The Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic will once again feature a rich collection of tennis talent, with many exciting new names joining the familiar faces who make the premier tennis event of South-East Asia an essential stop on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.

The tournament, to be held at the Grand Hyatt Resort, Nusa Dua, Bali between 7th and 14th September, includes many of the pacesetters of 2008. As well as many players who have earned titles this year, there are several who have claimed stunning upsets at the highest level, including headline-grabbing victories at the Grand Slams held in Melbourne, Paris and London.

Meet the players coming to Bali in September:

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA

Daniela Hantuchova quickly bounced back from an opening round defeat in her first visit to the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic in 2006 by reaching the final in 2007, eventually succumbing in three exciting sets to former champion Lindsay Davenport. She also teamed up with Davenport to reach the semi-finals of the doubles.

Her achievements in Bali last year served as a launch pad for one of the most successful periods of Daniela's career. She immediately moved on to Kolkata where she reached the semi-finals, and a week after that she reached the final in Luxembourg before losing in three tight sets to current world number one Ana Ivanovic. A month later she claimed the third title of her career by beating Patty Schnyder in Linz.

This year saw Daniela reach a new career milestone when she reached her first Grand Slam semi-final, at the Australian Open. Unfortunately, a stress fracture in her right heel ruined her clay court season and kept her out of the game for nearly three months, until she made a welcome return at Wimbledon.

Daniela Pictures

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FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE

Francesca Schiavone has only played at the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic once before. One of the game's greatest entertainers, the charismatic Italian made it all the way to the final during her Bali debut in 2005 before conceding the final to world number two Lindsay Davenport. She also teamed up with fellow Italian Flavia Pennetta in doubles, and they stretched the world number two pairing of Cara Black and Liezel Huber all the way in their quarter-final, eventually losing 10-7 in the third set match tiebreak.

Francesca's energy and determination has long made her a crowd favorite wherever she plays, and her skills helped take Italy to the Fed Cup title in 2006 by beating a Belgian team that included Justine Henin. The following year, Italy reached the final again, this time losing to Russia in Moscow. Much to her regret, both those marches to the Fed Cup finals kept Schiavone from competing in Bali as the events were played in the same week. But now she is free to once again demonstrate her skills to her many fans in Bali.

The highlight for Schiavone this season was her stunning upset of world number one Justine Henin in Dubai, the first-ever defeat for the Belgian in her five years of playing the event. And she made headlines in doubles too, reaching the French Open final with Australian partner Casey Dellacqua.

PATTY SCHNYDER

When Patty Schnyder works out her schedule for the year, the first tournament she puts in her diary is the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic. And it is a measure of the appeal of the biggest Sony Ericsson WTA Tour event in South-East Asia that she returned in 2006 after experiencing such a disappointing end to her challenge the previous year. It was then that she reached the semi-finals, only to retire with illness after reaching a third set against Francesca Schiavone.

Usually, such an episode would result in a player avoiding that tournament in the future because of its bad memories. But the good far outweighed the bad for the Swiss left-hander, and she couldn't wait to return to Bali. The following year she was back and she made the semi-finals again before losing to Marion Bartoli. Now she is returning for a fourth bid for the title, keen to make up for her surprise second round exit in 2007.

Since she was last in Bali, Patty has enjoyed consistent success, closing out the 2007 season by reaching the quarter-finals in Luxembourg and the final of Linz, and in 2008 going all the way to the final in Bangalore as well as reaching the semi-finals at Australia's Gold Coast and the quarter-finals of Antwerp, Charleston, Rome and - most impressively - the French Open.

LI NA

China's Li Na certainly made an impact on her previous trip to Bali, reaching the semi-finals of the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic in 2005 before bowing out to eventual champion Lindsay Davenport. Since then she has got married, and is coached by her husband, Jiang Shan.

This season started particularly well for her, as in the first week of the year she claimed her second career singles title by beating three top-20 opponents on her way to winning the Gold Coast event in Australia. In February she reached the semi-finals in Antwerp, and then the week after in Doha she defeated two top-6 opponents, Anna Chakvetadze and Jelena Jankovic, to reach another semi-final.

Then disaster struck, as the following week she had to withdraw from Dubai with a right knee injury that eventually required surgery and kept her off of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour for nearly five months before she was able to return at Eastbourne.

PENG SHUAI

Peng Shuai has been listening to the talk in the locker room as her fellow players talked about the great time they've enjoyed at the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic, and now she has booked her first trip to Bali to experience one of the most popular stops on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour for herself.

