Ribbit louder, jump higher

Orang Pendek

thebangkong — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:51:50 +0000

It has been a very comprehensive discussion held on this issue, whether the orang pendek lives only inside the minds of those who saw it, mostly people from Kerinci and to the lesser extent the west Sumatra or they are really exist watching us behind the bush..

Orang Pendek as you will find below in the articles we quoted briefly described by people who believe and claimed had met them inside the jungle of Kerinci Seblat as a human-like , nearly 1 – 1.5 meter height, and undangerous creatures. This possibly had been long known by the tradition and cultures that they are the long lost ‘brothers’ which is in any case give no harm to the society.The world’s first recognition to Orang Pendek was initiated by the visit of the famous Marco Polo to Sumatra Island in 1295. Too many versions for the existence of this walking legend . For exmaple, if you are in Bangko district ( nortwest part of Kerinci Seblat National Park ), Orang Pendek is more known to be a dull, notorious people which live in the jungle. Meanwhile in Kerinci highland, you will find the creatures with more mystical and mysterious background, thus make this creatures to be more frightening when you are inside the bush.

It was the Flora Fauna International, in cooperation with the Office of Kerinci Seblat National Park which underwent some guerilla and tiring efforts to start scientifically to get closer to the walking legends. Further reports on their research can be directly get fom the office of National Park which hopefully can be viewed online through this website in the near future.

To this first outline , we from jambiexplorer.com will let you decide whether this cryptozoological phenomenon is exist and worth for more exploration and dicovery, or just simply take on the legend home and have it remains undiscovered……..

Article 1

Oona Riley reports a former journalist leaves London today to try to prove the existence of an elusive species of ape. In an expedition backed by the Flora and Fauna Preservation Society, Debbie Martyr, aged 38, aims to bring back photographic and other evidence, including hair and faecal samples, of an ape that walks upright.

Ms Martyr, former editor of a south London newspaper, has already spent two years in search of orang pendek – literally “short man“.

At first, Ms Martyr collated information from tales about the 4ft primate told by the local population on the jungle-clad mountain that dominates Kerinci Sadlat national park on the western side of the island, which until recently was isolated. Her journalist’s nose told her she was on to something. In November, after stalking the ape and seeing it three times, she returned with plaster casts of the footprints of what is believed tobe a new species. Experts were impressed. “Our scientists have reported back to us and they think there is something in this,” said Dougal Muller, of FFPS. “We believe there is something there or we would not be funding this trip. If it’s what we think, it could be a very significant find.”

Ms Martyr, whose expedition is being carried out with the help of the Indonesian government, will be accompanied by a photographer. She is in awe of the beast and the task ahead of her. “The first time I saw it I was so shocked I didn’t take a picture,” she said. “I saw something I didn’t expect to see and something so totally new contrary to what I expected. here was a generally bi-pedal erect primate.” Its colours correspond to those of the forest floor. “It’s beige, tawny, rust red, yellow tan and dark chocolate brown.If he freezes, you can’t see him.”

She is also aware of her responsibilities. Orang pendek have been getting along quite nicely for millennia. Local people have known about them. They don’t hunt them and they respect them because they don’t have a monetary significance. “We are about to produce substantive evidence for a new great ape in one of the most important national parks in South-east Asia. We have got a job now, and I have a responsibility now as I have opened the door. “We all have a responsibility to ensure that the animal’s future is not threatened as a result of its discovery. She added: “We have an opportunity with the orang pendek to put the records right. We have exploitedthe other great apes, our nearest relatives. It would be a dreadful indictment on us to see that continuing with theorang pendek.” The FFPS is also keen to ensure orang pendek is left alone, safe in its own habitat. It wants to prevent a repetition of what happened in the case of the last great ape to be discovered, the mountain gorillas in Rwanda, which now have television camera crews in their territory. “If there’s a new species out there – which the experts think there is – there’s a much bigger question, which is how to protect and recognise the whole area,” said Mr Muller. Also included with the article: a photo of Debbie Martyr holding a plaster cast of the alleged ape’s footprint, and an artist’s impression (uncredited) of orang pendek. Thescale on this drawing puts the ape’s height at 70-75 cm,although the article gives 4 foot.

Taken from http://www.ncf.carleton.ca.

Article 2.

The Undiscovered ” Animal ” Orang Pendek

The Sumatran Bigfoot It has been described as being an ape-like bipedal creature, under a metre high, immensely strong with broad shoulders, short legs and almost entirely covered in short, dark grey hair.

No-one has yet been able to photograph it, but locals are convinced it exists. The creature, known as the orang pendek or ‘short man’, is said to live high on a mountainside in West Sumatra. In recent years, the orang pendek has been the cause of extensive research as scientists hope to prove that this creature is in fact real, and not a myth as many sceptics have reason to believe. For the forest villagers, the orang pendek has become part of their natural history and they are genuinely puzzled when other people fail to believe them. Literally dozens of witnesses have described seeing a small, hairy, ape-like creature both in the forest and in fields on the edges of the jungle. When questioned about their sightings, the descriptions they give are virtually identical.

The first recorded sighting of the orang pendek dates back to 1295 when Marco Polo visited the island of Sumatra on one of his expeditions and saw Indonesians hoaxing an ape-like man. For the next seven centuries, sightings were less well documented and it wasn’t until 1910 that sightings became more of a regular occurrence.

In 1923, a Dutch gentleman named Mr van Herwaarden was travelling through the region. He was looking at forests to see whether the trees would potentially make good timber. During his stay he spent time tracking wild pigs but, despite seeing countless tracks in the mud, he had little luck. On one occasion, while he was crouching in bushes waiting for the pigs, from the corner of his eye he spotted a small hairy creature in the tree above him. Initially the creature did not notice him but, on seeing him, the animal started shaking violently. Van Herwaarden immediately recognised it as being the orang pendek that the villagers had spoken of so often. After some time he tried to climb the tree to where the creature was sitting but, as he approached, the small hairy creature slid off the branch and ran away. Many people since then have had stories to tell of encountering the orang pendek..

Soon, scientists began to acknowledge that there might be an undiscovered animal in the forests of Sumatra. They began questioning everyone whose stories sounded legitimate. Witnesses were interviewed and asked to select a photograph that most resembled the orang pendek. The selection consisted of primates including siamang gibbons and orang-utans, which seemed the obvious candidates.

Only when they came across a picture of a sitting gorilla was there a positive reaction. In each case the gorilla was selected and this was an encouraging result. Despite all the positive results there were times when the local people were more of a hindrance than a help. For a while, a reward was offered for a specimen of an orang pendek. Shortly after the announcement the body of a juvenile orang pendek was discovered and instantly made headline news. Forty eight hours later, however, the mysterious corpse was identified as an adult langur monkey whose body had been carefully altered by a group of enterprising locals hoping to claim the reward.

Today, scientists and volunteers are trying to determine whether there really is an orang pendek. Traps have been set, and casts are made to document the evidence made by footprints. Last year a major orang pendek project was established, with its base at Sungai Gambir village. The team spent the latter part of the year gathering faecal matter and footprint evidence believed to belong to the orang pendek. They also kept records when they discovered signs of something devouring durian fruit, and recorded calls heard in the forest. Hair samples found on branches were sent off for DNA analysis. There have been no conclusive results so far. More and more organisations are taking a definite interest in the orang pendek and investing time and money into the project, but there are still many questions unanswered. Is there really a primate lurking in the forests of Sumatra, or is it all a figment of the imagination? On the other hand there have been so many sightings that it would seem unlikely that they were all cases of mistaken identity. It is to be hoped that within the next couple of years the truth about the orang pendek will be revealed.

BBC’s copyright for the courtesy of The World of The Strange http://www.jb-graphics.com/thestrange/

Mount Galunggung

thebangkong — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:39:30 +0000

Mount Galunggung is a volcano with 2,167 m above sea level. It is located about 17 km from Tasikmalaya. There are several objects offered, that is forest-tour in at least 120 hectares area under Bureau of Forestry management, hot water bathing place completed with swimming pool, bathroom and hot water tub facilities. Mount Galunggung is a volcano near to Tasikmalaya city. The volcano erupted in 1990 and spread its rain of ash to entire Indonesia and neighboring countries.

Story

The last major eruption on Galunggung was in 1982, which had a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 4 and killed 68 people. This eruption also brought the dangers of volcanic ash to aviation to worldwide attention, after two Boeing 747 passenger jets flying downwind of the eruption suffered temporary engine failures and damage to exterior surfaces, both planes being forced to make emergency landings at Jakarta.

One, a British Airways aircraft carrying 240 passengers, accidentally entered the ash cloud during night time in June 1982 150 km downwind of the volcano. All four engines failed and the aircraft descended for 16 minutes, losing 7500 metres of its 11500 metre altitude, until the crew managed to restart the engines.

The following month a Singapore Airlines aeroplane with 230 passengers aboard also inadvertently entered the cloud at night time, and three of its four engines stopped. The crew succeeded in restarting one of the engines after descending 2400 metres. Both aircraft suffered serious damage to their engines and exterior surfaces.

A hummocky deposit known as the Ten Thousand Hills of Tasikmalaya attracted the attention of early 20th century geologists. Houses were built on the hummocks since they provided good defence against hostile people, and being above the paddy fields were free of mosquitoes and rats.

