Online Pharmacies Offer Alternative

April 14th, 2008 | By Barrie | No Comments »

If you ask your friends or relatives about online pharmacies, they would probably have no idea what you are talking about. Most people are indeed more familiar with common dispensaries, where they can buy medicines prescribed by physicians. But how do those who live far from a pharmacy get their hands on medication fast?

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Combating Illicit Trafficking in Forest Products

April 11th, 2008 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Indonesia and the United Nations shrugs and crime agency UNODC organized an international experts group meeting on International Cooperation in Preventing and Combating Illicit International Trafficking in Forest Products, in Jakarta, recently. The forest products included timber, wildlife and other forest biological resources, according to a press statement of the Indonesian forestry ministry here on Friday. The meeting was attended by 47 experts from 15 member countries and observers from ASEAN-WEN, AFP, FLEGT, UNEP, UNFF, World Bank, and CIFOR. In the two-day meeting officially opened by Indonesian Forestry Minsiter MS Kaban on March 26, the participants emphasized the importance of international cooperation in combating and preventing illicit international trafficking in forest products.

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Image of the Day: Pura Ulu Danau Batur, Bali

April 10th, 2008 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Whenever you travel to Kintamani in the north of Bali, have a look at one of the most beautiful temples on the island - Pura Ulu Danau Batur. This sacred temple overlooks Danau Batur and Gunung Batur.

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Independent Candidates and Winning Elections

April 10th, 2008 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Indonesian Democratic Party- Struggle (PDIP) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri said independent candidates for next year`s general election would have difficulty consolidating their positions because they depended on floating masses. “How can an independent candidate consolidate his or her position as he or she will only have the support of floating masses,” Megawati said at a meeting with party cadres here on Thursday. Someone who ran for president, governor, district head or mayor would have a better chance to succeed if he or she was supported by one or more political parties. she said.

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Traditional Birth Attendants and Women’s Health in Indonesia

April 10th, 2008 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Approximately 1 in 97 women in Indonesia will die during childbirth or because of complications related to pregnancy. Thankfully, Noni, a 27-year-old mother of four, is alive and well due to proper medical treatment from her local health centre. One recent day, Noni was proudly holding her newborn twin boys while making friendly conversation with Sanro Nurma, a Traditional Birth Attendant (TBA). As a TBA, Ms. Nurma delivered Noni’s previous two children in her home. But giving birth to twins involves some serious risks, so Ms. Nurma brought Noni to the Galesong Health Centre in South Sulawesi in order to deliver the babies safely with the help of hospital professionals. In the past, like millions of other Indonesian mothers, Noni would have relied on a birth attendant alone to assist her during birth. Approximately 40 per cent of deliveries in Indonesia today are assisted only by TBAs. This practice is the predominant contributing factor to the country’s high maternal mortality rate – one of the highest in the region.

Valuable Peatlands Being Destroyed

April 7th, 2008 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Peatland forests in Indonesia are continuously destructed by palm oil industry, although the government has stopped issuing new permits for new plantations at peatland ecosystem, a Greenpeace campaigner said. Hapsoro, Greenpeace campaigner for the Southeast Asia, said that the Greenpeace team has found a new plantation opened without permits on peatland forest in Indonesia’s Riau province at Sumatra Island.

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Cyber Law a Worry for Bloggers

April 7th, 2008 | By Barrie | No Comments »

In a meeting organized by the British Council on Friday, bloggers expressed concerns the new law on electronic information and transaction could make them susceptible to charges of defamation. Blogger Enda Nasution said bloggers were being more careful now as the law opened up possibilities of prosecution for providing “sensitive” content about public figures and certain issues on their sites.

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Access to Clean Water: A Problem for Indonesia

April 6th, 2008 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Access to clean water is one of Indonesia’s biggest problems. According to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report 2007, published by the National Development Planning Board, piped water is accessible to 30.8 percent of households in the country’s cities and 9 percent in its villages. Such figures show the limitations of the municipality’s water service provider, PDAM.
Lack of investment in clean water is one reason PDAM gives for its limited outreach. Based on a government statement, to meet the MDGs target by 2015, Indonesia needs Rp 43 trillion (US$4.6 billion) in clean water funding. The government currently provides Rp 500 billion.

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Land Release in Banyu Urip: Central Java

April 6th, 2008 | By Barrie | No Comments »

600 hectares of land in Banyu Urip Bojonegoro will be soon released. The land that is mainly rice fields is being freed for an oil exploration project. It is thought that it contains more than 250 million of barrels.

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“Heart of Borneo” Meeting

April 4th, 2008 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam will hold the Second Tri-lateral Meeting of Heart of Borneo in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, from April 4 to 5, 2008. The upcoming meeting was a follow up of the First HoB (Heart of Borneo) Tri-Lateral Meeting which was organized in Brunei Darussalam, on July 18-20, 2007, a press statement of the Indonesian forestry ministry said here on Thursday.

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