Snapshots Of Old Japan In Jakarta

A1990s-era portrait shows two children with their eyes glued to a television screen while playing video game Nintendo 64, while another shows a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony in a rural village in the 1970s. Y et other photos show the skyscraper-dominated city of Tokyo in the 1980s, and a still life of pale pink Sakura flowers taken in 2002.

Held by the Japan Foundation, “Gazing at the Contemporary World: Japanese Photography from the 1970s to the Present” displays 76 shots by 23 Japanese photographers.

Established in 1972, the foundation promotes international understanding between Japan and other countries via cultural exchange programs.

“A Changing Society” focuses on the individuals that make up Japanese society, displaying a collection that allows the viewer to see the Japanese departing from their traditional ways of life in an age of modernity. With people as the central subjects as they go about the business of their everyday lives, the section includes people from all strata of society. In a traditional scene, an old river fisherman puffs on a cigarette before a background of tall grass in a black and white photo by Manchuria-born Kazuo Kitai. “River Fisherman” (1975) is taken from the series “To the village,” which won the Kimura Ilhee Award in 1976.

Mitsugu Ohnishi won the 18th Kimura Ihee Award in 1993 for his photographic series “The Last Vacation,” which according to the photographer, “is a picture diary of a random summer of the 1980s.”

One picture has a group of swimmers in uniform swimsuits being briefed on the beach, while another displays a couple sunbathing.

“Rainy Sunday” by George Hashiguchi shows two permed and coiffed young men in suits crouching on the pavement under umbrellas.

“Changing Landscapes,” the second part of the exhibition, emphasizes the impact of Japan’s rapid economic growth in the 1970s on the country’s landscapes.

Photographers immortalize the changes evident in the cities, suburbs and in nature.

Award-winning Ryuji Miyamoto has memorialized the devastating Great Hansin earthquake that took place in Kobe in 1995, and which claimed more than 6,000 lives. His “Kobe Ekimae Building” shows the wrecked facade of multi-story building.

Giving a face to modernity, Tokudo Ushioda’s “Ice Box” series shows pictures of refrigerators filled with items ranging from milk cartons to eggs, and somewhat insinuates the marriage between the advent of modern technology and the age of consumerism. A picture of a concrete dam, which control erosion and water flow in the Japanese mountains, was photographed by structure-specialist Toshio Shibata. Writing about his series called “Quintessence of Japan,” Shibata said that he focused on the contrast between nature and human action, and also the peculiar formal beauty of structures.

In the exhibition’s book, Rei Masuda, a curator at the National Museum of Art in Tokyo, wrote, “The work of the 23 photographers gathered here does not fully represent Japanese photographic expression since the 1970s, but we don’t intend to trace its entire historical development through the categories of figure and landscape.”

Skipping Breakfast

a Life-Saving Decision for All-Star Squad

The team picked to play Manchester United on Monday woke up at Jakarta’s JW Marriott Hotel at 6 a.m. and assembled in the lobby before departing for a morning training session at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

It was to be an extremely important training session because, just three days later, they were to face one of the best teams in the game.

But the team’s management decided the players should skip breakfast at the hotel and instead took them to the Sultan Hotel, which is closer to the stadium, at 6:30 a.m.

Just after the training session ended, they heard the news that bomb blasts had hit the Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, where the Manchester United squad was scheduled to stay during its Jakarta tour.

“We left the hotel around 6:30 a.m. for Senayan, so we were all safe and in good condition,” assistant coach Sudirman said in a telephone interview. “We didn’t know about the incident and I just heard this from [the Jakarta Globe].”

National team striker Budi Sudarsono said he was shocked but glad they decided to leave for training earlier.

The blasts at the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton, located next to each other in the Mega Kuningan business district in the capital, blew out windows and scattered debris and glass across the street, kicking up a thick plume of smoke. The facades of both hotels were reduced to twisted metal.

Nine people were reported dead, with more than 50 others injured. “Thank God, we already left the hotel. Now, we’re staying at the Sultan Hotel but our belongings are still at the Marriott,” Budi said.

The incident prompted the England Premier League champion, which arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, to cancel its Jakarta stop.

The Indonesian players understood the decision but still regretted it. “The game is a one-in-a-million chance, playing against the world’s best players,” defender Isnan Ali said. “I clearly understand why they made the decision, but I don’t know if I will ever have the chance to play against them again in my career.”

The squad will temporarily remain at the Sultan Hotel. Wimbo Satwiko & Sandy Pramuji

Can’t Wait to Chase Newmont

State Enterprises

“We will ask the Finance Ministry to prioritize state enterprises for the Newmont stake,” said Sofyan Djalil, the state enterprise minister. “If the [president] gives the nod, then our companies will talk directly to Newmont.”

The State Enterprises Ministry had sent a letter in May asking for priority to be given to state enterprises, but the Finance Ministry gave no commitment at the time. Energy Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said on Thursday that the government and Newmont had reached a deal valuing the 14 percent stake in PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara (NNT), the operator of Batu Hijau, at $493.6 million, based on an entire company valuation of $3.52 billion.

This represented a victory of sorts for the government, which had been holding out for an NNT valuation of $3.42 billion, against Newmont’s estimate of $3.65 billion. Newmont Mining holds a 45 percent stake in NNT, with Sumitomo and other Japanese investors controlling 35 percent and local company PT Pukuafu Indah holding the remainder. Under a contract signed with the government in 1986, Newmont and the other overseas investors are required to divest 49 percent of the company to the state in tranches up to 2010. The 14 percent stake represents two 7 percent tranches that were supposed to have been offered to the government in 2008 and 2009.

