Riau airlines closes down Pekanbaru-Jakarta route

Antara News, Saturday, January 9, 2010 16:47 WIB

Pekanbaru (ANTARA News) - Riau Airlines company (RAL) has closed down its Pekanbaru-Jakarta route after suffering continual losses in the competition with other airlines flying the same route.

"Our Pekanbaru-Jakarta route has been closed since January 6, 2010," the company`s spokesman, Teguh Trianto, said here on Saturday.

He said RAL opened its Pekanbaru-Jakarta route in December 2008 when Samudra Sukardi was its president director.

The brother of former State Enterprises Minister Laksamana Sukardi at the time decided to open the Pekanbaru-Jakarta route with two Avro RJ-100 aircraft with a capacity of 108 seats each.

For its future business, Teguh Trianto said, RAL would focus on its commercial flight services in Sumatra island, and it recently opened a new route to Jambi.

"In the near future, we will open a new route to Palembang," he said, adding the routes in Sumatra island were more prospective than the Pekanbaru-Jakarta route.

RAL now had seven aircraft, namely two RJ-100 and five Fokker-50 planes.

"We have closed down the Pekanbaru-Jakarta route until we have bigger airplanes," Teguh Trianto said.

Japan government to explain to 35 nations on JAL: report

Reuters, TOKYO, Fri Jan 8, 2010 9:58pm EST

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's government is set to explain through diplomatic channels the situation of Japan Airlines Corp, increasingly likely to go bankrupt, to some 35 nations the airline serves, Yomiuri newspaper said on Saturday.

The government, aiming to ease credit worries abroad, will also issue a statement saying it fully supports JAL's flight operations when Asia's biggest carrier by revenue files for bankruptcy, Yomiuri reported without citing a source.

Negotiations have dragged on for months as company officials, employees, policymakers, investors and even pensioners grapple over the debt-laden, loss-making airline, with a bankruptcy for JAL looking increasingly likely.

The case for a court-led restructuring, which would likely slash the value of JAL's shares, appeared to gather momentum this week when Japan's new finance minister said he expected a state-backed fund to support the airline.

The Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp of Japan is in talks with the government and creditors on a plan to support JAL with yet more cash if it files for bankruptcy and can get debt forgiveness from its banks, sources have told Reuters.

A pre-packaged bankruptcy of JAL would involve drastically cutting the carrier's services and providing the airline with 600 billion yen ($6.48 billion) in credit as a bridge loan, the Nikkei business daily reported on Saturday.

The government may approve the turnaround plan as early as Tuesday, with the carrier filing for court protection around the same day, the daily said.

The airline's top lenders had been pushing for a creditor-led workout but are now expected to accept the government's decision, media reports said.

During the three-year timeframe set for rebuilding the carrier, the ETIC is expected to cut 13,000 jobs, write down the value of the airline and cancel 26 domestic and overseas routes in addition to the already announced 21 routes, the Nikkei said.

While the ETIC is seeking a delisting of JAL through a 100 percent reduction of capital, which would wipe out existing shareholders, JAL management and creditors are lobbying to keep the company listed, the business daily reported.

Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines have been stepping up their efforts to court the carrier, eyeing its access to fast-growing Asian markets and a stronger foothold in Japan.

JAL shares tumbled 13 percent on Friday, extending losses this week to as much as 30 percent and cutting the airline's market value to below $2 billion from more than a $6 billion a year ago.

For a Graphic TIMELINE on JAL shares, click: here

(Reporting by Archana Shankar in BANGALORE and Yoko Kubota; Editing by Alex Richardson)

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Sriwijaya Air skids off runway

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi | Thu, 01/07/2010 7:52 PM

A Boeing 737-200 operated by Sriwijaya Air skidded off the runway at Sultan Hasanuddin airport in Makassar after it tore its wheels landing from Surabaya at 1:30 p.m. Jakarta time on Thursday.

One-hundred-and-eighteen passengers and six aircrew were unscathed. The airline evacuated the passengers to a transit hotel before flying 72 to their destination, Kendari, the capital of Southeast Sulawesi.

“The incident was possibly caused by a hard landing,” Sriwijaya’s Makassar district manager Budianto said.

The runway was wet due to rain when the plane touched down, Budianto added.

State airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I spokesman Kintoron said the National Committee for Transportation Safety would launch an investigation to find out the cause of the accident.

