June 27-July 3, 2014
FROM ZERO TO BRAZUCA A SMALL VILLAGE IN PAKISTAN TAKES PRIDE IN ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD CUP
Contents June 27-July 3, 2014
❖ Business
❖ Weekly Briefing
❖ Business
From zero to Brazuca
News around the region
Tokyo’s Olympic hotel rush
Contents June 27-July 3, 2014
❖ Business
❖ Culture
❖ Society
❖ Lifestyle
Don’t tweet me
Beyond K-pop: Creative economy
Farewell to Dolly
Bean there, drank that
Contents June 27-July 3, 2014
❖ Travel
❖ Travel
Datebook
Indonesia’s spice of life
Shanghai can be full of surprises
Happenings around Asia
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WEEKLY BRIEFING
June 27-July 3, 2014
32 terror groups
US$15 (500 baht)
busted by Chinese authorities one month after a massive anti-terror crackdown was launched in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region; 380 suspects have been seized and 315 people sentenced so far.
Reward for tip-offs on anti-junta protests in Thailand.
3 million
$7 million Initial compensation made by Vietnam to nearly 140 businesses, including Chinese companies, which came under attack during anti-China riots last month.
AFP
recovered from the sunken passenger ferry Sewol bringing the total death toll to 293; 11 remain missing from the April 16 disaster.
Chinese officials have been punished by China's top anti-graft watchdog.
AFP
1 more body
6,400
AFP
Number of Thai children who do not live with their parents.
BUSINESS
June 27-July 3, 2014
FROM ZERO TO BRAZUCA
BUSINESS
June 27-July 3, 2014
Even though Pakistan’s representation at the World Cup still remains a distant dream, workers at a well-built factory on the outskirts of Sialkot may, however, disagree. After all, the fruit of their labour is the most sought-after item at the World Cup: the ball itself
Hafsa Adil Dawn Sialkot
T stitched footballs are produced in thousands on a daily basis at several hundred stitching centres across the district.
he Brazuca, as it has been officially named, has been manufactured in Pakistan and China for the official ball sponsor Adidas. In Pakistan, the World Cup ball was churned out in the hundreds of thousands at Forward Sports, one of the official manufacturers of Adidas products in Pakistan. While this is not the first time that Pakistan is exporting the World Cup ball, it has taken the country
BUSINESS
June 27-July 3, 2014
Sialkot’s sports goods industry employs a large number of women, especially, due to their diligence and dedication towards their work.
BUSINESS
June 27-July 3, 2014
more than a decade to return to the prestigious sporting event as a match ball supplier. “When we were offered the opportunity to produce the World Cup football, we were given less than two months to go from zero to Brazuca,” says Forward’s CEO Khawaja Masood Akhtar. While they were already manufacturing match balls for the world’s top football leagues, including the German Bundesliga, French Ligue 1 and the Uefa Champions League, making the World Cup ball was a different challenge altogether. With just a peripheral idea of the technology and equipment needed to make the ball, Akhtar’s team began the process of consulting experts. According to Akhtar, his company had to redesign their production line in order to meet the standards set for the world’s most prized match ball. They eventually managed to
find engineers (hardware and software) that put together the production and testing equipment in a matter of seven weeks. “All of our equipment and software was built by local engineers,” the middle-aged businessman boasts with pride. For Sialkot, however, it was more than a decade-long wait before pride returned to its sports goods industry and specifically, the football-manufacturing sector. Technological shortcomings, increasing competition and the stigma of child labour struck devastating blows to the city that was once catering to 75 per cent of the world’s demand for footballs. Nasir Dogar, who heads the Independent Monitoring Association for Child Labour (Imac), explains how the north-eastern export hub of Pakistan suddenly became synonymous with child labour in the global market.
“After the 1994 World Cup, there was immense pressure from the international football industry concerning the involvement of children in the production process and it snowballed into a situation where there was a threat that international buyers would stop buying balls from Pakistan "Businessmen, most of whom were supplying handstitched balls, scrambled to address the issue that was a major contributing factor for the shutdown of Nike’s manufacturing partner and Sialkot’s then biggest sports goods supplier, Saga Sports. Saga’s demise had a far-reaching effect on not just one city. Sialkot’s football-manufacturing exploits stretched into surrounding towns, villages and even spilled over into neighbouring districts such as Gujrat and Narowal. The manufacturing giant had developed stitching centres,
BUSINESS
June 27-July 3, 2014
smaller factories and even purpose-built utility stores to facilitate its employees. Working for Saga was all the rage in Sialkot during the 1990s and early 2000s. Then, with the death of its visionary owner—which led to family politics plaguing the company—and factors such as China’s rapid progress in the industry, the need for technological advancement and most tellingly, media highlight on child labour brought Sialkot’s prized employer’s downfall. It led to a realisation that child labour was a menace that had to be dealt with if Sialkot wanted to retain its status as an export hub. The International Labour Organisation (ILO), Unicef, the Pakistani government and the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) came together to sign an agreement, which outlined the path to child-labour-free employment in Sialkot district.
