Bali paradise – tales of affairs by Melina Caruso-Mulyadi of MMC Marketing?

Bali paradise – tales of affairs by Melina Caruso-Mulyadi of MMC Marketing?
By The Bali Travel Yarns & Yawns Society
May 21, 2006, 03:00

John Millard (AKA Jack) Daniels was thrown an alleged surprise party at a venue part owned by the notorious Suharto family (the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel Bali) recently to celebrate 500 issues of his wobble and lies for Bali's tourism (especially his own) rag, the Bali Update; although he seems more bored than surprised (photo left)! Daniels’ published claims that the “Gala” benefited from “free-flowing champagne” with a small “c” (but not small enough), “live music” and “delicious food” seems at odds with the photos taken of the event which clearly show an apparently unpopular red plonk, olives on sticks and a cake made in the shape of a PC, adding yet further evidence to speculation Jack is totally and pompously delusioned. Sad too perhaps was Daniels’s statement that “close friends from Bali tourism industry and local government” accounted for the people who attended. Recent revelations that Daniels locks himself away at weekends to publish his weekly Bali yarns and yawns (The Bali Update) plus this apparent admission that he has no “friends” outside the travel industry, where so called "friendship" is generally about self-serving nodding heads, “Oh reallys!” and don’t leave your back unguarded. We had to wonder which person in the photographs is Jack’s pet bent police officer “friend” Tri Kuncoro, or if the rumor is true that Bali’s Cyber Crime detective, who thought you had to visit a business’ premises in order to see their web site, had enough sense and some might say class at least to avoid this rave!

Melina Caruso-Mulyadi in Bali's rogues gallery?

But yet wait a minute, there is potential for genuine outside interest yet. In Daniels’ account of his friend Melina Caruso-Mulyadi’s speech about him, remarkably well remembered given he appears to be nodding off in the full sized photos he published without Copyright protection on his Bali Discovery web site. A speech which Daniels made sure was reported as full of his own well oiled or is it well greasy PR wobble about being the Truth Ministry (less so than Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf we feel)! Melina’s alleged speech also seemingly having the same artistic flair (not) as Daniels so as to suggest he wrote it for Melina, boss of Bali Paradise (MMC Marketing), himself. But then suddenly in Jack Daniels’ “everyone loves and appreciates me” self-serving waste of bandwidth came an indication he and Melina Caruso were once or maybe still are an item, as Daniels wrote that Melina recounted how the Bali Update involved ups and downs in hotel rooms all around the world; nice! Daniels’ nemesis, Mark Austin told us he believes this simply proves Melina Caruso-Mulyadi and MMC Marketing trading as Bali Paradise are involved in the editorial and distribution of the Bali Update and therefore legally liable for the libels published against him and others by Bali’s “nastiest travel agent” (Daniels), presumably as any other possibility would be too ugly to contemplate! We are told after an exchange of emails between Melina and Mark where Melina denied she and her company were involved with Bali Discovery, Mark pointed her to a published interview with Jack Daniels in a Pattaya (Thailand) rag, perhaps raising questions as to why Jack was there, where it is stated "The Bali Update remains essentially a one-man writing effort by a man who has a real full-time job. I am backed up by a very talented lady, Melina Caruso of Bali-Paradise on line, who administers the electronic aspects of our newsletter and handles our many subscribers." Mark says that after he pointed this out to her, Melina suddenly had nothing more to say and now the matter is with his lawyers. Why, that means Melina Caruso-Mulyadi is an out-and-out liar doesn't it? Our footnote on this is Jack Daniels elsewhere describes himself as the Editor of the Bali Update, again showing he is slightly off his trolley (split personality this time instead of psychosis) as an editor edits other people's work, not his own!

Bali business talk? Someone should tell her about that dress! Yes, and someone should ask when the champagne is meant to arrive? Oh well, pass the delicous food on a stick dear!

