Indonesia Expat - issue 267

iz .b at ae xp

ne

si

bs Fo i n cr r t io ns qu ip @ ir tio in do ies n

Su

cr ip bs su ISSUE NO. 267 | 2 DECEMBER 2020 – 5 JANUARY 2021

INDONESIA'S LARGEST EXPATRIATE READERSHIP

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

WWW.INDONESIAEXPAT.BIZ

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Top Indonesia News Stories of 2020 Is Bali Ready to Adapt and Thrive?

Goal for Ourselve in the New Year And many more...

IMAGE BY LYNDA HINTON (UNSPLASH)

4

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

INDONESIA EXPAT MARKETING ADVISER

Edo Frese

edo@indonesiaexpat.biz EDITOR

Mirella Pandjaitan

editor@indonesiaexpat.biz EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Contents

Dear Readers,

expat.editorial@gmail.com

06

SALES & ADVERTISING

MEET THE EXPAT Maya Hadorn Believes Everything’s Possible Underwater

In just a blink of an eye, we’ve entered December 2020.

Dian Mardianingsih (Jakarta)

dian@indonesiaexpat.biz Wahyu Atmaja (Bali)

ads@indonesiaexpat.biz MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS

marketing@indonesiaexpat.biz

This year has had astonishing events occurring across the country, as well as in the global scope.

Nobody predicted that COVID-19 could continue surging into the end of the year, but certainly, 2021 could get better.

Despite the shortcomings the pandemic has caused, Indonesia Expat is always here to accompany your downtime with enticing stories about this wonderful country, the people of Indonesia, and expatriates calling this country their temporary home.

DISTRIBUTION & ADMIN

Juni Setiawan

admin@indonesiaexpat.biz EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES

letters@indonesiaexpat.biz SUBSCRIPTIONS

subscriptions@indonesiaexpat.biz EVENTS

letters@indonesiaexpat.biz

This Festive issue, Indonesia Expat has prepared jolly and engaging stories to wrap up the year.

Starting from Christmas, New Year resolutions, stories of expatriates working from holiday in Bali, insights into Indonesia’s football program called Garuda Select, a travel piece on the Sunda Strait, reviews on a couple of Jakarta’s culinary hot spots, an introduction to Royal Ambarrukmo Yogyakarta’s new General Manager, the woman behind Pulau Pef’s Raja4Divers, to a 2020 review in a nutshell.

Don’t forget to check out our daily news updates at indonesiaexpat.biz. Follow our Instagram @indonesiaexpat and Facebook @indonesia.expat to stay updated on the daily COVID-19 case numbers and news, as well as attractive promotions from your favourite hotels, restaurants, and schools across the country.

PUBLISHED BY

PT. Koleksi Klasik Indonesia 17th floor, Pondok Indah Office Tower 3, Jl. Sultan Iskandar Muda No. 29, Pd. Pinang, Kebayoran Lama, Jakarta Selatan 12310

On behalf of Indonesia Expat, we would like to wish you happy holidays, merry Christmas, and happy New Year! May 2021 bring you health, wealth, and joy.

08 FOOD AND DRINK Challenge Yourself with Eastern Indonesian Delights at Canary Coffee Shop

10 TRAVEL The Dangerous Beauty of Sunda Strait

11 INFO FOR EXPATS Company Estrablishment in Indonesia: Your Questions Answered

12 OBSERVATION A Christmas Pudding

14 SNA MEDIA CLUB COLUMN Quarantine Birthday Surprise Ideas

16

Happy reading!

RESOLUTIONS Goals for Ourselves in the New Year

T: +62 21 2953 8871 Office hours: 09.00–17.00 Monday–Friday

17

Edo Frese

BUSINESS PROFILE History, Present, and Future DIscussions with Herman Courbois

Opinions Expressed in this publication are those of the writers and the publisher does not accept any responsibility for any errors, ommisions, or complaints arising there from.

20 INSIGHT Is Bali Ready to Adapt and Thrive?

No parts of this publication can be reproduced in whole or in part, in print or electronically without permission of the publisher. All trademarks, logos, brands and designs are copyright and fully reserved by PT. Koleksi Klasik Indonesia.

22 HOLIDAY Work from Holiday in Bali

24

PRINTED BY

CUISINE Frestro Asia Restaurant

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES 021 2953 8871 ads@indonesiaexpat.biz

27 FLASHBACK Top Indonesia News Stories of 2020

WE ARE AVAILABLE ON

CONNECT WITH US www.indonesiaexpat.biz

indonesia_expat

indonesia.expat

indonesiaexpat

indonesiaexpat

6

meet the expat

Maya Hadorn Believes Everything’s Possible Underwater owner was in order to negotiate a lease with him and get the contract sorted out. We managed to get a lease for 50 years which gives us enough security to develop the resort in a sustainable way.

Six months later, we met in Jakarta to sign the land contract and register the company.

In September 2010, I travelled back to Raja Ampat, and the construction of the resort started after a big ceremony, as it is the tradition here in Papua.

In June 2011, after only six months of construction and after some test guests/ friends had visited us, we were ready to welcome our first guests to Raja4Divers. It was a couple from Hawaii with whom we are still in contact today.

M

aya Hadorn, a born and raised Sw iss strives to welcome travellers to the beauty of Pulau Pef in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. It’s been 14 years since Maya decided to open Raja4Divers. Through her adventurous journey, the resort’s Founder and Managing Director shares with Indonesia Expat about the majestic land and underwater world guaranteed to blow your mind.

Maya, please tell us about yourself.

I was born the fifth and youngest child on my parents’ farm in Switzerland. This allowed me and my siblings to grow up very close to nature. Our mother also liked to show us books with pictures from foreign countries.

This was so fascinating that already as a little girl, it was clear to me that I wanted to discover the big wide world someday.

But first, I had to go to school and learn a profession. I completed my first apprenticeship as a cook and my second in the service sector. Later, I gained experience as a receptionist and worked in a hotel’s bar on the side.

Afterwards, I finally went on my first big trip, which took me to Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia, and the Maldives. It was there that I discovered the underwater world, which fascinated me so much that I extended my stay and learned to dive. One year later, I was already on a plane to the Maldives again, but this time for work.

After a good three years on the island of Helengeli in the Maldives and half a year in New Zealand, I returned to Switzerland, where, in addition to running various catering businesses, I also completed a higher management training.

At the beginning of 2006, I was asked if I would like to work as a resort manager in Raja Ampat. At first, I hesitated because I had a good and happy life in Switzerland.

In addition, I must admit that at that time I didn’t even know where Raja Ampat was! In the end, it was not only the incredible beauty of Raja Ampat that made me decide to accept the offer, but also the challenge of living,

learning, and working with local people in a place that was still almost untouched at that time.

You were ready to head home but then discovered Pulau Pef, Raja Ampat in West Papua. How did you discover it in the first place? And did you cancel your homecoming plan?

During my time as resort manager, my local employees had occasionally suggested that I should set up my own resort in Raja Ampat.

But I categorically rejected this idea, because I wanted to be free to go and work anywhere in the world at any time. In addition, I considered such a project to be impossible for a foreign woman without a partner.

Shortly before my return to Switzerland in September 2009, my colleagues and I went on a small excursion by boat. It was late afternoon when a Papuan friend showed me Pulau Pef in the warm evening light – my first glimpse of the island from its best side, so to speak. The unbelievable beauty of Pulau Pef with its coconut palm-fringed beach, the majestic mountains, the golden rocks, the lush green jungle, and the old gnarled mangrove trees simply blew my mind. It was love at first sight!

Afterwards, everything happened quickly, because I already had the plane ticket to go home in my pocket and there was not much time left. So, I contacted several Indonesian friends who had the necessary know-how and experience for such a project. They were important key persons for me, and they all said YES! I didn’t cancel my flight home but travelled to Switzerland as planned. However, I went there to write a business plan, look for investors, draw the plans for the resort and make many other preparations to come back to Raja Ampat later. This time to Pulau Pef! Take us on the journey of Raja4Divers resort’s establishment, Maya.

While I was working in Switzerland, my local friends in Raja Ampat were busy making arrangements and finding out who the land

Over the years, the resort has developed.

We built more guest bungalows and now have a total of ten bungalows. This is where we will stop so as not to destroy the special atmosphere we have and the feeling of being one with nature.

Looking back to when you first established the resort, would you say building the resort has been an adventure and a challenge for you?

Only in retrospect can I say: yes, yes! Because at the time of the construction, I didn't even think about it and just went for it.

Would I do it again? Absolutely!

What are the activities available at the resort?

Diving, snorkelling, swimming, kayaking around the island and through mangrove lagoons, climbing our house mountain Mount Pef and enjoying the breathtaking view from the platform, walks in the jungle and mangrove forest, discovering the unique flora and fauna (orchids, birds, lizards, etc.), table tennis, boccia, badminton and other games, massage, sunset bar, Pef band, library, etc.

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

In addition, we only have ten very spacious bungalows that are generously located apart from each other. This means we hardly ever have more than 20 guests at the resort, even when we are fully booked.

We don’t have air conditioning at Raja4Divers.

The bungalows and the restaurant are all directly on the beach and have large sliding doors and windows which allow for the sea breeze to provide optimal air circulation in the buildings.

Unlike other hotels, our guests don’t arrive and depart on a daily basis. They stay for at least one week, usually two to three or even longer. Like this, we don’t have many changes.

Our employees live in the resort and do not go home to their families in the evening or on their weekly day off. This results in very limited contact with the outside world.

There is also hardly any contact with other people while diving, as we offer many dive sites that are not frequented by other divers. As we discovered many of these sites ourselves, they aren’t known to others.

On their arrival in Sorong, we pick our guests up directly at the airport and take them to our own boat for the transfer to Pulau Pef. This transfer is not carried out with public ferries or rented boats.

At the resort itself, we have of course also made adjustments, such as additional hand washbasins, a plexiglass protection at the buffet, a new installation to rinse the dive equipment, etc. All dive equipment is disinfected using UV light. All our washbasins are equipped with soap, disinfectant and small towels, which are washed after each use.

We provide our guests with Raja4Divers face masks and have face visors and additional equipment on request. We pay special attention to our employees’ personal hygiene and provide all the necessary equipment.

What are you busy with these days?

All of our staff are still employed and continue to receive a small salary. We also continue to pay their health insurance so that they and their families are covered in case of illness.

This means that approximately half the employees are on the island, working on various projects, mainly maintenance work, repairs and renovation.

How does a domestic and an international visitor get to the resort?

As a domestic visitor, you take a f light to Sorong and are then taken by our own transfer boat from Sorong to Pulau Pef. This 3.5-hour journey will take you through untouched areas and past picturesque islets, also passing the famous «Passage» and, if you are lucky, you may see dolphins or whales on the way.

It is important to keep the entire resort, including boats, engines, machines and equipment, in good condition, as the climate (the salty air, the humidity, the sun, etc.) has a very negative effect on everything and would quickly lead to permanent damage. We don’t want to risk losing it all. And a well-tended resort motivates us too and gives us a good feeling.

International visitors usually arrive into Indonesia via Jakarta, Manado, Makassar or Bali and fly to Sorong as well. From there on, the journey is the same as for domestic guests.

Managing the employees is currently rather challenging. In order to keep them all employed, there are many aspects that need talking about, such as salary cuts, timing and duration of holidays, whether they stay at home or on Pulau Pef, coordinate off days, etc.

With only domestic tourism allowed these days, how has Raja4Divers adapted to the new normal?

Many things are naturally given at Raja4Divers because we are located on a remote and completely isolated island. There are no other inhabitants on Pulau Pef and thus, there is no contact with other people.

Due to the lockdown in April and May, rice was beginning to run out in some remote villages of Raja Ampat. Along with fish, rice is the basic food in our region. This is why we launched the project Raja4Rice to support our employees and their families with rice during these difficult times.

7

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

Our guests, friends or anyone who would like to support our employees can buy a bag of rice which our employees or their relatives pick up at the resort without getting into direct contact with us.

Raja4Rice still continues and coordinating this project still takes up quite a bit of our time.

As we would have been fully booked all of 2020, there are also still many cancellations that need dealing with and agents and direct booking guests ask for information about the current situation, etc.

And last but not least, we need to look for possible new investors, as a small resort such as ours is unable to survive a crisis like this one without additional financial support.

If you could give one piece of advice to our readers about moving to a deserted island in a foreign country and establishing a business there, what would it be?

It is essential that you have worked on site for a few years to get to know the country and its people, to learn the language, and to be able to deal with the circumstances. Only then should you decide!

What’s a common misconception you get by living in a deserted, dream island resort?

Many people think that we live in paradise and have an easy life.

My experience is that many expats who have worked here were not only surprised by the amount and the demands of the work, but very often it was simply too much for them.

They did not last long. Some still say today that they never worked as hard as on Pulau Pef anywhere else.

