Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 28 June 1999

42 articles found

Applying military law

Applying military law We have been forced to pay attention to an alleged bribery case involving ex-Attorney General Andi M. Ghalib. As we all know, Ghalib is a military man, and most people think that his case will not be brought to court.

1997 BI fire to be probed: Roesmanhadi

1997 BI fire to be probed: Roesmanhadi JAKARTA (JP): National Police chief Gen. Roesmanhadi is resuming an investigation into the cause of a fire two years ago at a Bank Indonesia (BI) building which claimed 15 lives.

Bogor holds folktale festival in English

Bogor holds folktale festival in English BOGOR (JP): The Al-Umm Education, Training and Development Institution (LP3) in cooperation with state postal company PT Pos Indonesia and the Directorate General of Arts and Culture is holding a 10-day national competition on Indonesian folktales in English...

Mahathir stakes claim to Spratlys

Mahathir stakes claim to Spratlys KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Sunday the reefs in the Spratly Islands on which Malaysia had built structures were part of its territory, dismissing Philippine claims.

TB affected area to be revamped

TB affected area to be revamped TANGERANG (JP): Officials plan to revamp two slum residential areas in Benda district near the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport following the detection of six tuberculosis cases in one of the subdistricts.

New policy set to cut 20% off price of imported cars

New policy set to cut 20% off price of imported cars JAKARTA (JP): The government's new policy on the automobile industry will cut the price of imported cars by at least 20 percent, thanks to a significant reduction of import duties, analysts have said.

Sugar policy good for customers: Economists

Sugar policy good for customers: Economists JAKARTA (JP): Economists backed on Friday the government's controversial decision to liberalize sugar imports, saying the move was good for consumers.But they called on the government to speed up the rejuvenation process of the local sugar industry to...

Government expects US$4.72b plus from CGI

Government expects US$4.72b plus from CGI JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's major lenders, grouped in the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI), may pledge some US$4.72 billion in loans at the upcoming annual donors meeting, according to a senior government official.

KPU to query alleged corruption

KPU to query alleged corruption CISARUA, West Java (JP): General Elections Commission (KPU) deputy chairman Adnan Buyung Nasution vowed on Sunday to investigate alleged acts of corruption and collusion inside the commission.

GM to break even in Asia

GM to break even in Asia DETROIT (Reuters): General Motors Corp., which lost US$243 million in Asia-Pacific in 1998, expects to break even there in 2000, Rudolph Schlais, the automaker's president of operations in the region, said on Friday.

Where to go in Jakarta:

Where to go in Jakarta:Exhibitions * Photo Exhibition: by the Indonesian Leica Photography Club, at Galeri Foto Cahya, Plaza Menteng, 2nd floor, Jl. H.O.S. Cokroaminoto 79, Menteng (Phone: 3907623), Central Jakarta, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., until July 2.

Australia, America and Southeast Asia

Australia, America and Southeast Asia The following is based on a presentation by Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer at the Georgetown Southeast Asia Forum, Washington D.C., on June 16, 1999. This is the first of two articles.

Supriati wins Olympic Day Run

Supriati wins Olympic Day Run JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's top runners Supriati Sutono and Eduard Nabunome won the Jakarta 1999 Olympic Day Run on Sunday morning, held to commemorate the capital's 472nd anniversary.

Traders benefit from erotic publications

Traders benefit from erotic publications JAKARTA (JP): Amid questioning of popular model Sophia Latjuba for her controversial seminude pose in a magazine, newspaper agents and street vendors are the winners as new risque and X- rated publications hit the streets.

Corruption out of hand in Padang

Corruption out of hand in Padang PADANG, West Sumatra: Around 100 officials, active and retired, are suspected of being involved in corruption, a spokesman of the district attorney here said.Khaidir Ramli said on Thursday that the office has since last year handled 57 cases involving the officials...

Strong rupiah may hurt exports: Intikeramik

Strong rupiah may hurt exports: Intikeramik JAKARTA (JP): Publicly listed porcelain tile manufacturer PT Intikeramik Alamasri Industri said on Friday the strengthening of the rupiah could hurt its exports.

Debt relief for poor countries

Debt relief for poor countries The leaders of the G-8 major countries waived all repayments of loans in official development assistance and largely increased the number of countries benefiting from the write-offs.

OECF provides aid for expressway

OECF provides aid for expressway AMBON, Maluku: Japan's Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) has extended Rp 1.1 billion in aid for the construction of the Wakasihu expressway in Ambon.Antara news agency quoted on Thursday a provincial public works official as saying the construction of a...

Crowds flock to Prophet's birthday

Crowds flock to Prophet's birthday YOGYAKARTA: The traditional ritual commemorating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad was a main attraction in this tourist city over the weekend.Called "Grebeg Maulud" and held by the palace, mounds of agricultural products were carried along the city streets past...

23 infants die in S. Kalimantan

23 infants die in S. Kalimantan BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: Twenty-three children in South Kalimantan, all less than five years old, have died of marasmus since the onset of the economic crisis nearly two years ago, Governor Gusti Hasan Aman said here on Thursday.

Troops on patrol after clash

Troops on patrol after clash JAKARTA (JP): Military and police troops patrolled two villages in Maluku on Sunday after least three people were killed and another 12 injured in a mass brawl three days earlier.

