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Marketing meets art. Art cars are not new. Artists use the automobile as a blank canvas for both beautiful and exciting works of art. No two are alike, and that’s the beauty of the art car. BMW is probably most famous for such creations , with a plethora of glammed-up examples. But other automakers have dipper their creative toes in the water, such as Rolls-Royce and Alfa Romeo in the recent past. Audi has, in the past, done an art car as well, but the Audi R8 here is not an official project of the automaker. Instead, aftermarket tuning company ABT Sportsline, known for taking performance Audi vehicles and turning them straight to insanity, commissioned the car. Read also: BMW's New Art Car Is Only Visible In Virtual Reality BAC Mono Art Car To Debut At Goodwood FoS Radical Corvette Art Car Revealed For Le Mans In preparation of two different automotive events that overlap in May – the Tuning World Bodensee show in Germany and the legendary … [Read more...] about Cartoonist Turns Audi R8 Into A Wicked Art Car

SINGAPORE: As COVID-19 continues to blanket countries worldwide, Southeast Asia has begun introducing stringent measures to combat the virus. With more than 7,700 cases of infections have across the region, Malaysia tops with 2,470 cases. Yet Indonesia has the highest number of deaths and a fatality rate of almost 9 per cent, one of the highest in the world. These four most populous Southeast Asian countries so far also have the largest number of cases in the region, each with their capitals the epicentres of their outbreaks. Knowing how these countries are combatting the pandemic while facing challenges pertaining to their geographical size and social heterogeneity, and observing whether these strategies would be successful in suppressing the infection, can draw important lessons for other countries sharing this common fight against the virus. READ: Commentary: Five considerations for a clear-minded coronavirus response LISTEN: What's behind the different … [Read more...] about Commentary: Restrictions on movements in some Southeast Asian countries to fight COVID-19 have been patchy, even scary

JAKARTA: An Indonesian court found three Papuan men guilty of treason on Wednesday (Jun 17) in a high-profile trial closely watched as an indicator of political freedoms in the world's third-largest democracy. The Balikpapan district court sentenced Papuan activist Buchtar Tabuni, a senior figure in the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), to 11 months in prison. Prosecutors had called for Tabuni to be jailed for 17 years. Two university students, Fery Kombo and Irwanus Uropmabin, were sentenced to 10 months each. Judges said Uropmabin had been found guilty of treason for making pro-referendum flyers during anti-racism demonstrations that swept across Papua last year. The three Papuans are part of the "Balikpapan Seven" group of West Papuan activists and university students arrested by police last August for involvement in anti-racism riots that erupted in Indonesia's easternmost provinces. The demonstrations were sparked by racist attacks on several Papuan … [Read more...] about Indonesian court finds three Papuan men guilty of treason

JAKARTA: Indonesia plans to build one of its largest industrial parks on the north coast of Java island in a renewed drive to attract manufacturers relocating out of China as Southeast Asia's biggest economy comes out of a coronavirus-induced lockdown. Yet, despite its low wages and huge domestic market Indonesia must overcome decades-old hurdles including red tape, rigid labour laws, and poor infrastructure to be able to move up the global manufacturing value chain. This time, in its quest to emulate rivals such as Vietnam, the government has shown serious intent in bringing about change and is aiming to pass an ambitious 'omnibus' Bill later this year to address some of the pressing foreign investor concerns. At the same time it is pushing ahead with plans for a 4,000-hectare industrial park, an area equivalent to more than 5,000 football fields, in Brebes, Central Java - mainly targeting supply chains relocating out of China. "This is a pilot project for Indonesia on how … [Read more...] about Indonesia park to spearhead bid to lure China supply chains

JAKARTA: Indonesia's state oil giant Pertamina said it has signed a deal with Taiwan's CPC to develop a US$8 billion petrochemical complex, after years of negotiations. Operations are slated to begin in 2026 at the new plant, which is to be built at an existing refinery in Indonesia's West Java province. The two firms have been in talks to develop the joint petrochemical plant since 2018, with each set to contribute about 45 per cent of the new project's costs and the remainder financed by outside investors, Pertamina said. The facility will produce ethylene, used in the manufacturing of plastic. The project could help Pertamina become "a leading player in the sector over the next 10 years", company president director Nicke Widyawati said in a statement on Friday (Jun 5). The Indonesian firm has plans to expand a half-dozen other oil refineries to double its capacity to some 2 million barrels a day by 2026. However, Pertamina has scrapped previously announced plans to … [Read more...] about Indonesia’s Pertamina signs US$8b petrochemical project deal with Taiwan’s CPC

