Obama visit brings capitalist agenda: HTI

The Jakarta Post | Sun, 11/13/2011 5:22 PM

Islamic group Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) suspects that the coming visit of US President Barack Obama to Indonesia for the ASEAN Summit in Bali next week has a hidden agenda aimed at Indonesia’s energy
sector.

HTI spokesman Muhammad Ismail Yusanto said the US has relied on Indonesia for its energy needs so far.

“The US wants to keep exploring and expanding their power in the oil, gas and mine fields such as Exxon in Aceh, Natuna islands and Cepu. There is also Unocal Texaco in East Kalimantan, Chevron Pacificin Riau, Conoco in Papua and others,” he said.

Therefore, he concluded that the true agenda of Obama’s visit was to strengthen its capitalist interests in the East Asian region.

HTI staged a demonstration in front of the US embassy in Jakarta today.

SBY to visit tsunami-ravaged region

The Jakarta Post | Sat, 06/18/2011 9:04 AM

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will visit Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture, in Japan on Saturday, one of the areas that was hit hardest by the recent tsunami.

Using the high-speed Shinkansen train from Tokyo, Yudhoyono and his envoy will drive by car the rest of the way from Ichinosekito Kesennuma, which is more than 500 kilometers from the Japanese capital, Tempointeraktif.com reported.

The President will then visit the Minato Fureai fish market. According to a press release from the Indonesian Embassy in Japan, more than three-quarters of the Kesennuma fishing boats are crewed by Indonesians. Indonesia is popular among Kesennuma residents, as the boats often refuel in Bali.

Yudhoyono is also scheduled to visit the Kesennuma Community Center refugee shelter in a gesture of good will and aid from the Indonesian government and letters from children in Aceh, which was hit by a tsunami in 2005, to Japanese children.

By noon on Saturday, he will receive a visit from Indonesian caregivers and return to Indonesia by 5:30 p.m.

Obama plans to visit Bali in November: Bali Gov

Ni Komang Erviani, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar | Thu, 05/26/2011 9:56 AM

US President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Bali in November, Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika said on Wednesday night.

“I just met with US ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel. He told me this time Obama would visit Bali, most likely in November,” Pastika said.

He added that US State Secretary Hillary Clinton will go to Bali in July to attend an international meeting and also check the island preparation in welcoming Obama.

Pastika said Bali would be ready to receive the US president. “Security will be coordinated by the central government, the National Police, and related institutions,” he added.

In 2010, Obama had planned to visit Bali, but he cancelled it due to home affairs problems.

China's premier to visit tsunami-hit area in Japan

The Jakarta Post | Wed, 05/18/2011 12:06 PM | World

China says Premier Wen Jiabao will visit the devastated area of Fukushima when he travels to Japan this weekend to show his country's support for reconstruction efforts after the twin earthquake and tsunami disasters.

Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue told reporters at a briefing in Beijing on Wednesday that Wen himself decided to make the visit and that it was meant to show Chinese concern for those affected and a commitment to helping support the area's reconstruction.

While in Japan, Wen will also take part in a trilateral meeting with leaders of Japan and South Korea.

More Singaporeans visit Bali

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 03/09/2011 8:44 AM | Archipelago

The Bali Central Statisics Agency (BPS) says almost 17,000 Singaporean
tourists visited the resort island in January, an increase of 121.4
percent  over the same period last year.

"The significant increase was a result of various factors including
the image of Bali as secure place for a vacation, its many unique
attractions and the relatively short flight time between Singapore and
Bali," Bali BPS chief Gede Suarsa said Tuesday as quoted by Antara.

Almost 5,900 tourists from Singapore visited Bali in January 2010. For
the whole year of 2010, the total number of Singaporean visitors to
Bali was 97,402, up from 55,992 in 2009.

In terms of their numbers and country of origin, Singaporean tourists
constituted the eighth-largest group to visit Bali in 2010, after
those from Australia, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Malaysia and
Taiwan, Suarsa said.

In January 2011, Bali received a total of 209,093 visitors, a 16.6
percent increase over the same period last year.

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.

President Yudhoyono to sign 32 MoUs during India visit

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 01/24/2011 10:09 AM | Business

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will work on developing stronger cooperation with India in politics, the economy, education, culture and technology during his three-day visit beginning today, an official said on Monday.

India invited Yudhoyono as a chief guest to Indian Republic Day on Jan.26, Presidential special staff for international affairs Teuku Faizasyah said in Jakarta on Monday, as reported by kompas.com.

Yudhoyono and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are expected to witness the signing of 17 government-to-government Memorandums of Understanding and 15 government-to-business MoUs. About 500 businessmen from both countries are also expected to attend the event.

The President is also scheduled to meet several high-ranking Indian officials including Indian Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Indian opposition party chairwoman Srimathi Sushma Swaraj, and Indian Coalition Party chairwoman Srimathi Sonia Gandhi.

VP to visit Bangka Island

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 01/22/2011 8:51 AM | National

Vice President Boediono and his wife Herawati Boediono are scheduled to visit Bangka Island on Saturday. 

Before heading to Bangka Island, the Vice President will meet student and teacher representatives from Palembang, South Sumatra, as part of his visit to the province. 

Boediono, along with Public Works Minister Joko Kirmanto, Home Minister Gamawan Fawzi, Agriculture Minister Suswono and National Education Minister M. Nuh, will return to Jakarta at 11 p.m.

E. Java visit: Yudhoyono to address farmers, discuss climate

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 01/14/2011 9:46 AM | National

During his East Java working visit on Friday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to launch the “National Farmers’ Movement to Handle Climate Anomalies”.

The official launching ceremony will take place in Lebo village, near the East Java town of Sidoarjo.

Yudhoyono is also expected to speak with local farmers and fishermen, and have a teleconference with farmers in Makassar, Samarinda and Medan.

“The President will also hear an explanation of climate anomalies by Agriculture Minister Suswono,” East Java administration spokesman Gunarto said Friday, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Gunarto added that Yudhoyono would also witness the signing of memorandums of understanding between several institutions pertaining to measures to cope with climate anomalies.

Later on Friday, the President is scheduled to conclude his two-day visit and head back to Jakarta.