Illegal Alien
illegal alien refers to a foreign-born person not a citizen or national of the United States who is physically present within the United States unlawfully. An alien may lack legal immigration status because he or she entered the United States illegally, or because he or she remains here illegally after having entered legally. Immigration status is governed by federal law. Currently, lawful forms of admission include, but are not limited to, (1) admission for permanent residence; (2) admission for a temporary stay for authorized purposes, such as diplomacy, business, pleasure, education, cultural and artistic activities, athletics, and certain employment; (3) admission as a refugee or asylum seeker; and (4) temporary parole into the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons or for reasons in the public interest. Once an illegal alien is present within the United States, that individual may be eligible for an adjustment of status to that of a legal resident.
Admission into the United States may be denied or restricted on a variety of grounds, including, but not limited to, (1) numerical limitations based on worldwide levels of immigration, country of origin, familial status, employment status, immigration status, and other factors; (2) health-related grounds, such as a physical or mental disorder that may pose a threat to the safety, welfare, or property of the alien or the public; (3) criminal grounds, such as conviction for crimes of moral turpitude, crimes relating to controlled substances, prostitution, or commercialized vice; (4) security grounds, related to espionage, sabotage, terrorism, violent overthrow of the government, membership in the Communist Party, participation in genocide, or other proscribed activity; (5) the likelihood that the alien will become a “public charge,” based on factors such as age, health, family status, financial resources, education, and skills; (5) the alien seeks to enter the United States to perform skilled or unskilled labor, where the performance of such labor may adversely affect workers in the United States, or the alien lacks prescribed professional credentials and qualifications, or certain conditions imposed upon the prospective employer of the alien have not been met; (6) the alien lacks proper documentation, such as a valid immigrant or nonimmigrant visa issued by the United States, or a valid passport or similar document; (7) the alien has violated certain provisions of the immigration laws relating to admission into the United States; (8) the alien has committed some other specified offense(s), such as draft evasion, polygamy, or child abduction. Illegal aliens who are physically present in the United States, and thus within its territorial jurisdiction, are bound to obey the law, and they also are entitled to the protection of the law. Although the civil rights enjoyed by illegal aliens are not necessarily coextensive with those afforded citizens and legal residents, illegal aliens are entitled to protection under the U.S. Constitution. For example, illegal aliens enjoy freedom of speech and of the press under the First Amendment, and freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures (with notable limitations relating to entry and deportation) under the Fourth Amendment. Illegal aliens may not be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law under the Fifth and the Fourteenth Amendments. The Sixth Amendment’s provisions securing certain rights to the accused in criminal proceedings apply to illegal aliens, as do the Eighth Amendment’s prohibitions against excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment. Illegal aliens are entitled to equal protection of the law under the Fourteenth Amendment. Illegal aliens may sue to enforce their civil rights under federal civil rights statutes.
Despite enjoying these and other legal rights under federal and state law, illegal aliens also face significant legal disabilities and penalties. Illegal entry into the United States is a crime punishable by fines, imprisonment, and civil penalties. Illegal aliens who are apprehended are subject to detention and may be ordered removed from the country unless eligible for a waiver or for an adjustment of immigration status. Illegal aliens (like all noncitizens) do not have the right to vote. Unless granted employment authorization, an illegal alien may not lawfully be employed. Illegal aliens may be disqualified from receiving some public welfare benefits.
Source :http://www.englisharticles.info/2011/04/22/illegal-alien/
Selasa, 03 Mei 2011
Diving & Snorkeling In Paradise (Article)
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Discover Bunaken Island, one of the world's top diving destinations with its colourful and unspoiled coral gardens; warm crystal-clear blue water and "home for more fish species than even the Great Barrier Reef" (International Oceanographic Institute, 2006).
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Whether you want Discover Scuba Diving, enroll to an Advanced Diver Training, go diving on you own or you just want to do snorkeling at Liang beach, or go on a day diving trip, we can help you find the right dive experience or diving course to suit your needs.
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Especially for "Macro Diving Fans" all five islands of the National Marine Park are highly recognized and treasured by diving experts all over the world.
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The town Manado hosted the World Ocean Conference 2009 & Coral Reef Triangle Initiative in Manado. Especially environmental & sustainable tourism issues were discussed, in order to conserve the unspoiled paradise composed of high diversity and rare corals and fish species. One example is the „Coelacanth“ an ancient fish, which scientists so far believed had gone extinct with the dinosaurs.
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Our well trained and friendly English, German & Dutch speaking staff will happily assist and guide you to share with you responsibly this underwater beautiful paradise.
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Also for our swimming and snorkeling guests, we are more than fortunate to offer you, only being few meters in front of the resort's beach, a stunning coral reef drop-off, which allows you to experience nearly a full diving experience. This can be found only on very few diving spots around the world.
Diving in Paradise
So you will be amazed finding the following:
Turtles, White Reef Shark/-Black Sharks, Eagle Rays, Trevallies, Barracudas, Moray Eels, Nudibranches, Scorpion fish, Leaf fish, Pipe fish, Frog fish, Mimic Octopus, Lion fish, Cockatoo wasp fish and many more.
source : http://www.bunaken.nl/diving_in_paradise.htm?gclid=CMnm7Z6ny6gCFQIb6wodkQyipA
Discover Bunaken Island, one of the world's top diving destinations with its colourful and unspoiled coral gardens; warm crystal-clear blue water and "home for more fish species than even the Great Barrier Reef" (International Oceanographic Institute, 2006).
*
Whether you want Discover Scuba Diving, enroll to an Advanced Diver Training, go diving on you own or you just want to do snorkeling at Liang beach, or go on a day diving trip, we can help you find the right dive experience or diving course to suit your needs.
*
Especially for "Macro Diving Fans" all five islands of the National Marine Park are highly recognized and treasured by diving experts all over the world.
*
The town Manado hosted the World Ocean Conference 2009 & Coral Reef Triangle Initiative in Manado. Especially environmental & sustainable tourism issues were discussed, in order to conserve the unspoiled paradise composed of high diversity and rare corals and fish species. One example is the „Coelacanth“ an ancient fish, which scientists so far believed had gone extinct with the dinosaurs.
*
Our well trained and friendly English, German & Dutch speaking staff will happily assist and guide you to share with you responsibly this underwater beautiful paradise.
