Lake Toba Tourism Emergency AlarmThe condition of the Parapat tourism area is still paralyzed People are still cleaning the mud inside their homes Audio NewsThis article has been translated using AI. See original 20 Mar 2025 19:05 WIB · English Flash floods have damaged the heart of Lake Toba tourism in the Parapat area Tourism activities have been paralyzed for five days The ecological disaster was caused by forest damage in the upstream of Lake Toba and temporarily paralyzed the national road the Parapat tourism area is still paralyzed People are also still busy cleaning up mud material inside their homes The North Sumatra Civil Society Advocacy Network (Jamsu) conducted an investigation to find the cause of the flash flood Jamsu consists of the Community Initiative Study and Development Group (KSPPM) the Tano Batak Indigenous Peoples Alliance (AMAN) the flash flood was caused by the loss of 6,148 hectares of natural forest in the upstream Parapat," said KSPPM Executive Director Rocky Pasaribu Flash floods and landslides hit the Parapat tourism area The Trans-Sumatra Highway in the area was paralyzed due to being buried by rocks and mud The national road was also buried by landslides The road was finally passable on Monday (3/17) morning Flash floods hit the Trans-Sumatra Highway around Parapat Free Beach including the Parapat Regional General Hospital (RSUD) Rocky said that the flash flood that hit the heart of the Lake Toba tourism area was an emergency alarm warning of quite massive environmental damage Parapat is a destination and one of the main entrances to the Lake Toba area Based on spatial analysis and field research in the last 20 years there has been significant forest clearing in five sub-districts around Parapat The five sub-districts are the Bolon Simalungun River Basin (DAS) landscape natural forest cover in the area reached 10,348 hectares this figure continues to shrink to 3,614 hectares in 2023 The largest loss of forest cover occurred in 2005-2010 there was another loss of forest cover of 2,366 hectares Rocky stated that significant loss of forest cover also occurred in the industrial forest concession area of PT Toba Pulp Lestari this area has lost 6,148 hectares of natural forest This change greatly affects the capacity of rainwater and soil stability which ultimately causes ecological disasters of flash floods," said Rocky He also assessed that the Parapat flash flood showed the negligence of the local government in supervising spatial planning in the Bolon Simalungun watershed area Land clearing in the watershed area and steep areas have contributed to the recurring disasters in Parapat the flash flood was indeed triggered by waterlogging in the upper reaches of the Gaga River the waterlogging would not have occurred if the forest cover was still good Forests play an important role in the water cycle to capture and store rainwater Jamsu Coordinator Juniati Aritonang said the government must mitigate ecological disasters in the short and long term The urgent thing to do is evaluate the spatial planning of the Lake Toba area flash floods have occurred almost evenly around the Lake Toba area The ecological disaster has claimed lives and caused significant material losses making it difficult for people to get raw water for household needs or water for irrigating rice fields This happens because the forests in the upstream areas have been damaged so they can no longer store water during the rainy season and flow it during the dry season flash floods with quite large impacts occurred in Simangulampe Village Two people died and 10 were missing due to the flash flood A village was also lost buried under rocks and mud Ephourus Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP) Reverend Victor Tinambunan said the Parapat flash flood was clearly the result of human actions "The Parapat flash flood was not a test from God or a handwritten letter This disaster was the result of human actions that damaged God's creation," he said Victor said that environmental damage and ecological disasters are of particular concern to HKBP especially those occurring in the Lake Toba area Head of the North Sumatra Environment and Forestry Service Yuliani Siregar said her team conducted a field review after the Parapat flash flood "Our team traced the Gaga River from downstream where the disaster occurred to the starting point of the rock landslide upstream," she said "The condition of the protected forest area around the disaster location is still relatively good and in the forest area which is the headwaters of the river there is no concession of PT Toba Pulp Lestari," he said Yuliani said that natural disasters such as floods and rock landslides were caused by high rainfall intensity there was a collection of water that was held back in the river valley with a large volume "The puddle then overflowed with a large discharge carrying the material above it into the residential area," said Yuliani the North Sumatra Provincial Government will make a number of efforts to prevent flash floods in the area These efforts include planting trees together with the surrounding community at the location with productive plant species Another effort is improving the river flow through river normalization activities The Parapat flash flood was not a test from God or a handwritten letter This disaster was the result of human actions that damaged God's creation evastating floods triggered by relentless downpours have swept through several regions in recent days affecting thousands of people and claiming several lives a flash flood struck dozens of homes on Sunday in Parapat