Archive: 28 February 1998
56 articles found
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Mondale to convey U.S. 'grave concern' about RI
Mondale to convey U.S. 'grave concern' about RI WASHINGTON (AFP): Former U.S. vice president Walter Mondale will express the Clinton administration's "grave concern" about Indonesia when he travels there next week, Deputy Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers said Thursday. A White House spokesman on Thursday confirmed reports that Mondale would be going to Jakarta to meet President Soeharto and other high-ranking officials.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
ASEAN finance ministers here to discuss crisis
ASEAN finance ministers here to discuss crisis JAKARTA (JP): Finance ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are expected to focus on the group's worst financial crisis and the possibility of using regional currencies for intra-ASEAN trade in their second formal meeting here today.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Hercules to go cloud seeding
Hercules to go cloud seeding SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: A Hercules C-130 aircraft will be sent here today on a cloud-seeding operation that is expected to help extinguish forest fires fast spreading in the province, Antara said here yesterday.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Nursalim's kidnapper dies in jail
Nursalim's kidnapper dies in jail JAKARTA (JP): One of the kidnappers involved in the abduction of business tycoon Sjamsul Nursalim has been found dead in his cell at Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta. A postmortem examination concluded that Benny Supardi, 46, was in poor health and died from a medical condition, deputy chief of city police detectives Lt. Col. Bakat Purwanto said Thursday.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Local carmakers ripe for the buying
Local carmakers ripe for the buying By John Aglionby When General Motors announced last month that it was buying out its local partner, President Soeharto's half-brother Probosutedjo, the world sat up and took notice. For while not all the American automotive giant's strategies have been worth emulating, this was certainly one that deserved consideration.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
USAID vows to donate $6m worth of implants
USAID vows to donate $6m worth of implants JAKARTA (JP): U.S. Aid for International Development (USAID) has pledged to donate $6million worth of implants and intrauterine devices to Indonesia, a cabinet minister said yesterday. State Minister of Population Haryono Suyono said the grant, equivalent to Rp 56 billion, was expected to arrive here next month.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Stocks slip as rupiah strengthens
Stocks slip as rupiah strengthens JAKARTA (JP): Local stock prices slipped slightly yesterday due to arbitrage trading on overseas-listed shares following a strengthening of the rupiah and continuing high interest rates, stockbrokers said. The Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) Composite Index, the main gauge for local stock prices, fell 1.42 points to 482.37 at the close of trading. Meanwhile, currency dealers said the rupiah continued to make gains, closing at 8,950 against the U.S.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Dengue kills five children
Dengue kills five children JEPARA, Central Java: Five children have died and 49 others hospitalized in the latest dengue fever outbreak in the regency, an official said Thursday. "The five children died because they were admitted to the hospital when it was too late," said Kartini Hospital director Wahyudi. He said many of those stricken were admitted to hospitals in Semarang where better equipment was available.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Golkar gears up for MPR meeting
Golkar gears up for MPR meeting JAKARTA (JP): Golkar intensified yesterday preparations for the opening of the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) tomorrow, marshalling members to attend briefings and signed nomination forms for the ruling faction's candidacy of Soeharto and B.J. Habibie as the next president and vice president respectively.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Karaoke contest at 19 outlets
Karaoke contest at 19 outlets JAKARTA (JP): Are you depressed by the monetary crisis? Now is your chance to sing your blues away at a karaoke competition being held at 19 major karaoke outlets in the city. The competition, Chivas Regal Music Talent Awards 1998, which started on Feb. 13 and will end on March 27, attracts mainly yuppies and Japanese expatriates, an executive of the event's sponsor, Edhi Sumadi, said yesterday.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Malaysia upset by surge in illegal immigrants
Malaysia upset by surge in illegal immigrants KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia is becoming alarmed at an influx of Indonesians landing here, with 3,000 illegal immigrants arrested in a two-week period this month compared with less than 9,000 for the whole of last year. Newspapers reported yesterday that Malaysian authorities are now appealing to the public to make citizen's arrests of illegal immigrants, with one newspaper publishing a "how to" guide under the country's criminal code.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Stock Exchange
