Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 29 July 1998

62 articles found

Con-man apprehended

Con-man apprehended JAKARTA (JP): Police have arrested a 46-year-old man for defrauding Rp 50 million by posing as a bomb squad officer assigned to search for bombs in commercial properties, an official said.City police spokesman Lt. Col. E.

Central bank begins SBI auction today

Central bank begins SBI auction today JAKARTA (JP): Bank Indonesia plans to start the weekly auction of one-month promissory notes (SBIs) today and expand it to a full range of maturities as agreed with the International Monetary Fund.

Seven arrested for spate of armed robberies

Seven arrested for spate of armed robberies JAKARTA (JP): Police arrested seven men early yesterday morning in Central Jakarta for alleged involvement in three armed robberies and the murder of a minivan driver.Cempaka Putih police chief Maj.

Asian banks need 'up to $64b' in new capital

Asian banks need 'up to $64b' in new capital SINGAPORE (Reuters): The cost of recapitalizing Asia's beleagured banks, excluding those in Japan, could be as high as US$64 billion said global securities firm Merrill Lynch in a report received by Reuters yesterday.

Police postpone Anton questioning

Police postpone Anton questioning JAKARTA (JP): The police interrogation of Anton Medan, alias M. Ramdhan Effendy, for his alleged role as an agent provocateur in the mid-May riots has been postponed until further notice."Well, the police said I may go now.

'People-oriented-economy' needed

'People-oriented-economy' needed JAKARTA (JP): Noted economist Sri Edi Swasono said yesterday that the reform era and the economic crisis had served to provide an appropriate impetus for Indonesia to develop a populist economy.

Chandra Asri revamping

Chandra Asri revamping TOKYO (Dow Jones): Japan's Marubeni Corp. plans to complete the revamp of Indonesia's PT Chandra Asri Merak Petrochemical Center by end-2000, despite political and financial uncertainty in the country, an official with the trading house told Dow Jones Newswires yesterday.

Conversion Rates

Conversion Rates JAKARTA (JP): Bank Ekspor Impor Indonesia's (Bank Exim) indicative conversion rates on July 28, 1998: Buying Selling Rp Rp U.S. dollar 1 13,500.00 14,400.00Austrian shilling 1 999.50 1,140.50Australian dollar 1 7,908.30 8,442.50Belgian franc 1 353.50 375.00Canadian dollar 1 8,659.

Asian coffee mart down due to Indonesian woes

Asian coffee mart down due to Indonesian woes SINGAPORE (Reuters): International trading houses increased their activities marginally in Indonesia over the past week but local trading firms remained bogged down by financial problems, traders said yesterday.

Utut inches closer to Pavlovic

Utut inches closer to Pavlovic JAKARTA (JP): For Indonesia's top chess player, Grand Master Utut Adianto, attacking is one of the best defenses.This approach claimed another casualty in the seventh round of the Biel Masters tournament in Switzerland Monday as Utut beat Alexander Cherniaev of Russia...

Restless Bawean islanders earning riches overseas

Restless Bawean islanders earning riches overseasBy Widyarto BAWEAN, East Java (JP): Bawean, an island 120 km north of the East Java capital of Surabaya, may be the only place in Indonesia where you can find Mahathir Road and Goh Chok Tong Road.

Special detectives squads set up

Special detectives squads set up JAKARTA (JP): The National Police have established five special detective squads to back up city police operations against the capital's escalating crime rate.National Police Detective Corps Commander Maj. Gen.

Athletes leave apartment for modest lodgings

Athletes leave apartment for modest lodgings JAKARTA (JP): A financial shortfall has forced the Indonesian Amateur Athletics Association to remove 23 athletes and five coaches from their apartments in the Senayan sports complex.The association's secretary-general, B.

Mitsubishi clings to tradition in face of change

Mitsubishi clings to tradition in face of changeBy Chester Dawson TOKYO (AP): Life-time employment. Seniority-based promotions. Cozy ties between member firms. The Mitsubishi group's traditional ways of doing business were hailed in the 1980s as the keys to rocketing to the pinnacle of Japan Inc.

398 combat troops leave East Timor

398 combat troops leave East TimorBy Imanuddin DILI, East Timor (JP): A total of 398 combat soldiers boarded the Teluk Saleh warship yesterday morning in the first phase of moves to withdraw 1,000 troops from East Timor.