village a popular tourist destination in Simalungun regency head of the North Sumatra Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) the flooding damaged 50 homes and severely disrupted the residents' daily activities," Tuahta said on Sunday Parapat resident Leonardo Sirait described how the floodwaters surged rapidly through both residential and commercial areas of the village "The muddy water rushed quickly into our homes causing widespread panic," Leonardo said adding that the flash flood was caused when the nearby Batu Gaga River overflowed Delivered straight to your inbox three times weekly this curated briefing provides a concise overview of the day's most important issues covering a wide range of topics from politics to culture and society Please check your email for your newsletter subscription He said this was the worst flood his village had experienced in years Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small or large—find what’s most comfortable for you Parapat, North Sumatra – 20 July 2022. A giant banner unfurled by a team of local women activists reading “North Sumatran Women Against Deforestation” floats upon Lake Toba The action conveys a message to the participants of the W20 Summit in Parapat about the importance of protecting forests and the rights of Indigenous Peoples from the threat of deforestation and land theft “This action conveys our call for the W20 Summit to promote gender equality and highlight ongoing discrimination and marginalization of women We should reflect on what is happening in the forests of North Sumatra and its surroundings have lost their livelihoods due to land and forest theft by big companies for the sole purpose of making profit,” said Sekar Banjaran Aji Forest Campaigner for Greenpeace Indonesia Indigenous Women in North Sumatra and almost all parts of Indonesia have long been victims of structural inequality and exploitative development that does not pay attention to gender issues Various development programs have led to social conflicts and environmental destruction overriding women’s rights Women are the most vulnerable to losing their livelihoods due to forest destruction and land grabbing and often experience violence in areas of agrarian conflict.   “Although President Jokowi signed four decrees for customary forests in Lake Toba in early February 2022 it has not answered the problems of Indigenous Peoples in Lake Toba There are still many agrarian conflicts that have not been resolved forest and environmental damage is also not taken seriously Land grabbing carried out due to the presence of PT Toba Pulp Lestari has lead to structural impoverishment for more than three decades and has contributed greatly to worsening women’s quality of life,” said Rocky Pasaribu from local NGO KSPPM PT Toba Pulp Lestari and PT Dairi Prima Mineral has impacted the rights of rural women in the Toba region and destroyed their forest of Kemenyan (benzoin) incense trees Environmental damage has caused local climate changes that make it difficult for farmers to successfully plant Farmers often experience crop failure due to unpredictable bad weather.  a new threat came with the birth of a large-scale Food Estate project which was billed as a food security program to deal with future food crises and knowledge of women in local farming styles They now must rely on the market system determined by the government and large corporations food industrialization that marginalizes the community and the monopolization of agricultural lands.  G20 member countries must play a strategic role in improving environmental sustainability and climate crisis management Indonesia as the holder of the G20 Presidency must ensure that there is a more ambitious agreement reached promoting sustainable economic development by shifting to equitable renewable energy and ending land-based economic and development policies that benefit elites while encouraging deforestation depriving Indigenous Peoples and farmers of their rights Study Group and Community Initiative Development (KSPPM) 0852-5262-4955 https://www.media.greenpeace.org/collection/27MDHUHUGFQ2 Witnesses testified today in Palembang District Court detailing the devastating impacts of haze pollution caused by peatlands fires The Indonesian govt plan to clear 20m ha of forest for industrial food and energy projects is a threat to Indonesia’s climate and biodiversity commitments 20 November 2024 – Greenpeace Indonesia pushed today for governments gathered at the UN’s annual climate talks to directly finance communities who do the real work of protecting high… Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Please select which cookies you are willing to store These cookies will provide you a better experience of our website You will be able to hide the cookies acceptance banner and use the website features better The non-acceptance of these cookies will give you a cookie-free experience These cookies help improving the performance of Greenpeace.org They are set to collect data such as how long users stay on a page or which links are clicked This helps us make better content based on your experience navigating the website Riri Rahayu TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo will temporarily stop the preservation work on toll roads and national roads from December 15, 2024, to January 5, 2025, to ensure unhindered traffic during the Christmas and New Year holidays this year.  Dody said on Monday that the roads are in "top-notch and pothole-free condition.” Dody also mentioned that the Ministry of Public Works has prepared 124 rest areas along toll roads across Indonesia The ministry has also opened several temporary functional toll roads stretching a total of 120.4 kilometers.  