Dari segi bentuk, Benteng Somba Opu di Kecamatan Somba Opu, Kabupaten Gowa, Sulawesi Selatan, tergolong biasa-biasa saja. Namun, kekokohan dinding dari batu bata merah padat yang mengelilinginya sedahsyat perlawanan Raja Gowa XVI Sultan Hasanuddin saat mempertahankan benteng dari perampasan oleh Belanda.Inisiatif membangun benteng datang dari Raja...
Benteng Penyu di Makassar
Bila berada di ketinggian, maka Fort Rotterdam akan terlihat jelas berbentuk penyu. Bisa dibayangkan, saat benteng ini masih berfungsi, dari ujung kepala penyu mata melihat langsung ke lautan lepas. Fort Rotterdam memang berada di bibir pantai. Luasnya sampai tiga hektar. Tak heran, benteng tersebut menjadi ikon dari Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan.Pengunjung...
A Rare Ritual
Our stay in Rumah Jugah was better than we expected because we were privileged to witness a rare Niri ke Panggau ceremony which takes place every 10 years. Ibans take dreams very seriously as they believe their Gods communicate with them through them, as well as birds and signs in nature. The night before, a young girl in Rumah Jugah had a dream and...
History Could Be Written in Art
The Indonesian National Museum officially opens its new buildingLast Wednesday, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono inaugurated the new wing of the National Museum. The old building was known to the Jakartanese as Museum Gajah (the Elephant Museum) for its elephant statue in front of the building. The statue was a gift from King Chulalongkorn...
A Bidayuh Welcome
The Bidayuhs, or Land Dayaks, are the second largest ethnic group in Sarawak and are known for their peace-loving and easygoing nature. We had a chance to experience their hospitality when we visited Rumah Annah Rais, a 500-year-old Bidayuh long-house in Padawan District, about 60km from Kuching. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a group of young girls...
Learning About Life in a Long-House
THE harvest festival of Gawai is always a good time to visit the mystical Land of the Hornbill, and a Gawai experience is never complete until you’ve visited a Dayak long-house. Unless a local resident invites you, the only way to visit a long-house is via a tour operator who organises a homestay at a designated long-house. I opted to visit a non-commercial...
Down The Dark Chamber…
Travel back in time to ancient pewter mines at Royal Selangor in SingaporeTrapdoors and narrow chambers are exciting. You never know what you can discover inside — a piece of ancient treasure, a scare or just memories of a bygone era. But at Royal Selangor in Singapore, one can discover much more.The dark chamber inside Royal Selangor‘s chic boutique...
Youths From Sabah and Brunei Sign MoU to Strengthen Ties
Kota Kinabalu - A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Muslim Youth Movement (Abim) Sabah branch and the Brunei-Muara District of Youth Council here to strengthen existing ties and cooperation between the youths in both countries.Muddin Beting signed the agreement on behalf of Abim Sabah along with Brunei-Muara District of Youth...
Gambling is Everywhere Around Us
Bandar Seri Begawan - In these modern times of ours, gambling can be found almost everywhere around us. The elements of gambling can be camouflaged by many faces _ shows, games and entertainments _ be it on the radio, television, the Internet or in print media, and also via mobile phone.In certain countries, gambling is legalised for the purpose of...
South West District Arts Festival Kicks Off 5Wweeks of Performances
Singapore- The Singapore Arts Festival may be coming to a close this weekend, but there will be no lack of arts events to attend in the weeks ahead.The five-week long South West District Arts Festival kicks off on Saturday.And to add bang to the event, Education Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and other MPs formed a group of fusion percussionists,...
`Pirates of the Caribbean`: The Singapore-Borneo Connection
The connection between Hollywood`s Pirates of the Caribbean, set in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and Singapore and its surrounding seas is more than just the fancy of screenwriters.In the latest Pirates adventure, we find Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and his crew in the Singapore lair of Captain Sao Feng (Chow Yun-Fat), looking for a...
