tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77276864916848513222024-03-05T06:03:25.935-08:00Tourism and Culture Informationdadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comBlogger1098125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-52966551807121982942011-05-09T04:16:00.000-07:002011-05-09T04:17:25.194-07:00Villagers Give Back 2.150 Majapahit Ancient Bricks<div style="text-align: justify;">Mojokerto, East Java - Klinterejo villagers in Mojokerto yesterday returned at least 2.150 bricks originating from the ancient Majapahit Kingdom. The bricks were put back to where they were initially found.<br /><br />According to Klinterejo village chief, Zainal Abidin, the villagers found the 20 x 35 centimetre bricks four years ago when they dug the village land. Since then, the land has been rented out for brick production.<br /><br />Besides preserving the ancient bricks, around 20 Klinterejo villagers yesterday dug out more bricks in two locations just 150 meters away. In the three-hectare area where the Majapahit site is located, delicately sculptured old bricks forming a one-meter gate were found.<br /><br />Besides the bricks, the villagers recently found at least eight ancient stone statues in the village bordering the Trowulan sub district. Zainal said there are still 7.000 more bricks that have not been returned by the villagers, 6.000 of which belong to the Roudlotul Ulum Islamic Boarding School.<br /><br />While awaiting the arrival of the Yogyakarta National Archeological Research and Development Center experts to conduct a research, the ancient stones are stored at the Bre Kahuripan Site, locating only 100 meter from where the bricks were found.<br /><br />An official from East Java Antiquities and Relics Conservation Agency (BP3), Aris Sovyani, said the government, through the BP3, will lease the land required for the research at Klinterejo. “Based on the recommendations of State Minister of Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik, we will lease the area so the findings can be preserved,” Aris said, contacted by Tempo.<br /><br />Aris also said that BP3 officials will start measuring the land area tomorrow.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.tempointeractive.com/hg/nasional/2009/02/10/brk,20090210-159409,uk.html">TempoInteractive.com</a></div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-77473575707605143622011-05-09T03:51:00.000-07:002011-05-09T03:52:08.487-07:00National Heritage Board Revamps Heritage Website<div style="text-align: justify;">Singapore - The National Heritage Board (NHB) has revamped its heritage site, Yesterday.sg, to widen its appeal online among Singaporeans through social media.<br /><br />Developed by local interactive shop Convertium, the revamped Yesterday.sg is designed like a time machine with visual elements to signify a convergence of the past, present and future.<br /><br />Convertium also customised the WordPress publishing platform of the site to enable various interactive and collaborative features for a more compelling user experience.<br /><br />Originally started in March 2006 as the city-state‘s first heritage and museum blog, Yesterday.sg currently attracts 15,000 unique visitors per month and touts itself as a dynamic social media portal that encapsulates Singapore‘s unique heritage and culture while functioning as a one-stop platform for citizen-centric heritage and museum content.<br /><br />Michael Koh, CEO of NHB, explained: “As a pioneer in social media, Yesterday.sg has achieved success in engaging the web-savvy young. Heritage and museums are no longer viewed as old and fuddy-duddy.”<br /><br />“The repositioning of Yesterday.sg into a social media platform creates fresh opportunities for Singaporeans to participate in heritage by sharing stories, photos, videos and other content with us. With its enhanced interactive features, Yesterday.sg will also serve as a launch pad for our other social media initiatives. Through this, we hope to reach an even wider segment of the population.”<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.campaignasia.com/Article/208829,national-heritage-board-revamps-heritage-website.aspx">BrandRepublic.asia</a></div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-14961696850801164452011-05-09T03:44:00.000-07:002011-05-09T03:47:58.292-07:00Batak Concert To Fuse The Tribal And The Modern<div style="text-align: justify;">Medan, North Sumatra - With current Indonesian music venues and stages mostly dominated by similar forms of pop culture, whether Indonesian or Western, it is always a pleasant surprise to have a traditional form of music performed live by one of the country’s best-known tribes.<br /><br />Mixing different music genres in a contemporary concept, the Batak Music for the World foundation has organized “Batak Music in Harmony,” an event scheduled for Thursday, which aims to remind Indonesian listeners about their rich traditional music.<br /><br />Batak is a collective term used to describe an indigenous people, language and culture found in the northern part of Sumatra Island.<br /><br />The Batak, one of hundreds of Indonesian tribes, are easily recognized from such family names as Siregar, Siahaan and Sembiring, and are often described as firm and expressive.<br /><br />“We want Indonesians to be proud of their own cultures, and expats to know more about Indonesian music,” said Indra Jaya Sihombing, the event organizer and creator of the foundation.<br /><br />“Indonesian traditional music is fighting for existence these days. It is usually only performed and consumed in their local areas,” he said.<br /><br />“Even Batak young generations who are born and raised in Jakarta are not familiar with their own music these days.”<br /><br />Batak are well-known for their ability to play the guitar and sing, not just in cultural ceremonies but also in public performances.<br /><br />“The capability to sing and play various kinds of instruments is in our bloodline, that is why it’s a shame if the music is only played locally,” Indra said. “We want the world to know what Batak music is, just like they recognize Latin music.”<br /><br />Indra is optimistic that this is already beginning to happen, adding that Batak singers have been taking their music to the world since the 1960s.<br /><br />The specific rhythm of Batak music, called tor-tor, comes from a group of traditional musical instruments consisting of gongs, zithers and flutes.<br /><br />On Thursday, they feature alongside more modern instruments and performances by international artists, including Mauro Goia, a keyboard player from Italy. “I have toured around the world and come across various kinds of traditional music, and I have been fascinated with Batak music since I was introduced to it six years ago,” Goia said at a press conference after performing a classic piece with singer Mega Sihombing.<br /><br />“I am amazed by it’s rhythm, vitality and melody. Music is a universal language and it’s just fascinating when you combine a European style of music with a traditional kind like Batak,” he said.<br /><br />The three hour–long concert will include Batak music of various kinds, ranging from the more classic styles to jazz.<br /><br />Prominent musicians, such as Idang Rasjidi, one of Indonesia’s jazz legends, will accompany a young generation of Batak singers, including Mega Sihombing and Lea Simanjuntak.<br /><br />“To all music lovers out there, we welcome you all,” Indra said.<br /><br />“Please come to enjoy a concert that you might not even imagine before and be surprised.”<br /><br />Concert Details<br />What<br />“Batak Music in Harmony”: A Contemporary Batak Music Concert<br />When<br />Thursday, Feb. 12, starts at 7 p.m.<br />Where<br />The Sanctuary Function Hall, Menara Kuningan UNIT F3, Jl. HR. Rasuna Said Blok X-7 Kav.5, South Jakarta<br />Who's performing?<br />Musicians: Idang Rasjidi, Harry Anggoman, Mauro Goia [Italian keyboardist], Yeppy “Romero” Pangaribuan, Korem Sihombing, Tribiswara A’capella<br />Singers: Victor Hutabarat, Jack Marpaung, Mega Sihombing, Lea Simanjuntak, Dewi Marpaung, Tongam Sirait.<br />Tickets<br />VIP = Rp 850,000 ($73)<br />Regular = Between Rp 150,000 and<br />Rp 500,000<br />Contact<br />Brief Communications: Tel 021 799 0180<br />DetikCom: Tel 021 794 1177<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/life-times/arts-entertainment/article/9112.html">TheJakartaGlobe.com</a></div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-60885543305960620292011-05-09T03:40:00.000-07:002011-05-09T03:41:57.020-07:00Tales On Local Heroes Sought<div style="text-align: justify;">Kuantan- Tales of local warriors and great personalities should be written or produced in a more youth-friendly manner to appeal to the younger generation.<br /><br />“There is a lot to learn from the exploits of people who fought to uphold their rights and free the country from colonial clutches but most of the books currently available are too heavy-going and academic.