And she is likely to make quite an impact. She has been ranked as high as 31 in the world in singles, and after first representing China in the Fed Cup in 2001 she has been a regular member of the team since 2006. That same year she finished as runner-up to Nicole Vaidisova in Strasbourg, and last year she reached the semi-finals of both Pattaya and Beijing.

She has enjoyed even greater success in doubles, rising to the top 20 and claiming a rare victory over Wimbledon champions Serena and Venus Williams in Bangalore on her way to the title there with Tiantian Sun, and the pair followed up that triumph by overcoming Australian Open winners Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko in Miami.

FLAVIA PENNETTA

Italy's Flavia Pennetta is making a welcome return to Bali after an absence of two years, when representing her country in the Fed Cup final and then a leg injury kept her away in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

Before that, Flavia had really begun to make her mark on the tournament following her opening round loss upon her Bali debut in 2003. The next year she reached the second round, and in 2005 she made it to the quarter-finals before losing the tightest of matches to fellow Italian Francesca Schiavone, going down 7-5 in the third set. Maybe this year she can go yet another step and reach the semis, or even better. Flavia also has a good doubles record in Bali, reaching the quarter-finals in 2003 and the semi-finals in 2005.

This season she has been in great form as she reached the semi-finals in Hobart in January, before claiming her fifth career title in Vina Del Mar in February and then her sixth title at Acapulco in March. She reached another semi-final, at Palermo, in July. But, best of all, she claimed a sensational straight-sets upset over Venus Williams in the third round of the French Open.

TAMARINE TANASUGARN

Tamarine Tanasugarn is making her fifth visit to Bali, with her most successful runs so far coming in 2001 and 2003 when she reached the quarter-finals. Both times she fell to the eventual champion, in 2001 to Angelique Widjaja and in 2003 to Elena Dementieva. She has also excelled in doubles, winning the title in 2001 and reaching the semi-finals in 2003.

This year has also been successful for Tamarine. She reached the quarter-finals in Pattaya, qualified for Doha where she beat former world number one Amelie Mauresmo to reach the third round, and then she won a satellite event in Japan and reached the final of another.

But it was during the grass court season that Tammy really made headlines, qualifying at s'Hertogenbosch and going on to win her second career title with victory over world number nine Dinara Safina in the final. Then she became the first Thai to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals when she earned a sensational victory over world number three Jelena Jankovic. Beginning the grass court season ranked 85, by the time she fell to defending champion and then 2008 winner Venus Williams at Wimbledon she had climbed all the way up to 37, her best ranking since January 2004.

ZHENG JIE

Zheng Jie is no stranger to the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic, as this will be her third visit to Bali. Her first came in 2003 when she qualified and beat Flavia Pennetta to reach the second round, where she lost to Tamarine Tanasugarn. Then in 2005 Pennetta drew revenge, beating Jie in three close sets in their second round meeting. That year was still a success, however, as she went on to reach the doubles final with partner Yan Zi.

A year ago Jie was in despair after an ankle injury kept her out of tennis for the entire second half of the season. But she bounced back strongly in January, especially in doubles when she reached the Gold Coast final with Zi. Next week the pair won Sydney and then they reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open with a win over the Williams sisters. Another final, in Dubai, was followed by yet another at Indian Wells.

But her success was not limited to doubles, as at Wimbledon she attracted worldwide attention by beating top seed and world number one Ana Ivanovic before going on to become the first player from China ever to reach the semi-finals of any Grand Slam.

ALLA KUDRYAVTSEVA

Very few people knew the name of Alla Kudryavtseva before she showed up at Wimbledon this year, despite her reaching the Memphis quarter-finals as well as qualifying and reaching the second round of both Hobart and Indian Wells. But then the Moscow-born, Miami-based 20-year old stunned the tennis world by defeating one of the tournament favorites, Maria Sharapova, in straight sets in the second round. She went on to reach round four, before being stopped by an in-form Nadia Petrova.

Her goal, according to her biography in the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour media guide, is to be memorable. And she certainly achieved that, not only with her victory over the former Wimbledon and US Open champion and the current holder of the Australian Open title, but with her assertion that one of the motivating forces behind her win was that she didn't like Sharapova's outfit.

[Commonwealth Tennis Classic Website].

Ubud’s world famous Amandari Resort has announced that that it will close its doors for a major refurbishment from October 26, 2008 through January 22, 2009.