The accident forced a one-hour closure of the airport to allow workers to tug the plane to the hangar. At least 11 flights were delayed and six others detoured to nearby airports due to the accident.

It is the second accident of its kind within three weeks after a Merpati Nusantara plane tore its wheel at the airport last month.

Garuda to resume flights to Timika

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 01/07/2010 11:01 PM

The government announced Thursday that national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia would resume flights to Timika, Papua, on Friday.

Air Transportation Director General Herry Bakti S. Gumay told a media conference that the decision followed negotiations involving Garuda, US-based gold miner PT Freeport Indonesia and Timika’s Mozes Kilangin Airport operator, PT AVCO. The Transportation Ministry facilitated the meeting.

“We agreed that starting Friday, January 8, 2010, Garuda will reinstate the Timika route,” Herry said.

Garuda halted flights to Timika after Freeport refused to supply avtur fuel to one of its jets during a stop on Jan. 3. The incident followed Garuda’s refusal to take the Freeport boss and his colleagues from Jayapura to Timika, because they were not in the manifest. Freeport denied the claim, saying it fell short of fuel because of the increased Christmas and New Year holiday demand.

Herry said that in future, fuel suppliers should notify airline companies a few days in advance of shortages of stock, if any.

He added that the government had also asked the Mozes Kilangin airport operator to open the possibility for other fuel suppliers, including state oil and gas company Pertamina, to set up a depot there.

Take a Spin Back Through Time

Jakarta Globe, Tasa Nugraza Barley

Old bicycles are the vehicles of choice for this Jakarta-based community.
(Photo courtesy of Komunitas Ontel Batavia)

Because of Jakarta’s endless traffic and thick pollution, activities that take you out into the great outdoors aren’t very common.

Despite this, a group of people are still trying to enjoy the city their own way — by riding their bicycles.

And they are not doing this on just any bicycle. Members of Komunitas Ontel Batavia (Batavia Bicycle Community) prefer riding antique bikes. The group derives its name, ontel , from the Javanese word for bicycle.

“It feels so peaceful to be on my bicycle and just ride slowly,” said 28-year-old Fahmi Saimima, who works at a bank in Jakarta.

Established on Aug. 17, 2005, the group now has about 700 members.

Fahmi, who is the group’s public relations officer, said he first fell in love with old bicycles in 1996 when he inherited one that used to belong to his grandfather.

To his surprise, the bicycle was still in good condition. When he rode it, he felt a connection with the bike.

“I would say that it was love at first sight,” Fahmi said, adding that being on a bike is a unique experience.

Fahmi, who lives in Kalibata, South Jakarta, said he takes the main roads when he rides. He enjoys being on his bike so much that the traffic and pollution don’t bother him.

As his appreciation of old bicycles grew, he decided to give his grandfather’s bicycle to his brother and bought three others.

One is a 1942 English Burgers brand bicycle. Another is an English bicycle made by Phillips in 1950. The third one is a Dutch Teha bicycle from 1930.

Altogether, the three bicycles cost him Rp 10 million ($1,100).

According to Fahmi, bicycles that are considered “old” by the group’s standards are the ones that were made before 1960. Most of these are European bicycles, with a few that were made in China.

Fahmi said, however, that he prefers the European models.

“It’s the prestige,” he said.

Heru Pramono, 34, who works in TV, joined Komunitas Ontel Batavia in 2006, just after purchasing his first antique bicycle.

He found the group’s blog online and joined in order to spend time and swap stories with people who shared the same hobby.

He now has four bicycles, which in total cost him about Rp 4 million. His latest addition is a French model.

Heru said most Jakartans were unfamiliar with the idea of people riding bikes as a hobby.

He said people often gave him strange looks when they saw him cycling, partly because bicycles — especially the ones he rides — are seen as old-fashioned. But Heru said that the stares don’t bother him and can’t detract from the enjoyment he derives from his recreation.

Unlike today’s well-equipped modern bicycles, old bicycles can generally only reach a maximum speed of 20 kilometers per hour.

But to Heru, that’s what makes it so enjoyable. “For me it’s the perfect relaxation,” he said.

Searching for antique bicycles takes members of Komunitas Ontel Batavia all around Java.

Heru said that many of his friends regularly go to cities like Bandung, Yogyakarta, Semarang and Surabaya in search of bicycles.

“Old bicycles are usually sold at traditional markets [in those places] at low prices,” Heru said.