Kelantan Inviting Archaeological Researchers
Kota Baru - Kelantan is inviting researchers to ascertain archaeological findings that claim that the oldest form of civilisation in Malaysia, besides the oldest human fossils and artefacts, were located in the state. This will put to rest ongoing debates over where civilisation originated from in the country, state museum board chairman Datuk Takiyuddin...
Crisis in South Rooted in Ethnic Malay Identity
Govt`s charm offensive may be winning support abroad, but it won`t end bloodshed in regionNot long after Thai soldiers and police stacked hundreds of unarmed Muslim demonstrators on the back of military transport trucks - suffocating 78 of them in the process - the Thai Foreign Ministry went through their rolodex`s looking for Muslim organisations.The...
Environment: Nameless: 10,000 Indonesian Islands
Jakarta - Indonesia needs at least three more years to name more than 10,000 of its islands, a senior official said Monday, warning that the lack of names left people at risk in case of disasters.Alex Retraubun, director of small islands‘ empowerment at the Fisheries and Maritime Affairs ministry, said a recent ministry survey had found that more than...
Indonesia: Lewd Language Presents Moral Dilemma
Jakarta - Television personalities agreed to disagree on the issue of obscene language in television talk shows during a discussion held by the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) on Thursday.The commission had called together several well known television figures to discuss whether jokes made by talk show hosts were meant to be humorous or were...
Indonesia Pledges to Cut Haze-Causing Fires by Half
Indonesia say it aims to reduce forest fires by 40-50 percent this year, following nearly a decade of devastating seasonal fires that release large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, threaten critical orangutan habitat, and raise regional health risks."Our target is to reduce them by 40-50 percent. We may never be able to eradicate forest fires completely,"...
Imaginative, Little Storytellers Narrate Captivating Folk Tales from Asia
Bandar Seri Begawan- Confident and bold, 10 young participants showcased their storytelling skills yesterday in a contest telecast live from a studio at Radio Televisyen Brunei in the capital.The students captivated the members of the audience with Asian folk stories at the Mari Bercerita Competition 2007.Ten boys and girls ranging from 9 to 12 years...
Concern Over Use Of `Bahasa Rojak` Among Bruneians
Bandar Seri Begawan - Misusing the Malay language is an unfortunate but common practice among Bruneians these days, according to the Culture, Youth and Sports Minister.Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa Major General (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Awg Mohammad Hj Daud also expressed his concern over the use of bahasa rojak in everyday life and how it `pollutes`...
Najib Reminds Malays Of The Glokal Concept
Kuala Lumpur- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak reminded Malays to hold firmly to the "glokal" concept, telling them that while they excelled on the world stage they should not forget their place of origin.He said Malays who sought and achieved success elsewhere, including overseas, should not forget the village they came from and should...
S`pore Duck Race Back After 3 Years to Raise Money for Charity
Singapore - The "Great Singapore Duck Race" will make a comeback at the Singapore River in September.Personalities from all walks of life will be there, including ex-national swimmer Leslie Kwok and inspirational leader Dr William Tan.Six organisations will stand to benefit from this year`s event, which is sponsored by the Singapore Computer Society.Wilson...
Three-week Long Silat Competition Kicks Off This Weekend
Singapore - Over the next three weeks, close to 700 Silat exponents will compete in the National Pencak Silat Championship.The competition was officially opened on Friday evening and the first events will take place this weekend.There will be various categories, including the pre-junior category, which is for those under-14.The senior category is for...
Iban Community Celebrates Hari Gawai
Tutong - The Hari Gawai celebration for the year 2007, organised by the Iban Brunei Association, was held at the Rumah Budaya Puak Iban, Sungai Basong Recreational Park, in Tutong. Hari Gawai is usually celebrated every year on June 1.Present as the guest of honour was the Acting District Officer of Tutong, Awg Haji Jamain bin Momin, and his spouse.The...
Orangutans Flee Illegal Loggers in Indonesian Parks
Jakarta - Indonesia‘s efforts to crack down on illegal logging are holding out some hope for endangered oranguntans, the red-haired apes that inhabit the Indonesian rainforest, the UN Environment Programme says. But hundreds of orangutans have fled their homes and ended up in "refugee" camps as illegal logging rapidly destroys the last remaining rainforests...