Batam Happynings Vol 3 No 5 - 22 Feb 12

Vol 3 No 05 - 23 February, 2012
Clean energy,
Batam style
HANS VAN Schaik’s enthusiasm for his
work is clearly evident as he tours a
visitor around the main electric-generation building in the Kawasan Tunas
Industrial Estate in Batam Centre. Five massive, natural
gas-fueled generators are delivering 12,600 kilowatts of
electricity to the myriad companies in the estate. The noise
of the turbines is almost deafening. Hans barely notices.
van Schaik is the general manager, Batam branch, of
NAVIGAT energy, the exclusive provider of General
Electric Jenbacher gas engines and GE-Aero derivative
gas turbines in Indonesia. The company’s “clean energy”
power plants are installed in five Batam locations, with a
total of 19 gas
engines, and about
450 currently operating throughout
Indonesia. The company started its marketing activities
in 2004.
Batam Profile
Armed with degrees in both economics (“My father’s
choice,” he says.) and mechanical engineering (“I always
liked to build things.”), Hans seems right at home in a
part of the world where the opportunities are vast and
life’s daily occurrences interesting.
“There are so many challenges here,” he says. “Here, you
can be creative.”
NAVIGAT energy general manager, Batam branch,
Hans van Schaik.
A native of Utrecht, Holland, he has lived in Indonesia
since 1978, and in Batam for the last three years. His
family, including a 24-year-old son and 14-year-old
daughter, lives in Bandung.
Continued on page 11
THE 11TH ANNUAL Batam International Charity Golf Tournament will
be held at SouthLinks Golf & Country
Club on the 15th & 16th March 2012.
The event will kick off with “The
Teddy Bear Picnic Day” on the
morning of the 15th at the Holiday
Inn Children’s Playground. This is a
fun day organized by the Batam
International Charity Ladies Committee, and a day spent with the
orphanage children. The main BICGT
event will kick off later in the evening
at Holiday Inn with sponsored free
flow of drinks and food.
The following day will be a full day of
golf in Batam, with novelty holes and
sponsored prizes, including two cars
up for grabs for those of who can
raise their skill levels to peak on the
day. To round out the event
programme, an awards dinner with
will be held at the SouthLinks, where
results of the day will be announced,
followed by the prize
presentations.
“This
event
started off as a
small collective
effort by McDermott staff, vendors and wellwishers to raise
funds to help those
in need in the local
c o m m u n i t y , ”
according to Chris
Langmaid. “That gen-
erosity has increased progressively
each year to a point where the Batam
International Charity is constantly
Continued on page 7
SUPER 15s Rugby from the Southern Hemisphere is back on the
GOODIES big-screen TV this weekend, plus two big matches from the
Six-Nations series in the UK and Europe.
Kicking off the Super Rugby from 1.30 p.m. on Friday will be a match
between the Crusaders and the Blues in Auckland. Coming off a
successful pre-season, the Crusaders will be looking to continue their
winning streak as the official season kicks off.
The Brumbies and the Western Force will meet in the second match on
Friday, commencing at 3.30 p.m.
The Chiefs and the Highlanders clash on Saturday at 1.30 p.m., and
the Waratahs meet their arch rivals the Queensland Reds on Saturday
at 3.30 p.m.
The Six-Nations games begin Saturday with the clash between Ireland
and Italy in Dublin from 8.30, with the much-anticipated game
between England and Wales live from 10.50 p.m.
Okusi Associates
Indonesian Research & Management
Okusi Associates is an Indonesian
corporate management-services firm
based in Jakarta. Founded in 1997, Okusi
has become a significant
player in attracting foreign
Company
investors to set up business
esablishment,
in Indonesia.
licensing
Okusi's specialty is
Work permits
establishing and operating
and visas
Indonesian companies for
Financial and
foreign investors who wish to
tax reporting,
do business in Indonesia,
corporate and
and providing sound
personal
information upon which good
Assessment,
investment decisions can be
industrial,
made. Since 1997, Okusi has
consumer and
established more than 1000
industrial
PMA (Foreign Direct
Investment) companies,
more than any other firm in Indonesia.
Okusi also has permanent branch offices
in Bali (since 2006) and Batam (2009).
.Okusi has four divisions:
§ Corporate
§ Immigration
§ Accountancy
§ Research
In Batam, we are
located at:
Ruko Citra
Super Mall Blok
B No. 10,
Harbour Bay,
Batam
(directly opposite
Carrefour
supermarket)
Hours: 8 am to 5
pm Monday to
Friday, 8 am to
12 pm Saturday
Phone: (0778)
7415011
Fax: (0778)
7415087
Email:
batam@okusi.
net
2
A pleasant
Sunday
afternoon
THERE will be another
relaxing afternoon by the pool
at GOODIES at Smiling Hill this
weekend (here’s hoping the
weather is kind).
Phil Aitken will be returning to
provide the music from 2.30
p.m. till around 5.30. And he
will be joined by visiting bass
player and music enthusiast
Peter Preece, most likely along
with some other guest
performers.
If you would like to bring your
guitar or whatever and join in
for some open mike numbers,
then please feel free (we know
there is quite a lot of hidden
talent in Batam’s expat
community, don’t we Hugh
Skinner).
We are hoping to have
interesting live music by the
pool each second Sunday
afternoon – it is too pleasant a
venue to not be used.
And if you are not in the mood
for music this Sunday then
remember there will be the
One-day Cricket and other
sports on the big screen
upstairs.
Remember also that Sunday is
Roast Day at GOODIES –
traditional roast lamb, beef,
pork or chicken, or some of the
lot with all of the trimmings.
Extended
hours
AGAINST all
expectations, it was a
triumph for the team
from Down Under in
the Equatorial Golf
Challenge played at
Batam Hills last
weekend, but only just.
Goodies
is open early
EVERY day (6.10
weekdays and
7.30 Sundays)
The Aussies and Kiwis,
playing under the label
of the Vegemite
Colonials (literally),
mastered the team of
Scots from Up Over
three matches to
one. But two of the
winning twosomes
scraped home by
the narrowest of
margins under
the four-ball-bestball format.
Why not rock on
down for an
EARLY juice or
ale and a hearty
breakfast
And the Scots cleaned up in almost
all the individual categories.
Best round of the day was carded by
John MacDonald and Stuart Leslie,
who combined for a 68 off the bat,
only to be pipped for match honors
by Ulvi Kerimli (honorary Aussie from
Azerbaijan) and Laurie Wine (noted
Kiwi and organizer) by a single
stroke on handicap.
A great day was had by all during
and after the event – the next
challenge will be in about two
months. Meantime, the trophy will
take pride of place behind the bar at
GOODIES.
