Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 2 November 1999

51 articles found

Indofood's profit surges

Indofood's profit surges JAKARTA (JP): Publicly listed food producer Indofood Sukses Makmur announced a consolidated net profit of Rp 845 billion (US$120 million) in the third quarter ending Sept. 30, compared to Rp 81.8 billion during the same period last year.

Alleged necklace snatcher shot

Alleged necklace snatcher shot JAKARTA (JP): A young homeless drifter was shot in the leg by a police officer who spotted him on Monday allegedly snatching a gold necklace from a woman at the Senen bus terminal in Central Jakarta, police said.

A lesson for Bagito

A lesson for Bagito A few days ago, the Bagito Group conveyed an apology because of parodying the physical condition of President Abdurrahman in a comedy act. This matter was wisely settled by the new President, the Bagito Group and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).

Mustofa among contenders to head NU

Mustofa among contenders to head NU SEMARANG (JP): Mustofa Bisri and Kyai Sahal Mahfud are considered the leading contenders from Central Java to replace President Abdurrahman Wahid as chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Muslim organization.

Ali Alatas looks back on 11 years of Indonesia's foreign policy

Ali Alatas looks back on 11 years of Indonesia's foreign policy Ali Alatas, Indonesia's longest serving foreign minister, oversaw the country's foreign policy at the height of its activism. In the last days of his tenure last month, he spoke to The Jakarta Post reporters Meidyatama Suryodiningrat...

Armed gang robs a house in Puncak

Armed gang robs a house in Puncak BOGOR (JP): A group of armed robbers raided a villa on Monday in Pacet, Puncak, believed to be owned by a high-ranking official from the scrapped information ministry, a police officer said on Monday.

Wrestlers named for KL c'ship

Wrestlers named for KL c'ship JAKARTA (JP): Seven wrestlers have been invited to join the training center here in preparations for the second Southeast Asian Senior Freestyle Wrestling Championship to be held in Kuala Lumpur from Nov. 18 to Nov. 21.

Refugee children missing school

Refugee children missing school TERNATE, Maluku: At least 5,750 children from the Malifut district of Halmahera Island in North Maluku who fled here to escape riots on Halmahera, have not returned to the classroom despite the official start of the school year.

House rejects government's request for full PwC report

House rejects government's request for full PwC report JAKARTA (JP): House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung turned down on Monday the government's request for a copy of the full PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) audit report into the Bank Bali scandal.

'Penta' ordered to pay Rp 500m to Sudjana

'Penta' ordered to pay Rp 500m to Sudjana JAKARTA (JP): A judge at the South Jakarta District Court ordered Penta tabloid, its executives, and a businessman on Monday to pay Rp 500 million (US$73,500) in compensation for slandering former mines and energy minister Ida Bagus Sudjana in an article...

RI rowers withdraw from 2000 Olympics

RI rowers withdraw from 2000 Olympics JAKARTA (JP): The secretary-general of the Indonesian Rowing Association (PODSI), Budiman Setiawan, has declined to send his rowers to the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, saying their participation would be based on charity instead of achievement.

Sinambela seeks new rapport with sports officials

Sinambela seeks new rapport with sports officials JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mahadi Sinambela vowed on Monday to communicate with all officials of sports organizations and all parties involved in sports development as the first step in his post.

Don't hesitate to resign

Don't hesitate to resignFrom RepublikaPresident Abdurrahman Wahid's statement made before the press following the announcement of the lineup of the "National Unity" Cabinet came as a surprise because it is very close to the people's conscience.

Workers continue to protest minister

Workers continue to protest minister PEKANBARU, Riau: For the fifth straight day, workers here occupied the local council building to protest the appointment of Bomer Pasaribu as minister of manpower.The workers told Antara they would continue their protest and intended to send the new minister a...

Pertamina denies bribing legislator

Pertamina denies bribing legislator JAKARTA (JP): State oil and gas company Pertamina denied on Monday it awarded a contract to a South Korean firm connected with a former legislator in reward for his help in blocking a proposed oil and gas bill.

One dead in village clash

One dead in village clash MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: One person died and at least 50 houses were burned in a clash between residents of two neighboring villages in the Bima regency.Bima Police chief Lt. Col.

Indonesia not in urgent need of IMF money: Neiss

Indonesia not in urgent need of IMF money: Neiss JAKARTA (JP): The country is not in immediate need of funds from the International Monetary Fund, but will require international support over the medium term, IMF Asia Pacific director Hubert Neiss said on Monday.