You have to know that Raja4Divers has a very open structure. The staff area is not blocked off from the guest area, we all live and work very closely with our guests. It is this closeness that creates the informal and homely atmosphere that our guests love.

But this also means that there is not much privacy for our employees, they are always visible, as soon as they leave their room.

Pulau Pef being so remote, none of us leave the island in the evening or on our day off.

We fully live on the island and only leave for our holidays.

This lack of privacy and the remoteness, together with the unpredictability of resort life in general and the flexibility this requires, is often misconceived and not always easy to endure.

How would you describe the underwater world of Pulau Pef? In short: everything is possible!

Raja Ampat features an incredible variety and abundance of marine life. Our area lies in the centre of the coral triangle. Nowhere else will you find as many healthy corals and consequently as many and varied marine animals living in and feeding on these corals.

From giant mantas to tiny pygmy seahorses – Raja Ampat has it all.

During a typical week, it is possible to see countless varieties of schooling fish, pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, wobbegong sharks, reef sharks, the endemic Raja Ampat walking shark (bamboo shark), bumphead parrotfishes, turtles, giant trevallies, barracudas, manta rays, crabs and shrimps in all sizes, invertebrates and almost every reef fish and critter you can find in books.

And you don’t need to be a diver to experience all of this. Many of our guests explore the underwater world by snorkelling and are just as fascinated as the divers.

Personally, I am fascinated with the mangroves and diving or snorkelling in them. It is such a different world, almost mystic with the sunlight shining through the mangrove roots. Our mangroves also feature archer fish in a rather big number – a highlight for any photographer who catches them hunting insects on the water’s surface!

Do you foresee yourself growing old in Pulau Pef? My health permitting, I would like to continue living and working on Pulau Pef for many more years. But I also intend to travel to Switzerland often to see my family and friends. Maintaining and caring for my social environment is very important to me.

I don’t think I will grow old on Pulau Pef. I want to go back to Switzerland, where my family and friends are and where I can count on a reliable infrastructure and amenities.

But nothing is set in stone yet - I still have a little time….

Tell us a fun fact about yourself, Maya.

During construction times, my employees once woke me up at 3am to tell me that there was a fisherman in our lagoon fishing on the house reef too close to the resort. I grabbed my big torch and walked through the jungle to the direction the fisherman was driving off to. When I caught up with him from the beach, I pointed my torch directly at him to make him come over. Now, imagine a Papuan fisherman in the dark of the night seeing a white woman on an island he thought was still deserted! The poor man thought he was seeing a ghost! I will never forget his eyes as big as saucers. He froze and just stared at me without saying a word until I started explaining that there were now people on Pulau Pef and that we were constructing a resort.

When I think back, the way he looked at me still makes me laugh. I really must have looked like a scary white ghost!

PULAU PEF

Maya, thank you for your time. Stay healthy and safe!

8

food and drink

Challenge Yourself with Eastern Indonesian Delights at Canary Coffee Shop

BY MIRELLA PANDJAITAN

I

ndonesia has more than 17,000 islands.

Vast oceans surround the islands of this tropical paradise, so it’s no wonder that seafood is cherished in any of the myriad regional delicacies.

Chef Djoko squeezed his favourite dish onto the table; the crusty salmon steak with baby beans and risotto. It’s a western delight and a firm favourite; I can understand why. The perfectly pink salmon fillet was cooked until tender and the risotto was creamy. It was truly appetising to savour something nonspicy for a split second.

Canary Coffee Shop’s original dining space is located on the ground floor of the hotel, usually accommodating a maximum of 250 people. This has obviously been cut down to 125 for the new normal. The restaurant is connected to the outdoor swimming pool so you can enjoy your meal while overlooking a serene outdoor space.

However, the dining space is currently under renovations so it’s been transferred to the second floor until 2021. Walking into the temporary restaurant, you’ll notice that modern stylish accents are present through glass walls and daring coloured accents.

Though smaller in size, this temporary dining space, that’s in fact the hotel’s Japanese restaurant called Momiji, can accommodate a maximum of 150 guests, making that 75 for the new normal.

The f leshy texture of seafood is enjoyed in various ways, especially in the eastern Indonesian region. Papua, Sulawesi, and their surroundings have mouth-watering special culinary delights that will make you crave for more, even when your taste buds can’t handle anymore explosions of exotic spices and chilli that are frequently used. Eastern Indonesian food is indeed famous for its spicy taste.

Indeed, that’s what makes specialities from the east of Indonesia particularly enticing.

Fish, for example, is bound to feature most prominently. You can grill, boil, steam, or fry fish. Add sambal, sweet sauce, coconut milk and/or any of the typical rich spices you have lying in your kitchen, et voila – you have an eastern Indonesian-inspired fish ready to eat.

You can always avoid the hassle of following recipes you’ve dug up online. The Canary Coffee Shop at ASTON Priority Simatupang Hotel and Conference Centre has your eastern Indonesian food cravings sorted.

Other Indonesian favourites such as the bestselling sop buntut - Indonesian oxtail soup either grilled, fried, or boiled - soto ayam, sate ayam, along with Western delights like burgers, sandwiches, steaks, and so on, are all available. Yet the taste of eastern Indonesia is truly the centre of attention.

Live a little with these exotic spices. Challenge yourself and your loved ones on a whirlwind adventure of spicy eastern Indonesian delights at Canary Coffee Shop. gindara woku offers a rich aroma and a fresh, spicy flavour. It’s perfect for those of you who have a strong appetite for spicy dishes.

Executive Chef Djoko Hendrasto is exceptionally familiar w ith eastern Indonesian food, having previously lived in and explored the culinary spectrum of Papua, Sulawesi, and Kalimantan. He explained that the abundance of exotic, rich spices at hand elevates seafood to a whole other level; definitely distinct and flavoursome.

The udang bakar rica madu - rica madu grilled prawns - is highly adored as well, but it’ll soon be replaced on the menu by prawns in a spicy Thai sauce, also incorporated with a basic rica-rica spice mixture. Again, one bite of this Thai and Manado inspired dish will leave you wanting more of the sweet and spicy prawns on top of lettuce leaves. Truly refreshing.

Manado-inspired cuisine is what I had for lunch. Different types of fish were served but all had one flavour in common: spicy, or pedas. A couple of the fish I had were inspired

by North Sulawesi’s provincial city and aren’t available on the menu yet, but rest assured, they’ll soon be ready for spicy food fans.

Escolar fish, or ikan gindara, is one of the new additions to the menu as one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. I had the pleasure of trying out Chef Djoko’s twist on ikan gindara woku. For a little background, woku is a special type of spice mixture from Manado, North Sulawesi. It consists of red ginger, turmeric, candlenut, and red chilli pepper, mixed with chopped shallots, scallions, tomato, lemon, turmeric leaf, lemon basil leaf, and lemongrass. One bite of ikan

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: GINDARA WOKU, CAKALANG FILLET MANADO, PRAWN IN THAI SAUCE

The star of this gloomy Tuesday lunch was definitely the skip jack fish, or cakalang bakar hoje, served as a thick grilled fillet with sauteed water spinach, papaya leaf, and sambal kecombrang – yes, it was as spicy as you imagine. This dish is a crowd pleaser and typically the fish is served whole, but you can request it be cut into fillets if you prefer. For those who’ve never had cakalang before, be aware that its texture is very thick and quite tough to chew. Nonetheless, the chilli paste smothered all over the fillet complemented the refreshingly sweet melon juice I had on the side.

Regardless of its location, Canary Coffee Shop is available for buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as serving an array of a la carte meals at any time of day. Say good-bye to taking buffet food on your own. Canary has adapted to the new normal practice of food and drinks served directly to diners to minimise chances of COVID-19 transmission.

Moreover, the hotel’s management has rigorously implemented health protocols that you’ll notice the moment you enter, with body temperature checks and hand sanitiser pumped on your palms; cutlery is placed within a special sterilisation machine; tables are immediately sanitised after use; and of course, the team maintain physical distancing.

Mostly business and government visitors will be seen chatting and chowing down here.

MICE events, from government institutions and corporations, remain strong at the hotel, while families are more than welcome to relish and spend quality time here as well.

Fear not, health-conscious crowd, Canary Coffee Shop’s menu has an array of keto and healthy foods with prices ranging from Rp50,000 to Rp210,000.

If you’re still wary about dining in at restaurants, the restaurant opened its delivery service as soon as large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) were imposed earlier this year. Until now, delivery is still available.

Simply place your orders to +62 21 7883 877 ext. 6611 or +62 812 9568 1813.

Live a little with these exotic spices. Challenge yourself and your loved ones on a whirlwind adventure of spicy eastern Indonesian delights at Canary Coffee Shop.

Canary Coffee Shop ASTON Priority Simatupang Hotel and Convention Centre, Jl. Let. Jend. T.B. Simatupang Kav. 9 Kebagusan, Jakarta Operation Hours: Daily (10am to 10pm) Telephone: +62 2178 838 777 Instagram: @astonsimatupang

Will COVID-19 Ever End? At the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, many hoped that it will disappear and all activities will go back to normal. Many theories were put forward as to how and when the pandemic will end. Some argue that the heat of the dry season or summer will end the pandemic on its own.

Others argue that the pandemic will end once herd immunity is achieved.

However, none of these theories has come true.

Various efforts have been made by the government to reduce the level of community infection of the coronavirus, such as using masks, washing hands for 20 seconds, social distancing, and even large-scale social restriction or lockdowns, which they have proven to help in “flattening the curve” and reducing the number of COVID-19 cases locally, as well as in many other countries.

After months of living under this stressful condition, it seems that there is light at the end of the tunnel as hope for a vaccine is beginning to materialise. However, experts have cautioned that even with a vaccine that is soon to be finalised and with the better handling and treatment of those infected, COVID-19 is unlikely to fully disappear. While even if COVID-19 is no longer a pandemic, it will still be endemic, which means that infection rates are expected to slow down but will continue to exist.

Throughout the history of pandemics, pandemic diseases have rarely disappeared completely. Whether it’s bacteria, viruses or parasites, nearly every disease pathogen that has invaded us over the past several thousand years is still with us because it is almost impossible to completely eradicate them.

While the current infection and transmission rates are still high, people around the world have started to resist lockdowns and restrictions. In result, their mental, emotional, and economic health are majorly impacted.

Thus, the risk level for someone to

contract COVID-19 is probably higher than before, due to a combination of high levels of mobility and the lack in social distancing due to lockdown fatigue. Whereas previously when we carried out social restriction or were #dirumahsaja, the risk level of contracting COVID-19 was drastically reduced. However, that no longer applies when we transition to the new normal.

Recently, The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that if someone at home has COVID-19, there is a 50 percent chance that other family members will also be infected within just five days. This shows that the risk level of contracting COVID-19 both outside and inside the house is very high.

Along with increasing activities outside the house and the higher risk of COVID-19, air pollution also returns to pre-pandemic unhealthy levels. This means we have two serious problems related to air quality, namely airborne viruses that can potentially infect us with COVID-19 and air pollution that causes many other health problems.

Consequently, the need for keeping the air clean – free of bacteria, viruses and pollutants – is more critical than ever before. Some of the steps we can take to overcome the problems are by

exercising to keep fit and enhance our immune system, sanitising and keeping the house clean, and also keeping good personal hygiene by using masks, washing hands, and maintaining a safe distance. In the context of indoors, having good ventilation is important. The function of ventilation is to circulate air from outside into the room and vice versa so that there is a constant supply of fresh air for healthy breathing. Good ventilation is crucial to reduce the concentration of airborne virus indoors.

If you are unable to ventilate properly due to high pollution outside, security issue or pest problem (mosquito, flies, etc.), then having an air purifier with high Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) can be one of your options to reduce the number of viruses and bacteria indoors.

Blueair, an air purifier from Sweden, has been proven effective in filtering and deactivating bacteria and viruses so it is the right choice to meet the needs of clean and healthy air in your house.

This article is written by Higienis Indonesia, a specialist in quality health and hygienic solutions. Its air care products include Blueair, an awardwinning air purifier brand from Sweden that combines superior clean air performance with low energy and low noise consumption.

Visit www.higienis.com, www.blueair. com/id or call (021) 3983-5295 for further information and advice.

10 10

travel

Indonesia Expat Indonesia Expat 2021 Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

The Dangerous Beauty of Sunda Strait

BY PRAMOD KANAKATH

T

alk about the Sunda Strait and two things crop up in our minds – Krakatoa and earthquakes.

A basic geographic knowledge will suffice to get these etched as omnipresent thoughts. Both are capable of evoking explosively onomatopoeic terms and thus, are hard to forget. The Strait that squeezes its waters between two most significant islands in the Indonesian archipelago is often dreaded by lay tourists, savoured by adventurers, and absorbed by fishermen for whom it is life.