YEP - you can even
watch the SPORT
while you enjoy
your meal!
Goodies
RESTAURANT
At Smiling Hill
Tel +62 778 450 533
3
New column:
In this new regular Happynings
column, Ken Anderberg will share
his experiences in exploring Batam,
Indonesia and other countries in the
region.
MY FRIENDS and family know me
as something of an explorer. Maybe
it comes with the territory of being a
journalist. Maybe it is the result of
moving every two years growing up,
as the U.S. Marines reposted my
father and our family.
Regardless, I do tend to be somewhat
compulsive about exploring. Once, on
a business trip to Thailand, I took an
early-morning walk from my Bangkok
hotel, just to explore the neighborhood. My hosts told me later it
was a dangerous neighborhood.
For the past two years, I’ve taken my
exploring international, leaving the
safety of my U.S. home with two
suitcases of belongings and setting
out to learn how to live in other
countries, other cultures, other
languages. That journey has brought
me to Batam, where I am continuing
my exploration. I’ve been asked to
share my experiences as a new expat
in Indonesia with the readers of
Happynings.
I have been fortunate during my still
short time here to have had the
assistance of others in learning about
my new home. There was an
informative trip with Doug Cole to
many parts of the island and down to
the Barelang bridge and beyond,
where I had my first experience with
a kelong (Aneka Selera), located just
past the bridge after the Barelang. I
also was able to see the scope of the
shipbuilding industry here, as well as
all the new construction and the
massive industrial parks, such as
Batamindo.
There was the trip
members of Smiling
resort to see the
Buddha statue, and
with two staff
Hill to the RTM
70-foot white
then to a local
beach. And,
of course, I
had to experience one of
the noted Batam food courts
(the Windsor)
and do the
“pub crawl” in
the entertainment district.
My latest adventure was
taken
with
Melissa Gray
and
Peter
Preece, and
Hidayat,
from Smiling
Hill, our driver, guide and translator.
Our itinerary: first to the Barelang
bridge, where we would catch a boat
for a trip to an island with a Malayu
kampung, then to lunch at a kalong
restaurant, then to the Vietnamese
village. The first and last were eye
openers.
Once we arrived at the bridge, we
parked at the top of the hill, where
we were welcomed by a man who
called to have a boat brought to our
location. There is a short walk down
to the water a hundred meters or so.
There, a dilipated sort of dock juts
out into the water; the tide was
coming in and two people were
fishing from the end of the dock.
Turns out they were catching and
cleaning fish about 4 inches long.
Looking at the water, I couldn’t help
but feel like they were missing out
on some really big fish a little
further out.
The wooden boat arrived shortly
after we did. The pilot wanted
200,000 rupiah. We were advised
the fare should be between
50,000 and 80,000. We said no
and he came down to 150,000.
We made an offer of 100,000. He
Continued on page 13
4
At top, the boat that takes
visitors to the island just a short
ride from the Barelang bridge.
Watch your step on the dock.
Above, the bridge, as seen from
the boat halfway to the island.
Below, a young girl in the
kampung on the island.
FROM 12 Noon
Menu for
this Sunday
A selection of choice
freshly roasted meats
PLUS all the trimmings roasted potato and pumpkin, carrots, peas, green
beans, gravies and sauces ...DEELISH!
Rp80,000 plus tax
GOOD FOOD
- GOOD TIMES -
Children under 10 FREE
10 to 15 ½ PRICE
GOOD FRIENDS
YES we can deliver - Phone 0778 450 533
5
international companies talk about
the most when trying to decide where
to put their money.”
BOUYED BY strong economic growth
and a relatively stable political
environment, Indonesia is poised to
become a key investment destination
for U.S. companies, provided that the
historical impediments to investment
in the country are addressed, the
US-ASEAN Business Council said.
The council visited Jakarta as part of
an annual program, meeting top
government officials and business
leaders for consultation. The council
arrived
with
its
largest-ever
delegation, comprising 35 executives
from U.S. companies, including Ford
Motor,
Procter
and
Gamble,
Monsanto, IBM, Freeport, Caterpillar
and Seagate.
Indonesian Employers’ Association
Chairman Sofjan Wanandi said U.S.
firms are seeking to invest or expand
their businesses in Indonesia, but still
need government assurance on a few
issues, such as legal
infrastructure and labor.
certainty,
“Indonesia will become a key
destination for investment by U.S.
firms and there will be much more
investment in the near future,” he
said.
Council
executive
committee
member Clay Thomson, who also
represents heavy-equipment giant
Caterpillar, said U.S. companies,
particularly
those
in
finance,
manufacturing, IT and the food
industry, are keen to invest and are
already seeking opportunities here.
More conducive business conditions,
however, are desired.
“A lot of factories go into investment
stability, confidence that contracts
are going to be upheld, confidence
that the judicial system is fair, plus
a lot of other factors,” he said. “But,
those are some (of the issues) that
APARTMENTS for RENT
TWO quality serviced and fully
furnished 2-bedroom apartments
will become available at Smiling
Hill from late October and
applications are now being taken.
These properties are designed for
long-stay expat residents and
come with satellite TV (flat
screens), Internet, fully equipped
kitchens and more. Rents are
competitive, the Western management is
responsive and the estate location and
facilities are excellent.
Call DOUG - 0813 6470 3361
6
Caterpillar is reportedly building a
US$150-million plant in Batam, to
cope with the country’s surging
demand for heavy equipment, necessary for infrastructure development, plantations and mining
projects.
Last month, Monsanto revealed its
plan to make Indonesia a production
base for corn seeds to supply the
Southeast Asian market. It has
allocated $40 million to develop
hybrid and transgenic corn seeds in
Mojokerto, East Java. In Indonesia,
the agricultural biotechnology giant
contributes around 15 percent of
domestic corn demand.
The U.S. has been one of Indonesia’s
top investors. Last year, U.S.
companies injected $1.5 billion,
representing 7.78 percent of the total
foreign direct investment of $19.28
billion, making it the third-largest
foreign investor in Southeast Asia’s
largest economy. – The Jakarta Post
4
Continued from page 1
recognized as a force for good by
both the local and international
communities. “
Mike Robinson, chairman of the
BICGT Organization Committee,
notes, “A revamped committee has
noted the positive comments from
last year’s event and will endeavour
to further improve the quality and
content so as to make the overall
experience a memorable one.
“Friday, the 16th, will be a full day of
golf in Batam,” he adds, “with
novelty holes and sponsored prizes.
To round out the event programme,
an awards dinner will be held at the
same golf venue.”
“A lot of hard work will be put into
the organizing phase but it will only
be considered worthwhile if sponsor
support continues,” Robinson says.
“For some of our sponsors, their
support has been right there since
the start, exemplifying the spirit of
charity for the rest of us.”