Members of the community have lots of stories about their quests to find old bicycles, too.

Heru said one of his friends saved up to buy a particular Dutch bicycle from the 1920s. Unable to find the model he was looking for, he instead spent the money on his wedding.

To his surprise, his father in-law gave him the exact bicycle that he had been searching for as a wedding gift.

Members of Komunitas Ontel gather every Sunday at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, on Jalan Thamrin, at 7 a.m.

After riding their bicycles from home, they sit together and talk.

Sometimes, they go to museums together and occasionally arrange group rides in the city.

“We also exchange tips and tricks related to maintaining our bicycles,” Fahmi said.

“Everyone can join the community for free as long as they share the same passion for old bicycles.”

Komunitas Ontel Batavia
Jalan Cipinang Timur Raya No. 48 Rawamangun, East Jakarta, 13240
021 4788 2340
sepeda.wordpress.com
herupram@gmail.com

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Lion Air to Add 10 Planes for East Asia Routes

Tempo Interactive, Wednesday, 06 January, 2010 | 17:41 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:PT Lion Air plans to add 10 airplanes such as Boeing 777 or Airbus A330 this year to fly to East Asian countries like Japan and China, as well as Australia.

At the end of last year, Lion Air opened the Jeddah, Saudi Arabia route. “We intend to go international," Lion Air CEO Rusdi Kirana said in Jakarta yesterday.

Rusdi is optimistic that the planes can be delivered soon. He said Lion Air has a good reputation among plane manufacturers. However he refused to mention the cost allocated to procure the airplanes. He did admit the funding came from loans. “We don’t know the exact amount yet,” he said.

Desy Pakpahan

More Railway Official Questioned in Corruption Probing

Tempo Interactive, Wednesday, 06 January, 2010 | 22:34 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Corruption investigation into the railway directorate at the Transport Ministry resumed on Wednesday as the Corruption Eradication Commission (6/1) summoned Director General of the Railway Services Wendy Aritenang.

Wendy was questioned for indications of budget manipulation in the procurement of used train coaches from Japan in 2006, in which the anti-graft commission have charged one suspect, former Director general of the Railway Service Sumino Eko Saputro.

After the questioning on Wednesday night, Wendy said he did not know who signed the agreement with partner company in the project, adding that project officer was the one who responsible for the process and the prices.

The anti-graft commission suspected mark up for every used coach up to 9 million yen and estimated around Rp11 billion of state losses. The project received Rp48 billion goverment funding which was carried out during Hatta Radjasa's term before he became the State Secretary Minister following the second cabinet reshuffle.

CHETA NILAWATY

Govt defends Freeport, orders Garuda to resume flight to Timika

Erwida Maulia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 01/05/2010 8:11 PM

Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi has ordered national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia to resume its Timika route, saying the government would ask state oil and gas company PT Pertamina to secure fuel supplies for the route.

Freddy said Tuesday the government could not blame US-based gold miner PT Freeport Indonesia for refusing to supply fuel for Garuda – which is the government’s responsibility – at the Freeport-run Moses Kilangin Airport in Timika.

Freeport indefinitely suspended fuel supplies for Garuda, reportedly in retaliation at the carrier’s refusal to take Freeport executives from Jayapura to Timika over the weekend, Garuda spokesman Pudjobroto said. In response, Garuda halted flights to Timika, citing passenger safety as the reason.

Freeport spokesman Mindo Pangaribuan, however, refuted Garuda's claim. He said the airport stopped supplying fuel for Garuda because stocks had run low following the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Freddy said Garuda and sister company Merpati Nusantara should continue flying to Timika while the government sought to resolve the fuel crisis.

“We’re trying to find solutions, including the possibility of Pertamina building a fuel depot in Timika to serve Garuda and other carriers,” he said.

The government, Freddy added, thanked Freeport for providing air transportation to remote areas and sparing its fuel stock for planes transiting at Mozes Kilangin Airport.

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Toyota steps up small car battle in India

Reuters, Chang-Ran Kim andJanaki Krishnan, NEW DELHI, Tue Jan 5, 2010 3:25am EST

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Co, seeking to draw a line under a dire 2009, is ramping up in India with the launch of a new low-cost compact car to tap the fast-growing market.

The world's largest automaker is a laggard in India, Asia's third biggest economy, and is facing increasing competition from rivals targeting one of the few bright spots in an industry ravaged by the global financial crisis.

