Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 19 August 1997

65 articles found

Activists appeal to Supreme Court

Activists appeal to Supreme Court JAKARTA (JP): The leader and activists of the unrecognized Democratic People's Party (PRD) convicted of subversion filed an appeal to the Supreme Court yesterday.The PRD's chairman, Budiman Sudjatmiko, and activists Garda Sembiring, Yakobus Eko Kurniawan, Ignatius...

Soeharto awards dedicated model citizens

Soeharto awards dedicated model citizens JAKARTA (JP): The "common person" got a day in the limelight yesterday as 1,407 selected exemplary individuals, many of whom are low-ranking civil servants from the country's most remote areas, were awarded for their dedication and achievement.

Foreign tourist arrivals recover after decrease

Foreign tourist arrivals recover after decrease JAKARTA (JP): Foreign tourist arrivals through seven major entry points in Indonesia recovered in June after continuous decreases in April and May.Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications data shows the number of tourists arriving in Indonesia...

Bofors accused of exporting to RI

Bofors accused of exporting to RI STOCKHOLM (AFP): Swedish arms firm Bofors received permission from Swedish authorities to export weapons parts to Indonesia despite opposition from the Swedish Trade Control Council, a Swedish weapons export researcher revealed yesterday.

Unrelieved woes hits SE Asia rubber trade

Unrelieved woes hits SE Asia rubber trade SINGAPORE (Reuter): Anemic regional currencies and the daunting prospect Bangkok may sell-off its excess rubber stocks will keep the rubber trade in Southeast Asia mired in a bearish rut, traders said yesterday.

Fourteen arrested for staging rally

Fourteen arrested for staging rally BOGOR (JP): Police have arrested 14 street protesters for criticizing the government during an Independence Day anniversary rally here Sunday.Another protester, identified as Sinaga, is still at large.Bogor Police Chief Col.

PT DSTP cooperates with Bank DKI to sell shares

PT DSTP cooperates with Bank DKI to sell shares JAKARTA (JP): PT Dua Satu Tiga Puluh (DSTP), a company assigned to support the N-2130 passenger national jet aircraft project, signed an agreement yesterday with the city-owned Bank DKI to facilitate the public offering of its shares.

Chinese doctors released

Chinese doctors released JAKARTA (JP): Five Chinese doctors who were arrested last month for allegedly violating their work permits have been released and allowed to continue practicing traditional Chinese medicine, government officials announced yesterday.

Kapuk residents reject eviction

Kapuk residents reject eviction JAKARTA (JP): At least 25 residents of Kapuk subdistrict, West Jakarta, visited the National Commission on Human Rights office yesterday, protesting the West Jakarta Mayoralty's plan to evict them from their homes for an expansion of a pig stable.

Poor villages become fewer

Poor villages become fewer BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: The number of villages that qualify for the government's special grant for poor villages in South Kalimantan has declined from 765 in the 1996/1997 fiscal year to 298 villages in the current 1997/1998 fiscal year.

Hari, Joko may reach Sanyo semis: Coach

Hari, Joko may reach Sanyo semis: Coach JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's Hariyanto Arbi and Joko Suprianto have a good chance of reaching the semifinals of the 1997 Sanyo World Cup Badminton Championship in Yogyakarta this week.

City cracks down on illegal groundwater use

City cracks down on illegal groundwater use JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta administration has sealed off artesian wells sunk illegally at 246 houses in its latest effort to control the use of ground water.In an operation from January to July, the administration closed 181 household wells in Pulo Gadung,...

Sempati stops Dili flights

Sempati stops Dili flights DILI, E. Timor: East Timor Legislative Council chief Armindo Soares Mariano appealed to Sempati Air to reconsider its decision to terminate its flight services between Jakarta and Dili.

Observers call for govt role in PDI reunification

Observers call for govt role in PDI reunification SEMARANG (JP): Two leading observers called yesterday for government arbitration if rival factions within the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) agree to discuss much-awaited reconciliation.

Three drowned in boat accident

Three drowned in boat accident PALANGKA RAYA, C. Kalimantan: Three employees of state-owned PT Hutama Karya drowned and twelve others are still missing in the Kapuas River, Central Kalimantan, when a motorboat ferrying them home hit the Kapuas Murung bridge and capsized Saturday night.

TV contributions

TV contributions The explanation given last week by Jakarta's military commander Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso, about the use of Bakorstanasda personnel to help state TV networks collect compulsory "contributions" from TV owners, may satisfy some people.

