Indonesia Expat – issue 136 by Indonesia Expat

M E RE AD I S S U E N O . 13 6 | 2 5 F E B R U A R Y – 1 0 M A R C H 2 0 15

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

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

Rp. 25.000

AN INVESTOR'S GUIDE TO INDONESIA: NAVIGATING CORRUPTION KITAS RULES TIGHTEN: INDONESIA REDUCES THE STAY PERIOD FOR SOME EXPATS

THE ARRIVAL OF THE CLANDESTINE RESTAURANT CRITIC TRAVEL BACK IN TIME TO SAVU ISLAND

MEET THEO GEENE OF IDM-EVENTS

THE PASOLA FESTIVAL OF SUMBA

issue 136 indonesia expat

indonesia expat issue 136

issue 136 indonesia expat

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Editor in Chief Angela Richardson

Editorial Enquiries letters@indonesiaexpat.biz

Dear Readers,

water, fire and earth. She predicts it will be a good year for lawyers and the second half of the year is good for investors and the stock market.

Management Edo Frese edo@indonesiaexpat.biz

Welcome to the Chinese Year of the Sheep or Goat (or Ram)!

Sales Dian Mardianingsih Betty de Haan ads@indonesiaexpat.biz

Distribution & Admin Juni Setiawan admin@indonesiaexpat.biz

Graphics Frederick Ng Katarina Anindita

Finance Lini Verawaty finance@indonesiaexpat.biz

Contributors Stanley Anthony Victoria Bannerman Robin Dougherty Annali Hayward Tess Joyce Enricko Lukman Hush Petersen Daniel Pope Hans Rooseboom Eamonn Sadler Antony Sutton Kenneth Yeung

Circulation Enquiries info@indonesiaexpat.biz

Subscriptions

Not everyone agrees with her prediction, however. Fortune-teller and Feng Shui master Sherman Tai predicts that the Year of the Sheep forecasts economic instability and conflicts. He suggests this year, the gap between the economic classes will widen, with the rich becoming richer and the poor becoming poorer.

According to the 12-month lunar calendar that the Chinese follow, each month corresponds to a different animal symbol, with this year relating to the sheep or goat. I personally adore sheep and goats, with their playful nature and their all-too-funny bleat. The sheep symbol relates to kindness, creativity and elegance. Because of the sheep’s soft side, they are symbolic of peace and harmony. Those who are born under this sign are born in the years 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003 and 2015 and Steve Jobs and Thomas Edison were both sheep. Last year belonged to the horse and its gallop, whereas this year will be slowed down and is being considered the year of contemplation and appreciation of what has been accomplished. We are encouraged to think about bringing goodness to others and take a deep breath to calmly look at what’s ahead. This year’s path is set to be steady, while keeping the peace is its mantra.

Of course, horoscopes are not everyone’s cup of tea. One thing that couldn’t hurt is incorporating the colour green into your life, as it is set to be this year’s lucky colour. More plants at home or in the office, perhaps? We hope you enjoy this issue’s good reads and we wish you all the best in the new lunar calendar year ahead! “This year will present immense opportunity for everyone to make money, achieve success and attain their goals”, according to World of Feng Shui’s expert Lilian Too. She predicts this year to be well-balanced as it has the presence of all five elements – metal, wood,

Angela Richardson Editor in Chief

subscriptions@indonesiaexpat.biz

Events events@indonesiaexpat.biz

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Published by PT. Koleksi Klasik Indonesia Graha Eka Formula Building 3rd floor, #302 Jl. Bangka Raya No. 2 Kemang, Jakarta T: 021 719 5908 (sales/ editorial) 021 719 3409 (admin/ finance) F: 021 719 3409 Office hours: 09.00–17.00 Monday–Friday INDONESIA EXPAT IS PUBLISHED BI-WEEKLY BY PT. KOLEKSI KLASIK INDONESIA. OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS PUBLICATION ARE THOSE OF THE WRITERS

Dear Angela,

Dear David,

I live in Bali and often find your magazine in restaurants, where I casually read.

Thank you for writing and for being a regular reader of our publication.

I'm responding to say your issue 134 (28 Jan -10 Feb) was remarkable. I enjoyed your own 'Letter from the Editor' and, as a retired aviator, the 'Aviation in Indonesia' article, but what was particularly interesting was the contribution 'Water, Water Everywhere' by Daniel Pope.

I’m very happy to hear you enjoyed the mix of articles in issue #134. I also laughed out loud at Daniel Pope’s anecdote – you just can’t make this stuff up!

AND THE PUBLISHER DOES NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMMISIONS, OR COMPLAINTS ARISING THERE FROM. NO PARTS OF THIS PUBLICATION CAN BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN PRINT OR ELECTRONICALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER. ALL

It started like another travelogue but quickly became the funniest story I've read recently. As a previous boat-owner, the 'memory' of the amusing incident of someone flushing the boat's toilet while the skipper was floating around the stern had me in stitches. People in the restaurant must have thought, 'bule gila' as I giggled aloud.

I will be sure to pass on your appreciation of Daniel’s and Annali’s articles and we hope to continue to be able to keep both your serious and lighter sides satisfied in future editions.

TRADEMARKS, LOGOS, BRANDS AND DESIGNS ARE COPYRIGHT AND FULLY RESERVED BY PT. KOLEKSI KLASIK

Thanks for the fun and good luck with the magazine. Keep 'em coming.

INDONESIA.

Many Thanks Angela

Regards David

Connect with Us The Cover The Pasola Festival by Tess Joyce

indonesia expat issue 136

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Issue 136

Contents

Fashion Tan for All Seasons

Scams in the City The Executioners & the Graveyard

Featured An Investor's Guide to Indonesia: Navigating Corruption

Expat Outreach

Business Profile Getting Hired with JAC Recruitment Indonesia

Volunteer Scott Hanna: Father, Volunteer, Gym Rat

Meet the Expat Erin Lloyd, Technical Advisor of PT Affinity Health Indonesia

Worthy Causes Moving Forward with the Help of Education

Announcements

Meet the Expat Indonesia Dances: Meet Theo Geene

Light Entertainment Into and Out of the Comfort Zone

Food & Drink The Clandestine Critic: Highs and Loewy-s

Observations Getting to the Other Side

Travel The Hidden Island of Savu

Events

Business Directory

Festivals The Pasola Festival of Sumba

Classifieds

Feature Story KITAS Rules Tighten as Indonesia Reduces the Stay Period for Certain Expats

Expat Business

Expat Lifestyle

Sports Rugby Romance

issue 136 indonesia expat

FEATURE STORY Stanley Anthony is an Australian expat living in Indonesia. He is a private legal consultant, and often writes about business, politics, and foreign relations in the archipelago.

KITAS Rules Tighten as Indonesia Reduces the Stay Period for Certain Expats The government recently reduced the stay period for expats in certain industries. Here’s what workers in service, trading, and consulting should consider. By Stanley Anthony

ince last year, the KITAS—otherwise known as the temporary resident card for foreigners in Indonesia— has become harder to come by. The election year of 2014 was a confusing one for human resource departments across the country, particularly with the fluid nature of KITAS regulations making life difficult. Add to that rumours of an impending compulsory TOIFL (Test of Indonesian as Foreign Language) and it’s easy to see why the 65,000 foreigners currently on a KITAS may be following the developments with interest. Some expats are already starting to feel the squeeze. At least as much is confirmed by Marlissa Dessy, cofounder and director of Indosight, a firm that provides legal support and market entry services to foreign companies looking to set up shop in Indonesia. “The amount of time recommended for a working visa has changed from one year to six months for advisor positions in the service, trading, and consulting sectors,” explains

Dessy, a bona fide veteran in the KITAS process. “The problem is that the only positions available for foreigners in these three sectors are advisor positions.” Dessy and the Indosight team confirm that the government published this news online, but that it did not actually include a date on the article, making it tough to pinpoint exactly when the new rule went into effect. But that’s not the only change. The KITAS process, which once took several weeks, is now also being drawn out due to other morphing regulations. As a foreigner, you may be forgiven for thinking that Indonesia is a welcoming place, unless of course you intend to work here. Starting from the beginning, here are some changes that you need to be aware of. Tighter Manpower approval The first step to getting a KITAS starts with your sponsor company. They will need to obtain an IMTA (Izin

Visa paperwork by Jeff Warner

indonesia expat issue 136

Mempekerjakan Tenaga Kerja Asing) from the department of Manpower, which will authorise the company to hire foreign employees. This document will dictate the number of foreigners that the company is permitted to hire along with the number of job titles that it is permitted to assign. So if a company can hire five employees with two titles, the intake might officially be four engineers and one director, for example. In recent years, local companies have found the IMTA increasingly difficult to obtain, according to a group of human resource officers who prefer to remain anonymous. The difficulty now occurs because the government is requiring more specific qualifications to work in particular sectors. For working foreigners, the first step to getting a KITAS is a VTT or Visa Tinggal Terbatas. This is the initial stamp or sticker that you get from the Indonesian embassy abroad, which is converted into a KITAS once you return to Indonesia. Several years ago it was a case of simply providing your Passport, CV, and a letter from your employer to obtain a VTT.

Indonesia visa stamps by Dcgreer

“The validity of your visa will depend on a number of

factors, including the validity of your sponsor company's labour permit, your passport expiration date, and what is less clear, the amount of time Jakarta immigration deems appropriate for your stay.”

Marlissa Dessy, co-founder and director of Indosight

But now it’s more complicated, as many foreigners are hired as Tenaga Ahli or “experts,” Immigration and Manpower are now requesting, or rather demanding, that the employee’s educational background corresponds directly with the scope of the sponsoring company. This means that to work as an engineer in Indonesia you must have an engineering degree. The government is also asking applicants to prove they have prior work experience— ideally five years—in their prospective position. This is all to be confirmed by a competence certificate or a letter of reference from a previous employer.

Possible encouragement to hire locals The application to secure your VTT must now also include details of a Tenaga Pendamping or Indonesian working companion. The idea behind this is that you are to train a junior Indonesian colleague throughout the course of your time in Indonesia with the view that they will eventually be able to replace you (in a professional capacity, of course). Practically, this is a notion which companies must at least pay lip service to in order to submit an application. Once all that, plus a mandatory HIV test, is in hand, it is up to the Jakarta immigration office to grant you a VTT.

Not only are these changes a significant concern for Indonesia’s popular English-teaching industry, which routinely hires graduates from different fields, but also for current KITAS holders and skilled labourers without formal qualifications, such as those found in the IT industry, for example. As a further measure of inconvenience, transcripts and certificates are required to have a Legalisir, or authorizing stamp from the educational institution, in addition to being a colour photocopy. Some companies have been successful in using locally notarised copies of these documents, but sources prefer not to go on record.

The validity of your visa will depend on a number of factors, including the validity of your sponsor company's labour permit, your passport expiration date, and what is less clear, the amount of time Jakarta immigration deems appropriate for your stay. Generally an initial one-year application may be approved for anywhere between 10 to 12 months, with no reasoning as to why the lengths vary. A recent study by Deloitte Indonesia says that the fourth and fifth KITAS extensions also now need approval from the regional immigration office, whereas previous extensions only required approval by the Directorate

General of Immigration. Deloitte says no official mention of an Indonesian test or TOIFL has so far been required by those currently applying for a KITAS. However, Indonesia’s Manpower Minister M. Hanif Dhakiri recently said the language regulation would take effect in February. Dessy from Indosight believes a language proficiency test for foreigners might be the government’s way to encourage companies to hire locals instead of expats. For companies looking to hire foreign workers, she says it’s worthwhile for incoming firms to partner with local companies that have a hiring infrastructure already in place. “It’s not so complicated to set up actually,” explains Dessy. “We can help companies and foreign workers enter Indonesia in a safe and compliant way.” The group of anonymous HR officers speculate that all these changes may be a result of the recent events that took place in one of Indonesia’s international schools. They were hesitant to make predictions looking into the future.

issue 136 indonesia expat

EXPAT BUSINESS FEATURED Enricko Lukman is a Chinese-Indonesian journalist and former chief editor of Tech in Asia Indonesia. He covers a wide range of issues related to business, startups, education, and investments in Southeast Asia.

An Investor’s Guide to Indonesia: Navigating Corruption By Enricko Lukman

KPK Save Indonesia by Ivanatman

Indonesia’s long-standing practice of bribery has lingered over the decades. It is a serious problem; one which truly hampers business and investments. Indonesia is a hot market for any foreign investor. According to global management and consulting firm McKinsey and Co, the nation’s economy is set to surpass those of the UK and countries in Europe by 2030. By that time, there will be 135 million Indonesians in the consuming middle-class and US$1.8 trillion worth of market opportunities in consumer services, agriculture and fisheries, natural resources, and education. But before investors race to put their money into the archipelago, there’s a serious road bump to look out for: corruption in the Indonesian government. For those of you who are new to this country, while Indonesia is a market with huge potential, the archipelago has a longstanding tradition of bribery and graft. It’s a real problem, and the negative effects can be readily observed in the way local businesses operate, as well as what is considered commonplace in Indonesia’s investment world. Corruption is also hurting foreign investment in Indonesia, according to a 2012 report by Standard and Poor’s. According to a Corruption Perception Index created last year by global anti-corruption organization Transparency International, Indonesia sits at the low rank of 107th out of 175 nations. The report indicates how corrupt a nation is

indonesia expat issue 136

by pulling data from surveys given to businesses. Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) estimates that the nation lost US$238.6 million in 2011 alone due to government corruption. ICW found embezzlement, misappropriations, and mark-ups among the primary methods of corruption practices in Indonesia. Corruption in public sectors When dealing with the Indonesian government, companies are sometimes obliged to partake in a bit of ‘dirty work’ (petty bribes, facilitation payments, etc.) just to get things done. Entrepreneurs and investors should also be wary of the wrongdoings happening in Indonesia’s judicial sector. The Norway-based U4 Anti-Corruption Research Centre claims bribery for business permits is widespread in Indonesia. Whether they want to or not, local companies are routinely forced to participate by paying extra just to obtain the appropriate permits and licenses. Should companies take the official route, they may end up waiting for an indefinite period of time, or worse, their applications could simply be rejected. Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) speculates that as much as 30 percent of the current

government tender contracts could potentially be corrupted. Corruption commonly happens during the tender process, when firms bid on projects. To win, companies often need to mark-up the contract value and set aside profit margins just to pay the officials. Because of this, honest companies with better qualifications may not always win projects in Indonesia if their less-qualified counterparts are willing to cross the line. Even the justice department has a reputation. The Corruption Perception Index finds that Indonesians perceive the judicial sector as one of the most corrupt institutions in the country. “It depends on how much money you have,” said prominent Indonesian lawyer Adnan Buyung to The New York Times, arguing that the investigation, prosecution, and judgment of cases in Indonesia follow rules dictated more by the free market of the middlemen than by the actual law. The Indonesian police regularly embezzle money and receive “incentives” to conduct more thorough investigations. The Times recently cited retired official Aryanto Sutadi, who estimated that 25 percent of police officers have broken the law at one point or another to earn extra income.

“Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) speculates that as much as 30 percent of the current government tender contracts could potentially be corrupted.” Foreign investors should remain diligent Particularly for foreign investors, matters related to corruption should be taken seriously. Even if conglomerates are able to make short cuts in Indonesia, the effects can be far-reaching. For example, Singapore and Malaysia have what is called an “extraterritorial effect” for their local anti-corruption laws. What this means is that confirmed acts of corruption committed abroad may still be treated as if the offense took place domestically. So, while Singaporean and Malaysian entities may find it easy to cut corners in Indonesia to advance their business, participating in bribery or facilitation payments may ultimately cost them their livelihoods and reputations back home. The United States’ Foreign Practices Corrupt Act (FCPA) goes one step further as it prohibits not only US companies, but also companies affiliated with the US from bribing government officials anywhere. In December 2014, the US Justice Department punished three executives from the French energy company Alstom SA, ordering them to pay a total of US$772 million in criminal penalties for bribing government officials in several nations. Two of the occurrences happened in Indonesia. Prior to that, US regulators fined German Insurance Allianz SE US$12.3 million for bribing Indonesian government officials. The prospect of receiving heavy fines and reputation damage has played an important role in determining whether foreign companies want to try their luck in Indonesia. Should foreign companies plan to expand via acquisitions in Indonesia, then it’s probably wise to raise efforts with due diligence. The last thing a foreign company wants is to be found guilty by association, without knowledge, after the fact. How can we fight this? Fortunately, Indonesia seems to slowly be heading in the right direction when it comes to combating corruption. More than two decades ago, the government established the KPK. Throughout the years, the organization has convicted several high-profile politicians. Last month, the Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board chairman (BKPM) Franky Sibarani told Tempo that he intends to work more closely with the KPK to combat corruption in the investment sector.

Investors

interested in Indonesia would do well to go over the one-stop integrated service created by the BKPM.

KPK Building by Charles Wiriawan

Under the new leadership of President Joko Widodo, the government aims to be more transparent. Government bodies are starting to utilise one-stop online solutions to process things like business permits and tender offers. With the system put in place, there are now fewer touch points for bidding companies, and therefore, fewer opportunities for officials to get their palms greased with so-called facilitation payments. Investors interested in Indonesia would do well to go over the one-stop integrated service created by the BKPM. Officially launched last month, the service aims to eliminate costly red tape for entrepreneurs and investors. Applicants can now process 134 different permits from 22 ministries and institutions. In an effort to ensure transparency, the BKPM also lets applicants monitor the progress of their permits online.

issue 136 indonesia expat

EXPAT BUSINESS BUSINESS PROFILE

JAC Recruitment was first founded in 1975 by Mr and Mrs Tazaki, as the first Japanese recruitment company in London. Please tell us how the company has grown since then. Mrs. Tazaki is one of the very few people who believed that human capital is of utmost importance to any company’s growth and is the very foundation of any organization. To bridge the talent gap and bring people together, she envisioned that there is a strong need to match talent (candidates) to the right companies (clients), at the right time. Since then the organization has grown across Japan and ASEAN. We have a presence of over 50 years in 10 countries and 26 cities globally, with over 1,000 recruiters across the JAC Group. When did you first enter into the world of recruitment? What is your background? I started my career back in Chennai, India when I was attracted towards equity markets and was doing a part-time job as an authorized assistant in the stock exchange in 1994. I entered the recruitment world in 1996, when I used to offer both permanent and contract staff to US companies who were looking for strong IT talent from India.

GETTING HIRED WITH

JAC RECRUITMENT INDONESIA In this issue’s Business Profile, we discuss the world of recruitment with General Manager of JAC Recruitment Indonesia, Srinivasan Ramanan, who has worked with several multi-national corporations and local companies across India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, USA and the Middle East. By Angela Richardson

BUSINESS SNIPPET

Unexpected surplus posted in Indonesia Indonesia posted an unexpected surplus in January after imports slumped, indicating a continuing weakness in consumption at a time when exports are flagging. Down for a fourth straight month, Southeast Asia’s largest economy is off to a weak start this year, with imports and exports falling sharply than expected in January.

indonesia expat issue 136

Recent data from the statistics bureau showed imports in January dropped 15.59% from the previous year, far worse than the 6% fall expected by analysts in a Reuters poll, while exports shrank 8.09% versus a forecast 4.6% fall. Some economists are concerned the collapse in imports could indicate that the domestic demand is also under pressure. Economists had forecast a trade deficit of US$140 million.

Time took me to Singapore in 2001 and I established my Indian company’s Singapore identity and grew their business. Eventually I had the opportunity to grow yet another start-up company who wanted to engage my services to head their Singapore and Indonesian operations for their contract staffing business, outsourcing in Indonesia. I became a Managing Consultant for an Executive Search company doing C-level placements. The passion and hunger for IT never died and that’s the reason I had the opportunity to sell knowledge management systems, E-learning, accounting and recruitment CRM software to several companies in Singapore and Indonesia. My current role with JAC is an extension of my passion in the recruitment industry and I was drawn like a magnet to the dynamism of my lovely friend and Managing Director, Ms. Mariko Asmara, who invited me to

join JAC and I am indeed happy to be with her to represent the company’s interests in several areas, including recruitment, IT and marketing for JAC Indonesia. What are the main services that JAC Recruitment Indonesia offers? JAC Indonesia is primarily in the business of recruitment, offering quality talent to Japanese, multi-national corporations and local clients since 2002. We are the biggest recruitment company in Indonesia, with nearly 200 employees and 110 recruiters. We have several specialisations industry-wise, including but not limited to manufacturing, fast-moving consumer goods, retail, energy, property and construction, industrial and executive (C) level positions. Besides the core business of recruitment, we also offer services that include outsourcing (manpower, payroll, accounts) and business centre (company formation, translation and interpretation). Why should a company come to you for their recruitment needs? What do you offer your hiring clients? The fact that we are the largest recruitment company, with over 100 recruitment consultants, indicates that with a very simple 100 contacts per person we already have a spread of 10,000 professionals who know us by name. We have industryspecific solutions due to the fact that our recruitment consultants come from strong industry backgrounds spread across various industries. We offer personalized services to clients in terms of very strong account and relationship management and are available even outside of office hours and weekends to facilitate meetings, interviews and the like. All candidates are interviewed by our expert consultants before they are processed for any customer. Our candidate pool is extensive in terms of industry, specialization, function, experience and designations up to C-level. We provide value for money to all our customers and our fee is charged on successful placement. We do not take any upfront fees and the entire service is offered based on trust and faith.

Our mission statement is: to give its customers a borderless operation with the same high standard of service based on its deep knowledge and understanding of the culture in every country. Do you have any CSR programmes? Our PPP Program (One Placement Creates One Plant to save the Planet) is an initiative by our Chairman to give back to society and nature at large as a part of our GO GREEN initiative. JAC Recruitment’s mission statement is: “To give its customers a borderless operation with the same high standard of service based on its deep knowledge and understanding of the culture in every country.” How do you ensure such high standards are met in Indonesia? In JAC we are in a multi-cultural environment with several nationalities working under the same roof, including Japanese, Indonesian, Singaporean, Chinese, British, European and Korean. Each of them brings a wealth of experience from varied cultures and environments, adding high value to our business. I would assume the majority of your positions are placed in Jakarta. Where else do you focus your business in Indonesia? Our primary focus includes Jakarta, Bekasi, Karwang, Surabaya, where we have physical offices but we do have several clients outside of Java, including in Sumatra and Kalimantan. How many candidates have you successfully placed to date? We have successfully placed over 7,000 candidates. What mistakes do recruiters often make when interviewing a candidate for a job? The recruiter often does not educate the candidate about the exact job role and description, as well as about the client’s business and culture. ‘What you see is what you get’ is not essentially true for

Indonesia’s gross domestic product expanded at its weakest pace in five years in 2014 on weak exports and investment. Private consumption, the country’s main driver of growth, also slowed in the last quarter dampened by high interest rates. Imports of consumer goods fell 20.25%, while imports related to investments in areas such as raw materials and capital goods also plunged.

this industry and the job is many times oversold to candidates, whereas the reality is very different. What do you see as being the future for recruitment, especially since machines are, and will continue to do more and more jobs? I am of the strong belief that machines can never ever recreate the human touch. I am a very IT-savvy person, but irrespective of the growth in technology and telecommunications with over a million gadgets doing multiple things, many times we forget that humans created every one of these instruments. In the business of recruitment, the personal touch is of extreme importance. In your business, you will have an insight into the demand for the expatriate workforce in Indonesia. Would you say the demand is growing or shrinking? There is certainly a strong demand for expats in several functions across industries and that will never go down. We seek the support of the government to embrace talent from across the globe. What other trends have you noticed in your industry? In recent times, more robust testing and assessment tools are being used. It is also true that technology has grown to provide common pools of talent with the growing social and professional media. What was a myth several years ago has become reality now where the Internet has helped our business in a big way to communicate and stay connected with people across the globe.

Thank you, Mr. Ramanan! To get in touch, please contact: krrish@jac-recruitment.co.id

The rupiah strengthened to 12,735 per dollar, shored up by the country’s improved trade balance, but the stock market was unchanged after the data, down 0.4%. Indonesia has been struggling to turn its annual trade balance back to a surplus since 2012. That, and a deficit in its services sector, has put the country’s current account balance in negative territory for three years.

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EXPAT BUSINESS MEET THE EXPAT

Annali Hayward is an English freelance writer based in Asia. You can get in touch at annali.s.hayward@gmail.com

Meet ERIN LLOYD Erin Lloyd is Technical Advisor for PT Affinity Health Indonesia, a part of global Australian healthcare group Ramsay Health, which has hospitals in Australia, the UK, France, Malaysia and soon, China. In Indonesia, RS Premier Hospitals are in Bintaro, Jatinegara, and Surabaya. By Annali Hayward

and this will improve standards. Nursing training is improving too, which is positive. Things are heading in the right direction, though lots of challenges remain: firstly, getting good doctors for more specialised areas like oncology or complex surgery can still be difficult. Along with that, you also need other trained specialists like ICU and rehab experts, and even nurses and auxiliary services like dieticians. A big problem is getting equipment into Indonesia, from complex machines to basic things like beds. Medical equipment —as well as actual medicine—is taxed extortionately as a ‘luxury’. This is certainly hurting Indonesia’s ability to compete regionally. Finally, infrastructure here remains a challenge for healthcare, as it does for many industries.

Erin, how did you get started in healthcare, and what led you to the role in Indonesia? I trained as a nurse, working in Australian hospitals in a variety of roles from clinical work to quality to training, before taking my Masters of Health Management. I joined the Ramsay Group in 1995. The opportunity came up in 2007 for a Technical Advisor based in Bintaro, and I applied. I was attracted to the challenge of the role — as well as the amazing travel opportunities living in Indonesia offers! What does the role of Technical Advisor involve? My job is all about standards, quality and policy — I am here to advise on these areas from an expat’s perspective and to help train the teams. My major focus for the last five years has been achieving the Joint Commission International Accreditation (JCI) standards for hospitals. We can now say we are one of 665 accredited organisations in 61 countries who meet this global, best-practice framework. One 12

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outcome of this has been to increase the number of expats seeking treatment with us (though this is not an express goal of ours), as well as the number of surgeries we do. What is the group’s position in the private healthcare market in Indonesia? How do you differentiate? We believe we are at the top of the market with regards to standards. Occupancy of the hospitals is good, but there is always room for improvement. We set ourselves apart with our focus on infection control. Our practices in this area put us ahead of other hospitals – who would probably admit to that themselves! Thankfully so far we have had no major disasters, because we focus on mitigating risks. How do you rate the standard of healthcare in Indonesia today, and what are the main challenges the industry faces? It is evolving. I’ve seen major changes in my time here. Now, more and more hospitals are getting international accreditations,

Many Indonesians still choose to go abroad for care. Why is this and do you think it will change in future? Yes, expats almost always go abroad for care, and in our hospitals around 40% of Indonesians also choose Singapore or elsewhere. Firstly, certain specialist areas like oncology are not perfect yet. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, doctors’ communication is an issue. Traditionally, smart people become doctors, which is right — but you also need strong communication skills. We recognise this and invest in

“Traditionally, smart

people become doctors, which is right – but you also need strong communication skills.” training for our doctors. Of course, people also go abroad for clinical ability, but again we are addressing that through knowledge, training and infection control. When do you see that Indonesia will be able to compete with its regional neighbours for healthcare? Hard question! We think perhaps another ten years or so. Accreditations like the JCI will make a big difference. Since it is evidence-based best practice, doctors and staff are more engaged because they can understand the ‘why’. For us, a big challenge

in getting our accreditation off the ground was getting buy-in from the staff; management worked hard at this. We also made significant financial commitments in things like training hours. It will take time, but Indonesia can do it! What do you think Indonesian healthcare will look like in 2030? There will be an increase in offsite care — digitalisation is undoubtedly the way of the future. I’d like to think we will have thirty hospitals in our group by then (if the rules and regulations around the purchasing process are relaxed), all linked through telemedicine. One of the major reasons to pursue growth in Indonesia is to provide opportunities for staff as they continue to upskill, otherwise I fear we lose people and our investment in them. What impact do you think the national Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial (Social Security Healthcare Provider) scheme will have on your business? I think the BPJS will be great for Indonesia. It is still early days, but everyone deserves the basic right of access to care. I hope that patients will learn to value the public sector and to use it. Currently, we aren’t accepting patients from the scheme, but we are considering it. If even a country like the US had a rocky start with Medicare, do you think it is wise of Indonesia to try and roll the BPJS out all at once? Yes, I do, from a quality perspective. Everyone deserves access to care, regardless of location — and if you tried to split it, where would you start? Inequality is already an issue, with citizens of larger cities like Jakarta more able to get care than those in rural areas. The BPJS should ease that. What’s the best part of your job? The best part of my job is the people I work with. We have achieved a lot as a team. I keep going back to it but with something like JCI accreditation, you can only succeed through a big team working together well. Now, as a group we work more cohesively instead of in silos. It is very rewarding.

