Indonesia Expat - Issue 166

I S S U E N O. 16 6

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18 – 31 M AY 2 016

J A K A R TA • J AVA • B A L I • LO M B O K • K A L I M A N TA N • S U M AT R A • S U L AW E S I • W E S T PA P UA

W W W. I N D O N E S I A E X PAT. B I Z

JOKOWI EASES REGULATIONS FOR SMES RENEWABLE ENERGY IN BALI: THE FLOWER OF LIFE

THE CROSSFIT CRAZE

INDONESIANS MARCH TO LEGALIZE CANNABIS

issue 166 Indonesia expat

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Indonesia expat issue 166

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Letter from the Editor

Editor in Chief

Angela Richardson angela@indonesiaexpat.biz

Marketing Consultant

Edo Frese edo@indonesiaexpat.biz

Dear Readers,

Editorial Assistant

Caranissa Djatmiko letters@indonesiaexpat.biz

Sales & Advertising

Dian Mardianingsih (Jakarta) Ervina Tambun (Jakarta) Wahyu Atmaja (Bali) ads@indonesiaexpat.biz

Distribution & Admin

Juni Setiawan admin@indonesiaexpat.biz

Finance

Lini Verawaty finance@indonesiaexpat.biz

Contributors

Karen Davis Scott Hanna Ben Lander Lina Natalia Lina Noviandari Ketut Krisna Wijaya Kenneth Yeung

Editorial Enquiries

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Subscriptions

We’ve got all sorts for you this issue.

On the cover is an image of a cannabis plant, an herb that’s been used as medicine in Indonesia for hundreds of years – predominately for diabetes – and which was criminalized by the Dutch during their period of colonialization.

Why is it on the cover? On May 7, people from all over the world took part in the Global Marijuana March and Indonesia surprisingly joined in six cities. In a nation where possession of even the smallest amount of this plant can put you in jail for up to four years, and with further drug convict executions looming, I would consider these activists quite brave. You can find out more about their recent endeavours and the history of the prohibition of pot in Indonesia in our Feature Story.

In Business, we discuss President Joko Widodo’s attempts to simplify the setup processes for small-and medium-sized enterprises in Indonesia – not an easy task which the president understands full well from his days running a furniture business in Central Java. We find out what simplifications are on the cards in our Business Feature story.

In Bali, we meet Kathrin Austermayer, a German expat involved in the Flower of Life project, an exciting self-sustaining energy matrix which will be the largest in the world once completed – set in a 13-hectare park in Tabanan. Donors will have the chance to have their name and birthdate engraved forever on one of the 429,822 hexagons that will make up

the Flower of Life, as well as supporting many local NGOs at the same time.

We also discuss safe public playgrounds – or the lack off – in the country, the fast-growing CrossFit scene that’s sweeping the nation, and our Clandestine Critic is back to bring you the truth from one of Jakarta's hottest restaurants with a view.

Happy reading, and to all who celebrate, happy Waisak or Buddha Day!

Angela Richardson

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Events

events@indonesiaexpat.biz

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Letters from the Readers

I read your tabloid every time I have brunch at this small cafe in Kemang.

Usually I’m in search of stories on the arts or conservation. I consider these interesting as they show how rich this country is in heritage, culture, arts, and undoubtedly natural resources.

In my six months in Indonesia so far as an expat, I am beginning to understand that people have yet to completely unite in realizing the potentials this country has, but I honestly think that these articles are a good way of attracting people in joining in the discussion and learning more.

Dear Emily, Thank you for writing. Your feedback is very important to us.

We will be publishing a History Issue in early June, so keep your eyes peeled! We hope you enjoy it as much as you did the Bali & Lombok Issue.

Many thanks, Angela and the IE Team

As an expat, I’m in awe of Indonesia. After reading the latest issue, about Bali and Lombok, this once again proved me right. I look forward to learning more about this country’s history.

Emily (an Australian expat) On The Cover Cannabis plant seedlings.

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Issue 166

Contents 06 08 10 12

Feature Story

With Government Research, LGN Hopes to Make Marijuana Legal in Indonesia

Expat Business Featured Indonesia to Make Starting a Business Easier But Experts Remain Sceptical Business Profile Explora Play: The World is a Playground Meet the Expat Rosa Vignolo of Mamma Rosy

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Expat Lifestyle

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Travel The Thousand Islands: A Hidden Gem

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Scams in the City Hypochondriacs & Hypocrites

Food and Drink Not Just Another Fancy VUE

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Meet the Expat Kathrin Austermayer: The Flower of Life

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Expat Outreach

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Worthy Causes Bagging Mountain Trash

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Announcements

Sports & Associations The Reshaping Scene of Fitness in Jakarta

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For the Macet Mind

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Observations Crossings

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Events

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Business Directory Classifieds

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With Government Research, LGN Hopes to Make Marijuana Legal in Indonesia Despite Indonesia’s strict drug laws and recent announcements of another round of drug convict executions, a local community named Lingkar Ganja Nusantara (LGN) believes marijuana can become legal and transparently regulated in the archipelago.

BY LINA NOVIANDARI

S

aturday May 7 was not ordinary for many people. It was the first Saturday of May, which meant the Global Marijuana March (GMM) took place in cities around the world. Cannabis-related demonstrations, rallies, meetings, and discussions are held each year as part of GMM. Indonesia has the strictest cannabis laws in the world.

Last year, the nation grabbed headlines after 14 drug traffickers were executed by firing squad, and the government vows it will continue killing offenders in 2016. For these reasons, it’s hard to imagine a promarijuana event ever taking place in Jakarta.

But as it turns out, the archipelago has its fair share of pot activists, namely a community called Lingkar Ganja Nusantara (The Archipelago’s Circle of Cannabis). Initiated as a Facebook Group in 2009 under the name Dukung Legalisasi Ganja (Support Cannabis Legalization), LGN was subsequently founded in June 2010, following the group’s first participation in GMM. In an interview with Indonesia Expat, Dhira Narayana, head of LGN, says the group aims to raise awareness on cannabis issues. LGN advocates for and distributes information on the benefits of the plant. It aims to help local authorities someday regulate marijuana for medical uses in the archipelago. But first, LGN needs to persuade policy makers, and this can only come from joint research initiatives involving the government. Fortunately for Narayana, LGN and the nation’s health ministry are currently doing exactly that.

Prohibition of marijuana, often called ‘ganja’ by locals, has a long history in Indonesia. As noted by a number of Dutch authors concerned with the nation’s colonial period, marijuana was regularly mixed and smoked with tobacco, particularly in Aceh where the plant was widely grown.

The use of marijuana in cooking and herbal remedies for diabetes was also applied in that region. Not limited to Sumatra, marijuana was also grown and used for medicinal, recreational, and spiritual purposes in other parts of the country, namely Java and Ambon. At the time, marijuana was treated as an ordinary plant and used for various daily needs.

However, the Dutch government made the herb illegal in 1927, which ultimately changed the game for local pot smokers. A maximum fine of 3,000 Antillean guilders or a short-term prison sentence was implemented to prohibit the cultivation, possession, use, and distribution of cannabis. But despite gaining independence from the Dutch in 1945, Indonesia still kept the colonial ban on marijuana in place.

In 1976 — following the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs — the Indonesian government passed a law in which a life sentence for dealing and trafficking marijuana was introduced. In 1997, marijuana was considered a Schedule 1 drug (medically useless with a high potential for addiction), and some violators of this law faced the death penalty. Currently, Indonesia adheres to a more recent law created in 2009, in which marijuana is still considered a Schedule 1 drug. The death penalty may still be applied, but authorities may also apply other penalties such a four-year prison sentence.

Despite being a strict country when it comes to smoking grass, the use of cannabis is relatively high in Indonesia.

According to a report from the National Narcotics Board, there were nearly two million marijuana users in Indonesia in 2014, making it the most commonly used illicit drug in the country. In 2015, the board eradicated 64 hectares of marijuana plantations across Indonesia, and seized more than 1.1 million grams. The same year, a convict faced the death penalty after 129 pounds of pot was found in his house.

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Nevertheless, Indonesia’s strict laws don’t stop LGN from trying to convince authorities and society that cannabis is beneficial, and should be legal and regulated. After years of lobbying, LGN finally has progress to show. “We are now conducting scientific research with the Indonesian Ministry of Health. Our demand for research was granted by the ministry in 2015,” explains Narayana.

LGN makes no secret of its plan to use the research as a tool to push policymakers toward legalization. Narayana says, “For now, our focus is marijuana regulation. Compared to other countries, Indonesia is lagging behind when it comes to marijuana-related research [...] somehow, the authorities act as if they’ve already mastered all the knowledge on marijuana, and have been spreading the same doctrine since 1976.”

In addition to conducting research with the nation’s health ministry, LGN is also reaching out to the public, which includes visits to universities like Unsyiah, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Brawijaya, and Universitas Hasanuddin.

Narayana says public discourse and education to raise awareness is considered important for the future legalization of marijuana. But according to LGN, the social stigma of cannabis has also become one of the group’s main obstacles.

The problem is the media and the government always report that marijuana is illicit, according to law and religion.

“In 2012, we were intercepted by FPI [Islamic Defenders Front] and told not to hold a screening of educational films about marijuana in Bandung,” says Narayana. “In Jakarta, someone who wore Islamic clothing gave me a death threat.”

But that doesn’t always happen, he says. "I have never faced any resistance from villagers when discussing marijuana.

For example, villagers in Mangiran, Bantul — they can receive the idea and believe that marijuana is beneficial. But they just worry about the misuse of it,” says Narayana. “I believe that society has actually heard about the benefits of this plant.

I also believe that the relationship between Indonesians, nature, and God is the key to understanding that nothing in this world is created in vain. The problem is the media and the government always report that marijuana is illicit, according to law and religion.”

This year, LGN tried something different to win Indonesian hearts and minds. Instead of simply marching in the GMM, or holding a rally, LGN organized environmental activities which included cleaning up trash and planting trees in Jakarta. Narayana explains: “We choose these activities because we want to prove that we are capable of looking after our environment, not only marijuana plants. If we can take care of the environment well, then hopefully we will be able to [legally] look after and manage marijuana in the future.”

Currently, LGN has around 30,000 members, with millennials acting as the group’s largest assemblage. Outside of Jakarta, LGN organized events for GMM 2016 in five other cities: Padang, Jogjakarta, Surabaya, Gresik, and Makassar.

While it seems that LGN’s efforts are still far from the realization of legal pot farms in Indonesia, Narayana remains optimistic about the future. In the United States, recreational marijuana is fully legal in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. For medicinal purposes, it is legal in 24 states.

When asked whether marijuana will ever be legal in Indonesia, Narayana says it’s just a matter of time.

Lina Noviandari is a Jakarta-based freelance journalist and former editor at Tech in Asia. She specializes in news, business and human interest stories from Southeast Asia. For more information, visit www.contentcollision.co

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EXPAT BUSINESS FEATURED Ketut Krisna Wijaya is a Bali-based freelance journalist and former writer at Tech in Asia. He specializes in technology and business stories in Southeast Asia. For more information, visit www.contentcollision.co

Indonesia to Make Starting a Business Easier, But Experts Remain Sceptical The Indonesian government looks to slash the number of days it takes to start a business from 47 days down to ten. But experts and analysts remain cautious.

BY KE TUT KRISNA WIJAYA

Although it has a budding middle class and by far the largest population in the region — 250 million people spread across more than 17,000 islands — Indonesia’s economy and small-and medium-sized-enterprise (SME) business growth lags far behind other Southeast Asian nations, namely Singapore, Brunei, and Malaysia.

©Muhammad Rasyid Prabowo

The World Bank says Indonesia’s GDP per capita trapped around US$3,492 in 2014. Singapore brought in US$56,284, while Brunei’s GDP per capita was clocked at roughly US$40,979. Malaysia came behind them, but still miles ahead of Indonesia, at US$11,307.

Analysts have long been concerned about the difficulty of doing business in the archipelago. Once again, the nation is well below its regional peers Thailand, Brunei, and Malaysia, while Singapore is the outlier, ranked as the overall easiest place in the world to set up a new company.

The World Bank’s Doing Business 2016 report points out that Indonesia is ranked 108th out of 189 countries for its ease of doing business. To wit, this means it’s super hard to build a business locally.

But that could soon change, as the president recently announced what could be a major overhaul. Jokowi wants to make it easier for anyone to do business in the nation.

As such, the government is looking to do away with around 3,000 regional government regulations that have made it tough for businesses to get set up and start to operate.

In total, the package sees 94 procedures cut down to 49.

The time spent on procedures should drop from 1,566 days to 132 days. Costs should also drop from Rp.92.8 million (US$7,036) to Rp.72.7 million (US$5,440).

“It’s a headache to look at the procedure. But I have been there and done that,” said Jokowi, shaking his head in disappointment at a press conference in the State Palace. The news came as the president unveiled his administration’s 12th economic policy package since September.

Jokowi, who used to be a furniture entrepreneur before getting into politics, claims to understand the situation that most local SMEs face today. For this reason, over the next two years, the administration is ambitiously hoping to boost Indonesia to number 40 on the World Bank’s list before the end of his term in 2019.

In Indonesia, anyone who wanted to start a company was previously required to complete 12 procedures that take an average of 47 days. Fledgling entrepreneurs had to also endure a cost of around Rp.6.7 million (US$500) to Rp.7.8 million (US$580). Under Jokowi’s new regulation, incorporating a new business entity would require founders to complete seven procedures that take around ten days, and endure a cost of around Rp.2.7 million (US$200).

Previously, if someone wanted to construct a venue in which to do business, the process was nightmarish at best.

Construction required 17 official procedures, around 210 days, and would generally cost Rp.86 million (US$6,400) just to make it legal. Under Jokowi’s new regulation, the process would be slightly less painful, clocking in at 14 procedures, 52 days, and having a price tag of Rp.70 million (US$5,200) per case.

Tax is another important factor. In the past, entrepreneurs were forced to cope with 52 separate taxes, which must be paid offline. Under the new procedure, business owners would only be required to pay 14 different taxes, all of which can be done online.

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“…over the next two years, the administration is ambitiously hoping to boost Indonesia to number 40 on the World Bank’s list before the end of his term in 2019.”

In terms of getting electricity hooked up to one’s business, Jokowi said it would now take four procedures to subscribe to a new grid, and it will take around 25 days to complete.

This is a decrease from the previous five procedures over an 80-day period.

For businesses in Indonesia looking to import and export goods, the president explained that the government is reducing the time in port from 4.5 days to a maximum of three days.

“Cross-border trading, which was previously done offline, can now be done online with a way to send a notification of when goods are exported and imported. In addition, there will be a limit for keeping goods at the harbour for a maximum of three days,” said the president. Overall, the new move by the Indonesian government is meant to help SMEs cut down on red tape that might otherwise prevent them from starting up.

©Universitas Gadjah Mada

Although in theory the content of the stimulus package is good for SMEs, a great deal of uncertainty looms about its effective implementation in Indonesia. The archipelago is notorious for widespread discrepancies between government planning and actual execution.

