Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 17 February 1998

51 articles found

RI imports more Australian wheat

RI imports more Australian wheat SYDNEY (Reuters): A new deal for Australian wheat with Indonesia, even though the country remains one of Asia's hardest- hit economies, brightened an otherwise threatened and dreary Australian grains market last week.

She does it to support family

She does it to support familyBy Sri Wahyuni YOGYAKARTA (JP): Endah Fariana claims any woman can do what she does for a living -- drive an inter-provincial bus for 600 kilometers every day -- though she concedes that not many would want to.

More hot spots detected in Kalimantan

More hot spots detected in Kalimantan JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Forestry Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo said satellite imagery from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had revealed 895 hot spots in East Kalimantan yesterday.Last Tuesday 200 hot spots were detected.

Alatas opens UN backed disarmament conference

Alatas opens UN backed disarmament conference JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas opened a conference on disarmament yesterday by calling on regional nuclear powers to respect Southeast Asia's desire to remain free of nuclear weapons and to support a landmark treaty signed last...

Tangerang to raise tap water tariffs

Tangerang to raise tap water tariffs TANGERANG (JP): Regency-owned drinking water company PDAM Tangerang will raise its tariffs for tap water supplied to Jakarta 26.6 percent, a company director said over the weekend.

Where to go in Bandung:

Where to go in Bandung:Exhibitions * Painting Exhibition: International Indonesian Paintings Exhibition 1998 by Jeihan, Popo, Erica Hestu Wahyuni, Krisna Murti, Faizal, Maria Tjui, etc., at Grand Aquila Hotel, lobby, Jl. Dr. Djundjunan No. 116, until Feb. 28.

Dharmala building target of bomb hoax

Dharmala building target of bomb hoax JAKARTA (JP): A bomb threat prompted the evacuation of 2,000 office workers from Wisma Dharmala Sakti building on Jl. Jend. Sudirman, South Jakarta yesterday.A phone call was received at 9 a.m.

Hopewell income from RI

Hopewell income from RI HONG KONG (Reuters): Hopewell Holdings Ltd chairman Gordon Wu said yesterday the company expected annual pre-tax income from its Tanjung Jati B project in Indonesia of about HK$2.1 billion once the power plant comes on stream in 2000.

Editing arrogance

Editing arrogance Those of us who have, over many years, contributed to the "Your Letters" column, and subscribed to the newspaper, are well aware that the editorial arrogance of The Jakarta Post team knows no bounds.

MMC hospital raises room rates

MMC hospital raises room rates JAKARTA (JP): The economic crisis has forced the Metropolitan Medical Center (MMC) Hospital in Kuningan, South Jakarta, to raise its upper-class room rates by 10 percent since last month, its development director, Robby Tandiari, said Saturday.

Rupiah weakens in response peg and riots

Rupiah weakens in response peg and riots JAKARTA (JP): The rupiah again crossed the 10,000 barrier against the U.S. dollar yesterday on growing international concern over a fixed exchange rate plan for the currency and spreading riots.

TV today

TV todayTVRI 2:00 p.m. News: Berita 14 2:30 My Country 2:35 Children's Film: The Big Valley 3:10 Teenager's Program: Remaja Indonesia 3:35 Music: Lagu Pop Daerah 4:30 Science and Technology 5:00 English Lessons 5:30 Documentary 6:00 Nusantara, The Beloved Country 6:15 Village Program 6:45 TVRI News...

Crisis and expats

Crisis and expats After reading the Sunday edition of The Jakarta Post I was relieved to learn that somebody has finally discovered who is responsible for recent problems in the Indonesian economy. The expatriate workers, of course.

Tycoons to donate food packages to 100,000 families

Tycoons to donate food packages to 100,000 families JAKARTA (JP): Three of the country's tycoons -- Sudono Salim, Sukamdani Sahid Gitosardjono and The Nin King -- pledged yesterday to provide staple food worth Rp 3 billion to 100,000 Jakarta families.

Moslem youths protest hoarding

Moslem youths protest hoarding TANGERANG (JP): At least 40 Moslem youths flocked to Tangerang mayoralty's office yesterday to protest the municipality's sluggish response to the rising prices of basic staple foods, partly due to hoarding.

Wiranto installed, Prabowo promoted

Wiranto installed, Prabowo promoted JAKARTA (JP): New Indonesian Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto vowed to get tough on any attempts to disrupt national development yesterday.Wiranto also warned the nation that certain groups wanted to manipulate the current economic hardship to endanger...

Seven killed in landslide

Seven killed in landslide WONOSOBO, Central Java: A land slide triggered by incessant rain killed at least seven people, seriously injured another five and wrecked four houses Saturday, a report said yesterday.

