Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 20 July 1998

38 articles found

Beggars stake their own claim to the streets

Beggars stake their own claim to the streets By Stevie Emilia JAKARTA (JP): The red light is not the only thing facing you when you stop at an intersection in the city these days. Be prepared for the assault of beggars whining, street singers creating a din with unmelodious chanting and hawkers pushing their wares. Men and women, young and old -- they are now seemingly at every turn. Clad in rags, they can tug at the heart strings, especially now during the tough times of the crisis.

Discrimination blamed for ethnic conflicts

Discrimination blamed for ethnic conflicts JAKARTA (JP): Discriminative government practices have been one of the major causes of tension among ethnic groups because one group has often been favored over another. Sofian Effendi, secretary-general of the National Research Council, said public administration had diverged from its official function of giving equal service and benefits to all citizens regardless of race or social standing.

Police find no foul play in death of officer's wife

Police find no foul play in death of officer's wife JAKARTA (JP): Police said over the weekend they have found no evidence of criminal behavior in the death of the wife of police Lt. Col. Benyamin whose body was found in the trunk of her husband's car on Wednesday. City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said Saturday that the late Farida was believed to have died accidentally.

Traders, producers believe cooking oil prices will fall

Traders, producers believe cooking oil prices will fall JAKARTA (JP): Prices of cooking oil are likely to stabilize this week as stocks of crude palm oil (CPO), the main raw material in its production, are growing in the domestic markets, traders and CPO producers have said. Traders said at the weekend the government's recent increase in the CPO export tax to 60 percent from 40 percent succeeded in significantly increasing domestic stocks.

Thailand awaits INRO move

Thailand awaits INRO move BANGKOK (Reuters): Thailand's rubber trade ended the week steady with Japanese buyers coming in for regular purchases, traders said. Prices were expected to move in a narrow range this coming week as market players look for fresh leads to trade on, they said.

Calls mount for probe into mastermind of abductions

Calls mount for probe into mastermind of abductions JAKARTA (JP): As pressure to fully investigate the abductions of political activists mounts, President B.J. Habibie has stressed that Armed Forces (ABRI) members involved in the kidnappings would be dealt with in accordance with the law. The Armed Forces has an Honorary Council that would handle the case, Habibie, who is ABRI's supreme commander, said Saturday.

PWI urges govt to be more open

PWI urges govt to be more open JAKARTA (JP): The chairman of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI), Sofyan Lubis, yesterday urged government officials to abandon their fear of the media and be more open in providing public information. "Officials should no longer try to hide things from the press. Open access to information," he said in Banjarmasin on Saturday night during the swearing in ceremony of executives of the local PWI branch.

Couple found dead in hotel

Couple found dead in hotel WONOSOBO, Central Java: A man and his lover were found dead in their room in Hotel Sri Kencono here last week, police said over the weekend. The police identified the 56-year-old man as a principal of a junior high school and the 45-year-old woman as a teacher at a different school in this cool town. Doctors at Wonosobo General Hospital who performed autopsies on the bodies reported that the man died from taking too many drugs to boost his sex drive.

Fake diplomas keep lecturer employed

Fake diplomas keep lecturer employed PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): For five years, Djar had been part of the senior academic staff of Soedirman University. Only recently did the university discover that every one of his degrees -- from undergraduate to doctorate -- were fake! Rector Rubiyanto Misman admitted that the university had been careless and duped by the 35-year-old phony. "We never thought or ever suspected that Djar was a fake doctor," he said here Saturday.

Love thy neighbors

Love thy neighbors Once upon a time there was a neighborhood called Southeast Asia. Some years ago, five of the 10 households in the neighborhood got together to form an association. ASEAN, or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, became a forum in which they could address just about every issue that they wanted to discuss, from common problems to bilateral relations -- anything to enhance their livelihoods.

Profit taking predicted to dominate Jakarta shares

Profit taking predicted to dominate Jakarta shares JAKARTA (JP): The rupiah is likely to remain steady this week but local share prices are expected to bounce off their highs on profit taking following last week's strong gains, analysts said over the weekend. They said market sentiment would likely remain good this week as international money would start flowing in, which would possibly give a boost to the beleaguered rupiah.

Bali Big Sale opens in Kuta

Bali Big Sale opens in Kuta DENPASAR, Bali: "Bali Big Sale 1998," featuring export commodities including electronics, household goods and handicrafts, is being held in Kuta's central parking lot. Opened by Badung's Regent I Gusti Bagus Alit Putra Friday night, the event will last till Aug. 9 with some 212 entrepreneurs from big cities in Java and Bali participating.

Big Blue's ThinkPad 770 takes notebooks into thinner territory

Big Blue's ThinkPad 770 takes notebooks into thinner territory By Zatni Arbi JAKARTA (JP): When it comes to designing a high-end notebook to capture your rapture, it may be hard to beat Big Blue. Take IBM's ThinkPad 770 Series, for example. The super-duper 770 Series are definitely the ones to buy if you want to have everything on your notebook -- and if you have a bulging checkbook, of course.