Muhammad Said Didu, the secretary to the State Enterprises Ministry, said that state-owned firms have the money to purchase the Newmont stake and were definitely interested in NNT’s copper and gold mining operation in West Nusa Tenggara,

“We are now ready and willing to purchase up to 21 percent of the shares in order to be able to put our people in strategic positions on the board of directors,” he said, referring to the 14 percent stake currently on offer, plus a further 7 percent that must be divested by Newmont next year. He added: “If we only get 7 percent or 14 percent that would mean that we would only get one commissioner, who would be able to do nothing.”

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani said on Thursday that the final decision would be made by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

At least five potential buyers have expressed an interest in the NNT stake, including a consortium of three local governments from West Nusa Tenggara backed by PT Multicapital, which is owned by companies controlled by the family of Aburizal Bakrie, the coordinating minister for people’s welfare.

State-owned enterprises, including miners PT Aneka Tambang, PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam and PT Timah have also expressed interest.

Terror Returns

Terror Returns: Nine Killed in Jakarta Blasts

As bombs ripped into two of Jakarta’s most prestigious hotels, the specter of Indonesian terrorism once again cast its long shadow around the world. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono condemned the “cruel, inhuman and irresponsible bombing.” “These actions are likely to have been conducted by terrorist groups, although it is uncertain whether they are from the terrorist network that we are already familiar with,” Yudhoyono said, in a clear reference to Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), which has been blamed for a string of attacks going back to the Bali bombings in 2002, which killed 202 people. The group was also blamed for the 2003 suicide bomb attack on the JW Marriott hotel that left 12 dead. In Friday’s attack, which occurred shortly before 8 a.m., bombers blew themselves up at two neighboring upscale hotels, the JW Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton, leaving at least nine dead, including some foreigners, and more than 50 wounded. “According to our preliminary site examination, they were suicide bombings,” National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri said. “We are trying to identify the two suicide bombers. The first, found at the Ritz-Carlton, is easier to identify than the suspect we found at the Marriott.” Yudhoyono said the attacks were an attempt to set the country back. “What we have built for the past five years, with hard work and the sweat of the entire Indonesian people, once again has to suffer from jolts and regression,” he said. Indonesia had in recent years grown increasingly secure, he said, allowing the economy to progress and helping to heal the country’s image abroad. Democracy had flourished, respect for human rights was spreading, and the country was starting to play a greater role on the international stage. A senior National Police officer told the Jakarta Globe that a third man was involved in the attacks. Police believe the three were linked to JI. “They came [to the Marriott] looking just like hotel guests, neatly dressed, on Friday morning. Nobody suspected them, even a hotel security guard who let them in though the metal detector sounded when they passed with their bags and suitcase,” the officer said. The suspects had booked a room on the 18th floor from Wednesday under the name Nur Rusdi, which is believed to be a fake name. “A couple of minutes after they checked into their room, they left again. Before leaving, they activated a bomb, setting the bomb to explode in the room later, but, thank God, it failed to detonate,” the officer said. One of three men went into the Marriott’s Sailendra restaurant toting a bag and a suitcase, and detonated a bomb there at 7:47 a.m. Another went to the Airlangga restaurant at the nearby Ritz-Carlton and blew himself up there 10 minutes later. The whereabouts of the third suspect are still unknown, he said. Police said six bodies were later found at the Marriott and two others at the Ritz-Carlton. Fifty-three people were wounded and taken to hospitals. Jakarta Police Chief Insp. Gen. Wahyono said police found and dismantled a third bomb containing black powder, ball bearings and bolts, in a room on the 18th floor at 11 a.m. “These bombs appear to carry Azahari Husin’s trademark. He always used bolts to maximize the damage,” a top antiterror police officer told the Globe, referring to a key Malaysian terrorist shot dead during a police raid in Batu, East Java, in November 2005. Azahari is believed to have taught others how to make explosive devices. Bambang said the police were searching for a man identified only by his initial, N, but declined to say whether JI was behind the blasts. He did say that bombs at both crime scenes were similar to those found at a house in Cilacap, Central Java, on Tuesday. Police believe the daughter of the house owner was married to Noordin M Top, another key Malaysian terrorist suspect still on the loose. “We, as a nation, as a state and as a people, should not be defeated and surrender to the terrorists,” Yudhoyono said. “We should not allow extremist violence and other crimes to continue to grow in this country.”

Red Devils Head to Asia for Preseason Tour

Alex Ferguson’s men headed for Kuala Lumpur on Thursday on a trip that will see them play a Malaysian XI on Saturday before traveling to Jakarta to take on an Indonesian All-Star team on Monday. They move to South Korea for a match against FC Seoul on July 24 then to Hangzhou in China two days later.

Despite banking 80 million pounds ($131 million) for selling Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, Ferguson has restricted his summer buying spree to Owen, on a free transfer, Wigan’s Antonio Valencia and Bordeaux’s Gabriel Obertan. All three are set to be showcased in a region where Premier League football has a huge following, with an estimated 50,000 fans alone due to watch the team train in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

For the club, it is as much a business trip as preseason preparations, with significant television revenues earned from Premier League games shown in Asia.

“Our fans in Asia generate money for the club, there are no two ways about it,” said United chief executive David Gill, adding that their fanatical Asian support was like nowhere else.

