Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 19 October 1998

43 articles found

Stocks expected to extend due to interest rate cut

Stocks expected to extend due to interest rate cut JAKARTA (JP): Share prices on the local market are expected to extend their gains this week in an euphoric market response to the U.S. interest rate cut, stockbrokers and analyst have said. Stock analysts said the rate cut, coupled with a strong Japanese yen, would certainly ignite an investors' buying spree on the local shattered market.

Britain, RI to build university linkage

Britain, RI to build university linkage JAKARTA (JP): The British Council celebrated its 50th anniversary on Friday, unveiling a plan to develop a "collaborative campus" system in which British and Indonesian universities would be linked. Stressing the advantages of "international education" for future students, director Neil Kemp said that the system would be similar to one already applied by six universities in Malaysia where curricula and subjects were linked to British colleges.

Habibie will forgive insults against him

Habibie will forgive insults against him JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie said on Saturday he would appreciate any criticism and expression of opposition against him, and forgive any insulting remarks about his policies. He even praised people who spent the better part of their time thinking of ways to attack his government.

Indonesian warship welcomed in S. Korea

Indonesian warship welcomed in S. Korea JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian warship KRI Fatahillah 361 was met with salvos in the waters off Cinhae in South Korea after steaming there from Manila. The vessel docked at Cinhae port, according to a release from the Navy's information office here. The Fatahillah has traveled to participate in the International Korean Fleet Review '98 in Pusan, the release received on Saturday said.

Forensic doctor denies violating code of ethics

Forensic doctor denies violating code of ethics JAKARTA (JP): Senior forensic expert Dr. Abdul Mun'im Idries has insisted that he humiliated nobody and violated no professional codes with his recent statement in relation to the murder of high school student Marthadinata, alias Ita.

Kidney dysfunction linked to impotence

Kidney dysfunction linked to impotence SEMARANG, Central Java: At least 50 percent of people with chronic kidney dysfunction also suffer from impotence or sexual dysfunction, according to Murni Indrastuti, an intern at Karyadi hospital here, Antara reported. Murni also said in a symposium on the subject that fertility was in many cases affected.

Dismissed workers return to Lampung

Dismissed workers return to Lampung JAKARTA (JP): Many workers dismissed from companies in Jakarta and its surrounding areas have started to return to their homes in Lampung, southern Sumatra. Darjan Hidajat, the head of Bandan Hurip village in Palas, South Lampung, said on Saturday that many village residents had recently returned from Jakarta. "This monetary crisis has added to the number of poor people.

Tangerang battalion marks anniversary

Tangerang battalion marks anniversary TANGERANG (JP): The Tangerang-based Arya Kemuning/203 Infantry Battalion distributed 1,500 packages of essential goods to needy residents and Islamic boarding schools here to mark its 44th anniversary on Saturday. Deputy chief of the battalion, Maj. Wahyu Sugandi, said after attending the company's anniversary ceremony that each of the aid packages contained rice, cooking oil and sugar.

House to question Freeport

House to question Freeport JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives will push giant copper and gold mining company PT Freeport Indonesia to disclose its divestment program, to remove controversy over the Indonesian ownership in the mining company.

Rains affect Rawa Belong flower traders

Rains affect Rawa Belong flower traders JAKARTA (JP): Flower traders at Rawa Belong market in West Jakarta have started to resurrect their once flourishing trade after overcoming their recent supply problems. Traders said major suppliers in Sukabumi, Cianjur and Cipanas were finally able to met their orders at the weekend after heavy rains rendered many of West Java's dirt farm roads impassable in recent weeks.

Garuda improves punctuality

Garuda improves punctuality SURABAYA (JP): Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has improved punctuality on its Jakarta-Surabaya (East Java) route to over 90 percent following the introduction of the "Garuda Express" in early September. The general manager of Garuda's Surabaya office, Iman Sutoro, said here on Saturday that the punctuality of departures and arrivals on the route had increased to 94 percent as of October from 60 percent last year.

