THAT'S A BIT RICH

More often than not a common comment received after running any post percieved as negtive towards Indonesia is the inane "If you don't like it here leave" along with assorted abuse. I love enteraining those morons as representing as they do the very tip of masterful debate amongst the xenophobes.

Seriously, no-one who enjoys irony could ever consider leaving Indonesia. A case in point, check out this piece of slapstick printed in the JP today (but better in full here)

"JAKARTA (AFP) - Indonesia's welfare minister and his family, under fire for their company's role in an oozing mud volcano that has displaced thousands, has topped Forbes Asia's 2007 Indonesia rich list, the magazine said Thursday.

Aburizal Bakrie and his family saw their net worth blow out to 5.4 billion dollars this year, up from 1.2 billion dollars in 2006 when they were sixth on the list, according to the title's December 24 edition.

The largest contributor to their wealth gain came from surging stock prices in Bakrie Group's largest holding, coal producer Bumi Resources, it reported.

Bakrie has faced sustained criticism over the role his part-owned company Lapindo Brantas played in triggering the mud volcano in Sidoarjo, East Java, which began spurting in May 2006 during exploratory gas drilling by Lapindo.

While many experts say the company's negligence led to the flow, Lapindo maintains that it was caused by a nearby earthquake.

Some 10,000 victims have been told to accept compensation from Lapindo for their land, with no payout for other losses such as houses and material goods.

Overall, Forbes reported that the 40 wealthiest Indonesians added 18 billion dollars to their combined wealth this year, bringing it up to 40 billion dollars. The country is now home to 11 billionaires, up from seven last year.

Following the Bakries on the Forbes list was pulp, paper and palm oil tycoon Sukanto Tanoto, whose wealth increased from 2.8 billion to 4.7 billion dollars this year. He was in top spot last year.

The ranking of Tanoto, whose largest companies April and Asian Agri own massive plantations both in Indonesia and abroad, comes as his home country hosts an international conference to negotiate a new pact on climate change. (ok, help me I am about to collapse with laughter..Human body can take just so much irony)April, which has a history of clearing virgin forests, has made efforts to green its image, including sending representatives to the conference on Bali.

Deforestation is a major source of the carbon emissions that contribute to climate change.

A new face on the list was Bambang Trihatmodjo, the second son of former dictator Suharto, at number 33 with an estimated wealth of 200 million dollars. He owns 13 percent of media conglomerate Global Mediacom."

This does not even need a rant...Sorry you were saying????

But hey...net worth 5.4billion dollars..Net means after tax right..Wow..Now a serious jouranlist would just have to find out what was really paid in Tax ..wouldn't he/she?.

(so it was a little rant..)


P.S. Sorry about the photo, if anyone finds it offensive or pornographic I will take it down. Just send threatening letters in the usual manner.