A few years after running the programme, ILO and Unicef handed over the monitoring work to a purpose-built body, which now runs as Imac. According to its chief, Imac carries out exhaustive raids, checks and research in factories and their stitching centres where hand-stitching work is outsourced. It then puts the information together to evaluate the manufacturer’s standing in terms of child-labour laws and issues certificates accordingly. During its early years, Imac’s research revealed that child labour was prevalent not so much due to the family’s economic conditions as it was due to the parents’ fear for the future. “We found out that parents wanted to teach their children stitching footballs as a means of securing their future with a wellpaying skill, as opposed to educating them and leaving
them jobless in the whitecollar market,” says Dogar. While the approach towards education has changed a great deal, football-stitching still remains a favoured profession in the rural suburbs of Sialkot. A visit to one of the several hundred stitching centres spread across small towns and villages revealed that young men and women still value the football-stitching industry. Stitching together 32 hexagons of artificial leather in about an hour is no mean feat but it is viewed as a convenient means of earning an income in addition to the usuall agricultural activities. Workers throng the centres —most of which are open from sunrise until sunset—to stitch a minimum of five balls a day for 100 Pakistani rupees (US$1) apiece. Even when they leave the centre, workers take the raw material home, where
BUSINESS
June 27-July 3, 2014
other men and women of the household sit down and stitch a handful of balls every evening. Women’s contribution, however, is not limited to their homes or stitching centres set up in their towns. Gulshan Ara, for example, is one of the thousands of women employed by sports-goods manufacturers in and around Sialkot. When Gulshan’s husband left her a few years ago, she had little money to bring up her five kids and that is when she signed up for a job at Forward Sports. “Ever since I joined (the factory), I have been able to provide for my children’s needs and give them a good education,” she says. With a salary of 10,000 Pakistani rupees ($102) per month, medical cover and life insurance policy, Gulshan has no plans of leaving the factory after having spent five years there. “This job gives me a sense of pride and self-empowerment
Here, women put together panels for the Brazuca.
that I never felt before so I will continue working here for as long as I physically can,” asserts Gulshan. Her sense of pride, however, is not limited to providing for her family. Chuckling, Gulshan admits that along with her family, she will be among the billions
of viewers expected to watch the tournament in Brazil. “I will be happy to see the ball I helped put together with my own hands being used at the World Cup. It will make me proud. It will make Pakistan proud. That is what I tell my family and my community. This is our work. Our ball.” ¬
BUSINESS
June 27-July 3, 2014
Businesses are scrambling to build and open new hotels ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Games
The Yomiuri Shimbun
TOKYO’S OLYMPIC HOTEL RUSH The Toranomon Hills skyscraper that opened on June 11.
Ichiro Marutani The Yomiuri Shimbun Tokyo
W
With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics only six years away, a stream of hotels are under construction in central Tokyo. With the June 11 opening of the 247-metre-high Toranomon Hills skyscraper in Minato Ward, Tokyo, one more hotel was added to that list. Foreign-affiliated luxury hotel Andaz Tokyo opened its doors to guests on the 47th through 52nd floors of the new building, the city’s second-tallest complex building. The Toranomon Hills hotel is the first Andaz has opened in Japan. Competition among hotels to attract foreign visitors is expected to intensify in the years ahead.
BUSINESS
June 27-July 3, 2014
3 facilities the Tokyo government is likely to review
Andaz Tokyo offers guests in all of its 164 guestrooms a panoramic view of central Tokyo, and thanks to the chain’s affiliation with the US Hyatt hotel group, Andaz has no shortage of brand power. The operator expects about half of its guests to be foreigners, with standard rooms—each around 50 square metres— going for about 60,000 yen (US$587) per night, while 210-square-metre luxury suites command 1 million yen per night. Singapore-based Amanresorts runs luxury hotels in Asia and plans to open Aman Tokyo near JR Tokyo Station before the end of year. These foreign-affiliated hotels and others like them are targeting wealthy customers, both domestic and
foreign. In 2013, the number of foreign visitors to Japan exceeded 10 million for the first time, and the government is working to attract even more foreign visitors, with a specific target of 20 million visitors in 2020. Domestic hotels are also trying to draw foreign visitors. Hotel Okura plans to rebuild the main building of its flagship Hotel Okura Tokyo for a hefty 100 billion yen, with a grand reopening slated for spring 2019. Hoshino Resort group also is set to open Hoshinoya Tokyo, a ryokan-type facility in central Tokyo in fiscal 2016. A public relations official for the group said, “We’d also like to attract visitors from overseas with Japanese-style hospitality.” According to the Japan Hotel Association, the average occupancy rate at member hotels in the Tokyo metropolitan area
BUSINESS
June 27-July 3, 2014
during 2013 rose to 82.9 per cent, a level reminiscent of the bubble era years. In some cases, it can be difficult to make reservations. Kazuhiko Tsuchida, a part-time lecturer at the University of Marketing and Distribution Sciences, said: “It is expected that the demand for hotel rooms will grow as the number of foreign tourists increases. If hotels compete to offer better services, Tokyo will become a more attractive city.” Large-scale redevelopment Mori Building Co., the main developer of the Toranomon Hills project, is planning 10 large-scale redevelopment projects in Minato Ward over the next decade, with a total price tag around 1 trillion yen. One official said, “We’re planning to
create a new international urban centre in Toranomon,” the district where the company started business. Mori Building, which earns most of its income from the rental of office and commercial facilities, is performing well. The company joined the Toranomon Hills project, which was planned in line with the massive development of Metropolitan Expressway Central Circular Route No. 2. The company negotiated with land owners and other parties before ultimately breaking ground on the new building in April 2011. It is believed total construction costs for the building ran to over 300 billion yen, including expressway construction costs, which were borne by the metropolitan government. ¬
BUSINESS
June 27-July 3, 2014
'ANTI-SOCIAL' CHAEBOLS Corporate Korea has a love & hate relationship with SNS Special Investigative Team The Korea Herald Seoul
O
ne of the things that chaebol are criticised for time and time again is their lack of communication. Despite their vast wealth and the social responsibilities that follow with their riches, Korean billionaires are known for keeping their distance from the public and keeping them in the dark on critical management-and sometimes personal-issues.
BUSINESS
June 27-July 3, 2014
This is not entirely their fault, since one piece of damaging gossip is often all it takes to nudge them onto the chopping block. But even considering the country’s unique societal tendency to be less lenient toward the wealthy, it is also true that the wealthy are passive about communicating with the public. And this trend appears to persist even amid a revolution in communication via the growth of social networking services. While the rest of the world can never get enough of Facebook or Twitter-and is obsessing over various new industry sectors that result from SNS-chaebols continue to insist on living the hermit life.
SNS, enemy of the chaebol
Of South Korea’s richest 100 people, there are only a handful who are taking advantage of SNS.