Enny Sri Hartati, director of the nation’s Institute for Development of Economics and Finance, echoes this viewpoint in an interview with Indonesia Expat.

“This is a good move by the government. I believe this will help the SMEs and economic growth in Indonesia. But something that becomes my concern is the consistency of the government and how they plan to fully implement this regulation. For example, the first point is reducing the procedures from 12 to seven, then cutting the duration it takes [to incorporate] from 47 down to ten days, and finally [lowering] the cost to Rp.2.7 million (US$200) when starting a business,” explains Hartati. “In real life, will this implementation be consistent or not? It’s hard to say.”

William Suryawijaya, an investment analyst at Jakartabased financial consulting firm Asjaya Indosurya Securities agrees to a certain extent. He says, “If this new regulation can be done consistently, of course this will attract the investors toward doing business in Indonesia.” It’s true this reform will take time to be fully implemented, “but at least right now we have a guide of where Indonesia’s economy will go,” Suryawijaya tells Indonesia Expat.

According to Franky Sibarani, chairman of the Indonesia Investment Coordination Board, implementations of the first 11 economic stimulus packages is nearly complete.

“A few regulations have taken longer to implement, but right now we have reached 94 percent [completion],” Sibarani recently told reporters.

Spicing Up the Sky with Farah Quinn KLM Indonesia engages Farah Quinn for an exclusive partnership and brings in-flight dining to a new level KLM Indonesia recently announced its exclusive partnership with local celebrity chef and TV personality, Farah Quinn, as its first-ever local brand ambassador for Indonesia.

The partnership will also see Farah as the first local guest chef for the airline. She has designed exclusive World Business Class (WBC) and economy class menus for KLM’s tail-end routes Jakarta-Kuala Lumpur and Denpasar– Singapore.

“We are excited to have Farah as our first brand ambassador and guest chef here in Indonesia. I believe that with her exquisite culinary flair, our customers are offered a treat through the specially designed local delicacies which will result in an enhanced dining experience onboard with KLM,” said Mr. Wouter Alders, Indonesia Country Manager for Air France KLM. Thrilled by the partnership with KLM, Farah Quinn said, “I am honoured to be the first Indonesian brand ambassador and guest chef for such an established and wellrespected airline. Together with KLM, I am able to expand work by combining travel and food – two of my favourite activities and passions in life.”

All WBC and economy class passengers boarding KLM from Jakarta and Denpasar can enjoy traditional Indonesian meals designed by Farah Quinn such as Ayam Kecap Green Chilli Ibu with Nasi Uduk Uning and Sautéed Pak Choy (business class) and Mee Jawa with Chicken and Pak Choy (economy class).

KLM World Business Class In announcing its partnership with Farah Quinn, KLM also introduced its WBC seat with brand-new atmosphere, furnishings and style, which aims to create a warm at-home feeling for customers.

“We are excited to present the new KLM World Business Class seat as it is now commercially available on KLM flights from Indonesia. I trust that our customers will appreciate and enjoy the new features and design while travelling onboard with us,” said Mr. Alders.

KLM believes that the journey of its customers is just as important as the destination, and strives to make each journey an inspired one. Luxury, attention to detail and personal care is considered of extremely high importance for the airline.

The new WBC seat allows passengers to recline fully flat (2.07m) into a bed position (one of the longest seats in the airline industry) that comes with a luxury pillow and blanket for a comfortable and uninterrupted rest.

The positioning of the new full-flat seats in the cabin, the palette of warm colours that differ per seat, storage space and many smart design elements give passengers optimum comfort while sitting or sleeping, especially during long haul flights.

The fabrics of the new WBC seat covers has the elegant style of a classic men’s suit, made from the finest sheep’s wool and with a series of five subtle colours: aubergine, dark brown, night blue, cobalt and dark grey. The use of five different seat cover designs serve to differentiate one seat from the seats around it, drawing a distinction between ‘my space’ and ‘your space’ and creating a new level of personal comfort.

Additionally, the positioning of each WBC seat and the use of special partition between each seats are designed to ensure greater privacy for passengers. The WBC seats have been retrofitted into all KLM’s B747 and B777-200 fleets and by year-end available on all of its B777-300s.

To complete the exceptional experience, new amenity kits packed with items that are essential for long flights are given to WBC passengers. Designed by renowned Dutch fashion designer Jan Taminiau, these exclusive kits are not only attractive but are also extremely practical.

Comfort with Economy KLM’s new Economy Class seats now offer travellers more legroom and a whole new inflight entertainment system, featuring a 9-inch, HD-quality touchscreen. It even boasts having a ‘seat chat’ app that allows travellers to communicate with other passengers in the cabin. Passengers who opt for more comfort may also choose Economy Comfort seats that allows for extra legroom and twice more recline.

For more information about KLM’s World Business Class: wbc.klm.com / For reservations on KLM: www.klm.co.id KLM Indonesia service centre: +62 2129279000

www.facebook.com/KLMIndonesia

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EXPAT BUSINESS BUSINESS PROFILE

Explora Play

The World is a Playground Explora Play was officially launched in March 2015 and is the only design consultant and fabricator in Indonesia which specializes in customized children’s playgrounds following Australian safety standards. We meet director Samuel Tsang to learn why safe and creative outdoor spaces are so important for the development of our children.

structurally unsafe. If you are going to build a playground in Jakarta don’t use sand as a soft surface unless you cover it when not in use, as there are so many stray cats and rats that could contaminate the sand.

Has the local government shown an interest in collaborating with you?

We have started to have several meetings with the head of landscaping division for Jakarta and we hope to provide them with new playgrounds, although the process is quite slow and there is a monopoly on who wins the tender.

When you design a playground, what do you do to put children’s physical health at the forefront of your designs?

When designing a playground we look at the age group and then design a playground that is challenging yet friendly enough for the kids to want to try it out. We find that local kids are less daring than for instance children of their same age group in Australia, however after one child tries it out the others soon follow. Our design team also likes to add a layer of storytelling so that the playground follows a theme which is then fused into the design of the project.

You’re a seasoned architect, designing in Australia, China and Indonesia. What brought you over to Indonesia?

I had a best friend that I studied with at the University of Technology in Sydney, who went back to his home in Jakarta and we started to collaborate on several projects in Indonesia while I was in Shanghai. After seven years in China I wanted a change of scene and decided to ride the wave of development that was happening in Jakarta while China began to slow down.

How would you compare outdoor spaces in Australia with those in Indonesia?

City and urban parks in Jakarta have so much potential to be at the same level as Australian parks. There are dedicated green spaces such as Suropati, Ayodya and Menteng parks, however most of them are poorly maintained with dangerous locally made playgrounds installed. Although the local governments are given a budget to renovate the parks they often do not engage good landscape architects or contractors.

In Sydney almost every suburb has a local

park with playgrounds, football ovals and outdoor spaces and they are always free.

Besides the lack of playground manufacturers and outdoor furniture suppliers in Indonesia, what inspired you to start Explora Playground?

We live in South Jakarta and in our compound there was an existing playground that was a classic home industry-made playground which was rusting and dangerous, however the kids still used it, including my daughter. I was inspired to look for playground designers and manufacturers to upgrade the existing playground but couldn’t find anything of good quality. With this opportunity in mind, I went back to Australia and China to meet playground companies and hence Explora was founded.

Are there any local regulations in place that you must follow when designing outdoor spaces/playgrounds?

There are no local regulations in place for Indonesia, but we have started to talk with the local government for us to create a national standard.

Can you tell us about a recent ‘outside the box’ playground that you designed?

Our most recent playground is in the British School Jakarta, where we integrated the landscaping with the playground and sourced jati (teak) hardwood as opposed to

steel as the columns. Fortunately the client was very open-minded and drew from concepts and ideas of playground designs in Europe so that we could build our first Hexagon playground set which uses playground rope.

Which of your playground designs do children love most?

It depends on the age group. Little kids 1-2 years of age seem to always like the springers which are the rocking horse type of playground on a spring, whereas older kids like our more complex climbing rope structures.

What is the price range of your playgrounds?

They range from a simple playground set around Rp.60 million or a swing set for Rp.20 million and can go up to Rp.700 million depending on the complexity of the playground and client request.

Can you tell us about the most challenging project you’ve worked on in Indonesia?

Our current project is with Kemang Village where the client wants us to build two six-metre-high net climbers. This is quite a challenge as we are importing it directly with our partners in Australia and installing it here.

From brainstorming until the build is done, how long does the process take?

Concept design can take about two weeks, with one month fabrication time and installation. For very complex projects the lead time is generally three months. The time period can also be affected by the situation on site.

From where do you source your

What don’t parents know about playgrounds that they should?

Beware of playgrounds located in Jakarta as they don’t follow any safety and quality standards and they will often be

BUSINESS SNIPPETS

Indonesian Shares Tumble after Long Weekend SOURCE

INDONESIA- INVESTMENTS.COM

Once markets reopened after the long weekend, most Asian stocks were in the red zone, and Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index was leading declines.

At the end of the first trading session Indonesian shares were down 1.15 percent at 4,767.32 points. Important issues that influence the performance of Asian stock markets are China's April trade data and US April jobs data. Meanwhile, crude oil prices continued to rally and the yen finally weakened against the US dollar (hence supporting Japanese stocks).

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The latest macroeconomic data from the United States were mixed. In April 2016, only 160,000 jobs were added to the US economy; below expectations that averaged 200,000 and therefore it may take a long time before the Federal Reserve will decide to implement another interest rate hike.

Although this is positive for the riskier (and higher yielding) emerging market assets (as it should cause a flow of additional funds into these assets), weaker-than-estimated economic growth in the world's top economy will also drag down global growth.

US jobs data also showed some positive signs: unemployment remained steady at 5 percent, while wage growth accelerated 0.3 percent (m/m) in April.

Meanwhile, Chinese stocks fell to eightmonth lows as investors are concerned that the economic slowdown of the world's second-largest economy will persist after the latest trade data informed that China's imports and exports fell more than expected, signalling weak domestic and foreign economic activity. China's exports declined 1.8 percent (y/y) in April, while imports plunged 10.9 percent (y/y) over the same period.

Furthermore, it is being speculated that Chinese authorities will not use excessive measures to stimulate growth, while authorities may also be planning another crackdown on speculation. Lastly, the recovery of China's economic growth that occurred in the first quarter of 2016 was mainly driven by (short-lived) investment,

“We hope to be able to design the playground but have some input into the landscape design, how it interfaces with the public realm and help guide the government to implement best practice for public parks.” materials?

We source parts from Australia, China and Europe. We have an in-house design team and 3D printer and have also started to fabricate and cast our own custom-made parts in Indonesia.

Is it difficult to find skilled labourers in Jakarta?

It is very difficult, as playground design and manufacturing encompasses many trades.

Thankfully we have a good team that is now trained to work with playground rope and operate the machines which gives us the edge on competitors who only import.

What are the main hurdles you face when doing business in Indonesia?

Educating clients who have not been exposed to international standards of playgrounds or who are not familiar with playground rope structures, which are unique to Explora. It is also challenging convincing the client that a playground in their school or development will add value to their project.

What has been the toughest design you’ve ever worked on?

We are working on a proposal for Ragunan, the largest zoo in South Jakarta, to design an area of around 2,500sqm which includes an outbound course in the trees with state of the art playground and waterplay areas.

The challenge is that the zoo is state-owned and we hope that our discussions run smoothly to achieve our goal of providing a much needed upgrade to the zoo and add a major attraction to Jakarta.

to be able to help the city of Jakarta to upgrade the existing parks and streetscape of the city. The MRT will alleviate the traffic in this city, however there needs to be urban design guidelines established which will enforce setbacks for pedestrians, bicycles and dedicated motorbike lanes.

Developers also need to understand that parks, public buildings and open spaces enhance their development.

Places like SCDB are great in that they have been planned with footpaths, however where are the green open spaces, playgrounds, monuments and public areas?

Indonesians need more than just malls and office tower blocks. At Explora we hope to be able to design the playground but have some input into the landscape design, how it interfaces with the public realm and help guide the government to implement best practice for public parks.

How does having access to safe and creative outdoor playing spaces help the development of children?

Now that I have kids I understand how important it is for my children to be able to be close to a park, forest, a beach or a playground. Any kind of movement indoor or outdoor helps the development of a child’s body and conditions them when they start playing sports. Designing a playground with that extra creative element encourages and motivates kids to want to interact with the playground. There is a great product which allows kids to get creative with blocks and make their own playground, which we hope to bring to Indonesia soon.

What do you hope to achieve through your work? What is your vision for your firm?

I come from an urban planning and architecture background and it is my vision

To get in touch, please email: tsangarchitect@gmail.com

while the structural problems persist.

On Monday May 9, China's Shanghai Composite Index plunged 2.78 percent.

Meanwhile, oil prices surged – rallying for a fourth day – as wildfires in Canada are estimated to cause a one-million-barrels-aday cut in the global oil supply. The price of West Texas Intermediate oil (June delivery) rose 75 cents to US$45.41 per barrel, while North Sea Brent climbed 51 cents to US$45.77 a barrel. Investors also digested the news that oil giant Saudi Arabia replaced oil minister Ali al-Naimi (after two decades) and replaced him by Khaled al-Falih, a close ally of the deputy crown prince (Prince Mohammed bin Salman).

Khaled al-Falih previously stated that he would only support an oil production freeze provided Iran joins this freeze.

Japanese stocks bucked the trend on the back of a weaker yen. The US dollar weakened on expectation that further monetary tightening in the USA may take a while. The Nikkei 225 index rose 0.68 percent on Monday May 9. A weaker yen is positive for export-oriented Japanese shares.

Indonesia's rupiah weakened to a five-week low after the nation's economic growth in Q1-2016 was disappointing at 4.92 percent (y/y). Indonesian markets had been closed since Thursday (5/5) due to public holidays.

Bank Indonesia's benchmark rupiah rate (Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate, abbreviated JISDOR) also depreciated 0.29 percent to IDR 13,284 per US dollar on Monday. issue 166 Indonesia expat

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EXPAT BUSINESS MEET THE EXPAT

Rosa, where are you originally from?

I’m from Pietra Ligure in the Italian region of Liguria. It’s a small town set in a beautiful landscape. All over Ligure you will see small towers and fortresses that take us back to a time when it was once conquered by Arabs.

Is it true your Jakarta chapter started because of your son, Daniel?

Yes, initially I came because my son was living here and asked me to come and open a restaurant with him. The deal we made was that if I didn’t like it after three months I could go back to Italy. But after I came I enjoyed it!

How long have you been cooking?

Since I was a child; my mum had a trattoria (a mediumclass restaurant) in Italy and since I was young I knew how to make pizzas, pastas and farinata, a crepe of chickpea flour from my region. I was serving dishes since I wasn’t even as tall as this table! I used to work in the restaurant after school hours.

Mamma Mia!

Meet Rosa Vignolo

Mamma Rosy is an Italian eatery in Jakarta with a homely and family feel, established and personally funded in 2013 by ‘genuine Italian immigrants’. Managing the kitchen is head chef and the reason for the restaurant’s creation, Rosa Vignolo.