Rather than risk disturbing the precious tranquility of their guests staying in the Resort's 30 thatched-roof suite, the Resort has opted to close for three months while workers maintain the magic of the Sayan river boutique oasis.

During the refurbishment period the four remaining Amanresorts in Indonesia, including, Amanusa and Amankila in Bali, Amanwana on Moyo Island and Amanjiwo in Central Java will continue to operate as usual.

Stay tuned to balidiscovery.com where we'll keep you informed on the "newly improved" Amandari set to re-open on January 22, 2009.

Visitors to Bali in mid-August will have the chance to celebrate Indonesia's Independence day (August 17th) during a three-day street festival - Kuta Sidewalk Festival August 16-18, 2008.

A collaborative effort among Kuta area businesses, the event will feature:

● Sidewalk sales

● Traditional culture presentations

● Balinese Art

● Live music and live DJ

● Sexy Dancers

● Food Bazaar

● Games

● Bartender contests

● Cooking Competitions

Festivities will be centered along Kartika Plaza Street in South Kuta.

To learn more about the event, participation and sponsorships contact:

● Rama Restaurant telephone ++62-(0)361-763100

● Ni Luh Ekawati telephone ++62-(0)81337925024

● Rurisea telephone ++62-(0)81805688369.

Kuta Sidewalks Pictures

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Tempo Interaktif reports that crime rates in Denpasar are on the decline. During the first six months of 2008 a total of 2,821 criminal cases were recorded in Denpasar and surrounding areas, a decrease of -2.45% as compared to the 2,891 cases reported in the same period in 2007.

The crime statistics released by the head of the publication sub-section of the public relations division of the Bali Police, Sri Harmiti, are comprised of reported incidents of simple larceny, armed robbery and vehicle theft.

According to Harmiti, 63% of the cases handled by the police were solved, with the remainder still considered "open" and under investigation.

Harmiti credits the slight downturn in criminality to increase community patrols by police and a heightened level of community contact between the police and the Balinese people.

National tourism arrival numbers through the end of June cast increasing doubt on Indonesia's ability to achieve its targeted 7 million foreign visitors in 2008.

Through the end of June 2008 a total of 2.9 million visitors came to Indonesia, an increase of 11.5% over the same period in 2007 (2.6 million).

Simple extrapolation suggests that if Indonesia maintains its current year-to-date growth rate of 11.5% against the total 5.51 million visitors who came to Indonesia in 2007, then a total of 6.14 million will visit the Republic in 2008. That total falls 12.3% short of the current national target of 7 million.

Bali a Bright Spot

While it remains doubtful that national tourism targets will be met in 2008, Bali's tourism numbers continue to surge. [See: Bali Half Way Through 2008]. January-June arrivals for Bali hit 924,949 – a +23.9% improvement over 2007.

As projected at balidiscovery.com, total foreign tourist arrivals for 2008 should pass the 2 million mark.

Illegal tour operators in Bali are aggravating fully-licensed tour and travel operators via their printed tour offerings and Internet web sites. This was the complaint made by Misto Leo Faisal, Managing Director of Merry’s Tour and Travel Service when speaking to BisnisBali.

Complaining that illegal tour operators are distributing their brochures via Bali’s airport, hotels and tour counters, Faisal called on illegal operators to become fully licensed and fulfill the requirement to actively promote Bali to the domestic and international markets.

Faisal also called on the Government to crack down on illegal tour operators in order to preserve Bali's tourism image. At the same time, Faisal urged hotel operators and Bali's airport authority to take extra care and only allow bona fide tour offerings to be made from their locations.

Also quoted in BisnisBali, Wayan Arta, a travel agent in Kuta said he also hoped the Government would crack down on illegal tour operators who often involve themselves in unhealthy competitive practice in their efforts to obtain customers.

Guests booking tour programs in Bali should always look for the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agents (ASITA) logo to ensure they are dealing with a reputable Indonesian travel operator.

In a ceremony attended by officials of Garuda Indonesia, Singapore Airlines, the press, representatives of local tourism organizations and Bali government officials - the first arrival of Singapore Airlines' fourth daily flight was celebrated at Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport on Friday, August 1, 2008.

The addition of a fourth flight on the Singapore-Denpasar route was approved following the signing of an joint agreement between Singapore Airlines and Garuda Indonesia covering code-sharing, joint marketing and promotion, and network development. The current permit allowing a fourth daily flight by Singapore Airlines is valid until December 31, 2008.

