IT is as if the south coast of Java never sleeps. Not a minute passes without the roaring sound of a machine. But, two years ago, the area was an unused swamp, like in the Betawi saying, "a place where children are discarded by evil spirits."

The Cilacap steam-generated power station project changed the pace of life in Karang Kandri. Around 3,000 workers, supported by hundreds of trucks and heavy machinery, are busy chasing tim