Travellers leave island en masse after break

Ary Hermawan, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

Cesilia, 25, flew into Bali on a one-way ticket for a relaxing vacation over the long Idul Fitri holiday. She assumed it wouldn't be too difficult to get a ticket back to Jakarta so she could be back at work Monday. She was wrong.

After some serious scrambling and numerous phone calls, Cesilia was finally able to book a seat on a Lion Air flight on Saturday for Rp 1,149,000, or almost three times as much as she paid to fly to Bali with the same airline.

Still, she was glad for the ticket. Cesilia, who works as a journalist for a daily newspaper, had already been told by several airlines that there were no seats available on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, the last three days of the Idul Fitri holiday.

"I have had my holiday, which was quite long, so I have no excuse whatsoever to prolong it. I have no choice," she said.

With the end of the national holiday, probably the longest "joint-leave" in the country's history, people who left Bali to celebrate Idul Fitri in Java have begun to return.

And all the holidaymakers who packed Kuta Beach and filled the island's hotels are now crowding Ngurah Rai airport to fly home.

An official at the airport's Idul Fitri post, I Ketut Gusti Arsana, said the number of passengers leaving Bali on Friday -- the fifth day after Idul Fitri -- was 9,625 on 73 flights.

The number of arriving passengers was 6,341 on 67 flights.

"Last year, the number of departing flights on the fifth day after Idul Fitri was only 59 with 5,903 passengers," he told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

He said he was pleased by the situation.

"This is a clear sign that Bali is now considered safe, while more domestic tourists now have the money to spend on a holiday in Bali," he said.

On Friday, he said, the airport served 5,438 passengers on international flights arriving on the island.

Arsana predicted Saturday would be the peak day for holidaymakers flying out of Bali.

An official at the Ubung bus station, Agus Juliantara, said Thursday was the peak day for people returning to Bali after celebrating Idul Fitri in their hometowns, mostly on Java.

"On Thursday, the number of buses entering Bali was 100 with 3,752 passengers. The figures declined to 90 buses and 3,099 passengers on Friday," he said.

Gede Putrawan, head of Gilimanuk Port in Jembrana regency, said he expected the number of people returning to and leaving Bali to peach its peak Saturday.

"Domestic tourists will check out of their hotels on Saturday afternoon and they will crowd the port on Saturday evening," he said.

"Motorcycles are already lining up at Ketapang Port, waiting for their turn to board the ferry to Bali," he said

Ketapang Port is in East Java.

Authorities have said the number of people, particularly jobseekers from Java and Lombok, entering Bali after Idul Fitri is expected to go up this year from past years.

In 2006, the busiest post-Idul Fitri day for Ubung bus station saw 99 buses carrying 3,605 passengers enter the island.

Those figures have already been surpassed this year.

Authorities have begun to take measure to prevent jobseekers from entering the province.

Security officials at Gilimanuk seaport, which links Bali to Ketapang Port in Banyuwangi, East Java, have turned away 600 people who were unable to show valid identity cards.

A sociologist from Udayana University in Denpasar, Gde Made Suarjana, said he supported administration efforts to tighten controls on arriving jobseekers, but warned the policy could be interpreted as discriminatory.

"The policy has to be seen as an effort to maintain social order as the issue of rising population has long been a problem for any city. It is not aimed at preventing the movement of people," he said.

However, he said if people saw the issue as one of ethnicity, it could aggravate social problems.

Pilot error blamed for fiery crash of jetliner in March

The Jakarta Post

JAKARTA (AP): The pilot of an Indonesian jetliner that crash-landed in March, killing 21 people, ignored repeated warnings that he was approaching the runway at almost double the landing speed and should circle around again, an investigation found.

The Boeing 737-400 skidded off the runway at the Yogyakarta airport and plowed into a rice field before bursting into flames. It was the third accident this year involving a commercial jetliner in Indonesia, prompting foreign governments to issue warnings about air safety standards.

Tatang Kurniadi, the chief of the National Transportation Safety Board, said following completion of the final crash report that the Garuda Indonesia plane was approaching at 408 kph - 247 kph faster than normal.

"The aircraft was flown at an excessive air speed and steep flight path angle during the approach and landing," he said, blaming pilot error.

The attention of the chief pilot "was fixated ... on landing the aircraft and he either did not hear or disregarded the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) alerts and warnings," which sounded 15 times, Kurniadi said, adding that the pilot also "ignored calls by the co-pilot to go around" again.

Both survived the crash.

The pilot had more than 15,000 hours of Boeing 737-400 flight experience and the co-pilot 2,000. The March 7 flight, which was carrying several Australian diplomats and journalists, was their first together.

Kurniadi said the investigation also blamed the co-pilot for failing to follow company procedures and take control of the aircraft "when he saw that the pilot in command repeatedly ignored the GPWS ... alerts and warnings."

"The records also showed no evidence that the co-pilot had been checked or received simulator training in the appropriate vital actions and responses," it found.

The European Union blacklisted all of Indonesia's airlines soon after the accident and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration this year downgraded the nation's rating to its lowest category.

Rising Seas Threaten 21 Mega-Cities

Guardian United, Saturday October 20, 2007 7:31 PM

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Cities around the world are facing the danger of rising seas and other disasters related to climate change.

Of the 33 cities predicted to have at least 8 million people by 2015, at least 21 are highly vulnerable, says the Worldwatch Institute.

They include Dhaka in Bangladesh; Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro; Shanghai and Tianjin in China; Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt; Mumbai and Kolkata in India; Jakarta in Indonesia; Tokyo and Osaka-Kobe in Japan; Lagos in Nigeria; Karachi in Pakistan; Bangkok in Thailand, and New York and Los Angeles in the United States, according to studies by the United Nations and others.

