One Reported Dead as Ferry Sinks off Indonesia's Sumatra Island; Rescue Underway

The Jakarta Globe

Ferry accidents are common in Indonesian waters. The 'Senopati Nusantara', above, sank off the coast of Java in late 2006 with some 500 people aboard. (Photo: EPA)

A ferry carrying 213 has sunk in rough seas near Indonesia's Riau islands, killing at least one person, police said.

Search teams are looking for survivors from the Dumai Express 10 which was sailing from Batam near Singapore to Dumai island in Riau when it ran into massive waves, Riau police chief Puji Hartanto told Metro TV.

The victim was a small child, according to kompas.com.

Survivors were spotted floating at sea, Hartanto said.

Separately, another ferry, the Dumai Express 15 with 278 people on board, ran aground after it was hit by large waves, said Riau police spokesman Yasin Kosasih.

All passengers and crew survived, he added. The ferry was travelling between Batam and Moro island.

Indonesia relies heavily on ferry services to connect the many islands in the sprawling archipelago, but accidents are common, largely due to years of under-investment in infrastructure and a tendency to overload ferries.

Reuters JG

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Indonesian Hero Budi Soehardi in CNN Spotlight

The Jakarta Globe, Emmy Fitri

Budi Soehardi was recognized by CNN for providing shelter to 47 children at his orphanage in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara. (Photo courtesy of CNN)

After news about corruption at the highest levels of government and the persistent poverty among the nation’s masses, a story of an Indonesian man being honored in a prestigious international television special heralding everyday heroes brings some hope to his country’s citizens.

Budi Soehardi, 53, has been nominated as one of CNN’s Top 10 Heroes for 2009. The US-based news network’s Web site says that Budi, a former pilot living in Singapore, and his wife, Peggy, run an orphanage looking after 47 children. They give a home — and more importantly a family — to abandoned children and those orphaned by the East Timor conflicts.

Bayu Krisnamurthi, after receiving a Blackberry message from a friend, said he voted for Budi at once and felt a pang of pride upon reading the message.

“It’s something to be proud of because he beat thousands of other ‘heroes.’ The message from the nomination is clear — people appreciate real action. This [message] is for the public and government officials like me to act, not just talk,” Bayu, the deputy minister of the Agriculture Ministry, said on Friday.

“What has been done by Budi may not be that spectacular in terms of the number of people he helps, but it’s real,” he said.

Adeza Hamzah, Hotel Mulia Senayan’s assistant director of communications said: “I think it’s about time that our country had a true hero who is acknowledged by the world. Enough of all the corruption and turmoil that’s becoming our nation’s emblem. What we need as a nation right now is a bunch of Budi Soehardis to inspire all of us to do good in this morality malnourished country.”

Besides voting for Budi, Adeza took the time to forward the message to his friends, asking them to join the cause.

Toto Sugito — founder and chairman of the country’s largest cycling community, Bike To Work — said that the country needed more news about its citizens doing good for others so people can look up to them.

“There are a lot of unsung heroes who initiate and help their communities. But their stories don’t make it to the headlines or prime time so we can’t appreciate them. I hope that following this extraordinary news about Budi, our media will present more inspiring stories for us to learn from,” Toto said.

Meanwhile, Heru Nugroho, former chairman of the Indonesian Infocom Society (Mastel), said the world has shown that Indonesians can excel and be counted abroad not only through science competitions or sport matches.

“There are thousands of ways to stand up. Budi has shown us that helping others to have better lives is a heroic act. I hope our state officials are aware of [Budi’s nomination]. They should be ashamed, stop bickering and start working for the people.”

“It would be intriguing to know him better. We need more people like him to inspire us.”

Dian Argarini, an official at the National Commission for Avian Influenza Pandemic Preparedness, said: “It’s extraordinary. It’s a proof that Indonesians are empathetic. Budi represents many other Budis whose work to help the needy have not yet been recognized, let alone appreciated.”

Initiated in 2007, the “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” is a TV special created by the cable network to honor individuals who make extraordinary contributions to help others. It is hosted by Anderson Cooper. This year’s award show will be aired worldwide on Friday.

Thanks to the rapid growth of Internet social networking, not only can TV viewers nominate and vote for their heroes, but online users can join in too. The voting closed on Thursday.

A blue-ribbon panel of judges comprised of distinguished leaders and humanitarians who are themselves considered heroes, will select the award winners.

