Archive for September, 2007
Madura, Indonesia - The Indonesian island of Madura is famous for two things: bull racing and love potions. The concoctions made and sold on the island off the east coast of Java are touted as a natural way of restoring youth to a woman’s reproductive canal without having to resort to plastic surgery.
“Our traditional herbs are indeed famous for making women feel like a virgin again and giving the vaginal canal a tighter feel than before they gave birth,” said Fachruzah, 36, a maker of the traditional potions, known as “jamu ramuan” in the Indonesian language. Fachruzah, who like many Indonesians has only one name, is a seventh-generation “peramu jamu,” and has worked in the Madurese Crown, her family-run shop in Madura’s Pamekasan regency, for 20 years.
“Madurese traditional herbs are also well-known as holistic body treatments for women that want to flatten their bellies and make their bodies smell fragrant all the time, especially the vagina,” Fachruzah said, giggling. Madura is a large, rugged island located about 740 kilometres east of Jakarta. It is separated from East Java province and Surabaya, the second-largest city in Indonesia, by a narrow channel. Indonesian people instantly associate Madura with bull racing, known as “karapan sapi,” and Madurese women, who are known throughout the diverse country of 230 million people for their sexual prowess. “I love Madurese women,” said Rizal, a Jakarta taxi driver who used to work in East Java. “They always take care of their husbands well, and they smell good all the time. My second wife is a Madurese and my mistress, too.”The island’s famous love potions include “tongkat Madura” or “the magic stick” - a cigar-shaped, white stick containing herbs that instantly tighten vagina muscles upon insertion. The potion has become so world-renowned that it’s even sold on eBay. “It’s easy use is very suitable for the immediate ways of modern life,” Fachruzah said, “but I prefer the traditional powder called ’sari rapet,’ an older version of the magic stick.” She said users drink that potion, meaning it has effects throughout the body. The cheap cost of Madurese traditional herbs enables the island’s women to consume them daily. The magic stick costs about 15,000 rupiah (1.60 dollars) and the sari rapet powder is 16,000 rupiah per ounce. Lius Sukarman, a 28-year-old schoolteacher on Madura, said he can tell when his wife does not use the potions, which are at their most potent when made traditionally using fresh ingredients. “I think it is a positive thing, and I’m glad other women use them too,” Fachruzah said, noting that she has regular customers across Indonesia and also gets requests from European women who want potions mailed to them. “I can tell you now, these traditional herbs have saved many marriages,” Fachruzah said.
Source: http://www.earthtimes.org
September 28th, 2007
Surabaya, East Java (ANTARA News) - The Japanese government has since 2000 provided grants worth billions of rupiahs for 30 small scale projects in East Java, Japanese Consul General in East Java, Shoji Sato, said here on Tuesday.
Sato made the statement during the signing of a memorandum of understanding on Japanese grant for renovation of an elementary school building in Lakarsantri subdistrict, Surabaya.
The grant which was provided through East Java`s Japan Alumni Association (Persada) totaled US$85,288.
“The grant is provided to support the social and economic development of the people at the grass root level in East Java. The renovation of the school`s building is expected to help smooth learning and teaching process,” he said.
He said that since it was launched in 2000, the grant project had successfully facilitated the renovation of 12 school buildings in East Java.
Besides, the Japanese government has also provided assistance for the development of clean water projects, hospital facilities, polyclinics and others.
“This grant assistance program has been launched every year in cooperation with government agencies, non-governmental organizations and other institutions,” the Japanese consul general said. (*)
Source: ANTARA News
September 28th, 2007
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A Dutch multinational company is seeking an opportunity to make an investment in the horticultural seedling industry in Indonesia, an agriculture ministry official said on Monday.
The company wished to make an investment in an industry producing vegetable and fruit seedlings, director general of horticulture at the Agriculture Ministry Achmad Dimyati said.     ÂÂ
“The company is now eyeing such an industry to invest in and we hope it can be realized,” he added.
He said he had shown to the company some areas suitable for a seedling industry, including locations in Brastagi and Karo, North Sumatra; Batu, Malang in East Java; Wonosobo in Central Java; Cianjur in West Java; Malino in South Sulawesi and in South Sulawesi.
Dimyati, however, did not mention in detail the name of the company.
