President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has granted a remission of 5-years to Australian Schapelle Leigh Corby currently serving a 20-year prison sentence in Bali for smuggling 4.2 kilograms of marijuana onto the island on October 8, 2004.

As reported by Bali Post, the Minister for the State Secretariat Sudi Silahi said on Tuesday, May 22, 2012, “President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, based on considerations undertaken by the Supreme Court, has signed a decision to reduce the prison sentence of Schapelle Corby by five years.”

Sudi went on to explain that the decision to reduce Corby’s punishment had followed processes and procedures in accordance with the Indonesian law on sentence remissions. “We also asked for the opinions from the chairman of the Supreme Court and the related cabinet ministers,” Sudi added.

Sudi outlined how the Supreme Court’s considerations had determined that Corby’s request for a remission met all the requirements under law. Another consideration in reducing the sentence was the fact that there are several Indonesians currently being held in Australian prisons.

According to the Bali Post, a spokesman for Denpasar District Court in Bali, Amzer Simanjuntak, confirmed that his office had received a copy of the Presidential decision on Monday, May 21, 2012. “The President gave a remission or a reduction in sentence of five years, changing her current prison sentence from 20 to 15 years. Meanwhile, the additional penalty of a fine of Rp. 100 Million imposed in the original sentence remains in place,” Simanjuntak explained.

Corby was arrested on October 8, 2004 with 4.3 kilograms of marijuana in her luggage at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport. This commercial quantity of drugs was discovered in Corby's bag when she disembarked an Australian Airlines flight. On May 27, 2005 she was sentenced to 20 years in jail after an internationally publicized trials.

The Australian beautician has experienced an up ad down ride on the length of sentence she must serve. On October 12, 2005, after an appeal by Corby’s lawyers the original sentence was reduced to 15 years. However, on January 12, 2006, a subsequent appeal by prosecutors to the Supreme Court saw the original sentence reaffirmed by the High Court and her punishment of 20 years behind bars reinstated. The latest decision by the president reducing her sentence to 15 years is, however, not subject to judicial challenge.

The Bali Symposium on Choral Music (BCSM-2012) is coming to the island August 3-6. 2012 followed by the Bali International Choir Competition (BICC-2012) August 6-9, 2012.
-to-back musical events will strive to provide diverse experiences and challenging choral activities for choir members and their conductors from around the world.

Choirs from Europe, U.S.A, Canada, East and Southeast Asia are expected to travel to the island to participate in the learning sessions and compete in what organizers promise will be a joyful and challenging musical experience.

Unique intercultural workshops will see Balinese musicians join forces with choral musicians in creating new sounds. The resulting compositions will be based on the traditional Balinese gamelan, songs and dramatic narrative tales and dances. Vocal improvisations using Balinese and Western musical motifs will also be employed.

According to Professor André de Quadros, Artistic Director for the Bali festival -  choirs, individual conductors, and individual singers from all over the world are invited to cone to Bali and participate. Participating choirs may give concert performances, participate in Balinese music and dance workshops, collaborate with local and international choirs, and join clinics with distinguished European, Asian, and American clinicians. Individual participants, conductors and singers will participate in symposium sessions focusing on innovative and dynamic creative choral work and professional development. As part of the symposium, all participants will sing Vaughan Williams’ timeless masterpiece Dona Nobis Pacem with a symphony orchestra and Balinese music and dance.

While Indonesian choral groups have won numerous international honors, this is the first international choral festival to be held on the island of Bali.

Bali Discovery Tours has a range of excellent quality budget priced accommodation available for visiting choirs, some with functions rooms suitable for practice sessions and warm ups.

[www.balichoirfestival.com]

[Accommodation Assistance for BSCM and BICC 2012] 
 

Bali Post reports that the Bali Provincial House of Representatives (DPRD-Bali) has questioned the stance taken by the regent of Karangasem, Wayan Geredeg, who has ordered the elimination of hundreds of monkeys living along the Jinah River near the village of Nongan in the Rendang sub-district of the island.

The regent’s order followed the killing by police of a crazed monkey whose savage attacks resulted in the death of one villager and sent another to hospital.

Geredeg’s order, aimed at reducing the wild monkey population in the area, earned a sound rebuke from some legislators. A member of Commission I of the DPRD-Bali, Ni Made Sumiati, said on Tuesday, May 22, 2012: “Regent Geredeg should think long and hard. He should not be hasty in ordering the slaughters or injury of the wild monkeys. Even if a single crazed monkey is responsible for killing Nyoman Gunung (65) last week.”

The lady legislator believes that the regent should first undertake a study before issuing elimination orders or give detailed orders to officials to place pieces of thorny bamboo in the wild monkey’s rectums. Reportedly, the regent thinks that a monkey thus afflicted would attract other monkeys who would come to assist the suffering primate. The regent’s scenario supposes that the monkeys would  begin battling each other resulting in deaths among the tribes of monkeys.

