Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 7 August 1998

65 articles found

Coffee's stable, trade slow

Coffee's stable, trade slow SINGAPORE (Reuters): Sales of coffee beans from Indonesia were stable but slow at prices hovering around recent levels, dealers said yesterday. Indonesian beans were offered at around $160 per tonne under London levels, little changed from earlier this week. "Most deals are still done in small lots. Bits and pieces. Not much is going on," said one trader in Singapore.

More grain flow seen as Indonesia comes to life

More grain flow seen as Indonesia comes to life SINGAPORE (Reuters): Movements of rice and corn in Southeast Asia are on the rise as Indonesia comes to life in the grains market, traders said yesterday. For soybeans and wheat, however, traders still saw a lukewarm market in the Far East despite continued falling world prices. Soymeals are at 11-year lows, wheat seven-year lows and soybeans three-year lows. "Focus will still be on basic needs such as rice, sugar or corn.

Residents threaten to destroy red-light district

Residents threaten to destroy red-light district JAKARTA (JP): At least 50 residents of the Kramat Tunggak red- light district in North Jakarta went to City Hall yesterday, threatening to destroy the brothels in the area if the city administration did not close them down soon. Yusuf Al Ghifari, a representative of the residents, gave the city only until the end of the year to close the brothels down because they had frequently created disturbances among local residents.

Antiforeigner sentiment reaches fever pitch

Antiforeigner sentiment reaches fever pitch By Todd Gregory This is the second of two articles on Indonesians' attitude toward foreigners. JAKARTA (JP): It is a real tragedy. Indonesia has been a sovereign nation held captive for over 50 years by a handful of privileged, native-born government officials and influence- wielding tycoons who have consistently put their own interests ahead of the country's interests.

Jobless man killed by mistake

Jobless man killed by mistake TANGERANG (JP): A jobless man identified as Anton Abdullah, 32, of Kampung Pondok Serut in Serpong here, died after being mobbed by an angry crowd which assumed he was a thief. It was Anton's father-in-law Jaya who allegedly provoked the crowd to turn on the father of three Tuesday night. Jaya reportedly yelled and called Anton a robber because the latter had forced him to hand over some money and threatened to burn the house if Jaya refused to do so.

'Amien, please stay away'

'Amien, please stay away' SURABAYA: Banyuwangi Regent T. Purnomo Sidik has made an official plea for people not to invite opposition figure Amien Rais to the small East Javan town of Banywangi, about 230 kilometers southeast of here, fearing his arrival might incite violence. His plea was made in a formal letter addressed to the East Java governor, the provincial director for social and political affairs and the Banyuwangi branch of the Muhammadiyah Moslem organization, among others.

Where to go in Jakarta:

Where to go in Jakarta: Exhibitions * Painting, Sculpture Exhibition: Anggrek Kasih Untuk Sesama, by Dolorosa Sinaga, Kartika Affandi, Enrico Soekarno, etc., at World Trade Center, Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 29-31, South Jakarta (Phone: 5211320), 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Aug. 7-13, * Arts Exhibition: Patterning in Contemporary Art - Layers of Meaning; Signifying Decorativeness - Layers of Meaning, in Gedung Pameran Seni Rupa Depdikbud, Jl.

India backs idea for rubber producer cartel

India backs idea for rubber producer cartel SINGAPORE (Bloomberg): India welcomes Malaysia's proposal to form a cartel of rubber producers, following Kuala Lumpur's decision to pull out of the International Natural Rubber Organization, an Indian Rubber Board official said yesterday. "The producers' cartel will be useful since current prices are not satisfactory to farmers," in India, said K.J. Mathew, chairman of India's Rubber Board.

Injustice 'is key problem' in Irian

Injustice 'is key problem' in Irian JAKARTA (JP): The key issues in Irian Jaya, which has recently been hit by a wave of bloody protests, are not independence or greater autonomy but persistent injustices and the rampant violation of the local population's basic human rights, an influential church leader has said. Mgr.

Gipsdlis forces Utut into draw in Cafe Cup

Gipsdlis forces Utut into draw in Cafe Cup JAKARTA (JP): Latvian Grand Master (GM) Aivars Gipsdlis gave Indonesia's top chess player Utut Adianto stiff resistance to force a draw in their third-round match at the Cafe Cup in Koszalin, Poland, on Wednesday. Playing white, Gipsdlis put constant pressure on Utut's Modern defense throughout the three-hour, 40-minute game. With a deadlock inevitable, both players agreed to a draw after 37 moves.