These functional toll road sections consist of 90.42 kilometers in Sumatra and 29.98 kilometers in Java the functional toll road sections include the Sigli-Banda Aceh Toll Road Section 1 (Padang Tiji-Seulimeum) Binjai-Langsa Toll Road Section 3 Tanjung Pura-Pangkalan Brandan Pekanbaru-Padang Toll Road Section Padang-Sicincin and Kuala Tanjung-Tebing Tinggi Parapat Toll Road Section Kuala Tanjung-IC Indrapura the functional toll roads to support the Christmas and New Year holidays comprise the Jakarta-Cikampek II South Toll Road Section Kutanegara-Sadang Solo-Yogyakarta Toll Road Section Kartosuro-Purwomartani for the Klaten-Prambanan Segment and Probolinggo-Banyuwangi Toll Road Phase I (Probolinggo-Besuki) "We have also prepared 393 posts at designated points and a disaster response team to anticipate emergency situations at disaster-prone locations such as floods has identified 550 landslide-prone locations and 298 flood-prone locations The ministry prepared 440 heavy equipment and 137 materials to mitigate disasters "The Ministry of Public Works will continue to coordinate with the Ministry of Transportation as well as other related ministries or agencies," said Dody referring to the Christmas and New Year holiday traffic season Editor’s Choice: Prabowo's Govt Gears up for 2024 Christmas and New Year Holiday Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News Prabowo Rejects 'Puppet President' Label, Denies Jokowi's Control Manpower Minister Unveils Reasons Behind Over 24,000 Layoffs by April 2025 Prabowo Claims 99.99% Success Rate for Free Nutritious Meal Program Indonesia and Japan Deepen Strategic Alliance in Clean Energy and Infrastructure Jokowi Responds to Calls for VP Gibran's Impeachment Prabowo Praises Jokowi's Inflation Control in Cabinet Session, Denies Link to Gibran's Presence BPS: Indonesian Economic Growth Slows to 4.87% in Q1 2025 Rupiah Strengthens as US-China Trade Tension Eases BGN Chief Aims for Zero Accidents in Free Nutritious Meal Program Prabowo Holds Plenary Cabinet Session at Palace This Afternoon Police Chief Monitors Jakarta May Day in Monas Police Deploy 13,252 Joint Personnel to Safeguard Jakarta May Day Events Fatalities Down 56% During 2025 Eid Exodus Over 155,000 Vehicles Leave Greater Jakarta During 2025 Easter Holiday KPK Probes 8 Farmers as Witnesses in Trans-Sumatra Toll Road Corruption Case Just 50% of Eid Vacationers Opt for Toll Road Back to the Western Region Eid Return Traffic: 90,000 Vehicles Pass Through Cipali Toll Road Heading to Jakarta Peak of Eid Return Traffic on Belmera Toll Road Predicted to Occur on April 7 Eid al-Fitr Return Traffic: One-Way Schemes Set to Begin Tomorrow Police: Cipali Toll Road Implements Local One-Way Return Flow Scheme The Pope's Role in Major Events of the Modern Era Prabowo to Host Cambodian Senate President This Afternoon Sistine Chapel Prepares for the Election of New Pope Anthony Albanese Makes Indonesia His First Visit After Winning Australian Election JYP Entertainment Apologizes for DAY6 Concert Chaos in Jakarta AJI, UNESCO Declare Commitment to Support Digital Security of Student Press Inside Sistine Chapel: 5 Key Facts About the Conclave's Iconic Venue Exposing Trump's Move on Mike Waltz Dismissal 10 Recommended Budget-Friendly Tourist Destinations in the United States What Are the Cheapest Businesses to Start from Home? 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Here Are the Top 12 Destinations Top 10 Highest-Paying Majors Worth Pursuing in 2025 that means JavaScript has been disabled on your browser Please enable JavaScript to make this website work A Chinese investor has shown strong interest in investing in the construction of railway infrastructure connecting Medan with Lake Toba in North Sumatra "The Chinese investor wants to build a railroad from Medan to Lake Toba I thought they wanted to make a small investment but they said they have up to $10 billion available," Chief Maritime Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said in a statement on Thursday (13/07) Luhut said the investor will be required to comply with government policies and regulations to build the planned railway that will connect Medan with Lake Toba via Kualanamu "I said 'you have to follow the rules of engagement in Indonesia it cannot be you [or any foreign investors] arranging the project,'" Luhut said Five potential investors from Russia also visited North Sumatra last year to conduct a survey for a railway line which means the Lake Toba region is strategic for investors The government has made various improvements in investment procedures improving transparency and speeding up decision making," he added Tourism Minister Arief Yahya added that the government has decided to build a railway between Medan and Parapat this year with funds from the state budget and also from investors "If there are incoming funds from investors the state budget can be used for other matters," Arief said The planned railway will allow travelers from Medan to reach Lake Toba in about three-and-a-half hours Cari English Hutama Karya Receives State Capital Investment of IDR 18.6 Trillion for the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road TEKS › English›Hutama Karya Receives State.. Iklan Hutama Karya Receives State Capital Investment of IDR 18.6 Trillion for the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road The state capital investment for Hutama Karya will be used to complete the construction of the Trans-Sumatra toll road Audio Berita This article has