Tuesday 31 July 2007

Bali Hotels / Villas / Travel - don't do it !

Thinking of traveling to hotels or villas in Bali or Indonesia? Think twice, think thrice! The Balinese police and Indonesian police are the nastiest, most corrupt police force in the world, as are the judiciary (prosecutors and judges). If someone decides to “get” you it is really easy and inexpensive for them, but expensive for you! You holiday to (hotel / villa stay) in Bali may well end up costing you more than money!

Here are some facts about Indonesia’s / Bali’s police force and sources so you know they are facts (hope this helps you chose the right hotel or villa, outside Bali).

1) Bali’s police are the most corrupt in the world (source: Transparency International).
2) It costs just $3000 for someone to have you falsely arrested and thrown into jail (source: Nasty Bali Blogspot).
3) Balinese police regular plant drugs on foreigners in order to be able to extort money from them (source: Czech Consul to Bali).
4) It costs around $20,000 to hire an “off duty” policeman to kill a foreigner, less for an Indonesian (source: Nasty Bali Org)
5) Most of the big hotels in Bali are owned by the murderous Suharto family; under Suharto thousands of Balinese were murdered in the mid 1960’s (source: Fugly Bali).
6) The Indonesian police operate and / or protect the country’s brothels (source: US State Department).
7) Bali and Lombok are both pedophile black-spots with several well organized (protected by the police) pedophile rings operating there (source: UNCHR and US State Department). Children are forced into the sex industry using false identity papers issued by corrupt Indonesian officials (source: US State Department).
8) Bali’s International Airport is a massive security (terrorism) risk (source: US Homeland Security / American Transportation Safety Administration) and massive flight safety risk (source: U.S. Federal Aviation Administration).
9) Street narcotics peddlers work with and pay a commission to the police. When the police are told to appear to crack down on foreign drug users for the media, they simply get their peddlers to “finger” a customer then walk away so the police ca claim the dealer ran off (source Bali BS).
10) It costs $3000 to have the Balinese police place your name on the regional Interpol watch list as a suspected insurgent. This is useful if you wish to have someone killed in a neighboring country (to Indonesia) and need to find out where they are (source: Mark Austin Bali).
11) It costs $5000 to shut down a foreign owned small business (source: Bali SOS)
12) Over half the villas in Bali operate illegally (no operational licenses) and are subject to closure as the police are now “cracking down” on them (source: Bali Discovery).
13) Foreigners can not officially own land in Bali and can not operate their properties as rental villas as only Indonesians can get operational licenses (source: Indonesian Government).
14) The Indonesian police use rape as a weapon / tool against people (source: Human Rights Watch).
15) Indonesia illegally occupied West Papua and the South Malaku islands (source: Wikipedia and Free West Papua)
16) Muslims receive lighter prison sentences than Christians in Indonesia (source: Jakarta Post and lawyers for Michelle Leslie). Churches are burned to the ground by militias linked to the Indonesian military. New building permits are not issued for churches which have been burnt down. Local vigilantes and police arrest Christians who pray at home on the basis their homes are unlicensed churches (source: Bali BS).
17) Foreigners are not entitles to protection under the Indonesian constitution (source: Indonesian Supreme Court in a ruling relating to the Bali Nine drugs case).
18) Foreigners are presumed guilty until proven innocent in spite of Indonesia’s presumption of innocence for its own citizens (source: Bali’s chief judge Linton Sirait in regard to the case against Schapelle Corby).
19) Bali is a haven for foreign criminals evading justice in the western world (source: Reuters)
20) Indonesian Terrorists are planning further attacks on Bali and to kidnap foreigners (Australian DFAT).
21) The EU Aviation Safety Commission bans all Indonesian airlines (including Garuda Indonesia) from EU skies after the Indonesian safety delegation could not even tell the commission how many planes each airline had, which showed their own Indonesian safety commission had fabricated the safety certifications for each airline (source: EU).
22) Garuda Indonesia management and flight staff have been implicated in the murder by arsenic poisoning of one of their customers / passengers, human rights activist Munir Said Thalib (source: Tapol, the Indonesian Human Rights Group based in England).
23) The Indonesian tsunami warning system is ineffective in warning people on Bali’s beaches because the fault line is too close to the island to give people time to get off the beaches (source: Professor Hermann Fritz from the Georgia Institute of Technology, THE Indonesian tsunami expert).
24) Dengue fever is at epidemic levels in and H5N1 bird flu at a dangerous stage in Bali / Indonesia. A record 200,000 dengue cases in Indonesia alone, resulting in an expected 2,200 deaths are forecast for 2007 after already making the half way point (100,000 cases with 1,100 deaths) in July. Indonesia has the highest number of human bird flu infections and deaths in the world. Indonesia has the third largest number of tuberculosis cases in the world (source: World Health Organization).
25) Serious disease statistics from Indonesia are actually historically suppressed by the authorities with experts agreeing the actual number of cases of infections such as dengue and H5N1 being much higher, maybe twice the reported numbers (source: CIA).
26) An estimated 90%+ of Balinese hotel service charges gets stolen by the hotel owners / management from the hotel staff who are legally entitled to it. Hotel workers generally earn the state minimum wage of around US$55 but hotels get around this and pay staff less by listing them as part time workers. Recent massive increases in fuel, clothing and food costs in Indonesia means that many hotel staff can only afford to eat once a day (source: A Balinese hotel worker).
27) An estimated 75%+ of due Bali sales taxes get stolen by the Indonesian travel industry through false claims and fraud (e.g. “twin book system”); these taxes go to pay for hospitals, schools, etc. and is the number one reason why so many Balinese stay in poverty (source: A foreign travel agent).
28) Indonesia and Bali are the credit card fraud capitals of the world with the highest number of fraudulent transactions Vs. genuine ones in the world. The Balinese are well trained at the "double swipe" and other methods to buy their next TV on your credit card (source: Credit Card Association).

