Connecting goods and people of Pacific, Southeast Asia by Fardah

Jakarta, July 13, 2019 (ANTARA) - The first ever Pacific Exposition highlighting the region’s business, investment, and tourism potential began in Auckland, New Zealand, on July 11, 2019 at Indonesia’s initiative, supported by the governments of New Zealand and Australia. 

Themed “Creating Pacific Momentum”, the expo sees the participation of 123 companies, officials, businessmen, and artists from 20 Pacific countries. These are Solomon Island, Australia, Cook Island, Federated States of Micronesia, and Fiji, in addition to French Polynesia, Indonesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, and New Zealand. Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa are also participating along with Timor Leste, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia.

“This forum is the first of its kind. We are creating momentum to engage with each other and strengthen our fraternity with fellow Pacific countries and territories," Foreign Minister Retno L. P. Marsudi said.

The Pacific Exposition, which concludes on July 14, includes a range of events from the Tourism Forum (July 11), the Business and Investment Forum (July 12), the Pacific Cultural Forum (July 13), and the Sound of the Pacific Concert (July 14).

The expo was officially opened by Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, together with other Pacific countries’ leaders, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of New Zealand Winston Peters, and Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, in the presence of some 400 guests.

Pacific Exposition 2019 will connect the dots between the 17,000 Indonesian islands and the thousands of Pacific islands, Australia and New Zealand, according to Retno Marsudi.

EAST NUSA TENGGARA OFFERS MANY MORE TOURIST SPOTS

Jumat, 12 Jul 2019 23:32

Daerah : Jakarta

By Fardah

Jakarta, 12/7 (Antara) - East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province is famous for Komodo National Park, which comprises Komodo, Padar, and Rinca islands as well as 26 smaller ones, and was founded in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon.

The Komodo dragon (Veranus Komodoensis), is the world's only surviving giant lizard.

In 1977, the Komodo National Park was named a biosphere reserve by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and in 1991, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2012, it was listed as the New 7 Wonders of Nature sites.

Komodo Island is located near Labuan Bajo, which is one of the 10 priority tourist destinations designated by the government as "New Bali." The nine other destinations are Borobudur in Central Java; Mandalika on Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara; Bromo-Tengger-Semeru in East Java; Pulau Seribu in North Jakarta; Lake Toba in North Sumatra; Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi; Tanjung Lesung in Banten; Morotai in the northern region of Halmahera in the Maluku Islands; and Tanjung Kelayang in Belitung, Bangka Belitung.

Both Komodo Island and Labuan Bajo are located in West Manggarai District on Flores Island, and they are the backbone of the tourism industry of NTT, in particular, and Indonesia, in general. The Komodo National Park recorded revenue amounting to Rp32 billion from tourist visits to the park during 2018, an increase from Rp29 billion in the previous year. A total of 176,830 tourists, comprising 121,409 foreigners and 55,421 Indonesians, had visited the Komodo National Park last year, a surge from 119,599 visitors in 2017.

GERINDRA, PKS EXPECTED TO REMAIN EFFECTIVE, QUALITY OPPOSITION

Sabtu, 6 Jul 2019 21:22

Daerah : Jakarta

By Fardah

Jakarta, 6/7 (Antara) - The 2019 presidential election held simultaneously with legislative elections on April 17, 2019, across Indonesia was a long and tiring process with a campaign lasting more than six months, leading to a deeply divided nation.

The elections were considered the world's biggest and most complex single-day vote on April 17, 2019, where 192 million people queued up at some 810 thousand polling stations, resulting in unexpected deaths of some 700 polling officers, mostly after working for two days at a stretch after serving voters on polling day.

The 2019 race was a replay of the contentious 2014 presidential election that exposed the nation's divide, as Joko Widodo (Jokowi) faced retired general Prabowo Subianto.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) announced the final results on May 22, 2019, at 1:28 a.m., declaring that the Jokowi-Maruf Amin pair had secured 85 million votes, or 55.5 percent of the national vote, as compared to contenders Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno who received 68 million votes, or 44.5 percent.

The Jokowi-Amin pair declared victory, while the Prabowo-Sandiaga pair rejected the KPU's official tabulation result and challenged it in the Constitutional Court (MK).

MK's nine judges announced their final ruling session on June 27, 2019, by rejecting in totality the Prabowo-Sandiaga pair's petition.

President-elect Jokowi and Vice President-elect Ma'ruf Amin will soon form a new cabinet for the 2019-2024 period, according to Arsul Sani, deputy chairman of TKN, Jokowis national campaign team.

