Bieber, BlackBerry Improve RI-Canada Ties

Canadian Ambassador to Indonesia Mackenzie Clugston acknowledged being satisfied to see the bettering trade and economic relations between his countries and Indonesia. He reckoned that the enhanced bilateral ties were due to two factors, BlackBerry and Justin Bieber.

"Indonesia is our biggest trading partner in Southeast Asia, and two-way trade and investment continue to expand. Canada continues to supply two items of utmost importance to Indonesians’ daily lives – wheat for noodles and Blackberries," said Clugston, referring to Canadian smartphone product which is popular among Indonesia’s cellphone users.

Clugston made the statement on the occasion of commemorating 144th Canada Day on July 1, 2011. The celebration took place in a hotel in Jakarta, Thursday evening.

Clugston said that those two products contributed to the increasing Indonesia-Canada trade relation. “The trade volume of the two countries up to now is more or less US$2.2 billion. Indonesia gained surplus, Canada gained revenues of about US$1 billion while Indonesia US$1.2 billion,” said Clugston answering VIVAnews' question.

The ambassador that has been posted in Jakarta for more than two years also said that some Canadian companies--industrial, financial and service—have already steady business in Indonesia. “Indonesia represents a growing market for Canada’s goods, service and investment. A lot of our companies have come to Indonesia and employed tens of thousands of Indonesians,” said Clugston.

The two countries also nourish partnership in other sectors, including anti-terrorism, state administration, human rights, pluralism and poverty reduction. "New projects in the past year are focussing on areas such as helping Indonesians in Sulawesi restore mangroves and improve the livelihoods of farmers," said Clugston.

He also reminded that the bilateral ties were recently enhanced through the visit of two Canadian high-rank officials to Indonesia. They are Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. Along with Indonesian officials, they talked about enhancing the bilateral ties in financial service and agricultural industry.

Yet, there was another visit of a person who is more charming. "And who can forget Justin Bieber? We expect many more in the coming months," said Clugston, referring to the teenage star who held a concert in Sentul recently.

***sources: vivanews.com

Indonesias' Exports Exceed Set Target

The National Bureau of Statistics (BPS) said Indonesia’s exports in December 2011 fell due to the global economic crisis. However, Indonesia was recorded to have export value of US$203.62 billion in 2011, or exceeded government’s goal of US$200 billion. 

According to Acting Head of BPS, Suryamin, the 2011 export had increased 29.05 percent on a year on year basis compared to 2010. However, when compared to November 2011, the December 2011 export was 0.22 percent lower. 

“This occurred as the non-oil export demand dropped by 0.85 percent,” said Suryamin in a press conference in his office in Jakarta, Wed, Feb 1st. 

Based on BPS data, the non-oil export in December 2011 fell by 0.85 percent compared to November which had reached US$13.60 billion. The decline in exports was recorded in animal fats and oils worth US$489.9 million, whereas an increase was shown in metal ores, crusts and ash worth US$136.3 million. 

On the import side, BPS reported, along December 2011, there was an increase of import by 6.14 percent at US$ 16.34 billion compared to November. The import value of all categories in 2011 was higher than the previous year’s import value. 

Imports of consumer goods went up by 34.01 percent, raw material by 32.49 percent, and capital goods by 22.85 percent. 

With this achievement, he added, the trade balance in December 2011 experienced a rise of US$ 858.5 million, given the export of US$ 17.19 billion and import value of US$ 16.33 billion.  “Cumulatively, the trade balance from January to December 2011 gained US$26.32 billion worth of surplus,” he said.

***sources: vivanews.com

Military Personnel in E Java Need Homes

The well-being of the Indonesian Military personnel living serving in East Java is seen by many as not proper. Half of around 29,000 military personnel from military area command Kodam V Brawijaya are still residing in homes belonging to the state, which are less in quantity.

Kodam V Jaya Commander Major General Suwarno said around 14,500 personnel have dwelt the homes, but many others have to live in rental homes.

"We have around 29,000 personnel. However, the state only provides only half of the said number," he said.