*
Also for our swimming and snorkeling guests, we are more than fortunate to offer you, only being few meters in front of the resort's beach, a stunning coral reef drop-off, which allows you to experience nearly a full diving experience. This can be found only on very few diving spots around the world.
Diving in Paradise
So you will be amazed finding the following:
Turtles, White Reef Shark/-Black Sharks, Eagle Rays, Trevallies, Barracudas, Moray Eels, Nudibranches, Scorpion fish, Leaf fish, Pipe fish, Frog fish, Mimic Octopus, Lion fish, Cockatoo wasp fish and many more.
source : http://www.bunaken.nl/diving_in_paradise.htm?gclid=CMnm7Z6ny6gCFQIb6wodkQyipA
Treatment at home brings peace of mind (Article)
“You don’t wear glasses anymore?” This is a question that Apung, a young professional, was often asked by friends, and he always gave the same brief reply, “Thanks to laser treatment.”
Apung had his treatment a decade ago. Today the laser treatment that Muhammad Nurrahmansyah, nicknamed Apung, refers to is better known as “Lasik”, which stands for “Laser-In-Situ Keratomileusis” and has gained great popularity. This is a procedure that several hospitals in Jakarta and other major cities in Indonesia offer to improve one’s eyesight using cold laser radiation. With Lasik, poor eyesight can be improved so that one no longer needs to wear glasses, no matter whether far-sighted or near-sighted. Some people are uncomfortable wearing glasses, with only a few believing they are more attractive when wearing glasses.
Aryani also enjoys the great benefits of Lasik. A housewife living in Jakarta, she is grateful that she no longer needs to wear glasses. “Many of my friends were surprised to see me after I had Lasik treatment because they were used to seeing me wear thick glasses,” said Aryani, who had Lasik treatment seven years ago. Besides Apung and Aryani, many executives and celebrities have been able to abandon their glasses thanks to Lasik. Robby Tumewu, Helmi Yahya, Sarah Sechan, Rio Febrian and Nurul Arifin are but a few in this group.
Lasik first became known in Indonesia in the early 1990s. In Jakarta there are many places where you can have Lasik treatment done, such as the Jakarta Eye Center, Laser Sight Center and Nusantara Eye Clinic. Using sophisticated equipment, these clinics promise that they can identify, measure and correct eye problems accurately. A patient can have painless laser treatment in a very short time as an outpatient.
At the Jakarta Eye Center, Lasik is conducted in two stages. In the first stage, a flap (thin layer) in the cornea is made using laser rays. In the second stage, this flap is removed and laser rays are beamed onto the inner part of the cornea so that a new cornea surface forms. After this is done, the flap is returned to its original position and in three minutes it will automatically stick to the cornea, therefore requiring no stitching. “Lasik is painless and takes only a very short time,” said Aryani, who had Lasik done on her eyes at Jakarta Eye Center.
Anybody aged 18 years upwards may have Lasik with the exception of pregnant women or breast-feeding mothers. Prior to having Lasik, a patient must do away with his or her soft contact lenses for 14 days or hard contact lens for 30 days at a stretch.
For both eyes, Lasik takes less than 20 minutes. However, in such a brief span of time, a doctor must make a lot of very important decisions. That’s why it is wise to always entrust your Lasik treatment to an experienced eye health service center with complete facilities and reliable as well as experienced doctors.
Various providers of Lasik treatment in Indonesia use the latest technology. Allegretto Wave Eye-Q, which is claimed to be the world’s fastest Lasik machine, is used by the Jakarta Eye Center. Meanwhile, the Laser Sight Center Indonesia uses technology from Bausch & Lomb, a German company specifically producing all its own wavefront analyzer systems so that it can offer an integrated system called ZyOptix.
Dr. Sjakon G. Tahija, president director of PT Austindo Nusantara Jaya (ANJ) Healthcare Services Division, said that Nusantara Eye Clinic uses VISX Lasik technology with a VISX Star S4 Excimer Laser System and the WaveScan Wavefront System.
The latest technology used by various providers of Lasik treatment leads to a high level of public confidence. Nurul Arifin entrusted her eyesight to the Laser Sight Center Indonesia at Mal Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta while Apung and Aryani had their Lasik treatment at the Jakarta Eye Center.
Anyone wanting Lasik treatment so that they can throw away their glasses must be ready to dig deep into their pockets. In Indonesia, it costs between Rp 8 million and dozens of millions of rupiah to have Lasik done on one eye. The fee depends on the result of your doctor’s analysis of your eye problems requiring a Lasik solution.
High fees aside, it is obvious that many hospitals in Indonesia continue to improve their medical capability and technologies in an effort to provide health care services to the people in the middle to upper-class, who usually go overseas for medical treatment. Aside from Lasik, a service now available in many places in Indonesia, heart and stroke patients as well as patients with other internal organ disorders can enjoy speedy and easy help for their ailments.
Harapan Kita Hospital in Jakarta, for example, has a German-made Multi Slice CT Scan. Costing about euro 1 million, this instrument can speedily and accurately detect any damage in the internal organs.
The scan gives results of high accuracy because it can view the internal part of an organ up to 16 slices. Before being scanned, a patient is given an injection of a contrast substance so that the organs to be examined can be clearly viewed on the monitor. The patient lies down for the scan, which is painless. A scan of 16 slices of a particular organ enables the doctor to accurately diagnose a patient’s condition. In addition, the possibility of a future stroke can also be detected as the scanner can examine carefully the condition of a patient’s blood vessels.
The latest and sophisticated technology in CT Scan with 64 slices is also available at Medistra Hospital, Jakarta. With this machine, a doctor can view a person’s coronary heart blood vessels in a non-invasive manner (without using heart catheterization). Indonesians commonly go abroad for scans of this caliber, which can detect plaque (of cholesterol) that causes arteriosclerosis.
In Jakarta, a Multi-Slice CT Scan examination costs between Rp 500,000 and Rp 6 million. In Malaysia the cost ranges from Rp 5 million to Rp 16 million. Meanwhile, at the Singapore Heart, Stroke & Cancer center the cost ranges from S$5,000 to S$7,000.