“The reception United get in Asia is unlike anywhere else on earth. You can’t leave your hotel room without security because of the sheer number of fans waiting in all parts of the hotel.”

For this reason, he said it was worth the long trip. It’s very important that we give our fans the ability to see the team live every so often,” he said.

“The English game is very well followed across Asia, and we have phenomenal support out there, so I think it’s only fair and right that we can give something back to these fans.”
After its summer break and in Asia’s hot and humid conditions, United is likely to take it easy, although Ferguson insists it will put on a show.

“The players are really looking forward to our Asia tour. For some, the Club World Cup in Japan [last December] was the first time they had experienced the passion generated by the club in Asia and they enjoyed it immensely,” he said.

It will be United’s first time in Malaysia since 2001 and its maiden foray to Indonesia, where the 77,000 tickets for the game at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium have already sold out.

Rio Ferdinand said the conditions and varied opposition would provide ideal preparation for the long campaign ahead. “One of the main reasons we’ve been successful in the last few years is because we’ve had a good base from preseason,” the England defender said. “It takes a bit of time to get acclimatized to the humid conditions in Asia, but it’s a good exercise to play against different teams that pose different threats.”

Food Talk: Tango, Mango! Time for a Treat

In modern cuisine, we use the mango in many recipes, as a juice, a sauce, in sorbet or ice cream, as mango tart or cake and as a salsa ingredient. In Indonesia, we serve it fresh and sliced, much as we do any other local fruit. It has a special place in the local diet in unripe sliced form for rujak (a tropical fruit salad), served with spiced palm sugar syrup. The Indians enjoy it as a lassi, a pickle and best-known, as mango chutney, made from green mango, brown sugar, vinegar, hot peppers and ginger. In Guadalupe, central Mexico, mangoes are chopped, salted and sprinkled with a little oil and served as a refreshing appetizer. Raw soups enjoy a boost in nutrition and a lively flavor lift with the addition of fresh mangoes. In Thailand, mangoes are grated or sliced thinly and mixed with lime juice, fish sauce, chilies, lemon grass and coriander leaves. To brighten your morning, try diced mangoes on your cereal.

Mangoes are considered blood builders, with their high iron content suitable as a treatment for anemia and for women during pregnancy. Those suffering muscle cramps, stress and heart problems can benefit from the high potassium and magnesium content. They are a source of vitamins C and A, natural sugars and fiber. Zero fat and about 100 calories in a single serving also make it a good food for inclusion in weight-loss programs. There is little doubt that the mango is an exceptional fruit, not only for its high-ranking nutrients, but also for its intense, zesty and delightful flavor. This time of the year, in season, we can argue confidently that we have the best choice of mangoes in the world. Mango golek has an unusual shape, long and not oval. Indramayu and kwini/bacang are bigger and round. Manalagi is much smaller with a light fragrance. All of these mangoes have subtle differences and all are great to eat fresh. Harum manis and gedong are my favorites and both have a lovely fragrance and natural sweetness. Manis has a green skin, while gedong is distinctive for its mixed hues of green, orange and yellow.

This week, let me suggest something slightly different for enjoying mangoes. Simple grilled white snapper is delightful when served with a spicy mango salsa. You can substitute red snapper or even salmon and tuna depending on your preference. For the more adventurous, try serving it as a garnish for tenderloin steak or even chicken breast.

White Snapper Fillet with Spicy Mango Salsa

Four white snapper fillets. Juice of two limes, salt and black pepper for seasoning.

For the salsa, two harum manis mangoes (don’t use overripe mango), peeled and chopped; four chilies, sliced thinly; three shallots, sliced thinly; small piece of ginger, grated (optional); two tablespoons lime juice; four tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; and a handful of fresh basil, torn into small pieces. Salt and black pepper to taste.Mix the mango, chilies, shallots and basil in a bowl and refrigerate. Season the fish with salt and pepper, lime juice and oil. Heat a pan cook the fish for about four minutes on each side. Remove pan from heat and add lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to the mango mixture and mix well. Serve with stir fried greens and rice.

New Menu

New Look at Puro

Two weeks ago, Puro ditched its “Pure” fine-dining theme and attempted to transform itself into a hip and trendy hangout. Transformation efforts included abandoning an all-white decor by garnishing the dining area with plastic vines, vases filled with colorful fruit and most notably brown, cardboard menus.

According to Fina Pardede, a representative of the Ismaya Group that Puro is part of, “We used to only attract people 40 years and up, now we’re trying to attract primarily the younger crowd.” Puro, tucked away in the back of City Plaza, is out of sight to pedestrian and car traffic, so planning ahead for the night out is a must. Puro’s seclusion — a disadvantage for the restaurant’s management, works to the advantage of diners, creating a quiet escape from Jakarta’s traffic and noise.

Strolling into an empty restaurant at 6:30 p.m., my date and I noticed quaint chandeliers hanging over a large bar and an open kitchen full of idle chefs. The restaurant doesn’t offer an early bird special, to my dismay, but the young, hip and trendy probably wouldn’t take advantage of it anyway.

As soon as we were seated near the open kitchen, complimentary bread arrived. The tomato-based bruschetta was not as fresh as I would have preferred, but warm bread and a light, crispy flatbread made up for that shortcoming. As recommended by our waiter, supervisor Rully, we ordered a variety of dishes: the Insalata di Cesare to start and Spaghetti al Nero di Sepia and Pizza Funghi Prosciutto as mains.