Stock Exchange

Stock ExchangeStock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on August 18, 1997: Shares Close Change Trading Volume -------------------------------------------------------- Ades Alfindo 750 -125 1,000 AHAP Insurance 2,500 0 0 Alter Abadi 1,000 50 3,500 Alumindo Light Metal 1,150 -50...

Councilors, YLKI query resumption of TV tax

Councilors, YLKI query resumption of TV tax JAKARTA (JP): City councilors and the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) have strongly questioned the justification for state-owned television station TVRI to resume collecting fees from television owners in Greater Jakarta later this month.

Registry office

Registry officeFrom RepublikaThe registry office in Central Jakarta has proved itself inefficient in the handling of an application for my daughter's birth certificate.On May 19, 1997 I handed over all the necessary documents for my request to be processed.

SE Asian monies may recover soon

SE Asian monies may recover soon SINGAPORE (Reuter): Most of Southeast Asia's major currencies are expected to end the year slightly higher than they are now after being battered over the past three months in a regional shakeout, a poll of currency experts showed.

Do we need a foreign policy board?

Do we need a foreign policy board?By Aleksius Jemadu JAKARTA (JP): The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) recently held a seminar about the performance of Indonesia's foreign policy.One of the participants, Hasnan Habib, put forward the idea that Indonesia should establish a...

Police bill goes ahead despite criticism

Police bill goes ahead despite criticism JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives has completed its deliberation of a controversial police bill and plans to endorse it early next month despite public criticism over some of its articles.

Rupiah hits new low against dollar as share prices fall

Rupiah hits new low against dollar as share prices fall JAKARTA (JP): The rupiah hit another low yesterday surpassing the 3,000 level against the U.S. dollar as share prices slumped 3.2 percent, dealers said.

Bung Karno's testament

Bung Karno's testamentFrom Merdeka"Indonesia's first president Bung Karno's family have made statements, which I have read in various newspapers, that Soekarno wrote a testament describing the place he wanted to be buried.

Currency woes drive down stocks across Asia

Currency woes drive down stocks across Asia SINGAPORE (Agencies): Stock markets across Asia ended lower yesterday, dragged down by Friday's staggering assault on Wall Street and continued volatility in local currency markets.

Kia opens plant in China

Kia opens plant in China SEOUL (AFP): South Korea's ailing auto maker, Kia Group, yesterday became the country's first car manufacturer in China as it opened a joint venture plant in Yancheng, Kia officials said.

ASEAN 'must cooperate' in financial arena

ASEAN 'must cooperate' in financial arena SINGAPORE (Reuter): Southeast Asia will suffer more pain over the next few months after its bruising in the currency market, Deutsche Bank Group chief economist Norbert Walter said on Monday.

Where to go in Jakarta:

Where to go in Jakarta:Exhibitions * Doll Exhibition: by Siana Kristiani, at Galeri TC, Jl. Kemang Raya No. 24A South Jakarta, 11.30 a.m. to 12 a.m., until Sept. 13. * Graphics Exhibition: A European View (of Indonesia), old lithographs, engravings, and other graphics from Europe revealing the old...

More haj pilgrims from S. Kalimantan

More haj pilgrims from S. Kalimantan BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: The quota for South Kalimantan's haj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia next year has been increased by 140 to 7,340, an official said yesterday.

PTPN to build sugar mill

PTPN to build sugar mill JAKARTA (JP): A consortium comprising five state-owned plantation companies (PTPN) plans to build and operate a sugar mill in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi.The companies are PTPN VII in Lampung, PTPN X in Surabaya (East Java), PTPN IX in Semarang (Central Java) and PTPN XIV...

EVA Air and Merpati to link Bali and Taipei

EVA Air and Merpati to link Bali and Taipei JAKARTA (JP): State-owned Merpati Nusantara Airlines and EVA Air of Taiwan have signed a commercial agreement expanding both passenger and cargo services linking the tourist island of Bali in Indonesia and Taipei.

SE Asian currencies still in trouble

SE Asian currencies still in trouble SINGAPORE (Reuter): Southeast Asian currencies continued to be hit by poor investor sentiment yesterday despite government attempts at the weekend to calm volatile markets.

Scholarly freedom under political attack

Scholarly freedom under political attackBy Mochtar Buchori JAKARTA (JP): The Aug. 6, 1997 edition of The Jakarta Post carried an article by Andrew Higgins discussing a possible threat to academic freedom in Hong Kong. Higgins mentioned two events which denoted this possibility.

