Public complains over Komodo SMS charges

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 10/31/2011 1:11 PM

The Indonesian Telecommunications Regulatory Body (BRTI) says it has received numerous complaints from members of the public who were charged to vote for Komodo Island in the New7Wonders contest via SMS, a service that was initially touted as free.

At the beginning of the campaign, voting by SMS was said to be free of charge, but apparently cost the sender between Rp 1,000 (11 U.S. cents) and Rp 1,500 per SMS, before the fee was later cut to Rp 1 per SMS over the past three weeks, BRTI member Heru Sutadi said Monday.

“We received complaints regarding Komodo SMS [votes] from the public, who feel they have been wronged," Heru told tempointeraktif.com on Sunday.

He added that the Komodo SMS voting service was provided by Mobilink, in partnership with Indonesia's largest cell phone operator, Telkomsel, among others.

“We will summon Mobilink to question them on the matter. The management must return any funds allegedly taken from the public because it was earlier said to be free,” Heru said.

Youths from 50 countries to visit Komodo NP

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 02/18/2011 9:02 AM | Archipelago

Hundreds of youths from around 50 countries are scheduled to visit Komodo National Park in East Nusa Tenggara in late February, as part of the World Assembly of Youth program.

The youths will be accompanied by members of the National Committee of Indonesian Youth during the Feb. 23-28 visit.

The chairman of the local Youth Congress steering committee, Gusti Brewon, told reporters in Kupang on Friday that the visit was aimed at studying impacts of climate change on the environmental condition of the park, as well as to bolster support campaigns to protect Komodo dragons.

“The ancient animal is facing extinction if nobody pays serious attention to the environmental condition of its habitat,” Gusti said, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

SBY to support Komodo park during Kupang visit

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 02/02/2011 10:08 AM | National

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and several ministers will visit Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), on Feb . 8 and vote for Komodo National Park as one of the world’s new seven natural wonders.

“They will cast their votes for the park on the sidelines of the National Press Day celebration,” NTT National Press Day committee head Andre Koreh said on Wednesday.

First Lady Kristiani “Ani” Herawati, Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and five ambassadors to Indonesia are scheduled to join the event to support the park’s bid, Andre said as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Yudhoyono’s stay in NTT from Feb. 8 – Feb. 11 would be the longest ever by an Indonesian president, Andre said.

Komodo National Park ranks 6th place in global poll

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 01/04/2011 10:07 AM | Headlines

The Komodo National Park, home of komodo dragon (Varanus comodoensis), in East Nusa Tenggara ranked sixth in the New 7 Wonders of Nature list, an ongoing global poll to determine the new seven wonders of the world, by December 2010.

“The New 7 Wonders Foundation reported that by the last week of December, the Komodo National Park sat at sixth position, based on the level of voter interest measured within the last 28 days,” Ulbadus Gogi, the head of promotion division at the East Nusa Tenggara Culture and Tourism Agency, said Tuesday, as reported by Antara.

Ulbadus added that the local government was optimistic that the park would be selected as one of the new seven.

“The East Nusa Tenggara governor [Frans Lebu Raya] has always said the Komodo [dragon] is a national treasure that belongs to all of us, which we have to support,” he said.

He added that the local government would continue to promote the animal to garner more support.

The Komodo National Park is one of 28 candidates for the New 7 Wonders of Nature, whose campaign began in 2007. The results of the competition will be revealed on November 11.