Conversion Rates

Conversion Rates Jakarta (JP): Bank Ekspor Impor Indonesia's (Bank Exim) indicative conversion rates on Feb.16, 1998: Buying Selling Rp Rp U.S. dollar 1 8,500.00 11,500.00Austrian shilling 1 620.30 914.60Australian dollar 1 5,453.30 7,526.30Belgian franc 1 218.90 300.50Canadian dollar 1 5,701.

Rare buffaloes endangered

Rare buffaloes endangered KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: The population of rare buffaloes in Southeast Sulawesi has continued to decline because of illegal hunting and logging, an official said."The dwindling population of Southeast Sulawesi buffaloes should be seen as a catastrophe," a spokesman for...

Govt to continue fuel subsidy for the poor

Govt to continue fuel subsidy for the poor JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Mines and Energy I.B. Sudjana said yesterday the government would continue subsidizing fuels used by the poor to prevent them from suffering large price increases.

Yemeni state visit

Yemeni state visit JAKARTA (JP): Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh is scheduled to arrive here Thursday for a four-day state visit.Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said the main purpose of the visit was to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.

Thai exporters cautious over Indonesia

Thai exporters cautious over Indonesia BANGKOK (Reuters): Escalating problems in Indonesia, a major importer of Thai rice and sugar, has unnerved Thai exporters, industry sources said yesterday.Indonesia has so far delayed a relatively small shipment of rice and committed to sugar purchases.

Thailand has no plan to adopt currency board

Thailand has no plan to adopt currency board BANGKOK (Reuters): Thailand has no plan to establish a currency board and it is confident that the market can see the difference between economic problems facing the country and Indonesia, government spokesman Akapol Sorasuchart said yesterday.

Clubs said to be at fault in collusion

Clubs said to be at fault in collusion JAKARTA (JP): Club officials should also share the blame for any collusion between referees and clubs, chief referee Djafar Umar says.Djafar, head of the referee commission for the Indonesian Soccer Federation (PSSI), said Sunday that club officials often...

Dalian, Pohang Steelers in semis

Dalian, Pohang Steelers in semis NINGBO, China (Reuters): A vital goal by Li Ming put Chinese champions Dalian into the semifinals of the Asian club cup on Sunday, despite a loss to Japan's Kashima Antlers in the final group match.

A loss of reason

A loss of reason In times of crisis base emotions often triumph over reason. For Indonesians, this age-old axiom is not hard to understand at this particular point in their history as a nation. It is, after all, a truism that explains the wave of unrest and rioting that has in the past weeks hit a...

Bulog to supply 4.3m tons of rice in 1998/1999

Bulog to supply 4.3m tons of rice in 1998/1999 JAKARTA (JP): The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) said yesterday it would supply 4.3 million tons of rice to the market in the 1998/1999 fiscal year to ensure price stability.

Soeharto-Habibie duo in next month's elections

Soeharto-Habibie duo in next month's elections JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie has a clear run-in to the vice presidential elections, now that his main rivals have bowed out.

Emil exercises democracy with VP bid

Emil exercises democracy with VP bid JAKARTA (JP): Landslide support for B.J. Habibie failed to push former environment minister Emil Salim out of the race for the vice presidency yesterday.Emil, who has strong support from fellow academics, pro- democracy activists and the public alike, will...

Eight RI migrants rescued

Eight RI migrants rescued KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysian police have found eight illegal Indonesian immigrants who survived a shipwreck which claimed at least eight lives, news reports said yesterday.

U.S. investors show interest in agricultural industry

U.S. investors show interest in agricultural industry JAKARTA (JP): U.S. investors have expressed interest in Indonesia's agricultural sector, an executive of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) has said.The head of Kadin's U.S.

Rates for Tax Payment

Rates for Tax Payment JAKARTA (JP): The government announced yesterday new official conversion rates as the basis for payment of import duty, value added tax on goods and services, sales tax on luxury goods, export tax and income tax.The new conversion rates will be valid for one week, from Feb.

Sliding rupiah further shakes Asian currencies

Sliding rupiah further shakes Asian currencies SINGAPORE (Reuters): Asian currencies suffered from the Indonesian rupiah's whims yesterday in the face of growing international resistance to Jakarta's plans to adopt a currency board system.

CBS may rock banking industry and forex reserves

CBS may rock banking industry and forex reserves The government's plan to adopt the Currency Board System (CBS) has raised public debate on its advantages and disadvantages. Economist Kwik Kian Gie looks at the risks of the system.

Govt to consult IMF on CBS plan, minister says

Govt to consult IMF on CBS plan, minister says JAKARTA (JP): The government will consult the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over its plan to adopt a currency board system which would peg the rupiah to a fixed exchange rate, the state minister of national development planning said yesterday.