Govt plans to rebuild damaged dam

Govt plans to rebuild damaged dam JAKARTA (JP): The government intends to reconstruct the Menangan dam in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, and resettle more than 2,500 families living along the Karamumus riverbank in a bid to prevent future floods and loss of life. Minister of Public Works Ramadi Bambang Sumadhijo said yesterday the government would need at least Rp 150 billion to resettle residents, repair the dam and normalize the flow of Karamumus River.

TV today

TV today TVRI 2:00 p.m. News: Berita 14 2:30 Music 2:35 Cartoon: Warner Kartun 3:05 Documentary: Harmoni Kehidupan 3:30 Village Program 4:00 Regional News 4:30 Performance: Cakrawala Budaya 5:00 Music: Paket 27 5:30 Education Quiz: Cerdas Cermat 6:00 News: Lintasan Berita 6:05 Documentary: Rona Nusantara 6:15 Sports News 6:30 TVRI News (in English) 7:00 Evening News 7:35 Entertainment News: Lintasan Sinetron 8:00 News: Lintasan Berita 8:05 Technology Program 8:30 Talk Show: Dialog 9:00 World...

Motorbike thief killed by mob

Motorbike thief killed by mob JAKARTA (JP): A mob of local residents from Pondok Benda Baru in Pamulang district, Tangerang, killed a man on Wednesday night for stabbing an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver and attempting to steal his vehicle. Local residents seized the thief as soon as they heard ojek driver Supriyadi's calls for help. Supriyadi was taken unconscious to Fatmawati Hospital in South Jakarta.

CPP leader Hun Sen warns of political crisis

CPP leader Hun Sen warns of political crisis PHNOM PENH (AP): Cambodian leader Hun Sen warned yesterday of a new political crisis if opposition parties protesting alleged election fraud followed through on threats to block the formation of a new government. "If the two parties boycott, this will cause a crisis... because the old National Assembly will be dissolved," Hun Sen said in an interview with Radio Australia's Khmer-language service.

Cafe guests see double -- 11 times

Cafe guests see double -- 11 times HANOI (AP): Patrons at a new restaurant can be forgiven for doing double-takes: 11 sets of twins wait on the tables. The appropriately named Twin Restaurant, which opened a month ago in Ho Chi Minh City, is the brainchild of well-known Vietnamese love-song composer Thanh Tung. He got the idea while being served by a twin at a restaurant in the resort city of Nha Trang.

People race to sell Sukarno memorabilia

People race to sell Sukarno memorabilia By K. Basrie JAKARTA (JP): Columns of classified advertisements in Jakarta- based newspapers are witness to the fact that numerous people are offering books and other accessories on the country's first president, the late Sukarno. The trend has become apparent in the past two weeks and nobody knows who began it.

Gramedia to print 'AWSJ'

Gramedia to print 'AWSJ' JAKARTA (JP): PT Gramedia, the publisher of the Kompas daily and one of the largest newspaper printers in Indonesia, will commence printing The Asian Wall Street Journal within the next few months, Dow Jones and Company said in a statement. The financial newspaper's president William Adamopoulos said his company was delighted to add Jakarta as the paper's ninth print site.

Poor villagers eat rice shavings

Poor villagers eat rice shavings TANGERANG (JP): At least five families from Kohod village in Pakuhaji district here cannot afford to buy rice and have been forced to eat shavings of the grain left over from the milling process. The five families, among 116 in the village who are living below the poverty line, said they had eaten rice shavings to avoid starvation.

Balinese culture on center stage

Balinese culture on center stage JAKARTA (JP): Balinese wear, handicrafts, cuisine and sculpture will dominate the interiors and exterior of Mal Pondok Indah in South Jakarta as part of the mall's celebration of Indonesia's 53rd independence anniversary. The event opens today and runs until Aug. 23. Traditional dances and musical performances will also be held daily. More extensive shows will be performed on weekends and on the national holiday on Aug. 17.

Experimental guitarist to stage here

Experimental guitarist to stage here By Franki Raden JAKARTA (JP): The guitar is the most popular Western musical instrument in Indonesia. Almost all popular music in the West uses this instrument. In the 1950s, local composer and musician Ismail Marzuki was also popular as a guitarist. In the 1970s, the guitar started to gain popularity in Indonesia's classical music genre. Classical guitar courses mushroomed.