Sumiati described the regent’s plans, saying, “Such measures are totally opposed to the law and the Hindu concept of Tri Hita Karana.” Tri Hita Karana is a core principle of Bali-Hindu life dictating that balance be maintained between God, Man and Nature.

The legislator, who is from the same regency as Geredeg, pointed out that that there are other more effective measures to anticipate and prevent the spread of rabies. Adding: “Now there are anti-rabies vaccines (VAR) and officials will certainly have a method of handling this. Perhaps they will capture the animals, vaccinate them or shoot them with air rifles loaded with dosages of the anti-rabies vaccine.”

She also cautioned the regent about being too hasty in deciding to kill the local monkey population, given certain reigious beliefs held by local populations that preclude the hunting of the primates.

Criticism from Pro Fauna

Joining the chorus condemning a call to torture wild animals by the head of the Karangasem regency is ProFauna – a non-governmental agency animal rights and conservation group.

Rejecting Geredeg’s call to sadistically sodomize monkeys with pieces of sharp bamboo, the coordinator of the group, Jatmiko Wiwoho, labeled the regent’s statements as reactionary, provocative and failing to take into account Hindu values.

He urged the regent not to position the monkeys as the enemies of man in an effort to justify his cruel measures. Insisting all God’s creatures are entitled to respect, Jatmiko said the animal cruelty proposed by Geredeg could, in fact, make the monkeys in the area more aggressive and more dangerous.

Regent’s Call Illegal

Questions from other sectors have also been raised asking if Geredeg’s call for animal torture is in violation of Section 302 of the Criminal Code (KUHP). That law says those found guilty of torturing and killing animals are subject, upon conviction, of imprisonment for up to nine months.

As reported by Balidiscovery.com, police managed to kill on Saturday, May 19, 2012, the single crazed monkey blamed with the killing of Nyoman Gunung and the injuring of another.

Rabies Ruled Out

The Bali Post confirms that tests carried out on the dead monkey did not show the presence of the rabies virus.

Relates Articles

[An Untested Monkey?]

[Concerns of Widening Rabies Epidemic in Bali]

Australia is officially denying suggestions that they any special considerations is being given to people smugglers from Indonesia held in Australian prisons in connection with the 5-year sentence remission granted by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Australian narcotics smuggler Schapelle Corby.

The Bali Post reports from Canberra that Australian Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, acknowledges that Indonesia officials are linking the treatment of 34-year-old Schapelle Corby with young Indonesians held in Australian prisons. He, however, denies any link between the two issues.

As reported by Balidiscovery.com, Corby was granted a sentence remission of 5 years from her 20-year sentence handed down in 2005 for smuggling marijuana into Bali from Australia. Her lawyer calculates that the latest remission, when added to earlier routine sentence reductions for time served, mean his client should go free in another three months,
Law and Human Rights Ministry's Corrections Spokesman, Akbar Hadi Prabowo explained that Presidential Decision Number 22/G of 2012 dated May 15, 2012, granted Schapelle Corby a 5-year sentence cut. When Corby’s time served and other sentence cuts are taken into consideration she should go free on September 3, 2012. However, this all depends on whether or not other conditions of her sentence are met, such as a court –imposed fine of Rp. 100 million (US$10,700)

A Link to People Smuggling?

The announcement of Corby’s presidential remission comes just one week after Australia released three young Indonesian boys from prison. The three were members of a ship’s crew used to smuggle illegal immigrants into Australia. The release from Australian prisons was reportedly predicated on the fact that three were legally minors at the time of their arrest.

The Australian government is also said to have the sentenced of 21 more Indonesian prisoners under review, following continued protests by the Indonesian government. The Australian Commission for Human Rights has admitted that those under detention may have been children at the time of their arrest.

Meanwhile an Indonesian official insists the reduction of Corby’s sentence formed part of an agreement with Australia to be less harsh in the treatment of young Indonesians arested as crews of boats used for people smuggling.

Carr retorted that while that may well be the Indonesian view, he denied any such linkage. He said the decision by Australia was made solely on the basis that it was inappropriate for his county to house children in an adult prison.

The Schapelle Corby case has garnered worldwide attention, with the Queensland hairdresser adamant in her denial of any involvement in the smuggling of 4.2 kilograms of marijuana into Indonesia, claiming Australian baggage handlers planted the drugs in her luggage.

Rosleigh Rose, Corby’s Mother, told reported on May 23, 2012 that she plans to fly to Bali in July to bring her daughter home to Australia.

Presidential Remission Widely Criticized

Many have criticized President Yudhoyono’s granting of a 5-year remission in sentence to Schapelle Corby as inconsistent with the government’s commitment to fight narcotics use.