Ok, you want to go to Bali and stay in some criminal owned hotel or villa and have subservient Balinese pander to your every selfish wish, go ahead, become part of the problem or even a victim yourself. But do us all a favor and don’t say you are going to Bali to support the Balinese; the Indonesians need to put their house in order first. If you are looking at Bali hotels or Balinese villas you are doing it for a cheap holiday / vacation where people have no choice but to look up to you, because you are a cheap charlie who gets no respect at home and you need your fix in Bali!

Monday 30 July 2007

Suharto's Bali Hotels & Travel Agents / Businesses

Bali hotels and travel businesses owned by Suharto and his family and friends.
This data was made avalable in 1997 by Dr. George J. Aditjondro
Although some hotels and businesses may well have changed hands since this data was produced, the message is the same; boycott them as they knew who they were buying from and what happened in order for the Suharto clan to own their empire.
Remember, remember thousands of Balinese were put to death in the mid to late 1960's under Suharto.
Remember, remember most of the land these hotels sit on was stolen under "compulsory purchase orders" made by Suharto's Government and the orginal Balinese land owners then murdered to prevent claims in the future.
You want blood on your hands? Then stay at one of these hotels / use one of these businesses.


List of members of the Suharto family members and the hotels or other tourist businesses they control in Bali *)

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Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, (Tutut), President Suharto's eldest daughter (Citra Lamtoro Gung Group):

(1). PT Sejahtera Indoco: owns Nusa Dua Beach Hotel (joint venture with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, who bought the hotel from PT Aerowisata [Garuda Indonesian Airways' subsidiary] for US$ 120 million) in Nusa Dua; 450 rooms.
(2). PT Radio Citra Dharma Bali Satya: owns private radio station in Denpasar (joint venture with younger brother Bimantara's Radio Trijaya in Jakarta).
(3). PT Joanne Drew Indonesia: holds monopoly over all Joanne Drew fitness centres in Indonesia, including in Bali.

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Sigit Harjojudanto, President Suharto's eldest son (Arseto Group):

(1). PT Nusantara Ragawisata: owns Bali Cliff Resort hotel in Ungasan, at the Bukit Peninsula (joint venture with Japan Air Lines and French hotel chain, Utell); 200 rooms.
(2). PT Uluwatu Ocean Resort: owns 335 Ha tourist resort, incl. 45-hole golf course in Ulu Watu, Bukit Peninsula, near Sigit's Bali Cliff Resort hotel, where Suharto met Keating, in 1995.
(3). PT Catarison Sukses: owns Nikko Royal Hotel in Sawangan, near Nusa Dua (joint venture with Sigit's uncle, Sudwikatmono, and a Japanese company); 408 rooms.
(4). PT Bali Inter Resort: owns Sheraton Nusa Indah Resort in Nusa Dua (joint venture with Sigit's younger brother Bambang's Bimantara Group and the US Sheraton hotel chain).
(5). Unknown company name: owns Amanusa resort in Nusa Dua (joint venture with the Hong Kong-based Indonesian Jew businessman, Adrian Zecha); 35 suites.