Committee set up to hold polls in three provinces

Committee set up to hold polls in three provinces JAKARTA (JP): The General Elections Commission (KPU) established on Monday a committee chaired by Indonesian People's Party (Pari) chairman Agus Miftah to organize local elections in three new provinces -- North Maluku, Central Irian Jaya and East...

Gandhi school executives to be summoned over parking

Gandhi school executives to be summoned over parking JAKARTA (JP): The city will summon administrators of the Gandhi Memorial International School in North Jakarta following complaints from local residents about chronic traffic congestion caused by students parking on surrounding streets, an...

Conoco finds oil and gas

Conoco finds oil and gas JAKARTA (JP): Conoco Indonesia, a subsidiary of the American oil and gas company Conoco Inc., has found a significant oil and gas reserve at the Blok B field off the island of Natuna in the South China Sea.

Rape victim files report

Rape victim files report JAKARTA (JP): A young woman told police on Monday that she was raped on Saturday evening by two unidentified men at a house near the Senen bus terminal in Central Jakarta."They threatened me with a penknife.

Syamsumin elected provincial speaker

Syamsumin elected provincial speaker PONTIANAK, West Kalimantan: The acting speaker of the provincial council here, Gusti Syamsumin, was elected on Monday as speaker by the 54 council members.After being delayed for weeks, the West Kalimantan Council elected its speaker and three deputy speakers.

Fishermen should have own unions, says NGO activist

Fishermen should have own unions, says NGO activist JAKARTA (JP): The city administration should accommodate the establishment of fishermen's organizations which would have a strong bargaining position in the determination of the prices of their catch, a non-governmental activist said on Monday.

PwC audit finding on Pertamina

PwC audit finding on Pertamina Please allow me, personally and on behalf of the MOI-MASP Solidarity Forum, to appeal for an explanation on whether the PwC Audit Finding on Pertamina (April 1, 1996 to March 31, 1998) relates to the Mobil Oil MASP program.

Ujung Kulon threatened by increased human activity

Ujung Kulon threatened by increased human activityBy Ali Nurdin Threats to the abundant flora and fauna at Ujung Kulon National Park do not come from afar, but from the actions of humans, be they illegal hunters, surrounding communities, tourists and even the park wardens.

On the trail of the elusive Javan rhinoceros

On the trail of the elusive Javan rhinoceros Every visitor to Ujung Kulon National Park wants to spot the famed but seldom seen Javan rhinoceros. Many avid visitors stay for days in the reserve, even sleeping in trees, in their attempt to secure an up-close look at the one-horned animal.

City to use surplus funds for 'strategic activities'

City to use surplus funds for 'strategic activities' JAKARTA (JP): The City Council is about to enact a bylaw on the use of the city's reserve funds to help finance "strategic activities" and "force majeure" situations in the capital, a councillor said on Monday.

MPR fails to heed people's voice

MPR fails to heed people's voiceBy Rahayu Ratnaningsih JAKARTA (JP): The popular joke about the three prominent presidential candidates (Abdurrahman Wahid, B.J. Habibie and Megawati Soekarnoputri) that they are "blind, deaf and mute" respectively, turns out to be applicable to most members of the...

Education minister hails American standards

Education minister hails American standards JAKARTA (JP): New Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin has dreams of taking the educational experience for students in the country to new heights.After officially taking over on Monday from predecessor Juwono Soedarsono, Yahya, a graduate of...

Hikam backs 'people oriented' technology

Hikam backs 'people oriented' technology JAKARTA (JP): New State Minister of Research and Technology Muhammad Atho'illah Shohibul Hikam promised on Monday to encourage the development of "people-oriented" technology, which would not, however, necessarily exclude sophisticated technology.

Militias control refugee camps in West Timor: Report

Militias control refugee camps in West Timor: Report JAKARTA (JP): Armed prointegration militias are in control of a number of refugee camps on the western half of Timor island and operating under the eyes of the Indonesian Military, a national commission of inquiry on East Timor said in its...

18 districts in Cilacap flood-prone

18 districts in Cilacap flood-prone CILACAP, Central Java: Eighteen of the 23 districts in Cilacap regency have been declared prone to floods and landslides, Central Java administration spokesman Ansor Basuki said on Monday.

Students protest against Council

Students protest against Council BOGOR (JP): Twenty-four student activists from the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) went to the Bogor council building on Monday and accused the legislators of being "slow and unresponsive" to the people's problems.

