Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 21 September 1998

46 articles found

RP banks stable amid crisis

RP banks stable amid crisis MANILA (Reuters): Philippine commercial banks performed moderately well as of the second quarter ended June despite the lingering financial crisis, the central bank said.The central bank said in a statement Sunday the capital ratio of local commercial banks in the second...

Customers still complaining over PDAM water services

Customers still complaining over PDAM water services JAKARTA (JP): Although the management of tap water supply in the capital has been handed over to joint venture companies, many Jakartans are complaining about the same old things: poor water quality, leaking pipes and erratic billing.

Where to go in Jakarta:

Where to go in Jakarta:Exhibitions * Photo Exhibition: Teater Tari Masa Kini - 30 Tahun Sejarah Tari Jerman, at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta, Jl. Pos No. 2, Central Jakarta (Phone: 3441892), 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sept. 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 23, 24, 27, 29, 30, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sept.

Brunei must help Asia: New crown prince

Brunei must help Asia: New crown prince BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Reuters): The newly proclaimed crown prince of Brunei said the oil-rich sultanate must help Asia out in its economic turmoil."We have to help as best we can with what limited resources we can," said Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, in line to...

Playing with politics

Playing with politics It is certainly a relief to learn that the government has finally presented the drafts on political laws -- which many hope will provide the foundations of our democracy -- to the House of Representatives (DPR).

Deciding by ballot

Deciding by ballot The recent decision taken by a vote in the House of Representatives was a new and refreshing development. The House plenary session failed to reach a unanimous decision because the United Development Party (PPP) faction insisted on proposing former finance minister Mar'ie...

Economy may improve soon: Syahril

Economy may improve soon: Syahril YOGYAKARTA (JP): Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Syahril Sabirin has expressed optimism that the economy will improve within the next two to three months if "non-economic factors" in the country stabilize.

Ethnic Chinese and amoral acts

Ethnic Chinese and amoral acts In response to Sumarsono Sastrowardoyo's letter of Sept. 17, I venture to say that most Chinese-Indonesians hate and condemn the individuals, especially ethnic Chinese, who smuggle rice and commit other amoral acts, such as bankers pillaging banks.

Indonesia and Russia in Paris Club talks this week

Indonesia and Russia in Paris Club talks this week PARIS (Reuters): Two of the world's most embattled economies hold talks with the Paris Club of creditor nations this week as Indonesia seeks a rescheduling of debt payments and Russia comes to explain why its own payments are running late.

RP exerting all to save PAL

RP exerting all to save PAL MANILA (Reuters): The Philippine government said on Sunday it was exerting all efforts to save Philippines Airlines (PAL) which has announced it will close shop next week."With two days to go before Philippine Airlines closes down, President Joseph Estrada is still...

European Union has no plans to amend cotton dumping proposal

European Union has no plans to amend cotton dumping proposal BRUSSELS (Reuters): The European Commission has no plans to amend its proposal for dumping duties on unbleached cotton imports, despite opposition from a majority of European Union governments, a Commission spokesman said on Friday.

Elizabeth II visits KL during political storm

Elizabeth II visits KL during political storm KUALA LUMPUR (AP): A white-gloved Queen Elizabeth II attended a church service at Freedom Square on her first stop in this former British colony roiling with a sordid political drama.Just after the queen settled into the front pew at nearby St.

Police arrest Anwar after major protest

Police arrest Anwar after major protest KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysian police arrested sacked finance minister Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday, hours after he led tens of thousands of protesters through the streets of the capital calling on Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to resign.

ABRI members clean up rivers

ABRI members clean up rivers JAKARTA (JP): About 500 members of the Armed Forces (ABRI) were set to work cleaning up Apuran river in the Cengkareng Timur sub-district of West Jakarta on Sunday.They were deployed to assist measures which the city is taking to prepare for above average rainfall which...

TV today

TV todayTVRI 2:00 p.m. News: Berita 14 2:35 TV Series: The Big Valley 3:05 Management Program: Kiat Manajemen 3:30 TV Drama: Badai pun Berlalu 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...