More than one-tenth of the world's population, or 643 million people, live in low-lying areas at risk from climate change, say U.S. and European experts. Most imperiled, in descending order, are China, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, Egypt, the U.S., Thailand and the Philippines.

Sunda strait bridge construction to depend on feasibility study

Bandarlampung (ANTARA News) - The realization of the proposed Sunda Strait Bridge (JSS) project will depend on the outcome of a feasibility study, Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal said on Saturday.

The minister made the statement during an unscheduled visit to Lampung`s Bakauheni ferry port to inspect services for returning holidaymakers at the port.

Asked about the economic value of the bridge, Jusman said it would obviously be calculated in the feasibility study as well.

Earlier, Vice President Jusuf Kalla on behalf of the government had said he supported the project but warned that its economic value should be calculated accurately.

Kalla said the Sunda Strait Bridge project had actually been in a planning stage for a long time but its realization was hampered by technological matters and questions about its economic value.

Meanwhile, State Minister for National Development Planning/Head of the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) Paskah Suzetta said on Wednesday, October 3, that the government fully supported the plan to build the bridge which would link Java and Sumatra islands.

"The government fully supports it. Therefore, the government wants the bridge to be built based on a precise and accurate plan," Paskah Suzetta said.

He made the remarks following the signing of an agreement to conduct a pre-feasibility study on the construction of the bridge scheduled for completion in 2025.

The bridge was expected to ensure smooth transportation of goods and people from Java to Sumatra vice versa and to encourage economic growth on the two islands, he said.

He added that the government would try to find funding sources other than the state budget to finance the project.

"The funding sources may come from a partnership between the government and the private sector. But if that is not possible the project can be funded under a business-to-business scheme," he said.

Train derailment leaves hundreds of holiday travellers stranded

Bandarlampung (ANTARA News) - Hundreds of Idul Fitri holiday travelers were left stranded at Tanjungkarang train station on Thursday after a cargo train derailed at Kotabumi station in North Lampung earlier at 2 in the morning.

The derailment prevented other passenger trains from arriving at Tanjungkarang station to carry waiting travelers to their respective destinations.

Consequently, hundreds of people at Tanjungkarang station had to wait for hours while some of them fixed their eyes on the other end of the railway track with great expectation of an incoming train.

People who had bought Sriwijaya Limex Executive train tickets were seen restless when the station master announced over the loudspeaker that the train would arrive late because of the derailment.

"I am really disappointed because I bought a ticket but it was announced the train cannot be dispatched," Johan, one of the passengers who had taken a Rajabasa economic train ticket for Palembang in South Sumatra.

But Johan and around 990 other passengers finally were relieved when they heard the announcement that the Rajabasa economic train would depart at 11 a.m. local time because the derailed train at Kotabumi station had been removed. (

‘Car free day’ in Jakarta every month

JAKARTA (Jakarta Post): Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo plans to introduce a “car free day” every month in spite of the failure of the trial run held last month.

Antara quoted the newly installed governor as saying that the light traffic in Jakarta during the Idul Fitri holiday has meant a considerable reduction in air pollution that it convinced him to have the “car free day” more frequently.

Last month, the local government declared the main thoroughfare from Jl. Sudirman to Jl. Thamrin free from car on a Saturday. The trial run was poorly communicated, many people were caught in the situation, and traffic, which was normally light on Saturdays, became heavily congested in Central Jakarta.

“We estimated that 70 percent of air pollution in Jakarta came from vehicle emission,” Fauzi said.

Several residents in Jakarta he met during the Idul Fitri holiday said the air was much friendlier these days because there are fewer cars on the road. “This is simple proof that the fewer cars there are, the cleaner air we get,” he said.

He also felt concerned at the growing number of two-wheelers on the road. He did not volunteer any solution though.

U.S. lifts Bali airport security alert

Thu Oct 11, 2007 6:55am EDT

JAKARTA, Oct 11 (Reuters) - The United States lifted a security warning against the airport on Indonesia's Bali island on Thursday two years after it was issued following a string of bombings on the resort island.

The decision came ahead of U.N. climate talks in December when delegates from 189 countries will gather in Bali to discuss a pact to slow down global warming.

In 2005, U.S. homeland security declared the airport in Denpasar unsafe and discouraged U.S. planes from flying directly to the island, following the attacks in 2002 and 2005 that killed over 200 people.

The decision to lift the warning was based on an assessment by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration that found security measures at the airport complied with International Civil Aviation Organisation standards, a U.S. official said.

"This is very good news for Indonesia as it prepares to host the United Nations COP-13 Climate Change Conference in Bali this December," U.S. Charge d'Affaires John Heffern said in a statement.

Indonesia's aviation chief, Budhi Mulyawan Suyitno, said he hoped the decision would bring more tourists to Bali.

Tourism in Bali suffered a massive blow after the bomb attacks, but has started recovering in recent months.

Indonesia to boost military role in disaster relief

Google / AFP

JAKARTA (AFP) — In a land hit by one natural disaster after another, Indonesia's armed forces must shift their focus from the battlefield to emergency and relief efforts, its defence minister said Wednesday.

In an interview with AFP, Juwono Sudarsono said most of Indonesia's defence spending in the next decade would go on improving its transport capability to better respond to emergencies.

There are certainly plenty of those.

Earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, floods and fires are a virtually daily feature of life in this vast archipelago nation, which sits on the so-called Pacific "ring of fire" where continental plates meet.

The deadliest recent event was the December 2004 tsunami spawned by a quake which swept the Indian Ocean, killing 168,000 people in the northern point of Indonesia's Sumatra island.