Stock Exchange Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Feb. 27, 1998: Shares Close Change Trading Volume ------------------------------------------------------------ Ades Alfindo 675 0 0 AHAP Insurance 400 0 0 Alter Abadi 575 0 0 Alumindo Light Metal 300 0 791,000 Alumindo Perkasa 275 25 2,000 Aneka Kimia Raya 625 0 406,000 Aneka Tambang 1,575 -25 2,285,000 Anwar Sierad 200 -25 76,500 Apac Centertex Corp.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Time waits for Irianese pupils
Time waits for Irianese pupils JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Many students from the Inpres Yomber public elementary school have wasted two years waiting for their final exams that never materialized after their teachers "fled" to Manokwari leaving the school building high and dry. The teachers, recruited from other areas, moved to seek better jobs because they reportedly could not stand the hard life in isolated Yomber.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Moslems pray for MPR's success
Moslems pray for MPR's success JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of Moslems in many parts of the country held special services yesterday to pray for the success of the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) which starts tomorrow. In Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, thousands flocked to Islamic boarding schools and said their prayers there.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
ASEAN vows to speed up reforms in customs sector
ASEAN vows to speed up reforms in customs sector JAKARTA (JP): Senior customs officials of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ended a two-day meeting here yesterday pledging to accelerate reforms in customs administration. The directors general of customs of the nine ASEAN member countries said in a joint statement that the acceleration of customs reforms was essential to limit impacts of the economic turmoil which has battered the region since last July.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Forest fires endanger rare species
Forest fires endanger rare species JAKARTA (JP): The spreading forest fires in East Kalimantan have wrought havoc to endangered species in the Kutai National Park, a news report said yesterday. Forest rangers and soldiers mobilized to put out the conflagration that has been raging for several weeks have found a huge number of animals' remains, Antara reported. They have collected the charred remains of orangutans, mice deer, snakes and porcupines. Most of them were found in the Kutai valley.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Conversion Rates
Conversion Rates Jakarta (JP): Bank Ekspor Impor Indonesia's (Bank Exim) conversion rates on Feb. 27, 1998: Buying Selling Rp Rp U.S.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Trains readied in case of strikes
Trains readied in case of strikes BANDUNG, West Java: The state-owned railway company Perumka is preparing 1,030 coaches to accommodate increased passengers should strikes of public transportation drivers spread, an official said yesterday. Director Soemino Eko Saputro said the company was handling the situation just in the way it dealt with the increased number of passengers during the Idul Fitri holiday.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Thai PM Chuan Leekpai to visit Indonesia
Thai PM Chuan Leekpai to visit Indonesia JAKARTA (JP): Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai will pay a one-day working visit to Indonesia on Monday, a Palace official said yesterday. The official cited the purpose of the visit as the continuation of a long tradition among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) where a new head of government visits other ASEAN capitals to introduce her/himself to the other leaders.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
NU members told to look to Iraq
NU members told to look to Iraq SEMARANG: Members of the 30-million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) are being advised to look to Iraqis for an example of loyalty to the government. Achmad, a senior executive of the local branch of NU, said Tuesday Moslems across the country needed to unite and line up behind the government to overcome the current economic turmoil. "Moslems should not be provoked into running riot because the action would only aggravate the situation," he said.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Govt opens door to foreign universities
Govt opens door to foreign universities JAKARTA (JP): The government has opened the door to foreign universities to operate in Indonesia in a bid to improve the quality of Indonesian college graduates. Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro also announced yesterday other sweeping measures to deregulate the education sector, deemed as necessary to strengthen the competitiveness of Indonesia's human resources.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
MPR must honors people's trust
MPR must honors people's trust By Aleksius Jemadu BANDUNG (JP): On March 1 the attention of all Indonesians will be focused on Senayan in Jakarta, where the 1000 members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) begin their quinqennial General Session. Our 1945 Constitution enshrines the MPR as the highest state organ and the embodiment of popular sovereignty.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Diarrhea claims 18 lives in East Nusa Tenggara
Diarrhea claims 18 lives in East Nusa Tenggara KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): Diarrhea has claimed 18 lives and hospitalized 740 people in the regencies of Timor Tengah Selatan and Belu over the past week, officials said yesterday. The worst hit is Timor Tengah Selatan, where 13 people have died. Health officials blamed the high number of fatalities on locals who reported the illness "too late".