We meet Rosa and her son and owner of Mamma Rosy, Daniel Vigone, in their little piece of Italy in Kemang, South Jakarta.

BY ANGEL A RICHARDSON

How do family values play a part in your business?

If I had to work thinking that my sister, nephew, or son were in another part of the world, I might feel sad, but to know that we are all here, even if sometimes we fight or argue, I am grateful that we are all together. This was a priority for me even before we opened the business.

What is your favourite Italian dish?

Any kind of pasta with pesto sauce.

What ingredients are hard to find here?

Fresh basil is hard to find. Last week the basil arrived very fresh but this week it wasn’t so good and I had to go through it one leaf at a time to select the good ones.

Tell us something about Italian cuisine that not many people know.

Italian cuisine should be about simplicity and freshness.

What I don’t like is sometimes chefs in Italian restaurants now like to mix up the ingredients too much. Like pasta with pesto should be simple and people should be able to taste the authenticity of the dish. Sometimes people put bacon in a traditional recipe, which I don’t agree with.

What is your day to day routine like?

I wake up at 7am and send my nephew Augusto to school, then I walk to the restaurant and start working at around 7.45am. The first things I prepare are the desserts because they can be made better when it’s not too hot. Then I check what’s missing from the day before and make what is needed.

I prepare all the sauces, the fresh pastas, the desserts, basically 70 percent of the menu except for pizzas and steaks. I work until around 4-5pm when everything is settled, then I’ll go home for a swim and read, and maybe some knitting.

How do you manage in your kitchen with the language barrier?

Most of our staff have been the same since the beginning so they understand me. I remember a few words in Bahasa but I cannot build a phrase. We communicate through the language of food.

What is the first thing you do when you train a new restaurant staff?

The first thing is cleanliness; how to clean the kitchen and wash the ingredients. When you wash vegetables the water gets dirty and I will keep washing them until the water is clean.

I also teach them how to taste the ingredients to understand what the difference in taste is with and without herbs. It’s important for them to know what herbs go with what foods, like with mushrooms you always have to put garlic and parsley to properly complement their taste.

Rosa and her son Daniel

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Indonesia expat issue 166

Can you share a funny story from your kitchen with us?

We have a common passion in the kitchen which is football.

I’m a Sampdoria supporter and my staff support Inter Milan, Juventus or Barcelona, so we always like to tease each other in jest. During the World Cup and Champion’s League it’s a big fight in the kitchen!

“Italian cuisine should be about simplicity and freshness.”

Would you advise people to open a restaurant in Indonesia?

Yes, why not? But if you open a restaurant you have to be able to sacrifice. My mum taught me that the kitchen must always follow you. Our Indonesian staff didn’t grow up in Italy and they are not used to the Italian tastes, so if you leave them alone for one month they will lose the taste.

I enjoy my job and like coming to the restaurant, so I’m happy.

Are you planning to stay in Indonesia long?

Si. I’m happy to stay here.

Tell us about the gallery associated with your restaurant.

What events are held there?

This is a concept in development so if anyone is interested to display paintings or art especially of young artists, we are very happy to cooperate.

What’s your best selling item on your menu?

Ravioli is one of the best sellers, and our primo piatto dishes, which are the pastas. Gnocchi is also becoming more and more popular, as is pesto.

When coming up with the menu, what were you trying to achieve?

In the beginning we were trying to make a menu to appeal to local tastes, but when we tested it, it didn’t turn out good. We tried some typical regional dishes like a fish stew called buridda, which we found was more suitable for winter climates. In the end we chose items that we thought would fit in here better. We struggled with salt, however, because in Italy we like a lot of salt but the customers here don’t. In the end we reduced the salt, which is OK as it’s better for our health that way!

What is the ratio of imported to local produce and where do you source your local produce?

We source fresh vegetables from Bogor. Fish, vegetables and herbs are mostly local but the cheese, meat, ham, rice, and pastas are from Italy. Sixty percent is imported.

How do you feel about the use of pesticides on the fruits and vegetables we eat?

It’s a problem we also see in Italy. Sometimes the vegetables have the organic label but they are not organic, costing three times the price. It’s a big issue which the government and officials should regulate. We source some organic produce here.

What do you miss about your hometown?

I miss the sea, mare. I miss the mountains and being under the sun because it’s too hot for me to do so here. When I came back from Italy I was tanned! I also miss the fact that you can have long walks without being bothered by motorbikes. But other than that I don’t miss it. In Italy everybody is angry because of the economy and politics.

Here people are happier; my kitchen staff are always laughing and joking with me.

What do you think is the most important thing in life?

To wake up and feel happy is the most important thing.

To get in touch, email daniel@mammarosy.com

Entering one of the three unique doorways into the JI at Bale Sutra restaurant, located in the empirical enclave of the Hotel Tugu Bali (Jl. Batu Bolong, Canggu) is to participate in a mythical experience for the senses that lingers between the pleasures of this world and those of another. Leading the heart of this journey is the namesake and inspiration of this unique Japanese cum Peranakan Chinese dining experience – the 310-year-old Kang XI period temple which Tugu Hotels founder/designer, Anhar Setjadibrata, rescued from ruin in Java and completely reconstructed on its new premises.

The fusion of the ancient Japanese and Chinese cultures are reflected not only in the ornate animal carvings of the Chinese temple’s elegant dark wood façade, but also in the restaurant’s branding – an innovative take on Japanese calligraphy highlighting the fanciful flora, fauna and cultural elements of the region – offer animated glimpses into the past while at the same time spearheading into the future.

The temple exemplifies the nearly 2,000-year-old relationship between the cultures and stands as a testament to not only the vast influence ancient China had on all aspects of life in Japan, but also to their continuing significant connections in the modern age. As a point of interest, in both Japanese and Chinese, the word “Ji” (寺) means “temple.”

Meanwhile, the surrounding room is the perfect vivid stage for this living artefact, and further manifests these civilizations’ notable, romantic legacies in the full-sized portraits and paintings which hang on its dramatic red walls. An 18th century statue of the goddess of Love Mercy, Dewi Gwan Yin, keeps watch over proceedings, adding to the majestic display.

The mythical connection is further manifested in the pre-mentioned gateways, each of which offers a prelude to the form of personalized experience each guest wishes to encounter. Therefore, those looking to partake in the delicate fusion of Japanese

culinary euphoria may enter through the low Gate of Heaven; those seeking to show their devotion to a luxurious life worth living, through the Gate of Love; and those in search of decadence past a pair of statues of mythological guards and through the four-meter high, Gate of Hell, which tellingly leads to some people’s idea of heaven – a KABUKIinspired bar offering the finest sakes from Japan, beloved classic cocktails, contemporary Japaneseinspired cocktails and a covetable collection of the most supreme wines from around the world.

AT BALE SUTRA 1706 Japanese Fusion Fine Wines & Sake Bar

You can take away competitively priced wines or enjoy them in the beautiful bar spaces for only Rp.150,000 corkage surcharge applicable to all our wines, which means you will be able to enjoy beautiful wines from all over the world in a very inexpensive way. If you decide to explore the unique variety of international beers, make sure you do not miss the rare Japanese ones.

The myriad of these add to the JI at Bale Sutra’s fusion of time and space, also noticeable in the cuisine – such as pork belly with yellow sweet potato, ginger, leek and scallion; wakame salad with seaweed, crab and fennel; zaru soba with chilled buckwheat noodles, seared scallops, ikura salmon eggs and bonito flakes.

Guests who vent ure through the decadent proceedings downstairs and to the upper f loor lounge can find themselves enchanted by another version of heaven: the 180-degree views which overlook the magical Indian Ocean’s crashing surf as it ebbs and flows onto the exotic sands of Canggu Beach. Imagine sipping the JI’s signature Hatsumomo cocktail, a delectable blend of Shochu, white peach, green tea, white pepper and lime, and enjoying some of the finest Japanese sushi on the island as the sun begins to set somewhere far beyond the horizon. For this is how the JI at Bale Sutra’s journey culminates and where all guests’ senses find their ancient match.

issue 166 Indonesia expat

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EXPAT LIFESTYLE FOOD AND DRINK Our Clandestine Critic has dined all over the world, everywhere from threeMichelin starred restaurants in Monaco to street stalls in Shanghai – so this discerning palate has pedigree. The quest for truth and the elimination of mediocrity in Indonesia’s emerging dining scene is finally here!

Not Just Another Fancy VUE Our expert epicure continues an undercover operation to bring you the truth about Indonesia’s dining scene. No spoon is left unturned in the quest for honest, balanced reviews, from longestablished favourites to the hottest new tables in town.

VUE 46, relative newcomer to Jakarta’s French fine dining scene sets the bar high for its competition.

BY THE CL ANDESTINE CRITIC

The main course consisted of a superb duck confit, a hearty leg trimmed and panroasted for a crisp exterior, served alongside a luscious mushroom stew and pumpkin mousse. The powerful combination of the duck confit with the sweet pumpkin and the umami of the mushrooms can deliver the most encouraging kick in the rear end for French food enthusiasts. This is an excellent example of a classic French dish using refined cooking techniques and quality ingredients.

Lately, my quest for a restaurant in Jakarta that excelled in all aspects of food, drink and hospitality had left me in a funk. If one meal was decent, then the service was generally inept. If the service was decent, the kitchen churned out disappointments. If the bar enticed, then everything else suffered just slightly more.

However, there have been a few whispers amongst my gastronomically inclined circle of friends in the past few weeks of a restaurant in The Plaza tower that could possibly tick all the boxes. I was wary. I could not bear to be disappointed yet again by the allure of a fancy chef in a lofty locale only to have my hopes dashed on plates of despair by wait staff bleating “maaf” in bow ties. So, I booked a table for lunch and steeled myself in advance.

What was revealed over the course of my meal at VUE 46 was heartening.

The restaurant has been open less than a year and is currently one of the best representatives of modern French fine dining in Jakarta. No expenses were spared in the creation of the dining room – from the Bose sound system to the branded white linens draped over the tables and lining the bread baskets. Individual leather chairs were so wonderfully comfortable to sit in, with just the right amount of cushioning

and height. The classic and elegantly understated yet warm and inviting main room provided an easy contrast against the million-dollar coastal view with the Monas Monument and Istiqlal Mosque in the foreground.

The silverware was brilliantly polished!

The chairs pulled out by staff in sequence of age of guest upon arrival! The table was set to the correct number of diners for the reservation! I experienced joyous little palpitations every time I recognized professional service cues being executed by the staff.

At VUE 46, there are prix fixe menus with a few interchangeable items – mostly during lunch. There is also the option of the ‘menu express’ at midday, which is a three-course prix fixe menu that provides a quicker option for diners who are hindered by a one-hour lunch break. After ordering, the server asked if anyone in the party had allergies or special preferences (gluten-free, vegetarian, etc.).

Service was unobtrusive, timed well and attentive. Water glasses were never empty. Warm miniature ficelles and boules stuffed with tomato and chilli were served immediately after our order with a plate of sea salt and butter for each diner. The

signature dish is presented first: angel hair pasta with black truffles and caviar.

The liberal use of black truffles against the briny caviar was brilliantly captured by a base of perfectly cooked angel hair pasta. I understand some may feel that the truffle flavour is overpowering, but I am not one of those critics. When there are truffles in pasta to be eaten, I believe in the old adage: the more, the merrier. What good is pasta if not for providing a canvas to something as exquisite and divine as truffles?

The signature dish would have been a hard act to follow if not for the exceptional langoustine wrapped in paper-thin wonton skin and then deep-fried like Japanese tempura. The skin was delicately brittle and disintegrated upon the bite, without any slick of oil or detracting from the beautifully sweet langoustine tail meat inside. What was unfortunate was the side consisting of thinly shredded dried seaweed atop of a miniature version of a Caesar salad. The folichonne salad did little to bring about cheer considering the succulent piece of langoustine beside it. The seaweed was overwhelming and did not have a very pleasant mouth-feel when eaten in abundance – imagine the texture of cotton candy sticking to the roof of your mouth – and the salad underneath was a stale afterthought.

Dessert was sublime and truly on a stage of its own. The meal was rounded out with a classic soufflé infused with Grand Marnier and accompanied by a quenelle of vanilla bean ice cream. The soufflé was perfectly airy and egg-y, with the texture cut by a light sprinkling of sugar granules baked along the sides. The Grand Marnier infusion paired wonderfully with the vanilla bean ice cream.

My companion enjoyed the Floating Island, which consisted of a meringue suspended in a Madagascar vanilla-scented lake of crème anglaise. Again, light and not too cloyingly sweet like some desserts can be at the end of the meal. What was a bit disappointing was the cappuccino I ordered, which was more of a latte.

The wine list is extensive with an obvious and heavily favoured tilt towards French and French-style wines. Burgundies and Bordeaux featured well into the menu and most of the New World wine labels followed suit. For non-wine aficionados, the wine-bythe-glass and restaurant recommendations should do just fine and work well with the tasting menus.

Incredulous as it may seem, VUE 46 is worth pretty much every coin and note.

From the impeccable ambiance to the professionalism of its staff to the delightful kitchen creations, I am quite pleased my run with restaurant mediocrity has been broken.

Verdict?

(A VUE to a Thrill) Cheque please!

Lunch for 2 Drinks: Rp.110,000 Prix Fixe Lunch: Rp.1,360,000 Service: 10% PB1 Tax: 10% Total: Rp.1,510,700 VUE 46 The Plaza, 46th Floor, Jalan M.H. Thamrin Kav 28–30 Jakarta 10350 Tel: +62(0)21 2992 2246 Web: www.vue-46.com Opening hours Lunch: 12:00pm–2:30pm Dinner: 6:30pm–10:30pm 14

Indonesia expat issue 166

issue 166 Indonesia expat

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EXPAT LIFESTYLE

TRAVEL Ben is an expatriate who has a deep love of Indonesia having lived in the country for lengthy periods over the past 30 years. He has been travelling to the Thousand Islands for over two decades and is passionate about sharing the beauty of the islands with the community.

The Thousand Islands

A Hidden Gem

BY BEN L ANDER

Been to Bali? Tired of the haggling hawkers vying for your attention? Explored Lombok?

Looking for a relaxing island getaway without having to book a plane ticket? Look no further.

Just a short car ride from the comfort of your Jakarta home (yes, closer than Soekarno-Hatta airport) is the gateway to Pulau Seribu (the Thousand Islands). selection of island. As a general rule, the farther the island from the jetty in Jakarta the clearer the water.

A short 30-minute boat or jet-ski ride from the dock in Jakarta will bring you to an underwater aquarium attached to a resort style hotel, however snorkelling at this location is generally not advisable. Venture out another half an hour and you will be met by clear blue glistening seas and waves lapping at the pristine white sandy beaches of idyllic islands, some of which are dotted with cottages. These are the waters that are ideal for diving, snorkelling, water sports and fishing.

