SBY Chooses Komodo as One of Seven Wonders of World

KUPANG, KOMPAS.com - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will choose the Komodo (Varanus Komodoensis), as one of the finalists of the seven wonders of the world through the website of the Internet www.new7wonders.com on the occasion of the 65th National Press Day in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, on Feb 9.     

"The choice will be made by the President and the First Lady to encourage Indonesians to vote for the Komodo to raise the popularity of the giant lizard," Local Committee Chairman Andre W Koreh said here Tuesday.     

He said the choice will also be made by 21 ministers present on the occasion. He also said that the local committee is coordinating with the palace protocol to ask for a list of ministers who will be voting for the Komodo along with the President in Kupang.

The Komodo is very tightly competing with the Kalimanjoro which has secured 99.96 percent of the international votes, Mud Volcanoes 99.82 pct, Galapagos 99.76 pct, Cliffs of Moher 99.65 pct, and the  Miford Sound 99.62 pct. In the meantime, Black Forest secured 99.59 pct, Vesuvius 99.50 pct, El Yuque 99.45 pct, Maldives 99.40 pct, Great Barrier  Reef 99.16 pct, Uluru 99.15 pct and the Dead Sea 99.06 pct.

Furthermore, Jelita Groto 98.54 pct,  Table Mountain 97.20 pct.  Bay of Funday 97.14 pct,  Masurian Lake District 95.82 pct,  Grand Canyon 95.51 pct,  Angel Falls 95.27 pct, Amazon 93.38 pct, and  Yushan 92.92 pct, and some other natural zones, including the  Komodo which had won outside its origin, Indonesia, with 60.62 pct. Twenty eight finalists will be competing for the new seven world wonders which will be announced on November 11, 2011.

"New7Wonders have a strategic role in increasing Indonesia’s tourism, especially if Indonesia belonged to the seven new wonders of the world. But will the Komodo be included in the seven new wonders of the world? The answer is with the voters in Indonesia and international world," he said.