Seven Indonesian vessels impounded

Seven Indonesian vessels impounded PERTH, Australia (AFP): Seven Indonesian fishing vessels apprehended off Western Australia's northwest coast on suspicion of fishing illegally in Australian waters, are being escorted to the pearling port of Broome, officials said yesterday.

Ebony seized in Ujungpandang

Ebony seized in Ujungpandang UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi: The city administration has confiscated 1,959 cubic meters of ebony believed to be illegal.Authorities are investigating the manager of a Japanese joint venture company. The ebony was discovered at the company's storehouse.

Ramos attacks ship neglecters

Ramos attacks ship neglecters MANILA (AFP): President Fidel Ramos called on the judiciary and regulatory agencies yesterday to punish the "neglect and the greed" behind three disasters involving domestic shipping which left 22 people dead in the Philippines last week.

School principal's bank account

School principal's bank account According to Sri Sudono Sumarto, the head of the Jakarta regional office of the Ministry of Education and Culture, it is wrong for parents' association (BP3) funds to be deposited into the personal bank account of a school principal.

Taking stock

Taking stock President Soeharto, in his speech before a plenary session of the House of Representatives on Saturday, emphasized the importance of prudence on the part of both the government and the community in braving the current monetary developments.

Manpower bill talks in progress

Manpower bill talks in progress JAKARTA (JP): Legislators deliberating the widely-criticized manpower bill claimed yesterday they have achieved progress by including a provision that the establishment of workers' unions is to be regulated by a separate law.

Ousted Ranariddh urges ASEAN to help end war

Ousted Ranariddh urges ASEAN to help end war MANILA (Reuter): Ousted Cambodian co-premier Prince Norodom Ranariddh urged Southeast Asian nations yesterday to help prevent civil war in his country.A civil war in Cambodia would directly affect neighboring Vietnam, Thailand and Laos and ASEAN as a...

Former police officer killed

Former police officer killed JAKARTA (JP): A retired police officer was killed in a chain collision on Jl. Wiyoto Wiyono toll road in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, yesterday.Brig. Gen. (ret.) Sudiantoro, 61, of Tanjung Barat, West Jakarta, was the only fatality in the accident involving five vehicles,...

Southeast Asia's highest peak

Southeast Asia's highest peak KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad proclaimed Sunday the new height for Mount Kinabalu, Southeast Asia's highest peak, was 4,095.2 meters above sea level.That's 5.

Analysts criticize state economic management

Analysts criticize state economic management JAKARTA (JP): Observers spoke out yesterday against what they called the growing clout of capital owners in the country's social, economic and political scenes.

SEA Games sharpshooters go for overseas stint

SEA Games sharpshooters go for overseas stint JAKARTA (JP): National sharp shooters, training for the 19th SEA Games, will go to Taiwan for a series of trials from Aug. 21 to Aug. 29.Twenty-five SEA Games sharpshooters are expected to improve their skills through a series of overseas matches before...

Yayuk and Vis win du Maurier Open

Yayuk and Vis win du Maurier Open TORONTO (Agencies): Indonesia's Yayuk Basuki and Caroline Vis of the Netherlands upset the second-seeded team of Nicole Arendt and Manon Bollegraf of the Netherlands 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 at the du Maurier Open on Sunday.

Australia offers 300 scholarships

Australia offers 300 scholarships JAKARTA (JP): The Australian government is offering 300 scholarships for postgraduate study in Australia in 1988.A counselor at the Australian Embassy, Margaret Regnault, said Australia's special interest in the development of Eastern Indonesia was evident with at...

PTTEP on credit watch

PTTEP on credit watch BANGKOK (AFP): Standard and Poor said yesterday it placed its "A" long term foreign currency rating for Thailand's PTT Exploration and Production Co. Ltd. (PTTEP) on watch for a possible downgrade.

KL tin prices weaken

KL tin prices weaken KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Malaysia's spot tin price fell six cents to 14.59 ringgit (US$5.26) a kilogram yesterday due to uncertainties over the ringgit and an overnight fall on the London Metal Exchange (LME), traders said.

Couple die in traffic accident

Couple die in traffic accident JAKARTA (JP): A young man and his lover died in a traffic accident in North Jakarta Sunday afternoon.The man, Yosneal Feriston Radja, 24, and Yusnelli, 19, fell from the motorcycle they were riding at high speed on Jl. Yos Sudarso.

