Governor Made Mangku Pastika said that working overseas, on cruise liners in particular, was a good way to improve the livelihoods of poor families.
“I think, we have a big chance to overcome poverty through the program. We can give soft loans to poor people on the island to fund their courses and various expenses needed to work overseas,” Pastika said after the opening ceremony for a job fair involving 50 companies at Lila Bhuana, Ngurah Rai Sports Stadium, in Denpasar on Friday.
Currently, 3.95 percent of Bali’s 4.1 million residents are living below the poverty line, making Bali the province with the second lowest number of poor people in the nation, after Jakarta. The percentage of impoverished residents has fallen from around 6 percent in 2008. This year, the administration is targeting reducing poverty to 3.28 percent of the population. Pastika, who was re-elected in May, is eager to decrease poverty to 1 percent by the end of his leadership in 2018.
Through the Bali Mandara initiatives, the administration implements several poverty alleviation programs, comprising JKBM, a free healthcare service for all registered residents of the island; bedah rumah, house renovation assistance for poor households; simantri, cash and technical assistance for farmers’ groups willing to adopt organic farming and alternative energy sources; scholarships for underprivileged students; cash assistance for customary villages and traditional farming and irrigation societies; and gerbang sadhu, a generous Rp 1 billion (US$92,500) in aid for any village willing to establish community-based economic enterprises.
“We want to speed up poverty eradication. Working overseas may greatly improve livelihoods. I am sure that there are many people who are willing to work in foreign countries, but they mostly don’t have the money to study and depart for those destinations,” Pastika said.
An increasing number of young people on the island are now considering working overseas as the best way to improve their future. Positions in hotels, spas and on cruises ships abroad not only offer the chance to travel and learn about other cultures, but also a higher rate of pay than available from tourism establishments back home. Indonesian workers overseas can earn over $1,000 per month working on a cruise ship.
The provincial manpower agency recorded that in 2011 there were 14,944 Bali-based workers working overseas. The number decreased to 12,596 in 2012 but is expected to soar significantly this year. Most of the overseas workers are in the cruise industry. Others work in hotels, restaurants and spas in the US, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, India, the Maldives, Turkey, Cyprus, Russia and other countries.
Pastika said that it was estimated that a total of around Rp 20 million was needed for people to start work for a cruise line. This figure includes the cost of study, tickets, and many other administrative costs. “It will be hard for poor people, especially those in rural areas, to get Rp 20 million. That’s why, the soft loans are needed,” he stressed.
The administration plans to implement the soft loan program in cooperation with Bank Pembangunan Daerah (BPD) Bali, Bali Regional Bank, and the Bali Mandara regional loan guarantee company PT Jamkrida.
“We will approach BPD Bali to distribute the loans, and PT Jamkrida Bali Mandara is ready to be guarantor,” he said.
PT Jamkrida Bali Mandara is a loan guarantee institution established by the provincial administration in cooperation with the Denpasar mayoralty, Badung, Gianyar, Karangasem, Bangli and Tabanan regencies. The administrations collected total venture capital of Rp 52,675 billion, which enables PT Jamkrida Bali Mandara to distribute loans with a ceiling of up to Rp 2 trillion.
A survey in February 2013 revealed that 45,380 people, or 1.89 percent of the workforce in Bali, are unemployed. This is a decrease compared to 2012 when 47,330 people, or 2.04 percent of workforce, was unemployed.
Images of young Balinese woman (circa 1930s) clad in sarongs, exposing naked breasts, reached Europe at a time when knowledge of this small tropical isle in the remote East Indies was practically non-existent.
The women’s casual mannerisms, along with the alluring breasts, were misconceived, suggesting a culture of liberal sexual morality. The Balinese regard the breast as a symbol of fertility and of the abundance of Ibu Pertiwi (mother earth).
The Balinese woman is industrious, either at home caring for the family, in the village attending to chores and customs, or working in the fields. Spare a thought for the small armies of women who lug enormous quantities of materials upon their heads all day, from the roads to the many construction sites around Bali.
Women spend countless hours meticulously creating Balinese Hindu offerings. Their fingers delicately weave flowers and leaves into the ubiquitous ceremonial masterpieces.
The most exploited image of Balinese femininity, immortalized by the tourism juggernaut, is that of the beautiful young lady in magnificent traditional costume, poised gracefully while dancing.
The famous traditional expressions of Balinese painting and sculpture are, by and large, patriarchal. There are, however many talented female Balinese artists who complete their academic art training.
Yet rarely does one continue on to become a successful artist, much less one with an international profile. Ni Nyoman Sani, born in Sanur 1975, has achieved this distinction.
Sani had to prove she had the talent and dedication to succeed and then eventually she gained the trust and confidence of her parents. She now raises two children along with devoting time to her cultural duties and career.
Sani is a gifted painter, photographer and fashion designer and her expressions reflect the sovereignty and liberation of women.
The Seniwati Gallery of Art is a women’s only collective established in 1991 in reaction to the invisibility of women artists in the galleries and museums of Bali.
A longtime member, Sani has recently become the new director and is a driving force behind Seniwati.
“Women of Two Continents”, 1993, by Cokorda Isteri Mas Astiti, is an icon of contemporary art by a Balinese woman. In the painting’s foreground — a beach scene — she depicts Balinese women in traditional costumes holding offerings, while in the background three foreign women, two dressed in bikinis and one taking a photograph observe. This is a remarkable composition of contrasts and cross-cultural dialogue.
Indonesia’s most important female artist was the petite Balinese painter Ni Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih (1966-2006). Murni started life as the child of a farmer, poor and uneducated, rising to the ranks of artistic distinction. Her father sexually abused her at the age of nine.
Murni’s compositions often explored gender politics in her minimalist, naïve figurative style with powerful coloration. A dedicated member of Seniwati, her first solo exhibition was held at the Seniwati Gallery in 1995. Via the courage to confront her darkest emotions, Murni’s intuition was instrumental in forging new thematic grounds in Balinese art.
A notable work by Murni depicts a woman holding aloft a huge dripping penis. Her unique art was derived from a nurturing source that initiated her healing process, while also seeking to set her free.
Balinese tradition encourages figurative expressions of naked and sexual content. According to Hindu cultural practices, artworks are in no way meant to be offensive, rather their intent is to educate and communicate about the essence of life and existence.
— Richard Horstman is a cultural observer residing in Ubud
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(Beawiharta/Reuters)
posted August 26, 2013 at 12:26 pm EDT
• A local, slice-of-life story from a Monitor correspondent.
Every time I travel for work in Indonesia, I'm tempted to describe the journey. The road to (insert destination) was smooth or twisting or pockmarked and broken. I passed roadside stands selling fruit and fried snacks. The traffic was horrendous, more stop than go, or people passed us like maniacs, swerving at 75 miles an hour on snaking back roads.
Such details give a sense of place and remoteness. They also convey the vastness and contradiction that is Indonesia, the world's largest island country by population, and the dysfunctional state of its infrastructure.
They are not always essential to the story, which varies from the battle to cope with rising maternal mortality to deforestation to improvements in rural education – or lack thereof. But I like to think they paint a picture of a country that people tend to see from either the vantage of Jakarta's malls and high rises or its sweeping rice fields and volcanic vistas.
In reality, the scenery is neither one or the other. In the poorest villages a gaudy concrete structure (usually a government office or seldom-used health clinic), often stands as a tribute to economic and social development.
I have traveled far and wide to see the nature of this "progress," to talk to people and learn what they think, how they live and how their lives are changing as the country does.
While I don't often talk about how warm and friendly the Indonesian people are, I often think it. When Indonesians ask me why I like it here, I don't wax on about the culture (vibrant!), the climate (tropical) or how far I can stretch my American dollar. I simply say it's fascinating – and that's as true today as it was four years ago when I first arrived here.
I feel lucky Indonesia has let me stay this long and tell its stories. I have loved and hated it, but my feelings have never been lukewarm. I've been terrified, joyous, overwhelmed, frustrated, and scintillated. I have rarely been bored.