Investigators still absent at Cendana, only flowers arrive

Investigators still absent at Cendana, only flowers arrive JAKARTA (JP): As of Sunday there were no signs that the Attorney General-led team investigating the wealth of former president Soeharto had met him at his residence.Soeharto's residence on Jl.

City urged to revoke levy on indoor ads

City urged to revoke levy on indoor ads JAKARTA (JP): Operators of major shopping centers in Greater Jakarta urged the city administration on Saturday to abolish a levy on advertisement billboards and banners inside their premises.

Singapore Malays defend Lee

Singapore Malays defend Lee SINGAPORE (AP): Ethnic Malay leaders in Singapore came to the defense of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, whose memoirs have been criticized in Malaysia as poisonous and racist, a newspaper reported on Sunday.

Art summit schedule of performances

Art summit schedule of performances Sept. 21-22: Music, Alvin Lucier (USA), Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (GKJ), Jl. Pos No. 2, Central Jakarta (Phone: 3441892).Sept. 22-23: Theater, Suku Naga (Dragon Tribe), Bengkel Teater Rendra (Indonesia), Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), Jl.

Gas leak investigated

Gas leak investigated PADANG, West Sumatra: Sawahlunto regency has formed a fact- finding team to check into reports of methane leakage from illegal mines here.Iwan Setiawan, general manager of PT Bukit Asam Unit Pertambangan Ombilin, said methane emissions from a number of illegal mines had...

Housewife found dead in Cikarang

Housewife found dead in Cikarang JAKARTA (JP): A 25-year-old housewife was found dead in her house made out of bamboo matting in Cikarang, Bekasi, on Saturday hanging from a curtain.Her husband, Endang, 28, a secondhand goods peddler, was away in Depok earning money for his one-child family when...

More parties demand fairer election rules

More parties demand fairer election rules JAKARTA (JP): More political parties have called for equal chances to contest next May's general election.Alexander Litaay of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) under Megawati Soekarnoputri, Nurdin Purnomo of the Bhinneka Tunggal Ika Party (PBTI),...

MITI helps SE Asian firms

MITI helps SE Asian firms TOKYO (Bloomberg): Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry will extend low-interest loans to units of Japanese companies operating in Southeast Asia to help revitalize the region's economies, Daily Yomiuri reported Sunday, citing ministry sources.

Bankers call for delay in liquidity support repayment

Bankers call for delay in liquidity support repayment JAKARTA (JP): The Federation of Indonesian Private Domestic Banks (Perbanas) has urged for the extension of a deadline given to banks recently suspended and nationalized by the government to settle their massive debts to Bank Indonesia, the...

U.S. composer explores the use of gamelan music

U.S. composer explores the use of gamelan music JAKARTA (JP): He sat in a room recording his voice and playing it back into the room. The playback was recorded by another machine and again the result was played back into the room.

Megawati receives global award from Indian govt

Megawati receives global award from Indian govt JAKARTA (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri, the chairwoman of a camp of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) not recognized by the government, received the Global Award for Outstanding Contribution in the Promotion of International Understanding on...

Privatizing quick quick

Privatizing quick quick I refer to Mr. Seamus McElroy's letter Privatizing slowly- slowly in The Jakarta Post on Sept. 11, 1998. He is right on the mark. Not only is the privatization of state enterprises necessary, it should have begun last October.Permit me to give an example.

AC Milan clears Capello for Inter

AC Milan clears Capello for Inter MILAN (AFP): AC Milan has cleared the way for top Italian coach Fabio Capello to join city rivals Inter Milan.Capello is still under contract with AC Milan despite being axed as coach last summer after failing to stop the club's dismal run of results.

Beware of counterfeit printer supplies

Beware of counterfeit printer suppliesBy Zatni Arbi JAKARTA (JP): Last week I took my daughter, Irene, to the book exhibition at the sports stadium in Senayan. We had a good time browsing through the books displayed by publishers.

Projects employ over 4,000

Projects employ over 4,000 SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Several labor-intensive projects worth Rp 1.5 billion have put more than 4,000 unemployed people to work in East Kalimantan.Local authorities are overseeing 17 road, farming and irrigation projects in three subdistricts of the provincial...