Sudarsono said he foresaw that in the next 10 to 15 years, the role of the defence forces would be particularly important in terms of delivering relief and aid to stricken areas.

"Looking ahead, for 10 years ahead in this ring of fire, and with tectonic plates underneath us, the bulk of our defence spending would be on transport capability for emergency responses," he said.

That would include air and land transport as well as a sealift capability, he added in the interview, conducted entirely in English in his office.

By man-made disasters, he said, he meant conflicts that were "endemic" in outer islands such as the Moluccas and other troublespots.

"The bulk of our budget for the period for 2005-2010 is, in fact, more for transport and airlift capacity, and sealift," Sudarsono said.

He said the military were quickest to respond to disaster, with airplanes and helicopters commandeered by the government for initial search and rescue efforts as well as providing aid supplies.

"As exemplified by the post-tsunami relief efforts, the army, the navy and the air force were first on the scene with transport ships, helicopters," he said.

Sudarsono was educated in Britain and the United States and has served in different administrations back to the regime of former dictator Suharto.

Now 65, he says the armed forces -- 316,000 personnel across the army, navy and air force -- are run on a modest annual budget of 3.2 billion dollars.

Its delivery capacity suffered greatly under a military embargo imposed by Washington after a bloody 1991 massacre in Indonesia-occupied East Timor.

The embargo has been lifted, but 15 of its fleet of 21 Hercules transport airplanes remain out of operation.

"We are focusing on the Hercules because we have about 21 planes and about three quarters of them are grounded because of the lack of spares," Sudarsono said, adding that the air force was prioritizing their refitting.

Traditionally reliant on the West -- notably the United States -- for its military equipment, Indonesia has since a decade ago sought to diversify its sources, Sudarsono said.

The Indonesian and Russian presidents inked a billion-dollar arms deal in September under which Jakarta is buying helicopters, tanks and submarines.

It came a month after Indonesia had signed another deal worth 354 million dollars to buy six Sukhoi-30 fighter jets from Moscow.

Sudarsono said he would also be visiting China in early November to sign a defence cooperation agreement that could include a joint production programme, again focusing on transport.

He said the military shopping spree was not aimed at boosting Indonesia's strike capability.

"We would just like to maintain what we call technological parity with the fighters that are existing in the region, be it Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand," adding that in terms of quantity, the Indonesian air force had "just the bare minimum."

"That is all that we can afford," he said. "I am running one of the best underpaid defence forces in Southeast Asia."

New governor pays visit to bus terminals, train station

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

New Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo inspected bus terminals and a train station on Tuesday.

Fauzi, along with Deputy Governor Priyono and other staff members, visited the Pulo Gadung (East Jakarta), Kampung Rambutan (South Jakarta) and Kalideres (West Jakarta) terminals.

The team also visited Senen train station in Central Jakarta.

They checked safety maintenance of buses and the on-site facilities of health and law enforcement agencies.

"The safety is getting better because terminal operators now impose urine tests on drivers before they depart," said Fauzi, referring to the newly set up drug-testing posts of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN).

Besides conducting checks, Fauzi greeted waiting passengers and gave them brochures warning against bringing family with them upon return to the city.

The city administration blamed travelers who return with relatives seeking jobs for overcrowding in the capital.

While at Pulo Gadung, Fauzi also told reporters the overcrowded terminal, which is hemmed in by residential tracts, would be relocated to Pulo Gebang, also in East Jakarta, within three years.

Pulo Gadung, built on 3.5 hectares in 1975 for 300 buses, now accomodates 750 buses, according to East Jakarta Mayor Koesnan Abdul Halim. The Pulo Gebang terminal will cover an area of 10 hectares.

Deputy head of the city transportation agency Udar Pristono said last week the construction of the new terminal would begin early next year and it was expected to be operational by 2011.

He said building the terminal would cost Rp 600 billion (US$ 197 million) and the administration would propose allocating Rp 200 billion from the city budget each year between 2008 and 2011.

He added Rp 5 billion had already gone toward acquiring land since 2003.

Udar said the new bus terminal would be integrated with the city's busway system and accommodate city and inter-province buses currently using the Pulo Gadung terminal.

After the new terminal is operational, Pulo Gadung will serve busway and smaller vehicles belonging to local public transportation system.

He said the new terminal would have "direct access to Cikunir toll roads and then to Cikampek".

To minimize the impact on traffic in the area, the transportation agency will coordinate with state toll operator Jasa Marga, Udar said.

Council gives nod to busway subsidy

Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The City Council has approved an increased busway subsidy for 2007, prompting the system's operator to back down from a planned increase in ticket prices.

The chairman of Commission C on economic affairs, Daniel Abdullah Sani, said Tuesday the council had allocated an additional Rp 31 billion (US$3.42 million) to subsidize the busway's operations this year.

Earlier this year, the administration allocated Rp 203 billion to subsidize the busway in 2007.

"The City Council, after thorough deliberation, agreed during a plenary session (last Thursday) to include the subsidy in the 2007 revised city budget," Daniel said.

TransJakarta and the city administration, through the Jakarta Transportation Agency, had earlier approached the council with three choices.

The first was to raise busway ticket prices from Rp 3,500 to at least Rp 5,000 per trip. The second was to increase the subsidy for the busway and the third was to increase both the subsidy and ticket prices.

TransJakarta first proposed raising ticket prices in the face of protests by bus suppliers Trans Batavia, Jakarta Trans Metropolitan and Jakarta Mega Trans, which said they were receiving delayed payments and 40 percent less than they should have collected for every kilometer run by their buses.

TransJakarta, which pays the suppliers, said it did not have "sufficient money to pay them based on a contract due to huge operational costs in line with the increased number of busway lines".