'STOP' campaign starts

'STOP' campaign starts JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation's Women's Association for Justice (LBH-APIK) in cooperation with the city police and land transportation agency have distributed 10,000 stickers as part of an anti-sexual harassment campaign.

Investment agency urged to improve business climate

Investment agency urged to improve business climate JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie urged the government's investment agency yesterday to create a healthy and favorable business climate to lure back foreign investors to the crisis-hit country.

Bank Indonesia's net foreign reserves fall slightly

Bank Indonesia's net foreign reserves fall slightly JAKARTA (JP): Bank Indonesia's net international reserves dropped slightly by US$220 million to $14.22 billion as of July 24, compared to $14.44 billion the previous week, the central bank said yesterday.

Complicated rules delay many oil palm projects

Complicated rules delay many oil palm projects JAKARTA (JP): At least 156 investors have not been able to realize their investment plans to open oil palm plantations in East Kalimantan due to the complex licensing procedure, an official said yesterday.

Pay or liquidate

Pay or liquidate The easy time will soon end for Indonesia's nonpaying debtors who have adopted a laid-back attitude since the outbreak of the economic crisis last year. It is no coincidence that the new bankruptcy law, a government regulation in lieu of a law to amend the 1905 Insolvency...

Rupiah and stocks surge ahead of CGI meeting

Rupiah and stocks surge ahead of CGI meeting JAKARTA (JP): The rupiah strengthened again yesterday on fresh hopes that the Indonesian donors' meeting in Paris this week will bring in more foreign aid to revive the country's battered economy.The rupiah's continued improvement toward Rp 13,500 per U.

Irian Jaya leaders demand autonomy

Irian Jaya leaders demand autonomy JAKARTA (JP): The Irianese community in Jakarta called on President B.J. Habibie yesterday to grant immediate autonomy to their home province and accused the central government of failing to bring prosperity to their territory.

Govt must end 'politics of exclusion'

Govt must end 'politics of exclusion' JAKARTA (JP): The government must end its "politics of exclusion" toward citizens of Chinese descent and start afresh by drafting laws which guarantee the rights of the minority, observers said yesterday.

Delaying bank reform 'depletes confidence'

Delaying bank reform 'depletes confidence' The International Monetary Fund's Asia Pacific director Hubert Neiss spent the past week reviewing implementation of the Indonesian economic reform program. Before leaving for Paris yesterday, Neiss discussed with The Jakarta Post new developments in the...

Objective issue on Chinese

Objective issue on Chinese After a deluge of articles from the Chinese community, complaining about their fate, and the rather polite, Indonesian- style reactions from the government and from local media acknowledging this, it was interesting to read Donna K. Woodward's letter on July 23.

S'pore to launch all-news station

S'pore to launch all-news station SINGAPORE (AP): Singapore's state-run national television corporation will launch an all-news station expected to debut early next year, sources at the station confirmed yesterday.

Southeast Asian currencies up on firmer yen

Southeast Asian currencies up on firmer yen SINGAPORE (Dow Jones): Southeast Asian currencies rose against the dollar Tuesday in line with the Japanese yen.Regional currencies have remained tightly rangebound with the yen over the past two weeks, leading some analysts to predict a small rally over...

Farmers planning to form political party

Farmers planning to form political party JAKARTA (JP): Leaders of the Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI) announced yesterday a plan to form their own political party, claiming 72 million potential votes if they contest next year's general election.HKTI Chairman H.M.

Leading world powers say Asian crisis far from over

Leading world powers say Asian crisis far from over MANILA (Agencies): Leading world powers said yesterday Asia's financial crisis was far from over but expressed confidence that the region would eventually recover its economic vigor.U.S.

Civil servants donate salary

Civil servants donate salary KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: Two hundred and fifteen new civil servants here have agreed to donate part of their first month's salary to help the poor.The civil servants announced their intention in front of Southeast Sulawesi Governor La Ode Kaimoeddin following their...

Parties told to abide by rules over rallies

Parties told to abide by rules over rallies JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Djadja Suparman reiterated yesterday that any parties intending to hold mass rallies or demonstrations should abide by the existing regulations.