Originally, it was thought that either it had been formed by a lahar caused by the release of the waters of the crater lake, or that it was man-made; composed of rocks and boulders dumped there after being cleared from paddy fields.

However, in the light of the Mount St. Helens eruption of 1980 and from examination of the Mount Shasta deposits it has become clear that the hummocks are a debris-avalanche deposit. Like these mountains, Galunggung has a horseshoe-shaped crater indicating a massive landslide, and examination of shattered lava blocks revealed them to be similar to deposits on the other two volcanoes. According to radiocarbon dating of samples taken from a lava flow the landslide happened within the last 23,000 years.

An easy trip from Tasikmalaya by minibus, motorcycle ride and then a two-hour walk is Mount Galunggung. An active volcano that erupted less than ten years ago is worth a look-see. Hike around the “Golden Crater” of Mount Papandayan, southwest Garut, which is an active steam-hissing volcano. The mountain is named after its bright-yellow sulfur deposits and gains its fame, or infamy, due to its highly active and potentially dangerous steaming geysers and poisonous gases. Be careful when walking around the volcano’s rim.

The Gede-Pangrango National Park

thebangkong — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:34:53 +0000

The park, covering 15,196 ha, evolved from several already existing conservation areas: Cibodas Nature Reseve (240 ha), gazetted in 1889, was the oldest reserve in Indonesia and in 1925 was extended to 1,040 ha; Cimungkat Nature Reserve (56 ha) gazetted in 1919; situgunung Recreational Park (120 ha) gazetted in 1975; and Mount Gede Pangrango nature Reserve (14,000 ha) gazetted in 1978.

The park is situated between longitudes 106°51′-107°02′ East and latitudes 6°41-6°51′ South. Administratively, it is shared between the Regencies of Bogor, Cianjur and Sukabumi.

The Gede-Pangrango area has been the centre of much research over the last two centuries, so establishing its worldwide reputation. Sir Thomas Raffles organised the building of a path on the south-eastern slopes in 1811, although the earliest recorded climb of Mount Gede was by C.G.C. Reinwardt in 1819. Other explorations were conducted by F.W. Junghuhn (1839-1861), J.E. Teysmann (1839), A.R. Wallace (1861), S.H. Koorders (1890), M. Treub (1891) and W.M. van Leeuen (1911). C.G.G.J. van Steenis (1920-1952) collected and studied here in preparation for his now famous book: “The Mountain Flora of Java”. published in 1972.

Today many Indonesian and foreign scientists carry on the tradition and, as a result, these mountains are one of the most well researched tropical forest systems in the world. Even so, in such a set of complex ecosystems, exact relationships between the myriad of species will keep biologists intrigued for many decades to come. Climate, topography and vegetation all interact.

Gunung Gede-Pangrango, the twin volcanoes of West Java, is one of the first national parks in Indonesia. It covers a total forested area of 15,000 hectares. This area has a special place in the history of both conservation and botanical research in Indonesia. It includes the Cibodas Nature Reserve which has been the scene of numerous botanical and other studies for a period of well over a hundred years by a number of scientists and naturalists, including such eminent figures as Reinwardt, Junghunn and Wallace.

How to Get There

The park is within easy reach by road from Jakarta and Bandung, and the main entrance at Cibodas is situated about 120 km, or about 2.5 hours by car from Jakarta and 85 km or about 2 hours by car from Bandung.

It is also accessible from Cipanas and Pacet through Gunung Putri, just east of Cibodas; and from Sukabumi through Selabintana from the south at about 60 km or 1.5 hour by car from Bogor. Another entrance is at Situgunung, which can be reached through Cisaat, just west of Sukabumi. From these entrances (except from Situgunung) there are trails to the summits of Gunung Gede and Pangrango.

What to bring/Where to stay

Cool-weather clothing, rain coat, strong shoes for hiking, and camping equipments are recommended. Visitors have also to bring their own food, especiall for those who want to stay overnight in the park. Accomodation in the park is in simple guesthouses. The park also provides some camping grounds, including one at the Alun-alun Suryakencana, a flat area near the top of Gunung Gede. There are many hotels, villas and bungalows in the Puncak Pass-Cipanas area. This area is quite close to the Headquarters of the park.

Activities

Among the mountains in West Java, the twin volcanoes Gede-Pangrango are very famous for hiking and mountain climbing. There are 4 trails to go up to the summits of of the mountains; two trails are from Cibodas, one from Gunung Putri and another one from Selabintana, Sukabumi. Climbing the mountains and watching the sunrise from the top or the crater wall of Gunung Gede are the most exciting attractions for visitors.

Permit

A park entry permit is required for each visitor, and is available at the Park Headquarters, Cibodas.

You can enter the park by one of four gates :

- Cibodas Gate (Cianjur) is the main entrance and the site of the park Headquarters. It is located about 100 km from Jakarta/2.5 hour drive; 89 km from Bandung/2 hour drive.

- Gunung Putri Gate (Cianjur) is close to Cibodas and can be reached via Cipanas and Pacet.

- Selabintana Gate (Sukabumi) is 60 km from Bogor/1.5 hour drive, and 90 km from Bandung/2 hour drive.

- Situgunung Gate (Sukabumi) is 15 km from Selabintana in the direction of Bogor.

Except from Situgunung, Mount Gede and Pangrango summits may be reached on clearly marked trails.

Hiking Rules

1. All visitors must buy a ticket when entering the park. Recreational visit tickets can be obtained from ticket hatches at each of the four gates. In addition, mountain climbing permits are required:

- when leaving the main trail from Cibodas gate to Cibeureum Waterfall in order to climb to the hot water stream/Air panas;

- when turning off the trail to Cibeureum waterfall of Selabintana, Selabintana Gate;

- beyond Bobojong camping ground upon entering the National Park proper from Gunung Putri Gate.

2. Should you wish to climb the mountains you must obtain the permit either at the National Park Headquarters, Cibodas or at Selabintana Resort Office.

Monday-Thursday 07.30 – 14.30

Friday 07.30 – 11.00

Saturday 07.30 – 13.30

You must submit:

- a photocopy of your valid I.D. Card or a parental permit (passport for foreign visitors)

- a travel statement from your local police (Indonesians)

- a health certificate from a physician (Indonesians)

3. A park guard will inspect your belongings and permit before you enter the park.

4. No domestic animals, including pets, are allowed in the park.

5. Do not bring weapons, such as knives, or hunting equipment into the park.

6. Radios and noisy appliances are not allowed in the park and special permission is required for the use of “walkie-talkies”.

7. Do not light camp fires as there is a real risk of forest fire.

8. Do not interfere with, remove, vandalise or damage park property. This includes writing on stones or trees.

9. Do not pick flowers of pull up plants.

10. Hike only along main trails. Short cuts not only damage the forest but also are very dangerous.

11. Do not drop litter. Much time and effort has to be spent picking up bottles and other rubbish. Carry all your rubbish out of the park.

12. Do not pollute or foul rivers and when bathing do not use soap or other pollutants.

13. Report to the park guard when leaving the park and hand in your permit.

14. Alcoholic drinks are not allowed in the park.

Minimum Requirements (for mountain climbers)

Unless climbers are properly equipped they can run into serious trouble.

1. Minimum hiking gear: warm clothes, sleeping bag if staying on the mountain overnight, waterproof clothing, flashlight and medical kit.

2. Carry enough food and drink (non-alcoholic).

3. Do not climb alone: there should be at least three people in your party and preferably you should be guided by someone with a knowledge of the trail.

Climate & Weather

Gede Pangrango is one of the wettest parts of Java with a mean annual rainfall between 3,000 and 4,000 mm and with, even in the four driest consecutive months of the year, still more than 40 rainy days. The wettest season is from October to May, coinciding with the North West moonsoon, with more than 200 mm of rain every month and over 400 mm per month between December and March (the park is usually closed during this period). The best time for visiting this park is during the driest months (June-September), when average monthly rainfall drops below 100 mm. Annual average temperature varies from about 18°C in Cibodas to less than 10°C at the top of Gunung Pangrango while the relative humidity varies between 80% and 90%.

Annual rainfall is high. The average is in the range of 3,000-4,200 mm per annum, making the area one of the wettest parst of java. The rainy season occurs from October to May, the monthly average of 200 mm rising to over 400 mm in the period from December to March. The dry season occurs from June to September, rainfall dropping to below 100 mm per month. Visitors are asked to be especially careful at this time as the vegetation is easily ignited.

Relative humidity is likewise high, espesially in the forest at night. However, during the dry season humidity on the peaks swings from a night- time low of 30% to an afternoom high of over 90%. These variations have a marked effect on plant communities.

Daily temperature at Cibodas averages around 18°C, while on the peaks of Mount Gede and Pangrango the average is a chilly 10°C. Night-time temperature on the peaks may drop below 5°C. Frasts occur regularly so warm clothing is essential to anyone intending to climb to the summit. The National Park is an important hydrological catchment.

Geography & Topography

Gunung Gede and Pangrango are a part of the great belt of volcanoes which extends in an arch through Sumatera, Java and the Lesser Sundas. These volcanoes were formed during the Quarternary period between 3 million years ago and the present time. Pangrango and Gede are thus comparatively new mountains geologically, though the former is the older of the two, no longer displaying any sign of volcanic activity, while Gede is still semi-active with a well-defined crater within which gases escape from fumaroles.