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Jakarta is facing blood shortage, Red Cross says
Jakarta is facing blood shortage, Red Cross says JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) is facing a shortage of blood stocks in Jakarta due to a lack of donors over the past four months, an executive said yesterday. Deputy chairman Kristianto Budiono said the number of blood donors had dropped drastically from an average 200 volunteers per month to less than half. "There are certain conditions which hinder the collection of adequate blood.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Indonesia being watched
Indonesia being watched With reference to an article by Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo in The Jakata Post, Feb. 20, 1998. I agree with the author's assertion that certain nations, particularly the U.S., do not want to see "an unacceptably stronger Indonesia among nations". It is natural for a strong nation to want to remain an unrivaled power in this global era.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
IMG has no contact with PT HM Sampoerna
IMG has no contact with PT HM Sampoerna JAKARTA (JP): The organizer of the Thomas and Uber Cups' final has denied that local cigarette maker has signed a contract to sponsor the events. Mark Adams, director of the International Management Group (IMG), the organizer of the Thomas and Uber Cups' final, said Thursday that IMG had never signed an agreement with PT HM Sampoerna, Surabaya-based tobacco company, as the main sponsor for the prestigious badminton final.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Govt defines hoarding as 3 months worth of stocks
Govt defines hoarding as 3 months worth of stocks JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Industry and Trade issued a ruling yesterday banning commodity suppliers from holding more than three months worth of stocks in a move to curb hoarding. The ruling also covers individuals, producers, exporters, importers, distributors, wholesalers, grocers, retailers and store owners.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Student jailed for killing
Student jailed for killing JAKARTA (JP): The Central Jakarta District Court has sentenced a senior high school student to 25 months in jail for killing another senior high school student. Presiding judge P.A. Sianipar said Thursday that the defendant Rahmad Fauzi, 18, stabbed Yopie Wahyudi on July 29 last year in a brawl on Jl. KH. Hasyim Ashari. "The defendant slashed the victim in his right buttock with a knife. Yopie died a few hours later from severe bleeding," Sianipar said.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Supervision on expats
Supervision on expats I read with dismay the front page story on Thursday, Feb. 26, Special team set up to supervise expats. Zaiman Nurmatias said: "We have no choice but to tighten supervision and control on expatriates." We expatriates apparently commit the heinous crime of overstaying our visas and violating our work permits. Perhaps we are overstaying our welcome? Evidently, since 1993, expatriates have committed an average of 1,000 work permit violations per year.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Most Asian currencies firm
Most Asian currencies firm SINGAPORE (Reuters): Most Asian currencies remained firm but were off their highs in late yesterday trade as the Singapore dollar subsided after the country's 1998 budget failed to deliver any major tax cuts. But traders were reluctant to commit themselves aggressively due to possible weekend developments, including an ASEAN finance ministers meeting in Jakarta expected to address the proposal of using regional currencies for intra-ASEAN trade.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Respect, jokes the key to serving Soeharto
Respect, jokes the key to serving Soeharto JAKARTA (JP): Outgoing Vice President Try Sutrisno gave his advice yesterday on how to serve President Soeharto well: never try to outshine him and never run out of clean jokes to amuse him with. Try, who gained respect last week when he refused to be renominated for a second term for democracy's sake, told his secret during a rare luncheon with presidential palace journalists at his residence on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Habibie should prove his mettle, Rudini says
Habibie should prove his mettle, Rudini says JAKARTA (JP): Political observer Rudini believes State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, the official sole vice presidential candidate, needs to prove that he has the required leadership qualities to hold the nation's second top position.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Energy saving more important
Energy saving more important JAKARTA (JP): The economic crisis is forcing businesses to save money by paying more attention to energy conservation practices, the state energy conservation consultancy PT Koneba has said. Company president Ramses O. Hutapea said yesterday that prior to the crisis, few industries employed energy conservation measures because fuel and electricity were cheap due to government subsidies.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Fixing the rupiah with IMF aid
Fixing the rupiah with IMF aid Deciding whether or not to adopt a currency board system is not easy. It has been difficult to align the proposed system with the stance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which insists that Indonesia first carry out the 50 points of economic and monetary reform to which it has agreed.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
