More Megawati supporters jailed for staging rally JAKARTA (JP): Another 35 supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri were sentenced yesterday to between two months and 18 days or two months and 20 days in jail for holding a street rally. Ten of the 35 defendants will be released from jail today and the remaining 25 will be freed Saturday as they have been incarcerated since they were arrested on Feb. 11. Yesterday's prison terms took into account the time served.

Activist seeks refuge in Holland JAKARTA (JP): Political activist Pius Lustrilanang, who recently divulged that he was kidnapped and tortured by a gang of unidentified men, has sought peace of mind and physical safety in Holland, his lawyer said here yesterday. "Pius has gone. He arrived in Amsterdam on Tuesday," Hendardi, the executive director of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI), told journalists.

Soeharto receives new Turkish, Chinese envoys JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto received the credentials of new ambassadors yesterday in a ceremony without speeches for the first time, marking a new protocol in state ceremony. Soeharto received yesterday letters of credential from Chinese Ambassador Chen Shiqiu and Turkish Ambassador Mehmet Guney at Merdeka Palace. The new envoys also did not make any speeches during the ceremony.

Kupang detains smugglers KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Three alleged smugglers of illegal immigrants are still in custody at the local immigration office following their capture two weeks ago. Antara identified the three as Malaysians Zet Husein bin Zet Ali, 39, and Abdullah Hamid bin Sira, 47, and Singaporean Wong Pok Peng, 46. They allegedly had been trying to smuggle 16 immigrants from China, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan to Australia. The attempt was foiled by the local police.

U.S. urges full probe into abduction report WASHINGTON (Reuters): The United States said the reported abduction and torture of an opposition activist in Indonesia was disturbing, and urged the government to mount a full investigation. "It's a disturbing story," State Department spokesman James Foley said on Tuesday, referring to the case of Pius Lustrilanang. Pius, who disappeared on Feb.

Polysindo's profit drops JAKARTA (JP): Publicly listed PT Polysindo Eka Perkasa, the country's largest integrated producer of polyester, announced a 81 percent decline in its net profit to Rp 32 billion (US$4.2 million) in 1997, down from Rp 169.80 billion in 1996. The company announced yesterday that the sharp decline in net profit was caused by large foreign exchange losses.

Dutch-Indonesian Trade Information 1994 1995 1996 1997 -------------------------------------------------------------- Investments in US$ 173.4 360 1,329.5 319.5 Number of projects 13 20 27 22 Export (Nfl) 779.3 1,244.7 752.8 1,076.5 CBS (US$) 563.8 842.1 493.2 565.9 BPS Import (Nfl) 1,845.2 1,743.3 1,999.6 2,079 CBS (US$) 1,323.7 1,452.4 1,666.7 1,842.3 BPS Cumulative Approvals 1967 to 1997 -- US$11,558.8 Number of projects 1967 to 1997 -- 177 Rank of investment by country of origin -- 7 Export...

Stock Exchange Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on April 29, 1998: Shares Close Change Trading Volume ------------------------------------------------------------ Ades Alfindo 600 -50 40,000 AHAP Insurance 500 0 0 Alter Abadi 1,000 -50 131,000 Alumindo Light Metal 375 -25 80,000 Alumindo Perkasa 300 0 0 Aneka Kimia Raya 500 -25 13,000 Aneka Tambang 1,550 -50 8,221,500 Anwar Sierad 250 0 61,500 Apac Centertex Corp.

Dutch still popular language among Jakartans By Marieke van Heek JAKARTA (JP): It's been more than half a century since Dutch troops left Indonesia. Yet, the 350 years of colonialism still influences the country. Even now, for some, Dutch is a language to show a social status and good development and is known as a language for the elite older generation. Besides that, Dutch is also an important source language in certain fields.

President and wise man The fate of the editor in chief of Detektif and Romantika magazine is still unclear. I am referring to whether the police dossier on him has been submitted to the Attorney General's Office and whether the case is ready to go to court. As we all know. D&R magazine trod on a "land mine" when it ran a cover of President Soeharto superimposed on a king of spades. Though the letter attached on both sides of the card was not a K for king but a P for president, Gen. R.

Summers still concerned about RI's situation WASHINGTON (Reuters): U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers said on Tuesday he was more encouraged by events in Asia now than a few months ago, but the situation in Indonesia remained "extraordinarily difficult." "Thankfully we can talk in a much more encouraged way about the region than we could three months, even one month ago," Summers told a technology conference in San Francisco.