Archive: 2 June 1999
Showing 1-50 of 67 articles
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
'Fiesta of democracy' absent in Aceh districts
'Fiesta of democracy' absent in Aceh districts LHOKSEUMAWE, Aceh (Antara): "Different ponds, different fish; different fields, different grasshoppers," so the old adage goes. These words of wisdom seem to be reflected in the style of campaigning adopted by political parties contesting the June 7 general election in three districts in Aceh: North Aceh, East Aceh and Pidie.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Government sets to recapitalize BNI, BRI and BTN
Government sets to recapitalize BNI, BRI and BTN JAKARTA (JP): The government will spend Rp 95.6 trillion (US$1.20 billion) to recapitalize Bank Negera Indonesia, Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) and Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN). Assistant to the State Minister for Empowerment of State Enterprises Markus Permadi said on Tuesday the funds would be part of the Rp 233.4 trillion allocated to seven ailing state banks.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
A who's who of debtors
A who's who of debtors The 200 largest corporate debtors, who are partly responsible for leading virtually every major domestic bank, including the seven state banks, into technical bankruptcy, were finally announced through newspaper advertisements on Tuesday.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Tricky trap for Mega
Tricky trap for Mega Prof. Herbert Feith (The Jakarta Post, May 31, 1999) compared the founding fathers of Indonesia to the Amien Rais-Megawati Soekarnoputri team. This is dangerous nonsense. Sukarno-Hatta were founders of the unitary state. Between 1956 and 1966, I knew Bung Hatta well and president Sukarno intimately. Prof. Rais cannot walk in Hatta's shadow. The only ingredient Megawati has in common with her father is her genes.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Violence mars campaign in Ujungpandang, 11 hurt
Violence mars campaign in Ujungpandang, 11 hurt JAKARTA (JP): Peace held out Tuesday during rallies in the Maluku and East Timor, where hundreds died in recent conflicts, during a round of barnstorming by Megawati Soekarnoputri, but violence marred campaigning in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Habibie greets EU election monitors
Habibie greets EU election monitors JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie thanked the European Union (EU) on Tuesday for dispatching a 135-member team to observe the June 7 general election, saying their presence would contribute significantly to Indonesia's campaign to hold free and fair elections. "I hope that during your stay in our country, you will learn how the real conditions are," he told the EU team, led by John Gwyn Morgan, at Merdeka Palace.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Batam hard pressed to list expatriates
Batam hard pressed to list expatriates BATAM: The local manpower office is encountering difficulties in tracing illegal foreign workers on the tiny island due to the reluctance of many companies to release information and the shortage of its own personnel. "Worst of all, most of the illegal foreign workers at many businesses here try to run and hide when our staff arrive at their offices for a raid," head of Batam's manpower office Sulaiman Yusuf said on Tuesday.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Bad debtors face tougher measures
Bad debtors face tougher measures JAKARTA (JP): Finance Minister Bambang Subianto vowed on Tuesday to take tougher measures against the worst debtors of domestic banks who fail to reach a loan recovery plan by the end of this month with the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA). He expected the first batch of bad debtors to make significant progress at their talks with the agency in one month's time.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Kuntoro supports Pertamina's decision on pipeline project
Kuntoro supports Pertamina's decision on pipeline project JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Mines and Energy Kuntoro Mangkusubroto supported on Tuesday state oil and gas company Pertamina's decision to name PT McDermott Indonesia to build a natural gas underwater pipeline linking west of Natuna island to Singapore.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Suharyadi disagree on Pelti's coaching selection
Suharyadi disagree on Pelti's coaching selection JAKARTA (JP): National tennis coach Suharyadi is worried about the Indonesian Tennis Association's (Pelti) decision on the process for the selection of coaches for preparations for the 20th Southeast Asian Games in August in Brunei Darussalam. Suharyadi, who coaches Indonesia's No. 1 women's player Wynne Prakusya, said on Tuesday the decision could create new conflicts because players only had one month to adjust to their new coaches.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Why not Chinese-Indonesians also?