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Bambang Trihatmojo, President Suharto's second son (Bimantara Group, together with his brother-in-law, Indra Rukmana, Tutut's husband):

(1). PT Bali Inter Resort: owns Sheraton Nusa Indah Resort in Nusa Dua (formerly Nusa Indah Bali Convention Centre); 369 rooms.
(2). PT Nusa Dua Graha: owns Sheraton Lagoon Nusa Dua Beach International hotel in Nusa Dua (joint venture with PT Aerowisata); 276 rooms.
(3). PT Citra Jimbaran Indah Hotel: owns Bali Intercontinental Hotel in Jimbaran Bay (joint venture with the Hong Kong based Waverty Properties and the Indonesian Ustraindo Group); 451 rooms.
(4). PT Bali Turtle Island Development (BTID): Bimantara-led consortium with younger brother Tommy Suharto's Humpuss Group, Gajah Tunggal Group, Ponco Sutowo (son of former oil magnate, Ibnu Sutowo), and the Udayana Army Division's PT Pembangunan Kartika Udayana, which will build 4,800 Ha tourist resort, covering 2,500 Ha of land & 2,300 Ha coast of the Benoa Bay to Serangan Island (= Turtle Island), with a planned 10-year investment of US$ 2 billion, modelled after Jakarta's Ancol Dream Park.
(5). PT Cardig Air: handles air cargo at Ngurah Rai International Airport near Denpasar, in cooperation with the Indonesian Airport Authority company (PT Angkasa Pura I) and the Air Freight Council of Western Australia (AFEC).

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Hutomo Mandalaputra Suharto alias Tommy Suharto, President Suharto's youngest son and former (?) playboy (Humpuss Group):

(1). PT Humpuss Inc.: Four Seasons Resort in Jimbaran Bay (acquired from Cleaton Investment Pte. Ltd., in a joint venture with Singapore's Hotel Properties Ltd.); 147 villas.
(2). Unknown company name: owns another Four Seasons Resort hotel in Sayan, Gianyar, near Ubud (joint venture with Adiguna Sutowo, son of former oil magnate Ibnu Sutowo); 48 rooms and a royal villa.
(3). Unknown company name: owns Bali Saba Hotel (taken over from the bankrupted Summa Group), also in Gianyar.
(4). PT Bali Pecatu Graha: in 1995, it began to appropriate nearly 150 Ha of land in Pecatu village, Jimbaran Bay, Badung district, from 1,000 farmers, with the help of government officials (who acted as land speculators) and the Udayana Army division (which received zakat [Muslim income tax] from Tommy); total resort will consume 650-790 Ha of land, including 157 Ha for low density luxury houses, 92 Ha for a self-contined township and 160 Ha for other purposes. This mega-resort will include a 1,350 rooms hotel, a 18-hole golf course and club house, golf lodges, a recreation and entertainment club, marina, marina village, Balinese Cultural Village, residential allotments, real estate, a botanical garden and other tourist amenities, with a total investment of US$ 6 billion. The appropriation of land for this mega-resort has triggered waves of villagers' protests to Bali's provincial parliament in the last two years, which has been strongly repressed by the security apparatus in Bali.
(5). Unknown company name: plans to take over some discotheques in Kuta.
(6). Humpuss Group and Tommy own shares in Bimantara's Bali Turtle Island Development Project.
(7). Tommy own shares in PT Ayung River Rafting company, together with sons of Bali Governor Ida Bagus Oka: this company practically monopolizes rafting on the Ayung river, near Ubud.
(8). PT Mabua Intan Express: owns 40-meter long Mabua Intan Express catamaran jetfoil boat, that connects the Benoa harbour in Eastern Bali with the Lembar harbour in Lombok in 150 minutes; the company also owns a Swedish foilcat 2900 boat, which can cover the same distance in 90 minutes.
(9). PT Bali Benoa Marina: will manage a tourist resort, incl. golf course, by reclaiming parts of the Benoa Bay (joint venture with PT Mandira Erajasa Wahana Transportation Aerowisata, a subsidiary of Garuda Indonesian Airways)
(10). PT Tirta Artha Buanamulia: supplies drinking water provision for the Jimbaran, Kuta, and Nusa Dua tourist areas (joint venture with the Badung district goverrnment's drinking water company [PDAM Badung]).
(11). PT Sempati Air: flies between Jakarta, Denpasar, and Perth (joint venture with the Army-owned company, PT Tri Usaha Bakti, and PT Nusamba, which is owned by three charities headed by President Suharto [80% shares], Sigit Harjojudanto [10%], and Sino-Indonesian business tycoon, Bob Hasan [10%]).
(12). PT Gatari Air Service: chartered flights.
(13). Humpuss Travel Agency: promotes hotels and airlines owned by the Group.