Short and long-stay
Accommodation
Sponsorship opportunities still exist
for this year’s event. “Please become
part of this meaningful event and
sign up for the sponsorship
opportunities so that the BIC can
continue with the good work in the
Batam community,” he says,. “With
your kind support and generosity, the
less fortunate have the opportunity
to improve their quality of life and
look forward to a better tomorrow.”
The Batam International Charity
(BIC) was established in 2002 as the
Batam Charity Bash (BCB). In 2008,
the BCB changed its name to BIC to
reflect its legal registration as a
charitable organization. BIC is managed by a committee of employees
and senior management of McDermott, and provides assistance in the
area’s greatest needs, including
school support, orphanage buildings
for the many impoverished orphan
children, medical support to the poor
and support in disaster relief. BIC
projects are funded through the
annual golf tournament event.
Where everyone belongs
Through the generous donations via
corporate and individuals sponsorships, BIC celebrated its “10 years of
Giving” in 2011 and, since its
inception, has raised approximately
USD $2 million.
More and more expats are finding Smiling Hill a pleasant
and convenient place to stay when visiting or working in
Batam. We now have guesthouse rooms and studio
suites available. Why not check us out.
For
further
information
and
sponsorship packages, go to: BIC
Golf Tournament, www.bicgt.org;
Batam
International
Charity,
www.bataminternationalcharity.org.
Inquiries to DOUG - 0813 6470 3361
7
YOU can now have delicious
food from GOODIES at Smiling
Hill delivered DIRECT and HOT
to your workplace or home.
Pizzas, Burgers, Pasta, Hot Dogs, Pies, Fish and Chips,
Sandwiches, Special Snacks or Quesadillas ... Check out our
special HOT-To-Go menu.
OR you can order dishes from our Luncheon Specials Menu, our
All-Day Breakfast line-up or even our Dinner Menu!
.
0778 423 539
0822 6805 1918
[email protected]
Orders welcome from 7am to 9.30pm
HELP us to ensure your order is handled promptly and accurately EVERY time. To avoid
language issues, please send us a TEXT message or email, including your order, your
location and your phone number. We will call back to confirm we have received your
request or you can make a quick follow-up call to check that we have received it.
8
HOME AND WORKPLACE DELIVERY MENU
PIZZA
PASTA
Your choice of Goodies LARGE economy-sized
pizzas (eight slices) with Thin and Crispy or Thick
and Chewy base. Check out our special Pizza Menu
on Page 12.
Bolognaise
Carbonara
Marinara
Al Salmon
Creamy mushroom & chicken
Black pepper (beef or chicken)
BURGERS
Bonza Burger (King-size with the works)
Lunch Burger (Beef or Chicken)
Turkey Burger
Schnitzel Burger
Rp
Rp
Rp
Rp
75.000
55.000
55.000
55.000
Battered or Crumbed Dory with French Fries and Lemon
Rp 60.000
Wedges
Rp
Rp
Rp
Rp
Rp
Rp
Rp
60.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
50.000
CHICKEN QUESADILLAS
The Mexican classic - Chunks of chicken with three
kinds of bell peppers, onion and spicy seasoning in
a tortilla wrap, topped with grated cheddar and
sour cream
Rp 55.000
CURRIES & TANDOOR
(With Salad, Bacon, Onion, Egg & Cheese)
Lean Striploin Steak Sandwich
Rp 50.000
(With Salad & Onion)
Chicken Tandoori
Rp 70,000
Chicken Tika
Rp 70,000
Madras Curry (chicken, prawn or beef) Rp 70,000
PIES
Indonesian Curry with Rice
Chunky Meat Pie
Ground Beef Pie
Turkey Pie
70,000
70,000
70,000
70,000
70,000
70,000
FISH & CHIPS
SANDWICHES
Goodies Club (Man-sized Triple Decker)
Chicken (Grilled or Roasted)
Beef (Grilled or Roasted)
BLT (Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato with Mayo)
Ham Sandwich (With Salad or Mustard)
Tuna Sandwich
Goodies Steak Sandwich
Rp
Rp
Rp
Rp
Rp
Rp
Rp 50,000
(Chicken or beef - no condiments)
Rp 35.000
Rp 35.000
Rp 35.000
SNACKS
SMILING SUPER DOG
Chicken Wings
Rp 45.000
Chinese style Dumplings
Rp 30.000
(Chicken/Seafood )
The Famous Jumbo Hot Dog on a bed of salad,
topped with Grilled Onion, Cheese and your choice
of Ketchup and/or American Mustard and/or Red
Chile Sauce
Rp 65.000
Spring Roll
Rp 55.000
(Veg, Chicken, Seafood )
Ngor Hiang
Rp 35.000
(Prawn & Pork Rolls Wrapped in Beancurd Skin)
Orders welcome from 7am to 9.30pm
0778 423 539
0822 6805 1918
: [email protected]
HELP us to ensure your order is handled promptly and accurately EVERY time. To avoid
language issues, please send us a TEXT message or email, including your order, your
location and your phone number. We will call back to confirm we have received your
request or you can make a quick follow-up call to check that we have received it.
9
HOME OR WORKPLACE DELIVERY
OR DINE IN AT SMILING HILL
SUPREME
Rp 80,000
Beef, Chicken, Ham, Paprika, Onion, Mushroom, Black Olive,
Cheese
ALL IN ONE
Rp 80,000
Beef, Chicken, Prawn, Squid, Fish, Ham, Paprika, Onion,
Mushroom, Cheese
SPICY CHICKEN
Rp 70,000
Chicken, Paprika, Onion, Spicy Thai Sauce, Cheese
MEAT LOVERS
Rp 70,000
Minced Beef, Beef Sausage, Diced Beef, Onion, Paprika, Cheese
FISH AND CHIP
Rp 70,000
ALL Pizzas LARGE
economy size (8 slices)
Crumbed Fish, Paprika, Onion, Cheese, Chips on top
TUNA MELT
Rp 70,000
Tuna, Sweet Corn, Mayonnaise, Cheese
SEAFOOD HAWAIIAN
Your choice of Thin &
Crispy or Thick & Chewy
Rp 70,000
Fish, Prawns, Squid, Paprika, Onion, Pineapple, Cheese
BLACK PEPPER
Rp 70,000
Beef or Chicken, Paprika, Onion, Black Pepper, Cheese
VEGETARIAN
Rp 70,000
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Paprika, Onion, Mushroom, Sweet Corn,
Tomato, Spinach and Cheese
ITALIAN SPECIAL
Nagoya town area, Batu
Ampar, Sukajadi, Batam Centre
Outer areas
Rp 70,000
Tomato, Pepperoni, Paprika, Black Olive, Anchovies, Cheese
MARGARITA
Rp 40,000
Tomato base and Cheese
CALZONE
Rp 70,000
Bacon, Onion, Boiled Egg Slices and Cheese in folded pizza base
Extra meats Rp 5,000 per Item
Extra Veg Rp 3,000 per Item
Extra Cheese Rp10,000
Orders welcome from 7am to 9.30pm
0778 423 539
0822 6805 1918
[email protected]
HELP us to ensure your order is handled promptly and accurately EVERY time. To avoid
language issues, please send us a TEXT message or email, including your order, your
location and your phone number. We will call back to confirm we have received your
request or you can make a quick follow up call to check we have received it.