No specific plan yet for RI debt: Japan
No specific plan yet for RI debt: Japan TOKYO (Reuters): Japan's Ministry of Finance (MOF) said yesterday it is considering various options to solve the foreign debt problems of Indonesia's private sector but has not yet chosen one as its official proposal. "We have not come up with a specific measure. We are still discussing various options," a senior MOF official said.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Indonesia poised to be world's top tin supplier
Indonesia poised to be world's top tin supplier KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Indonesia could become the world's largest supplier of tin if dominant producer China retains its current output and Peru's production stabilizes, an executive with Malaysia's biggest tin smelter said yesterday.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Rp 55 billion for reforestation
Rp 55 billion for reforestation SEMARANG, Central Java: The provincial forestry office will receive a budget of Rp 55 billion (US$7 million) this coming fiscal year for reforestation activities, including building rice terraces, small dams and water catchment wells. Antara quoted the office's head Yaman Mulyana as saying yesterday the labor-intensive project, aimed at upgrading the environment and helping provide food, would start in April or May.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Pakistani tried for possessing heroin
Pakistani tried for possessing heroin JAKARTA (JP): A prosecutor asked Central Jakarta District Court yesterday to sentence a Pakistani man to 18 months in jail and order him to pay Rp 1.5 million (US$157) for possessing 450 grams of heroin. Prosecutor Djoko Isworo said the defendant, Muhammad Rafiq Choudry, 36, had violated Article 23 (3) of Law No. 9/1976 on narcotics. The law carries a maximum term of 10 years imprisonment and Rp 15 million fine.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Police guarantee security during General Session
Police guarantee security during General Session JAKARTA (JP): City police chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata guaranteed yesterday that the 1,000 members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) could rest assured that officers would maintain security and order. He said no less than 700 police officers would guard the MPR building, where the General Session would be held. "The security condition in and around the city is excellent. Everything is under control.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Severino presents awards to competition winners
Severino presents awards to competition winners JAKARTA (JP): ASEAN Secretary-General Rodolfo C. Severino presented awards and prizes yesterday to the winners of the ASEAN Essay, Photo and Poster Competitions. Aung Gyi, a Myanmar university student, won first place in the essay competition and prize money US$5,000, followed by Gabriel Liow of Singapore who won $3,500 and Ian Gacayan of the Philippines who took home $2,000.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Bank DKI to merge with provincial banks
Bank DKI to merge with provincial banks JAKARTA (JP): City-owned Bank DKI plans to merge with provincial banks in order to meet the central government's requirement of a minimum paid-up capital of Rp 1 trillion by the end of the year, an official said.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Couple found dead in housing complex
Couple found dead in housing complex TANGERANG (JP): A couple was found dead yesterday with their hands tied together at a house in the Modernland housing complex. Local residents said the bodies of Hendra Rusmawan, 47, and his wife Prastiwi, 42, were found in the bedroom after the couple's driver, Supadi, and residents broke into the house. The couple was believed to have died several days ago as their bodies were in a state of decomposition.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Shoe exporters suffer despite rupiah's fall
Shoe exporters suffer despite rupiah's fall By Devi M. Asmarani JAKARTA (JP): Layers of problems, mostly regarding the import of raw materials, are impairing Indonesian shoe exporters from benefiting from the rupiah's sharp fall in value. The country's footwear industry has, by and large, been unable to become more competitive in the international market even though the rupiah has fallen 70 percent in value against the U.S. dollar since last July.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
A much wider gap
A much wider gap The monetary crisis has given me a new hobby, browsing around the department stores just to look at the price labels. For some, it might seem stupid but I like to see the prices change every day. Who knows when they will go back to where they were a few months ago, when the rupiah still had a much stronger rate against the U.S. dollar. There is also something interesting to observe during this exercise.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
National bowling c'ships open
National bowling c'ships open JAKARTA (JP): The four-day National Bowling Championships began at the Ancol Bowling Center yesterday. David Sitorus, the Indonesian Bowling Association's competition deputy, said about 200 athletes were entered in the six events of the championships. These are interclub, relay, and men's and women's competitions in open master, grade A master, grade B master and junior master. (yan)
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
IMF okays RP GNP target
