Indonesia Step in G-20

Still fresh from ongoing G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh, United States of America, Indonesia make end note about that important events. Important because in Pittsburgh, G-20 officially changed the richest industry counties group in the world, that is G-8. Different with G-8 that have elite and exclusive, image come from this new group looks more opened and various. In G-20 there some developing countries like Indonesia. We understand level of developing countries in this group have different level reviewed from income per capita, science and technology progress, and military power. Just notice, countries who included in G-20 represented 90 percent of world gross national product, 80 percent of world trade, and two third of world population. Now in this scope and scale Indonesia step in international forum know as G-20. Of course this fact made me as Indonesia citizen proudly with my country participation in G-20. This is one kind of recognition that even Indonesia excluded of elite economic class countries, Indonesia according to World Bank has position in ranked 19 of world economic country. By become member of G-20 economy group make real what Pricewaterhouse Coopers predicted for some last years ago about strengthening role of countries that joined Emerging 7 (E-7) in the future will pass over G-7 countries role. The Countries that included in E-7 is BRIC (Brazil, Rusia, India, and China), added Indonesia, Mexico, and Turkey. Moreover, there are some other countries excluded of this group, there are Australia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Argentina.

Garuda Asked Flight to New Zealand

Garuda Indonesia Airlines hoped direct flight to New Zealand as effort to increased tourist from this Kiwi country to Indonesia. This request submitted by participant in Indonesia business dialog held by Culture and Tourism Department of Republic of Indonesia and Republic of Indonesia Embassy in Auckland, New Zealand on September 14, 2009. The dialog presented in promotion agenda for recovery Indonesia tourism image after bomb blaster at Marriot and Ritz Charlton on last June. Dialog participants is around 100 persons consist from local officers, businessman, and travel agent. Answered about that question, Senior General Manager of Garuda Indonesia in Australia Purwoko Soeparyono said that to service the question, first of all must increased passengers from New Zealand. Garuda Indonesia hoped can fly directly to New Zealand, with option city destination is Wellington or Auckland. There is no problem if Garuda must fly from Jakarta or Bali. According to Purwoko, from business considered break event point reached if passengers load reached in one specific point Based from recently data, in the last six months New Zealand tourism who visited to Indonesia only 12,000 persons. The passengers number must divided into some flight likes to Singapore, Malaysia, even Brunei Darussalam. So in economical side this request is still difficult to realize. Even in the future will be have direct fly to New Zealand, maybe destination not to Bali but Jakarta.

Trans Park, World Class Recreation in Makassar

photo: picoodle.com

A recreation place with investment more than Rp. 1 trillion (US$ 100 million) already operated in Makassar, South Sulawesi (Celebes). We compare it with Disneyland facilities in United of States of America and Lotte World in South Korea. The Trans Studio Theme Park hoped stimulate economic dynamic in Indonesia East Region. Many recreation facilities are available in this indoor park with area width 2.2 hectares. Presence of this recreation park at Tanjung Bunga Area, Makassar has good response from South Sulawesi Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo as high appeal for investment in this area. This is equal with South Sulawesi economic growth in year around 2009 reached 9 percent or above national economic growth average that reached 7 percent. “This mean South Sulawesi as center of services and economic growth in Indonesia East Region more calculated. Hoped with operated of this recreation park, economic dynamic in South Sulawesi and another provinces around it become more excited. Trans Park is collaboration between Para and Kalla Group than delivery PT Trans Kalla Makassar management. Targeted every year can pull about 1.6 million visitor per year. Break event point targeting reached in the next 5-6 years. Planned in 2010, a five stars hotel will be build in this area.

Multiply Passengers, Air Asia Coupled Amadeus

Air Asia company network that consist of AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia, Thai AirAsia, and AirAsiaX, established cooperation with travel ticket sale and distributed technology provider company Amadeus. The prime target is to multiply AirAsia passengers who want ordered ticket not via internet because they don’t have credit card. Still many passengers rely on ticket agent and travel to ordered ticket. Because they still need assistance to choose of route and the lowest ticket prince for plane, car rental, train, ferry, or cruises. “No special increased passengers target connected to this cooperation. But we believe, with this alternative will happened increased passenger,” says Indonesia AirAsia Chief Dharmadi on September 10, 2009 in Jakarta. Confirmed by Darmady, in in AirAsia Company network as many as 80 percent tickets already had ordered via internet. “We not changed our ordered ticket way, AirAsia still focus on ticket ordered via internet. This is only way to expand the way to buy ticket,” he says. Southeast Asia and India Subcontinent Amadeus Asia Ltd Paul Martin said together with Amadeus, AIrAsia will be become more reachable passengers from Europe. Because at this time more than 12,000 travel bureaus all over the world uses Amadeus Global Distribution System (GDS). GDS explained implementation Amadeus Ticketless Access, that make cheap flight information possible displayed together with premium flight and full service airlines. So, ticket agent can quickly response and give cheap flight information without need to open that flight website. Benefit from customers is cheap flight and low cost flight ticket choice information available. According to Paul Martin, Amadeus also have feature likes to choose seat or food ordered.

Some Flights in Borneo Canceled.