Lured by huge profits, Acehnese fishermen land in Indian prison

Lured by huge profits, Acehnese fishermen land in Indian prison By Yasad Ali BANDA ACEH (Antara): Lured by the big profits they could make from tuna, 42 fishermen from Aceh went after the fish with such great zeal in June last year that they found themselves in India's territorial waters. They were apprehended by Indian authorities and sentenced to between one year and one-and-a-half years detention on India's Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Rudini says ABRI must not be represented at house

Rudini says ABRI must not be represented at house JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) should no longer be represented in the House of Representatives (DPR) and should instead play a new role in law enforcement, according to former Army chief Gen. (ret) Rudini. "ABRI's presence in the legislative body should come to an end because it is no longer in accordance with the present situation.

Bank Indonesia cuts again interest rate ceiling

Bank Indonesia cuts again interest rate ceiling JAKARTA (JP): Bank Indonesia (BI) has again lowered the ceiling for guaranteed interest rates in the wake of a stronger rupiah and softening inflationary pressure. The central bank announced on Friday that the ceiling for the one-month deposit interest rate for this week was lowered to 63 percent from 64 percent last week, in the wake of a stronger rupiah.

High staple food prices still a burden to the poor

High staple food prices still a burden to the poor JAKARTA (JP): Recent strengthening in the local currency against the U.S. dollar has been of little consequence to poor Jakartans struggling to put enough food on their tables. Observations made on Sunday by The Jakarta Post at three of the capital's major traditional markets revealed that the recent surge in the rupiah has not resulted in lower staple food prices.

Wiranto vows to investigate East Java killings

Wiranto vows to investigate East Java killings SURABAYA (JP): Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto vowed on Sunday to get to the bottom of mysterious killings in East Java which over the past two months has claimed the lives of at least 142 people accused of practicing black magic. Wiranto, who was on a one-day visit to the province, appealed to the public not to suspect the Armed Forces of involvement in the killings.

Oceaneering extends lease

Oceaneering extends lease HOUSTON (Dow Jones): Oceaneering International Inc extended a lease of its San Jacinto barge to Conoco Indonesia Inc for one year. Terms weren't disclosed. In a press release Friday, Oceaneering said Conoco will continue to use the barge at its Natuna Sea Block B area at the Sembilang field in Indonesia. The barge is a 12,450-deadweight-ton floating production, storage and offloading barge used in small or marginal Indonesian oil fields.

Changi cargo volume drops

Changi cargo volume drops SINGAPORE (Bloomberg): Singapore Changi Airport's cargo volume fell 4.5 percent in the first eight months this year as exports to Asian countries fell amid the region's economic turmoil, an airport official said on Saturday. Between January and August, the airport handled 837,000 tons of cargo, down from about 876,000 tons a year earlier. An expected decline for the year would be airport's first drop in cargo in more than a decade.

Golkar confident of winning next year's election

Golkar confident of winning next year's election JAKARTA (JP): Despite Golkar's badly-tarnished image, the dominant political grouping has asserted their confidence of victory in next year's general elections. In a news conference after Sunday's session of a Golkar leadership meeting, the chairmen of the East Java, Irian Jaya, Yogyakarta, Bengkulu and East Timor chapters claimed they still had massive support in rural areas of the country.

Producers of luxury cars stick to local market despite slump

Producers of luxury cars stick to local market despite slump JAKARTA (JP): Producers of foreign luxury cars in Indonesia are promising to stay and increase their investment in the country despite the domestic automotive market's gloomy prospects for the next few years. Makers of upper-market automobiles say they are willing to inject fresh capital to bolster their ailing operations here, or even purchase the entire stake in the local company so they can maintain their Indonesian presence.

Can bankruptcy law solve debt problem?

Can bankruptcy law solve debt problem? The new bankruptcy law, introduced in August to replace an antiquated law from the Dutch colonial period, was designed to help resolve the private sector's enormous debt problems. Will it be an effective means to reach this target? Or is there any other way to overcome the debt problem? This is the topic addressed by Charles Himawan, a law professor at the University of Indonesia. JAKARTA (JP): Bankruptcy law or bankruptcy of law?

S'pore donates rice to Riau

S'pore donates rice to Riau BATAM, Riau (JP): Riau has received rice aid and medicinal supplies for the needy from the province's closest geographical neighbor, the Singapore government. Comprising 4,000 metric tons of rice and medicines, another part of the aid will be delivered in December. It will be distributed by the provincial government to the poor.