Local restaurant Violet Oon Singapore has announced that it has renamed one of its dishes after receiving backlash for originally calling it nyonya nasi ambeng trays, which led some people to accuse it of culturally appropriating the Javanese dish. In its Wednesday (Jun 3) Facebook post, the restaurant apologised for “causing any hurt, anger or offence”. The post read: “We insensitively used the name of a symbolic dish for a Nyonya interpretation that failed to articulate or acknowledge the rich significance and origins of Nasi Ambeng which originated from Java, Indonesia. As a brand dedicated to exploring the rich and diverse food cultures of Southeast Asia, we have fallen short by culturally appropriating this dish.” The restaurant also acknowledged and thanked the people who have come forward to “explain the nuance and significance of Nasi Ambeng”. The dish will now be called family trays, and the restaurant, owned by Singapore restaurateur Violet Oon, has also edited … [Read more...] about Violet Oon restaurant apologises for ‘nasi ambeng’ dish after cultural appropriation claims

JAKARTA: An Indonesian court ruled on Wednesday (Jun 3) that the government's decision to rein in Internet speeds in a bid to contain civil unrest in the country's easternmost region of Papua last year was unlawful. Demonstrations broke out in a number of cities in August after Papuan students in the city of Surabaya on Java island were allegedly taunted with racist slurs. READ: Papua unrest reflects long standing issues, locals call for equal development As unrest flared across the provinces of Papua and West Papua, the government said it throttled Internet access to "prevent hoaxes from spreading" because this could trigger more violence. The ruling by the Jakarta state administrative court and posted on its website said the act of slowing down the Internet last year "was an unlawful action done by an agency and/or a government official". The defendants listed on the ruling were the president and the minister of communications. The lawsuit was filed by Indonesia's … [Read more...] about Indonesian court rules Internet curbs in Papua unlawful

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s resource-rich Papua region has seen a string of riots in several of its big cities this week, the biggest such outbreaks of violence in the country in years. It began with an incident in Surabaya, East Java last weekend, where Papuan university students living in a dormitory were accused of damaging the Indonesian flag before the country’s Independence Day on Saturday (Aug 17). Angry nationalist groups surrounded the building, while police and military officers in riot gear stormed the boarding house forcing the students to get out. Some students were hauled up for questioning but were later released. Videos of the events at the dormitory spread like wildfire online. Racist taunts calling the students derogatory names could be heard in the videos, which infuriated the Papuans. The first riot broke out on Monday in Manokwari, West Papua, where thousands took to the streets and set the local parliament house on fire. Mr Markus Yenu, a Papuan … [Read more...] about Papua unrest reflects long standing issues, locals call for equal development

JAKARTA: Jakarta will likely be able to enter a ”new normal” phase after Jun 4, the last day of COVID-19 curbs known in Indonesia as large-scale social restrictions, the coordinating minister for economic affairs Airlangga Hartarto said on Wednesday (May 27). Mr Hartarto made the remarks after attending a meeting with President Joko Widodo and several other ministers about the handling of the pandemic. Since there is no vaccine to contain COVID-19 at the moment, the government will encourage life to go on, taking into account the data analysis and reality on the ground, according to Mr Hartarto. He said that work is now underway to finalise protocols under a "new normal" scenario. The scenario will apply to regions with a basic reproduction number (R0) of below 1. R0 represents the number of new infections estimated to stem from a single case. The minister said: “Based on data from the national disaster agency, there are 110 districts and cities which have not yet been … [Read more...] about Jakarta likely to be ready for ‘new normal’ phase after Jun 4, says coordinating minister for economy

JAKARTA: The moment Permana set foot in the Kalideres bus terminal on Thursday (Apr 23) afternoon, he knew his chances of getting to his village in Banten province’s Serang regency was slim. There were already 300 people at the West Jakarta terminal when he arrived and tickets were selling out. The only bus available would leave at 9pm and its ticket cost more than three times its normal fare. “I decided to gamble,” Permana, who refused to give his full name, told CNA. The 23-year-old janitor said his heart was racing all night. He was nervous that his bus might not be able to depart as scheduled, as Indonesia's travel ban to stop the spread of COVID-19 would come into effect three hours later at midnight. Under the ban, borders would be closed and all private vehicles and buses cannot leave Jakarta and its surrounding suburbs. This has effectively prevented Indonesians from travelling home for the Muslim holiday Idul Fitri. READ: Indonesia to ban air, sea travel to … [Read more...] about As Indonesia’s Idul Fitri travel curbs kick in, some relieved to reach hometown while others are stranded