Thank you Erin. To get in touch, please e-mail lloyde@ramsayhealth.co.id

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issue 136 indonesia expat

EXPAT LIFESTYLE

MEET THE EXPAT

Indonesia Dances:

Meet THEO GEENE Theo is Director of Production, Creative and Artists of electronic dance music festival organizer, IDM-Events. Their first event in Indonesia, Dreamfields, took place in Bali in 2014, and their upcoming music festival Become One will take place in Jakarta this March. Become One promises to be a 10-hour dance music festival featuring six world-renowned DJs. Theo talks to us about what it takes to create a successful music festival in Indonesia. By Angela Richardson

which people can share thoughts through social media, which we will always maintain even though the event is done. In addition to this, we acknowledge the fact that people are more and more often looking to visit festivals instead of traditional bars or clubs in order to consume a drink or have a dance. Anggun at Dreamfields Bali in 2014

And what about this music genre in Indonesia – how has it grown over the last decade and what do you foresee in this industry in the future? The EDM genre is growing daily, especially in Indonesia, where people are definitely aware of EDM but does not yet have a repeating festival format. There would be space for a massive festival each month, looking at the numbers. Our visibility study says that Indonesia has over 1.6 million EDM-minded people and again, this number is growing daily.

What are IDM-Event’s missions? Our missions for 2015 are the creation of two big events with over 15,000 visitors, and two smaller events for around 5,000-8,000 people. We keep Dreamfields for Bali, Become One for Jakarta, and two new events will either be in Jakarta or somewhere else in Indonesia – more news about these events soon. How hands-on are you with each music festival? Pretty much full-on, as organizing events is not a 9am5pm office job. You can imagine that for an event of about 15,000 visitors we need about six months of preparations with a full-time team of 20 people from Holland and Indonesia. As a shareholder and workaholic, I need to be aware of what is going on at all times, so this does take a lot of energy. However, on D-Day when everything is going according to plan and there is time for a drink with the team, you know all the effort was worth all the blood, sweat and tears. Tell us about your recent event Dreamfields, and your upcoming event Become One. What makes your events different from others of this music genre? The music type compared to other events is not that much different. We do know what kind of music is in fashion and adjust our DJ choices in order to please our guests to the fullest. In terms of events, I do think we are different than others as we are looking to give more of an experience and lots of interaction with our visitors. This will be done with major fireworks, the most extensive LED screens, Co2 canons, confetti, stage pyrotechnics, etc. But also the service is an important part of the experience; things like enough clean toilets, no queuing at the bar and the entrance, proper cold drinks and a high standard of food. Beside that we also put a lot of energy into health and safety, for example we provide free drinking water for everyone! EDM was valued at over US$4 billion in 2012, with its top DJ Tiesto bringing in US$22 million alone. What do you think has contributed towards this boom? People are looking for more unity and togetherness due to the unfortunate global trends of violence, wars and recession. We would like to give our visitors a feeling of positivity and excitement, which stays in their minds for as long as possible. This way hopefully they can stay positive about life. IDM-Events is striving to build positive communities through Become One and Dreamfields, in 14

indonesia expat issue 136

How do you choose and book acts? Have there been any particularly difficult acts to bring into the country? Actually Avicii was a struggle to book but we ended up getting him. IDM Events is also a booking office in the Netherlands and our booker Patrick is very seasoned, professional and well-respected in this small world. We do have the advantage as we are Dutch and know many of the DJs personally. Just to tell you a funny story; we had booked Hardwell—the number one DJ in the world— several times in the past for only Rp.4,000,000. Now he is asking about 1,000 times as much! Who are your competitors? Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) is a competitor but we are happy with their existence, as we think it is good

People are looking for more unity and togetherness due to the unfortunate global trends of violence, wars and recession. We would like to give our visitors a feeling of positivity and excitement, which stays in their minds for as long as possible.

to have a competitor – they create and shape the market as well. We went to DWP 2014 and we were very impressed by what they had pulled off – they set a standard in Indonesia. If we look to Asia there is Ultra, Zoukout, Future Music Festival and Sun Burn and again, without these festivals it would be more difficult for IDM Events to enter the market. What challenges do you face as an entrepreneur in Indonesia? I guess the way of thinking is completely different from the European way, but funnily enough I am starting to get it, I hope! I was not used to the idea of corruption but since President Jokowi has been sworn in, I can see changes coming in the future. Indonesia has recently announced that it is at war with drugs. Can you tell us how you combat the issue of drugs at your festivals, considering dance music and festivals are quite often linked to drugs? Even though I’m from The Netherlands, IDM Events is 100% against any form of drug-use. We also acknowledge that it’s not an easy subject to tackle, but we do everything in our power to avoid drugs at our events. Security will oversee this at the event and this issue is on top of our priorities. Can you share a funny or memorable story from your time here? Where do I begin? The most memorable was when Anggun came on stage at Dreamfields Bali and all the fireworks went off. I looked around and I saw so many happy faces. I was together with my partner Henry and David from Matrixx – we looked at each other and I thought, “We pulled it off!” Become One will be taking place on Saturday, 14 March 2015. For further information, please visit www.idm-events.com.

EXPAT LIFESTYLE

FOOD & DRINK

The Clandestine Critic HIGHS AND LOEWY-S

In a new monthly column, our expert epicure launches an undercover operation to bring you the truth about Jakarta’s eateries. No spoon is left unturned in our quest to bring you honest, balanced reviews, from longestablished favourites to the hottest new tables in town.

First up: popular powerhouse the Union Group’s flagship, Loewy. We need to talk about Loewy. Do you know why you go there? Have a think. Is it because you’re meeting your mate who works up in Menteng, plus your other mate whose office is on Sudirman; you’re in Kuningan and you just need somewhere nearby that serves decent drinks quickly (and maybe something to mop them up with), because it’s Friday and you have had it up to here with this week? Yep, sounds about right. Loewy, stalwart hangout of the Jakarterati (yes, I just coined that) since its 2008 opening, is apparently still so popular it doesn’t need to be contactable. I kid you not, I tried to call them fifteen times to make a reservation and their phone line was dead; their website submission form went 404 on me, and they didn’t reply to my email. I lucked out when a desultory voice finally picked the phone up at 9:30am on the day I wanted to go; a Thursday. They could squeeze me in at 8pm, and they’d hold the table until 8.30pm at the latest. It was already jammed when we got there, and as the night wore on, the bar area livened up further whilst the tables thinned out slightly, leaving office workers nursing cigarettes and working on tomorrow’s hangover. Loewy is huge, it looks to be around 150 covers, and service is speedy. There doesn’t seem to be a fixed rule on second sittings but the staff certainly attempt to get you to make fast decisions (never a clever strategy for me). Front-of-house seemed a bit bored and tired, however Idham, our waiter, was friendly and efficient. Their style of service is probably trying to match their clientele: mostly young, hip and relaxed. We moved to a table on the terrace when one came available in the hopes of avoiding at least some of the cancerous fog inside (backwards as that seems). Drinks came quick; an aged Negroni was well-made, and a cold glass of Kiwi Sauvingnon Blanc hit the spot – especially at a reasonable Rp.110,000. To start, grilled jumbo prawns were indeed jumbo, well-flavoured, not overcooked and with a spicy aioli. But, they were tepid and there were only three of them. Swings and roundabouts. Less successful was the Specials’ appetiser of lamb kofkas, which just managed to taste of unloved, underdone red meat, rather than of spices. The beetroot ‘hummus’—a good idea—was unfortunately somewhat bereft of flavour, but the pittas and yoghurt dip were decent.

For mains we sampled a range of pricepoints whilst staying true to their brasserie vibe: Wagyu rib-eye steak-frites, and the Loewy Fish & Chips, thinking they’d churn out bistro classics reliably well. As it was Wagyu, the flavour of the rib-eye was good, but it came medium-well instead of medium-rare. The frites should have been salted – in fact, I bet the mixed side salad accidentally got their share, as it was distinctly brackish. The mushroom sauce we chose was, regrettably, nostalgically reminiscent of Campbell’s tinned soup, and we were glad it was served on the side. The fish was dory, which is not ideal for this kind of treatment as it is so soft. It was also breaded instead of battered (as advertised), which created too tough a crust on such delicate flesh. Also disappointing was that served alongside the fish and the frites (not chips), was no accompaniment apart from a thoughtfully muslin-wrapped lemon half – I think they could at least add some peas? With our mains, a glass of Chablis for Rp.130,000 was even better than the Sauv Blanc, but the winner was Robert Mondavi’s Cabernet Sauvignon for Rp.140,000 – delicious and reasonable. For dessert, we had the Specials’ caramelised pears, which shouldn’t have been slathered in chocolate sauce, as they had a lovely delicate clove flavour that went with the vanilla ice cream. The dark chocolate tart was too big for one, and the ganache was very gooey—almost not set—but it did taste good. Belgian chef Benoit Claerys of Koi Kemang also oversees this kitchen and you can see his blueprint in the

“IT’S OK. YOU’RE STILL ALLOWED TO GO HERE – I WILL. JUST LET’S ALL AGREE IT’S NOT BECAUSE THEY DO THE BEST STEAK-FRITES IN TOWN.”

courses, Wagyu at Rp.410,000, or fish and chips at a mere Rp.90,000 (which really is very affordable for dinner in a trendy, city-centre joint). So, it’s OK. You’re still allowed to go here – I will (and from the looks of the place on a Thursday night, they have no reason to worry that every man and his dog won’t continue to do so). Just let’s all agree it’s not because they do the best steak-frites in town. Be honest – it’s because the cocktails are good, it is relatively reasonably priced (for Jakarta), and you like the see-and-be-seen vibe. That’s OK! I just hope management don’t rest on their laurels and lose sight of the importance of consistency and quality in the kitchen, by relying on their popularity rather than the standard of their output.

Loewy Jl. Lingkar Mega Kuningan E 42 No 1, Oakwood Premier Cozmo Lt. Lobby, Jakarta +62 (0) 21 2554 2378 www.loewyjakarta.com

desserts more than anywhere else: Liège waffles and mille feuille, we were told, are two popular choices.

CHEQUE PLEASE!

It’s a bugbear of mine when restaurants attempt to please everyone by sticking a hodge-podge of international nosh on their menus. From kwetiau to truffle mac’n’cheese (both proffered at Loewy), such a proliferation of techniques and palates can’t all be achieved consistently by the same kitchen. I get that they’re catering to a developing, culturally diverse dining scene, and that this is part-bar, part-hangout and part-brasserie. But the dichotomy is this: even within the European bistro selection, which should be their bread and butter, they haven’t quite got it right at either end of the price spectrum, as evidenced by our main

Food Drinks Service Total

Rp.865,000 Rp.695,000 10% Rp.1,887,600 (inc. taxes) for two

Our Clandestine Critic's palate has pedigree, having dined all over the world, from three-Michelin starred restaurants in Monaco to street stalls in Shanghai. The quest for truth and the elimination of mediocrity in Indonesia’s emerging dining scene is finally here!

issue 136 indonesia expat

EXPAT LIFESTYLE

TRAVEL

The Hidden Island of Savu On his first voyage to the South Pacific, Captain James Cook dropped anchor at Savu, an island that did not appear on any of his charts, and stayed for five days. As a cartographer, Cook could not resist the urge to map out the entire island, and ordered his ship, the Endeavour, to be anchored off the island’s west coast. By Hans Rooseboom

Not only did Cook put Savu on nautical charts, but he also collected information on its physical layout, the inhabitants and their social organisation and livelihood. For a long time Cook’s journal remained the main source of information on the island. The wide range and depth of the data and information collected is truly astonishing, although it must be remembered that Cook was accompanied by the naturalist and botanist Joseph Banks, the naturalist and doctor Daniel Solander, the astronomer Charles Green, and four artists. On Savu they recorded A particular description of the Island of Savu, its produce and inhabitants, with a specimen of their language, Chapter IX – Book III, James Cook, An Account of the Voyages for Making Discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere. Cook was obviously a keen and very interested observer. He notes that the dress of both sexes consists of cotton cloth [which] they manufacture themselves … and two pieces, each about two yards long, and a yard and a half wide, make a dress: one of them is worn round the middle, and the other covers the upper part of the body. He then adds that, the difference between the dress of the two sexes consists principally in the manner of wearing the waist-piece. It is rather interesting to note that 200 years after this observation was made, the dress code had not changed, which most likely is due to the island’s longstanding isolation. I went there some 40 years ago, hitching a ride on a Missionary Air Service plane. Savu has recently been elevated from sub-district to kabupaten level. The district consists of three islands: Rai Hawu (Savu), Rai Jua and the uninhabited Rai Dana— rai is the word for island in the local language. The island is of a stark arid beauty. Cook seemed to have been greatly impressed by it. Later visitors, however, less so - the missionary J.K. Wijngaarden, for example, described it as “a lump of stone in an immense sea”. The main rains fall between November and March; during the long dry season most rivers dry up and water has to be drawn from a few remaining wells. The island is for the most part covered in 16

indonesia expat issue 136

Flores

The routes of Captain James Cook's voyages. The first voyage is shown in red, second in green, and third in blue

grassland, coconut and fan palms, with some stands of tamarind, citrus and mangoes. Rice and mung beans are grown, too. Special mention has to be made of the fan-palm, or lontar. Every part of this palm is used - the trunk for the construction of houses and bridges, while the leaves are made into roofing material, buckets and musical instruments. But the lontar’s main use is its juice, which in Cook’s words: …is procured from this tree, by cutting the buds which are to produce flowers, soon after their appearance, and tying under them small baskets made from the leaves, which are so close as to hold liquids without leaking. The liquid is the common drink on the island and, during the tapping season, is collected morning and evening. Apart from drinking, the liquid is also condensed into syrup or coarse sugar. During the dry season, when other crops are scarce, the syrup is the main food for the population and, mixed with rice husks, for their livestock. Cook also mentions the ceremonial stones he saw on a hilltop near Seba, the current capital of the district and the bay where Cook anchored. Cook compared these megaliths to Stonehenge and took them to be monuments erected by previous rulers. He also wondered how the stones had been erected there: Many of the stones are so large, that it is difficult to conceive by what means they were brought to their present station, especially as it is the summit of a hill. I also visited the stones and had read in Harvest of the Palm, by James J. Fox, that these stones are, in fact, sacrificial altars of the priests of Seba. Savu’s territorial parts are not identified by their rulers, but by their priestly order. The Deo Rai, Lord of the Earth, is the highest ranked, and the Descendant of the Sun, Apu Lodo, is ranked second.

the wrap is dyed in the desired pattern before it is put on the loom. A tie-dye technique, in fact, and if the cloth is meant to have several colours, this has to be repeated for each colour. Consequently the whole process, from dying to weaving, may take up to four months.