10
Continued from page 1
The GE Jenbacher engines, he
emphasizes, are purpose-built for
Indonesia and can burn natural gas
or many types of biogas. Several
plants on Sumatra (generating about
29 MWe) use biogas derivet from the
wastewater from the processing of
tapioca as its fuel source. That’s a
long way from the environmentally
insensitive coal-fired plants he
represented in his early years.
In 2004, Navigat sold the first three
GE Jenbacher engines in Batam, going
online the following year. Now, he
says, the opportunities are almost
limitless.
“Our engines can be used by most any
industry,” he explains, “shipbuilding,
government, industrial parks, metal
fabrication, hospitals. About the only
limitation we have is customer access
to gas pipelines. Anybody needing
electricity is a potential customer.”
van Schaik instructs John, his chief engineer, in the operations
center of NAVIGAT’s Batam generation facility.
fuel is a key component of NAVIGAT’s
success in Indonesia, as the country
tries to wean itself from the burning
of costly oil.
Natural gas is the main fuel source,
but the electric plants can also
operate on landfill and organic waste
To boost the utilization of natural gas
gases, coke gas, ethanol and even gas
domestically,
the
Indonesian
from leftover food or molasses
government has prepared nine gas
processing. Every aspect of the
infrastructure
engines’ operation is
geared to energy
projects with a total
efficiency, right down
investment value of
to reusing the waste
Rp 77.93 trillion
heat and cooling
(US$8.5
billion).
Company: NAVIGAT energy
water.
NAVIGAT’s
power
Location: Kawasan Tunas
plants
are
expected
“Our
units
save
Industrial Estate, Ruko Tahap
to play a leading role
customers about 15II, Blok A No. 4, Batam
in this effort. The
20
percent,
on
Center, Batam 29432
projects are expectaverage, on their
No. of employees: 32
ed to be completed
electric costs,” Hans
in six years.
Tel: +62 778 471 479
says. “And if they
produce more elecThis
effort,
and
Web: www.navigat.net
tricity
than
they
others undertaken
need, they can sell
by the government,
the excess into the main power grid.”
is meant to stem exports of the
Data Set
Customers have the option to lease
or purchase the equipment, he
explains, with Navigat offering
turnkey
installation,
operations
management and maintenance.
country’s ample natural gas supplies,
and save substantially on fuel costs
for electricity generation. Currently,
about half of Indonesia’s natural gas
is exported .
“Reliability is our main message,”
Hans says. “And we can service our
customers here on Batam within an
hour if a problem occurs. We have a
full complement of spare parts stored
right here in our offices, and qualified
engineers.”
The nine government projects are the
Natuna-West Java pipeline, which
can transport 1,200 million standard
cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of gas;
the East Kalimantan-East Java
pipeline, which has a capacity of 900
mmscfd; the Cirebon-Semarang
pipeline, whose capacity is 400
mmscfd; the South Sumatera-West
Java (SSWJ) I and II compressor
expansion with capacity 1,100
mmscfd; Train 3 at the Tangguh
liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in
The company offers four power plant
designs,
generating
from
500
kilowatts to 9.5 megawatts of power.
The smaller engines use most any
type of gas, while the largest, the
J920, burns natural gas. The latter
11
Papua, with a capacity of 534
mmscfd; the floating storage and
re-gasification
unit
(FSRU)
in
Belawan, North Sumatera; FSRU in
Jakarta Bay, West Java; FSRU in
Central Java; and compressed
natural gas trucks, mother and
daughter stations.
NAVIGAT recently signed a sevenyear operations and maintenance
contract with the consortium of PT.
PP Persero (PT. Pembangunan
Perumahan) and PT BER for the
Talang Duku power plant (PLTG) in
the district of Musi, South Sumatra.
The project includes civil works and
infrastructure, and supports buildings
and the installation of two gas
turbines. The power plant will also
have transformers, two fuel gas
compressors, a deminerializing water
plant to support the gas turbine
performance, a plant water system
(cooling and utility water), electrical
equipment,
office,
warehouse,
workshop and living quarters, and
the installation of a grid connected
switch yard to the Sumatra Bagian
Selatan region.
Indicating its strong position in the
market, NAVIGAT recently announced that the Standard Chartered
IL&FS Asia Infrastructure Growth
Fund has become a substantial
minority shareholder.
All this puts a smile on Hans Van
Schaik’s face. He has a product made
for and important to the Indonesian
market. The roar from the five
engines are music to his ears. – Ken
Anderberg
Continued from page 4
said no. Peter and I agreed that the
"walk away" strategy was best and
so, as we walked away, we told him
never mind, we would find someone
else. The 100,000 rupiah figure was
quickly agreed to. It is always a good
idea to tap into the knowledge of
someone who has lived here for
awhile, so as not to be taken
advantage of as a new bule.
Top, Melissa
Gray and Peter
Preece, all
geared up for
The boat was a sort of dugout, with
a low-hanging canopy to keep the
riders out of the sun. It was a calm
day and a nice ride across a few
hundred yards of water to the
nearest island. It was ringed by
houses built over the water. In fact,
after a tour of the entire island, it did
not appear there were too many
houses that were NOT built over the
water.
The island is dominated by a goldcolored mosque, easily the most
ostentatious building in sight. Just
inside the shoreline, and circling the
entire island, is a cement walkway.
It wasn't long after we landed that
the children of the island began to
gather around us.
This we were forewarned about. We
were encouraged to find one of the
island "stores" and buy lollipops or
something to give out to the children,
which we did. Peter gave Hidayat
50,000 rupiah and he came back with
a sack of small packages of potato
chips. Peter expected to spend the
entire 50,000 but instead received
30,000 back. Good, an honest store
man - even though he was dirt poor.
The chips didn't last long. We soon
began to feel like Pied Pipers.
We walked around the entire island,
very slowly, with a carpet of children
in our footsteps. We stopped once
because an older woman was tending
a juice stand and was wearing a
their adventure.
