The wRap Indonesia: Sept. 22, 2014

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesia’s ambitious plans for the 2018 Asian Games and it’s performance so far in the ongoing games lead our wrap of stories from Indonesia over the weekend.

1. Ahok: Asian Games 2018 ‘will be like Beijing Olympics’ 

Jakarta Deputy Governor Tjahaja ‘Ahok’ Basuki Purnama, who will become the capital’s governor next month, has high ambitions for the 2018 Asian Games that has just been awarded to Indonesia. “We want to make the next Asian Game as good as the one held in Guangzhou, but better than that,” Ahok said, referring to the 2010 Asian Games, according to Tempo.co. He added that they hoped to learn from China the technology that will be used during the opening ceremony. “So it will be like the (2008) Beijing Olympics. It will be incredible.” There are worries Indonesia won’t be ready in time for the Asiad, since it will only have 4 years instead of the usual 6 to prepare, but Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah dismissed these fears and said Indonesia already had many of the venues and facilities needed for the Olympic-size event. Read the full story on Rappler.

2.  Asiad results so far: 3 medals, but badminton team empty handed

Indonesia’s badminton teams ended their Asiad journeys over the weekend after the men’s team fell 1-3 to Taiwan in the quarterfinals, while the women’s team lost in all three matches against Japan. But all is not lost: As of Sunday night, September 21, Indonesia was in 12th place with 3 medals – 2 silver and 1 bronze. The country’s first medal was a silver in wushu courtesy of former gymnast Juwita Niza Misna, who’s competing in her first Asian Games. Indonesia is now hoping archer Ika Yuliana Rochmawati, who won gold at the World Cup in Wroclaw in August, can bring home another silver on Tuesday. A U-23 football team suffering from 3 injuries faces Thailand on Monday for its last Group E match before the round of 16.  

3. PDI-P re-elects Megawati again; Prabowo now Gerindra chair

Political party congresses over the weekend saw Indonesia’s political elite retain their control, local reports showed. Megawati Sukarnoputri has yet again been elected chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which will become the country’s ruling party once President-elect Joko Widodo is inaugurated on October 20. She has already been chairwoman for the past 15 years, but will lead the party again for 5 more years in what the Jakarta Globe called a continuation of the Sukarno cult worship. On the opposition side, losing presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto has been elected chair of his Gerindra Party to replace its former chairman Suhardi, who died in October of lung cancer. 

4. Garuda Indonesia also again named best airline in the region

Garuda Indonesia appears to have reaffirmed its continuous improvement by again being named the best airline in the Asia and Australasia regions by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX), the Jakarta Post reports. The flag carrier beat other regional favorites such as Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, Korean Air and EVA Air. Garuda won the same award – which is based on a survey assessing an airline’s quality of service, products and innovation, along with customer satisfaction – last year. On Friday, September 19, Garuda also won gold awards from The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) for its “Immigration on Board” service and the “Garuda Indonesia Experience” in the Heritage and Culture category. 

5. Can’t wait to get the iPhone 6? 

There’s no launch date for the coveted iPhone 6 yet in Indonesia, but neighboring Singapore drew tens of thousands – including tourists – to its launch on Friday. The Straits Times reported many were buying with the aim of flipping the phone for immediate profits of a few hundred dollars. Some of those phones appear to have ended up in Batam already, with vendors saying they already have the units with them. But it will come at a high cost: Reports are saying the 16gb iPhone 6 will sell for IDR15.4 million ($1,282) in Batam, compared to IDR9.4 million if you get it in Singapore.  – Rappler.com