He said some other companies were also wishing to make such investment. (*)
Source: ANTARA News
September 27th, 2007
Festival Bulan Purnama dan HUT Sanggar Agung
SURABAYA - Festival Bulan Purnama tadi malam digelar di Pantai Ria Kenjeran. Festival yang sekaligus memeriahkan ulang tahun Sanggar Agung yang ke-29 itu diikuti sekitar 20 ribu umat Tri Dharma.
Acara tadi malam terasa istimewa karena untuk kali pertama, diarak patung Kim Sim Dewi Kwan Im dan Dewa Kwan Kong ke. Dari Sanggar agung, kedua patung itu diarak ke Thien Tan (tempat persembahyangan) yang terletak di sebelah selatan Sanggar Agung.
Para pengarak mengenakan kostum tradisional Tiongkok zaman Dinasti Ching. Berjalan bersama arak-arakan Kim Sim, sekitar dua ribu umat Tri Dharma membawa lentera berbentuk teratai berbahan kertas yang kemudian dilarung ke laut setelah disembahyangi.
Ribuan umat itu, berjalan sejauh 2 km melewati Kya Kya Pantai Ria Kenjeran. Acara sembahyang itu dilakukan dengan membakar patung 12 shio dari kertas.
Uniknya, terdapat juga sejumlah umat Hindu dari Pura Jala Sidi Amerta, Juanda. Sebanyak 30 umat Hindu menenteng Gelanjur (alat musik berbentuk gong).
Larung 2.500-3.000 lentera itu dilakukan pukul 21.00. Umat mengiringi pelarungan sambil membawa lampion dan bunga sedap malam. Lampion melambangkan penerangan dan bunga sedap malam merupakan lambang dari kehidupan. “Panitia menyediakan 2. 500 teratai untuk dilarung,” kata Rudy R., dari friendship event organizer.
Panitia, kata Rudy, juga menyediakan paket doa berisi teratai dan tiga lembar kertas doa. Dalam tiga kertas itu dituliskan nama jemaat yang berdoa. Masing-masing kertas doa itu dilarung, dibakar bersama shio, dan dimasukkan ke lampion yang ada di langit-langit Sanggar Agung. “Ketika angin bertiup ke arah lampion, maka angin akan ikut mendoakan mereka,” jelas Rudy.
Soetiadji Yudho, pengurus Yayasan Sanggar Agung berharap, dengan diadakannya perayaan ulang tahun Sanggar Agung dan Festival Bulan Purnama secara meriah tahun ini, umat akan lebih menghayati momen penting bagi warga Tionghoa tersebut. (nar/zul)
Source: Jawa Pos Online
September 26th, 2007
Surabaya, Indonesia - Millions of Muslims across Indonesia flocked to traditional markets and department stores earlier this month to snap up special foods, gifts and clothing ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. But in the east Java city of Surabaya, hundreds of people, mostly men, were flocking to the city’s famous Dolly red-light district to get in one final liaison before the holy month temporarily shut it down.