Included in the panel are the Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, author Deepak Chopra, primatologist Jane Goodall, Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and economist Jeffrey Sachs.

Related Article:

Filipino Wins CNN Hero Award; Indonesian Orphanage Founder Budi Gets $25,000

WHO official impressed by Indonesia`s disaster response

Antara News, Saturday, November 21, 2009 04:35 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Margaret Chan admired the Indonesian disaster response in dealing with the 7.9-magnitude earthquake which struck Padang, West Sumatra, recently thanks to effective government coordination.

"The response to the quake in Padang had been made under effective coordination between the government, local communities, and many disaster response agencies," Margaret said here Friday.

She said coordination and cooperation between the people, government and the relevant organizations and institutions in disaster handling is extremely necessary for rapid and effective recovery efforts.

"Only in six weeks after the disaster, the situation is now calm and peaceful which significantly contributes to making rapid progress in rehabilitation and recovery efforts," she said.

Margaret added that the biggest challenge in disaster handling is posed by establishing effective and efficient coordination to help the quake victims as quickly as possible.

As natural disasters may strike everywhere and at anytime, under such circumstances the country where the disaster struck did not have to ask for foreign assistance, because normally help would automatically come from other countries without being asked.

She admired the disaster response from other countries which is a sign of solidarity from the people of other countries.

International humanitarian aid arrived in Indonesia without being asked, and it would be necessary to establsh effective coordination of the relevant authories in the distribution of the relief aid to the disaster victims.

The WHO director general had recently visited Padang for an inspection of the recovery and rehabilitation efforts in the disaster-hit areas.

Related Article:

WHO calls on quake victims to sprinkle salt on ruins

WHO promises to recommend W Sumatra to donor countries

Antara News, Friday, November 20, 2009 12:08 WIB

(istimewa)Padang, W Sumatra (ANTARA News) - WHO Director General Dr. Margaret Chan has promised he will help West Sumatra province make a recommendation to the donor countries for assistance in the recovery of the healthcare facilities which had been damaged by the 30 September earthquake.

The statement was made by the WHO director general during a visit to the province Thursday in which he had a dialogue with West Sumatra deputy governor Marlis Rahman, and the regent and major in the quake-hit regions on the planned reconstruction of the healthcare sector.

Margaret suggested the West Sumatra provincial administration and regency and city administrations of the earth-hit areas to establish cooperation with the neighboring countries.

These countries include Australia and Japan which have special programs on health development, and even with the USAID under bilateral agreements.

He said this golden opportunity must be used in the rehabilitation of health infrastructure in West Sumatra.

WHO, however, he said can only assist the province make a good and detailed reconstruction plan to be brought to the donor countries for acceptance.

RI needs cooperation with int`l health bodies: Minister

Antara News, Friday, November 20, 2009 15:25 WIB

Palembang (ANTARA News) - Indonesia needs to cooperate with international health institutions, Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih said here on Friday.

To support the cooperation, the minister said , she had invited around 3,500 foreign doctors to conduct research in Indonesia in the near future as part of the government`s policy in the health field.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 27th Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) conference here on Friday, the minister said the government wanted to forge cooperation with both domestic and international health institutions.

But she added that although the foreign doctors would be permitted to do research in Indonesia and cooperate with the government, they should abide by all the existing regulations on medical research by foreigners.

"The foreign doctors should work professionally and abide by the rules and regulations made by the government," the health minister said, adding that the cooperation in the health field was urgently needed to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

She said the cooperation with foreign doctors was expected to be of great benefit to Indonesia and therefore they were permitted to do research in the country.

The Health Ministry, she said, would , in principle, prioritize the public interest by realizing various public health programs in the country and ensuring they run optimally.

Meanwhile, a participant of the conference said that by permitting 3,500 foreign doctors to do research in Indonesia, the government was creating the impression it had no confidence in the capability of domestic doctors.

KPK grills former Health Minister over graft case

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 11/19/2009 4:37 PM

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned former Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari as a witness in relation to an alleged graft case in the procurement of bird flu vaccines in 2006.

After undergoing around three hours of questioning, Siti did not want to answer journalists' questions.

“I have to study the case first,” she said as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

The anti-graft body has declared as a suspect the general secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for People's Welfare Soetedjo Joewono for his alleged roles in having marked up the vaccine project, and hence caused the state to lose Rp 32 billion (US$ 3. 2 million).