The number of busway corridors has increased from three last year to seven early this year, and will see three new corridors operating next year with construction on them expected to be finalized by the end of the year.

TransJakarta said the subsidy allocated for this year alone "is not enough and it only took into account revenue from ticket sales".

It also said its limited budget for operations had forced it to provide "minimal services" to commuters by cutting the number of operating buses, causing delays in bus arrivals and long queues at busway stops.

The council, Daniel said, had agreed to increase the subsidy to keep the busway operating at current levels "at least until the end of this year", despite councilors' earlier suspicion of graft in the TransJakarta management.

"That's why we only granted Rp 31 billion of the Rp 55 billion the administration and TransJakarta proposed. We cut a list of planned expenses from their proposal because we found them unnecessary," said Daniel.

Earlier this year, the Anti-Corruption Court convicted Budi Susanto, the president director of PT Armada Usaha Bersama, a bus supplier for the busway's first corridor, tender committee chairman Sylvira Ananda and former city transportation agency head Rustam Effendy Sidabutar, who was assigned by then governor Sutiyoso in 2003 to develop the first busway corridor.

The court found the three guilty of embezzling more than Rp 12 billion in taxpayer money.

President asks Jakarta governor to deal with traffic jams

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked newly-installed Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo to seriously look for a breakthrough to deal with worsening traffic jams in the capital.

"The President has given directives to develop Jakarta conceptually and in a well-planned and integrated way in order to deal with various problems, especially traffic jams," Fauzi said at the Presidential Office here on Wednesday after meeting the Head of State.

Fauzi said he and Deputy Governor Prijanto met the President to report various issues, including on middle and long term plans for the development of Jakarta.

"The development plans will of course refer to the integrated concepts of development made by the central government and the autonomous regions surrounding Jakarta," the new governor said.

Fauzi also reported to the President preparations made by the Jakarta administration to welcome the Islamic Festivity of Eid Fitr.

"We are working hard to make the Eid Fitr celebration convenient for all Jakarta residents and those going back to their home towns," he said.

The President also reminded the governor of the city administration`s commitment to deal with floods which were frequently hit Jakarta.

"With various breakthroughs we hope that floods will no longer hit Jakarta in the future," Fauzi said.

However, he admitted it would be difficult to totally solve the flood problem and therefore, careful preparations would be needed to handle floods in cooperation with the military, police and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

In the meeting, the President also told the governor how to deal with the problems of poverty and unemployment in Jakarta.

The President said there were still many poor people in Jakarta and the city administration must help improve the dignity and welfare of its residents including the poor.

The Jakarta administration and the central government would construct more apartments for low-income residents in the future, he said.

"On regreening program, he (the President) hopes Jakarta can be greener in the future. And it will be our priority to implement it," the governor said.

According to Fauzi, President Yudhoyono welcomed his report about his administration`s efforts to implement good governance in the capital city by being more transparent, including in spending the city`s budget, and improving the accountability.

The governor said Jakarta has applied e-government and e-announcement systems, where around 80 percent of the projects could be monitored by the public through the Internet.

"Based on our reports and the directives given by the President, the Head of State hopes Jakarta will serve as a good model for other regional administrations in implementing good governance," Fauzi said.

Intercity bus drivers to take urine test for safety

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

State insurance company Jasa Raharja conducted urine tests on intercity bus drivers Monday at East Jakarta's Pulo Gadung bus terminal in an effort to promote the safe passage of holidaymakers to their hometowns, a company officer said.

The tests were to screen out drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Pulo Gadung officer Wiwiek Susanti told Tempointeraktif.com, "Drivers using drugs will not be allowed to leave the terminal".

The number of passengers traveling from the city has been increasing since last week as the holiday season approaches.

Jakarta residents are flocking to bus and train stations, eager to reach their hometowns to spend Idul Fitri with their relatives, the company said.

According to the city transportation agency, it is estimated that average daily bus passengers will begin to rise above 10,000 this week; on normal days the figure is under 1,000.

Pulo Gadung will have 770 extra busses on hand to meet the demand, while the total number of extra busses to be allocated citywide will be around 5000, the agency said.

The spike in vehicular traffic may increase the likelihood of accidents and delays.

A recent Transportation Ministry estimate showed 2.43 million motorcyclists would travel to destinations in Sumatra and Java and another 1.5 million would go there by private car.

Wiwiek said the insurance company began screening bus drivers to help prevent accidents, because it had no way to encourage safety among drivers of private vehicles.

The Jasa Raharja team, which is supported by police officers and the Jakarta Transportation Agency, used a random selection scheme for the drug and alcohol tests. None of the ten drivers who were tested Monday returned positive results.

Bus driver Hariyanto, who was selected for testing, said he did not mind and said that such tests would promote safe driving.

"They should conduct the test regularly, at peak season and at other times, to bring these issues to the attention of irresponsible drivers," he said.

However the transportation agency said it was reluctant, as such safety efforts are the responsibility of health agencies or the national police.

Indonesians to celebrate end of Ramadan, start cramming bus and train stations

The Jakarta Post

JAKARTA (AP): Indonesia began its annual mass exodusSunday when millions of people pour out of the major cities to return to their home villages to celebrate the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Thousands have started crowding bus and train stations in the capital, Jakarta six days before Eid al-Fitr to beat the mass exodus later in the week when buses, cars and motorcycles create massive traffic jams on roads across the world's most populous Muslim nation.

Transport officials estimate that nearly 15 million people will head to their home villages - up 6 percent from last year - for the two day celebration next weekend.

"The exodus through land transportation is expected to reach its peak three days before the Eid al-Fitr," said senior transportation ministry official Iskandar Abubakar.

