Day: July 24, 2022

The torch relay event has become (one of) our post-pandemic economic boosters.

Solo, C Java (ANTARA) – Thousands of people enthusiastically welcomed the torch relay of the 11th ASEAN Para Games (APG) which took a tour from Purwosari to Sriwedari Stadium and headed toward Surakarta City Hall, Surakarta City, Central Java Province, on Sunday.

A number of cultural activities also enlivened the event, such as the ‘Reog’, ‘Lembu Sura’, and ‘Barong Kemamang’ traditional dance, as well as the Solo Batik Carnival.

Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno, accompanied by Surakarta Mayor as well as Chair of Indonesian ASEAN Para Games Organizing Committee (INASPOC) Gibran Rakabuming Raka, carried the torch from Purwosari to Sriwedari Stadium — which was the host of the first Indonesia’s National Sports Week (PON)

At the stadium, the torch was carried around the field once. Furthermore, it was handed over to Chairperson of the Indonesian National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Senny Marbun.

Later, the torch relay was continued by the athletes of the Indonesian NPC to the city hall.

“(The 11th APG will) not only revive the sporting activities (among the community), but also the tourism and economic sectors of Surakarta City. We (can) see (that) the community enthusiastically welcome (the implementation of the) APG in Surakarta City,” Uno stated.

He motivated all Indonesian athletes to realize the target of making the country as the winner of the sporting event.

“The torch relay event has become (one of) our post-pandemic economic boosters,” he continued.

Furthermore, he quoted a rhyme, saying ‘Travelling to Surakarta City to stay in villa, to also experience the hospitality of the city. Let’s succeed the implementation of APG 2022 in Indonesia, to further revive the nation’s economy’.

Meanwhile, Marbun has expected that the sporting event for athletes with disabilities will be successful and Indonesia will become the champion of the event.

Secretary General of ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) Wandee Tosuwan lauded Indonesia’s thorough preparation to host the event – which will be held on July 30 to August 6, 2022.

“Thank you, Surakarta City, (and) thank you, Indonesia, as the host of APG 2022,” she remarked.

Source: ANTARA News

Along the waterfront, there are Kampung Air and Kampung Baru which have also prepared tourism accommodation facilities with the sunset view of the Waterfront City.

Labuan Bajo, E Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA) – Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry encourages the use of Waterfront City Labuan Bajo in West Manggarai District, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province, as a public space for cultural and creative economy activities.

“According to the president (Joko Widodo)’s directives, we will hold many cultural activities, festivals, and tourism events to optimize the utilization of the open space and promote Labuan Bajo as a destination which offers a variety of activities,” President Director of the ministry’s Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority Board (BPOLBF) Shana Fatina said here on Sunday.

The National Tourism Strategic Area (KSPN) of Marina Labuan Bajo, which was named Waterfront City Labuan Bajo, was inaugurated by the president on Thursday (July 21, 2022).

In addition to cultural activities, the area will be used as a command center and tourism information center, thus it will become the hub of other tourism destinations throughout NTT Province, such as the ones in Flores Island, Lembata Island, and Alor Island.

The president director of the BPOLBF stated that the attempt aimed to make Labuan Bajo a quality tourism destination.

Hence, she has invited many other stakeholders to optimize the use of the Waterfront, thus Labuan Bajo can become a gateway for encouraging the local tourism and creative economy activities.

Furthermore, her party will collaborate with the Transportation Ministry on the utilization of the tourism area which is divided into five zones along 4.5 kilometers track which can be used for various public activities.

The first zone is a promenade area on Pramuka Hill, while the second zone will be use to establish a promenade in Kampung Air.

Meanwhile, the plazas, viewing tower, public spaces, and passenger terminals will be built in the third zone.

Furthermore, the fourth zone is prepared for the construction of the promenade which will become a part of the state-owned hotel plaza, whilst, the fifth zone will be utilized to develop a culinary area and promenade with a cantilever structure.

“Along the waterfront, there are Kampung Air and Kampung Baru which have also prepared tourism accommodation facilities with the sunset view of the Waterfront City,” Fatina added.

Source: ANTARA News

Tarakan, N Kalimantan (ANTARA) – Rescue workers on Sunday continued to search for a resident who went missing while catching fish with a net at Rahayu Sebakis River in Nunukan District, North Kalimantan Province, on Friday.

Local residents reported that Laupa, 52, might have been snatched by a crocodile while fishing at the river, Head of the Operational Affairs Unit at the Search and Rescue (SAR) Agency-Tarakan Office Dede Hariana said.

He, however, could not yet confirm whether or not Laupa’s missing was definitely caused by a crocodile attack, he said in a statement that ANTARA quoted here Sunday.

Hariana said the SAR agency received the report of the missing fisherman on Saturday. To follow up on the report, a team of rescuers were then deployed to the river where Laupa went fishing.