TV today

TV today TVRI 2:00 p.m. News: Berita 14 2:35 TV Series: The Big Valley 3:05 Management Program: Kiat Manajemen 3:30 TV Drama: Permata 4:00 Regional News 4:30 Creative Program: Karya Kita 5:00 Indonesian Lessons 5:30 Education Quiz: Tangkas Cermat 6:00 News: Lintasan Berita 6:05 My Country: Rona Nusantara 6:15 Sports: Monitor Olah Raga 6:30 TVRI News (in English) 7:00 Evening News 7:35 Teen Quiz: Gita Remaja 8:00 News: Lintasan Berita 8:05 Variety Show 8:30 Religious Teachings: Buddha 9:00 World...

Press freedom and ASEAN TV

Press freedom and ASEAN TV The fifth conference of ASEAN ministers responsible for information ended in Bangkok this week with a resolution to set up a satellite TV station to help propagate ASEAN's views throughout the region and the rest of the world. Clearly, many of these ASEAN information ministers are particularly irked by biased reporting by the Western electronic media, especially CNN and BBC and one or two others.

Govt proposal on royalties' split gets widespread supports

Govt proposal on royalties' split gets widespread supports JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Mines and Energy Kuntoro Mangkusubroto's proposal to split the government's royalties from mining, oil and gas operations with the producing provinces has received widespread support from legislators. F.X.

Belo calls on migrants to return to E. Timor

Belo calls on migrants to return to E. Timor JAKARTA (JP): Bishop of Dili Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo called Saturday on the thousands of people who fled East Timor over the past week to return because the territory is safe. On his arrival in Dili from Jakarta, Belo said that jailed rebel leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao, whom he met in prison last week, also wanted to see the migrants go back to and participate in developing East Timor.

Breaking the ethnic divide

Breaking the ethnic divide This is in response to the letter 'Minority and majority stock' by Zahar Indra, in The Jakarta Post on July 8, 1998. As a student of Trisakti University, I regret to say that there are still people like you, Zahar Indra, who take issue with indigenous and nonindigenous matters. I hail from Surabaya and study in Jakarta. Undeniably, if you are in East Java, in Surabaya to be precise, you will find a big gap between the indigenous and the nonindigenous people.

New budget 'shows inept crisis handling'

New budget 'shows inept crisis handling' JAKARTA (JP): The new 1998/1999 State Budget is one indication of the government's ineptness in bringing the country out of economic turmoil, according to economists.

Getting cheap goods and losing kid

Getting cheap goods and losing kid JAKARTA (JP): A 45-year-old mother had good and bad experiences when she visited a cheap market at Monas Square yesterday with her two toddlers, Herawati, 2, and Ragilio Yoginugroho, 4. After enthusiastically queuing to get cheap cooking oil at one of the stands, she realized that one of her toddlers had gone astray in her quest to get the now expensive and rare daily need.

Govt plans to impose export quota on logs

Govt plans to impose export quota on logs JAKARTA (JP): The government plans to impose a quota on exports of logs to guarantee a sufficient supply for domestic demand, a minister has said. Minister of Forestry and Plantations Muslimin Nasution said Friday the export quota would not contravene the government's reform program agreed to with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) because it did not constitute a ban on exports of the commodity.

'Intrepid' Pius greeted like hero

'Intrepid' Pius greeted like hero JAKARTA (JP): Pius Lustrilanang, an abducted activist who fled abroad seeking safety after revealing his harrowing experience, returned to a hero's welcome here yesterday amid revelations that the abductions may have been the work of certain Army special force (Kopassus) personnel.

Where to go in Jakarta:

Where to go in Jakarta: Exhibitions * Painting Exhibition: Kriyono's Cynorure by Kriyono, at Galeri Linggar, Jl. Kemang Timur No. 36, South Jakarta (Phone: 7990008), 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., until Aug. 9. * Embroideries Exhibition in the lobby of Sari Pan Pacific Hotel, Jl. M.H. Thamrin, Central Jakarta (Phone: 323707), 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., until July 31.

Estrada has near miss

Estrada has near miss MANILA (AP): A chandelier that crashed near President Joseph Estrada on his first day in office had not been inspected for nearly a quarter-century and fell by accident, an official said yesterday. A local company said the chandeliers at Manila's Malacanang Palace had not undergone any safety inspection since it installed the lights in 1975 at the height of strongman Ferdinand Marcos' martial law rule, Press Undersecretary Icasiano Gutierrez said.

Treating ethnic Chinese equally

Treating ethnic Chinese equally By Amir Sidharta This is the first of two articles on the ethnic Chinese minority. JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Justice Muladi has supported the notion that all administrative requirements that racially discriminate must be abolished. He said last month that President Habibie had ordered the immediate ratification of the Anti-Racial Discrimination and Anti-Torture Conventions.