Gunung Gede (2,958 m) and Pangrango (3,019 m) are connected by a high saddle at about 2,500 m. Slopes are very steep and are incised by valleys forming steep-sided ridges between them radiating out towards the flat plains of Bogor-Cianjur and Sukabumi.

Flora & Fauna

Gunung Gede-Pangrango is covered with splendid mountain forest and at present it is one of the last mountain forests of the West Java where the forest is still relatively undisturbed.

The high forest between 1,400 and 2,400 m has a very mixed composition. The canopy is about 30-40 m high with an abundant development of laurels (Litsea spp.), oaks (Lithocarpus spp. and Quercus spp.) and chesnuts (Castanopsis spp.).

Emergents of this forest include the grand rasamala (Altingia excelsa) and the conifers (Podocarpus imbricatus and Podocarpus neriifolius).

The Puspa (Schima walichii) is common in West-Java’s rainforest and often conspicuous by its reddish flush that at times colours the whole forest canopy.At the attitude of about Kandang Badak, the saddle at 2,400 m between Gunung Gede and Pangrango, one enters the sub-alpine or elfin forest. This forest has only one stratum of smallish trees and a ground layer. Due to their better resistance against crater gases, Vaccinium varingiaefolium, Rhododendron retusum and Myrsine avenis are more common close to the crater area even a pure Vaccinium varingiaefolium forest has developed. One of the characteristic plants of the top areas of these mountains is the Javanese Edelweiss (Anaphalis javanica).

We can hear everywhere birds singing and see them flying especially in the early morning. There are about 200 species of bird in the area, including the pygmy tit (Psaltris exilis) which is only know from west Java’s mountains and the sole representative of an endemic genus. Primate species which occur in the park include the Javan gibbon (Hylobates moloch), Javan leaf monkey (Presbytis aygula), silvered leaf monkey (Presbytis cristata), and the long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis). Leopard (Panthera pardus) is still the only large predator of West Java, besides the extremely rare wild dog (Cuon alpinus) which also exists in this park.

Other species of mammals are the wild pigs (Sus scrofa), the Javanese/stink badger (Mydaus javanensis), the leopard cat (Felis bengalensis) and the yellow-throated martin (Mustela flavigula).

The park is home to manyspecies of mammal. These include the stink badger (Mydaus javanensis), flying lemur (Galeopterus variegatus), barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), lesser mousr-deer (Tragulus javanicus) and two species of wild pig (Sus scrofa and S.verrucosus).

Four species of primate live here and are all frequently seen : Javan gibbon (Hylobates moloch). Javan leaf monkey (Presbytis comata), ebony leaf monkey (trachythecus auratus), and long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis). The two Javanese endemics are currently listed as endangered.

Other rare mammals include leopard (panthera pardus), leopard cat (Felis bengalensis) and wild dog (Cuon alpinus javanicus). Junghuhn’s observations of 1839 tell us that Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) once roamed the erea; regrettably no recent records exist.

Many different kinds of bird inhabit the park; more than 251 species from the Javan list of 450 have been recorded. Scaece or beautiful birds, such as the Javan hawk-eagle (Spizaetus bartelsi), the blue-tailed trogon (Harpactes reinwardteii)(Otus angelinae) attract bird-watchers from all over the world.

Places of Interest

Even though famous as an historic biological/ecological research site, the park also has an important role to play in recreation and ecotourism. Many activities, besides mountain climbing/hiking, can be enjoyed. Popular pursuits include taking in the natural scenery, observing wildlife, photography and camping.

1. Telaga Biru/The Blue Lake (1,575 m a.s.1.)

Location: 1.5 km/15 minute walk from Cibodas Gate. The name derives from the presence of blue-green algae which colour the water. The observant visitor might weel be rewarded with views of the white-crowned forktail (Enicurus leschenaulti), a striking pied bird which methodically searches streams and lake margins for food. The surrounding area is transitional from sub-montane to montane vegetati

2. Cibeureum Waterfall (1,625 m a.s.1.)

Location: 2.8 km/1 hour walk from Cibodas Gate. Not one but three waterfalls, formed from the Cikundul, Cidendeng, and Cibeureum rivers, cascade over a dramatic cliff. A red moss (Sphagnum gedeanum), endemic to the mountains of West Java, can be seen growing on the rocky outcrops. Many of the bast seen flying atound come the nearby bat cave of Gua Lalay.

3. Hot Water Stream (2,150 m a.s.1.)

Location: 5.3 km/2 hour walk from Cibodas Gate. The water temperature here can be as high as 75°C butdrops during times of rain. An algae, remarkably adapted both to hot water and to high sulphur levels, grows in the stream bed.

4. Kandang Batu/Rocky Area (2,220 m a.s.l.)

Location: 5.6 km/2.5 hour walk from Cibodas Gate. As a result of the Gede eruptions rocks and boulders litter the area. Many fresh springs emerge here providing a good source of drinking water.

5. Kandang Badak/Rhino “Home” (2,400 m a.s.l.)

Location: 7.8 km/3.5 hour walk from Cibodas Gate. The area is relatively flat, consisting of a saddle connecting the peaks of Mount Gede and Mount Pangrango. The vegetation is transitional from montane to sub-alpine.

6. Summit and Crater of Mount Gede (2,958 m a.s.l.)

Location: 9.7 km/5 hour walk from Cibodas Gate. Three semi-active craters are grouped together: Lanang (male), Ratu (queen) and Wadon (female). Acid rocks, sulphur-rich gas emissions and an inhospitable climate create “tough” adverse conditions. In response, a fascinating plant community has developed including the fern (Selliguea feei), the ericaceous Vaccinium varingiaefolium and two species of rhododendron (Rhododendron retusum and R.javanicum).

7. Suryakencana Meadow (2,750 m. a.s.l.)

Location: 11.8 km/6 hour walk from Cibodas Gate; 6.9 km/3.5 hour from Gunung Putri and 9 km/5 hour walk from Selabintana. The meadow, 50 ha in area, is situated between Mounts Gede and Gumuruh and is one of several well known sites within the park for the Javanese eidelweiss or “eternal flower”.

8. Mount Pangrango Summit (3,019 m a.s.l.)

Location: 3 km/3 hour walk from Kandang Badak; 11 km/7 hour walk from Cibodas Gate. Mount Pangrango is less visited than Gede; the climb is much steeper and the summit more wooded. The peak, the tallest in the park, overlooks the small, 5 ha, high altitude Mandalawangi meadow.

9. Cibeureum Waterfall of Selabintana (900 m a.s.l)

Location: 2.4 km/45 minute walk from Selabintana Gate. The waterfall is 35 m high, making it the highest waterfall in the National Park.

10. Sawer Waterfall (1,200 m a.s.l.)

Location: 2 km/20 minute walk from Situgunung Gate. Fed by a large stream, this waterfall is notable as the one with the greatest flow and largest volume of water.

11. Camping Sites

Two camping sites are available in the park: Gunung putri Site with room for 100 campers; Selabintana Site with room for 150 campers.

Nyepi

thebangkong — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:47:58 +0000

Nyepi – the darkest night in the new moon. The night before is filled with strange spirits and weird demonical effigies known as Ogoh – Ogoh. Long talons. masses of wild hair depict rangda the witch and other well know mythical characters or even newer demons, who roam the streets, twissting and turring on hugo bamboo frames, sometimes so big and heavy it takes almost a whole banjar to carry them.

Ogoh ogoh parades take place between 7-9 pm throuhout Bali. The aim is to confuse the bad spirits of the island. At the end of the processions, the effigies are burned in big fires.

During the solemn, powerful hours, priests throuhout Bali will perform a tawur agung, praying and ritually sacrificing a variety of animals to appease the demonds and honor the gods in an attempt to harmonize the conflicting universal power of good and evil. While this ritual take places towards midday in the village temple, usully close to intersections, on thet night onother from the cleansing ritual called ngerupuk turns almost the whole island into a lively night of carnival. During the ngerupuk procession, village youths carry dozens of giant effigies, known as ogoh-ogoh. Accompanied by burning torch light and gamelan music, beleganjur, on the eve of Nyepi becomes a not to be missed event in Bali.

Nyepi follows the next day. Bali’s new year is marked by a day of silence when few people dare to venture outside their homes – part of and old tradition that is intended to confuse any remaining bad spirit, making them think that the island is deserted and they too, should leave. No one, not even Bali’s treasured visitors is allowed to go out on this Day of silence which this year, falls on monday, March 19th. Bali in its entirety is deadly silent for the whole day. people stay at home. There is no traffic, no work, and no entertaiment, and no lights illuminate the night. Shop and office are closed and event the international airport shuts down, to allow the Balinese absorve the Hindu Caka New Year soberly and with full attention. In the villages and on the beaches, security pecalang patrol the streets to ensure quietness. Self-intropection or meditation are suggested ways to fill the time during this Hindu New Year. For tourist Nyepi can mean time to catch up on reading or sleep.