Asian currencies test long term highs as liquidity dries

Asian currencies test long term highs as liquidity dries HONG KONG (Dow Jones): Strong economic data, robust stock market performances and the Japanese yen's run-up against the U.S. dollar helped lift Asian regional currencies during local trading hours Monday.

Prakosa vows to help farmers

Prakosa vows to help farmers JAKARTA (JP): Muhammad Prakosa replaced Soleh Solahuddin as the minister of agriculture on Monday and said he would focus on the development of agribusiness and food production.

Consumer price up 1st time in eight months

Consumer price up 1st time in eight months JAKARTA (JP): The consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.06 percent in October from the previous month, the first inflation since March, head of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) Sugito Suwito said on Monday.

Maritime studies

Maritime studies A historical phenomenon in the life of the state seldom occurs single-handedly or isolated, but instead is interrelated to another conspicuous occurrence. Following the rise of Abdurrahman Wahid as the fourth President of the republic, there never has been such a high sounding and...

5,000 women workers stranded in Middle East

5,000 women workers stranded in Middle East JAKARTA (JP): More than 5,000 women workers have fled their employers and are being housed temporarily in Indonesian embassies across the Middle East, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Public vs private good

Public vs private good The current debate over the government's plan to close down the Ministry of Information and Ministry of Social Services has neglected the philosophical argument of "public versus private good" originally put forward by President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Angry soldiers run amok at Senen market

Angry soldiers run amok at Senen market JAKARTA (JP): A group of approximately 40 soldiers, some wearing uniforms and armed with -- among other things -- batons, bayonets and tear gas canisters, angrily stormed Senen market in Central Jakarta on Sunday evening.

Defending champ Panasia certain for final four

Defending champ Panasia certain for final four SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): Defending champion Panasia Indosyntec won convincingly 94-50 on Monday against bottom team Pacific Bank Swadesi in the last game of the 1999 A Mild Kobatama national basketball league's fifth series.

Observers track migration of birds of prey through Java

Observers track migration of birds of prey through JavaBy Paul Jepson BOGOR, West Java (JP): A network of observers is tracking the southward migration of birds-of-prey into Java and East Indonesia. For many years ornithologists have known about the October passages of buzzards and hawks across the...

TNI chief ordered to probe 'rights abuses in Aceh'

TNI chief ordered to probe 'rights abuses in Aceh' JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid ordered Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Admiral Widodo A.S. on Monday to launch an investigation into alleged human rights abuses by military commandants in Aceh and to quickly withdraw all nonorganic...

Indonesia supports expansion in agenda for WTO talks

Indonesia supports expansion in agenda for WTO talks JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will support a proposal for the expansion of the agenda for the next round of World Trade Organization talks, a senior official at the Ministry of Industry and Trade said on Monday.

The Bank Bali audit report

The Bank Bali audit report The Indonesian people have a vital interest in the recovery of the economy. If one major precondition for this is a resumption of the disbursement of funds by international financial institutions, then that demand must be met.

Man uses 'shabu-shabu' to spice up sex life

Man uses 'shabu-shabu' to spice up sex life JAKARTA (JP): Laughter resounded at a West Jakarta District court room when a defendant admitted before judges on Monday that he had used shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) to "enhance his sexual ability.

Akbar: Government should continue disseminate information

Akbar: Government should continue disseminate information JAKARTA (JP): House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar Tandjung, facing disgruntled employees from the abolished Ministry of Information, said the government should consider establishing a lower level agency which could take over the...

Military chief scoffs at students' separatism bid

Military chief scoffs at students' separatism bid MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): After choosing to keep out of the debate in the past two weeks, the military declared on Monday its opposition to local students' calls for an independent state.

Government favors pardoning Soeharto

Government favors pardoning Soeharto JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid on Monday said he would consent to try former president Soeharto if strong evidence could be found against him, but personally felt he would prefer to pardon the former strongman rather than sentencing him.

Stock Exchange

Stock ExchangeStock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Nov. 1, 1999: Shares Close Change Trading Volume ---------------------------------------------------------- Ades Alfindo 475 0 0 AHAP Insurance 550 0 0 Alakasa Industrindo 325 25 35,000 Alter Abadi 300 -25 54,500 Alumindo Light...

Conversion Rates

Conversion Rates Bank Indonesia's conversion rates on Nov. 1, 1999: Bank notes rates Buying Selling Rp Rp U.S. dollar 1 6,731.00 6,799.00Australian dollar 1 4,292.36 4,339.12Austrian schilling 1 515.33 521.03Belgian franc 1 175.78 177.73Brunei dollar 1 4,056.77 4,100.23Canadian dollar 1 4,580.