<br /><br />“There is a need for lighter reading material on these personalities so that young Malaysians are able to appreciate and understand their struggles,” said Sultan Abu Bakar Museum director Ahmad Farid Abdul Jalal.<br /><br />“This is important as it gives them an introduction to the country’s history,” he said after the opening of a forum on local warrior Mat Kilau, organised by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia here recently.<br /><br />He said such tales could also be told using modern technology such as audio visual equipment and other high-tech communication tools since the youngsters were well-versed with information technology.<br /><br />“It comes at no better time than now with the latest development unravelling in the country today.”<br /><br />In his speech earlier, Ahmad Farid said the stories and adventures of many local warriors were slowly being replaced by cartoon characters such as Doraemon.<br /><br />It was high time a new and refreshing approach be introduced so the young could learn from the contributions of these warriors, he said.<br /><br />Ahmad Farid added that Tengku Puan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Sultan Iskandar had expressed her support for projects such as research work on Mat Kilau.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/10/nation/3232362&sec=nation">TheStar.com.my</a> (February 10th, 2009)</div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-90153018639772787372011-05-09T02:56:00.000-07:002011-05-09T02:57:21.464-07:00Thai FM To Visit Philippines, Indonesia<div style="text-align: justify;">Bangkok- Thailand‘s Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasit Piromya will officially visit the Philippines and Indonesia next week to strengthen bilateral relations, his first visit since assuming his post in December.<br /><br />The Rohingya migrant issue is high on the agenda for his talks in Jakarta, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of East Asian Affairs deputy director-general Medha Promthep, who said both trips would be introductory visits to reinforce bilateral relations as the three countries are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional grouping.<br /><br />Mr. Mehta said the foreign minister was scheduled to visit Indonesia February 10-12.<br /><br />During the visit, he expected to discuss various issues including insurgent problems in Thailand‘s southern border provinces, fisheries in Indonesian waters and the Rohingya migrant issue.<br /><br />The director-general said Indonesian government well understands the Thai government‘s stance to use peaceful means to resolve the violence in the predominantly Malay Muslim southern provinces.<br /><br />Mr. Kasit is expected to exchange views with senior Indonesian officials, and will meet the leaders of the largest Muslim organisation in Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population.<br /><br />Fisheries were also on the table for talks as Indonesia had recently applied more strict measures against Thai trawlers fishing in its waters.<br /><br />Mr. Kasit will carry back the results of the talks, when he returns to Bangkok, to discuss with government and the private sector involved in fisheries to explore ways to adjust the industry.<br /><br />The Rohingya migrant problems are high on the agenda during the minister‘s visit to Indonesia, he said.<br /><br />Foreign media earlier quoted Indonesian navy officials as saying that about 200 men from the minority Muslim Rohingya group were found in a boat off northern Sumatra on Monday, saying they had spent three weeks at sea after the Thai armed forces cast them adrift.<br /><br />However, the Thai government on Wednesday denied the new allegations of mistreatment towards the boat people from Myanmar.<br /><br />Mr. Medha said the problem was not that of any one country alone, but was regional and required cooperation from all the countries affected to resolve.<br /><br />Before the Indonesia trip, Mr. Kasit was scheduled to visit the Philippines Sunday and Monday when he would discuss bilateral cooperation on tourism.<br /><br />Thailand and the Philippines mark the 60th year anniversary of diplomatic ties this year, and the ministers will discuss joint activities to celebrate the special occasion.<br /><br />However, Thailand‘s insurgent problem in the southern provincse and possible rice sales will also included in the agenda, he said.<br /><br />Source : <a href="http://mathaba.net/news/?x=617199">Mathaba.net</a> (February 9th, 2009)</div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-22560862529160915492011-05-09T02:26:00.000-07:002011-05-09T02:28:13.606-07:00Giant Flag Hoisted To Mark Celebrations National Day<div style="text-align: justify;">Bandar Seri Begwan - The giant flag was hoisted yesterday to mark the Brunei Darussalam Silver Jubilee National Day 2009 celebrations held in the vicinity of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah business complex.<br /><br />The guest of honour was Pehin Orang Kaya Setia Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Awg Ahmad bin Hj Jumat, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, who also handed over the national flags and posters to four district officers.<br /><br />In his speech Pehin Dato Dr Hj Ahmad said, "We are already independent for 25 years, and the nation and citizens are already mature. This is in accordance to the Silver Jubilee National Day 2009 theme "Kedewasaan Bernegara". The theme is the manifestation of our maturity on every aspect.<br /><br />"As usual the National Day Celebration will begin with the giant flag hoisting as a message to the nation on the history of the National Day. The Brunei National Flag is a matter of pride and honour as it symbolises our dignity and instils the spirit of patriotism.<br /><br />"All residents and people of Brunei Darussalam should have a positive attitude, high spirit of patriotism in hoisting our National Flag either in kampong or mukim, housing or business establishments nationwide," the guest of honour added.<br /><br />The gigantic flag, which measures 24 by 12 feet, was hoisted by 30 navy personnel led by Major Bahrin accompanied by 30 army cadets.<br /><br />The event was also highlighted by the patriotic song performed by the choir group comprising 50 students from SOAS College and STPRI and 60 personnel from the Royal Brunei Police Band.<br /><br />Some 500 youth from the youth associations under the National Youth Council and Women`s Council also participated in the event.<br /><br />Also present were Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Penggawa Laila Bentara Istiadat Diraja Dalam istana Pg Hj Alauddin bin Pg Paduka Tuan. Pg Hj Abu Bakar, Pehin Jawatan Dalam Seri Maharaja Dato Seri Utama (Dr) Hj Awg Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri bin Begawan Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Hj Awg Umar, and Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Awg Badaruddin bin Pg Dato Paduka Hj Awg Othman, as well as members of the Royal and State Legislative Council, permanent secretaries, district officers, penghulu-penghulu and ketua-ketua kampong and other senior officers.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/Feb09/09/nite02.htm">Brudirect.com</a></div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-1135341413756386352011-05-09T02:21:00.000-07:002011-05-09T02:22:08.011-07:00Sepang Gold Coast A Gold Mine For Tourism<div style="text-align: justify;">Sepang, Malaysia - Given its strategic location, the Sepang Gold Coast has all the advantages to become an iconic landmark of resort living that attracts visitors from all over the world.<br /><br />Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said it was just a fishing village fronting the Straits of Malacca but its developer saw its potential to be a tourist attraction.<br /><br />“I must commend the foresight of the developer for choosing this location.<br /><br />“I believe the Sepang Gold Coast will eventually become a renowned tourist destination,” he said at the media appreciation night organised by Sepang Gold Coast and Malaysia Airlines in Sepang on Wednesday.<br /><br />In his speech, Sepang Gold Coast Sdn Bhd president Ho Hock Seng said Sepang Gold Coast was designated by the Selangor government as a key and strategic component of a new Klang Valley.<br /><br />“In response to the growing congestion in the Klang Valley, the Selangor government has drawn up plans to transform this southern area into the second Klang Valley,” Ho said.<br /><br />He said the company`s vision was to transform the coastal region into an eco-friendly international destination embracing the rich culture of a global village.<br /><br />Also present at the event were Malaysia Airlines managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Idris Jala and The Star group chief editor Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/2/7/central/3204436&sec=central">TheStar.com.my</a></div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-86627239442809396872011-05-09T02:16:00.000-07:002011-05-09T02:17:07.359-07:00Indonesia Calls On Asean Cooperation To Address Boat People Problem<div style="text-align: justify;">Jakarta - Indonesia has called on Asean countries to work together to address the problem of boat people, which in the last two months has had Indonesia providing refuge for 391 boat people believed to be Rohingyas from Myanmar.