Savu

◊ Fast Facts

WHERE TO STAY Hotel Rai Hawu, Km.14 Desa Eilode, Savu Tengah. Simple, no frills accommodation. But a recent visitor to the island recommended that as soon as you get off the plane, just ask anyone where to stay and someone will accommodate you immediately.

From Cook’s First Voyage, a man climbing a lontar palm

HOW TO GET THERE Take the ferry from Kupang, Timor, or from Waingapu, Sumba. WHAT TO DO Savu has many pristine white sand beaches. Surfers usually come to Uba Ae beach in Mesara. This beach is also known as a venue for the public.

Their responsibilities are to conduct the ceremonies that are associated with the agricultural and tapping cycles. In Seba, for instance, the Deo Rai is identified with the mung bean and the Apu Lodo with rice, while in Liae the former is responsible for the whole agricultural season and the Apu Lodo for the lontar-tapping season. On my visit I met with the Apu Lodo of Seba and I took the opportunity to ask him about the stones, and in particular how the stones were brought to this hill. His answer was a very decisive and unwavering: “My forefathers called the stones from the sea!” I used the stones as a backdrop for a photoshoot of the island’s ikat textiles, modelled by the girls I had pointed out to the camat during the previous night’s welcome dances. Another example of calling-power, so to speak, although it did not stop the girls from complaining loudly and saying that they wanted to go home after having posed for nearly two hours. For those who are not familiar with ikat,

Traditional ikat clothing in Savu

Hans Rooseboom is a long term resident of Jakarta. He now enjoys a leisurely life, playing tennis most mornings and writing his blogs and other articles.

EXPAT LIFESTYLE FESTIVALS

The Pasola Festival of Sumba

When the Worms Didn’t Come By Tess Joyce

In 1994, when travel journalist Ron Gluckman observed the Pasola ritual in Sumba, all of the “signs” were good – the precious nyale worms were abundant, suggesting a prosperous harvest and plenty of blood was spilled by the spear-yielding horsemen. Twenty years after Gluckman’s dramatic account of blood, sacrifice and death, I visited the island of Sumba in East Indonesia to learn more about this animist festival, which happens every February and March. But in 2014, the signs weren’t good. The worms didn’t come and confusion reigned on Sumba.

Now the ancient ways of Sumba are changing because of new variables including the introduction of Islam, tourism, climate change, over-fishing, poverty and damage to the environment. This has had startling impacts on their shamanic culture, which is intimately entwined with the fragile dynamics of the island’s ecosystems. Sumba is considered to be one of the poorest islands in Indonesia economically and sources of income include ikat (fine cloth), tourism, fishing and agriculture. During my visit to the pasola festival I stayed at the home of Jefry Dapamerang, who worked at the Department of Culture and Tourism of West Sumba. “The function of this department is to promote the potentials [sic] of West Sumba tourism inside and outside the country. The initiatives to bring tourism to Sumba opened new work opportunities for the Sumbanese, including tour guides, natural trekking guides and ikat cloth-making,” explained Jefry. On my second day in Waikabubak, I decided to buy some ikat and visited the traditional villages of Kampung Tarung and Kampung Waitabar, where it is possible to stay overnight for a donation. Amongst the horses and dogs, the villagers peered at me curiously before showing me their traditional wares. I chose a thick fabric with a white horse motif and a family invited me into their home – a stove was burning which they used to make thick coffee. I found the villagers to be open and friendly, but there was also a strain of sadness. They seemed cognisant that their standards of living were ‘poor’ compared to other islands in Indonesia, whereas before they had lived culturally rich lives, full of pride in their bravery as they risked their lives at their festivals - now they were losing their self-esteem. I wanted to see the pasola and find out more about this diminishing culture. Pasola is an ancient animist festival in which skilled horsemen injure (and infrequently kill) each other with bamboo spears – blood must be spilled to ensure a good harvest.

From Jefry’s house, close to the beach where the pasola festival is held every February, I left at dawn, driving towards the queue of cars and motorbikes that were already waiting to park at the beach. We passed sad-looking locals carrying empty buckets who explained that the nyale worms hadn’t come. “If there is no nyale, there will be rats,” explained Esra as we looked at nearby fragile fields of gold. At the beach, the ratu (shamans) stared melancholically at the sea while waiting for a late shaman in order to start the divination by reading the intestines of a sacrificed chicken. As the shamans waited, we heard jeers from the other side of the beach – the pasola had already started without their signal. Confused, we ventured towards the men who were already steering their horses into a circle, brandishing their spears. Tensions were high and a drunk man riding a horse tried to stab another participant who ran towards the sand dunes for safety. The crowd dispersed into a cloud of adrenaline and I later discovered that historically, some men with grudges would wait until the pasola for their chance to exact revenge. That afternoon I headed to Kodi in Western Sumba for the pasola at Kodi Bawa. Staying overnight at a losmen I ventured towards the festival at dawn, but we discovered that worms had not been found there either. Drinking coffee in a makeshift tent was a man with a damaged eye from a pasola injury. He explained that the lack of worms was because of iklim (climate change) and the fish stocks were diminishing too. In Kodi there were fewer tourists, the locals seemed more traditional and many wore ikat – I stuck out like a sore thumb. Some people were drinking alcohol early in the morning as the pasola commenced and I breathed in the crowd’s fumes of kretek smoke. As the spears flew, one man was hit, nearly losing his eye and the circle rippled with cheers. Resorts in Sumba are essentially selling the ‘wildness’ of Sumba – an inherent spark

Pasola

is an ancient animist festival in which skilled horsemen injure (and infrequently kill) each other with bamboo spears – blood must be spilled to ensure a good harvest. that has been lost from the CCTV worlds of development. But are the Sumbanese ready for tourism? Anthropologist of Sumbanese culture, Janet Hoskins, feels that the tourist gaze can be seen as threatening or aggressive to the locals, so how can tourism become more responsible in Sumba? “Tourists can use Sumbanese traditional clothes or attributes, use clothing in a polite manner and not consume alcohol in the arena of pasola,” suggested Jefry. He believes that “preserving the tradition and culture of West Sumba is an essential thing” and tourism is one way to generate income. However, he admits concerns over the “penetration of amoral cultural habits like drugs and alcohol from other cultures to our younger generation.”

If tourists can be respectful, a great relationship could be developed to enable the people of Sumba to develop sustainably and preserve their culture. “People still have a strong belief in these cultural rituals. This was the first time the elders have made a wrong prediction,” said Jefry, who later explained that the harvests of 2014 were prosperous. Perhaps magic is not stagnant; it must evolve with the times since many new factors have been added to the ecosystem and nature has become more unpredictable. Hopefully the perceptive seers amongst them will continue to penetrate these mysteries and maintain their magical culture.

Tess Joyce is a writer from the UK but currently lives with her husband in Indonesia. Her writings have appeared online for OFI.

issue 136 indonesia expat

EXPAT LIFESTYLE

FASHION Being around glamour all her life, Victoria developed a sense of style that has led her to fashion styling, journalism and designing her debut collection. Email her at tori@ toribannermanlondon.com

materials so you never have that problem of following washing instructions on a garment only to find that it has been reincarnated as a robe that would fit snugly on your pet Chihuahua! Fabrics are carefully chosen for quality, comfort and flexibility of movement. This is evident as Jeffry invites me to try on some of his designs in the studio. I protest that I am way too plus-size to squeeze into one of his beautiful dresses. I relent — Jeffry is persuasive. I try on a beautiful, racing green number. It is long with subtle beading in the V-neck area and ruffle-folds around the unforgiving tummy area. Until I looked in the mirror, I was terrifyingly suspicious of the ruffles! But yes, I looked skinnier than a skinny latte! I felt foxy, yet as I walked, the cut of the dress made my gait resemble the elegance of a ballerina. A certain enchanting magic is created when a Tan dress graces your body. So, at that moment I place an order of a siren red version and a pair of funky superduper harem trousers with a twist. Just like that!

Ta n f o r a l l s e a s o n s

His new collection will be ready to wear in May. Expect layering, jackets and trousers, with bright colours like burnt orange, aquamarine and turquoise.

By Victoria Bannerman

A serendipitous discovery flung open the doors to a quaint and exclusive boutique on Abdul Majid Raya in Jakarta. Its mystical windows drew me in; I wished to step into the world of Jeffry Tan.

With no airs and graces, Jeffry popped out from his office to greet me. He was warm, charming, witty and cool. My beady eye scoped the boutique and I instantly fell in love. The cuts of his designs are clean yet convoluted, strong yet feminine, soft yet hard. All these contradictions are what make a Tan dress peculiarly beautiful. These experimental creations come to life because of Jeffry’s attention to detail. He trained at France’s ESMOD School of Design in Jakarta. Having been around fashion for most of his life (his parents owning a garment factory), it seems that his métier was pre-ordained. With such undeniable DNA, one could expect nothing but excellence from him. Jeffry informs me that he had always wanted to do something creative and found that fashion provided him with that medium. To him, fashion is “both challenging and intriguing”.

In 2009, Jeffry decided to start his “open kitchen” fashion showroom. Here you can see designs on mannequins and order what you like, made to fit you perfectly. This is a bespoke experience without the fuss, just downright getting the job well done! You can buy samples off the racks and I recommend checking out his shoes. Though only for the runway, you can buy them if you have big, model-sized feet. He can cater for all sizes and does European sizes up to a 42 (and he can go beyond that), which is hard to find in Jakarta. The Tan look is distinctive and has evolved with its customer base. It can take about three weeks from inception to production of a sample dress and four to five months for a whole collection. Jeffry takes his work seriously and will quality-control check his

I congratulate him on a coup that designers dream of and that is to see Kylie Minogue wearing one of his designs - a funky, classy, sexy tuxedo jumpsuit.

If you have a designer whose personal mantra or raison d'être is to “achieve the best I can, giving that extra mile in all my endeavours”, you can do no wrong in investing your hard-earned cash to become a member of the Tan society. I ask Jeffry if he imagines that fashion design is perhaps as intricate as architecture; he says no but in his opinion there are similarities in terms of proportions, concept and finish. To him fashion design possesses ingredients that affect our feelings. These thought processes are clearly seen in his designs, by the vivid, striking fluidity and the way they caress the body.

She is his idol and in his eyes an ideal JT girl who encapsulates a subtle femininity and laidback sexiness, humorous and with a strong yet vulnerable side. Jeffry cites his influences from graphic and interior design to architecture. He first specialised in menswear and indeed for his final year show it was a menswear collection that he sent down the runway. He decided later that womenswear complemented menswear and hit upon the idea to create a line for women. Thank God!

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Kylie Minogue wearing a Jeffry Tan jumpsuit in her latest music video

Jeffry Tan’s trick is that he sticks to “what I know” and “likes to use solid colours, like navy, black, cream, gold, solid reds and burgundy, as after all everybody looks nice in navy or dark colours!”

I congratulate him on a coup that designers dream of and that is to see Kylie Minogue wearing one of his designs – a funky, classy, sexy tuxedo jumpsuit. She wore it in the video of her new single “Right Here, Right Now”. He replies that it is indeed an honour. I ask if there is a past or present famous person he would like to dress and he informs me that he would have picked Kylie!

He opines that “womenswear is more fluid and conceptual, changing with the tastes of women, coupled with a lifetime of commitment to understanding women and your clients”.

For those of you getting hitched, he makes wedding gowns too. There is a beautiful white dress called Lilium from a previous collection that you can have made-to-order. It is beautifully ethereal, with such gorgeous attention to detail to the back. The inspiration came from a trip to India and the Calla lily flower. In the most delicate of pure chiffon silk, using a traditional weaving method alat tenun bukan mesin, this dress would make the most intriguing wedding dress, requiring minimal accessories.

When asked who amongst his contemporaries he most admires, without hesitation Jeffry mentions Biyan, and also Didi Budiardjo as “I like the intriguing way he thinks about and manipulates fabric.”

Lilium Dress 2012

We talk about where he sees his eponymous label in a decade’s time. He would like to see it expand but not in such a way that causes loss of identity, as has been the case for some other brands. You can tell that Jeffry is a thoughtful planner and will only walk before he runs!

Kenneth Yeung is a Jakarta-based editor

The Executioners & t h e G r av e ya r d Indonesians are being royally scammed when law enforcers use their power to attack opponents of the country’s endemic corruption. By Kenneth Yeung

Budi Gunawan

“Five hundred thousand rupiah, mister!” demanded the smirking policeman who had pulled me over on a Sunday afternoon in North Jakarta last month. He was requesting a bribe because I was not carrying my passport. Instead, I had an original KITAS (residency permit) and a photocopy of my passport’s data page. When I asked him which regulation states that a KITAS is an unacceptable form of identification, the policeman reduced the requested bribe to Rp.100,000. I felt like telling him that begging and corruption are illegal, but I just smiled and waited until he eventually let me continue.

Police retaliated against the KPK by digging up old cases against its leaders and declaring two of them suspects. The KPK’s 21 investigators are also being targeted for allegedly possessing guns with expired licenses – for which the penalty is 20 years in jail. The judiciary last week came to the assistance of police. South Jakarta District Court ruled that Budi should no longer be a corruption suspect because he was in an administrative position when the alleged crimes occurred and the “gifts” he received did not cause state losses. The ruling was made by Judge Sarpin Rizaldi, who has been accused in the past of accepting bribes to hand down favourable verdicts.

The official vision of the National Police is to “professionally and proportionally uphold the supremacy of the law and human rights”. The 2002 Police Law states that police “The message was are directly under the authority of the clear: judges who president. Yet the latest war of some senior police against the respected punish the powerful Corruption Eradication Commission risk being murdered (KPK) has been anything but and the villains will not proportional and for a while it seemed be properly punished.” the force was not under the control of President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo. Fortunately, Jokowi intervened in the conflict last week by cancelling the inauguration of Commissioner General Budi Gunawan as the next National Police chief in response to a public outcry over corruption allegations. Budi, who was nominated by the president on January 9 and then endorsed by parliament, has long been close to former president Megawati Sukarnoputri, to whom Jokowi is indebted because she was the crucial backer of his rise to the presidency last year. The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre had in 2008 found suspicious transactions involving bank accounts of Budi and his son Herviano ‘Vinno’ Widyatama. In 2005, when Vinno was 19, one of his accounts received a transfer of $5.9 million, some of which was transferred to one of Budi’s accounts. The KPK on January 13 declared Budi a suspect, accusing him of taking bribes when he headed the Career Development Bureau at Police Headquarters over 20032006 and during other positions. Budi’s declared assets had soared from Rp.4.6 billion to Rp.22.6 billion ($364,000 to $1.8 million) between 2008 and 2013, whereas his monthly take-home pay was under Rp.18 million. He claimed his wealth grew because dozens of his properties had appreciated in value.