The Singapore-Denpasar service is being flown by Boeing 777-200 aircraft.

At the welcoming ceremony at Bali's international airport, Mr. Nam Lee Seng, Manager Indonesia for Singapore Airlines, said: "With four Singapore-Denpasar flights a day, we can cater to more foreign visitors intending to travel to Bali. We are proud that Singapore Airlines' flights contribute to the Visit Indonesia Year 2008 program."

Nam also reminded those in attendance that everyone benefits from added capacity to between Singapore and Bali, saying: "more travelers will fly to the country; the local population will benefit in terms of employment and higher incomes. In turn, as demand for air services grows, and hopefully the Indonesian authorities will grant more access to airlines, including Singapore Airlines, to support tourist arrivals to Indonesia."

Current Schedule

The new schedule of Singapore Airline flights between Singapore and Denpasar, including the additional fourth flight:

Flight Schedule	Flight No.	Departure	Arrival
Denpasar/Singapore	SQ 941	0915	1145
Denpasar/Singapore	SQ 943	1305	1535
Singapore/Denpasar	SQ 945	1640	1910
Singapore/Denpasar	SQ 947	2005	2235
Singapore/Denpasar	SQ 942	0935	1205
Singapore/Denpasar	SQ 944	1310	1540
Denpasar/Singapore	SQ 946	1640	1910
Denpasar/Singapore	SQ 948	1900	2130

Shown on balidiscovery.com are (L to R) SIA's Indonesia Manager Nam Lee Seng; the Captain of the inaugural flight; SIA's Bali Manager Kevin Peeris; SIA's Bali Airport Manager Shawn Lowe; and a member of SIA's cabin crew.

SQ 003 Picture

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PT Garuda Indonesia plans to make an initial public offering (IPO) of its shares early in 2009 as part of the Company's overall restructuring program.

Speaking to the press, the CEO of Garuda Emirsyah Satar, said: "the privatization option via an IPO will take place next year, although the actual process is in the hands of the Minister for State-Owned Enterprises as the Chief shareholder of Garuda."

The details of the IPO are currently being discussed by the Airline's management and its director. Among the items on that agenda include the actual number of shares to be offered to the public. "The management view is that no more than 51% of the Company's shares should be put on offer," added Emrisyah.

Emrisyah used his meeting with the press to highlight how Garuda's financial performance is demonstrating real improvement, recording a Rp. 258 billion (US$27.9 million) profit in 2007. This is a dramatic turn around from the three consecutive years of substantial losses booked in 2004 (Rp. 811.3 billion), 2005 (Rp. 688.4 billion) and 2006 (Rp. 197 billion).

Adding further merriment to the atmosphere of Garuda's board room are estimates that the Airline is projecting a Rp. 516 billion (US$55.8 million) profit for the entire year of 2008. Garuda is citing increased seating capacity, improved efficiency and a widening market as the main forces behind its improving fortunes.

Garuda has signed agreements for the lease of 50 Boeing 737-800 slated for delivery in 2009 and 10 Boeing 777-30ER slated for delivery in 2010.

Prior to the 2009 IPO Garuda is hoping to have successfully renegotiated its debt of more than US$800 still owed to European creditors.

Bali's many beaches are under siege. This problem is linked to the exotic tropical quality of the island's beaches found at Candidasa, Gianyar, Kuta, Tanah Lot, Kelating, Soka and Medewi at Jembrana. Bali's worldwide reputation and God's handiwork are luring investors who apparently have little regard for the long term effect of their desire to get their parcel of prime real estate in paradise.

According to the Bali Post, the Regency of Gianyar only possesses around 15 kilometers of beach front, much of that now occupied by villa developments.

These development have managed to change the function of centuries-old agricultural lands and religious grounds in little more than five years. This is most evident at Cucukan beach, Desa Medahan and Blahbatuh in Gianyar. The sacred temple of Pura Sukaluwih on Saba beach, Blahbatuh, now stands in the very shadow of newly built villas. Local villagers carrying their offerings and seeking to pray at that temple are now compelled to maneuver their way through a construction site to arrive at the ancient temple.

In partial response, a member of Commission A of the Regional House of Representatives for Gianyar (DPRD), I Made Mawa, has called for an urgent review of the manner in which tourism permits and licenses are granted and the state of the current regulations now in place. Mawa has also called on those who live in Bali’s traditional villages to play a more active front-line role in preserving and protecting Bali's culture. And, indeed, it is often the readiness of local villages to give up ancestral lands in return for quick cash, promises of employment and other future emoluments that has precipitated the worst excesses of villa developers.

