Lion Air now connects Jakarta and Malang

Lion Air officiated the opening of its new Jakarta – Malang route on Nov. 29.

Using 189-seat Boeing 737-800 airplanes, the route is available every day and offers two flight schedules that fly from/to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang and Abdul Rachman Saleh Airport in Malang, East Java.

From Jakarta to Malang, the flights are scheduled at 6:15 a.m. and 10:40 a.m. Meanwhile from Malang to Jakarta, the plane depart at 8:25 a.m. and 12:45 p.m.

"We already have Batik Air that travels twice a day to Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in Jakarta [from Malang]," said Lion Air Group corporate communication Ramaditya Handoko.

Lion Air Group's Lion Air, Batik Air and Wings Air currently serve flights from Abdul Rachman Saleh Airport to Jakarta, Denpasar and Bandung every day.

Malang that is also known as the Apple City has one of the most popular destinations in Indonesia called Bromo Tengger Semeru that is listed in the Tourism Ministry's 10 Priority Destinations list. (kes)

Source: Lion Air now connects Jakarta and Malang

Jakarta to send civil servants to Singapore to learn about ERP

The Jakarta administration is set to send more civil servants to Singapore to learn about electronic road pricing (ERP). 

Several civil servants were already sent to Singapore from Nov. 7 – 11 to learn about the technology, which the city state implemented a couple of years ago.

During a workshop on the ERP at City Hall on Tuesday, Jakarta Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno expressed his hope that the civil servants could be prepared for the implementation of ERP technology in Jakarta in 2019.

"We will send more people to study the implementation of ERP in Singapore and learn how to apply it in Jakarta," Sandiaga said.

Sandiaga added he expected the procurement for the ERP system to finish in 2018.

"We will choose the most advanced technology, which can be sustained over the next 10 or 20 years," he said.

Based on Jakarta Regulation No. 5/2014 on transportation, ERP will be used on several thoroughfares, including Jl. Sudirman, Jl. MH Thamrin and Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said earlier that he was considering revising the regulation on ERP so that it would apply not only to four-wheel vehicles but also to motorcycles.

Source: Jakarta to send civil servants to Singapore to learn about ERP

Police officer assaulted, firearm stolen in East Jakarta

A member of the National Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) was allegedly assaulted and had his firearm stolen by unidentified men in Cibubur, Ciracas district, East Jakarta.

The incident occurred on Monday afternoon at Cibubur Junction Mall when the police officer, identified as Brig. Lalu Agus Salim, reportedly met with a person identified as Mulyadi, a friend of a man who accused the alleged victim of being involved in a counterfeit money scam.

After meeting at a coffee shop, the alleged victim was reportedly asked to follow Mulyadi to the parking lot in the basement of the mall, where five men allegedly attacked the victim, Ciracas Police chief Comr. Agus Widar said on Tuesday as quoted by tribunnews.com

"The victim was assaulted right in front of a musholla [prayer room] in the basement," Agus said.

The officer was reportedly attacked again when running to his car to retrieve his firearm. One of the perpetrators reportedly grabbed the firearm. 

A witness said the alleged perpetrator tried to pawn the firearm at a shop, but store workers rejected his offer.  

East Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Andry Wibowo said all alleged perpetrators had surrendered to the police. (yon)   

Source: Police officer assaulted, firearm stolen in East Jakarta

Learning to be zen while motorcycle commuting in Jakarta

It's the world's fourth most populous country, with over 260 million people, and the world's largest Muslim population. Its estimated 17,500 islands (even the government doesn't know exactly how many) stretch for 5,000km, the same distance as Ireland to Iran. Despite its size and scale however, most people know very little about Indonesia, the country that has recently become my home.

Everyone seems to have heard about tropical Bali. Most will remember the 2005 tsunami, which devastated the country's western provinces, killing more than 230,000 Indonesians. Some will know about the orangutans and tigers that live on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo (an island shared with Malaysia), or Javanese coffee. Beyond this, however, Indonesia doesn't tend to make the headlines, except for acts of terrorism or when westerners are caught smuggling drugs.