A former cabinet minister and legal expert, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, said the remission for the Australian was in opposition to an official moratorium in place since 2006 on the granting of remissions to those convicted of corruption, narcotics offenses, terrorism and trans-national crime.

He sees the presidential move as most unfortunate, representing the first time in the history of Indonesian jurisprudence that the President of the Republic has given a remission to a foreigner convicted of a narcotics crime. In fact, prior to the most recent decision, the President has never granted leniency in a narcotics case to either an Indonesian or a foreign national.

“A great fuss was made over the moratorium on granting remissions to narcotics offenders. But, now, the President has given a pardon,” complained Yusril.

Related Article

[Show Me the Way to Go Home]

 

The State News Agency Antara reports that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will officially open the 34th Bali Arts Festival (PKB) on June 11, 2012.

This year’s edition of the event will be the largest ever, incorporating the talents of around 15,000 artists from Indonesia and abroad.

The month-long festival that will run until July 7, 2012, includes musical, dramatic and dance performances from artists from across Bali, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, India, Malaysia, United States, Germany and the Netherlands

As in years past, the festival opens with a gigantic afternoon parade past a presidential review stand in downtown Denpasar.

The opening parde will be held on the afternoon of June 11, 2012, at the “Monument of the People’s Struggle” (Bajra Sandhi Monument) in Renon with the sounding of an “okokan” struck by the President and governor Pastika. Later that day, a colossal opening performance will be attended before the President in the 10,000 seat Ardha Chandra Pavillion of the Bali Arts Center.

Performances are held in a variety of venues over the ensuing month, with the main venue being the Bali Arts Center in Denpasar.

According to Bali Daily, the total cost of the month-long festival is put at RP. 4.6 billion (US$505,400), an increase from the Rp. 3.7 billion spent in 2011.

While religious fundamentalist, police and large segments of the general public in Jakarta haggle over whether or not Indonesia has the moral resilience to withstand a planned performance by American singing sensation Lady Gaga in June, Bali’s governor Made Mangku Pastika has risen above the fray, saying he sees no issue with the outlandish performer taking the stage in Bali, providing police officials are confident they could guarantee the safety of the event.

Quoted by the national news agency Antara, Pastika said: "I think it's no problem, if they are willing to follow our regulations. It should not disturb the norms existing in Bali and Indonesia."

The chairman of the Island’s House of Representatives (DPRD-Bali), I Made Arjaya, told the press Bali was ready to welcome Lady Gaga. Adding: "Although it was turned down in Jakarta, it's different in Bali. We are open. Just move the concert to Bali. We are in fact happy because Bali will become more famous."

Speaking practically, Arjaya said, "The visit of Lady Gaga, a singer who is famous among young people throughout the world, will help promote Bali's tourism…we welcome her. The visit of Lady Gaga is purely for the sake of arts. We support her concert on this Island of Gods."

Ni Made Sumiati, a female politician from Bali also hopes Lady Gaga will elect to come Bali. "Bali is dynamic, flexible. There is no problem in holding a concert in Bali. And I am sure it will not affect the morality of Balinese people. So why should we be worried?" Simiati said.
 

A special fundraising afternoon is planned for Friday, June 8, 2012, from 5:00-8:00 pm at Moko’s Café in Ubud with proceeds going to support animal welfare activities of the Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA).
dmission cost of Rp. 75,000 (US$8) participants will receive a doggie bag, two free drinks and light snacks.

Dress for the afternoon is officially listed at “Animal fancy clothes” with prizes promised for the best outfits. Door prizes, a raffle and live music are also part of what promises to be a fun-filled soirée.

100% of the profits from “Party Animal” are promised to fund BAWA’s programs to reduce animal suffering in Bali.

For more information or to order tickets telephone ++62-(0)361-977217

[Email BAWA] 

[BAWA Facebook Page]

Bisnis Bali relays the disheartening news that while agriculture remains Bali’s oldest and largest industry, those who work in this sector are also the poorest people on the island.

Behind the idyllic and iconic rice terraces exists an entire large underclass of Balinese living well below the poverty line, the economic benchmark separating those with enough to eat and obtain the basic necessities of life from those without the essential wherewithal’s of daily life.

Bisnis Bali goes so far, in fact, as to quote academic Wayan Windia as saying that the living standard of many Balinese famers is below that enjoyed by roadside beggars living on the island.

Adding to the plight of Bali’s “planting class” are the increasing loss of agricultural lands being turned to residential and tourist pursuits, rising property taxes, increasingly uncertain weather patterns, frequent plagues of rodents and pestilence, and recent seasons when the crop failed to come in.

The leading academician from Bali’s Udayana University, Professor Dr. I Wayan Windia, contends the cascading woes of the island’s farmers is linked to insignificant income levels; lower, he contends, than that earned by roadside beggars. He contends that a beggar can earn Rp. 2 million (US$217) per month while a Balinese farmer working a hectare of land would be lucky to net half that amount.