Electricity cuts force Andi to sleep in car

The Jakarta Post , Wed, 11/18/2009 9:49 AM

Courtesy of Nova

JAKARTA: Urbanites are becoming increasingly resourceful when it comes to coping with the more and more frequent electricity cuts. Model turned soap opera actress Andi Soraya goes a bit extreme by sleeping in the car. But, she’s probably lucky to have her car to escape to during hot, humid days without electricity.

“My children cannot sleep when it’s hot. When there is a power cut, we sleep in the car with the air conditioning turned on,” said the 33-year-old mother of two, as quoted by newsportal kapanlagi.com on Tuesday.

“I know it’s supposed to be dangerous to sleep in the car, but what can I do when the children can’t sleep in their dark, hot room?”

And it is not just the sleeping patterns of Andi’s family that suffer from having no electricity.

“It [power cut] often occurs during day when we’re supposed to do the laundry,” Andi complained. “We have to delay cleaning the house, too.”

Pro breastfeeding

The Jakarta Post, Wed, 11/18/2009 6:43 PM

A pregnant woman observes a painting of a woman breastfeeding her baby during the “Artfordable” exhibition in South Jakarta on Wednesday. The event will continue until Sunday. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)

Indonesian sex slave breaks silence

CNN, by Arwa Damon, November 18, 2009

Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- "People see me as a strong woman," Sunarsih says, "but I was broken inside. I was always crying but I don't want other people to see my cry."

Sunarsih is not this woman's real name. She doesn't want her identity revealed. No one, not even her family, knows what happened to her.

Her story starts 15 years ago, when she was just 17 years old.

"My family was very poor, I had to drop out of school," she explains. "Then I met many successful migrant workers and their stories enticed me."

Sunarsih's situation is not uncommon. Across impoverished villages in Indonesia, becoming a migrant worker is a woman's only chance for a better life.

But for some, the pursuit of their dreams quickly becomes a nightmare.

Sunarsih went to what she thought was a legitimate company. She received training in the basics of housekeeping, a passport for the first time.

"The company announced that an Arab employer was looking for a virgin, brown-skinned, tall housemaid," she remembers. "I was chosen among hundreds. I was so happy, it was like a dream come true. I was so proud. My friends told me how lucky I was to be chosen that quickly."

But two weeks after the Arab man took her to his home in Saudi Arabia, she said the horrors began.

"He was not my real employer. My real employer was his disabled father. The lower part of his body was paralyzed," she shuddered. "He would ask me to give him a massage using a vibrator on his penis."

At first she said no.

"He got very mad at me, he said that he wouldn't pay me," she recalled. "I didn't have the power to refuse. I didn't know where to escape."

She says his nine sons also molested her by groping her body and made her massage them and cook while they were naked.

Finally, one day she found the gate to the house unlocked, pretended to take out the garbage, and ran away. Eventually she ended up in a shelter run by Indonesians. She thought she had been saved; little did she know that the real nightmare was about to begin.

"They tricked me. I ran from a crocodile's mouth and ended up in a lion's mouth," she said.

She says she was sold to a pimp for about $1,300, made to work as a sex slave. At first she tried to fight back.

"The clients would just call him (the pimp) whenever they wanted a girl," she remembered. "They asked me to do anything, from the ordinary to the loathsome."

For more than a year she was brutally raped and sodomized.

"I felt like I was dying. It would have been better for me to commit suicide," she said in an even voice, despite a few tears betraying her pain. "I was humiliated. They treated me like an animal. But the pimp said that the clients paid a very high price for me."

She managed to escape when Saudi police raided the operation. She was jailed for six months and then deported.

Shame and the social stigma kept her from telling her family.

UNICEF estimates that around 100,000 women and children are trafficked as sex slaves both inside and outside of Indonesia.

Normawati is a one-woman NGO trying to help out migrant workers.

"Many of them go abroad with the proper documents, legally. But then they run into problems and land themselves into an illegal status," she explains. "Then they meet people on the streets who say they can help, they promise to take the migrant to an embassy, while in fact they sell them."

Protecting these women is the respective governments' responsibility, she said.

Reputable companies are equipping their migrant workers with the basics in self defense, aware of the potential problems they could face.

Fadlum Umar, the director of PT Amri, a hiring agency which processes some 2,000 migrant workers a month, said her company takes this problem very seriously. Her company has local offices that the women can turn to if they end up in a precarious situation.