Those officially confirmed to maintain an account on Facebook, Twitter, Kakao Story or any other mainstream SNS are Ruling Saenuri Party Rep. Chung Mong-joon, the largest shareholder of Hyundai Heavy Industries, and Doosan Group chairman Park Yong-maan. The former lawmaker has roughly 80,000 followers on his Twitter account, a considerable number for a politician-turned-businessman, especially in South Korea. Yet the content that can be found on Chung’s SNS accounts is more often than not driven by national issues and heavy on politics as opposed to small talk or anecdotes about his life as an entrepreneur. Some also argue that his SNS, as with many other Korean billionaires, is delicately managed in order to ensure a certain degree of censorship, which contradicts the core potential of SNS-to openly and freely communicate day-to-day thoughts and activities.
Park, on the other hand, is South Korea’s most active SNS user among company owners. He has roughly 170,000 Twitter followers and believes that SNS should be used for genuine communication and fun. The chairman has been grabbing people’s attention by sharing episodes from his daily life, like the time he had to eat on store credit because he forgot his wallet, or by writing comments such as “I should give him a piggyback ride”, referring to a Doosan Bears baseball player after an outstanding game. He has also tweetedss about a successful April Fools’ Day prank on his colleagues and his thoughts after opening a brand new mobile device. Unlike most chaebol chairmen, he does not come across as bossy or stuck-up and is well received by young people. Hyundai Card CEO Chung Tae-young also has a considerable presence on SNS.
BUSINESS
June 27-July 3, 2014
Dubbed the most “sensual” figure among South Korean CEOs, Chung fills his SNS with diverse content. From ordinary anecdotes such as the time he took care of the cheque for a couple sitting beside him at a restaurant when he overheard them praising Hyundai Card, to a photograph he took with Paul McCartney, one of his favourite musicians, he communicates with the public about his everyday life. In 2013, he also had a heated discussion on SNS with Dreamwiz CEO Lee Chan-jin over the topic of electronic payments. But apart from Park and Chung there are very few other billionaires, if any, who are active SNS users, even in the IT industry. NCsoft CEO Kim Taek-jin and Dreamwiz CEO Lee Chanjin are just about the only figures in the IT industry to use Twitter. Even Naver’s founder Lee Hae-jin, who owns Line, the
company’s mobile messenger, is not known to have an official SNS account.
Age not a problem
Overseas, it is a whole different situation. Among Forbes’ top 100 billionaires, more than half were found to be regularly using SNS. Many global leaders utilise social networks to share their business philosophies and personal interests or even to promote their companies. Microsoft founder Bill Gates, for instance, is an extremely influential figure in the realm of social networks. He has 15.8 million followers on his Twitter account, which places him No. 37 in the world ranking of number of followers. While the list is dominated by celebrities, he is the only businessman who has made it to the top 50. It seems an even greater accomplish-
ment when considering that Google’s and Samsung’s official follower counts are around 830,000. Michael Bloomberg (about 570,000 followers) and Mark Zuckerberg (about 27 million “likes” on his Facebook page) are also popular super-rich figures who use SNS. But some say that because South Korea’s chaebol leaders are mostly in their 60s and 70s, it is difficult for them to become familiar with social networks-yet cases abroad show that age is no excuse. Telmex chairman Carlos Slim, the second-richest man in the world, is 74 years old but manages both a Facebook page and a Twitter account (240,000 followers), while financial gurus such as Warren Buffett and George Soros-who have both reached 83 this year-also communicate through Facebook. Buffett has 830,000 followers on Twitter alone. Hence, more so than age, the local billionaires’ lack of SNS activity
BUSINESS
June 27-July 3, 2014
can be attributed to the social environment and their desire to avoid the risk of becoming embroiled in controversy. For instance, Shinsegae vice chairman Chung Yong-jin, who was once a pioneer of using SNS,
got caught up in a verbal battle via Twitter with AfreecaTV (former Nowcom) ex-chief executive Moon Yong-sik, while Korean Air executive vice president Cho Hyun-min also experienced a similar verbal scuffle in 2012 with the owner of a
travel goods shopping mall over Jin Air’s cabin crew uniform. Chung stopped tweeting in October 2011 and deleted his Facebook page in 2013.—Hong Seung-wan Sung Yeon-jin, Do Hyun-jung, Bae Ji-sook and Kim Joo-hyun ¬
98,306 people
Twitter 82,517 followers
Twitter 236,271 followers
Chung Mong-joon
Chung Tae-young
Lee Chan-jin
Hyundai Heavy's largest shareholder Twitter (79,073 followers) Facebook (2,229 people) Kakao Story (17,004 people)
Hyundai Card chief executive
Dreamwiz chief executive
BUSINESS
June 27-July 3, 2014
Twitter 47,736 followers
Twitter 8,732 followers
Kim Taek-jin
Cho Hyun-min
NCsoft chief executive
Korean Air executive vice-president
Chung Yong-jin
Shinsegae vice chairman Twitter (closed since October 2011) Facebook (closed since 2013)
June 27-July 3, 2014
CULTURE
BEYOND K-POP: CREATIVE ECONOMY
photos by afp
It is only the tip of the iceberg, a mere part of the story about how the Korean music scene and the country’s sociocultural and politico-economic institutions work to position the Korean music industry as one of the world’s industry leaders today
CULTURE
June 27-July 3, 2014
Franki Raden The Jakarta Post Jakarta
I
n the classical world, Korean musicians secured their reputation a long time ago. Names such as Kyung Wha-chung (violinist) and Isang Yun (composer) are among the best in the international classical music scene. But of course, more recently, people across the globe have caught on to the K-pop phenomenon. Who would have imagined that Korean kids could completely immerse themselves in African-American pop music genre and reproduce it in such away to become a dominant product in the international music scene.
singer psy is one of k-pop's most famous exports with his videos on youtube hitting millions of views.
The subaltern speaks! This is the academic jargon that can be used to explain how the K-pop musical phenomenon could occur within a Western cultural hegemonised world.