Twice daily boats and jet foils ferry visitors from two main ports in Jakarta to the so-called tourist islands and back. As a day-tripper you can enjoy a day out on an island between the boat drop-off and pickup times. Islands will generally charge a day visitor fee for access to the island and additional charges for meals and activities (note not all the islands will have food outlets that cater to non-staying guests).

For those of you who are interested in personalising your Thousand Islands experience by going island-hopping, teambuilding or leisure fishing in the open waters then chartering a boat for the day would be the way to go. Boats for charter are generally available from the tour companies servicing the Thousand Islands or through negotiation at the docks (an exercise perhaps only for the well-seasoned traveller). It is important to be aware that the size and condition of vessels will vary significantly, along with the on-board safety provisions and facilities provided.

P. Pelangi

P. Pramuka Java Sea

Tj. Kait

Located in the Bay of Jakarta are a cluster of approximately 100 islands referred to as the Thousand Islands. Still part of the province of DKI Jakarta these islands vary in size, use, and facilities. Stretching 45km north from Jakarta’s harbours into the Java Sea, the district capital of the Islands is located on Pramuka Island where local infrastructure such as schools, residential housing, and medical facilities are available to the local population. The remaining islands consist of two heritage listed sites associated with the VOC and the Dutch colonial empire, community and government land, privately owned islands, and uninhabited islands supporting the local fishing community. A small handful of the larger islands have been developed to accommodate tourism.

The Thousand Islands enjoys a steady patronage of predominantly domestic tourists. Islands such as Ayer, Bidadari, 16

Indonesia expat issue 166

Kotok, Putri, Pantara and Sepa offer guests an array of activities to enjoy including snorkelling, diving, water sports, beach volleyball and a spot of fishing off of the jetties. For an overnight stay, a variety of accommodation is available via a number of local tour companies that can be found online. Most of the accommodation available is in the form of cottages both on the island and over the clear waters of the shores. Each island’s accommodation package listed will generally offer a per person rate and detail the number of meals and boat arrival and departure times.

Activities, amenities and the level of service offered by each of the islands will vary according to the size and facilities available.

Selecting the island best suited for you will depend on whether or not you are travelling alone, with a travelling companion or with family. The type of activities you are inclined to enjoy will also determine your

Tj. Pasir Marina Ancol

The Thousand Islands How to get there

By boat or jet-foil from Ancol Marina or Pluit Marina, or private yacht

A seasoned traveller can help you and your travelling party out with sourcing a sound vessel that is equipped with an English speaking host, western food and beverages on board, access to islands with water sport facilities, and the provision of amenities such as fishing rods, as well as towels and fresh linen on overnight trips. Tailoring your trip to the Thousand Islands can make all the difference, leaving you to simply enjoy the sun, the sea and the mesmerising sound of the waves rolling along the hull of your boat.

What to bring

So whether a day-trip or a weekend trip, the Thousand Islands is an option not to be missed. Located right on your doorstep, it is an idyllic getaway just waiting for you.

Happy travels!

What to do

Explore the Thousand Islands! English speaking host, tailored day or weekend itinerary suited for fishing, sight-seeing or water sports activities on a privately owned yacht. Call Ben on 087885228039

Medical kit, sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses), mosquito repellent, fishing rods, wet gear, change of clothes, light food, water, ice box/ cooler, appropriate footwear for boat and water, personal amenities

Diving, snorkelling, fishing, water sports, sightseeing, island-hopping, sun-bathing, yoga (self-organized)

Documents and agents; Necessary for your Indonesian permits and licenses?

Grease the wheels of the system.

Many documents are needed for a legally safe and sound stay in remarkable Indonesia. That leads to a lot of confusion, misinterpretations, misunderstandings and even urban myths. The same goes for the role and necessity of a formalities agent. Therefore this article aims to shed a light on this tangle of paperwork, tries to disentangle and explain the role and the work of an agent. The main point is that one should understand that to obtain all these documents in a smooth way, the agent often needs to grease the wheels of the system.

(Note: The article is not for tourists or business visitors. They need a visa (see our article ‘The Visa Confusion Unraveled’ in the December 2015 issue no. 155 http://indonesiaexpat.biz/travel/the-visa-confusion-unravelled/).

Knowing the base of the existence in Indonesia (expat worker, married to an Indonesian spouse, retiree) the documents needed can be categorized into company and personal. Below is a general overview for an expat who wants to work, live and stay in Indonesia.

• Company documents When you work for a company (PT) the following company documents are a must in the event you want to get yourself a work- and stay permit: General company documents 1. Notarial deed of establishment, Articles of Association of the company 2. Approval of Ministry of Justice regarding the deed (SK) 3. Letter of domicile (LOD), of the companies address 4. Tax registration letter and ID (NPWP) 5. The business registration (TDP) 6. The business license, (SIUP for the PT PMDN or IUT for the PT PMA) 7. The BPJS certificate of the national health program (a recent new requirement) Specific company documents 8. A report of the intended work force (WLK)) 9. The Companies Foreign Manpower Placement Plan (RPTKA) 10. A letter of recommendation regarding the RPTKA from specialist Ministries (e.g. For business fields as Mining, Oil & Gas, Health, Transportation or Education).

• Personal documents Next to these company documents the expats needs to present personal paperwork to obtain his work permit, his stay permit and the civil registrations. Continuing the list:

Personal documents regarding the work- and stay permit (to be arranged via company); 17. A letter from the Manpower department stating the job data (DKP letter) 18. The DPKK funds payment proof (a contribution of USD 1,200 for the improvement of the Indonesian work force) 19. The actual work permit (IMTA) 20. Telex approval 21. The temporary stay visa (Vitas) 22. The arrival stamp from customs 23. The actual stay permit (KITAS) 24. The travel permit (MERP) 25. The travel letter (SJK), for certain areas

The money needed to grease the wheels of the system is not to be considered as bribery, as it is not money used to bribe the government employee to issue a certain permit, license or document. No it is money needed to be sure that the application process runs smooth. It should be very clear that an expat can save himself a few million rupiah by doing the whole process himself. That is, if he is patient, humble, doesn’t get angry and respect the typical Indonesian culture at the respective government departments. Than he is quite able to arrange everything himself. If he want to concentrate on other activities or simply doesn’t have the time, he should hire an agent and accept the agent’s rates.

Personal documents regarding civil registrations (to be arranged via company or self service) 26. The registration with the local police of the residence of the expat (STM) 27. The registration at the local City hall regarding the obtained permits (SKPPS) 28. The temporary identity card from the local City Hall (SKTT or KIP) 29. The report re. the existence of) the job/company /expat if working (LK) 30. The driver’s license (SIM A car or C motor) Each and every required permit or license needs an application form and underlying documents to accompany the application.

Every application needs to be submitted, checked and picked up when issued. On average one needs to go three times to the respective government departments. That means about 30 visits to obtain the personal documents and about 15 times to obtain the company documents. The time involved is actually already a solid argument to go for an agent to do this for you.

The necessity of the agent is much discussed and criticized.

Incorrect as agents do a lot of work with compiling and/or gathering all (underlying) documents. An agent knows the way to go directly to the correct counter and to approach the right government employees when needed. That is where the agent needs to grease the wheels of the system. His invoice therefore consists out of 3 parts: A. The government dues B. The agency fees C. GTW money, needed to grease the wheels of the system.

Government dues • LOD 400,000 • Kitas 1.255.000 • Merp 1,200,000 • STM 50,000 • SKTT 250,000 • LK 200,000 • Kitap 4,105,000 • Merp 1,950,000 • STM 50,000 • KTP 700,000 • SIM 700,000 • Total 10,860,000 For Agency fees an agent can/or will charge IDR. 5,000,000 for a Kitas and 10,000,000 for a Kitap, and for all (9) other services involved 4,000,000, totaling IDR 19,000,000.

Together with the government dues an amount of 29,860,000.

The difference with the IDR 40,000,000 charged is an amount of IDR 10,140,000 the GTW money as said needed, to grease the wheels of the system and go through all the ‘circles and roundabouts’ of the government. All to welcome a smoother handling of the application. Again, one can save agency fees and GTW money and do it all yourself. Choice is always with the expat. Nobody is and will be forced to use an agent and pay all dues, fees and GTW money involved.

Personal private documents 11. Passport (valid for a minimum of one year) 12. Marriage documents; books, certificates and legalizations 13. Curriculum vitae showing at least 5 years of experience (not for directors0 14. Certified Diplomas and educational certificates (not for directors) 15. Reference Letter of the old company (not for directors) 16. A membership card of the BPJS

ABOUT THE PERMIT HOUSE The Permit House commenced operations providing the KITAP and has expanded into a full authorized formalities agency, handling all visas, permits and other documentation required by expats to stay, live and work in Indonesia. The Company founders are expats and have endured the processes first hand.

As an example an overview of the calculation for a common but complete KITAP application (see our article ‘The Phenomenon of the KITAP’ in the March 23, 2016 no 162 issue of this magazine http://indonesiaexpat.biz/other/ info-for-expats/the-phenomenon-of-the-kitap/) which costs IDR 40,000,000.

Graha Tunas Buidling Unit D, Floor 4, Jl. Warung Jati Barat 63 Jakarta 12740, Indonesia

Phone : 021-79195805 / 7987589 Email : info@thepermithouse.com Website : www.thepermithouse.com ERROLVAES VAES ©©ERROL issue 166 Indonesia expat

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Kenneth Yeung is a Jakarta-based editor

Hypochondriacs & Hypocrites

BY KENNE TH YEUNG

Errant Indonesian politicians and tycoons have long been claiming poor health in their attempts to evade or postpone justice.

One high-profile case involved Samadikun Hartono, the former president director of Bank Modern, who was in 2003 convicted of embezzling about US$13 million and sentenced to four years in jail. Pending his appeal, he was allowed to fly to Japan for “medical reasons”. He never returned, but instead moved to Singapore and carried on with business activities in China and Vietnam.

What to do if you face trial or jail in Indonesia but you’re too big a coward to take responsibility for your actions?

Feign illness, of course.

The judge was furious and castigated the various officials for disobeying his ruling.

The head of the detention centre, Bambang Irawan, lamely claimed that the official who authorized Lenny’s release was young and inexperienced, and had made a “writing error”.

His good fortune came to an end in April when Chinese police arrested him – at the behest of Indonesian government officials – at the Shanghai Formula One Grand Prix.

He is due to be extradited to Indonesia and jailed.

Hartono was one of many Indonesian tycoons who absconded from the country after their ailing banks received bail-out funds at the height of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis. About 95 percent of US$16.8 billion pumped into the banks was misused. It seems unlikely the crooked bankers could have fled on spurious medical grounds without the assistance of corrupt officials.

Former dictator Suharto set the template for courageous integrity by refusing to attend his own corruption trial, which commenced at South Jakarta District Court in August 2000. Doctors successfully claimed a series of strokes had left him so severely brain damaged that he could no longer communicate normally and therefore could never be brought to court. Despite that, he was later seen talking normally, although his physical health gradually declined until his death in 2008 from multiple organ failure.

Suharto’s youngest son Tommy was also accused of corruption and received an 18-month prison term in September 2000.

Still believing himself to above the law, he refused to go to jail and instead ordered the murder of the judge who had sentenced him. Tommy was eventually brought to trial for murder in 2002, but failed to attend several sessions – including the reading of his guilty verdict – always on the grounds of poor health and needing rest.

His lawyers and doctors had demanded proceedings be delayed to give him time to recover from diarrhoea and dizziness. After being sentenced to 15 years in jail, he was routinely allowed out on dubious medical grounds for a possible eye tumour. He ended up making a mockery of the justice system, being released after serving fewer than five years.

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Indonesia expat issue 166

Prosecutors brought her to Surabaya Oncology Hospital, where tests revealed she did not have cancer, but only a headache due to stress, and a sore leg caused by a fall.

Despite that, prosecutors in April allowed her to go to Jakarta’s Medistra Hospital, and the detention centre issued a letter for her release.

Refusing to accept excuses, the judge demanded Lenny be brought back to court.

On May 3, there were farcical scenes as Lenny was wheeled into the courthouse while lying pathetically on a hospital bed.

Dozens of her employees were present to lend moral support and hysterically yelled out “Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!” Just to let the judge know the defendant is a good Muslim.

Eunike Lenny Silas claimed she had cancer to avoid prison time

Playing the part of an ailing woman, Lenny looked weak with a tube in her nose and began to cry, prompting an adjournment.

She was rushed to an ambulance after spending just 15 minutes in court. A heavy media scrum surrounded her arrival and departure.

The judge remained unimpressed and again chastised prosecutors for allowing the trial to descend into farce. He ordered that Lenny be sent to Surabaya Navy Hospital for a second opinion on her health. He said the court would provide her every convenience if she really did require urgent travel and surgery.

Tommy Suharto was routinely allowed out of prison for a possible eye tumour

“His lawyers and doctors had demanded proceedings be delayed to give him time to recover from diarrhoea and dizziness.”

More recently, former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali was “sick” – allegedly suffering from high blood pressure brought on by psychological torment – when prosecutors sought to bring him to trial for embezzling billions of rupiah from haj pilgrims over 2010 to 2013. In January, he received a sentence of just six years in jail.

Corruption Cancer If you really don’t want to go to court, try telling people that you have cancer. That’s

the tactic of businesswoman Eunike Lenny Silas, who is a suspect in a case of fraud and embezzlement involving a coal deal.

Judge Efran Basuning at Surabaya District Court in East Java had earlier this year ordered that Lenny be detained at the local Medaeng Detention Centre pending her trial. She responded by telling state prosecutors that she needed treatment in Jakarta for breast cancer.

Unfortunately – or perhaps not – for Lenny, the Navy Hospital on May 6 found her to be cancer-free. So she was sent back to the detention centre, despite her lawyer’s claim that she is too sick to be tried.

Playing sick is common enough in schools, when some children fear taking an unpleasant exam or a test. But as people mature, they should abandon childish subterfuge. The legal system must stop allowing suspects and felons to feign illness.

The greatest sickness is that which afflicts a judiciary that fails to uphold the law.

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issue 166 Indonesia expat

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EXPAT OUTREACH MEET THE EXPAT Karen Davis is a NYC artist and writer

between organizations, I do care deeply about creating a sustainable project that will inspire and support cooperation and local ownership.

How was The Flower of Life born?

This project was started by two people; Mario Hintermayer, an Austrian entrepreneur and philanthropist, and Ronny Tome, his business partner. Ronny has been living here in Bali for decades and Mario has been a regular visitor for many years. With increasing numbers of tourists they observed how their beloved island was getting more and more challenged – insufficient infrastructure, waste management problems, increasing inequalities, etc.

While their original plan was to build a healing resort, they changed plans and decided to set up a social project instead – using their strength of sales and joining forces with those that already do amazing work in helping Bali preserve its beauty and magic. These organizations could benefit greatly if an umbrella foundation were to be created to bring the yayasan together in communication and commitment; bringing worldwide awareness to the efforts already being made here. They recognized how Bali is a microcosm that mirrors the problems that the world faces at large. Islands feel the effects of humanity’s actions immediately and Bali has been growing so exponentially the problems are everywhere. Having said this there is also the potential here to address these issues and serve as an example for the rest of the world. Bali is leading the way on so many levels – it could be an environmentally and socially conscious destination and with the support and vision of a strong community, it can be.

