“Automatically we tightening the security in accordance with the existence procedures. At Gilimanuk, Padangbai, Ngurah Rai Airport, bus terminals and any other places, the officials had stand by. As well as at community neighborhood and offices,” said head of Bali Police Public Relationship, Kombes Pol Gde Sugianyar to ANTARA in Denpasar on Friday night.

Sugianyar said that aside of mobilizing their general police officers, Detasemen Khusus Anti Teror 88 – special detachment of anti-terror 88 – of Bali Police also mobilized to support Bali security.

“All force had been ordered to stay alert. We also raise our coordination with TNI and public. We valued all information and if public know any suspicious information, do not hesitate to contact our officers,” he said.
On Friday afternoon, several police officers of Leupung Sector, Great Aceh, shot to death two people suspected as members of terrorist related with Dulmatin group. In the police action in Leupung, the area that is covered with coastal and hill area, at suburban of Banda Aceh, one car filled with ten men had been spied as a car carried for group of terrorists.

The ambush of two men suspected for terrorist member also resulting in the finding of light long guns, that were two 7.62 caliber assault rifle AK-47 mm, three 5.56-mm caliber rifle M-16, and police standard pistol’s nine mm caliber Glock 17 looted from local police officer. All of them in addition with full amount of ammunitions.

Meanwhile, in relation with the security plan concerning United State of America President, Barack Obama to Bali, Sugianyar said, “everything had run smoothly. Some personnel from US Secret Service had come to meet us and visit Komando Daerah Militer IX/Udayana for further coordination.”

Some US Secret Service had visit high rank Bali Police officers on Friday in the afternoon. “We explained to them Bali situation and its security development,” he said.

Obama with his wife and both of his daughters, Malia and Sasha planned to visit Bali on March 21-22 2010. According to the plan, they will visit Pura Luhur Uluwatu in South Kuta of Badung regency and stay at one of elite resort Bali in Nusa Dua.

News by ANTARA Bali

Fraudulent practices in marine tourism industry especially for diving activity, received lots of complained from several parties especially from marine tourism businessmen. One of them is a cheat that they called as “teabag dive” or in other word short time diving, this kind of cheating, they confessed, could become a terrifying threat for tourism development at Tanjung Benoa area.

Teabag dive done by illegal guide who asked certain fee from the businessman cause unhealthy price competition and service quality derivation. Gradually, this kind of practice becomes wider and decrease Tanjung Benoa’s marine tourism image quality.

Head of Badung Local Tourism Agency, I Made Subawa on Thursday (March 11) said that practically “teabag dive” sold far below the diving price standard. If people want to dive at Tanjung Benoa, averagely they have to spend $ 50 US for 45 minutes dive. But due to this cheating actions, the price and standard offered far from the regular standard. 15 minutes dive could be enjoyed by those tourists with $20 US, shortly, cheap for bad quality.

Thus, said Subawa, make the tourists feels unsatisfied since they could not enjoy the beauty under the sea maximally. “What left for them only the fish. They have no time to watch over the coral reef,” he said.
Moreover, that teabag practice also claimed could give bad effect toward the coral reef conditions due to the boat anchor that always parked at inappropriate places,” he added.

In order to press teabag practice at Tanjung Benoa area, Subawa confessed that his party had gathered all marine tourism executives. In that meeting, they discussed about the bad effect caused by teabag diving as well as discussing its solution.
In the end, continued Subawa, the executives agreed to close their company if they have ever used that illegal service labors according to their initiative since they violating the agreement. “Essentially, they had agreed to adjust their price with the usual standard and compete in service,” Subawa asserted.

News by Bali Post

Uluwatu temple, as one of Satkhahyangan temple, sat at the top of the cliff of Bali’s south sea area, is prepare as one of location planned will be visited by United State of America President, Barack Obama.
Badung Regent, A.A. Gde Agung, on Wednesday at the central government of Badung Regency, Mangupraja Mandala, Sempidi, led a preparation meeting together with board and adat – traditional Balinese village officials – as well as with pengempon pura – those who manage and caretaking for the temple –

The meeting member are Perbekel (head village) Pecatu village, I Made Sumerta, Bendesa Adat (head of cultural and traditional law of Balinese village) Pecatu village, I Wayana Rebong, Prajuru (village officials) Pecatu, parties from Puri Agung Jero Kuta (Kuta Castle) as well as with related institutions.

