A Passionate View on All Things Bali

It is not unique to Indonesian politics that they can often degenerate into a self-serving affair, benefiting the officeholder far more than the people he or she was elected to serve. Rare are the few — worldwide — whose ego and lust for power does not overtake them so that they come to view the [...]

Threat: A long-tailed macaque relaxes in the shade as her young offspring plays around, at Uluwatu Temple on Bali’s southernmost tip. While considered sacred creatures by the island’s Hindu majority, authorities have warned that the indigenous and plentiful monkeys may be carriers of the rabies virus; however all known incidents of transmission to date have [...]

Central Government planned an alternative to solve over the traffic jam around God Ruci Kuta with overpass and underpass development. But Badung Regional Government suggested to change the overpass with underpass as it was viewed more befitting Bali cultural and aesthetic.

Badung government also viewed two solutions are not enough to solve traffic jam in Dewa Ruci to Nusa Dua. Thus, the government in Badung remains with its initial plan developing road alternative above the mangrove forest.

It was revealed in a press conference held after the meeting with Badung Regional government, Bali Provincial Government and City’s Road and Bridge Head of City’s Road and Bridge Division, Director of General Bina Marga Apri Artoto at Badung Central Government on Thursday (September 2nd) yesterday.
Badung Regent, A.A. Gde Agung stated that underpass suggested by Badung government is the perfection for the plan proposed by the central government. Underpass viewed gives high appreciation toward culture and environment aesthetic in Bali.

It is explained by Assitance II of Badung Regional Government who is also the head of Bappeda and Litbang Badung, I Wayan Suambara, from the related studies and considering the width of the road at Bypass NGurah Rai that is also a state’s road, then the central government has ascertain underpass and overpass road development. Underpass will be build at the south of God Ruci to Sanur whilst over pass planned will be build at the south of God Ruci to Sunset Road.

Detail Engineering Design (DED) for underpass has been finished in 2008. Meanwhile, for DED overpass is still in the middle of finishing process. “It is means that there is no final DED yet, that is why the Badung Regional Government resuggested for the overpass project re-evaluated and shifted into underpass,” said Suambara.

Toward the suggestion, Apri Artoto also confessed that basically underpass with physic development conducted underground, according to environment aesthetic is better than the overpass development. Although there is no final decision yet, the central government promised that whatever will be build in the near future would not ignoring the benefit and the aesthetic value.

Specifically in regard with the relocation of God Ruci statue, Apri asserted that it has not decided yet since them still waiting for the project planning decision conducted.

Concerning the time of the project applied it was planned would run in 2011, with construction period estimated around 18 to 20 months. The project fully takes its budget from State’s Budgetary and hope will be finish for the next APEC 2013 held in Bali.

Not a Solution

Even though the central has planned, the underpass and overpass but it still could not appear as a long-term solution to solve over the traffic jam happened. Head of Commission B of Badung Council, Putu Parwata reminded the government not to falsely make short-term project. The government project should be able to solve fully the traffic jam problem. Badung Regional Government itself is still studying further the overpass and underpass, as either it would become long-term solution or not.

“Thus, Badung Regional Government suggested for the central keep conducting the development of new road path above the mangrove area. This suggestion hope could become a note for the central,” Suambara said.
During the overpass or underpass development, worse accident predicted could happen. Thus, at yesterday meeting, Badung and Bali government reminded the central government to summarize the phases to solve traffic jam probably happened during the construction project run at the area.

News by Bali Post

Central Government planned an alternative to solve over the traffic jam around God Ruci Kuta with overpass and underpass development. But Badung Regional Government suggested to change the overpass with underpass as it was viewed more befitting Bali cultural and aesthetic.

Badung government also viewed two solutions are not enough to solve traffic jam in Dewa Ruci to Nusa Dua. Thus, the government in Badung remains with its initial plan developing road alternative above the mangrove forest.

It was revealed in a press conference held after the meeting with Badung Regional government, Bali Provincial Government and City’s Road and Bridge Head of City’s Road and Bridge Division, Director of General Bina Marga Apri Artoto at Badung Central Government on Thursday (September 2nd) yesterday.

Badung Regent, A.A. Gde Agung stated that underpass suggested by Badung government is the perfection for the plan proposed by the central government. Underpass viewed gives high appreciation toward culture and environment aesthetic in Bali.

It is explained by Assitance II of Badung Regional Government who is also the head of Bappeda and Litbang Badung, I Wayan Suambara, from the related studies and considering the width of the road at Bypass NGurah Rai that is also a state’s road, then the central government has ascertain underpass and overpass road development. Underpass will be build at the south of God Ruci to Sanur whilst over pass planned will be build at the south of God Ruci to Sunset Road.

Detail Engineering Design (DED) for underpass has been finished in 2008. Meanwhile, for DED overpass is still in the middle of finishing process. “It is means that there is no final DED yet, that is why the Badung Regional Government resuggested for the overpass project re-evaluated and shifted into underpass,” said Suambara.

Toward the suggestion, Apri Artoto also confessed that basically underpass with physic development conducted underground, according to environment aesthetic is better than the overpass development. Although there is no final decision yet, the central government promised that whatever will be build in the near future would not ignoring the benefit and the aesthetic value.