Windia see the current state of Bali’s farmers as highly ironic, fueling a situation where famers are selling off their lands rather than face unbearable land tax burdens.

The professor estimates 1,000 hectares of agricultural lands are diverted to other uses each year in Bali. Even more alarming, Windia sees the breakdown in the subak system of irrigation resulting from land diversion having the ripple effect of rendering adjoining tracts of land unproductive. Because of this, he believes Bali will soon see 2,000 hectares of land lost to agriculture each year.

Windia lays the blame for this unfortunate state of affairs squarely at the feet of Bali’s government who are failing to regulate and preserve the island’s agricultural character.

He also cites as being to blame the ease with which developers can obtain permits and licenses from government agencies with little reference or no concern by official for the damage caused to traditional irrigation systems.

In order to remedy this situation, Windia calls on the government to protect agricultural lands through stronger regulations and tax reductions for lands dedicated to farming pursuits.

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay presents another in its series of exclusive dining experience on Wednesday, June 20,  2012, with Moone Tsai wines.

Hailing from California’s fabled Napa Valley, Moone Tsai’s pedigree is rooted in an extraordinary combination of exceptional fruit, a distinct terroir and artisanal winemaking skills.

The sumptuous evening of fine food paired with these exceptional boutique wines will commence with a sunset cocktail reception, accompanied with music of the Rindik players, at the resorts lower poolside deck from 6.30 pm to 7.00 pm. What follows is a delectable multi-course wine-paired dinner served at the Taman Wantilan Restaurant overlooking the wide expanse of Jimbaran Bay.

The Resort’s newly appointed Executive Chef Greg Bunt will present a five-course degustation menu including tartar of scallops, melting salmon and smoky lamb loin - each complemented by a discerning pairing of Moon Tsai Wines.

Wines featured at the dinner include Moone Tsai 2009 Napa Valley Chardonnay, Moone Tsai 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and Moone Tsai 2008 Howell Mountain Hill Side Blend.

Founded over twenty years ago, Moone Tsai was established with the simple mission of making wines of distinction and character. The philosophy and approach to winemaking is straightforward, beginning with looking for extraordinary fruit available from the most coveted vineyards in Napa Valley, allowing flexibility in the assessment and selection of grapes to an exacting standard.

This approach to wine making has earned Moone Tsai Wines several Wine Spectator Awards including 2009 Moone Tsai Chardonnay (Top 3 rated Chardonnay in USA; 93 points) and 2008 Napa Valley Moone Tsai Cabernet (90 points) and well as awards from the Wine Enthusiasts.

The wine-paired dinner at Four Seasons Jimbaran is priced at Rp. 950.000 ++ (US$124) per person.

For reservations, telephone Cynthia Sitompul at +62-(0)361 701 010 Ext 8204

[Email for Moone Tse Wine Dinner] 

Sometimes two developments in the travel industry merge and overlap, creating a synergy that yields incomparable benefits to travelers.
onanza for both residents and travelers to Bali seeking to visit the Kingdom of Yogyakarta results from the announcement of daily flights between [Bali and Yogyakarta operated by AirAsia Indonesia] and the opening of the Edu Hostel in the Ngampilan sub district of Yogyakarta.

The Airline that pioneered low fares cheap enough “so now everyone can fly” is now offering unheard of low fares between Bali and Yogya. A recent check of fares available during the week of initial week of flight operations revealed a price of Rp. 333,900 each way (US$36.30) for the one-hour flight.

Take such low airfares and combine them with the unique and very affordable approach to hotel accommodation extended by the newly opened Edu Hostel, starting as low as Rp. 70,000 per night (US$7.60) including tax, service and breakfast - and a visit to the cultural treasure trove of Yogya and its environs become truly affordable.

The dream of Indonesian businessman Arman Yahya, who operates the hostel together with his wife and three sons, Edu Hostel defies any efforts at easy categorization. While calling itself a “hostel,” the Yogyakarta establishment is certainly affordable to even the most budget-careful traveler, but does not present the dank one-shared-bathroom-per-floor style of accommodation often associated with hostels in other parts of the globe.

Instead, the bright and cheerful approach employed by the Edu Hostel is more in keeping with a three or four-star hotel, than that of a hostel or pensione. A large modern lobby hosts a phalanx of computers available for use without charge providing high-speed Internet connections for hostel guests. An adjacent lounge is available for those wishing to connect their own devices to the complimentary Wi-Fi connection.

Groups visiting Yogya will find the Edu Hostels two meeting rooms ideal in combination with inexpensively priced full and half-day meeting packages for meetings and corporate gatherings.