At the Delhi Auto Expo, Honda Motor Co also unveiled a new compact car, a 5-seater model being developed especially for India and other emerging markets that are quickly replacing major Western markets as a key battleground for auto firms.

"India will play a pivotal role in Toyota's global expansion plans and the time has come for us to strategically accelerate our growth here," Toyota Vice-Chairman Kazuo Okamoto told a media conference to mark the launch of its new compact car Etios.

Driven by the world's second-largest population, government incentives and a relatively strong domestic economy, Indian auto sales are set to grow about 16 percent this year to 1.4 million vehicles, after posting double-digit growth through most of 2009.

By comparison, U.S. auto sales due later on Tuesday are expected to show the market there slumping to its worst year since 1982, or possibly 1970.

This year, China is due to surpass the United States as the world's largest auto market with about 13 million vehicles sold.

Toyota, which has forecast an operating loss of 350 billion yen ($3.8 billion) in the year to March 2010 after the slump in the U.S. market, said more than 2,000 engineers in India and Japan worked for four years on the Etios.

The car will go on sale later this year with a price tag of less than 500,000 rupees ($10,823).

"With the introduction of Etios, we hope to attain a sizeable market share in India in the shortest possible time," said Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director of marketing at Toyota's local unit, Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

CROWDED MARKET

Honda's new family car based on the "Honda New Small Concept" unveiled in Delhi will hit showrooms in India and Thailand by 2011. It will be one of the 10 small cars due to be launched at India's Auto Expo this week.

Shinzo Nakanishi, chief executive officer of Maruti Suzuki, said the entry of so many new models would make it difficult for his company to defend its half share of the Indian market.

"This is not an easy job this year with so many new cars being launched," he said. "We have to prepare ourselves well for the competition with more products and with better network."

Maruti Suzuki is the market leader with cut-price hatchbacks such as the Maruti 800 and Alto. The mini and compact segments of cars shorter than 4 meters (13 ft 1.4 in) account for three-quarters of India's car market.

The company was another to premier a new model, a 7-seat family car it said will create a new segment in the country.

The push in India is not limited to passenger cars either, with U.S. motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson announcing plans to launch 12 models there this year, and VE Commercial Vehicles, a joint venture between Eicher Motors and Volvo planning to ramp up production capacity to 100,000 units by 2015 as it targets a 15 percent share of the heavy duty truck segment.

SOURCING Center

As well as its growing influence as a market, India is becoming an increasingly important center for building and exporting small, low-cost vehicles.

Volvo, the world's second biggest truck maker, will increase component sourcing from India by five times to $5 billion by 2015, said Bertil Thoren, president of the Volvo Group Alliance Office.

Volkswagen, Europe's largest carmaker, said it will launch its Polo sedan model in India in the second half of 2010, with half the components to be sourced locally.

Honda will increase sourcing of parts from India for its new car. It plans to use Indian steel sheet for the first time when it starts making small cars on the subcontinent next year to lower costs, the Nikkei business daily reported on Tuesday.

($1=92.27 Yen)

(Additional reporting by Devidutta Tripathy and C.J. Kuncheria; Writing by Lincoln Feast; Editing by Anshuman Daga)

S. Jakarta’s cycle lane plan affects several streets

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 01/05/2010 10:36 AM

Cyclists living in South Jakarta will be the first to enjoy bicycle lanes, which will be built on several routes across the municipality.

The South Jakarta administration’s website says the first cycle lane will go from Jl. Lebak Bulus to Jl. Pondok Metro. It then passes Jl. Kyai Maja to Jl. Sisingamaraja.

South Jakarta Mayor Syahrul Effendi said that he planned to extend the bicycle lane to Jl. Jend. Sudirman and Jl. Setiabudi in Karet Kuningan subdistrict.

According to the City Traffic Police Chief Sr. Comr. Condro Kirono, the lane will be 0.5 to 1 meter wide.

“From Jl. Lebak Bulus to Jl. Sisingamaraja route, there will be a specially marked section on sidewalks.

For area with narrow sidewalks like the Kuningan area, the lane will occupy a space in the street,” Condro told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Rivo Pamudji, a spokesman for Bike to Work (B2W) welcomed this.

“We appreciate the initiative of South Jakarta municipality,” said Rivo.

Rivo added that about 500 members of B2W who lived in the South Jakarta and Tangerang areas used the routes to travel to their offices.