Piercing distrust with new defense white paper

Piercing distrust with new defense white paperBy M. Riefqi Muna JAKARTA (JP): Much has been happening in Indonesian defense circles in the last three months: the release of the second Defense White Paper (DWP); the opening of the country's largest military training center, in Lampung; the plan for...

BISTEC determined to forge regional powerhouse

BISTEC determined to forge regional powerhouseBy Baladas Goshal NEW DELHI (JP): In new international economic relations, and the regionalization of the world order in the post-Cold War period, formation of regional economic blocs have become the order of the day.

Australian universities to fight race image in Asia

Australian universities to fight race image in Asia SYDNEY (Reuter): Australian universities will launch a marketing drive into Asia to counter negative publicity by race row politician Pauline Hanson, which they believe is threatening Australia's lucrative overseas student industry.

Teenager killed for robbery

Teenager killed for robbery JAKARTA (JP): A teenager was mobbed to death in Bekasi after being caught attempting to rob a building materials shop on Sunday morning, a City Police spokesman said yesterday.Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said that Iptikar, 17, died of his injuries on the way to the hospital.

Hospital refuses patient

Hospital refuses patient BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: The head of Lampung's Ministry of Health office, Deddy Ruswendy, has criticized a private hospital here for its refusal to treat a dying patient because his family could not provide Rp 2.5 million in cash for the cost of his surgery.

TV today

TV todayTVRI 2:00 p.m. News: Berita 14 2:30 Travel: My Country 2:35 Children's Film: Lucan 3:10 Teenagers' Program: Ramaja Indonesia 3:35 Music: Lagu Pop Daerah 4:00 Regional News 4:30 Science and Technology 5:00 English Lessons 5:25 Variety Show: Music City Today 5:30 Documentary Film 6:00 News:...

Teachers' salaries

Teachers' salariesFrom RepublikaThe state of the education sector is truly saddening. What has happened in this sector, particularly in large cities, is cause for great concern. Before we have even finished dealing with student brawls new cases surface i.e.

Malaysia's credit rating outlook revised to stable

Malaysia's credit rating outlook revised to stable KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Standard and Poor's affirmed yesterday its credit ratings for Malaysia's sovereign debt but revised its outlook from positive to stable, citing the possibility of government support for the financial system.

Asian crude prices steady

Asian crude prices steady SINGAPORE (Reuter): Confirmation of lower export volumes from Indonesia for September kept Asian crude prices steady yesterday, traders said.But activity on the market was mainly centered around the Middle East crude trading for October, they added.

Firms to build Rp 1.4t toll road in Central Java

Firms to build Rp 1.4t toll road in Central Java JAKARTA (JP): Construction company PT Sumber Mitra Jaya signed a joint venture agreement yesterday with state-owned toll road operator PT Jasa Marga and two other partners to build a 91- kilometer toll road worth Rp 1.

Indonesian team stranded in Sicily

Indonesian team stranded in Sicily JAKARTA (JP): Teams from Indonesia, Russia, Ukraine and Australia were stranded not long after they arrived at Catania, Sicily, Sunday to take part in the world student games.

Islamic students association told to remain outspoken

Islamic students association told to remain outspoken SURABAYA (JP): The Association of Islamic Students (HMI) must maintain its critical attitude toward those in power, an activist said here yesterday.

Fire guts Kodak film warehouse

Fire guts Kodak film warehouse JAKARTA (JP): A fire gutted a warehouse yesterday which was used to store chemicals for Kodak film products in Sunter, North Jakarta. No casualties were reported.The fire which started at about 11:15 a.m.

Semen Padang raises output

Semen Padang raises output JAKARTA (JP): PT Semen Padang will begin operating its fifth production plant in June, next year, raising its total production to 55.6 million tons of cement per year.The company's president Abubakar said yesterday the new plant would be able to produce 192,000 tons of...

Balikpapan offshore oil rig explodes

Balikpapan offshore oil rig explodes BALIKPAPAN, East Kalimantan (JP): An off-shore oil rig owned by Unocal Indonesia Co. exploded here after a fire razed it at dawn on Sunday, but no fatalities were reported.

Currency crisis hurts PC sales

Currency crisis hurts PC sales JAKARTA (JP): The plunge in the rupiah's value has hurt the personal computer business in Indonesia, with sales dropping by 25 percent to 50 percent in the last two weeks.