Why not Chinese-Indonesians also? I was thrilled to see the photograph of Westerners sitting on top of a car donning Megawati's party uniform and giving the PDI sign, on the front page of The Jakarta Post on May 29, 1999. I would like to see a similar photograph of Chinese- Indonesians joining the campaign, so that the much-felt discrimination against them would disappear by showing themselves as full-fledge Indonesian nationals, instead of staying "neutral".
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Volatile regions face dilemma over elections
Volatile regions face dilemma over elections By Edy M. Ya'kub JAKARTA (Antara): Will elections be held or not in the troubled Aceh regencies of North Aceh, East Aceh and Pidie? For that matter, will there be elections in riot-torn Maluku, West Kalimantan, East Timor and Irian Jaya, which has been beset with separatism?
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Aceh remains tense, 50 shops set on fire
Aceh remains tense, 50 shops set on fire JAKARTA (JP): At least 50 shop-houses belonging to residents of Teunom subdistrict in West Aceh regency were razed in the early hours of Tuesday, leaving 325 people homeless. No fatalities have so far been reported and material losses have yet to be estimated.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Supreme Court backs 'ANteve' in bankruptcy suit
Supreme Court backs 'ANteve' in bankruptcy suit JAKARTA (JP): The Supreme Court's civil review decision last week maintained its earlier decision and the decisions of the lower courts to reject the foreign creditors' bankruptcy claim against local private television station ANteve. The defendant lawyer said on Tuesday that according to the Supreme Court's verdict made on May 26 the bankruptcy claim was rejected on the ground that ANteve did not have any due debts.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
PDI of Struggle takes over Ambon
PDI of Struggle takes over Ambon AMBON, Maluku: This provincial capital turned into a sea of red on Tuesday as thousands of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) supporters took to the streets to see party chief Megawati Soekarnoputri. Crowds of people wearing red shirts riding on buses, motorcycles and vans and waving red party banners and Megawati posters jammed the streets of the city, which has been devastated by sectarian conflicts, Antara reported.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Oil prices plunge as Iraq signals higher crude exports
Oil prices plunge as Iraq signals higher crude exports LONDON (Reuters): World oil prices fell again on Tuesday after Iraq said it would be able to raise crude exports under a new phase of the United Nations oil-for-food exchange. Benchmark North Sea Brent blend crude oil futures for July delivery fell 22 cents to US$14.98 a barrel after the announcement on Monday by the Iraqi oil minister.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
PPP camels on the loose
PPP camels on the loose JAKARTA: Activists of the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP) know how to attract a crowd and entertain their supporters. On Monday, party followers successfully attracted huge crowds in their last round of campaigning in South Jakarta with a pair of paper camels operated by four people. They paraded the "camels" and children ran after them, thinking that the puppets were the real desert animals they can see only at zoos here.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
BAT asks Habibie to review cigarette excise ruling
BAT asks Habibie to review cigarette excise ruling JAKARTA (JP): Publicly listed cigarettemaker PT British American Tobacco (BAT) Indonesia asked President B.J. Habibie on Tuesday to review the Ministry of Finance's decision to raise excise taxes on the production of regular cigarettes. "We do hope the President will review the regulation," company president Mark Anthony Jennings said following a meeting at Habibie's private residence in Patra Kuningan, South Jakarta.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
UNAMET pledges full cooperation
UNAMET pledges full cooperation DILI, East Timor (JP): The United Nations Assistance Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) has pledged full cooperation with all sides in troubled East Timor to help the Aug. 8 ballot succeed. "The UN presence in East Timor is neutral. UNAMET will be open to any input from all sides, including the conflicting factions in this territory, to make the polling a success," UNAMET chairman Ian Martin said upon his arrival in Dili on Tuesday.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Philippine exports up 2.7%
Philippine exports up 2.7% MANILA (AFP): Philippine exports rose 2.7 percent in April from a year earlier to US$2.345 billion, the government's statistics agency said Tuesday. Export receipts from January to April grew 12.1 percent to $10.198 billion from $9.101 billion in the same period last year, the National Statistics Office said.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