Many outdated academic theories argue that the colonised group of society (the subaltern) can only consume cultural products coming from the West without any resistance and
June 27-July 3, 2014
CULTURE
female idol groups like MCA gain popularity overseas, setting standards for beauty and fashion.
CULTURE
June 27-July 3, 2014
copy them for local usage. The K-pop phenomenon indeed has countered this argument. For this reason, I think it is important for us, especially from the perspective of the creative economy, to understand the internal dynamic of the Korean music scene within its sociocultural and politicoeconomic contexts. After my second visit to Korea recently, I can see clearly that Korea has managed to create the necessary infrastructure and mechanism to make its musical scene work nationwide. Behind this is Korea’s accomplishment in building people’s mindsets and awareness about the role of music in their daily lives and as a result, music consumption in the society is very high, be it Korean traditional, pop, rock, jazz or classical music. This consumption happens through various sociocultural
means including music schools, live performances and media such as radio and television. Through these means we can learn, listen and watch all the aforementioned musical genres. This means that there is a market for any kind of music in Korea. So, if you live in Korea you will have the opportunity to learn, listen and watch the best products of all kinds of music genres including traditional, pop, rock, jazz and classical music made locally. With such a high level of musical consumption, it is only logical that Korea was able to develop the manufacture of musical instruments and export them across the globe. Yet the local demand for a high quality of music and musicians made Korean musical products able to compete with the more advanced industrial countries such as Japan, Germany and the United States. K-pop is only a tip of the iceberg. Yes it is phenomenal, but it
only tells a partial story about how the Korean music scene and its sociocultural and politico-economic institutions work to position the Korean music industry as one of the leading musical industries today. K-pop is only the beginning of the Korean expansion in the international music scene. There is more to come, soon. I believe that the Korean government and the people are quite aware about this possibility and they work hand in hand to reach this target. Through this high consumption, and of course appreciation, of various musical genres emerged world-class music festivals such as Jarasum International Jazz Festival (Gapyeong), Gwangju World Music Festival (Gwangju) and Jeonju International Sori Festival (Jeonju). All these festivals take place in small towns, but can attract in excess of 250,000. The impact
CULTURE
June 27-July 3, 2014
of these festivals is also phenomenal for the local tourism industry. Jarasum International Jazz Festival in Gapyeong city, for instance, is one of the best examples of the Korean festivals’ success story. Jarasum is a small “island” inside the city of Gapyeong. When Jae-jin In initiated this festival 10 years ago people thought he was insane because this island got flooded when it rained. But the festival became successful and the government developed the entire city into a tourist destination area. Today, the Jarasum International Jazz Festival is able to bring 250,000 local and foreign tourists to Gapyeong city every year. This festival has put Korea in the strong position within the international jazz scene
that has a significant impact on its creative industry. Gwangju city has also been assigned by the government to have a substantial role in the international music scene, especially in Asia. In addition to the Gwangju World Music Festival, the city is also finishing a huge compound called Asian Culture Complex. The goal of this project is obvious—to position Korea as the centre of Asia. So everything has to start with a solid foundation. This is what we, as a Third World country, need to understand. If we want to develop our creative industry and be able to produce export-quality creative industry products we have to start from the basics: set up the mindset for the importance of local creative industry products in our daily lives; increase consumption of creative products
in society; set up a solid creative industry education and encourage demand for high quality products, be they music, performing arts, digital arts, film, crafts or fashion. We can certainly copy the West like Korea has done but only with the goal to set up all the infrastructure and institutions to make the creative economy machine work nationwide. That is what K-pop is all about. The Korean music industry is not only copying African-American musical products but also selling them back to the Western and international market to reap upward of US$80 billion. Again, the subaltern speaks! The writer is a professor of ethnomusicology and has been traveling to South Korea to learn about the country’s creative industry. ¬
LIFESTYLE SOCIETY
June 27-July 3, 2014 Indra Harsaputra
SURABAYA BIDS FAREWELL TO DOLLY Indra Harsaputra, Yuliasri Perdani, Fadli The Jakarta Post Surabaya
S
cenes of scantily clad women sitting on long sofas behind glass windows in the brothels of Dolly red-light district in Surabaya, Indonesia— once known as Southeast Asia's largest red-light district—are now just a thing of the past, as the Surabaya administration officially closed the area on June 18. Witnessed by Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini, East Java Governor Soekarwo and Social Affairs Minister Salim Segaf Al Jufri, some 100 residents of Dolly in the Putat Jaya area read the declaration of Dolly’s closure.
Where to? This seems to be the question in the mind of this young woman who was displaced by the city’s move.
SOCIETY
June 27-July 3, 2014
The Dolly alley is Surabaya, Indonesia’s version of Bangkok’s Patpong and Singapore’s Gaylang. It is the sixth red-light district to date that was shut down by the Surabaya administration. The
others were Tambak Asri, Klakah Rejo, Dupak Bangunsari, Sememi and Jarak. The declaration stated that residents wanted Dolly to become clean, safe and free from prostiIndra Harsaputra
A kid looks through a broken window of a brothel in the Dolly area of Surabaya, East Java. Unidentified men threw stones at the brothel ahead of the Surabaya administration’s shutdown of the Dolly red-light district on June 18.
tution. It also stated that the residents wanted to have their area developed into an economic centre that would be governed by their religion and regulations. In the ceremony held at a nearby Islamic centre in Dukuh Kupang, several children living in the red-light district read from the Koran before residents read the closure declaration. The process of closing the 47-year-old red-light district took several years to implement, starting with measures to "tame" Dolly a few years ago. This was mainly because of the strong opposition put up by thousands of people depending on it for their livelihood. According to data from the city’s social agency, 1,020 sex workers and 311 pimps depended on Dolly. The place also supported other businesses in the area, such as shops and food stalls. It was indeed a big business. An economist estimated that
SOCIETY
June 27-July 3, 2014
Closing in on Dolly
In 2010, the Surabaya administration decided to closely monitor the Dolly alley. It installed CCTV cameras in the area to deter the entry of new sex workers. Shortly after, in June 2011, the Surabaya administration restricted the operational hours in Dolly alley, from 24 hours to 16 hours a day. In November 2011, East Java Governor Soekarwo announced that his administration would shut down all 47 red-light districts spread across the province’s 33 regencies and municipalities by 2014.