Several important ceremonies precede Nyepi. Two or three days before, apurification ceremony (melasti, mekiyis) is held across the island. Balinese is full ceremonial dress will replace half-naked sunbothers on the tourist beaches as they perform ritual purifications of religious paraphernalia such as the umbrellas, statues, speras and other sacred objects kept in home or temples.

Balinese living inland can perform these rituals at either a holy spring or other source of clean water. Those living within 15 kolometers of the beach will make the journey to the sea. Distance and weater won’t discourage them from carrying heavy, sacred objects on a day-long hike in the March heat. However, the last five years has changed a little as most beach access roads are now paved and a cart or other vechile can be used to carry the objects delicately balance on their hands, to the accompaniment of stirring gamelan music of beleganjur.

During melasti ceremonies, visitors are encouraged to come to the beach from midday onward. This is not a time for swimming, sunbathing or surfing but it is the best time for visitors to witness one of Balinese’s bigest purification cerimonies and provides irresistible photo opportunities. Visitors are respectfully requested to wear sorong and a waist sash. Since most streets to the beach around Sanur and Kuta are busy with processions, it is advisable to ether come before the processions jam the roads or shortly after they arrive on the beach.

Although ogoh ogoh can be seen from time to time as part of festival and dance performances, the ones made for the ngerupuk cleansing ritual are very special. Constructed around a bamboo frame, the effigies are stuffed with coconut fibre, animal hair, and sometimes with styrafoam. The outer skin is finished with glossy acrylic paint or with some form of fur depending of the caracter that they portray. Ogoh ogoh characters can be taken from Hindu mythology and sometimes from a contemporary figure that is considered fit to symbolize evil spirits, like a bomber. They are colossal in scale, can be between 2-3 meters high and very dramatic. It could take 2-3 weeks to make one. the ogoh ogoh are carried around the villages in a noisy parade full with torch-light. This act is believe to pacif evil spirits or other destructive force.

The day after Nyepi is called ngembak geni, literally ‘relighting the fire’ , to mark the return to normal life. On this day, lively celebrations take place all over Bali, including the unique med-medan rituals – a cheek-kissing festivity between boys and girls that takes place at Banjar Kajar Sesetan, Denpasar, right on Jalan Raya Sesetan. It start around 2 pm and is a unique celebration not be missed.

As a religious event of Balinese Hindus, Nyepi is a symbolical replay of these philosophical principles. The world is ‘clean’ in the beginning of the year. The Balinese Hindus do not celebrate the new year with lavish party, instead they celebrate the coming of the new year with meditation. No activities are allowed to take place. These mandatory religious prohibitions include no pleasure (amati lelangon), no traffic (amati lelungan), no fire (amati geni) and no work (amati karya). These prohibitions aim at controlling oneself and submission to God. Everybody has to stay in the individual houses. No lights in the house, no sounds of radio and no works, just keep silence. It is totally silence.

Indonesians on Forbes

thebangkong — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:02:23 +0000

Five Indonesian businessmen, including pulp and paper tycoon Sukanto Tanoto, are among the 1,125 wealthiest people in the world, according to Forbes magazine.

The 58-year-old Sukanto Tanoto, owner of the Raja Garuda Mas (RGM) group, was ranked 284th on the list with estimated assets of some US$3.8 billion, the magazine reported in its Wednesday issue.

RGM and its subsidiaries operate in a range of industries, including pulp and paper, palm oil plantations and construction. RGM subsidiary Asian Agri is currently being probed by the tax office for alleged tax evasion.

Also on the Forbes list are the owners of tobacco company PT Djarum, Michael Hartono and Budi Hartono. Their fortunes were estimated at $2 billion each.

Other Indonesians to make the list were palm oil producer Wilmar International Holding owner Martua Sitorus at 652nd with $1.9 billion, and Peter Sondakh, the owner of Rajawali Group, with $1.2 billion at 962nd.

Forbes named Berkshire Hathaway Inc. chairman Warren Buffet as the wealthiest person in the world, toppling Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates, who had topped the list for the past 13 years.

Buffet reportedly owned total assets of some $62 billion as of February, mostly from his share of Berkshire Holding, which has a market value of $215 billion.

According to Bloomberg, Buffet’s wealth increased about $10 billion from last year.

With total assets of $58 billion, Gates fell to third on the Forbes list, after Mexican telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim, who has an estimated net worth of $60 billion.

This year’s list includes 1,125 people with a total net worth of $4.4 trillion.

There are 211 Asians on this year’s list, from 160 the previous year. India had 53 people make the list, including four in the top 10, China had 42, Hong Kong 26, Japan 27 and Indonesia had five.

Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal ranked fourth with a total net worth of $45 billion, followed by petrochemical entrepreneur Mukesh Ambani with $43 billion and his estranged brother, Anil Ambani, with some $42 billion.

Another Indian businessman, K.P Sigh, who is in the property business, was eighth with an estimated wealth of around $30 billion.

Forbes also saw more younger billionaires this year, with 50 members below the age of 40, 68 percent of them self-made.

Social networking site Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, 23, is considered the youngest self-made billionaire ever with a total fortune of $1.5 billion, putting him 785th on the list.

Riau Archipelago

thebangkong — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 15:41:08 +0000

Riau Archipelago with Tanjung Pinang as the capital city Is blessed of a lot potential tourism objects, beautiful beaches, and culture attractions. It is located at the crossroads of one of the world’s oldest and busiest maritime routes and well reputes as an ideal stop over for trade and commerce. Riau Archipe¬lago was once home a sea gypsies cruising its rich mangroves forest and waterways. Moreover, it was on this island that the Sultan of Malacca found refuge from Portuguese attack in the 16th century, mapping tales of the legendary importance when Bintan thenceforth grew as the center of the powerful Johor Riau Sultanate. Places of Interest Tanjung Pinang Tanjung Pinang is a busy town on Bintan Island, now as a capital of Riau Archipelago. It has a Museum on Jl. Katamso. A large section of the old part of the town was built in traditional local fashion, on stilts, over the water. Tanjung Pinang City is located at about 10 km from the airport. This town also has 2 ports, Sri Bintan Pura in Tanjung Pinang and Sri Bayintan in Kijang. Tanjung Pinang Serves flight to Pekanbaru and Natuna. Batu Bedaun Beach Batu Bedaun Beach is very famous among the teenagers in Dabo Singkep. The beach situated 20 km from Dabo. This white sandy beach is very clean, with blue sea and small wave. Daik Daik is a small town but has many historical relics of Riau Lingga kingdom as in the Penyengat Island. We can reach the town by speedboats from Tanjung Pinang. In Lingga Island there are also many variation of tropical plantation and marine water fish species that cannot be found in other places. Other interesting objects is Mount Daik with 3 peaks.

Senayang Island

Senayang Island. Boat cruising touring the waters between the islands is among potential attractions. Some real and thrilling adventures are available since there are many islands surrounding Senayang and excellent packages include cycling, bush wacking, swimming, snorkeling and diving.

Tambelan Island

Tambelan Island is about 200 km away from Tanjungpinang. There are only six villages, which are spread over a few islands, with a total population of about 4,000. As is to be expected, the environment here is largely unspoilt, and the scenery is truly magnificent. One of the most interesting of natural attraction in this island is watching turtles laying their eggs in great number that protected by local peoples.

Bintan Island

Bintan Island. International investors have developed many new hotels, integrated world-class resorts, international golf courses on the island of Bintan. Other deve¬lopments include industrial parks, medical, commercial and banking facilities that are readily available to any visitors. During your visit to Riau Archipelago will not be bored or uninspired because there are many other interesting places like Pasar Ikan (Fish Market) where fresh, cheap seafood and ve¬getables are sold. There are also the Akau (Night Market), Pelantar (Water Villages) and shops selling local handicraft, natural attraction like watching the turtles laying their eggs or fishing on the Kelong.

Trikora Beach

Trikora Beach is about 40 kilometers south of Tanjung Pinang on the eastern side of the island. Good beaches are also found on the islands of Terkulai and Soreh, about an hour away by boat.

Natuna Archipelago

Natuna Archipelago is a part of the vast province, which embraces all of the islands off the Riau mainland. The main island clusters of the Natuna archipelago are: Anambas, Natuna, South Natuna and Tambelan. Matak Island at present serves as a base for offshore oil exploration. Colourful co¬rals and reef fish are found in the waters surrounding these islands. South Natuna comprises the islands Serasan, Panjang and Subi. The surf is strong on these islands and the scenery impressive. The Tambelan Islands are accessed by boat in 6 hours from Pontianak in West Kalimantan or from Tanjung Pinang in 16 hours. Turtles habitually come to some of the beaches to depo¬sit their eggs in the warm sand. There are probably more turtles than people on these islands. Natuna is located in area of South China Sea with the geographical location passed by international shipping and coast lines. Natuna’s Ranai airport has length of 2,550 metres and Matak airport with length basis of 1700 metres. Natuna’s seaport are Lampa (100 x 10 sqm) and Penagih (50 x 8 sqm).

Karimun Island

Karimun Island is one of the most important islands in the Riau Archipelago, due to its thriving economy and proximity to Singa¬pore. Tanjungbalai Karimun is a medium-sized town, with a large Chinese community and shops selling a large variety of imported items. Lies in a shipping line in Malacca Strait and Singapore, Karimun gateway can be passed by international ferry from and to Malaysia and Singapore.

