Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 15 October 1999

51 articles found

Indra appointed new president of Indosat

Indra appointed new president of Indosat JAKARTA (JP): Shareholders of publicly listed international telecommunications operator PT Indosat approved in a closed door meeting held on Thursday the appointment of Indra Setiawan as new company president.

Locals irked over shutout from jobs

Locals irked over shutout from jobs TANGERANG (JP): Dozens of Paku Alam villagers in Serpong subdistrict protested on Wednesday their village chief's decision to prioritize migrants to fill job opportunities at a nearby shoe factory.

Indonesian League kicks off next month

Indonesian League kicks off next month BANDUNG (JP): The chairman of the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI), Agum Gumelar, said on Wednesday evening that the association would stage the sixth Indonesian League starting from Nov. 7.

One killed in Bali boat collision

One killed in Bali boat collision DENPASAR, Bali: Two fishing vessels collided in the Bali Strait on Tuesday, leaving one man dead and three others missing, Jembrana Police chief Lt. Col. Happy Kartika told Antara on Thursday."There are 24 survivors in the incident.

Stock Exchange

Stock ExchangeStock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Oct. 14, 1999: Shares Close Change Trading Volume ---------------------------------------------------------- Ades Alfindo 475 0 0 AHAP Insurance 550 0 0 Alakasa Industrindo 250 0 0 Alter Abadi 300 0 0 Alumindo Light Metal 1,175...

Habibie's speech 'pure rhetoric'

Habibie's speech 'pure rhetoric' JAKARTA (JP): Initial reaction to the noneconomic portions of President B.J. Habibie's accountability speech on Thursday night was disapproving as analysts and politicians described it as pure rhetoric to gloss over the failings of the administration's flaws.

Buari leads Matoa Invitational

Buari leads Matoa Invitational JAKARTA (JP): Buari from Yani golf club, Surabaya, is still leading on the third day of the 1999 National Matoa Invitational tournament. He is currently six-under-par 210 at the Matoa golf course in Ciganjur, South Jakarta.

Supremacy of the law emphasized

Supremacy of the law emphasized JAKARTA (JP): The working committee of the People's Consultative Assembly's (MPR) has underlined the promotion of the supremacy of law and the creation of good governance in the proposed 1999-2004 State Policy Guidelines (GBHN).

Govt loses Rp 15t in unpaid royalties, reforestation funds

Govt loses Rp 15t in unpaid royalties, reforestation funds JAKARTA (JP): Inefficiency and lack of supervision in forest management have cost the government approximately Rp 15 trillion (about US$1.8 billion) in unpaid royalties and reforestation funds in the last five years, according to findings...

Asian auto industry may recover by 2003

Asian auto industry may recover by 2003 BANGKOK, Thailand (AP): Asia's automobile industry should return to peak sales by 2003 as the region emerges from its recession, one expert at a conference said Thursday.

Committee to amend 1945 Constitution

Committee to amend 1945 Constitution JAKARTA (JP): A working committee of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) agreed on Thursday to propose amendments to 10 articles in the 1945 Constitution which will limit the power of the president.

Nine draft decrees set for next govt

Nine draft decrees set for next govt JAKARTA (JP): The working committee of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) has prepared nine draft decrees, including the State Policy Guidelines for the 1999-2004 period and the amendment of the 1945 Constitution, for the next government to implement.

Air Force shifts policy on Interfet's plane restriction

Air Force shifts policy on Interfet's plane restriction JAKARTA (JP): The Air Force operational commander for Eastern Indonesia Rear Marshall Ian Santoso overturned his earlier statement on Thursday, and suggested that International Force for East Timor (Interfet) air force pilots submit their...

Conversion Rates

Conversion RatesBank Indonesia's conversion rates on Oct. 14, 1999: Bank notes rates Buying Selling Rp Rp U.S. dollar 1 8,234.00 8,316.00Australian dollar 1 5,335.63 5,397.08Austrian schilling 1 646.20 652.94Belgian franc 1 220.42 222.72Brunei dollar 1 4,888.39 4,940.00Canadian dollar 1 5,554.

IMF says loans to Russia, Indonesia remain on hold

IMF says loans to Russia, Indonesia remain on hold WASHINGTON (Dow Jones): The International Monetary Fund remains resolute in its suspension of loan programs with Russia and Indonesia as it awaits separate audit reports from PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Decomposed body found in Jatinegara

Decomposed body found in Jatinegara JAKARTA (JP): A decomposed, headless body of a man was found on Wednesday wrapped in a gunny sack in an almost dry gutter in Jatinegara, East Jakarta.A forensic examination revealed that the body started decomposing sometime between two weeks and two months ago.

