'Infrastructure needs private investment' JAKARTA (JP): State Minister for National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita yesterday restated the importance of private sector involvement in the development of Indonesia's infrastructure. Ginandjar told a World Bank-sponsored international conference on infrastructure that without the involvement of the private sector, the government would certainly fail to sustain the country's economic growth.

Deported boy leaves for S'pore SURABAYA: Four-year-old Andreya Masaru Miyakoshi and his Indonesian mother, Atik Kristia Yuliani, flew to Singapore yesterday where they are to stay two days before returning to Indonesia. Andreya, born a Japanese citizen because of the citizenship of his father, Mitsuo Miyakoshi, was deported for overstaying his visa by more than seven months. Andreya's visa expired in May.

ACeS to sign deal with Russian firm JAKARTA (JP): PT Asia Cellular Satellite System (ACeS), a Jakarta-based satellite telecommunications provider, is to sign a contract on Sep. 24 to launch its satellite in 1998 with Russia's Krunichev Enterprise. ACeS's chief executive officer, Adi Rahman Adiwoso, told reporters here yesterday that the launch costs would be about US$70 million, far lower than the prices charged by other launch providers such as Arianespace of France.

Thailand's rating downgraded BANGKOK (Reuter): A downgrade of Thailand's short-term rating by Moody's Investors Service was negative for the country and could affect future prospects for its borrowers, financial analysts said yesterday. They were commenting on a report from London which said Moody's had downgraded Thailand's short-term sovereign ceiling ratings for bank deposits and other short-term obligations to Prime 2 from Prime 1.