Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 8 September 1999

49 articles found

Don't feign ignorance

Don't feign ignorance The police, who spearhead the law-enforcing institutions, are expected to be sensitive, smart and diligent. They are expected to act without discrimination and do their utmost to unearth the mystery of the Bank Bali scandal, which is assumed to be the tip of the iceberg for other similar crimes.

Lautan Luas splits shares

Lautan Luas splits shares JAKARTA (JP): Shareholders of chemical components distributor and manufacturer PT Lautan Luas approved on Tuesday the company's plan to split shares and increase its authorized capital. The company said the share split would enable trading of its shares to be more liquid. In addition the share price would be more affordable to local investors. After the 1:2 split, the company would have a total of 780 million shares traded in the market.

No pressure on government over forest fires

No pressure on government over forest fires JAKARTA (JP): Little pressure can be expected to be put on the government to take concrete action to prevent further forest destruction, given Indonesia's position as a major business partner to its neighbors, an environmentalist has said.

Students protest Padang mayor

Students protest Padang mayor PADANG, West Sumatra: Dozens of students held a noisy demonstration in front of the Padang State Court building here on Tuesday afternoon as the trial against the alleged corruption of Padang mayor Zuiyen Rais began. The students, calling themselves the Alliance of Reformists Students, asserted their rejection of Zuiyen, who was still an active mayor despite being tried for corruption. The protest ended peacefully about an hour later.

Stock Exchange

Stock Exchange Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Sept. 7, 1999: Shares Close Change Trading Volume -------------------------------------------------------------- Ades Alfindo 400 0 22,500 AHAP Insurance 525 0 0 Alakasa Industrindo 275 0 0 Alter Abadi 250 0 142,500 Alumindo Light Metal 1,275 -125 39,000 Aneka Kimia Raya 400 0 0 Aneka Tambang (Persero) 1,500 25 5,649,500 Anwar Sierad 200 0 159,500 APAC Centertex Corp.

New law to reform telecommunications sector

New law to reform telecommunications sector By M. Suwarso This is the second of two articles on the new telecommunications bill passed by the House of Representatives. The first article examined the changes in the world of telecommunications that led the government to enact the new bill. JAKARTA (JP): No doubt the new telecommunications law is a radical departure from the old law No.

Asians call off W. Cup boycott

Asians call off W. Cup boycott KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA are expected to formally announce the participation of Asian teams in the 2002 World Cup, a source close to the AFC said Tuesday. The source told AFP that the announcement would be made following a meeting on Tuesday in Zurich between AFC president, Sultan Ahmad Shah, and FIFA chief, Sepp Blatter.

Open University to stay in East Timor

Open University to stay in East Timor JAKARTA (JP): East Timorese will be allowed to continue studying in the Open University if members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) endorse the Aug. 30 poll result in favor of separation, its rector said on Monday. Bambang Sujiatmo said East Timor's separation from the country would not affect East Timorese students' enrollment in the university because it allowed foreign students. "We accept foreign students. It's not a problem," he said.

Martial law imposed on troubled East Timor

Martial law imposed on troubled East Timor JAKARTA (JP): The government has declared martial law in East Timor in an attempt to halt spiraling violence in the territory. The surprising decision backtracked on the rejection of Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Wiranto's proposal for a state of emergency, which was made in a Cabinet plenary meeting on Monday morning. Presidential Decree No. 107 signed late Monday night stated that martial law took effect in East Timor at midnight on Sept.

Praise for Habibie

Praise for Habibie Habibie's somber endorsement of the East Timor ballot has elevated him to a citizen of the world, capable of transcending nationality and culture. Shame on Megawati for criticizing his decision to allow the vote.

Foreign fishermen sent back home

Foreign fishermen sent back home MANADO, North Sulawesi: North Sulawesi immigration authorities deported 116 Philippine fishermen in the first eight months of the year for illegally fishing in Indonesian waters. Most of them were detained in small boats in Indonesia's eastern waters Antara reported. Provincial immigration official, Soenaryo, acknowledged here Monday that most of the fishermen strayed into Indonesian waters because they lacked knowledge of maritime boundaries.

City residents can make drug arrests: Noegroho

City residents can make drug arrests: Noegroho JAKARTA (JP): City residents are free to apprehend users, producers and dealers of drugs if they have no time to contact police, the chief of city police said. Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said on Tuesday that once residents make the arrests, they are to immediately hand them over to the nearest police station.

