Archive: 1 March 1999
41 articles found
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
German-Indonesian business, industry ties
German-Indonesian business, industry ties BONN (JP): German business and industry interests in Indonesia as an economic partner have not been diminished by an ongoing financial and monetary crisis there and they continue to regard the nation as an important trading partner and location for German investments in the Asian region. This was emphasized by the participants at a conference on the current political and economic situation in Indonesia held recently in Frankfurt.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Stop condemning ABRI, PPP pleads
Stop condemning ABRI, PPP pleads JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) -- whose recent opposition to the allocation of unelected seats in the House of Representatives for the military was thwarted by Golkar and the Armed Forces' (ABRI) House factions -- called for an end to the condemnation of ABRI.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Hang up on the phone tap probe
Hang up on the phone tap probe From Merdeka The alleged tapping of a telephone conversation between President B.J. Habibie and Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib during the country's protracted crisis has drawn a lot of attention. The case is deplorable, but it is more saddening if the material of the conversation is true. In fact, there should be no doubt about the veracity of the material.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
GSM-XL's new SIM card
GSM-XL's new SIM card JAKARTA (JP): Cellular phone operator PT Excelcomindo Pratama, the operator of GSM-XL, has launched its Periskop XL, a subscribers identity module (SIM) card designed for both prepaid and postpaid cards. Company Sales and Marketing Manager Kusnadi Sukarja said that Periskop XL is a prepaid card which can be converted into a postpaid card capable of roaming in 45 countries, through 70 foreign operators.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Solving ASEAN human rights issues
Solving ASEAN human rights issues By Dino Patti Djalal The following article is adapted from a paper presented on Intra-ASEAN Human Rights Policies and Mechanisms at the sixth Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ASEAN-ISIS) Colloquium on Human Rights in Manila on Feb. 14, 1999, This is the first of two articles.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Is there any statesmanship?
Is there any statesmanship? Mentioning the word "statesmanship" in connection with President B.J. Habibie's recent decision to let East Timor go, is misleading. Almost all parties involved in the unfolding drama display ineffectual statesmanship. The Australian government's turnaround on East Timor has an odor of overt greed -- are they eying East Timor's prospective share of Timor Gap oil? Do they anticipate an economically weak party opposing the Indonesian government to be a pushover?
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Drug traders, officer netted in police raid
Drug traders, officer netted in police raid JAKARTA (JP): The North Jakarta Police intensified their weekend raids against suspected criminals, particularly at entertainment spots. In a raid early on Sunday morning, police dispatched to Ancol Dreamland netted 15 people, including a plainclothes military police officer who was driving a motorcycle for which he did not have proper documents.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Habibie must explain
Habibie must explain Hesitation from legislators of the House of Representatives to question President B.J. Habibie over his alleged tapped telephone conversation with Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib once again reveals how out of step our national legislature is with the public. In what is now common knowledge, the controversial recording was first brought to the public's attention by the weekly newsmagazine Panji Masyarakat.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Five students killed in 25 street brawls
Five students killed in 25 street brawls JAKARTA (JP): Five students have been killed and 30 others injured in at least 25 street brawls recorded in the first two months of this year, an official said on Saturday. Raya Siahaan of the city's Social Disturbance Control Center said this figure was quite alarming as in the whole of 1998 there were only 14 students killed and 26 injured in 197 street brawls. "I don't understand what the capital's future is," Raya said.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
RI-Finnish council's new boss
RI-Finnish council's new boss JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian former Forestry Minister Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo was elected chairman of the Indonesia-Finland Business Council, in the council's annual general meeting on Thursday. The council said that Djamaludin, who served as a forestry minister from 1993 to 1998, was awarded the High Decoration of Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland by Finland President Martti Ahtisaari in December 1997.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Councilor, residents against bus fare hike