Now that hi-tech medical equipment is available in Indonesia, there is no further need to travel abroad for medical treatment because there is sophisticated technology here. Traveling abroad for medical treatment entails a great outlay of money to cover the cost of treatment and accommodation, plus you may not enjoy the peace of mind that you may have when undergoing medical treatment at home. It is this factor that has become an opportunity for many hospitals to cash in on in providing services to patients who usually go abroad for medical treatment.[Asep Saefullah]
The Jakarta Post, Supplement – May 30, 2006
Apung had his treatment a decade ago. Today the laser treatment that Muhammad Nurrahmansyah, nicknamed Apung, refers to is better known as “Lasik”, which stands for “Laser-In-Situ Keratomileusis” and has gained great popularity. This is a procedure that several hospitals in Jakarta and other major cities in Indonesia offer to improve one’s eyesight using cold laser radiation. With Lasik, poor eyesight can be improved so that one no longer needs to wear glasses, no matter whether far-sighted or near-sighted. Some people are uncomfortable wearing glasses, with only a few believing they are more attractive when wearing glasses.
Aryani also enjoys the great benefits of Lasik. A housewife living in Jakarta, she is grateful that she no longer needs to wear glasses. “Many of my friends were surprised to see me after I had Lasik treatment because they were used to seeing me wear thick glasses,” said Aryani, who had Lasik treatment seven years ago. Besides Apung and Aryani, many executives and celebrities have been able to abandon their glasses thanks to Lasik. Robby Tumewu, Helmi Yahya, Sarah Sechan, Rio Febrian and Nurul Arifin are but a few in this group.
Lasik first became known in Indonesia in the early 1990s. In Jakarta there are many places where you can have Lasik treatment done, such as the Jakarta Eye Center, Laser Sight Center and Nusantara Eye Clinic. Using sophisticated equipment, these clinics promise that they can identify, measure and correct eye problems accurately. A patient can have painless laser treatment in a very short time as an outpatient.
At the Jakarta Eye Center, Lasik is conducted in two stages. In the first stage, a flap (thin layer) in the cornea is made using laser rays. In the second stage, this flap is removed and laser rays are beamed onto the inner part of the cornea so that a new cornea surface forms. After this is done, the flap is returned to its original position and in three minutes it will automatically stick to the cornea, therefore requiring no stitching. “Lasik is painless and takes only a very short time,” said Aryani, who had Lasik done on her eyes at Jakarta Eye Center.
Anybody aged 18 years upwards may have Lasik with the exception of pregnant women or breast-feeding mothers. Prior to having Lasik, a patient must do away with his or her soft contact lenses for 14 days or hard contact lens for 30 days at a stretch.
For both eyes, Lasik takes less than 20 minutes. However, in such a brief span of time, a doctor must make a lot of very important decisions. That’s why it is wise to always entrust your Lasik treatment to an experienced eye health service center with complete facilities and reliable as well as experienced doctors.
Various providers of Lasik treatment in Indonesia use the latest technology. Allegretto Wave Eye-Q, which is claimed to be the world’s fastest Lasik machine, is used by the Jakarta Eye Center. Meanwhile, the Laser Sight Center Indonesia uses technology from Bausch & Lomb, a German company specifically producing all its own wavefront analyzer systems so that it can offer an integrated system called ZyOptix.
Dr. Sjakon G. Tahija, president director of PT Austindo Nusantara Jaya (ANJ) Healthcare Services Division, said that Nusantara Eye Clinic uses VISX Lasik technology with a VISX Star S4 Excimer Laser System and the WaveScan Wavefront System.
The latest technology used by various providers of Lasik treatment leads to a high level of public confidence. Nurul Arifin entrusted her eyesight to the Laser Sight Center Indonesia at Mal Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta while Apung and Aryani had their Lasik treatment at the Jakarta Eye Center.
Anyone wanting Lasik treatment so that they can throw away their glasses must be ready to dig deep into their pockets. In Indonesia, it costs between Rp 8 million and dozens of millions of rupiah to have Lasik done on one eye. The fee depends on the result of your doctor’s analysis of your eye problems requiring a Lasik solution.
High fees aside, it is obvious that many hospitals in Indonesia continue to improve their medical capability and technologies in an effort to provide health care services to the people in the middle to upper-class, who usually go overseas for medical treatment. Aside from Lasik, a service now available in many places in Indonesia, heart and stroke patients as well as patients with other internal organ disorders can enjoy speedy and easy help for their ailments.
Harapan Kita Hospital in Jakarta, for example, has a German-made Multi Slice CT Scan. Costing about euro 1 million, this instrument can speedily and accurately detect any damage in the internal organs.
The scan gives results of high accuracy because it can view the internal part of an organ up to 16 slices. Before being scanned, a patient is given an injection of a contrast substance so that the organs to be examined can be clearly viewed on the monitor. The patient lies down for the scan, which is painless. A scan of 16 slices of a particular organ enables the doctor to accurately diagnose a patient’s condition. In addition, the possibility of a future stroke can also be detected as the scanner can examine carefully the condition of a patient’s blood vessels.
The latest and sophisticated technology in CT Scan with 64 slices is also available at Medistra Hospital, Jakarta. With this machine, a doctor can view a person’s coronary heart blood vessels in a non-invasive manner (without using heart catheterization). Indonesians commonly go abroad for scans of this caliber, which can detect plaque (of cholesterol) that causes arteriosclerosis.
In Jakarta, a Multi-Slice CT Scan examination costs between Rp 500,000 and Rp 6 million. In Malaysia the cost ranges from Rp 5 million to Rp 16 million. Meanwhile, at the Singapore Heart, Stroke & Cancer center the cost ranges from S$5,000 to S$7,000.
Now that hi-tech medical equipment is available in Indonesia, there is no further need to travel abroad for medical treatment because there is sophisticated technology here. Traveling abroad for medical treatment entails a great outlay of money to cover the cost of treatment and accommodation, plus you may not enjoy the peace of mind that you may have when undergoing medical treatment at home. It is this factor that has become an opportunity for many hospitals to cash in on in providing services to patients who usually go abroad for medical treatment.[Asep Saefullah]
The Jakarta Post, Supplement – May 30, 2006
The Power of A Bedtime Chat (article)
Empowering rural women is a good way to preserve the area’s forests
Yusuf doesn’t put on airs when he visits the villagers in the collection of hamlets bordering the area’s conservation forest. Because of his simple, down-to-earth manner, officials from the Forestry and Plantation District Office of Central Lampung are always welcome in Sendang Baru village. As the district head of forest-area management, Yusuf will happily travel for three hours along bumpy, pot-holed roads to speak to communities living around the forest. Often he spends the night in these villages to see old friends and track the community’s progress in conserving the forests.