Every year, families form long lines at train and bus stations and tens of thousands wait for ferries at seaports around the country that is spread across more than 17,000 islands.

Nearly 90 percent of Indonesia's 235 million people are Muslims.

During the four weeks of Ramadan, Muslims are not supposed to eat, drink or have sex during daylight hours. On the first day of Eid al-Fitr, people flock to early morning prayers and families later gather to eat specially prepared snacks and offer them to friends and neighbors.

Indonesia`s Mandala to spend US$4 bln on 30 Airbus planes

Jakarta (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - Mandala Airlines will spend US$4 billion on 30 new Airbus A310 and A320 aircraft over the next 5 years, its chief executive officer Warwick Brady said.

One of the aircraft has already been delivered and three others are to follow before the end of this year, Brady said at the weekend. Chief Commercial Officer Irianda Susilo said the four aircraft to be delivered this year will cost the company US$280 million.

Mandala plans to serve regional routes to Macao, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia, Irianda said.

PT KA warns of unguarded crossings

JAKARTA: State railway company PT KA has issued a public warning, especially for Idul Fitri travelers, around the dangers of unguarded railway crossings throughout the country.

"In Java alone, there are a total of 6,602 railway crossings which have no guard posts," PT KA spokesman Noor Hamidi told detik.com. Friday

"Some 6,354 crossings are official and the remaining 248 are unofficial -- they have been made by other people and not us."

He said 158 crossings in Java were prone to traffic accidents including 14 crossings in Jakarta, four in Bandung, West Java; four in Semarang, Central Java; and East Java's Madiun, Surabaya and Jember with 14, 57 and 11 crossings each. -- JP

Busway potential cash cow: Green group

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Experts predict that reduction in carbon emissions resulting from use of the busway may be worth Rp 19 billion (about US$2 million) annually.

Representatives from Swisscontact, a clean air project with technical information about the Kyoto-linked Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), briefed Governor Sutiyoso and Vice Governor Fauzi Bowo on the cash value of carbon credits to be garnered if sufficient numbers of former motorists opt to travel by bus next year.

"Pak Sutiyoso has asked his staff to follow up on our CDM proposal," Swisscontact's project manager Dollaris Suhadi told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

"We predict the five (new) corridors could reduce carbon monoxide (CO2) by 1.8 million tons per year and transport over 900,000 commuters every day," she said, referring to five unfinished busway corridors.

The Jakarta busway currently has seven operational routes with eight other corridors planned or under construction. Three new routes are to become operational in December, the administration has said.

Every day some 2.5 million private cars and 3 million motorcycles operate in the city.

Reductions in CO2 are calculated based on numbers of motorists shifting to public transportation.

City administration plans to implement electronic road pricing on certain streets to make public transportation more attractive. Use of private cars could be reduced by as much as 30 percent when all 15 busway corridors are finished, it said.

A Kyoto Protocol mechanism, CDM encourages developing nations, including Indonesia, to go forward with projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The United Nations Executive Board awards developers of green projects emission reduction certificates which are purchased by wealthier nations.

A ton of CO2 reduction is currently valued at between US$5 and $10.

During the presentation, Dollaris was accompanied by teams from Switzerland-based South Pole Carbon Assets Management and Grutter Consulting, a Bolivia group.

Grutter engineers CDM technology and developed Bogota's busway system --TransMilenio-- the world's first mass transit system to integrate the Kyoto CDM.

TransMilenio demonstrated that it could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by providing more efficient public transportation than was previously available in Bogota.

Dollaris said with 1.8 million commuters using Bogota's busway annually, TransMilenio would generate US$5 million per year as a CDM project.

"As the Jakarta busway is similar to the Bogota project, we believe it is worth Rp 19 billion annually for 21 years," she said.

Separately, deputy chairman of the city CDM team Daniel Abbas said the administration would have to hold a public tender to find a CDM project developer.

Monorail developer denies bankruptcy

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A hearing for a bankruptcy lawsuit against monorail developing consortium PT Jakarta Monorail on Thursday ended with both the plaintiff and the accused being told to prepare evidence for the next court session.

"The court will check on the evidence used to support the arguments of both sides," presiding judge M. Eli Mariani said at the Commercial Court, in the Central Jakarta District Court.

She adjourned the hearing until Monday.

The plaintiff, Adi Prasetyo & Partners, which is the former legal advisor for PT Jakarta Monorail, requested the Commercial Court declare the company bankrupt.

The firm, represented by Octolin H. Hutagalung, said PT Jakarta Monorail owed approximately Rp 2.247 billion (US$245,439) and $872,750, separately.

Outside the court, PT Jakarta Monorail's lawyer Mauliate P. Situmeang said the company refused to be declared bankrupt.

"When the law firm submitted a proposal (to be the legal advisor for the company), it didn't include an official license (to practice)," he said.

He added the consortium had only recently discovered that Adi Prasetyo & Partners did not have a practice permit, after being represented by the law firm for almost two years.

Telecommunications industry wide open for development

Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - The telecommunications industry in Indonesia is still open to further development, both in terms of technology and public service.

"Many investors are still keenly interested in the development of the telecommunications industry in Indonesia, in view of its still low penetration and teledensity compared to these aspects in other countries, especialy in South East Asia," President Director of Smart Telecom, Sutikno Wijaya said here Friday.

For these reasons, he said during the launching of Smart Telecom, Sinar Mas group expressed interest in doing business in the telecommunications business by providing cellular services.

"In providing its services, Smart is supported by the CDMA 20001X and EVDO-Rev A technology at 1900 MHz. The choice for the technology is based on comprehensive business considerations and calculation," he said.

The application of the technology, he said, is prompted by a wish to provide quality and affordable communications services to the public.