A simple Indonesian breakfast is included in the room price, served each morning in the roof top cafeteria together with an ala carte menu for those seeking a wider selection of breakfast options. The multi-level roof top eating area allows enclosed or al fresco seating, both with expansive views of the city of Yogyakarta and its volcano-fringed horizon. The roof top garden also includes a wrap around dipping pool.

But arguably, the best feature of the Edu Hostel is its unbeatable value-for-dollar. The bedrooms available to the guests on three floors of accommodation are both bright and colorful, with large windows, en suite bathrooms, wood panel flooring, and generous storage facilities. The rooms are configured with bunk beds in four-bed or dormitory-style six-bed layouts, presenting comfortable spring latex bedding, linen, towels and warm blankets.

All rooms are air-conditioned, have en suite facilities, and hot and cold water. In contrast to the six-bed dormitory rooms, the four-bed rooms come equipped with 32″ LCD TV with international channels.

The Edu Hostel has a total of 324 beds spread across three floors. Level two is reserved for female guests; level three for men and level four for families and couples.

Security is assured by a reception area staffed 24-hours per day, electronic key cards for access to accommodation floors and individual rooms, and CCTV camera surveillance of the Hostel’s public areas.

Free underground parking for both cars and motorcycles is also provided.

The Price are Unbeatable

Four-bedroom rooms are sold for Rp. 400,000 (US$43.50) per night including government tax and service and daily breakfast for four people.

Individual travelers prepared to share same-sex accommodation in six-bedded dormitory configurations pay only Rp. 70,000 (US$7.60) per person per night for a bed, a lockable private locker equipped with an electrical socket for device recharging, and a daily breakfast.

EDU Hostel Jogja
Jalan Let Jen Suprapto No. 17
Ngampilan
Yogyakarta
55261 – Indonesia
Telephone +62-(0)274-543 295
[Website Edu Hostel] 
[Email for reservations]
[Email for information] 

Heinz von Holzen, the award-winning restaurateur, photographer and cookbook author is calling for discernable standards to be established in the preparation and presentation of Balinese cuisine.
s-born chef who operates Bumbu Bali Restaurant and the Bumbu Bali Cooking School, told participants at a culinary seminar held in Bali on Saturday, May 26, 2012, that Balinese food needs standards of preparation – such as those that exist for French, Japanese and a number of other regional cuisines to ensure that visitors to Bali encounter at least a minimum quality and good taste.

Quoted by the National News Agency Antara, von Holzen comments were made at a culinary seminar organized by the Bali Chapter of the Indonesian Association on Tourism (GIPI).

Saying authentic recipes should not be modified to conform with the misconceptions of Indonesian chefs about the taste preferences of foreign visitors. Von Holzen explained that Balinese cuisine, which is sometimes spicy hot and uses a rich array of herbs and spices, is not a problem for many foreign diners. The Swiss chef, with more than 20 years in Bali, is widely acknowledged as the world’s leading authority on Balinese cuisine. In Heinz’s view, many tourists come to Bali wishing to try the regional cuisine, however there are only a few restaurants that prepare authentic local dishes and almost no hotels that present Balinese cuisine.

In order to address this situation and promote Balinese cuisine there needs to be a standardization of recipes for hotels and restaurants.

Also joining the one-day culinary seminar was Janet de Neefe the Australian-born proprietor of Ubud’s Casa Luna and Indus Restaurant. De Neef said the severity of the situation described by von Holzen is demonstrated by the fact that most Balinese are embarrassed by the version of Balinese food offered in the island’s hotels.

“In my restaurant,” said de Neefe, “the foreigners enjoy our Balinese dishes using seafood. This (Balinese food) is really a potential just waiting to be developed.”

The chairman of GIPI, Ida Bagus Ngurah Wijaya, said he hopes through hosting similar culinaru seminars a movement to promote and standardize high quality in the preparation of Balinese food can be initiated.

Balinese Cooking Classes

[Morning Balinese Cooking Class]

[Evening Balinese Cooking Class]

[Bumbu Bali Cooking Class with Market Visit]

A survey conducted by CNN saw respondents from all over the world vote to name their favorite food. Winning that contest was Rendang – that succulent favorite that originates from West Sumatra in Indonesia involving chunks of beef simmered in coconut milk, galangal, garlic, ginger, chilies and Lemon grass.
or hours until the meat is tender and has absorbed all the accompanying spices, Rendang enjoys a nation-wide celebrity status as the centerpiece for every Indonesian celebratory feast.

By the way, the same CNN survey named as the second most popular dish another Indonesian mainstay – Nasi Goreng or fried rice.

Our search for the world’s second-best rendition of Rendang - the world’s favorite dish, recently brought us to the doorstep of Waroeng Bernadette – The Home of Rendang.

Located on Jalan Raya Mas on the southern outskirts of Ubud, the lady in charge is the talented Bernadette Gatenby who brings decades of Indonesian culinary expertise first gained in her Mother’s kitchen to her Ubud restaurant venture.