Dolly is one of the largest red-light districts in South-East Asia with more than 2,000 sex workers in hundreds of brothels in the heart of Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city. It is named after the district’s first madam, a Dutchwoman from Indonesia’s colonial period, and its prominence rose with the growth of Surabaya’s port, one of the country’s largest. But by local law, Dolly closes up shop during Ramadan, and in the run-up to the shutdown, business was so frantic that people were still talking about it two weeks later. “The week before Ramadan is the craziest time of the year because many customers come to enjoy sin for the last time,” Mira Dewi, 22, a sex worker at the House of Twin Queens brothel, said, giggling. Ramadan marks the time when the Koran was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. During the holy month, Muslims abstain from food, drink and sex from sunrise to sunset. The daily fast is broken by prayers and festive meals. Muslims are encouraged to become more spiritual during this period by praying more, reciting the Koran and giving alms to the poor - while at the same time abstaining from sex out of wedlock. So naturally, the days leading up to Ramadan “are the best time to get as many customers as we can get, so we can save money for the coming month,” Mira Dewi said in a careful tone. “We lose an entire month’s income during Ramadan.”“Sure, we are disappointed about it because there’s not much else we can do for living, but we can’t protest,” Mira Dewi said. The economic shutdown is a tough blow to the working girls, most of whom are from poor rural villages around Java, and also affects local pedicab drivers, restaurants, shop owners and many others who make a living in and around the red-light district. For Mira Dewi, it presents another problem: continuing to hide her profession from her family. “I send money home to my mother, so I don’t know what to tell her,” she said. At least she and other workers in the Dolly district can count on a surge in business in the days after Ramadan ends. Prostitution is illegal in Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world with about 190 million faithful, but Dolly for many years has been the exception to the rule. Islamic organizations, big and small, consistently oppose prostitution, especially during Ramadan, so brothel owners agreed to the one-month shutdown. “It’s a regulation from Surabaya’s mayor to close down prostitution and other amusement areas such as pubs and bars during Ramadan,” said Soeharjo, a provincial spokesman who like many Indonesians goes by one name. “We have to respect the holy month. “Dolly is a legal prostitution area based on the mayor’s decree,” he said. “The place pays huge taxes to us, and although the closing during Ramadan is indeed a loss, we have to see it based on a moral aspect.”Indonesia has a secular government and society and has large minority religious groups, including Christians, Buddhist and Hindus, but some conservative Muslim-based political parties and fundamentalist Islamic groups have at times called for legislation based on Islamic law, or sharia, in an attempt to impose their version of morality on the country. The country in recent years has witnessed forced closures and attacks on nightclubs by mobs linking themselves to Islamic organizations, such as the Islamic Defenders Front. Dolly has never experienced such attacks in East Java, which is the base of Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Muslim organization in the country, which promotes mainstream Islam. Although the vast majority of Surabaya residents support closing Dolly for Ramadan, some openly expressed their disappointment. “I really think it’s ridiculous and a true form of government hypocrisy,” said Otto Nasir, 45, who works for an insurance company in Surabaya. “Prostitution is a sin whether it’s during Ramadan or not. If they want to close it, they should close it for good.”
Source: http://www.earthtimes.org/
September 26th, 2007
With Jakartans frantically buying train tickets over the past two weeks so as to return to celebrate the Idul Fitri holidays in their hometowns, it is not surprising that the number of tickets sold at Gambir Station in Central Jakarta has increased compared to last year.
The deputy station master, Ata Sudarta, said Sunday that 25,600 tickets for departures between Oct. 10 and 12 had been sold, marking a 12 percent increase compared to 2006.
“This figure is based on the number of tickets sold for those three days,” Ata was quoted as saying by Detik.com news portal.
He added that Gambir Station had prepared three additional trains departing to Surakarta in Central Java and Malang and Surabaya in East Java.
While train tickets have been selling like hotcakes, only 50 percent of ferry seats for departures from Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta, have been reserved.
The port’s duty chief, Siswibowo, said the number of ferry passengers was set to decrease this year.
“Only 800 people have booked berths on the PT Pelni ferry, the KM Kelud, sailing to Belawan Port (in Medan, North Sumatra), while the ship has a total capacity of 2,300,” he said.
Meanwhile, the port’s spokesman, Hambar Wiyadi, said he had set aside a 100 meters of additional wharf space for passenger ships and emptied 10 docking spaces to avoid collisions between cargo ships and passenger ships.
“We’ve opened a 24-hour service center to assist ships during the Idul Fitri holiday,” he said.
Separately, Banten Water Police Director Sr. Comr. Alex Fauzi Rasad said Saturday that the police would tighten security at Merak Port during the exodus.
“Hundreds of officers, comprising intelligence officers and detectives, as well as sharpshooters, will be deployed around the port to protect the people from possible criminal acts,” he said in Serang.
He added that the force would also provide three vessels, which belonged to the National Police, and five speedboats to patrol around coastal tourism resorts, the port and the Merak-Bakauheni channel.
“Many crimes happen during this period. So 130 police officers and 150 lifeguards will protect a number of coastal tourist attractions through Lebak, Pandeglang and Serang regencies,” said Alex.
In order to anticipate an influx of passengers during the Idul Fitri holidays, the Banten Provincial Transportation Agency will provide about 200 buses.
The agency’s operations and control head Bambang Soepeno said he would coordinate with the administrations of Tangerang regency and municipality, as well as Lebak, Serang, Pandeglang and Cilegon regencies to make sure there would be no shortage of buses.