"With the cellular license that we already have, we have opened services in several major cities in Java, including Jakarta, Bandung, Bogor, Cirebon, Surabaya, Malang, Semarang, and Yogyakarta," he said.

In the meantime, Director of Smart Telecom Ubaidillah Fatah said that in providing quality services, Smart planned to build 1,500 BTS facilities at a cost of Rp3 trillion.

"We are trying to act fast to secure one million subscribers this year. For Yogyakarta and environs we are trying to secure 100,000 subscribers," he said.

He also disclosed that for 2008, Smart is drawing up a plan to provide services to Sumatera, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi, and later to Maluku and even Papua," he said.

In the meantime, Deputy CEO of Smart Telecom Djoko Tata Ibrahim said that Smart wished to give a differentiation in setting tariffs as transparent operator, and launch promotions nearer to the market.

"In this context we will offer various bundling handset packages at Rp 300,000 as the cheapest, and this low price is expected a much wider segment of the public will enjoy celluar services," he said.

Nippon Life to build computer centre for real-time redundancy

Tokyo (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - Nippon Life Insurance Co. plans to build a new redundant computer centre in Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture, to allow for rapid recovery of operations in case of fire or other disasters.

The new facility, at an estimated cost of 40-50 billion yen (US$347-434 million), will duplicate the functions of the current centre in Sakai, also in Osaka Prefecture, and operate in synch with it at all times.

The redundancy will allow the firm to test newly developed systems under real conditions, helping to prevent errors such as nonpayment of insurance claims. The system is expected to come into full operation in fiscal year 2011.

Quake drills may help save lives: Expert

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ivan worked until late and was just about to leave the office when he felt the high-rise building he was in on Jl. Jend. Sudirman, Central Jakarta, begin to sway. In a panic, he and three others from the same floor took the elevator to reach the lobby. It got stuck.

"I thought 'this is it' ... we almost lost hope, but then the elevator started working again," he said, recalling the evening of Sept. 12 when a powerful earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale hit Bengkulu and West Sumatra.

Most building tenants are unaware that the swaying of a building is actually a good sign: meaning the building won't fall down.

Although there are no regulations on earthquake mitigation in high-rise buildings or public places, many building owners have designed their properties to withstand quakes up to a 7-magnitude on the Richter scale.

"However, many building management boards ignore the importance of a disaster mitigation grand plan, which should involve all tenants and authorities in the building.

"The fact that most people tend to forget life-saving measures when they panic in an emergency situation highlights the importance of regular escape drills," said Amtono Prasutanto, a consultant and training instructor at the Disaster Management Institute of Indonesia.

"Drills train your brain and body where to go and what to do in an emergency situation."

Amtono suggested building management boards appoint caretakers on each floor of high-rise buildings to show tenants escape routes out of the building to be used in emergency situations.

"Floor caretakers can set up their own emergency plans, while the building management boards should be responsible for facilitating each plan. It's better to have strategic emergency plans in place. One can never be too careful or too prepared," he said.

What to do in the event of an earthquake

If you are indoors - Stay inside - Drop to the floor, take cover under a heavy piece of furniture or stand against an inside wall. Stay indoors until the shaking stops and it is safe to exit. - Stay away from windows and doors. - Never take an elevator.

If you are outdoors - Move to a clear area away from buildings, trees and power lines. - Drop to the ground until the shaking stops.

If you are in a car - Slow down and drive to a clear area (as described above). - Turn on emergency lights and slow to a stop. Do not stop on overpasses, underpasses or bridges. - Be aware of overhead hazards such as power lines or falling debris from buildings. - Turn off the ignition and set the parking brake. - Stay inside the car until the shaking stops.

If trapped under debris - Do not light a match. - Do not move about or kick up dust. - Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing. - Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. - Shout only as a last resort, as shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous particles.

Source: Disaster Management Institute of Indonesia

City told to prepare for earthquakes

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jakarta is not among quake-prone regions, but it must prepare for the destructive impact that earthquakes may exert on high-rise buildings.

A seminar Wednesday told the city to make buildings earthquake-ready, improve seismic risk assessment and quickly alert residents about quake activity.

The seminar aimed to evaluate existing disaster policies and improve earthquake safety awareness.

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said, at the opening of the event held at City Hall, that the city was vulnerable to earthquakes because of subsurface instability and buildings that were not up to modern earthquake standards.

"We must therefore set a new standard for building construction here; the buildings must be able to withstand quakes measuring up to 9 on the Richter scale."

According to the governor, most Jakarta buildings were high tech and built with underlying soil conditions in mind.

However, even modern buildings would not necessarily be able to tolerate a quake measuring eight plus on the Richter scale, said the head of the city's building planning and control agency, Hari Sasongko.

"It's very costly to prepare (buildings) to withstand the more powerful earthquakes, and it will require redesign," he told reporters on the sidelines of the seminar.

He added that all buildings with permits were already in line with current earthquake risk compliance standards.

In a presentation, coordinator of the city administration's building construction consulting team, Widyanyana Merati, said that Jakarta should conduct a detailed seismic disaster risk assessment involving the formulation of strategic plans for anticipating and mitigating the impacts of quakes.

Widyanyana also said the administration should prepare a system for issuing community alerts and facilitate the development of an emergency rescue system.

Head of the data and geophysics information center of the Meteorological and Geophysics Agency, Sunarjo, told the audience in the event of an earthquake-triggered tsunami, Jakarta could minimize the number of victims by publicizing news of earthquakes as soon as possible after their occurrence.

"The information could be delivered via SMS, email or fax in less than five minutes."

But this type of emergency notification system would only be available, he said, after completion of the Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (year-end 2008 completion date).