U.S. to help woo capital back to Asia

U.S. to help woo capital back to Asia SINGAPORE (AP): U.S. ambassador to Singapore Steven Green said the recent flight of capital from the Asian region was a key concern at a gathering of American officials in Singapore, a local newspaper reported Saturday. "It is obvious that in order to see the region prosper, we will have to find ways to attract private capital back to the region," Green was quoted as saying by The Straits Times. Green was among several senior U.S.

Reacting against allegations

Reacting against allegations Information provided by George Yunus Aditjondro, revealing data about corruption among officials, has left us dumbfounded. Aditjondro acquired much data (on the subject) after being forced to leave Indonesia. In other countries, it seems, access to such data is much more easy. Now, we are once again dumbfounded by similar disclosures, made by someone who came to visit this country from abroad.

Jonggol and Tangerang projects may be halted

Jonggol and Tangerang projects may be halted BANDUNG (JP): West Java Governor R. Nuriana has expressed pessimism over the continuation of a development project in Bogor and a reclamation project in Tangerang following a revocation of Presidential decrees for the ventures. "Who will want to continue the projects in a crisis like this?

Winters ready to meet the police for dialog

Winters ready to meet the police for dialog JAKARTA (JP): American professor Jeffrey Winters is ready to meet police and officials of the Attorney General's Office to discuss recent remarks in which he alleged a senior minister had colluded with a private company over the purchase of shares in PT Freeport Indonesia. Winters has also appointed a senior lawyer as his legal advisor, his close friend Bondan Winarno said on Saturday.

Anwar says Mahathir fears people's wrath

Anwar says Mahathir fears people's wrath KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): Malaysia's former No. 2 leader said his release from detention under a harsh security law was prompted by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's fear of his countrymen's wrath and pressure from the international community.

Report on death of Martadinata

Report on death of Martadinata This letter is in response to the reports on the death of Martadinata. A visum et repertum (official autopsy report) is the result of a medical examination of a body given an autopsy because of a request from a police investigator. The result of the autopsy must be given to the party requesting the examination, while the doctor himself is committed to keeping his work confidential.

Doctor and psychologist face questioning

Doctor and psychologist face questioning JAKARTA (JP): Forensic expert Mun'im Idries and senior psychologist Sarlito Wirawan are to be questioned by their respective professional associations for allegedly violating ethics in disclosing confidential information on the murder of 18-year-old Jakartan Marthadinata.

Redefining moral education a must

Redefining moral education a must By A. Chaedar Alwasilah BANDUNG (JP): The prolonged social and political unrest blighting the nation is believed to be the fruit of bureaucratic mismanagement in almost all sectors of governance. The acronym KKN -- that stands for collusion, corruption, and nepotism -- has suddenly surfaced everywhere and become everybody's parlance to warn, alert, remind, and even charge others, especially suspect officials.

'Debt haircut' may benefit creditors: Sinivasan

'Debt haircut' may benefit creditors: Sinivasan JAKARTA (JP): The country's heavily indebted private sector should not ask for debt reductions since such a move would only benefit foreign creditors, a key executive of a local conglomerate warned on Saturday. Chairman of integrated textile giant Texmaco Group, Marimutu Sinivasan, said many foreign creditors would actually be willing to offer a "debt haircut", but with the intention to control the local indebted companies in the end.

Analysts blast govt's plan to abolish Bulog

Analysts blast govt's plan to abolish Bulog JAKARTA (JP): Analysts and a legislator have lambasted the government's plan to establish a new agency to replace the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), saying that during the economic crisis it is not the right time to abolish the agency. They warned that abolishing Bulog would cause a disruption in the distribution of rice and would further cause severe suffering for the nation's poor. The Center for Agriculture Policy Studies' executive director, H.S.

Where is the program?

Where is the program? From Sinar Pagi The mass media has recently carried reports on an explanation made by Akbar Tandjung, in his capacity of as both the general chairman of the Functional Group (Golkar) and the state secretary, about the Dakab Foundation, social turmoils and condemnations of the former president Soeharto's involvement in practices of corruption, collusion and nepotism. What Akbar has done has really astounded me.