Specifically in regard with the relocation of God Ruci statue, Apri asserted that it has not decided yet since them still waiting for the project planning decision conducted.

Concerning the time of the project applied it was planned would run in 2011, with construction period estimated around 18 to 20 months. The project fully takes its budget from State’s Budgetary and hope will be finish for the next APEC 2013 held in Bali.

Not a Solution

Even though the central has planned, the underpass and overpass but it still could not appear as a long-term solution to solve over the traffic jam happened. Head of Commission B of Badung Council, Putu Parwata reminded the government not to falsely make short-term project. The government project should be able to solve fully the traffic jam problem. Badung Regional Government itself is still studying further the overpass and underpass, as either it would become long-term solution or not.

“Thus, Badung Regional Government suggested for the central keep conducting the development of new road path above the mangrove area. This suggestion hope could become a note for the central,” Suambara said.
During the overpass or underpass development, worse accident predicted could happen. Thus, at yesterday meeting, Badung and Bali government reminded the central government to summarize the phases to solve traffic jam probably happened during the construction project run at the area.

News by Bali Post

KABANJAHE A volcano in Sumatra spewed ash thousands of metres into the air on Friday in its most violent eruption since rumbling back to life earlier this week for the first time in 400 years. Thousands of people have fled their homes since the 2,460-metre Mt Sinabung in northern Sumatra started to erupt on Sunday [...]

DENPASAR Bali’s infamous motorbike bandits resurfaced when two men snatched a bag containing a mobile phone and cash and securities worth Rp75 million (US$8,300) from a man who had just left a BRI bank branch on Jl Pulau Moyo, Denpasar. Victim Gusti Ayu Artini was leaving the bank at 11am last Monday with the securities [...]

NEGARA Doctors refusing treatment to patients presenting at a number of health posts have led to revelations that the Jembrana free health card, issued by the regency as a local alternative to the provincial card for low income families, is being refused at some clinics in the regency. The dispute came to light last Thursday [...]

DENPASAR More Australians than ever are calling Bali their second home, going on the latest tourism figures — for January to July — just released by the Bali tourism office. Its chief, Ida Bagus Subhiksu, said 50.8 percent more Australians visited in January-July this year than in the same period last year. In round numbers, [...]

DENPASAR The saga of the Simpang Siur flyover — part of Governor I Made Mangku Pastika’s plan to ease traffic congestion ahead of the 2013 ASEAN summit meeting in Bali — has taken a new turn. The national planning board (BAPPENAS) has agreed to partly fund an underpass instead. The flyover would involve moving the [...]

The clink of Balinese traditional music, Gamelan, performed by a team from Indonesian Fine Arts Institute of Denpasar shook Russian music community, a release from the Secretary of the Indonesia Embassy in Moscow, Johannes O S Manginsela, said Monday.

The Indonesian team initiated their performance in the Philharmonic in Tula, 200 Km from Moscow.

With the theme "The color of Indonesia", the performance was part of the 60th anniversary of Indonesia-Russia diplomatic relations at the Indonesia Embassy, the Indonesian Fine Arts Institute of Denpasar, and supported by the Indonesia Education Ministry.

The Gamelan and Indonesian dance performances dazzled about 750 spectators at the theater in the hometown of the great Russian writer, Leo Tolstoy.

At the end of the performance, the spectators applauded and exclaimed `malajet...malajet,` which means great.

The Indonesia Fine Art Institute`s team also managed to mesmerize the Moscow art community in Rachmaninov Hall, Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory.

Some 200 spectators crammed the concert hall of the most prestigious school of classical music in Russia.

At the end of the show, the spectators kept applauding continuously that the Balinese artists had to drag themselves back to the main stage to perform an encore of additional Gamelan play for at least another 3 minutes as the final performance which was applauded by the spectators with a standing ovation.

The Gamelan play served as a background music of Indonesian dances such as Selat Segara from Bali, Padang Bulan from E Java, Oleg Tambulingan from Bali, Pakerana of Sulawesi, Mandau, Garuda, and Berburu from Papua.

Saman dance from Aceh, however, was accompanied by live traditional music relying the prime acoustic design of the concert hall without speakers or sound system.

Indonesia Ambassador to Moscow, Hamid Awaludin said the Indonesian art and culture exhibition and performance, which was artistic and cultural diplomacy, can encourage the development of Indonesian tourism sector.

The Russians who had known Bali as one of the tourism objects were expected to know Indonesia entirely through Bali.

The 60th anniversary of Indonesia-Russia diplomatic relations was a great momentum to improve the relations between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Margaritha Karatygina of the Moscow International relations department Tchaikovsky Conservatory appreciated and welcomed the success of Indonesia Fine Art Institute of Denpasar, and believed that the success will encourage Russian students to study Eastern music, especially Gamelan.

Indonesia has a very rich cultures, assistant rector of the Indonesia Fine Art Institute of Denpasar, I Wayan Suweca said, adding that the Institute presented a `Nusantara Package`.

Russia was one of the countries rich in arts and cultures with high appreciations, he said.

Both countries had potentials to develop cooperation in art and culture and the Art Institute of Denpasar was willing and ready to establish cooperation with the Russian Art institute, he said.