Antipollution campaign starts at Hard Rock Cafe JAKARTA (JP): Concerts dedicated to a campaign stressing the benefits of unleaded fuel began Monday night at the Hard Rock Cafe amid uncertainty as to when leaded fuel will be banned here. The event is part of the campaign organized by the Segar Jakarta clean air project and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Indonesia Program.

Oil prices in budget optimistic: Analysts SINGAPORE (Reuters): Indonesia's one dollar cut in the oil price used in the budget leaves it at a still optimistic level when oil revenues are likely to be hit anyway, analysts said yesterday. They said Indonesia's decision to cut oil production by 70,000 barrels per day (bpd) as part of a global pact to shore up prices would hurt its already shrinking oil revenues.

CPO smuggling rife again: Hasan JAKARTA (JP): Concerns about the smuggling of crude palm oil (CPO) out of the country have arisen again amid the government's decision to maintain the export ban which was originally due to be lifted on April 1. Minister of Industry and Trade Mohamad "Bob" Hasan said Tuesday his office would thoroughly investigate the alleged export of 100,000 tons of CPO and its derivatives in the first quarter and would act firmly against smugglers.

Foundation donates Rp 500m to help the poor JAKARTA (JP): Indonesians of Chinese descent showed their compassion and solidarity with those worst hit by the monetary crisis when they donated Rp 500 million (US$58,824) to the Ministry of Social Affairs yesterday. The donation from the Haji Karim Oei Foundation was personally received by Siti Hardijanti Rukmana, President Soeharto's eldest daughter, who was installed as Minister of Social Services last month. "We are Indonesian citizens too.

Fuad says state firms must be profit-oriented JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Finance Fuad Bawazier has issued guidelines to help state firms draft budgets and long-term plans which are more orientated toward accumulating profits and improving shareholder value. Ministry of Finance spokesman Agus Haryanto said in a statement yesterday that Fuad had also improved the criteria and mechanism for evaluating the health of state firms. In decrees no.

Ex-cemetery to be used for farming JAKARTA (JP): City councilors urged the municipality yesterday to use the idle land in former Blok P cemetery, South Jakarta, for farming until the nation recovers from its economic woes. The graves were relocated last year and the site earmarked for construction of the South Jakarta mayoralty office. But the plan was put on hold due to the monetary crisis.

Moeloek calls high maternal mortality rate a 'tragedy' JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Health Farid Anfasa Moeloek, describing Indonesia's average of 385 women dying in labor every week "a tragedy", called for concerted efforts to reduce the maternal mortality rate. Citing a 1994 official record, he said maternal mortalities averaged 390 per 100,000 live births.

Minister Juwono blames timber estates for forest fires JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Environment Juwono Sudarsono said yesterday that timber estates were responsible for about 65 percent of the current forest fires in East Kalimantan. The minister said 65 percent of more than 150,000 hectares of forest razed by fires this year belonged to commercial companies and added the fires were being lit deliberately for land-clearing purposes.

Stranded Indian ship towed to port BANDAR LAMPUNG: An Indian cargo vessel which became stranded near Tegal island, Lampung Bay on Friday, has been tugged to Panjang Port near here. It took four tug boats about four hours to tow the ship, Nand Shristi, Monday. The vessel was carrying plywood from Bombay in India to Gresik, East Java, when it became stranded in shallow waters, Antara reported.

Centralized training for Asiad delayed JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's medal-winning in the Asian Games this December may fall below expectation because some sports organizations failed to kick off their respective centralized training program on schedule, a sports official warned yesterday. The training director of the country's Games team, Albert Paruntu, said some sports bodies had not even completed their preparations for their centralized training.