Below, this
golden mosque
dominates the
island landscape,
hovering over
the many overthe-water, stiltsupported
homes that ring
the island.
bright turquoise dress. A lot of the
people in the kampung were wearing
their Sunday best. I thought this
woman would make a nice character
study and asked Hidayat to ask her
if it would be OK if I took her
photograph. She didn't understand,
saying she was not beautiful. I took
a few shots anyway.
These people are living in extreme
poverty, yet seemed happy in some
strange way. But I don't buy the
notion, that I hear on occasion, that
this is all they know and that they
are content with their lives. Facts
don't bear that thesis out, as the
young people, for example, usually
leave as soon as they can, often
ending up in the cities. All of this is
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not new to my knowledge base, but
a real-life kick in the teeth every now
and then helps to reintroduce the real
suffering that occurs around the
globe.
Once we returned from the island, it
was time for lunch, so we stopped at
the Aneka Selera kalong. There are
three of these seafood, built-overthe-water restaurants on this one
offshoot street from the main
highway just past the Barelang. The
one where we ate had the most
customers - by far.
Our next destination was the
Vietnamese village on another island,
two bridges away. I wasn't really
expecting much. It didn't look like
much. First, though, were the
monkeys. We stopped to buy food for
the monkeys. They showed up soon
enough as we rode along, sitting
alongside the roadway.
They were pretty tame and very
fearful. I wondered if we should be
feeding them processed bread, or if
feeding them anything at all was a
good idea,
Once through the monkey gauntlet,
we proceeded to the Vietnamese
village. After the U.S. left Vietnam,
there were hundreds of thousands of
people who feared they would lose
their lives or spend lifetimes in
Continued on page 13
12
Continued from page 12
prison, or would face economic
deprivation and discrimination, if
they did not leave their native land.
Because of the policies of the U.S.
pertaining to Vietnam half a century
ago, these people were forced from
their homeland, to a foreign shore,
where they knew neither the culture
or society.
So what did they do? They crowded
into small boats and set course for
places they had never seen. What
was left of their lives, they carried on
their backs. When they arrived in
Indonesia, the people here found a
place on an island where they could
relocate, mostly temporarily, a camp
on Galang island – sponsored by the
U.N. and the Indonesian government. At one time, I think there were
170,000 Vietnamese in a relatively
small area, living in harsh conditions.
Maybe that was the number who
passed through the "camp," but
either way ...
This site has two of the boats these
people used, set up as a monument.
And there's a museum. With some
extraordinary paintings. One, in
particular, hit me hard - a painting
with a ball of fire at the top
(signifying the state of Vietnam), a
long line of what looks like people
leading to the front of the painting,
culminated by closer looks at the
people suffering and fleeing. I can do
it no justice. Nor can my photography.
I was pretty bummed at this point,
carrying the weight of my country
around this memorial. But it was a
very interesting and educational day
of exploring. - Ken Anderberg
The Vietnamese
exodus from
their country
Kerla’s rubber plantations show a higher standard of care than in
Indonesia or Malaysia, the writer says. (Inset) Houseboats float
along one of the manmade canals
Kerala, India:
A different feel
I RECENTLY traveled to India for a
week of yoga and meditation. I chose
India's far south (rather than a place
up north in the Himalayas) merely
because the south is warm at this
time of the year.
Although Kerala has no oil industry,
you find lots of oil workers from
there. On the job site, I have found
Keralan rig hands to be a cheerful,
tough and resourceful lot, so I've
always been curious to visit their
homeland.
The strongest impression of my visit
is the massive human effort made
over hundreds of years to transform
the landscape. No wonder the Brits
imported them into Malaya to work
the rubber plantations.
Much of the state is covered in hilly
rubber trees, which are not so
photogenic, but they do show the
high standard of care and the amount
of work that has been done to
transform a rough rocky landscape
into economically useful plantations.
Keralan rubber is much better cared
for than in Malaysia or Indonesia. It
is evident that Keralans have a
stronger sense of ownership of the
13
land than do the Indos (who are
never sure when a Suharto crony or
a
big
Singaporean
Chinese
corporation will show up and kick
them off their land). Indon-Malaysian
plantations are characterized by
jerry-built houses (even the new
ones) with a flashy new car parked
outside. While in Kerala, the houses
are new and well built; the
landowners tend to make do by
walking or public transport. Non-car
ownership keeps the farmer fit and
healthy, which is a useful attribute
for people who maintain rubber for a
living.
Keralan houses are stoutly built of
reinforced concrete, of a design
well-suited for the tropics.
In the large coastal lowlands, huge
areas of lakes have been drained and
turned into below-sea-level rice
paddies. There are hundreds of
kilometers of man-made canals, all
built by hand.
Visiting and getting around India is
hard work. But the effort is rewarded
once you get there. The country's
current inbound tourism promotion
slogan of "Incredible India" is
appropriate. - Evan Jones
Valentines’ Day
At GOODIES
14
AN INCREASING number of expats
spending extended periods in
Indonesia seem to be making some
effort to learn the language and
become hugely more effective in
their work and social relations.
But sadly, they remain the minority,
with some long-stay expats barely
getting past satu lagi bir (one more
beer) and terima kasi (thanks).
Perhaps most astounding is the
minimal effort being made in
Australia to foster Indonesian
language studies and encourage
greater cultural understanding of this
country, with its 240 million people
and the largest economy in South
East Asia.
It’s understandable that Indonesia
and Indonesian may not rank in the
Americas or Europe, but Australia is
right next door and its destiny will
inevitably be linked to the events and
fortunes of this archipelago.
This Interesting article by Duncan
Graham touches on some of the
issues and a one-woman campaign
to do something about it.
“After three days of culture shock, I
noticed one team-member carried a
little phrase book,” Bailey said. “I
saw how well he was interacting and
how people warmed to him. I thought
about this back in Perth and later
made a decision: I resolved I would
learn Indonesian and I would teach
the language. It was a gradual
process, but I got there.”
By Duncan Graham
THE FIGURES on Australians
learning Indonesian offer a sad
commentary on neighborly respect.
Eight years ago, 28 universities were
teaching Indonesian, now there are
only 15. About 99 percent of children
who start learning the language of
the people next door quit before they
finish school.
One woman is determined to reverse
the trend. It started simply, just a
social tennis club outing.
Australian Karen Bailey was not keen
when her teammates suggested an
end-of-season trip to Bali.
The primary-school teacher thought
there were better ways to spend a
vacation. She was 28, married with
two children and settled into the job
she had wanted since she was five.
The year was 1987. Bali was already
overcrowded with hedonistic young
Westerners.
“Everyone went there, so I didn’t
want to,” she recalled. “I knew Bali
was part of Indonesia, but that was
all.” However, her friends coaxed her
along.