The thunder that is said to have reached as far away as Darwin in Australia and Madagascar is still a curious case study for many vulcanologists. That was in 1883, when Krakatoa erupted in its full majesty, sweeping across the coastal towns of Java and Sumatra, killing more than 36,000 people that is proportionate to more than a million in modern times. At that time, the Krakatoa archipelago consisted of three islands – Verlatan (known as Sertung now), Lang (known as Rakata Kecil now) and Rakata, which is known as Krakatoa Island these days. Krakatoa is a caldera, part of Rakata island. Anak Krakatoa, which has taken the place of its mother, caused a tsunami in 2018, triggering goosebumpy moments among many who had not left history behind.

In 2006, I hopped on to a fisherman’s boat with a friend and we set sail to the historic location from the port of Labuan. The wooden boat had just enough width for two adults to walk side by side, but long enough to accommodate a small shed which the fishermen used to store things and as a kitchen. They caught tuna on the way, cooked them and made rice for the four of us. It took nearly five hours to reach the shores of the volcano. We climbed to the summit, trekked around the vegetation to have amazing aerial views of the nearby islands and got back to the boat. The return was not as smooth as the arrival. Choppy waters tested our constitution; the fishermen were being all but worried. The two asked us to hold on to a pole with the Indonesian flag hoisted on it, watching our apprehensive miens. We gawked enviously at the speedboats overtaking us in apparent ease and comfort.

On some eventful afternoons, when people are forced out of their offices in skyscrapers in and around Jakarta, it is most likely caused by an undersea quake with its source somewhere in the Sunda Strait. Within minutes, panicky professionals and residents locate the epicentre on the BMKG website. Any tremor of the intensity of four and above

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: AERIAL VIEW OF A BAGAN, TURQUOISE WATER ON A BEACH IN TANJUNG LESUNG, WATCHING THE BAGAN DURING ISLAND HOPPING

in the Strait can jolt life in the capital city. The Strait sits at a location where the Indo-Australian and the Eurasian tectonic plates converge, leading to regular seismic activities.

One of the eye-catching features on the Strait is small islands and sandbanks some of which have been developed as tourist spots. Usually done as day trips or weekend getaways, Pulau Umang and Pulau Sangiang draw local visitors in large numbers throughout the year. During my latest cruise on the Strait, I did an island-hopping that took me to Pulau Badul, now a mere sandbank after the 2018 tsunami rooted out a small cluster of trees on its northern tip. The islet is part of the Ujung Kulon National Park in the western end of the Sunda Strait. Tourists embarking on journeys from the Pandeglang area in Banten usually hop on to three islands that can be done in a day – Pulau Badul, Pulau Manggir and Pulau Oar. All three islands had to bear the brunt of the giant waves in December 2018 before the coastal areas in Banten were smashed.

The Bagan are one of the floating examples of this life-goes-on spirit on murky waters, refilling lesser souls with hope and courage.

With all the danger still persistent, the fishermen are still unyielding, and are part and parcel of nature. The Bagan are one of the floating examples of this life-goeson spirit on murky waters, refilling lesser souls with hope and courage. Shaped like rising flotilla on the sea, the Bagan are bamboo-made floating fishing huts found all over the Sunda Strait. Once the bamboo poles are tied and assembled on Banten’s shores, they are dragged on to specific catch points in the sea by fishing boats.

Fishing is usually done at night, using bright lights. The lights attract the fish to the Bagan, and the nets lowered from the bottom of the structure are raised to bring ashore the catch. The fishermen have a small shelter in the middle to escape from rain or to rest, made of discarded pieces of aluminium or plastic.

My first road trip after the PSBB was lifted in Banten and beaches were reopened was along the westernmost tips of Banten. The beaches on Tanjung Lesung (Special Economic Zone) and Sumur (the last township before you get into the jungles of Ujung Kulon National Park) were absolutely empty. Every beach has scattered deposits of seashells and coral stones to tell the visitors the story of the deadly tsunami. Some resorts still have half-demolished structures probably preserved for memory or awaiting future renovation. The turquoiseblue water nevertheless is one of the best you can find in close proximity to Jakarta.

TOP IMAGE: THE BAGAN AT DUSK WITH THE KRAKATOA ISLAND IN THE BACKGROUND

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

info for expats

11

Company Establishment in Indonesia – Your Questions Answered How does the taxation process work in Indonesia?

MR: All companies in Indonesia must pay and report taxes on a monthly and annual basis. The main corporate taxes imposed on companies in Indonesia are: corporate income tax (CIT), value-added tax (VAT), and land and building tax.

The general corporate income tax rate imposed in Indonesia is 25 percent. Medium-sized companies with annual revenue of less than Rp50 billion can apply for a reduced income tax rate of 12.5 percent, and small companies with annual revenue of less than Rp4.8 billion are eligible for corporate income tax of 0.5 percent.

Can the director or commissioner be a foreigner in a PT or a PMA? MR: Directors and commissioners of a PT PMA can be foreigners or Indonesians. Please note that non-resident directors will not have the authority to sign documents on behalf of the company. Please also note that foreign directors should apply for a KITAS once the company is established so they are able to operate the business.

In regard to a local PT, you may have a foreign director, but you should still have a minimum of one local director, as well as a local commissioner.

BY LETSMOVEINDONESIA

I

n this article, Mega Rizkiani (MR), LetsMoveIndonesia’s in-house Company Establishment Specialist, answers some of your most commonly asked questions about setting up a company in Indonesia.

What are the different company establishment options?

MR: There are a few possible ways to do this depending on your nationality and business model. If you are a foreigner, the best option is to set up a PT PMA. A PMA allows the foreigner to possess 100 percent ownership of the business.

If you are Indonesian or have Indonesian partners, you may obtain a Local PT whereby the ownership will be 100 percent Indonesian owned. Please note that with some industries, foreign ownership is not allowed, so you may have to establish a Local PT. In addition, you may find information regarding which business sectors can be owned by foreign investors in the Negative Investment List (latest revision done is through the Presidential Regulation No. 44/2016). If the sector requires partial domestic ownership, then you will need a local partner.

Business fields which are not included in the Negative Investment List are 100 percent open for foreign investment, unless regulated differently in other regulations.

What does the PT stand for and are there any limitations to my business name?

MR: PT is basically the Indonesian equivalent to Limited, Pte or Ltd. In Indonesia, Local PT Companies must register the company name in Indonesian using a minimum of three words. For example, Klub Rumah Baru. Please note, this is just your company establishment name, you may brand your business with an English name if you prefer. PMA Business entities, however, can choose the language.

When setting up a business, do you need an actual office or can you use a residential location?

MR: Before processing of incorporation, you need to choose the location of your business and have a registered address in an office building. You cannot use your home address as it is not possible to register a company with a residential address.

What is paid-up capital and how does this affect the business set up?

MR: Paid-up capital is the amount of money the shareholder invests into the business. The amount varies depending on whether the business is a PT or a PMA and the proposed size of the business.

There are two ways to prove the paid-up capital; one being to send a copy of your company bank statement which shows the investment amount and the second option is to sign a statement letter acknowledging that you will invest the capital in the future.

How many foreigners can you hire once the company has been established?

MR: A PT PMA may hire as many foreigners as required, as long as you have a minimum of ten Indonesian employees per one foreigner. For a Local PT, you can hire one foreigner as long as you have a minimum paid up capital of Rp1.1 billion.

The paid-up capital amounts are as follows: PT Small: Above Rp50 to 500 million Medium: Above Rp500 million to 10 billion Large: Above Rp10 billion Please note, if you want to employ foreigners in a PT, the company size must be at least Medium, with a paid-in capital above Rp1.1 billion.

What are the responsibilities of the director and the commissioner?

MR: The director’s responsibilities are to manage the company pursuant to its Articles of Association and the Indonesian Company Law. The commissioner’s responsibilities will be to supervise the company’s activities.

PMA Being a foreign owned company, the investment value is significantly higher than that of a PT. The investor should invest above US$1 million or Rp10 billion as their investment plan, with a paid-up capital above US$250 million or Rp2.5 billion. The investment plan can either be cash or fixed assets, such as machinery.

According to the Indonesia Company Law (04/2007), every limited liability company in Indonesia requires at least two shareholders, one commissioner, and at least one director. The shareholders can be individuals, corporations, or both.

Are there any standard compliances you need to know before establishing your company in Indonesia?

MR: Apart from taxes, companies must also register for the social and health security program (BPJS) by the government.

For PT PMA companies, it is mandatory to report investment four times per year which is commonly known as the “LKPM Report.”

MEGA RIZKIANI

Once the company is established, do you need to renew any licences every year?

MR: There are no validity restrictions or renewals that are mandatory every year, as long as the company is still running and there are no amendments required from either the business structure or new governmental regulations.

If we would like to change the office address later, is this possible?

MR: If you would like to change your office location, the first thing you need to know is whether your new address is still in the same district as the previous one. If this is the case, then all you will be required to do is report your new company address to the tax office so they can change your tax ID card.

Unfortunately, if your new address is in a different district, you will need to amend numerous documents and permits such as the location permit which will need to be signed by the district and subdistrict heads, as well as revise your Article of Association, Domicile Letter, Business Licence, Company Certificate Number and finally, advise the tax office so they that change your tax ID card.

If I need help setting up a business or have any questions, how can I contact you?

MR: If you would like to set up a business or would like a free consultation, then feel free to contact me either by +62 21 300 297 27, info@letsmoveindonesia.com or visit me in the LetsMoveIndonesia office located in The Bellagio Mall, Mega Kuningan – the only walk-in Visa and Company Establishment Agency in Jakarta!

12

observation

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

A Christmas Pudding

BY DANIEL POPE

I

’ve met only one chimney sweep in my life. It was when visiting my aunt’s old-fashioned house some years ago.

He wasn’t dressed in a flat cap and covered in soot. My aunt wasn’t Mary Poppins.

When I told him I’d never met a chimney sweep before, he replied with a twinkle that touching one was meant to bring you good luck. I touched his arm.

Had I been a child I might have asked him if he knew the secret of how Santa Claus gets down the chimney lumbered with his sack of presents. Santa Claus is jelly-bowl fat and possibly has a permanently full bladder on account of the endless glasses of milk and cookies left out for him by grateful children when he does his rounds. He must be terribly frost-bitten. His “Ho! Ho! Ho!” as he goes is probably a cough, not a laugh.

I knew many Santa Clauses over the years in Jakarta, skinny as well as fat. Miserable as well as jolly. Playing Santa Claus in a shopping mall grotto in the runup to the holiday was a gig eagerly taken up by unemployable former EFL teachers and other expatriate down-andouts. It paid around Rp1.5 million per day.

These Santas worked shifts of four hours or longer and could meet 150 children each time.

Toleration of children was an obvious requirement for the part, while a cheery Rudolph-like red nose didn’t go amiss. And while a concealed hipflask of Mansion House rum could be trusted to take care of that, it didn’t help with some other requirements, like clean teeth and fresh breath. Some

Santas meanwhile were unknowledgeable – let’s call that totally ignorant - about the latest trending toys, looking blankly at any child who asked for “Fingerlings” for Christmas.

Christmas, Danny. Here’s a tenner. Go and buy yourself some socks”). I could accumulate enough money to buy items forbidden as gifts for teenagers, like booze and cigarettes.

Sitting awkwardly on the knobbly knees of one of these imposters, a child could easily lose his belief in Santa Claus, cutting short the magical years of his childhood. If so, all is not lost.

Take that child outside early on Christmas morning, look up at the sky and point out Santa’s sleigh being pulled by reindeer back to the North Pole after delivering presents all night.

I guess this year it won’t be socks but facemasks. Some places in the world will be under COVID-19 lockdown and Santa Claus will undoubtedly be affected. He may have to wear a hazmat suit, a red one with white fur trims and bells on it. He’ll certainly have to leave the presents on the doorstep rather than pop down the chimney with them.

This slow-moving bright object (actually travelling at 27,000km/h) is in fact the International Space Station, its vast solar panels ref lecting sunlight as it circles the earth every 90 minutes. The ISS is visible in the two hours before dawn and after sunset.

Passes always start from a westerly direction.

You can look up the exact observation details on the web. If your child doesn’t gape in wonderment at the subject of your fib, well, then he’s not a real child.

In the past, the standard Christmas present given to relatives who weren’t close was a few pairs of socks. Another one was a set of handkerchiefs. Or cuff links and a tie. Or soap-on-a-rope and aftershave, either “Brut” or “Hai Karate.” Or even a gift voucher to be exchanged for goods (socks if you wished) once shops like Woolworth had re-opened after boxing day. I preferred to casually receive cash from visiting relatives (“Merry

In the UK, Christmas is traditionally associated with a cosy image of families sitting around the fireplace while snow gently falls outside. In Bali, a popular holiday retreat for many foreigners, the image is one of people sitting around the air conditioning unit while the rain outside pelts into the swimming pool. Christmas falls during the rainy season in Indonesia. One time I was in Bali, it rained constantly over the holiday. I imagined Santa Claus transforming his sleigh into something resembling a seaplane pulled by dolphins.

