International Tourism contribution to Indonesia’s balance of payments this  year is expected to decline to 2.7% in 2006 , down from 3.2% in 2005, which is caused by a number of natural disasters suffered by Indonesia in the past months, and the threat of bird flu, said Jeffrey Kairupan, Bureau Chief of the Economic Statistics Directorate of Bank Indonesia. On the other hand, travel outflow is estimated to increase to 2.4% from 2.3% last year, reports Bisnis Indonesia.   

Jeffrey further explains that travel inflow comprises earnings from all expenditures made by visitors during their stay in , whether for tourism, business or other personal purposes, comprising hotel accommodation, tours, souvenirs and transportation. Whereas, travel outflow includes total expenditures made by Indonesians traveling abroad for tourism purposes and haj pilgrimage to Mecca . 

In 2005, real income from tourists to totaled US$ 4.5 billion, while outbound Indonesians spent a total of US$ 3.5 billion in foreign currency overseas.  Jeffrey Kairupan further explained that travel inflow contribution in the first quarter of 2006 was US$924 million and US$1.129 billion in the second quarter. And with expected contributions of US$ 1.307 billion and US$ 1.160 billion in the third and fourth quarter respectively, receipts from the tourism sector in 2006 could remain level at US$ 4.5 billion, reports Bisnis Indonesia. 

Bali now a Destination for Malaysian Studying Medicine 

Bali has unexpectedly drawn a new market segment. Malaysia’s Bernama  reports that Bali ’s Udayana has become a choice university for Malaysians to further their tertiary studies.  

Already there are 123 Malaysian students at the Udayana University including 50 who arrived just a few days ago to start their first lecture Monday (11 September) , reported Bernama. Except one student studying Hindu theology in this Hindu-dominated island, all are studying medicine. 

A Malaysian bank officer from Bangi, V. Sreenivasan, who has a daughter, Deepa, studying medicine here told Bernama recently that he chose Bali because the education cost and living expenses here were relatively cheaper compared to Europe , the US, Australia and even India, which has been the traditional destination for many Malaysian medical students.

Secondly, he said, Bali was just slightly over two hours' flight from Kuala Lumpur , which made it easy and cheaper for parents to visit their children or when the children need to return to Malaysia.

More importantly for Sreenivasan and other parents, and probably for sponsors like Mara and the Public Service Department too, the quality of education, the teaching and learning systems at Udayana University are as good as any other Malaysian government accredited overseas universities.

As for the cost factor, Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, while in Jakarta recently, agreed that it was much cheaper to send Malaysian students for medical studies in Indonesia.

No figures were given but it is understood that for one student sent to Europe or the US to study medicine, the government can send seven here at the same cost.

That could be one of the reasons that Mustapa had enquired during his meetings in Jakarta with several universities whether it was possible for all 13 Malaysian-accredited universities in to accommodate more Malaysian medical students, reports Bernama.

And, through persistent and personal contacts of Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia Datuk Zainal Abidin Mohamed Zain, a number of those universities had allocated more seats to Malaysian medical students from this year onwards.

Zainal Abidin told Bernama recently that the cost factor was one reason while the other was the relevance of their studies here for Malaysia, especially when they learn about the same kind of diseases prevalent in Malaysia and Indonesia, both being close neighbours.

Meanwhile, the Bali branch president of the National Association of Malaysian Students in Indonesia, M. Sujatharan, said another factor preferred by Indian parents was the strict Hinduism practiced and observed in Bali . It is not surprising as 93.2 per cent of Balinese out of some 3.22 million population (2002 statistics) on the island is mostly of the Hindu faith while Muslims make up some 4.9 per cent and other religions, less than 2 per cent.

However, not just Malaysians of Hindu faith or Indian origin are studying medicine in Bali as there are also 18 Malaysian Chinese students and 15 Malays who have no qualms at all over the predominantly Hindu culture here, says Bernama.