<br /><br />Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said the boat people landed in groups on islands near Aceh and were given temporary refuge, while some received treatment at the hospitals.<br /><br />In light of this, he urged their country or countries of origin to address the factors that made these people flee their country in boats to seek asylum in other countries.<br /><br />"The measures should include putting an end to human rights abuses against minorities, while the boat people must not be physically harmed when on transit in another country or chased out to sea," he told a press conference, here, Friday.<br /><br />He said the problem of boat people seeking asylum would indeed burden other countries in the Asean grouping.<br /><br />Hassan said all the Asean countries were bound by the Asean Charter which became effective on Dec 15 last year, and the principles of the charter included upholding international law with respect to human rights, social justice and multilateral trade, besides emphasizing regional cooperation.<br /><br />Other than urging all the Asean member states to find a solution to the Rohingya refugee problem, Hassan said the Indonesian government was also undertaking other diplomatic measures by increasing cooperation with international organisations like the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and International Committee of the Red Cross.<br /><br />"The Indonesian government is consistently looking at the problem as an international problem, and resolving it should involve the participation of the refugees‘ country of origin, the transit countries and receiving countries," he said.<br /><br />He added that Indonesia was trying to get the ministerial meeting, known as the Bali Process, to be brought forward to discuss the issue of human trafficking. The meeting has been scheduled for June.<br /><br />Hassan also announced that US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was scheduled to visit Indonesia from Feb 18 to 19 and meet Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to discuss improving bilateral relations.<br /><br />Clinton‘s first official visit to the region will also include Japan, South Korea and China.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=388272">Bernama.com</a></div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-12700894812395904672011-05-05T03:08:00.000-07:002011-05-05T03:10:56.856-07:00Malay Language Classes Launched<div style="text-align: justify;">Karachi - The Consulate General of Malaysia, in collaboration with the National Youth Council of Pakistan (NYCOP), launched “Basic Malay Language Classes” at the National Bank of Pakistan Staff College on Friday.<br /><br />Speaking as chief guest on the occasion, Sindh Information Minister Shazia Mari said that the present government was keen to bring countries and nations together, and promote regional understanding.<br /><br />“Pakistan thoroughly appreciates the way Malaysia has progressed and has met its economic goals over the past decades,” she said. “Pakistan will continue to understand the culture of Malaysia and expects the same from Malaysia as well since Pakistan also possess a rich culture and heritage that needs to be shared with other countries.”<br /><br />Malaysian Consul General Muhammad Khalid Abdul Razak said that learning a foreign language was a key element of cross culture communication. He quoted a popular saying in Malaysia — “Bahasa Jiwa Bangsa” (Language is the soul or spirit of a nation) and “Hilang Bahasa Lenyaplah Bangsa” (Lose the language, lose the nation). “It is beneficial for students to become bilingual or multilingual and learning a foreign language can be a very rewarding experience,” he said.<br /><br />NYCOP Central President Shuja Ullah Khan also spoke.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=161147">TheNews.com.pk</a></div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-53254280820762964882011-05-05T02:58:00.000-07:002011-05-05T03:01:42.901-07:00Local Cartographers Finally Put Indonesia On The World Map<div style="text-align: justify;">Jakarta, Indonesia - After more than 70 years of relying on Dutch cartographers, Indonesia on Thursday finally issued its first official national atlas based on its own research.<br /><br />Published by the National Coordinating Agency for Surveys and Mapping, or Bakosurtanal, and titled the National Atlas of Indonesia, or Atlas Nasional Indonesia, the atlas took about two years to compile and received input from several ministries and prominent state universities, said Rudolf W. Matindas, the agency`s head.<br /><br />The atlas cost Rp 2 billion ($122,000) to produce.<br /><br />“Yes, we took our time getting it out, hence the name `At Last,`?” Kusmayanto Kadiman, State Minister for Research and Technology, said.<br /><br />Rudolf said that Indonesia had never published its own state map before. Instead, he said the nation had relied on maps made by the Dutch in 1938. He said the Dutch maps had never been revised. He said the maps currently in use were drawn from the Dutch maps with amendments make by foreign experts.<br /><br />He said that the agency had planned to come out with a new atlas before but that changes had taken place so rapidly that the work had to be continually revised and updated.<br /><br />Rudolf said that research included a study of Indonesian borders with neighboring countries, which he said had been delineated in compliance with international laws so that they would not give rise to border disputes.<br /><br />“This is our first edition, the second and the third will follow in the near future, each with a different focus,” he said.<br /><br />The atlas is a compilation of thematic maps, images, narration, and factual information relating to Indonesia and its natural resources.<br /><br />The atlas is almost the size of a broadsheet newspaper and has 160 pages.<br /><br />The agency will distribute the first 800 copies to government ministries, while a number will go to the private sector.<br /><br />The 1:250,000-scale map is also available on CD, while a digital version will soon be available over the Internet, Kusmayanto said.<br /><br />The first atlas has information on climate, geology, volcanoes, the coast, geomorphology, disaster-prone areas, land cover, wetlands and conservation.<br /><br />The second edition, scheduled to come out in 2011, will focus on the nation`s resources. While the third, planned for 2013, will have information on history, ethnic groups, languages and culture.<br /><br />Dorojatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, a senior lecturer at the University of Indonesia, said during the launch that knowledge of geography was essential when discussing geostrategies, geopolitics and geo-economics.<br /><br />“A natural resources map is fine. But we need to also have maps on human resources and man-made resources,” he said.<br /><br />Kusmayanto said that detailed maps, if accompanied with additional information, help a government to more fully exploit its country`s natural resources.<br /><br />However, he said many Indonesians were poor map readers.<br /><br />He said the agency should therefore work with the Ministry of National Education to introduce the map to educational institutions.<br /><br />“They should introduce it to our students at schools,” he said.<br /><br />“The current form is probably too hard for students, we will think of ways to make it more intelligible for them.”<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/article/8808.html">TheJakartaGlobe.com</a></div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-79658861837531652472011-05-05T02:50:00.000-07:002011-05-05T02:52:30.062-07:00Bali`s Ancient History At 10 Cents A Brick<div style="text-align: justify;">Gianyar, Bali - A second stone sarcophagus was found Saturday just 7 meters from an earlier sarcophagus discovered less than three weeks ago at a Keramas brickmaking site.<br /><br />This second sarcophagus has led some archeologists to suggest the site may once have been the burial ground of ancient chieftains. A human skull and leg bones were also discovered, and may form part of a chieftain`s burial retinue.<br /><br />The small egg-shaped sarcophagus found Saturday by brickmaker Muksin Riadi may be the coffin of a child. The stone coffin is believed to be between 2,000 and 2,500 years old.<br /><br />Ironically, the head of the Bali Archeology Agency, Wayan Suantika, says this latest find increases his agency`s belief that the Keramas site is of low archeological significance.<br /><br />"The site at this stage is not considered of high significance. We have only uncovered two sarcophagi to date and there is little material, such as prehistoric pottery and ceramics, when compared to sites such as Gilimanuk. There we see meter-thick strata of pottery," Suantika says.