Describe your energy-generating dome to us.

The Flower of Life, known as a powerful symbol that has been found through all cultures and ages, will be a solar power generating eco-dome which the Garden of Life, a 13 hectare tropical park in Tabanan, will inhabit. The largest structure of its kind, it will be a powerful energy matrix, symbolizing a unified and green vision for Bali’s future. A place for reflection and events – tourists, expats and locals may all come to experience the real essence of Bali’s original beauty and the culture which created this island we all love so much.

The Flower of Life will stand as a legacy for social impact by generating an abundant income stream for a number of local charities; it will inspire and support local Balinese to create and maintain their unique culture. The entire park will be based on the principles of sacred geometry: the flower of life is a geometrical shape based on the golden ratio and the Fibonacci series.

The flower is based on this mathematical code of life, which is seen in all life down to the atomic level. We chose it because it is not associated with any particular religion or faith – it serves well as a reminder for the interconnectedness and sacredness of all life.

How are the Balinese involved?

The Garden of Life Foundation is Balibased and the entire board of directors is Balinese. This project is for the Balinese and about the Balinese. We are simply starting a process which they will hopefully continue for many generations. The current board is made up of influential and engaged Balinese who want to see a change and support the goals of the foundation. Awareness comes first – not only in Bali, but everywhere.

Highlighting the challenges and offering solutions through cooperation and togetherness is the way. In fact, the Flower of Life monument could be called the cover story for a much larger purpose – which is about preserving this island’s beauty and culture and balancing social inequalities. From the beginning, we involve Balinese in this process – we work with local agencies, charities and community leaders. We consult with them and involve them. We understand the danger in imposing pre-defined solutions and listen therefore closely to the locals in this process.

Meet Kathrin Austermayer

The Flower of Life Kathrin is the project manager of the Flower of Life, an eco-dome based on sacred geometry which will be the largest energy matrix in the world; bringing together humanitarian and environmental organizations in Bali.

BY K AREN DAVIS

and the Coconut Knowledge Center. These organizations represent many areas such as women’s health, community health and development, social and environmental issues and ways to bring back and maintain a strong economic and cultural base in the local communities while creating an awareness of the problems facing them and the solutions which are possible for growth and restoration. Bali is already a centre for innovation and new ideas which affect the world and can be an example to other areas in the world to follow.

Tell me how you got to be a part of this project?

I was born and raised in Germany. I have an academic background in non-profit and healthcare management and was in charge of a development aid programme in Sri Lanka for six years. As I have worked for Mario before, he asked me to help the foundation to kick-start this amazing project. As I have experienced the difficulties and challenges of charity work especially in terms of lacking resources and lacking communication and synergies

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Indonesia expat issue 166

We invite everybody to help us build the Flower of Life – every donation counts.

In return we will plant trees in your name, you will get little presents and, of course, your name will become a permanent component in the structure of the ecodome.

Our first fundraising events will take place in May. We are in need of volunteers, so it is not just in funding that one may contribute. Come by and work with us! We need people who are adept at social media, event organization and sales.

Can you tell us about your transparency measures for this project?

All of the monies received will be accepted in a Singapore bank with complete transparency; you will be able to see exactly where your contribution is allocated. We remain small, sourcing out when able to, so we keep our administrative costs extremely low.

All revenues that will be made from this park – entrance fees, local product sales, events, etc. – are intended to support social and environmental programmes here in Bali.

What are the organizations you are working with now?

Currently we are working with and for Yayasan Bumi Sehat, Solemen, Karang Lestari Foundation, Bye Bye Plastic Bags, Muntigunung Social Development Project

How can people help or get involved?

People can be a part of the change they want to see. The Flower of Life will be composed of 429,822 hexagons that will be engraved with the names and birth details of each person who donated.

By contributing your energy to this monument, we will create the biggest crowdfunded energy field on Earth – in a double sense. The hexagons will be covered with energy generating interlayers that will produce solar energy that can be partially re-fed into the energy grid of Tabanan.

To find out more—Email: info@gol-foundation.com | Web: www.gardenof.life

Even now, during our first fundraising phase for the monument, we will actually give 20 percent of all donations directly to the charities that we support. We want to work with the Balinese to bring back the knowledge that they already had. Some answers lie in recognizing the wisdom of our ancestors, and applying it in a way that enhances the new sustainable technologies available to heal and restore our Earth and our spirit as humanity!

EXPAT OUTREACH SPORTS & ASSOCIATIONS Scott Hanna has lived and worked in Indonesia since 2006.

He's a Basset Hound-loving father of two based in Jakarta.

To get in touch email scott.hanna@gmail.com

The Reshaping Scene of Fitness in Jakarta Until about 15 years ago, fitness options in Jakarta were largely limited to exclusive membership clubs like the American Club and the Mercantile Athletic Club. In the early 2000s that began to change.

BY SCOT T HANNA

Recognizing the market potential for the massive economy, international gyms like Gold’s Gym and Fitness First began to open in Indonesia and were joined along with locallyfounded ventures like Celebrity Fitness, which was formed in 2003 and opened the doors to its first club in 2004.

These clubs expanded rapidly through the remainder of the decade, proliferating across Jakarta and spreading to bigger cities around the country.

In 2011, another type of fitness club emerged in Jakarta.

Smaller, independent gyms began to spring up, often in converted homes or small-scale commercial properties; a contrast to the mega-malls that served as home to most of the larger gyms, keen to capitalize on the foot traffic for marketing exposure. While bigger gyms’ centrepiece was training on user-friendly strength and cardio machines patterned after the pioneering Gold’s Gym model dating back to Venice Beach in 1965, these smaller gyms focused on more targeted and technical offerings like Muay Thai, yoga, or CrossFit. Each of these disciplines has seen rapid growth in recent years, but perhaps none more than CrossFit. An upstart in the fitness industry, CrossFit incorporates a mix of different exercise disciplines in short, intense workouts at gyms called ‘affiliates’, which pay an annual fee for the right to use the name.

Like Gold’s Gym, CrossFit’s roots also trace back to California. In fact, the founder, Greg Glassman, started out as a trainer at Gold’s Gym before being thrown out for his unconventional training methods and deciding to start his own gym, which was the embryo for what later became CrossFit. In early years, growth was slow. In 2005, there were only 13 CrossFit affiliates. However, just as large commercial gyms began to experience explosive growth in emerging markets like Jakarta, CrossFit began to see exponential growth in the United States and other advanced economies.

Today there are 13,000 CrossFit affiliates across the world, while the largest commercial gym chain Planet Fitness has just 1,124 locations, Gold’s Gym reporting 700 locations and Fitness First with 370 clubs. And the space for further growth remains massive. Asia is home to 60 percent of the world’s population, yet only 2 percent of CrossFit affiliates.

Founder of CrossFit, Greg Glassman

“Bringing social aspects to

fitness seems a perfect fit in a country that leads the world in nearly every statistical measure of social media participation.”

In 2011, CrossFit added an online format for the qualification process open to anyone worldwide for its annual ‘CrossFit Games’ that started in 2007. Reflective of this growing international presence, the first CrossFit affiliate opened in Jakarta in 2011. Brian Pandji opened CrossFit Equator in the garage of his parents' house, but what started as a small group of friends from the neighbourhood expanded so fast that he had to knock out the back wall of the garage and take over much of the back yard as well. By 2013, two more affiliates opened in Jakarta, CrossFit Senayan and Bengkel CrossFit, and the growth continued to accelerate. In 2015, the number of CrossFit locations doubled in Jakarta, including new affiliates Garuda and 6221 opening their doors.

What has caused this growth? The overall interest and participation in fitness as a whole has increased.

For example, running races and fun runs have grown exponentially in size and number in the past several years. However, there are specific factors that participants often point to when talking about the allure of CrossFit.

Founder of the first affiliate, Pandji says, “People choose CrossFit instead of a globogym (large, commercial gyms) because they can make new friends, and get support and work out together. Usually after this first step, they will then realize how exciting and effective the movements and the workout actually are.”

The most consistent answer you get about CrossFit is that the critical component in its success is the community it builds around exercise. Bringing social aspects to fitness seems a perfect fit in a country that leads the world in nearly every statistical measure of social media participation.

Robin Wirajendi found CrossFit five years ago and it helped him to overcome a metabolic condition and live a healthier life. Passionate about heavy lifts and gymnastics movements, Wirajendi’s enthusiasm as both coach and athlete is contagious. What makes it so exciting for him? He says, "CrossFit is doable for everyone; you don't have to be in perfect shape to do it. Whether male or female, young or old, beginner or experienced, anyone can join in the sport where the real competition is against yourself – to see what you can achieve. The idea is to make small improvements every day and also help others to get better."

The supportive atmosphere and instruction of the groupbased class format for weightlifting has also broadened the base of interest from what was traditionally a maledominated activity. In addition to the general health benefits of weightlifting, there has been specific evidence to point to decreased occurrence of osteoporosis in women who perform resistance training through increasing and promoting bone density.

CrossFit Level Two Certified Coach and Founder of Master Bootcamp, Carlo Tamba explains: “Back then in commercial gyms, the weights area used to be male-dominated with mostly isolation movements that very few females are interested in. CrossFit offers a different approach in lifting weights, mainly with barbells. Actually, thanks to CrossFit, not only females, but a far wider section of the population has become much more familiar with barbells in the past five years. Yes, women can do heavy deadlifts. Yes, women can do snatches. Yes, women can do what men do.”

Tiara Soemakno started the first women’s only CrossFit programme in Indonesia in 2013. She says, “I started strength training at the gym when I was a teenager. At one point the workouts became monotonous. In 2012 I discovered CrossFit and I fell in love with the sport. As a coach I feel that training others goes beyond the physical aspect of what they are doing. It’s connection, it’s a relationship, and it’s helping people believe in themselves.”

For Ride Jakarta spin instructor and rising young entrepreneur, Vanessa Budihardja, “CrossFit is the only time when I can truly connect with myself. When you live in a hectic urban sprawl such as Jakarta and when you have responsibilities that require your constant attention, there's nothing like walking into a box and just letting everything go. You will witness and do things that seem impossible – but then you realize at the end of the day that our bodies are really designed to run, jump, and lift.”

As CrossFit emerges as a popular recreation in Jakarta, the competitive element of the sport is growing too.

Nazharia Lomboan has just returned home following completion of her studies at the University of London, during which she competed as several international CrossFit and weightlifting competitions. Next month, she will travel to Bangkok to represent Indonesia in the annual Asia Championships event.

Lomboan says of Crossfit, “As fitness is becoming huge in Jakarta, everyone's seeking something new, something fresh, something different. And I feel like Crossfit is it.” issue 166 Indonesia expat

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EXPAT OUTREACH WORTHY CAUSES

does. Above all, she finds this to be one of the greatest challenges when trying to raise awareness of building a clean environment.

Bagging Mountain Trash

Regardless, Trashbag Community strives to achieve its goal through multiple ways. It recognizes three main points that hikers and society should be aware of if they wish to bring about change. First, Trashbag Community believes that we must start with action, where people need to understand ways to keep the mountains “green and clean”. Second, society should be more socialized about the detrimental effects that trash can bring, for instance through a series of workshops, so that they would be more aware of the consequences if the issue is not immediately resolved.

Third, Trashbag Community calls out for the government to fulfil their duty by consistently monitoring and managing conservation areas.

Indonesia’s mountains are known for their spectacular summits and surreal beauty, attracting hikers from near and far. Sadly, the sight of litter often ruins these stunning views on hiking trails and in national parks in Indonesia. Tackling this issue, Trashbag Community regularly gathers hikers to take charge in cleaning up dirtied mountains in Indonesia.

BY CAR ANISSA DJATMIKO

As a result, this year they are working with Dewan Pengurus Daerah (DPD) or the Regional Representative Council in 11 different regions across the nation to regularly educate hikers and nature lovers about their campaign ‘Gunung Bukan Tempat Sampah’ (Mountains Are Not a Rubbish Bin).

“The emergence of social media has distracted the focus of hikers to taking and posting selfies or mountain views, and avoiding the real issues at hand.”

Speaking to Indonesia Expat, Alia Jawas, who serves as member and treasurer of Trashbag Community, shares that the group intends to ask hikers to reflect on their role as pecinta alam, or lovers of nature.

For most sports enthusiasts and travel junkies, hiking is a thrill that allows you to witness stunning views from peaks or simply be held spellbound by the natural world.

But for Trashbag Community, hiking is more than a mere sport, as they bring the activity to the next level by taking the initiative to clean up the mountains they climb from piles of trash left on them by other hikers.

“If we think of ourselves [as pecinta alam], then why is our behaviour damaging nature, like throwing trash in most campsites in a national park? We must know that such places are considered as an ecosystem with animals and trees living in them,” Jawas says.

Established in 2011, Trashbag Community started from a couple of hikers who shared the same concern, which stemmed from encountering garbage left behind in conservation areas. Alarmed by the lack of responsibility from other hikers in caring for the trails they walk on, Ragil Budi Wibowo and Irvan Nugraha built the nonprofit community with hopes of redefining what a hiker’s main purpose should be.

Jawas notices that the problem with hikers is not only their lack of understanding of the importance of having a clean mountain, but also their inability to properly sort rubbish which would normally result in littering. This is due to their main priority of reaching the summit while turning a blind eye to their surroundings, even with rubbish scattered all over the area. Nowadays, Jawas also finds that the emergence of social media has distracted the focus of hikers to taking and posting selfies or mountain views, and avoiding the real issues at hand.

For five years, members of Trashbag Community have cleaned up more than ten mountains and conservation areas all over Indonesia, including Merapi National Park (Jogjakarta), Rinjani National Park (Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara), Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (East Java), Lore Lindu National Park (Sulawesi), and Kerinci Seblat National Park (Jambi, Padang).

Dua Tangan Cukup

Overall, Jawas admits that their task gets even trickier once hikers belittle the importance of what Trashbag Community

“In 2016 we have 11 DPD Trashbag Communities in Banten, West Java, Central Java, Jogjakarta, East Java, West Sumatra, West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara, and Bali is underway. All these locations have official members of Trashbag Community who help with our campaign, because most of Indonesia’s mountains are located in those areas,” Jawas explained.

Aside from collaborating with the government, the community also frequently holds interesting events, such as photo competitions and sharing sessions to further attract the masses.

Trashbag Community shows us that there are ways to integrate fun and leisure with our responsibility to care for our environment. In this case, an activity as exciting as hiking can also help encourage people to start thinking and exercising their powers to look after and conserve national park areas before it is too late.

“If we don’t start to realize the damage from right now, who knows maybe in five to ten years there will be no clean and amazing mountains in Indonesia. The most important thing is to bring down your own trash and not leave it on the mountains,” Jawas reminds.