Although US President arrival stills a rumor, competent parties had prepared for his arrival to Bali on March 21st 2010.

Soon after arrive in Bali, Barack Obama scheduled to straightly would go to his hotel as well as visiting Uluwatu Temple area located at Pecatu Village, South Kuta District. At there, according to the plan, Obama will watch kecak dance while viewing the night vision when the sun set down at Uluwatu.

Besides Uluwatu, he also planned to conduct discussion at Udayana University as well as visiting Monkey Forest in Ubud. “President Obama visiting Bali is planned for two days before leaving to Australia,” said Gde Agung.

In relation with Obama, Gde Agung together with officers from Kodim 1611/Denpasar-Badung also had examined Uluwatu temple area several days ago. From that examination proved that there are lots of area need to rearrange such as its cleanliness, road renovation along the way to the holy temple as well as restructuring the area where the kecak dance would perform.

“In relation with the security, then it will be super tight. That is why Pecatu villagers concerns and involvement is needed to cooperate in maintaining the security at that area,” said Gde Agung.

Meanwhile, Badung Government had prepared fund to renovate Uluwatu Temple area according to the suggestion from pengempon pura (local Hindus at Uluwatu). Still, Gde Agung emphasized here that the renovation not only stand as a way the area welcoming Obama but also to make it remain as a well maintain tourism object.

“Moreover, for the next months there will be big ceremony at Uluwatu Temple,” he said.

News by Antara Bali

Varied of coconut trees being intensively develop in Bali. This development aimed to fulfill ritual necessity held by the people. The area for Coconut plantation itself had been expanded that reached around 66 hectares. 25.000 seeds supply had been planted on the rainy season of December last year. That extension conducted at every public land, temples’ land as well as both sides of the street which also has greening plants function. Coconut expansion and intensification receive full support from local budgetary and expense as well as from self-supporting farmers. Read more about Coconut development in Bali here.

Lembaga Penerbangan dan Antariksa Nasional (Lapan) – National Aviation and Space Agency – reminded the people to remain calm concerning the prediction of sun storm in 2012-2015 since it could not threatening humankind and not a sign of world end as been rumored.

“Our observation result, the sun storm would not destroyed world civilization. The straight effect will be felt to the modern technology such as satellite and radio communication. So it was not sign for world to end,” said head of Lapan’ Geomagnetic and Space Magnet department, Clara Yono Yatini at Udayana University Denpasar on Tuesday.

Sun storm problem had become part of material discussion at “International Symposium on South East Asia Pacific Environment Problem and Satellite Remote Sensing” at UNUD postgraduate campus that is held for two days and attended by 150 participants from world fishery and marine experts.

According to Clara Yono, in relation with the issue of world end concerning the sun storm, Lapan keep spread the knowledge about sun activities publicly. Thus, the people will more understand about the effect may occur and its suitable anticipation regarding that space weather phenomenon in 2012 up to 2015.

It is explained that sun activity throwing tons of particles, high energy plasma and electromagnetic wave radiation precisely has a cycle and does not dwell.

“Numbers of sun explosion could arrive to the earth. Besides the sun has varied of activities such as magnetic field, sunspots, flare, corona mass burst, solar wind and magnetic particle,” said this 1989’s ITB astronomy alumnus.

Lapan had estimated that the peak of solar activity happened around 2012 up to 2015. At its peak, sun activity will be high and sun storm will happen.

In concern with the size of high-energy particle or the explosion takes place, Clara stated that it still could not determined yet or when it will happen. “What I can say here is the sun storm will happen only in a few minutes or hours. It was varied and hard to determine when it will happen exactly. According to the prediction, it will happened in 2012 up to 2013,” she explained.

