CAMPAIGN ON KOMODO UNITES INDONESIAN PEOPLE by Fardah

      Jakarta, Nov 4, 2011 (ANTARA) - The Komodo dragon, the world`s last remaining prehistoric giant lizard, is to be found only in Komodo National Park, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province, but the campaign to make Komodo one of the New7Wonders of Nature has received support from people throughout Indonesia.
       As of October 15, 2011, Indonesia`s major telecommunication operators such as Telkomsel, XL, Indosat, and Telkom Flexi have provided free SMS (short message text service) for those wanting to give their votes to support Komodo Island as one of the 28 official finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature (N7WN) competition.

        Each SMS text sent by voters via their cellphones to the number 9818 will contribute Rp1 to be paid by sponsors for the promotion of the unique and biodiverse island.
       "Today, we gather here to support Komodo Island as a finalist in the New7Wonders of Nature competition," former vice president M Jusuf Kalla, who has been named a Komodo Ambassador, said after signing a memorandum of understanding on the free services of SMS voting to support komodo, with the telecommunications operators, in Jakarta on October 14, 2011.
       Kalla, the current chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) said the Komodo campaign was not merely to make Komodo come out as a winner of N7WN, but also to promote national unity.
       "This is the cheapest way of strengthening national unity. Besides, the voting by SMS is a also democratic exercise," Kalla said.
       President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had also made a call on the Indonesian people to vote for Komodo.

After inaugurating the Lombok International Air Port in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), on October 20, 2011, the president asked ministers and guests attending the ceremony to give their votes for Komodo.

"Please type Komodo and send it to 9818," the President said at the event which was also attended by Kalla.

The calls made by Kalla and Yudhoyono received positive responses from the people and regional administration officials.

In Gorontalo, northern Sulawesi Island, Gorontalo Governor Arfan Arsyad urged civil servants in the province to vote via SMS text for Komodo.

"Let us all type `komodo` and immediately send it (to 9818). Don`t forget to mention your identity as Gorontalo civil servants to let others know that Gorontalo`s people love Indonesia very much," Governor Arfan said on Thursday (Nov 3) before a number of the local civil servants.

According to him, Indonesia is rich in endemic flora and fauna which are not to be found in other countries.

"Komodo dragon is the world`s only surviving prehistoric animal, and that`s a miracle," he said, hoping that in the future more Indonesian endemic flora and fauna, including the maleo bird living on Sulawesi Island, will be recognized as world wonders.

"There are people who are for and against the participation (of Komodo in the New7Wonders race). But, as Indonesians , we must be among those who are for it," he said, referring to a controversy surrounding the participation of Komodo in the N7WN competition.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi Province, a two-meter-long prototype of Komodo dragon has been put on display at the Grand Clarion Hotel in a gesture of support for the giant lizard.

"The Komodo`s prototype is being displayed until the SMS voting deadline on November 11, 2011," the hotel`s General Manager Anggiat Sinaga said in Makassar recently.

In Magelang, Central Java Province, a number of vocational high school students also supported Komodo.

"This is the implementation of Pancasila (State Ideology) on loving our country and being ready to contribute to something being done in the interest of the nation. Komodo Island is part of NKRI (the Unitary State of Indonesia). So, when it needs support, we must give it," Head of Pangudi Luhur Muntilan Vocational School`s Student Organization Edi Gunawan, said.

Students in Bondowoso, East Java Province, also gave their support to komodo. They also put out a banner urging the Bondowoso people to send their votes to 9818.

In Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan Province, Deputy Mayor of Palangka Raya Maryono called on the local people to support Komodo as one of the 28 finalists in the the New7Wonders of Nature race.

As a New7Wonder site, Komodo would not only boost the economy of East Nusa Tenggara`s people, but also improve the image of Indonesia internationally, he said.

A "Vote for Komodo" campaign was also organized by the Photography, Backpacker and Couch Surfing Community of Pekanbaru, Riau Province.

"The population of Indonesia is more than 200 million, and if Komodo fails to be included in the New7Wonders list, it will be embarrassing," Yunaidi, a Pekanbaru resident, said.

Pontianak Deputy Mayor Paryadi in the West Kalimantan provincial capital recently urged local youngsters to support Komodo in an event called "Pontianak for Komodo".

Paryadi said Indonesia has komodo which is extraordinary and different from animals in other countries. But, it would no longer become special if the Indonesian people did not give their support, he said.

In NTT, the home of Komodo, Governor Frans Lebu Raya led a voting for Komodo campaign to support the animal`s nomination as one of New7wonders of Nature during the National Vote For Komodo Week, November 1, 2011, that was joined by all regions in Indonesia.

Voting for the New7Wonders of Nature will end on November 11, 2011 (11/11/11) at 11:11 am GMT, which is around one week from Friday (Nov 4). A day later, the N7WN Foundation is expected to announce the results of the voting.

Until Oct 31, 2011, support for Komodo Island has reached more than 100 million votes cast through cellular text (SMS) messages to the call number 9818.

"Over the weekend, some 14.3 million votes had come in. So up to now, the total number of votes has reached over 100 million. But, we cannot give the exact figure because it`s against the rules," Emmy Hafild, the Komodo Support (P2 Komodo) coordinator, said in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, on October 31.

The New7Wonder Foundation has targeted a total of one billion SMS votes from supporters of the 28 finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature competition.

"In the beginning, there were 440 entries from 220 countries, and they were selected to 77 nominees, and again to 28 finalists. And now it`s up to the public to choose the New7Wonders winners," she said.

Emmy said the number of supporting votes for Komodo had increased significantly since the participation of prominent figures such as former president M Jusuf Kalla, Olga Lydia, Fadli Padi, Slank and RAN (singers and band groups) in the campaign for Komodo.

"When Slank announced its support, some 10 million votes were received in a single day," she said.

And when Malaysia promoted its Water Lizard to compete with Komodo, the votes for Komodo immediately increased from 3.5 million to 6.8 million per day , she said, adding that Indonesian migrants workers in South Korea and Taiwan also gave their support by sending the votes via cellular phones.

According to NTT Deputy Governor Esthon Foenay, the number of foreign tourists visiting Komodo National Park has increased since Komodo became a finalist in the N7WN competition,

"Up to August 2011, some 32,354 foreign tourists visited the Komodo national park while the number of domestic tourists who came to the island was 4,145, up from 2,955 in 2010," the deputy governor said in Kupang recently.

Foenay had accompanied New7Wonders Foundation President Bernard Weber during a visit to Komodo Island on Thursday (Oct 27) together with M Jusuf Kalla.

In 1977, Komodo National Park was named a biosphere reserve by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). And in 1991, UNESCO named the island accommodating around 3,000 komodo dragons, a world heritage.

A pair of Komodo dragons called "Modo" and "Modi" have been made a mascot of the upcoming 26th SEA (South East Asia) Games to be held in Palembang (South Sumatra) and Jakarta this November.

On October 26, Marathon runner Ruyati ran the SEA Games torch around Komodo Island as part of the torch`s journey to Palembang.

Accompanying the torch were Sea Games chief executive Rahmad Gobel, Komodo envoy Jusuf Kalla and Komodo Success Committee members.

"Because the Games` mascot is Komodo, the torch must visit Komodo Island to get a blessing from Komodo," Kalla said jokingly.

Kalla was optimistic that Komodo Island will get enough votes to become one of the New7Wonders of Nature.

"There is no (prehistoric) animal left on earth but the Komodo dragon. Therefore we must support it to become one of the New7Wonders," he said. ***6***

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(T.F001/A/F001/S012) 04-11-2011 20:05:04