Rather than get wet, I stayed in my hotel room with a guitar and amused myself by re-writing some classic Christmas songs to suit the wet tropical location. These included: Rudolph the Wet-Nosed Reindeer; I saw Mommy Towelling Santa Claus; I’ll be in a Boat for Christmas; Happy Xmas (Rain is Over); Splash! The Herald Angels Sing; Baby it’s Humid Outside; Let it Rain! Let it Rain!

Let it Rain!

And what about our titular Christmas pudding? The British Christmas pudding is a steamed, fruit-filled, ball-shaped dessert which is set alight when served. It is the fruit equivalent of haggis. It is a black hole that has sucked all surrounding ingredients into it. It is stodgy and heavy, and if fired from a canon would put a hole clean through the wall rather than splatter against it. This has been scientifically tested.

A typical recipe includes heaps of mixed dried fruit, dark muscovado sugar, suet, chopped assorted nuts, nutmeg, cinnamon, whole cherries, sliced Bramley cooking apples, rum and stout. The most unexpected ingredient is a coin. A shiny silver sixpence used to be used and was meant to bring good luck to the person who found it, assuming they didn’t choke or break their teeth on it.

Should you want to give your Christmas pudding an Indonesian flavour, the easiest way is to add a large bottle of kecap manis, some blobs of durian, and some chopped chilli peppers. The only haram ingredients in the traditional recipe are rum and stout. These could be replaced with popular non-alcoholic drinks, like Pocari Sweat and Teh Botol. If you recoil from these changes, remember, this is a Christmas pudding. Anything goes. You could even put a Rp1,000 coin in it in place of a sixpence. Which just leaves me to say: Selamat hari natal dan tahun baru!

14

SNA media club column

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

Quarantine Birthday Surprise Ideas

BY JESSICA ELICIA

I

t has been a while since the bustling world suddenly came to a pause – schools closed, offices restricted, and entertainment parks put on hold. While the world is slowly starting to open up again, maintaining health protocols and social distancing is still a must. During these few months, people have been made to celebrate their birthdays differently. However, no one said that they have to be less exciting!

If your friend or loved one’s birthday is coming soon, here are a few ways you can make their birthday more special:

Bake a Cake for Them Although it may seem difficult to learn, baking a cake can actually be pretty simple, and it makes the perfect gift for your friends or loved ones. They can be personalised with text and doodles made from icing, which will make it all the more special for them.

A personalised gift will be so much more meaningful than a store-bought cake. It’s also a great activity to fill in your spare time during quarantine and allows for creativity and imagination. There are simple recipes that you can follow online for various cake flavours which should be easy to follow, even for beginners!

Make a Personalised Video for Them At first glance, it may seem like a simple gift.

However, making a personalised video for someone’s birthday can be among the most special gifts you can give them. You can compile clips of you and your friends wishing them a happy birthday, or even add some clips of the memories you had together. This will also be an exciting online collaboration you can do together with your friends at the safety and comfort of your own home. With video editing, the possibilities are limitless. You can add personalised texts, video collages, background music, and many more! This will also be a great alternative to the pricier options, and it’s lots of fun!

Organise a Drive-by You may have seen videos of birthday drive-bys on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. This is a great way to meet up with your friends – socially distanced, of course. You can surprise your friends with a drive-by in front of their house, and can even decide on a theme to make the parade-style celebration more interesting. A drive-by is when you and your friends pass by the birthday person’s house in each of your cars one by one in a line to greet them on

their special day. You can even be creative by decorating your car with posters and banners!

Surprise Them with a Group Call Surprising the birthday person with a group call with your group of friends and/or family might be among the simplest gifts, but it can surely make them feel special! You can arrange some fun games to be played during the call or even just relax and chat with your friends.

Although it may be different as compared to meeting up offline, it is definitely nice to be able to spend time with your friends, even if it is just through the convenience of your screen!

Buy a Gift for Them Despite not being able to meet in person, you still can buy a gift for them through online shopping platforms and have it shipped right to their doorstep. With online shopping thriving, there are many options for gifts such as a scrapbook, a phone case, or accessories.

This way, you can still send them gifts without having to leave your house - very convenient and easy!

So, despite the dire situation we are in, you can still add a little cheer to your birthday celebrant’s day by going the extra mile to make their day special.

16 16

resolutions

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January Indonesia Expat 2021 Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

Goals for Ourselves in the New Year

BY LINA HUTCHINSON

I

t’s that time of the year again where we look back on the events of the past twelve months and make promises for the next. There’s no doubt that 2020 has been eventful and has brought about unimaginable surprises.

The past year has taught us a lot – whether it’s about our family’s unusual living habits from being in quarantine together or checking if you’ve accidentally left your microphone on after your video calls. People around the world have had to learn to be with themselves and, in most instances, have had more time to reflect on their lives.

Every New Years, people from countries all over the world take time to set New Year’s resolutions for themselves. A resolution is a promise that individuals make to do or stop doing something as a personal goal, often to improve themselves. This year’s no different and with the time we’ve spent alone with ourselves this year, I’m sure many of us have a few changes in mind for the next year.

As silly as it may sound to wait until New Year to make goals and start new habits, this tradition of making resolutions at the start of the year has been around since the ancient Babylonians and the Romans. Nowadays, resolutions are often secular and come in many forms.

Your resolution can be something that seems as simple as spending less money on Tokopedia or reducing those latenight GoFood orders, but they’re generally set to improve one’s self and life in the upcoming year.

As great as setting personal goals are, we all have that one relative who claims that they’ll stop smoking at the start of every year; it’s no surprise that very few people follow through on their New Year’s resolutions. According to a 2019 study by YouGov, as little as approximately 4 percent of American adults stick to the goals they set.

Though some may say that this statistic is out of laziness, experts have made it clear that the way goals are set contributes to their effectiveness. A lot of us are guilty

From the beginning of 2021, I want to start exploring and expanding my interest on the idea of expressing my feelings and emotion through the media of artwork, which would lead me to help identify my personal identity. of making goals that might be unrealistic and so quickly become overwhelming. According to experts, the key to setting realistic, achievable goals is to break it down into small steps.

There are many other ways to make your goals more achievable once you’ve set a realistic aim with a tangible course of action. Something as simple as sharing your goals with your friends and family can help motivate you because you have external support from others. If you’re like me, a reward system might be something worth trying out.

Ultimately, though they have reigned for over 4,000 years of history, New Year’s resolutions are just a tradition and it’s never the wrong time to set personal goals for yourself.

However, if you’re participating in New Year’s resolutions this year, try to set a clear time frame and small targets to make them more achievable.

If you’d like to get a head start on your resolutions and start coming up with some ideas, here are a few goals students around Indonesia have set themselves for the upcoming year:

“My New Year’s resolution for 2021 is to spend more quality time with people closest to me, expand my networks, do more sports, participate in events, and become more aware of my mental health.” – Nathanel Juan Veron Wirawan, Binus University.

“For 2021, I hope to be in nature more and to grow as a person.” – Lulu Habsji, SMAN 3 BATAM. “In 2021, my main resolution will be to invest and dedicate my time to starting a project, whatever it be, on the issues I hold close to me and to expand opportunities to the local community around me.” – Samantha Guillouet, Sekolah Dyatmika.

“I want to learn how to prioritise myself and learn how to love myself because it’s been quite hard for me to do that.”

– Andrea Amara Najwa, Avicenna Jagajarsa High School.

“Next year, I hope to make the right choices and treat people with kindness.” – Kaia Blachére, SPHKV. “From the beginning of 2021, I want to start exploring and expanding my interest on the idea of expressing my feelings and emotion through the media of artwork, which would lead me to help identify my personal identity.” – Atha Ridho, ACG School Jakarta.

“My New Year’s resolution is to set clear emotional boundaries and love myself more.” – Mualla Guvercin, Sampoerna Academy.

What resolutions do you have for the New Year?

Whatever you decide, give yourself time to implement them and make them a reality. Personal goals take work to achieve so don’t pressure yourself and remember that it is okay to have a few cheat days! Make the commitment and you might be surprised with how big of a difference a small goal can make in your life.

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

business profile

17

History, Present, and Future Discussions with Herman Courbois Weekly cultural performances and community activities are held to maintain and preserve its authentic spirit and Javanese hospitality. We adapted to Patehan, the royal high tea and Caos Dhahar, the fine-dining service of the Sultan’s favourite special delicacies paraded on a big wooden box called jodhang.

In your opinion, what makes the Royal Ambarrukmo Yogyakarta special?

Beyond its legacy, the hotel is an awardwinning five-star independent hotel and best breakfast. The hotel’s facilities are of top quality and standard. It is a city resort with the most favourite semi-outdoor and outdoor venue. The hotel also became the first certified hotel on implementing complete and strict health protocol for guests and staff.

H

This global pandemic has hindered large public events to take place.

What is the hotel doing to celebrate the holidays and ring in the new year?

We have to simplify the new year concept, while still holding a prestigious dinner with exclusive entertainment. Our special offer includes one-stop entertainment in all outlets; thus, guests can enjoy live music and DJ at Punika Deli starting in the afternoon, and more live music from dinner until countdown in Samazana.

erman Courbois is the newly appointed General Manager of Royal Ambarrukmo Yogyakarta.

With extensive experience managing hotels, Herman is simply in awe of the hotel.

Indonesia Expat had the chance to discuss all things history, present, and future.

Sultan Hamengkubuwono VII continued its expansion. However, it later became a palace residence with dalem, gandok, bale kambang, pacaosan or gadri, doorloop, and alun-alun – it was like a Keraton. People at the time called it “Kedaton”, which has the same meaning as Keraton.

Herman, you’ve recently been appointed as Royal Ambarrukmo Yogyakarta’s newest General Manager. Congratulations! How has it been managing this historical property?

It’s an honour to take on the helm of this iconic property during difficult times. When I joined the hotel, it was closed due to the pandemic along with some minor renovations being done. We also needed to be compliant with the health protocols and get the staff up to speed and motivated again to serve our guests upon opening.

Ambarrukmo Palace Hotel, its previous name, was built in the Ambarrukmo area in 1964, adjacent to the pendopo building. It later became Royal Ambarrukmo Yogyakarta in 2011.

Royal Ambarrukmo Yogyakarta holds significant historical values. Can you briefly explain it?

It was a Royal Garden during the reign of Sultan Hamengkubuwono V of Yogyakarta.

A small pendopo was built, commonly used for the Sultan to rest and welcome the arrival of diplomatic envoys. Royal guests continued to be welcomed here until the reign of Sultan Hamengkubuwono VI. The pendopo was extended in 1857-1859 and named Pesanggrahan Harja Purna.

Today, it emerges as a luxury accommodation where modernity is keeping up with regal traditions.

Speaking of which, there’s a minimuseum in the compound displaying artefacts from Yogyakarta’s Sultan and his family. Are tours open for public or strictly for in-house guests?

Pendopo Agung Ambarrukmo is the museum itself consisting of the Javanese culture and regal traditions of Sultan Hamengkubuwono II-VII. Open for public, it became more popular accommodating MICE events and weddings.

The hotel is massively influenced by Yogyakarta’s traditions and influence in art. How does the hotel maintain these traditions?

We are continuously working on the maintenance project on the hotel’s main building, pendopo to Bale Kambang.

What can aspire guests expect from Royal Ambarrukmo Yogyakarta in 2021?

• Nostalgia in the prestigious and luxurious Royal Ambarrukmo Yogyakarta.

• The best option for both business and leisure accommodation and cultural activities.

• A family weekend w ith one-stop entertainment and cultural activities.

You describe yourself as an experienced General Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the hospitality industry.

How did you find yourself diving into the hospitality industry?

From an early age, I decided to go into the hospitality industry. That mainly came from my parents who worked in the same field and are owners of a small business.

So, since a young age, I was doing the dishes and grew myself into the ranks of the F&B department. I took a degree in hospitality while also working in several jobs under different departments, hotels, and countries on the weekends – even, the holidays.

I became an intern in Indonesia in 1996, and with a bit of luck and due to the economic crisis in 1997/98, I remained and built my career.

With that extensive experience in managing hotels, especially in Indonesia, what has been your biggest lesson throughout the years?

To remain humble and able to adapt to the dynamics in this diverse country. Indonesia has great potential. Serving guests is second nature to most of the Southeast Asian countries, which makes our lives a bit easier to manage.

Mention your favourite activities to do in Yogyakarta so far.

Exploring the culinary side of this city.

Then Dirgayuswa Kasanga, the Royal Ambarrukmo 9th anniversary on cultural and social events on 11th October 2020 – nine years and still young, we held great activities to celebrate this milestone, which I’m greatly privileged to celebrate.

And a lot, lot more.