“A language without
a clearly articulated
educational
rationale that
resonates with
students, families
and school
communities.”
In fact, she found herself going much
further. Fast-forward 25 years and
she’s the Asian languages consultant
at the West Australian Department
of Education and Training – she can
even decode sinetron, TV soap
operas, using Jakarta slang, though
she finds the plots tiresome.
Bailey has just returned from
Denpasar where she supervised a
group of Australian teachers to build
their skills and knowledge. But it is
her voluntary work, as the founder
and project manager for Balai Bahasa
Indonesia Perth (BBIP) that is helping
turn around declining interest in
Indonesian.
It was not always so. The golden
years were in the 1990s. Japanese
had been the Asian tongue of choice,
as Australians sought to interact with
their important trading partner. But
as Japan’s economic power waned,
so did interest in the language.
Indonesia, about to shake off the
shackles of an authoritarian regime,
was on the move. Bailey became the
president of the Westralian Indonesian Language Teachers’ Association in 1994, when the organization
had 30 members. A decade later, it
had 184. The surge seemed
unstoppable.
Sadly, that did not continue. The
1999 Timor Leste referendum
changed the situation dramatically.
Indonesians saw their southern
neighbor as interfering in internal
affairs and assaulting the nearsacred unitary state.
On the southern shores of the
Arafura Sea, Australians reacted with
horror at the brutality of militarybacked militias that refused to accept
the will of the majority and took
revenge on separatists. Next was the
2002 Bali bombing that killed 202
people, including 88 Australians.
The love affair with Indonesia was
over. Who’d want to learn the
language of bad losers and abusers
of human rights? Never mind that,
only a tiny minority were offended
and the issues were complex. The
Continued on page 16
15
Revision to the Labor Law remains a
hard nut to crack, with workers’
unions and businesses regularly
failing to come to terms with the
revised articles. The last effort to
revise the law was in April 2006. The
government backed down following
massive rallies.
THE STRING of workers’ rallies that
has disturbed businesses recently,
particularly in the industrial estates
of Bekasi in West Java, Tangerang in
Banten, and Batam in Riau Islands,
will unlikely be the last. The silver
bullet of the much-awaited revision
to the Labor Law, which is expected
to put an end to workers’ rallies and
protracted problems, is unlikely to be
passed this year.
Due to the complicated and sensitive
nature of the law, the House has not
listed the revision in this year’s bill
deliberation schedule.
“We’re trying to immediately submit
a draft revision of the law to the
House of Representatives so that it
can be scheduled for deliberation
next year,” Manpower and Transmigration
Minister
Muhaimin
Iskandar said recently. Muhaimin
added, however, that he could not
ensure if the revision would be ready
before the 2014 general elections.
“I’ve warned the ministry to carefully
draft the revision, since it has
become a sensitive issue for both
(workers) and employers in the past
few years,” Irgan said.
Continued from page 15
Suhendar. Over coffee, he became
infected by the Australian’s enthusiasm and promised consular support.
Indonesia to more distant countries.
Yet we are so close and our lives are
so connected.”
Then came the political and industrial
rise of China. Mandarin is now the
must-have language for enterprising
students hoping to market their
services internationally.
BBIP was formed in 2008 as a nonprofit body to “assist Australians and
Indonesians
to
interact
more
effectively … and strive to foster a
positive attitude amongst the people
of our two countries.”
Funds? No worries. The Chinese
government-backed Confucius Institute had cash, following the model of
European countries that pushed their
culture and languages abroad
through organizations like Germany’s
Goethe Institut and France’s Alliance
Francaise.
BBIP was the first in Commonwealth
nations. Another has been formed in
Canberra and other capitals are
interested. Three years later, the
efforts of Bailey and her colleagues
have won a two-year Australian
government grant of A$380,000
(US$407,284) to turn the tide.
BBIP is now running evening
language classes at the consul
general’s office. Most students are
adults
planning
business
or
adventurers seeking a richer travel
experience. Some teachers of
Indonesian in Western Australia are
Malaysians, so the organization is
bringing in Indonesian graduates to
work as teaching assistants.
An Australian government paper
described Indonesian as “a language
without a clearly articulated educational rationale that resonates with
students,
families
and
school
communities.” It asked: “How does
a ‘big’ language without a significant
advocacy group arrest a steep
decline?”
Getting Australians to re-appraise
Indonesia will not be easy. “I’ve been
marking essays by students studying
Indonesian,” Bailey said. “Several
wrote that asylum seekers are
Indonesians.”
poisons of prejudice were swallowed
by both sides.
Come the moment, come the
woman. Speaking at the 9th
Language Congress, the quinquennial
conference on Indonesian language
and literature, Bailey argued that
Indonesia’s Balai Bahasa language
centers should expand overseas.
At Soekarno-Hatta International
Airport in Jakarta, she bumped into
Indonesia’s vice consul in Perth,
Deputy chairman of the House’s
Commission IX overseeing manpower, Irgan Chaerul Mahfiz, urged
the ministry not to rush the draft
revision because of concerns it might
ignite uncontrollable workers’ protests.
Manpower
and
Transmigration
Ministry spokeswoman Dita Indah
Sari said the ministry was planning
to submit a draft revision to the
House within two months.
In reality, refugees do board
Indonesian craft, but they are from
Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar and Sri
Lanka.
“The biggest obstacle is that many of
my teaching colleagues don’t
acknowledge that Indonesian is
important. School leaders develop
their perspectives from the media,”
Bailey continued. “As educators, we
shouldn’t be focusing on economics,
but these factors are really
important. We tend to look over
16
Businesses have seen the 2003 Labor
Law as a restriction to hiring more
workers
that
undermines
the
country’s competitiveness because it
is deemed to favour workers. For
example, dismissing unproductive
workers is difficult without having to
provide hefty compensation. A
bankrupt company is still required to
provide severance pay to laid-off
workers, which is more than threetimes their basic salary.
The law also failed to break down the
definition of “decent living standards,” which has become a contentious issue when determining annual
minimum wages. – The Jakarta Post
Last year, BBIP staged Perth’s first
Indonesian film festival that featured
visits by actors, including Derby
Romero, star of Cinta di Perth (Love
in Perth). There are more to come.
In a few months time, BBIP will take
Australian school principals on a tour
of Java to spur their interest and will
sponsor Indonesian artists to work
with local schools. At the same time,
the unstoppable Bailey wants sistercity relationships established as
bases for cultural exchanges.
“The
Australian
funding
isn’t
recurrent so I hope we’ll get
Indonesian support in the future,”
she said. “We can’t work Indonesia
out if we can’t communicate.”
