Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 6 May 1996

40 articles found

Limited passenger bus

Limited passenger bus From Neraca I am disappointed by public transportation in Jakarta, particularly the ordinary limited-passenger buses popularly known as Patas non-AC buses. Firstly, I feel that the fare increase is too high, particularly since the service has not improved. Secondly, the bus crew has very little concern for the safety of passengers.

Tangkuban Perahu neglected

Tangkuban Perahu neglected From Republika Some guests of ours from Holland wanted to see the crater of Tangkuban Perahu very much. It seems to be a wellknown place there, listed on a priority list of "must-see" tourist sites. However, we were terribly disappointed when we got there. The place was not signposted, so we had to hire a guide. We wanted to find our own way, but were told that the place was hard to find and that we might get lost.

Six dead as boat capsizes

Six dead as boat capsizes CEBU, Philippines (AFP): Six people were confirmed dead after a motorboat, carrying a cargo of seaweed, capsized in a freak storm off the waters of nearby Culasi town, the coast guard said yesterday. The wooden-hulled boat was carrying 15 passengers and a load of seaweed, which is grown commercially in the central Philippines, when a freak storm broke out on May 3, causing the vessel to capsize.

Jobless youth kills dentist

Jobless youth kills dentist JAKARTA (JP): A 20-year-old unemployed man murdered a dentist in October after he could not afford to pay his Rp 10,000 (US$4.2) bill, the district court in Medan, North Sumatra, was told Saturday. "The dentist died after the defendant cut his throat with a knife," prosecutor Edwar Sianturi said over the weekend. On seeing the dying dentist, the accused stole Rp 400,000 cash and four grams of jewelry from the victim's drawer, the prosecutor said.

Indorent seeks $10m

Indorent seeks $10m JAKARTA (JP): Indorent, a member of the Indomobil Group, expects to raise around US$10 million from the issuance of its short-term notes in Singapore last week. The company announced Saturday that the fresh funds to be raised from the three-year debt instruments would be used to boost its car rental activities.

TV today

TV today TVRI 2:30 p.m. Travel: My Country 2:35 TV Series: Saber Rider and The Star Sheriff 3:05 Children Program: Anak Anak Indonesia 3:30 TV Series: Major Dad 4:00 News: Lintasan Berita 4:05 Science: Heart of Courage 4:30 Quiz: Cepat Tepat 5:00 Regional News 5:30 Technology 6:05 Nusantara, the Beloved Country 6:15 Village Program 7:00 Evening News 7:25 Garuda Pancasila/Filler/Trailer 7:30 TV Drama: Keluarga Selamat 8:05 Religion: Mozaik 9:00 World News 9:30 Music: Gebyar Musik 10:30 Late News...

Supreme Court teams ill-suited for investigation

Supreme Court teams ill-suited for investigation YOGYAKARTA (JP): The Supreme Court should not be allowed to use internal bodies to investigate charges that a group of Supreme Court justices took bribes from a businessman on trial for falsifying property documents, a legal expert said over the weekend.

Where to go in Jakarta:

Where to go in Jakarta: Music * Hotel Dai-ichi, Jl. Senen Raya 135, Central Jakarta. - Mezzanine Lounge: The Praise Vocal Group, Nightly except Sundays, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. * Hotel Aryaduta, Jl. Prapatan 44-48, Central Jakarta: - Ambiente Italian Restaurant: Los Morenitos Vocal Group, Monday, Thursday, Sunday from 7:15 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Los Paraguas Vocal Group, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday from 7:15 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Obituary

Obituary JAKARTA (JP): Well-known comedian S. Diran died of a stroke and diabetes complications at his residence in Jakarta on Saturday. He was 59. Born in the Central Java seaport city of Cilacap on July 2, 1937, Diran is survived by his wife Eli Mariah, five grown-up children and three grandchildren. He was buried at the Joglo Public Cemetery in West Jakarta at 1 p.m. Saturday near the grave of his eldest child, who died five years ago.

