Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 16 October 1999

54 articles found

Habibie vs. the People

Habibie vs. the People Just one day after President B.J. Habibie delivered his impassioned speech before the country's supreme policy-making body, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), to justify the policies he has taken over the past 16 months that he has been in power, it is crystal clear...

AMPS operators plan tie-up to boost services

AMPS operators plan tie-up to boost services JAKARTA (JP): Operators of the country's three analog system Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) are considering joining forces to provide prepaid services.

Gus Dur's role as nation's mentor

Gus Dur's role as nation's mentorBy Idris Kyrway JAKARTA (JP): The National Awakening Party has made a u-turn by supporting Abdurrahman Wahid, also known as Gus Dur, for president, and no longer Megawati Sukarnoputri, leader of the winning party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI- P).

Amien's schedule prone to change

Amien's schedule prone to change JAKARTA (JP): Despite his new post as People's Consultative Assembly speaker, it looks as though Amien Rais has done nothing to conform to protocol.His female staff complained on Friday when dozens of journalists entered his room and said they were waiting for Amien...

Conference on East Timor

Conference on East Timor CANBERRA (AFP): Officials of the UN, the World Bank and various Australian government departments will meet here next week to help businesses plan the rebuilding of East Timor, officials said Friday.

Habibie's speech gains more disapproval

Habibie's speech gains more disapproval JAKARTA (JP): An increasing number of economists and political analysts deemed President B.J. Habibie's accountability speech a big failure, while student demonstrators, joined by ordinary citizens, stepped up pressure for the President to withdraw from the...

Like a bad dream

Like a bad dream June 7 general election showed us which parties or figures should represent the people in the House of Representatives/People's Consultative Assembly. However, since the elections we have seen a number of paradoxical events occur.

Mother and son killed in rented house

Mother and son killed in rented house JAKARTA (JP): A mother and her son were brutally murdered in their rental home in Kampung Gunung Utara, Ciputat, South Jakarta, on Thursday night, police and hospital officials said on Friday.

Where to go in Jakarta: Saturday, Oct. 16, 1999

Where to go in Jakarta: Saturday, Oct. 16, 1999Church Services * Church of Christ Worship Service in English, in the dining room, Graha Purna Wira Polri, Jl. Darmawangsa III no. 2, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, on Sunday, 5 p.m. Further information contact Donald L. Goodman 336244.

Saturday's MPR Schedule

Saturday's MPR Schedule 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Factions present their Each faction (four)overview of presidential given 30 minutesaccountability speech 1 p.m. - Factions present their Each faction (11)overview of working given 30 minutescommittee report andproposals for MPRcommissions

Habibie-Wiranto duet

Habibie-Wiranto duet I deplore Habibie's statement to the effect that ethnicity is one of the reasons for choosing Wiranto as his running mate in the next presidential elections. Such a narrow-minded statement will certainly cause Indonesia -- a multiethnic nation -- to disintegrate further.

Bosowa begins cement exports

Bosowa begins cement exports JAKARTA (JP): South Sulawesi cement company PT Semen Bosowa Maros shipped on Thursday its first export of 15,000 metric tons to the Middle East."After the Middle East we plan to export to Asian and African countries," company director Aksa Mahmud was quoted by Antara as...

Habibie-Wiranto scenario?

Habibie-Wiranto scenario? I have read in a newspaper that the Functional Group (Golkar) Party, at Habibie's request, will make a decision to nominate Habibie and Gen. Wiranto as president and vice president in the 1999 General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

MPR building hides romantic stories

MPR building hides romantic stories The Jakarta administration lists buildings as protected not only based on age, but also according to the history and function of the building. The following article tells the story of a building which has been the site of much of the modern history and romance of...

Sukarno's former home to be reconstructed

Sukarno's former home to be reconstructed JAKARTA (JP): The city administration will begin next year reconstruction of demolished residence of the late president Sukarno in the Central Jakarta's Pegangsaan subdistrict.

Govt to finance agricultural bank

Govt to finance agricultural bank JAKARTA (ANTARA): The government will provide 70 percent of the about Rp 3.5 trillion (about US$465 million) needed to operate the planned agricultural bank, a minister said.Minister of Agriculture Soleh Solahuddin said the other 30 percent, or about Rp 1.

Tap water tariffs to increase by 25%

Tap water tariffs to increase by 25% JAKARTA (JP): Deputy Governor for Development Affairs Budihardjo Sukmadi said on Friday that the city administration would increase tap water tariffs by an average of 25 percent as of July next year."Water tariffs will increase by 25 percent in July next year.

Host players fail in tennis quarterfinals

Host players fail in tennis quarterfinals JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian tennis players had a disappointing day on the courts, as not one singles player managed to advance to the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Men's Future F6 and the Indonesia Women's Circuit 3 at the Danamon tennis complex in Kemayoran,...

Loanwords: Imperialism or modernization?