“We do not need an exclusive lane like the busway lane [on sidewalks]. In the streets, where cars and motorcycles do not want to give way to bikers, we truly need a specially marked lane for bicycles,” he said.

Nirwono Joga, a landscape architect, questioned using sidewalks.

“I agree the city need bicycle lanes. But, I think these routes are too crowded. The sidewalks are too narrow to be used by both pedestrians and bikers,” he said.

Nirwono said that in Kuningan sidewalks are only a half meter wide and streets four meters wide.

“The sidewalks are too narrow and the streets are also narrow. There is a busway lane there and I think to add a bicycle lane will cause more congestion,” Nirwono said.

“It will be more effective to make bicycle lanes from residential areas to busway shelters and train stations. The bikers can also use environmental friendly public transportation systems,” he said.

Nirwono added that building a bicycle lane on the sidewalks along Jl. Lebak Bulus to Jl. Sisingamaraja was not a good idea.

“Only a sidewalk 6 meters wide could be used by pedestrian and bikers. The sidewalks are not only too narrow, but dangerous for bikers. There are so many holes,” he said.

“Also, so many public facilities such as electricity poles, phone cables and water pipes are built near the sidewalks. At least 12 city agencies control these facilities,” he said.

The City Transportation Agency traffic management chief Muhammad Akbar said the South Jakarta municipality’s plan should be appreciated since they had moved ahead of the provincial administration.

“We are still in the process of making a bicycle lane master plan. The municipality has planned to finish the lane this year,” Akbar said.

“I have not learned the details. However, I hope that it would be in line with the master plan,” he said.

According to Akbar, the city administration’s master plan says that there should be three kinds of bicycle lanes in the city. First, the bicycle lanes should be built on sidewalks which are more than 6 meter wide. Second, the lanes should be allocated some space in the streets which are not too crowded.

Third, the lanes should be built in green strips alongside railways, rivers and canals. (mrs)

Schiphol airport to buy 60 body scanners

Radio Netherlands Worldwide, 4 January 2010

Schiphol airport to buy 60 body scanners (Photo: ANP)

Amsterdam's Schiphol airport is buying 60 additional body scanners. The airport currently has 15 but wants to expand full-body scans in the wake of the failed bombing of a US airliner that departed from Schiphol.

The powder the Nigerian bomber had concealed under his clothes went undetected. Some security analysts believe a body scanner would have detected them. Each of the body scanners costs 150,000 euros. Other countries are also seeking to subject more passengers to body scans.

The news comes as preliminary figures show that the number of travellers passing through Schiphol in 2009 fell by 43,5 million people, a 8,4 percent drop over the preceding year, the biggest drop ever.

Freeport Indonesia Officials Summoned Over Alleged Denial of Fuel for Garuda Plane

Jakarta Globe, Putri Prameshwari

A Garuda Indonesia plane lands at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. (File Photo: Dimas Ardian, Bloomberg News)

PT Freeport Indonesia officials have been summoned to Jakarta over allegations that they denied fuel to a commercial plane that arrived at their airport, an aviation chief said Monday.

Herry Bhakti Singayuda, director general of civil aviation at the Transportation Ministry, said that officials of PT Freeport Indonesia would arrive on Tuesday to discuss the incident.

“The meeting is part of the evaluation process,” he said.

On Sunday, a Garuda Indonesia aircraft, flight GA 652, asked for fuel during a transit at Timika’s Moses Kilangin Airport in Papua, which is owned and managed by PT Freeport Indonesia.

The plane was en route from Jakarta to Jayapura, with two stopovers in Denpasar and Timika.

However, Herry said that the airport authorities said that they did not have enough fuel for the plane.

A few hours before incident, the same plane was diverted to Jayapura due to bad weather, where PT Freeport’s president director was waiting for another Garuda Indonesia flight, GA 653.

Herry said that the chairman allegedly demanded that he be allowed to board the plane, but the pilot refused to take him because according to the rules, the plane could not take more passengers when it was being diverted.

Herry said that as an airport operator, PT Freeport must always ensure they have enough fuel for any aircraft that stops by.

“If you don’t have any fuel stocks, do not open an airport,” he said.

Officials from PT Freeport Indonesia could not yet be reached for comment.

Surabaya to develop new 'bemo'

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun, 01/03/2010 6:13 PM

The Surabaya administration said Sunday it would replace the old three-wheeled minivans, locally known as bemo, with environmentally friendly bemo.