When nature calls PKB supporters
When nature calls PKB supporters JAKARTA: Police and reporters raced each other to Kebayoran Hospital on Tuesday after seeing scores of campaign participants leave a rally in a soccer field to make their way to the hospital's emergency unit. The policemen spoke into their walkie-talkies telling their partners they would check the hospital to see if an incident had happened.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Many balk at working the polls in Aceh
Many balk at working the polls in Aceh JAKARTA (JP): Escalating intimidation by groups of people seeking to boycott the June 7 general election in Aceh has forced residents to refuse to be poll workers, a local official said on Tuesday. The revelation came amid growing discussions about the possibility the elections might be delayed in several trouble spots including Aceh, as Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Wiranto hinted also on Tuesday.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
KPU under fire for dealine shift
KPU under fire for dealine shift JAKARTA (JP): The General Elections Commission (KPU) came under attack on Tuesday for moving back the deadline for political parties to arrange vote-sharing deals (stembus akoord). The Election Supervisory Committee said that by changing the deadline from May 31 to June 4 the KPU fell short of its commitment to make the upcoming elections just and fair.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Children hurt as parties clash in Yogyakarta
Children hurt as parties clash in Yogyakarta YOGYAKARTA (JP): With campaign season nearing to a close, clashes between supporters of rival parties and other acts of violence continued to prevail on Tuesday. A fresh brawl involving hundreds of supporters of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and United Development Party (PPP) flared up in Yogyakarta, leaving six people, including two children, injured and two cars seriously damaged.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
No party will win a majority in elections
No party will win a majority in elections By Hermawan Sulistyo JAKARTA (JP): The presence of political parties is a prerequisite for democracy. Together, with other forces, political parties are an important component of civil society. They serve as channels of popular will and interest. Their role in strengthening democracy, however, differs from the past, according to changes in the contemporary social and political landscape.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
C&W, NTT enter 2nd round of takeover war
C&W, NTT enter 2nd round of takeover war TOKYO (Reuters): Britain's Cable and Wireless Plc went on the offensive on Tuesday in a bidding war for diminutive Japanese telephone company International Digital Corp (IDC), topping up its price a day after NTT had upped its bid. C&W, Britain's second-biggest phone carrier, said it had raised its offer for IDC shares to 110,577 yen (US$914) per share from 107,372 yen last month.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Agenda
Agenda JAKARTA (JP): The Crescent Star Party (PBB) and the National Mandate Party (PAN) will focus their campaigns at the favorite place of many parties, namely the Hotel Indonesia Traffic Circle, at different times on Wednesday. PBB supporters will have the chance to see party chief Yusril Ihza Mahendra. The main attraction will be drum beating and unfurling a 1.5 kilometer party banner stretching from the traffic circle to Dukuh Atas to the south.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Five Indonesia's tae kwon doins vie in World Championships
Five Indonesia's tae kwon doins vie in World Championships JAKARTA (JP): Five national tae kwon doins who are being prepared for the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games are competing in the World Championships in Canada. Pino Indra Perdana, Derry Dermansyah and Satrio Rahardani will compete on the men's side while Juana Wangsa Putri and Sinta Berliana Heru are to fight on the women's side.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Reports on money politics probed
Reports on money politics probed JAKARTA (JP): A special team of the Election Supervisory Committee has begun investigating alleged practices of "money politics" by political parties in response to reports, committee deputy chairman Todung Mulya Lubis said Tuesday. The alleged parties reported, among others, by the Urban Poor Consortium were the People's Sovereignty Party (PDR) and Golkar Party.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Police confiscate 18 stolen cars
Police confiscate 18 stolen cars JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police confiscated 18 stolen vehicles from 16 alleged car thieves, including vehicles from three buyers of the stolen cars, over the last two weeks, an official said on Tuesday. Chief of the city police detective unit Col. Alex Bambang Riatmojo said the cars included a dark blue BMW 230i sedan and a green metallic Timor.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Stock Exchange