She believes that with support from the government, pecinta alam and society on a larger scale, the mission to make mountains in Indonesia clean should not be impossible. Take nothing but photos and leave nothing but your footprints.

For more information, please visit: www.trashbagcommunity.com

Actions From Across The Archipelago

Crowdfunding to Help Free Wrongly Convicted Teachers and Cleaners In 2014, Indonesia was bombarded with shocking reports of young students being sexually harassed by teachers and staff at Jakarta Intercultural School, previously known as Jakarta International School (JIS). Two years after the six cleaners and two teachers from the school were accused and convicted of committing these crimes, much light is being shone on the transparency of the case’s legal proceedings.

For starters, evidence collected so far is actually insufficient to put these people in prison. According to an investigation conducted by forensics auditor Rudi Valinka, the whole tragedy appears dubious considering the lab’s failure to prove that the victims were even molested in the first place.

As those who strongly believe in the innocence of the convicts, KAWAN8 are raising funds to help free them

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Indonesia expat issue 166

so they can go back to their families who have suffered greatly from this terrible ordeal.

Former teacher’s assistant Ferdinant Tjiong had to lie to his daughter, saying that he was away for work when she wondered why her dad never came home. Agun, one of the convicted cleaners, also took it hard when he had to leave his wife who was pregnant at the time and who has never held his baby outside of prison bars. Other wives, kids, mums and dads are also waiting for their loved ones to be released from prison from a crime they never committed.

Not only receiving support from within Indonesia, the convicts have also been inundated with letters from concerned people all over the world, which further motivated KAWAN8 to bring justice to the teachers and cleaners, according to their crowdfunding page “kami tidak buta lagi” (we are no longer blind).

To show your support and help free the convicted teachers and staff, please visit https://kitabisa.com/justice4theinnocents

New Zealand Independent School students clean Belitung beach Belitung The New Zealand Independent School students are always eager to keep the environment clean, taking part in community service programmes on a regular basis. Recently around 30 students from the New Zealand School in South Jakarta had a trip to the Belitung Islands where they cleaned the beach and the surrounding areas.

Supervised by their teachers Mr. Iqbal, Ms. Lia and Mr. Daniel, the students were given masks and plastic bags to collect the litter. “It’s sad that people do throw rubbish in and near the sea/beach area,” said one

of the Year 9 students. “It gave us immense pleasure to do something to make our environment a cleaner and better place to live.”

The students spent nearly an hour cleaning the beach area and collected five bags full of bottles and plastic, having a lot of fun at the same time. The students have a weekly community service programme where they go around the school and keep the environment clean and create awareness among others to educate that a little effort can go a long way. The school believes that it’s all about nurturing creative minds.

HARRIS Hotel pays it forward Bali After only one year in operation, HARRIS Hotel & Conventions Denpasar, a midscale accommodation operated by TAUZIA Hotel Management, has committed to contribute to the goodness of environment and society.

Beginning with conducting weekly English coaching classes for elementary students in the local area, the hotel’s General Manager, Andi Ananto made the time to impart some of his abilities to develop the younger generation.

“In addition to that, we’ve also decided to participate in ngayah pura which means cleaning up the adjacent temples, and also tirta yatra - an internal initiative involving more than fifty of our employees in the form of religious trip to Besakih Temple,” said Angela Dewi, Marketing Communications of HARRIS-POP! Hotel & Conventions Denpasar.

Government to regulate app-based transportation

All the activities are done in the hope of gaining positive awareness amongst the public and also as part of the hotel’s commitment to Tri Hita Karana for the Gold Award recognition bestowed in November 2015.

Indonesia The Indonesian government recently announced it would start to regulate app-based ride-sharing services such as Uber and Grab Taxi. This followed a large strike by taxi drivers in Jakarta who protested against ride-sharing companies.

Indonesia’s new regulation is reported to be effective by October 1. Under the regulation, ride-sharing companies will have to partner with transportation companies licensed by the ministry or register for their own transportation company licence. This means they will no longer run their businesses with individual drivers.

Bogor welcomes new five-star hotel

Drivers of Uber and Grab will either be employees of partner transportation companies, or part of a co-operative of drivers. For example, Grab drivers will be represented by the Indonesian Car Rental Co-operative (PRRI).

The government will also require them to build maintenance facilities and comply with regular roadworthiness tests. Ride-sharing companies won’t be allowed to recruit new drivers until they have complied with the regulation.

The regulation will also not allow Uber and Grab to set their own passenger fares, which will be unilaterally set by the regulator.

This regulation is quite constraining for ridesharing companies and will undoubtedly increase operational costs, however it will provide a level playing field for app-based transportation business to coexist with existing players.

Source: theconversation.com

Bogor Louvre Hotels Group, the eighth largest hotel group worldwide, has proudly announced the opening of Royal Tulip Gunung Geulis Resort & Golf as the first Royal Tulip Hotel in Indonesia.

Royal Tulip Gunung Geulis is operated by Louvre Hotels Group which was acquired by Jin Jiang International Holding Co Ltd. in 2015. The Royal Tulip Gunung Geulis is owned by PT Mulia ColIiman International, and is led

by General Manager Mr. Mario Stanic.

The only five-star hotel within a 45-minute drive from central Jakarta and located in Bogor near the highway exit, the hotel is situated at the famous Gunung Geulis

36-hole golf course. This unique hotel offers the luxury and comfort of 173 guest rooms with a choice of four room styles. The resort hotel features two restaurants, a bar lounge with spectacular views, an executive lounge, two swimming pools, a special Kids Club and a world class Dedari Spa and Gym. In addition, the hotel has a large ballroom and many meeting and function rooms.

Mr. Mark Van Ogtrop, Managing Director of Louvre Hotels Group Southeast Asia was pleased to announce the opening. “We are very proud to announce the opening of our first Royal Tulip in Indonesia, which is a stunning resort. We are very confident to market the resort as it has a very good location in the hills only one hour from Jakarta and it caters to many different market segments from business to leisure.”

issue 166 Indonesia expat

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* Answers in the next edition!

CROSSWORD

Across

5. Sidewinder (11) 7. Corrosive liquid (4) 8. Adjust tone or pitch (8) 9. Herb (flat-leafed or curly) (7) 11. Personal journal (5) 13. Perfect (5) 14. Lady’s bedchamber (7) 16. Carpentry (8) 17. Large bivalve (4) 18. Title that is non-hereditary (4,7)

DOWN

1. Fastener (4) 2. Fall like a stone (7) 3. Actor’s line directed solely to audience (5) 4. Convict (8) 5. Type of pop music (of which Elvis was king?) (4,3,4) 6. Completely destroy (Dalek style) (11) 10. Deadlock – rugby player (5-3) 12. One born within the sound of Bow bells (7) 15. Wild flower having its day in November (5) 17. Nautical nipper (4)

ANSWERS OF ISSUE 165 ACROSS—1. Constabulary 9. Ratio 10. Medical 11. Drop 12. Libretto 14. Lariat 15. Polish 18. Castaway 20. Calm 22. Ice cold 23. Olive 24. Nothing doing DOWN—2. Outdoor 3. Shop 4. Armpit 5. Underdog 6. Ascot 7. Yellowhammer 8. Predilection 13. Macaroni 16. Italian 17. Mad dog 19. Smelt 21. Yoyo

Tasty poo free from preservatives.

Spotted by Kiki in East Java Send your funny pictures to letters@indonesiaexpat.biz

IS MADE POSSIBLE BY:

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Indonesia expat issue 166

OBSERVATIONS Daniel Pope is a part-time hedonist, residing mostly in Jakarta, where he still finds everything a bit of a rum do.

S G N I S S O CR

s e of hi m o s s r be gs. emem r e p d goin o n P a l s e i g in Dan al com n o i t a intern AN

BY D

In 1986, while the cold war was still going on, I entered East Berlin from the west side of the city through the famous Checkpoint Charlie crossing point. My passport, which had been issued during a brief spell in the British military in my youth, listed my original occupation as ‘government service’, not that I was ever much of an asset to Queen and Country.

My rifle range instructor had remarked that I was about as lethal as a packet of pork sausages.

Stuffed down my sock was a wad of East German marks – exchange rate differences made smuggling currency into the country more lucrative than obtaining it inside, although this practice was illegal. I stood anxiously at a booth while the border guard examined my passport.

“Government service, ya?” His lips smiled, his eyes didn’t.

I pointed out that this suspicious occupation had been officially struck out on my passport with a single line of red ink, and ‘musician’ written underneath. I was an unemployed beatnik guitar player in those days (deep down I still am). Even so, I imagined that the guard had already pressed a button under the counter, prompting a nearby covert agent to turn up his collar and start tailing me through the streets during my day-trip to East Berlin.

Crossing any kind of border checkpoint can be fretful. I’ve passed through Indonesian immigration control many times quite lawfully, but still find it an ordeal. In the old days, I used to enter the country through Batam or Bintan islands, as these were ‘backwater’ places whose staff seemed easier to deal with. At Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta international airport it was a different matter. “Awas” (beware) an immigration officer had once snarled at me after a fruitless ten minutes of trying to find an irregularity in my papers.

But the smaller border crossings weren’t always the smoothest ones. I once arrived at Johor Bahru ferry terminal after travelling around Southeast Asia in 2004, at the height of a Malaysian campaign to deport thousands of illegal Indonesian domestic workers. After finally squeezing down the gangplank onto the ferry, I sat down to wait for the deck to fill up with disgruntled ex-labourers and drivers and their piled boxes of luggage, claiming my bit of seating space.

However, a kindly crew member ushered me into a roomy cabin with soft lounges, which was occupied by a handful of Malaysians on their way to play golf in Batam. Even better, a loudspeaker announcement invited the occupants of this cabin to disembark ahead of the main throng of passengers once we had reached our destination.

many times before, the only difference between business class and economy class, apart from a bit of extra leg room, was that the orange juice was served in a glass instead of a carton, and the currant bun came on a plate and not in a cardboard box.

An advantage of an airport arrivals lounge is that there are no duty-free shops to distract you. There are two types of goods that I find it hard to walk past without taking a closer look. One of those is booze, the other is electronics. Though if you're after a cheap smartphone in Jakarta, don't waste your time at the airport. There is a superior option in the city.

I always imagine that umpteen years ago on Jalan K.H. Hasyim Ashari in West Jakarta, a lone trader – an advance forager if you like – set up a stall selling mobile phones. The next day, a passer-by asked him how business was going and, receiving an encouraging response, erected a stall next to his, also selling mobile phones. Next day it happened again – another trader wandered up, unpacked a tarpaulin and a few Nokia handsets, and joined in.

“I’ve passed through Indonesian immigration control many times quite lawfully, but still find it an ordeal.”

After several weeks of this expansion, the entire area brimmed with mobile phone sellers, who were beginning to clamber over each other like worker ants. The only way to accommodate further vendors, who streamed from the horizon, was to build upward. And so a first floor was hammered into place, then a second, and so on, until eventually a gigantic shopping mall had formed on the spot – seven bustling floors devoted to a single product and its accessories. This might be how Roxy Mas was born.

Cities the world over have streets where traders of similar goods all group together to slug it out, though Jakarta seems to have more than most. One that I passed through every morning on my way to work was a fruit-and-vegetable street in Kemangisan, and for a long time it was an uneventful journey. That was until the day I was attacked by an apple.

OPE IE L P

My paranoia level on that particular day was high because this was the morning after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York in 2001 (which I had watched on TV in a bar in Jalan Jaksa). I was uneasy when I left for work that morning – feeling that the world was a more perilous place, more acutely aware of being a Westerner in a far-away land where the natives might turn hostile at a moment’s notice.

But all was quiet until I passed down the fruit-and-veg street in my taxi, and an apple suddenly thudded against the side window, startling me. Convinced that I was under attack, I ordered my driver to speed up, peering through the rear window at the receding bright colours of the fruit and vegetable stalls.

The apple, which I fancied I had recognized as a Royal Gala as it bounced off the glass pane, most probably had been thrown up from beneath the wheels of another vehicle, and not lobbed by a local radical seething with homicidal hatred for all foreigners. But I still contend to this day that someone tried to assassinate me with an apple as I drove along that street. And what’s more, that person is still out there.

My paranoia can be better appreciated if I relate another incident. I had been standing on a corner at Thamrin in Central Jakarta (the exact same spot that earlier this year witnessed a genuine terrorist atrocity) trying to flag a taxi down, when I noticed a demonstration coming toward me along the road. I thought nothing of it – I’d got entangled in demos before and had never felt threatened. In fact, the participants had usually been friendly and simply wanted their photo taken with me.

But with a sudden roar, this crowd of around two hundred people lowered their banners and charged directly at me, shouting and waving their fists in the most hostile manner.

To say that I gulped would be to say that Krakatau went ‘pftzz’ in 1883. It was certainly fortunate that I had already visited the lavatory. Otherwise I might have lifted off like a rocket on a plume of my own explosively evacuating bowel contents. I froze, waiting for the apples to start raining down on me. I was dead. I was sure of it.

However, I checked over my shoulder and realized with a whimper of relief that I wasn’t the target of this enraged mob after all. I was standing right in front of the gate to the United Nations building, where the marchers intended to stage some kind of political protest. Even so, I hurried away across the nearby pedestrian bridge, wondering whether I should keep on going until I reached the nearest border crossing.

Transferring from the ferry port to the airport, I flew from Batam to Jakarta on business class, a first for me. But on this particular airline, which I’d flown with on the cheap

issue 166 Indonesia expat

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If you want your event to be posted here, please contact +62 (0) 21 2965 7821 or e-mail: events@indonesiaexpat.biz

EVENTS

JAKARTA Arts & Culture

at several locations: The Ritz Carlton, Pacific Place, Sohanna Hall and Almond Zucchini. For more information please visit www.amuzgourmet.com

Tickets are now on sale. For more information please visit http:// selenagomezjakarta.com

Music

Shrek the Musical 5–22 May 2016 Shrek the Musical is coming to Jakarta! Based on the Oscarwinning DreamWorks Animation film, we finally get the chance to see our favourite ogre on stage.

Shrek brings a hilarious yet valuable story that defies the typical fairytale, when an ogre – as opposed to a handsome prince – comes to rescue a feisty princess.

The story also features villainous Lord Farquaad, gleeful Donkey, and more. The musical is based on a book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole, Good People).

It will be directed by Stephen Sposito and choreographed by Chris Bailey. Fans of the film will get to see the live version on stage at Ciputra Theatre. For more information please visit www. ciputraartpreneur.com

Film Screening: Hitler’s Children 24 May 2016 Arthouse Cinema is holding a film screening of Hitler’s Children, directed by Israeli filmmaker Chanoch Ze’ev i. The f ilm is told from the perspective of the descendants of Nazi perpetrators live as the grandchildren of those responsible for millions of deaths.