In partial response to what is becoming an increasingly acute problem, the Head of Regional Department Planning Board for Gianyar, Wayan Dirgayusa, has promised to soon undertake a survey of development along his region's beaches, including a review of compliance with permits and local regulations.

Tabanan

Bali's West, once ignored by developers, has Tabanan now plainly in investor's sites. Very much in the news of late, is a large 35-villa project being built on Kelating Beach at Kerambitan and managed by the Alila Hotel group. Appearing to be making a mockery of 100 meter setback rules from the high tide mark, high-profile coverage of that project in the local Bali press prompted a "stop work" order from the Tabanan government. However, a recent visit to that site suggest that work may be continuing behind hastily erected plywood blinds that now shield the project from public scrutiny.

The Bali Post has openly questioned the duplicity of Tabanan's supervisory role in regional development that has allowed the construction of illegal structures without fear of reprimand or rebuke over the past eight months.

Tri Hita Kirana

The central theme of Balinese life - Tri Hita Kirana - the demand that balance be maintained between God, man and nature has somehow been forgotten in Bali current "building boom." In Tabanan, Uluwatu and Candidasa local lands are being sequestered and diverted from their traditional agricultural pursuits. Over-ambitious engineers and architects cock-surely build "dream villas" in lands that routinely suffer the ravages of intruding surf. Developers routinely fail to socialize their projects to the local populace or produce the mandatory environmental impact study (amdal) that should be in hand well before commencing any development work.

Seemingly, when there's money to be made and villas to be sold – God, man and nature can wait their turn.

The Role of the 100 Meter Set Back Rule

The rules stipulating minimum set backs from ocean fronts and river banks in force across the island of Bali were wisely formulated. These rules serve the dual function of protecting seaside dwellers from the dangerous vagaries of Bali's surf while at the same time preserving access to the seaside for all Balinese to enjoy a day at the beach or offer traditional prayers at the seaside during local festivals and rites of passage.

Guaranteed Rate of Returns?

Meanwhile, the subject units at Kelating are said to selling briskly, with unit owners buoyed by promises of minimum rates of return over an initial buy-in year period. What remains to be seen, however, is the actual resale value of these units at the end of the guarantee period for villas built on shifting sands and in violation of local regulations.

A seaside villa when the sea is in your living room tends to do badly on the local real estate market.

Shown on balidiscovery.com are recent photos of the Kelating development, now enclosed behind plywood blinds.

Villa UnderContruction Pictures

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Tempo Interaktif quotes the Bali Chairman of the Association of Marine Tourism Operators (Gahawisri), Yos K. Amerta, as saying that there are "tens" of illegal marine tourism operators in Bali. Many of these illegal operations, according to Amerta, are owned by foreigners and represent a number he expects to grow with the increasing popularity of "borrowing" the name of a local as a front for their businesses.

Amerta told Tempo that there are presently around 200 marine tourism operators in Bali of which 10% or 20 operators without the required operating licenses. "And these are only those we’ve detected," added Amerta.

The Gahawisri Chairman for Bali said coordinating efforts are now underway with the Provincial Tourism Authority in Bali to bring the illegal operators into line. At the same time, Amerta confessed that both Gahawisri and the government are being thwarted in their enforcement efforts due to practices in which illegal foreign operators are shielding behind local counterparts acting as business fronts.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National office of Gahawisri, Feisol Hashim freely admitted that many marine tourism operations in Indonesia are controlled by foreigners. "What's ironic," said Feisol, "is that many operate illegally. In Bunaken (Manado), for example, 90 percent of marine operations are foreign owned."

Fesiol also admitted the difficulties of controlling operation run by foreigners who have married a local resident.

The Bali-based Anand Ashram Foundation and the National Integration Movement have announced their intention to hold an inter-faith prayer meeting involving religious leaders from all the major faiths found in Indonesia on the morning following the coming execution of the 3 Bali Bombers. [See: Bali Bombers: Out of Options, Out of Time]

Hari Susanto, a representative of the Anand Ashram Foundation explained: "We don't hate the Bali bombers, but we do not appreciate their evil doings. For this very reason, we feel that the execution of the Bali bombers in the days to come would send clear messages to their supporters that violence is not the solution. And yet we understand the urgency of the execution to uphold the supremacy of law and order in the society."