The once-dreaded tennis club trip has
turned into a love-all match with the
neighbors. – The Jakarta Post
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SINGAPORE
INDONESIA
Foreign executive
compensation capped
FINANCE
MINISTER
Agus
Martowardojo is capping the annual
remuneration for foreign executives
as part of the ministry’s oil and gas
sector cost-recovery scheme based
on their nationality, and amounts
vary widely. According to a copy of
a Finance Ministry regulation, the
salary limitation officially has been in
effect since Jan. 1, 2012.
Foreign companies are still allowed
to pay their executives more than the
limits specified in the regulation, but
the government will not reimburse
those payments under its costrecovery scheme. That scheme
allows
contractors
to
claim
reimbursements from the government for upstream production costs
if they produce oil or gas.
For the most senior-level executives
- president, country head and
general manager - from Asia, Africa
and the Middle East, the cap is set at
$562,200 a year. For those from
Europe, Australia and South America,
it is $1,054,150. The cap for top-level
executives from North America is
$1,546,100.
Meanwhile, for senior-level executives a step lower on the corporate
ladder - senior vice president and
vice president - from Asia, Africa and
the Middle East, the cap is set at
$449,700. For Europe, Australia and
South America, it is $843,200 and for
North America, $1,236,700.
Managerial-level employees - senior
manager and manager - from the
first category of nations can make a
maximum of $359,700. For their
counterparts from the second
category, it is $674,450, and for
North America, $989,200. – Antara
International
chains to open
15 hotels
TWO INTERNATIONAL hotel chains
are planning to open
15
hotels
in
Indonesia this year
following increased
demand from local
business and leisure
travelers. Swiss-Belhotel
International alone will open
eight 3- or 4-star hotels across
the
archipelago,
according
to
regional
public
relations
and
promotions manager Harshanty
Kaloko.
Swiss-Belhotel hotels are planned for
Harbor Bay in Batam; Palangkaraya,
Central Kalimantan;
and in the
rainforest of Kuta, Bali. The company
opened another hotel in January: The
3-star Swiss-Belinn Balikpapan in
Balikpapan,
East
Kalimantan,
Harshanty said.
The company will open three more
Swiss-Belinn hotels before the end of
the year in Pekanbaru, Riau;
Makassar, South Sulawesi; and
Pangkalan Bun, Central Sulawesi,
Harshanty added.
Contacted
separately,
Gerard
Guillouet,
Accor
Hotel’s
vice
president for Indonesia, Malaysia and
Singapore, said that the chain would
open seven new hotels, ranging from
budget to luxury boutique hotels, this
year. Gerard said that Accor planned
to
open
a
budget-class
All
Seasons/Ibis Style hotel with 183
rooms in Benoa, Bali; a 3-star Ibis
hotel with 150 rooms in Kuta; and a
mammoth 604 room, 3-star Ibis in
Bandung, West Java. In addition,
Accor would open four more hotels
in Jakarta and Kuta, he said. – The
Jakarta Post
Bule jeans
Photo courtesy of Evan Jones
Western-size jeans
can now be found
in Batam, on sale in
a shop without a
sign behind the
McDonald's police
post in Jodoh, next
door to the former
Hotel Pelanggi (now
called Hotel
Travel).
18
Riau protests
‘excessive checks’
THE
RIAU
Islands
provincial
administration has protested against
what it regards as excessive scrutiny
measures imposed by Singaporean
immigration officials. The officials
denied entry to as many as 1,689
Indonesian nationals seeking to enter
via Batam last year.
“Hundreds of people were denied
entry by Singapore despite having
proper immigration documents,” Riau
Islands Vice Governor Soeryo
Respationo said in Batam. “It is very
subjective
of
Singapore.
As
Indonesian citizens, we feel offended
being treated this way.
He said Indonesia gave “red carpet”
treatment to Singaporean visitors.
The Riau administration was reported
to have submitted a protest to the
Singaporean government through its
consulate in Batam.
“The matter has been conveyed to
the House of Representatives,”
Soeryo said. “We have also spoken
to the Singaporean government
through its consulate in Riau Islands.
We hope there will be an
improvement in the future.”
Raj Kumar, the Singaporean consul
general
in
Batam,
denied
discrimination
in
immigration.
“Singapore does not discriminate on
grounds of race, citizenship, gender
or religion. Singapore welcomes all
visitors,” Kumar said. “The permit
granted to visitors is under the
authority of the ICA (Immigration
Checkpoint Authority), based on
entry requirements, including travel
documents.” – The Jakarta Post
RI firms better placed
with rupiah volatility
RATING AGENCY Standard & Poor’s
(S&P) sees potential for greater
volatility or a weaker rupiah this
year, but says Indonesia’s corporate
sector is better placed than in
previous crises to weather such
shocks.
Indonesian companies’ use of
foreign-currency debt is “significantly
lower” than during the 1997 Asian
financial crisis and 2008 global
financial crisis, when a rapidly
declining rupiah hastened corporate
defaults, according to S&P’s latest
report, titled “The Indonesian
Corporate Sector Has the Strength
to Weather a Potentially Weaker
Rupiah This Year.”
“Rising foreign direct investments
and an accumulation of foreign
exchange reserves would theoretically support the value of
Indonesia’s rupiah,” S&P’s credit
analyst Xavier Jean said. “But the
currency could become more volatile
if global confidence and economic
conditions deteriorate.”
He said airlines, telecommunications
and heavy manufacturing are the
sectors most vulnerable to a
weakening rupiah.
Pertamina EP discovers
gas in Pagardewa
PERTAMINA EP, the upstream
business unit of state-owned oil and
gas company PT Pertamina, has
discovered new gas reserves in the
PAFE Pagardewa area in South
Sumatra. The company announced
that the Lavatera-1 exploration well
in the area could produce 5.7 million
standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd)
of gas.
The company planned to directly
prepare a put on production
(POP) scheme for the
Lavatera-1 well in early
2013 to allow the well to
produce 3 mmscfd. The
same POP schemes have
also been implemented
for seven other wells in
Pagardewa, Tasim and
Prabumenang,
with
combined production of 17
mmscfd of gas and 450 barrels of
condensate per day. – The Jakarta
Post
Credit squeeze threat
to shipping industry
TIGHTER BANK financing is the big
threat to shipping companies, and
many are looking at alternative
sources of funding, such as private
equity, to fill gaps amid a worsening
credit squeeze, a transport survey
showed recently. In the survey by
international law firm Norton Rose,
42 percent of respondents said a lack
of finance was the greatest threat to
their businesses.
Many banks are keen to shed dollardenominated assets such as ship and
trade finance loans to meet tougher
capital rules imposed on euro zone
lenders. "The past three years has
seen a notable decline in the
availability of bank lending to the
shipping sector, and this has had a
considerable impact on many
shipping businesses," Norton Rose,
global head of transport Harry
Theochari, said.