South Jakarta District Court has long been known as “the graveyard of corruption cases” for ruling in favour of some of the country’s biggest graft suspects. Many of its not guilty verdicts were subsequently overturned by higher courts.

It’s not surprising that some judges lack courage. South Jakarta District Court in 1999 exonerated former dictator Suharto’s youngest son, Hutomo ‘Tommy’ Mandala Putra, in a corruption case that cost the state Rp.95.4 billion. The Supreme Court later overturned the verdict and sentenced Tommy to 18 months behind bars. He responded by commissioning the assassination of the judge who convicted him. Tommy was eventually punished by spending under five years in luxury jail conditions, where his girlfriends could visit him and he routinely took leave for alleged medical reasons. The message was clear: judges who punish the powerful risk being murdered and the villains will not be properly punished. Police opposed to corruption within their ranks also risk retribution. Endang Tarsa, a police officer serving as the KPK’s director of enforcement, was urged by senior police to testify that Budi’s indictment was due to a vendetta by KPK Chairman Abraham Samad and Deputy Chairman Bambang Widjojanto. When he insisted the indictment was in line with procedures, he was allegedly threatened, resulting in his family being taken to a safe house.

the South Jakarta District Court this past week, and most likely to pay the fancy lawyers they have hired to defend their leaders. Your money has also gone to pay for the high salaries of politicians in parliament who have been farting around for much of the past six months. Don't forget to add a note of thanks to all these nice people at the bottom of your SPT.” Former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, often criticized for failing to be sufficiently tough on corruption, is now looking a lot better because he consistently defended the KPK from attacks. Jokowi, on the other hand, was looking weak and his credentials as a reformist were under fire. He managed to regain some credibility after nominating a new police chief—with declared wealth of Rp.8.29 billion ($644,000)—and by appointing three respected interim leaders of the KPK. Viewed as a clean break from the past when he took office last October, Jokowi was always going to have to make painful compromises with the political elite. Some optimistic pundits felt he was playing smart by allowing the police and the pro-Budi parliament to reveal their true colours – and he has now saved the day at the last minute. Others claim that any sustained attack on KPK will result in something like the 1998 mass protests that brought down Suharto. That’s unlikely because the ’98 protests were fuelled mainly by economic hardship. Although Jokowi’s approval ratings have slumped in recent weeks, he has made some achievements, such as removing gasoline subsidies, enabling the government to significantly increase infrastructure spending. That’s welcome news to investors, but they would also like Indonesia to have greater law enforcement and better education. The president still has more than four-and-a-half years to get things straight. As for the KPK, its new leaders may think twice before accusing police of corruption. It should be no surprise that the agency came under fire, but rather that it has functioned so well since its inception in 2003, successfully prosecuting legislators, former ministers, governors, police and tycoons. Next time I’m pulled over by police and bribe is solicited, I’ll keep on smiling, perhaps chat about illegal parking and hope they find bigger fish actually worth frying.

Taxpayers are not thrilled to be funding the salaries of officials who seem to be intent on emasculating the KPK. One senior newspaperman posted on Facebook: “As you file your tax returns (SPT) in the coming weeks, remember some of your money has gone to pay for the police upkeep, including for the daily rally by thousands of officers outside issue 136 indonesia expat

EXPAT OUTREACH SPORTS Antony is a freelance writer based in Jakarta. Please send comments and suggestions to antony@ the-spiceislands.com

Rugby Romance Words & photos by Antony Sutton

It was Valentine’s Day so I decided to show my long-suffering wife some genuine TLC. We loaded up the car and headed off to watch some rugby somewhere off the Jagorawi toll road. “But I don’t know anything about rugby,” was her half-hearted protest and I don’t think she was impressed by my response. “Nor do I. Do you want to go and see England play Australia in the Cricket World Cup instead?”

All eyes on the ball; puffed cheeks optional The finest sight in rugby - a try

The rugby won. It was a wise decision. Jagowari boasts two fields, some goal posts and some white lines. OK, so it isn’t Twickenham, but the passion is the same – plus the spacious area afforded kids and accompanied dogs the opportunity to stretch their legs in a safe, fun environment. The top field played host to a kids’ extravaganza, with Under 8s and Under 9s letting off steam in front of anxious parents. Down below, amid the white lines and set against a verdant backdrop of jungle light, the main event took place with the first games of the Jakarta Regional XVs kicking off. Division one boasts Jakarta Japan Rugby Gila (JJRG to their mates), Bandung United, Komodos and Bantengs, while the second tier has Bandung Rams, Bogor Rusa and Universitas Negeri Jakarta (UNJ). Seven teams—one had the day off—vying for the title of the region’s best with the players also competing for the chance to represent Indonesia at international competition. I settled down on a grassy knoll not too far from the beer depository to enjoy the fun. I had a good view down on the proceedings but was clueless about how the scoring works, so I used my frequent trips to the beer tent to find out who was beating who, as well as get to know the friendly locals. My wife was not being ignored, honest! This is the social media generation and in true Facebook style she had recognised a sister of a friend she had not seen for years and was having a wild old time imbibing of the grape and catching up on old times.

Bantengs took the lead, but they were soon penned down close to their own line as Komodos tried to get on the score sheet. Bantengs defended valiantly and there were a few times when the referee was forced to call the captains together to ask for cool heads to reign. The Bertie Wooster-type Bantengs skipper would then call his players together and pass on the message: “I say chaps, the old gent with the pea and whistle has asked that we keep our nerve don’t you know. Stop the digs, stop the name calling or he may be forced to punish you, what oh.” Or words to that effect. Then the pitch was invaded by a dog. Actually it was less a dog and more a large rat in high heels. The game was held up for a few moments as one of the big, rough and tough players attempted to escort said canine off the field. Oggie, for that was its name, was having none of it. He would decide when he would leave, not some guy in a tight green shirt, so he yelped and snarled and the player soon backed off much to the amusement of the crowd and other players.

There were three games on the schedule, though to be honest I just had half an eye on the first game as I alternated my time watching the next generation being put through their paces on the top field and ensuring my wife was not too bored.

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Eventually the dog left the field and play resumed. Despite the pressure, the Bantengs were always a threat but I was still somewhat surprised to learn, when I went to replenish my beer supply at half time, the game was nicely poised at 15-15. “But I think Bantengs will win. They are fitter than our guys,” said the guy at the beer tent. And for a while it looked like his prophecy would come true as Bantengs entered the final moments leading 2220. Fortunately for the Komodos, a try was successfully converted and they ran out 27-22 winners in what had been a thrilling game for a neutral like me. There was still one more game on the card to be played, but it seemed my wife had had enough of the rugby, and perhaps more to the point the wine, and not even my best Bintang diplomacy could persuade her to stick around any longer. Unfortunately I was not able to gather any more comments from the players as they unwound close to the beer tent and my suggestion we follow them to the pub to catch the 6 Nations game between England and Italy—in the name of research—didn’t go down too well. We packed the gear back in the car, I said “Happy Valentine’s Day” and then slept all the way home!

The second game was perhaps the main event. Komodos, an understated group of chaps who call themselves the “best rugby club in Southeast Asia” were playing the Bantengs and you could say there was some bad blood between the two. Traditionally the Komodos had the upper hand, but they had seen their Lionel Messi head for the Asian spiritual home of rugby, Hong Kong, while another mainstay was more interested in protecting his supposed good looks in the hope of furthering his TV career – they were expecting to struggle a bit. In the meantime, Bantengs, who had normally drawn their strength from the Indonesian community, had snapped up a few foreigners to help them mount a title charge. It may not have been the Calcutta Cup, but it promised to be a feisty affair and I was not disappointed.

“It may not have been the Calcutta Cup, but it promised to be a feisty affair and I was not disappointed.”

A helping hand

Indonesia Rugby indonesiarugbyunion.pitchero.com Bantengs www.jakartabanteng.com Komodos www.pitchero.com/clubs/jakartakomodos

EXPAT OUTREACH VOLUNTEERS Hush Petersen is currently on sabbatical from the hero's journey. He loves sipping Budweisers, doing the crossword and judging people outside Ranch Market in Mega Kuningan. You should join him some time.

FATHER ° VOLUNTEER ° GYM RAT

SCOTT HANNA By Hush Petersen

If you’ve ever participated in a creative fundraiser in Jakarta, the chances are you’ve run into Scott Hanna. We meet the man himself to find out how he is able to juggle his busy work and family life with his passion of helping others. The cacophony at the Hanna household usually kicks off at around 5.30 in the morning. Scott and his wife Irene are the proud parents of two beautiful girls, who have to be ready for school and out the door before 6.45am. Early morning conversations with his daughters include observations like, “How is it a see-saw if it is not from the sea and has no saw?” Then it is off to the office for Scott, while his wife heads to CrossFit, the high-intensity strength and conditioning programme that has swept Jakarta, and most of the world. The family’s commitment to the gym means that the Hannas don’t normally return home until 10pm. Irene runs the gym, with Hanna helping out where he can — and the last class ends at 9pm. For Hanna, who works in the mining industry, the last waking hours of the day are usually spent reading and responding to emails coming in from the US, and making sure homework is done and the girls are ready for school the next day. And while it is not uncommon to find a corporate executive interested in philanthropy, Hanna’s commitment to coming up with creative approaches to get people excited about supporting charitable causes stands out. From a founding role with Drive Books, Not Cars—Jakarta’s only pre-lovedEnglish book sale for charity—to taking a facefirst leadership in Pies in the Face—a fundraiser where volunteers pay to throw pies in organisers’ faces—his view is that, while standard donations are great, a more lasting way for raising funds is to give the participants an experience that makes them feel immediately satisfied. Even the more traditional Dylan “charity workout” at Bengkel Crossfit takes an innovative approach to broaden appeal by partnering with #BakeADifference, a bake sale featuring the city’s finest sugary treats to entice a group that might not want to sign up for gruelling exercise. But how does Hanna balance charity work, the girls and his commitments at the gym? “I think the first step is to accept you cannot do it all,” says Hanna. “You realize you won’t make every recital, because there are times when work matters require immediate attention. You concede that you won’t destroy your career

Scott Hanna carrying his whole family

if you stop spending Sundays reviewing every analyst report on commodity futures in painstaking detail. And, while watching barbells bend is one of my greatest passions, I have to be disciplined that putting food on the table and quality time with my girls have to always come first.” Hanna, who hails from a small town in North Dakota, admits that 10 years ago he would have never imagined himself settling in Indonesia, let alone running around Jakarta, trying to get from the gym to a parent-teacher conference. “I did my first graduate degree in public policy with the intention of working in Washington, D.C.,” he says. “I didn’t specifically study Southeast Asia or mining, however I sent off my resume to Freeport on a bit of a whim, wound up with a great job offer, and found myself on a plane to Papua only a few months later. For most of the world, and perhaps especially Americans, Indonesia is an unguarded but unexplored secret: a massive country with a huge, diverse population and incredible economic potential that almost no one pays attention to. Like most everyone else, I knew very little about Indonesia before I came here, but quickly fell in love—with the country and a woman—and decided to stay.” When Irene’s younger sister tragically passed away, the couple decided to adopt her daughter Erica and start a family, blessed with the unexpected news of Irene’s own pregnancy only days later. Romantic getaways, Hanna says, gave way to family holidays almost overnight. Second only to the office and school, Hanna explains that the family spends more waking time at Bengkel CrossFit than they do at home. “While my wife has earned perhaps the world’s most prestigious MBA along the way and I treasure my daughters’ exposure to healthy, active lifestyles, we never planned to have such involvement,” Hanna explains. More broadly, Irene initially planned to support bringing CrossFit to Jakarta, until unexpected and challenging circumstances led to Irene becoming the majority investor, taking over management to preserve a project the family fell in love with.

Scott Hanna helped to raise over 300 million rupiah for Mary's Cancer Kiddies

Beyond all the sweat and family hugs, Hanna is an avid community volunteer, opening the family establishment and his heart to a number of local fundraisers and charity initiatives. “From coaching pee-wee football to AmeriCorps in an underserved inner-city elementary school, I’ve always been involved in volunteering to help kids,” says Hanna, “but what has been really exciting is brewing up creative approaches to support these causes so that we all stay energized and ask ourselves ‘what’s next’ after every event.” His next charity event is the third annual Dylan Tribute Workout, which is in memory of a young man taken before his time. In that spirit of sacrifice and in honour of Dylan’s family’s decision to Donate for Life to save the lives of other children, they named and completed a "Hero" workout in Dylan’s name, which took place last June, and are committed to making it an annual tradition in his remembrance. Bengkel CrossFit will be raising funds to help obtain birth certificates for underprivileged children in Indonesia, and raise awareness about this issue. The latest research shows that an estimated 60% of Indonesian children under the age of five don’t have a birth certificate, perhaps as many as 24 million kids. Without birth certificates, these children are denied access to education and medical treatment, essentially being served a life sentence of being stuck in the poverty cycle. In addition to the Dylan Tribute Workout and Pies in the Face for Charity, Hanna takes part in, if not runs, countless other creative volunteering activities. He is involved with Murph Challenge Workout of the Day, where participants run a mile, do 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats and then run a mile again, with all the proceeds from the workout going to veterans and the Murph Foundation (in memory of a Navy SEAL); and he pioneered Jakarta Movember, a yearly event where moustaches grown to raise awareness of testicular cancer are auctioned and shaved off for cancer charities. Scott Hanna has also helped to raise funds for children’s cancer charity, Mary’s Cancer Kiddies, and Taman Bacaan Pelangi, which raises awareness for literacy and libraries in eastern Indonesia and serves as a sorting venue for Drive Books, Not Cars. To get in touch with Scott Hanna, e-mail bengkelcrossfit@gmail.com

Scott Hanna at charity event Pies in the Face for Drive Books Not Cars

issue 136 indonesia expat

EXPAT OUTREACH WORTHY CAUSES

English in The Village program at BCF

Moving Forward with the Help of Education By Robin Dougherty

Bali Children Foundation supports Balinese children in remote, rural areas of Bali by providing education for a brighter future. Bali Children Foundation (BCF) was founded by local businesswoman Margaret Barry, better known as Marg, in 2003. It is an education-based yayasan (charity) based in the north and north-west areas of Bali. “After the first Bali bomb, I volunteered, like many in Bali, to help in any way possible. We all—locals, expats and tourists—worked to help the many injured,” Marg explained when asked what gave her the urge to start BCF. “We managed to get everyone that needed and wanted to go, out of Bali within 24 hours. I saw the cooperation amongst us all and thought, what worthwhile purpose could I put this good example to, to help the Bali community.” “I grew up in a small remote country area in Victoria, Australia and I saw my father help our local community, witnessing what one man’s effort in a relatively short life could achieve. He died when I was only 15 and I was the eldest of six children,” Marg continued. “Firstly, I wondered what would make the most difference here in Bali where I have spent the last 20 years. It had to be education, which would give the children from poor, disadvantaged areas access to the best jobs in Bali. This was a way out of poverty.” Now, 12 years on, Bali Children Foundation has over 1,000 children on scholarships, including 10 students in tertiary education. The majority of the Foundation’s work is in remote communities on poor agricultural land amongst the hills of north and north-west Bali. When BCF first started to work in the area, the drop-out rate was at grade six. Working with community leaders and families, they have developed successful strategies to keep the children at school, not just to junior high school, but to senior high school and to post-secondary education. How does it all work? Village by village: after selecting a village with disadvantaged families, local Balinese staff members work with the village leadership (Kepala Desa

Dua Tangan Cukup

and Kelian of each banjar) to introduce families to BCF and the opportunities the scholarships provide. The families commit to supporting their child throughout their school year. The children agree to attend school and work hard. This is a major cultural agreement and is vital to BCF’s success. The scholarship contributes to school fees, uniforms, shoes and socks, books, school bags, stationary – all the basics the child needs to support them through school. One of the major components of BCF’s success is their after-school classes. Each child receives lessons in English language, focusing on spoken English. The older children receive computer lessons in specially set-up school rooms with fourteen computers. The teachers for these lessons are provided by BCF. The children are taught by qualified young graduates or post graduates, who relate well to the children. The children can also attend clubs led by skilled teachers, in Balinese classical singing, modern and traditional dancing and silat, a traditional martial art.