<br /><br />The two sarcophagi were unearthed by brickmakers within 20 days of each other.<br /><br />Suantika adds there is at this stage little evidence of long-term habitation at the site, known in ancient times as Abang, according to local villagers.<br /><br />"People may have settled here for only a short time and then moved on," Suantika says.<br /><br />However, without funded research, how long the area was used by ancient peoples remains unknown.<br /><br />The ground is littered with prehistoric pottery, 11th-century Song Dynasty ceramic shards and later shards from the Ming Dynasty.<br /><br />Some archeologists suggest these shards represent more than 35 centuries of human activity.<br /><br />The pottery and ceramics are unearthed daily by brickmakers at Keramas, broken by hoes used to carve out clay. Song Dynasty bowls sell today for between US$5,000 and $10,000. Bricks sell for 10 cents.<br /><br />Hundreds of simple stone sarcophagi have been unearthed across Bali, and only a handful bear intricate carvings - it is the sheer volume of unadorned sarcophagi that render them of low significance.<br /><br />That viewpoint and lack of funding may be to blame for the shattering of the earlier sarcophagus at the Keramas site, which, while slightly damaged on discovery, was all but destroyed during removal and transportation.<br /><br />Transporters attempted to open the sarcophagus with an iron crowbar, causing the sarcophagus to shatter into several pieces. Due to the workers` lack of archeological knowledge, the site was not examined for bones or other artifacts that may have given a clue as to how the ancient ruler lived and died. A skull and leg bones were unearthed a few days later by a brickmaker and set aside in a bucket for safety.<br /><br />Substantially more care was taken the second time around, with archeologists from a conservation team excavating the new sarcophagus site almost grain by grain to safely extract the intact coffin.<br /><br />Ngurah, from the Bali Conservation Museum, explains that the earlier sarcophagus was removed by local people without training in handling priceless artifacts. He blames a shortage of funding for the way the earlier sarcophagus had been removed to the conservation museum.<br /><br />"The first sarcophagus was removed by local people. Now we have taken over the site to safely remove this second sarcophagus," he says.<br /><br />The Bali Antiquities Museum, headed by I Made Suantra, has more than 200 staff across Bali and the East Nusa Tenggara.<br /><br />Udayana University archeologist Agung Rochtri disagrees with Suantika`s take on the significance of the Keramas site, pointing to the volume of pottery and ceramics potentially dating across more than 3500 years.<br /><br />"I feel the pottery and ceramics are good evidence of long-term human habitation at this site. From the quantity and quality of pottery here, I believe this is a quality archeological site. There is a greater volume of pottery and ceramics at the Gilimanuk site; however, that site has fewer sarcophagi than here," Rochtri says.<br /><br />"I certainly believe the site should be protected and research undertaken. From the placement of this graveyard on high ground I believe this was an important burial site. Heads of villages were buried on high ground so this gives us an indication of their role."<br /><br />He adds it is most likely the sarcophagi were buried at the Keramas site.<br /><br />Other archeologists have suggested the sarcophagi may have been washed to the site during landslides, further adding to the site`s low-significance status.<br /><br />"Looking at the terrain here, I feel this is the original burial site," Rochtri says.<br /><br />Discussing the discovery of the skull and bones, Rochtri is adamant.<br /><br />"This is not right. Everything found on the site needs to be documented and protected," he says, stressing the urgent need for the Keramas site to be secured for archeological investigation.<br /><br />However, Rochtri`s hands are tied through a lack of funding, as are those of the Bali Archeology Agency.<br /><br />"Udayana University has no government funding for research. If funding comes up, it will be too late," he says.<br /><br />Without research, no one will ever know how old these sarcophagi are, how large the ancient village was and for how many centuries people lived and worked in this area. This knowledge will instead be baked into bricks sold at 10 cents apiece.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/02/05/bali039s-ancient-history-10-cents-a-brick.html">TheJakartaPost.com</a></div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-85617801641886300662011-05-05T02:44:00.000-07:002011-05-05T02:46:50.426-07:00Balinese Authors Get Rancage Literary Awards<div style="text-align: justify;">Denpasar, Bali -Veteran Balinese literary figures Nyoman Tusthi Eddy and Nengah Tinggen have been presented with the 2009 Rancage Literary Awards for their great contributions in preserving and developing literary works written in the Balinese language.<br /><br />Initiated by veteran writer Ajip Rosidi, the Rancage awards was first given to writers, poets and novelists who produced literary pieces in the Sundanese language. From l997, the awards were extended to include individuals who produced literary works in their mother languages, including Javanese and Balinese.<br /><br />Nyoman Tusthi Eddy accepted the award for his extraordinary poetry anthology Somah (Husband and Wife).<br /><br />In the Javanese language category, the awards went to Atas S. Danusubroto for his work Trah, and also to Sunarko Budiman.<br /><br />The award for the Sundanese language category went to Etty R.S. with her work Serat Paninengan (The Letter of Memory).<br /><br />"We have been giving the awards to prominent figures in the national literary scene, and I was so grateful that we have abundant media coverage," Rosidi said during the recent ceremony.<br /><br />However, he expressed disappointed with the lack of attention from both central and regional governments in keeping local languages alive.<br /><br />"Local literature is not regarded as promising business for many publishing companies," said Rosidi, chairman of the Rancage Foundation. For the Balinese literary world, the awards mean great appreciation of local wisdom.<br /><br />Darma Putra, one of the jurors, said the development of Balinese literature was quite promising now in terms of quality and quantity.<br /><br />"We are going through a slight improvement. In previous years, there were only a few books written in the Balinese language," he said, adding that in 2007, there were only four books published, increasing to nine in 2008.<br /><br />Award winner Tusthi Eddy is a writer and a teacher living in Karang Asem regency in eastern Bali. In his prizewinning anthology Somah, Eddy picks up different themes outside the mainstream local ones of culture and nature. He writes about various topics, including shops, markets, telephones, movie stars, hospitals and other trivial things rarely exposed in mainstream Balinese literature.<br /><br />"These subjects have become a strong magnet in his work. All of the topics are daily activities transforming the old and sophisticated Balinese literature into a more down-to-earth and easy-to read pieces," Darma Putra explained.<br /><br />The other award winner, Nengah Tinggen, has been meticulously arranging a book on Balinese letters since l971. He has published around 40 titles on Balinese language and literature. Tinggen‘s works are now used at schools and universities. He lectures at the Teacher‘s College and at the Hindu Institute in Singaraja, northern Bali.<br /><br />Both Tusthi and Tinggen are considered pioneers in the Balinese literary map. They have encouraged younger artists to follow their paths.<br /><br />"It is encouraging to know that a lot of women writers from Bali have actively produced literary pieces with different perspectives," Darma Putra said. - JP/Luh De Suriyani<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/02/05/balinese-authors-get-rancage-literary-awards.html">TheJakartaPost.com</a></div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-34566992607023902812011-05-05T01:05:00.000-07:002011-05-05T01:07:59.080-07:00Learning About Indonesia Miles Away From Home<div style="text-align: justify;">Sabah - Indonesian primary school students in Sabah, Malaysia, can now sing their national anthem, “Indonesia Raya,” before class.<br /><br />“This is our way of introducing Indonesia as a beloved mother country to these children,” said Dadang Hermawan, principal of Kota Kinabalu Indonesian School, or SIKK, in Sabah on Borneo Island.<br /><br />These students are the children of Indonesian migrant workers who moved to Malaysia to work on oil palm plantations and in households as domestic staff.<br /><br />Around 80 percent of the students at SIKK were born in Sabah, and many have little knowledge of the land of their parents.<br /><br />These children are more fortunate than others. Thousands of children of migrant workers, some from the Philippines, have no access to education, which is free for local Malaysian children and Indonesian children back home.