Beyond its legacy, the hotel is an award-winning five-star independent hotel and best breakfast. The hotel’s facilities are of top quality and standard. It is a city resort with the most favourite semi-outdoor and outdoor venue. The hotel also became the first certified hotel on implementing complete and strict health protocol for guests and staff.

What will you be doing for the holidays?

Most likely working and looking after the hotel. I normally work during this period since my motto is: “As being the Host of Hotel, I should be there when it’s the busiest period of the operation”. Then I’ll take some welldeserved break in early January, which will most likely be in Indonesia. I could probably explore Labuan Bajo or Lombok.

Lastly, tell us a fun fact about yourself.

Something which people don’t immediately expect from me is that I’m intrigued by the cultural heritage of this property and the Sultanate of Jogja as a whole. Upon my arrival, I directly asked the team to arrange a session to Imogiri and ask for blessings.

This is now a routine for all newcomers in our team.

Thank you for your time, Herman! Stay safe and healthy.

18

education

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

Jakarta Intercultural School Offers Greater Academic Options for Student Learning Grade 10 students will be able to benefit from the many opportunities offered by JIS’ rigorous study programs.

JAKARTA INTERCULTURAL SCHOOL (JIS) is strengthening further its university preparation program for high school students by opening up Advanced Placement (AP®) courses to 10th graders in the 2021/22 academic year.

As a regional forerunner of international education for nearly seven decades, JIS credits its rigorous approach to learning as the key to its hard-earned reputation for successfully preparing students for university, especially 11th and 12 th graders who are able to choose from both International Baccalaureate (IB®) and AP® courses.

The (AP®) program plays a major role in this endeavour, offering tertiary-level courses that offer college credits and more importantly, emphasise critical thinking, research, collaboration, and communication.

“The AP® is a program that is recognised around the world. And its main goal is to equip students with the necessary study skills and mindset to transition into university with ease by giving them university-level materials, tasks, and responsibilities,” said JIS AP® coordinator Darren Seath.

“JIS has been offering the AP® for decades. Our program is so successful that each year, we have many Indonesian and international students enrolling at JIS for their final two years of high school just so they can take AP® courses under our guidance.”

One of these students is Gabriella, now in Grade 12, who has transferred from another international school in Jakarta to JIS specifically for its AP® courses. She conceded that her first few months in the AP® environment had been difficult, with the rapid pace of each course making her fall behind in assignments and deadlines. But she called the experience a “blessing in disguise”.

“Before the AP®, I had a lot of bad habits; I would always leave things to the last minute and I was always under a lot of stress. But since starting the program, I began to stop these habits,” she recalled. “The intensity of the courses pushed me to stay on top of things and has completely changed my work ethic for the better.”

Asked to describe the program in three words, Gabriella chose intense, straightforward, and practical.

From JIS’ most recent graduation class, the class of 2020, 176 students participated in AP® courses, with a majority focusing on science (27 percent), social studies (25 percent), and mathematics (21 percent).

Demand for a spot in the academically rigorous program at JIS has only increased in recent years, especially with parents becoming more aware of the rapidly changing globalised world around them and what that means for their children’s future.

To accommodate more students and better prepare them for the workload that awaits in either the AP® or the IB® program in Grades 11 and 12, JIS will start offering AP® courses for Grade 10 students starting in August 2021 — the first school to do so in Indonesia and one of the very few in Asia.

“We want more students to benefit from the amazing academic opportunities offered by the AP®. Some of the many valuable skills they can gain by starting in Grade 10 are effective time management, as well as independent learning and problem-solving,” Seath said.

But the question is, are 15 and 16-year-olds ready for such a demanding learning experience? Seath believes they are.

“People tend to underestimate this age group — including parents and the students themselves.

At JIS, we see the amazing potential in these students, and it’s our duty to help them reach that potential every way we can. The AP® can help us achieve this.”

Offering some words of advice to potential AP® participants at JIS is JIS graduate Nitya, who is currently an economics major at Reeds College in Oregon, United States. First and foremost, she encouraged students to talk with JIS High School Counsellors in choosing their AP® courses, because their counsellors can help students decide what’s best for their individual academic goals and help them look at the bigger picture.

“Universities appreciate a rigorous course load but also appreciate the breadth of classes you take, your passions, your extracurricular involvement, and your overall growth throughout high school,” she said.

Looking back at her experience with the AP® at JIS and comparing that with her current situation as a third-year undergraduate student, she said she felt grateful for the chance to challenge herself.

“At the end of my senior year, I was able to think fast, condense knowledge in a concise manner, and manage my time better in a stressful setting. As someone who found my AP® classes challenging, it taught me to be resilient, ask for help constantly, and seek support from my peers and friends.”

AP® is a trademark registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this article.

insight

20

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

Is Bali Ready to Adapt and Thrive?

BY ANDY BARSKI (SEVEN STONES INDONESIA)

M

r. Quinn was my old Latin teacher. He was a little “unorthodox” to say the least and would often push the boundaries of our educational envelopes and young impressionable minds to places way beyond the confines of a conventional curriculum.

One day, he introduced his lesson with “Adapt or Die Trying” written large, in white chalk, on a green blackboard. He even underlined it. Twice. He explained how Darwin had used this in his “Origin of Species” back in 1859 and how important it was for us to understand that unless we modified ourselves to best suit our environments we'd get left behind and suffer the consequences. Like dinosaurs.

It wasn’t exactly the “Illegitimi non carborundum” kind of class we were expecting but it did make us think. And now some forty something years later in today's Corona-reset-opposite-new-worldmess it seems to be more relevant than ever, especially when it comes to business.

Seven Stones Indonesia I think we can all agree that businesses that don’t adjust their models, markets, and mindsets are likely to struggle as the world drives full steam ahead into futuristic digital and AI revolutions. At Seven Stones Indonesia, we’re certainly trying to stay on track and navigate the minefield of potential possibilities by really focusing on our customers’ needs, fears, dreams, expectations and opportunities – past, present, and future.

We see opportunities because we believe in helping our clients, partners, and communities create a better world and to focus on what matters most to them. We deliver solutions, peace-of-mind and we help businesses grow, which is why we encourage our partners to use these unusual times to determine what can be done more efficiently to best prepare for the future.

For us, it’s common sense because we read, we research, we follow trends, we ask questions, and we see solutions. And what we’re seeing is a rapidly evolving customer landscape that we (and others) need to adapt to in order to stay relevant, competitive and alive. Maybe we're channeling Mr. Quinn.

Domestic Market Potential Here’s an example. For many years, the perception of Bali's tourism industry, especially from a foreign point of view, was that Bali was totally reliant on international travellers. While last years’ figures of 6+ million foreign arrivals broke records, we shouldn’t ignore the fact that more than 13 million domestic visitors also came to Bali during the same time frame.

That’s something to take seriously and means shifting focus because the potential of Indonesia's domestic market is enormous.

We're seeing a steady increase in the number of domestic visitors to Bali either looking for

PHOTO BY CHEMA PHOTO (UNSPLASH)

a stress-free escape from their respective cities or looking at longer stays with the view to having a bolt-hole to escape to if and/or when city lockdowns become more severe.

Local newswires reported that the recent long weekend at the end of October drew more than 16,000 domestic tourists to Bali via Ngurah Rai International Airport. Figures are not readily available for overland visitors, but it has been plain to see a significant increase in the numbers of out-of-island number plates and the return of something we used to call “traffic.”

Work From Home in Bali Bali’s more relaxed lifestyle, cheaper costs of living, and cleaner environment are good reasons to consider moving here. It would also make sense for some of the larger businesses in Indonesia, particularly those based out of Jakarta and Surabaya who are already encouraging their employees to rethink the traditional models of 9-5 office work, to consider leasing (or even buying) property for their employees to use so they can “work from home… in Bali.”

The Jakarta Post recently reported “more than 3,300 companies across the capital have put in place work-from-home policies for some 1.2 million employees,” according to the Jakarta Manpower, Transmigration and Energy Agency.

FinTechTimes ran an article along similar lines citing examples from the UK, the USA and

More than 3,300 companies across the capital have put in place work-from-home policies for some 1.2 million employees, according to the Jakarta Manpower, Transmigration and Energy Agency.

Japan, all of which have been experiencing significant increases in the number of people looking to move out of cities and into rural areas – and even abroad because of new work from home policies.

Adapting to a Digital Future Some countries have even gone as far as to offer “Digital Nomad Visas” aimed at encouraging foreigners to relocate.

Singapore has introduced something called a “Tech.Pass”, which FinTechTimes say “is a targeted program to attract founders, leaders and technical experts with experience in established or fast-growing tech companies, so as to contribute to the development of Singapore’s tech ecosystem.”

Indonesia has yet to follow suit, but it would make sense to rethink current strategies as digital businesses can more easily thrive from home-based setups. As Southeast Asia's leader in e-commerce GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume), Indonesia dwarfs the competition. According to Statista, in 2019 Indonesia’s GMV “amounted to approximately US$20.9 billion. This was forecasted to increase dramatically by 2025, in which the e-commerce GMV in Indonesia was expected to reach US$82 billion.”

That’s a breathtaking opportunity and certainly something Mr. Quinn would have tried to adapt to. When market forces are clearly pointing in a particular direction, and that direction is digitally based, it makes sense to learn more about what the market needs and explore constructive ways to adapt and not die.

If your business (big or small, foreign or domestic) needs some positive advice on how you can tap into growing trends in Indonesia and make them work for you, let us know.

We'd love to help!

Send an email to: hello@sevenstonesindonesia.com Sources: Forbes, The Jakarta Post, Bali Sun, Statista, The FinTechTimes, McKinsey & Company, Oxford Business Group

22

holiday

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

Work from Holiday in Bali

BY MIRELLA PANDJAITAN

“Well, well, well…” says Maleficent in the 2014 and 2019 hit movies. It’s the end of 2020.

crowded. I prefer how Bali is now where it’s much quieter and less traffic. But it’s starting to get back to normal already,” she said. Even so, Priscilla will be staying in Bali with her dogs over the year-end holidays.

The festive season is looking a little different this year. COVID-19 in Indonesia hasn’t even passed the first wave, unlike other countries entering wave number two or three. Though vaccines are soon to be delivered, anxiety to gather in crowded public spaces still lingers for most.

Do you feel paranoid entering a crowded restaurant? I still do. Do you choose restaurants and other public spaces that are likely less crowded? For sure.

The pandemic has brought travelling to another realm. Road trips have become the new fad, especially for those who are reluctant and paranoid to board a plane. Even the trend to visit Bali by car is a current local favourite. Might as well take advantage of the new toll roads for an R&R, am I right?

SURFING IN CANGGU

His friend Ivan has quite a similar story; he travelled to Asia in January and then went to Bali in February 2020. “I was on my visa run in Vietnam and then moved to Singapore. At that point, everything was starting to close down. I was thinking whether I should go back home to Italy or should I just stay in Asia?” he explained. Ivan eventually decided to stay in Bali. “My friend and I decided to stay here together and see what would happen. It was one of the best things that could happen to us – we have whatever we wish for here,” he added.

I was one of the few who decided to sit on my bum for hours and hours on the road, overlooking the paddy fields across Java. I embarked on a journey from Jakarta to Bali by road with my best friend and her family.

It was a long drive – 18 hours to be precise.

We arrived at Ketapang Port in Banyuwangi at past midnight and made our way crossing to Gilimanuk Port in Bali. At 5am Central Indonesian Time (WITA), we finally arrived in Singaraja, Bali. Exhausted, we were still thrilled to finally be on the Island of Gods: Bali.

Bali amidst the pandemic is quiet. Spending over two weeks to “work from holiday” - yes, not work from home - in the most “normal” way of life was pure tranquil. It’s absolutely different to pre-pandemic Bali. A quiet Bali might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it really allows one to enjoy the island’s natural beauty without having to endure ridiculous traffic and queues.

L-R: IVAN, PEDRO, PRISCILLA

SOFIE

The waves of Batu Bolong beach on a Saturday morning weren’t too ideal for surfing. Many expats residing in Bali, children and those in their 20s, still surfed along the baby waves.

My surfing guide, Bli Made, shared how Bali’s locals are struggling, including himself. He could get plenty of newbie surfers in a day before, but is now subjected to one or even none on the weekends. He’s even resorted to distributing fresh coconuts to a café in Canggu.

WFH or Work from Holiday

JENNIA

A Singaporean named Priscilla was walking her dogs along with her friends, Pedro and Ivan, at Petitenget Beach, Seminyak around sunset hour. Priscilla is busy with her dogs as well as her work in telemedicine and creating apps and websites nowadays. She’s been living in Bali for the past two years, so the pandemic has certainly changed her lifestyle.