Habibie warned of impending collapse

Habibie warned of impending collapse JAKARTA (JP): A group of leading economists urged President B.J. Habibie's administration yesterday to quickly abandon its populist economic crisis-handling policy and follow basic economic principles to prevent a total breakdown of the economy and the state. The 15 economists asserted that the administration's economic crisis management had failed to produce positive developments and had instead led to rapid economic deterioration.

Asian crisis hits U.S. manufacturing, farming, Fed says

Asian crisis hits U.S. manufacturing, farming, Fed says WASHINGTON (AP): The Asian economic crisis is taking a toll on American manufacturers and farmers, but strong consumer demand is helping to keep the overall economy steaming ahead, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday. The Fed found widespread evidence that Asia's troubles were cutting into demand for American manufactured goods and depressing the prices of many farm commodities.

E. Timor leaders hail 'special status' offer

E. Timor leaders hail 'special status' offer JAKARTA (JP): The landmark agreement between Indonesia and Portugal to discuss the former's offer of "special status" for East Timor was enthusiastically welcomed yesterday in the tiny province as a step forward. Community leaders lauded the move for giving hope that a solution to the long-standing dispute could at last be in the works.

ICRC in Irian Jaya

ICRC in Irian Jaya In your article titled Churches back calls for Irian Jaya independence published on Aug. 3, 1998, in the last paragraph it is stated that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had never received permission from the government to enter the province. As a matter of fact, the ICRC has been present in Irian Jaya since 1988 when it monitored the repatriation of "border crossers" from Papua New Guinea to Irian Jaya.

Asian woes expanding beyond 2000: Survey

Asian woes expanding beyond 2000: Survey LONDON (Reuters): Multinational companies operating in Asia believe the region's financial crisis will go on beyond 2000 but Thailand and Singapore will be the first to recover, a survey said on Wednesday. A big majority said Indonesia would be last to recover.

Standard Chartered profits

Standard Chartered profits JAKARTA (JP): The London-based Standard Chartered Plc announced yesterday that its first half 1998 profit before provisions rose 27 percent to 605 million pounds sterling (US$986.15 million) over the corresponding period last year. The bank said in a statement that it increased the interim dividend by 19 percent to 6.25 pence per share.

Debate rages on over new lottery proposal

Debate rages on over new lottery proposal JAKARTA (JP): The debate raged on yesterday over a controversial planned lottery to raise funds for sports development despite an earlier condemnatory edict from the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI). National Sports Council Chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar expressed his regret yesterday over the edict, saying the ruling came prematurely.

Jl. Kwitang home to money changers for all seasons

Jl. Kwitang home to money changers for all seasons By Christiani S.A. Tumelap JAKARTA (JP): It's midnight and you need some cash in your hand but the ATM is not working, your account is empty anyway, and all you've got left are two wrinkled US$100 bills in your pocket. What can you do? Herman from Manggarai in South Jakarta said he cashed $200 in notes and coins worth a further $10 at a street currency trader on Jl. Kwitang in Central Jakarta at 1 a.m. two weeks ago.

Pertamina crude demand seen unchanged

Pertamina crude demand seen unchanged SINGAPORE (Reuters): Indonesian state-oil company Pertamina has started to source its September crude requirements and is expected to purchase the same volumes as August, traders said yesterday. "They are in the process of buying September, but they will probably import the same as they did in August," a western trader said. Traders said that offers of crude included Malaysian crudes, regional condensates and Nigerian Qua Iboe.

SE Asian currencies fall as pressure on Hong Kong mounts

SE Asian currencies fall as pressure on Hong Kong mounts SINGAPORE (Dow Jones): Heightened speculative pressure on the Hong Kong dollar spread a bearish ripple through Southeast Asian foreign exchange markets yesterday, as traders sold down regional currencies in panicky dealing. Outright buying of U.S.

Coastal Corp aims big in RP oil market

Coastal Corp aims big in RP oil market SINGAPORE (Reuters): U.S.-based Coastal Corp plans to use its large 2.4 million-barrel Subic Bay oil storage center as the hub to become a major player in the Philippines' market, a senior company official said yesterday. "In five years, I will be equal to everybody. All of us will have 25-percent of market share," Jess Medina, Coastal Corp's Philippines country manager and chief executive officer of Subic Bay Distribution Co., said.