Director Ze’evi asks the audience to critically and sympathetically engage with the film, which seeks to discover if there is a chance for reconciliation. Hitler’s Children w ill be screened at GoetheInstitute. For more information please visit www.goethe.de

‘The French Connection’ Festival Gastronomique 25–28 May 2016 Festival Gastronomique is back again to recreate the success of the biggest culinary event in Jakarta. Presented by The French Connection, the festival will invite five celebrity chefs hailing from different countries to bring you French gourmet cuisine, as well as to showcase culinary traditions in Indonesia. The four-day festival will also include cooking master classes, workshops, dinners and food-centred events. The food extravaganza will take place

26

Indonesia expat issue 166

M83 Live in Jakarta 21 May 2016 French electronic music band M83 is coming to Jakarta! Led

by Anthony Gonzalez, the band has released six albums since their arrival in the music industry in 2001. Their music has been featured in movie soundtracks like Oblivion and The Divergent Series: Insurgent, where they collaborated w ith A merican female pop rock band Haim in a song titled Holes in the Sky. The concert is presented by Kiosplay and will take place at Lapangan D, Senayan. For tickets and more information please visit www. kiostix.com/tuk_kiostixevt/m83live-in-jakarta

Joey Alexander Live in Concert 22 May 2016 One of the youngest and most celebrated Indonesian artists, Joey A lexander, will be performing in Jakarta this month. After being nominated in and wow ing audiences at the biggest music awards, the Grammys, the 12-year-old pianist will be entertaining guests with legendary jazz drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts and jazz bassist Dan Chmielinski. This will be the first jazz concert that Alexander has held in Indonesia. The event w i l l t a ke pla c e at J IE X PO Kemayoran. Tickets are on sale at www.kiostix.com/tuk_kiostixevt/ joey-alexander-live-in-concert

Selena Gomez Revival Tour 23 July 2016 Singer and actress Selena Gomez is coming to Jakarta this year to promote her second solo album Revival, which has made it to the top of the Billboard 200 chart last year. This will mark Gomez’ first concert in Indonesia.

Gomez started her career in film, television and music at a young age. Fast forward to 2016, she has sold more than 45 million tracks with hit singles like Come & Get It, Good for You and Same Old L ove. G omez w ill g reet fans in Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE), BSD, Tangerang.

Shivering Ground 27 May 2016 This May, get ready for one of the hippest EDM music festivals, Shivering Ground. Partygoers will be entertained by an exciting line-up, which will include Dirty South, MATTN and TWRK. One of the most anticipated DJs to headline are Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. The duo has recently been awarded the number one DJ by Mag Top DJs Poll. Having taken over clubs from New York, Miami, to Ibiza, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike will be bringing their hit music to Jakarta. Shivering Ground will take place at Ecopark Ancol. For more information please visit www.shiveringground. com Education

USA & UK University Application Day 22 May 2016 ELC Education and Into are presenting one of the biggest education fairs for students and graduates wishing to study in the US and the UK. Through this education fair, attendees will get to explore their chances by visiting university booths from the US including University of South Florida, George Mason University and Oregon State University; and the UK, including University of Exeter, City University London, and Queen’s University Belfast.

T he e duc at ion f a i r w i l l b e held at Hotel Mulia. For more information please visit http:// elceducation.net

be have the opportunity to learn more about their role in guiding children as Minister of Education Anies Baswedan will give a speech during the event. The education fa i r w i l l a lso i nclude more interesting zones, with themes like animation, media, health, finance and teacher training.

World Kids Edu Fair will take place at Kota Kasablanka. For more information please visit http://robotic-explorer.com

Arts & Culture

Conference professional networking sessions are from 7-8.30am every Tuesday at Sapori Deli, Fairmont Jakarta, and Thursday at Mercantile Athletic Club, WTC, Sudirman.

RSVP: info@jbnetworkers.com

BALI Arts & Culture Understanding Asia’s Tech Industry in the Eyes of These Powerhouses 24 May 2016 Grupara Inc. is holding a sharing session with key speakers Martin Ha r t ono (GDP Vent u r e s & Djarum Group), John Riady (Venturra & Lippo Group), David Audy (MNC Group) and Patrick Walujo (Northstar). The event will allow attendees to network and engage in a panel discussion which will explore current trends on A sia’s tech industr y. The sharing session will take place at Freeware Spaces from 18.00 – 21.00. For registration please visit http://bit.ly/1rgXg3m

Inspired Education Conference 28 May 2016 The Netherlands Intercommunity School is pleased to host the first Inspired Education Conference for both Early and Primar y Years teachers and administrators. The conference will provide educators with the opportunity to attend Language and SEN related workshops, share resources and network.

The conference will focus on several subjects, which include Modern Foreign Languages, Mother Tongue, EAL/ESOL/ EFL, Language in the Classroom, SEN and Library Media Center Instruction, Development and Resources. Each participant will be required to pay Rp.600,000.

For more information please visit: http://inspirededucationjkt.web. id Networking

World Kids Edu Fair 2016 28–29 May 2016 Parents, bring your kids to the fun yet insightful World Kids Edu Fair this end of May. The two-day event will sure entertain kids with games, exciting performances by CJR and Hanim Dwiya, meet and greet sessions with Kiko, Hello Kitty Land and Hot Wheel Zones. In addition, parents will

NATIONWIDE

Jakarta Business Networkers Make the right connections to help develop and grow your business over bre a k fa s t . At Ja k a r t a Business Networkers (JBN), all attendees are encouraged to help other attendees by exchanging referrals and introducing them to their target audience. JBN is all about helping you grow your business. Promote your business, personal brand or portfolio each week to the rest of the attendees and explain to the group the type of referrals you would like to receive. JBN

Ubud Food Festival 2016 27–29 May 2016 Ubud Food Festiva l w ill be showcasing Indonesia’s culinary scene, innovative chefs and local produce. The festival is an annual project held by Yayasan Mudra Swari Saraswati with hopes of improving the lives of Indonesians through community-building a nd c u lt u r a l pr og r a m me s .

This year, Ubud Food Festival will unite some of Indonesia’s leading culinary figures and also international restaurateurs to help shape and enhance the nation’s food industry.

The prog rammes var y f rom cook ing demonstrations, workshops and masterclasses, special events, food forums, film screenings, markets, food tours and many more. The event is associated with the upcoming Ubud Wr it er s a nd Rea der s Festival and Bali Emerg ing Wr it er s Fe st iva l. For more information please visit http:// ubudfoodfestival.com Conference

TEDxUbud 2016 28 May 2016 TEDxUbud is back this year for its fifth time with the theme ‘Small Things, Great Things’. TEDx was created with a mission of connecting people through ideas.

In Bali, the event was first held in 2011 and has gathered people and organizations from all around the world with extraordinary goals.

This year, they are set to bring a curated group of 300 changemakers, innovators and also public figures who will get involved in a f ull-day of discussions, performances and also exciting networking. For more information please visit tedxubud.com

Festival Printemps Français 2016 28 April–11 June 2016 This year, Printemps Français is back for its 12th time as one of the most anticipated art festivals in Indonesia. Printemps Français is held by the French Institute, together w ith the French Ambassador in Indonesia as a way of introducing the diversity of F r enc h c u lt u r e t h r oug h performances and visual arts. The festival is also a cultural platform which allows both French and Indonesian artists to interact through collaboration projects.

This year, puppet theatre group Les Rémouleurs will be opening the festival in Jog jakarta by presenting their collaboration project with Indonesian artists L’ O i s e a u o r T h e B i r d . I n Surabaya, the Trielen Ensemble will be collaborating with The String Orchestra. There will be more activities and exhibitions for guests to partake in, like photography, architecture, dance, literature, and jazz music. The festival will take part in Jakarta, Bali, Balikpapan, Bandung, Ma ka ssar, Ma lang, Medan, Semarang and Surabaya. For more information, please visit www.ifi-id.com/printemps

JAVA Photography Tour 16–23 June 2016 Join professional photographers, David Metcalf and Mark Rayner on a fa nt a st ic phot og raphy workshop and tour of Java where you will meet the wild horsemen of Mt Bromo, explore Yogyakarta and Borobudur and attend the Ramayana ballet. Next it’s onto Malang, where you stay at the Tug u, one of most beautiful historic hotels in Indonesia and a photography project in its own right. You will travel by jeep to Mt Semeru (Java’s highest peak) for a sunrise shoot, visit the charming Tengger villages, explore the Dieng Plateau and enjoy another historic Tugu hotel stay in Blitar, plus and a few surprises along the way. We will show you the heart of Javanese spirituality and classic Java. An experience not to be missed with one-on-one personalised photography tuition. www.davidmetcalfphotography. com/java-photo-tour/ If you would like your event to be listed here, please contact: Tel: +62 (0) 21 2965 7821 Email:

events@indonesiaexpat.biz

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SERVICED OFFICE • VIRTUAL OFFICE • MEETING FACILITIES • COMPANY INCORPORATION Located in Kuningan Business District, integrated with shopping Mall and residential enable you for a more convenient and easier way of doing business in Jakarta. With flexible lease terms, ready to use office suites, immediate office setup, daily receptionist and maintenance services, 88 Service Office leaves you free to run your business without the day to day hassles of managing a conventional office space. "At 88 Service Office, we enable you to focus on your core business with friendly professionalism and affordable flexibility"

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issue 166 Indonesia expat

27

HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL? Looking for something to buy? Looking for staff? Selling property?

Or need a place to live? Why not place your classified ad with Indonesia Expat! Your classified will be placed once for 2 weeks online and once in our printed version which has a circulation of 16.500 copies bi-weekly.

Next deadline: 24 May 2016 CONDITIONS Personal classifieds Commercial classifieds

Free of Charge (50 words max) Rp. 100,000 (0–50 words) Rp. 200,000 (50–100 words)

Property listings are considered as Commercial.

Adding an image incurs an extra charge of Rp.150,000. Business Listings can only be placed on the Business Listings page (p.30) Send in your classifieds to ads@indonesiaexpat.biz

JAKARTA Automotive For Sa le: Toyot a A L L N E W Avanza (mileage: 23,000km) 2012—excellent condition; Type E w ith several extra features typical for the G class (e.g. metallic silver, audio/video, aluminium rims). No damages/accidents – scratches always immediately and professionally repaired & regular serviced (Auto2000), Location: Bogor A sking Price: Rp. 135 million (obo; must sell by June; cash only). Contact Carsten Thoms —cathoms@web.de Av a i l a ble C a r s For r e nt: Ho n d a Mo b i l i o A u t o m a t i c 2 01 3 w e e k l y R p .1 ,75 0 , 0 0 0 & m o n t h l y R p . 5 ,7 5 0 , 0 0 0 .

To y o t a Y a r i s A u t o m a t i c 2 01 2 w e e k l y R p.1 , 5 0 0, 0 0 0 & monthly Rp. 5, 500,000.

Avanza Veloz Automatic 2015 weekly Rp.2,000,000 & monthly Rp.6,000,000. Please contact jjanuarty@gmail.com mobile +62(0)81311177732 or +62(0)87878797657 2014 Toyota Kijang Innova for sale!

Toyota Kijang Innova Gasoline G 2.0 A/T. Silver metallic, automatic transmission, V-Cool tinted glass Audio system with 6’’ touchscreen DVD, CD, MP3. Mileage: 15,000 km. Driven gently, reg ularly serviced and in excellent condition.

Used mainly in Jakarta and on occasional trips to Western Java.

Dut y f ree for buyers w ith diplomatic status. Price: EUR 12,000 (or best offer). Available at the end of May 2016. If you are interested, please call / sms / wa Julius (+62(0)8121283411) or send me an e-mail: julius.spatz@giz.de Vintage Vespa Super (1970) For Sale. 125cc, Renovated completely in 2012 & little used with very recent engine service. Black/White Good/Very Good Condition. BKPB & STNK (not current). Looking for Rp.8,000,000 (priced to sell) For details/viewing contact Neil on Maclean.neil@yahoo.co.uk or call/SMS/Whatsapp 0811841431 (Kema ng). w w w.f lick r.com/ photos/136400284@N07/shares/ WBZxFx Personal diplomatic car for sale.

BMW 320i E 90 Automatic 2009 Model White Colour in Good Condition for Sale Immediately.

For more information please c ont a c t t he fol low i ng: d a@ indianembassyjakarta.com +62(0)8111682611

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Indonesia expat issue 166

Jobs Available Fu l l T i me a nd Pa r t T i me vacancies are now available for experienced English language instructors for corporate courses around Jakarta. Competitive rates and travel allowance are offered. Please send your CV to recruitment.kpiconsultancy@ gmail.com Pa r t-time Pr ima r y Tea cher Position (EXPAT) – Bintaro, Tangerang. Join a well-established IB World School: • Native speaker of English (UK, US, CDN, Aussie, NZ) preferred • 5 Years Teaching experience, IB PYP preferred • Team-player, flexible, creative • A deg ree i n E duc at ion is required for a Work Permit Please send your application and updated resume with recent photo to hrd@globaljaya.com Looking for online data analyst.

Online data processor position requires that you have a reliable computer with constant internet access and capabilities, a valid email address, basic internet knowledge and minimal typing skills. nandidaisy@gmail.com Services Spanish Tutor: Learn Spanish at your place with a DELE-certified examiner from Spain. Most of my students come from International Schools (JIS and BSJ). Please call me (Raúl) +62 (0) 821 1050 2786 Email: unascartas@yahoo.com EINSTEIN PRIVATE TUITION (The Very Best and Experienced teacher will come to your place).

Help you with your Mathematics, Sciences, Economic, Accounting and Bahasa Indonesia. All level (primary/secondary/university), all curr iculum (IB/IG CSE).

Fee is affordable. Satisfaction g u a r a n t e e d . P l s c a l l . M r.

Fernando +62(0)85214071300 / +62(0)85719205508 Bahasa Indonesia lessons for expats living in South Jakarta, Kuningan, Country Wood, BSD, given by instructor with 20 years experience. Flexible schedule.

Plea se c a ll Pa k Cha ir uma n +62(0)8121037466 or email chairuman1942@gmail.com Interested in learning Piano ?

C la ssic a l P ia no L e sson for

Children & Adults. Experienced piano teacher is available to come to teach piano lesson at student’s house. Piano Lesson is for level beginner, intermediate and advanced. For further info please contact : +62(0)81299333 504. Sincerely Musical!

Bahasa Indonesia private tutor available for foreign adult and kids. Giving lessons according to your Indonesian language needs, such as conversation for beginner, grammar, pronunciation etc.

Affordable lessons fee and at your convenient time. For more infor mat ion, k ind ly ema i l: bahasaprivate@gmail.com

Need a relaxation massage?

Japanese & english speaking women masseuse available for South ,Central,North & West Jakarta (sorr y not available for East Jakarta & Tangerang area). Available for gentlemen and ladies (1,5 hour of swedish oil body massage, indian head m a s s a g e a n d f a c e t u i n a) .

Contact me via Whatsapp (Amy +62(0)8977949898) Property For rent: Exclusive Apartment in Hampton's Park, Pondok Indah.

Great location. 100m 2 second floor. Pool view. Two bedrooms.

Two bathrooms (one ensuite with bathtub). Office area. Bedroom + bathroom for household staff.