Unemployed man nabbed on Ecstasy charge

Unemployed man nabbed on Ecstasy charge JAKARTA (JP): Police have arrested an unemployed man for alleged possession and trafficking in Ecstasy and the amphetamine-derivative shabu-shabu, an official said Saturday. Jakarta Police Narcotics Unit officers picked up Adrianus Adam, 42, at his boardinghouse on Jl. Hayam Wuruk, Central Jakarta, on Friday, said deputy chief of the city police detective unit Lt. Col. Bakat Purwanto. "The tips on his activities were from nearby residents.

Indonesia, Internet drive Guru Kanguru

Indonesia, Internet drive Guru Kanguru By Izabel Deuff JAKARTA (JP): I see a blue procession/ as sky stoops in clouds/name of God rips up my breast screen/ till wind loses language/and I know what is bound/ between the throne and blood/ tyrant history pounds. This is the first verse of Trisakti Tragedy, a song inspired by the shooting of four Trisakti University students in May. It is the seventh track of Indonesia, the debut album from the Guru Kanguru band.

Bantar Gebang, a home to teenage scavengers

Bantar Gebang, a home to teenage scavengers By Christiani A. Tumelap JAKARTA (JP): Karya, 11, and friends Casduki, 10, and Darkana, 13, wake up between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. every morning. Just like other children, they start the day with morning prayers, a shower, a brief breakfast then politely kiss the back of their parents' hands before leaving the house.

Police say cheap market fiasco was only petty theft

Police say cheap market fiasco was only petty theft JAKARTA (JP): The total loss from looting which occurred at a two-day cheap market at the National Monument (Monas) park in Central Jakarta on Saturday reached only about Rp 7 million (US$538), not Rp 20 million as reported earlier, an officer said yesterday. Gambir Police deputy chief First. Lt.

Long-term commitment: Australia and East Asia

Long-term commitment: Australia and East Asia This is the first of two articles based on a speech delivered by Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer at a meeting of the Indonesian Council on World Affairs and the Indonesia-Australia Business Council in Jakarta on July 9.

Amien retains ICMI experts council post

Amien retains ICMI experts council post JAKARTA (JP): Amien Rais has again been retained as head of the influential Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals' (ICMI) Council of Experts. The decision to retain Amien was made during a council meeting here Saturday. Amien was "forced" to retire from the council in February 1997 after his criticism was deemed intolerable to then president Soeharto, who was ICMI's patron at the time.

Merapi spews more hot clouds

Merapi spews more hot clouds MAGELANG, Central Java: Despite no major outburst in the last three days, Mt. Merapi showed little sign of simmering down as it continued to puff dangerous gasses yesterday. The high volcanic activity over the past week gave no sign of subsiding as more hot clouds and lava spewed from the crater.

Two killed as minibus skids in East Jakarta

Two killed as minibus skids in East Jakarta JAKARTA (JP): Two men, one found hugging his young son to protect him, were killed when a public minibus driver failed to control his speeding vehicle on Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan in East Jakarta Saturday morning. George Talahatu, 30, a passenger on the T-512 Kowanbisata minibus, and Ivan Elington, 27, the conductor, were reportedly squashed in the bus, which was turned upside down and badly damaged.

Telkom halts big projects

Telkom halts big projects YOGYAKARTA (JP): State-owned domestic telephone monopoly PT Telkom said over the weekend it would cancel all large, long-term projects and instead concentrate on developing quick yielding projects. Telkom president Asman Akhir Nasution said here that even ongoing large projects would be halted, like the micro-digital project linking Ambon in Maluku and Jayapura in Irian Jaya. "We're halting that project and all other large projects which consume huge funding.

Property rental rates plunge but leases still down

Property rental rates plunge but leases still down JAKARTA (JP): A significant drop in commercial property rental rates in U.S. dollar terms in the second quarter of this year failed to boost leases, property consultant First Pacific Davis (FPD) has reported. The company announced last week that rental rates of commercial properties in rupiah terms were little changed from the previous quarter. However, dollar terms had dropped significantly, it said in a report published last week.

Marker visits East Timor stresses support for dialog

Marker visits East Timor stresses support for dialog JAKARTA (JP): United Nations special envoy Jamsheed Marker made a hasty four-hour visit to East Timor yesterday, holding brief talks with officials and local leaders. Marker was whisked in and out of the province on a special flight, landing in the town of Baucau, some 130 kilometers east of Dili, to prevent possible demonstrations by pro- and contra- integration groups in the provincial capital.

Susi to retire from badminton

Susi to retire from badminton JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's number one women's badminton player Susi Susanti announced Saturday that she would retire from the sport after the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok this December. Susi has competed in a number of international tournaments including the All England and the Uber Cup. She took a gold medal in the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 together with Alan Budikusuma. Susi and Alan married last year.

NTUC Fairprice closes stores

NTUC Fairprice closes stores SINGAPORE (AP): Singapore's largest supermarket chain has closed all seven outlets in neighboring Malaysia due to the economic downturn and poor performance there, a newspaper reported yesterday. NTUC Fairprice, owned by Singapore's National Trade Union Congress, established stores in Malaysia in 1994 under a joint venture with Malaysia's Hong Leong Group.