PT Nestle defends its Tangerang distributor

PT Nestle defends its Tangerang distributor JAKARTA (JP): PT Nestle Indonesia, one of the country's largest milk producers, denied yesterday that its Tangerang-based distributor PT Pangan Elok Mandiri housed stockpiles of its products.

Indonesia's currency board dilemma

Indonesia's currency board dilemma It is quite normal for international financial institutions (the IMF and the World Bank) to say that Indonesia should not rush into implementing the currency board system before it has fully implemented its current economic reform package.

Stock Exchange

Stock ExchangeStock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Feb. 16, 1998: Shares Close Change Trading Volume -------------------------------------------------------- Ades Alfindo 575 -125 17,500 AHAP Insurance 350 0 0 Alter Abadi 575 0 0 Alumindo Light Metal 325 -25 3,350,000 Alumindo...

Private schools delay fee hike plans

Private schools delay fee hike plans JAKARTA (JP): Some private schools in the city have temporarily postponed increasing monthly tuition fees and the upcoming yearly admission payment due to the nation's economic woes.

Japanese govt pledges to assist Indonesia

Japanese govt pledges to assist Indonesia JAKARTA (JP): The Japanese government has reaffirmed its previous pledge that it would help Indonesia resolve its economic crisis.A Japanese economic mission, led by Tadao Chino, assured the President yesterday that Japan would do its best to help Indonesia.

Soybean import duty lifted

Soybean import duty lifted JAKARTA (JP): The government has abolished its 20 percent import duty on soybeans to curb further price increases of the commodity in the domestic market.The Ministry of Finance said yesterday that the move was needed to stabilize soybean trading.

Concern over economic disparity

Concern over economic disparityFrom RepublikaThe gathering of Moslems after Ramadhan to exchange expressions of forgiveness (halal bihalal) at Monas Square in the evening of Feb. 2, organized by the Jakarta Administration and the MUI (Indonesian Council of Ulemas), has given birth to a pledge by...

State timber firms in Sumatra to merge

State timber firms in Sumatra to merge JAKARTA (JP): State timber companies PT Inhutani IV and PT Inhutani V will be merged into a single company, a minister said yesterday.Minister of Forestry Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo said the merger of the two Sumatran-based companies would improve forest...

Pudjiadi sells assets to pay foreign debts

Pudjiadi sells assets to pay foreign debts JAKARTA (JP): Publicly listed hotel operator PT Pudjiadi & Sons Estates Ltd. is selling its property assets in the U.S. to pay its foreign debts.The company's shareholders agreed Feb.

Malaysia, Singapore discuss regional woes

Malaysia, Singapore discuss regional woes KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): The leaders of Malaysia and Singapore met yesterday to discuss the region's economic turmoil but did not offer specific solutions to overcome it, a Malaysian minister said.

Worries over RI standoff tug down bourses

Worries over RI standoff tug down bourses SINGAPORE (AFP): Worries over a damaging standoff between Indonesia and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over a pegged exchange-rate sparked a sell-off on Asia-Pacific stock markets yesterday.

IMF chief confirms threat to Indonesia over dollar peg

IMF chief confirms threat to Indonesia over dollar peg BRUSSELS (AFP): The International Monetary Fund has warned Indonesian that its 43-billion-dollar bailout of the country could be jeopardized by its plan to peg the rupiah to the dollar, IMF Managing Director Michel Camdessus said here yesterday.

New chief for Bogor prosecutors

New chief for Bogor prosecutors BOGOR (JP): Djuharia Anwar, 50, was installed yesterday as head of the Bogor Prosecutor's Office.He replaced Umar, who has been promoted to head the legal affairs and enforcement subdirectorate of the Attorney General's Office directorate of economic crimes.

Bakrie meets creditors

Bakrie meets creditors JAKARTA (JP): PT Bakrie & Brothers held a meeting with representatives of its international creditors yesterday to restructure its foreign debts.Aburizal Bakrie, chairman of the Bakrie Group, said at the meeting: "The key to our future lies in executing now a restructuring of...

Habibie unchallenged in VP election

Habibie unchallenged in VP election JAKARTA (JP): Golkar chairman Harmoko bowed out of the vice presidential race yesterday, leaving the coast clear for State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie to press forward unchallenged.

Fresh riots hit West Java and S. Sumatra towns

Fresh riots hit West Java and S. Sumatra towns BANDUNG (JP): Fresh rioting hit the West Java town of Pangalengan yesterday while unrest continued in the South Sumatra subdistrict of Pagaralam.In Pangalengan, police arrested three people on charges of inciting the riot in which eight shops were...