Planet Mole
Indonesia in Focus
Ten Years after May 1998 Tragedy
By Barrie | 
1 Comment » This May we are commemorating the 10th anniversary of the May 1998 tragedy, which is better known as the May 1998 riots. This historic incident is an important life-changing milestone in many people’s lives, whoever they are. I lost my innocence in May 1998, politically and spiritually. In a few fast-paced heart-racing days, I realized many unthinkable and unimaginable things, including what human beings are capable of doing to fellow humans, which could have happened to a person like me: the targeted rape of Chinese women, the burning and looting of properties belonging to Chinese owners and the denial of such incidents by those in power.
Foreign Flights Increase Could Benefit Tourism
By Barrie | No Comments » To garner more visitors for Indonesia’s tourist program dubbed Visit Indonesia Year 2008, the government should grant more foreign airlines increased flight frequencies into Bali and other tourist destinations, an industry leader said. “If the government wants to be totally committed to making (the program) a success, it should start wooing other foreign airlines besides Singapore Airlines,” Tengku Burhanuddin, Secretary General of the Indonesian National Air Carriers Association (INACA), said.
Monas Horse Urine
By Barrie | No Comments » First, they tried using water. The horse urine still stank. Later, they tried chemical agents, but still, it stank. Eventually, the Central Jakarta mayoralty officials gave up and, last year, Muhayat, then the mayor, issued an order to get rid of the source of the problem along with their owners and delman (buggies) from Monas Park. To the press, a number of officials, including new Mayor Sylviana Murni and Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo, cited reasons behind the delman ban. So far the horse piss has received a variety of criticisms: “stinky”, “polluting the environment”, “dangerous for the respiratory health of children”.
Doomsday Prediction for Jakarta: West Java
By Barrie | No Comments » Separated by a road and a viscous finger of black, garbage-choked water, the stilt-house slum of Muara Baru and the BMW car dealership that faces it appear as if from different worlds. But on December 6, 2025, these two extremes of the Indonesian capital will have something in common as a World Bank study shows that unless action is taken, they and much of the coastal city of 12 million will be submerged by seawater.
Dutch MP’s Film Outrages Indonesians
By Barrie | No Comments » 
Dozens of Indonesians have demonstrated outside the Dutch embassy in Jakarta over a Dutch MP’s film that has outraged many Muslims. Some protesters hurled eggs and plastic water bottles at the embassy as riot police formed a wall to keep them away. Geert Wilders, leader of the right-wing Freedom Party (PVV) in the Netherlands, released the 17-minute film Fitna (”Strife”) on the internet last week. Showing scenes of terrorist attacks, it claims the Koran inspires violence. Hundreds of Indonesian school students also demonstrated against the film in central Java on Sunday.
The Story of `Gatutkaca Luweng’
By Barrie | No Comments » Following is a synopsis of the Gatutkaca Luweng drama, which the Wayang Wong Bharata performed on Jan. 5, 2008, from 8:30-11:15 p.m. at their home theater:
Indonesians in Focus: Diding Khaerudin
By Barrie | No Comments » 
Farmers in Tajurhalang, Bogor, West Java, never seemed to be able to get ahead until they switched to growing decorative plants at the advice of Diding Khaerudin. “I was concerned by how hard farmers worked just to produce a few hundred thousand rupiah. Therefore, I encouraged them to grow decorative plants instead of taro, pineapples and bananas,” Diding said. Born in Bogor on Dec. 22, 1964, Diding has transformed the valley of Mount Salak into a decorative plant center. Diding, who graduated from Muslim junior high school Tsanawiyah, used to work at the PTP XI state plantation at Mount Salak, but resigned in 1996. He found work as a gardener at a golf course in Tangerang, but was more interested in farming and eventually returned to his home village.
Puspiptek Not Threatening According to Locals
By Barrie | No Comments » In Indonesia, the development of nuclear energy is often viewed as a frightening concept. However, residents who live in close proximity to the Research Center of Science and Technology (Puspitek) in Serpong, Tangerang, go about their daily lives with little fuss. The center is home to a nuclear laboratory in which various studies are conducted for industrial and scientific purposes.
Clean water a Basic Necessity
By Barrie | No Comments » The government says extreme weather events are a serious threat to water security. During the wet season floods large swaths of the country, including Jakarta, are inundated by floods. At other times droughts cause drinking water shortages for millions. Below is the final article in a series of six on climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Book Launch
By Barrie | No Comments » President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono launched Friday Indonesia on the Move, a compilation of his articles and speeches depicting a “true picture” of Indonesia. Yudhoyono said the book could be used to tell the global community about Indonesia. Yudhoyono said the title was chosen because the phrase accurately portrayed the development of the country.
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