"As soon as I get information on a sexual abuse case we fly the migrant worker home immediately," she tells us. "We have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to sexual abuse on the part of the employer."

Sunarsih never reported her case to the police. The company that employed her has since disappeared for reasons unknown.

She remains defiant in the face of what she endured, but can't escape.

"I am nearly 40 now," she said, "and I still don't know what true happiness is."

Foreign Doctors Must Have Referrals

Tempo Interactive, Tuesday, 17 November, 2009 | 16:50 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The National Congress of Indonesian Internists last week proposed that foreign doctors who want to work in Indonesia must have referrals from a professional organization. According to Ari Fahrial Syam, the congress committee secretary, the profession organization can check on the doctors’ credentials and competency.

“We would like to ensure that foreign doctors have the competency described in their degrees,” Ari told Tempo yesterday. He added, “there is a similar adaptation model applied to Indonesian doctors who earn their specialization credentials abroad.”

According to Ari, the Indonesian Doctors Council is formulating regulations covering licenses for foreign doctors working in Indonesia. Foreign doctors could be flooding this country when the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) comes into effect in 2010.

DWI WIYANA

Indonesia to execute Dutch drugs magnate

Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Published on 17 November 2009 - 2:21pm

Dutch national Ang Kiem Soei, who was arrested for production of the illegal drug Ecstasy, is about to be executed in Indonesia, according to local sources speaking to Radio Netherlands Worldwide.

Ang Kiem Soei was sentenced to death for running an Ecstasy manufacturing laboratory and an international organisation of drug traffickers. He was jailed in Indonesia seven years ago.

He lost an appeal to his verdict and has now exhausted all legal avenues to avert his execution. His lawyer wrote to the Dutch government last year pleading for more help. The government in The Hague decided to pay the costs of Ang Kiem Soei's defense and that of a second convict, Dick Nicolaas.

The lawyer claims the court procedures which led to the conviction were unsound.

The Dutch Foreign Ministry said in a reaction that it is surprised about the reports suggesting an impending execution. No signals have reached the ministry to indicate that such a course of events was likely. The ministry pointed out that the prisoner's request for a review of the death penalty is still under consideration with the Indonesian authorities.

East Java to improve services at health centers

Indra Harsaputra, THE JAKARTA POST, Surabaya | Mon, 11/16/2009 2:34 PM

The East Java provincial administration pledges to improve the health services at its community health centers with development programs set to form next year.

East Java Health Agency chief Pawik Supriadi said the administration had allocated Rp 6 billion (US$640,000) to the programs.

"We have designed three programs to optimize health centers that will be implemented from 2010 to 2014," Pawik said.

The three programs, he said, included changing outpatient health centers to inpatient ones, incorporating inpatient and specialist services into regular health centers and developing subsidiary health centers that provide emergency treatment.

There are currently more than 4,200 health centers in East Java employing over 34,000 paramedics. Nearly 950 are fully serviced, more than 2,200 are mobile and more than 1,200 are subsidiaries.

"Next year we will develop 10 health centers with inpatient services," Pawik said. "This number will increase to 15 by 2011."

He also said his agency planned to implement 21 centers annually between 2012 and 2014.

The number of standard inpatient health centers will be increased by 10 next year and by 15 the following year.

The agency, he added, also planned to increase the number of subsidiary health centers, providing emergency treatment, to 25 by next year and 200 by the end of 2014.

Pawik said his office had allocated funds for equipment for eight inpatient and other service health centers in the province. Each will receive Rp 230 million.

Equipment funds have also been prepared to improve inpatient services at 10 health centers, worth Rp 100 million each. Twenty-five other similar packages, worth Rp 60 million each, have been prepared for subsidiary health centers.

Pawik said a budget of Rp 1.4 billion was allocated to improve human resources and another Rp 300 million was allocated for supervision and monitoring.

"The program will provide people with accessible and affordable access to health services in their respective regions," Pawik said.

"This is a great advantage for residents as medical treatment at local hospitals is expensive."

Surabaya Health Agency chief Esty Martiana Rachmie said the program was expected to reduce malnutrition in the municipality.

"We expect to lower the number of malnutrition cases in the municipality to less than 1 percent," Esty said.

Esty said to deal with malnutrition her office had integrated health centers and health service posts by bringing officials together from their respective district administrations.