The menu is simple and extremely affordable. Soups or starters of Indonesian finger foods begin at Rp. 18,000 (US$1.95). Mains, including Gado-Gado, Nasi Goreng, Mie Goreng, Kwetiau Goreng and Ketropak Jakarta, are all equally priced at Rp. 29,000 (US$3.15).

But it's Rendang that enjoys pride-of-place at Waroeng Bernadette’s with Chicken Rendang, served with either rice of pasta, priced at just Rp. 45,000 (US$4.90). The more traditional form of Beef Rendang comes to the table for only Rp. 48.500 (US$5.27).

Delicious desserts include ice cream, fried bananas or carrot cake.

Drinks feature a range of freshly made juices, soft drinks and beer – including a brand of wheat beer - a beverage that conbines brilliantly with Indonesian Rendang.

The setting of Waroeng Bernadette is simple and gracious, with walls adorned with distinctive paintings by the Ubud-based artist Joe Mintardja, also offered for sale

The World's 2nd Best Rendang?

Why, you ask, a search for the world’s 2nd Best Rendang? Given Rendang’s acclamation as the world’s number one dish, any effort to find the "world’s best" anything suggests finding “the world's best Rendang” is achievable. Once found, thus would sadly end a delightfully delicious life-long journey of discovery.

Accordingly, our recent visit to Waroeng Bernadette has that restaurants’ versions of the world’s most preferred (Rendang) and second-most preferred (Nasi Goreng) dishes secure in our personal ranking as only the “second best” take on those two dishes.

While falling just short of absolute perfection, Waroeng Bernadette will do very nicely while we continue a lifetime, non-ending search for the world’s best Rendang and Nasi Goreng.

Waroeng Bernadette – The Home of Rendang
Jalan Raya Mas, Teges Yangloni
Ubud, Bali
Telephone ++62-(0)361-971852

[Facebook Page for Waroeng Bernadette] 

[Email for Bookings and Information]  

Related Article

[Gosh Dang, it's Rendang!]

 

Just days after replacing the CEO of State-owned Merpati Nusantara Airlines, the Minister for State-Owned Enterprises Dahlan Iskan is now openly questioning if Rudy Setyopurnomo, the new man he selected to run the troubled airline, will be capable of handling the job.

As reported by Balidiscovery.com the sudden change in top management at Merpati has precipitated threats of a strike by the airline’s senior pilots, the resignation or at least 8 top members of the Company’s management, and raised widely publicized questions as to the legality of the manner used by the Minister to revamp the management structure.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post, Dahlan expressed his lack of faith in Setyopurnomo, saying: “I doubt he can handle the problems in Merpati, especially the losses of Rp. 2 billion (US$216,000) daily.”

Merpati lost RP. 251 billion (US$27.3 million) in Q1 of 2012, up from Rp. 106 billion lost in the same quarter in 2011.

“I am not sure we can reduce those losses and perhaps the (losses) figure has even increased by now,” Dahlan added.

Saying the company needs good leadership that is intelligent, suggesting that only a major change in game plan can rescue the ailing airline.

Merpati currently operates a fleet of 29 aircraft including nine Boeing 737s, three DHC-6s, two Casa C-212, 14 MA-60s and one Fokker-100.

The airline has outstanding debts to the State-owned oil company Pertamina for fuel amounting to Rp. 264.2 billion (US$28.7 million).

Related Articles

[Oh Captain, My Captain]

[Strikes Looms at Merpati Nusantara Airline]

[In the Event of Rapid Decompression]

Bank Indonesia’s Bali office reports that for Q1 2012 Bali’s economy contracted, recording a growth rate of 6.09%, down from the 6.95% reported in Q4 2011. This represents a decline of 12.37%.

Leading the economic contraction in Bali was the Hotel and Restaurant sector that grew only 8.65% for Q1 2012, down year-on-year from the 9.04% growth rate recorded  for that sector in Q1 2011.

At the end of Q1 2012, Hotels and restaurants represented a 32.38% share of Bali’s economy as a whole.

According to Bank Indonesia, much of the growth taking place in Bali’s current economy is driven by a number of project now underway in anticipation of the APEC Economic Summit scheduled to be held in Bali in 2013.

Related Article

[Bali by the Numbers: Bali on the March]

Bali Daily reports that the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Tour Guide Association (HPI-Bali) is urging a uniform standard of guide fees be paid to all licensed guides.

At present Bali have 5,265 licensed and registered tour guides, 60% of whom are freelance guides unattached to local tour agencies.

The set tariff for tour guide services are reviewed and revised once every two years and submitted to the provincial government of Bali for ratification.

The new tariff is published to all members of the Indonesian Association of Travel Agents (ASITA). Ketut Arsana of ASITA Bali insist that members of his association pay in accordance with the tariff set by the government.