TNI's wisdom

TNI's wisdomFrom NeracaChief of Staff in Territorial Matters Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono recently stated that a political deadlock might occur in the presidential election. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a mechanism or procedure to prevent a deadlock in the coming General Session of...

Protesters kept away from Islamic festival opening

Protesters kept away from Islamic festival opening SURABAYA (JP): President B.J. Habibie arrived here on Saturday for a traditional festival commemorating early propagators of Islam, the Wali Sanga.Aspiring protesters, who staged demonstrations on the past three days, were deterred not only by...

Four Bank DKI employees named as graft suspects

Four Bank DKI employees named as graft suspects JAKARTA (JP): Four officials of city-owned Bank DKI have been named suspects in corruption cases involving Rp 3.5 billion, head of the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office said.

Garuda, UNASCO deal

Garuda, UNASCO deal JAKARTA (JP): National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia signed on Friday a 10-year cooperation agreement on aircraft technical handling with Saudi Arabia's United Aircraft Service Company Ltd. (UNASCO).

PDI-P 'no threat to Islam'

PDI-P 'no threat to Islam' JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) is not out to destroy Islam, noted scholar Nurcholish Madjid said over the weekend in response to complaints voiced by leading politicians unhappy with the party's strong showing in the polls.

Hotels push Indonesia to tourists

Hotels push Indonesia to touristsBy Christiani S.A. Tumelap JAKARTA (JP): Major local hotels are gearing up for a big sales promotion to benefit from early signs of an economic recovery and growing confidence in the country's security situation.

Arco sells gas to PLN

Arco sells gas to PLN JAKARTA (JP): American oil and gas company Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), a contractor of state oil and gas company Pertamina, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Friday to supply natural gas to a power plant in Central Java owned by state electricity company PT...

PPP rejects woman president

PPP rejects woman president A working meeting of the United Development Party (PPP) leadership was recently held; one of the decisions made in the meeting was that the party would only support a male Muslim president.

E-commerce effecting all business operations

E-commerce effecting all business operationsBy Scott Desmarais JAKARTA (JP): E-commerce is redefining businesses across the globe. It is revolutionizing existing business models and calling for new strategies appealing to Internet-ready businesses and online consumers.

Coalition government is the only way out

Coalition government is the only way out This article is based on a presentation by political observer Cornelis Lay of Gadjah Mada University in a discussion on "Post- election Indonesia: Who is going to be the fourth president?" held in Yogyakarta last week on the occasion of the opening of The...

National vote count still undecided

National vote count still undecided JAKARTA (JP): The General Elections Commission (KPU) and the Indonesian Elections Committee (PPI) have failed to reach an agreement on the date of the initial ballot count and will discuss the subject in a plenary meeting on Monday.

Divorces up in Singapore

Divorces up in Singapore SINGAPORE (AP): The number of divorces in Singapore rose sharply last year, a news report said on Sunday, in a trend some in this conservative city-state blame on the increasing financial independence of women.

Police must take action to stop gambling: YLKI

Police must take action to stop gambling: YLKI JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) is urging the police to take immediate and decisive action to stop rampant toto gelap gambling activities in the capital, which it contends are causing billions of rupiah in losses to low-income...

McDermott gets go-ahead for Natuna gas pipeline project

McDermott gets go-ahead for Natuna gas pipeline project JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Mines and Energy Kuntoro Mangkusubroto said on Friday that PT McDermott Indonesia may go ahead with the construction of a natural gas pipeline linking Natuna island in the Southeast China Sea to Singapore despite...

Gambling rife in Central Java

Gambling rife in Central Java SEMARANG, Central Java (JP): The popularity of gambling reaches beyond large cities into villages throughout Central Java, according to provincial legislators."Gambling activities are even held openly on the roadside, using tables lit by kerosene lamps," Istadjib,...

Arco retender plant's design

Arco retender plant's design HOUSTON (Reuters): Atlantic Richfield Co. said it had asked companies to submit new bids for the design of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Indonesia worth about US$4 billion.

Interest rate may return to 15%, BI says

Interest rate may return to 15%, BI says JAKARTA (JP): Bank Indonesia deputy governor Miranda Goeltom said on the weekend she was upbeat the central bank's benchmark interest rate would return to its precrisis level of 15 percent within the next few months.

Proindependence activists meet Gusmao in Jakarta

Proindependence activists meet Gusmao in Jakarta JAKARTA (JP): Proindependence East Timorese activists met on Sunday at jailed resistance leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao's special detention house in Central Jakarta, ahead of talks on Monday aimed at ending bloodshed in the former Portuguese...

Satisfaction matches dissatisfactions at BTM

Satisfaction matches dissatisfactions at BTMBy I. Christianto NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): Satisfaction and dissatisfaction equally marked the closing of the first annual Bali Travel Mart (BTM) on Saturday.The event recorded a total loss of Rp 62.9 million (about US$9,500).

Food crisis

Food crisis I was a bit stirred up by a news item reported in The Jakarta Post on June 15, 1999, that Asia may face a food crisis after 2000. One of the causes is that dwindling resources are putting more and more pressure on land under cultivation and will eventually degrade it, putting the food...

Officials mull keeping parties off polls boards

Officials mull keeping parties off polls boards CISARUA, West Java (JP): Indonesian Elections Committee (PPI) chairman Jacob Tobing suggested on Saturday amending the General Election Law, so that political parties are excluded from polls administration in the future.