When I arrived in August 2009, Indonesians were still cheering the re-election of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as president. Now, as he prepares to leave office under 10-year term limits, pundits are calling him a lame duck who not only failed to meet a key campaign promise to curb corruption, but has let it infiltrate the Democrat Party he founded.
Civil society groups have also lashed out at him for standing by silently while sectarian violence ticked upward.
In 2009 counter-terrorism police were still hunting for the militants behind twin bombings that rocked the luxury JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels in Jakarta, killing nine and injuring dozens of others. Today, after fracturing the country's biggest terrorist group, Jemaah Islamiyah, police are fighting a war against militants targeting them rather than Western influences.
Four years ago the anti-corruption commission was boldly going after high-level politicians (it still is) and political analysts worried about attempts by parliamentarians to defang it (they haven't given up). Bali had trash on its beaches, but less of it. There were more orangutans, tigers, and elephants in rainforests that have since been clear cut. 7-Eleven had not entered the market, shaking up the country's convenience store craze, and Joko Widodo, the populist governor of Jakarta who has transformed Indonesian perceptions of good governance and is, observers speculate, preparing a run for the presidency, was still a country bumpkin mayor in a mid-sized city called Solo.
At small shops, vendors handed back candies when they were short on change. The exchange rate was averaging Rp10,000 to the dollar. Today, after years of more than six percent growth and an economy often called an emerging market "darling" by investors, the rupiah has weakened to its lowest level since 2008.
On Friday President Yudhoyono announced a fiscal stimulus package aimed at restoring confidence in the sputtering economy. During a late night coffee meeting, the country's leading financial officials talked about how its rising wages and low productivity were driving investors away.
Brash young finance minister Chatib Basri, sprinkling his speech with slang, called Indonesia a victim of its own successes, while Hatta Rajasa, the coordinating minister for the economy, hammered home the need to preserve local industries and stem imports to rebalance a trade deficit that is to blame for the sickening currency.
None of that seemed to matter much by Sunday, as I zipped down a palm oil plantation-lined road from Medan to Lake Toba, where I'm on a reporting trip for The Christian Science Monitor. At one point my driver swerved onto the shoulder to avoid a collision with a van passing in the oncoming lane (our mirrors still clipped.) When we stopped for lunch an hour later I chatted with two well-mannered kids. They asked me what I wanted to buy (mau beli apa?). I asked them where they lived. Just typical Indonesian probing.
Another common question, which Saritua, the taxi driver asked me shortly after we met:
"Are you married."
"Not yet," I said.
"You should find an Indonesian man," he replied.
And when I thought about what to say to that, I thought about how much time I'd spent these past years looking for a story, for sources, for a way to tell the world about a country that is neither failing nor soaring and I realized I had the appropriate answer to encompass it all: "I'm still searching."
via bali - Gwww.csmonitor. com/World/Global-News/2013/0826/A-view-from-Indonesia-beyond-Bali?cmpid%3Deditorpicks
Abbott promises compensation for victims of terrorism
Tony Abbott has promised compensation for victims of overseas terrorism after experiencing first hand the devastation days after an attack.Paul Anicich, whose life as a leading lawyer in the NSW city of Newcastle was ruined by the bombing, also told of Mr Abbott sitting at the end of his wife Penny's bed for hours, comforting her, as she believed she was dying.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott meets Bali bombing survivors Paul Anicich, left, and Peter Hughes, centre. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
''You were acting as the man you are. You can imagine the gratitude I have.''
Mr Anicich was one of several Bali bombing victims attending a small ceremony in Newcastle where Mr Abbott pledged that in the first 100 days of a Coalition government, he would ensure all Australian victims of terrorism overseas, past and future, would be eligible for victims-of-crime compensation of up to $75,000 each.
The compensation would cover Australian victims of terrorist attacks in New York, Bali, Jakarta, London and Mumbai.
Mr Abbott said the pledge was part of ''a bit of a personal journey'', which began when he and his family took a holiday to Bali in early October 2005.
Four Australians were killed and 68 were injured when suicide bombers attacked at Jimbaran Bay and Kuta.
Mr Anicich and his wife were among a large group of Australians who believe they were specifically targeted at a restaurant at Jimbaran Bay.
Mr Abbott spent many hours trying to help victims at Bali's Sanglah General Hospital and in Mr Anicich's words ''pulled from the sky'' an emergency evacuation plane when he learnt his life was in the balance. Mr Anicich was flown to Singapore, and his wife remained in the Bali hospital.
When Mrs Anicich awoke, she found ''this man she didn't know, sitting on the end of her bed, comforting her, while she thought her life was going to end''.
Mr Abbott had stayed there virtually all day.
The Opposition Leader said he had been trying for years to ensure all Australian victims of overseas terrorism received the same modest compensation as those who were domestic victims of crime.
He conceded that he had failed in 2007 when the Howard government was in power.
''I suppose we were a little past our prime [in 2007],'' he said. ''We should have done it.''
The Labor government had supported his move, but it had stopped short of providing the compensation to those who had already become victims, legislating only for future victims.
An Abbott government would, at the cost of $30 million, provide compensation retrospectively for up to 300 people who had been injured or the families of those who had been killed.
It was, he said, a modest payment, but significant in that it acknowledged those who had suffered as targets ''simply because they were Australian, representative of a way of life and a particular set of values''.
Correction: Mr Anicich's name was misspelled in an earlier version of this story.
via bali - www.theage. com. au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/bali-bombing-victim-tony-abbott-saved-my-life-20130827-2smxg.html
“In addition, other presidents, including China President Xi Jinping, have confirmed,” said 2013 APEC national committee member Ahmed Kurnia at a press conference in Nusa Dua on Saturday, as quoted by kompas.com.
Of the 21 heads of states 14 have confirmed they will attend join the APEC Summit. Seven others have not yet replied to the invitation.
APEC, established in 1989, is an economic cooperation forum in Asia-Pacific with 21 country members.
Its members are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the US and Vietnam.(apt/dic)
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“Bali Police and the PHRI need to promptly verify whether the 40 hotels have met all required standards in terms of security, facilities and human resources,” the governor insisted.
The APEC Summit will take place in the Nusa Dua Resort complex from Oct. 1–Oct. 10. The resort’s selected 40 hotels and villas will host hundreds of high-profile delegates including state leaders, ministers, diplomats and high-ranking officials of global organizations and CEOs of international corporations.
“Within two months, all verified hotels are expected to have met with safety standards and provide world-class facilities,” Pastika added.
The governor said security and the safety of national leaders and participating delegates would be at stake and Bali as the host of such an important event must be responsible in applying top security measures.
Chairman of PHRI Bali Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati told Bali Daily that 26 out of 40 selected hotels had already passed the verification process.
“The remaining 11 hotels must improve their security systems, management, facilities and human resources in order to pass the verification process,” Sukawati said.
He was confident that the 11 hotels could meet the required standards before the deadline.
The safety and security certification process for hotels and tourist accommodation in Bali started in 2004 following the terrorist bombs in October 2002, which claimed 220 lives.
At that time, Pastika was chief of the Bali Police after he successfully led a multi-national investigation team into the bombings.
In October 2005, after Bali again fell victim to another terrorist bombing. Hotel security and safety of foreign and domestic tourists became his first priority concern.
But, in the following years, verification of hotels and tourist accommodation was halted due to unspecified reasons.
While previous security systems merely focused on the presence of security personnel and equipment, today’s security standards also include intangible aspects, like disaster preparedness, plans for tsunamis and earthquakes, security measures for accounting and administration and sales and marketing, among others.
PHRI Bali and the Bali Police have conducted several training sessions for hotel management personnel to introduce the new security system standards.
“All hotels must undergo and pass the verification process before October,” Sukawati said.
Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Arif Wachyunadi said that the verification process had been running well. “The verification process is working well and we still have adequate time to complete it,” he said.
Wachyunadi said that the verification certificate would identify the hotels that have the highest security standards eligible to host VVIP guests.