“We hope the exodus will run smoothly this year,” he said.
The agency will deploy 80 officers to control bus ticket prices, which are often increased during the holiday, and take action against companies that hike their prices. (08)
Source: The Jakarta Post
September 25th, 2007
SURABAYA - Suasana pengundian kupon Responsible Riding minggu ketiga kemarin lain dari biasanya. Lebih ramai dan banyak mengundang perhatian pengunjung Plaza Surabaya, tempat digelarnya acara.
Hal itu terjadi karena, selain digelar undian, kemarin juga digelar lomba musik patrol. Sebanyak 11 grup musik patrol yang mewakili enam wilayah polres se-jajaran Polwiltabes Surabaya, unjuk kebolehan. Mereka mewakili wilayah Polres Surabaya Selatan, Polres Surabaya Timur, Polres Surabaya Utara, Polres KP3 Tanjung Perak, Polres Gresik, dan Polres Sidoarjo.
Dengan kentongan sebagai alat musik utama, penampilan mereka berhasil memikat perhatian penonton. Mereka juga memadukannya dengan alat musik modern, seperti, keyboard, gitar elektrik, dan drum. Ada juga yang memadukan dengan alat musik tradisional, seperti angklung, kenong, gong, dan seruling. Tak heran, pintu masuk barat Plaza Surabaya penuh sesak dengan pengunjung yang ingin menyaksikan atraksi unik yang belum pernah terjadi di pusat perbelanjaan itu.
Cilukba Jadi Pemenang
Sesekali mereka juga meneriakkan ajakan untuk sahur. Imam, adalah salah seorang pengunjung yang mengaku tertarik dengan acara tersebut. “Saya jadi inget waktu sahur,” kata pria asal Sedati itu.
Ketua panitia RR Erry Suharyadi mengatakan bahwa dirinya memang sengaja menghadirkan lomba musik patrol tersebut. Musik Patrol, lanjutnya adalah item yang bisa menggambarkan suasana Ramadan di kampung-kampung. ” Pengunjung juga bisa bernostalgia terhadap suasana Ramadan tempo dulu,” ujarnya.
Dalam lomba musik patrol itu, setiap peserta diwajibkan membawakan dua lagu. Satu lagu wajib yang harus dibawakan berjudul ’Surabaya’. Sedangkan lagu alternatif bisa dibawakan secara bebas. ” Asalkan temanya mengusung tentang ketertiban masyarakat dalam berlalu lintas,” tuturnya.
Setiap tim, diberi durasi waktu 10 menit. Artinya, kedua buah lagu harus dinyanyikan secara estafet. ” Jadi lomba ini juga menilai grup dalam melakukan perhitungan waktu untuk membawakan dua buah lagu,” tambahnya. Diakhir lomba, grup musik Patrol Cilukba dari Ketintang, Gayungan (Polres Surabaya Selatan) diputuskan menjadi pemenang. Menurut salah seorang anggota tim juri Dewo Pratomo, tim Cilukba mampu menunjukkan keaslihan tabuhan musik patrolnya.
” Setelah kami nilai, Cilukba memiliki kekompakan yang paling bagus,” ujarnya. Juara dua direbut grup Resek yang mewakili Polres Sidoarjo I, dan juara tiga grup Setyo Budoyo yang mewakili Polres Surabaya Timur. Juara harapan pertama diraih Monika dari Polsek Krembangan, harapan dua diraih Arseto dari Polres Sidoarjo II, dan harapan tiga dari Polres KP3 Tanjung Perak
Dikatakan Dewo, semua tim memiliki kelebihan dan kelemahan masing-masing. Ia sempat mengaku kesulitan untuk menentukan pemenangnya. “Semua tim kemampuannya rata-rata sama,” tegasnya.(ded/git)
Source: Jawa Pos Online
September 24th, 2007
Santos Ltd says first oil production from the Oyong project in Indonesia has started, with an investment decision for gas production from the operation expected before the end of the year.
The project, which is located offshore East Java in Indonesia, is expected to produce between 8,000 and 10,000 barrels of oil per day.