Moving to Indonesia's capital Jakarta, known to locals as the Big Durian, my major concern wasn't the tsunamis, terrorists or tigers, however. What really made me apprehensive was the traffic. I had good reason to be worried; Jakarta has the worst traffic congestion in the world, according to a Castor survey, or the third-worst according to the TomTom Traffic Index; Dublin doesn't even make the top 125.

Barry Dunning and his Australian partner Larissa have been living in Jakarta for three months. Zen and the art of motorcycle commuting

Having lived here for a couple of months now, I can confirm that the traffic congestion in greater Jakarta, with its population of 27 million, is horrendous. Traffic jams are known in Indonesian as macet, and macet defines your life here. Evening commute speeds of 8-10 kph are common - and that's without a major crash or a rainy season downpour. Even on the back of a motorbike you don't go much faster, despite the constant manoeuvring by drivers.

Jakartans have a number of coping mechanisms. People minimise the distance between work and home, and tend to socialise in these locations only. Locals also seem to have a sixth sense for when to leave the office to avoid the worst of the macet during rainy season. Indonesians are prolific social media users; you need something to do to when stuck in traffic, and not just while driving a car. Half the people you see on the back of a motorbike will be scrolling through social media on their phone, holding on with only one hand, or sometimes no hands at all.

The most important coping mechanism is the zen-like attitude that everyone approaches their daily commute with. As I look around the standstill traffic, drivers are calm, considerate of their fellow road users, and accepting of the situation. It's rare you see a frustrated face, and horns are used to make others aware of your presence rather than to signal anger.

'Traffic jams are known in Indonesian as macet, and macet defines your life here.'

That's not to say drivers aren't alert though; traffic hazards - from the fried food cart working its way across a six-lane road, to the giant Hummer trying to do a 20-point u-turn - come at you from every direction. But there is no sense of entitlement to the road here, it's a shared, constrained resource that everyone has to make the best use of.

Home away from home

Having first left Ireland at the end of 2010, I spent more than five years in Sydney, picking up an Australian partner and an Australian passport along the way. This year we decided to try our luck in Indonesia. After a few months of applications and negotiations, we both got lucky - me on an Australian government volunteer programme working for a paediatric palliative care NGO, and Larissa transferred through her existing employer. My job here is rewarding and confronting, working with children and families from some of the poorest parts of Jakarta with end-stage cancer and HIV/Aids.

Barry with some of the team at Rachel House in north Jakarta.

There's a small but vibrant Irish community of about 100 in Jakarta, mostly working in education, construction or the oil and gas sector. We have three Irish pubs and an active Irish association, the St Patrick's Society. The Irish embassy, here since 2014, reflects the growing attention the Irish Government and business are paying to the country. I'm reliably informed the annual St Patrick's Day charity ball is a great craic; tickets have already sold out.

Growing up in Kildare, I thought that fried chicken was an invention of the Macari family. Turns out Indonesians, and the rest of East and Southeast Asia, have been deep frying chicken since time immemorial. Ayam Goreng - fried chicken - is a deliciously unhealthy snack available on every street.

There is a whole host of other Indonesian specialities - Sate Ayam (BBQ chicken skewers in peanut sauce), Rendang (slow-cooked beef), Gado Gado (vegetable and potatoes with the aforementioned peanut sauce) and fish done hundreds of different ways.

There are tens of thousands of restaurants across Jakarta - from street-side, tent-kitchens known as warung, to fine dining from every corner of the world. You could eat at a different place for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 10 years and not visit the same place twice.