RI's external debt high but manageable: Salomon

RI's external debt high but manageable: Salomon JAKARTA (JP): Although Indonesia's external debt burden is relatively high, it remains manageable, investment bank Salomon Brothers Inc. believes. In its latest report on its sovereign assessment on Indonesia, the bank said that the country's external debt burden is overweighted because there is very little domestic debt.

Wall Street recovery to support JSX stocks

Wall Street recovery to support JSX stocks JAKARTA (JP): Analysts mostly feel uncertain on share price movements this week as Wall Street's performance will be the key factor in foreign fund managers' decision on whether to come back to the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX).

Books: A resource for all

Books: A resource for all From Neraca Books are said to be storehouses of knowledge, windows on the world, torches in the darkness and other names. The truth is that books are useful for mankind. No one will ever deny that books can widen their readers insights, and that they will endlessly talk to their users. But as far as Indonesia is concerned, there are conflicting policies concerning the publication of books.

Lotus Word Pro 96 for joint editing

Lotus Word Pro 96 for joint editing By Zatni Arbi JAKARTA (JP0: Can you think of any novel and useful features that could -- and maybe should -- be incorporated in the already feature-laden word processors of the current generation? Well, perhaps it is a bit hard to come up with some truly, extraordinarily useful ideas.

One killed in Surakarta fire

One killed in Surakarta fire SURAKARTA, Central Java: A maid was killed and two persons badly injured when fire razed a house in Banjarsari near here over the weekend. The 30-minute fire destroyed the house of Hadisumarto, burning to death Partini, 30, and seriously injuring her four-year-old son and Hadisumarto's 55-year-old wife. The police are still investigating the cause of the fire that broke out at 9:30 p.m. on Friday.

Wynncor Bali gets $60m loan facility

Wynncor Bali gets $60m loan facility JAKARTA (JP): The Bank of Tokyo has arranged a US$60 million term loan for PT Wynncor Bali, a member of PT Jan Darmadi Corporation Group of Companies which has businesses in property development. The group announced over the weekend that the participants in the facility are the Bank of Tokyo, acting as arranger, Citibank N.A. as co-arranger and Banque Paribas and the Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank Limited, as lead managers.

Policy stability

Policy stability The chief economist at the New York-based Salomon Brothers Inc. securities company, John P. Lipsky, tried last week to address the jitters, notably among foreign investors, over the likely impact of next year's election for House of Representatives and the presidential election in March 1998 on Indonesia's economic policies. Lipsky, as expected, did not touch upon the highly delicate and tricky issue of any change in the national leadership (president).

Democratization yet to take hold in RI: Experts

Democratization yet to take hold in RI: Experts YOGYAKARTA (JP): The current political system allows very little room for the public to participate in the decision-making process, experts said Saturday. Constitutional law expert Yusril Ihza Mahendra, political scientist Arbi Sanit and sociologist Nasikun explored in a discussion on politics here a number of flaws in the political system. They concluded that democratization has yet to take hold in Indonesia.

Investors invited to build sugar mills outside Java

Investors invited to build sugar mills outside Java JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) Beddu Amang enticed both domestic and foreign investors Saturday to take advantage of the government's plan to set up 15 new sugar mills outside Java in the next few years. "I challenge both local and foreign investors to take part in the establishment of new sugar factories," he said after delivering his speech at the University of North Sumatra in Medan.

NU youths said playing politics

NU youths said playing politics SEMARANG: Moslem youth organization Ansor, which is affiliated to the 30-million member Nahdlatul Ulama, was warned against playing politics and to not lose sight of its social mission. NU chief Abdurrahman Wahid said here Sunday night that he was worried about several Ansor activists in Jakarta who have set their own political targets.

ASEAN officials to meet in C. Java

ASEAN officials to meet in C. Java JAKARTA (JP): Senior officials from the seven members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will gather in Yogyakarta tomorrow for a three-day meeting as a precursor to the ministerial meeting due to be held here in July. The meeting in Yogyakarta is the third of four preparatory meetings which will set the stage for issues to be tackled by the ministers.