By keeping up a harmonious relationship with the Sendang Baru villagers and guiding them in agricultural programmes, Yusuf has succeeded in eliminating the typical conflicts that occur between the local government and communities in other forest areas in Indonesia. He has also persuaded the community to conserve the forests they live in. Masri, a villager from Sendang Baru, admits he was formerly involved in illegal logging until he joined the district’s agricultural programme. Since then, he says, members of the community have caught loggers several times and taken them to the Forestry Police. “The forest earns us a living, so whoever conducts illegal logging will be caught,” he said.
The Central Lampung forest, at around 450,000 acres, makes up only a tenth of the total area in the regency. “That number is still far from that required by the 1999 Forestry Law, which stipulates that 30 percent of the whole area should be covered in vegetation. Therefore, after we succeed in preserving the existing forests, we will expand them,” Yusuf said.
Watala (an environmental conservation organisation), the Forestry and Plantation District Office helps village communities grow non-timber forest products without destroying the land they live in. Villagers are encouraged to organise themselves into farmer groups and are trained in a range of skills – from crop cultivation and animal husbandry, to managerial and basic accounting skills. A former head of the District Forestry Office, Isyanto, said the cooperation between the regional agency and Watala came about because of necessity. “We still lack experience and knowledge or managerial and proposal writing skills. Therefore, Watala’s role is very important in the facilitation of programmes for this forest area,” Isyanto said.
He believes efforts to foster cooperation among stakeholders on forestry issues has proven successful. “If we did not collaborate with Watala, the trees in Sendang Baru forest would likely all be gone by now.”
Firman Seponada, working for Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (Walhi) Lampung said the model of collaboration between the government and NGOs in managing the forests in Central Lampung regency is one that other regencies should follow. “In terms of environmental problems, when people and the government are in conflict, then an NGO should be present to find a solution,” he said.
In Sendang Baru, Watala and Forestry and Plantation District Office guide two women and four male farmer groups. Taking advantage of existing agricultural businesses in the area, they train the farmers to make the best use out of the traditional crops and livestock they grow. The programme also introduced them to new sources of income. The involvement of women is important, Yusuf says. “Women often express their ideas to the men, who unfortunately are still felling trees in the forest. “If we told the men directly that we must conserve the forest, it would be less effective. Instead, we explain the situation to their wives, who then talk to the men – we’ve found this strategy to be more effective,” Yusuf said.
Women are also good at organising and managing, he said. With more spare time than the men working out in the fields, they can be trained to manage the produce grown in the village plantations, he said. Sri Banon, the head of the women’s Farmer Group – Wanita Tani Lestari Organisation, said the training from the Forestry and Plantation District Office has increased families’ income. “We were trained how to make banana crackers, coconut sugar, and coffee powder. Now all of my family’s needs can be fulfilled,” she said. “With our current income, there is no need to fell trees and take the risk of being jailed.” While the women in the women’s farmer group manage the cultivation of semi-processed products, another group is involved in fisheries and goat rearing as well as banana cultivation. All the groups are trained in financial management, Yusuf said. “If they need money urgently – for their children’s books or school fees, then they can borrow from the collective.”
It has been relatively easy to find markets for the farmer’s products. The bananas from Sendang Baru village are now being sent to Muara Angke and Bintaro in Jakarta. Since the development programmes began, production has increased to around three tonnes a week. Muhammad Kubar, the second assistant for Economy and Development in the Central Lampung regency government, said the existence of new income sources has led to a decrease in deforestation in the project areas. Forest destruction has always been caused by economic factors, he said. Either because poor communities cleared the forests to survive, or because interests that are more powerful wanted to make quick money, he said. “Those destroying the forest to survive are usually people who live in or around the forest. The only way to cope with this problem is to improve people’s welfare.”
Zubair also said the involvement of women in the forest conservation programme is essential. The image of a rural woman playing servant to her husband is outdated, he said. Wives have plenty of power over their husbands, and they know how to use it. “In fact, women often forbid their husbands to fell trees in the forests in the chit-chat they have before going to bed.” **
Source: http://asep.wordpress.com/2006/12/26/the-power-of-a-bedtime-chat/
Yusuf doesn’t put on airs when he visits the villagers in the collection of hamlets bordering the area’s conservation forest. Because of his simple, down-to-earth manner, officials from the Forestry and Plantation District Office of Central Lampung are always welcome in Sendang Baru village. As the district head of forest-area management, Yusuf will happily travel for three hours along bumpy, pot-holed roads to speak to communities living around the forest. Often he spends the night in these villages to see old friends and track the community’s progress in conserving the forests.
By keeping up a harmonious relationship with the Sendang Baru villagers and guiding them in agricultural programmes, Yusuf has succeeded in eliminating the typical conflicts that occur between the local government and communities in other forest areas in Indonesia. He has also persuaded the community to conserve the forests they live in. Masri, a villager from Sendang Baru, admits he was formerly involved in illegal logging until he joined the district’s agricultural programme. Since then, he says, members of the community have caught loggers several times and taken them to the Forestry Police. “The forest earns us a living, so whoever conducts illegal logging will be caught,” he said.
The Central Lampung forest, at around 450,000 acres, makes up only a tenth of the total area in the regency. “That number is still far from that required by the 1999 Forestry Law, which stipulates that 30 percent of the whole area should be covered in vegetation. Therefore, after we succeed in preserving the existing forests, we will expand them,” Yusuf said.
Watala (an environmental conservation organisation), the Forestry and Plantation District Office helps village communities grow non-timber forest products without destroying the land they live in. Villagers are encouraged to organise themselves into farmer groups and are trained in a range of skills – from crop cultivation and animal husbandry, to managerial and basic accounting skills. A former head of the District Forestry Office, Isyanto, said the cooperation between the regional agency and Watala came about because of necessity. “We still lack experience and knowledge or managerial and proposal writing skills. Therefore, Watala’s role is very important in the facilitation of programmes for this forest area,” Isyanto said.
He believes efforts to foster cooperation among stakeholders on forestry issues has proven successful. “If we did not collaborate with Watala, the trees in Sendang Baru forest would likely all be gone by now.”
Firman Seponada, working for Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (Walhi) Lampung said the model of collaboration between the government and NGOs in managing the forests in Central Lampung regency is one that other regencies should follow. “In terms of environmental problems, when people and the government are in conflict, then an NGO should be present to find a solution,” he said.