Barry Dunning on Mount Merapi. A city on the move

While there has been a dark turn in Jakarta politics recently (the former governor Ahok, who is ethnic Chinese and Christian, was jailed earlier this year for blasphemy), I've found the city very tolerant. Jakarta, like the rest of Indonesia, has six official religions (Islam, Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Buddhist and Confucian) which coexist fairly peacefully. Many Islamic women wear the jilbab (headscarf), some with their skinny jeans; but many don't. It's a melting pot of a city, reflecting its strategic location on global trading routes for hundreds of years.

There is also large and fast-growing middle class who are outward looking and just as obsessed with avocados, Instagram and single origin coffee as any Stoneybatter or Sydney hipster.

I don't want to give the impression that everything, apart from the traffic, is perfect however. Poverty and wealth inequality are widespread. While the Jakarta skyline is a mass of gleaming skyscrapers, filled with shopping malls, luxury apartments and hotels, most Jakartans live in the shadows of these high-rise developments, in densely packed urban shanty villages known as kampung. The rise of religious conservatism and nationalism are huge challenges. Rumour spreads like wildfire across social media and WhatsApp. Workers rights and workplace health and safety are seriously deficient. Corruption and byzantine bureaucracy are still commonplace.

Despite the chaos and corruption, however, there is real sense of progress, however fitful. The government is rolling out what will be the world's largest health insurance system, allowing hundreds of millions to access affordable healthcare for the first time. More and more Indonesians, including women, are going to college and joining the middle class. There is even a promise that the Jakarta macet will be fixed in 2019, when the metro system is scheduled to open. I'll believe that last one when I see it though.

Source: Learning to be zen while motorcycle commuting in Jakarta

Jakpost guide to Korean culture in Jakarta

The prevalence of South Korean lifestyle products in Jakarta continues to be on the rise, as it also follows the popularity of music and television series among Indonesian audiences.

South Korean skin care products, makeup, cuisine and cooking ingredients are becoming increasingly easier to obtain. 

Those who are keen to try all things Korean, or maybe just Koreans who are missing a taste of home, may want to check out the guide below.

What to eat

Most know Samyang as the flaming-hot South Korean instant noodle that took over the internet last year as people took on a spicy challenge. The noodles are easily found at local supermarkets across Jakarta.

Read also: Jakpost guide to Pasar Modern BSD City

Meanwhile, head into most large malls across the capital city, and it won't be hard to find several South Korean fast food restaurant chains available.

Those in search of a more traditional culinary experience, however, would be better off heading to one of the many restaurants around the capital city that serves more upscale Korean food.

The area just south of Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD) in South Jakarta is home to a number restaurants providing authentic Korean cuisine.

A number of favorites located on Jl. Wolter Monginsidi include the familar Korean BBQ chain Bornga and also an independent favorite, Tobak. (JP/Wienda Parwitasari)

A number of favorites located on Jl. Wolter Monginsidi include the familiar Korean BBQ chain Bornga and also an independent favorite, Tobak. 

A standout in the vicinity, meanwhile, is Seorak Chueotang (Bumbu Satu), which is located on Jl. Senopati in South Jakarta.

The restaurant's interior is comfortable with plush seating, as well as Asian-style decor and indoor greenery. 

"Ppyeo Da Gui Hae Jang Guk," (pork bone soup) at Seorak Chueotang on Jl. Senopati. (JP/Wienda Parwitasari)   

Ppyeo Da Gui Hae Jang Guk, or pork bone soup, at Seorak Chueotang comes at Rp 95,000 (US$7). The serving is generous and the flavor is rich. The meat is well seasoned and cooked until tender, leaving a satisfying taste after each bite.  

What to buy

Those who prefer to eat in, or just want to try to cook Korean food at home, can go to several groceries stores located around Jakarta to stock up on ingredients.

Some of them include New Soul on Jl. Wijaya I and Hanil Mart on Jl. Kramat Pela, both in Kebayoran Baru. 

Other items to look for are cosmetics and skin care products.