For her part, Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini announced her intention to permanently close down Dolly and all red-light districts in the city when she assumed office in 2010. She had, however, resisted earlier calls for Dolly’s closure, saying social preparations—including the provision of job training for the sex workers—had to be made first. On June 2 this year, Risma made a public announcement to close Dolly by June 18, citing as her basis Bylaw No. 7, which banned the use of a building as a place for prostitution. This was met with strong opposition from the Dolly sex workers who staged rallies to protest the plan. On the scheduled day of closure, thousands of residents, sex workers and pimps who were opposing the closure blocked all roads and alleys leading to the red-light district. This was to prevent authorities from enter-
Indra Harsaputra
Surabaya earned 1.5 trillion rupiah (US$130 million) yearly from Dolly’s prostitution, not to mention the side businesses that it was generating. The area, which consisted of 52 brothels, was established by a sex worker named Dolly Khavit in 1967.
A police officer enters a road leading to the infamous Dolly red-light district in Surabaya, East Java. The phrase scribbled on the road says “ready for war”
ing and implementing the closure plan. They almost clashed with hundreds of police officers who tried to open the blockades, but calmed down as the police backed off. Dolly’s closure was opposed not only by sex workers, brothel operators and pimps, but also by residents around the area whose businesses and livelihood depended on Dolly.
SOCIETY
June 27-July 3, 2014
Despite the protests, however, Dolly was officially shut down on June 18. Even after the official declaration of its closure, resistance from among those affected remained apparent. Certain brothel operators said they would resume activities after the closure declaration. “Dolly is closed today not because we’re afraid of the mayor’s decision, but because residents are focused on securing the area and preventing people from entering. It is also because members of the FPI [Islam Defenders Front] threatened to conduct sweeps,” Buchori, who operates a brothel and food stall in Dolly told The Jakarta Post on the day of the closure.
To overcome the impact of the closure on people directly affected, the Social Affairs Ministry has allocated 8 billion rupiah (US$676,859) for distribution to sex workers and pimps, with each individual to receive 5 million rupiah.
Complications
Dolly’s closure is not without complications, particularly to areas around Surabaya. Many fear that the closure will lead to the influx of sex workers from Dolly to other prostitution complexes.
These ladies seem to be facing two choices: Live a new life or keep on doing what they have been used to doing but in other places that will welcome them
June 27-July 3, 2014
SOCIETY
Local residents, brothel owners opposed to the closure block roads to the area.
SOCIETY
June 27-July 3, 2014
JP file photo
Authorities conduct inspection of the workers’ IDs and permits.
SOCIETY
June 27-July 3, 2014
The Surabaya administration has warned its Batam counterpart that sex workers from Dolly might be headed their way, Batam municipal council Commission IV chairman Riki Solihin said. “We have been told to anticipate the arrival of Dolly’s former sex workers to Batam. The administration should have already responded to this by monitoring the red-light districts here,” said Riki. According to Riki, Batam is the main-alternative destination for Dolly’s former sex workers because there are numerous clandestine and formal brothels. “In an effort to control prostitution, sex workers are provided counseling. But, if there are too many it will burden the municipality,” said Riki. Batam municipal chief spokesman Ardiwinata said the Social Services Agency and the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) would launch operations focusing on a number of other night spots in Batam.
Ladies sit on a bench in the middle of the road to prevent authorities from closing their workplace
“The Social Services Agency will conduct raids to anticipate the arrival of sex workers from Surabaya to Batam by monitoring the Sintai area and warning bar operators,” said Ardi. Meanwhile, in Semarang, Central Java, occupants of Argorejo redlight district, also known as Sunan Kuning brothel, are anxious that Dolly’s closure may have an impact on Argorejo, the biggest red-light district in Central Java. Argorejo community leader Suwandi said sex workers and brothel owners were against Dolly’s former
sex workers seeking work in the area as the community was concerned about the spread of HIV/AIDS. The area has various programmes to prevent the spread of the disease. Earlier, the Jambi and Gorontalo administrations expressed similar concerns over the possible migration of the former Dolly sex workers to their areas.
