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Deadline Nears to Vote Komodo Into Natural Wonders List
Lydia Tomkiw | November 03, 2011

A Komodo dragon walks at the Komodo National Park on October 4, 2011. The park has been voted into the New Seven Wonders of Nature, according to a provisional list released on Saturday. (Reuters Photo) A Komodo dragon walks at the Komodo National Park on October 4, 2011. The park has been voted into the New Seven Wonders of Nature, according to a provisional list released on Saturday. (Reuters Photo)
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DrDez
9:07am Nov 5, 2011

I recall Jero stating on TV that he had withdrawn it and that he had taken legal action - obviously no one told the president... or Jero was just telling pork pies since clearly there has been no legal action

Great reposte from 7 wonders

'it is unfortunate that some officials use the state budget to attack us. They spend public money to hire a lawyer in Switzerland which is highly expensive and issue accusations towards the foundation. I think the money would be better used for schools and hospitals in Indonesia...' De L Fuente

Just as a side issue we appointed a Swiss lawyer a few years back to draw up some legal docs in dealing with the French govt - It cost us $25,000 for what amounted to about 5 hours advice and 2 letters - Goodness knows what we are spending on this - and why? To expose a crime or save some peoples face????

didikarjadi
7:16am Nov 5, 2011

pawjipaw - well its comforting to hear you have voted hundreds of times. It is heart warming to see the Indonesian spirit of fair play is alive and well. And you mention this as if its normal? Winning at all costs?

I watched National Geographic the other evening and two programs on Papua and Kalimantan. Although there was some negative stuff about illegal logging, palm oil, and the state of our declining ape population, these were essentially adventure tourism programs and good for us. I have seen many such programs, even on Komodo. But we simply do- not apply ourselves to promoting tourism. I agree with DrDez, if we had a half decent Tourism Ministry and a caring, visionary leadership and government, we would not need promotions such as this. Sadly our country is run predominately by morons and gangsters, who can think no further than cut it down, sell it, and then steal the proceeds.

Kesiangan
9:38pm Nov 3, 2011

I agree with Dr Dez & Pawjipaw!

DrDez
6:09pm Nov 3, 2011

NO pawn we dont need N7W I agree - what we do need is a decent tourism plan, a non corrupt state and a judicary that applies the law...

If you was putting your money where your mouth is would you trust the promotion to the Indonesian Tourism Ministry and the govt in general?


pawjipaw
2:01pm Nov 3, 2011

I have once voted for Komodo passionately. Maybe I've sent like hundreds of votes. BUT! I've changed my mind after reading someone's perspective: http://goo.gl/mBM6p Hope this opens our eyes that we don't need New7Wonders thing to promote Komodo. New7Wonders is just another big-big HOAX spread worldwide.

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With just eight days left in the worldwide voting to name the 7 New Natural Wonders of the World, the woman who rescued the bid of the Komodo National Park from confusion and controversy is in a final round of urging people to vote Indonesia’s prehistoric “dragons” onto the list.

 “The president himself voted last week,” said Emmy Hafild, countering the perception that Komodo had withdrawn from the competition.

Komodo National Park, named after the giant lizards who inhabit the Island in East Nusa Tenggara, is competing against natural wonders from around the world in a competition run by the New7Wonders Foundation.

After a bitter disagreement between the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the New7Wonders Foundation over expenses and local corporate sponsors who would publicize and host an event to announce the competition’s winners, it looked like the dragon’s bid would fail.

In August, the ministry tried to have Komodo’s name withdrawn from the competition after it was already named one of 28 finalists chosen in an earlier round of voting from among 77 locations.

That is when environmental campaigner Emmy stepped in and formed Pendukung Pemenangan Komodo, or Help Komodo Win. “They [Komodo dragons] have no voice, so we are their voice,” said Emmy during an interview for later airing on Insight Indonesia, a TV talk show affiliated with the Jakarta Globe.

With the group trying to escape the controversy and inform the public about the bid, it earned a license from the 7Wonders foundation to sponsor SMS voting for the competition in Indonesia.

Soon after that, former vice president Jusuf Kalla added his voice to the bid and became the “ambassador” for Komodo.  “He gave us credibility,” Emmy said. 

Music groups Slank and RAN have also thrown their support behind the campaign for Komodo.

The only Indonesian finalist faces tough competition including the Amazon rainforest and the Grand Canyon. Closer to home, Vietnam’s Halong Bay, the Philippine’s Puerto Princessa Subterranean River National Park, South Korea’s Jeju Island and New Zealand's Milford Sound remain in the running.

Emmy, a co-founder of Transparency International Indonesia and former National Director of the environmental group Walhi, and a small group of environmental activists have been spreading the word about the competition, hoping to educate more Indonesians about the country's rich natural diversity while also potentially spurring development in NTT.

“Most Indonesians are ignorant of our biological diversity,” she said.

Emmy is optimistic about the potential growth of tourism in NTT and sees this as an opportunity to develop sustainable environmental tourism from the ground up and avoid the sprawl and overbuilding that plague Bali.

“I hope we can do it right this time,” she said, comparing NTT to Bali.

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Voting ends on Nov. 11 and the voting is free. To vote online visit: http://www.new7wonders.com/.

To vote by SMS type Komodo (or any other natural wonder you prefer) and send to 9818. You can vote as many times as you like.  A Rp1 charge applies to Telkomsel customers, others are free.

The full interview with Emmy Hafild will air on Insight Indonesia on Monday morning, Nov. 7 at 8.15 a.m. on BeritaSatu TV, available on the First Media platform.