Councilor, residents against bus fare hike JAKARTA (JP): A city councilor expressed his strong opposition on Saturday to the intention of the city chapter of the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) to propose a 25 percent hike in city bus fares. Ali Wongso Sinaga, head of Commission D for development affairs, said that the proposal, if accepted by the government, would undermine the standard of living of city residents already hit by the prolonged economic crisis.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Parties begin naming presidential candidates
Parties begin naming presidential candidates JAKARTA (JP): Around 100,000 supporters of the National Awakening Party (PKB) packed the Senayan sports stadium in Jakarta Sunday to mark the opening of the party's congress. PKB's presidential candidate, Abdurrahman Wahid, who is also chairman of Indonesia's biggest Muslim organization, the 30- million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama, pledged in his speech to create a clean government and end the economic crisis if PKB won the June 7 elections.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Bank employee gets 1 year jail term
Bank employee gets 1 year jail term BOGOR (JP): The Bogor District Court sentenced an executive of the private Bank Central Asia (BCA) branch office here to one year in jail and two years probation for swindling Rp 3 billion (US$353,000) from the bank. Presiding Judge Elsa Mutiara found on Thursday defendant Bimo Wahyu, 30, chief of the credit card department at BCA's Bogor branch office, guilty of stealing the money between June 1997 and May of last year.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
PT Freeport raises royalties on its own, says Kuntoro
PT Freeport raises royalties on its own, says Kuntoro JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Mines and Energy Kuntoro Mangkusubroto has denied the allegation that the government has forced the mining company PT Freeport Indonesia to raise royalties payable to the government in return for a license for its expansion plan. Kuntoro said on Friday the royalty increases "were voluntarily proposed by Freeport without any pressure from the government".
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99: Germany's best on offer
TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99: Germany's best on offer German technology will be on show in Indonesia during TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99 from March 1 to March 7 at the Jakarta Convention Center. TECHNOGERMA is an exhibition by German high-tech companies.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
$32m German Center inaugurated at BSD
$32m German Center inaugurated at BSD TANGERANG (JP): Visiting Baden-Wurttemberg Prime Minister Erwin Teufel from Germany inaugurated the German Center at the Bumi Serpong Damai housing and business complex here in a ceremony attended by President B.J. Habibie and other senior officials on Sunday. Designed as an ideal arena and meeting place for Indonesian and German businesses, the eight-story building -- called the German House -- cost US$32 million to build.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Student leaders invite military cadets to dialog
Student leaders invite military cadets to dialog JAKARTA (JP): Student leaders have invited their counterparts from the Military Academy (Akabri) to participate in a national dialog aimed at finding solutions to the current problems facing Indonesia. Ali Fahmi of the Committee for the Preparations of the National Student Dialog said the military cadets had been asked to join discussions on various social and political issues facing the nation ahead of the June 7 general election.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Bishop Belo appeals for international assistance
Bishop Belo appeals for international assistance BRISBANE (JP): Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo urged Australia to help develop East Timor, especially the educational, rural, health, ecological, social and judicial sectors. Speaking during a Catholic Mass at St. Stephen's Cathedral, attended by 500 worshipers here over the weekend, Belo said, "We need the support of the global community." "Being in the Pacific, we look to our closest neighbors for this support.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
With serial bus-like FireWire, your PC may catch fire
With serial bus-like FireWire, your PC may catch fire By Zatni Arbi JAKARTA (JP): By now you must already be somewhat familiar with the Universal Serial Bus (USB). Not very long from now, you will be seeing another type of connector port at the back of your PC, notebook and handheld devices. In fact, the two Silicon Graphics Visual Workstations that I covered in my article last week already have it, and it is called FireWire.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
The Supers
The Supers What I have in mind are the super-rich and the super-poor. To the latter category belong most Indonesian farmers, or to be more exact, the rice growers. Their plight has been heartrending ever since preindependent times. Leaders of new and old political parties hardly touch on the matter in their campaigns before the technological wonder, the television camera. They are too busy choosing the symbols of their parties.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Russia gives nickel and platinum prices a polish
