In some ways, Kepri reminded me of some of my travels around our very own Philippine isles: something about the serenity of the island life and the abundance of picturesque beaches and diving spots.
Kepri was home to an ancient Malay kingdom and, is currently the center of Indonesia's Malay-based national language and culture.
23 June 2011 - Fitch today gave its final A(idn) rating to the five-year senior bond issue of up to IDR500bn (USD58m/EUR41m) of Indonesian lender PT Bank Pembangunan Daerah Riau Kepri.
Bank Riau Kepri is controlled by the Riau province and municipalities.
I will begin by discussing the arguments Kepri people typically advance to explain why Malay populations are seemingly "marginalized" and divested of land to which they have long-standing, ancestral, and indigenous claims.
This argument is advanced through reference to a dispute surrounding the illegal settling of a disused orchard in Kepri by migrants from North Sumatra.
Like most RTV broadcasts, the programme focuses on topical issues such as Riau Merdeka, the revitalisation of Malayness, the
Kepri effort to become an independent province, and the consequences of particular cultural issues.