Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 25 July 1994

55 articles found

Soeharto may have found his `match'

Soeharto may have found his `match' JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto, Indonesia's long-time leader who has ruled almost unopposed, may have finally found his match. During a rare dialog with the 73-year old President on Saturday, several children, all top of their class, said they wanted his job -- not immediately, but some day for sure.

Gullit look-alike

Gullit look-alike MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Local hairdressers around the Senggigi Beach have found a new and very profitable business -- hair-braiding tourists to look like Ruud Gullit, the Dutch soccer star. Atik, 14, who charges Rp 25,000 (US$12) per head, said most of her customers are female tourists of all ages. Other hairdressers prey on tourists in the beach, working on their hair while they sunbathe. Atik was quoted by Antara as saying that she braids two to three tourists a day.

Alternative for school drop outs

Alternative for school drop outs BANDUNG, West Java: The local authority is offering an alternative to primary school graduates who cannot be accommodated at junior high schools. Governor R. Nuriana proposed that these children consider enrolling in special, non-formal education programs that offer courses on religious education, reading and writing.

Ismail Hasan, Matori urged to step down

Ismail Hasan, Matori urged to step down JAKARTA (JP): A vocal legislator from the United Development Party (PPP) says that party chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum and secretary general Matori Abdul Djalil should step down and make way for others to run the party. Sri Bintang Pamungkas said the two men, who are seen as strong contenders for the PPP chairmanship election next month, have failed to turn the party into an organization independent of the government.

Lampung suffers brain drain

Lampung suffers brain drain BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: Young people living in the province prefer other regions over their hometowns for trying their luck in the workplace. Chief of the provincial office of the National Family Planning Coordinating Body Maman Sundjana said many young people who are the potential manpower resources for Lampung believed that other areas offered better opportunities.

U.S. embassy official in East Timor

U.S. embassy official in East Timor DILI, East Timor (JP): An official from the United States embassy in Jakarta was here during the weekend to look into the demonstration at the East Timor University early this month. The embassy's second secretary Phillip L. Anteweiler on Saturday met with Col. Jhony Lumintang, the chief of the East Timor military command, to discuss the July 13 incident.

Not to insult

Not to insult I'd like to respond to Mr Roland Larsson's letter in The Jakarta Post, on July 22, 1994. In your letter I can sense that you've been insulted by two pictures in The Jakarta Post. But I think the Post didn't mean to insult Swedish athletes or make fun of them. I think what the Post meant was to picture a funny moment or dramatic moment which happened on the arena. In this case these two moments were done by Swedish athletes.

Obsolescence in computer technology

Obsolescence in computer technology By Y. Prasetyo DECATUR, Georgia (JP): I purchased my first computer in 1985 in Bandung, an Apple Ile, and expected to use it for a long time. I used primarily the word processor, limited spreadsheet, the Multiplan and Supercalc, and some games. Two years later, I could hardly find any new software for my Apple computer. I disposed of the computer three years later when it broke down and nobody could repair it.

Unscrupulous practices affect housing brokerage

Unscrupulous practices affect housing brokerage JAKARTA (JP): Unscrupulous housing brokerage practices, which lure buyers with elite images of property on sale, have hampered the growth of the housing business. "Such practices have even tainted the image of all people involved in real estate," Ciputra, a member of the board of patrons of the Association of the Indonesian Real Estate Brokers, said.

Regional experts meet to review social problems

Regional experts meet to review social problems JAKARTA (JP): Experts from the Asia-Pacific will gather in Bandung beginning today to review the social problems encountered by countries in the region and discuss ways of overcoming them. The three-day meeting also offers an opportunity for Asia- Pacific countries to harmonize their perceptions ahead of the World Summit for Social Development, which is being planned by the United Nations in Copenhagen in March next year.

ASEAN thinks of expansion but neighbors not ready yet

ASEAN thinks of expansion but neighbors not ready yet By Pandaya BANGKOK (JP): The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is thinking about extending membership to cover all the 10 states in Southeast Asia, as the six founding member nations initially intended. The assembled ASEAN foreign ministers have intensely discussed the possibility of including Cambodia and Myanmar -- plus Vietnam and Laos, two former ASEAN's ideological foes.