Sea Gardens

Sea Gardens with beautiful corals and fish are found in the waters around the islands of Mapor, Abang, Pompong, Ba¬lang and Tanjung Berkait.

Batam Island

Batam Island is a very strategic island designated as a center of industry, tourism and trade. It lies close to Singapore. The Nongsa recreational region has international hotels, four golf courses, a marina sports facility and a forest reserve. Batam can be reached in two hours from Tanjung Pinang by ferry and in about half an hour from Singapore.

Pulau Penyengat

Pulau Penyengat (Stinging Island) When people found on the first time, Penyengat Island was an island with many stinging bees it is six kilometers from Tanjung Pinang, can be reached in 15 minutes by boat. The seat of the powerful Bugis viceroys of Riau during the 18th century, Penyengat still bears the traces of its illustrious past. Ruins, abandoned for almost 70 years, were recently restored. The old ruler’s palace and royal tombs are among the legacies left by the Riau sultanate. Still in use is the old viceroyal mosque, the Mesjid Raya, there is also a newly built cultural center for stage performances of Malay music and dances.

Fishermen in Bali at Greater Risk of HIV

thebangkong — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:30:19 +0000

With over 17,000 islands and 755 ports, Indonesia’s maritime and fishing industries are a major source of national income.Indonesia has over 425,000 marine fishermen (estimated by Graham Hugo in 2001), and over five million “fisherfolk” involved in all aspects of Indonesia’s fishing industry (estimated by Kissling et al. in 2005).

Balinese researcher Made Setiawan recently concluded a study among fishermen based at Benoa Port in Bali — almost all of whom are Javanese — to investigate the social factors and dynamics that put them at risk for HIV/AIDS.

True to the stereotype of the drunken sailor, he found that with a combination of lump sum per-trip cash payments, advances and bonuses, most are unable to save any money or aspire to a better life.

Risking injury or death on a daily basis at sea, living away from wives and families in a different culture, and treated as migrant workers in their own country, they turn to drink, pornography, and brothels for their entertainment during their short breaks on land in Bali.

Made, who received his doctorate in Public Health from the University of Illinois in Chicago, based his findings on extensive observation and conversations with a wide variety of fisherfolk at the port and dorms, in addition to in-depth interviews with 29 crew members from small fishing boats (which stay at sea for two weeks per trip, and have a crew size of about eight).

As he reports, the dynamics of risk are as hard to untangle as their fishing lines. On land, the fishermen regularly hold spontaneous or planned drinking parties. Those with cash in hand are “king for a day” and will treat any friends who happen to be around, based on a complex network of favors owed, promises of future credit, and enduring friendship bonds formed while facing peril at sea, or through risky collaboration in sales of stolen fish or illegal shark fins.

At the same time, charismatic fishermen or officers may influence their peers or underlings toward either safer or riskier practices. They may be a source of accurate health information and facilitate access to good services, or they may propagate harmful myths and promote dangerous self-treatment and ineffective preventive practices.

Use of prostitutes at Sanur brothels is popular. Condoms are not. Fishermen prefer preventive practices such as choosing clean and healthy-looking, or younger girls, taking antibiotics in advance, washing afterwards, or keeping themselves fit and strong, all of which make them feel relatively immune to sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Not infrequently, fishermen may pay for one girl to share among a small group of friends, often fellow crew members or roommates working for different boats.

As Made says, even if fishermen form an intention to use condoms, in the inebriated heat of the moment, caution is generally thrown to the wind.

Often the sex workers suggest using condoms and even provide them (the government and local NGOs promote 100 percent condom use), but they have no power to enforce usage; the men will just choose a different girl. It is not consistent with their masculine cultural identity to let women call the shots.

While on board, on their journey home from fishing areas, some fishermen make and insert crudely crafted, rounded plastic or glass implants under the skin of their own or their friends’ penises, using any kind of available sharpened blade and whatever antiseptic they can find.

Painful infections often result, but even if all goes well, the fishermen generally will rush to try out the new accessories on arrival on land, before the healing is complete. Poorly healed penile wounds, and excessive vaginal abrasion caused by the implants, clearly increase the chances of STI transmission, including HIV.

While the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Indonesia’s adult population is estimated 0.1 percent (www.unaids.org), in certain groups the rate is high, especially among injecting drug users (approximately 41 percent), their sexual partners (14 percent), and among transvestites/transsexuals (waria) (14 percent) (National AIDS Commission/KPA, 2006).

Among female sex workers in Bali, approximately one in 10 are estimated to have HIV (Bali AIDS Commission/KPAD, 2007). Many Indonesian fishermen also work on larger boats which dock at international ports where HIV infection rates among prostitutes are even higher, such as Thailand and South Africa.

Clearly the fishermen are at high risk of infection, and with their regular visits home to wives and girlfriends in Java and elsewhere, they form one potential bridge for STIs and HIV to Indonesia’s general population, as do other clients of sex workers, such as truck drivers.

Yet despite serious high risk factors and the large number of fishermen in Indonesia, few efforts have so far been made to study and devise effective, accessible and acceptable intervention programs, which clearly need to take into account social, cultural, and economic contexts.

One thing that Made’s research has shown clearly is that knowing about the dangers of HIV, and having access to condoms, is not enough to make someone safer, if their peer group, their social context or their cultural beliefs are not supportive.

History of Bali

thebangkong — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:55:03 +0000

1. Fight Against the Dutch
This era constituted with the period of fighting against the Dutch in Bali. These years were marked by the out break of various wars in Bali. The wars could be described as follows:

Buleleng (1846)
Jagaraga (1848-1849)
Kusamba (1849)
Banjar (1868)
Puputan Badung (1906)
Puputan Klungkung (1908)

When the Dutch won all the battles and the Klungkung kingdom fell down into their hands, Bali as was under the foreign influence.

2. Dutch Colonization Period
When Buleleng fell down into the Dutch’s hands, the Dutch government began to intervene in the management of government in Bali, for example changing the name of the king as regional head to regent for Buleleng and Jembrana areas and placing P L Van Bloemen Waanders as the first controleur in Bali.

The government in Bali remained ingrained in the traditional structure, ie continuing to activate customary leadership in running the government in the regions. For Bali, the position of the king constituted the highest holder of power which during the period of colonial government was accompanied by a controleur. In the matter of responsibility, the king reported directly to the Resident of Bali and Lombok which domiciled in Singaraja. Meanwhile for South Bali, the kings reported to the Assistant Resident that domiciled in Denpasar.

To meet the need for the administrative personnel, the Dutch government opened the first elementary school in Singaraja (1875) known as the Tweede Klasse School. Then another school named Erste Inlandsche School opened in 1913. Soon it was followed by the opening of another school named Hollandsche Inlandsche School (HIS) where students mostly came from the aristocratic and the wealthy families.

The Birth of the Movement Organization
As the result of educational influences, students and some people who had jobs in Singaraja initiated an organization called Suita Gama Tirta with the purpose of educating Balinese people in science through religious teachings. Unfortunately this organization did not last long. Then several teachers who were still hungering for religious education, founded an organization named Shanti in 1923. This organization published a magazine called Shanti Adnyana which was later changed to Bali Adnyana.

In 1925, an organization named Suryakanta was also founded in Singaraja and published a magazine called Suryakanta. Like the Shanti organization, Suryakanta also expected that Balinese would make progress in science and eliminate traditions which were no longer suited to the progress of the times.

In the meantime, in Karangasem, an organization called Satya Samudaya Buadana Bali Lombok was founded. The members were civil servants and the public. Their purposes were to raise and save money for study fund.

3. Japanese Occupation Period
After going through several battles, the Japanese army landed on Sanur Beach on 18 and 19 February 1942. From Sanur, the Japanese army entered Denpasar without encountering any resistance whatsoever. Then, from Denpasar Japan controlled Bali entirely. At first, the party that established Japanese power in Bali was the Japanese Army (Rikugun). Later, when the situation was in a stable time, the power of government was handed over to a civilian government.
During the Japanese occupation, since the situation was in a conflict, all activity was focused on the war effort. Young people were trained to become Pembela Tanah Air (Country Defending soldiers), abbreviated PETA. In 1944 PETA was established where programmes and conditions of education were formed after the succession of PETA in Java.
4. Independence
On 23 August 1945, following the Proclamation of Independence, Mr I Gusti Ketut Puja arrived in Bali by bringing the mandate of his appointment as Governor of Sunda Kecil. It happened since his arrival in Bali that the Proclamation of Independence in Bali was spread throughout the villages. It was the time that preparations for the arrangement of government in Bali were made as the Sunda Kecil with Singaraja as its capital.

The first attempt to remove weapons from Japanese hands was carried out on 13 December 1945. However, the effort failed. For this reason, it was decided to seek assistance and weapons in Java. This was carried on by I Gusti Ngurah Rai and his people. After Ngurah Rai returned from Java, the entire struggle in Bali was merged into one principal force “Dewan Perjuangan Rakyat Indonesia Sunda Kecil” under the command of Komando Markas Besar Oemoem (MBO).