Russia gives nickel and platinum prices a polish LONDON (AFP): Nickel prices rose to a nine-month high last week after deliveries from Russia's Norilsk Nickel giant were frozen out, while elsewhere on the commodities markets, platinum rose to an eight month high. Nickel gave the gloomy base metals market something to get excited about as prices broke through the symbolic US$5,000 a ton level, although dipping back to $4,900 a ton at the end of week, still well up.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Megawati offers herself as peacemaker for Ambon unrest
Megawati offers herself as peacemaker for Ambon unrest JAKARTA (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri promised on Sunday to invite fellow politicians Amien Rais and Abdurrahman Wahid to visit Maluku and work to restore peace in the violence-torn province.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
8,000 state banks employees face dismissal
8,000 state banks employees face dismissal JAKARTA (JP): The government plans to dismiss some 8,000 of the 26,000 employees of four state banks to be merged into the newly established Bank Mandiri, the bank's president Robby Djohan said on Saturday. Robby said the government would provide Rp 800 billion (US$94 million) in severance pay to compensate the 8,000 employees of Bank Dagang Negara, Bank Bumi Daya, Bank Exim and Bank Pembangunan Indonesia (Bapindo) facing dismissal.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Astra International wants creditor's vote
Astra International wants creditor's vote HONG KONG (Dow Jones): PT Astra International has targeted April 21 for the day the it hopes two-thirds of its creditors will accept a plan for restructuring the automotive company's huge foreign debts. Astra's chief executive officer, Rini Soewandi, told Dow Jones Newswires Sunday that her company hopes to hold a meeting that day for creditors to vote on the company's plan in line with provisions of Indonesia's new bankruptcy codes.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Preparations for exodus continue in East Timor
Preparations for exodus continue in East Timor JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of trucks have in recent weeks been making repeated trips between East Timor and neighboring East Nusa Tenggara on the western half of the island, transporting household goods belonging to people preparing to evacuate the territory. The trucks frequently stop at Batugade city in border regency Bobonaro, 138 kilometer west of Dili, the capital of East Timor. The Military Police chief in Bobonaro, Second Sgt.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Frozen food aid from S. Arabia
Frozen food aid from S. Arabia TANGERANG (JP): Saudi Arabian Ambassador Abdullah Abdurrahman Alim on Saturday delivered an aid package of 89.9 tons of frozen meat to scavengers, orphanages and Islamic boarding schools in Greater Jakarta. The relief, sheep meat imported from New Zealand, was directly handed over by the ambassador during a modest ceremony held at the Jam'iyyah Islamiyah Islamic boarding school in Jurang Mangu Timur village, Pondok Aren district, here.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Government plans to cut export tax of CPO products
Government plans to cut export tax of CPO products JAKARTA (JP): The government will further lower the export tax of crude palm oil and its by-products to follow a downward trend of the commodity price overseas, Minister of Industry and Trade Rahardi Ramelan has said. "I will send a recommendation to lower the export tax to the finance minister on Monday," he told Bisnis Indonesia on Friday.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Newly formed reform team greeted with thumbs down
Newly formed reform team greeted with thumbs down JAKARTA (JP): A new national team of respected experts assigned to prioritize the recovery of public trust has met with skepticism despite denials that it is a mere trick to favor those in power. Amien Rais, chairman of the National Mandate Party and Koento Wibisono, the head of alumni of the noted Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, were separately commenting on the team officiated Friday by President B.J. Habibie.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Policy on exams to be discussed soon
Policy on exams to be discussed soon JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Education and Culture will soon issue a policy statement on final exams for students in elementary and senior high schools in order to prevent exam schedules from coinciding with the upcoming June general election June, an official said. Director General of Elementary and Secondary Education Indradjati Sidi said on Friday that the policy would be discussed early March.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Taiwan's WTO hopes hemmed in as China balks
Taiwan's WTO hopes hemmed in as China balks TAIPEI (Reuters): With the prize finally within reach, Taiwan's nine-year-old quest to enter the World Trade Organization now faces its biggest hurdle -- rival China's estrangement from the world trade club. Taiwan negotiators have hammered out bilateral trade pacts with 24 of the 26 WTO signatories that sought such deals, which are key to any applicant's membership, including the United States, Europe and Japan -- the WTO's powerful gatekeepers.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Pantomime theater group to stage latest creation
Pantomime theater group to stage latest creation JAKARTA (JP): Picture a mother who gives birth to a stone, which cannot think and feel but grows up to be a ruler. The stone ruler turns out to be a tyrant, who abuses his twin brothers -- his own placenta -- and kills his father. Still, he never feels safe, haunted by his own fear while trying to uphold his power. This horrifying scenario is a production of the Sena Didi mime theater group, titled Kaso Katro, literally meaning unreliable leader.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Bank Rama finds new partner