TV today

TV todayTVRI 2:00 p.m. News: Berita 14 2:30 Music 2:35 Children's Film: Silverhawks 3:05 Educational Quiz: Cepat Tepat 4:00 Regional News 4:30 Teen Program: Remaja Indonesia 5:00 Science and Technology: Alat Pacu Jantung 5:25 Film: Anak Seribu Pulau 6:05 Documentary: Catatan Perjalanan 6:15 Sports...

Indonesian news bolsters Thai sugar premiums

Indonesian news bolsters Thai sugar premiums BANGKOK (Reuters): News that Indonesia is expected to hold a tender soon to buy 500,000 tons of raw sugar and 200,000 tons of whites underpinned Thai sugar premiums in an otherwise dull market, trade sources said yesterday.

On minority and majority

On minority and majority I'm commenting on Mr. Zahar Indra's letter in The Jakarta Post on July 8 titled Minority and majority stock.As your perception you wrote:1. "Yellow ethnic Chinese are better than brown ethnic Javanese."2.

University exam results Friday

University exam results Friday JAKARTA (JP): Belated results of state university entrance tests in Jakarta and its surrounding areas will be announced at the Senayan Stadium in Central Jakarta on Friday, an executive of the test committee said Monday.Wiwit B.

The governor's next hurdle

The governor's next hurdle Most governors of Jakarta have always been popular and loved and remembered by the people. They were given nicknames as a token of affection, like Bung Nolly (for Gen. Cokropranolo, who passed away several days ago), Bang Ali (the very popular marine corps general, Ali...

Two on trial for US$9.3m graft in building project

Two on trial for US$9.3m graft in building project JAKARTA (JP): A company president and an executive of the Kemayoran Area Development Board were indicted at the Central Jakarta District Court yesterday for alleged corruption totaling US$9.37 million in the construction of a condominium project.

Village officials taken hostage

Village officials taken hostage PURWOKERTO, Central Java: Hundreds of residents of Karang Gintung village in Sumbang subdistrict, Banyumas, kept their village chief and 18 other officials hostage for 24 hours and released them only after they agreed to resign.

Diverse Indonesia needs strong govt, military says

Diverse Indonesia needs strong govt, military says JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia, as a developing country with great diversity and potential for internal unrest, needs a strong government but not at the expense of its people, a senior military officer said yesterday.

Officials striving to expel socially problematic people

Officials striving to expel socially problematic people JAKARTA (JP): The economic situation is proving to be a serious headache for people from all walks of life.While the upper-class are falling over themselves to close their factories, pack up and head for overseas or buy guns and dig in, those...

EGCO to buy RI coal

EGCO to buy RI coal BANGKOK (Reuters): Thailand's Electricity Generating Plc. said yesterday its mining unit will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Indonesia's state-run coal producer PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam.

Textile group protests EU dumping accusation

Textile group protests EU dumping accusation JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Textile Association (API) has lodged a formal protest against the European Union's proposal to impose antidumping duties on imports of unbleached cotton fabrics from Indonesia and five other countries.

Minister urges public not to condemn lottery

Minister urges public not to condemn lottery JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung Laksono called on the public yesterday not to condemn prematurely a new fund-raising program for sports.

Sumitomo imports from RI

Sumitomo imports from RI TOKYO (Reuters): Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd. said yesterday it had started importing wire harnesses for use in automobiles from its Indonesian unit.Sumitomo Wiring, a major maker of wire harnesses, had initially planned to begin importing parts from the Indonesian unit, PT...

Stock Exchange

Stock ExchangeStock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on July 28, 1998: Shares Close Change Trading Volume ---------------------------------------------------------- Ades Alfindo 350 0 0 AHAP Insurance 575 0 0 Alter Abadi 525 0 2,000 Alumindo Light Metal 300 0 30,000 Alumindo Perkasa...

Basofi's supporters protest at DPRD

Basofi's supporters protest at DPRD SURABAYA: Around 700 santri (Islamic boarding school students) from Bangkalan and Pasuruan regencies on Madura island traveled to the provincial legislative council (DPRD) in 17 trucks to hold a demonstration in support of Governor Basofi Sudirman yesterday.