Since the landing of NICA in Bali, Bali had always been in a fighting arena. In the battle, the Indonesian forces used the guerilla system. Therefore, MBO as the mother force was always on the move. In order to strengthen the defence in Bali, Indonesian Navy assistance was sent from Java which later joined forces with those in Bali. Because of the frequent battles, the Dutch sent a letter to Rai to negotiate, but Balinese fighters refused and continued to strengthen their defense by involving the people.

To facilitate contact with Java, Rai applied the strategy for removing the Dutch attention to eastern Bali. On 28 May 1946, Rai sent his force to the east then it was known as “a Long March”. During this “Long March”, the guerilla force was often ambushed by the Dutch power so that battles frequently occurred. The battle that brought victory to the winners was the Tanah Arun battle, ie a battle that broke in a small village at the foot of Agung Mountain, Karangasem Regency. During the Tanah Arun battle which broke on 9 July 1946, many Dutch soldiers were killed.

After the battle, Ngurah Rai’s force moved to the west and they arrived in Marga Village (Tabanan). To save the energy because of limited weapons, some members of the force were ordered to fight with people altogether.

Puputan Margarana

When MBO staffs were in Marga, Ngurah Rai ordered his force to take NICA police weapons in Tabanan. The order was carried out on 18 November 1946 (at night) and they made it finally. Several weapons and ammunition as well were taken and then a Nica police commandant joined with Ngurah Rai’s forces. After that, the force returned to Marga Village.

On 20 November 1946, by starting the violence at dawn, the Dutch force began to encircle Marga Village. The battle between Nica force and Ngurah Rai’s had occured for 10.00 hours. In the war, many members of the Dutch advanced force were killed. Therefore, the Dutch immediately asked for some helps from all of its forces in Bali and also the bombers which were sent from Makasar. In the serious battle which involved all members of Ngurah Rai force, were determined not to leave the war until the last drop of blood. It was here that Ngurah Rai force held Puputan so that all 96 members of the force were killed, including Rai himself.

On the other hand, about 400 members of the Dutch force were killed. To commemorate the event, a Hero Monument was constructed on the former battle ground.

Denpasar Conference

The Denpasar Conference took place in Bali Hotel on 18-24 December 1946. The conference was opened by Van Mook with the purpose of forming the Eastern Indonesia State (NIT) with the capital of Makasar (Ujung Pandang).

With the formation of the Eastern Indonesia State, the structure of government in Bali was re-established during the periods of the kings. The such government was held by the king who was assisted by patih, punggawa, perbekel and also the lowest government which was called the kelian. Besides that, there was a council with the position that the king was one step behind it and it was called as the council of kings.

Transfer of Sovereignty

The first military aggression against the Indonesian government forces was carried out by the Dutch on 21 July 1947. The Dutch again did the second aggression on 18 December 1948. During the second aggression, continually efforts were being focused on Bali with the purpose of establishing the more effective guerilla fighting movements. In connection with this, in July 1948, a fighting organization called Gerakan Rakyat Indonesia Merdeka (GRIM) was formed. Then, on 27 November 1949 GRIM merged with the other fighting organizations called Lanjutan Perjuangan. Then the name was changed again into “Pemerintah Darurat Republik Indonesia (PDRI) Sunda Kecil.

During the RIS (Republik Indonesia Serikat) period, the East Indonesia Military Commission tried to settle the problem of freedom fighters in Bali, especially those who remained in the mountains. The commission tried to call the members of DPRI who remained in the mountains to be included in an army force called Arjuna (15 January 1950). On the other hand, KNIL (Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger) was turned into the Army of the Republik Indonesia Serikat since June 1950. Meanwhile, the Round Table Conference (KMB) which was based on the agreement between Indonesian-Dutch Union was started at the end of August 1949. Finally, on 27 December 1949 the Dutch recognized RIS sovereignty. Then, on 17 August 1950, RIS was changed into the Republic of Indonesia.

A Long Journey of Indonesia’s Trains

thebangkong — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 07:25:09 +0000

In June 17, 1864, Governor-General Mr. L. A. J. W. Baron Sloet van Beele broke ground for the first railway line in Java, which was then part of Netherlands East Indies. The line belonged to the Nederlandsch-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij (Netherlands East Indies Railway Company), and the first line in operation was between Semarang and Tanggung, opened in August 10, 1867.The line was then unprofitable, so the company turned to the government for help in completing the rest of the 166 km long main line to Yogyakarta through the Vorstenlanden. The great cost involved in the building was partly caused by the decision to build the tracks at the standard gauge (1435 mm/4′ 8½”). This also resulted in the selection of a narrower gauge for most of the later construction, after a 1869 report by J. A. Kool and N. H. Henket showed the economy and suitability of 1067 mm (3′ 6″) gauge. In fact, the law allowed only the construction of 1067 mm gauge railways, except for some 600 mm gauge feeder lines.

The first of the narrow gauge line was also built by the NIS, connecting Jakarta (then Batavia) and Bogor (then Buitenzorg). It was opened in January 31, 1873 after two years of construction. The line was quite profitable, but as it was isolated from the rest of the NIS lines in Central and East Java, it was later sold to the SS in 1913.

The state then began to get involved directly in the construction of railways, after a rather lengthy period of hesitation, since the Liberal government in the Netherlands would rather have private enterprise creating the railways. Anyway, state railways were considered necessary for strategic purposes. In May 16, 1878 the first line of the Staatsspoor- en Tramwegen in Nederlandsch-Indië (State Railway) was opened between Surabaya and Pasuruan. Three years later, construction was begun on a line from Bogor to Cicurug in West Java, with the intention to reach Cilacap, an important port in the southern coast of Java.

In 1884, the SS lines from the east reached Surakarta, on the NIS main line, and in 1888, the western line reached Cilacap. A continuous railway line was in place between Jakarta and Surabaya in 1894, with the completion of the last section, between Maos and Cibatu. The journey between the two points took three days, with the actual travel time being 32½ hours, because trains did not run at night, and the presence of different gauges required passengers and goods to be transferred at both Yogyakarta and Surakarta. Yet it was a great improvement over the horse-hauled carriages, which took up to two weeks for the trip.

The Samarang-Joana Stoomtram Maatschappij received the concession to build a light railway (“tramway”) between Semarang and Juwana in 1881. It was the first of the 15 tramway companies in Java. The tramways were usually related to agricultural developments, especially sugar plantations and factories, tobacco and rubber plantations, and forestry. The lines also acted as feeder to the main lines. These tramways were built according to certain standards, allowing some exchange of rolling stock with the state railways, and some lines were indeed later upgraded to main-line railway standards.

Sumatra had its first railway by 1876, a 4 km line between the port of Ule Lhee and Banda Aceh (then Koetaradja), built for military purposes. This line used the 1067 mm gauge. As the Aceh War raged on, the lines were expanded (and suffered from sabotage attempts) along with the Dutch military advances.

The first line of economic significance in Sumatra was laid by the Deli Spoorweg Maatschappij in 1886, between Labuhan (the erstwhile port) and Medan. This line served the fertile Deli region, and later served Besitang, Tanjungbalai, Rantau Prapat and Pematang Siantar. The last section of the line to Rantau Prapat was completed in 1937.

The Aceh line was later regauged to 750 mm (2′ 5½”), and was completed to Besitang, 520 km southeast of Banda Aceh, in 1917, where a junction was made with the DSM line from Medan. The Atjeh Staatsstoomtram was transferred from the military to the SS in January 1, 1916. Even then, the situation in Aceh was not exactly peaceful, and the line kept its military importance up to the end of Dutch rule – even into independence days!

The government constructed a line in the Minangkabau region in West Sumatra between 1891 and 1894, between Teluk Bayur and the coal mine at Sawah Lunto. The 158 km-long line had to clear the Bukit Barisan range, climbing up to 773 m, and requiring a 43 km-long rack section between Kayutanam and Batu Tabal. It was the only rack line of a significant length in Indonesia. The line also went to Bukittinggi (then Fort de Kock) and Payakumbuh, both relatively important regional centers.

In the southern part of Sumatra, the government constructed a railway line from Panjang (then Oosthaven, the ferry port for Java) to Kertapati (across the River Musi from Palembang), and to Lubuklinggau, serving also the coal mine at Tanjung Enim. The construction began in 1914 and was completed in 1932.

The only public railway in Indonesia outside Java, Madura and Sumatra was opened in July 1922 in South Celebes. The line went from Ujung Pandang to Takalar, a distance of 47 km. It was closed in 1930 due to lack of traffic.

The railway service improved gradually. By 1899, a third rail was installed on the standard gauge line between Yogyakarta and Surakarta, although through passenger trains only began operating in February 1, 1905. The opening of the new line through the Priangan mountains in May 2, 1906 allowed the introduction of a much faster passenger service between Jakarta and Surabaya, requiring only 23 hours of travel time, but the actual journey still took two days.

In December 31, 1912, the law allowing the construction of the Cirebon-Kroya line was passed. The First World War stagnated the construction, but it was completed and opened in January 1, 1917. This line allowed trains to avoid the long, heavily graded (2.5%) original line through Bandung, and shortened the distance between Jakarta and Surabaya by 44 km. In 1918, the banning of running trains at night was lifted. The passenger train from Jakarta to Surabaya then took 17 hours.