Bank Rama finds new partner JAKARTA (JP): Publicly listed Bank Rama has received a strong commitment from Golden Harvest Developments Ltd. to form a strategic alliance with the bank. In a statement released on Friday, the bank said that Golden Harvest is committed to taking part in its recapitalization efforts. It did not specify the amount of funds the company would inject into the bank.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Demands rise for regent's resignation
Demands rise for regent's resignation SURABAYA: East Java Governor Imam Utomo said on Saturday that he had recommended the withdrawal of a regent following public pressure for his resignation over his alleged involvement in the killings of over 100 people in the province. Regent Purnomo Sidik reportedly issued instructions last year to list all suspected practitioners of black magic. Purnomo claimed the list was intended to protect the alleged practitioners.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
806 new graduates from ITB
806 new graduates from ITB BANDUNG, West Java: The Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) graduated 806 students, Antara reported on Saturday. The students comprised of 249 postgraduates and 557 undergraduates. Twelve of the postgraduates graduated cum laude. The rector of ITB, Lilik Hendrajaya, called on the new graduates to think of those less fortunate.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Govt defends delay of bank closures
Govt defends delay of bank closures JAKARTA (JP): The government insisted on Sunday that the delay of the scheduled bank closures was entirely due to technical considerations and had no political motives, denying that lobbyings by bank owners had anything to do with it. Finance Minister Bambang Subianto and Bank Indonesia's (central bank) Governor Sjahril Sabirin told a news conference that the delay of the bank closures by two weeks from the originally planned date of Feb.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Malaysian ex-police chief admits assaulting Anwar
Malaysian ex-police chief admits assaulting Anwar KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Former Malaysian police chief Abdul Rahim Noor admitted through his lawyer on Sunday that he beat up ousted deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim when he was taken into police custody last year. Rahim's lawyer, Teh Poh Teik, told a royal commission of inquiry that the then head of police "lost his cool" and struck Anwar after the former deputy prime minister accused him of being the "father of all dogs" on the night of his Sept.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
How antimonopoly law affects consumer rights
How antimonopoly law affects consumer rights By Stefanus Haryanto NAGOYA, Batam (JP): The long-awaited antimonopoly law has finally been approved by the Indonesian House of Representatives. However, the new antimonopoly law -- which prohibits a company from holding more than 50 percent of domestic market share -- has already been criticized by many people as "unrealistic". In The Jakarta Post's Feb.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Asian currencies under pressure from falling yen
Asian currencies under pressure from falling yen SINGAPORE (AFP): Asian currencies are expected to slide this week against the U.S dollar in line with the yen, with bearish domestic factors pushing the decline even further, analysts said. Foreign exchange markets across the region will also be closely watching the situation in Brazil, where the central bank intervened in the market for the fourth consecutive day on Friday to protect the embattled currency, the real.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
Where to go in Jakarta:
Where to go in Jakarta: Technogerma Jakarta 99 - March 2: Concert, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (GKJ), Jl. Gedung Kesenian No. 1, Central Jakarta (Phone: 3808283), 8 p.m. - March 4: Concert, bach, blech and blues, GKJ, 8 p.m., also at Jakarta Convention Center (JCC), Cendrawasih room, 5:30 p.m., on March 2,3,5, - March 4-5: Film series, a presentation of the German dance film institute, at Pusat Perfilman Usmar Ismail, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
50 years of Germany through three generations
50 years of Germany through three generations By Helly Minarti JAKARTA (JP): For a nation, 50 years represents a short period. During the last half century many events have unfolded, some dramatic, others ironic and few euphoric, as shown in a photo exhibition titled Germany Since 1945: Seen by three generations. Depicting almost all of Germany's high and low moments, the photos are a perfect backdrop for Technogerma '99, a biennial technological exhibition held outside Germany.
Mon, 01 Mar 1999, 00:00 WIB
A confusing signal
A confusing signal As soon as the realities of the economic crisis hit Indonesia, a program of economic rehabilitation and reform was begun with the banking sector given first priority for treatment. This was sensible because the banking sector constitutes the main artery of the economy. The reform and rehabilitation process inflicts some pain because certain banks would face closure.