Looming law on smoking threatens small-scale cigarette producers

Looming law on smoking threatens small-scale cigarette producers By Tasrief Tarmizi JAKARTA (Antara): In the near future, the Indonesian government is due to issue a regulation that will probably reduce people's freedom to smoke. The government regulation will be the first one aimed at minimizing the health hazards of tobacco, both to the smoker and to the public in general. The law is being drafted by experts from various professional backgrounds and officials from related government agencies.

Eleven injured in student-security troops clash

Eleven injured in student-security troops clash JAKARTA (JP): Seven students and four security troops were injured on Tuesday evening in a clash near the House of Representatives (DPR), when some 3,000 students protested the ongoing debate over the controversial bill on national security. The demonstrators also demanded that former president Soeharto be tried for allegedly amassing a billion dollar fortune during his 32-year authoritarian rule.

House, BPK, BI tightlipped over bank audit result

House, BPK, BI tightlipped over bank audit result JAKARTA (JP): The leader of the House of Representatives was tight-lipped on Tuesday about results of the PricewaterhouseCoopers audit into the high-profile Bank Bali scandal. Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Sjahril Sabirin and his deputies also quietly slipped away from waiting reporters when they were spotted visiting the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) headquarters.

Martial law powers include news blackout

Martial law powers include news blackout JAKARTA (JP): The government's decision to declare a state of military emergency in East Timor allows the local military chief to take whatever steps necessary to restore peace and order. Although not specifically stated, this includes a news blackout. The 1959 State of Emergency Law allows the President to declare three types of emergency: a state of civil emergency, of military emergency, and war.

Military rules East Timor

Military rules East Timor The imposition of martial law in East Timor on Tuesday corroborates the bitter reality that real power in this country lies in the hands of the Indonesian Military (TNI), not the President, his Cabinet, or the House of Representatives.

Sutiyoso defends water handling deal

Sutiyoso defends water handling deal JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso insisted on Tuesday that he would not revoke the existing water supply agreement between city water company PDAM Jaya and its two foreign partners, as was demanded by PDAM Jaya workers. According to the governor, the city administration would face lawsuits from the foreign firms -- PT Thames Pam Jaya (TPJ) and PT Pam Lyonnaise Jaya (Palyja) -- if it canceled the deal without clear legal reasons.

Drug pushers mixing drugs with dog pills

Drug pushers mixing drugs with dog pills JAKARTA (JP): Drugs distributed among several elementary school students reportedly contained chemical substances from dog medication, a senior city official said on Tuesday. The official, who asked for anonymity, refused to elaborate but told reporters to seek details from the head of the city's education and teaching agency, Masrul Nim. "Masrul told a meeting (today) that traffickers mixed the drugs with medicine for dogs," the official said.

Conversion Rates

Conversion Rates Bank Indonesia's conversion rates on September 7, 1999: Buying Selling Rp Rp U.S.

Telkom to demand compensation

Telkom to demand compensation BANDUNG (JP): State-owned telecommunications company PT Telkom will demand compensation for all telecommunications assets it has built in East Timor from the new administration of the riot-torn province. Telkom's vice president for communications Dody Amarudien said if the compensation demand was rejected, the whole telecommunications facilities would be removed.

Consequences of East Timor ballot

Consequences of East Timor ballot After East Timorese overwhelmingly voted against integration with Indonesia, Tjipta Lesmana, a social studies and politics lecturer at the University of Indonesia, examines the consequences of their choice. This article was prepared before the introduction of martial law in East Timor beginning early Tuesday.

Strong cultural heritage binds Indonesia and Malaysia

Strong cultural heritage binds Indonesia and Malaysia By Zainal Arifin KUALA LUMPUR (JP): In the Malay archipelago lie two nations that, despite contemporary divergence, share deep cultural heritage. Their consanguineous existence transcends geographical separation, internal rifts, and reels of European interventions.

Former commander doubts TNI neutrality in East Timor

Former commander doubts TNI neutrality in East Timor JAKARTA (JP): Enforcing a state of emergency in East Timor will not improve the situation because the military is unlikely to be neutral, said a former military commander in the province. Former Udayana commander Maj. Gen.

RP, Argentina, Chile tie up

RP, Argentina, Chile tie up MANILA (AFP): The Philippines will sign trade and investment accords with Chile and Argentina when President Joseph Estrada visits the countries next week, his spokesman Fernando Barican said Tuesday. During his visit to Chile from Sept. 15 to 17, Estrada will oversee the signing of agreements for cooperation on mining and for bilateral consultation between the foreign affairs ministries of both countries.