“First oil production from Oyong is an important milestone for Santos as it adds another operated project to our Asian portfolio,” Santos managing director John Ellice-Flint said.
Santos said front end engineering design for development of the Oyong gas reserves was underway with a final investment decision expected before the end of 2007.
A sales agreement has been signed with PT Indonesia Power, with gas to be piped to an onshore processing facility adjacent to the Grati power station in East Java.
First gas production is expected in the first half of 2009.
Santos said the Wortel gas field located about seven kilometres west of Oyong could be potentially incorporated into the gas development.
The Wortel field was discovered last year, with further work planned for the first half of 2008.
The Oyong project is a joint venture between Santos, Singapore Petroleum Sampang Ltd and Cue Sampang Pty Ltd.
Santos is the operator and majority stakeholder in the project.
The oil and gas producers shares added 10 cents to $14.42 by 1025 AEST on Monday.
Source: www.smh.com.au
September 24th, 2007
Matdon, The Jakarta Post, Bandung
Benjang is a traditional game that is believed to have been developed in the Islamic boarding schools of Ujungberung, Cobolerang and Cinunuk districts in Bandung regency.
Benjang players usually pray to have fun and for fair play before a game. The instruments used in benjang include the terbang gendang (a conical-shaped drum resting on crossbeams and beaten with the hands), the bedug (a large drum suspended horizontally) and the trumpet. Sundanese songs are also performed.
Benjang is a form of sumo-like fighting in which the main aim is to push your opponent out of the arena using your shoulders as you are not allowed to use your hands.
According to historical records, the art of benjang was already popular as far back as 1820. In those days, famous benjang fighters were, among others, H. Hayat and Wiranta of Cinunuk village, Bandung. According to Ki Maman, one of the founders of a benjang group called “Ki Sunda”, benjang originally came from Ciwaru village in Ujungberung. Some other people also say this game originated in Cibolerang, Cinunuk. Even today, these two places are home to noted benjang players including Adung, Adang, Ujang Rukman, Nadi and Emun. All of them are endeavoring to preserve benjang.
Benjang is unique to West Java but shares similarities with gedou in Aceh; marsurangut in Tapanuli, North Sumatra; atol in Rembang; patol in East Java; bahempas in Banyumas and sirroto in Bugis/South Sulawesi.
In its development, benjang has undergone a slight change. Some benjang players maintain benjang as a form of traditional wrestling while for others it has become a type of entertainment featuring dancers wearing sarongs and dancing to the accompaniment of traditional music. In the latter case, some of the players might perform feats like eating broken glass or live chickens or setting red-hot coals upon their heads. When benjang players fight, they still use traditional benjang techniques such as nyentok (head butting) and ngabeulit (locking). A benjang group usually comprises about 20 to 25 people including a referee. According to Abdul Gani, the chairman of the Bandung Benjang Association, a number of benjang players have become professional wrestlers.
Currently there are about 30 benjang clubs in Bandung municipality and its surroundings. As many as 20 benjang groups are found in Ujungberung and the rest are spread across various places in Bandung municipality and regency, including Majalaya, Cikutra and Rancaekek. As for benjang players, there are still hundreds of them now.
The benjang club led by Ki Maman in Cikutra now provides only folk entertainment. Does Ki Maman deviate from traditional benjang conventions? “Of course not as we still use the old principles of benjang as our guidelines,” he said.
Source: The Jakarta Post
September 24th, 2007
DEPOK: The fasting month of Ramadhan has an influx of beggars moving to Depok to seek donations from observant Muslims.
Antara reported the beggars, mostly farmers from villages in East and West Java, had taken up positions in strategic locations in Depok’s downtown area.
Depok Baru railway station and busy streets such as Jl Raya Margonda, Jl Nusantara, Jl Arif Rahman Hakim and Jl Siliwangi were favorite spots.
“People performing fasting are usually willing to donate, so here we are,” said one beggar from Kediri, East Java.
“I hope we can get more donations so we can celebrate (Idul Fitri) holidays at home.”
Despite the flood of beggars being an annual occurrence in Depok, many people have not become used to it.
“Sometimes they’re too pushy. If it’s donation, it must be voluntarily, not by force,” train commuter Sunarto said. –JP
Source: The Jakarta Post
September 21st, 2007
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