The Tourism Village

The Tourism Department of Yogyakarta Province is trying to develop a tourism potential region, one of which is the tourism village. Head of the Tourism Department of Yogyakarta, Tazbir Abdullah said to the Voice of Indonesia in Yogyakarta on Wednesday, to pursue a new tourism in Yogyakarta, Tourism Department introduces the village tourism as a new tourism in Yogja. According to him, the interest of tourists in Yogjakarta keeps increasing every year. He said Jogja Tourism Authority is now focusing to promote our tourism spot, not only conventional tourism spots like Sultan Palace and Prambanan Temple, now we offer more tourism spots like tourist village and activity in the tourism side like cultural festival in the village and then cultural ceremony. Tazbir added, to support the development of tourism in Yogyakarta, the government also continues launching campaign with the media and international institutions to tourism activities in the area. He also said, the number of tourists visiting Yogyakarta is increasing every year, especially tourists from Malaysia and Europe.

(Ani)

Source: www.rri-online.com

Pilgrimage to support Sultan’s president bid

Five Yogyakartans embarked Thursday on a pilgrimage from Yogyakarta to Jakarta in an effort to build support for Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, who declared his intention to run for president in October.

The five are Arisman, 61, Cipto Suwarno, 58, Sarjio, 41, Ratna Wuriyaningsih, 35, and Subardi, 35.

Before setting out on the circa 455-kilometer journey to the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, they first held prayer in front of the Gedung Agung Presidential Palace on Jl. Malioboro.

Wearing clothes emblazoned with a picture of the Sultan and “Sultan for President”, the small group began a journey that will trace the route taken by Sultan Agung when he marched with his army to Batavia to overthrow Dutch colonial rule from 1628-1629.

Sultan Agung was the greatest king of the Islamic Mataram kingdom, which was later divided by the Dutch into the Yogyakarta and Surakarta sultanates as well as Pakualam and Mangkunegara principalities.

“We conduct this spiritual journey to respect and to support Ngarso Dalem (the Sultan) who has stated his intention to run for presidency in 2009,” said Arisman, adding that they would pass Wates, Purworejo, Kutoarjo, Kebumen, Gombong, Purwokerto and Brebes in Central Java as well as Cirebon, Cikampek and Bekasi in West Java before arriving in Jakarta.

During the journey, Arisman said, they would hold prayers in the hope that Sultan would pass selection to become presidential candidate and later win the election.

So far, no major parties have declared their support for the Sultan’s candidacy.

The pilgrimage is forecast to last 24 days, with the five arriving in Jakarta on Jan. 4, to signify the temporary transfer of the capital of Indonesia from Jakarta to Yogyakarta in 1946.

Slamet Susanto , The Jakarta Post , Yogyakarta | Fri, 12/12/2008 10:43 AM | The Archipelago

Sleman regent grilled for school books procurement

Yogyakarta Police questioned Sleman regent Ibnu Subiyanto on Tuesday after receiving presidential permission for an investigation of accounts in a procurement graft case amounting to state losses of Rp 13 billion (1.18 million).

Ibnu arrived at the Yogyakarta Police office for questioning at around 9 a.m., kompas.com reported on Tuesday.

“Previously, he had refused to come in for questioning because we could not show him the (permission) letter,” Yogyakarta Police crimes chief AKBP Sugeng Widodo said.

The team in charge of questioning comprised three officers, Sugeng said, adding that the focus of today’s questioning would be over Ibnu’s capacity to appoint companies directly to provide books for all schools in the regency in 2004.

Sleman District Court named Ibnu suspect on July 18, along with former Yogyakarta legislature chairman Jarot Subiyantoro who has been detained since July 5 for his connection in the case.

Prosecutors believe Ibnu profited from his decision not to hold a tender in the procurement.(ewd)

YOGYAKARTA PROFILE

Yogyakarta , Jogjakarta , or Djokjakarta , city (1990 pop. 412,059), S Java, Indonesia, at the foot of volcanic Mt. Merapi, capital of the special region of Yogyakarta (1990 pop. 2,912,611), a former sultanate. It is the cultural center of Java, known for its artistic life, particularly its drama and dance festivals and handicraft industries. It is also the trade hub of a major rice-producing region, and there is some manufacturing. Tourism is important; the magnificent Borobudur temple is in the area. The vast walled palace (18th cent.) of the sultan of Yogyakarta was the provisional capital (1949-50) of the republic of Indonesia; part of it now houses Gadjah Mada Univ. Also in the city are the Islamic Univ. of Indonesia and several colleges. The town was founded (1749) by a sultan in an area which had been the center of previous cultures. It was the focus of the revolt against the Dutch (1825-30) and was the stronghold of the Indonesian independence movement from 1946 to 1950.