Category Archives: Indonesia

US demands royalties on pandemic vaccines as thousands more fall ill with influenza A(H1N1) Mexican swine flu

Posted on by
An image of the A (H1N1) influenza, or Swine flue, virus

An intergovernmental meeting of the World Health Organisation (WHO), has failed to reach an agreement on sharing influenza virus research material and access to vaccines, with the US placing profits ahead of the threat of wide-scale, world-wide deaths from the current influenza A(H1N1), or Mexican swine flu, pandemic. The impasse occurred despite a warning by Dr Thirawat Hemachudha, director of the World Health Organisation’s Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, that a second wave of the A(H1N1) influenza virus, or Mexican swine flu as it was originally termed, could occur as early as July. In the past week the number of people infected by the influenza A(H1N1) virus has risen sharply, with the United States recording the … Continue reading →

Further delay possible for Bali bombers

Posted on by

The execution of the islamist fundamentalists responsible for the 2002 Bali bombings that killed more than 200 people could face further delays. There is no time limit in which a convict must submit a request for a presidential pardon. The way the law currently stands it can easily be manipulated and further delays to the death sentences being carried out could occur.

Continue reading →

Gili Trawangan – a paradise lost

Posted on by
Opok or "Dani" – one of Gili Trawangans nastier "beach boys"

This story was updated at 15:56 February 13, 2013 Additional material in green type Located only 35 kilometres to the east of Bali, the island of Lombok has long had a reputation for being the uncommercialised version of Indonesia’s best known tourism destination. However while Lombok proudly hangs on to its Lombok – Primitive slogan, the primitive nature of its people, one primarily motivated by greed, dishonesty and jealousy, has seen Lombok’s tourism appeal reduce significantly in recent years. Of particular notoriety amongst younger travellers and backpackers has been a group of three Gili’s (islands) located off the northwest tip of Lombok. Named Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan, the three developed a reputation due to their white-sandy beaches, … Continue reading →

Death of maid in Malaysia highlights endemic foreign worker abuse

Posted on by
The horrific injuries inflicted on Nirmala Bonat by Yim Pek Ha in 2004

The torture-murder of a 24-year-old Indonesian maid in her employers house in Malaysia last week is just the tip of the iceberg of a litany of human rights abuses foreign workers there are subjected to. Abuses that regularly result in workers who arrive in Malaysia full of dreams of improving their life and sending money home for the education of their children, returning home with broken bodies, shattered spirits or as in this case, dead. While Malaysian officials have attempted to play down this latest killing, claiming abuse of foreign workers is a rare occurrence, the facts belie this. In commenting on the this latest incident, Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda, pressed for Kuala Lumpur’s firmness in handling the case, … Continue reading →

Foreigners caned most in Malaysia

Posted on by
A freeze frame from the smuggled video showing a prisoner being caned in Malaysia.

When video of a drug trafficker being caned (rotaned) in Malaysia was leaked onto the Internet last week it resulted in headlines and still images from the video appearing in leading newspapers around the world. It wasn’t that people being caned in Malaysia was something the world hadn’t heard of before, but rather the first time that actual footage or photographs of the barbaric act of caning prisoners had been seen publicly outside of Malaysia. The video of the prisoner being caned was rapidly copied from the original posting site, Liveleak.com to video hosting sites around the world. Caning in Malaysia Caning in Malaysia dates back to British colonial times and involves using a wet rattan stick to whip the … Continue reading →

Indonesian corruption – immigration officials skimming millions

Posted on by

Government officers at Mataram’s immigration office are systematically skimming hundreds of millions of rupiah every day in tips or “uang terima kasih” (thank you money) with the issuing of passports for Indonesians travelling to work overseas.

Continue reading →

Lombok vet takes conservation lead

Posted on by

Animal conservation is not something usually associated with Asian countries. However the forward looking views of a Lombok veterinarian almost five years ago has seen the turtle population around the northwest gilis (island in Bhasa Indonesia) of Air, Meno and Trawangan increase to the levels they are now. Over the years Dr Gde Sudiana, head of the department of Animal Services for West Lombok, estimates he has helped in the incubation and release of more than 3,000 turtles. According to Dr Gde, in 1995 there was very few turtles in the waters around the three gili’s and after reading reports on the plight of the turtles he and an English biologist friend started a small-scale breeding program. “We bought 50 … Continue reading →