Stock Exchange Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on June 1, 1999: Shares Close Change Trading Volume ------------------------------------------------------------ Ades Alfindo 425 0 369,500 AHAP Insurance 425 0 0 Alakasa Industrindo 275 0 0 Alter Abadi 300 -25 17,500 Alumindo Light Metal 1,000 0 0 Aneka Kimia Raya 350 0 39,500 Aneka Tambang (Persero) 1,650 50 2,755,000 Anwar Sierad 275 -25 369,500 APAC Centertex Corp.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Next round campaigns vulnerable to unrest
Next round campaigns vulnerable to unrest JAKARTA (JP): Four days ahead of the June 7 elections, officials and the National Police raised alarms on Tuesday over possible unrest in the final round of campaigning as parties would likely go all out in their last ditch attempt to lure voters. Chairman of the General Elections Commission (KPU) Rudini and National Police chief Gen.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Government calls off peat land project
Government calls off peat land project JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie decided on Tuesday to stop the one-million-hectare peat land conversion scheme in Central Kalimantan, and ordered several Cabinet ministers to help the 61,000 transmigrants involved in the disappointing project, an official said on Tuesday. Secretary of Development Operations Lt. Gen.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Governor asks people to pray
Governor asks people to pray SURABAYA: With fears of election-related unrest and violence still prevailing, East Java Governor Imam Utomo told people in the province on Tuesday to spend the two days of the cooling-off period, June 5 and June 6, with prayers.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Texmaco Group seeks listing on Nasdaq
Texmaco Group seeks listing on Nasdaq JAKARTA (JP): The widely diversified Texmaco Group said Tuesday it would list some of its subsidiaries on the New York- based over-the-counter stock market Nasdaq to raise funds for payment of the group's overseas debts worth about US$1.4 billion.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Locals protest unfair candidacy
Locals protest unfair candidacy JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Indigenous people of Jayawijaya regency who have been nominated by Golkar for the provincial legislature have lodged a protest over what they said was the party's unfair selection of candidates.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Microloan program
Microloan program As an ex-expatriate of Jakarta I read The Jakarta Post eagerly, one week late. How happy I am that you are finally on the web. Some time ago I read with great interest the article of May 14 World Bank to fight Indonesian poverty with new vigor by Mark Baird, the new World Bank Indonesia country director. I highly commend his humanitarian approach to the many problems of implementing the basic wish of the World Bank to help the poor of Indonesia.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Debt restructuring supports troubled companies
Debt restructuring supports troubled companies By Candelario Tambis JAKARTA (JP): From mid-1997 up to today, many companies have been in financial trouble because of the lingering economic crisis. Financial difficulties of distressed companies are caused by a variety of reasons, however, in a time of crisis these companies share one common survival alternative -- debt restructuring.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Golkar backs proposed Irian split
Golkar backs proposed Irian split JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: The ruling Golkar Party revealed here on Tuesday that it backed the government's proposal to divide Irian Jaya into three provinces. "Golkar wants to see that all the three governors are native Irianese if the proposal materializes," said party chairman Akbar Tanjung when addressing about 800 Golkar supporters in a campaign rally.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Inflation declined by 0.28 percent in May
Inflation declined by 0.28 percent in May JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's consumer prices declined by 0.28 percent in May, the country's third month of deflation in a row, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) reported on Tuesday. BPS chief Sugito Suwito said that the consumer price index declined to 204.76 in May from 205.34 in April, bringing the year-on-year inflation (May 1998 - May 1999) to 30.73 percent.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Workers' sit-down protest stops traffic
Workers' sit-down protest stops traffic JAKARTA (JP): About 1,500 laid-off workers of cookie producer PT Mayora staged a sit-down action in front of the Ministry of Manpower in South Jakarta on Tuesday to back their demand for higher severance pay. They traveled to the ministry on Jl. Gatot Soebroto from their company's two factories on Jl. Telesonik in Jatiuwung district, Tangerang, and Jatake industrial estate in Bitung district, Bekasi.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