Bogor upset by many power cuts

Bogor upset by many power cuts BOGOR (JP): Many residents of Bogor mayoralty have complained to state electricity company PLN about the frequency of electricity blackouts which occur without prior warning in their area.

U.S. to provide funds for RI food imports

U.S. to provide funds for RI food imports MANILA (Reuters): The United States is likely to sign an agreement soon that would provide concessional financing for Indonesia's import of American food products, a U.S. Department of Agriculture official said yesterday.

Govt must reopen investigation into July 27 riot

Govt must reopen investigation into July 27 riot JAKARTA (JP): Leading rights campaigner Marzuki Darusman renewed calls yesterday for the government to reopen the investigation into the July 27, 1996 attack on the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters which led to five deaths and the...

PTPN I expands estate

PTPN I expands estate JAKARTA (JP): State plantation company PTPN I announced Monday it would expand its oil palm plantation in Aceh to 120,000 hectares by 2000.Company president Budiono Arismunandar said in Cot Girek, North Aceh regency, that about 8,000 hectares would be established in...

Mardiyanto elected C. Java governor

Mardiyanto elected C. Java governor SEMARANG: The Central Java legislative council voted overwhelmingly yesterday for Maj. Gen. Mardiyanto, assistant to Armed Forces (ABRI) chief of sociopolitical affairs, as the new governor to replace controversial Soewardi.

Armed Forces and reform

Armed Forces and reform The present era of reform seems to be putting the Armed Forces (ABRI) to a difficult test. It must now shoulder a heavy task as the reform drive brings with it democratic values and universally recognized human rights.

Govt out to revise unpopular 1997 school curriculum

Govt out to revise unpopular 1997 school curriculum JAKARTA (JP): The government has set up a team to revise the 1994 curriculum for elementary and junior high schools, widely criticized for overburdening students and their teachers.

School enrollment period extended

School enrollment period extended JAKARTA: The government has extended the school registration period to September in order to accommodate millions of children between the ages of 7 and fifteen who have not yet enrolled, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Haryono Suyono said yesterday.

Insurance firms told to honor contracts with riot victims

Insurance firms told to honor contracts with riot victims JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie told senior Indonesian insurance executives yesterday to honor their contracts with victims of last May's riots and to pay the claims soon so their clients could restart their businesses.

Where to find a needy orphanage

Where to find a needy orphanage JAKARTA (JP): Following a series of articles published recently in this paper about financially troubled and overcrowded orphanages in the capital, The Jakarta Post received a stream of calls from people willing to share some of their wealth to help the city's...

Curbing freedom of expression

Curbing freedom of expression The official habit of issuing instant policies appears to be lingering in the current Reform Development Cabinet. To manage even the most weighty issues, the authorities are still inclined to prefer to cut corners and disregard proper procedures and public aspirations.

Class struggle may supersede racial conflict

Class struggle may supersede racial conflict Political and economic reform has reached a stalemate. Lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis examines its likely impact on social development. JAKARTA (JP): Why should we call the Habibie administration a New Order II regime? The answer is because this government is...

Where to go in Bandung:

Where to go in Bandung:Exhibitions * Arts Exhibition by Tanto and Kipli, at Galeripadi, Jl. Ir. H. Juanda 329 (Phone: 022 2500578), Aug. 1-23. * Photo Exhibition: Anonymous by Quail Rogers- Bloch, an American Photographer, at the Bandung Cultural Center Foundation, Jl. Naripan 7-9, Aug. 1-5.

Economist says high-tech projects yield few benefits

Economist says high-tech projects yield few benefits JAKARTA (JP): An observer has recommended the country shift its approach to technology development to focus more on small industries over the long-standing preference for high-tech projects with intensive capital investment.

WB expects CGI to give $7b-$8b to Indonesia

WB expects CGI to give $7b-$8b to Indonesia PARIS (Dow Jones): The World Bank is looking for the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI) to disburse US$7 billion to $8 billion in foreign aid to Indonesia in the year to March 31, 1999, to help the Asian country meet its budgetary needs.

Give-and-take a key to racial harmony

Give-and-take a key to racial harmony Chinese-Indonesians have been the prime targets of violence and sexual abuse in recent riots as if they were state enemies. In reality, there are those who have contributed a lot to the country. These people tend to be forgotten at a time like this.