<br /><br />According to the Indonesian Consulate in Kota Kinabalu, there were 24,199 children of migrant workers in Sabah in 2006 and that number is expected to grow.<br /><br />“It is not true that children of migrant workers cannot study at Malaysian schools,” said Imran Hanafi, the education attache of the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. “They cannot study in public schools because of subsidy issues. Foreign children should study in international or private schools. The problem is that their parents are low-income earners and cannot afford those schools.”<br /><br />Malaysian immigration regulations prohibit foreign workers from bringing their spouses and children to the country. They are also prohibited from marrying in Malaysia, according to Imran.<br />However, some employers of migrant workers turn a blind eye to workers who do bring their families with them.<br /><br />“When employers allow workers to have their families by their sides, they show better job loyalty,” said Umbara Setiawan, a counselor at the Indonesian Consulate.<br /><br />“Spouses and children can also work to increase family income. Children who do not go to school can work on the plantations, increasing income and making use of available time,” Umbara said.<br /><br />White-collar expatriates, however, are allowed to marry and bring their families to Malaysia.<br /><br />Syaheddrul Joddarim, the human resources manager of the Sabah Land Development Board, said: “We have male and female workers, and while we always prohibit them from marrying, we cannot prohibit love. Illegal marriages occur all the time on plantations, and people have children here,” he said.<br /><br />Seeing other workers married with children in Malaysia encourages workers to start new families in Sabah, Syaheddrul said.<br /><br />The Indonesian and Malaysian governments and Humana, a European-based nongovernmental organization, have provided informal schooling for the children of migrant workers for years.<br /><br />In December 2008, the Indonesian government furthered that effort by establishing SIKK for Indonesian children, where 274 children are now schooled.<br /><br />According to the consulate, there are 576 children who want to study at SIKK, but after evaluation and selection, only 274 were found eligible to enrol.<br /><br />Children aged 11 or older who cannot read are ineligible for attending the school. “Unfortunately, we cannot accept them,” Dadang said.<br /><br />Children of migrant workers are taught to read, write and count, although there are no class levels. The Malaysian government asks plantation owners to provide an informal school building for the children.<br /><br />Indonesia has sent 109 teachers to work in Malaysia since 2007.<br /><br />SIKK has six classrooms in the Alam Mesra shopping complex at Kota Kinabalu and has a capacity of 326 students. There are only three teachers currently and the principal, who also teaches. “In the near future, four additional teachers will come here from Indonesia,” Dadang said.<br /><br />All SIKK students are provided with red and white uniforms and school books.<br /><br />“They are very enthusiastic. They leave their homes at five in the morning to get here by six, even though class starts at seven,” Dadan g said.<br /><br />Edijatmiko from Malang, East Java Province, is pleased that his children can attend the informal school in Kota Kinabalu.<br /><br />Nabila, a grade one SIKK student, said: “My friends are happy with the red and white uniform, because it is the uniform of Indonesian schools.<br /><br />“I also know the Indonesia Raya and Garuda Pancasila [nationalist] songs now.”<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/life-times/article/8549.html">TheJakartaGlobe.com</a></div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-85325110127590506812011-05-05T00:57:00.000-07:002011-05-05T00:59:05.922-07:00Bali Archeologists Discover Another Sarcophagus<div style="text-align: justify;">Denpasar - The Bali Archeology Agency has discovered another sarcophagus when evacuating a stone coffin found in Subak Abang, Keramas village, Gianyar regency.<br /><br />"The third sarchophagus found this year is located in the same location of the sarchophagus found on February 1, and predicted to be 2,500 to 3,000 years old," chief of the agency Wayan Suantika said here on Wednesday.<br /><br />On January 12, a similar object was discovered seven km north of the site of the recent discovery. The latest find is the third sarcophagus in 2009, and the 13th since 1978.<br /><br />The tens of sarcophagus found in Keramas were estimated to be 2,500 to 3,000 years old. Keramas was a village in Bali, Suantika said.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.antaranews.com/en/view/?i=1233772381&c=NAT&s=">Antara.co.id</a></div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-72005146338726440962011-05-05T00:52:00.000-07:002011-05-05T00:54:19.296-07:00S. Lanka Vows To Enhance Ties With RI<div style="text-align: justify;">Jakarta - Despite being caught up in a war at home, Sri Lanka has shown a strong commitment in recent years to build an enhanced and deepened partnership with Indonesia, Southeast Asia‘s largest economy, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Indonesia Maj. Gen. (ret) Nanda Mallawaarachchi said.<br /><br />"We have had excellent relations with Indonesia since our independence. Besides enhancing economic ties, we would like to have a strong relationship in defense, political and cultural fields," Ambassador Mallawaarachchi told The Jakarta Post in an interview at his office Monday.<br /><br />Sri Lanka gained its independence on Feb. 4, 1948, from Britain.<br /><br />Both Sri Lanka and Indonesia, Mallawaarachchi said, were coorganizers of the Bandung Conference in 1955 and founders of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and shared the common aspirations and hopes of NAM.<br /><br />In recent times, Sri Lankan leaders have shown a greater interest in Indonesia. Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama attended the launch of the Bali Democracy Forum in De-cember 2008 and met with President Susilo Bambang Yudho-yono.<br /><br />"Our participation in the Bali forum is a clear sign that our friendship is growing," Mallawaarachchi, a soft-spoken veteran general, said.<br /><br />During his visit, Bogollagama extended an invitation from Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse to President Yudhoyono to visit Sri Lanka.<br /><br />Both countries had earlier signed an agreement in New York in 2008 to host the Joint Commission Meeting in Colombo in the first half of this year to strengthen cooperation be-tween the two countries, Mallawaarachchi said.<br /><br />"It will be our first-ever joint-commission meeting. Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda will attend this meeting in Colombo. This meeting will really boost our relations fur-ther," he said.<br /><br />In January 2008, Sri Lanka‘s Secretary of Defense Gotabaya Rajapakse, who is leading the ongoing onslaught at home against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, visited Indonesia to enhance military ties.<br /><br />"That visit further cemented our bilateral defense cooperation," Mallawaarachchi said.<br /><br />During his visit, Rajapakse, who is also the brother of President Mahinde Rajapakse and de-facto defense minister, met with several Indonesian ministers and military chiefs.<br /><br />"We are very happy about our growing defense ties with Indonesia. The Indonesian Military‘s three services have agreed to provide training to our officers at their defense institu-tions. Both countries are committed to combat terrorism," Mallawaarachchi said.<br /><br />"Lanka and Indonesia will soon sign an agreement on combating terrorism."<br /><br />On the economic front, both countries have been trying to boost bilateral trade.<br /><br />"In the last five years, our trade has doubled. Several Sri Lankan business delegations visited Indonesia to look for business opportunities," Mallawaarachchi said.<br /><br />Bilateral trade surged to US$456.59 million in 2007, a huge jump from $187.75 million in 2003. It reached $300 million in the first nine months of 2008, an 8.5 percent decrease from $327.20 million over the same period in 2007.<br /><br />"The trade balance is heavily in favor of Indonesia. We buy palm oil, furniture and other goods from Indonesia. Our exports to Indonesia are very small. But interestingly, we have been receiving a lot of inquiries about investing in Sri Lanka from Indonesian businesspeople" Mallawaarachchi said.<br /><br />The ambassador said Sri Lanka‘s national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines would soon resume flights to Indonesia.<br /><br />"There will be a greater country-to-country connectivity; that‘s a great achievement," he said.<br /><br />Sri Lankan Airlines, which won the Sri Lanka‘s Airline of the Year award Monday, used to fly to Jakarta under the name of Air Lanka from Colombo in the 1990s.