Renegotiations with IPPs to start in February: PLN JAKARTA (JP): State electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) said on Friday that negotiations with independent power producers (IPPs) concerning the renewal of power purchase contracts would start next month and might take two years. "We expect to start the renegotiations in February, and it may take two years to complete.

Budget for militia On Dec. 23, 1998, the media printed an announcement by Information Minister Muhammad Yunus that for a militia of 40,000 men, a budget of Rp 300 billion has been reserved. On average, the cost will be Rp 7,500,000 per head. This amount includes costs for the initial selection in January 1999 and training from February to April. In May 1999 the "civilian troops" will be ready for operations.

Theo reports tabloid to police for defamation JAKARTA (JP): A former top military officer, Maj. Gen. (ret) Theo Syafei, lodged a complaint against the newly established tabloid Abadi for slander on Friday at the headquarters of the Jakarta Police. Accompanied by a team of seven lawyers, the former chief of the Udayana Regional Military Command, which oversees East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, Bali and East Timor, arrived at city police headquarters in South Jakarta at around 10 a.m.

Sad tales behind the green farm By Kafil Yamin BANDUNG (JP): Things seemed all right in Cikuya, a small village at the foot of Lagadar hill, West Java. Men and women were working on a huge, green farm stretching out in front of their neighborhood. Children were moving down the track on their way to school. Cikuya is divided into two parts, Cikuya Tonggoh and Cikuya Lebak and is inhabited by some 4,500 residents altogether.

Village office destruction probed TANGERANG (JP): Police are investigating Thursday's destruction of the Kayu Agung village office and the house of the village head, an officer said on Friday. "We are in the process of looking for the culprits who provoked villagers into attacking the two buildings," Tangerang Police precinct chief Lt. Col. Pudji Hartanto said.

Mahathir names new deputy in major reshuffle KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Friday named a new deputy in a cabinet reshuffle aimed at consolidating his position four months after sacking former number-two Anwar Ibrahim. Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, 59, a staunch Mahathir loyalist, was named deputy prime minister and home minister.

Canada, RI in tax pacts OTTAWA (Dow Jones): The Canadian government announced separate tax arrangements with Vietnam, Indonesia and the Netherlands. The Canadian Finance Department said a Canada-Vietnam agreement to avoid double taxation and to prevent tax evasion has now entered into force. The agreement was signed in Hanoi Nov. 14, 1997. The department said a protocol amending the 1979 tax convention between Canada and Indonesia has entered in force.

Pius, Andi refuse to testify in the trial of 11 elite troops JAKARTA (JP): Pius Lustrilanang and Andi Arief refused on Friday to testify in the trial of 11 elite troops accused of abducting them and seven other political activists, citing their suspicions that the legal proceedings were unfair and incapable of truly solving the case.