The army general conceded that as of 2000, the government has improved the well-being of the Indonesian Military personnel by rising the military budget. However, as time went by, he valued that the wages of the military personnel are second-rate.

***sources: vivanews.com

Indonesia to Upgade 24 F-16 Jet Fighters

The House of Representatives Commission I gave the nod to US offer of 24 F-16 jet fighters that have been provided in the form of so-called "grants".

Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro also met with his U.S. counterpart, Leon Panetta, in Nusa Dua, Bali, October 23, 2011. According to RI Defense Ministry’s official statement, Thursday, in the meeting Purnomo said he hoped for Panetta’s support to realize the grant of F-16 with an upgrade equivalent to Block 52. The House approved this grant under the Foreign Military Sale (FMS) payment scheme.

The Indonesian government, in particular the Air Force, still needs additional primary defense equipment.

“This very much affects the professionalism level of the combat pilots as well as the flight safety level,” said Purnomo. However, TNI Air Force’s wish to increase the primary defense equipment adequately is hampered by the state’s financial capacity, bearing in mind the new primary defense equipment is expensive.

In the future the F-16 fighter aircrafts will be upgraded from Block 25 to equivalently Block 52. The aircrafts will also be equipped with aerial combat (dog fight) weaponry for short and long distances as well as air-to-land weaponry.

Purnomo also conveyed his highest appreciation for U.S.’ support to Indonesia in modernizing TNI’s primary defense equipment. For the time being, the modernization is necessary for TNI.

“Since the reform era in 1998, the Indonesian government has been putting emphasis on TNI reform, covering depolitisation and removal of TNI from business affairs,” said Purnomo.

***

sources: vivanews.com

Jakarta Calls Off Levy of Warteg Tax

The Jakarta administration finally called off the plan to impose a 10 percent tax over all small eateries known locally as warteg. Food business which earns less than Rp 200 million per year shall not be levied taxes.  

Small eateries, whose profit is worth less than Rp200 million per year, or Rp16.6 million per month or Rp 550 thousand per day, are not included as restaurant tax object. 

Head of Jakarta Tax Agency, Iwan Setiawandi, stated that Regional Regulation No.11/2011 does not specify about warteg tax, but only regulates 10 percent of tax of the restaurant's income. 

The types of restaurants mentioned in this regulation are: restaurants, cafeterias, canteens, stalls, bars and the likes thereof, including food services and caterings. 

“This regulation is also valid in all regencies or municipals in Indonesia according to the Law No.28/2009 on Local Tax and Retribution,” said Iwan in Jakarta, today, Feb 2. 

He said the minimum tax rate is based on the discussion between the Provincial Legislation (Balegda) of DPRD DKI and the coordination meeting of Commission C of DPRD DKI as well as the executives and Warteg Association (Kowarteg) in 2011. 

Since December 29, 2011, the Local Regulation on Restaurant Tax has been legalized and was valid starting from January 2012.

***sources: VivaNews.com

Safee Signs With Pelita, but Maybe It’s Not So Risky

Malaysian striker Safee Sali extended his contract with West Java club Pelita Jaya on Wednesday, jeopardizing his chance to play for his national team.

Pelita Jaya plays in the breakaway Indonesian Super League, whose players have been barred by world football’s governing body from national duty.

Safee, who is Pelita Jaya’s captain, signed a two-year extension with the team for 2 million Malaysian ringgit ($658,000). He’ll earn $30,000 a month, not including match bonuses, and will receive free housing, a car with a personal driver and return air tickets to Kuala Lumpur.

The deal, according to the Web site of the New Straits Times, a Malaysian newspaper, makes Safee Malaysia’s first millionaire footballer.

“I’m happy to stay at Pelita Jaya, especially since the new coach [Rahmad Darmawan] joined the club. I want to learn from him,” the 28-year-old striker told reporters. “My football has improved so much since I moved to Indonesia last February.”

It was a risky decision for Safee, given that Pelita Jaya plays in the ISL. In December, FIFA, world football’s governing body, ruled that players in the breakaway league could not play for their national teams.

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) had asked Safee to leave Pelita Jaya so he would still be available for national duty. In 63 games with Malaysia, Safee has scored 38 goals.