New life
Some affected sex workers, however, found the compensation package offered by the government an opportunity for them to change the course of their lives. On the day of Dolly’s closure, many of them started collecting the money offered by the government which, they said, they could use to return to their respective villages and start a new life. “I will open a stall in my village and live there peacefully,” said Erna, 34, a Dolly sex worker from Jember. ¬
June 27-July 3, 2014
LIFESTYLE
BEAN THERE, DRANK THAT Organic Arabica coffee has given the impoverished Akha community in Chiang Rai's mountains a better life and earned their brand a global reputation
LIFESTYLE
June 27-July 3, 2014
Phoowadon Duangmee The Nation Chiang Rai
C
hiang Rai was once best known to the world for its opium poppies and the infamous Golden Triangle. The triangle is still there and continues to offer magnificent views over neighbouring Myanmar and Laos. The endless poppy, on the other hand, are long
gone, thanks to the hard work of the Royal Project, a nonprofit organisation founded by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, which replaced the deadly crop with the much less dangerous, albeit equally influential, coffee shrub. More than three decades later, Chiang Rai is now better known as the home of Thailand's finest Arabica coffee, with bags of Doi Tung and Doi Chaang beans from this northern province selling like hot cakes both at home and abroad. To test Chiang Rai's new dragon, we travel far beyond the stylish coffee bars to Doi Chaang, a coffee estate in the Mae Suai highlands. Doi Chaang's story began in 1983 when village headman Pike Saedoo introduced the unknown Arabica crop to his Akha community, telling them it would help relieve their poverty by generating
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far more income than the fruit trees that had flourished but whose produce they were unable to sell. His words proved prophetic: Today the organic Arabica coffee cul-
tivated in this area is recognised by coffee lovers around the globe for its delicate, crisp flavour and dry finish and they are happy to cough up about 400 baht (US$12)
for a 250-gram bag of peaberry. The profits go straight back into the community, providing schools for the children and an easier, though far from luxurious life for the residents. "Arabica beans must love high mountains," I say to myself as our four-wheel drive negotiates an impossibly narrow curve on the remote road. Like the Akha themselves who build their modest abodes at the top of the mountain, Arabica shrubs flourish at high altitude. Thanks to a cold climate and abundant rainfall, the Arabica has found in Doi Chaang a perfect place to nurture its fruits. After a white-knuckle ride, we arrive safely in the Akha community and are welcomed by Ardel, son of Pike Saedoo, and manager of Doi
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Chaang Coffee Original. He leads us to the village coffee shop where mugs of Espresso, Americano, Cappuccino, Latte and Mocha, both hot and cold, are placed on the table for us to sample. I sip the Espresso and search for the coffee connoisseur's vocabulary to describe its character. The best I can come up with is bitter and a bit sour and while I like it, I would probably like it more if it were more aromatic. "The flavour is supposed to linger in your mouth for sometime but not too long," says Chartree Treelertkul, a coffee nut and serious taster who has joined our coffee trip to Doi Chaang. "Doi Chaang has a medium body with a hint of flora. And it's a bit nutty too." From our table overlooking the coffee mill we stare out over the sloping plantations
covered with wild flowers that stretch far into the valley. Visitors arrive from time to time in their SUVs and even on bicycle. Most linger over their coffee be-
fore going for a walk around the coffee plantation. "The harvest season takes place from November to March," says Ardel. "The hilltribe people are paid to pick the ripe cherries by hand to ensure we collect the best fruits. "Visitors are welcome to come and they can even sample a ripe cherry." The fruit is then washed, sorted by hand and soaked for 48 hours. After the pulp has been removed by machine, the beans, white and shiny, are left in the sun or a greenhouse for four days to dry. Dried and flaking with a silver husk, they are shaken clean then again hand selected to ensure only the finest grade beans are roasted. The coffee is finally shipped out of the mountains to stylish coffee houses around the world. "Doi Chaang has a unique flavour since it's a single estate coffee. We don't buy coffee from other places," Ardel says. ÂŹ
June 27-July 3, 2014
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INDONESIA’S spice of life
A string of forts in Ternate are a reminder of the battle among colonialists to grab a slice of the island famous for its spices
Zakir Hussain The Straits Times Ternate
T
he rich smell of cloves was unmistakable as we drove through the villages on Ternate, one of two spice islands in eastern Indonesia that were the main source of this much-valued aromatic spice for centuries. Clove trees dot the foothills of Mount Gamalama which towers above the island and whose vol-
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canic soil nourishes the clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and other spices that made this one of the wealthiest and most important trading cities in Southeast Asia. A string of 500-year-old forts scattered along the island's coastline and on its next-door neighbour, Tidore, bears witness to this storied past of how explorers were drawn to the region. Today, there are no five-star beach resorts but the two islands promise majestic views of nature and secluded beaches, surrounded by crystal clear waters. In some parts, you can snorkel and dive right off the shore to see an array of coral, anemone and fish. But the highlights of Ternate and Tidore, which together cover an area less than one-third the size of Singapore and are home to about 250,000 people, are their stunningly dramatic volcanoes. Rising in the middle of Ternate is Mount Gamalama, which
takes four hours to climb on average. When we visited, local authorities had closed off access to the peak due to a cold lava flow. But several vantage points on the island offer a view of the island of Maitara, which has its own volcano, against the backdrop of Tidore and its dormant Mount Kiematubu. Getting to these sights used to be a logistical challenge but a recently introduced daily direct flight from Jakarta has made visiting much easier. Tourists have yet to arrive in large numbers, making you feel like you are on your private island. Ternate island is the busier of the pair and most of its sights along the coast can be toured in a day. Our first stop was Floridas Restaurant, perched on a cliff overlooking the water, which serves fresh seafood and a spectacular view of yet another volcano on Mai-tara, with Tidore just beyond it.
This is a ritual stop for visitors and the scene is found on the back of the 1,000-rupiah note. The dining hall displays a blownup version of it. Next up was Fort Gamlamo, built by the Portuguese in 1522 and known to the locals as Kastela. Very little remains of its foundations, but murals depict the ambush and murder of then Sultan Khairun by the Portuguese in 1570, which angered the locals who then chased the Portuguese off the island. We drove on uphill to Danau Tolire Besar (Big Tolire Lake), an emerald green lake nestled beneath Mount Gamalama that locals believe was created by nature's anger when a drunken father took liberties with his daughter. A landslide fell on him and created the lake, while the daughter drowned herself in nearby Small Tolire Lake. Visitors throng Big Tolire Lake on weekends, tossing stones into
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the water that never seem to hit the bottom—local legend has it that rocks will never touch the surface. The area is also a popular picnic spot, with vendors selling freshly grilled corn on the cob. A little further down, we reached Sulamadaha beach, the island's most popular beach. The beach overlooks Hiri Island, where many Japanese soldiers were defeated during World War II. Stalls selling a popular snack—fried bananas eaten with a red chilli dip—line the way to the beach. Walk up the path that rings the edge of the beach and you hit Saomadaha Bay, with emerald green waters and visibly preserved coral, which is a popular snorkelling spot. After a short drive along the coast, we stopped at what is arguably the island's most striking natural feature—Batu Angus, or scorched rocks,
formed by molten flowing lava from the volcano when it erupted in 1673. The rocks stretch all the way down to the sea, its haunting beauty a reminder of how living on the ring of fire has left its imprint on the landscape.
On our way back, we meandered through sleepy Ternate town which contains a Chinese temple first built 700 years ago and rebuilt in 2007. An altar in its centre was dedicated to Confucius, with these
Fort Gamlamo, known to the locals as Kastela, was built by the Portuguese.