been translated using AI. See Original Please note that this article was automatically translated using Microsoft Azure AI, Open AI, and Google Translation AI. We cannot ensure that the entire content is translated accurately. If you spot any errors or inconsistencies, contact us at hotline@kompas.id and we'll make every effort to address them TEKS HUTAMA KARYABinjai Pangkalan Brandan section of the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road BANDA ACEH, KOMPAS — PT Hutama Karya (Persero) received additional state capital participation in 2024 amounting to IDR 18.6 trillion The additional fresh capital will be projected to build phase I of the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road and continue construction of phase II Executive Vice President (EVP) of the Corporate Secretary of Hutama Karya stated on Wednesday (24/4/2024) that the addition of state capital participation (PMN) for Hutama Karya has been approved by the government through Law Number 19 of 2023 concerning the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN) for 2024 The approval is also regulated in Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 76 of 2023 concerning the Details of the State Budget for the Fiscal Year 2024 "The PMN worth Rp 18.6 trillion will accelerate the development of toll roads in Sumatra especially in completing the phase I of the Trans-Sumatra Toll Road (JTTS) as well as continuing the construction of one section of JTTS phase II," said Adjib Also read: Cross Sumatra Toll Roads Need to be Supported by Ease of Logistics Transport The utilization of PMN amounting to Rp 18.6 trillion Rp 5.17 trillion for the completion of the JTTS phase I including Binjai-Langsa (Binjai-Pangkalan Brandan section) Simpang Indralaya-Muara Enim (Simpang Indralaya-Prabumulih section) Kuala Tanjung-Parapat (Kuala Tanjung-Pematang Siantar section) Lubuk Linggau-Bengkulu (Lubuk Linggau-Taba Penanjung section) Pekanbaru-Padang (Sicincin-Padang section) and Pekanbaru-Padang (Pekanbaru-Koto Kampar section) As for the total sections of JTTS that have been fully operational including the Palembang-Indralaya Toll Road and Terbanggi Besar-Pematang Panggang-Kayu Agung Toll Road PMN was also utilized for the development of the Kayu Agung-Palembang-Betung Toll Road (Palembang-Betung Section) with a distance of 69 km included in the second phase of JTTS development "The realization of PMN provides a multiplier effect for a number of parties Also read: The Trans-Sumatra Toll Road Must Be Able to Encourage New Economic Growth they will also propose a budget in the 2025 state budget This is because the development of phase II sections still requires financing Hutama Karya has received PMN of IDR 112.5 trillion The presence of the Trans-Sumatra toll road facilitates connectivity between provinces in Sumatra and with Java Island During the 2024 Eid al-Fitr homecoming season the Trans-Sumatra toll road will be crossed by more than 2 million vehicles "This achievement cannot be separated from the government's support through state capital injections given since 2015 Hutama Karya has received state capital injections of IDR 112.5 trillion," said Adjib One of the roads entering stage I is the Banda Aceh-Sigli road which leaves section I (Seulimum-Padang Tiji) This section I is targeted to be completed in 2024 so that during the implementation of the National Sports Week in September 2024 stated that the construction of the Aceh-North Sumatra Toll Road is highly anticipated by the people of Aceh Bustami believes that the continuity of toll road development in Aceh will drive the development of the region in various sectors President Joko Widodo inaugurated the Sigli-Banda Aceh toll road section 4 which connects Indrapuri-Blang Bintang during his working visit to Aceh Province on Tuesday (25/8/2020) President Joko Widodo has issued Presidential Regulation Number 42 of 2024 regarding the Third Amendment to Presidential Regulation Number 100 of 2014 on Accelerating the Construction of Toll Roads in Sumatra The presidential regulation mentions the construction of a toll road connecting Aceh province with North Sumatra as part of the development of toll road sections in the third phase The change in the presidential regulation provides new hope for infrastructure development in the westernmost province of Indonesia the construction of the third phase of the toll road will only be carried out after the completion of the first and second phases Also read: Toll Road Opens Aceh Road to Become New Economic Epicenter in Sumatra Dicky Kurniawan TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government through the Ministry of Public Works (PU) will operate 132.77 kilometers of toll roads for free during the 2025 Eid holiday 74.35 kilometers are new toll roads scheduled to operate in the first quarter of this year "Not yet (using tariffs)," said Deputy Minister of Public Works Diana Kusumastuti at the PU Ministry The four new toll roads that will be operated in the first quarter of 2025 are the Binjai-Langsa Toll Road Section 3 Tanjung Pura-Pangkalan Brandan the Pekanbaru-Padang Toll Road Section Sicincin-Padang the Solo-Yogyakarta-NYIA Kulon Progo Toll Road package 1 2 (Klaten-Purwomartani Klaten-Prampanan segment) and the Kuala Tanjung-Tebing Tinggi-Parpat Toll Road part of Section 2 (Kuala Tanjung-Indrapura) for the toll roads that will be functional during this year's Eid are as follows: - Sigli-Banda Aceh Toll Road Section 1 (Padang Tiji-Seulimeun) with a length of 24.67 kilometers - Kuala Tanjung-Tebing Tinggi-Parapat Toll Road part of Section 4 (Sinaksak-Pematang Siantar) with