It had been rumored that Safee was going to sign with Harimau Muda, a Malaysian team that plays in Singapore’s domestic league, when his contract expired on Tuesday.

But Safee, who has scored six times for Pelita this season, is staying put.

“I’m a professional player, which means I decide everything on my own. Nobody can forbid me to play in the ISL,” he said.

Safee’s manager, Zakaria Rahim, said he had already explained everything to FAM.

“I told FAM that the ongoing dispute inside the PSSI [Indonesian Football Association] won’t be affecting the club and Safee as a player. They could understand that and let Safee determine his future,” he said.

The contract, Zakaria added, has a clause that could see the striker play for another club under Pelita Jaya Cronus, which owns Pelita. Cronus is the sporting arm of Indonesia’s Bakrie Group.

Cronus has controlling stakes in the Australian A-League’s Brisbane Roar and Belgian second-division club CS Vise.

“The contract says Safee will be given a chance to join other clubs that are owned by Pelita Jaya Cronus,” Zakaria said.

Pelita is currently in seventh place in the 18-club ISL with 14 points from 10 matches.

***sources: thejakartaglobe.com

Solo Zoo Visitors Evacuated After Lion Gets Loose and Kills Camel

Visitors were sent scurrying on Tuesday after a lion escaped from its cage and killed a camel at Taru Jurug Zoo in Solo, an official said.

“The preliminary information says that a camel was killed, with serious wounds to the stomach and neck, leaving five other camels in the collection,” said the zoo’s director, Lilik Kristianto

“We will determine the chronology of the case,” he added.

He said the incident was believed to be the result of human error, after a zoo worker failed to securely lock the lion’s enclosure. It was not clear if the zoo had already identified the employee.

“Human error is behind the escape of the lion from its cage. We checked and there was no damage to the cage door,” he said.

It took about 90 minutes for officials from the Solo offices of forestry and agriculture and the Nature Conservation Office to shoot the lion with a tranquilizer dart. The big cat was found inside the camel enclosure.

Lilik said the killing of the camel marked the first such incident at the zoo and vowed to punish the negligent employee, but added that he would wait for the results of an investigation into the incident.

One zoo visitor, 8-year-old Aldo, said he saw the lion cross over from his cage to the camel enclosure about 20 meters away. He said he saw the lion immediately attack a camel there.

“I was keeping my mother company while she worked at her kiosk in the canteen area, and this male lion suddenly was running and jumped into the camel’s  enclosure,” Aldo said.

He said that zoo employees immediately evacuated visitors and zoo workers.

Head of the Jebres City Police, Chief Comr. I Wayan Sudita, said the zoo alerted the police, who temporarily closed down the zoo and ensured that everyone had been evacuated.

“There were no injuries reported,” he said.

The police, he said, had opened their own investigation into the incident.

Taru Jurug Zoo was first established as a park in 1975 and covers 14 hectares of land.

It was turned into a zoo after the land for the city’s only zoo, Sriwedari Zoo, was appropriated for an extension of the Sriwedari public park. The animals from Sriwedari Zoo were moved to Taru Jurug Zoo.

sources: thejakartaglobe.com

Jakarta Stadium to Make Way for New MRT Service

The provincial government is setting aside Rp 99 billion ($11 million) to fund land acquisitions needed to move South Jakarta’s Lebak Bulus sports stadium in order to free up space for a Mass Rapid Transit depot and station, an official said on Tuesday.

A new stadium, with a larger capacity and better facilities, will be built in Pesanggrahan, also in South Jakarta, to replace the existing stadium, said Ratiyono, the head of the city’s Youth and Sports Office.

“In addition to moving to a new stadium, we will also improve facilities and have a larger capacity at the new stadium,” Ratiyono said. He added that among the additional facilities included a swimming pool, a squash court and a futsal field.

He said his office was currently mapping the Pesanggrahan site and checking on the titles of land owners.

Ratiyono said the land acquisition would be conducted in two phases, seven hectares in 2012 and eight hectares later.

Jakarta Council member Wanda Hamidah reminded the city’s government to be careful with the land acquisition.