Low prices key to stop software piracy

Low prices key to stop software piracy By Zatni Arbi JAKARTA (JP): It was indeed a funny coincidence that I should receive a 14-page news release faxed directly from a major software vendor in Singapore right after I presented my personal views on software piracy in my article last week. Although I know that stealing is stealing and that it is a black-and-white matter, the news release does shed some light on the rather shoddy business practices of one of the world's leading software companies.

Bee experts get together

Bee experts get together JAKARTA: The Asian Apicultural Association (AAA) will hold its second conference in Yogyakarta this week, the Ministry of Forestry said. The July 26-29 conference to be held at the Gadjah Mada University, will focus on bees and beekeeping for social welfare and sustainable development. It will also explore cooperate programs using foreign apicultural technology and to find markets for bee products.

Bintan to accommodate one million visitors

Bintan to accommodate one million visitors JAKARTA (JP): The development of tourism facilities will enable Bintan Island in Riau, currently inhabited by some 100,000 people, to accommodate up to one million visitors annually in the year 2000, a minister says. "There are currently four hotel projects under construction.

Surjadi complains municipal policy misunderstood

Surjadi complains municipal policy misunderstood JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja complained over the weekend that the administration is often misunderstood and erroneously termed as "cruel" by the public for demolishing the makeshift homes of squatters. "Such misunderstanding arises because municipal officials fail to properly communicate the administration's programs to the community," Surjadi said during a visit to Kalideres, West Jakarta.

Cry for justice often isn't heard in Indonesia

Cry for justice often isn't heard in Indonesia JAKARTA (JP): The cry for justice is rarely heard in Indonesia -- not because there is no cause for it -- but because the culture does not encourage people to indulge in such practices, according to a seminar on social justice. A number of speakers at the seminar felt that Indonesian culture dictates that most Indonesians simply accept their fate with little complaint. This includes when their interests or rights are being trampled.

Rubber output likely to fall by seven percent

Rubber output likely to fall by seven percent JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will fail to take advantage of the currently surging prices of natural rubber on the world market because a lengthy drought will probably slash its production by seven percent this year, an industry executive says. "It's a pity because our rubber production is decreasing while prices are increasing to their highest in four years," A.F.S.

Traffic

Traffic From Bisnis Indonesia Jakarta's streets are prone to traffic congestion including its toll roads. This is exacerbated by the fact that too many motorists are ignorant about traffic regulations. The recent shooting, involving an immigration official and the Jakarta military commander, on the toll road is a case in point. Imagine what could have happened if such a thing had befallen a civilian?

Fine photo shows held in Jakarta

Fine photo shows held in Jakarta Local photography lovers will have a special opportunity to observe fine photos at two exhibitions to be held this week in the capital. The first exhibition, called Kota Jakarta, is jointly organized by the French Cultural Center and the Jakarta Art Institute. The exhibition will be held at the Institute's gallery on Jl. Cikini Raya 73, Central Jakarta from July 29 through Aug. 3.

ASEAN: No social links to trade issues

ASEAN: No social links to trade issues By Pandaya BANGKOK (JP): ASEAN foreign ministers declared on Saturday that they rejected the inclusion of workers rights, labor standards and environmental issues in international trade agreements. Their views, issued in a joint statement at the end of the two-day ASEAN foreign ministerial meeting, may set stage for confrontation with their Western dialog partners who they meet today.

City detectives to testify in Guam drug tribunal soon

City detectives to testify in Guam drug tribunal soon JAKARTA (JP): Three Indonesian officials, including two police officers, and two Dutchmen charged with drug trafficking in the Central Jakarta District Court will go to the United States soon. Maj. Charles Marpaung, the chief detective at the Central Jakarta police precinct, told The Jakarta Post and Republika over the weekend the five were invited by U.S.

Govt studying demands to ban Moslem sect

Govt studying demands to ban Moslem sect JAKARTA (JP): The government says it is studying the demands made by a number of Moslem organizations to ban the activities of the Darul Arqam, a flourishing Moslem sect with headquarters in Malaysia. Attorney General Singgih said on Saturday that the fate of Darul Arqam will be determined at a coordination meeting scheduled for tomorrow involving his office, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Armed Forces and the Indonesian Moslem Council (MUI).