“I don’t really go out as much as I previously did, and I think that’s probably better. When I first came to Bali ten years ago, it was really

Pedro, on the other hand, found himself staying longer than he expected. He’s an online English teacher from New York, USA. Being a digital nomad enables him to easily travel. Since February 2020, Pedro has been working, surfing, scuba diving, and explored Flores on a motorbike, Lombok, and Sumbawa. “I’ll be back in the US for Thanksgiving and Christmas as I was supposed to see my family back in August, but things changed. I’ll hopefully return to Bali because I want to stay here for the long term,” he said.

PETITENGET BEACH

As a freelancer living in Seminyak, he explained that after meeting some friends around May, they all started to realise that there are actually a lot of them “stuck” and chose to start or make a living here instead.

Jennia from Ukraine denies the label of being “stuck” in Bali after having her flight in April cancelled due to Ukraine’s lockdown. “I’m waiting for better days; I’m waiting for when it’s safe to return home. Being stuck is when you don’t have another option,” she explained.

Considering 2020 her recovery year, Jennia will be exploring the rest of the island despite residing here for almost a year, as well as finishing her online studies.

Whereas Sofie won’t be staying longer in Bali, that’s if her personal affairs to move to the US are sorted. Originating from Russia, Sofie lived in Shanghai, China for the past two years. “Being in Bali is my choice. I didn’t even plan to move to Bali nine months ago.

I love this place; I’ve already got my Bali

family, my friends, and my dog but I need to go,” she explained.

Biggest Takeaway of 2020 Made: “There’s always a way for the Balinese to survive and this pandemic doesn’t hinder our efforts. We hope to have Bali back on its feet soon, welcoming international tourists again.”

Priscilla: “I’m really good at my job (chuckles).”

Pedro: “We’ve had such a different experience here in Bali compared to the rest of the world like in the US and Europe. I can’t say something cheesy and take advantage of everything because we’re the lucky few, and not everyone in the world had the same opportunity to go to the beach, travel, and get busy in Indonesia.”

Ivan: “I learned to trust my gut feelings. My family urged me to come back home because it’s safer. I had this feeling that it’s worth to stay in Bali because you could see how the atmosphere was at the beginning when everybody was terrified but then started to loosen up a couple months later.”

Jennia: “Flexibility. It is the most important quality we should have now. Though we have our plans and dreams, situations are always

Enjoy the moment. I tend to overthink, hence, not enjoying the moment that’s thrust upon me. It’s important to enjoy the moment because it can be gone in a split second. changing so we should be flexible enough to adapt and to change our plans according to the situation around us. It doesn’t mean to reject what we’ve always wanted, but not to be very stubborn, find other ways, and be more creative in what you do and how you do it.”

Sofie: “Enjoy the moment. I tend to overthink, hence, not enjoying the moment that’s thrust upon me. It’s important to enjoy the moment because it can be gone in a split second.”

Rumours of Bali reopening its international doors constantly circulate throughout the year. The recent one is the reopening on December 1, 2020. Bali’s government officials have denied these rumours, in fact stating 2021 will possibly be the year of welcoming international tourism back.

Would you choose to visit Bali, perhaps by car this holiday?

cuisine

24

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

Frestro Asia Restaurant and its Outstanding Hearty Ribs Balungan Soup there’s too much batter, sometimes there’s not enough batter. Frestro has accomplished the seemingly impossible of having a sufficient layer of batter on the outside, cooked until crispy yet leaving the banana melting within.

Sprinkles of cheese were then added to give the famous Indonesian sweet yet savoury dessert combination.

CROFFLE

PISANG GORENG CRISPY

SOP IGA BALUNGAN

SPRING ROLL AND SIOMAY

BY MIRELLA PANDJAITAN

T

he search for scr umptious Indonesian food is a never-ending journey. It’s contemplating where to go to that can be the most challenging.

I love it when an Indonesian cuisine restaurant features new discoveries for me.

Frestro Asia Restaurant at Jambuluwuk Thamrin Hotel is a restaurant that teaches and assists you to become a modern eater. In other words, you become more conscious of where your food comes from; from seed to table.

Guess what Frestro stands for? Did you guess “fresh” and “retro”? I didn't. By “fresh” they mean that food is always fresh within a 24hour timeline. Even Jambuluwuk Thamrin Hotel’s website explains, “we are working side by side with local farmers, growing allnatural ingredients for the menu”. As for “retro”, the combination of ingredients is derived from nationwide Indonesian special blends.

Enter the hotel and on your right is the restaurant. You’ll be greeted with a body temperature check and be seated in short order. The walls are colourful; the furniture is earthy – creating a homey ambiance while carrying the family concept that adapts to local culture of a certain city. For example, this Jakarta branch has Betawi cultural references such as ondel-ondel, photographs displaying Jakarta’s trademarks and cultural influences attached on the wall, and a painted mural outdoors by the swimming pool.

I had a three-course meal for lunch today. For starters, I had steamed made-from-scratch siomay and deep fried crispy-yet-soft-inside spring roll. Certainly, Southeast Asian inspired.

My main course meal was my new Indonesian favourite dish; sop iga balungan - or beef ribs balungan soup. From Demak, Central Java, this dish is primarily filled with juicy, tender beef surrounding the cow’s bone that’s still intact. The meat is soft - it fondles your tongue. A sufficient amount of pepper, garlic, and salt makes the soup refreshing.

No cooking oil is even used to fry the spices because the bones have already released their own oil. Also included are some tomatoes, carrots, and white potatoes, but they’re only added at the end to ensure you feel a crunch as you take a bite – that’s sop iga balungan.

I’ve had sop iga before but nothing like this Demak culinary specialty. Aside from having the hearty beef and light refreshing soup, Frestro Asia’s sop iga balungan is served alongside rice, green sambal, and emping crackers. I suggest trying it with some green sambal to further enhance you experience trying this dish.

Dessert was a classic Indonesian sweet: fried banana fritters or in Frestro’s case, pisang goreng crispy. As you may know, pisang goreng is cut-out banana dipped into a flour-based batter which gets deep fried until golden brown. It’s generally either hit or miss with fried bananas. Sometimes

Surprisingly, another dessert was presented before me. This was another one of today’s discoveries. Croffle, which is a portmanteau of croissant and waffle, aka croissant batter cooked on a huge waff le maker, was also served alongside Nutella and maple syrup.

Remember “cronuts”, or croissant doughnuts?

Yes, a croffle is similar to cronuts. Sounds like a weekend breakfast food but having it for dessert in the middle of the day didn’t sound too bad.

Frestro Asia Restaurant is your Asian/ Southeast food centre, emphasising Indonesian food, of course. You can get roti canai alongside milo dinasour – a classic Malaysian mamak meal – freshly made dim sum, and South Korean favourite chicken karaage, to name a few.

The combination of selected herbs and spices of Fresto Asia Restaurant at Jambuwuluk Thamrin Hotel won’t disappoint you. Let your stomach and tongue enjoy a memorable culinary experience when you come here!

six branches of Frestro are available in all Jambuluwuk hotels and resorts. As the hotel coincides with authentic Indonesian culture in a modern world, Frestro’s menu includes mostly local foods revolving around the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy's slogan, Wonderful Indonesia. You can find your favourite dish in all the Frestro’s nationwide, and you’re guaranteed the same pleasant dining experience as you did the first time. Bear in mind that each Frestro adopts the local region’s culinary specialty, which you might not find in another branch.

In new normal days, the restaurant can only accommodate 20 people considering the health protocols and the hotel's effort to stay vigilant against the coronavirus.

Normally, 50 people can dine in. Moreover, events being held here still continue with the limited capacity at only 20 percent. Ni Made Srirasih, the Cluster General Manager, said many inquiries about gatherings and events are received by the hotel, but many are still afraid for such normalcy. “Most events are postponed to 2021,” she said.

She happens to also be a huge fan of the siomay, and I can’t blame her. “I just can’t get enough of it because it’s homemade,” she explained. Apparently, office workers and government staff also can’t get enough of these Indonesian and Asian/Southeast Asian comfort foods, with prices ranging from Rp30,000 to Rp110,000 including tax. You can dine in or #stayathome using its delivery service available on GrabFood. A steal for scrumptious food in the heart of the capital!

“First-timers at Frestro, when in doubt, should try crowd favourites and best-sellers: dumplings, dim sum, green chili beef tongue (lidah sapi sambal ijo), and beef ribs balungan soup,” she concluded.

The combination of selected herbs and spices of Fresto Asia Restaurant at Jambuwuluk Thamrin Hotel won’t disappoint you. Let your stomach and tongue enjoy a memorable culinary experience when you come here!

Frestro Asia Restaurant Jambuluwuk Thamrin Hotel, Jl. Riau No.57, Gondangdia, Central Jakarta Operation Hours: Daily (9 am-9pm) during the pandemic (Daily from 7 am-10pm prepandemic.)

Tel: +62 21 1310 8999 WhatsApp: +62 811 166 169 Instagram: @frestroasia Website: www.frestro.co.id

26

sports

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

Garuda Select Introduces the World to Indonesia’s Bright Young Footballers

I

ndonesia is one of the many countries very passionate when it comes to football. Rob Davies, Garuda Select’s Program Director, concurs. Yet the ugly truth on the country’s football achievement states otherwise with countries such as Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, or Thailand beating Indonesia.

Garuda Select was established in January 2019, based on the breakthrough collaboration between the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) and Mola TV to creating a long-term football coaching program by gathering Indonesian U-17 players to train in the UK to reach their full potentials, in future hopes of improving the football standard in Indonesia. Moreover, this program focusses on an acceleration program to prepare teams for the target of qualifying for the 2024 Olympics and the 2030 World Cup. “You can always take players from the national team and train them to be better but to find players with raw talent from off the radar, who are playing in villages across the country and can be moulded into young professional players is what we’re looking for,” said Rob. Garuda Select calls it as a process of supporting grass-root football. Selected players are within the age group U-16 and U-17, which Indonesia has plenty of. This is an opportunity for these young hopefuls to an experience they can’t get in Indonesia; taking them to Europe to let them catch an insight into the sport’s standards to become a professional. Planned to run for 10 years, two British football legends, Dennis Wise as the technical director and Des Walker as the coach, have been directly appointed to coach the selected players.

Dennis said, “We’re looking for players ahead of everybody else.” A fitness coach assembles a fitness profile based on their conducted tests in the UK. Four to five experts look over in terms of the players’ characteristics whether they’re a left-footer or right-footer, how they are balanced physically, technically and most importantly, how they manage the game.

Recommendations from PSSI are still well-received, however, their process while sounding straight forward tend to lead to times where they are sending excessive numbers in one position. For example, six right-backs and no goalkeepers.

Garuda Select has their own scouts who frequently visit Indonesia and work together with local scouts by directly inspecting potential players on the field or through watching videos. Once selected, these players are then invited to a five-day trial camp. This is the moment where they are highly analysed to be selected as the lucky qualified players.

PSSI has been experimenting for years but never achieved a long-term plan before Garuda Select was put together. Dennis mentioned the main focus is on developing

them as players who will someday get bigger opportunities or return to Indonesia as better players with added values. Playing overseas brings a player to a higher level. They can bring back knowledge and skillsets to improve the national team’s standards.

As one of many examples, Kakang, a player who was unrecognised by the international selectors and developed by the Garuda Select, has now been called up to the U-19’’s Indonesian national team.

A 16-year-old player can improve dramatically within in a year, given that he’s had proper training. Selected players change their field positions (or natural position) according to the experts’ observation. Quite often, Garuda Select discovers players who club coaches claim as, for example, a centre back but is actually a centre forward because there has been no real accurate analysation of their skills and abilities.

Dennis described the various teaching methods used. Technically, Dennis and the rest of the team try to polish the selected players; maintaining repetition and concentration, the need to understand individual weaknesses and their improvements, understanding their positions and the angles they need to make, and figuring out how to be effective in the game is to name a few.

The players are also tracked through GPS. Their movements and levels are observed daily for future comparison on their first session to

where they are now and until the end of the program. “We’ve got our eyes on them every day,” said Dennis. A total of 12 sessions a week is planned, which includes weights training three times a week. Nutrition is also very important. Eating correctly and sufficiently to refuel the body before and after a long day of training is emphasised.

Apart from being equipped with tactics and playing techniques, Garuda Select encourages selected players to undergo coaching training sessions. “It’s a good idea for a player, who let’s say, got injured but wants to stay in the game. This coaching certificate they obtain is worldly recognised by FIFA so they can have the correct tools for their future in football regardless of wherever they are in the world,” explained Dennis. In addition, English lessons after frolicking on the field are given daily.

The British Embassy is very supportive.

“These kids are unbelievably happy to be chosen,” Rob conveyed. Moving to the UK for the first time without any familiar faces might be daunting at first. But Indonesians have a way of adapting. Rob describes them fitting in pretty well – they even work out pretty quickly where to locally get chilli.

Garuda Select’s real challenge has been Indonesia’s infrastructure because when compared to in the UK, it is exceptionally contrasting. Both Rob and Dennis concur while staying positive on overcoming this challenge.