Residents complain over waste water

Residents complain over waste water TANGERANG (JP): Serpong and Cilenggang villagers in the Serpong district here have complained once again over contaminated waste allegedly dumped by local tap water company PDAM Tangerang into Jalatereng River. The river passes through the two villages and is used daily by residents for bathing, washing clothes and for use in fish ponds.

Asian stocks drift in marginal trading

Asian stocks drift in marginal trading SINGAPORE (Reuters): Asian stocks drifted on Tuesday in generally light trading, with Tokyo dipping a touch while Hong Kong and Australia managed marginal rises. Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei average of 225 shares fell 0.3 percent to 17,708. In Southeast Asia, the rapidly deteriorating situation in East Timor, where Indonesian authorities declared martial law early on Tuesday, weighed on market sentiment.

KONI to call 39 athletes for Olympics training

KONI to call 39 athletes for Olympics training JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) official in charge of athletes development, Mochammad Hindarto, announced on Tuesday that 39 athletes would participate in training for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

Airport destroys unclaimed items

Airport destroys unclaimed items TANGERANG (JP): The destruction of unclaimed luggage and belongings, which has been piling up in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport's warehouses over the past two years, began on Tuesday, a senior airport customs and excise official announced. The official, Heru Santoso, said the items were mainly left by overseas Indonesian workers. He said 4,821 pieces of baggage, or items weighing 91,817 kilograms, were burnt and melted in two separate locations.

Rupiah falls to 8,285 against U.S. dollar

Rupiah falls to 8,285 against U.S. dollar JAKARTA (JP): The rupiah continued its decline against the U.S. dollar on Tuesday, sliding to 8,285 at the end of the trading -- from 8,105 the previous day -- as fear intensified over the East Timor issue. However, share prices in the local stock market advanced 0.9 percent on the buying of telecommunications and cigarettes shares which bucked the bearish trend of most others, analysts said.

UN warns Indonesia to halt East Timor violence

UN warns Indonesia to halt East Timor violence SINGAPORE (Agencies): The United Nations has put Indonesia on notice that if it fails to stop the killings in East Timor within 48 hours, the world community will consider taking steps to end the bloodshed. "The present chaos in East Timor cannot be allowed to fester any longer," UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in New York on Monday night. U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said time was running out for Jakarta to curb the violence.

Kadin and German agency sign deal

Kadin and German agency sign deal JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) and the Hamburg Business Development Corporation (HWF) signed on Tuesday a cooperation agreement to promote Indonesian exports to Europe. HWF project director Bernd Riegerl said the German agency and the Kadin would work together to develop commercial links by utilizing the distribution center in Hamburg.

Careful with the Constitution

Careful with the Constitution From Suara Karya I read in a newspaper of Aug. 30 a statement by Daniel S. Lev, a political observer from Washington University, calling for the 1945 Constitution to be overhauled. The rationale is that the Constitution was established in an extremely difficult situation so there was little time to think about it. He further commented that this very Constitution cannot accommodate the problems of a large and complex country such as Indonesia.

Indonesia whips Malaysia 3-0 in showdown

Indonesia whips Malaysia 3-0 in showdown YOGYAKARTA (JP): Indonesia beat Malaysia 3-0 in an exhibition match on Tuesday, with emerging star Taufik Hidayat enthralling 2,500 spectators at Among Rogo Sports Hall with his skills. He defeated Samad Ismail in a tight 13-15, 15-10, 15-9. Budi Santoso earlier overcame Malaysian veteran Ong Ewe Hock 15-6, 15- 10.

Pirated VCDs seized

Pirated VCDs seized PURWOKERTO, Central Java: Police have confiscated in the last two days 1,335 pirated Video Compact Discs (VCDs) during a sweep of the Banyumas area. Lt. Col. Jhony H. Hutauruk, chief of Banyumas Police, said here on Tuesday that the VCDs were confiscated from five shops and rental stores.

Government frees East Timorese leader Xanana

Government frees East Timorese leader Xanana JAKARTA (JP): East Timorese resistance leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao was freed from jail here on Tuesday and immediately sought refuge in the British Embassy. "As a free man, I will do everything to bring peace to East Timor and to my people," Xanana said before leaving the Ministry of Justice.

Mahathir flushes guess of early vote

Mahathir flushes guess of early vote KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday dismissed speculation he would call a general election in the next few weeks, a news report said. Mahathir's decision to cancel a trip this weekend to New Zealand for the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum had set political circles buzzing with talk of an imminent election.