RI vows to win transponder leasing race

RI vows to win transponder leasing race JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia, with its 27 years of experience in satellite telecommunications technology, expects to come out on top in the competition in satellite transponder leasing in the Asia-Pacific region. The number of commercial transponders of the satellites covering the region is predicted to increase from about 500 this year to abut 800 next year.

Children see X-rated films

Children see X-rated films SEMARANG, Central Java: Many movie house operators in the city are violating the age limit by allowing children under 17 years of age to watch X-rated movies, according to a consumer protection agency. Spokesman for the Consumers' Protection and Supervision Agency Teguh Sudarisman said that a survey of the movie houses in the last two weeks showed that between five to 15 percent of the total seats at any screening are sold to minors.

Vietnam finally wins the confidence of ASEAN

Vietnam finally wins the confidence of ASEAN By Robert Templer HANOI (AFP): After decades of being seen as a Marxist peril with an expansionist eye, Vietnam's patient diplomacy has finally won the confidence of its once virulently anti-communist Southeast Asian neighbors. Now Vietnam's eventual membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is assured, the only question is how long it will take for Hanoi to overcome some of the administrative obstacles to joining the group.

UN to help return ethnic Vietnamese back home

UN to help return ethnic Vietnamese back home CHREY THOM, Cambodia (Reuter): Some 6,000 ethnic Vietnamese stranded at Cambodia's eastern river border for more than a year after fleeing Khmer Rouge massacres are suffering a growing sense of despair, a UN official says. Michael Kirby, the UN's human rights chief for Cambodia, said he would try quiet diplomacy to persuade the Phnom Penh government to let the group return to their homes.

Where to go in Jakarta:

Where to go in Jakarta: Music * The Aryaduta Jakarta, Jl. Prapatan 44-48, Central Jakarta: - Ambassador Lounge: Amir (pianist) Monday to Friday 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.; Boece (pianist) & Rima Monday to Thursday 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Friday & Saturday 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.; Jakarta String Fantasy Trio (chamber music) Sunday 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Saturday 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Yusuf (pianist), Sunday 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

ASEAN ministers meet 3 hours to discuss `anything under sun'

ASEAN ministers meet 3 hours to discuss `anything under sun' BANGKOK (JP): ASEAN foreign ministers will discuss regional security and political issues with their counterparts from 12 countries for the first time ever today. Predictably, the debut of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting will consist mostly of formalities as the 18 representatives only have three hours to discuss "anything under the sun", as one diplomat facetiously put it.

Over 350 junior lifters at Jakarta meet

Over 350 junior lifters at Jakarta meet JAKARTA (JP): More than 350 lifters from five continents are expected to meet in the 20th world junior weightlifting championships, scheduled to start tomorrow. The competition will include musclemen from 13 countries throughout Eastern Europe, dubbed the world's most prominent weightlifting region, who will likely prevail at the five-day competitions staged at Senayan indoor tennis stadium.

Law enforcers told to focus on illegal logging, fishing

Law enforcers told to focus on illegal logging, fishing JAKARTA (JP): The Attorney General's office, which has been preoccupied by the massive loan scandal at the government-owned Bapindo for the past six months, has been told to take a look at the forestry and fishing industries where there are reports of problems that are as just as serious. The order came directly from President Soeharto who reportedly believes that the government is losing a lot of money from illegal logging and fishing.

Civil servants and discipline

Civil servants and discipline Military discipline is admittedly tighter than civil servants' discipline. In this relation the Minister of Administrative Reforms, T.B. Silalahi, opines that civil servants' discipline needs to be enhanced. In his keynote speech before a seminar held by the Association of the Indonesian Indigenous Entrepreneurs (HIPPI), Minister Silalahi emphasized that military discipline should be imposed on civil servants.

New office slated for Kalideres

New office slated for Kalideres Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said the city administration would build a new subdistrict office for the Kalideres subdistrict, West Jakarta, to replace the present one which is in a dilapidated state. "We have been considering it for a long time, but the realization of the project depends on the government's financial ability," Surjadi said in response to question from a resident of the subdistrict. Surjadi visited Kalideres over the weekend.