a length of 12.37 kilometers - Jakarta-Cikampek II Selatan Toll Road package 3 (Sukabungah-Sadang Kutanegara-Sadang segment) with a length of 8.5 kilometers - Probolinggo-Banyuwangi Toll Road package 1 (Gending-Kraksakan) with a length of 12.88 kilometers the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) revealed the possibility of toll rate discounts during the 2025 Eid holiday AHY said that he had held a coordination meeting with several ministries and institutions to discuss transportation He said he would still discuss further with related parties, regarding the policies to be implemented during the Eid holiday period because there are interests of various parties involved Riri Rahayu contributed in the making of this article Editor’s Choice: In the Next Week, Jasamarga Transjawa Will Reconstruct the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road Section Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News Rempang Residents Denounce Local Transmigration Plan in Post-Eid Gathering 7 Essential Health Screenings You Shouldn't Miss After Eid Holiday Environment Agency: Jakarta's Air Quality During 2025 Eid al-Fitr Better Than Previous Year Social Minister Warns Civil Servants of Dismissal for Absence After Eid Back to Work: Tips to Restore Your Daily Rhythm and After Eid Holiday Jasa Marga: 1.1 Million Vehicles Return to Jakarta as Eid Holiday Approaches End he number of visitors to Lake Toba in North Sumatra is expected to increase following the plan to develop a toll road to cut travel time between Medan and the popular tourist destination Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimoeljono said the travel time from North Sumatra's capital city of Medan to Lake Toba which previously took up to six hours by road was one of the reasons it welcomed so few tourists (Read also: Garuda Indonesia opens quicker route to Lake Toba) "The toll road project will enable visitors to travel faster to Lake Toba," said Basuki as quoted by tempo.co on Monday The new toll road will reportedly enable travelers to reach Parapat in 90 minutes Basuki said the toll road project connecting Tebing Tinggi to Parapat would begin depending on the tender process "If we can tender the project this year then we can start [the construction] next year." (kes) some believe that local Batak wisdom is the solution to deforestation Parapat hills: Pictured are the hills on the edge of Toba Lake in Parapat which is caused by logging on the top of the hills (JP/Tonggo Simangunsong) (JP/Tonggo Simangunsong) JAKARTA – Passed down for generations the only way at this point to rail against constant mass deforestation is to embrace local wisdom granted the request of the first human ancestor Boru Deak Parujar fell in love with Boru Deak Parujar because of her beauty as she was already engaged to Raja Odap Odap who lived in the realm of the gods and was the only man in existence then This rejection made Naga Padohaniaji angry Mulajadi Nabolon forgave him on one condition: that he would care for the Earth the child was planted on Earth and grew into a tree She advised her two children to maintain harmony between humans and nature and to begin each offering with holy water In an article published on his blog in June 2007 said that the mythology is the root of Batak’s local wisdom in managing the environment including protecting water sources and maintaining the forests It is said that whoever violates it will receive a curse,” Monang told The Jakarta Post there was the Martondi Hau tradition — the tradition of cutting wood in the forest and replanting trees — followed by rituals,” the director of Batakology at the University of HKBP Nommensen Medan Manguji explained that Martondi Hau does not only cover cutting wood from the forest but also a ritual for when indigenous people require wood to build everything from houses to coffins The process of cutting trees must also follow specific rules Trees must be free of vines and animals and have shoots for replacement Replacement trees must be replanted to ensure that they grow and will not be crushed by large trees a prayer ritual and a meal are carried out such events are only carried out by a small group of indigenous people They still practice their local wisdom to keep water sources from being polluted “It can be said that the indigenous people are the last custodians of local wisdom; otherwise Planting trees: A villager of Sihaporas indigenous community in North Sumatra plants a tree in their customary land last August (Courtesy of AMAN Tano Batak) (Courtesy of AMAN Tano Batak/.) According to data from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) Indonesia had 95.6 million hectares (ha) of forested area with a deforestation rate of 115.46 thousand ha KLHK has carried out a forest restoration program with a social forestry scheme to restore forests with community involvement and targets the restoration of 5.5 million ha of critical land although the implementation still faces many challenges a conservationist and executive director of the Pesona Tropis Alam Indonesia Foundation (PETAI) KLHK’s partner in restoring forests in the Gunung Leuser National Park area the state has included elements of local wisdom as one of the elements of local knowledge — a tool in environmental protection efforts 32 of 2009 Article 2 states that local wisdom is one of the basics for environmental protection and management Because each area has different local wisdom and each conservation area has different conditions Local wisdom should be applied by local people who have lived in the area for a long time,” said Masrizal Masrizal