Anyway, speaking of Mark Austin’s lawyers and why we had heard nothing from him regarding his impending libel claim in the English High Court against Daniels, Bali Discovery Tours, Crystaltech (Daniels’ hosting company) and presumably now Melina Caruso-Mulyadi and MMC Marketing, Mark advised us the delay was due to discussions with members of Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry to try and resolve the issues and problems he has with the Balinese mafia police courtesy of unlawful colluder Daniels. Mark also potentially let the cat out of the bag by mentioning the discussions came after he and his lawyers warned the Indonesian Authorities that since Indonesia acceded to two important sections of the International Convention on Human Rights a few weeks earlier, a case may soon be filed against them. Bali BS researched the UN web site and learnt that Indonesia had indeed made themselves a lot more accountable recently particularly with the convention which deals with cruelty and inhumanity. Putting two and two together and hopefully getting four, despite the fact Mark would neither confirm nor deny our suspicions, given we know Daniels and certain police officers worked / are working as one against Mark making the Indonesian Government liable for Daniels’ actions, given we know about the unlawful Interpol abuse, death threats and harassment against Mark, given Mark has previously said he would file a human rights case against the Indonesian Government if they ever implemented certain conventions. We more than suspect Mark and his lawyers are planning to file that complaint shortly and that these discussions with the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, if they failed, would fulfill a requirement upon Mark to have reasonably exhausted all possibilities of a just internal solution. That being the case, given that a successful human rights adjudication would involve a requirement for the Indonesian Government to provide solutions to ensure such violations did not occur again, which means taking criminal action against those involved. It seems unlikely Mark has reason to initiate libel action at this same time; but that is just our interpretation (don’t count on it Jack and Melina). Watch out Jack, a successful human rights case should ensure you subsequently go to jail for a long time and we believe this would only be a good thing both for Bali and the travel industry as a whole.

Close or bent friends? Be careful where you put your hand Jack!

However, going back to Jack Daniels and his close friends from within the industry, we are very grateful to a third party who wishes to remain anonymous who gave us information about Stephen J. Michie (former VP of something for the Hard Rock Hotel Bali – the much maligned slab of concrete with a deserved reputation for allowing male guests to take “ladies of the night” who ply the adjoining Hard Rock Cafe back to their hotel rooms, in a place which is meant to be family friendly!). You may remember we wrote an article about Serene Bali Villas in Seminyak a few weeks ago, which are owned by Michie, and which appear to be operating not just unlawfully (without the necessary operational licenses) but also highly unethically by Spamming other Bali villas’ guest books suggesting potential guests actually stay instead at Michie’s properties. Which is very ironic in a typically nasty Bali expatriate Bali sort of way; unlawful villas owned by a foreigner trying to steal guests from legal ones owned by Balinese! Yet despite the obvious common MO we missed the fact that Stephen AKA Steven or Steve Michie is a friend of Daniels! We also missed something else about Stephen Michie which just goes to show how foreign “businesspeople” in Bali / Indonesia cheat like no other whilst excreting untenable self-pronounced piety and professionalism. You see, guest book Spammer Stephen J. Michie (footnote: we believe he employed Xirlynx search engine optimizers of Singapore or his local webmaster to physically Spam the guest books) is actually and highly ironically the “Managing Director of the Singapore-headquartered Anti Spam Council” according to one of Daniels’ Bali Wobble Updates! What makes things worse is Daniels states in a Bali Wobble Update (19th April, 2004) article that a seminar put on by the Bali Hotel Association to teach hoteliers “effective Internet marketing strategies” involved Michie as a featured speaker (one of the top three speakers)! Isn’t that typically rich of the most derided expatriates in Asia?! And guess who were the other two “featured speakers” at this event? That’s right; they were colluding libelous Jack Daniels and “ups and downs in hotel rooms around the world” apparent co-defamer Melina Caruso-Mulyadi of MMC Marketing / Bali Paradise Online! What role models for Balinese hoteliers to look up to and follow their shining examples!

Are you sure I volunteered to be the live music feature earlier? I’m not going to look stupid am I?

We also heard from another source who wishes to remain anonymous but is a director of one of the industry’s most prominent and successful Bali Villa businesses, news that Michie and co has just shown their true colors by unceremoniously and unlawfully breaching their mutual marketing contract. Although he did not mention what the breach involved (although we understand money is owed by Michie’s villas to this company), our source commented it was not really any skin off their nose as Michie's villas (includes Villa Uma in Ubud) seemed not such good value for money in comparison with other offerings on the market anyway, plus that recent bad publicity (he was apparently referring to rumors that the Seminyak villas recently targeted by local officials for trading without sufficient operational licenses were Michie's) meant that potential guests were fearful of booking with them in case they were closed down; so he is very happy his company is no longer offering something so questionable / potentially disastrous any more!

Lovely party Jack! Charming friends!