Some flights in Borneo (Kalimantan) that in Central Borneo and East Borneo on September 8, 209 canceled caused by thick smog from area burned around airport in both provinces. Tjilik Riwut Airport in Palangkaraya, Central Borneo, come back can’t use for plane landing. View distance in runaway only 400 meters, far away from lowest minimum limit 1,600 meters. Impact of that smog, Garuda Indonesia and Sriwijaya Air companies canceled their flight. Customer applicants will be flied via Syamsudin Noor Airport in Banjarbaru, South Borneo. Tjilik Riwut closed because pioneer airports in Central Borneo also become paralyzed because no plane flight from Palangkaraya. In East Borneo, almost all flight from Sepinggan Airport with destination to Kalimarau Airpirt at Berau district and Juwata Airport at Tarakan, East Borneo, also canceled. Both airports is closely by thick smog. Tarakan Meteorology Station Head Sutadi Raharjo said that view distance less than 1,800 meters. This same condition also happened on Kalimarau Airport at Berau district. Based on Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical committee, this smog was send from West Borneo and Central Borneo.

Batik Becomes World Culture Heritage

photo: batikindonesia.info

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided batik as world culture heritage from Indonesia. Batik appraised as culture icon that have uniqueness and deeply philosophy, also included human life cycles so decided as non physical culture heritage from humanity. Before that UNESCO declared wayang and keris as world culture heritage from Indonesia. “Next we still process to include angklung (kind of traditional music instrument made from bamboo). We keep fighting one by one our nation culture works,” says Jero Wacik, minister of culture and tourism in Bogor, West Java on September 7, 2009. Non physical culture by UNESCO consist of oral culture, story, including language, dance, wayang, stage art, society custom and tradition, craft, and another thing connected with the nature environment. Meanwhile physical cultures consist of monument temple, landscape, and etc. Batik is non physical culture heritage from humanity. It is important because humanity means come from Indonesia. Decided of traditional cloth batik as world culture heritage from Indonesia basically from some considers, some of them is batik as traditional craft hereditary with rich culture from Indonesia. In their considerate, UNESCO also researched about protected had already given by Indonesia government to batik. “UNESCO asked that is Indonesia government has safeguard to batik or not?” says Aburizal Bakrie, Minister of Coordination for Wealthy People Sector. For that purpose, Indonesia government made book and education guided about batik and distributed to schools. UNESCO also researched that Indonesia have batik society, batik industries, and batik history in Indonesia. Based from UNESCO research result, they agreed batik as world culture heritage from Indonesia. This ceremony will organize on September 28 till October 2, 2009 in Abu Dhabi, Arab Emirate United. Connected with this ceremony plan, Indonesia President Soesilo Bambang Yudhoyono asked to all Indonesian people to wear batik on October 2, 2009.

Mazda Targeted Indonesia Car Market

A Japan car producer Madza Motor Corporation targeted car selling in Indonesia as many as 10,000 units per year for next year or latest in next two years. Madza 2 car will sale in this year hopes can increase their quantity cars sell. That said by Yuji Nakamine, Managing Executive Officer and General Manager of Overseas Sales Divison Madza Motor Corporation on September 3, 2009, after exposed Madza 2 design also showed their Mazda fabric in Hiroshima, Japan. “Before Mazda only focused their sale in North America, Europe, and Japan. From now Mazda will explore Asia Pacific market,” said Nakamime. According to him, car producer like Toyota also already get surplus from South East Asia so Mazda must started to focused on regional market. In Indonesia, Mazda sell product is still small compared with other Japan car company. In 2008, Madza only sell about 2,200 units, or raise 68 percent compared in 2007. In fact, at least there 650,000 car units sell per year in Indonesia market. Based on Gabungan Industri Kendaraan Bermotor Indonesia (Gaikindo) or Indonesia Motor Vehicles Federation data, Daihatsu car sell on August reached 7,299 units or raised 15.3 percent compared on July 2009. Daihatsu takes second position after Toyota that success sell 18,403 car units.

Sunda Strait Realize in 2020

Realized of Sunda Strait Bridge that connected between Java Island and Sumatera Island hope can be realized in 2020. Budget for realized 20 kilometers bridge approximately around Rp. 100 trillion (US$ 10 billion), excluded land free. This is Sunda Strait Bridge feasibility study arranged by Artha Graha Network via PT Bangun Sejahtera and Wiratman and Associates. This feasibility study result hand over to Banten Province Governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah and Lampung Province Governor Sjachroedin ZP on August 13, 2009 in Jakarta. From that feasibility study, for Sunda Strait Bride building project need minimal 10 years to realized. The feasibility study result document will give to central government. Ratu Atut said Province Banten government has commitment to supported budget for released land form Sunda Strait Bridge build. This land will used for bridge building and commercial area. “For commercial area in near Sunda Strait Bridge will be quicker for returned fund from bridge project invest. Because with only rely on bridge operational income is need longer time,” she says. In 2006, passenger Java-Sumatera traffic that crossed over Merak-Bakauheni reached 20 million persons. For goods traffic reached 1.75 million tons. In 2020, predicted will reached 40 million passengers and for good increased become 3.5 million tons. Artha Graha Group Head Tommy Winata said his side hopes local government and central government support by compensations to supported Sunda Strait Bridge financial. “We make more priority this project as mutual cooperation project. The biggest benefit is for Java and Sumatera people, also for all economic actors in both territories,” says Winata. When asked to Winata about benefit finance prospect from this project. “This project realized not only for financial benefit, but also our nation progress. If this project if realized, this project just finished in next 10 years when I am 63 years old. Investment cost return maybe take in 30 years, when my age is over than 90 years old.”