"We already have the new bemo design," city planning agency head Tri Rismaharini said as quoted by kompas.com.

The new bemo would have a bigger, air-conditioned space for passengers, while maintaining its three-wheeled design, she said.

It would use environmentally friendly fuel, she added.

U.S., foreign officials to discuss airport security

Reuters, Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:25pm EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will dispatch senior agency officials to meet with airport executives around the world to review security and technology used to screen passengers on U.S.-bound flights, the department said.

The decision was announced late on Thursday, six days after a botched attempt by a Nigerian man to blow up a plane en route to Detroit from Amsterdam.

Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute and Assistant Secretary for Policy David Heyman will spearhead a broad international outreach effort at major international airports in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and South America, the department said in a statement.

"We are looking not only at our own processes, but also beyond our borders to ensure effective aviation security measures are in place for U.S-bound flights that originate at international airports," Napolitano said in the statement.

"I will follow up on these efforts with ministerial-level meetings within the next few weeks," she said.

The delegation will first travel to Europe, departing on Monday, the statement said.

(Writing by Todd Eastham; editing by Mohammad Zargham)

Deadly crash

The Jakarta Post | Thu, 12/31/2009 2:53 PM

In this image made from video Indonesian rescuer workers and police stand close to a Cessna plane which crashed in front of a hospital in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009. The small plane crashed in Indonesia's West Kalimantan province on Thursday morning, killing a pilot and a technician, an official said. (AP Photo/Yan Sukanda)

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Dutch airport to use full-body scan for U.S. flights

Reuters, Wed Dec 30, 2009 7:50am EST

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport will begin using full-body scanners within three weeks to scan people traveling to the United States, after consultations with U.S. authorities, the Dutch interior minister said on Wednesday.

The ministry also said ordinary security procedures were followed properly in the Christmas Day handling of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who is accused of trying to blow up a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit.

Dutch Interior Minister Guusje Ter Horst told a news conference in The Hague there was no evidence that Abdulmutallab had been to the Netherlands before the flight. The investigation is continuing into whether Abdulmutallab had assistance in Amsterdam, the ministry said.

(Reporting by Gilbert Kreijger, writing by Ben Berkowitz, editing by Tim Pearce)

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Govt to allocate Rp16.68 trillion for road repair

Antara News, Wednesday, December 30, 2009 00:15 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government is preparing a budget amounting to Rp16.65 trillion for road and bridge repairs in 2010, down from the previous year`s allocation of Rp18.64 trillion, a deputy minister said.

Deputy Minister for Public Works Hermanto Dardak said here on Tuesday that of the 2010 year allocation, Rp1.34 trillion would be used to finance repair of 1,477 km highways in northern coasts of Java.

"The highways in the coast of Java get the biggest allocation of the funds because they constitute the backbone of the nation`s transportation and economic distribution," Hermanto said.

He said that the government would also allocate Rp373.26 billion for the repair of 1,186 km of Java`s central axis roads and Rp224.33 billion for the 1,132 km southern Java lanes.

In Sumatra, according to Hermanto, the allocation that would be provided for the 2,805 km eastern trans-Sumatra highways amounted to Rp848.79 billion, the 2,540 km central trans-Sumatra Rp543.06 billion and the Sumatran 2,493 km western lanes Rp418.68 billion.

"We have set a target that in 2014 the whole trans-Sumatran highways would have a width of seven meters,," he said.

The road repair in Kalimantan in 2010 will included the 3,408 km southern highways with allocation of Rp996.89 billion, the 1,900 km central highways with Rp232.63 billion and the 1,557 km northern ones with a fund allocation of Rp192.66 billion.

In Sulawesi, the allocation for the 2.099 km western highways is set at Rp943.98 billion, the 2,346 km central highways Rp 495.03 billion and the 2,054 km western roads amounted to Rp228.93 billion.

In Papua, the government will provide Rp980 billion for 2,060 km strategic roads and Rp460.21 billion for other 1,038 km other roads.

Hermanto said that the government also targeted that in 2014 about 95 percent of national roads in the country would have been in good condition.

Transjakarta bus catches fire at Senen

Prodita Sabarini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 12/29/2009 3:31 PM

On fire: A TransJakarta bus, plying the Kampung Melayu-Ancol route, after catching fire at Jl. Kramat, Senen, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday. No fatalities were reported. Antara/Ujang Zaelani

A Transjakarta bus caught fire on Jl. Kramat, Senen, Central Jakarta, the Jakarta Police’s Traffic Management Center reported Tuesday.