Firmly committed to the principle that all men are brothers and that even the execution of the three Bali bombers who killed 202 people in October 2002 is an event worthy of our compassion and grief, Hari Sustanto and his associates will convene their prayer meeting at 9:00 a.m. on the morning following the execution.

Issuing an open invitation to the public to join them in their prayers, Susanto said: "We also make an appeal to the Indonesian society and the world communities to join us in this prayer. We hope and pray that this step taken will make the radicals realize 'Love is the only solution.'"

Founded by Anand Krishna, Anand Ashram is a group of dedicated to prayer and meditation, consisting of people from different ethnics, religions, nationality, and educational background Not a religious cult or a new sect, people of all religious faiths are welcome to participate in group meditation intended to make participants more productive citizens of their nations and the world.

For more information telephone Maya Safira Muchtar at ++62-(0)818891122 or I Wayan Sayoga at ++62-(0)811398363.

[Anand Ashram Online]

As reported on balidiscovery.com, plans to build a series of toll roads to alleviate traffic congestion in South Bali have been plague with funding and investment difficulties making it unlikely that the proposed roads connecting Sanur and Tanjung Benoa, Kuta and Nusa Dua, and the creation of a series of flyovers in Kuta will come to fruition anytime in the foreseeable future.

Pouring further rain on the parade of those wishing to see a toll road and bridge connecting Sanur and Tanjung Benoa (STB Project) were recent comments carried in Radar Bali by the Chairman of Committee D of the Regional House of Representatives for the City of Denpasar, I Ketut Ceteg Rurung. In his "no holds barred" comments to the press, Ceteg made clear his strong opposition to the Sanur-Tanjung toll road with its estimated cost of Rp. 1.4 trillion (US$151.5 million).

Ceteg told the press, "I have been opposed to the STB Project from the very beginning because of its widespread (negative) impact."

A native of Serangan Island, which would host one end of the proposed bridge between Sanur and Tanjung Benoa, Ceteg told the press of a long-standing property dispute between the Bali Turtle Island Development Corporation (BTID) and local residents of the island. Complained Beteg: "Who really owns the land at Serangan Island? If BTID is brave enough to claim the land as its own, I will be among the first to file opposing charges."

Ceteg told Radar Bali that the current ownership of Serangan Island remains unclear. He went on to explain: "This is logic: if BTID says the land is theirs, this means they must (by law) allocate 20% of the total land area to Denpasar's municipal government to be used for public facilities (fasum) and social facilities (fasos)." To date, BTID has reportedly yet to allocate any share of the land to the local government.

The local legislator warns that because of the unclear title to the island's lands, any development will be thwart with problems in the future.

And, if these complications were not enough, Ceteg, pointed to a building prohibitions surrounding Serangan's major holy site of Pura Sakenan plus the densely populated nature of Tanjung Benoa, destined to serve as the other end of the proposed bridge, which he believes cannot accommodate a major toll road.

"Insisting that Tanjung Benoa's sole access road of Jalan Pratama cannot be widened, Ceteg went on to say: "If the STB toll road happens, it would require a widespread evacuation of Tanjung Benoa. And, remember, there are many sacred sites on Tanjung Benoa and many temples – not to mention mosques and Chinese temples."

Another local legislator and also a member of Committee D, Ida Bagus Gede Sarjana, questioned how ships will continue to access Benoa harbor if the new road and bridge are built. "We've never been invited to discuss this project," complained Sarjana.

Is the new toll road already under construction? Radar Bali reports that PT Tunas Jaya Sanur has been granted access to the beach at Serangan, supposedly to begin preparatory work for the toll road. Ceteg returned to the lack of clarity on land title on the island, asking: "The access road now in use - who does it belong to? I am a native of Serangan and know exactly the history of the island. The access road now in use was a cooperative project between BTID and the people of Serangan. It is not owned by the government."

Saying he was uncertain of the future fate of the STB, Ceteg reiterated his complaint that the people of Serangan Island have not been consulted on the project. Offering a possible solution, he said: "If you want to build a toll road, it would be better to build one from Benoa to Mumbul. The distance is less and it won't disturb the Benoa Port operation.”

Related Articles

[Bali Toll Roads Hit a Roadblock?]

[Malaysian Business Group Offers to Build Nusa Dua Bridge]

[Serangan to Nusa Dua Toll Road to Go Ahead?]

[A Bridge Too Far?]