“It is an accurate indicator that the hotel facilities and security have met with international standards,” the general commented.
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Ni Wayan Kusumawathi, head of the Bali Industry and Trade Agency, said that the bylaw was needed to ensure the protection, preservation and development of the local textile industry.
“The bylaw is not merely for trade, but also part of our efforts to preserve local cultures. Traditional Balinese textiles like endek woven cloth, songket and sekordi are unique pieces of art,” she said in a discussion on Balinese textiles recently.
Endek is a hand-woven cloth and songket is woven with a weft of gold-wrapped cotton or silk thread. Sekordi is usually used as a hip cloth in rites of passage ceremonies.
Kusumawathi said that the bylaw would include the preservation of areas that produce traditional textiles, as well as the process, designs, motifs and craftsmen.
The bylaw would be drafted next year.
Once the bylaw is in effect, it will be easier for the Industry and Trade Agency to assist producers of traditional textiles, she said.
“Our program to support traditional textile producers is integrated with the One Village One Product [OVOP] scheme. For traditional textiles, we are focusing on the centers of production, particularly villages in Klungkung, Karangasem, Gianyar and Buleleng.”
The agency also supports traditional textile producers in facing the free trade era by improving their competitiveness.
“As Balinese traditional textiles are in the global arena, we need to ensure that our effort to improve their competitiveness does not contradict the preservation efforts,” she said.
Traditional textile products from Bali have been marketed to Europe, the US, South Africa and Southeast Asian countries.
However, exports to Europe and the US decreased due to the global financial crisis, Kusumawathi said, adding that export would focus on South Africa and Southeast Asian countries as new potential markets.
Last year, the total export value of traditional textile products from 50 Balinese enterprises reached US$108.8 million, a decline of 21.32 percent from the previous year. This year, Bali is targeting an increase in export value of 2.5 percent.
Ida Ayu Ngurah Puniari, a researcher of Balinese textiles, said that protection for traditional cloth products in this free trade era was increasingly important.
She said it was important that Balinese traditional textile products obtained patents as part of the protection efforts.
“Up to now, none of our traditional textile products have obtained copyrights,” said the author of Makna dan Pemakaian Kain Bebali dalam Upacara Hindu di Bali (Meaning and Usage of Kain Bebali in Balinese Hindu Rituals).
Anak Agung Ngurah Mahendra from the Indonesian Textile Association called for more assistance from the government to help textile producers obtain copyrights for their products.
via bali - www.thejakartapost. com/bali-
Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Mari Elka Pangestu told journalists on Thursday that a successful summit would be a very effective promotion for Bali on the international stage.
"Bali will become known as one of the potential destinations for world-class summits and gatherings," the minister said.
"The APEC Summit and many sideline meetings and events held ahead of the summit will have direct and indirect impacts on Bali tourism. That's why we should optimize these international-scale events to promote our tourist destinations," Mari said in a keynote address to the meeting of the Bali Tourism Promotion Board (BPPD) in Denpasar.
During the APEC Summit next October, as many as 21 heads of state and government, 46 ministers, 5,250 economic leaders and around 3,000 journalists from across the world will come to Bali. Meanwhile, there will be around 182 preliminary APEC meetings held ahead of the summit, attended by around 100,000 delegates.
"The presence of state and economic leaders from across the world will make it an extraordinary moment. Thousands of journalists will cover the events with Bali as the venue," she added.
Mari said that around 30,000 hotel rooms and 3,000 modes of transportation would be used during the three-day summit.
Mari also said that many infrastructure projects had been undertaken in Bali ahead of the APEC Summit. Among the projects is the construction of the Dewa Ruci underpass that will cost around
Rp 148 billion (US$15 million), funded by the state budget.
It is part of an extensive infrastructure overhaul designed for completion ahead of the summit. The overhaul also includes the Rp 2.8 trillion expansion of Ngurah Rai International Airport and construction of the Benoa-Ngurah Rai-Nusa Dua toll road, which cost Rp 2.5 trillion.
Mari said the infrastructure project would be useful for Bali residents in the long term. Therefore, Mari hoped that all Bali residents could support the summit.
Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika concurred.
"You can imagine, there will be 3,000 journalists covering the summit. They will publish their news from Bali. I hope many people from across the world will be eager to come to Bali after this event," Pastika said.
via bali - www.thejakartapost. com/bali-daily/2013-08-24/bali-tourism-benefit-apec-summit.html
Enoshima will attempt to transform into a miniature Bali for two days, where visitors will be surrounded by the Indonesian island's cuisine and arts. Eight Balinese music and dance groups will perform over the weekend, including Ni Ketut Arini, one of the most famous classical dancers in Bali. There will be stalls of Balinese food and handcrafted goods such as Batik fabric for sale, along with a hands-on section for visitors to make their own incense and flower offerings. Some of the music and dance groups will perform at the Enoshima Samuel Cocking Garden, a tropical flower garden that overlooks the sea and adds to the holiday mood.
This summer marks the seventh year of the event and is also the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Indonesia. With the support of the Indonesian Embassy and other organizations from the country, the event has garnered a reputation among Japanese media of making visitors really feel like they are in Bali.
The Enoshima Bali Sunset happens to take place during the Enoshima Toro, an event that sees lanterns light up the whole island during the month of August — a summer tradition that is prevalent throughout Japan.
The sight of lanterns may remind you that you're in Japan, but the Enoshima Bali Sunset festival tries to come close to the feeling of Bali. Whatever country you're thinking of, though, nothing beats listening to a gamelan (Indonesian chimes and drums) with a cold drink on the beach.
Enoshima Bali Sunset will take place at the Enoshima Sea Candle Event Stage in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Aug. 24 and 25 (1 p.m.). Admission is ¥200 for adults, ¥100 for children. For more information, visit enoshima-seacandle.jp/event/2013/tourou/#eventList (in Japanese).
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LOS ANGELES, California – Known for centuries as a bountiful rice producer, along with other forms of agriculture, Bali is also renowned for its artistic works in painting, woodcarving and stonemasonry. Ubud has long been lauded as the cultural heart of Bali, where fine arts, dance dramas and music flourish. It is of little wonder that inspiration runs riot when considering the beautiful natural surroundings. Many art galleries and museums of Ubud present impressive collections in both traditional and contemporary styles by local artists and international masters.
Celebrated as one of the world's premier tourist destinations, the incomparable tropic island paradise of Bali sits like an emerald jewel in the string of Indonesian archipelago. To the Balinese – this is the Island of the Gods.
Green Globe Member Maya Ubud Resort & Spa sits in splendid seclusion, bordered by the dramatic Petanu River Valley to the east, and the vibrant rice fields of Peliatan to the west. Since its opening in 2001 this luxury resort has demonstrated outstanding commitment to Green Policies and has implemented an impressive amount of proactive measures, protecting and sustaining the environment for generations to come. For a start, 20% of the resort's 10 hectares of land area were built on for accommodation and other resort facilities. The remainder of the land is either landscaped with tropical flowers and indigenous trees or left in its natural beauty. A guest tree planting program was introduced in 2007, allowing guests to contribute to the beauty of the environment. Within a period of three years, over three hectares land in the river valley was planted with an additional 140 Bali originated trees and shrubs, each with a small plaque commemorating the visiting guest. For a small fee of $20 is charged for purchasing the tree or shrub of choice, with the balance being donated to Friends of National Park Foundation (FNPF).
There is also a lesser-known side to Ubud – which originates from the word "Ubad, meaning "medicine" in the ancient Sanskrit language. Until the present day, many visitors to Ubud seek the benefit of traditional herbs and plants, plus the practitioners – Balians – with knowledge of their curative properties.
Discover the unique culture of Ubud and explore a destination of inspirational natural wonders www.mayaubud. com .