Within the last two years, Jakarta residents have felt the vibrations of three earthquakes whose epicenters were far from the capital: the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Pangandaran, West Java, in July 2006; the 7.5 magnitude earthquake in Indramayu, also in West Java, last August; and the 8.4 magnitude earthquake in Bengkulu earlier this month.

In Jakarta, none of these earthquakes caused significant structural damage or claimed human life. (11)

Emergency numbers in case of earthquakes

Crisis center : (021)3822212, 3500000, 3862022

Fax: (021)3862022 and (021)3823412

SMS: 0811 920 203

Ambulance : 118

Fire department : 113, 344, 1309, 7507

PLN (power company) : 123

Tollway operator : 801, 1735

Search and Rescue : 115, 550, 1111, 2111

Police : (021)5250110, 3857974, 110, 112, 525

Red Cross (PMI) : (021)3906666, 7992325

Amsterdam route plan still on: Garuda

Andi Haswidi, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali

Garuda Indonesia plans to revive its Jakarta-Amsterdam route as soon as the European Commission (EC) lifts its ban on Indonesian airlines flying to the continent, hopefully later this year, the company's top executive says.

Garuda president director Emir Syah Satar said Wednesday that the government was hopeful that after the lifting of the ban, the national flag carrier would quickly revive the service, which was discontinued in 2004 for financial reasons.

"We are also planning to add new routes to Japan and India," Emir told the press on the first day of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart, which was officially opened by Vice President Jusuf Kalla .

Emir said that as Garuda had recently passed an International Air Transport Association (IATA) safety audit, the EC had no more grounds for barring it.

He said that the EC was expected to lift the ban by not later than November of this year.

"We had a discussion with the transportation minister and the vice president this morning. He said that there will be a decision on the ban in November," Emir said.

The EC imposed the ban in June, barring all Indonesian airlines from flying to the 27-nation bloc after a series of aircraft accidents at home.

At the beginning of this month a special team was dispatched to Brussels, Belgium, to lobby the relevant commission committee. Upon returning, the head of the team, Cheppy Hakim, said that the committee would put the matter to a vote some time this month.

Also present during the discussions with the minister, PATA president and CEO Peter de Jong said that there would be a review of the EC's policy on Indonesian airlines.

"Let it be known by the European authorities that the flight ban is an unfair measure. For those who don't know, the problem arises when tour operators cannot get insurance for their clients," Jong said.

"It has jeopardized tourism, not only in Bali, but also in other travel destinations in the country. The good news is that we expect a new development in the next 8 weeks or so," he concluded.

Earlier, Jong had said that despite the ban on Indonesian carriers, the attendance of European delegates at the PATA Travel Mart 2007 had not been affected.

"PACTO, which organizes pre and post tours, has not received any cancellations. The time for a show in Bali is, in fact, perfect as the destination has been in full recovery since the beginning of the year," he said as quoted by Travel Weekly on Wednesday.

According to Garuda's Emir, after passing the IATA safety audit (IOSA), Garuda needed no other certification.

Aside from improving its safety and maintenance procedures, Emir said Garuda would also continue to invest in new aircraft. He revealed that Garuda was considering buying 25 Boeing 737-800 aircraft next year, and hoped to have 10 Boeing Dreamliners in operation by 2011.

"Airbus has also offered us 20 of their 320 series." Emir said.

After years of suffering losses, Garuda reported a profit of Rp 148 billion (about US$15.9 million) in the first semester of this year, as compared to a net loss of about Rp 361 billion during the same period last year.

Wi-MAX of Indonesian Version to be Launched May 2008

Tuesday, 25 September, 2007 | 17:44 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The government will launch the Indonesian version of the worldwide interoperability for microwave access (Wi-MAX) in May next year on the same day with National Awakening Day on May 28.

Information and Communication Minister, Muhammad Nuh, said that the Indonesian version of Wi-MAX technology is needed to lower the dependency on foreign technology.

Nuh said that more than half of the national telecommunication’s budget, reaching between Rp40 trillion and Rp50 trillion, is used for buying the imported technology product.

Thus, he said, now several universities and companies in the information technology sector in Indonesia are conducting research to complete creating the Wi-MAX.

“I forgot the names of the involved companies,” said Nuh. Yet, the universities that are involved include the Sepuluh Nopember Technology Institute, Bandung Institute of Technology, University of Indonesia, Gadjah Mada University and Hasanuddin University. Nuh did not remember the budget for the technology research either.

In the meantime, Director General of Post and Telecommunication at the Information and Communication Department, Basuki Yusuf Iskandar, said that the Indonesian version of Wi-MAX technology can be used in providing communication and information access service in rural areas or universal service obligation (USO).

Wi-MAX is a technology that makes it possible to provide wireless broadband communication access. This technology is adjusted with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard.

Wi-MAX technology can be applied as the last mile connection in broadband network. In addition, Wi-MAX—which can reach a 50 kilometers radius—can be used for hotspots and cellular network backup.This electricity project is currently being carried out and is targeted to be completed in 2009 and 2010.

New players may get to sell subsidized fuels

Ika Krismantari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Downstream oil and gas regulator BPH Migas may allow Dutch-based oil giant Shell and Malaysia's Petronas to join state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina in selling subsidized fuels.

BPH Migas representative Adhi Subagio Subono told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that the designation of Shell and Petronas as subsidized fuel distributors, despite their lack of storage facilities, would benefit consumers as the increased competition would force Pertamina, currently the sole distributor of subsidized fuels, to provide better services and reduce prices.

"New players could establish joint storage facilities, or if Pertamina agreed, they could share Pertamina facilities to overcome their lack of space," Adhi said.