"We are also forming a team to enhance communication and data collection," she said.

A research conducted by the municipal health agency shows of more than 250,000 children aged under five years in Surabaya, 300 suffer from malnutrition.

Ninety percent are from North Surabaya, including Pegirian, Semampir, Sidotopo, Wonokusumo and Gadang.

Separately, Baktiono, the municipal legislative council deputy chairman of Commission D overseeing the issue, called on the administration to ask that residents not pay for medical treatment at health centers and third-class hospitals, arguing that many economically disadvantaged families could not afford it.

NL study makes malaria diagnosis breakthrough

Radio Netherlands Worldwide, 16 November 2009 - 3:47pm

Regions of the world affected by malaria (Wikimedia)

Dutch researchers say they have found a relatively cheap way to cut the number of malaria deaths in Brazil. The new method could save 150,000 lives a year.

Scientists from the University of Twente working with technicians from electronics firm Philips were commissioned by the Brazilian government to carry out research on malaria diagnosis. The team studied diagnostic methods which doctors are able to use on location.

Malaria is one of the world’s most devastating diseases, claiming 1.5 million lives each year. The disease is a huge health risk in Brazil, and at present it is often misdiagnosed. While false positives lead to patients receiving unnecessary and expensive medication, other malaria cases are missed and patients die for lack of treatment.

The Dutch scientists evaluated two different diagnostic systems. They concluded that using the more effective of the two, 80 percent of people could be given access to diagnosis, compared to the present 31 percent for an investment of 16 million euros. The other system would save a third fewer lives and cost six million euros more.

Five million HIV/AIDS cases in Indonesia by 2010

Antara News, Monday, November 16, 2009 03:06 WIB

Bandarlampung (ANTARA News) - Three hundred cities and subdisricts across Indonesia would have five million HIV/AIDS cases in 2010, an expert said.

Head of the National Trainer Care, Support and Treatment of Integrated Management of Adolescent and Adult illness (IMAI) for HIV/AIDS, Ronald Jonathan, made the remark here on Sunday.

Jonathan said that the number was based on estimation of HIV/AIDS sufferers who came to the hospitals, accounting for not more than one tenth of the total number of people infected with the deadly virus in the country.

"I think that he number of reported cases will reach 93.000 to 130.000 in 2010 which is merely the top of an iceberg, or only 5-10 percent of total number of sufferers in the Indonesia," he said.

He explained that Indonesia from the 1980s to September 2009 had about 18,442 HIV/AIDS sufferers, with a men-women ratio of 3:1.

"The spreading of the disease has also changed, because it occurred mostly by sexual intercourse rather than by the use of syringes," he said.

According to the latest data, Jonathan said, sexual intercourse had now become the most frequent cause of the spread of HIV/AIDS in the society, accounting for 50 percent of the total number of sufferers, while the use of syringes only 40,7 percent, and the spread of the HIV/AIDS among certain groups such as homosexuals and transexuals reached only 3-4 percent.

People aged 20-39 years, he added, were still vulnerable to the deadly virus.

Jonathan underlined the importance to promote awareness and counseling for HIV/AIDS carrier.

"At least we should give them guidance on the importance of regular medication," he added.

Thirty Disaster-Prone Villages Receive Ambulances

Friday, 13 November, 2009 | 14:32 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Lumajang: A total of 30 villages prone to disaster in the Lumajang Regency will receive ambulances in 2010.

The Lumajang Regency Government and Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) at present is holding a discussion about this project.

Lumajang's regency secretary, Abdul Fatah Ismail, said today (13/11) that the ambulances are prioritized for villages that are located far from cities.

This project is allocated already in the 2010 regional budget. “We have selected which villages that will receive the ambulances,” said Fatah.

The ambulances will become property of the villages. “Each village will be responsible for the maintenance,” he said.

Fatah is optimistic that the village will be able to do this. “The ambulances will not be used every day,” he said.

Based on information gathered by Tempo, many villages in Lumajang are prone to disasters, especially those located in the ravine of mount Semeru.

DAVID PRIYASIDHARTA

WHO investigating Bandung `drug poisoning'

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung | Fri, 11/13/2009 2:09 PM

The World Health Organization (WHO) has obtained permission from the Health Ministry to investigate the side-effects experienced by hundreds of residents in Bandung regency, West Java, after taking anti-filariasis drugs during a campaign in endemic areas.