ABOUT MAYA UBUD RESORT & SPA
Bali's award winning Maya Ubud Resort & Spa is a masterpiece of contemporary wonder and ethnic chic. Natural colors and local materials have been blended to harmonize with the environment; three exceptional restaurants offer specialties from around the world, combined with organic cuisine, and the delightful accommodations include individual Balinese-style villas, many of which boast private plunge pools. The ten hectare tract of land is a tranquil haven of tropical gardens and 108 architect-designed luxury guest rooms and villas. Shaded by verdant jungle foliage, the enchanting Spa at Maya offers exotic and invigorating treatments in calm seclusion in its thatched pavilions overhanging the swirling waters of the Petanu River as it carves its way through the valley below. Favored by honeymooners and holiday makers alike, Maya Ubud is an ideal choice for those looking for luxurious facilities in a special piece of untouched Bali; a wedding destination or a romantic hideaway, where guests can experience peace and tranquility in beautiful surroundings with personalized service and excellent food.
Contact: Angga Respathy, Hsu E-Commerce & Social Media Manager, Maya Ubud Resort & Spa, jl.Gunung Sari Peliatan, Ubud, Bali 80571, Indonesia, Phone +62 361 977888, Fax +62 361 977555, Email ecommerce@mayaubud. com , www.mayabud. com
ABOUT GREEN GLOBE CERTIFICATION
Green Globe Certification is the worldwide sustainability system based on internationally-accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. Operating under a worldwide license, Green Globe Certification is based in California, USA, and is represented in over 83 countries. Green Globe Certification is a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, supported by the United Nations Foundation. For information, visit www.greenglobe. com
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In a secret location well away from the bright lights of Ubud, a group of special guests were treated on Monday evening to the grand rehearsal of an event that will be seen by millions of viewers around the world come September.
Under the art direction of Indonesia's most famous couture designer, musician, philosopher and artist, Harry Darsono and director, Nyoman Budiartha, chair of the conservatory and Tri Pusaka Cakti arts foundation, a series of Balinese ballet and musical performances underwent a few last tweaks ahead of opening in three world-class Bali events slated for September and October.
"For more than a year, I have been traveling villages in Bali searching for the finest performers and from each village I may find only one or two artists. From this, we have now many, many maestros. I have been auditioning for more than a year and every one of these artists is a maestro," said Darsono ahead of the grand rehearsal.
The grand rehearsal was closed to the public with only invited guests and selected media in attendance. Darsono explained pre-performance that, "The artists will go all out. After rehearsals, they are so exhausted they almost faint. They give their all," he said of the troupe that will perform during the inaugural international Lion's Club ANZI Pacific Forum, followed soon after by performances during the first ever Miss World competition in Southeast Asia, to be held in Bali and Jakarta in late September, then a further performance for the opening of the APEC Summit in early October.
The Miss World event has attracted 137 entrants from dozens of nations, from Albania to the US, Uzbekistan to Kosovo and Cameroon, and puts the Balinese performers under spotlights into homes around the globe.
As Indonesia's foremost couture designer, Darsono, who has crafted gowns for leading French fashion houses including Oscar de la Renta and Lanvin, has created the costumes and imagery for the production.
"We are using turquoise, banana yellow, tropical colors, apricot pinks, avocado greens, chili and fire-engine reds, but these colors must not stand out more than the facial expressions of the dancers, so I don't want heavy make-up, I want to see that natural life of Bali as it was in the 1930s," says Darsono, adding the expressions of Balinese dancers, their hand and foot movements were integral elements that should not be over shadowed by the costumes and sets.
This extraordinary man, who has created gowns for Miss World contestants from Indonesia, England, Turkey, Norway, Wales and China, is clearly excited to be working with the Tri Pusaka Cakti troupe under the direction of Nyoman Budiartha.
"This [troupe] is in the conservatory of the maestro of mask dance, I Made Djimat, and now being led by his son, Nyoman. Here is not to be found the tourist performances, here we find professionals. These are the maestros," says Darsono of a production born in Bali for the world to see.
www.thejakartapost. com/news/2013/08/21/maestros-lead-bali-extravaganza.html
Non-profit humanitarian organization ROLE Foundation will hold the Bali Waterman Awards to honor people for their contribution in preserving Bali's ocean, rivers, beaches and waterways.
Nominations for this inaugural award were open to the public for one week, from Aug. 12-18 nominees could be individuals whose activities are related to water, for example snorkeling, surfing, yachting, lifesaving, diving, windsurfing, white water canoeing, swimming and cleaning waterways or oceans, as well as helping coastal communities and mentoring children around the water.
The judges will narrow the list of nominees down to three to four people for each award.
The nominees, between 30-40 people in total, will be invited to the award event on Aug. 31, when the winners will be announced and the awards given to one person from each of nine categories.
The categories are: "Waterman Life Inspiration Award", presented to a veteran waterman/woman who truly inspires from the past.
Waterman and Waterwoman of the Year will be granted to individuals involved in water sports and/or adventurers that could be role models for children.
The "Cleaner Seas and Rivers Award" will be presented for exceptional achievement in cleaning up Bali's rivers, oceans, beaches and waterways.
The "Superstar Supporters Award" will be given to a public figure who goes the extra mile to support and raise awareness for the environment.
The "Community Building Award" is for those who have made a difference to the ocean, coastal and island communities.
The "General Mentors Award" is for exceptional achievement in mentoring children and young adults in watersports/adventure, while encouraging a healthy marine environment.
A figure with exceptional mentoring achievement, working with children/young adults in watersports/adventure, healthy lifestyle, healthy environment, will receive the "Watersports Mentor Award".
While, a global figure who makes a difference and sets an example for future generations will be presented with the "World Water and Earth Care Award — International Role Model and Champion of the Seas".
Mike O'Leary, founder of ROLE, said recently, "Through this event, we also try to tighten the connection between the activities of watersports and adventure and the efforts to clean waterways and oceans."
He added that the awards were also aimed at raising awareness about the condition of waterways and the ocean in and around the island. "They are filthy and making people sick."
ROLE estimated that some 5,000 tons of waste is dumped illegally in Bali every day, polluting the waterways and ocean.
"The waste management authorities of Bali seem frozen and unable to act," he said.
To address this problem, ROLE's Island Sustainability Education Center designs education programs as a long-term solution to meet this challenge by providing know-how, skills and assistance to Balinese and Indonesians who really care about the environment.
The awards will be presented during the event "Bali Waterman's Blues for the Blue", a celebration of love for the ocean, at the Tapeo Gastrobar at Beachwal Kuta, from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Aug. 31.
"Everyone who love the oceans and waterways, whether a surfer, a fisherman, a diver, a sea captain, anyone who has passion for the ocean or simply enjoys living surrounded by water, is invited to come to the night of Blues music," said Alexa Schetter, a volunteer for ROLE Foundation.
The event will feature surf and ocean memorabilia, an art exhibition, raffle and fashion show. The highlight of the evening will be the auction prizes, includ-ing a signed surfboard from Australian surf champion Joel Parkinson.
With the Waterman's awards to be presented by judges Steve Palmer, Paul Gringo Anderson, Tim Watt, GedeNirmeda, Marcello Aryafara and Mike O'Leary, this year's major honoree will be the Balinese sailor Made Monoh, who sailed from Nusa Lembongan, Bali, to Darwin, Australia, in a traditional jukung (outrigger canoe) in 1973-1974.
Complementing the night, music will be presented by bands of the Bali Blues Community, who are known for creating an unforgettable atmosphere.
All funds raised will go toward the Island Sustainability Education Center and its programs dedicated to stop waste getting into the rivers, waterways, beaches, reefs and harming the ocean's ecology.
Tickets are available for Rp 350,000 (US$32.65) at ROLE Campus at Jl. Siligita 22 in Nusa Dua, or can be purchased by contacting fena@rolefoundation. org. The ticket includes a welcome drink, tapas, raffle ticket and a welcome photo.
www.thejakartapost. com/bali-daily/2013-08-20/bali-waterman-awards-honor-ocean-defenders.html
Bali Revokes Benoa Bay Development License
Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika rescinded a controversial decree that granted a license to a private company to develop Benoa Bay's tourism. (JG Photo)
Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika has revoked a controversial decree that granted a license to a private company to develop Benoa Bay into a tourism facility.