I never attended such a dialog

I never attended such a dialog The Jakarta Post of Saturday, Aug. 1, 1998 edition, page 2, published an interview titled Bloodshed possible over referendum by Putu Wirata. Reading this interview carefully I noticed that in column 4 there is a significant error of fact which could seriously mislead readers: "We recently held a dialog (involving the two camps) in Baucau.

Wealthy people urged to help poor students

Wealthy people urged to help poor students JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso is urging affluent parents to assist students from financially troubled families to stay in school, including donating used uniforms and books. He said on Wednesday economically disadvantaged students badly needed help from the government and their wealthier schoolmates to enable them to get through the hardship.

Racial issue

Racial issue Readers' responses to Mr. Masli Arman's article (July 30) are very encouraging. Indonesians starting to discuss and debate various issues regarding indigenous-ethic Chinese relationships. Guided by The Jakarta Post's editorial skill, the exchange will somehow reach a point where these Indonesians will find a musyawarah (consultations to reach unanimity), their very own way of negotiating a dispute. If Mr.

Stock Exchange

Stock Exchange Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Aug. 6, 1998: Shares Close Change Trading Volume ---------------------------------------------------------- Ades Alfindo 325 0 10,000 AHAP Insurance 425 -200 1,000 Alter Abadi 450 -25 145,500 Alumindo Light Metal 425 50 379,500 Alumindo Perkasa 225 0 0 Aneka Kimia Raya 200 0 6,500 Aneka Tambang 2,350 50 6,512,000 Anwar Sierad 100 0 0 Apac Centertex Corp.

Conversion Rates

Conversion Rates JAKARTA (JP): Bank Ekspor Impor Indonesia's (Bank Exim) indicative conversion rates on Aug. 6, 1998: Buying Selling Rp Rp U.S.

Spell of power in RI politics

Spell of power in RI politics By Ignas Kleden This is the second of two articles on the political culture in Indonesia. JAKARTA (JP): The shortcoming of Indonesian politics in the 1950s was that the politicians were so overwhelmed by freedom of expression that they seemed to forget the necessity to come to a common consensus from time to time. Political conflicts became the order of the day and political stability turned out to be an impossible project.

Lee Kuan Yew's memoirs

Lee Kuan Yew's memoirs JAKARTA (JP): Three international publishers, Simon & Schuster Asia, Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) and Times Publishing, announced yesterday they would jointly publish the memoirs of Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew. SPH and Times will publish for the Singaporean and Malaysian markets while Simon & Schuster will the publish the reminiscences for the rest of the world.

Goh reassures Habibie of strong commitment to RI

Goh reassures Habibie of strong commitment to RI JAKARTA (JP): Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong has reassured President B.J. Habibie of his country's strong commitment to maintaining close ties and cooperation with Indonesia, a Singaporean minister said yesterday.

Maid sues RI, Malaysian govts

Maid sues RI, Malaysian govts MEDAN: The Indonesian NGO Committee for Migrant Labor filed suit yesterday on behalf of Arfah binti Saripado against the Malaysian and Indonesia governments, her Malaysian employers and the labor company which sent her to Malaysia. Renny Julia of the committee told The Jakarta Post here yesterday that the suit was filed at the Medan District Court under Court Registration No. 316/Pdt.G/1998/PN-Mdn.

Moslem scholars say no to Islamic state

Moslem scholars say no to Islamic state JAKARTA (JP): Despite the newfound political freedom which has lead to a growth in the number of Islamic parties, Moslem scholars still came out against the establishment of an Islamic state during a discussion yesterday.

Wiranto to visit Aceh to discuss rights violations

Wiranto to visit Aceh to discuss rights violations JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander (ABRI) Gen. Wiranto is scheduled to visit Aceh today to hold talks with local authorities and human rights activists over alleged human rights violations there, an activist said yesterday.

Ballet ends India's 50th anniversary

Ballet ends India's 50th anniversary JAKARTA (JP): The India Club Jakarta will present a ballet of festivals to close celebrations here for the 50th anniversary of India's independence. The ballet will be open to the public free of charge and will be held at the auditorium of Erasmus Huis, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, South Jakarta, tonight. It will start with the celebration of Ganapati Chaturti, the first festival kindling the festival season and initiated then by freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

Thailand, RI plan oil deal

Thailand, RI plan oil deal BANGKOK (AP): The Thai and Indonesian state-owned oil companies are negotiating a deal to exchange oil products, the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) said yesterday. Both Thailand and Indonesia are grappling with economic crises. Thailand wants to exchange refined diesel oil for Indonesian crude or naphtha oil, a spokesman for PTT said. Thailand has a surplus of refined crude, which Indonesia needs.