<br /><br />Also this year, the Sri Lankan government has been preparing to establish a honorary consulate in Bali.<br /><br />Mallawaarachchi said he had another plan to promote his country abroad.<br /><br />"We are planning to invite a group of foreign ambassadors, who are based in Jakarta, to Sri Lanka so that they can see for themselves about our economic potential," he said.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/02/04/s-lanka-vows-enhance-ties-with-ri.html">TheJakartaPost.com</a></div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-57227396419267694382011-05-05T00:49:00.000-07:002011-05-05T00:51:06.779-07:00Susilo Happy With Indonesia-Malaysia EPG<div style="text-align: justify;">Jakarta - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is happy with the progress done by the Indonesia-Malaysia Eminent Persons Group (EPG) which met to find ways to resolve problems and strengthen bilateral ties.<br /><br />Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said Indonesian EPG chief Jen (B) Try Sutrisno who called on Susilo today reported on the intensive meetings with the Malaysian EPG.<br /><br />He said the outcome of the Indonesia-Malaysia EPG meetings would be presented to the leaders of both countries.<br /><br />"We are planning a bilateral meeting between Susilo and the Malaysian Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) sometime in mid March," he was quoted as saying on the president's website.<br /><br />The Indonesian EPG also presented a preliminary report on several recommendations discussed including culture, history, education and economic cooperation.<br /><br />Dino said one of the proposals made was for a discussion on Indonesia-Malaysia history as young people were not aware of the long history of both countries.<br /><br />Problems deriving from the Indonesian workforce would also be discussed by the two EPGs as Malaysia is the largest recipient of Indonesian labour.<br /><br />"Both countries will have to implement a mechanism that will effectively address the problems brought about by the Indonesian workforce," he added.<br /><br />The Indonesian EPG comprised Jen (B) Try Sutrisno, Quraish Shihab, Musni Umar and Des Alwi Abubakar.<br /><br />Also present at the meeting with Susilo were Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda, Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi and Minister cum State Secretary Hatta Rajasa. By Mohd Nasir Yusoff<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=387224">http://www.bernama.com</a> (February 2, 2009)</div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-72640337220472097112011-05-05T00:43:00.000-07:002011-05-05T00:45:20.999-07:00Plan to Develop Kalimantan Border Proposed<div style="text-align: justify;">Jakarta - Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono is urging other government departments to help shape a proposal to develop economic zones along the ecologically prized 2,000-kilometer-long border region between Malaysia and Kalimantan “as soon as possible.”<br /><br />The call from the defense minister, who cites sovereignty threats from neighboring countries as one of the reasons behind the plan, is likely to cause outrage among environmentalists and seemingly flies in the face of the historic “Heart of Borneo” declaration signed by the heads of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia in 2007.<br /><br />It was hoped that the declaration would lead to the conservation and sustainable management of what has been called “the most important center of biological diversity in the world,” covering approximately 220,000 square kilometers of equatorial rainforests — almost a third of the island.<br /><br />Speaking to journalists after a meeting at the House of Representatives, or DPR, on Monday evening, Juwono said the ministry had already drafted a concept plan to establish economic zones along the land borders.<br /><br />The draft includes plans to establish new plantations and construct new roads along the border.<br /><br />The concept was presented to other ministers during a recent meeting at the Coordinating Ministry of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Juwono said.<br /><br />“We have to carry it out as soon as possible, but need other ministries to cooperate with us,” Juwono said.<br /><br />He said the plan would involve a huge amount of capital but added that it would be supported by local businesspeople willing to invest money in developing the border areas.<br /><br />“But they would also develop the border areas to be more promising for the citizens living there,” he said.<br /><br />An economic presence acted as a good marker of a country`s sovereignty along border areas and would act as a nonmilitary deterrent to any encroachment on Indonesian territory, Juwono said.<br />Theo L. Sambuaga, the chairman of House Defense Commission I, which oversees defense, backed the proposal, claiming on Tuesday that the government needed to address poverty along the border.<br /><br />“We have to guarantee the welfare of our citizens living near borders, so they will never think to favor or move to the neighboring countries,” the lawmaker said.<br /><br />In terms of the massive investment required to develop the border, Theo said the government could use the state budget allotted from the ministries of people`s welfare and public works spread throughout several ministerial plans.<br /><br />“The government has allotted money for the Ministry of Education to build new schools. If it merged with the border establishment program, the school could be built there,” Theo said.<br /><br />Environmental nongovernmental organization WWF said on its Web site that the 2007 declaration signed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono formally ended plans to create the world`s largest palm oil plantation in Kalimantan along Indonesia`s mountainous border with Malaysia.<br /><br />The scheme, supported by Chinese investment, was expected to cover an area of 1.8 million hectares and would have had long-lasting, damaging consequences to the Heart of Borneo, the site said.<br /><br />“The island is home to 13 species of primates, 150 species of reptiles and amphibians, over 350 species of birds and around 15,000 species of plants, and continues to be the source of many new discoveries,” it said. Markus Junianto Sihaloho<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/article/8484.html">http://www.thejakartaglobe.com</a> (February 4, 2009)</div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-32562537216972980172011-05-05T00:39:00.000-07:002011-05-05T00:42:19.610-07:00S`pore-Indonesia boundary pact<div style="text-align: justify;">Jakarta – Indonesia and Singapore have agreed on the western segment of their maritime border after nearly four years of negotiations, officials here said.<br /><br />The new borderline was drawn between Indonesia‘s Pulau Nipah and Singapore‘s Sultan Shoal, and is the first agreed upon since the two countries last signed a border pact in 1973.<br /><br />Disclosing this, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that Indonesia can now further explore economic development in territories including the Batam, Bintan and Karimun islands.<br /><br />‘With a clearer boundary, there would be economic expansion in Indonesia, including forging cooperation with Singapore and Malaysia,‘ he said after a Cabinet meeting on Monday.<br /><br />Yesterday, buoyed by the agreement, Dr Yudhoyono used another Cabinet meeting to call for a blueprint to develop Pulau Nipah, including setting up a military post to be manned by the Indonesian navy on the island. ‘It is one of the outer islands with strategic value for our country,‘ presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng told reporters after yesterday‘s Cabinet meeting.<br /><br />Pulau Nipah is located between the Indonesian islands of Batam and Karimun Besar.<br /><br />In February 2004, then Indonesian president Megawati Sukarnoputri placed a marker on Pulau Nipah to reinforce Indonesia‘s claim of sovereignty.<br /><br />The move was made amid nationalist sentiment in the run-up to the legislative elections that year and followed reclamation works undertaken by Singapore.<br /><br />Singapore has maintained that the reclamation works were carried out entirely within its territorial waters, and that they did not alter its maritime boundaries with Indonesia.<br /><br />An Indonesian Foreign Ministry official involved in the border talks, Mr Arif Havas Oegroseno, told The Straits Times agreement was reached in December, after a series of discussions that started in February 2005.<br /><br />‘We achieved a breakthrough in the negotiation in Bali and the pact was finalised in Singapore,‘ said the director for treaties on political security and territorial affairs. He said Singapore agreed not to use its southern reclaimed shoreline as the basis to determine the border.<br /><br />The line that forms the western segment of the boundary between both countries was finally drawn halfway between Pulau Nipah and Sultan Shoal.