This follows strong criticism that the project, involving massive land reclamation, could permanently damage the ecosystem.
"Effective from [last] Friday, I officially revoke the decree … after taking into account various considerations," Pastika said, as quoted by Antaranews.com.
He said the decision was partly based on a letter of recommendation from the Bali Regional House of Representatives.
"I have not yet studied the recommendation, but it is pushing for the license to use Benoa Bay to be immediately revoked. I therefore made it official yesterday that it has been revoked," he said on Saturday.
In the Antara report Indonesia's ombudsman for the island, Umar Ibnu Alkhatab, expressed his appreciation of the governor's decision.
"This shows the Bali governor is aware and responsive to the opinions voiced by all elements of the public," he said.
Last December Pastika issued a permit for private investor Tirta Wahana Bali International to reclaim and develop 838 hectares of Benoa Bay for a 30-year period, which could be extended by another 20.
Pastika had initially defended the decision, saying it was based on recommendations from the Bali Legislative Council as well as a feasibility study by Udayana University, but many pointed out that the study was not yet finalized and questioned legal aspects of the permit.
- Pelan2
Good move Governor, just hope you stick to this decision…
- Roland
The revocation is most probably a fair and smart decision but why is he already revoking it before actually studying the recommendation in detail?
When he was still pro-"development" he seemed to have had the time to do just that, even when the recommendation at this time was not finished (but maybe that's the actual reason – less to read).
www.thejakartaglobe. com/news/bali-revokes-benoa-bay-development-license/
In order to cope with other people's kites, we would sharpen our string so it would be easier to sever those of our opponents'.
Every time a kite lost a battle, cut off and falling down, we would run wildly chasing it, similar to the scenes portrayed in Khaled Hosseini's acclaimed novel, "The Kite Runner".
Those memories were floating around my mind when I attended last month's Kite Festival at Padang Galak beach in Sanur, Bali so perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised that the venue resembled a war zone.
Around 1,121 kites participated in the three-day event there with each of them requiring more than 10 men to make them fly.
So many men are required because the variety of kites, including traditional Balinese designs, are huge, some more than 15 metres long
When 30 kites were flown simultaneously in one session, the situation became chaotic, as hundreds of men tugged the strings on the vast dried out rice fields just 20 metres from the beach.
Banners bearing the names and logos of each group were hoisted in the venue, some of them representing their hamlets, and others representing a single family or group of kite enthusiasts.
The festival itself is a competition judged by a jury and the participants are divided into several sessions based on their kite's type.
The common types of traditional Balinese kites are called the janggan (bird or dragon shape), bebean (fish-like shape) and the pecukan (eye-shaped kite).
"I'm with the Puri family," said Agung proudly as he waited to fly his big bebean kite.
"The score for each kite is judged from the way they climb up to the sky, the sound they make, how they sway around in the wind, and also how unified the group is during the flying session," he added.
With as many as 20 kites flying during each session of the competition. some of them were bound to crash or get tangled up with each other, causing them to fall. Others also crashed because they lacked stability.
The commentator was quick to warn spectators to stay well clear of these mammoths made from sturdy wood and bamboo.
"Please, keep your attention on the sky; and watch out for falling kites," he cautioned repeatedly, no doubt recalling the tragedy last year when an eight-year-old boy died after being hit by a kite.
Power lines around the area were cut off from the grid to avoid any damage or electrocution from tangled kite strings.
The men flying their kites did they best to keep them airborne, running, pulling the rope and jumping over gutters..
Kite-flying is an important part of Balinese culture - especially for young people - and the festival is the main proving-ground for them to display their skills.
With such pride at stake, some showing off is inevitable and fights are common.
If you go
_ The annual Bali Kite Festival usually takes place in July around Padang Galak beach.
_ Thai Airways International and AirAsia operate direct flights between Bangkok and Bali.
www.nationmultimedia. com/travel/Battles-in-the-Bali-sky-30213060.html
Matthew Norman in Bali's Kerobokan jail. Photo: Jason Childs
Four of the Bali nine drug smugglers have been devastated by the news that their applications for a reduction in sentence from life imprisonment to 20 years may have been rejected.
Martin Stephens and Matthew Norman both told Fairfax Media inside Kerobokan prison on Saturday that they had been told their application had been either rejected or delayed for months.
But in another indication that Schapelle Corby's parole application is close, Fairfax Media has learnt that her sister, Mercedes, has been making inquiries about the payment of the $11,000 penalty attached to the sentence.
Schapelle Corby is seeking parole. Photo: Getty Images
Prison sentences in Indonesia often carry a financial penalty, and failing to pay it would translate into an extra six months in prison for Corby.
Corby has cleared a number of other administrative barriers recently, and an agency of the Indonesian correction system has confirmed that, after inspection, Mercedes' Bali home is suitable for Corby to live in while serving out her sentence on parole.
Kerobokan was opened to the media to watch prisoners perform in Indonesian National Day celebrations in Bali. Prison authorities confirmed afterwards that Corby had been recommended for a six-month reprieve from her sentence for good behaviour.
A large backlog of recommendations to the Director-General of Corrections in Jakarta means the cut has not yet been confirmed, but it is expected to be within months.
Corby did not attend the function.
A male prisoner said Corby was now so paranoid about the media that she refused to leave her cell, even to take out the rubbish, in case a journalist was watching or a fellow prisoner was trying to snap a photo to sell it.
She only left her cell for consular visits and visits from her sister Mercedes, the prisoner said.
Bali nine prisoner Renae Lawrence has been recommended for a six-month reduction for good behaviour and a further two months for being a prison leader, but is subject to the same delay as Corby in having it confirmed.
But Bali nine members Stephens, Norman, Si Yi Chen and Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen face spending the rest of their lives in the jail if they cannot have their sentences reduced.
The Australian consulate in Bali has informed them that their applications have not been approved. It's unclear if they are the victim of the same backlog of cases in Jakarta, or if it's an outright rejection.
Norman said he had retained lawyers to try to find out. Stephens expressed his extreme frustration - the application has been rejected twice already.
"We've been here nine years already," he said. "Renae [Lawrence] gets her remission, Corby gets her remission, and just none of us on life and death gets remission or reduction.
"There is a chance it will still happen. I have faith in the Indonesian government and the Australian government, and I'm sure they're doing the best they can. It gets difficult sometimes but you've just got to roll with the punches, I suppose."
According to Matthew Norman: "I've tried my hardest to do everything the jail asks. I've set up programs, organised sponsorship … I don't get a cent out of it or any privileges, and I'd be devastated if it was all for nothing again.''
http://www.smh. com. au/national/bali-nine-fears-over-life-sentences-20130817-2s3v0.html
British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford is on death row in Bali, Indonesia, and Sky News is the first UK broadcaster to have been given rare access behind the walls of the notorious prison since her sentencing for drug trafficking.
Kerobokan jail is nicknamed Hotel K by its inmates but it could not be more different from the luxurious resorts just down the road on the holiday island.
Behind its decrepit walls, violence, corruption, drugs and filthy conditions are commonplace.
Sandiford, 57, was sentenced in January to death by firing squad for smuggling more than £1.5m worth of cocaine into Bali.
In a recent photograph, obtained by Sky News, she is seen looking dishevelled in her stifling hot cell.
With a cigarette in her mouth she crouches over what appears to be an article of clothing that she is sewing.
In the background another inmate sleeps on the floor. This overcrowded jail, built for 350 inmates, now houses more than 1,000.
Sandiford did not want to speak to us on camera, but fellow inmate and drug mule Renae Lawrence, who the Brit has befriended, gave a glimpse into how she is managing.
"I think people should already know how she is coping. She doesn't deserve what she got," Lawrence said.
Asked if Sandiford was finding it tough, she replied: "I think anybody would."
Prosecutors recommended Sandiford be given a 15-year prison term but judges disagreed and sentenced her to execution.
Australian Myuran Sukumaran, who was born in west London, is also on death row for smuggling drugs.