While waiting, we treated ourselves to Ciello and Pure Innocence cocktails. Although these items were not discounted, they were the most innovative and tasty items of our dinner. Ciello was a mix of crushed fruit and rum. A smoothie-esque concoction, the mixture of lime and kiwi was refreshingly pungent.

Our salad was the first item to arrive. Charmingly arranged, it consisted of long croutons wedged between lettuce leaves and topped with bacon, dressing and Parmesan cheese. The finger-friendly take on the usually reliable salad was delectable and fun to eat. Definitely not fine-dining, it should be a winner with younger crowds.

Promptly, our spaghetti with seafood and squid ink sauce, arrived. The al-dente spaghetti mixed well with the black ink sauce and the seafood was fresh and tasty. The pasta dish fulfilled my comfort-food craving, but not much else: It proved appetizing, but not especially flavorful. Next, the waiter delivered our pizza on a wooden board. The funghi and prosciutto complemented each other well. I have never been a fan of pepperoni, so the prosciutto acted as a more delicate version, flavoring the pizza rather than overpowering it.

Though both full by this point, we sampled a Mousse di Cioccolato. It was a reliable chocolate-hazelnut treat, but nothing beyond that. Good Italian food is hard to come by in Jakarta and coughing up the money for it is even more taxing — but Puro gives patrons a reason to pay out that extra Rp 20,000. It is now a stylish hang out with affordable, refreshing food well worth your change.

Deficit Could Rise

Kalla: Deficit Could Rise to 3% of GDP

Vice President Jusuf Kalla claimed the budget deficit could swell to 3 percent of gross domestic product this year, as he expected tax revenue to fall an estimated Rp 100 trillion ($9.9 billion) short of the target.

“The deficit will reach almost 3 percent this year — above 2.7 percent for sure,” Kalla said on Thursday. “But it will still be lower than in the United States.”

Kalla said the 3 percent mark, the ceiling under state budgetary law, was related to the drop in tax receipts, in line with this year’s decreased growth forecast. “Automatically, the tax revenue will have to be revised down by about Rp 100 trillion,” he said.

When asked about Kalla’s remarks, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, the official in charge of tax collection, declined to comment. I already know what you are going to ask, and I have nothing to say,” she said when approached by reporters.

Kalla’s comments could be construed as a parting shot before he leaves office at Sri Mulyani, whom he has disagreed with in the past. The government is currently targeting a budget deficit of 2.5 percent of GDP this year, or approximately Rp 139.5 trillion.

Last month, the Finance Ministry predicted tax revenue this year would reach Rp 577.6 trillion, or 98.3 percent of its target.

Revenues for value-added taxes and sales taxes were slightly lower than previously expected.

Fauzi Ichsan, chief economist at Standard Chartered, said the doubted that this year’s deficit would be as high as Kalla had predicted. “Tax revenue may decline, but government spending is not that good either,” Fauzi said, pointing out that 2008’s leftover budgetary spending amounted to approximately Rp 51.3 trillion.

Aspac Win?

Aspac’s Semifinal Shocker Sets Up All-Jakarta Finals

The road to success in the Indonesian Basketball League, like most things in the country, goes through Jakarta. Three-time defending league champion Satria Muda Britama’s presence in the IBL finals was expected. Less so was that of two-time champion XL Aspac, which had to beat regular-season runner-up Garuda Flexi to reach the finals.

Satria Muda and Aspac are fixtures in the finals, having contested all but two grand finals since the league started in 2003. Aspac beat Bhinneka Solo for the 2003 crown, and Satria Muda topped Garuda Flexi in 2008 for its third straight and fourth overall title. Aspac manager Irawan Haryono said on Wednesday that the team’s run to the finals was unexpected. “A lot of people doubted us after we released several stars and decided to bank on the juniors,” he said. “But now we’re in the finals again.”

Aspac earned the chance to reclaim its crown after beating Garuda Flexi 69-65 in overtime at C-Tra Arena in Bandung, West Java. The result kept with the trend of close games in the series, with Aspac winning Game 1 55-54 before losing Game 2 65-60.

Coach Tjetjep Firmansyah’s faith in youth quickly paid dividends. Having dumped older players such as Mario Wuysang to Garuda and Andy Poedjakesuma to Pelita Jaya, Aspac turned to young forward Rizky Effendi and guards Dirk Matthew Mario Gerungan and Xaverius Prawiro. Rizky, 22, led Aspac with 19 points in its Game 3 victory. Irawan said the team’s youngsters could play without pressure against city rival Satria Muda, which he called the best team in the country.

“I know that young players tend to be erratic, but we’re the underdogs now so we will play without a heavy burden,” he said. “We asked the squad to just enjoy the games and do their best.”

While Satria Muda is the league’s in-form team of recent years, Aspac can lay claim to more long-term success. It won Kobatama, Indonesia’s previous top-tier league, eight times, including a three-peat from 2000 to 2002. “This is our first step to once again becoming the top club in the league. We will do just that,” Irawan said.

Satria Muda, meanwhile, cruised into the finals with a 2-0 sweep of Nuvo CLS Knights.

“We don’t care who we’ll fight in the finals,” coach Fictor Roring told state-run news agency Antara. “We’re ready to retain the trophy.” Satria Muda hosts the first two games of the best-of-five series at Britama Arena on July 25 and 26. Aspac will host Games 3 and 4 at Gelora Bung Karno Basketball Hall on Aug. 1 and 2, with Game 5 returning to Britama Arena on Aug. 3.

Scream

Music That Makes You Want to Scream

Aneka Digital Safari is a band absolutely without pretenses.