The Semarang-Cheribon Stoomtram Maatschappij, a tramway stretching along the north Central Java coast, was an important one: it served 27 sugar mills. Beginning in 1914, its main line was improved to higher standards, allowing greater speeds and heavier trains. It became a significant partner to the SS in the Jakarta-Semarang passenger trains.

The fiftieth anniversary of the SS in 1925 was marked by the inauguration of an electric line connecting Bogor to Jakarta and its suburbs. The electrification was at 1500 volts DC.

In May 1, 1929, a 1067 mm line was completed between Yogyakarta and Surakarta, finally allowing much faster schedules between Jakarta and Surabaya. The best time was cut to 13½ hours, and then gradually to 11 hours and 27 minutes, in 1939. The train, Eendaagsche-Expres, had an average speed of 71.7 km/h on the Surabaya-Jakarta run.

Later, in November 1, 1936, another express service was introduced: the Nacht-Expres (Night Express). It was slower (between 21.00 and 05.00, the speed was limited to 60 km/h) than its daytime counterpart, but was more comfortable, for the passengers would not be affected by the tropical sun heat.

The Great Depression came in 1929, and the economic difficulties that resulted caused the cancellation of several projected extensions, for example, a railway line connecting the Southern and Western Sumatran SS lines to the DSM line, a line in West Borneo from Pontianak to Ketapang, and another in South Borneo, and a line in North Celebes. A number of unprofitable lines were closed, including the Tulungagung-Tugu and Jatibarang-Karangampel lines (both closed in 1932), Warungdowo-Purwosari and Warungdowo-Ngempit lines (1933), Tanahmerah-Kebanyar (1936) and Pamekasan-Kalianget (1937).

Plans to renew the locomotives of the railways were also affected. In 1931, only the SJS bought new locomotives, which became the last order by any of the Indonesian railways until after the Second World War. The SS, facing competition from autobuses and aeroplanes, but unable to buy new locomotives, rebuilt many freight locomotives, enabling them to run at higher speeds, resulting in faster schedules.

Generally, on the SS in the 1930s, passenger train speeds and frequencies were raised. As an example, the Jakarta-Bandung expresses numbered only two in 1934, taking 3 hours and 40 minutes. In November 1, 1934, the frequency was doubled, and the timing became 2 hours and 45 minutes, later to be cut down further to 2 hours and 30 minutes. The trains were commonly known as the Vlugge Vier (The Four Fast [Trains]).

Not only on the SS in Java, but also in South Sumatra there was an increase in speed limits, allowing a maximum of 75 km/h on the South Sumatran main line (in 1940), and also 50 km/h on some lines in West Sumatra. It was also in this period that the SCS upgraded its line to a maximum of 75 km/h, resulting in faster express schedules between Jakarta and Semarang.

It might be interesting to note that the fastest speed in the SS days was not reached by a 1000 class 4-cylinder compound, but instead by an older 700 class. In fact, the 1000 class (“duizendjes”) was considered a failure, and had the Depression not intervened, the class would have been rebuilt into 2-cylinder simples.

The Second World War broke out in September 1939, affecting the railways once again. NIS’ plans to obtain several diesel-electric railcars from Beijnes and high speed streamlined standard gauge steam locomotives from Werkspoor were cancelled, because The Netherlands was occupied by Germany. For strategic purposes, the NIS standard gauge line from Solo to Gundih was fitted with a third rail, allowing narrow gauge trains to travel from Semarang to Solo via Gambringan.

Japan invaded Netherlands East Indies in 1942, and occupied it, taking two weeks to do so. The occupation resulted in the unification of all railways in Java under the military administration, known as Rikuyu Kyoku. The system was then handed over to a Japanese civilian administration, but were later administered by the military again in the latter part of the war. The Sumatran lines were similarly administered by the military occupiers, geographically separated into three systems: Kita Sumatora Tetsudo (North Sumatra including Aceh), Seibu Sumatora Tetsudo (West Sumatra) and Nanbu Sumatora Tetsudo (South Sumatra).

Under Japanese occupation, further lines were pulled up, including the whole standard gauge line, which was regauged to 1067 mm. In March 1943 the last standard gauge line was converted, leaving only one small standard gauge harbor line in Semarang. Many less important tramways were removed. A number of rolling stock were sent to other Japanese-occupied territories (Manchuria, Burma, Malaya, Siam and Indochina). Although none of the standard-gauge locomotives were taken elsewhere (many survived rusting in Yogyakarta works to the 1970’s), almost 40 1067 mm gauge locomotives were sent abroad. Of these, some of the former NIS 381-400 series (renumbered into the C52 class) were returned later, but were scrapped immediately as they have been regauged to metre gauge.

It was during the Japanese occupation that the worst railway incident in Indonesia occurred. On Christmas Day 1944, 200 were killed and 250 were injured when a train lost its brakes and ran away in the Anai valley in West Sumatra.

Many prisoners of war and impressed locals (commonly known as romushas) were forced to build new lines in Japanese-occupied territories, those in Indonesia being the Saketi-Bayah (in Banten, West Java) and Muaro-Pakanbaru (in Sumatra) lines. The latter line was only completed when the Japanese almost capitulated, and was therefore never used. The locomotives, many of which were already old and worn out, were further worn due to lack of maintenance and spare parts. Many romushas and railway employees were sent abroad to “help” the railway operations in Siam and Burma, and the majority never returned.

Indonesia declared independence in August 17, 1945, and in September 28, 1945, the Japanese railway administration was forced to hand over the railway to Indonesian freedom fighters, a day celebrated as Hari Kereta Api. The railway lines in Java was administered as Djawatan Kereta Api Repoeblik Indonesia, and those in South and West Sumatra Kereta Api Negara Repoeblik Indonesia. In North Sumatra it was Kereta Api Soematera Oetara Negara Repoeblik Indonesia. When the Dutch returned to Indonesia, they created the Staatsspoorwegen/Verenigd Spoorwegbedrijf (SS/VS) as a temporary administration, starting on January 1, 1946. It managed all public railway lines in Java, except the Jakarta tramway lines, and lines in South and West Sumatra.

Many battles between Indonesian freedom fighters and Dutch soldiers occurred over the railway, in fact, the lines often became the demarcation line between Dutch-held and Republic-held areas. The railway and railway workers did many heroic acts. In February 3, 1946, a special train including two inspection cars (saloons) evacuated President Soekarno, Vice President Mohammad Hatta and their entourage from Jakarta, which was becoming unsafe, to Yogyakarta. Trains were also used to smuggle firearms and transport freedom fighters. On the other hand, the Dutch also used trains to transport prisoners of war in atrocious conditions, sometimes resulting in fatalities, such as the incident on November 23, 1947, in which 46 of 100 prisoners were killed when they were pressed into three closed goods cars and transported without food or drink for 13 hours.

While the struggle raged on, the railway service was kept. Passenger trains were ran between significant cities and towns of the Republic (Cisurupan, the HQ of the DKARI; Yogyakarta, capital of the republic; Malang and others), and some of the lines removed by the Japanese were restored, such as between Kutoarjo and Purworejo. The SS/VS also did the same, running trains in the Dutch zone of control.

As the War for Independence raged on, most railway lines were controlled by the Dutch. The SS/VS did cooperate with the DKARI on the Jakarta-Tangerang line and several other lines, but in general, there was an atmosphere of war. Sabotages on VS lines were almost daily occurrence.

After Indonesia’s full independence in 1950, the railway was at an appalling state. Ten years of neglect and war has resulted in destruction or damage to the rolling stock, trackage and other structures. The railway was rebuilt: 100 general purpose steam locomotives were ordered, tracks torn up during the troubles were relaid, new structures were built replacing those destroyed in the “scorched-earth” moves in the war, and new rolling stock were ordered.

The D52 class was actually ordered by the SS/VS, but was delivered to the Indonesian DKA. It might be noted that the former railway and tramway companies retain their paper existence, some up to the 1970s. The DKA owned the assets of the former SS, but had to pay for the use of the private railway’s assets.

The early-independence years were not without its share of troubles. Rebellions flared up in several areas, and the railway was inevitably affected. As an example, DI/TII rebels in West Java sometimes mined trains or loosened track spikes, causing derailments, sometimes with loss of life, such as when train no. 8306 was attacked between Warungbandrek and Malangbong in February 2, 1953. Other examples were when Cangkring station, near Cirebon, was burned down in August 23, 1951. Trains passing through rebel-infested areas were piloted by an armoured car, and the train itself was to push an armoured car and several flatcars weighed with tracks, to detonate any present mines (so the mines did not damage the train). The armoured car itself was a relic of the War of Independence, built by the Dutch for the same purposes.

The 1950s and 1960s were “survival years” in the words of the Indonesian Railway’s official historian. The railway required subsidies to keep operations, many lines could not be run at a profit, obtaining sufficient spare parts for locomotives was a major problem and condition of the trackage was deplorable.

But those years were not totally wasted. Dieselisation came in 1953, in the form of 27 Co-2-Co locomotives from the United States, and between 1957-1967, around 250 diesel locomotives went into service, displacing steam from most main line and long distance passenger trains. New passenger stock were also introduced in the same period, although these were limited for main line trains, and older equipment remained in use for the lesser trains. New vacuum brake-equipped freight wagons were also obtained, for the overnight fast freight service between Jakarta and Surabaya.