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“I am 22 years old and the eldest of one brother and two sisters. BCF sponsored me when I was in year 11, at High School,” Fitri explains. “My mother is a housewife and my father is a labourer. We were very poor. BCF sponsored me until I finished university in UNDIKSHA with Informatics Management Diploma. During my studies, BCF gave me the opportunity to be an assistant English teacher and also to teach basic computer skills to other sponsored children. I graduated from University in July 2013.” Fitri is now employed with BCF in their service area as a district field data co-ordinator. “BCF has changed my life into something valuable for my future. This is an opportunity for me to achieve my dreams that I thought were impossible,” she concluded.

For more than 12 years, Bali Children Foundation has worked hard to achieve their aims and their hard work has paid off. In the 2013-14 school year they had zero dropout at elementary school and less than one percent all the way through to year 12.

Fitri is just one of the many children sponsored by BCF that have gone from living in poor and disadvantaged villages, with very little opportunity, to advancing beyond the village to a brighter future.

Last year, 69 children graduated from high school, nine went on to tertiary studies on BCF scholarships and two were on government scholarships – the rest are in good paying jobs. In the work group, 90% are employed within 60 days of graduating. Ida Ayu Putu Fitriyani (Fitri) was one of the first students who went on to graduate from university and is now working for BCF. “I am a Balinese girl from Singaraja, North Bali,” Fitri says when asked about her background.

On 15 February 2015—International Childhood Cancer Day— over 1,000 altruistic individuals descended on Lotte Shopping Avenue, Central Jakarta, to undergo a makeover that just might make over a cancer sufferer’s life. Statistics show that one in 600 children will suffer from cancer before they reach 16 years of age; and that every year, 4,100 new cases of childhood cancer are expected in Indonesia. Cancer is hard for anyone, at any time, but possibly most of all for children from disadvantaged backgrounds whose families cannot always afford the care needed. This is something local charity Yayasan Kasih Anak Kanker Indonesia (YKAKI) works to address. But one hardship YKAKI cannot always solve is the frequent loss of one of society’s signifiers of beauty—our hair— due to chemotherapy.

Margaret Barry CEO & Founder of BCF

Bali Children Foundation relies on support from individuals and the business world both here and overseas. Sponsors provide for the cost of the students. Most sponsors have one child while there are businesses and organisations that support up to 150 children. Sponsorship is a longterm commitment, from the beginning until the child finishes high school. For more information, visit www.balichildrenfoundation.org

Actions From Across The Archipelago

Getting the chop for children’s cancer charity YKAKI By Annali Hayward

Children of Bali Children Foundation using computers

This was the inspiration for Engeline Tjia, Marketing Director of Lotte Mart Indonesia, to initiate the event, entitled Hair for Love. “I had a friend who had a mastectomy and lost her hair. I felt it was a double whammy,” Tjia explains, also pointing out that Indonesians have beautiful, lustrous hair that is perfect for making into wigs (if the cut piece is over 15-20cm) or eyelashes. Over 1,200 donors signed up online before the event. The organisers expect to raise something in the region of Rp.2 billion in profits after expert wigmakers D’Eyeko have worked their magic, all of which will go to YKAKI. The event featured celebrity stylists, presenters, and make-up artists, as well as speeches from survivors to inspire those waiting for the chop.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

22nd ASEAN-EU Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) Meeting convenes in Jakarta

Rotary Club Jakarta Cilandak hosts inaugural Rawinala Foundation Online Auction INDONESIA Rotary Club Jakarta Cilandak Indonesia is hosting its inaugural Rawinala Foundation Online Charity Auction for the Rawinala Foundation, a Jakarta-based educational and care facility for multi-disabled, visually impaired (MDVI) children. Funds raised will be used to build a training centre, used to train teachers and carers from around Indonesia, who will be able to return to their communities to help the education and wellbeing of multi-disabled, visually impaired children in their locations. Currently there are only five MVDI schools in Indonesia caring for 200 children (less than 1% of estimated MVDI children in Indonesia). Funds generated from this auction will be 100% utilised towards this building project. No administrative fees are deducted from the proceeds of this auction.

JAKARTA The 22nd Meeting of the ASEAN-EU Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) was held on 5 February 2015 in Jakarta. The meeting confirmed the excellent momentum in strengthening ASEAN-EU relations. The 22nd Meeting of the ASEAN-EU JCC was co-chaired by His Excellency Mr. Vu Dang Dzung, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to ASEAN, Country Coordinator for the ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations, and by Mr. Ranieri Sabatucci, Head of the Southeast Asia Division of the European External Action Service. ASEAN and the EU exchanged views on developments in their respective regions. The EU welcomed the progress achieved in ASEAN integration and Community-building and reaffirmed its support to the centrality of ASEAN in the evolving regional architecture, and the establishment of the ASEAN Community by 2015 and beyond. ASEAN and the EU underlined the unique nature, the deepening and the intensification of their partnership with impressive progress being registered in the political, economic and socio-cultural fields and in the development of new areas of cooperation. Broadly, topics covered trade and investment, science, technology and research, and narrowing the intra-ASEAN development gap.

Online bidding will run from 1 – 31 March 2015. Bidders can register and place bid for room nights in Jakarta, Bali and elsewhere. The room nights are valid from 1 May 2015 for 6-12 months, though some blackout dates apply and bookings are subject to availability. Most of the major hotels are participating. The highest bidder as of 31 March 2015 will be contacted to arrange payment and to be given the vouchers. This online auction will become a yearly event from 2015. Visit www.biddingowl.com/rotarycilandak to get bidding for a good cause!

Grand Hyatt Jakarta announces Regia Jahja’s appointment as Director of Sales and Marketing JAKARTA Grand Hyatt Jakarta is pleased to announce the appointment of Regia Jahja as the new Director of Sales and Marketing. In this role, Regia is responsible for Grand Hyatt Jakarta sales and marketing strategy as well as to lead and nurture the field of sales, event sales, marketing communications, digital marketing and revenue teams. Prior to joining Grand Hyatt Jakarta, Regia had 15 years of experience in the field of Sales and Marketing in various hotels in Indonesia. Regia graduated from Trisakti Tourism Academy Jakarta and holds a diploma Tourism Management, she began her career as MICE Senior Account Executive, gradually rising through the ranks over the years in different hotel brands including InterContinental MidPlaza Jakarta, Gran Melia Hotel Jakarta, Mandarin Oriental Jakarta and most recently Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta.

Exporters to the European Union discuss Food Safety of Fisheries Products BALI The European Commission, in collaboration with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Indonesia), is holding a public seminar on European Union (EU) law applicable to fishery products on both food safety requirements and systems of official controls. By further supporting the capacity building in the competent authorities in non-EU countries approved for export of fisheries products or non-approved countries with a further potential for export, EU intends to ensure that these countries establish food safety requirements and systems of official controls that are at least equivalent to those prevailing in the EU. The specific objective is to train companies—from Asia and the Pacific—exporting fisheries products to the EU and officers in the competent authorities to design and implement a system of official controls which are efficient in regard to verification of compliance with general and specific hygiene and food safety requirements for fisheries products. These events are part of a series of regional workshops on Food Safety and Plant Health to be organised in Asia from 2014 to 2016, funded by European Commission and implemented by the Consumer, Health and Food Executive Agency. Other subjects of workshops will include Plant Health, Fisheries Products, Risk Assessment, Food Information and Traceability.

Ismaya Group opens GIA Jakarta in Sampoerna Strategic Square JAKARTA The Ismaya Group was established in 2003 with the aim of becoming one of Southeast Asia’s premier lifestyle and hospitality companies. In Jakarta, the group already owns and operates many of the city’s most popular dining, drinking and entertainment venues, such as Social House. Most recently, the group was proud to announce the opening (in December 2014), of GIA Jakarta, a new Italian restaurant in the heart of the city. Italian eateries are still gaining in popularity in Indonesia and GIA is a fabulous new addition. Executive Chef, Tommaso Gonfiantini, shared that the menu is inspired by the food he loved to eat as a child growing up in Tuscany. Indonesia Expat sampled a roasted vegetable orzo antipasti which was imaginative, fresh and delicious. Bottarga and caserecce pastas were both spicy but beautifully flavoured. For mains, polenta with gorgonzola was the perfect accompaniment to a tender stockyard sirloin. The kitchen really excelled with dessert – which is nothing in an Italian restaurant without grandma’s tiramisu recipe. This was matched by a delightful cannoli with hazelnut gelato. The surroundings are impressive and darkly sophisticated, and the cocktail menu is inspired by legendary Italian beauties like Sophia Loren.

www.foodinfo-europe.com

issue 136 indonesia expat

Into and Out of the Comfort Zone

* Answers in the next edition!

LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

CROSSWORD

By Eamonn Sadler (www.eamonnsadler.com)

I was recently forced to do something that I have never really wanted to, and to my great surprise I found that it was actually one of the most amazing and enjoyable things I have ever done. It is something that I have avoided doing until now because I could not, for the life of me, understand why anybody would want to do it. It seemed like the ultimate “anti-experience”, offering far too much organisation and a complete lack of spontaneity.

I usually like to decide things last minute; I like to fly to a new and interesting place, hire a car and then drive until I find something or somewhere unusual and stop and have a look. I drove from Geneva to Cannes once just for the hell of it, and about half way there I decided to get off the motorway and take to the small roads. A couple of hours later I was lunching alone next to an ancient coliseum every bit as impressive as the one in Rome, and an entirely circular old woman from a renaissance painting was serving me a plate of cheese and cooked meats with a wonderful bottle of red wine because that was apparently what I had requested from the hand-written menu. It was against this backdrop that I was persuaded to go on my first “cruise”. Anathema to an anarchistic hobo like me, but it was only three days, so I thought “How bad can it be?” and went for it. And I am extremely glad that I did. First of all, have you seen the size of those freakin’ ships? I had previously seen them at sea and I had seen pictures in the brochures of course, but I never really got my head round the sheer scale of the things. The one I was on had over 3,000 passengers onboard and more than 1,000 crew. I apologise to all the seasoned cruisers out there, who are yawning right now and saying, “Welcome to the world sonny,” but I was truly flabbergasted. Apparently the largest cruise ship in the world can accommodate almost twice as many passengers, but for me there comes a point when “Holy sh*t!” applies across the board. I always imagined that a cruise would be my worst nightmare come true; everything laid on and everything done in groups at certain times of the day, every meal timed

There comes a point when “Holy sh*t!” applies across the board… according to your turn on the roster. And that is exactly what it is, if you want it to be. If you don’t want it to be, you can go wherever you want to go whenever you like, and you can have every meal served in your stateroom (not “cabin”, old chap) for a tiny extra cost. Since we had a suite with its own balcony, every bit as nice as any five-star hotel room I have ever stayed in, this was a frequent choice. (Cruising is not something you want to do on a budget – either do it properly or don’t do it at all.) If you enjoy a nice room with a balcony that offers a new and breathtaking view every morning, cruising is for you. There are mind-boggling dining choices, and believe it or not, they don’t gouge you with the price of booze – everything is comparable with the prices in any hotel, in fact cheaper than many. And with the ship being the floating city that it is, you are only ever a short walk away from a variety of shows and other entertainment options. In the three days we were aboard we saw four separate West End-style shows, a comedian, several bands and we even had the privilege of losing US$50 in the casino before we knew what happened. It’s a little piece of Las Vegas floating about in the sea and every so often you get to go ashore and get ripped off by the locals. I highly recommend it. And for those of you who have been giggling all the way through this imagining me partaking in the other kind of cruising, please grow up.