TMC officer Second Brig Denny said the bus was ablaze near the headquarters of state oil and gas company Pertamina.

He added there was no information yet on the cause of the fire or possible casualties.

Drivers Beware: Jakarta Police Install CCTV at Busy Sarinah Intersection

The Jakarta Globe

A closed circuit television (CCTV) system has been installed at the Sarinah intersection on Jalan M.H. Thamrin in Central Jakarta on Monday night in an attempt to discourage dangerous driving in the area.

Jakarta Police’s Traffic Directorate and the Transportation Office installed the cameras, which were officially put to use on Tuesday morning.

According to Jakarta Police’s traffic director Sr. Comr. Condro Kirono, motorists must be more discipined because the camera is able to automatically take pictures of motorists who violate traffic regulations.

Condro said that the camera is linked to Jakarta Police’s Traffic Management Center. The pictures will be processed along with a police note that will be sent to the violator’s address.

In January 2010, Jakarta Police planned to add more CCTV devices along other main streets such as Sudirman, Senayan, Fatmawati, Grogol and Gatot Subroto.

Bus Rolls in South Sulawesi After Driver Was Allegedly Playing With Cellphone

The Jakarta Globe

While Jakarta Police try and raise awareness of a policy banning the use of cellphones while driving, a bus rolled in South Sulawesi on Monday because its driver was reportedly playing with his phone.

The inter-province bus rolled in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi. Passengers reported that the driver was playing with his cellphone while driving just before the incident occurred.

The bus was carrying passengers from Makassar to Tana Toraja when it suddenly spun out of control and almost hit a house before it rolled on to its side. There were no fatalities but a number of passengers suffered from minor injuries.

Police have not yet questioned the driver because he passed out and was taken to a nearby hospital.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Police have said they are still trying to educate the public about a policy that bans the use of cellphones while driving.

Jakarta Police Traffic Director Sr. Comr. Condro Kirono said the law did not directly ban the use of cellphones. Chapter 283 of Law No 2/2009 only stated that anyone who drives abnormally or undertakes another activity or is influenced by a condition that disrupts their concentration while driving could face a punishment of up to three months in prison or pay a Rp 750,000 ($75) fine.

“Some of the things that can disturb drivers’ concentration are alcohol, drugs and cellphone use. We are still educating the public so we won’t apply the Rp 750,000 fine yet,” Condro told Metro TV.

JG

Railing Against Gender Inequality in Mumbai

The Jakarta Globe, Phil Hazlewood

Indian train driver Surekha Yadav at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai. Yadav cites Indira Ghandi, India’s only female prime minister, as an inspiration. (AFP Photo)

In her canary-yellow sari and gold earrings, with a pair of thin-framed spectacles perched on her nose, Surekha Yadav could be any woman stepping down from the train at Mumbai’s main railway station.

But the 44-year-old mother-of-two stands out from the crowds on the platforms at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus as she doesn’t just travel on the trains — she drives them.

Yadav was the first female passenger train driver on Mumbai’s Central Railways and has become a standard-bearer for women in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

Since she first jumped into the cab of Mumbai’s packed commuter trains 10 years ago — attracting curious looks from commuters — one other “motorwoman” now plies the same suburban route. Two are assistant drivers.

There are also women train drivers on the Western Railway network, ferrying many of the six million people who use the city’s overstretched network every day.

Yadav, who admitted having no interest in trains before applying for a job as an assistant goods train driver in 1989, said she has had nothing but support from her male colleagues.

“They encouraged, helped and took care of me,” she said, adding she had taken special training to become the first woman driver of a “ghat loco,” the two-engined passenger trains that climb the hills of western Maharashtra state.

“Because I was the only woman, they were curious whether I could do it or not,” she said.

Women like Yadav can be found throughout Indian history, from warrior queens like Rani Lakshmibai and members of the independence movement to the first — and so far, only — female prime minister, Indira Gandhi.

Prathiba Patil, the current president, is the first woman to hold the post, the lower house of parliament has its first female speaker in Mira Kumar, while women are well-represented at many of India’s largest companies.

But although India’s Constitution “guarantees to all Indian women equality,” differences between the sexes still exist, particularly in rural areas, in terms of access to education, health care and even food.