Rustam Efendi, head of the intensive care unit at the Ebah Hospital in Bandung's Majalaya district, said the team from WHO and the Health Ministry came to the hospital on Wednesday to seek facts and had taken blood samples of patients.

The hospital has admitted around 380 patients over the past three days since Tuesday, with a third of them still being observed and treated.

"Preliminary blood tests showed no allergic reaction in the blood. The patients have mostly complained about headaches, felt nauseated, sores in the legs and vomiting," Rustam said Thursday.

The blood tests, according to him, could be deceptive because most of the patients who experienced extreme side-effects were likely suffering from other diseases, such as liver, lungs, heart and hypertension which actually are not directly related to the anti-filariasis drugs.

West Java health office head Alma Lusyati supported the investigation.

"We warmly greet the probe in order to clarify the issue. We have informed the public that the drugs should not be taken by children below two years old and those suffering from heart and liver diseases, hypertension and pregnant mothers," she told reporters after a Health Day event at the Bio Farma vaccine plant in Bandung on Thursday.

Alma said clinical proof was required to mitigate public anxiety because the anti-filariasis medication program would take place for five months consecutively so as to rid West Java of the disease.

More and more residents have questioned the side-effects from taking the anti-filariasis drugs, in the shape of diethyl carbamazine citrate, albendazole and paracetamol tablets, distributed free by the Health Ministry in a mass anti-filariasis medication program for 32 million people across Indonesia.

A neighborhood chief unit in Bojongsoang district, Bandung regency, Deden Sambas, said he had difficulties explaining to residents about the death of Ahmad Yunan, 46, who was strongly believed to have died from the effects of the drugs on Wednesday at 2 p.m.

"An employee at the community health clinic said the side-effects would only be headaches and vomiting at the most, but if someone has died a medical statement on the exact causes should be available," Deden said on Thursday.

Minister proposes national nutrition body

The Jakarta Post, Fri, 11/13/2009 4:02 PM

Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Agung Laksono announced Friday a plan to form a state agency to deal with improvement of public nutrition.

Agung said the planned National Nutrition Body would aim to support the acceleration of health development in the country.

“We hope to resolve the nutrition problems people face from the upper to lower income groups,” he told a meeting organized by the Indonesian Nutritionists Association in Surabaya.

He added the nutrition body would resemble the National Narcotics Body in the field of anti-drug campaigning.

“Hopefully, the nutrition body will contribute to the government’s efforts to promote public awareness of nutrition and develop a healthy nation,” Agung said.

Poverty has been blamed for malnutrition cases in some parts of the country.

Sido Muncul to Develop an Herbal Laboratory

Thursday, 12 November, 2009 | 16:29 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Semarang:Leading traditional herbal drink (jamu) company, Sido Muncul, is collaborating with Bandung’s Maranatha Christian University to develop an herbal laboratory to study the benefits of jamu products in a scientific way before being produced in large quantities. “Doctors are starting to see jamu as medication,” said Irwan Hidayat, the Sido Muncul CEO.

Maranatha Christian University rector H.P. Septoratno Siregar said the studies have been carried out to answer the demands of the modern medical world, both local and international, concerning scientific proof of the benefits of traditional herbal drinks. “With scientific evidence, doctors, including those from overseas, will be willing to use jamu as medication,” Septoratno said following the MoU signing in Semarang yesterday.

SOHIRIN

Julia Perez Chosen As Condom Ambassador For Indonesia

The Jakarta Globe

Julia Perez. (Photo: Antara file)

Actress and singer Julia Perez has been chosen as a condom ambassador by the National AIDS Commission.

According to the commission, Julia, who is popularly known as Jupe, was chosen because she is considered knowledgeable about sex.

“Jupe has starred in a condom ad for three years. She has been indirectly involved in campaigning for the use of condoms. Moreover, she has knowledge about sex,” commission spokeswoman Nafsiah Mboi said, according to detik.com.

Jupe said she felt flattered about her new title. She promised to be active in campaigning for the use of condoms.

“In Indonesia, campaigning for condoms is very difficult because it is often suspected to be a campaign for free sex,” she said on Thursday.

But Jupe said this was not the case, and she hoped her campaigning would lead to a reduction in the number of people in Indonesia contracting HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

“Even a wife could contract an STD from her husband,” she said.

