Is Indonesia going deaf?

Down every street literally every day, often every hour, sometimes every minute, a motorcycle passes roaring, blasting, rasping and belching its unrestrained voice to all it passes. I suspect maybe up to one in ten bikes have no effective exhaust system and inflict serious damage on the surroundings. In countries where sound is actually considered 

An Interview with H.E. Patrick Herman, Ambassador of Belgium to Indonesia

From urban development initiatives to discussions on conflict reconciliation and gender equality, Belgium has been working actively with the Indonesian government. NOW! Jakarta spoke to H.E. Patrick Herman about these programmes and about his time as Ambassador to Indonesia. NOW!JAKARTA publisher Alistair Speirs sit down with H.E. Patrick Herman, Ambassador of Belgium to Indonesia. Photo by

An Interview with H.E. Rob Swartbol, Ambassador of The Netherlands to Indonesia

With the increasing reliance on the EU as the economic interface with Indonesia and ASEAN, and initiatives by the Indonesian government that could possibly provide a huge opportunity for the Dutch maritime industry, the decades-long relationship between the Netherlands and Indonesia is getting stronger. NOW! Jakarta spoke to H.E. Rob Swartbol about this long relationship

Enjoy Jakarta

Many years ago I undertook a very serious study for Jakarta City Government : to find out what visitors to the city, and the organisations which welcome them: hotels, restaurants, airlines, travel agents, etc. thought were the main strengths and weakness of the city. We polled 2,000 hotel guests in 4 and 5 star hotels,

Fatness and Fitness as Health Issue in an Era of Urbanisation

It seems to me as a casual observer that there is a health crisis here in Jakarta. I may be wrong but to my untrained eyes at least 50 per cent of the population is overweight, some very overweight! Is it true? Well, perhaps there are statistics but I haven’t found them yet. Now fatness,

Kota Tua: The Cultural Heart of Jakarta?

Few who know the history of the “KotaTua” saga were surprised by the rejection of UNESCO to declare Jakarta’s old city (plus four islands in Pulau Seribu) a World Heritage Site. The qualifications for acceptance into this elite category are very strict and very clear, and to even the least technically minded people (myself included)

Saigonsan, the Art of Asian Food

To describe Saigonsan as a restaurant is like saying that the Vatican Museum is a small part of a church. It is not. it is a magnificent concept, delivered in style, portraying Asian culture and history brilliantly and meaningfully, and allowing guests to simply marvel at the exuberance of real symbols of ancient Asian cultures.

The Reason for Games

While the Olympic Games  motto is “Higher, Faster, Stronger” which is a very competitive and challenging phrase, the Olympic Creed summarises the ideals behind the Olympic games very well. “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not

The Very Odd-Even-3-in-1-Busway Challenge

Do you own a car in Jakarta? Yes? Really sorry but you don’t – you only own half a car! Jakarta has been applying new odd-even traffic restrictions since 2016. NOW!JAKARTA Introducing the Odd-Even Car policy to try to control traffic congestion is brilliant. What a great way to keep people off the roads and

Tugu Malang Captures the Essence of Indonesia

The East Java town of Malang is soaked in history and surrounded by nature. The town is full of colonial houses from the Dutch era but close by are soaring mountains and endless plantations. It is a cool and breezy town where air-conditioning is not necessary. Tugu Malang located at the very centre of the

Jakarta’s Culinary Smorgasbord

First of all I want to establish two things: one, “culinary” is an adjective not a noun! The number of times I have heard it used as a noun is annoying and completely incorrect. “Susi, works in culinary” what? “Susi is a culinary expert” or “Susi works in the culinary world” are correct. Two: the

Localising Sustainable Development Goals: MVB at UNDP Symposium

MVB Chairman Alistair Speirs was recently invited to Siam Reap, Cambodia to be part of a major UNDP-China-ASEAN Symposium on Localising Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). The objective of the conference was to strengthen the capacities of local governments and other key stakeholders, to increase community engagement and accelerate the implementation of SDG’s at a local

Orchestral Dining at Lyon

NOW! Jakarta was thrilled to co-host with Victorian State Government of Australia and Mandarin Oriental Jakarta, a dinner concept of outstanding quality, featuring the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Victorian State Government of Australia and Mandarin Oriental Jakarta organised a outstanding dinner, featuring the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Photo by Raditya Fadilla/NOW!JAKARTA The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is an

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