In 1963, all public railways in Indonesia were unified under a new administration, Perusahaan Negara Kereta Api. Previously, the Deli system in North Sumatra was separately administered after its nationalization in 1958. Further administrational changes occurred in 1973, when the PNKA was renamed PJKA (Perusahaan Jawatan Kereta Api).

The “survival years” saw the railway service generally worsening. The political turmoil in Indonesia in the mid-1960’s resulted in serious problems, as many railway workers were members of the communist-affiliated union, and were purged in the aftermath of the failed coup d’etat. There was also the aphocryphal tale of railway workers sawing off the driving rods of a West German-built diesel, for being Western. However, this might be an urban legend.

In the early 1970s, however, efforts were made to increase the speed of the prestigious Jakarta-Bandung expresses, back to 2 hours and 30 minutes, as it was in the late 1930s, from more than 3 hours. It succeeded, but the high track maintenance costs caused the speed to be reduced again.

Also in the 1970s, ex-tramway lines began to be abandoned, as they were no longer economically viable: not enough paying passengers (trains were always loaded to capacity and more, though). The victims included the whole Aceh and Madura systems and most branch lines in Java. Presently, the Purwosari-Wonogiri line (ex-NIS) is the only proper tramway (it runs through the city center alongside the main street) still in operation. All other tramway lines have been removed. As the lines were removed, the steam locomotives serving on those lines were also retired, a process completed by the mid-1980s. Or perhaps, it was the run-down of the rolling stock which resulted in the abandonment of the railway lines.

Even in the early 1970s, many steam locomotives were already disused. The governor of Central Java, Soepardjo Roestam, promoted a locomotive museum in Ambarawa, in the station area. Later on, as all steam locomotives were retired, many remaining steam locomotive were preserved in another museum in Jakarta. Many others were also preserved individually elsewhere. More than sixty steam locomotives are preserved now.

The dieselisation and abandonment of most unprofitable lines improved PJKA’s financial position, but it continued to require subsidies from the government. Also, it did not try creating new sources of income, the most obvious being the lack of launching of new trains.

In 1991, PJKA was reformed into Perumka (Perusahaan Umum Kereta Api). It was intended that the Perumka would begin to cover its costs, by “cross-subsidy”: launching new, comfortable and fast trains with higher fares to subsidize the low fares of economy class trains, whose fares cover only 70% of the running costs.

The new management, led by Soemino Ekosapoetro, was successful. In 1994, Perumka made profits of about 3.88 billion rupiahs (then about 8 million US dollars), the first ever profit that a post-independence Indonesian railway made. In 1997, Perumka’s profits reached 23.2 billion rupiahs.

In August 10, 1995, after several years of upgrading track to enable higher speeds, coinciding with the Golden Jubilee of Indonesia’s independence, the Perumka launched the first two of the Argo trains. These trains were extra-fare, all executive class, high speed passenger trains. These trains do not only bring great profits to the railway, but also create a new image: previously, trains were thought as “dirty, slow, uncomfortable” mode of transportation, unsuitable to the growing middle-class in the Indonesian society.

In Java, passenger trains were much more important than freight trains. But in South Sumatra, the Bukit Asam coal mine in Tanjung Enim is an important customer of railway services: to haul the mined coal to the port of Tarahan. In West Sumatra, the Ombilin coal mine also uses the railway’s service to carry coal to the Indarung cement factory in Padang.

The economic crisis which hit Indonesia in mid-1997 was somewhat comparable to the Great Depression in 1939: It resulted in both difficulties and opportunities. The fall of the rupiah against the US dollar resulted in the reduction of new locomotive orders, reduction of profits and increased maintenance expenses. Express passenger speeds were reduced again, although the reduction was insignificant.

The opportunity came in the form of increasing demand for passenger trains: airplane fares, calculated in US dollars, became too expensive, and the customers, especially the middle class, who have always used airplanes, began to look at trains as an alternative. The Perumka responded by launching new passenger trains, many of them executive class-only or executive and business class trains, such as the Dwipangga, Mahesa and Sancaka.

Perumka’s management was further reformed in June 1, 1999, when it was renamed PT (Persero) Kereta Api Indonesia. However, in the recent years the Indonesian Railway has faced tough challenges. The continuing economic crisis has resulted in a severe maintenance backlog for the rolling stock and trackwork, and many trains were running in less-than-top condition, or not running at all. In the recent years the Indonesian Railway has faced tough challenges. The railway’s safety record in the last years is not one to be proud of, its passengers, especially commuters, demand greater comfort and reliability, and the economic constraints has only made the situation more difficult. However, the Indonesian Railway has succeeded to survive, and is certain to prosper at a future time.

Sources:
Jan de Bruin, Het Indische spoor in oorlogstijd: de spoor- en tramwegmaatschappijen in Nederlands-Indië in de vuurlinie, 1873-1949
A.E. Durrant, Lokomotip Uap
A.E. Durrant, PNKA Power Parade
H. de Jong, De Locomotieven van Werkspoor
Michiel van Ballegoijen de Jong, Spoorwegstations op Java
Ir. Krijthe, De ‘Bergkoningin’ en de spoorwegen in Nederlands-Indië 1862-1949
J.J.G. Oegema, De Stoomtractie op Java en Sumatra
Sejarah Perkeretaapian Indonesia, Volumes 1 and 2

Sunda

thebangkong — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:50:01 +0000

According to the legend, Galuh kingdom with Karang Kamulyan as its capital city, existed in Tanah sunda (land of Sunda) in the pre-historic Hindu Buddhist stone period, until the beginning of the Islamic arrival to Banten in the 14th century. The remains of an ancient city of Karang Kamulyan can be found in Ciamis. Karang Kamulyan covers 25.5 square hectares. In Tanah Sunda was also the kingdom of Taruma Negara. An inscribed stone in the Sanskrit language, which is a relic from the Tarumanegara kingdom during the reign of King Purnawarman in 450 A.D. can still be found in the village of Ciaruteun Ilir, regency of Bogor. The kingdom was attacked and defeated by Srivijaya (a kingdom established in Sumatra island in 500 AD) in about 650 AD. The kingdoms of Pajajaran, and Sunda (later called Cirebon) came later. The largest kingdom among them was Pajajaran. It was founded by King Purana with Kawali (Ciamis) and then Pakuan (Bogor) as its capital. The most charismatic king of Pajajaran was Prabu Siliwangi (king Siliwangi). Concern of maintaining peaceful interactions (between Sundanese people) resulted in avoidance conflict between Pajajaran, Galuh and Sunda (Cirebon) kingdoms; there had never been wars among them. Even, when a son of Prabu Sana (a Pajajaran king) had an intention to build a new kingdom called Mataram, he developed and expanded his new kingdom to eastern areas instead of to western areas which had been developed by Pajajaran, Galuh, and Sunda (Cirebon) kingdoms. Eventually, Galuh merged with Pajajaran. By about the end of Pajajaran kingdom, Sundanese were animistic and worshiped gods and goddesses. They celled their faith as Sunda Wiwitan and they called their highest god as SanghiyangRumuhun. There was relatively minor Hindu influence in Tanah sunda, Candi Cangkuang, located at Cangkuang, regency of Garut, is the only Hindu shrine found in Tanah Sunda. It is thought to have been built by the early Sundanese kingdom of Galuh. Hindu influence just can be seen on Ramayana and Mahabarata myths, which are presented through the medium of puppet plays (describing the conflict between good and evil) and also many Sundanese names which are derived from Indian Sanskrit. When Islam came to TanahSunda, most of Sundanese accepted it. The first islamic kingdoms in Tanah Sunda were the Sultanate of Banten (Bantam) and the Sultanate of Cirebon. The Sultanate of Bantam was reached early in the sixteenth century by the Islamic wave coming westwards along the northern coast of Java island. One century later, the Sultanate shared with the Sultanate of Cirebon the role of most active islamic cities of Java island.

The history of Bantam was marked by the interventions of the Europeans, mainly Portuguese and Dutch. Europeans first came to Tanah Sunda in 1511 when Portuguese merchants arrived in Sunda Kelapa or Jayakarta (the harbor of Pajajaran kingdom) and, in cooperation with a Pajajaran prince called Pangeran Jayakarta, established a port there. But Bantam with its heroic prince called Fatahillah could force Portuguese to leave Jayakarta.

Meanwhile, the last king of Pajajaran and a small number of his followers resisted the coming wave of Islam. He came into conflict with Banten and Cirebon kingdoms until he was defeated by the Cirebon armies in 1578. A small number of his followers fleed to remote Kendeng mountains, Banten, and they formed a community called Baduy. (But nowadays Baduy people have converted to Islam). Before his death, the king gave his crown to his successor governing Sumedang Larang (later called Sumedang city) and then the Sumedang Larang kingdom was established.

Then Dutch come for the first time to Tanah Sunda in 1595. The Dutch established their own port in Jayakarta in 1619. They called the port as Batavia. From the port, the Dutch gradually extended their control over the Java island.Because of its political and religious vitality, Bantam soon came into conflict with the colonial power of Batavia, which eventually caused its downfall.

Except for occupation by the British from 1811-1816, Tanah Sunda was a Dutch colony until the establishment of Indonesia in 1945 when Tanah Sunda started to become one of its provinces.