KL names troubled banks

KL names troubled banks KUALA LUMPUR (Dow Jones): Malaysia's Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim said yesterday a number of commercial banks have been identified as needing help from the central bank's newly announced recapitalization fund. Although he didn't name the banks involved, he said 2.5 billion to 3.5 billion ringgit would be needed in the next few weeks. "We are talking in terms of a 16 billion ringgit program," for the whole banking sector, Anwar said.

Australian Percey takes lead in Sabah Masters

Australian Percey takes lead in Sabah Masters TAWAU, Sabah (Agencies): Australian Adrian Percey fired an eagle and four birdies for a six-under-par 66 to take the first round lead in the Sabah Masters at Shan-Shui Golf and Country Club yesterday. In what is the first visit of the year by the Asian PGA's Omega Tour to Malaysia, Percey leads by a stroke from Thailand- based Scotsman Simon Yates and Taiwan's Lu Chien-soon who returned 67s.

ABRI and human rights

ABRI and human rights At last the long awaited step has been taken. The formation of a Military Honor Council was announced yesterday (Tuesday) by Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto. This demonstrates that ABRI is sincere in its promise to thoroughly investigate the abduction of political activists and bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion. Indeed for ABRI there is no other choice.

WAN slams reporters' license plan

WAN slams reporters' license plan PARIS (DPA): The World Association of Newspapers (WAN) yesterday called on Indonesian President B.J. Habibie to abandon a planned licensing system for journalists, saying that such a move contravened human rights. In a letter to Habibie, WAN president Bengt Braun said in Paris that the president should reject all calls for the licensing of journalists and uphold international norms of free expression.

Tourists flock to Baturraden

Tourists flock to Baturraden PURWOKERTO, Central Java: While the economic situation has become bleaker for many in the past few months, the Baturraden tourist site has registered a 50 percent increase in visitors during the recently ended school vacation period. Head of the Baturraden tourist office Andri Sungkowo told The Jakarta Post yesterday he was surprised at the soaring number of visitors.

Battle lines drawn at first national debate

Battle lines drawn at first national debate By Yogita Tahil Ramani JAKARTA (JP): Spouting off an orgy of words is one thing. Debating is another, particularly in a foreign language. This could not have been more evident than at the Aug. 3 final round of the Indonesian Varsities English Debate 1998. The auditorium at the Japanese Study Center of the University of Indonesia served as the court of law, and the gallery was about 400 students from 22 universities.

Rules of debating require thought, reason and wit

Rules of debating require thought, reason and wit JAKARTA (JP): Students nationwide, each handpicked by their universities, milled around the grounds of the University of Indonesia's schools of law and letters. Though thankfully not a literal demonstration for a noble cause, the event was one of a cause: The Indonesian Varsities English Debate 1998, the first national debate in Indonesia, was held to serve as a platform for future endeavors in debating.

The palm oil puzzle

The palm oil puzzle The persistent volatility of the price of cooking oil above the official level should have awakened the government to the blunt reality that market-control measures without the support of subsidy spending are not an effective way to either ensure supply or control prices. However, the government seems unwilling to learn from the failure of the series of antimarket measures it has imposed since earlier this year.

Opposition figures form anti-Habibie group

Opposition figures form anti-Habibie group JAKARTA (JP): A group of retired generals and former officials yesterday declared the creation of the National Front, a forum intended to serve as a moral force and as an opposition group to President B.J. Habibie's administration. Former commander of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command, Lt. Gen. (ret.) Kemal Idris, was elected the group's chairman, while former Golkar secretary-general Rachmat Witoelar was named its secretary-general.

Govt upbeat over privatization

Govt upbeat over privatization JAKARTA (JP): The government is optimistic that it will still be able to raise Rp 15 trillion (US$1.2 billion) from the privatization of state companies in this fiscal year despite a delay in the sale of its stake in PT Telkom, a senior official said here yesterday.