“We have no philosophy,” said band member Heickel Al Katiri. “We just want to be the loudest band possible.”

Instead of playing standard rock instruments — bass, guitar, keyboard – Aneka Digital Safari, which is made up of Heickel, Ricky Rhavasia and Tafta, manipulates effect pedals and digital devices to create an ear-tingling cacophony.

The band’s name is derived from the title of a 1980s variety show, Aneka Ria Safari, which was taped and aired by TVRI, then the country’s only TV station.

The show is fondly remembered by many musicians over the age of 20 as belonging to the most formative years of Indonesian pop culture.

Heickel said: “We wanted people to think of the show — and that we had a cute name — but then surprise them with our brutal music.”

The band members met in junior high school in Bandung, West Java, and bonded over their classic-rock interests.

But as they grew older, they became intrigued by the possibilities of subgenres of noise music, such as harsh-noise.

The three formed Aneka Digital Safari in 2005.

Heickel said: “We used a lot of weird effect pedals, and merged them with industrial tools like drills, grinders and scraps of metal.”

He said the band also sourced audio samples that could be a bit extreme, for example, an excerpt from a kampong boy’s account of being raped.

While this kind of appropriation might turn some people off, Aneka Digital Safari is following in the footsteps of people like British artist and musician Genesis P-Orridge, who was famous for his sadomasochistic live shows.

Heickel said that Aneka Digital Safari dabbled in sexual imagery and compared their performances to having a “full-time erection.”

The group has released two full-length albums, “Mohel” and “Addiction of Violence.” It has also collaborated with local and international artists by releasing split-singles (an album with one or two songs by each artist).

For now, the group is busy recording material for a yet-to-be-titled new album. In the coming months it will also release a split with Torturing Nurse, an experimental group from Shanghai, China.

Aneka Digital Safari is also busy spreading their love for experimental music by setting up shows and forming a record label.

“We have no name yet for the label, but we already are in the process of setting up gigs for international experimental artists to come play here,” Heickel said.

Later this year, they plan on inviting One Man Nation from Singapore, DJ Urine from France and Gokun from Bulgary to play a show here.

While they do sometimes play regular gigs at clubs and cafes, Heickel said the trio preferred the spontaneity of unplanned performances in “odd places.”

“We have no ideal setting or preferred sound quality for our live shows. What is important is that it is loud,” he said.

In the Night

Spirits

Indonesians have a weakness for ghosts. Parents tell their children to stay inside after dusk, or risk being snatched by genderuwo or kuntilanak — just two in an endless array of scary beings.

In grade school, older schoolmates and teachers introduce new entrants to the world of education at an initiation camp, where jurit malam — a nocturnal trip across dark fields and graveyards — is required so that the older students can hide in the dark, cloaked in white sheets and jump out when it is least expected.

And besides these parental folk tales and institutional rituals, the country’s ubiquitous ghost movies haunt children, turning the country into a nation of superstitious adults.

Skimming through such films from the past few years, one can’t help noticing that Jakarta is abundant with ghost legends, and so this past weekend, we — two reporters, a photographer, a psychic and an adventurer — set out to scare up the city’s spirits.

At around 10 p.m., we arrived at the makeshift tent of a roadside bottled-gasoline vendor near Jembatan Goyang, supposedly one of the most haunted bridges in Ancol, North Jakarta. The slightly chipped full moon already hung high overhead.

“My mother often sees ghosts,” said Bayu, the vendor. “A few days ago, she saw a tuyul and was immediately possessed near that kapok tree.”

A tuyul is a naked toddler ghost — think the dancing baby in “Ally McBeal” — believed to be kept by some as a servant to steal for their human masters. Goyang Bridge, however, is most famous for its tutelary spirit, often called Siti Ariah, although our psychic said she found out that the ghost’s real name was Siti Anisah.

Legend has it that Siti Anisah was a young girl in the early 19th century who was kidnapped, raped and murdered. Her body was dumped in a rice field near what is now Goyang Bridge.

The story was made into films in 1973 and 1994, both titled “Si Manis Jembatan Ancol” (“The Sweetheart of Ancol Bridge”). Siti Anisah, who is also referred to as Mariah or Mariam, was the main character in Indonesia’s first television soap opera about ghosts. The 1990s sinetron, also called “Si Manis Jembatan Ancol,” had its heroine wearing a skimpy white outfit and befriending two effeminate male ghosts.

Taking a raft across the Ancol River and back, we asked two raft hands if they had ever seen the sweetheart in their years on the fetid, black water. We also asked Abbas — whose cellphone credit shop is located right on the eastern end of Goyang Bridge — if Siti Anisah ever made contact.

Disappointingly, they all said no. Our psychic was silent as well, although she had been told by the more timid members of the troupe not to reveal her visions until after the night was over.

Heading south, we arrived at Casablanca Tunnel, which is built on a cemetery, in South Jakarta at almost 11 p.m. It is said that drivers must honk three times as they pass through the tunnel at night to prevent Kuntilanak Merah — a red-robed, long-haired female apparition — appearing and standing before their cars, as in the 2007 movie “Terowongan Casablanca” (“The Casablanca Tunnel”). “I’ve never seen the ghost, but there are always road accidents here, at least once a week,” said Ripal, who sells cigarettes near the tunnel. “It is a small tunnel. Besides, the road lanes have no traffic lights, making it convenient for speeding at night.”

Yana, who has lived near the Casablanca graveyard all her life, said that she had never seen the specter.