IS MADE POSSIBLE BY:

indonesia expat issue 136

Across 1. Slop - command to huskies! (4) 3. Preprandial drink (8) 9. Buddhist heaven (7) 10. Verge (of war etc) (5) 11. Section of wood or metal (5) 12. Haphazard (6) 14. Authority for assassination? (7,2,4) 17. Game bird - flop (6) 19. Stupid person (5) 22. One who is always unsuccessful (5) 23. Twist round and round (7) 24. Marry fad (anag) (8) 25. Type of examination (4)

DOWN 1. Position of having no competitors (8) 2. Hooter - femme fatale (5) 4. Alleged hangover cure (7,6) 5. Bird - boy's name (5) 6. North African city (7) 7. Forgery (4) 8. Liquid measure (6) 13. Woodland flower (8) 15. Hunter of hares - speedy horse or bird (7) 16. Lay down (law) (6) 18. County of Tralee (5) 20. Lowest point (5) 21. Indicator of pitch (4)

ANSWERS OF ISSUE 135 ACROSS — 1. Squash 4. Venus 7. Saturn 8. Frappe 9. Beau 10. Seminude 12. Solar system 17. Cheerful 19. Mars 20. Uranus 21. Walnut 22. Earth 23. Groggy

DOWN — 1. Sea legs 2. Unusual 3. Sans serif

4. Verdi 5. Neptune 6. Sweden 11. Mayflower 13. Open air 14. Time-lag 15. Mercury 16. Accuse 18. Rough

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OBSERVATIONS

Getting to the Other Side The safest time to cross the street in Jakarta can be when the city is at maximum danger level, as Daniel Pope explains. By Daniel Pope

Photo by Yudha P Sunandar (CC)

“Palls of black smoke rising behind the houses gave the city an apocalyptic backdrop.”

ost roads in Jakarta are so horrendously congested that being hit by a car simply involves being gently nudged out of its path. But when crossing roads where the traffic does speed freely along, Indonesians use a ‘magic hand’, outstretched at whatever buses or trucks are hurtling toward them, as they step off the curb with the sea-parting confidence of Moses. Astonishingly, they never get hit. It's as though they've slipped into another dimension, the vehicles passing straight through them. Foreigners, lacking this ability, are advised to cross the streets in Jakarta like a soldier traversing a battlefield. You should dart your eyes in all directions—upwards too because you never know—then dash forward when you see an approaching gap in the traffic, treating vehicles around you as exploding mortar shells. And this is just when the traffic lights are red. At other times you should forget about the road and find a footbridge instead. Not that pedestrian bridges are entirely safe. I was once mugged on one spanning Jalan Sudirman. Confronted by a small boy brandishing a feeble type of knife, which suggested he was threatening to smear me with butter rather than stab me, I laughed. However, his accomplice was a long-haired, tattooed man with a sickle, which he handled with no small amount of menace. I promptly handed over my wallet. The boy extracted the cash, returned the wallet with a chirpy “Thank you, Mister,” and departed with his cohort. A policeman subsequently advised me to shout “maling!” (thief) should I ever get mugged again. This would alert passersby to form an angry mob and beat the thieves up. Like the young thief on the footbridge, most Indonesians address foreigners as ‘Mister’. Usually it is in the form of “Hello, Mister,” which means just that, or "Mau ke mana, Mister?” which means “Where are you going?”and is not intended to be intrusive. So I was surprised when I visited the small town of Rumbai in Sumatra’s Riau province, where the most popular greeting from local youths, usually aboard passing motorcycles, was “F--k you, Mister!”

a cabinet TV – expensive items for this downmarket neighbourhood.

Jakarta Riot: 14 May 1998 (Wikipedia Creative Commons)

The explanation may be that Rumbai is dominated by the American oil giant Chevron, for which many but not all locals work, creating a division of wealth in the community. Expatriate employees might be viewed by the town’s less well-off as capitalist overlords, deserving of a good expletive or two learnt from the abundance of Hollywood action movies sold on cheap, pirated DVDs around the city. I never got mugged in Riau but my hotel room did get burgled. Returning one afternoon from an errand, I spotted the thief exiting my door, and I hurried after him down the stairs. Did I take the policeman's advice and shout ‘maling’? Oddly not. I was afflicted by a momentary sort of speechlessness. I shouted, “Oi!” Yes, that's right. “Oi, you! Oi!” as though my toe was being trodden on. The Indonesian hotel guests milling around the foot of the stairs, perhaps fearing that 'Oi!' was English for kebakaran (fire), or some other such urgent warning, moved toward the exits. Meanwhile the thief, who had fled the hotel unchallenged, hopped onto the back of a waiting accomplice's motorcycle, and off they sped, along with my laptop. I jumped into a taxi and instructed the driver to give chase. However, this driver— and I’m not kidding here—suffered from an acute nervous twitch that, in more regulated societies, would have disqualified him from driving. Every minute or so, his left arm—as if controlled by clockwork— involuntarily yanked the steering wheel downward, as his back heaved and he exhaled a plaintive utterance, while the vehicle lurched off-course. Each time this happened he’d swivel around to me, grinning, “Sorry, Mister.”

At a normal speed, he could pass as just another erratic driver, but I was pushing him hard. Eventually one of his more violent spasms caused the car to glance the central barrier. Had we been going any faster the taxi might have overturned. I was lucky. But being flung across the rear seat by the collision gave me a frightening hint of just how bone-shattering would be the impact of a full-on car crash. I became a rear seat-belt convert after that. By far the greatest danger I’ve ever felt myself in came on May 14, 1998, which would become infamous as the day that lawlessness gripped much of Jakarta and rioters took control. The riots were partly triggered by the Asian financial crisis, which caused the rupiah to crash, wiping out people’s savings and resulting in mass lay-offs. I woke up at home in Central Jakarta to the sight of white smoke drifting past my window. At first I thought there must be more sate sellers than usual parked down the street. Then a friend phoned to say he was on the roof of his office watching a shopping mall burning down. Later we heard that nine people died in that mall, indicating there was no coordination between the arsonists and the looters. This was the story across much of the city, where provocateurs had incited people to loot – and then set fire to the malls while the looters were still inside. At the end of my street a procession of over laden vehicles—motorbikes, bajaj, cars, vans, trucks—pluttered back from parts of the city where looting was rampant. One bajaj looked as if its roof might collapse under the teetering stack of brand new, boxed home appliances lashed to it. There was a chest freezer, a washing machine,

We heard that few shops remained intact. In the coming weeks, former staff would be protesting outside some of those bare-shelved buildings, holding placards reading: “Enjoy your plunder now – later rot in Hell.” Not a police officer was to be seen anywhere during the riots. Palls of black smoke rising behind the houses gave the city an apocalyptic backdrop. Ignoring warnings that I risked being kidnapped or robbed—Jakarta’s unfortunate ethnic Chinese population was the target of the malevolence—I perched on a motorcycle taxi that threaded though streets where people clustered like zombies among litter and rubble. I was looking for refuge, somewhere I might find safety in numbers and security guards. I stayed in a hotel for the night. Many people had no such luck. More than 1,000 perished, mostly in mall fires; while scores of ethnic Chinese women were mass-raped. The masterminds have never been brought to justice. Next day, the streets really had become a military battlefield. The authorities had regained control of most of the city by midday, and Army vehicles were patrolling the streets. Nearly everything on wheels was khaki-coloured and projecting guns. Tanks were rolling along Jalan Sudirman, Jakarta's main business thoroughfare. Elsewhere, there was almost zero traffic and few people to be seen. The riots were completely extinguished by evening, though much political and social turmoil lay ahead for Jakarta and the country. But for one day at least, crossing the road had never been simpler or safer.

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

issue 136 indonesia expat

EVENTS

If you want your event to be posted here, please contact (+62) 0 21 719 5908 or e-mail: events@indonesiaexpat.biz

JAKARTA

missed by any fashionista worth their sartorial salt. The Jakarta Convention Centre will be taken over by international and local designers, retailers and more, to celebrate and showcase all that the growing Indonesian fashion industry has to offer. www.indonesiafashionweek.com/

Food & Drink

retreat is priced at £1,450 with a monthly payment plan available up on r e q ue s t . R e g i s t e r b y emailing healthcoachandcook@ g mail.com or v isiting w w w. healthcoachandcook.com.

Education student ID) is requested. www. heritagejkt.org or call +62 (0)21 572 5870, or lectures@heritagejkt. org

Rock & Roll Night at Tiga Puluh Music Bar+Lounge Indonesia Wine & Spirits Expo 2015 31 March–2 April 2015 Indonesia is purportedly the fa stest-g row ing w ine a nd spir its market in Southea st Asia, due to the growth of the Indonesian middle classes. Big players in the market want to reach Indonesian buyers, and they need a platform to meet and participate in the growth of the wine and spirits business in the future. Bringing together certified and authorized importers along with manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and distributors from all over the world, the event will be three days of exhibitions and workshops, blind tastings, cocktail demonstrations and even a wine auction. The event w i l l b e held at Sa mp o er n a S t r at eg ic S qu a r e , Ja k a r t a . For further info email info@ indonesiawineandspirits.com www.indonesiawineandspirits. com. Tel: +62 (0)21 7917 0744 Networking

Photography 28 February 2015 Le Meridien Jakarta hosts a night of the best rock songs of all time with home band and resident DJ at Tiga Puluh Music Bar+Lounge, from 10pm onwards. Special offers include 20 % off spirit by bottle, 10% off wine (red or white) by bottle, and buy two get three glasses of cocktails. Email dining. jakarta@lemeridien.com. www. lemeridien.com/jakarta Tel: +62 (0)21 2513131

One Direction—On the Road Again Tour

World Education Festival 2015 27–28 February 2015 The W E Fe s t , or g a n i se d by AGOR A Indonesia and MSW Globa l, a ims to showc a se educational institutions (as well a s selected companies from the private sector) from home and abroad. The aim is to help young prospective students and employees to make solid decisions to prepare themselves for the world of further study, and of a working life beyond. http://www. worldeducationfest.com Tel: +62 21 293 19384 Charity

25 March 2015 If your (or your teen daughter’s) nerves can stand it, the chance to bathe in the presence of the golden ones of pop will grace Jakarta in March. The beautifulhaired boys will rif le through their hits at Gelora Bung Karno Senayan. Expect copious macet, ear-shattering screams, and lots of fun. Selamat Datang, Harry and co.! www.1dindo.com

JAKARTA PHOTOGRAPHY Islamic Monuments of India & Indonesia 16–27 February As part of 'Sahabat India - The Festival', running from January to June 2015, the Embassy of India in Jakarta, in cooperation with Ministry of Religious Affairs of Republic of Indonesia and Istiqlal Mosque, brings you a photo exhibition of Islamic monuments in India. 61 photographs will be on display, of which 45 display the Islamic monuments in India and 14 depict Islamic monuments in Indonesia from an Indian eye. The exhibition is supported by Indian council of Cultural Relations & Public Diplomacy Division of Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Free for all visitors.

BALI Charity St. Patrick's Charity Ball

Party for Singles in Jakarta 28 February 2015 Still looking for some love in your life? Find a date or a partner, and join in some fun games at a Japanese restaurant in Ratu Plaza (Senayan area), from 2.45pm3.30pm. For more info email admin@match0800.com Music Lenny Kravitz—Strut World Tour 2015

Java Jazz Festival 2015 6–8 March 2015 The jazz festival going strong in the capital since 2004 is back in March this year at the JIExpo in Kemayoran. Confirmed acts so far as usual include a mix of local and international musos, to name a few: the Benjamin Herman Quar tet, Blue Note Tokyo All Stars, Brad Mehldau, Courtney Pine, Harvey Mason, Hendrik Meurkens, Michael Lington, Akiko Tsuruga, Alain Caron, Jumanee Smith, Luca Carla & Chris Jarret, Warren Hill, and Jarrod Lawson. http:// www.javajazzfestival.com/2015/ ticket.php Buy 1 get 2 tickets with BNI at http://t.co/W6N6bOdzuS

indonesia expat issue 136

26 March 2015 Another major star is drawn to Indonesia’s burgeoning gig-going fanbase in March, in the shape of gorgeous American god of rock, Lenny Kravitz. No doubt thrilling the crowds with his electric riffs, moves and choruses the world over on his Strut tour, Lenny is set to bring his special brand of devil-may-care charm to the Big Durian, to the delight of fans. Book now! http://variantentertainment.com/ Fashion Indonesia Fashion Week 26 February–1 March 2015 With 32 fashion shows, 665 brands, and 1,920 outfits to see over four days, IFW is not to be

7 March 2015 The event w ill take place on Saturday 7th of March 2015 at Le Meridien Hotel, with welcoming drinks from 6pm. We intend to truly make it a really successful night of fun and networking while most importantly raising funds for various charitable causes to provide a better future for Indonesian children and hopefully in turn being a small positive for Indonesia's future. Dress Code: Black Tie & Ball Gown. Celtic Dancers, Live Band Craic A Tau, For info & RSVP: stpatsjakarta@ gmail.com Location: TBA On RSVP. www.murphysjakarta.com Culture The Indonesian Heritage Society Evening Lectures 3-24 March 2015 The new Evening Lectures Series will be held on Tuesdays at 7pm, with Welcome Reception to open the series at 6pm, at Erasmus Huis, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said. Topics include ‘The Start of The Jokowi Era: What is to come?’, ‘Changing TransJakarta – What’s Ahead for a Busway in a Gridlocked City’, ‘Excellence, Entrepreneurship and Ecosystems – Protecting Papua’, ‘Wayang Kulit for a Modern Audience’, and many more. An entrance donation of Rp.50,000 (Rp.30,000 students with a valid

‘Voices for the Jungle’ Orang Utan Fundraiser 6 March 2015 Orang Utan Republik Education Initiative Indonesia (OUREII) presents a fundraising event for those most-loved of jungle creatures, Ora ng Uta ns, on March 6th 2015 at Warehouse82, Seminyak from 8pm. Receive a welcome jungle cocktail, a shor t mov ie, an ar t auction, danceshow and raffle draw all to jungle sounds from the DJs. Meet conservationists who work with the organisation in Sumatra and learn about what we can do to raise funds and awareness for these critically endangered beauties. www.orangutanrepublik.org Four Seasons ‘Bali Hope for Life’ Fun Run 1 March 2015 Bringing hope and inspiration for people in Bali who are battling

cancer, Four Seasons Resorts Bali is hosting “Bali Hope for Life”, on Sunday, 1 March 2015. All proceeds raised from Bali Hope For Life will be donated to Yayasan Kanker Indonesia and Yayasan Kasih Anak Kanker Indonesia. Everyone is invited to take part in the 5 km fun run, starting at 6:00 a.m. The route begins and finishes at the Lapangan Puputan Niti Mandala Renon, Denpasar. A celebratory party will follow the challenge, providing a light snack and live music. Tickets are available at Rp 100,000 per person at either Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay or Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, or call the number above. Call Dewi Fadmawati at (0361) 701010.

A Healthy Woman is a Happy Woman Retreat 7–14 March 2015 G ek ko Re t re at s pre sent s a program based on the Mulier Art of Health from European holistic healing expert Meri Bura. Yoga and nutrition-led, the course draws on the female archetypes hidden in all women, to ‘wake the goddess inside’ – from wife to seductress to amazon. Personal health evaluation and medical check-up included. The activities leave plenty of free time to enjoy the resort too. Find your inner goddess this spring! http:// gekkoretreats.com/holiday/ healthy-woman-is-a-happywoman/ Culture

International Women's Day 6 March 2015 R.O.L .E Foundation inv ites you to celebrate in style at an Inter nationa l Women’s Day masquerade event. This year Inter nationa l Women’s Day aims to Make It Happen, and i n supp or t i ng t he R .O.L .E Foundation and our BaliWISE program you are choosing to make a difference in a young woman’s life through education and skills training. The event is from 7pm ‘til late, at the Sanur Paradise Plaza Hotel. Tickets are priced at Rp.500,000. Buffet and two hours of free f low alcohol provided. Enjoy a live band, silent auction and plenty of fun and games, as well as local women artisans displaying their work. All proceeds from the evening are directed towards lifting Balinese women out of the poverty cycle and providing them with the skills and education they need to chase their dreams.