added that their foundation is still looking for the right local wisdom tools for conservation efforts through social-forestry schemes there is local wisdom that can be applied,” he continued there was once a discourse that couples getting married are required to plant five trees which may be applicable in certain areas.” Planting five trees for every bride-to-be was campaigned by the KLHK in 2015 but it seems that the idea can be implemented any time soon I can see from the point of view of social forestry [as the current government is doing] that local wisdom noted that “the purity of Batak culture began to erode when the Dutch entered the Batak Land in the 1870s” stating that the customary law system began to be shifted by the government system after Dutch colonization Both Manguji and Monang believe that the change of system “Colonialism has damaged the customary law order but it cannot be applied anymore because there are state regulations [Applying local wisdom] might lead to conflict [with the state],” Monang said adding that perceptions about customary law and indigenous peoples have also changed since the era of Dutch colonialism “Now it is challenging to apply [local wisdom] it can only be done by a small group of communities and there will be no floods and landslides Monang explained that local wisdom of cutting down and replanting trees This Batak community follows the local traditions and philosophy [Parmalim] now practice local wisdom as part of the ritual We can only apply the local knowledge of cutting wood and planting [trees] on our land such local wisdom was carried out in the forest forests belonged to and were guarded by indigenous peoples it will be considered as stealing [wood] from the forest,” Monang said ZTE Chairman Fang Rong: Technology for Good Co-creating a Green BRICS Sustainable Future ZTE earns GlobalData's highest rating for IP Core and Edge Routers Telkomsel is the largest subsidiary of Telkom Group and a mobile phone network operator in Indonesia Telkomsel currently has one of the widest networks in Indonesia Telkomsel provides subscribers with prepaid and post-paid services as well as a variety of value-added services ZTE Technologies interviewed Bona Lambok Pandapotan Parapat vice president of technology and systems at Telkomsel They talked about Telkomsel’s LTE services They also shared with us their visions for Telkomsel and expectations for the future cooperation between Telkomsel and ZTE Q: Could you talk about your role and responsibilities in Telkomsel A: I am the EVP of Pamasuka Area of Telkomsel heading the regional office covering Kalimantan Q: What are the unique characteristics of Indonesian telecom market What’s the meaning of your slogan "Paling Indonesia" A: The Indonesian telecom market mostly comprises mobile services used by about 280 million subscribers More than 95% of these subscribers are prepaid and around 50% are data users Although traditional SMS has been overtaken by OTT applications the volume of SMS is still quite high and contributes to around 30% of our revenue Paling Indonesia is a slogan used by Telkomsel which indicates that compared to other telco operators It is also because the shareholders majority is still owned by Indonesians Q: What have been the key challenges in O&M A: The key challenges are still to find more efficient solutions in transmission system and power supply to manage our operational cost to cover a vast area Q: Many operators are rushing towards LTE and seizing the opportunities for further growth A: Telkomsel has already implemented LTE in five big cities in the first half of 2015 and we will continue to modernize our network so that it is LTE capable in all the big cities Q: Could you introduce to us some innovative services that Telkomsel delivered in Indonesia A: For legacy and data services we have introduced several attractive packages to our customers to cater to their needs either individually or by Close User Group For digital services we have launched digital payment etc and even build a platform for local developers to build their own apps Q: What are your main goals in the next five years and how to achieve them A: Telkomsel as the largest subsidiary of Telkom Group would like to ensure that we will be the market leaders in digital services both in terms of market share and revenue share Telkomsel will continue to improve its competence in creating attractive digital services and at the same time improve its network capability Q: Telkomsel and ZTE have worked together on both 2G and 3G projects in Indonesia How do you rate the partnership between Telkomsel and ZTE What are your expectations for ZTE in future A: It was not an easy journey for ZTE to take part in Telkomsel business at the beginning But through its commitment to be one of the respectable partners ZTE has shown its quality in its deliverables to Telkomsel and I do hope ZTE continues to show its top performance and grow its business together with us Q: What are your thoughts on the future trends in the global telecom market A: There will be heavy competition between OTT players and mobile operators Both sides will drive the unlimited demand of bandwidth for which new solutions have to be in place The solutions provide very high capacity in both radio network and transport systems Much more advanced smartphones will connect mobile users using primarily digital services Q: Could you describe the Indonesian telecom market A: It is already saturated in term of individual subscribers We’re also facing huge challenges from OTT players pricing competition and high customer expectations on service