Indonesia Topics

Architect Sandra Angelia was crowned Miss Indonesia 2008 in a glamorous event Wednesday night at the Jakarta Convention Center, Central Jakarta.

The 22-year-old graduate of the University of Western Australia, Perth, will also be the country’s representative in the Miss World pageant this September.

Sandra represented East Java in the Miss Indonesia contest.

Dressed in a green Harry Darsono gown, she charmed the audience and members of the jury by confidently saying she would first improve legal enforcement if she was appointed as the country’s leader.

“After improving law enforcement, the education sector would be my next priority because I want poor children to be able to get the education they deserve,” she said.

Sandra will prepare for the Miss World pageant by increasing her knowledge of the country’s history and tourism as well as improving her English language skills. (The Jakarta Post)

China and India gain popularity through the existence of “Chinatowns” and “Little Indias” all over the world. Now, Indonesia is set to follow suit by opening a permanent market in Shanghai on May 22.

The market, called “Indonesia Street”, will display high quality Indonesian products with competitive prices, according to Sukardi Koto, the CEO of Indonesia Street Shanghai.

“I often receive orders from Chinese business players. They are enthusiastic about Indonesian products because of good quality and affordable prices,” Sukardi said, as quoted by Antara.

In the long term, Sukardi added, another 10 Indonesian markets will be opened in 10 big cities in China.

“Indonesian business firms hope the Indonesia Streets will make it easier to attract Chinese customers and penetrate the market,” Sukardi said.

He said the Indonesia Street market, sponsored by Indonesian businesses and supported by the Indonesian and Chinese governments, would be a permanent feature so that people could visit whenever they want.

“We decided to open a market in Shanghai because it is a developed city with good infrastructure… and very strategic for business.

“Shanghai is not too far from Indonesia and there is a growing furniture production and retailing industry in the surrounding area, so we can promote our products there,” Sukardi said.

Projecting Indonesian artifacts and lifestyle, the market is also aimed at promoting Indonesian culture to the Chinese people.

“Indonesia Street will provide all things Indonesian.

“We aim to promote Indonesian culture as well as products and support the growth of Indonesian exports,” Sukardi said.

According to the Central Statistic Agency, Indonesia recorded an increase of 33 percent in total trade with China, from U$$10.97 billion in 2006 to $14.62 billion in 2007.

Non-oil and gas exports to China increased by 22 percent last year, from some $5.47 billion in 2006 to some $6.66 billion. Non-oil and gas imports from China increased by 45 percent, from $5.5 billion to $7.9 billion. (The Jakarta Post)

If you looking for a 16,000 square meters house in Blitar, then it wouldn’t be so hard. Seokarmini’s family is planning to sell her house for Rp 50 Billion (approximately US$ 6 million). It’s just not a house. It’s also a piece of history!

Seokarmini is Soekarno’s sister. Soekarno is the first Indonesia’s President and together with Mohammad Hatta proclaimed the independence of Indonesia on the 17th August 1945. In this house, Seokarno spent his childhood. Later then, he gave the house to Soekarmini. Soekarmini’s family now would like to sell the house due to high cost of maintenance.

Today, Guruh Soekarno Putra, Soekarno’s son, announce that he will buy the house. As he is part of the family, Guruh wants a little cheaper on the price. But there’s no deal yet. So it might be your chance to bid!

However, many commentators expect that the house would fall to the government’s hand as it is a piece of history.

Who knows.

Indonesia’s government is targeting 2.3 million China’s travellers to Indonesia by the co-operation of the Department of Culture & Tourism with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC).

“With 23 million of active ICBC’s customers, if we get 10% from those customers, then 2.3 million travellers will head to Indonesia,” says The Minister of Culture & Tourism Jero Wacik.

Department of Tourism’s Director General of Marketing Sapta Nirwandar said that this target is very much realistic. “It’s a realistic target by us,” says Nirwandar. “Chinese travellers are usually spending US$600 for 5 days stay. Some high class customers usually US$1000-US$2000. That’s only the travel package not including personal shopping.”

“We are targeting 180 million dollars for the revenue,” says Nirwandar.

Hanung Bramantyo’s movie “Ayat-Ayat Cinta” or The Verses of Love undeniably is the most favourite movie in Indonesia. At least 3 million people have watched the movie which based on a novel by Habiburrahman El-Shirazy. The novel itself sold more than 400,000 copies across the nation.

The story tells about a young-handsome Al-Azhar University’s student Fahri bin Abdullah Shiddiq (act by Fedy Nuril), who attracts beautiful young women surrounding him. Fahri, in this movie is being potrayed as a “perfect” muslim guy. He supports modern ideas such as gender equality which sometimes become a hot topic in the Islamic world. Fahri ended up following an unpopular move of polygamy by marrying 2 women due to the conditions. The women who plays in the movie are:

- Nurul (played by Melanie Putria), also an Indonesian in Egypt, the daughter of an important East Java kyai or Islamic scolar.

- Noura (Zaskia Adya Mecca), an ungrateful Egyptian girl (Fahri saves her life but she betrays him later. The reason is because she also love Fahri but Fahri didn’t give any response).

- Maria (Carissa Putri) a Coptic Christian living next door to Fahri, who inexplicably converts to Islam at the end of the film.

- Aisha (Rianti Cartwright), from a wealthy German-Arab family.

The movie also attracts Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the vice president Jusuf Kalla. They both watched this movie in the cinema at different times. Together with them, some ministers of the cabinet and parliament politicians.

This overwhelming response to the movie give more spirit to the Indonesia’s movie industry. One of the evidence is another production house is ready to make another movie based on Habiburrahman El-Shirazy’s second novel “Ketika Cinta Bertasbih”.

The question is, when will this “Islamic-movie-based-on-novel” hype will end? And what will it bring to the nation’s movie industry in the future?

Here are some trailers of the movie:

Ayat Ayat Cinta

Ayat Ayat Cinta trailer