Rape pregnancy a touchy subject

Rape pregnancy a touchy subjectBy R. Diah Imaningrum MALANG, East Java (JP): A Jakarta-based daily wrote "Jakarta is Crying" to describe the mass emotion when the Acan family was the victim of rape and robbery two years ago.

Campuses still uneasy after May's success

Campuses still uneasy after May's successBy Sugito JAKARTA (JP): Exactly four months after students forced president Soeharto to step down, Jakarta's major university campuses remain just as restless, if not more than before, with the country's political and economic situation.

Inform public of new troop arrivals, says Bishop Belo

Inform public of new troop arrivals, says Bishop Belo DILI, East Timor (JP): Dili Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo has requested that the military practice transparency in the deployment and withdrawal of troops here to avoid distrust among locals.

89,085 students forced to drop out

89,085 students forced to drop out TANGERANG (JP): The number of elementary school pupils forced to drop out of school in Tangerang regency during the 1998/1999 school year rose to at least 89,085 from 84,753 last year, data from the local office of the family planning bureau has revealed.

Riot investigation team to provide Wiranto an update

Riot investigation team to provide Wiranto an update JAKARTA (JP): The government-sponsored fact-finding team investigating the May riots is scheduled to brief Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto on Monday on its findings to date.

KDI to take in Bulog stock

KDI to take in Bulog stock JAKARTA (JP): The government plans to hand over 150,000 metric tons of cooking oil currently belonging to the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to the Indonesian Distribution Cooperatives (KDI) for distribution throughout the country.

Tropical storm boosts increase in oil prices

Tropical storm boosts increase in oil prices LONDON (AFP): The tropical storm over the Gulf of Mexico gave a badly needed boost to flagging oil prices last week in London, amid growing calls from OPEC for producers to stick to production cuts and force up prices.

Removal of sex workers urged

Removal of sex workers urged CILACAP, Central Java (JP): Hundreds of activists from the Indonesian Moslem Student Movement's (PMII) Cilacap branch demanded government action on Thursday to put an end to prostitution here.

Macroeconomic policy, banking management need reform

Macroeconomic policy, banking management need reform JAKARTA (JP): Laksamana Sukardi obviously does not fit the norm. His priority is not the pursuit of wealth and a high office.He could have stayed in his previous job as managing director of Lippo Bank and moved on to reach the pinnacle of his...

Friction in FSPSI mounts as members trade threats

Friction in FSPSI mounts as members trade threats JAKARTA (JP): The ongoing friction in the government-backed Federation of Indonesian Workers Union (FSPSI) has escalated with the federation's central board and sectoral unions exchanging threats of sacking.

RI still promising for air express firms

RI still promising for air express firmsBy Sylvia Gratia MN JAKARTA (JP): The world's major air express companies still consider Indonesia a promising market for courier business despite the country's worst ever economic crisis.

Labor foundation to hold mass wedding

Labor foundation to hold mass wedding JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Labor Foundation plans to hold a collective wedding ceremony in November to help low-income couples who have postponed their dream wedding due to the crisis.

Mar'ie the right man for BPK

Mar'ie the right man for BPK I once worked in an auditing office with the government and have knowledge on how the state's various audit institutes operate. They are at provincial level and at ministry level. There are state audit agencies at the central level and in all provinces.

Thousands PAN launching in Yogyakarta

Thousands PAN launching in Yogyakarta YOGYAKARTA (JP): About 25,000 people attended a ceremony to launch the National Mandate Party's (PAN) Yogyakarta branch at Kridosono Stadium here on Sunday.Others who could not fit into the stadium held rallies in parts of the city, in many cases causing heavy...

Market expected to tumble further

Market expected to tumble further JAKARTA (JP): Share prices on the local stock market are expected to slip further this week, weighed down by weak sentiment on regional markets and concerns over political and social instability at home, analysts and stock brokers said.

Fight against graft 'key to RI recovery'

Fight against graft 'key to RI recovery' JAKARTA (JP): Combating corruption is essential to Indonesia's economic recovery, but the country's anti-corruption efforts can only be effective if they begin with a credible demonstrated commitment at the highest levels of government, according to a senior...