quality There are more than ten operators competing in Indonesia and this has led to an unhealthy telecom industry the government has streamlined the industry by promoting consolidation between operators Q: In a market as competitive as Indonesia A: Our vast network is still our main advantage Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world scattered over an area greater than China and second only to Russia It takes a lot of effort to provide network coverage to all the parts of Indonesia Many operators don’t have the capabilities to do that How will NFV and SDN influence your networking strategy A: Telkomsel sees NFV and SDN as the new promising technologies because they increase TCO efficiency there are several things that need to be considered: standardization we believe NFV and SDN will enable an agile and sustainable networking strategy for Telkomsel how will Telkomsel position its LTE services Will LTE be Telkomsel’s key focus to promote future growth but our near future will still depend on 3G as the major growth engine We predict by 2019 most of Telkomsel’s subscriber base will still be using 3G and the number of 4G subscribers will be relatively small Do you think Telkomsel will be ready for 5G at that time Telkomsel will try its best to serve customers with the most up-to-date technology we believe Telkomsel will not have any problems deploying 5G by 2020 all of the decisions will be driven by overall ecosystem readiness and business requirements Q: What is Telkomsel’s marketing strategy to increase ARPU and the subscriber base A: Mobile data and a diverse portfolio of digital products and services will be our strategy for increasing ARPU We’re also counting on IoT to significantly increase our subscriber base Q: Many operators are transitioning from products to services Have you taken any steps towards such transformation A: Digital company transformation will be our next corporate objective strategy It will lay the foundation for our company on how we should provide a diverse portfolio of digital products and services which need to be driven by consumer requirements and tailored to customer needs Q: How have ZTE’s services and solutions brought value to Telkomsel A: ZTE’s experienced teams have collaborated with Telkomsel customized solutions to comply with the requirement in Telkomsel network we hope that Telkomsel and ZTE can improve the collaboration and partnership to achieve the mutual benefit trusted provider of mobile digital lifestyle services and solutions We hope Telkomsel will be the epicenter of digital innovation and the accelerator for Indonesian’s economic growth Q: What is your strategy or focus for the next three years Driving down a winding road here in Indonesia’s North Sumatra province one finally arrives at the sweeping vista of Lake Toba the volcanic lake was thronged with tourists back in the 1990s the hotels’ paint is peeling and many kiosks are shuttered closed But local communities and environmentalists are worried the ramped-up tourism will further harm Lake Toba’s embattled ecosystem In the last 30 years, endemic trees have disappeared from around the 1,130-square-kilometer lake converted into small farms or industrial estates for production of pulpwood and other crops Meanwhile, the lake is struggling to cope with pollution from household sewage, agricultural runoff, and an explosion of fish farming President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo signed an edict establishing a special authority to revive and manage the lake’s tourism industry The presidential decree mapped out a 600-hectare development zone in the lakeside district of Toba Samosir. Already, the tourism ministry has confirmed plans to build five luxury hotels “We will develop ecotourism,” the president said during a visit in August to the lake a five-hour drive from Sumatra’s biggest city and it absorbs more labor force than any other sector.” Though the plan remains in its early stages environmentalists and community leaders have lodged protests Despite promises of “ecotourism,” Jokowi’s edict itself provides no specific guidelines on environmental protection other than simply that any development must follow existing rules the government failed to conduct a strategic environmental impact assessment Karliansyah, the environment ministry’s pollution and environmental degradation chief, told Mongabay that an assessment was now being prepared. But the law suggests it should be the first step as the assessment is a required basis for any spatial-planning policy like the one laid out for Toba Critics also take issue with a controversial part of the edict that might spell forest clearance around the lake the entire designated project zone is classified as “protected forest,” with swaths of it canopied with pine trees The presidential edict mandates that it be rezoned and for the process to be fast-tracked This has sparked fears that trees might be slashed to pave way for resorts “Why cut down protected forest to build a gigantic tourism investment project?” said Saurlin Siagian a researcher at the Peoples Forest Institute “There are many other areas that no longer have forest cover that can be developed.” and it could take just as long to reform if cleared the lake area lost about 43,000 hectares of tree cover A coalition of church leaders similarly protested Jokowi’s forest-conversion decree in a joint statement published in June Far from resolving Toba’s existing environmental and social problems the tourism plan only introduces new troubles forest and landscape manager at Washington-based thinktank the World Resources Institute