JG

Shark bite prompts surprise birth

BBC News

Sharks are known to bite each other in the wild

A pregnant shark at a New Zealand aquarium was bitten by another shark, unexpectedly releasing four baby sharks as visitors watched.

An aquarium spokeswoman said stunned visitors saw the injured shark and alerted staff that they had also seen things float from the gaping wound.

The babies were removed from the tank to prevent stingrays and other sharks from eating them.

When staff also moved the mother they found a further four sharks inside her.

The mother's wound was stitched by a vet at Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World in Auckland.

"She's doing well, but we're watching her closely as it's a one-off occurrence, so we're not sure how she'll do," a spokeswoman told the BBC.

All eight baby sharks survived.

Aquarist Fiona Davies, quoted by the NZ Herald website, said it was common for sharks to take chunks out of each other, even in the wild, but she had never heard of anything like this.

Ms Davies said the unusual delivery had probably saved the baby sharks' lives.

If the mother had given birth naturally, most likely at night, the babies would have been eaten by adult sharks and stingrays before staff could rescue them.

Related Article:

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Iranian attempts to smuggle meth inside fake leg at Jakarta airport

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang | Wed, 11/11/2009 3:51 PM

Customs and excise officers have seized 1.6 kilogram of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as shabu-shabu, worth Rp 3.6 billion (US$380,000) from an Iranian at the Soekarno-Hatta Interantinoal Airport.

Head of Banten Customs Office Bachtiar said Wednesday that the suspect, identified only by his initials MV, is 32 years old and concealed the drugs in an artificial leg he was using.

“Officers conducting profile analyses on passengers became suspicious when the suspect who arrived at the airport on Tuesday evening with Emirates Airways (EK-358) suddenly became nervous with an unusual way of walking,” he said.

Suspicion then led officers to examine the suspect’s luggage to no avail. When search was directed to is body, a package containing the drug attached to his artificial leg was found.

“Hiding drugs inside artificial leg to smuggle then into the country is a new modus,” he said.

According to Bahctiar, the suspect claimed that this was his first visit to Indonesia and he planned to stay at a hotel in Kebon Sirih, Central Jakarta.

Meanwhile, Gatot Agung Wibowo, head of intelligence section at the custom office said after being interrogated, officers concluded that the suspect was only a courier who would be paid Rp 15 million should he manage to submit the drugs to someone at the hotel.

“The suspect claimed that he would use the money he would receive to pay for loan to the company where he work. He owed the company after a car accident and used the money for treatment fees at a hospital,” he said.

Gatot said the suspect had violated the 2009 law on drugs and if proven guilty, he will likely face death penalty.

Last month, officers foiled a dozen drug smuggling attempts by Iranians. Officers have seized more than 50 kilograms of shabu-shabu in crystal and liquid forms and have arrested 15 Iranians, most of them housewives.

WHO calls for women's healthcare reform

www.chinaview.cn 2009-11-10 00:11:00

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan holds a copy of the "Women and Health" report during a news conference at the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva November 9, 2009. WHO is launching the "Women and Health: Today's Evidence, Tomorrow's Agenda" report which provides the latest and most comprehensive evidence available to date on women's specific needs and health challenges over their entire life-course.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Photo Gallery>>>

GENEVA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) called for girls' and women's healthcare reform on Monday in Geneva.

A WHO report titled "Women and health: today's evidence tomorrow's agenda" used current data to track the disparities in female health from newborns to adults over 60 years of age.

"If women are denied a chance to develop their full human potential, including their potential to lead healthier and at least somewhat happier lives, is society as a whole really healthy?" asked WHO Director-general Dr. Margaret Chan.

The report states that while women compose the bulk of health care providers, their own health needs often go unmet in the areas of sexual violence, cervical cancer screening and mental health. In addition, lower socio-economic status, which translates to lack of access to education, decision-making and income, limits women's ability to protect their own health, the study said.

"We will not see significant progress as long as women are regarded as second-class citizens in so many parts of the world," Dr. Chan said, adding that "these unequal power relations translate into unequal access to health care and unequal control over health resources."

The report advises creating opportunities for female leadership, designing health systems that better meet women's needs, leveraging changes in public policy to address how social and economic determinants of health adversely impact women, and building a better knowledge base.

The Geneva-based WHO was formed in 1948 and has 193 member states.