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Siti Hediati Prabowo, President Suharto's second daughter and wife of the Army's rising star, Mayor General Prabowo Subianto, commander of Army's special forces unit, Kopassus (Datam/Maharani Group):

Owns several properties in Bali, incl. a big plot of land in Sayan, Gianyar, near Ubud, bought from Murni, a Balinese business woman, owner of a small hotel (Murni's House) and a small restaurant (Murni's Warung) in Sayan.

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Ari Haryo Wibowo, President Suharto's eldest grand-son (Arha Group):

(1). PT Arha Bali Semaranta Rafting: hold near monopoly over rafting on the Unda river which flows from Karangasem to Klungkung districts.
(2). PT Arbamass: attempted to monopolize labelling of alcoholic drinks for the entire province, but this plan was eventually cancelled by Ari's grandfather due to the protests from his uncles, aunties, and grand-uncles, who own most top hotels and tourist resorts in Bali.

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Sudwikatmono, President Suharto's cousin/foster brother (major shareholder in Indonesia's largest business conglomerate, the Salim Group, together with Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana [Tutut] and Sigit Harjojudanto, apart from being a major shareholder in a number of other business conglomerates):

(1). PT Catarison Sukses: owns Nikko Royal Hotel in Sawangan, near Bali (joint venture with Sigit Harjojudanto); capacity & rates still unknown.
(2). Unknown company name: owns Ramada Bintang Bali Hotel in Kuta (joint venture with the Ramada Hotel chain); 400 rooms.
(3). Unknown company name: owns Radisson Sanur Beach Bali hotel (RSBB), also in Sanur (managed by the Salim Group); 425 rooms.
(4). PT Sanur Hastamitra and (5). PT Sanur Dinamika (Salim Group companies, with 10% shares owned by sons of Bali Governor Ida Bagus Oka): Dafa Sanur Residence and hotel in Mertosari, Sanur.
(6). PT Pesona First Pacific (Salim Group): telephone pagers.
(7). A Salim Group company holds franchise of PepsiCo in Indonesia.

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Sukamdani S. Gitosarjono, half-brother of the late Mrs. Tien Suharto (Sahid Group):

(1). PT Sahid Insanadi: owns Sahid Bali Seaside Hotel in Kuta (Rp 15 billion, or US$ 7.5 million investment); 400 rooms.
(2). PT Sahid Dwikencana: hotel supplies.
(3). PT Sahid Noel Mitra Sejati: gifts, parcels, florist, and hampers company (joint venture with Noel Hampers & Gift company from Singapore).
(4). PT Sahid Gema Wisata Tours & Travel: travel agency.
(5). PT Sahid Visantara Tourindo: travel agency.
(6). PT Nara Blantikatama Seni, or Blue Pacific Enterprise: entertainment company.

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Probosutedjo, President Suharto's stepbrother (Kedaung and Mercu Buana Groups):

(1). Unknown company name (Kedaung Group): owns a US$ 81 million hotel in Bali (joint venture with Sasana Kwarta Putra Group [Djohan Anwar], MW Hotels Holding Co. from the Netherlands, and Wuthelam BVI from the UK); 600 rooms.
(2). PT Wisata Triloka Buana (Mercu Buana Group): plans to build new Le Meredien hotel in Bali, after building one in Jakarta.

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The Kowara family, parents-in-law of Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana (Tutut) (Teknik Umum Group and Medco Group):

(1). PT Coca-Cola Tirtalina Bottling Company (Teknik Umum Group): holds franchise of Coca Cola in Indonesia, with a bottling unit in Bali.
(2). Medco Group: Bali Imperial Hotel in Seminyak, north of Kuta; 138 rooms.

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*) Updated version of appendix in George J. Aditjondro: Bali, Jakarta's Colony: Social and ecological impacts of Jakarta-based conglomerates in Bali's tourism industry. Working Paper No. 58 (Oct. 1995). Perth: Asia Research Centre, Murdoch University.

Message: Boycott Bali, if you want to help save Bali's people and their environment, as well as help save the Indonesian people from all the public funds wasted by the Suharto family on all those luxury projects in Bali !
Newcastle, June 5, 1997,
International Environment Day

Dr. George J. Aditjondro
(Indonesian dissident in exile)

About Me

Legian / Kuta, Bali, Indonesia
Yes, every country is corrupt and does some nasty things, but Indonesia (which includes Bali) takes the biscuit; especially Indonesian / Balinese villas and hotel, plus their wretched dishonest travel agents.