 “The tour guides are our partners, they are on the front line dealing with the guests. So, they are entitled to their rights. If there are any agencies providing fees lower than standard, please do report it to us,” said Arsana.

An outline of the new tour rates set by HPI-Bali:

• Fee for transferring visitors between Ngurah Rai International Airport or the Seaport of Benoa and locations in South island range between Rp. 37,400 (US$4.08) and Rp. 57,200.
• Fee for transferring visitors between Ngurah Rai International Airport or the Seaport of Benoa and locations in Ubud and Gianyar between Rp 48,400 (US$ 5.26) and Rp 70,400 (US$7.65).
• Fee for transferring visitors between Ngurah Rai International Airport or the Seaport of Benoa and locations in Candi Dasa, Bedugul, Mengwi, Padang Bai, Lovina and Gilimanuk is between Rp. 70,800 (US$7.70) and Rp. 97,200 (US$10.57).
• Half-day tours (four hours) at Rp. 45,100 (US$4.90)
• Six-hour tours at Rp. 53,900 (US$5.86)
• Full-day tours between Rp. 91,200 (US$9.91) and Rp. 109,200 (US$11.87).
• Overnight tours on Bali for a minimum fee of Rp. 152,400 (US$16.56) per day.
• For overnight off island tours the daily fee is RP. 414,000 (US$45).
• The minimum fee for a mixed destination (Bali and beyond) is Rp 331,200. (US$36).
• Special activity tours such a trekking Rp. 134,400 (US$14.60).
• Tours for temple festivals, including cremations Rp. 117,600 (US$12.80).

11-time World Champion surfer Kelly Slater recently made statements, published around the world, underlining the worrying decline of the natural environment on Bali’s shorelines and surrounding waters [See: A Warning from the Sea].

Trying to make a difference, Kelly donated one of his surfboard for public auction pledging to match dollar-for-dollar the winning bid to be donated to the ROLE Foundation, a Bali-based environmental organization engaged in saving Bali’s environment and provides educational and employment assistance to disadvantaged women in Bali.

The winning bid for 11-time World Champion surfer Kelly Slater's surfboard was $4,000, which was matched, as promised, by another $4,000 from the champion’s own pocket for a total $8,000 donation going to the ROLE Foundation.

ROLE's founder and CEO Michael O'Leary was extremely gratified when he heard the news, saying, "I would like to thank Kelly Slater from the bottom of my heart for raising these much needed funds. This $8,000 will go toward managing our seven projects that include education programs such as the Children's Interactive Environmental Education Tour, which is directed at bringing our environmental message to the families and the communities of Bali through the kids, and on to the Solid and Liquid Waste Infrastructure Construction Project at Uluwatu."

"Kelly also has brought a great measure of global awareness to Bali's dire pollution problems, and hopefully this awareness will help gain further commitments towards attaining a healthy island and coastal environmental eco-systems for Bali's land, waterways, reefs and seas,” added O'Leary.

From Australia Ex-Manly Sea Eagle halfback Matt Orford put in the top bid of $4,000 at an on-line auction to win the board.

Delighted at having won the chance to call the champion’s surfboard his own, Orford said: "I'm so very pleased and also honored to have won Kelly's surfboard and to contribute to the on-going efforts to clean up the island of Bali. I've been coming to Bali on holidays for years now, usually spending a month just after the footy season ends, so I have a real love and concern for this special island," said Orford.

"When I saw Hoyo's (ex pro surfer Matt Hoy) twitter about the board auction and then saw Kelly's comments about Bali all over the news, I knew I had to help out. That board will be the best trophy I've had yet, as it's not only from the greatest surfer the world has ever seen but is also a reminder that we have to care about our environment or we won't have great places to surf, hang out on the beach, and enjoy our holidays anymore. Money isn't the ultimate solution, education is, but money helps get the ball rolling so I'm really stoked to be contributing to the cause. Some of the lads from the Melbourne Storm and Manly Sea Eagles, as well as both State Of Origin teams are signing some NRL memorabilia that we're sending to Quiksilver in Bali to be auctioned off to help raise even more money" he commented.

Hoy was one of the many surfers who got behind Quiksilver's request to spread the news about the surfboard auction after Slater's twitters went viral and captured the attention of the international press. An excerpt from Slater's April 22nd tweet reads, "If Bali doesn't do something serious about this pollution it'll be impossible to surf here in a few years. Worst I've ever seen." Hoy has been with Quiksilver for years and has been to Bali many times, so he immediately started putting the word out.