SEANWFZ body holds meeting

SEANWFZ body holds meeting JAKARTA (JP): The Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone's (SEANWFZ) Executive Committee held an inaugural meeting in Bangkok on Tuesday, following on from the inaugural meeting of its commission in Singapore in July.

Senior legislators passed mental test

Senior legislators passed mental test JAKARTA (JP): Old faces in the People's Consultative Assembly prove they can match their younger colleagues during the General Session now underway, thanks in part to mental tests they once undertook.

Identification systems urged for ships plying Malacca Strait

Identification systems urged for ships plying Malacca Strait SINGAPORE (AFP): The International Maritime Organization (IMO) called Thursday for ships passing through the narrow Malacca Strait to be equipped with an automatic identification system to prevent accidents.

C. Sulawesi exports shrimp

C. Sulawesi exports shrimp JAKARTA (JP): Central Sulawesi exported 479 tons of frozen shrimp worth US$4.25 million to France in the first semester of 1999, a local official said."Compared to the same period in 1998, there was a significant decrease in terms of volume and revenue," the head of the...

Mahathir calls for coalition meeting

Mahathir calls for coalition meeting KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has called for a meeting of the leaders of his ruling political coalition on Oct. 25, The Star newspaper said on Thursday.

Tommy acquitted of graft charges

Tommy acquitted of graft charges JAKARTA (JP): South Jakarta District Court exonerated on Thursday former president Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra and his business associate Ricardo Gelael, both executives of the wholesale firm PT Goro Batara Sakti, from all corruption charges...

Riko vows to win 1999 league title for Aspac

Riko vows to win 1999 league title for Aspac JAKARTA (JP): Riko Hantono, 19, is hopeful he can help Aspac win the 1999 A Mild Kobatama national basketball league title.As one of Aspac's top scorers, Riko has proven that he is a threat to other top clubs, including defending champion Panasia...

JAL's local staff demand wage hike

JAL's local staff demand wage hike JAKARTA (JP): Local staff of Japan Airlines (JAL) in Jakarta, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Denpasar, Bali on Thursday repeated their call to the management for an annual wage increase."We're asking for a salary adjustment of 45 percent.

Basic necessities remain costly to many people

Basic necessities remain costly to many peopleBy Stevie Emilia JAKARTA (JP): A woman carrying heavy shopping bags bargains for eggs at Senen market in Central Jakarta. She lost and surrendered at the Rp 6,300 per kilogram set by the trader."The price begins to make sense these days.

Clashes mar Habibie's accountability speech

Clashes mar Habibie's accountability speech JAKARTA (JP): Militant student protesters demanding that President B.J. Habibie drop his bid for a second term clashed with riot troops outside the People's Consultative Assembly complex at dusk on Thursday.

KL nabs 100 illegal RI immigrants

KL nabs 100 illegal RI immigrants KUALA LUMPUR (DPA): Malaysian naval police have detained 100 Indonesians, including two children, who illegally entered the country aboard a fishing trawler in the Straits of Malacca, a news report said on Thursday.

Soeharto vs 'Time' must be tried in New York: Lawyer

Soeharto vs 'Time' must be tried in New York: Lawyer JAKARTA (JP): The lawyer for the New York-based magazine Time Todung Mulya Lubis said on Thursday that the Central Jakarta District Court had no authority to hear a US$27 billion (Rp 289 trillion) defamation civil lawsuit lodged by former...

Australia denies Timor oil treaty revoked by RI

Australia denies Timor oil treaty revoked by RI CANBERRA, Australia (AFP): Indonesia's suspension of naval exercises off East Timor did not amount to a suspension of the Timor Gap oil treaty with Australia, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Thursday.

Penang flights fully booked

Penang flights fully booked JAKARTA (JP): Flights from Medan to Penang, Malaysia, are fully booked until the end of this month as more people are traveling overseas to avoid the current domestic political uncertainty, travel agencies in Medan said.

Deceitful grandstanding

Deceitful grandstanding Anyone who heard President B.J. Habibie's accountability speech before the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Thursday night would have been disappointed, not to say dumbfounded, to find that it differed little from his state of the nation address on the eve of...

Stay fit with special cream

Stay fit with special cream JAKARTA (JP): It is not because the majority of People's Consultative Assembly members are male that Sehat Perkasa (healthy and strong) cream has jumped in sales."The cream is our hot number-one product because many people have asked for it," Sri Linda Setiawaty, a stand...

Where to go in Jakarta:

Where to go in Jakarta:Museums * Bayt Al-Qur'an Museum, at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Bambu Apus, East Jakarta (Phone: 8416466), Monday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. * Adam Malik Museum, Jl. Diponegoro 29, Menteng, Central Jakarta (Phone: 337403), Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, 9 a.m.

