Archive: 15 October 1999
51 articles found
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. At least three protesters were beaten violently by the police.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
Basic necessities remain costly to many people
Basic necessities remain costly to many people By 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. About three or four months ago I had to pay almost Rp 10,000 for a kilogram of eggs," Kurnia, a housewife with two children living in the Matraman area in Central Jakarta, said.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. But it's not a final price. It's negotiable. But we will not accept the management's across the board offer of Rp 100,000 per month," Joneka M.K.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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 Indosyntec and favorites Surakarta-based Bhinneka Sritex and Mahaka Satria Muda of Jakarta.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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 in a Rp 95.4 billion (US$13.4 million) land exchange deal with the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) in 1995.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. The meeting of the heads of the Barisan Nasional (National Front) will be held a day after the coalition holds its 25th anniversary celebrations, the daily said.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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 Central Sulawesi office for the ministry of trade and industry, Abdul Razak, told Antara in Palu on Thursday.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. IMO Secretary-General William O'Neil said ships fitted with transponders could give information such as their name, position, speed and course when asked under a mandatory reporting system being implemented in the strait.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. Senior politician Sabam Sirait of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle could not avoid disclosing the perhaps unusual story when intervening a debate in an Ad Hoc Committee II session he presided over on Wednesday.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. Agus Purwodianto, one of the forensic experts at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, said many bones in the body were missing.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. Thomas Dawson, director of external relations at the Fund, told reporters Wednesday the IMF hasn't altered its demand that the Indonesian government publish the full investigation by PricewaterhouseCoopers into the Bank Bali scandal.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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 flight schedule before they fly over the skies of the troubled territory, Antara reported from Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Thursday.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. The nine decrees plus a draft decision on the MPR General Session's agenda, designed by the Assembly's Ad Hoc Committees from Oct. 4 through Oct.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. The most noteworthy amendment proposed is the limiting of the presidential and vice presidential posts to two five-year terms.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. "Vehicle sales in Asia will grow faster than anywhere in the world," said Graeme Maxton, associate editor with the Economist Intelligence Unit, which organized a two-day conference on the Asian automotive sector.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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 by the Ministry of Forestry and Plantations and the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP).
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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).
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. Buari's nearest challenger, Burhan Bora from Makasar, was trailing in second place with four-under-par 212. Burhan managed the day's best score by carding five-under-par 67.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. Amien Rais, chairman of the National Mandate Party, described the speech as full of red marks, likening it to a school report.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
Stock Exchange
Stock Exchange Stock 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 -25 2,500 Aneka Kimia Raya 400 0 0 Aneka Tambang (Persero) 1,475 -25 1,883,000 Anwar Sierad 225 0 0 APAC Centertex Corp.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. The two boats were rocked by the high tide and strong winds, causing a head-on collision which capsized the vessels and threw the passengers overboard," Happy said. Survivors were reported to have sustained only minor injuries.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. Agum announced the decision during a dinner with PSSI's team for the Asia Cup after it beat Persib Bandung 2-0 in a tryout to prepare for the qualifying round of the cup in Hong Kong in late October.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. "Village chief Sulaiman should have given the opportunities to his own people, not outsiders. He has also taken 'administrative' levies from the prospective workers amounting to Rp 500,000," a villager, Kosim, said.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
Conversion Rates
Conversion Rates Bank Indonesia's conversion rates on Oct. 14, 1999: Bank notes rates Buying Selling Rp Rp U.S.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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 Soeharto's rule.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
Fine-tuning the 1945 Constitution
Fine-tuning the 1945 Constitution By 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. The word "amendment" itself, instead of "change," will automatically bring us to the constitutional order of American political life. Many lawyers and politicians have therefore suggested that we learn from the example set by the Americans.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
Soeharto is no Robin Hood
Soeharto is no Robin Hood From Rakyat Merdeka Responding 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 apparently a Robin Hood who plundered the state's riches for the sake of fulfilling his holy mission to help the country's poor and abandoned people.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. We recognize the fact that political factors help to determine the size and smooth running of our bank recapitalization program. At present this program is being delayed by political considerations. So is the withholding of aid by the International Monetary Fund.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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 legislative body.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. That this is so is based on a treaty signed by Dutch foreign minister Carel van Heeckeren and Portuguese foreign minister Ernesto Rudolpho in Lisbon on June 10, 1893. The treaty was confirmed in Statute Book No.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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 officers.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. A number of Singaporean business circle told Antara in Batam, Riau on Thursday how they were watching the course of the session through all available media. They said they were aware of President B.J.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. The following are excerpts from the interview: Question: The nation's next president will soon be elected by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). How do you see this election?
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. Lidya, the Indonesia Open winner and sixth seeded here, bowed out to qualifier Sun Jian of China 13-11, 11-6 in the women's singles first round on Thursday morning. While in the men's singles, Johan lost to Chinese Xiao Hui 15-12, 15-12 on Wednesday evening.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
Habibie the democrat? Look at the facts
Habibie the democrat? Look at the facts By 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. Yet Poerwadi's view about the superficial grasp foreigners have of Indonesia's political situation is shared by many Indonesians. Her writing revealed some fundamental flaws and the fallacy of presupposition.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. Marine police spotted the trawler on Tuesday night near a mangrove swamp off Port Klang, Malaysia, and gave chase before the boat surrendered. The Sun daily said it was the marine police's biggest arrest of illegal Indonesian immigrants this year.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. The incident in September was the second jailbreak in four months after 51 prisoners escaped from the jail using a similar strategy in July.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. Febi, 19, reached the quarterfinals after beating Thomas Shimada of Japan, who retired due to heat exhaustion in the third set. Down 2-6 in the first set, Febi managed to survive the second by winning 6-3.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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 outcome of his presidential bid.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. The prosecutor's office will begin reexamining the case in preparation for trial and the suspects -- former directors of the bank Rudy Ramli, Rusli Surjadi, Firman Soetjadja and Henri Kurniawan -- will be held at Cipinang Penitentiary.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. Habibie's accountability speech scheduled for Thursday night helped weaken the rupiah in morning and early afternoon trading.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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 in enforcing the law. Ironically, some government bureaucrats cleverly exploit this complex problem. Recently, the government revealed that irregularities in film imports had cost it Rp 43.3 billion.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. to 4 p.m. * National Museum, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta: (Phone: 3811551), Tuesday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, 8:30 a.m.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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 keeper at the Nyonya Meneer medicinal herbs producer, said on Thursday.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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 Independence Day on Aug. 17. It was essentially a rehash of his calculated playing with the truth from two months ago, designed wholly to support his shameless bid to stay in power.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. They said Malaysia Airlines, the only carrier servicing the Medan-Penang route, was fully booked until the end of the month.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. The oil-rich Timor Gap lies off East Timor's south coast. Under the treaty Australia and Indonesia share oil revenue from the Timor Sea.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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 Indonesian president Soeharto. "The magazine's main office is in New York.
Fri, 15 Oct 1999, 00:00 WIB
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. Poerwadi's assertion that Australia is involved "in dictating (Indonesian) domestic policy" belies the reality of what Australian troops are doing in East Timor. He makes the increasingly common mistake of confusing UN troops for Australian troops.