The first batch comprising 24 players departed

to the UK in January 2019 and trained for six months. The majority of these players are alumni of the U-16 Indonesian National Team who won the 2018 U-15 AFF Cup, such as Brylian Aldama, Davud Maulana, Mochamad Supriadi, Bagus Kahfi, and many more. They played in 17 matches against reputable junior clubs such as Arsenal U-16, Chelsea U-16, and Leicester City U-17. As a result, the first Garuda Select batch reaped five wins, four draws, and eight defeats.

“They experience what it’s like to be a professional footballer in Europe. They have all the same facilities and are treated to the same medical facilities, the best physio, and trainers,” Rob explained.

Bagus Kahfi is a phenomenal player who got injured in his ankle. He was immediately operated on in the UK and is now still recovering there. According to Rob, quite a few European clubs are interested in him.

“He’s finding his way back but as soon as he gets back to full strength and full fitness, he’ll be playing internationally for sure and of course, for the Indonesian national team,” he said.

Garuda Select’s second batch recruitment occurred in October 2019. However this time, there were only five international players included. A total of 24 players played 11 trial matches in the UK from October to December 2019, then moved to Italy to play four more practice matches. In Italy, the Garuda Select lost only by the smallest of margins playing against Juventus U-17 (2-1) and Inter Milan U-17 (3-2) but had convincing wins against Turino and FC Como 1907. They returned to the UK to continue training camp in February 2020.

More matches were faced. A total of 21 trial matches were played, and remarkably, the results were better this time around by reaping ten victories, four draws, and seven defeats. Their phenomenal performances have reportedly amused some European football clubs.

Despite the pandemic which continues to linger towards the rest of 2020, the third Garuda Select batch recruitment still took place. “This is probably the best year of scouting with around 140 kids. Every year, the selection process gets better as people understand what we want and what we need,” said Rob. On October 29 at Pakansari Stadium in Bogor, Dennis was accompanied by a team of coaches from England. Within six days, 26 players were declared qualified on November 3, 2020.

Garuda Select has become a standout program viewed in Indonesia. A documentary showcasing their training sessions is available on the Mola TV app. Tune in to the series of YouTube videos by searching for Garuda Select.

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

flashback

27

Top Indonesian News Stories of 2020 Kenneth Yeung looks back at a year of bad news.

January 1: Floods and landslides kill at least 66 people in Greater Jakarta.

January 10: The Forestry and Environment Ministry terminates a forest conservation partnership with the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), accusing WWF of allowing the burning of a forest.

January 27: Amid fears that COVID-19 has reached Indonesia, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto tells people to eat breakfast, exercise and pray.

January 31: American journalist Phil Jacobson of environmental news website Mongabay is expelled from Indonesia after spending four days in jail in Central Kalimantan for not having a journalist's visa.

February 2: In response to COVID-19, Indonesia halts flights to and from China, after 238 Indonesians are evacuated from Wuhan city to Indonesia’s remote Natuna Island.

February 5: The first Indonesian confirmed to have COVID-19 is a maid in Singapore.

February 11: Indonesia refuses to repatriate 689 of its citizens who joined the Islamic State terrorist army in Syria.

February 15: Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto says prayer makes Indonesia immune to COVID-19.

February 27: Vice President Ma'ruf Amin says Indonesia has no known COVID-19 cases, so it deserves an exemption from Saudi Arabia's temporary ban on foreign hajj pilgrims. The exemption is not granted.

March 1: The government announces discounted domestic f lights to encourage tourism amid the pandemic. The president insists cheap flights will not spread the virus.

March 2: Indonesia announces its first two COVID-19 cases, saying they contracted the virus from a Japanese person.

March 11: Officials declare a British woman in Bali is the first person to die from COVID-19 in Indonesia.

March 14: Indonesia starts taking COVID-19 more seriously, declaring a national disaster after the transport minister tests positive.

Many schools, workplaces and public spaces are closed.

March 31: Bob Hasan, who ran a plywood monopoly under former president Suharto and was later jailed for corruption, dies from lung cancer aged 89.

April 1: Reports emerge that numerous villages are refusing to bury COVID-19 victims.

April 2: Indonesia closes its borders for non-essential travel. Foreign tourists are indefinitely banned from entering.

The government says 30,000 prisoners will

be released to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks in overcrowded jails.

April 5: Wearing face masks in public is made mandatory.

April 8: Singer Glenn Fredly, who campaigned for forest conservation and peace in Papua, dies at age 44 from meningitis.

April 9: Australia withdraws its ambassador to Indonesia because of COVID-19 concerns, while numerous countries continue to urge their citizens to leave Indonesia.

April 21: President Joko Widodo announces that mudik (the post-Ramadan practice of traveling from cities to hometowns) will be banned from 24 April, causing a rush to travel before the deadline.

April 22: Government critic Ravio Patra is arrested after hackers use his phone number to send a message calling for anarchy. He is released two days later, amid protests he was set up by the authorities.

May 29: Indonesia announces its "New Normal" concept, allowing the re-opening of schools, malls and tourist destinations. The nation’s COVID-19 cases pass 25,000, while its testing rate remains among the lowest in Asia.

17 June: Amid the global Black Lives Matter protest movement, seven Papuans are sentenced to between 10 and 11 months in prison for treason. Prosecutors had sought 17-year sentences.

June 25: Fishermen in Aceh province rescue nearly 100 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, despite resistance from officials. Another 297 Rohingya boatpeople would be rescued in September.

July 1: The World Bank for the first time classifies Indonesia as an Upper MiddleIncome Country.

Jakarta bans single-use plastic bags.

Former Supreme Court secretary Nurhadi Abdurrahman and his son-in-law Rezky Herbiyono are arrested for allegedly accepting bribes of Rp46 billion (US$3.2 million) in three cases.

July 2: Police say 100 people have been sentenced to death for narcotics offenses in the first half of the year.

July 3: Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo is ridiculed after announcing plans to mass-produce an "antivirus necklace" made from eucalyptus oil.

July 16: Two policemen are jailed for up to two years for a 2017 acid attack that left anti-corruption investigator Novel Baswedan partially blind. Activists say the mastermind remains unpunished.

July 20: The government disbands its COVID-19 Task Force, ending daily press briefings on COVID-19 case numbers.

July 30: Graft fugitive Djoko Tjandra, who fled Indonesia in 2009, is arrested in Malaysia and sent back to Indonesia. He is later accused of bribing senior police officers and a state prosecutor.

July 31: Bali reopens to domestic tourism after a five-month shutdown.

August 22: Fire destroys much of the Attorney General ’s Of f ice follow ing allegations that Djoko Tjandra bribed a state prosecutor in an effort to have his corruption conviction dropped.

Bali announces it will remain closed to foreign tourists for the remainder of 2020.

August 28: Over 100 soldiers go on a rampage in Ciracas, East Jakarta, attacking and stabbing police and local residents, vandalizing buildings, and setting fire to cars.

The incident occurred after a drunk soldier crashed a motorbike and then falsely claimed his injuries were caused by an attack by locals.

August 29: Police arrest 56 people at a gathering of gay men in Kuningan, South Jakarta, even though homosexuality is not illegal – except in Aceh province. Nine are charged with funding or facilitating immoral activity.

September 1: Parliament revises the Constitutional Court Law to favour serving judges, prompting claims it is a “gift” to persuade the court to side with the government when review September 8: Twitter and Zoom are added to a list of online companies that must pay 10 percent value-added tax on sales in Indonesia.

September 9: Media tycoon and journalist Jakob Oetama, founder of the top-selling Kompas daily newspaper, dies aged 88 from multiple organ failure.

September 12: A Chinese 2,700-ton patrol vessel makes yet another intrusion into Indonesian waters in the South China Sea. September 19: Priest Yeremia Zanambani is murdered in Papua. Police and the military blame separatist rebels. Indonesia’s human rights commission later says the priest was tortured in an effort to extract information and then shot dead by a soldier.

October 1: Indonesia’s economy enters recession after two consecutive quarters of negative growth.

October 5: The House of Representatives passes the Omnibus Law on Job Creation, despite objections from unions and environmentalists. The legislation aims to attract investment by reducing red tape but fails to tackle corruption.

October 6: Protests against the Omnibus Law turn violent, prompting allegations that paid provocateurs are seeking to discredit the demonstrations.

TV journalist Najwa Shihab is reported to police for defamation because she interviewed an empty chair after the health minister repeatedly declined to appear on her show.

October 9: Education Minister Nadiem Makarim says the annual National Examination will be replaced with a National Assessment.

October 15: Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto visits the US, after he was banned entry for 20 years because of human rights violations. His Defence Ministry received the second-largest ministerial allocation in the state budget in 2020.

A soldier is fired from the Indonesian military for being gay.

October 19: The Netherlands says children of Indonesians executed by Dutch soldiers during Indonesia's 194549 War of Independence will be entitled to compensation of 5,000 euros, if they can provide proof.

October 24-31: Indonesian Muslim leaders and politicians denounce French President Emmanuel Macron after he criticized extremist Islam following the decapitation of a French history teacher.

October 27: The Environment Ministry says construction of a Komodo dragon tourism development on Rinca Island will be completed in 2021, despite objections from locals and conservationists. The local government plans to charge $1,000 for entry to Komodo National Park.

November 10: Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab is greeted by thousands of supporters upon his return to Indonesia, after spending three years in Saudi Arabia to avoid police charges ranging from hate speech to pornography.

November 16: The police chiefs of Jakarta and West Java are fired for failing to enforce COVID-19 health protocols during mass gatherings by FPI supporters.

November 19: Rock band drummer and COVID-19 conspiracy theorist Jerinx is sentenced to 14 months’ jail for insulting Indonesian doctors.

November 24: Indonesia’s off icial COVID-19 death toll reaches 16,111 and 506,302 cases. Testing reaches almost 2 percent.

November 25: Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Edhy Prabowo, a member of Gerindra Party, is arrested for alleged corruption involving illegal exports of lobster larvae.

December 9: President Joko Widodo’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is widely expected to be elected mayor of Solo, Central Java, as his only challenger will be an independent candidate.

28

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

BALI

Sustainability – The New Luxury at Alila Villas Uluwatu

BALI

Apurva Spa Wins “Best Hotel Spa” in Coveted Condé Nast Johansens Award

Sustainability is all around for guests of Alila Villas Uluwatu. The EarthCheck Platinum-certified resort’s commitment to sustainability has only strengthened as it inspires a new generation of conscious travellers to not only stay but also grow their awareness and make a positive impact.

The Apurva Kempinski Bali’s unique indigenous spa, Apurva Spa, has been recognised as the “Best Hotel Spa” in the 2020 Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence. This is based on responses from online voting, guest feedback and local experts’ reports drawn from the hotels featured on the Condé Nast Johansens website and in its spa guides.

“We are extremely honoured to receive this prestigious award. All of our team members have put in a lot of hard work, passion and dedication to create a beloved sanctuary for those who seek peace. We believe that it lays the foundation for us to establish our position as the leading destination spa in Bali,” shared Vincent Guironnet, General Manager of The Apurva Kempinski Bali.

Inspired by the traditions of ancient Indonesia, this award-winning spa embodies the holistic healing philosophy that began more than 2,000 years ago, combining time-honoured rituals and modern techniques.

The complete wellness experience at Apurva Spa is based on the ancient proverb “rupasampat wahyabiantara” which means true beauty is achieved when outer beauty is in harmony with inner beauty.

“Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do and for us, it is the new luxury. We feel that the modern-day luxury traveller is looking for sustainability in travel and to contribute in some form or the other to the environment and the community,” said General Manager Hemal Jain.

Appreciate the resort’s stunning design, which blends naturally with Uluwatu’s dry savannah environment. Interiors seamlessly flow from inside to outside, maximising natural ventilation and views of the Indian Ocean.

Lava rocks, which occur naturally in Uluwatu, serve as natural insulation for the buildings and, by absorbing the Bali heat, keep air-conditioning energy consumption to a minimum.

Alila Villas Uluwatu is Bali’s pioneer in substituting plastic-based amenities with biodegradable and compostable options. Here, guests quench their thirst with drinking water that is purified and stored in reusable glass bottles at an on-site water bottling plant. Guests can also learn about the resort’s Sustainability Lab, the heart of its zero-waste policy, which enables it to make zero contribution to the waste situation on the island.

Traditional ointments such as lulur, a herb and spice body scrub, will help achieve outer beauty, while activities such as sunrise yoga and chakra meditation will pave the way to inner harmony and balance. Treatments are tailor-made for each guest based on the four stages of life with different varieties of oil, lulur, and jamu selected depending on specific individual needs.

Beyond its green initiatives, Alila Villas Uluwatu is invested in the development of the local community through its Gift to Empower offer. Five percent of guests’ villa rate per night will be gifted to R.O.L.E. Foundation, the resort’s non-profit partner working to break the poverty cycle by empowering women with skills training and business education. Enjoy daily breakfast and one three-course dinner for two people, and a visit to the foundation on a heart-warming journey into the community.