Intelligent, softly spoken and full of remorse, he knows his execution could come at any moment.
"You can be strong for a short time, almost invisible, but after a long time stuff just wears you down," he said.
"After eight-and-a -half years it does weigh heavy, especially on our families."
Once a death row prisoner has lost appeals through Indonesia's high court and supreme court, only the president can grant clemency.
If that fails, eventually and without warning, the inmate will be removed from his/her cell in the middle of the night and taken to a remote wooded area, beach or neighbouring island. There he/she will be executed by firing squad.
The last decision a prisoner will make is whether to stand or kneel to be shot.
Former inmate Australian Paul Conibeer, 44, was recently released from the jail after serving a sentence for not paying a hotel bill.
Providing an insight into the bizarre world of Kerobokan prison, he said: "Murderers, rapists, and paedophiles, it's just too crazy."
He added: "You can't have women and men in a prison together. You can't have drugs and alcohol and hookers and all this crazy stuff going on. It's not supposed to happen that way."
Sandiford has lodged a further appeal against her death sentence. She awaits the outcome while sweating it out in Hotel K.
http://uk.news.yahoo. com/drug-mule-lindsay-sandifords-bali-jail-ordeal-020344971.html
Welders work on the head section of the Wisnu while a model of the GWK lies in the foreground.
Darmaji was the most underdressed man in that solemn but triumphant ceremony on that Wednesday morning. Hanging clouds and light showers of rain had drenched Bandung in the previous days. That morning, however, the sky was blue and the warm sun blanketed Nyoman Nuarta's spacious sculpture studio in Sarijadi area.
In silence, Darmaji squatted in an empty corner not too far away from a huge, orange colored truck, his most loyal companion for years. His worn-out t-shirt, faded shorts and cheap flip-flop were in contrast with the sharp attires donned by the participants of the Balinese Hinduism's consecration and purification ritual taking place some twenty meters to the south.
A native of Mojokerto, East Java, Darmaji has been a truck driver plying his trade through inter-province routes for 20 years. He watched stoically as a Hindu temple priest sprinkled holy water on the truck and when Nyoman Nuarta and his wife Cynthia smashed a water-filled earthenware jug against one of its front tires. His face yielded no sign that his next load, a 3 X 4 meters free form plate of copper and brass, was of higher importance than his previous ones.
"If everything is okay, it will take us four days to reach Bali," he said in a matter-of-fact tone before boarding the truck.
A Hindu temple priest officiates the consecration ritual for the first batch of GWK modules to be sent to Bali.
For other people in the area—Nuarta and his family members, dozens of studio workers, and scores of Bali-based and Jakarta journalists — it was a jubilant gathering that put an end to years of uncertainty over the fate of what was planned to be Bali's tallest and most iconic monument.
The truck Darmaji drove carried the first batch of more than 700 modules of Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK), the statue of Lord Wisnu the Sustainer rides on the back of the mythical bird of prey Garuda. It will take 400 truck deliveries to transport all the modules into Ungasan in southern Bali, where the modules will be welded together and attached to elaborate supporting and core structures made of concrete, steel and stainless steel.
"I am both relieved and very happy that we have finally reached this stage, where for the first time in so many years we are convinced that we will finally see this monument standing proudly in Bali," Nuarta said.
A sculpture prodigy, who won the prestigious national contest to design the Soekarno-Hatta statue when he was still a student at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Nuarta designed and initiated the GWK project as his homage to his home island only to be haunted by it for years.
In June 1997, a groundbreaking ceremony marked the commencement of the project that will see 80 hectares of land, mostly Nuarta's private property, transformed into a cultural park with GWK, with a centerpiece taller than the Statue of Liberty.
Things began to spiral downward after that. Regime change saw the government support for the project evaporate, while the ensuing economic crisis that debilitated the nation had scared away all potential investors. A prolonged turf-war inside the organization, established to manage the project, further aggravated the situation. Things reached a desperate level when, Nuarta revealed, several investors tried to capitalize on the project for their short-term agendas.
By early 2013, the notion of having the world's tallest statue had faded away from the Balinese people's collective consciousness. GWK complex itself has grown into a prime tourist attraction, drawing up to 3,000 visitors a day, a prestigious wedding venue as well as a preferred location for international concerts.
Yet, the majestic statue of the second deity in Balinese Hinduism's trinity was still nowhere to be seen. The 20 meter tall limbless bust of Wisnu, the head of the Garuda and several incomplete parts of the statue had been installed in the complex, serving as a perfect photo backdrop as well as a silent reminder of the unfinished project.
"It haunted me. It is a project that kept demanding closure in my psyche. I owed it to the Balinese people to complete the project. Most of all, I owed it to my family, my children, who for years had to endure cynicism and question from their acquaintances about the fate of the project," Nuarta recalled.
"Some of the questions hurt because they implied that I had pocketed a lot of government funds from the project or that I was a megalomaniacal artist who initiated the project solely to immortalize myself,"
Fully-aware of the ephemeral nature of human existence, Nuarta, who will turn 62 at the end of 2013, was committed to complete the statue before his time comes. And he was ready to make a huge sacrifice to make it happen.
"I told the government, and everybody else, that I would happily relinquish all my shares in the company that manages the site to any party willing to finance the completion of the statue,"
Details from La Madame, a brass and copper statue finished in 1993, which shows Nuarta's penchant for exploring new techniques and subject matter.
Eventually, a giant property developer PT Alam Sutera Realty Tbk. took up the offer and pledged more than Rp 150 billion (US$ 14.4 million)for the construction of the statue only. It was the news that Nuarta had been waiting decades for.
The deal was inked and some 200 workers in Nuarta's studio started working around the clock to ensure that by early 2015, Bali will have its long-awaited monument.
"I don't care about my shares, I only care about the promise I made to the Balinese people. It is a matter of pride," Nuarta said as he took journalists and noted thinker Taufik Rahzen on a tour of the studio.
It seemed that he did not care about the money either. When Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika suggested that the existing bust of Wisnu should be left alone because it had already become a recognizable icon, Nuarta agreed to move the construction site of the GWK 300 meters away from the bust. He also decided to construct another Wisnu statue for the full-size GWK statue, a decision that will cost Rp 20 billion out his own pocket.
Later on, he also decided to use stainless steel instead of galvanized steel as the framework of the statue's copper and brass skin. Stainless steel lasts longer than galvanized steel. It is also substantially more expensive. In GWK's case, it will cost an additional Rp 29 billion of Nuarta's own money since it was not covered in the agreed budget.
"I only hope that GWK will bring many benefits to the locals in Jimbaran, such as turning the place into a more attractive tourist destination, as well as to the Balinese. I envision the complex to be a place where Balinese thinkers and artists could showcase their works and have creative dialogue with their counterparts from across the globe,"
For Taufik Rahzen, GWK had shifted from a mere monument to a symbol, the origins of which could be traced back to the 11th century Teguh Dharmawangsa, a Javanese king who launched the project of translating Sanskrit epics into Old Javanese.
"Let's stop viewing it as a project of building a statue because it has become a project of building an open space for cultural dialogue. In this time of rising intolerance and hostility toward artworks inspired by certain belief systems, the open space offered by GWK will play a critical role in building a collective awareness and understanding,"
As Darmaji and his fellow truck drivers shuttle the GWK's modules to Bali and 51 residents of Tegallinggah, Nuarta's home village in Tabanan, Bali, will march 70 kilometers on foot to Ungasan this weekend to show their support for the project, the initiative conceived some 20 years ago is obviously getting closer to its much-deserved happy ending.
—Photos by I Wayan Juniarta
www.thejakartapost. com/news/2013/08/18/success-last-bali-s-tallest-monument.html
British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford is on death row in Bali, Indonesia, and Sky News is the first UK broadcaster to have been given rare access behind the walls of the notorious prison since her sentencing for drug trafficking.
Kerobokan jail is nicknamed Hotel K by its inmates but it could not be more different from the luxurious resorts just down the road on the holiday island.