“There are many land brokers in Jakarta and the authorities should be careful not to be trapped by them. Negotiations should be conducted directly with land owners,” she said.

MRT Jakarta, the firm that will build the transportation network, will involve the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Goods and Services Procurement Policy Institution (LKPP) in the tender process.

“The presence of institutions such as the KPK and LKPP is part of our commitment that during the procurement process, PT MRT Jakarta will always consult and coordinate with those institutions,” MRT Jakarta director Tribudi Rahardjo said.

Tribudi said the agreement was expected to be signed with contractors in October and November, adding that preparation work to support the MRT project would begin in April.

“The construction preparations are conducted in parallel with the construction tenders so that the target of getting it operational by end 2016 can be met,” Tribudi said.

Tender briefings were held by the company on Monday, Tribudi said. He said that consistent with the instructions of the Jakarta governor, the company will be open, accountable and transparent from the start. He added that all members of the company’s procurement department had signed a pact of integrity.

The MRT Jakarta system will be 111 kilometers long and include a north-south corridor of 24 kilometers, and an east-west corridor of 87 kilometers.

The first phase of the north-south route involves the construction of the Lebak Bulus-Bundaran HI segment, which will be 16 kilometers long and have 13 stations. This phase is expected to be completed by 2016.

The second phase will involve the construction of an 8-kilometer Bundaran HI-Kampung Bandan stretch that is expected to begin operations in 2018.

The east-west corridor is still at the feasibility study stage and is not expected to be operational until at least 2024. 

 

***sources: thejakartaglobe.com

My Jakarta: Kurniawati, Toll Road Operator

Ever wondered what life’s like in a tollbooth? Well, My Jakarta spoke to a 15-year veteran, Kurniawati, second left, who quit university to pursue her dream job working for Jasa Marga, the toll road operator.

She reveals the tricks to working inside a tiny booth, talks about making change on the fly and tells us why her uniform didn’t used to have pockets.

Besides taking money and making change, what else do you do inside that tiny booth?

I usually listen to music. We are allowed to bring our own music and radios into the booth, but that’s about it. We have to leave all our other belongings in a locker, including our phones and money. We also need to keep records of the money that we bring to work. Back in the old days, our uniforms didn’t even have any pockets.

We are also encouraged to contribute to the Practical Improvement and Quality Improvement Group programs by suggesting ideas that can improve our work and service. For example, one of the ideas was to install an extra camera at the tollgate, to help collectors categorize vehicles without having to look outside.

Have you always wanted to work as a tollgate officer?

Surprisingly, yes, it has always been my dream to work for Jasa Marga. I heard that the workers received a complete set of benefits, bonuses and a very good salary. And all of that turned out to be true. And the moderate workload makes it a very enjoyable job. Not once in 15 years have I regretted working here.

Back then I had just graduated from high school in Tegal [Central Java] and I decided to try my luck in Jakarta. I enrolled in Moestopo University, but not long after that I heard about a job vacancy at Jasa Marga and dropped out of college hoping to seize the opportunity. Having been at my dream job for 15 years now makes me really happy.

How does Jasa Marga decide what tollgate you will be placed at?

We get bonuses based on the number of vehicles that we serve. That’s one of the main reasons behind the scheduled rotations, making sure that everyone gets their fair share of transactions. But sometimes it comes down to your preference, like choosing a tollgate that is closer to home.

Have you ever ran out of change ?

Never. At the CTC tollgate we know the right amount of change needed every day. We have carried out surveys, make use of our own experience and cooperate with Bank BJB to figure out what the exact amounts are. We never run out of change here.

What about forgetting the toll rates?

Thank goodness no. We’ve all memorized them inside out. It’s part of the training, we have to memorize the rates, be able to calculate them in our heads and take note of tickets manually. We also need to be ready for customer complaints and be friendly to them at all times. Someone would only forget a rate right after a rate change, but even that would be rare. And most drivers are aware of what they have to pay, which helps keep the process on track.

What happens when nature calls when you’re in the booth?