<br /><br />Mr Arif noted that the two countries had agreed on the central segment of their territorial sea boundary in the Strait of Singapore in 1973.<br /><br />‘Now we are ready to negotiate the eastern segment of our maritime boundary,‘ he said.<br /><br />Discussions on this segment could not previously get under way because of Singapore‘s dispute with Malaysia over Pedra Branca.<br /><br />Last year, the International Court of Justice granted Singapore sovereignty over Pedra Branca and awarded Malaysia the Middle Rocks outcrop.<br /><br />The court did not make a definitive ruling on South Ledge, a rock formation in the vicinity visible only at low tide.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/SE%2BAsia/Story/STIStory_334053.html">http://www.straitstimes.com</a> (February 4, 2009)</div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-87225718491286532072011-05-05T00:34:00.000-07:002011-05-05T00:36:18.656-07:00Sultan Brunei Arrives In Sabah For Three-day Visit<div style="text-align: justify;">Kota Kinabalu - The Sultan of Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah arrived at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport here today for a three-day visit.<br /><br />Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his wife, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha were greeted on arrival by Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah and wife, Toh Puan Dayang Masuyah Awang Japar.<br /><br />Present were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman and his wife, Datin Seri Faridah Tussin.<br /><br />His majesty later inspected a guard-of-honour mounted by 105 officers and men of the seventh battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment.<br /><br />Shortly after, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah attended a briefing on the Sabah Development Corridor at Wisma Tun Mustapha here.<br /><br />He is scheduled to visit the Royal Malaysian Navy‘s Region 2 Naval Headquarters in Teluk Sepanggar tomorrow before leaving for Sandakan.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/state_news/news.php?id=387503&cat=sbe">http://www.bernama.com.my</a> (February 3, 2009)</div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-18722797312996304512011-05-04T20:23:00.001-07:002011-05-05T00:29:17.959-07:00Malay scientists find `oldest in Southeast Asia` stone tools<div style="text-align: justify;">Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian archaeologists have announced the discovery of stone tools they believe are more than 1.8 million years old and the earliest evidence of human ancestors in Southeast Asia.<br /><br />The stone hand-axes were discovered last year in the historical site of Lenggong in northern Perak state, embedded in a type of rock formed by meteorites which was sent to a Japanese lab to be dated.<br /><br />"We received news from Japan two weeks ago which said it is 1.83 million years old, so this find shows the existence of human beings there 1.83 million years ago," told archaeology team leader Mokhtar Saidin.<br /><br />"This is the earliest evidence of Paleolithic culture in the Southeast Asian region," said Mokhtar from Malaysia`s University of Science, who said he believed the hand-axes were used by homo erectus, an extinct early human.<br /><br />The archaeologist said that the oldest homo erectus fossil discovered in the region is from Java in Indonesia, and dated at 1.7 million years old.<br /><br />Internationally, the two oldest fossils are from Georgia (1.8 million years old) and China (between 1.7 and 1.8 million years), he said.<br /><br />"This new find in Malaysia is actually older than those in Georgia and China, but the difference is that what we found was the tool, and we have to continue to look for the human bones," he said.<br />The oldest human skeleton ever found in Malaysia is the 11,000-year old Perak man, discovered in 1991.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health__Science/Science/Malay_scientists_find_oldest_in_Southeast_Asia_stone_tools/articleshow/4058954.cms">http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com</a> (Februari 01, 2009)</div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-64469499235220925972011-05-04T20:19:00.000-07:002011-05-04T20:21:09.547-07:00Madrasahs Still Fight Reputation<div style="text-align: justify;">Mataram - The heads of Islamic boarding schools and their teachers must step up efforts to demonstrate that Islam is against terrorism, a senior religious affairs official said.<br /><br />Nasaruddin Umar, director general for mass guidance on Islam at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, voiced his concerns during the opening of a meeting for Islamic boarding school teachers from across West Nusa Tenggara Province in Mataram, Lombok Island, over the weekend.<br /><br />“Let us prove to the world that Islam is not supporting terrorism, especially in this province where most of its population is Muslim,” Nasaruddin told about 50 Islamic boarding school teachers.<br /><br />During previous discussions with academics in the United States, he said, the activities of madrasahs, or Islamic schools, and pesantrens, or Islamic boarding schools, had often been called into question, and some people in the West even considered madrasahs to be places for terrorist training.<br /><br />“That`s why our ambassadors in the West continue correcting such faulty assumptions about madrasahs and pesantrens in Indonesia,” he said. Antara<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/article/8177.html">http://www.thejakartaglobe.com</a> (Februari 01, 2009)</div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-70685532132007214912011-04-28T02:36:00.000-07:002011-04-28T02:39:15.812-07:00Malaysia conveys to MILF RP`s desire to resume talks<div style="text-align: justify;">Mindanao - Acting promptly, Malaysia has conveyed to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) the desire of the Philippine government to immediately resume the collapsed Mindanao peace process.<br /><br />Mohagher Iqbal, chairman of the MILF peace panel, acknowledged the communication from Malaysia, the negotiation`s sole facilitator and host of meetings.<br /><br />Malaysia, however, did not set yet a date for the talks` revival, he said.<br /><br />The MILF leader, who is the chairman of the Moro rebel group`s information committee, said a Malaysian official whom he did not identify informed him of the recent visit of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis, new Presidential Peace Process Adviser Avelino Razon Jr., and Ryan Mark Sullivan, a director at the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).<br /><br />Seguis` group was in Malaysia from Jan. 27 to 29 and met with officials there, asking them to convey to the MILF that Manila is ready for an immediate resumption of the peace talks.<br /><br />It was learned that any communication between the two peace panels must be coursed through Malaysia.<br /><br />The Office of the Prime Minister of Malaysia assigned Datuk Othman Bin Abdul Razzak as the go-between.<br /><br />Last year, the talks collapsed after the Supreme Court declared as "unconstitutional" an accord that would pave the way for a bigger ancestral homeland for the Bangsamoro people.<br /><br />As this developed, disgruntled MILF commanders Ameril Umbra Kato and Abdullah "Bravo" Macapaar raided Christian communities in North Cotabato and Lanao del Norte, prompting the President to order an all-out offensive.<br /><br />Since June 2001, with the resumption of formal talks in Tripoli, Libya, Malaysia has been facilitating the talks, spending hundreds of millions of pesos for its contingent in the International Monitoring Team in Mindanao since 2004.<br /><br />The peace process, which former President Fidel V. Ramos started on Jan. 7, 1997, has been an on-and-off affair.<br /><br />But when movie actor Joseph Estrada became the president, he waged an all-out war against the MILF.<br /><br />Then Vice President Gloria Arroyo then replaced Estrada on Jan. 20, 2001, and scuttled her predecessor`s all-out war policy with her all-out peace policy.<br /><br />But President Arroyo later launched her all-out war against the MILF on Feb. 11, 2003, with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) attacking Buliok Complex, the MILF`s second stronghold after the fallen Camp Abubakar As-Siddique, on Eid`l Adha, Islam`s second major festival.<br /><br />The late MILF chairman, Ustadhz Salamat Hashim, was delivering a sermon for the Eid`l Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) early morning prayers when the military`s onslaught started.<br /><br />Hashim barely escaped death as bombs fell all around. He died of a lingering illness on July 13, 2003.<br /><br />Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim took the place of Hashim and the MILF founder`s peace negotiation with the government.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Iqbal lauded the Japanese Government for its continuing assistance to the Mindanao peace process and the region`s development.