In several part of the world, sun cycle happened every 11 years and now the sun is in its 24th cycles. The phenomenon had given serious effect to the electricity system network as it happened in Canada and Japan in 1989 and Sweden in 2003.

Besides could give impact to the communication tools and system, sun storm also contribute in climate change. It is due to the heat escalation as a result of solar activity intensification. “Earth temperature will raise drastically and the climate will change. The extreme effect could be long dry season but the researcher still studying it further,” she said.

The woman who graduated from Astronomical department of Tohoku University Japan stated that it was not true the end of the world will be happened like what 2012 movie described. “That movie just look like a science movie but precisely it only for entertaining,” confessed Clara.

Symposium held by Center for Remote Sensing and Ocean Sciences (Cresos) attended by universities academic both inside and outside the country such as Japan, Russia, BPPT and other institutions.

News by Antara Bali

Although Obama arrival in Bali still tentative and until today no official information yet but airport party said that they are ready to welcoming that US President arrival to Bali. The preparation will according to the special landing procedure as for presidential aircraft, the airport will be close for 30 minutes before and after the landing. It also said that if there is airport closing for Obama arrival, all airport and airlines will receive Notice to Airman (Notam). But until today there is no Notam delivered to any of airlines and airports. Read more about Ngurah Rai airport closing here.

US President plan, Barack Obama to visit Indonesia make the security has to work optimally in order to give safety guarantee welcoming Obama arrival who also reported will visit Uluwatu, Badung. It has been decided, if the security for the first black man president in US could run smoothly then it will affect security promotion of Bali tourism. Realized by all, United State of America is a super power country that prioritizing security especially for their head of state in his every visiting abroad. Read more about Obama security here.

Udayana University cooperate with Yamaguchi University held international symposium involved world fisheries and marine expert at UNUD post-graduate building at Denpasar, Bali on Monday.

The event them was “Bali International Symposium on South East Asia Environment and Satellite Remote Sensing.” The event was scheduled to run for two days as UNUD Rector, Prof. Dr. I Made Bakta accompanied with Prof. Miiike and one of Yamaguchi dean of faculty opened the symposium.

Prof. Bakta said that environment issue need a serious handling considering its wide effect and human here have an important role to deal with this environment problems.

Concerning that problem, he wished for the recent symposium could triggered real action to overcome environment problem, especially in South-East Asia.

This symposium specifically discussed about environment, especially on marine and fisheries including within it is about the developed technology and environment preservation management. In this occasion also, Yamaguchi University Delegation Office officially launched in UNUD campus at Jalan Jenderal Sudirman, Denpasar.

According to the information received from the committee of this symposium, this event takes some important issue such as “satellite remote sensing,” environment problem in Southeast Asia and Pacific, natural disaster mitigation and marine problem.

Attended as the speaker in this event are some experts from various institution in relation with fisheries and marine both from inside and outside of the country.

The first day speaker was Prof. Sumi (Tokyo University), Prof Tasuku Tanaka (Yamaguchi University), Prof Safwan Hadi (ITB), Dr. Yudi Priatno Kaelan (DKP), Dr. I Wayan Arthana (UNUD), Ketut Swardhika (CReSOS), Muh Helmi (Undip), Conway Pene (University of South Pacific).

Meanwhile for the second day, there is Prof. Leonid M. Mitnik (Russia), Ivone Radjawane (ITB), Clara Yono Yanti (LAPAN), Prof. Bonar Pasaribu (IPB), Johnson Lumban Gaol (IPB), Kamei (Restec), Wolf Forstreuter (SOPAC), and Fahmi Amharb (Bakorsurtanal).

News by Antara Bali

Garuda Indonesia works extraordinarily toward Hindu’s high interest to conduct “Tirtayatra” or holy journey to the Jagatkartha temple at Mount Salak in Ciapus area of Bogor Regency, West Java. Cooperate with traveling agent in producing this Tirtayatra packet, the trip will utilizing empty seat at night flight. Here Garuda will prepare the accommodation and consumption with affordable ticket price. Read more about Tirtayatra to Mount Salak here.