We’ve also got that covered. There are two kinds of toll officers, the duty officer and the guard officer. Duty officers are the ones who deal with transactions while the guard officers stand by in a separate room. Guard officers will take over transactions when the need arises. We are all rostered as guard officers once a week.

How much do tollgate officers make a month?

A high school graduate will earn about Rp 3 million or Rp 4 million [$335 to $450] a month, with an annual 8 percent raise. This year, though, Jasa Marga will give us a 20 percent raise in July to keep up with inflation.

Jasa Marga also welcomes college and university graduates. They can take a test and if they are successful they will get a better salary and job title.

We have to work at least 14 years before we are eligible for a promotion, 10 years for exceptional candidates.

You’re here at the Tanjung Duren tollgate. How much does this gate collect daily?

The two booths at Tanjung Duren collect around Rp 45 million each day.

That seems like a lot of money, so why do tolls increase every two years?

Inflation makes the regular increases necessary. Sometimes there are cross-subsidies that increase rates for category-one vehicles and decrease them for other categories. So rate increases don’t always affect all categories at the same time.

Increases are enacted through ministerial decree, often to please investors. Thirty percent of the tollgates in Indonesia are privately owned by companies such as Bakrie. Jasa Marga mainly uses the money for road expansion, such as the toll road about to be built between Benoa and Nusa Dua in Bali. 

***sources:  thejakartaglobe.com

Swedish King impressed by Bantul scouts' work

Visiting Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf said he was impressed by the social awareness of boy scouts in Bantul district who had built a training center for the local community.

"I am impressed by the scouts in Bantul who have built Pendapa Sanggar Pramuka (scout studio gazebo) as a training center for making batik, wayang (leather puppets) and karawitan (traditional music)," said the king who is also chairman of the World Scout Foundation here Wednesday.

When inaugurating the gazebo in Nogosari, Wukirsari village, Imogiri sub district he was proud of the scouts in Bantul who had done a great and good work.

"I will tell this to the whole world. Continue what you have done and good luck," the King said.

He said development of the training center called the Messenger of Peace (MOP) was also done by scouts in various other countries including Saudi Arabia.

"MOP aims to help people become better so that it can be emulated by other countries. Indonesia has been implementing the program and followed by other countries," King Carl XVI Gustaf said.

He added the World Scout Foundation would also launch a new website containing a map of countries that carry out the MOP around the world.

"The website is also going to use the Indonesian language that will facilitate the scouts in Indonesia to access it. Within the next two months the Indonesian scouts can open the MoP website in the Indonesian language," the King said.

Meanwhile the Bantul regent Sri Suryawidati said Pendapa Sanggar Pramuka (scout studio gazebo) was planned to be the center of activities that support the local wisdom business such as leather puppet crafts, carving and batik painting.

"It is expected to support the economic development and local community empowerment so they can be better in the future," she explained.

According to her in Indonesia there are about 21 million members of the scout which 35,000 members are in Bantul. It shows that Bantul district is the most active in scouting activities.

"The district administration is committed to develop the Bantul scouts from primary school level (elementary) to secondary school (high school)," Sri said.

On that occasion the King of Sweden was accompanied among others the minister of youth and sports Andi Mallarangeng, the Swedish Ambassador to Indonesia Ewa Ulrika Polano, the Vice Governor of Yogyakarta Paku Alam IX, the Chief Commander of Military Area Command of Diponegoro Maj.Gen.Mulhim Asyrof and the Chairman of the Scout National Kwartir Azrul Anwar.

Their arrival was greeted by Projo Tamansari and Panembromo Kinanti Sobokastowo songs accompanied by the strains of gamelan and the traditional dance Gambyong to welcome as well.

***sources: antaranews.com

Garuda wins "Indonesian most admired company award"

National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has won an "Indonesian Most Admired Company Award" from Fortune Indonesia magazine for its success in implementing good corporate transformation program.

The award was an achievement the management of Garuda Indonesia could be proud of, Garuda technical and management director Hadinoto Soedigno said here on Wednesday.

"The achievement proves that all the efforts we have made to improve services and to conduct corporate transformation have given us good results, particularly the public`s positive perception and appreciation (of Garuda`s performance)," Hadinoto said in a press statement.

