the city to prevent puddles around the market areas. 

The public relations officer of Pasar Jaya, M. Nur Havidz, said each market would have 50 to 100 biopores. 

"The biopores will allow more rainwater to be absorbed. We can also put organic waste into the biopores so it can turn into compost," Havidz said Thursday, as quoted by beritajakarta.com. 

So far there are only 22 markets -- including Kramatjati market in East Jakarta, Tebet market in South Jakarta, Glodok market in West Jakarta and Senen market in Central Jakarta -- with biopores, he said. 

Pasar Jaya ambassador, actress Chintami Atmanegara, said she hoped the biopores would make the traditional markets cleaner so more people would go there.


Help on the way to dredge city waterways

Tifa Asrianti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta  | Sat, 11/15/2008 11:04 AM  

The Netherlands is sending two heavy dredging machines to Jakarta in order to help the city tackle flooding. 

Team leader of the Dutch Assistance Jakarta Flood Management Pilot Dredging Project, Peter Vroege, said the equipment would be used for two narrow and shallow waterways, the Mati and Pademangan canals in North Jakarta. 

The city administration expects to dredge between 20,000 and 30,000 cubic meters of mud from Mati and Pademangan canals. Mati canal is 2,000 meters long and 12 meters wide, while Pademangan is 2,000 meters long and 2-3 meters wide. 

Vroege said his team would operate the dredging equipment, dubbed floating bulldozers, for three months, from Nov. 24 to February, before giving them to the city administration. 

"We will train the officers at the public works agency so they will be able to operate the equipment on other waterways," he said, adding that the equipment had been used for the last 25 years in the Netherlands. 

Jakarta Public Works Agency head Wisnu Subagyo Yusuf said the pilot project would teach the Jakarta administration the best way to dredge small waterways using the equipment. 

"It doesn't mean the equipment can stop flooding though. It works best on small waterways," he said. 

The equipment is worth 700,000 euros, consisting of one medium-sized floating bulldozer, one small-sized floating bulldozer, spare parts and a rotating drum, which will separate the mud from garbage. 

The floating bulldozers push the mud up to the excavator and rotating drum, and then pack the mud into dump trucks. The mud will be put on a two-hectare plot of land belonging to beach management company PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol. 

To finance the operational costs, the city administration has allocated Rp 1.5 billion in the 2008 revised budget. The budget will cover the cost of diesel for the bulldozers and trucks as well as the cost of establishing an office for the training session. 

Vroege said the equipment arriving at Tanjung Priok Port was a substitute before the new equipment arrived in early January, adding that his team would finish the tender process for the new equipment by next week. 

"However, we must start dredging before the rainy season. We shipped one machine to see if it fit in the waterways and to make some adjustment. So that when the equipment arrives, we can operate them straight away," he said. 

Besides dredging the waterways, the Pilot Dredging Project will also involve the public in the flood mitigation plan. 

"We will hold a neighborhood cleaning program so that communities living near the waterways can clean small canals and gutters in their neighborhood. We will also hold solid waste management to reduce waste from the sources," Vroege said.