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Part of the Sultan’s kedaton or palace (above) in Ternate is today a museum displaying various regalia as well as portraits and a genealogical tree of past sultans.
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Traditional dances (above) are unique to this corner of Indonesia.
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Batu Angus or scorched rocks were formed by molten flowing lava from the volcano when it erupted in 1673.
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Big Tolire Lake is a popular picnic spot where visitors like to toss stones into the water that never seem to hit the bottom.
words in Bahasa Indonesia above a statue of the Master—Fear God, carry out his commands—a vivid reminder of the ongoing easy co-existence of different beliefs that characterises this corner of the world. Also in town is the house where 19th-century explorer and naturalist Alfred Russell Wallace lived in between his trips to Halmahera and other islands to the east, and a street is named after him. Ternate offers a chance to get up close to royalty and royal ceremony, with the sultan tracing the origins of his kingdom back to 1257.
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The Portuguese, Spaniards and Dutch arrived in turn, building fortresses here and on Tidore, fighting one another for dominance, before the Dutch prevailed. Fort Oranje, which they built in 1607, is being turned into a museum. Part of the Sultan's kedaton or palace is also today a museum displaying various regalia as well as portraits and a genealogical tree of past sultans. The current Sultan, Dr Mudaffar Shah, 78, was re-elected recently as a senator to the Regional Representative Council in Jakarta, and the annual Legu Gam festival held every April to mark his birthday has become a main fixture of the local calendar, with tourists flocking here. The next morning, we accompanied the queen and her royal entourage to nearby Hiri island—the site of a fierce
World War II battle between Japanese and Allied forces in 1945—to introduce the new royal twins to residents. There, we saw traditional dances unique to this corner of Indonesia staged to ward off evil spirits. Back on Ternate, we headed to the ferry terminal for a seven-minute speedboat ride to Tidore. Unlike in Ternate, the forts on Tidore are on higher ground and the climb up Fort Tahula, close by the beach, gives a spectacular view of the coastline and Halmahera island. Fort Torre, further inland and past the sultan's palace, offers a panoramic view of the eastern half of Tidore, including the verdant slopes of Mount Kiematubu now dotted by vegetable farms. As the sun set, we made our way back across to Ternate.
The boulevard facing the harbour and Tidore is a popular spot for watching the sunset, and is set against a new two-storey building with fast-food chains, restaurants and supermarkets. Many such modern buildings are springing up across the archipelago as economic growth spreads. Soon, more of that wealth will trickle into these sleepy spice islands and more travellers will arrive on their shores. As I breathe in the heavy scent of the cloves on my last day on the island, I make a silent wish: The residents deserve the economic opportunities that tourism will bring but I hope that the economic growth will not come at the expense of the unspoilt beauty of the islands. ÂŹ
June 27-July 3, 2014
TRAVEL
SHANGHAI CAN BE FULL OF SURPRISES
One of Shanghai’s main roads at night.
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By Aina Sta. Romana Cruz Philippine Daily Inquirer Shanghai
I Traditional Chinese architecture for Haagen-Dazs and KFC
had been planning for the longest time to visit Shanghai after an adventurous trip to Beijing in 2005 with my media advertising colleagues. I was lucky to have my FilipinoChinese aunt based in Beijing to bring me around the city at that time. I didn’t have to worry about the language barrier. But for my Shanghai trip, I had to prepare myself. The first thing I did in Shanghai was to walk along the Bund, its waterfront area. I didn’t care if it was high noon during summertime. Thank God for the Pepsi-branded water mist sprayers scattered along the Bund to refresh foolish tourists like me.
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One may feel it is a miniature version of Paris’ Champs-Elysee.
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A lively pedestrian-only shopping street at night.
Locals and tourists, alike, enjoy the walk, shopping, people-watching.
Even if I thought I was going to pass out from the harsh summer heat, I was in awe of the skyscrapers across the Bund, known as the Pudong area, which was a farmland a mere 20 or so years ago. While waiting for nighttime to fall, I explored the pedestrian-only street of East Nanjing Road, lined with department stores and food halls. I was particularly curious to check out its local version of Gap and Zara, called Metersbonwe. It has a building of its own, with high street fashion and accessories for men and women.
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Lovely Shanghai skyline at night
‘Xiao long bao’
I saw a lot of people going in and out the Shanghai Food Hall building, so I joined the crowd to discover an entire building of local food and various restaurants. I found the popular
Nianxing Steamed Bun Restaurant and quickly got a table before the line got any longer to try the famous xiao long bao. I almost finished a basket of this steamed bun all by myself ! I was literally running to the Bund when I saw a glimpse of the lit-up skyscrapers at Pudong from the end of East Nanjing Road. My mouth literally dropped in amazement and , for a few seconds, thought I was New York. It was very crowded, and you had to find a perfect spot to squeeze in to get a front view of the lights show. As you walk to the south end of the Bund, it becomes less crowded, though. The neo-classical buildings along the Bund side, such as the Peace Hotel, Peninsula Hotel and HSBC building, are also a sight at night. It was a definite steal to cross the Bund to Pudong via a ferry ride for only 2 yuan (around
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US$0.32). The view while crossing the Huangpu River was lovely. From the Pudong ferry terminal, you can just walk to the tourist areas, such as the Shanghai World Financial Centre that looks like a bottle opener; Jinmao Tower; the nearly completed Shanghai Tower which will be the tallest in the Pudong skyline; and shopping malls like Superbrand Mall and IFC mall. I don’t particularly like big tour groups. I enjoy planning my own itinerary, but Shanghai’s summer was just too hot so I rode the hopon, hop-off tourist bus (but never got to hop off) to escape the heat and get my bearings. After riding the whole route of the bus around Shanghai on my first day, I couldn’t wait to go back to Xintiandi and the French Concession east area. I was excited to walk the stretch of the tree-lined street of Hua Hai Road with quaint shops
along the street. This time, I felt like I was strolling along a mini version of Paris’ Champs-Elysees. The shops were a mix of international brands, and I even spotted the Philippines’ Bench Body there. The West Nanjing Road also resembled the tree-lined shopping street of Hua Hai Road, but with bigger international and local shops. It still felt like I was ambling along in Paris, except that there were no outdoor cafes. I also loved that, in this popular tourist area, you’ll find a glimpse of local life—local neighbourhoods of red brick homes with small alleys that you can walk through and explore. I found quaint outdoor cafes at Xintiandi at the French Concession area in a traditional longtang (alleyway). I caught a TV interview of the architect of Xintiandi on the local channel. He said the area was threatened, as there were brands
that wanted to build flagship stores here. I hope this area will still maintain its neighbourhood feel despite the inevitable entry of big stores. I was curious to try out the local cafe, intrigued by its name as well—Wagas Cafe. It serves Western and Asian food, smoothies and coffee. It’s a place where you’ll want to spend the afternoon and watch the world go by with a good cup of coffee.