No speedy end to parking problems

No speedy end to parking problems JAKARTA (JP): Jakartans continue to complain about their parking problems while at the same time exacerbating their daily difficulty of finding a spot to leave their vehicles. And after years of seeking a solution to the city's parking crisis, the administration has issued no regulations or taken sanctions to serve as a guide to law enforcers and violators alike.

'Toxic pollutants must be phased out'

'Toxic pollutants must be phased out' BANDUNG (JP): The use of chemicals containing persistent organic pollutants in the agricultural and industrial sectors must be phased out before they cause irreparable damage to the country's marine resources, a government official said Saturday. "Persistent organic pollutants need a very long time to decompose.

Union leaders decry deal with cigarette firms

Union leaders decry deal with cigarette firms JAKARTA (JP): Leaders of the All-Indonesia Workers Union Federation (FSPSI) are outraged by their branch representing the cigarette industry, which cut a deal with cigarette companies to postpone the enforcement of a government ruling on new minimum wages. Federation chairman Datoek Bagindo said the deal, struck by Tosari Wijaya, the chairman of the Federation's Union for Cigarette, Tobacco, Food and Beverage Workers, was a "sell-out".

Rights abuse in Ujungpandang

Rights abuse in Ujungpandang Strong indications have been found of human rights violations during the protests by students in Ujungpandang. That, in part, was the gist of the statement made by the Secretary-General of the National Commission on Human Rights, Prof. Dr. Baharuddin Lopa, before his departure from Ujungpandang for Jakarta on Friday. The previous day, the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, Soesilo Soedarman, appealed to all parties concerned to be patient.

RI lifter wins world laurels

RI lifter wins world laurels JAKARTA (JP): Sri Indriyanti stole a little bit of thunder when she won a gold in the junior world weightlifting championships in Warsaw on Friday. Budi Santoso of the Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association said on Saturday that Southeast Asian Games silver medalist Indriyanti scored a total lift of 165 kilograms and broke a meet record in her gold medal winning attempt.

Malaysia's new economic blueprint to steady growth

Malaysia's new economic blueprint to steady growth By Chen May Yee KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia's new economic blue-print to be unveiled this week is expected to apply gentle brakes to surging growth while pushing the service sector and an inadequate labor force to catch up. The five-year Seventh Malaysia Plan is likely to target annual growth of eight percent, down from the torrid 8.8 percent of the previous plan, analysts said.

PTP Agrintara beset with project delays

PTP Agrintara beset with project delays JAKARTA (JP): The state-owned PTP Agrintara may lose billions of rupiah due to the price escalations and delays in the completion of its rubber goods factory in Purwakarta, West Java, and palm oil refining and oleochemical plant on Batam island, officials say.

Another near-miss bus accident

Another near-miss bus accident From Media Indonesia On April 27, 1996, at about 6:45 p.m. my children and I were riding on the Masstrans P20 limited passenger air conditioned bus on the Senen-Lebak Bulus route, in the hope that it would be safer and more convenient than taking a Metromini bus. When approaching the intersection near Gunung Sahari, the driver braked suddenly to avoid a collision with an oncoming vehicle.

Benny to lead Jakarta in National Games

Benny to lead Jakarta in National Games JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's former Davis Cup team member Benny Wijaya will lead Jakarta in the upcoming 14th National Games here this September. "The Jakarta team will be stronger with his existence," coach Yustedjo Tarik said after officially announcing the provincial tennis team lineup on Saturday.

100,000 Buddhists to attend Waisak

100,000 Buddhists to attend Waisak SEMARANG: An estimated 100,000 Buddhists from both Indonesia and abroad will attend the annual Waisak, or Buddha's Day of Enlightenment, at the temple of Borobudur on June 2. Sungkono Kusumadi of the Indonesian Buddhist Council said Saturday that the celebration committee has invited Buddhist leaders from Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Singapore.