Loanwords: Imperialism or modernization?By Setiono JAKARTA (JP): In commemorating this year's Language and Literature month which falls in October, Minister of Education and Culture Juwono Sudarsono stated that there was an excessive use of foreign language by attendants of the ongoing general...

Three factions reject speech

Three factions reject speech JAKARTA (JP): Three of the seven factions presenting a response to President B.J. Habibie's accountability report at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) flatly rejected the President's speech, while the other four remained vague in their final conclusions.

Stock quotations on JSX

Stock quotations on JSXStock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Oct. 15, 1999: Shares Close Change TradingVolume ------------------------------------------------------------- Ades Alfindo 475 0 0 AHAP Insurance 550 0 0 Alakasa Industrindo 300 50 46,000 Alter Abadi 300 0 5,000...

Heidelberger raises RI stake

Heidelberger raises RI stake BRUSSELS (Dow Jones): The chairman of German cement company Heidelberger AG, Rolf Huelstrunk, said Friday the company would take a decision on increasing its stake in Indonesia's PT Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa by December."We are already in negotiations with Indocement.

More analysts lash out at Habibie's speech

More analysts lash out at Habibie's speech UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): A local political observer on Friday criticized the incumbent President B.J. Habibie's accountability speech, saying that what he said in his speech "does not concur with the reality on the ground".

Regional reps merger worries experts

Regional reps merger worries expertsBy Ridwan M. Sijabat JAKARTA (JP): Two constitutional law experts have criticized the absorption of 135 regional representatives into party factions at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), saying the move was contrary to the 1945 Constitution and the...

Teachers plan war on drugs

Teachers plan war on drugs TANGERANG (JP): Some 250 teachers from local junior and senior high schools announced plans on Friday to establish a coordinated forum to fight the use of narcotics by students, an official said.

Prointegration militia members reenter Liquisa area

Prointegration militia members reenter Liquisa area JAKARTA (JP): Only a month since the arrival of the International Force for East Timor (Interfet) troops and the massive evacuation of East Timorese into the bordering East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) town of Atambua, dozens of prointegration militias...

Amien, Matori to lead team on Habibie's speech

Amien, Matori to lead team on Habibie's speech JAKARTA (JP): Amien Rais, the speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), said on Friday that he and Deputy Speaker Matori Abdul Djalil would lead the Assembly commission entrusted to evaluate President B.J. Habibie's accountability speech.

Bali windsurfing event looks promising

Bali windsurfing event looks promisingBy Lukman Natanagara DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Although there are still three months to go before the Aerowisata Windsurfing Championships begin, the event has received an enthusiastic response from windsurfers throughout the world.

Iraq, RI sign trade pact

Iraq, RI sign trade pact BAGHDAD (AFP): Iraq and Indonesia signed an agreement overnight to expand their economic cooperation, particularly in oil exploration, the official Iraqi news agency INA reported Friday.

'I thought I was dead', says injured photo journalist

'I thought I was dead', says injured photo journalistInjured journalist tells of being runover by police jeep (not this heading since we already run the story y'day-bsr) JAKARTA (JP): "I thought I was dead," photojournalist Daniel Supriyono of Warta Kota daily said on Friday of being knocked down...

PSSI expels Kurniawan, Halim from national team

PSSI expels Kurniawan, Halim from national team JAKARTA (JP): Top striker Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto and goalie M. Halim were eliminated from the national team competing in the Asia Cup, coach Nandar Iskandar announced on Friday.

Thousands protest province's division

Thousands protest province's division JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Thousands of protesters occupied the gubernatorial office here on Friday, following a peaceful protest the previous day against a bill which will divide Irian Jaya into three provinces.

Explosives destroy house in C. Java

Explosives destroy house in C. Java TEMANGGUNG, Central Java: A house was destroyed and five others were damaged when two sacks containing explosives for firecrackers exploded in Brojolan village, Temanggung district, on Wednesday.

RI ups handicraft sales

RI ups handicraft sales JAKARTA (JP): The country expects to earn US$2 billion from handicraft exports this year, the Indonesian Handicraft Producers and Exporters Association projects."The handicraft sector is not affected by the economic crisis because almost all of its raw materials are procured...

Telecoms society proposes new ministry

Telecoms society proposes new ministry JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Telecommunications Society (Mastel) proposed on Thursday the establishment of a new ministry to oversee telecommunications, broadcasting, multimedia and information technology.

Conversion Rates

Conversion RatesBank Indonesia's conversion rates on Oct. 15, 1999: Bank notes rates Buying Selling Rp Rp U.S. dollar 1 7,960.00 8,040.00Australian dollar 1 5,161.26 5,221.18Austrian schilling 1 625.85 632.73Belgian franc 1 213.48 215.83Brunei dollar 1 4,747.99 4,798.57Canadian dollar 1 5,376.