Just over a third of Indian women aged 15 to 49 said they had experienced domestic violence, according to a 2007 National Family Health Survey.

Overall violence against women increased by nearly 25 percent between 2003 and 2007, the latest available government statistics show. The highest rises — over 30 percent — were recorded for kidnap, abduction and torture.

Madhu Purnima Kishwar, of New Delhi’s Center for the Study of Developing Societies and founder of leading rights group Manushi Sangathan, said that in the workplace gender was no bar to success — provided women were strong.

“In India, women who demonstrate that they are stronger than men usually find men falling at their feet,” she said, linking it to the worship of Hindu goddesses and the importance of mothers in Indian society.

Apart from being India’s first “motorwoman,” Yadav has also been part of the attempt to curb another problem: complaints about sexual harassment — or “eve-teasing” as it is known in India.

Rail Minister Mamata Banerjee introduced “Ladies Specials” trains in India’s four largest cities this year to improve safety for female commuters, whose numbers are increasing as more urban women forge careers outside home.

Yadav drove the first service into CST.

She is positive about her job and the opportunities it has given her, attributing her determination to succeed to her family, who sent her to convent school before she earned a diploma in electrical engineering.

“Everybody was given the chance to chase their own dream. Whatever they wanted to do,” she said. “We had freedom for education. We took advantage of that. We were very lucky to get that.”

“[My mother] never said that being a girl child you should do cooking. You should study first then we will see. You need to be bold.”

Nevertheless, Yadav — who cites as influences Indira Gandhi and Lakshmibai, the 19th century heroine of Indian resistance against the British — admits it has still been tough.

The job is physically demanding and time consuming, giving her less time to spend with her two teenaged sons and police officer husband.

Working in an all-male environment since college has also taken its toll on her social life, she said.

“I miss the friendship with women for the last 23 years. I feel shy talking with girls now,” she said.

Agence France-Presse

Pertamina Loses Monopoly on Domestic Subsidized Oil Products

The Jakarta Globe

An Indonesian worker rides a bike past barrels of oil at a Pertamina depot. (Photo: Bagus Indahono, EPA)

Indonesia’s state oil firm Pertamina has lost its exclusive right to distribute subsidized oil products in 2010 after a unit of Malaysia’s Petronas and a local firm won supply tenders, a regulator said on Monday.

Petronas has won the right to distribute 20,440 kiloliters (128,547 barrels) of subsidized low-octane gasoline in the city of Medan, North Sumatra, next year, the head of Indonesia’s downstream oil regulator, BPH-MIGAS, said.

Indonesia’s PT Aneka Kimia Raya (AKR) Corporindo would also distribute 56,500 kiloliters (335,328 barrels) of subsidized diesel oil in Lampung province, in South Sumatra and in the cities of Banjarmasin and Pontianak in Kalimantan.

“By law, Petronas and PT AKR Corporindo are allowed to supply subsidized fuel. After we evaluated their capabilities in providing fuel, we selected them,” Tubagus Haryono, head of BPH-MIGAS, told reporters.

The remaining subsidized fuel would be supplied by Pertamina in 2010.

Overall, the government planned to supply of 21.4 million kiloliters (134.5 million barrels) of subsidised gasoline and 11.2 million kiloliter of subsidized diesel oil in 2010, Haryono said.

This year, Indonesia expects 19.44 million kiloliters of subsidized low-octane gasoline and 11.6 million kiloliter of diesel to be supplied.

BPH-MIGAS decides each year on the rights to supply and distribute subsidised oil products such as low-octane gasoline, kerosene and diesel.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc had also joined the tender to distribute fuel this year.

“The volume of subsidized gasoline and diesel is expected to be higher than the government’s 2009 plan, due to higher transportation consumption,” Haryono said without elaborating.

Separately, the director general of oil and gas at the energy ministry, Evita Legowo, said the government wanted the supply of subsidized fuel to be cut in the future.

The level of consumption of fuel is critical because it helps determine the scale of subsidies the government has to set aside in the budget.

Pertamina’s monopoly over all sectors of the oil market was ended in 2001, and three years later Indonesia opened up its domestic downstream oil business to foreign firms, paving the way for them to directly import fuel and sell to local customers.

But Pertamina had up until now retained the exclusive rights to supply subsidized oil products — which includes almost all products except for premium motor fuel — in the domestic market.

Reuters