East Timor violence puts IMF bailout at risk

East Timor violence puts IMF bailout at risk CANBERRA (Agencies): The Australian government Tuesday reiterated that withdrawing its support for a US$43 billion International Monetary Fund-led bailout for Indonesia is a last- resort option if Jakarta refuses to allow an international peacekeeping force in East Timor. Australia agreed to contribute up to $1 billion in the form of a short-term loan to the IMF-led bailout of Indonesia.

More orangutans find sanctuary

More orangutans find sanctuary SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Orangutan research center Wanariset Semboja has become the refuge for an additional 245 of the primates this year as forest fires decimate their habitat. "We usually only take in an average of 100 orangutans, but due to the forest fire this year we have received 245 orangutans," manager of the orangutan reintroduction project, Aseta Nita Bustani, said.

State security bill must be halted: Experts

State security bill must be halted: Experts JAKARTA (JP): Experts agreed here on Tuesday on the need to halt the state security bill being deliberated in the House of Representatives, which they claimed was a violation of human rights and press freedom.

Indonesia may keep share of Timor Gap sales

Indonesia may keep share of Timor Gap sales By Johannes Simbolon NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): Indonesia could retain a share of oil and gas revenue from the area between Timor Island and Australia, known as the Timor Gap, after East Timor's independence, an official said on Tuesday. "The East Timorese can't instantly take over control of the Timor Gap if it becomes independent.

INRO upbeat Thailand may stay

INRO upbeat Thailand may stay KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): The International Natural Rubber Organization (INRO) said on Tuesday it is optimistic Thailand would change its mind and stay in a price pact but was unsure about Malaysia. Upset by depressed rubber prices, Malaysia and Thailand have said they will quit the world's only remaining commodity pact with power to intervene in the market. Rubber prices are currently around 30-year lows.

Indonesia begs donor nations to reschedule US$6b debt

Indonesia begs donor nations to reschedule US$6b debt JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has asked the Paris Club donor nations to reschedule some US$6 billion in sovereign debt due in 2000/2001 and 2001/2002 fiscal years, said Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita. "(Debt rescheduling) for one year is $3 billion, and for two years it's $6 billion," he told reporters after meeting with President B.J. Habibie on Tuesday. He said that he made the proposal to the U.S.

OPEC chief says oil output cut will remain

OPEC chief says oil output cut will remain NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): Secretary-general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Rilwanu Lukman said on Tuesday the organization would maintain its current production cuts in an upcoming meeting in Vienna in order to keep oil prices high. "We want to maintain these prices a little longer before (we) start jumping to conclusions," Lukman said.

Indonesia hosts school tennis c'ship

Indonesia hosts school tennis c'ship JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will host the 1999 Asian School Tennis Championship from Sept. 21 to Sept. 26 at the Senayan tennis complex. Six countries -- Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, China and Bangladesh -- have registered to compete in the championship, to be played on clay courts. Indonesia is sending eight junior players in its bid to retain the overall title it won in a previous event in 1993.

Jamsostek office robbed overnight

Jamsostek office robbed overnight JAKARTA (JP): A gang of seven people broke into on Tuesday the office of PT Jamsostek social security company, making off with two Kijang vans, a television set, a tape recorder, and a safety box containing Rp 4.3 million (US$537) and deposit cheques totaling Rp 50 million. There were no casualties in the early morning robbery at the Jamsostek branch office in Cawang, East Jakarta, although the office security guard Supriyadi was tied up and gagged.

Belo flees as East Timor sinks deeper into violence

Belo flees as East Timor sinks deeper into violence JAKARTA (JP): Nobel colaureate Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo arrived in Australia on Tuesday after being airlifted out of his strife-torn homeland under an assumed name. Belo's escape marked the continuing violence which has spiraled out of control.

Xanana Gusmao, East Timor's symbol of hope

Xanana Gusmao, East Timor's symbol of hope JAKARTA (AFP): East Timorese leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao walked to freedom here Tuesday with little but the bitter ashes of a dream awaiting him outside his jail house. Eight days ago, Gusmao's people voted overwhelmingly under United Nations auspices to reject an offer of autonomy with Indonesia. "I promise that as a free man, I will do everything to bring peace to East Timor and my people," Gusmao said on his release.

Petrosea's net profit down

Petrosea's net profit down JAKARTA (JP): Publicly listed engineering, construction and mining company PT Petrosea announced on Tuesday a significant decrease in net profits in the first half of the year due to the rise of the rupiah against the U.S. dollar. The company made a net profit of Rp 34.3 billion in the first half of the year, a 77 percent decrease compared to Rp 150.7 billion in the same period last year.