Yana’s mother told her of the ghost’s origin. “She is the angry spirit of a nyai ,” she said, a nyai being a female companion of a Dutch official or soldier in colonial times. “When the roads and tunnel were about to be built on a cemetery, the workers disinterred all the skeletons except hers. The honking is a way of asking for permission to pass through her territory.” Asked if she saw anything, our psychic, smiled and said, “Later.” As we made our way into the tunnel, we noticed ours was not the only car that honked three times.

It was nearly midnight when we parked in front of Centro nightclub in Dharmawangsa Square in South Jakarta. Just a stone’s throw from the club, surrounded by small parks and looming trees, is a two-story house known as Rumah Kentang, or the Potato House.

Feri, a security officer on duty, led us to the house’s dimly lit backyard, and we asked him if a legend about a baby falling into a cauldron of boiling potatoes here were true. Having guarded the house for six months, Feri said he had become acquainted with not only the baby’s ghost, but also other spirits that haunt the house, which is now the headquarters of a nongovernmental organization.

“The female ghost likes to hug me when I’m about to sleep,” he said. “After 1 a.m., I usually smell boiled potatoes, or French fries, just like the ones they have at McDonald’s.”

While our photographer was taking pictures of the building, we, the reporters, stared at each other, whispering: “Do you smell that? Can it be?” We hurried back to the gate as Feri, who did not see the look on our faces, pointed in different directions, saying, “Under that tree,” and “Behind that box.”

Our psychic also eagerly asked our photographer to take pictures of the specific spots.

Back in the car, we decided that the smell had probably come from the star fruit tree we were standing under. But we were quiet as we made our way to our next destination: the Jeruk Purut Cemetery, allegedly home to the ghost of a headless priest and his black dog, both made popular by the 2006 film “Hantu Jeruk Purut” (“The Ghost of Jeruk Purut”).

Just the thought of a headless man and his hound was frightening in itself, but we were thrilled to find the entrance to the cemetery and its management office well lit. Indra, a caretaker at the South Jakarta graveyard, said he had taken many curious visitors on nocturnal tours in the land of the dead. Most are youngsters, like the four junior high school students who accompanied us on our own expedition across the burial ground.

Rian, Vicky, Rizal and Dindi thought the cemetery would be a fun place to go on a Friday night. Vicky said he had been there before and was not afraid of ghosts.

“We’re here for Rizal, to help him find a girlfriend,” Vicky said, and the four burst into laughter. Some superstitious locals believe that graveyards bring good luck and offer mystic help with things like winning lottery or having the power to win someone’s heart, usually by means of meditation.

Indra said the story of the headless priest was a myth, but that he had seen a lot of other “things” in the cemetery.

“I could not put my right foot on the ground once. A child ghost kept lifting it up, and I became ill afterwards,” he said. This was after we had stepped carefully across land jam-packed with tombstones. At this point, our brave photographer freaked out and begged to leave.

There are four main haunted points in the graveyard, Indra said, leading us to a tree encircled by high bushes. Behind it was a pitch-dark rivulet. Indra said we only needed to stay for five minutes to see a huge, hairy ghoul, and that some people asked to be left on their own to encounter the spirit. We continued our journey to a second point, a larger tree with a big hollow in its trunk. We sat before it for more than five minutes, took pictures and then returned to the office. Not a ghost in sight, nor any captured on film. At 2 a.m., we were back on the road headed further south. We arrived at a small shop selling jamu (herbal tonics) in Bintaro, Tangerang, about an hour later.

Railway tracks stretched away from the side of a shop, where we listened to Munir, a customer, relate the story of the Bintaro tragedy.

On the morning of Oct. 19, 1987, two trains collided near Sudimara Station in Bintaro. More than 100 passengers were reported dead, and at least 300 were injured. In 1989, the story was turned into a movie titled “Tragedi Bintaro,” and singer Iwan Fals wrote about it in his song “1910.” “I was a boy back then,” Munir said. “I walked there from home and helped find the dismembered body parts.

“The condition of the area around the particular railway tracks is different now. The land has been flattened and the neighborhood has put on more lights, but some people say they still hear soft cries at night.”

Following Munir’s directions, we followed the road at the side of the tracks to where the accident took place. With the car windows down and video camera rolling, we found ourselves trying to reconstruct the scene in our minds. We did not see or hear anything from another dimension. And it was probably the silence that pervaded the railway, or the majestic red that began to gleam in the eastern sky, that made the area feel forlorn rather than spooky.

Finally, it was time to roll the windows up and return to Jakarta. We asked our psychic if anything was following us, as some believe ghosts can latch onto people and accompany them home .

“No, it’s alright,” she said. “Before we started the journey, I assigned spirits to protect each of you. Nothing could harm you back at those places.” We asked, “Is that why we didn’t see anything?” She only responded with a mysterious smile. But what did our psychic see? She would not tell us until the next day. “Oh, a lot!” she said.

She claims to have seen the spirits of genderuwo, kuntilanak, tuyul, pocong (ghosts shrouded in white) and even the spirit of a kyai (Islamic cleric). She said: “Did you see me remove the plastic bag from one of the graves? Well, something asked me to.”

Jakarta’s Urban Legends on Film

Who: Siti Anisah
Also known as Siti Ariah, Mariah and Mariam in different stories, Siti Anisah was raped and killed in an area near Goyang Bridge in Ancol, North Jakarta. Her tragic story was adapted to movies in 1973 and 1994, and in the 1990s, a soap opera, all titled “Si Manis Jembatan Ancol” (“The Sweetheart of Ancol Bridge”). The soap opera featured her as a ghost.

