The Jakarta Post, Sat, 01/03/2009 10:31 AM | Bali

TABANAN: The number of visitor to Tanah Lot on New Year’s Day rose by nearly half, to 21,970 visitors, compared to 15,289 visitors during the same period last year, or about 43.7 percent.

Tanah Lot, in Tabanan regency, a 45-minute drive from Denpasar, offers the scenic Tanah Lot temple, which stands on a tiny island near the beach, and is also famous for its picturesque sunsets.

Tanah Lot’s daily operations manager, I Made Sujana, said visitor numbers had increased a week before New Year’s day.

He said the resort during this time saw an average of 10,313 visitors per day, compared to an average of 7,724 visitors a year ago.

He added domestic tourists, mostly from Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan, Palembang, Bandung, Yogyakarta and Makassar, made up the majority of visitors.

The management had beefed security around the iconic temple to prepare for any possible security threats. The additional measures included the installation of 12 security cameras around the area.

“We’ve made sure nothing bad will happen to our guests,” Sujana said. –JP

Ni Komang Erviani, ,  The Jakarta Post, ,  Denpasar   |  Sat, 01/03/2009 10:33 AM  |  Bali

A couple whose baby was reportedly “confiscated” because they were unable to pay for its delivery have reported their midwife to the Bali Police, accusing her of human trafficking.

The couple, Mulyono and Yetriyana Lopes, represented by lawyers from the Legal Aid and Human Rights Foundation (PBHI), on Tuesday accused their midwife, Kurnianingsih, of “confiscating” their baby for financial purposes, which under human trafficking laws carries a penalty of between 3 and 15 years in prison and a fine of between Rp 60 million and Rp 300 million (US$27,000). [Read more →]