Visit www.kempinski.com for more information.

Email to uluwatu@alilahotels.com for further information and reservations.

BALI

Bali Island School PTA Organised Successful Blood Drive and Flu Vaccination Let’s Keep on Giving! The BIS annual blood drive and the flu vaccination offerings were held on the BIS Campus on October 27 and November 2, 2020.

At Bali Island School, the importance of community is acknowledged; not only the school community but also beyond the school walls. The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) has a tradition of a strong presence since its inception at BIS. According to PTA Chairman, Jinae Harrington, this has been very successful in raising funds for the students while also give back to the community by donating funds raised to their chosen charities. In this quarter, the PTA organised two events dedicated to healthcare by running a blood drive and a flu vaccine offering at the BIS Courtyard.

“Under the cloud of COVID-19, the BIS PTA stood strong and were proudly able to organise a successful flu vaccine with 31 people keen to receive their vaccine, and a recent blood drive saw over 50 participants eager to give blood to support the wider community,” said Jinae.

Bali Island School (formerly Bali International School) is an international school based in Sanur, close to Denpasar, Bali. Its 201 students are Pre-K-12.

It is the most established IB World School in Bali that is fully authorised by the International Baccalaureate to deliver the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programs from Preschool to Grade 12. BIS is a Council of International Schools and Western Association of Schools and Colleges accredited, non-profit, college-preparatory, and operates under Indonesian law.

BIS engages and empowers globally-minded, confident learners to reach their best potential. Their mission is to create an active, creative, and respectful learning community.

Visit www.baliislandschool.com for more information.

How to Cope with COVID-19? Can I still See My Doctor?

COVID-19 Testing? Health Certificates?

A lot of information is available on COVID-19. For those of us who are living in Jakarta or elsewhere in Indonesia it is important to stay as healthy as possible. GOOD PRACTICE provides information on COVID-19 on line. We have organised Health Talks and Webinars for International schools and Embassies. Send us an email if you want to know more.

GOOD PRACTICE is open as usual. We provide house calls and we also provide COVID-19 testing (we can also come to your house for testing). HEALTH CERTIFICATES can be provided by GOOD PRACTICE.

GOOD PRACTICE PROVIDES NON INFECTIOUS STERILE CONSULTATION HOURS. Are your vaccinations still up to date? Did you get a FLU vaccination?

How are your other conditions controlled? If you are suffering from hypertension or diabetes for instance, you have to make sure those conditions are managed well. Please make sure you have your regular check-ups and that your supply of medication is sufficient. You can even consider an immune boost, which we can also provide at GOOD PRACTICE. Identify a clinic that you can turn too with your concerns. A clinic that can advise you about your symptoms. Now it is especially important that the communication between your good self and a trusted medical practitioner is well understood.

So what to do if you have any symptoms? Talk to a trusted medical practitioner. Also if you consider that you need COVID-19 testing, you should talk to a medical practitioner. Please note that we offer both PCR swabs and Rapid COVID-19 tests and serological antibody testing.

Dr Steven Graaff,MD,MRCGP, the founder of Good Practice Clinic is a graduate of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Before completing his formal training in General Practice in the UK, he worked in several hospitals, occupational health and general practice in the Netherlands and the UK. As a medical professional with international experience,Steven decided to start his own clinic – Good Practice, in Jakarta

HOUSE CALLS ARE PROVIDED FOR EVERY CONDITION INCLUDING VACCINATIONS AND CHILDHOOD IMMUNISATIONS.

Best of all is that you now can have a consultation with anyone of our medical team from whatever location. We have introduced TELECONSULTATIONS. Via an app, GP Now, you can connect with us directly.

Just send GOOD PRACTICE a simple email to info@goodpractice. co.id and we will send you the link.

Basically you let us know what time you would like to consult a doctor and we will appear on line at the desired time. If any medication needs to be provided, we will arrange this to be sent out to you.

GOOD PRACTICE can help you with all the above. We now also provide you with direct contact to our medical practitioners from any location in this world!

It is important that you identify a clinic that you are comfortable with. GOOD PRACTICE has patients from 71 countries (Jamaica and Namibia have been added to our list). Our all English speaking team implements international guidelines. We provide highly personalised care. Try us!

Jl. Bangka Raya #106B Jakarta 12730 Tel. +62-21-7183140 info@goodpractice.co.id

www.goodpractice.co.id

30

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

Expat Advertiser JAKARTA Automotive

Nissan Serena 2013 in excellent condition. Well maintained by expat. Keyless start. Leather seats; Electric door. Dropdown DV D s cr e en . R e ver si ng camera. 120,000 Km. Price: Rp125 million. Contact: David (davidjray@gmail.com) or WA: + 61416453990.

Toyota Camry 2.4 for sale. Rp150 million. Black colour, year of manufacture 2011, 2.362 cc, petrol. Interested please email roshini.bakshi@gmail.com

Send your classifieds to: info@indonesiaexpat.biz Next Deadline: December 29, 2020

312 exclusive residential units.

Ready To Move In Units: Two bedrooms and three bedrooms are available. For lease inquiry or private v iew ing please contact: info@verdetwo.com IG: verdetwo.

2 houses for sale in Kebon Jeruk (West Jakarta). 5 minutes access to Jl. Panjang, Strategic location. Close to Permata Hijau and TOLL road gate. Walking distance to McDonald’s, Holy cow, Pizza Hut and The Harvest.

2 Houses for Rp3.8 billion (negotiable). Nearby Binus University. Each house has its own certificate hak milik. Very good location for investment.

Land: one house is 86 m2 and one house 87m 2. For details please contact the owner at +6281290070037 (WA only).

Services Personal trainer available for South Jakarta area. We can train outdoor, indoor or at your house or apartment.

Train by professional and speaking English coach. For questions or request can contact +628118846283.

Private fitness trainer, coach for indiv idual or groups (maximal 2 people). Fitness program for f lexibility and mobility, recovery, body weight, sports performance, postural alignment. NCSA certif ied, Muaythai Certified, and 12 years experience fitness coach/, personal trainer. Contact: +628119555806.

Online Private Guitar & Ukulele Lessons. All guitar & ukulele lessons are provided online (via Zoom/Google Meeting).

Lessons are for both kids and adults. Lesson schedules can be arranged based on student’s availability. Lesson materials can be set up based on student’s needs. Contact: Bowo (WA: +6281808361136) Qualified French and Bahasa Indonesia teacher online for expatriate and international school students with IB DP and IGCSE curriculum. Contact Novi +62816704370.

House For Rent : Villa Panbil Batam. Comfortable, airy, fully furnished, 3-bedroom, expat standard, detached, forest house, on a hillside, with large glass facias giving extensive, uninterrupted, v iews over natural landscapes. On-site supermarket, done-for-you laundry, clubhouse, swimming pool, restaurant and cinema.

Easy access to Batam Centre.

Within 1000m of the new Best Western Hotel. Global International School pick-ups and drops off at the front door of the house. Balcony and veranda to sit out and enjoy the fresh air and views. Large enough for a family – not too big for a single person. Complete with fibre optic internet connectivity.

WhatsApp: +628117004224.

Email: elodge2000@yahoo.com For rent: C a sa Gra nde Residence, Tower Chianti.

Brand new. Scandinav ian design. 5 minutes to Rasuna Said & 10 minutes to Jend.

Sudirman SCBD. High f loor, mountain view. 2 bedrooms & 1 bathroom. Fully furnished.

Free carpark. Private access to Kota Kasablanca Mall. Price at Rp15million/month. WhatsApp +628119402222.

Property

Verde Two is an award-winning development by PT. Farpoint, a part of Gunung Sewu Group.

With 8,600 sqm dedicated for only two towers: Monteverde and Terraverde, in a total of

Newly Refurbished Permata Hijau Apartment for Rent by Owner. Rp18 million/month (negotiable) incl. water and electricity. Our 3 BR/2 BA fully-furnished apartment is strategically located within the Permata Hijau residential area in South Jakarta, near the Central Jakarta, Senayan and SCBD areas. 15 minutes drive from Senayan MRT Station.

SPECS: Very bright 112 sqm apartment, 3BR/2BA, Two balconies with view of Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex, the Parliament building and the city. Very private, only two apartment units on each floor, Maid/storage room, Westernstyle kitchen; fridge/freezer, gas stove, oven, microwave, washing machine. Building amenities: Pool, gym, sauna, jogging track, parking garage, children’s playground, BBQ area, Dry cleaner, mini-mart.

Receptionist, 24-hour security, Very sweet, friendly and helpful staf f. Surrounding areas: 15-minute drive to Senayan MRT Station, Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD).

Senopati area, 10-minute walk to: ITC Permata Hijau Shopping Centre, Carrefour, Food Hall and Hero. Super market s TransJakar ta public bus, 10-minute drive to Senayan City Mall, Plaza Senayan Mall. Contact Pontus (WA: +628119259000).

House for rent by the owner, it's completely renovated. It's suitable for private home or Work from Home ( WFH ). Jl. Jaya Mandala, Patra Jasa, South Jakarta. Size 1.740 sqm,5 Beds,4 Baths,1 Main House,1 Granny House, Pool, Garage 4 cars, Carport 2 cars, cozy atmosphere, Good fresh air circulation, Close Embassy Australia, Kuningan and office building and Mall Kokas & LOT TE. Access to toll ring roads. Contact: +62858113532 37. E m a i l: bakpiaoke@hotmail.com

For Sale Ibanez Performance Series Acoustic steel-string Guitar.

Made in Korea. Rare and discontinued series. Secondhand but it still sounds great.

Using Fisherman ClearWave 50 PreA mp. Price Rp3.5 million (negotiable). Contact +6281808361136 via WhatsApp for serious buyer only.

BALI Property

Tumbak Bayuh, Land size : 150m2, Building size : 300m2, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, private pool: 3x7m, wifi, electricity, parking area, 2 levels, night time security, property is furnished Rp 200 million/year, housekeeping 2/3 times a week, pool and garden maintenance.

For further information please contact : +6281246607787.

Villa for yearly rental in Kerobokan RT188. 3 bedrooms villa located in jalan Merta Agung, Kerobokan near to Mertanadi, restaurant and shop.

Yearly Price : Rp165 million.

Land Size: 300 m 2. For more information: +623619065325 or WhatsApp: +6281916391484.

31

Indonesia Expat Issue 267 | 2 December 2020 – 5 January 2021

Why Estate Planning is Important for Everyone in the Time of COVID-19

BY JOSEPH T. ALTHOUSE

From stay-at-home orders to social distancing, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a serious impact on everyone’s lives. These uncertain times have moved many people to think about their mortality and the legacy they want to leave behind. If you need to create or update your estate plan, an attorney who handles wills, trusts, and other vital documents, we can help you prepare for the future and put your mind at ease.

WHY DO I NEED AN ESTATE PLAN? Even if you do not have a particularly large estate, planning for what may come is vital. An estate plan involves so much more than just a will. Without powers of attorney or an advance directive (living will), if you should become incapacitated, health care and financial decisions may be left up to someone you do not trust or even know. These documents help to ensure your health, wellbeing, and finances are protected if you cannot speak for yourself. In addition, having a will and other estate planning measures in place at the time of your death can help your family save time, money, and avoid additional emotional upheaval during an already challenging period.

UPDATE OR CREATE YOUR ESTATE PLAN Whether you already have an estate plan and need to update it, or you need to create a new one, it is especially important not to put it off during these unpredictable times. There are several documents that are crucial elements of any estate plan, including: Last Will and Testament – A will enables you to specify how you would like your assets to be distributed after your death. You may also name guardians for

minor children and appoint an executor who will handle the distribution of your assets. Without a will, the distribution of your assets will be handled by the probate court, which can be an expensive, timeconsuming process fraught with conflict. If you know how you want your estate to be distributed to your beneficiaries, making a will can ensure it happens according to your wishes.

Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care – This document enables you to designate someone you trust to make health care decisions for you should you become incapacitated. Having a lawyer help you create this document can ensure that proper requirements and language are used so your agent has the legal authority to carry out your wishes.

Living Will (Advance Directive) – Life-sustaining medical decisions can be excruciating for loved ones to make, especially if they are unaware of what you would have wanted. A living will allows you to state your wishes and name a surrogate decision maker regarding the refusal or approval of certain lifesustaining treatments if you are incapable of making those decisions for yourself.

Power of Attorney for Finances – Naming someone to take care of your financial affairs when you are unable to do so can protect your assets, property, and your family. A power of attorney for finances gives your agent the ability to pay bills, make deposits, write checks, sell or buy assets, and file tax returns on your behalf.

The experienced team at Althouse Group Indonesia is dedicated to serving clients’ legal needs during these unpredictable times. We can help you create a comprehensive, personalised estate plan that meets your needs and safeguards your future.