The magazine`s appreciation for Garuda`s transformation program was based on the results of a survey and research as well as on the public`s assessment of companies in Indonesia, he said.

"The assessment covered a number of aspects including leadership, management system, innovation, financial performance, corporate social responsibilities (CSR), human resources development, and development of managerial team," he said.

The award also went to other companies, including Unilever, Bank Mandiri, Telkom, Medco, BRI, Indosat, Aneka Tambang, and BCA.

Hadinoto said last year Garuda also won a number of awards from both national and international organizations in recognition of its achievement.

The awards included "Top Brand Award", "Indonesia Best Brand Award", "Annual Report Award", and "Good Corporate Governance/GCG Awards` from national organizations.

Also last year, Garuda won "World`s Most Improved Airline" from Skytrax London, an independent global airline rating agency, and "Airline Turnaround of the Year" from the Center of Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA).

***sources: antaranews.com

Inter Milan team to visit RI in May

A team of Italian football club Inter Milan is going to visit Jakarta next May 2012 to hold an exhibition match with Indonesia Selection and Indonesia U-23 teams, a source said.

"Indonesia has a great potentials in football, this is the reason we choose to come to Indonesia," the club`s Chief Executive Officer, Ernesto Paolillo, said here on Monday.

Apart from conducting an exhibition match with local football players, Paolillo said, his side would also hold discussions to establish a football school in Jakarta and other provinces in Indonesia.

Meanwhile , the chairman of the Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI), Djohar Arifin, warmly welcomeds Inter Milan`s plan to visit Indonesia.

"We will prepare our players to face Inter Milan next May," he said.

Inter Milan is set to play an exhibition match against Indonesia Selection team next May 24 and against U-23 team in May 26.

The Italian football club will bring along its star players such as Diego Forlan, Julio Cesar, Esteban Cambiaso, Diego Militio, Walter Samuel, Christian Chivu, Dejan Stankovic and Ricardo Alvarez.

Other players set to visit Indonesia are Yuto Nagatomo, Marco Faraoni, Coutinho and Luc Castignos.

***sources: antaranews.com

Three Russian warships arrive in Surabaya

Three Russian warships, namely the Admiral Pantelev, Fotiy Krylov and Boris Butoma, have arrived at Surabaya`s Tanjung Perak seaport, according to a press release issued by the Indonesian Navy`s 5th Main Base here Thursday.

On hand at the port to greet the three Russian warships were Russian Embassy officials and senior officers of the Indonesian Navy`s 5th Main Base in Surabaya and a group of typically Surabaya Remo dancers.

The purpose of the three Russian warships` visit to Indonesia was to strengthen the relations between the two countries, in addition to carrying out joint exercises with the Indonesian Navy.

All the three warships would stay in Surabaya for four days from January 19 to 22 to conduct a series of activities.

On the agenda of the Russian warships crew during their visit in Surabaya were a courtesy call on the commander of the Indonesian Navy`s 5th Main Base, receiving Indonesian Navy officers on board the Admiral Pantelev, a meeting with the mayor of Surabaya, and sports matches with members of the Indonesian Navy`s Eastern Fleet Command.

The Admiral Pantelev is a battle ship with anti-submarine weapons, the Fotiy Krylov a rescue tug boat and the Boris Butoma a marine tank vessel.

Col Maman Firmansyah, operations assistant to the commander of the Indonesian Navy`s 5th Main Base, said the Indonesian Navy welcomed the three Russian warships` visit.

During their sail through the Malacca Strait up to the Port of Tanjung Perak , the Russian naval flotilla was escorted by an Indonesian warship.

"When they depart, we will also escort the three Russian war ships up to the Indonesian sea border," he said.

Last January 18, the Russian defense attache, Colonel Vladimir Fedorovich Afasenkov, visited the Indonesian Navy`s 5th Main Base Headquarters in Surabaya to coordinate about the expected arrival of Russian warships.

***sources: antaranews.com 

Indonesian writers launched book on Japanese tsunami victims

Two Indonesian writers Hani Yamashita and Junanto Herdiawan launched a book on "Japan After Shock", brave stories about survivors of tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, 2011.