“The team of personnel departed to the reported location, which is about 23.31 nautical miles away from the SAR agency’s office, at around 11:55 a.m. local time on Saturday,” he said.

ANTARA reported earlier that two local residents were recently snatched by crocodlies. They were identified as Samsul, 45, and Baharuddin, 29.

Samsul, a fisher, was reported to have been attacked by an alligator while fishing at Pangkalan Adimitra River in Tabur Lestari Village, Simenggaris Sub-district, on July 22.

Meanwhile, Baharuddin died of a crocodile attack after falling into Tabur Lestari River in Simenggaris Sub-district, on July 18. His body parts were found inside the animal’s stomach.

The crocodile attacks have frequently occurred in different parts of Kalimantan.

In 2020, the Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), for instance, recorded 11 crocodile attacks in different rivers around East Kotawaringin District.

However, the attacks did not result in any fatality. In the first half of 2020, four crocodile attacks were reported in Handil Sohor Village, Commander of the agency’s Sampit Post, Muriansyah, revealed.

Two victims survived the attacks, while two others sustained injuries. On September 27, 2020, two more crocodile attacks took place in the estuary of Lampuyang village’s river.

Two locals survived the attacks, though they sustained injuries. They were attacked while they were hunting for oysters in the river while another local resident was also snatched by a crocodile in the same river on October 25, 2020. The victim suffered wounds on arms and legs.

In December, 2020, two more crocodile attacks were reported in the district. The attacks left two people injured, according to the BKSDA.

On December 17, 2020, an alligator snatched a resident of Bagendang Hulu village who was bathing in the river at night.

On December 30, 2020, a child from Ganepo village in Seranau subdistrict was also attacked by a crocodile while bathing in the Hambawang River in the morning.

According to the agency, the crocodile attacks may be related to the scarcity of food sources in their natural habitat around the district’s forests.

Source: ANTARA News

The human-wildlife conflicts have repeatedly occurred in several areas around Aceh over these past ten years

Banda Aceh, Aceh (ANTARA) – A team of the Syiah Kuala University’s (USK’s) experts has joined a collective effort to seek solutions to human-wildlife conflicts that repeatedly occur in Aceh Province’s several areas.

The university’s experts are currently drafting the Aceh governor’s regulation on criteria and determination of extraordinary events, caused by human-wildlife conflicts, according to USK’s statement.

“The human-wildlife conflicts have repeatedly occurred in several areas around Aceh over these past ten years,” Head of the USK’s Product-Based Community Service Unit Kurniawan said.

The last three years of recurrent events have encouraged the USK’s experts to join efforts to seek solutions to those human-wildlife conflicts, he said in a statement that ANTARA quoted here Sunday.

The experts who belong to the USK’s Product-Based Community Service Unit get involved in drafting the Aceh Governor’s regulation by referring to the mandate of Article 18 (5) of the Aceh Law (Qanun) No.11/2019, he said.

According to the Qanun on managing wildlife, the Aceh administration could determine the human-wildlife conflicts as extraordinary events in accordance with its authorities, Kurniawan added.

To this end, the USK’s experts had discussed this matter with those from wildlife conservation societies, and observed the cases of human-wildlife conflicts in Jantho and Nagan Raya Districts, he said.

The Aceh Governor’s regulation could later be used as a legal basis for providing residents suffering from the direct impacts of the human-wildlife conflicts with compensation, he said.

Over the past few years, the human-elephant conflicts have become a major conservation concern in Aceh.

In February 2019, at least 14 herds of wild Sumatran elephants had wandered in search of food in the areas of districts such as Tamiang, Pidie, Central Aceh, Bener Meriah, and Biruen.

According to the Head of the Lhokseumawe Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), Dedi Irvansyah, around four up to five herds were found wandering around the forest areas of East Aceh and Tamiang Districts.

In North Aceh District, there were three herds of these herbivorous animals, while in the districts of Central Aceh, Bener Meriah, and Bireun, about four herds of wild elephants were also observed, he stated.

Meanwhile, in Pidie Jaya and Pidie Districts, two herds were reportedly observed, he noted, adding that each of the herds consisted of 15 to 20 wild animals.

Three herds of wild Sumatran elephants were also found wandering in search of food in the areas of North Aceh District`s Cot Girek, Matangkuli, and Langkahan Subdistricts.

In early 2021, a wild Sumatran elephant was reported to have sneaked into and destroyed the farmlands of several residents of Tuwi Meuleusong Village in Seunagan Timur Subdistrict, Nagan Raya District.

The aggressive elephant also destroyed a house of a transmigrant in Ketubung Tunong Village, Seunagan Timur Subdistrict, but this human-wildlife conflict did not cause casualties among villagers.

However, this trespassing large land mammal has terrified many residents in the two villages because it has caused them to suffer material losses owing to their damaged food crops.

Source: ANTARA News