Philippine budget deficit

Philippine budget deficit MANILA (AFP): The Philippine government reported a budget deficit of 1.6 billion pesos (US$61.5 million) in the three months to March, Budget Secretary Salvador Enriquez said Saturday.

Regular schools refuse the blind

Regular schools refuse the blind JAKARTA (JP): The government's efforts to "mainstream" blind children is often scuppered by the refusal of regular schools to take them in alongside able-bodied students, an official says. Rosyid Rosihan of the Ministry of Education and Culture said in a seminar to commemorate National Education Day here Saturday that many schools fear that taking in blind children may cause them extra work.

CPC buys RI naphtha

CPC buys RI naphtha TAIPEI (Reuter): Taiwan's state-run Chinese Petroleum Corp (CPC) said it signed two preliminary agreements with groups of petrochemical firms on Saturday, paving the way for a plan to move its No. 2 naphtha cracker to Indonesia. The first pact involves the formation of a joint venture with several Taiwanese and Indonesian firms for the operation of CPC's No. 2 cracker once it is moved to Indonesia from Taiwan's southern city of Kaohsiung, a CPC statement said.

ABRI says no force used in riot

ABRI says no force used in riot JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) chief of sociopolitical affairs Maj. Gen. Syarwan Hamid says the military's handling of the recent student demonstration in Ujungpandang, during which three students died, was not a case of repression. "It's not a case of the military repressing students or the public," he said in a seminar on the military's role in the country's political life at the Surabaya Institute of Technology on Saturday.

N. Jakarta has 1,110 officers

N. Jakarta has 1,110 officers JAKARTA (JP): The North Jakarta mayoralty, with 1.1 million residents, has only 1,110 police officers, meaning that one officer serves 1,000 people. The outgoing North Jakarta Police Precinct chief, Lt. Col. Abubakar Nataprawira said over the weekend that ideally the government should double the number of officers, Antara reported. The capital city, with a population of almost nine million, now has 16,000 police officers.

Energy should influence Asia's politics

Energy should influence Asia's politics By Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo JAKARTA (JP): East Asia's economic growth is the highest in the world and will remain so at least for the coming decade. Yet, Japan and the Asian Dragons (South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore) are not the only nations to have demonstrated their economic drive. Other East Asian nations are joining the high growth club.

Rice crops may be destroyed

Rice crops may be destroyed CILACAP, Central Java: Some 20,000 hectares of rice fields in 67 villages in 6 districts may be lost due to the failure of a pump of the Gambarsari irrigation system and the decreasing water level in Serayu River. A number of farmers, fearing their crops may be destroyed, have rerouted irrigation pipes and siphoned water into their fields. The local authorities are watching over the irrigation to prevent other farmers from doing the same.

Kalibaru poor families want more aid

Kalibaru poor families want more aid JAKARTA (JP): Forty poor families living in Kalibaru subdistrict in North Jakarta asked the government over the weekend to provide them with more financial aid to develop their small businesses. Asikin, a head of the neighborhood community, said that his group has difficulties developing and marketing their products, particularly pillows, owing to a dearth of capital.

Handicraft festival in Cibinong

Handicraft festival in Cibinong BOGOR, West Java (JP): A handicraft festival, sponsored by the Bogor administration's handicraft council, is to be held in Cibinong, some 30 km east of the city, from May 7 to May 11. Artisans from 33 subdistricts, state-owned companies and private-sector firms are expected to take part in the five-day event.

Honorary doctors

Honorary doctors From Kompas The fact that the Health Department sends honorary doctors to the regions is laudable. But there is a problem with its implementation. In Tangerang, West Java, for instance, several doctors are working at a single village clinic. I don't mind this surplus of doctors as long as the community enjoys satisfactory services. Unfortunately, this glut of doctors is no guarantee that people get the medical care they need. The doctors take turns to staff the clinic.