What: Pondok Indah House,
South Jakarta
Legend has it that a robber killed every member of a family living in the residence. The 2006 film “Rumah Pondok Indah” tells a fictitious story of a dead body placed inside a sculpture that stands in the house.

Who: Suster Ngesot
Ngesot means to drag oneself across the floor, and, it is believed, there is a particular nurse spirit who likes to scare people by doing it. The story is told in many parts of Jakarta, as well as in two 2007 films, “Suster Ngesot the Movie” and “Suster N.” Who: The headless priest and his black dog The two are believed to haunt the Jeruk Purut Cemetery in South Jakarta. The legend was adapted into a 2006 film, “Hantu Jeruk Purut” (“The Ghost of Jeruk Purut”).

What: Manggarai Ghost Train
It’s the last train from Manggarai, South Jakarta. Or is it? Watch the adaptation in “Kereta Hantu Manggarai” (“The Ghost Train of Manggarai”), released in 2008.

Batik City Takes On Modernity

Hoping to snatch public attention again, less than a month after the 2009 Solo Batik Carnival, this past weekend hundreds of batik outfits were displayed on an open catwalk on Solo’s main street, Jalan Diponegoro, during the city’s first Solo Batik Fashion Show.

The city of Solo, home to the palaces of two ancient kingdoms, hopes to build on the attention batik has been getting globally since the collection of Ann Dunham — the late mother of US President Barack Obama — was shown in Chicago earlier this year, and in other US cities through August.

“Don’t let us lose the momentum,” said Solo Mayor Joko Widodo, “especially when Malaysia and other countries are eager to claim batik as theirs. Solo must remain the center for batik.”

For the fashion show, the patio of Windu Jenar Market — usually visited by foreign tourists in search of antiquities — was converted into a makeshift catwalk on which the creations of six designers from Solo and one from Yogyakarta were displayed.

The designers — Eko Sudarmanto, Rorry Wardana, Joko Budi Santosa, Lalan Suwarno, Joko Widiarto and Jongko Raharjo from Solo, and Nita Ashar from Yogyakarta — created contemporary pieces using hand-drawn batik patterns from both of Solo’s palaces, Surakartan and Mangkunegaran.

They also collaborated with local batik craftsmen Gunawan Setiawan from Kauman Batik Tourism Kampong and Alpha Febela Priyatmono from Laweyan Batik Tourism Kampong.

Thousands of people attended the show, coming not only from Solo and surrounding cities, but also from overseas.

“I happened to be here on vacation. Next week, I will leave for Bali,” said Patrick Adam, from Australia. He had cancelled a planned climb of Lawu Mountain to attend the show.

For the event, the designers were encouraged to experiment with Solo’s traditional batik patterns — more than 500 of which have been registered by the city government.

Designer Joko paired a 50-year-old batik parang (a popular design featuring a sword pattern) from his personal collection with a modern kebaya.

“Usually, batik parang godong , parang curigo gede , parang nogorojo and parang gondo kusumo could only be worn inside the palace,” he said.

Designer Jongko, who has created pieces for the reigning Miss Indonesias to wear in the Miss World and Miss Universe competitions for the last three years, created a batik cocktail dress. “I picked the theme of sexy and glamorous batik,” he said. “Suitable for all occasions.”

Rorry applied batik patterns to bell-shaped skirts.

“Batik does not always have to be displayed fully as a piece of cloth,” he said. “It can also be used to accentuate. This is a modern approach. Although it is doesn’t follow customary application, the result is still catchy and liked by people who ignore batik custom usage.”

For traditional batik craftsman Alpha, such creativity should not be restrained, as long as the designers remain aware of the textile’s customary roots.

“Now is not like before,” he said.

“We face a new age. It takes a new way for batik to be accepted by people, especially youths. They live in the era of T-shirts, jeans and mini skirts.”

Mayor Joko said the recent shows were opportunities for the city to become better known as a batik center, while staying inside the corridor of tradition.

“Solo will never be like Bandung or Bali, he said.

“And we should never make Solo like that. We must be ourselves and stay on track as batik city.”

U-15 Tourney

U-15 Tourney

After being lauded for its efforts to spur cricket development, now is the time for Indonesia to start reaping the rewards for its hard work. Indonesia, winner of the past two International Cricket Council awards for best youth cricket initiative, has a chance to show its progress when it hosts the third East Asia-Pacific U-15 Cricket 8s Trophy. The 20-over format tournament begins today and runs through Saturday.

Cricket grounds in East Jakarta’s Cibubur, Purwakarta in West Java and Karawaci and Karawang, both in Banten, will host eight teams from seven countries. In addition to the Indonesian A and B teams, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and two-time defending champion Papua New Guinea will round out the field.

The Indonesian B team was formed as a last-minute replacement when the Cook Islands withdrew. Indonesia will host the tournament for the first time, having finished fifth at the inaugural tournament in Melbourne in 2005 before missing the 2007 event in Samoa.

To prepare for the tournament, Cricket Indonesia general manager Prakash Vijaykumar said the association recruited the top players from its under-15 national championship last month.

“It is a big challenge for us to gather all the children from all over the country as Indonesia is a big country. Though the team has only one month of preparation, the players have been training at their clubs for the last five months,” Vijaykumar said during a news conference on Monday.

Indonesia A captain Gema Fajar is confident his team has what it takes to defend its home soil.