PPP and elections

PPP and elections From Republika A popular political theory which gained currency several years ago held that a Moslem party would always get a second place in every general elections. It still holds today when we find that the Moslem-based PPP United Development Party is still suffering from internal bickering. The problem is not so much related to organizational issue or ideological one but the lack of sense of belonging among its members.

Greater Jakarta area faced with cement shortage

Greater Jakarta area faced with cement shortage JAKARTA (JP): Prices of cement in building materials stores across the Jakarta greater area remained high as of Saturday due to continued shortages. Many building material dealers in the greater Jakarta area, comprising the capital, Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi, sold cement at Rp 7,000 ( US$3.23) to Rp 7,250 per sack, between Rp 250 and Rp 500 higher than the ceiling prices regulated in a Jakarta gubernatorial decree.

Markets rally at the JSX falls short of expectations

Markets rally at the JSX falls short of expectations By Sigma Batara JAKARTA (JP): The market rally triggered by the listing of Indofood fell short of expectations, as the market slowed down with the JSX (Jakarta Stock Exchange) Composite Index losing 2.76 points to close at 459.07 last week. Overall trading was dominated by large selling orders from foreign investors, followed by domestic players. Market sentiment deteriorated on Thursday and Friday as the U.S.

More Islamic banks needed to promote Moslem entrepreneurs

More Islamic banks needed to promote Moslem entrepreneurs JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia needs to set up more interest-free Islamic banks to help promote Moslem entrepreneurs and allow them to compete better with the powerful conglomerates, noted economist Sri Bintang Pamungkas says.

Water supply down 5%

Water supply down 5% UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi: The water supply of the city water company in Lekopaccing has fallen by five percent because of the drought, the Antara news agency said. Director P.A. Tanriajeng said the city might be facing a water crisis if the decline persists. To conserve water, the company has begun a rationing system for its customers, he said. The company has recently built a new water plant with a capacity of 200 liters per second in the Maccini Sombala subdistrict.

Water supply turns salty

Water supply turns salty BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: Water from the Barito and Martapura rivers running through the city have been contaminated by salt, causing problems to the local water supply company. The company's officials said that the company has shut down a number of its water-treatment plants because of the contamination. The company has plans to bring water to the disrupted areas by tank-trucks, the Antara news agency reported. (pwn)

Cement dust polluting

Cement dust polluting From Media Indonesia The cement dust discharged by a concrete factory company located in Serpong, Tangerang, West Java, is heavily polluting our residential area in Kademangan village. Even though we have reported the problem to the regent, the private company, P.T. Karya Beton is still discharging the chemical dust which is known to be very harmful to health.

Madura workers are AIDS free

Madura workers are AIDS free SURABAYA, East Java: The local health authorities say a number of Madura women workers who were deported from Brunei have been tested negative for AIDS. The workers were given the boot by the Brunei government because they were believed to be carrying the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which causes AIDS. The workers returned to their home town in Bangkalan in the Madura island and underwent health tests.

Ministers set up fund for ASEAN

Ministers set up fund for ASEAN BANGKOK (JP): ASEAN foreign ministers signed an agreement Saturday on the establishment of a Fund for ASEAN that will pool member countries' contributions for collaborative projects. The agreement provides for a new structure for the ASEAN fund, which was established in 1969, and the guidelines for the fund's utilization and management.

UMNO official condemns Al-Arqam's founder

UMNO official condemns Al-Arqam's founder KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): A senior member of Malaysia's ruling party yesterday condemned a local Islamic leader, living under self- exile in Thailand, for claiming to be more popular than Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and proposing a national referendum to prove it.

Pros and cons linger over govt plan on foreign ownership limit

Pros and cons linger over govt plan on foreign ownership limit By Hendarsyah Tarmizi JAKARTA (JP): The government's plan to ease restrictions on foreign share ownership of companies listed on the capital market has raised questions about the pros and cons. Those for easing the limit imposed on foreign investors from the present 49 percent say it will play an important part in helping revitalize the sluggish market.