Fully-furnished. includes kitchen set, fridge, microwave, dispenser, TV + open cabinet, built-in closet, built-in desks, phone, internet access. Apartment facilities: Gym, beautiful tropical pools and grounds, jogging track, pl ay g r ou nd , t e n n i s c ou r t , ba ske tba l l c ou r t . Wa l k i ng distance to JIS, location opposite Hero Supermarket, Starbucks, Hotel Kristal with restaurants and Satu Lagi Sports Bar. Five minutes away from RS Pondok Indah, Pondok Indah Malls and Pondok Indah Golf. Please call: Ibu Srie +62(0)87888875577.

Email: srie_cartwright@yahoo. com or villajododewa@gmail. com FOR R EN T! Exclusive FullFur nished Apa r tment w it h Private Lift in Senayan Residence.

Level 12. Size 184m2. 3 bedrooms (+1 maid room), 2 bathrooms (+1 maid bathroom), with balcony (view to Senayan Golf), located near Sudirman, SCBD, Plaza Senayan. Rent Charge USD3150 / month, min.1 year rent. Rented by owner +62(0)811100303 FOR REN T! Full-Furnished Apartment in Sudirman Park.

Level 6. Size 68m2. 3 bedrooms (+1 maid room), 2 bathrooms (+1 maid bathroom), with balcony, located near Sudirman, SCBD, Plaza Senayan, Plaza Indonesia.

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For rent apar tment Beverly Simatupang 85m 2; 2 +1 bed r 2 +1 bath r; swimming pool; f itness; wa lk ing dist to JIS ; ver y cozy ; fully furnished USD1,300 negotiable. Contact : Chan +62(0)816828777/email tellychan@ymail.com For rent 300 houses at Kemang, Cipete, Cilandak, Jeruk Purut, Pondok Indah. Big gardens, swimming pools. USD 2,000– 5,000. Phone: +62(0)816859551 or +62(0)8170093366 Others Explore the Thousand Islands!

English speaking host, tailored day or weekend itinerary suited for fishing, sightseeing or water sports activities on a privately o w ne d y a c ht . C a l l B e n on +62(0)87885228039 A stounding Renta l Villa In Indonesia At affordable Rates.

Jungles, beaches, volcanoes, sheltering elephants, Komodo dragons, a nd tigers, f ind ever y thing in Indonesia for a n u n f o r g e t t a b l e h o l i d a y, with Vacation Home Rents at affordable rates. We provide you an astounding villa for rent with 3 bedrooms and 3 baths and lodging for up to 6 persons. Also, facilitating with a fully equipped k it chen, pr ivat e s w im m ing

If you’re looking for that extra special person who is talented to do a number of tasks and do them honestly and well, look no further. Yanto joined my family in January 2014 as a gardener.

But, his role evolved into much more for my family. My mother accompanied my three children and me to Post and Yanto would come inside to help her sweep, dust, vacuum, move water bottles, take out the trash, go to the store, change a light bulb, fix the kids’ toys, etc. Whatever we asked of Yanto, he did with a smile. Last summer, when my nanny left for Lebaran, Yanto volunteered to stay behind to keep any eye on my children. He said that he would be in the yard just in case the kids had an emergency and for my peace of mind. He took care of our cats when we went on vacation, combing them and even giving them a bath.

His specialty by far is gardening and I have received numerous compliments and statements that my garden was the best anyone has ever seen. He is exceptionally creative, reliable, honest, and will not disappoint your family. You can contact me at brenda_wells@ hotmail.com or him.

Looking for household staff pool, washer/dryer, TV, dining table with seats, CD stereo, a balcony with a beautiful garden view, air-conditioning, and an available parking area. If you want to book Rental Homes in Indonesia, Write To Us Here info@vacationhomerents.com Pure Bred German Shepherd female up for adoption: We are leaving Jakarta and unfortunately can not bring our beloved dog w ith us. She’s 3 yo G er man Shepherd, pure bred, fixed and in perfect health. She’s had all the necessary vaccinations comes with a health booklet, pedigree and all her necessities (food/water bowls, toys, etc). She has fantastic temperament, very playful, sweet, never aggressive. She’s fantastic with children. She’s been around kids from the day we bought her (she was 8 weeks old). We have 2 small children & she’s excellent with them. She will be ready for her new home at the end of May. Please emails me for additional information and pictures. Thank you. For more information please contact mciurko@aol.com Household staff available We would like to recommend Ibu Nani for employment as a pembantu. Ibu Nani has worked for our family for over 5 years. We have been very happy to employ her and her husband Pak Andi.

Ibu Nani is experienced and skilled; she cooks delicious food and does not mind learning new recipes. She can read English r e c ip e s t o o. S he i s a g o o d housekeeper and will do whatever tasks you instruct her. We have a German Shepard and two cats that she helps care for, and is not afraid to make decisions such as calling the vet when we are away, when needed. Ibu Nani is honest and trustworthy. We have been very pleased to have her in our employment during our stay in Jakarta. If you have any questions about Ibu Nani please contact me at swimkim2005@yahoo.com Or you can call Ibu Nani directly on +62(0)81281682962.

We would like to recommend Pak Andi for employment for pool maintenance and gardening.

Pak Andi and his wife, Ibu Nani (our maid) have worked for our family for over five years.

Pak Andi is honest and does a good job with maintaining our pool, basic gardening and many odd jobs around the house. He also happily helps his wife with housework including cleaning f loors, ironing and more. Pak Andi walks our German Shepard and takes care of our two cats.

He is always in a pleasant mood and is a pleasure to work with.

If you have any questions about Pak Andi please contact me at swimkim2005@yahoo.com Or you can call Pak Andi directly on +62(0)81210135421.

Exceptional driver available. Pak Kiky has worked for us for around 4 years and has had only 1 sick day. He is always punctual to work regardless of what time he is requested to start. He was often responsible for transporting our children to venues by himself and we had 100% trust in him.

His comprehension of English is OK and he has basic verbal skills - this could be his only we a k ne ss. I wou ld have no hesitation recommending Pak Kiky to you in order to make your time in Jakarta more relaxed and enjoyable. You can contact him directly on +62(0)87788564093 or Sam Spence on +62(0)8111636577 or spenrj1@hotmail.com if you wish to discuss any of the aspects above.

Excellent driver available. Husori has worked with us for 3 years.

He is an excellent driver who knows his way around Jakarta very well. We have always felt safe in the car and he would often pick our children up from The British School of Jakarta and The Netherlands International School without myself or my husband being present. He speaks fluent English. Please contact me on nolanjosefine@gmail.com for more information or Husori on +62(0)812 95542949.

We are looking for a live-out cook/ housekeeper to start in August in BSD. A suitable person will speak English fluently, have previous experience working for expat families, be culinary talented and possess the skills to cook a wide range of Western and Asian food and be able to bake. In addition, the person will be responsible for maintaining the household. If you know of someone who is suitable please message Sarah directly on +62(0)81281689530.

For sale Moving Jakarta Sale! · Mama's n Papa baby Cot almost new = Rp.2,600,000 · Babycot SPiral toy = Rp.600,000 new · Mother care baby carrying belt = Rp.600,000 · Jati wood King size double bed with mattress, side tables, dressing table exceptionally good in condition rarely used = Rp.19,000,0000 · Krishhome dinnerset 16 Pcs brand new = Rp.600,000 · Kids cycle convertable for 3-8 years child = Rp.500,000 · Ace hardware sports new cycle two times used only excellent condition = Rp.2,000,000 · Kid shoes 5-6 Year old brand new = Rp.100,000 · Used shoes for kids 3 year a7 5 years = Rp.35,000 / pair · BB Q s t a n d b r a n d n e w = Rp.400,000 · Avent baby bottles = Rp.150,000 (All) · Br ow n b e nc h c u m b e d = Rp.2,000,000 · Clark brand new shoes for BRITISH SCHOOL STUDENTS Uniform (6-7 Year old size) = Rp.700,000 · Glass Vase = Rp.150,000 · Fisher Pr ice baby rock ing bouncer = Rp.150,000 · In f a nt Gy m by Ju n ior s = Rp.300,000 · Infant sitting Pilow = Rp.100,000 · Informa Foldabe Table brand new = Rp.1,000,000 · Informa T V console = Rp.2,600,000

· Informa Kitchen high chairs brand new Rp.500,000 each · Kid room Easy chair cum sofa Rp.1,000,000 · Te a k w o o d d i n n i n g t a b l e , ver y r a r ely u s e d (ne w), 6 chairs, cushions/table glass, Rp.5,200,000 https://www.flickr.com/ photos/131393378@N04/ albums/72157666948158800 Please contact on Whatsapp, sms or call on number +62(0)8111469910 .

For Sale: Furniture and household goods! Available in Kebayoran Baru area, close to Senapati CONTACT: kareschoug@gmail. com 1. desk in teak 70x80x150 cm, Rp.2,000,000 2. chair for desk, black IKEA, Rp.300,000 3. table lamps black IKEA, for 2 pieces Rp.250,000 4. small shelves for pictures 6 pieces, Rp.500,000 5. single bed w ith extra bed 200x 90 cm & 190 x 90 cm, Rp.1,700,000 6. lamps from Kenya, 2 pieces, Rp.450,000 7. Suitcases, 4 pieces, Rp.500,000 8. light decor, 2 sets, Rp.200,000 9. one se at er, wh it e IK E A , 90x70x90 cm, Rp.700,000 10. mix of plates, glasses & mugs Rp.500,000 for the set 11. Wine cooler, Rp.450,000 12. mix of flower pots, Rp.400,000 for the set 13. carpet beige cotton 2x2 m.

Rp.400,000 14. carpets double sided, black & white, 2 pieces, Rp.400,000 15. table chairs IK E A birch, 36x36x40 cm, 2 pieces, Rp.300,000 https://drive.google.com/ drive/folders/0B-CqC9h3b1PMWVpWHN6ZjVsbTA

BALI Jobs available L ook ing for Civ il Eng ineer, for project manager full time.

Requirements: good English, AutoCad, SketchUp, Photoshop, Whatsapp, possible travel to our international projects. Send us your CV with Photo to office@ paradise-realty-ltd.com Sales Consultant Wanted in Bali.

Must have excellent written and spoken English. Sales experience a bonus – full training provided.

Very generous remuneration.

Send resume to ca reers@ aberdeenhouse.com.au Established Seminyak based fashion brand requires experienced design/sourcing Personal Assistant. Must have previous experience in fashion with a good understanding of all aspects of the industry with good skills in Correl, Photoshop and an understanding of E Commerce platforms like Shopify. English as second language is must. Please forward all resumes to info@ dreamcharla.com.

Due to further Expansion we require a General Manager for our Chic Private Villa Complex in Sanur. Must have Experience in staff Management & Hospitality and Experience in control of staff for Housekeeping, Maintenance, Pool, and Garden, Excellent communication skills incl English spoken. Please email to bali_gm@ rbworld.com

Looking for household staff

PELABUHAN RATU

Cook wanted (English speaking) for private house in Karangasem Region, located at Liligundi about 15 minutes from Hardy’s in Amlapura. Live in position, fully furnished private room with ensuite; position would suit a mature person who can live away from family. Four days off per month, salary negotiable. Call Neil on +62(0)81353138770.

Property

Gardener and anima l carer wanted (English speaking) for private house in Karangasem Region, located at Liligundi about 15 minutes from Hardy’s in Amlapura. Live in position, fully furnished private room with ensuite; position would suit a mature person who can live away from family. Four days off per month, salary negotiable. Call Neil on +62(0)81353138770.

Property

L a nd f or s a le: lo c a t ion a t Silungan Lot Tunduh - Ubud Bali. Rp.2,850,000/m2. Contact: Joko Parwoto (jokoparwoto8@ gmail.com)

Discover Villa Gamrang Beach house a nd ex per ience our hospit a l it y. V i l la Ga m ra ng (Nearby Cisolok, 4 hours ‘drive from Jakarta and 1 hour drive from the still unspoiled Sawarna beach ) is designed to offer guests a beautiful nature, complete privacy and luxury. Listed (Jan 9, 2014) in the "Top 100 Holiday Beach Houses ", Guardian Newspaper.

Stylish interior, outdoor terraces, sea view, spacious garden, private swimming pool, 4 bedrooms , 3 bathrooms, complete kitchen, TV and Wi fi. Idyllic place to relax & enjoy a long weekend. Separate guesthouse w ith 1 bathroom and 2 bedrooms. Friendly staff a nd fem a le c o ok . In hou se catering. Prices starting from IDR 2,100,000 per night ++ up to 10 persons. Villa Gamrang is highly appreciated by expats and Indonesian families. For Reviews and Reservations. www.villagamrang.nl or just mail us directly at villagamrang@gmail.com

SURABAYA Property

Jungles, beaches, volcanoes, sheltering elephants, Komodo dragons, a nd tigers, f ind ever y thing in Indonesia for a n u n f o r g e t t a b l e h o l i d a y, with Vacation Home Rents at affordable rates. We provide you an astounding villa for rent with 3 bedrooms and 3 baths and lodging for up to 6 persons. Also, facilitating with a fully equipped k it chen, pr ivate sw im ming pool, washer/dryer, TV, dining table with seats, CD stereo, a balcony with a beautiful garden view, air-conditioning, and an available parking area. If you want to book Rental Homes in Indonesia, Write To Us Here info@vacationhomerents.com

House for sale in a quiet residential estate. Land size 600m2, building size 250m2, 1 floor. The property includes a beautiful front and back tropical garden, 3 bedrooms (1 ensuite), 2 bathrooms, a large living area and a small front room. The back garden includes a pavillion which can be used as an extra room or storage. The property includes 1 maid room and 1 maid bathroom. For sale unfurnished, certif icate ‘hak milik’. Only serious candidates please. Deal directly with the owner, Ibu Indah. Please call +62 (0) 811 268 4 4 5 or e m a i l pukaanna@yahoo.co.uk

JOGJAKARTA Others Coin and banknote trader wishes to meet fellow collectors and traders in the Indonesian expat community. Available also for consultation on asset disposals in case of major life events. Please contact Paul on indostocks@ gmail.com + mention this advert.

MEDAN Property

Getaway to Ubud, Bali – Stay at Steph and Dave’s Private Villa in Ubud, Bali . 3 Bedroom Private Pool Villa in the rice f ields.

Authentic Balinese stay in a traditional village. 4.5 kms from Ubud, Quiet, peaceful setting – in the rice. Sleeps 6 - ideal for family or couples. Free daily breakfast.

Driver avail on request. Your own personal villa cook. Security 24 hrs. Read latest guest reviews on tripadvisor. Special Kitas Rates available. www.villadamee.com.

Email: info@villadamee.com

Emergency Sale: Land in Medan.

202.5m 2 Tanah milik - house with electricity. Rp.300 million or very near offer. Investment opportunity? Title deed here in Jakarta. No agents. Contact owner Ibu Lily: +62(0)81213995099 Email: terry@fullproofservices. net

ads@indonesiaexpat.biz for competitive advertising rates and get noticed through our printed publication, e-newsletter and on our website.

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Indonesia expat issue 166