Govt announces enactment of resource rent tax JAKARTA (JP): The government formally announced Monday the introduction of the resource rent tax on the country's timber companies. It replaces the forest royalties. Director General of Forest Utilization Titus Sarijanto said that based on Government Regulation No. 51/1998 issued April 20, forest concessionaires would be liable for the rent tax (also known as the resource royalty provision) for every forest product they collect from the forest.

PMI-ICRC team sends relief to Mimika JAKARTA: The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), in association with the International Commission of the Red Cross (ICRC), has distributed food and medical supplies to about 18,000 local people during the past five months in Mimika regency, Irian Jaya. "Food and medicines have been distributed to 18,000 people in 19 different locations in Mimika," ICRC spokesperson Sri Wahyu Endah was quoted by Antara as saying here Monday.

Indonesian Red Cross Day JAKARTA (JP): The GK Goh Group and its Indonesian subsidiary PT G.K. Goh Ometraco designated last Wednesday, April 22, Indonesian Red Cross Day. All Indonesian commissions earned by the group that day will be donated to the Indonesian Red Cross, which will channel the funds to the poor, company officials said yesterday. The effort is aimed at helping those worst hit by the economic crisis that has sent prices of essentials sky high.

New home affairs officials appointed JAKARTA (JP): A familiar face and an active military lecturer were installed as the new secretary-general and director general of the Ministry of Home Affairs Monday. Faisal Tamin, former director general for regional development, was inducted as secretary-general. He replaces Lt. Gen. (ret) Suryatna Soebrata, who has reached the mandatory retirement age. Maj. Gen. Dunidja is the ministry's new director general for sociopolitical affairs. He replaces Maj.

PLN projects loss of Rp 6t this year JAKARTA (JP): State electricity company PLN may suffer a loss of at least Rp 6 trillion (US$800 million) this year due to the rupiah's sharp depreciation against the American dollar. "The Rp 6 trillion loss estimate is based on an average exchange rate of Rp 6,000 per dollar. If the average exchange rate is lower, the potential losses will be much bigger," company director Djiteng Marsudi told reporters Monday.