Local artisans
Another place to get lost in Shanghai’s traditional alleyways is Tianzifang—a place that looked and felt like another mini version of Champs-Elysee. This time I was entertained by local artists and their offerings of handmade jewellery, pottery, even paintings. I discovered an old cotton mill converted into contemporary art galleries. It is a bit far from the
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popular tourist areas in Shanghai, but I enjoyed the serenity. Up-and-coming artists have their exhibits all year round here. I saw photographers taking artistic shots of structures outside the buildings and some rooftop shots of the city. It was lovely to wander from one building to another and check out the local art scene. At the entrance of this complex, there’s a cafe named Traveled Coffee and Tea. It felt like you were in your extended living room. Going back to the city centre, the People’s Park is a good place to walk around and enjoy a piece of greenery in the middle of the city. I found a secret garden just at the corner of the park, which turned out to be C’est La Vie Cafe and Bar. It’s a lovely afternoon tea place with vintage decor. I literally went high and low for my shopping in Shanghai. The Yuyuan Garden at the Old Town is surrounded by shops selling Chi-
nese souvenirs. But my favourite find in this area is a building similar to 168 Mall in Divisoria (a shopping area in the Philippines) that sold everything you can imagine—clothes, shoes and accessories, school supplies, electronics and home decor. There’s even an entire building selling antiques. You can spend the whole day just exploring all the shops around the Yuyuan Garden. It’s very interesting to wander the alleyways and see traditional Shanghai life, even spot a few locals in their pajamas doing chores. Wearing pajamas to go out used to be common to Shanghainese, but during the 2010 World Expo, the government discouraged it, as it was seen as backward and uncivilised. But of course, I had to give in to my curiosity and visit Superbrand Mall, which has 13 floors! I headed to the Pudong area and explored all the floors, but ended up at Lotus, the mall’s supermarket.
One of my favourite travel activities is to explore the local supermarket and check out products not available in the Philippines. I went to a neighbouring mall, IFC mall, and lost myself in City Supermarket, which was more of a gourmet supermarket. Now I understand why people rave about Shanghai. I was smitten by this city. From the pedestrian-friendly streets that reminded me of Paris, to the New York-like neon lights of skyscrapers and shopping malls and Shanghainese cuisine—this could be my new long-weekend escape. If only we didn’t need a visa! How did I survive Shanghai without someone translating for me? I prepared my list of places I wanted to go, and had the hotel receptionist write all the places in Chinese. That gave me enough confidence to explore. But pointing without words also works. It got me far enough—without getting lost. ¬
DATEBOOK
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ÂŹ Singapore Singapore Chinese Orchestra Concert Be entertained by a wide-ranging repertoire of classical and contemporary compositions presented by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SC0). The performance runs on a patriotic theme to reflect the passion and the best wishes of the people for Singapore. Comprising of 78 musicians, SCO is the only professional Chinese orchestra as well as a flagship local arts group. When: June 28 Where: Singapore Sports Hub Free admission
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¬ Tokyo Jacques Tati Film Festival Take a trip down memory lane to revisit French filmmaker and actor Jacques Tati’s work through six of his feature-length movies, all digitally re-mastered. The films by the comedy master have stood the test of time since the debut of Monsieur Hulot's Holiday in 1953. Audience can expect Play Time, Mon Oncle, Trafic, Parade , Jour de Fête, Monsieur Hulot's Holiday as well as Monsieur Hulot's Holiday at the festival.
When: June 21 to July 4 Where: Theatre Image Forum
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ÂŹ Shanghai Comedy Exchange Showcase The Shanghai Tickler are joining forces with their Beijing counterparts for a night of laughs, chuckles and guffaws. Presented on stage by Mike Corayer, the Shanghai regulars include Leia Luo, Adam Skuse and Colin Hanna. They will be joined by Paul Creasy, Neil Fauerso and Calvin Pollak from Beijing.
When: June 28 Where: 390 Bar Info: www.390shanghai.com
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June 27-July 3, 2014
ÂŹ Medan, Indonesia Sungha Jung Love Story 2014 Live in Medan South Korean acoustic freestyle guitarist Sungha Jung returns to Indonesia to enchant his large fan base there. Nicknamed "August Rush" (after the 2007 movie on a young musical prodigy) in his home country, the 16-year-old YouTube sensation has more 2.7 million subscribers on his channel. He is famous for performing cover versions of chart-topping hits.
When: June 29 Where: Hermes Place Convention Hall
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June 27-July 3, 2014
ÂŹ Mumbai Bombay Talkies Bombay Talkies is an evening of eight memorable stories, told by people who live in the city that was once Bombay, now Mumbai. Audience will hear them speak about their daily lives, cherished memories and life-changing experiences. Written and directed by Vikram Kapadia, the play which is presented in English reveals private moments, secrets and confessions. The characters recount their
frustrations and crack jokes. There is nostalgia for the past, observations and comments on current society and a look into the future. Cast members include Namit Das, Ratnabali Bhattacharjee, Shruti Vyas and Vikram Kapadia
When: June 28-29 Where: Prithvi Theatre
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