Editor: Mu Xuequan

Indonesian Red Cross to Build Houses For Padang Quake Victims

The Jakarta Globe, Putri Prameshwari

An earthquake survivor sits at a temporary shelter built on the ruins of her house in Kudu Gantiang village, Padang Pariaman, West Sumatra. (Photo: Binsar Bakkara, AP)

The Indonesian Red Cross is planning to build more than 2,000 temporary houses in West Sumatra to accommodate people left homeless by the Sept. 30 earthquake.

Hidayatul Irwan, the operational coordinator for the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) in West Sumatra, said on Sunday the houses would be built in the areas most affected by the 7.6 magnitude quake.

“These temporary houses will be given to quake refugees who need them most,” he said, adding that the number of houses could still increase.

The 4-by-6-meter houses are not big, Hidayatul said, but can still provide a living space and reduce the risk of catching a disease compared to living in tents.

“They deserve to live in someplace clean and healthy until they get their homes back,” he said.

Hidayatul said the houses would be built in Pariaman and Padang cities, and the districts of Padang Pariaman and Agam. Each house will cost around Rp 3 million ($320) to construct. He did not say where the money would come from.

As early as next week, groups of 10 people could start constructing the houses, accompanied by volunteers from the PMI, he said. “Hopefully, one house will only take two to three days to build.”

Antara news agency quoted Marlis Rahman, West Sumatra’s deputy governor, as saying that he welcomed the plan. He also called on people who do not get the houses not to be “jealous.”

“We all want for the situation to get better, of course,” he said. “But the process will take time.”

Hidayatul said the PMI was coordinating with local government so the assistance would not overlap with programs by other donor organizations.

“It could spark jealousy among people if the temporary houses in one neighborhood look different from each other,” he said.

Ade Edward, head of West Sumatra’s Disaster Management Agency, said people needed temporary houses as they waited for the central government to begin reconstruction in the province.

“They are depending on donations from various sources [to build temporary homes],” he said.

The provincial administration has requested Rp 8.6 trillion from the central government for reconstruction. The request is now being studied by the Coordinating Ministry for People’s Welfare as well as the National Development Planning Board and the Finance Ministry.

Health Minister expects foreigners to come to Singapore for H1N1 vaccine

By Joanne Chan, Channel News Asia | Posted: 09 November 2009 0011 hrs

SINGAPORE: Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said Sunday he expects some foreigners to come to Singapore for the H1N1 vaccine.

However, Mr Khaw said there is a sufficient supply of vaccines for Singaporeans who need it.

So far, Singapore has received 250,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine, and a further 750,000 doses are expected to be delivered by the end of the year.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a community event, Mr Khaw said that more vaccines can be ordered if necessary.

"Indonesians who used to come here, will come here, because they may not get enough supply from their side," Mr Khaw explained.

"Malaysia, I don't know if their supply has come yet. So I think we should expect some portion of the vaccines to be taken up by foreigners, but that's alright," he added.

Govt preparing Rp1.3 trillion for family of hope program

Antara News, Sunday, November 8, 2009 15:53 WIB

Yoyakarta (ANTARA News) - The government through the Ministry of Social Affairs is preparing a fund of Rp1.3 trillion to finance a Family of Hope Program (PKH) in 2010, a cabinet minister said.

"The funds are being prepared for 720,000 selected poor families. These families have to meet the condition before they could receive the assistance," Social Affairs Minister Salim Segaf Al Jufri said here on Sunday.

The minister said that the PKH program was part of the government`s efforts to reduce the number of poor people to 8-10 percent in the coming five years from 14-15 percent at present.

The PKH program is a scheme in which the government provides a cash to a very poor family (RTSM) based on certain categories in an effort to develop the country`s human resources in the field of education and health.

The target of the PKH program is an RSTM which has at least one family member at age between 0 and 15 years, or an expectant mother in selected region.

"The recipient of this program must be a mother or a women who is taking care of a child in the family concerned. This is intended to empower women," the minister said.

He said that the would-be recipients must sign an agreement which specified that they should sent children of 7-15 years to schools, or children of 16-18 years who had not yet finished their nine-year basic education.

Besides, they had also take children of 0-6 years to health care centers based on the health care procedures. Those who were pregnant were expected to check their health regularly based on the PKH procedures.

The minister said that the program had been carried out in a number of countries such as in Latin American nations. In Indonesia it had been started in 2007 and was expected to continue until 2015.