The Korean beauty routine has been getting noticed more and more by international audiences, especially with its lavish 10-step routine. The sheet mask, one of the steps, has probably become one of the favorites, as it provides instantaneous results. 

Products to complete the routine are offered from many Korean beauty brands, ranging from the luxurious Sulwhasoo, which can be found in the Sogo department store in Plaza Senayan, South Jakarta.

Read also: Five premium Korean skincare products to try

In the more affordable range, there are Etude House and The Face Shop, both of which have an established and familiar presence in Jakarta. Branches of the brands can be found in many large shopping malls.

Most recently, Korea's natural cosmetics brand, Innisfree, has also entered the Indonesian market with a store in Senayan City mall in South Jakarta. 

What to do

Inspired by Korean celebrities' hairdos, there is the Ando and Yun salon in Gandaria City shopping mall, which specializes in Korean-style haircuts and styling.

#haircut & #cushionsetting - double S ❗️❗️by mr.owen ✔️(@andoandyunkoreansalon - #gandariacity ) . . Gak perlu catok lg❗️❗️❗️ . First time in indo ❗️❗️❗️ . Different quality wave permanent ❗️❗️ . ❗️Original korea #cushionsetting can available only at @andoandyunkoreansalon ❗️ . It's not just 'perm ' or not 'digital perm'. . It's '#cushionsetting ' . Cushion setting is a natural looking and feminine hairstyle with a focus on bounciness, volume, framing the face in a flattering manner. Instead of setting the whole head, a Cushion Setting is known for big natural curls. . What people think of as the Korean Perm is usually achieved through techniques that result in a softer look the Korean Perm is more natural looking and feminine, whereas traditional perm techniques would result in curls that look stiff, hard and less 'natural', you'd never mistake those as natural curls or waves. . So Korean perm is really all about the technique, and the difference in chemicals and tools used and best of all, it doesn't leave your hair dry or frizzy in the process . –  cushion setting C Often used at the hair ends, C curls curl inwards, creating a gentle, bob-like effect . –  cushion setting S (S , double S , triple S) There's the soft or hard S – curls that are tight, or looser and more spread out. . -cushion setting Edge Natural Straight on the top of hair and you can choose Cushion C or Cushion S at the hair ends . . Just come to our Salon for a consultation. Typical setting time can take up to 3-4hours max, so be prepared to spend a little time with us!😄😄😄😄😄😄😄 #koreansalon#andoandyun#andoandyunkoreansalon#koreanwave#differentquality#coloring#hairmanicure#bangs#seethroughbangs#haircut#beautkorea#blowpermanent#koreawave#korealook#stylekorea #hairclinic #hairtreatment #andoandyun #andoandyunkoreanhairboutique #koreansalon #koreanstyle #koreanhair #beautykorea #ja karta #jakartahairstylist #haircut #cushionsetting #coloring #hairmagic #hairmanicure #nail #nailart #koreannail #andoandyunkoreansalon

A post shared by •Official•Revive Your Style• (@andoandyunkoreansalon) on Nov 22, 2017 at 11:23pm PST

The salon applies special techniques and even conveys tips and tricks for clients to maintain their hair. 

Meanwhile, to learn more about all things Korean in general, you can visit the Korean Cultural Center Indonesia (KCCI), which is located in Equity Tower in SCBD.

It holds various events, including film screenings, Korean language classes, as well as a "K-Pop academy" for fans of the music genre to learn how to sing and dance like their favorite Korean pop stars. The center also has classes for traditional Korean dance and musical instruments. 

Tips

- In Korean cuisine, some dishes come in a set and in large portions, so make sure to ask how much food is reasonable to order.

- For skin care, it is recommended to get to know the benefits of each product in the 10-step beauty routine before investing in a whole set.

- Check out the website of the KCCI (http://id.korean-culture.org/) to see the schedule and for further information on classes and events.

(asw)

Source: Jakpost guide to Korean culture in Jakarta