Ambon council rejects RMS team

Ambon council rejects RMS team AMBON, Maluku: Maluku Provincial Legislative Council chairman Jopie Papilaya rejected the planned visit of a group of Dutch citizens from the self-declared South Maluku Republic (RMS) to the troubled territory, Antara reported on Thursday.

Prompt service needed

Prompt service needed Singapore Airlines has the highest flight frequency from Jakarta to Singapore and vice versa. It has seven flights a day, seven days a week. Even Garuda Indonesia has only four flights daily to Singapore.

Wiranto as vice president?

Wiranto as vice president? Whoever nominates Gen. Wiranto for the next vice president should consider the following facts.1. Kidnapping, murder, torture, rape, excessive use of power to counteract demonstrations and crimes against humanity remain unsolved.

Bobby Parks to teach basketball

Bobby Parks to teach basketball JAKARTA (JP): Former NBA Atlanta Hawk player Bobby Parks will lead a brief course on basketball skills during the 1999 A Mild Basket Camp, along with top club Aspac.The organizer from PT Bolamas Internusa, Andi Affandi, said on Friday that the event would be staged...

Troops to go all out to protect election: Wiranto

Troops to go all out to protect election: Wiranto JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Wiranto insisted on Friday that security troops would go all out to safeguard and facilitate the election of the country's president and vice president during the ongoing General Session of the...

Buari wins Matoa Invitational

Buari wins Matoa Invitational JAKARTA (JP): Buari from Yani Golf Club scored one-under-par 71 on Friday to win the four-day 1999 National Matoa Invitational tournament at the Matoa golf course in Ciganjur, South Jakarta.

Rupiah gains strength as Habibie's prospects dim

Rupiah gains strength as Habibie's prospects dim JAKARTA (JP): The rupiah increased slightly against the U.S. dollar in thin trading on Friday due to lessening concern that B.J. Habibie would remain president.

UNHCR announces E. Timor inquiry team

UNHCR announces E. Timor inquiry team GENEVA (AP): The United Nations' top human rights official Friday named a five-member team that will investigate allegations of atrocities in East Timor.The team "is expected to go to the region following working meetings in Geneva later this month," said a...

RI shuttlers reach quarters

RI shuttlers reach quarters JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's men's singles shuttler managed to reach the quarterfinals of the US$120,000 V6 Danish Open in Vejle, Denmark, but Indonesia's women's singles had to pack up early as they lost in the quarterfinals on Thursday evening.

Economic Forum quells fears on Asian recovery

Economic Forum quells fears on Asian recovery SINGAPORE (AFP): The influential World Economic Forum on Friday dismissed fears Asia's crisis-hit economies were recovering too fast for their own good, saying the quick rebound would give a political push to reforms.

TV today

TV todayTVRI 5:30 a.m. Religious Teachings 6:00 News: Two Hours Only 8:00 Children's Program 9:00 General Session of MPR (live) 10:30 Interval 2:00 p.m. News 2:30 Children's Program 3:00 Sports 4:00 Regional News 4:30 English Lessons 5:00 Cultural Program 5:30 TV Drama 6:00 Sports 6:30 News (in...

Festival puts Indonesia's folk arts heritage on the map

Festival puts Indonesia's folk arts heritage on the map JAKARTA (JP): Dancers woo onlookers with their erotically charged movements in the Gandrung Banyuwangi dance, beckoning them into an arena which usually measures eight meters by six meters.

IPB, Uncen join Freeport project

IPB, Uncen join Freeport project BOGOR (JP): The Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) and the Jayapura-based Cendrawasih University (Uncen) were asked to fertilize 32,000 hectares of land in Irian Jaya belonging to PT Freeport.

Car thieves arrested in Bogor

Car thieves arrested in Bogor BOGOR (JP): Local police arrested two alleged car thieves in Cibenteng Udik, Parung district, an officer said on Friday.Bogor Police chief Col. Hari Setyabudhi said the two men, identified as Jeprinal Zurden, 39, and Asep Ardi, 40, had been stealing rental vehicles for...

Members say Habibie played with the truth

Members say Habibie played with the truth JAKARTA (JP): Factions in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) can give their overview of President B.J. Habibie's accountability speech, and may even choose to reject it, but the final say will be up to individual Assembly members.

Golkar figures promoted

Golkar figures promoted JAKARTA (JP): Four retired military officers who head Golkar Party's provincial chapters had their ranks promoted on Thursday.They reported their special promotion to Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen.

The persons behind president's accountability speech

The persons behind president's accountability speech JAKARTA (JP): Who were the people behind the scenes, those who compiled President B.J. Habibie's lengthy accountability speech?Generally, most speeches covering such a wide scope are a combined effort of both formal government officials and the...

Habibie's speech invites applause

Habibie's speech invites applause JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie's accountability speech, whether because it was good, bad or extremely controversial, was met with at least 47 rounds of applause and three interruptions by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) members on Thursday.