Local airlines not ready to operate under one flag

Local airlines not ready to operate under one flag JAKARTA (JP): Communications Minister Giri Suseno Hadihardjono said yesterday Indonesia's airlines are still reluctant to operate under one flag despite their financial problems. Giri said the country's five operating airlines still preferred to run individual operations instead of working jointly under one, Indonesia Airlines, flag.

Archery chair wants Asiad squad slots

Archery chair wants Asiad squad slots JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Archery Association insisted yesterday that its athletes should go to the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in December. The association's chairman, Oetojo Oesman, said an absence from the Asiad could dash Indonesia's hopes of making an Olympic appearance in Sydney in 2000.

Kreasindo, Roche sign deal

Kreasindo, Roche sign deal JAKARTA (JP): Advertising and marketing consultant Kreasindo/Leo Burnett, an affiliate of Leo Burnett of the United States, has signed a Rp 15 billion (US$1.25 million) contract with pharmaceutical company PT Roche Indonesia for the marketing of Roche products in the country.

Noegroho squashes rumors about new riots

Noegroho squashes rumors about new riots JAKARTA (JP): City police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman dismissed yesterday swirling rumors of renewed riots in the capital on Aug. 17, but said all Jakartans were responsible in the fight against crime. "They're untrue. These kind of rumors will only create discomfort and insecurity among people.

Revenues from PSC operations set to drop

Revenues from PSC operations set to drop JAKARTA (JP): Combined gross revenues from state oil and gas company Pertamina's production sharing contractors (PSC) are likely to drop to US$11.6 billion this year from $14.6 billion last year due to a drastic fall in oil prices, Pertamina said. Pertamina's foreign contracts division head, Gatot K. Wiroyudo, said Tuesday that Pertamina had initially estimated that its PSCs would generate $14.18 billion in gross revenue this year.

Rupiah elongated gains but stocks slide further

Rupiah elongated gains but stocks slide further JAKARTA (JP): The rupiah defied regional bearish sentiments, strengthening to 12,700 against the U.S. dollar, while local stock prices succumbed to the mounting pressure. Currency dealers said the rupiah was pushed higher from state- owned bank transactions and the talk of possible dollar sales by Bank Indonesia, the central bank.

Odd feats find their place

Odd feats find their place SEMARANG: A 68-centimeter-long cigarette was among the records inducted yesterday into the Indonesian Museum of Records here. The cigarette was made by Semarang resident Yerikho, who dubbed it a "Reform Cigarette". It has an 18-centimeter filter, a width of 4.9 centimeters and weighs 375 grams. Meanwhile, Hendry Filcozwei extended his record as he successfully piled 200 Rp 100 coins. He beat his own record set last year of 197 coins.

Builders association seeks debt relief from local banks

Builders association seeks debt relief from local banks JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Builders Association (GAPENSI) urged the government yesterday to allow its members to reschedule their debts with local banks because nearly all 41,750 members are technically bankrupt. Association chairman Agus G. Kartasasmita said his members were no longer able repay their debts as many of their construction projects had been delayed by the government or had been halted by skyrocketing prices.

Syarwan lodges defamation complaint against DeTAK

Syarwan lodges defamation complaint against DeTAK JAKARTA (JP): Police here confirmed yesterday that Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid had lodged a complaint against the weekly DeTAK tabloid with the National Police headquarters. "He considers that the 002 and 003 editions of DeTAK defamed him," Detective Unit chief Col. Edi Darnadi was quoted by Antara as saying. Edi, who was accompanied by deputy National Police spokesman Col.

Fair transactions total only Rp 10.8b

Fair transactions total only Rp 10.8b JAKARTA (JP): Business transactions booked over the one-month 31st Jakarta Fair ending on Aug. 2 totaled only Rp 10.8 billion (US$850,393), far less than last year's total of Rp 125 billion, a fair management executive said. Gito Bantas, president of the fair management company PT Jakarta International Trade Fair Corporation, said Wednesday that the fair's participants had not anticipated large revenues because of the ongoing monetary crisis.

Prabowo, Muchdi testify before Honor Council

Prabowo, Muchdi testify before Honor Council JAKARTA (JP): The Officers Honor Council continued questioning yesterday of two former chiefs of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) over alleged involvement in the abductions and torture of political activists. Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto and Maj. Gen. Muchdi Purwopranjono -- both recently removed from their positions -- testified in two separate sessions. Muchdi, Prabowo's successor as Kopassus commander, arrived first at Army headquarters on Jl.