Myth worsens poverty in mountain hamlet

Myth worsens poverty in mountain hamlet By Agus Maryono BANYUMAS, Central Java (JP): The Simpar hamlet of Punggelan district in the regency of Banjarnegara can only be reached by a two hour climb up a narrow dirt path. Residents of the hamlet in Tlaga village say they have been reduced to eating a corn-based rice substitute for over a year, but a long-held belief has prevented even the village chief from checking these claims and bringing assistance to locals.

TV today

TV today TVRI 2:00 p.m. News: Berita 14 2:35 TV Series: The Big Valley 3:05 Management Program: Kiat Manajemen 3:30 TV Drama: Bayang-Bayang 4:00 Regional News 4:30 Creative Program: Karya Kita 5:00 Indonesian Lessons 5:30 Education Quiz: Tangkas Cermat 6:00 News: Lintasan Berita 6:05 Documentary: Rona Nusantara 6:15 Sports: Monitor Olah Raga 6:30 TVRI News (in English) 7:00 Evening News 7:30 Teen Quiz: Gita Remaja 8:00 Variety Show 8:30 Religious Teachings: Buddha 9:00 World News 9:35 Sport...

Foundation works to give waifs a second chance

Foundation works to give waifs a second chance JAKARTA (JP): Life is good to children who enjoy a secure financial environment, but it is a struggle for survival for the unfortunate, especially those forced to make a living on the streets. In contrast to the children of wealthy families who dress in trim uniforms to go to school, street children spend most of their days at the city's major intersections, singing or selling newspapers to get money from passing motorists.

RP leader sacks govt prosecutor

RP leader sacks govt prosecutor MANILA (AFP): Philippine President Joseph Estrada has sacked an assistant provincial prosecutor as part of a nationwide campaign against corruption, a palace statement said on Sunday.

On debating and democracy

On debating and democracy I am writing in response to Sumarsono Sastrowardoyo's letter of Oct. 9 on debating, armed struggles and democracy. I read a book titled Indonesia, images from the past and on page 14, it reads: "...

Indorayon mill workers continue with Medan vigil

Indorayon mill workers continue with Medan vigil JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of PT Inti Indorayon Utama employees, faced with the threat of losing their jobs next month, entered their fourth day on Sunday of camping out in the courtyard of the North Sumatra governor's offices in Medan.

Body found in waterway

Body found in waterway JAKARTA (JP): The fully-clothed body of an unidentified man in his 20s was found floating in Banjir Kanal waterway in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, on Sunday morning. According to a police officer from Tanah Abang police subprecinct, the deceased was found at 9:30 a.m. by local teenagers who were playing football in a nearby field. The body was swollen but bore no signs of violence, said the officer, who asked not to be named.

Respecting the dead

Respecting the dead Ten days after Martadinata's maimed body was found lifeless by her shocked parents in their modest home in Central Jakarta, there are few signs that the controversy over the fate of the murdered 18-year-old Volunteer for Humanity activist Ita, as her friends and family knew her, is about to end.

Five journalists honored

Five journalists honored NEW YORK (AP): A correspondent under arrest in Eritrea and a longtime crusader for press freedom in Indonesia are among five journalists honored by the Committee to Protect Journalists this year. The committee announced on Sunday that recipients of the eighth annual International Press Freedom Awards will be Ruth Simon of Eritrea, Goenawan Mohamad of Indonesia, Gremah Boucar of Niger, Gustavo Gorriti of Panama and Pavel Sheremet of Belarus.

Where to go in Jakarta:

Where to go in Jakarta: Exhibitions * Textile Exhibition, by Nelwan Anwar, at Klub Bimasena, The Dharmawangsa, Jl. Dharmawangsa Raya 39, South Jakarta (Phone: 7258181), 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Oct. 20-23. * Painting Exhibition: Apa Siapa di Pikiranku, by Kukuh Nuswantoro, at Galeri Kafe Linggar, Jl. Kemang Timur No. 36, South Jakarta (Phone: 7990008), 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., until Nov. 1. * Painting Exhibition: Wayang, the traditional Javanese puppet, at Sari Pan Pacific Hotel, Jl. M.H.