"This is not a book about quakes and their sadness, but on how the Japanese fought to rebuild their life after the disaster," Yamashita said in Jakarta on Sunday.

Hani Yamashita is a house wife and mother of two, living in Saitama region, Tokyo, who became a volunteer after tsunami last year.

She said when the quake hit three prefectures, Miyagi, Fukushima and Iwate, while most Japanese were doing their daily activities, but when the quake struck, they could react immediately to save their lives.

"That is the result of many years of simulation and experience of Japanese facing the disaster," she said.

Japan is very concerned about disaster simulation and mitigation, Yamashita said adding that only five hours after the quake, electricity was restored.

Another story was about Japanese attitude of exaggerated pity, shown in international broadcasts which did not focus on their sufferings.

Japanese television only broadcast rescue and restructuring efforts after the disaster, although they had been ordered to broadcast cheerful ads for two weeks.

Yamashita said she expected Indonesia to follow Japan`s way to manage and survive after the disaster.

"We shared an experience about the disaster. Indonesia and Japan both are vulnerable to disasters, hence I think Indonesia could do what Japan has done," she said.

In the meantime, Junianto Herdiawan said Indonesian Leaders should follow Japanese leaders who reacted immediately in saving the victims.

"They worked immediately and focused on how to rescue the victims and restructuring," he said.

According to him, a couple of hours after the tsunami hit Japan, Emperor Akihito delivered a speech to encourage his people and to give them spirit to rebuild a new life.

"That was a very inspiring speech, without pity and sadness," Herdiawan said.

When the disaster struck, Herdiawan worked at the RI Embassy in Tokyo as an Indonesian economist of Bank of Indonesia, then he joined efforts of rescuing Indonesians in Tokyo.

He told a story about a Japanese grand mother who was not selfish or keep food for herself, although she was also a victim.

The grand mother gave her bread to Herdiawan happily and comforted him by saying, "You have to eat enough, you are far from your family, but have to stay with us here (in shelter)."

Herdiawan said that story was unlike many Indonesians concerned about themselves only.

"You can see it on television when a quake hit Yogyakarta in May 2006, many people scrambled for food, " he said.

Herdiawan also said he was sorry about the Indonesian media which broadcast the exaggerated sadness of the victims.

Therefore he hoped through the book Indonesian people would learn the Japanese way action when disaster strucki.

Meanwhile, Representative of the Japanese Embassy in Jakarta Tani said the book was very positive to introduce Japanese life after the disaster based on the Indonesian point of view.

"I really appreciate the publication of `Japan After Shock' and I do hope it could be also published in Japan," he said.

All of the royalties of this book will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross and other social organizations.

***sources: antaranews.com

Katy Perry rocks Indonesian fans in California Dreams Concert

American singer, songwriter and actress Katy Perry rocked her Indonesian fans and heated up the atmosphere at Sentul International Convention Center (SICC) in her "California Dreams 2012" concert on Thursday (Jan 19).

"I finally made it to Indonesia," Perry said.

Katy Perry astonished her Indonesian "KatyCats" (Perry fans) by performing 18 of her well known songs for more than two hours.

The concert was her debut in Indonesia which also marks the start of a tour of several Asian countries.

As many as 7.000 people sang along with Perry in a cheerful atmosphere that became even more festive after fireworks lighted up the stage when the diva sung her famous "Fireworks".

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s daughter in law was also seen in the crowd watching Perry`s performance.

Also present were a few other well-known personalities such as Ami Dianti Gumelar, daughter of Women`s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Amalia Linda Gumelar, pop singers Mulan Jamila and Julia Perez.

Kathryn Elizabeth Hudson as Katy Perry is called by her family began her career as a church singer in 2001 under the stage name Katy Hudson. But her religious albums did not do so well in the market.

In 2004, Perry released her solo album and changed her stage name to Katy Perry and since then her songs always scored the top list among international charts.

Her famous songs were "Teenage Dreams", "I Kissed A Girl", "Ur so Gay" and "Last Friday Night".

***sources:  antaranews.com