Infrastructure development intensifies to boost N Sulawesi Tourism

Sabtu, 6 Jul 2019 21:29

Daerah : Jakarta

By Fardah

Jakarta, 6/7 (Antara) - North Sulawesi, with a population of 2.4 million and located on the northern Sulawesi Island, or formerly known as Celebes, is looking forward to attracting more foreign tourists to visit the province.

They are offering a variety of natural panoramas, with beaches, hills, volcanic mountains, and scenic plateaus.

The scenic and biodiverse Bunaken Marine National Park, which is some 10 kilometers from the provincial capital of Manado is one of the most popular tourist destinations. The park has been inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization World Heritage List.

Foreign tourist visits during the January-May 2019 period has reached 55,144, or a 9.67 percent rise than 50,284 travelers during the corresponding time frame in 2018, according to data of the Manado Immigration office. Of the total tourists, most came from China, reaching 86 percent, followed by two percent each from Singapore and Germany, and 1.3 percent from the United States.

North Sulawesi has been named as the Rising Star of Indonesia's tourism sector for its ability to boost its growth to 600 percent in the last four years. The number of foreign tourists visiting North Sulawesi, especially Manado and Bitung, had reached 20 thousand in 2015, rising twofold to 40 thousand in 2016, 80 thousand in 2017, and 120 thousand in 2018.

Within a four year span, in total, foreign tourist visits to the province have jumped sixfold. Similarly, the number of domestic tourists visiting the region has reached two million in 2016, with the figure continuing to increase to four million in the next year.

ENCHANTMENT FESTIVAL TO REVEAL WONDERS OF RAJA AMPAT

Rabu, 26 Jun 2019 18:44

Daerah : Jakarta

By Fardah

Jakarta, 26/6 (Antara) - The Raja Ampat Enchantment Festival will showcase the wonders of Raja Ampat as a marine tourism destination to divers, marine lovers and adventurers from October 18 - 21, 2019.

Named the Worlds Best Snorkeling and Diving destination by CNN Travel, Raja Ampat, has prepared three locations for the international marine tourism event, notably Waisai, Sapokren Village and Mayalibit Bay.

The festival themed Exotic Raja Ampat, is being organized at different locations with the objective of boosting the local economy and empowering the indigenous people.

The locals will offer services such as homestay, speedboat riding, longboat tours, and other means of transportation to tourists during the festival to be organized by the Raja Ampat district administration, with the support of the West Papua Provincial Government and the Tourism Ministry, according to the head of the Raja Ampat Tourism Office, Yusdi Lamatenggo.

Raja Ampat is often called "Heaven on Earth", "Miracle of Papua", "Underwater Paradise on Earth", or "Real Wonder of the World" for its mesmerizing marine panorama.

The district has a geopark that is much more beautiful than the one in Halong Bay, Vietnam.

In 2012, the district was included in the list of Real Wonders of the World. It has been recognized as one of the world's 10 most beautiful diving sites, and rated number one for its rich marine flora and fauna diversity.

The district has around 1,700 islands, including the unoccupied and most beautiful Isle of Wayag, which is made of karst or limestone from other isles.

ENVIRONMENTAL LESSON TO LEARN FROM FLOODING IN SOUTHEAST SULAWESI

Senin, 24 Jun 2019 20:49

Daerah : Jakarta

By Fardah

Jakarta, 24/6 (Antara) - Parts of Indonesia have begun to experience extreme dry season that causes water crisis, while other parts still have rains with high precipitation leading to major floods in Samarinda (East Kalimantan Province), Morowali (Central Sulawesi), and Konawe and North Konawe Districts in Southeast Sulawesi Province.

Flooding in Morowali District recently destroyed four bridges and caused extensive damage to over 10 homes, and affected more than 16 thousand people in three sub-districts.

In Samarinda, East Kalimantan, floods affected 9,358 families constituting 30,580 people living in of North Samarinda, Sungai Pinang, and Samarinda Ulu sub-districts.

Triggered by torrential downpour, floods inundated seven sub-districts in North Konawe District since June 2, resulting in the Lalindu, Walasoko, and Wadambali rivers overflowing their banks. Andowia, Asera, Landawe, Langkikima, Oheo, Wiwirano, and Motui are the seven affected sub-districts.
Flooding in the worst-affected North Konawe reportedly caused financial losses amounting to Rp674.8 billion and led to the displacement of 9,609 people and affected 18765 others, Ruksamin, the North Kunawe district head, stated.
The flooding destroyed four bridges and 370 homes along with inundating four other bridges, 1,962 homes, five mosques, 14 elementary schools, five junior high schools, a senior high school, 17 kindergartens, three traditional markets, and at least four community health centers, as well Trans-Sulawesi highway.