"Bali has given so much to us as surfers, so it's time we did something to give back," said Hoy. "And this is just the first step, as on July 7-8th myself, Tom Carroll, Mark Richards, Martin Potter and Jake Paterson are going to Bali for the Quiksilver/Coca-Cola sponsored Big Bali Eco Weekend, and we're bringing replica's of our most iconic surfboards to be auctioned off to raise money and create more visibility to the environmental issues facing Bali right now. I'm stoked that Kelly is on board as his name will add a whole new level of exposure, and together we all can really help to clean up Bali's water and beaches."

Quiksilver Indonesia has been partnering with Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia since 2009 in a corporate social responsibility effort to buy tractors and set up beach cleaning crews; creating and supporting Beach Sea Turtle Conservation; and supporting the Bali Lifeguards with sunglasses, clothing, and much more.

During the weekend of July 7-8, 2012, Quiksilver Indonesia and Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia will stage their second annual Big Bali Eco Weekend, an event dedicated to creating maximum visibility for Bali's environmental issues that includes bringing surfing legends Mark Richards, Tom Carroll, Martin Potter, Jake Paterson and Matt Hoy up from Australia, who will raise money by auctioning off iconic surfboards, sign posters, compete in a Local's versus Legends surf-off, and meet with regional and local government officials to discuss solutions.

The provincial government of Bali has promised to prepare rules and regulations to protect and conserve agricultural lands.

According to Beritabali.com, these policies will form part of the follow up to the recent acknowledgement of Bali’s ancient subak irrigation system by the United Nations (UNESCO) as a World Cultural Heritage Site.

The head of Bali’s cultural service, Ketut Suastika, told the press that the protection of agricultural lands used for subak irrigation forms only one part of a larger plan to protect farming on the island.

The provincial government is also planning to create incentives in support of those living within the subak area designated by UNESCO.

Suastika discussed that farmers living in the subak area should be free from property taxes, wondering out loud if the funds to replace these taxes might be accumulated from tourist object admission fees.

Suastika said that a management board was now being established to evaluate and preserve the Subak sites.

Related Articles

[Bali’s Subak Named to UNESCO List]

[Bali's Roots Grow on its Rice Terraces]

Bali Chapter of the Indonesian Association on Tourism (GIPI) is urging the provincial government to begin accumulating accurate data on domestic visitors to Bali. To date, the amount of meaningful data on domestic visitors, who represent the single largest source of tourist visitors, is almost non-existent.

Quoted by BeritaBali.com, the Chairman of GIPI, Ngurah Wijaya, said that data on domestic tourists is needed to evaluate Bali’s large tourism industry. He added that such data is essential to evaluate Bali’s infrastructure and carrying capacity.

“By recording such data, we will be to know the capacity of supporting elements in Bali and how many rooms we need. We have also discussed how much accommodation there actually is in Bali and how many restaurants? This is the data we lack,” said Wijaya.

Wijaya said the current estimate that there are 4 million domestic tourists to Bali each year is little more than a rough calculation.

Ngurah Wijaya bemoaned the difficulty of obtaining data on domestic tourist visitors to Bali. To date, the data on domestic visitors is limited to extrapolations based on traffic through Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport. These figures do not contemplate the large number of domestic tourists arriving through the ports of Gilimanuk, Padang Bai and Benoa.

Bali is targeting to expand the route network of its Sarbagita Bus System with the arrival of 10 additional new buses expected before the end of May.

The buses, expected on May 29, 2012, will be used to expand the current Sarbagita Bus System to include a new corridor serving Bali’s capital of Denpasar. To date, the system’s services have been limited to a corridor connecting Nusa Dua – Kuta – Sanur and Batubulan traveling the Ngurah Rai Bypass higway

When, exactly, the new bus system will begin operation remains the subject of speculation. The new buses will need to undergo a process of title transfer, registration and inspection before they commence operation. This is expected to take at least two weeks.

Also yet to be announced is detailed information for the public on the actual routes and schedules to be traveled by the new buses.

The buses that will connect Denpasar to the existing network will be smaller than the current buses in order to navigate the narrow, crowded roads of the island’s capital. The new buses will provide only 20 seats and space for 15 standing passengers.

Relates Article

[Sarbagita Bus System]

Bali’s target to be free of rabies by the end of 2012 is becoming something of a distant dream with four deaths attributed to the disease in 2012 through the end of April.

In official terms, a geographical region can only claim to be free of the scourge of rabies when an entire year passes without new case of rabies among the canine population and without a human death linked to rabies. 

The head of Bali Health Service, Dr. Ketut Suarjaya, told the Bali Post that whether or not Bali can become free of rabies depends almost entirely on the absence of new cases among the island’s dog population.

Data provided by Dr. Suarjaya shows four human fatalities due to rabies for the period January-April 2012. The total number of deaths counted from the start of the current epidemic in 2008 has reached 141. The number of dog bite incidents recorded in 2011 totaled 56,016.

[Vaccine No Where to be Seen]

[Rabies Toll Climbs]

[The Dog that Came to Stay]