Indonesians get ASEAN achievement awards

Indonesians get ASEAN achievement awards By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat KUALA LUMPUR (JP): Two Indonesians have emerged among the 10 prominent people receiving awards from the ASEAN Business Forum for their distinguished achievements in certain sectors. The awards were presented by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in a gala dinner at the Crown Princess Hotel here on Friday evening.

Osaka to host APEC meet

Osaka to host APEC meet TOKYO (AFP): Next year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum summit will probably be held in November in Osaka, western Japan, it was reported here Saturday. Japan will chair the 18-member grouping next year. Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama is expected to make a final decision about Osaka soon, Jiji Press quoted government sources as saying. This year's APEC summit will be held in the Indonesian city of Bogor in November.

Schizophrenic man dies at healer's treatment

Schizophrenic man dies at healer's treatment JAKARTA (JP): Police said over the weekend that they have arrested a traditional healer following the death of a male schizophrenic under his treatment. "Kemayoran district police have picked up the healer for questioning," said Lt. Col. Latief, the spokesman for City Police. Latief identified the traditional healer as Sutiyono Andreas, 45, a resident of Jl. Swadaya, Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.

Yen rise drives attention away from Japanese products

Yen rise drives attention away from Japanese products By Andreas Harsono JAKARTA (JP): The sharp appreciation of the Japanese yen against major currencies and the rupiah has made a number of economists and businessmen turn their attention to non-Japanese products. Economists Pande Radja Silalahi and Hadi Soesastro of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said recently that it is high time for Indonesia to look for other choices and to diversify its import sources.

Challenges to PPP

Challenges to PPP From Republika The challenges facing the Moslem based United Development Party (PPP) are not unlike those facing other organizations. They are, among others, the need for more openness, the fight against human rights abuses and the widening gap between the rich and the poor posed by rapid social changes and poor quality human resources. To be able to address these challenges, the PPP must first keep its own house in order.

Family planning

Family planning I was amazed to read the headline in The Jakarta Post, on July 8, 1994 that Vatican accuses West of biological colonialism. In terms of the development tendency of new biology, I totally agree with it. The anxiety raised by the church or any religious leaders regarding the modern method of family planning is reasonable. To curb the population explosion, contraception alone is not enough.

Red Cross to train medical assistants

Red Cross to train medical assistants JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Chapter of the Indonesian Red Cross in cooperation with the Ministry of Health will train 25 high school graduates to work as blood transfusion assistants starting this year. "They will be educated until they are capable of taking blood. They will get a diploma after completing their one year course," Sukantini, chief of the Jakarta Red Cross transfusion unit, said over the weekend.

Incineration of press vehicle in Dili probed

Incineration of press vehicle in Dili probed DILI, East Timor: Police say they are investigating the incineration of a Kijang van belonging to the daily Suara Timor Timur (Voice of East Timor) outside the newspaper's office in the early hours on Saturday. Reporters working for the newspaper said the incident was the latest act of intimidation which they have been subjected to since the newspaper began publication in February last year.

West Java wins Koranic reading contest

West Java wins Koranic reading contest JAKARTA (JP): West Java emerged as the overall winner of the week-long Koranic reading contest, which was formally closed by Vice President Try Sutrisno in Pekanbaru, Riau, on Saturday. West Java contestants came away with top prizes in five categories, second in six categories and third in three categories, to earn the right to take home the President Soeharto Cup for the second time running.

AIDS talks planned

AIDS talks planned JAKARTA: The government plans to summon leaders from all 27 provincial governments to Jakarta next month to review the problems of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and ways of halting the spread of the fatal disease. The national congress on AIDS is slated for Aug. 23-24, according to the Ministry of Health's Directorate for Eradicating Direct Contagious Diseases.

Former minister criticized protectionism in rich nations

Former minister criticized protectionism in rich nations JAKARTA (JP): A former minister has criticized industrial countries for trying to protect their domestic industries through pretexts of linking trade with human rights issues.

Software piracy

Software piracy Mr. Zatni Arbi's stand on software piracy (The Jakarta Post, July 18, 1994) followed by Mr. Fenton's letter supporting outright admissions of piracy are very interesting and timely. They do, however, make some compelling points, particularly for individual users of PCs: the cost can be prohibitive for most Indonesians to buy original software. Mr. Fenton, however, I suspect can well afford to be honest but chooses not to.