Pertamina still holds the exclusive right to distribute subsidized fuels, despite the partial liberalization of the country's retail fuel market in 2005.

The government has said that the exclusive right continued to be awarded to Pertamina as no other operators had been able to meet the requirements, such as having sufficient distribution networks and storage facilities.

As a result, the newcomers, including Shell and Petronas, have only been able to sell non-subsidized high-octane gasoline in Indonesia.

BPH Migas has not decided whether to hold a tender or to resort to the direct appointment mechanism to select the distributors of subsidized fuels for next year.

As a result, the appointment of distributors, which should have been announced in August, has been delayed.

A committee made up of BPH Migas, the Finance Ministry and the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry is still discussing a number of contentious issues, which are reported to include policy changes so as to allow more players to become involved in the distribution of subsidized fuels.

Adhi said that the other mechanism being discussed involved a competitive tender under which the winners would be selected based on the price margin offered and the scope of their distribution areas.

Only those bidders that offered lower price margins and wider distribution areas would be allowed to sell the subsidized fuels, he added.

Pertamina marketing and trading director Ahmad Faisal said Tuesday that his company had sent a letter to BPH Migas to express its readiness to serve as the distributor of subsidized fuels next year.

Indonesia, with a population of some 220 million people, represents an attractive market for gas retailers as motor vehicles account for almost half of national fuel consumption, which currently stands at some 60 million kiloliters per year.

A number of oil giants, such as U.S.-based Chevron and French oil firm Total, have been lining up to enter the country's retail fuel market, but are still waiting for the government's latest decision on subsidized fuels, which account for 95 percent of Indonesia's fuel market.

EU to decide on RI air travel ban in November

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The EU will decide on whether to lift the air travel ban for Indonesian airlines in November after a recent preliminary meeting between an Indonesian delegation and EU officials in Montreal, Canada.

"The meeting was a technical one. It involved our clarification on aviation safety documents as requested by the EU. So there is no decision yet from Montreal," Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal said Monday as quoted by Detik.com newsportal.

Speaking after a meeting with the House of Representatives Commission V overseeing transportation issues, Jusman said Director General of Air Transport Budhi M. Suyitno and National Team for the Evaluation of Transportation Safety and Security chief Chappy Hakim led the Indonesian delegation.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) general assembly with the EU represented by its safety committee consisting of France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain.

On July 6, the EU prohibited all Indonesian air carriers from entering European airspace, despite the fact that at the time there were no Indonesian airlines that flew to European destinations.

Jusman added the Indonesian delegation also presented the ministry's plan for zero accidents and policy on local airlines compliance ratings.

"In the meeting, I addressed the Indonesian government's disappointment on the EU flight restriction. We believe if the ban is to be continued, then there would be unhealthy air transportation competition.

"Several countries can simply give sanctions without coordination with the affected country," he said.

Indonesia also proposed that the ICAO regulate the mechanism on such bans and lift the restriction.

"All ICAO members should use the same standard. That way there will be no one-sided decisions."

Jusman said Garuda Indonesia, which had planned to resume its service to the Netherlands just before the ban, should be exempt from the ban as it is Indonesia's flag carrier.

The Indonesian government had called on the EU to send its technical delegates to directly inspect Indonesian airlines.

The Saudi Arabian General Authority on Civil Aviation (GACA) in July planned to join the EU in banning Indonesian airlines from flying to the country.

However, the GACA sent a team of technical delegates to Indonesia and cleared Garuda in August. Garuda is the only Indonesian airline serving routes to Saudi Arabia.

Several local major airlines, including Garuda, have attempted to highlight their improvements by obtaining official certification through an operational safety audit from the International Air Transport Association.

Indonesian jetliner forced to land after losing cabin pressure

The Jakarta Post

JAKARTA (AP): An Airbus jetliner operated by an Indonesian carrier was forced to land Monday after losing cabin pressure, a spokesman said.

The Batavia Air flight with 134 passengers diverted to the Sumatran city of Padang, several hundred kilometers from its destination, Batavia Air spokesman Anton Situmeang said.

No one was hurt and passengers were transferred to another Batavia Air plane that took off 90 minutes later for Medan.

"Due to causes we are still trying to uncover, there was a pressurization problem," he said. "Oxygen masks were dropped automatically and the pilot had to divert the plane."

The 10-year-old Airbus A-320 was flown back to Jakarta without passengers for technical examination, the spokesman said.

Indonesia is trying to improve its safety image after three plane accidents this year prompted the European Union to blacklist all its airlines. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration also downgraded the nation's rating to its lowest category.

President inspects Gambir Railway station

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - After visiting East Jakarta`s Kramat Jati Wholesale Market, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono inspected the Gambir Railway station in Central Jakarta on Saturday.

In the Kramat Jati Wholesale market, the president held a dialog with traders to monitor prices of essential commodities while in Gambir, the head of state observed the station`s preparations in the face of Idul Fitri holiday travelers.

During the observation in the railway station, the president was accompanied by Police Chief Gen. Sutanto and Minister for State Enterprises Sofyan Djalil.

The president received a briefing from the Railway Company (PT Kreta Api) and Transportation Ministry`s officials in the VIP room of the railway station.

Presidential Spokesman Andi Mallarangeng said the president`s tour of the Gambir Railway station was part of the agenda discussed during a cabinet limited meeting held several days ago.

Land Transportation Director General Iskandar Abubakar estimated that Idul Fitri travelers using trains this year would increase two percent from last year`s two million passengers.

According to Iskandar Abubakar, PT Kreta Api has prepared all of its coaches and reserve wagons which would be deployed to cater travelers in case there is unexpected jump in the number of passengers.