<br /><br />"We are particularly indebted to Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Makoto Katsura and the rest of his embassy staff particularly Political Minister Nakayama for helping make this aid possible," said Iqbal, referring to Japan`s new emergency food aid totaling 860 million Yen.<br /><br />Japan will provide 7,500 metric tons of rice for the Mindanao evacuees through the World Food Programme (WFP) headed in the Philippines by country representative Stephen Anderson.<br /><br />The MILF chief negotiator also welcomed the Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah`s plan to strengthen his country`s participation in the peace process through the team of foreign monitors.<br /><br />"We appreciate the Brunei Sultan`s assistance to the peace process," said Iqbal, who also noted the open letter of 190 Muslim religious leaders to United States President Barack Obama.<br /><br />"This is a welcome development. We need everyone`s help to realize peace and stability in Mindanao," said Iqbal, in reaction to the letter appeal of the National Ulama Conference of the Philippines (NUCP) to President Obama for help move the negotiation forward.<br /><br />"The Muslims are not your enemy," the NUCP officials and members in response to the new American President`s inaugural statement that America is not an enemy of the Muslim world. By EDD K. USMAN<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.mb.com.ph/PROV20090202147083.html">http://www.mb.com.ph</a> (Februari 02, 2009)</div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-26413112235171036412011-04-28T02:30:00.000-07:002011-04-28T02:32:31.442-07:00Macma To Build First Mosque With Chinese Architecture<div style="text-align: justify;">Kuala Lumpur - The Federal Territories Islamic Council has pledged RM1 million for the construction of Malaysia`s first Chinese architectural mosque.<br /><br />Minister in the Prime Minister`s Department Datuk Seri Dr Zahid Hamidi today told reporters that the government had approved a proposal made by the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association (Macma).<br /><br />"The mosque with Chinese architecture was approved and Macma`s initiative welcomed. Apart from the RM1 million, we will contribute a "dollar for dollar" for the sum collected by Macma.<br /><br />"The mosque to be build in Selayang over an area of nine hectares would accommodate 1,000 and cost about RM15 million," said Zahid after launching a Chinese New Year Celebration organised by Muslim NGOs at a mosque here today.<br /><br />Zahid said Macma would also use the mosque as a tourist destination, religious centre and religious studies.<br /><br />According to Zahid, the celebration which was held within the confines of Al-Mukhsinin Mosque in Taman Desa, was the first of its kind in the country and Macma should be lauded for its efforts to bring different ethnicities and religions together.<br /><br />"This should also be a role played by mosques. We should not shut the door for non muslims. If we want to celebrate Deepavali or any other festival in a mosque, it should be welcomed as long as it is not for religious purposes," said Zahid.<br /><br />Zahid also reminded politicians to keep politics within the confines of the Parliament and the State Assembly and to build camaraderie among each other outside the halls of power.<br /><br />"Although Seputeh MP Teresa Kok was not scheduled to speak today, I asked the chairman of the celebration to invite her and give a speech. Our difference in politics is in the Parliament and State Assembly, here we are friends," he said.<br /><br />During his speech, Zahid also enlightened the crowd by teasing Teresa, who is still single, to get married to a Malay man, referring to history whereby Admiral Cheng Ho of China brought Princess Hang Li Po to marry the Sultan of Melaka.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=387065">http://www.bernama.com</a> (Februari 01, 2009)</div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-52181887487655492642011-04-28T02:23:00.000-07:002011-04-28T02:26:34.594-07:00Pattani Malays marking 150-year bond to land<div style="text-align: justify;">Pattani - BATU Kurau, a small Perak town at the foot of the undulating Titiwangsa Range, is certainly no match for its more prestigious and historically-rich neighbour Taiping, about 20km to the south.<br /><br />But, for the Pattani Malay folk, Batu Kurau is their homeland in this country.<br /><br />From a number of about 100 when they arrived to found the town in 1859 under the leadership of Tok Amar Wan Kasa, the son of Raja Hulubalang Pattani, the community has grown to more than 25,000 today.<br /><br />Wan Kasa, a contemporary of Larut chieftain Long Jaafar, became the first penghulu of Batu Kurau, serving from 1859 to 1867. He died at 70.<br /><br />Making up more than 70 per cent of the Batu Kurau population today, the community continues with its agrarian lifestyle just like their ancestors when they opened up the area in the 1850s.<br /><br />The only difference is that the Pattani Malays no longer tend to padi fields or venture out to the Titiwangsa Range to look for jungle produce. Today, their main sources of income are oil palm and rubber plantations and, of course, the ubiquitous "durian Batu Kurau".<br /><br />Despite the lack of industries, infrastructure and other physical development, the Pattani Malays are very proud of their age-old Batu Kurau heritage and contributions to the state and country for over a century.<br /><br />"Batu Kurau is our motherland, not Pattani (a province in southern Thailand). For more than 10 generations, the Pattani Malays have toiled this land. It has become one with us. Batu Kurau and Pattani Malays cannot be separated," said Ahmad Hasbullah Alias, who is heading the efforts to commemorate and celebrate the founding of Batu Kurau 150 years ago.<br /><br />The excitement is certainly evident among the town`s folk. The programmes lined up for the three-day celebrations, starting on Saturday, include Pattani Malay games, theatre performances on the community`s history dating back to the 1850s and a cooking competition.<br /><br />The highlight of the celebration will be scaling of the nearest hilltop by a group of youngsters to fly the national and state flags and also a special flag to mark the 150 years of the founding of Batu Kurau.<br /><br />The three-day event was expected to be opened by National Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, said Ahmad Hasbullah.<br /><br />He proudly added that Batu Kurau had given birth to famous personalities such as former Perak menteri besar Datuk Seri Kamaruddin Mohd Isa (1970-74), state mufti Muhammad Saman B. Muhammad (1978-86), playwright and director Datuk Rahim Razali, Umno Veterans Club chairman Tan Sri Tajuddin Ali and former Federal CID director Datuk Mohamed Fauzi Saari, among others.<br /><br />"In fact, we have one of the oldest schools in the country, which is SK Tok Sajak. It`s former name was Sekolah Melayu Sungai Akar. It was established 130 years ago."<br /><br />He said the community also took pride in having served the Perak sultanate as caretakers of the elephants used by the royalty long ago.<br /><br />The elephants were kept in stables on the fringes of the town in those days.<br /><br />Ahmad Hasbullah said the organising committee had also invited descendants of Wan Kasa to participate in the celebrations and attend a special gathering organised for them.<br /><br />"I believe the celebrations will heighten awareness in the younger generation about the beginnings of Batu Kurau and the role played by the Pattani Malays.<br /><br />"I also hope that Batu Kurau will one day be able to shed its sleepy image and laid back look and become as developed as Taiping." By : Jaspal Singh<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/National/2467379/Article/index_html">http://www.nst.com.my</a> (Februari 02, 2009)</div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727686491684851322.post-11828368633134617172011-04-28T02:20:00.000-07:002011-04-28T02:21:06.935-07:00The Second Solo Batik Carnival To Attract Tourists<div style="text-align: justify;">Surakarta - The second Solo Batik Carnival is scheduled to be held in Surakarta on June 28. The preparation, such as research on costumes, choreography and seeking other essentials, began yesterday. "This year`s theme is about masks," said Dinan Fariz, the event coordinator, yesterday.<br />The registration is to start on January 28, 2009 at City Walk and the Tourism Office. In order to achieve the target of 1.000 participants, the committee will organize promotions to Yogyakarta, Semarang, and other cities. "We hope Surakarta will become the icon of batik cities in Indonesia," said Mufti Raharjo, Surakarta Tourism official.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.tempointeractive.com/hg/nasional/2009/01/27/brk,20090127-157156,uk.html">http://www.tempointeractive.com</a> (January 27, 2009)</div>dadohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526921350430131140noreply@blogger.com