In Sendang Baru, Watala and Forestry and Plantation District Office guide two women and four male farmer groups. Taking advantage of existing agricultural businesses in the area, they train the farmers to make the best use out of the traditional crops and livestock they grow. The programme also introduced them to new sources of income. The involvement of women is important, Yusuf says. “Women often express their ideas to the men, who unfortunately are still felling trees in the forest. “If we told the men directly that we must conserve the forest, it would be less effective. Instead, we explain the situation to their wives, who then talk to the men – we’ve found this strategy to be more effective,” Yusuf said.
Women are also good at organising and managing, he said. With more spare time than the men working out in the fields, they can be trained to manage the produce grown in the village plantations, he said. Sri Banon, the head of the women’s Farmer Group – Wanita Tani Lestari Organisation, said the training from the Forestry and Plantation District Office has increased families’ income. “We were trained how to make banana crackers, coconut sugar, and coffee powder. Now all of my family’s needs can be fulfilled,” she said. “With our current income, there is no need to fell trees and take the risk of being jailed.” While the women in the women’s farmer group manage the cultivation of semi-processed products, another group is involved in fisheries and goat rearing as well as banana cultivation. All the groups are trained in financial management, Yusuf said. “If they need money urgently – for their children’s books or school fees, then they can borrow from the collective.”
It has been relatively easy to find markets for the farmer’s products. The bananas from Sendang Baru village are now being sent to Muara Angke and Bintaro in Jakarta. Since the development programmes began, production has increased to around three tonnes a week. Muhammad Kubar, the second assistant for Economy and Development in the Central Lampung regency government, said the existence of new income sources has led to a decrease in deforestation in the project areas. Forest destruction has always been caused by economic factors, he said. Either because poor communities cleared the forests to survive, or because interests that are more powerful wanted to make quick money, he said. “Those destroying the forest to survive are usually people who live in or around the forest. The only way to cope with this problem is to improve people’s welfare.”
Zubair also said the involvement of women in the forest conservation programme is essential. The image of a rural woman playing servant to her husband is outdated, he said. Wives have plenty of power over their husbands, and they know how to use it. “In fact, women often forbid their husbands to fell trees in the forests in the chit-chat they have before going to bed.” **
Source: http://asep.wordpress.com/2006/12/26/the-power-of-a-bedtime-chat/
Camcorders, projectors make life enjoyable (article)
It was a hot Friday afternoon in mid 2006 in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi. The hot weather, however, had no effect on Alim, a non- governmental organization worker, who on that afternoon sat absorbed in front of his computer with three electric fans cooling the hot air.
“Hot weather is all right for me as long as my computer works,” he said.
What was he doing? He was processing a video recording of activities conducted by his organization.
After a while, carrying a CD he left his room and went into the meeting room. With the help of a notebook and a projector, the video recording was projected onto the wall and dozens of people watched the documentary as if they were in a theater.
Thanks to technological developments, with a video camera and a computer you can make a film. Of course, first of all you must acquire the technical skills of operating these instruments. Various video camera producers are now competing to market their superior products, which are not only sophisticated but also come with various smart features. Besides, the prices are relatively lower than they were a few years ago.
Samsung Electronics, for example, has promised to introduce various revolutionary products this year, including Samsung VP-X210L, to strengthen its position as a market leader. “With the Samsung VP-X210L Sports Camcorder, hurdles in video recording can be minimized. This camcorder makes it easier to record an object hands-free and the durability of the batteries is also longer,” Lee Mun Bong, managing director of PT Samsung Electronics Indonesia, said at Ritz Carlton Hotel, Jakarta.
The Samsung VP-X210L, he said, is a future sports camcorder whose recording speed can be boosted by up to 25 percent with an optical zoom of 10 times. “The electronic picture stabilizer of the VP-210L makes sure that all features of an athlete will be recorded with great clarity,” he added.
As the use of a DVD format, which is capable of producing clearer pictures, is now gaining greater popularity, producers spare no time cashing in on this trend by offering various DVD-format video cameras complete with various sophisticated features that make it even easier for a user to make video recordings.
One such producer is PT Panasonic Gobel Indonesia, which has released its VDR-D300, VDR-D250 and VDR-D150 DVD-format video camera series. The VDR series allows recording output to be stored in the SD Card memory disc, thereby making it very practical to transfer it to a computer for editing. Technological sophistication and easy operation is, of course, helpful to the user in translating ideas into reality.
Another audio-video product that is gaining popularity is the projector. During the recently concluded FIFA World Cup Championship in Germany, people could not only watch the soccer matches on TV, but also on large screen thanks to projectors. Initially, a projector was invented for presentations in meeting rooms.
Today, however, many use one to watch movies or TV programs, such as aired soccer matches. Datascrip Business Solutions, which markets Optoma products in Indonesia, has launched at least seven series of Optoma projectors using Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology, namely DV10, EP729, EP7161, EP719, EP739H, EP758 and EP759.
DLP technology, said Jeremy Hemanto, manager of the multimedia division of PT Datascrip, uses an optical semi-conductor, which is better known as a Digital Micromirror Device (DVD Chip) to re-portray the existing material of a presentation. “With a Digital Light Processing processor, a projector is available at an affordable price and can be used by practically anybody in Indonesia,” he said.
Optoma, he said, is the leader in the world market of projectors using DLP technology, and in the third quarter of 2005 it enjoyed a market share of some 13.6 percent. Optoma of the EP729 series is a micro portable projector measuring 200 mm by 62.5 mm by 150 mm and weighing 0.99 kg. “Thanks to its brightness level of 1,600 ANSI lumens, this projector can present more lively pictures for various applications,” Jeremy said.
As for Optoma of the DV10 series, which is usually called MovieTime TM, it is a digital projector with an integrated DVD player and speakers. One can watch a movie using this device alone. Indeed, sophisticated technology has made it much easier for everybody to enjoy entertainment at home. [Asep Saefullah]
THE JAKARTA POST — TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2006 — PAGE 18
“Hot weather is all right for me as long as my computer works,” he said.
What was he doing? He was processing a video recording of activities conducted by his organization.
After a while, carrying a CD he left his room and went into the meeting room. With the help of a notebook and a projector, the video recording was projected onto the wall and dozens of people watched the documentary as if they were in a theater.
Thanks to technological developments, with a video camera and a computer you can make a film. Of course, first of all you must acquire the technical skills of operating these instruments. Various video camera producers are now competing to market their superior products, which are not only sophisticated but also come with various smart features. Besides, the prices are relatively lower than they were a few years ago.