said the fast-track approach could set a bad precedent for both Lake Toba and the country as a whole “If we refer to existing laws on the environment many requirements have to be met before changes to the legal status of forest estates may take place it is possible that some due process will be bypassed with this fast-track approach This could mean losing our existing pristine forest cover.” wastewater treatment facilities are severely lacking Many homes and hotels simply pour sewage untreated into the lake scientists have found the lake is increasingly polluted The phosphorus content in particular has tripled since 2012, and exceeded quality standards, according to a 2014 report by the province’s environment agency “The highest levels are found in tourism areas,” said the report which called for further research to confirm the trend Water treatment pipes have been laid out in Toba Samosir, but only about 10 percent of their capacity is under use according to North Sumatra’s water authority Only three of the area’s dozens of hotels are connected to the system While the government has built storage for hotel sewage in Parapat nothing like that exists in neighboring Samosir district a facilitator at a tourism ministry arm called the Toba Destination Management Organization “Samosir district is especially densely populated,” he said “We need to lay out a system for hotel and household waste.” officials say tourism could be a boon for Toba’s environment with the industry offering an economic incentive to keep it clean and pretty “The success of tourism is highly determined by the environmental quality of the tourism area,” said the environment ministry’s Karliansyah the designation of Lake Toba as an international tourism destination is in fact beneficial from an environmental standpoint.” saying it was exploring several ecofriendly policies as part of the design “We want the development to enhance the existing beauty paying attention to eco-friendliness and environmental conservation,” Arie Prasetyo the ministry’s point person for the Toba project maybe we can use sustainable energy like solar power We would still need to examine the use and potential The tourism ministry is also considering a policy requiring developers to maintain existing trees and plant new ones in line with the government’s ongoing tree-planting program in Toba The economic lure of tourism is also pushing the government to advance slow-moving infrastructure projects like waste treatment “We are currently preparing various programs to improve water quality in Lake Toba including improving community sanitation and requiring all hotels to treat their domestic waste,” Karliansyah said The ministry of public works plans to build 19 new wastewater treatment facilities as well as 12 garbage disposal centers across the lake’s districts construction projects are already underway The government aims to complete a toll road from Medan The smaller Silangit Airport just south of the lake is being renovated to host more regular domestic flights Local governments have rushed to clean up the area, including evicting fish farms and limiting pollution-prone aquaculture to certain districts The tourism ministry confirmed that at least three Medan businessmen have committed to developing the area As for the environment, tourism minister Arief Yahya insisted that the plan would stay true to the principles of ecotourism it’s built as part of ecotourism,” he said Follow Aria Danaparamita on Twitter: @mitatweets Banner photo: Indonesia’s enormous Lake Toba The “fortress conservation” model is under pressure in East Africa as protected areas become battlegrounds over history and global efforts to halt biodiversity loss Mongabay’s Special Issue goes beyond the region’s world-renowned safaris to examine how rural communities and governments are reckoning with conservation’s colonial origins and trying to forge a path forward […] The Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers is holding its 2017 West Regional Conference on March 18 at Colorado School of Mines which is also serving as the event’s top sponsor.Organizers expect over 150 attendees representing a dozen or so universities and more than 25 companies who will have the opportunity to network and take part in several workshops and panels Topics include acquiring security clearance to work in the aerospace and defense industries and other fields; water policies in the Trump era; how to stand out in career fairs and job interviews; and creating a “personal board of directors” to help navigate one’s career.Erin Yoshimura founder and chief empowerment officer of leadership training and coaching company Empowerful Changes She has created training programs for clients such as Raytheon She also created and leads the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival’s Asian American Pacific Islander Emerging Leaders Program designed to develop the leadership skills of young people ages 18 to 25 Participants will also have the chance to take tours of Ball Aerospace, the Colorado Department of Transportation Traffic Management Center and Cannonball Brewery.Hosting the conference are SASE’s Mines chapter and Colorado Professional Chapter Mines seniors Danny Tsendayush (mining engineering) and Clinton Parapat (mechanical engineering) and PhD candidate Charlie Liu (environmental engineering) led the conference planning alongside professional counterparts Victor Sam Contact:Mark Ramirez, Managing Editor, Communications and Marketing | 303-273-3088 | ramirez@mines.eduAshley Spurgeon, Editorial Assistant, Mines magazine | 303-273-3959 | aspurgeon@mines.edu