“Our team is already solid. We want to give our best in the tournament,” Gema said. “We hope we can enter the top four places this year. If it’s possible, we want to be the champion.” Indonesia A opens play today against Japan at 9 a.m. in Cibubur, followed by a 1 p.m. match against Fiji in Karawaci. Indonesia B faces Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea in Purwakarta.

“We’re confident we can win against Japan as the sport is relatively new there, as it is here. We also beat the Japanese team in the U-19 tournament in Papua New Guinea last May,” Gema said. “Fiji will be a harder opponent, but we’re optimistic about winning the match.”

Matthew Weisheit, the ICC’s East Asia-Pacific regional development manager, said the tournament would help the young players discover how it feels to represent their country in international competition.

The tournament is one part of Cricket Indonesia’s continuing efforts to establish the sport at a grassroots level. Its recent laurels include its two ICC Global Development Awards, the Best Junior Development Initiative for its Ultra Milk U-15 Development Program and a Lifetime Service Award for former Cricket Indonesia president Alan Wilson.

U-15 Tourney

U-15 Tourney

After being lauded for its efforts to spur cricket development, now is the time for Indonesia to start reaping the rewards for its hard work. Indonesia, winner of the past two International Cricket Council awards for best youth cricket initiative, has a chance to show its progress when it hosts the third East Asia-Pacific U-15 Cricket 8s Trophy. The 20-over format tournament begins today and runs through Saturday.

Cricket grounds in East Jakarta’s Cibubur, Purwakarta in West Java and Karawaci and Karawang, both in Banten, will host eight teams from seven countries. In addition to the Indonesian A and B teams, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and two-time defending champion Papua New Guinea will round out the field.

The Indonesian B team was formed as a last-minute replacement when the Cook Islands withdrew. Indonesia will host the tournament for the first time, having finished fifth at the inaugural tournament in Melbourne in 2005 before missing the 2007 event in Samoa.

To prepare for the tournament, Cricket Indonesia general manager Prakash Vijaykumar said the association recruited the top players from its under-15 national championship last month.

“It is a big challenge for us to gather all the children from all over the country as Indonesia is a big country. Though the team has only one month of preparation, the players have been training at their clubs for the last five months,” Vijaykumar said during a news conference on Monday.

Indonesia A captain Gema Fajar is confident his team has what it takes to defend its home soil.

“Our team is already solid. We want to give our best in the tournament,” Gema said. “We hope we can enter the top four places this year. If it’s possible, we want to be the champion.” Indonesia A opens play today against Japan at 9 a.m. in Cibubur, followed by a 1 p.m. match against Fiji in Karawaci. Indonesia B faces Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea in Purwakarta.

“We’re confident we can win against Japan as the sport is relatively new there, as it is here. We also beat the Japanese team in the U-19 tournament in Papua New Guinea last May,” Gema said. “Fiji will be a harder opponent, but we’re optimistic about winning the match.”

Matthew Weisheit, the ICC’s East Asia-Pacific regional development manager, said the tournament would help the young players discover how it feels to represent their country in international competition.

The tournament is one part of Cricket Indonesia’s continuing efforts to establish the sport at a grassroots level. Its recent laurels include its two ICC Global Development Awards, the Best Junior Development Initiative for its Ultra Milk U-15 Development Program and a Lifetime Service Award for former Cricket Indonesia president Alan Wilson.

Bakrie News

Bakrie News :

Gets Green Light To Engineer NNT Stake Bid

A representative of the West Nusa Tenggara local government consortium seeking to buy a stake in PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara said on Monday that the group would take a back seat to PT Multicapital, an affiliated company of the Bakrie group, in an effort to buy shares of NNT from its US-based parent company, Newmont Mining.

The move suggests that the local governments have given up their right to participate in negotiating with Newmont or approving other financing partners.

“The local governments want to purchase the entire 31 percent stake in NNT [being divested],” West Nusa Tenggara Governor Muhammad Zainul Majdi said on Monday. “We notified the central government of our plan today so that our local people will get the maximum benefit from the deal.”

Majdi said the consortium had agreed that Multicapital would finance the 10 percent stake that must be divested by Newmont by September. A further 21 percent may also be available for purchase once the central government and Newmont finalized the stake price.

“We will finance the 10 percent stake through Multicapital, and we will get the other 21 percent from other partners if [Multicapital] cannot provide it,” he said.

The governments of West Nusa Tenggara province and the districts of West Sumbawa and Sumbawa established a joint-venture company, PT Daerah Maju Bersaing, to buy the NNT shares.

Dileep Srivastava, vice president for investor relations at PT Bumi Resources, said in a text message on Monday that funding for the stake purchase would be arranged by Multicapital.

“Bumi has an about 5 percent minority stake in Multicapital,” he said. “I believe the other partner is Bakrie Capital Industries.”

“Bumi’s interest is in the operations [of the mine],” he added.

From 2007 to as early as last month, Srivastava had denied that either Bumi or any other Bakrie company was interested in purchasing shares of NNT.

Meanwhile, Sofyan Djalil, the state-owned enterprises minister, said the government did not appear interested in giving SOEs a chance to buy the stake.

“Until now the central government has expressed no preference for SOEs,” Sofyan said, “and the local governments did not ask us to join their consortium.”

Speaking about the price negotiations with Newmont, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said the government was hoping to wind up a deal for the 31 percent stake “within a week.”

In a memorandum of understanding signed by the consortium and Mulitcapital on Saturday, the two parties agreed to split revenue from the stake 25-75, respectively.