Samsung Electronics, for example, has promised to introduce various revolutionary products this year, including Samsung VP-X210L, to strengthen its position as a market leader. “With the Samsung VP-X210L Sports Camcorder, hurdles in video recording can be minimized. This camcorder makes it easier to record an object hands-free and the durability of the batteries is also longer,” Lee Mun Bong, managing director of PT Samsung Electronics Indonesia, said at Ritz Carlton Hotel, Jakarta.
The Samsung VP-X210L, he said, is a future sports camcorder whose recording speed can be boosted by up to 25 percent with an optical zoom of 10 times. “The electronic picture stabilizer of the VP-210L makes sure that all features of an athlete will be recorded with great clarity,” he added.
As the use of a DVD format, which is capable of producing clearer pictures, is now gaining greater popularity, producers spare no time cashing in on this trend by offering various DVD-format video cameras complete with various sophisticated features that make it even easier for a user to make video recordings.
One such producer is PT Panasonic Gobel Indonesia, which has released its VDR-D300, VDR-D250 and VDR-D150 DVD-format video camera series. The VDR series allows recording output to be stored in the SD Card memory disc, thereby making it very practical to transfer it to a computer for editing. Technological sophistication and easy operation is, of course, helpful to the user in translating ideas into reality.
Another audio-video product that is gaining popularity is the projector. During the recently concluded FIFA World Cup Championship in Germany, people could not only watch the soccer matches on TV, but also on large screen thanks to projectors. Initially, a projector was invented for presentations in meeting rooms.
Today, however, many use one to watch movies or TV programs, such as aired soccer matches. Datascrip Business Solutions, which markets Optoma products in Indonesia, has launched at least seven series of Optoma projectors using Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology, namely DV10, EP729, EP7161, EP719, EP739H, EP758 and EP759.
DLP technology, said Jeremy Hemanto, manager of the multimedia division of PT Datascrip, uses an optical semi-conductor, which is better known as a Digital Micromirror Device (DVD Chip) to re-portray the existing material of a presentation. “With a Digital Light Processing processor, a projector is available at an affordable price and can be used by practically anybody in Indonesia,” he said.
Optoma, he said, is the leader in the world market of projectors using DLP technology, and in the third quarter of 2005 it enjoyed a market share of some 13.6 percent. Optoma of the EP729 series is a micro portable projector measuring 200 mm by 62.5 mm by 150 mm and weighing 0.99 kg. “Thanks to its brightness level of 1,600 ANSI lumens, this projector can present more lively pictures for various applications,” Jeremy said.
As for Optoma of the DV10 series, which is usually called MovieTime TM, it is a digital projector with an integrated DVD player and speakers. One can watch a movie using this device alone. Indeed, sophisticated technology has made it much easier for everybody to enjoy entertainment at home. [Asep Saefullah]
THE JAKARTA POST — TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2006 — PAGE 18
AIDS is “welcome” in Classrooms in Bali (Article)
HIV/AIDS infection has spread everywhere. It has even “entered” the classrooms of junior high and high schools in Bali. Wait a second, it is not that the virus that entered the classrooms, but information on HIV/AIDS.
Wirawan, an activist from The National AIDS Commission in Bali, stated that the Commission has developed HIV/AIDS and drugs education through schools. This activity is conducted together with the Department of Education using two approaches: intra and extra curricular activities. This education is given to students ranging from seventh to twelfth grade of both regular and vocational schools.
“In the extra curricular line, all schools elect teachers as counsellors for Students Care about AIDS and Drugs Group ( KSPAN ). The counsellors in each city/regency then form an institution, named The Forum of KSPAN Counsellor Teachers,” said Wirawan.
Up to this moment, six of the nine cities/regencies in Bali have implemented the programme. According to Wirawan, the schools held various activities, such as: a music group that is concerned with AIDS and drugs, drama, peer training, wall-newspaper, speech contest, and colossal activities (jamboree and dance for life). “All of which is HIV/AIDS and anti-drugs themed,” he added.
Initially, Wirawan explained, the teachers claimed that none of their students are drug users or are HIV-infected. “Then, we clarified that most of the drug using students have already dropped out and certainly are not enrolled in school anymore,” Wirawan said.
During the training, several drug-caused drop out students, mostly are already HIV+, were also invited to participate as resource persons.
The approach was indeed started by The National AIDS Commission in Provincial/Regency level and the Department of Education. Even so, in these trainings, all the trainer team comes from NGOs (Kisara/PKBI Bali and Muda Berdaya from Yayasan Hati Kita). Nearly each training was opened by the respective Regent/Deputy Regent.
”The responses from teachers and local government were all excellent. We emphasized our issues on drugs, also HIV/AIDS. During the training of teachers and students, in the end, there were also many discussions on condom,” Wirawan stated.
Source: http://asep.wordpress.com/2007/01/11/aids-is-%E2%80%9Cwelcome%E2%80%9D-in-classrooms-in-bali/
Wirawan, an activist from The National AIDS Commission in Bali, stated that the Commission has developed HIV/AIDS and drugs education through schools. This activity is conducted together with the Department of Education using two approaches: intra and extra curricular activities. This education is given to students ranging from seventh to twelfth grade of both regular and vocational schools.
“In the extra curricular line, all schools elect teachers as counsellors for Students Care about AIDS and Drugs Group ( KSPAN ). The counsellors in each city/regency then form an institution, named The Forum of KSPAN Counsellor Teachers,” said Wirawan.
Up to this moment, six of the nine cities/regencies in Bali have implemented the programme. According to Wirawan, the schools held various activities, such as: a music group that is concerned with AIDS and drugs, drama, peer training, wall-newspaper, speech contest, and colossal activities (jamboree and dance for life). “All of which is HIV/AIDS and anti-drugs themed,” he added.
Initially, Wirawan explained, the teachers claimed that none of their students are drug users or are HIV-infected. “Then, we clarified that most of the drug using students have already dropped out and certainly are not enrolled in school anymore,” Wirawan said.
During the training, several drug-caused drop out students, mostly are already HIV+, were also invited to participate as resource persons.
The approach was indeed started by The National AIDS Commission in Provincial/Regency level and the Department of Education. Even so, in these trainings, all the trainer team comes from NGOs (Kisara/PKBI Bali and Muda Berdaya from Yayasan Hati Kita). Nearly each training was opened by the respective Regent/Deputy Regent.