IMF okays RP GNP target MANILA (AFP): The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has endorsed a 5 percent Philippine gross national product (GNP) growth target for 1999 to follow a 3.0 percent expansion for 1998, a Filipino official said Friday. The GNP targets were among key figures to be supported by Manila in hopes of obtaining a two-year, US$1.6 billion standby loan from the IMF, Finance Secretary Salvador Enriquez told reporters.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Airport officials seize Rp 1.15b
Airport officials seize Rp 1.15b MEDAN: Polonia Airport customs officials have foiled an attempt to smuggle Rp 1.15 billion ($143,750) in cash, three yellow-crested parrots and three arwana fish out of the country, Antara reported. Chief inspector at the Polonia Customs Office Abdul Rachman said Monday that his men made the arrests in the last two weeks. He said that on Jan.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Athletes for Asiad to be selected from KASAD Cup
Athletes for Asiad to be selected from KASAD Cup JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Karate-do Federation is to use the fifth KASAD (Army Chief of Staff) Cup as the first selection phase for the 13th Asian Games squad. The federation's secretary-general, Hendarji, told a media conference yesterday that the winners of each class in the competition -- which is the national championships -- would automatically join the national long-term training program.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Message from the Publisher
Message from the Publisher More than a month ago The Jakarta Post implemented several cost-efficiency measures -- including the reduction of the number of pages of the newspaper from 16 to 12 -- to cut financial losses caused by shrinking advertising revenue and rising newsprint prices. We had hoped that the economic situation would improve to avoid having to increase our subscription rate. Unfortunately the economic uncertainty persists and production costs keep rising.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
RI gearing up for record rice imports
RI gearing up for record rice imports CANBERRA (Reuters): Widespread rice crop failure in Indonesia because of El Nino-induced drought would stretch the country's distribution system to handle record imports, an Australian academic said on Friday. This year, Indonesia was committed to import the greatest amount of rice in any single year since independence, Jim Fox of the Australian National University's (ANU) Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies told an ANU conference on El Nino.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
RI, NZ to boost trade ties
RI, NZ to boost trade ties JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and New Zealand have agreed to promote private sector trade between each other and increase economic cooperation. The agreement was a result of the first meeting of the New Zealand-Indonesia Economic Cooperation Joint Commission, which was held here yesterday.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Two condo project workers plummet to their deaths
Two condo project workers plummet to their deaths JAKARTA (JP): Two workers have fallen to their deaths in North and East Jakarta over the last three days. Madekan, 40, died after falling from the 14th floor to the 13th floor in a condominium project in Ancol in North Jakarta early yesterday, while Nana Rohana, 24, died after falling 11 meters in West Cakung in East Jakarta. The two were sent to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Central Jakarta for postmortem examinations.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
History repeated
History repeated Politics is the art of possibility but in Indonesia it has more often appeared as the agony of frustration. The feeling is seemingly shared by most of the voters in last year's general election, who pinned their hopes for political reform on the changes promised by contestants from the two official opposition parties. Change was not expected from Golkar, the ruling faction.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Nissan recycles
Nissan recycles TOKYO: Nissan plans to recycle 90 percent of parts from scrapped cars, on a weight basis, for new models introduced in and after 2000. The plan is based on an initiative drawn up last year by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, aiming to raise the recycling ratio to 90 percent for all car models to be marketed from 2002. Toyota has already drawn up its own action plan which will surpass the ministry-instructed target by two years.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Harjanto made German consul
Harjanto made German consul SURABAYA (JP): The government of Germany has appointed Indonesian Harjanto Tjokrosetio as its honorary consul here, in a bid to improve economic and cultural relations between the European power and East Java. Harjanto was sworn in at a reception Thursday hosted by German Ambassador Heinrich Seemann, who expressed hope that the appointment will result in increased German investment in East Java. German investment in Indonesia is concentrated in East Java.
Sat, 28 Feb 1998, 00:00 WIB
Student rallies at campuses not wrong: Sjafrie
Student rallies at campuses not wrong: Sjafrie JAKARTA (JP): The city military commander, Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, said yesterday that staging rallies at campuses was not wrong but he encouraged students to make their protests through the appropriate channels. "I suggest that young college students communicate their aspirations to those (certain people or institutions) who have to listen to them.