PKP engaged in 'tobacco politics'
PKP engaged in 'tobacco politics' PALU, Central Sulawesi: The Justice and Unity Party (PKP) shuns the much-condemned money politics and plays "tobacco politics" instead. Party activists started their indoor campaign in town by handing out cigarettes to party supporters. Antara reported the activists pledged it was not money politics by another name. "We mean to keep the supporters awake while they listen to the speeches," an activist said in the campaign in an air-conditioned building.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Swiss offers help but no freeze on Soeharto assets
Swiss offers help but no freeze on Soeharto assets JAKARTA (Agencies): The Swiss federal authorities in Berne on Monday told visiting Indonesian Minister of Justice Muladi and Attorney General Andi Ghalib that they were willing to help search for any assets hidden in the country by former president Soeharto, but could not immediately freeze them.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
PKP seeks to join three major parties' alliance
PKP seeks to join three major parties' alliance JAKARTA (JP): The Justice and Unity Party (PKP) -- many of whose activists are Golkar's renegades -- is reportedly seeking to join an alliance already established among the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the National Awakening Party (PKB). "We are working on details of the stembus akoord (vote-sharing deal)," PKP secretary-general Hayono Isman said Tuesday.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Business separation
Business separation We refer to Mr. Riyadi's article in your May 31 edition Bankers shocked by court rulings on derivative deals. We wish to inform you that Hotman Paris Hutapea, whose name was quoted several times in the article, and our firm jointly and amicably agreed to separate effective on May 14, 1999. The announcement of the separation was published in three newspapers, including the Post on May 18, 1999, Page 12. A joint announcement was also published on May 22, 1999.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Greed usurps family values of the former first family
Greed usurps family values of the former first family By Rahayu Ratnaningsih JAKARTA (JP): Greed is the root of all evil. When it is combined with unlimited and unbalanced power it could drag an entire nation to the verge of extinction. After an extended honeymoon of 32 years, even very rich soil can be sucked dry, leaving behind a wasteland with US$125 billion in foreign debt. All in the name stability and growth.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Italo-Indonesian trade relations
Italo-Indonesian trade relations Indonesia and Italy have enjoyed a long relationship that dates back to many years ago, reinforced by the presence of the Italian Embassy and the Italian Trade Commission (ITC), a government agency whose main purpose is to promote trade between Italy and other countries. The Jakarta ITC opened in 1981 and provides information and assistance to Indonesian companies interested in dealing with potential Italian counterparts.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Ghalib gains dubious 'Soeharto' honor
Ghalib gains dubious 'Soeharto' honor JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib has won the "Soeharto Award" after topping a list of anti-reform figures in the country in a student-run opinion poll, the organizers announced on Tuesday. Ghalib was followed by President B.J. Habibie, who grabbed the second position and Minister of Defense/Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Wiranto, who won third rank in the poll participated in by 2,479 respondents from across the country.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Orangutan habitat under threat
Orangutan habitat under threat PANGKALAN BUN, Central Kalimantan: Illegal timber workers have damaged the 5,000-hectare central area of Tanjung Puting National Park, the official rehabilitation center for orangutans. Head of the 415,050-hectare park Suherty Reddy said on Tuesday that the number of the illegal timber fellers grew to hundreds operating in various spots, such as the rivers of Buluh Besar, Buluh Kecil, Pembuang Hulu and Sekonyer, over the past five months.
Wed, 02 Jun 1999, 00:00 WIB
Mine area clash leaves one dead
Mine area clash leaves one dead JAKARTA (JP): A man was killed and two others were seriously injured on Monday in a massive clash that started when hundreds of illegal gold miners attacked local Cisarua villagers in Bogor regency on Monday. The dead man was identified as H. Idin, 46, a local resident, while the identities of the two injured people were not yet known. During the clash, some 14 houses were burned down and several others were vandalized, Antara reported.