”The responses from teachers and local government were all excellent. We emphasized our issues on drugs, also HIV/AIDS. During the training of teachers and students, in the end, there were also many discussions on condom,” Wirawan stated.
Source: http://asep.wordpress.com/2007/01/11/aids-is-%E2%80%9Cwelcome%E2%80%9D-in-classrooms-in-bali/
Environmentally friendly — the future trend cars (Article)
“Jakarta is the third most polluted city in the world, after Mexico City and Panama. And vehicle emissions account for 80 percent of the pollution,” Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said last year.
People living and working in Jakarta have to pay dearly for this pollution. Research indicates that the health cost of Jakarta’s air pollution was estimated at US$220 million in 1999, and the amount has been increasing in line with the increase in the number of vehicles traversing the capital every day.
Ari Muhammad of Swisscontact, an agency concerned with air pollution, said that air pollutants contained in the exhaust gases from motorized vehicles include carbon monoxide (CO), various hydrocarbon compounds, various nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur (SOx) and lead (Pb).
“Carbon monoxide can block the supply of oxygen to body tissues. Besides, it can affect the work of the heart, the central nervous system and all other body organs sensitive to oxygen deficiency,” he said.
Both public transportation vehicles and private cars are to be blamed for the air pollution.
“We usually assume that it is the pitch black smoke emitted by the exhaust pipes of city buses that is hazardous, but in fact the great danger comes from the white smoke emitted by our own private cars,” he added.
The Jakarta administration has made several efforts to improve the cleanliness of the capital’s air.
Last year, the administration issued Bylaw No. 2/2005 on air pollution control, which among other things obliges all private car owners to carry out emissions tests on their vehicles twice a year and public transportation vehicles to use natural gas. Yet, the administration is still facing several obstacles to fully implement the regulation, including the lack of equipment for public transportation vehicles to switch from oil-based fuel to natural gas.
The government has also tried to push the local automotive industry to apply environmentally friendly technology in their products.
In 2003, the state minister for the environment issued Decree No. 41/2003 on the emission threshold for exhaust gases of new motorized vehicles and motorized vehicles under production. The decree requires car manufacturers to apply technology based on the Euro-2 standard in the case of exhaust emissions.
“Under the ministerial decree, new-type cars produced since early 2005 must have all passed an emission test based on the Euro-2 standard. Meanwhile, old-type automobiles that are reproduced will be given a chance to conform to this standard up to January 2007,” Didin Khaeruddin, an official at the State Ministry for the Environment, said.
A motorized vehicle fulfills the Euro-2 standard if the exhaust gases contain a maximum of 4.0 grams of CO per kilometer (g/km) and a maximum of 0.6 g/km of HC + NOx.
Indeed, Europe is the pioneer in pushing the automotive industry to apply environmentally friendly technology.
It started introducing exhaust emission standards in the late 1980s. In 1992, it introduced the Euro-1 standard that limited the amount of CO content in the exhaust of motorized vehicles to 4.9 g/km and HC content to 1,23 g/km, NOx content to 9 g/km and particles to 0.4 g/km.
The standard was effective for three years and was later replaced with the Euro-2 standard, which further cut down the CO, HC, NOx and particle contents. Now, Europe is applying the Euro-4 standard that limits emissions to 1.5 g/km CO, 0.46 g/km HC, 3.5 g/km NOx and 0.02 g/km particles
Many countries have followed in the footsteps of Europe and have applied similar emission standards.
The tighter emission standards have encouraged the world’s automotive industry to produce cars with more environmentally friendly technology. One such product is the hybrid cars. A hybrid car features a small fuel-efficient gas engine combined with an electric motor that assists the engine when accelerating. The electric motor is powered by batteries that recharge automatically while people drive. Hybrid cars are better for the environment as they can reduce smog by 90 percent and they use far less gasoline than conventional cars.
Automobiles of this type have been mass-produced by nearly all carmakers, particularly those from Japan. The Toyota Prius, Camry and Land Cruiser of the FCHC type are some examples.
Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers (Gaikindo), Bambang Trisulo, said that the environment and energy were hot topics of discussion in the international automotive industry.
“In Asia, an awareness has also developed about the use of clean energy, although there are still some constraints in respect of regulations and implementation,” he noted.
According to Bambang, Indonesia’s automakers are now ready to produce motorized vehicles that meet the Euro-2 standard. Yet, they face an obstacle in the fact the type of fuel suitable for such vehicles is not yet widely available on the domestic market.
“We hope that unleaded fuel can be supplied to all regions so that it will always be easily available to users of these motorized vehicles,” Bambang said.
As the unleaded gasoline that is suitable for vehicles using the Euro-2 standard is still in short supply, the ministerial decree on emission thresholds for new-type motorized vehicles and motorized vehicles under production cannot be properly enforced.
Late last year, PT General Motors Indonesia launched New Aveo. Company sales and marketing director Antonio Zara said the car was yet to meet the Euro-2 standard. One of the considerations for the firm in deciding to launch the car was the availability of the right fuel for the car.
“The Euro-2 standard requires a car to use a catalytic converter. This instrument necessitates the use of unleaded fuel,” he said during the launch of New Aveo in Jakarta.
He said unleaded gasoline was yet to be evenly distributed throughout Indonesia.
Zara maintained that the car does not violate the regulation that requires that the Euro-2 standard be applied to new cars. “The New Aveo is not an entirely new car. It is an old type that has undergone some minor changes. So it is not compulsory for the car to meet the Euro-2 standard,” he said.
While the production of vehicles that meet the Euro-2 standard still faces problems, Jakarta’s 2005 bylaw on air pollution control has apparently improved public awareness about the emission of exhaust gases from private cars. Carmakers now run their own emission test facilities.
Sutrisno Lesmono, general manager of after-sales service and spare parts at PT Nissan Motor Indonesia, said that as of November 2005, Nissan workshops had officially provided an emission test service for owners of Nissan cars and other makes. “We are applying a tighter standard than what the regional administration has set. For example, our CO content standard is 1-2 percent, far below the regional administration’s standard of 4 percent,” he said, adding that a car was no longer environmentally friendly with a CO content of 4 percent in its emissions.
Didin is pleased with carmakers’ efforts to help keep the environment clean.
“Now that an emission test is compulsory, the public, hopefully, can become more aware of the danger posed by exhaust gas emissions,” he said.