Behind its decrepit walls, violence, corruption, drugs and filthy conditions are commonplace.
Sandiford, 57, was sentenced in January to death by firing squad for smuggling more than £1.5m worth of cocaine into Bali.
In a recent photograph, obtained by Sky News, she is seen looking dishevelled in her stifling hot cell.
With a cigarette in her mouth she crouches over what appears to be an article of clothing that she is sewing.
Kerobokan jail, nicknamed Hotel K by its inmates In the background another inmate sleeps on the floor. This overcrowded jail, built for 350 inmates, now houses more than 1,000.
Sandiford did not want to speak to us on camera, but fellow inmate and drug mule Renae Lawrence, who the Brit has befriended, gave a glimpse into how she is managing.
"I think people should already know how she is coping. She doesn't deserve what she got," Lawrence said.
Asked if Sandiford was finding it tough, she replied: "I think anybody would."
Prosecutors recommended Sandiford be given a 15-year prison term but judges disagreed and sentenced her to execution.
Australian Myuran Sukumaran, who was born in west London, is also on death row for smuggling drugs.
An inmate shows off a weapon which is said to be commonplace in the prison Intelligent, softly spoken and full of remorse, he knows his execution could come at any moment.
"You can be strong for a short time, almost invisible, but after a long time stuff just wears you down," he said.
"After eight-and-a -half years it does weigh heavy, especially on our families."
Once a death row prisoner has lost appeals through Indonesia's high court and supreme court, only the president can grant clemency.
If that fails, eventually and without warning, the inmate will be removed from his/her cell in the middle of the night and taken to a remote wooded area, beach or neighbouring island. There he/she will be executed by firing squad.
The last decision a prisoner will make is whether to stand or kneel to be shot.
Australian Paul Conibeer served time for not paying a hotel bill Former inmate Australian Paul Conibeer, 44, was recently released from the jail after serving a sentence for not paying a hotel bill.
Providing an insight into the bizarre world of Kerobokan prison, he said: "Murderers, rapists, and paedophiles, it's just too crazy."
He added: "You can't have women and men in a prison together. You can't have drugs and alcohol and hookers and all this crazy stuff going on. It's not supposed to happen that way."
Sandiford has lodged a further appeal against her death sentence. She awaits the outcome while sweating it out in Hotel K.
via bali - news.sky. com/story/1130006/drug-mule-lindsay-sandifords-bali-jail-ordeal
Drug smuggler Schapelle Corby's time in Bali may be extended if she wins parole, presenting a stark choice.
Schapelle Corby is eligible for parole after serving eight years in Kerobokan prison. AFP /Sonny Tumbelaka Source: AFP
Schapelle Corby in happier times on the Gold Coast. The convicted drug smuggler hopes to work as a bikini designer if released on parole. Supplied/Gold Coast Bulletin Source: GoldCoastBulletin
SCHAPELLE Corby plans to work designing swimsuits in her brother-in-law's Bali business if she is released from jail on parole.
The 36-year-old told parole officers, who visited her in jail, that she will work as a "designer" in a clothing business owned by her sister's husband.
Officers said they understood she would be designing bikinis.
Wayan Widyartha runs a small shop in Kuta where pictures of his children with Schapelle's sister Mercedes are displayed in the front window.
And previously in jail, Corby had done some work sewing beading onto little children's bikinis and clothes which were sold as part of that business. She currently works making fans in jail which are sold as part of a jail workshop enterprise.
"She (Corby) looked fine when we met her. She looked happy to meet with us. She said that she was really hopeful that she could get parole. She plans to work as a designer in a garment enterprise owned by her brother-in-law," Corrections officer Ketut Sukiati said.
"Schapelle was eager to work as a designer in the textile industry owned by her brother-in-law in Kuta. It is a small company that produces clothes."
Ms Sukiati was one of a team of three from the Corrections Board in Bali who met with Corby in jail last week for about an hour to assess her suitability for parole.
They have recommended that Corby get parole although the final decision is made in Jakarta.
In a report, which forms part of the parole documents, they note that while Corby's parole is supported, they note she needs some counselling in relation to religious and legal aspects.
"Therefore after she gets parole, she could really undergo social life in the community and obey mentoring of the Bapas (corrections) team", the documents say.
Corby has promised not to commit any crimes and not to use or distribute drugs if she is released from jail on parole.
In a document signed on August 14 and obtained by News Corp Australia, Corby agrees to report to correctional board authorities each month and to accept their visits and guidance after she is freed.
And she has promised to dress properly and be polite to parole officers although it is not stipulated what is meant by dressing properly.
The promises from Corby form part of her application to be released from prison on parole which will eventually be considered by the Director-General of the Prisons Minstry in Jakarta.
In the one-page document Corby, 36, lists two addresses - at Tugun, on the Gold Coast, her former home before her arrest, and the Kuta address of her sister Mercedes where she hopes to live.
Mercedes Corby with her son after visit to Kerobokan jail for Schapelle Corby's birthday in 2012. Schapelle would live with Mercedes upon release. Source: News Limited
And she lists her job as beautician - the job she was studying at the time of her arrest.
She has filled this section in her own handwriting and then agrees to a series of conditions if she gets parole.
She also agrees that if she breaks any of the parole conditions she would be sent back to jail to serve out the remainder of her sentence.
And in a sign that the deep depression she was suffering, at one time described as severe psychosis, has now improved, a psychiatrist's statement describes her condition as "moderate depression".
Dr Nyoman Ratep, the head of psychiatry at Bali's Sanglah Hospital, has submitted a two-page typed statement to the authorities.
Also included in the parole documents are a statement from her Balinese brother-in-law Wayan Widyartha, who will be her guarantor. He agrees to have Corby stay at the Kuta home and to help her morally and materially while on parole.
Corby plans to live with her elder sister Mercedes, Wayan and their three children in the family's compound in central Kuta. Wayan's extended family also lives in the traditional Balinese Hindu family compound, right on the doorstep of the tourist strip.
The head of the local Kuta community, known as the Banjar, has also signed a statement agreeing to have Corby live in his district.
Corrections Board staff who visited Corby in jail last week said that she was healthy and happy and did not appear stressed.
The family compound where Schapelle Corby's sister Mercedes Corby and brother-in-law Wayan Widyartha live. It would be Corby's home if released on parole. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro. Source: News Limited
The bundle of documents, obtained by News Corp Australia, form part of Corby's official parole application.
Corby has been eligible for parole for the past year, after serving two-thirds of her sentence. Originally sentenced to 20 years jail, this was cut to 15 years after she won clemency from the Indonesian President last year.
With remissions, earned each year for good behaviour, last year she had served two-thirds of her sentence and become eligible for parole.
However, she is believed to be the first foreigner to be granted parole in Bali and strict conditions need to be fulfilled.
These included a letter of guarantee from the Australian Government which was finally granted earlier this year.
But several stumbling blocks still remain before the parole can be granted - the fine she must pay and the need for Immigration to settle on the visa or stay permit she needs to be granted.
Corby has still not paid the 100 Million Rupiah or $11,000 fine imposed at the time of her sentence.
It is understood that the family has been trying to pay the fine in recent weeks but because the conviction was so long ago the authorities are unsure to whom it should be paid.
It us understood the family has the money ready and wants to pay as soon as possible.
Wayan Wiradarma, at the Denpasar Prosecutor's Office, yesterday told News Corp Australia that the fine must be paid before Corby can leave jail.
Mr Wiradarma said the fine should be paid through the treasury at the Prosecutions office and then the receipt of payment should be taken to Kerobokan jail.
Schapelle Corby bursts into tears as she is sentenced to 20 years in jail in a Denpasar courtroom on Friday, May 27, 2005. (Photo by Dimas Ardian/Getty Images) Source: Supplied
At the time of conviction Judges found Corby guilty and sentenced her to 20 years jail and fined her 100 Million Rupiah or an extra six months in jail.
But law changes since then have said that the fines must be paid within two months of conviction - a law which did not exist back in 2005 when Corby was convicted.