UniCredit, Italy's largest bank by
assets, is scaling down its ship
financing operations to boost its
capital reserves. Industry sources
told Reuters that Lloyds Banking
Group aimed to sell its $10 billion
portfolio of shipping loans.
This tugboat
was seen
Sunday sunk
off a small
island just
west of the
Barelang
bridge. Do our
readers know
what
happened?
- KA photo
19
Almost a third of respondents in the
survey, 31 percent, expected their
primary source of funding over the
next two years to come from private
equity, and 18 per cent said it would
come from export credit agencies.
Nevertheless, 43 percent still
expected their primary source of
funding to come from bank debt over
the next two years.
"Shipping companies are now looking
beyond traditional forms of finance
and are readying their businesses to
weather further economic uncertainty over the next 12 months,"
Theochari said. Shipping companies,
especially in the oil tanker and dry
bulk sectors, have been hit by weak
earnings and an oversupply of
vessels ordered in the good times. Reuters
Navy launches
guided-missile boat
THE INDONESIAN Navy has
announced its readiness to operate
a second fast guided-missile boat
(KCR), called KRI Kujang-642, which
was domestically manufactured by
privately owned shipyard PT Palindo
Marindo. The first vessel, KRI-Clurit641, has been operating since April
last year.
The shipyard took about a year to
complete the vessel, which cost
around Rp 73 billion (US$7.98
million). The 40-meter-long and
7.4-meter-wide fast boat can travel
at 27 knots. It has a missile range of
up to 80 kilometers and is equipped
with modern weaponry, such as a
weapon sensory control (Sewaco),
six 30-mm caliber cannons for closein weapons support, and two 20-mm
cannons on the stern.
f
r
a
l
Av a
Looks like ...
WHAT!
A man staggered
into a hospital with a
concussion, multiple
bruises, two black eyes,
The Atheist
and a five iron wrapped
tightly around his throat.
An atheist was walking through the
woods, admiring all that the
"accidents" that evolution had
created. "What majestic trees! What powerful
rivers! What beautiful animals!" he said to
himself.
Naturally, the doctor asked
him, “What happened to YOU?”
“Well, I was having a quiet round of golf with
As he was walking alongside the river he
heard a rustling in the bushes behind him.
Turning to look, he saw a 7-foot grizzly bear
charge towards him. He ran as fast as he
could up the path. He looked over his shoulder
and saw the grizzly was closing.
my wife, when at a difficult hole, we both
sliced our golf balls into a field of cattle.
“We went to look for them and while I was
looking around I noticed one of the cows had
Somehow, he ran even faster, so scared that
tears came to his eyes. He looked again and
the bear was even closer.
something white at its rear end.
“I walked over, lifted its tail, and sure enough,
His heart was pounding and he tried to run
faster. He tripped and fell to the ground. He
rolled over to pick himself up but the bear was
right over him, reaching for him with its left
paw and raising its right paw to strike him.
there was a golf ball with my wife's monogram
on it - stuck right in the middle of the cow's
rear end.
At that instant the atheist cried, "Oh my
God...!" Time stopped. The bear froze. The
forest was silent. Even the river stopped
moving.
“Still holding the cow's tail up, I yelled
to my wife, 'Hey, this looks like
yours!'’
As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice
came out of the sky, "You deny my existence
for all these years, teach others that I don't
exist and even credit creation to a cosmic
accident. Do you expect me to help you out of
this predicament? Am I to count you as a
believer?"
The atheist looked directly into the light, "It
would be hypocritical to ask to be religious
after all these years, but perhaps you could
make the bear religious?"
“I don't remember much
after that.”
- Andy Pahlow
Men and women
Men and women, all in all, behave just like our
basic sexual elements. If you watch single men
"Very well" said the voice.
on a weekend night they really act very much
The light went out. The river ran. The sounds
of the forest resumed. ..and then the bear
dropped his right paw, brought both paws
together and bowed its head and spoke:
"Lord, for this food which I am about to
receive, I am truly thankful..."
like sperm - all disorganized, bumping into their
– Graham Hornel
friends, swimming in the wrong direction. "I was
first." "Let me through." "You're on my tail."
"That's my spot." They're like the Three Billion
Stooges. But the egg is very cool: "Well, who's it
going to be? I can divide. I can wait a month. I'm
not swimming anywhere."
20
Wats on....Sports
SMILING HILL
FRIDAY
February 24
9.30 am (STAR)
Cricket : Australia vs. Sri Lanka
1.30 pm (A816)
Rugby : Super Rugby - Blues vs. Crusaders
3.30 pm (A816)
Rugby : Super Rugby - Brumbies vs. Force
9.30 pm (972)
AFL : NAB Pre-season Cup - St. Kilda, Sydney
Swans and Geelong Cats
SATURDAY
February 25
1.30 pm (A816)
Rugby : Super Rugby - Chiefs vs. Highlanders
3.30 pm (972)
AFL : NAB Pre-season Cup - Gold Coast Suns,
Melbourne and Brisbane Lions
3.30 pm (A816)
Rugby : Super Rugby - Waratahs vs. Reds
8.30 pm (A816)
Rugby : Ireland vs. Italy
10.00 pm (ESPN)
BPL : Chelsea vs. Bolton
10.00 pm (STAR)
BPL : Newcastle United vs. Wolverhampton
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at GOODIES and Smiling Hill.
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www.smilinghillbatam.com
10.00 pm (GOAL) SPL : St. Mirren vs. Aberdeen
To BATU AMPAR
Smiling Hill
Palm Hill Bungalows
GOODIES
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MOSQUE
BUKIT
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Bukit Senyum
BATU AMPAR 29456
NAGOYA
PARK
PLANET
HOLIDAY
10.50 pm (A816)
Rugby : England vs. Wales
SUNDAY
February 26
9.30 am (STAR)
Cricket : Australia vs. India
9.30 pm (ESPN)
BPL : Arsenal vs. Tottenham
9.30 pm (STAR)
BPL : Norwich City vs. Manchester United
+62 778 450 533
11.00 pm (972)
AFL : NAB Pre-season Cup - Port Adelaide,
Carlton and Adelaide Crows
McDONALDS
CHURCH
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HOTEL
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NAGOYA HILL
SHOPPING CENTRE
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from Nagoya CBD
+62 778 423 387
[email protected]
21
MONDAY
February 27
7.00 am (A817)
NBA : All-Star Game
4.45 pm (A816)
Rugby : RBS 6 Nations - Scotland vs. France
(rpl)
7.00 pm (A817)
NBA : All-Star Game 9rpl)
TUESDAY
February 28
9.30 am (STAR)
Cricket : India vs. Sri Lankaa