To ensure that the regulation that uses the Euro-2 standard as its reference will not simply collect dust, Didin hopes that relevant government agencies will encourage greater distribution of unleaded fuel. “January 2007 is close at hand. Make sure that the effort to reduce air pollution is not constrained by the availability of the right fuel,” he said. [Asep Saefullah]
The Jakarta Post – June 16, 2006
People living and working in Jakarta have to pay dearly for this pollution. Research indicates that the health cost of Jakarta’s air pollution was estimated at US$220 million in 1999, and the amount has been increasing in line with the increase in the number of vehicles traversing the capital every day.
Ari Muhammad of Swisscontact, an agency concerned with air pollution, said that air pollutants contained in the exhaust gases from motorized vehicles include carbon monoxide (CO), various hydrocarbon compounds, various nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur (SOx) and lead (Pb).
“Carbon monoxide can block the supply of oxygen to body tissues. Besides, it can affect the work of the heart, the central nervous system and all other body organs sensitive to oxygen deficiency,” he said.
Both public transportation vehicles and private cars are to be blamed for the air pollution.
“We usually assume that it is the pitch black smoke emitted by the exhaust pipes of city buses that is hazardous, but in fact the great danger comes from the white smoke emitted by our own private cars,” he added.
The Jakarta administration has made several efforts to improve the cleanliness of the capital’s air.
Last year, the administration issued Bylaw No. 2/2005 on air pollution control, which among other things obliges all private car owners to carry out emissions tests on their vehicles twice a year and public transportation vehicles to use natural gas. Yet, the administration is still facing several obstacles to fully implement the regulation, including the lack of equipment for public transportation vehicles to switch from oil-based fuel to natural gas.
The government has also tried to push the local automotive industry to apply environmentally friendly technology in their products.
In 2003, the state minister for the environment issued Decree No. 41/2003 on the emission threshold for exhaust gases of new motorized vehicles and motorized vehicles under production. The decree requires car manufacturers to apply technology based on the Euro-2 standard in the case of exhaust emissions.
“Under the ministerial decree, new-type cars produced since early 2005 must have all passed an emission test based on the Euro-2 standard. Meanwhile, old-type automobiles that are reproduced will be given a chance to conform to this standard up to January 2007,” Didin Khaeruddin, an official at the State Ministry for the Environment, said.
A motorized vehicle fulfills the Euro-2 standard if the exhaust gases contain a maximum of 4.0 grams of CO per kilometer (g/km) and a maximum of 0.6 g/km of HC + NOx.
Indeed, Europe is the pioneer in pushing the automotive industry to apply environmentally friendly technology.
It started introducing exhaust emission standards in the late 1980s. In 1992, it introduced the Euro-1 standard that limited the amount of CO content in the exhaust of motorized vehicles to 4.9 g/km and HC content to 1,23 g/km, NOx content to 9 g/km and particles to 0.4 g/km.
The standard was effective for three years and was later replaced with the Euro-2 standard, which further cut down the CO, HC, NOx and particle contents. Now, Europe is applying the Euro-4 standard that limits emissions to 1.5 g/km CO, 0.46 g/km HC, 3.5 g/km NOx and 0.02 g/km particles
Many countries have followed in the footsteps of Europe and have applied similar emission standards.
The tighter emission standards have encouraged the world’s automotive industry to produce cars with more environmentally friendly technology. One such product is the hybrid cars. A hybrid car features a small fuel-efficient gas engine combined with an electric motor that assists the engine when accelerating. The electric motor is powered by batteries that recharge automatically while people drive. Hybrid cars are better for the environment as they can reduce smog by 90 percent and they use far less gasoline than conventional cars.
Automobiles of this type have been mass-produced by nearly all carmakers, particularly those from Japan. The Toyota Prius, Camry and Land Cruiser of the FCHC type are some examples.
Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers (Gaikindo), Bambang Trisulo, said that the environment and energy were hot topics of discussion in the international automotive industry.
“In Asia, an awareness has also developed about the use of clean energy, although there are still some constraints in respect of regulations and implementation,” he noted.
According to Bambang, Indonesia’s automakers are now ready to produce motorized vehicles that meet the Euro-2 standard. Yet, they face an obstacle in the fact the type of fuel suitable for such vehicles is not yet widely available on the domestic market.
“We hope that unleaded fuel can be supplied to all regions so that it will always be easily available to users of these motorized vehicles,” Bambang said.
As the unleaded gasoline that is suitable for vehicles using the Euro-2 standard is still in short supply, the ministerial decree on emission thresholds for new-type motorized vehicles and motorized vehicles under production cannot be properly enforced.
Late last year, PT General Motors Indonesia launched New Aveo. Company sales and marketing director Antonio Zara said the car was yet to meet the Euro-2 standard. One of the considerations for the firm in deciding to launch the car was the availability of the right fuel for the car.
“The Euro-2 standard requires a car to use a catalytic converter. This instrument necessitates the use of unleaded fuel,” he said during the launch of New Aveo in Jakarta.
He said unleaded gasoline was yet to be evenly distributed throughout Indonesia.
Zara maintained that the car does not violate the regulation that requires that the Euro-2 standard be applied to new cars. “The New Aveo is not an entirely new car. It is an old type that has undergone some minor changes. So it is not compulsory for the car to meet the Euro-2 standard,” he said.
While the production of vehicles that meet the Euro-2 standard still faces problems, Jakarta’s 2005 bylaw on air pollution control has apparently improved public awareness about the emission of exhaust gases from private cars. Carmakers now run their own emission test facilities.
Sutrisno Lesmono, general manager of after-sales service and spare parts at PT Nissan Motor Indonesia, said that as of November 2005, Nissan workshops had officially provided an emission test service for owners of Nissan cars and other makes. “We are applying a tighter standard than what the regional administration has set. For example, our CO content standard is 1-2 percent, far below the regional administration’s standard of 4 percent,” he said, adding that a car was no longer environmentally friendly with a CO content of 4 percent in its emissions.
Didin is pleased with carmakers’ efforts to help keep the environment clean.
“Now that an emission test is compulsory, the public, hopefully, can become more aware of the danger posed by exhaust gas emissions,” he said.
To ensure that the regulation that uses the Euro-2 standard as its reference will not simply collect dust, Didin hopes that relevant government agencies will encourage greater distribution of unleaded fuel. “January 2007 is close at hand. Make sure that the effort to reduce air pollution is not constrained by the availability of the right fuel,” he said. [Asep Saefullah]
The Jakarta Post – June 16, 2006
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