Reformulating policy on film imports

Reformulating policy on film imports JAKARTA (Antara): Importing films is a never-ending problem in Indonesia. Numerous decrees have been issued by the Ministry of Information but the problem lingers.Importers of foreign films freely violate the regulations because the government lacks consistency...

Rupiah rides out wild trading amid political uncertainly

Rupiah rides out wild trading amid political uncertainly JAKARTA (JP): Riding out a session of wild fluctuations, the rupiah closed trading higher against the United States dollar on Thursday.Currency dealers said political concerns centering on President B.J.

Bank Bali suspects sent to prosecutor's office

Bank Bali suspects sent to prosecutor's office JAKARTA (JP): Four suspects in the Rp 546 billion Bank Bali scandal were remanded together with their dossiers to the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office on Thursday.

Habibie tries hard to sell achievements

Habibie tries hard to sell achievements JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie, for the second time in less than three months, defended his term in office by extolling his achievements in saving the economy from near bankruptcy in an attempt to impress the top lawmakers who will soon decide the...

Febi, Yusmawan reach Futures quarterfinals

Febi, Yusmawan reach Futures quarterfinals JAKARTA (JP): Febi Widhiyanto and Yusmawan Fahmi remain the only national men's singles players in the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Futures F6 at the Danamon tennis complex in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.

39 escape from Wamena prison

39 escape from Wamena prison WAMENA, Irian Jaya: A total of 39 prisoners escaped from the Wamena Penitentiary on Sept. 30, the head of the prison told Antara on Wednesday."They escaped after breaking through the jail's gate and attacking prison workers," Wahyu Hidayat said.

Australian troops in East Timor

Australian troops in East Timor Nova Poerwadi's article History binds RI and Australia published in The Jakarta Post on Oct. 13, 1999 is full of all sorts of Indonesian misconceptions about what is happening in East Timor.Mr.

Habibie the democrat? Look at the facts

Habibie the democrat? Look at the factsBy Rahayu Ratnaningsih JAKARTA (JP): In her letter in the Oct. 12 edition of this newspaper, Donna K. Woodward lamented Nova Poerwadi's rebuttal (Let Indonesians choose a ruler Oct. 2) of her article Blame hypocrisy for loss of E. Timor of Sept. 28.

Lidya, Johan, Ronny crash out of Danish Open

Lidya, Johan, Ronny crash out of Danish Open JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian seeds Lidya Djaelawidjaja, Johan Hadikusuma and Ronny Agustinus unexpectedly crashed out of the US$120,000 Danish Open in Vejle, Denmark.

Grand coalition required to pave the way to democracy

Grand coalition required to pave the way to democracy Nurcholish Madjid, one of Indonesia's most prominent scholars and intellectuals who is also rector of Paramadina University, spoke with The Jakarta Post on Monday about the political transformation facing the nation.

Singapore anxious over MPR session

Singapore anxious over MPR session JAKARTA (JP): The final week of the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly appears to be an uneasy spell of time for not only the country, but its neighbor Singapore.

Business falls in area of MPR complex

Business falls in area of MPR complex JAKARTA (JP): Business has been slow in the area surrounding the People's Consultative Assembly/House of Representatives legislative building complex in Central Jakarta as the location is rampant with demonstrations and clashes between protesters and security...

Portugal-Netherlands agreement

Portugal-Netherlands agreement When I was still rector of Pancasila University, one of my assistants, Leo Simanjuntak, told me that actually without a military invasion to East Timor, this former Portuguese colony was already a legitimate part of the Republic of Indonesia.

Economists frown upon Habibie's economic report

Economists frown upon Habibie's economic report JAKARTA (JP): Economists gave a thumbs-down to the economic achievements highlighted by President B.J. Habibie in his key accountability speech delivered on Thursday night before the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), the country's highest...

Our bank restructuring program

Our bank restructuring program The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says that it cannot control our bank restructuring program. According to the IMF that should be done by the Indonesian government and the public.

Soeharto is no Robin Hood

Soeharto is no Robin HoodFrom Rakyat MerdekaResponding to the acting attorney general's decision to stop the year-long corruption investigation into former president Soeharto for lack of evidence, I would like to make the following comments:First, the decision strangely assumes that Soeharto was...

Fine-tuning the 1945 Constitution

Fine-tuning the 1945 ConstitutionBy Charles Himawan JAKARTA (JP): The agreement reached recently by all factions of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to amend the 1945 Constitution reflects the members' statesmanship.

State guidelines aim for fair market

State guidelines aim for fair market JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) proposed on Thursday state policy guidelines which are aimed at creating a market economy, giving no room to monopolistic and corrupt market structures developed during the past 32 years of former president...