And the Immigration Department has not yet provided the necessary documents regarding the resident permit which Corby would need to live in the community as a parolee.
Authorities say they are still waiting for an answer from Immigration on this issue.
It is expected that Corby's parole could be finalised by Christmas.
Corby was found guilty of attempting to bring 4.1kg of marijuana into Bali inside her boogie board bag on October 8, 2004. She has always maintained her innocence. In May 2005 she was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in jail. This was reduced to 15 years after a successful Presidential clemency plea, based on Corby's psychological condition.
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/www.couriermail. com. au/news/national/schapelle-corby-plans-to-design-swimwear-if-she-wins-parole-in-bali/story-fnihslxi-1226700420507
Schapelle Corby inside Kerobokan prison in Denpasar, Bali. Picture: AFP Source: AFP
SCHAPELLE Corby's chances of an early release from prison have been given a massive boost with corrections officers in Bali recommending her for parole.
The green light from the Bali corrections board (BAPAS) increases the likelihood that the convicted drug smuggler could soon be released from Kerobokan jail to live with her sister Mercedes in Bali.
Ketut Artha, the head of the Denpasar BAPAS office, has told AAP that the parole recommendation was handed to prison officials on Friday.
"The content is that we agree with suggestion that Corby gets her parole," he told AAP today while attending Indonesian independence day celebrations at Kerobokan jail.
"Our consideration is that Corby has shown good behaviour while in prison, that local society and officials could accept her and the family is ready with guarantee.
GALLERY: Schapelle Corby's life
Schapelle Corby breaks down when the Bali court sentenced her to life in prison. She now has a chance to walk free on parole.
"So now, we're only waiting for the minister's decree."
The crucial recommendation will now be passed on to the Law and Human Rights Ministry before final approval, which could come within weeks.
"We're no longer waiting for anything else because Corby now eligible for parole," Ketut said.
"Maybe it's possible within a month that decree issued. It depends on prison and local office in processing it, if it is fast or not."
Corby has been eligible to apply for parole since last August but her legal team had baulked at lodging an application after the Indonesian government introduced tough new conditions for prisoners convicted of serious crimes including drug trafficking.
Schapelle Corby in her cell at Kerobokan Prison, Bali.
But the recommendation from BAPAS is a massive boost and all but clears the way for Corby to gain parole.
Corby would have to serve out the remainder of her sentence in Bali, which would see her remain on the island until mid-2015, so long as she continues to win the maximum eight months per year in remissions.
The recommendation from BAPAS, revealed today, comes after corrections officers visited the home of Mercedes Corby on Tuesday to assess whether it would be a suitable place for her to live.
It's understood the officers also inspected documents related to Schapelle's parole, including an unprecedented guarantee letter from the Australian government.
Corby, who was caught in 2004 attempting to smuggle more 4.1kg of marijuana into Bali, was sentenced to 20 years in jail but had her prison term slashed by five years by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
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Inside Kerobokan prison on national day
In the infamous Indonesian prison on Saturday there was dancing, music, and sentence reductions. Michael Bachelard reports on some of our Australian prisoners from inside Kerobokan.
Four of the Bali Nine drug smugglers have been devastated by the news that their applications for a reduction in sentence from life imprisonment to 20 years may have been rejected.
Martin Stephens and Matthew Norman both told Fairfax Media inside Kerobokan prison on Saturday that they had been told their application had been either rejected or delayed for months.
We've been here nine years already, you know, something has got to happen.
But in another indication that Schapelle Corby's parole application is close, Fairfax Media has learned that her sister, Mercedes, has been making inquiries about the payment of the $11,000 penalty attached to the sentence.
Frustrated and waiting: Martin Stephens, pictured at Kerobokan on Friday, is among four of the Bali Nine drug smugglers who are unsure if their applications for a reduction in their life sentences have been rejected. Photo: Michael Bachelard
Prison sentences in Indonesia often carry a financial penalty as well, and failing to pay it would translate into an extra six months in prison for Corby.
Corby has cleared a number of other administrative barriers recently, and an agency of the Indonesian correction system has confirmed that, after inspection, Mercedes' Bali home is suitable for Ms Corby to live in while serving out her sentence on parole.
Kerobokan was opened to the media to watch prisoners perform in Indonesian National Day celebrations in Bali on Friday. After the celebration, prison authorities confirmed that Ms Corby had been recommended for a six-month reprieve from her sentence for good behaviour.
Recommended for sentence cut: Bali Nine member Renae Lawrence at Indonesian National Day celebrations in Kerobokan on Friday. Photo: Michael Bachelard
A large backlog of recommendations in the Director General of Corrections in Jakarta means the cut has not yet been confirmed, but it's expected to be within months.
Corby did not attend the function.
A male prisoner said Corby was now so paranoid about the media that she refused to leave her cell, even to take out the rubbish, in case a journalist was watching or a fellow prisoner snapped a photo and tried to sell it.
Recommended for parole: Schapelle Corby could be released from Kerobokan jail to live with her sister Mercedes in Bali. Photo: Sonny Tumbelaka/AFP
She only left her cell for consular visits and visits from her sister Mercedes, the prisoner said.
Bali Nine prisoner Renae Lawrence has been recommended for a six-month reduction for good behaviour and a further two months for being a prison leader, but is subject to the same delay as Corby in having it confirmed.
But Bali Nine members Stephens, Norman, Si Yi Chen and Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen face spending the rest of their lives in the jail if they cannot have their sentences reduced.
Kerobokan was opened to the media to watch prisoners perform in Indonesian National Day celebrations on Friday. Photo: Michael Bachelard
The Australian consulate in Bali has informed them that their applications have not been approved.
It's unclear if they are the victim of the same backlog of cases in Jakarta, or if it's an outright rejection.
Norman said he had retained lawyers to try to find out. Stephens expressed his extreme frustration — the application has been rejected twice already.
Renae Lawrence on Friday. Photo: Michael Bachelard
"We've been here nine years already, you know, something has got to happen," he said.
"Renae [Lawrence] gets her remission, Corby gets her remission, and just none of us on life and death gets remission or reduction.
"There is a chance it will still happen. I have faith in the Indonesian government and the Australian government, and I'm sure they're doing the best they can. It gets difficult sometimes but you've just got to roll with the punches, I suppose."
According to Matthew Norman: "I've tried my hardest to do everything the jail asks. I've set up programs, organised sponsorship … I don't get a cent out of it or any privileges, and I'd be devastated if it was all for nothing again."
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Malaysia has become the fourth largest in number of visitors to Bali from the fifth earlier, Head of Bali Central Statistic Agency (BPS) I Gede Suarsa said here on Friday.
"The number of visitors from Malaysia is larger than those from Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Britain," Suarsa said, noting that around 92,410 Malaysians visited Bali in the first half of the year, up 11.35 per cent from the same period last year.
According to Antara, the number made up 6.19 per cent of the total number of 1,493,020 foreign visitors to the world famous resort island in the January-June period this year.
Suarsa however said a decline was recorded only in the number of visitors from South Korea and Britain.
-- BERNAMA
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"The fishery sector contributed 20.54 per cent to Bali's total export value of US$216.92 billion (RM711.06 billion) in the five months period," Head of the Public Relations Bureau of the province of Bali, I Ketut Teneng, said here on Friday.
Fresh and frozen tuna dominated the exports of eight types of fishery commodities from Bali in value, Teneng said.
Tuna exports, fresh and frozen, totalled 5,114 tonnes valued at US$28.36 million (RM92.96 million) in the January-May period, he noted.
He added that the volume and value of tuna exports rose 3.88 per cent and 5.35 per cent respectively over the same period last year.
Other fishery commodities exported from Bali included the groupers, decorative fish, skip jacks, crabs, lobsters, shark fins, and sea weed.
Meanwhile, Antara reported that Japan is the main market for fishery commodities from Bali, followed by the United States and Australia. Other export destinations included Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Britain, France, Germany and Spain.
-- BERNAMA
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