BALINALE International Film Festival: Short Film Competition 28 February 2015 #B A L I N A L E i s ple a s e d t o announce a cooperation with the Indonesian Film Festival held in Melbourne, Australia 9-18 April. The Short Film Competition "Other Face of Indonesia" starts at 3. 30pm a nd w ill feature either films about Indonesian language, culture or locations, or films produced in Indonesia (or both). The best short receives a cash prize of US$1,000, and the ‘favourite’ of the night, a hotel voucher! No fee to submit, as long as it is 25 minutes in running time, and from any genre. http:// iffaustralia.com/

JOGJAKARTA

Health

ReTreat Yourself

Revitalizing Women's Retreat

5–14 March 2015 This is a 10 - day retreat for the purpose of rela xing and exploring the Balinese culture. Pa r t ic ipa nt s w i l l h ave t he beautiful opportunity of doing daily meditations, daily yoga with health coach Jennifer Moore, as well as enjoying bike rides along the rice paddies of Ubud and raw food classes with Avara Yaron, founder of Living Food Lab. This

2–6 March 2015 In a time when demands are increasingly placed on our lives, enjoy a mid-week retreat for women to explore, ref lect, and nurture the self, in the beautiful and relaxing surroundings of Jog ja k a r t a , Indonesia . De stress and rejuvenate with free movement, creative draw ing classes and meditation sessions. www.soulliving.info

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Bartele Gallery is the only dedicated shop in Indonesia which focuses on antique maps, prints, photographs, books and antiquities, ideal for a unique gift for that special someone. Come and browse through hundreds of old and original maps and prints from all across the globe!

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issue 136 indonesia expat

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JAKARTA Jobs available

& laundry. Some babysitting may be required on occasion (this is not a nanny position). If anyone is leaving Jakarta soon and has a great helper who needs a new job please let me know. Can please send SMS message to 081315917770.

Looking for work Indonesia Expat is looking for an experienced Sales Person! The ideal candidate will be: a real gogetter. Have heaps of personality. Be very friendly. Have a minimum of 1 year experience working in sales. Have very good verbal and written English. If you believe you're this person, please email info@indonesiaexpat.biz

Indonesia Expat is looking for a Coordinator (local) to manage Clean Up Jakarta Day! The ideal candidate will be passionate about the problem of garbage and littering, with experience in managing events or NGO. You will be supported by the Chief Coordinator and duties w ill include preparations for CUJD 2015; liaising with the government a nd sa nitation depa r tment , liaising with existing sponsors, r a i s i ng n e w s p o n s o r s h ip s , simplifying registration systems, and much more. This job promises to be rewarding, exciting and challenging. Only passionate candidates please! Please send your C V and cover let ter to info@indonesiaexpat.biz. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Looking for bar assistant for a high end Singaporean cocktail bar. Looking for hardworking, preferably good looking man aged 20-27. Willing to learn from the best in the bar industry. Must speak and understand English. Call to Mr Ramon 021 319 250 37. LIVE-IN PEMBANTU/COOK NEEDED: We are looking for a live in Pembantu / cook to help our family. We live in Pondok Indah and have 3 children who are all at school. Must have some English. Duties include ability to cook a mix of Indonesian & western food, household cleaning

indonesia expat issue 136

I ’m l o o k i n g f o r p a r t - t i m e housekeeping job. I would like to apply for a job as a housekeeping - live out or in. Used to work for many years with expat doing genera l clea ning: w iping, mopping, washing, laundr y, paying bills, simple admin, Etc. Have recomendation letter from my expat boss before and they relocated to Dubai. Contact: Dede, Email : Eza_look@yahoo. com, Mobile : 082114338851 I ’m l o o k i n g f o r p a r t - t i m e housekeeping job. I would like to apply for a job as a housekeeping - live out or in. Used to work for many years with expat doing genera l clea ning: w iping, mopping, washing, laundr y, paying bills, simple admin, Etc. Have recomendation letter from my expat boss before and they relocated to Dubai. Contact: Dede, Email : Eza_look@yahoo. com, Mobile : 082114338851 L o ok i ng f or jo b a s d r i v e r. My name: Zulkarnaen, Age: 38, Address : Duri Kosambi Cengkareng Wo r k i ng E x p e r i e n c e : P T. S c h lu mb er g er 2 ye a r s , P T. Ericsson 4 years. If needed driver please contact me: 0822-99238639 or 0815-1727-3881. Thanks

FUR NISHED Condition, AFFORDABLE PRICE. Hurry up! Fir st c ome f ir st ser ved rule is applied. Please Call : 085219553888 / 087889888016. Email: propertysisco@gmail.com. Sell Four Season Apartment Ve r y N i c e V i e w t o C BD & POOL, Semi Furnished, 4+1BR, L o f t - Pe n t h o u s e . S T E V E 085220306768. Sentul City Home stay! A relaxing environment in Sentul City, very comfy and cozy 2 BR house with complete facilities nearby, very close to Giant Xtra (with nice cafes & restaurants inside), Pasar Ah Poong eatery, and fabulous recreation spots around such as JungleLand, Curug Bidadari/ Paradise Park, Taman Budaya outbound & cultural center and many more! Minutes away to Kebun Raya Bogor/ Bogor City, easy access from Jakarta through the Jagorawi toll road (km 36), right on the exit toll of Sentul City/Sentul Selatan. Rate at IDR 600.000 weekdays and IDR 800.000 weekends, free breakfast & swimming voucher. Please call / Whatsapp me on 081287988718. A s k i ng Ta m a n R a s u n a Apartments Area Looking for an apartment in Taman Rasuna Apartments area or same area (Casablanca). 1 or 2 beds - monthly payment. Email me at helloinjakarta@gmail.com or message me (SMS/Whatsapp) at 08118 304 179 (Mario).

Expat lady looking for a new challenge. Hi all, Anyone who needs an Assistant Manager, Ea or PA. please contact me 085692823245. PROPERTY FOR REN T: Taman Rasuna Apartment 2 Bedroom, 74 Sqm, OK Price. Price Range: R.8-9 million per month. Minimum Contract: Monthly/3/6/12 Month. Pay in advance. Please call Novie: 081399077888 / 081511886789. At Rasuna Said - KUNINGAN Area, For RENT/SALE, 1,2,3 B e d r o o m s Ty p e , T A M A N R ASUNA Apartment, 18th Residence, THE WAV E A pa r t ment , F U L LY

B e verly Tower A pa r t ment , a d d r e s s: T B s i m a t u p a n g Simatupang street, Cilandak Barat, South Jakarta. All new fully furnished, 2+1 bedroom, luas bangunan 90m. Good location, on ly 10 minutes to Pondok Indah Mall, 10 min to Pondok Indah Hospital, 5 minutes to Siloam hospital, 5 minutes to toll road Jorr. The location in between JIS school and Don Bosco school, 10 minutes to Citos mall. Facilities: swimming pool for kids and adult, sauna room, f itness room, laundr y room,

mini market and private parking USD 1500/ month (negotiable), contact Eva: +6281806502709 or +6281315972494 House for sale, in Taman Ubud Permai - Lippo Karawaci. Good Location, Easy Access to toll road. Certificate : SHM. Land Size/ Building : 90 m2/70 m2. Bedrooms : 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 1 Maid room. 1-car Carport. Price : 750 mill (Nego). Please contact Ben at 0813 88919000 if you required to see the house.

House for Rent. One nice house 2 storey, one large joined pool, b e aut i f u l g a r den , 2 4Hou r s security compound, no cement wa ll bet ween houses in the compound. Approx.500 M2 house with 1,000 M2 land, located at Jl. Margasatwa Raya, 10 Minutes to Cilandak Commercial Estate. @ USD 3,000,- per month with min. one year lease. If interested (no Broker/Agent), call owner 0811180605 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) +6282110502786 Email: unascartas@yahoo.com. Bahasa Indonesia lessons for expats living in South Jakarta, K u n i ng a n , C ou nt r y Wo o d , BSD, given by instructor with 20 years’ experience. Flexible S c h e du l e . Pl e a s e c a l l Pa k Chairuman 08121037466 email chairuman1942@gmail.com Learn BAHASA INDONESIA easy and fast for Foreigners/ Expatriates at your place/house/ office. Flexible time. Call : 0811 899864 / sinta.permadi@yahoo. com. Teacher come to your place. Experienced teacher will help you with your Mathematics, Science, Bahasa Indonesia, Accounting, Guitar !! Easy to understand make subject become fun and

interesting. For grade 2 to 12 . Fee is affordable. Pls call 021- 9602 - 1800 (Mr. Fernando). Looking for experienced voice teacher for teen girls in pondok indah. Text me at 08111.626.588. Remote Destinations Presents: Exciting Easter weekend Madura B e a c h C a mp a n d C u l t u r a l Adventure! Fly to Surabaya T hu r s d ay, A pr i l 2 —s t ay a t beautiful Majapahit hotel, spend April 3-4 in a beautiful private beach camp at Lombong beach. Enjoy bull races, mask dances on the beach and judge a cow beauty pageant. Visit the only kraton in Madura and see a traditional wedding. Contact Leks Santoso at redestin@indosat.net.id for itinerary/cost Workshop for Children: Mosaic art in Cipete! Once a month, I organize a workshop for children to discover Mosaic art. I initiate them to this activity during a training session in which they achieve their f irst handmade mosaic. Activity open for all children (age minimum 6 years). To find out the date of the next workshop, you can contact me at 0812 96 93 931. The session is from 1.00pm-3.00pm and costs Rp.150,000. Kung Fu - Wushu: Private and class lessons with other students. The teacher Odi is an amazing teacher. I’m from America and my wife and I have studied with him since 2009. He is great. He knows every weapon inside and out. Teaches traditional kung fu and also teaches the kung fu that protects your family. We recommend him for you, your wife, children - please call him directly or even meet him at Gelora Bung Karno in Senayan Pintu 8. His private lessons are reasonable and the traditional kung fu is great for the children. Bring water to drink. +628159262028 Odi Lee.

OTHERS For sale a collection of gemstones: c at's eye 7.88 c t , 16 c t blue sapphire, and ruby, there Cert, gold bond diamond, and bacan stone, specially collectors item. please contact: 081 318 747 770 I have a brand new, never been used, still in original packaging L iebher r IC N3356 NoFrost Integrated Combination Fridge-

Freeze. Is still brand new because it does not fit into my new house. Would like to sell for much cheaper price. Please contact me at roslynwiria@yahoo.com if you are interested. Thank you. Bra nd new (Febr ua r y 2015 purchase, Bill available) large ha nd woven multi- coloured N T T t apestr y, bought f rom Alun Alun, Grand Indonesia, available for immediate sale. Size specifications: width 45ft (115 cm) x length 78 ft (200 cm). Price 6.5 million IDR. Interested buyers please email me at roshni. ba su@g ma i l.com or tex t at 081298253295

super fun so far...but I want a forever home! You can SMS or WhatsApp my rescuer +62 812 83445410.

BALI PROPERTY For sale: Off ice and warehouse,1023 square meter, 3 f loors. Located on Jl Gatot Subroto Barat. More information 081338033908.

JOGJAKARTA PERSONAL

AUTOMOTIVE Available immediately - Rp 105 million OBO. Toyota Avanza 1.5S V VTI MT 2008 excellent condition, 51,000km, full service records, seat covers, rust proof, wooden panels, chrome list for front and rear lights, rear bumper, carpet, cockpit lamp, am/fm/ cassette/CD stereo. Contact: llamb@jisedu.or.id

Looking for experienced wedding organizer in Jogjakarta, able to help with a white wedding in the Borobudur area. Please email angelajelita@gmail.com Looking for ska/funk/swing band in Jogjakarta to perform at an event! Do you have what it takes? Email angelajelita@gmail.com PROPERTY

2009 Toyota Kijang Innova G, US$ 12,500 (OBO), 83,400 km, Automatic Transmission, SilverGray Color, Clean Inside and Out, Front and Back A/C, Runs Great, AM/FM/CD/MP3, Everything Works, Regular Maintenance (all records available), Tagged Through 2019, Available 1st March, 2015. Marshall or Su Jones 0822-9804-4857

PERSONAL Anyone selling a table tennis table? In fair condition and reasonable price. Please SMS 082238797328

Experience staying at a beautiful original antique Javanese Joglo villa in the foothills of Mount Merapi. Joglo Ago is a three double b e d r o om v i l l a w it h gardens perfect for a weekend retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. In close proximity to Mount Merapi and Borobudur Temple. Visit w w w.jogloago. com for more information, or call Indah 08123563626 (owner).

PELABUHAN RATU PROPERTY

PETS Little puppies (local) need a home. 2 months old, male and female. Email to bopie_00@yahoo.com or message 081380889817. I'm looking for a home! I'm a newly rescued baby girl kitten, only 6 weeks old! I am healthy and happy and have already been looked over by the good vets at Groovy Pet. They say I don't have any bad diseases! Whew!! I'm going to grow up to be a beautiful cat! I have a LONG tail and great habits eating and going to the bathroom. Rescued life has been

Antique Gallery is looking for an assistant. Must work independent - good in selling friendly and attractive appearance - honest excellent English - basic administrative skills. Good basic salary + commissions. Female: Age: 18-25. For more info, e-mail: info@ bartelegallery.com or call: (+62) 21 7100 87

luxurious holiday with beautiful and natural surroundings. Stylish interior, several outdoor terrace’s, se a v iew, spa c iou s ga rden, swimming pool, 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, complete kitchen, cable television, internet (WiFi). Idyllic place for couples or one or

two families. Staff and in house catering available. Attractive p r i c e s s t a r t i n g f r o m I DR 1,800,000 per night. Most of our guests visit us again. Reservations www.villagamrang.nl or just mail us at villagamrang@gmail.com

ads@indonesiaexpat.biz Discover Villa Gamrang. Experience our hospitality and the complete privacy of your own beach house. Villa Gamrang (Cisolok beach, 4 hours’ drive from Jakarta) is designed to offer guests a wonderful and

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

issue 136 indonesia expat

indonesia expat issue 136

issue 136 indonesia expat

indonesia expat issue 136