Archive: 10 January 2000
35 articles found
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Sailors nabbed for illegal trip
Sailors nabbed for illegal trip DENPASAR, Bali: An Indonesian ship with eight Iranians and 53 Iraqis, including 16 children, on board, drifted ashore here following a mechanical failure around 20 miles off the coast of Jimbaran. "The ship drifted ashore on Jan. 4 and was found by local fisherman," commander of the Benoa naval base, Capt. Dadiek Surarto, said last week as quoted by Antara.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Moonlighting on motorbikes
Moonlighting on motorbikes PALU, Central Sulawesi: Dozens of state employees here have taken side jobs as motorcycle taxi drivers, locally known as ojek, to help survive the economic crisis. One of the civil servants, Udin, 43, said dozens of employees had joined the ojek organization. The man, who works as a teacher in a state-run elementary school, said he had been working as a driver for the last two years.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Gus Dur's bravery
Gus Dur's bravery From Rakyat Merdeka I hail and admire President Abdurrahman Wahid's bravery in his statement quoted in the media recently. He said to a gathering of prominent community and religious leaders in Merauke, "If there is a country which tries to divide the unitary state of Indonesia, we are ready to go to war". A most fitting statement that does not need to be put in doubt.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Solemnity marks Idul Fitri festivities
Solemnity marks Idul Fitri festivities JAKARTA (JP): Millions of Muslims in the capital celebrated the Idul Fitri holiday on Saturday and Sunday in a solemn and peaceful mood. Mosques, sports fields and parking lots were packed on Saturday morning as people said the Idul Fitri prayer. With almost two million Jakarta residents celebrating the holiday in their respective hometowns, most of the city's main thoroughfares were empty during the two days.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Central banks meet in S'pore
Central banks meet in S'pore SINGAPORE (AFP): Central bank governors from around the world were due to meet in Singapore Monday to exchange views on current economic and financial developments, said the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). MAS and the Bank for International Settlements said the one- day closed door informal session follows a similar governors' meeting in Hong Kong in January 1999.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Obuchi set to push Japan's role in Asia
Obuchi set to push Japan's role in Asia TOKYO (Reuters): Japan's Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi embarks on a visit to Southeast Asia on Monday in a sign of Tokyo's growing determination to take a leadership role in Asia. The visit to Cambodia, Laos and Thailand from Jan. 10-15 takes place as Japan prepares to host the Group of Eight (G8) summit of industrialized nations in July.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Effects of the globalization cast doubt on ASEAN
Effects of the globalization cast doubt on ASEAN This is the first of a two part article based on a keynote address by Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand at the conference on Transition and Globalization: Comparative Strategies, organized by The Institute of Security and International Studies on Dec. 17, 1999 in Bangkok.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
RI coffee expected to perk up in 2000
RI coffee expected to perk up in 2000 By Sylvia Gratia M. Nirang JAKARTA (JP): The year 2000 is expected to be a good one for Indonesia's coffee industry, with experts predicting coffee production will bounce back after being hit by a severe dry spell caused by El Nino and excessive La Nina-caused rains.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Initial evaluation of the impact of the Y2K bug on Indonesia
Initial evaluation of the impact of the Y2K bug on Indonesia By RM Roy Suryo YOGYAKARTA (JP): "Saved by the bell," an idiom often used in boxing, is a good phrase to begin this initial evaluation of the impact of the millennium bug in Indonesia. After all, following the critical period of Dec. 31, 1999 to Jan. 1, 2000 and on Jan. 3 and Jan. 4 at the opening of banks and the stock exchange, when things appeared to be fairly safe, the next critical date was Jan.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Fast action ordered for N. Luwu conflicts
Fast action ordered for N. Luwu conflicts MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): Wirabuana Military Commander Maj. Gen. Agus Wirahadikusuma has ordered security personnel here to disarm warring residents in North Luwu regency. The order was made on Friday following an overnight visit to the troubled area, some 240 kilometers north of here. During the unprecedented trip, Agus was accompanied by provincial police chief Brig. Gen. Mudji Santoso.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Calls for calm, jihad over Maluku mayhem
Calls for calm, jihad over Maluku mayhem JAKARTA (JP): There were urgent calls for calm and understanding as demands for an Islamic holy war (jihad) to avenge the death of Muslims in Maluku continued to resonate over the Idul Fitri weekend. Noted Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid appealed to Muslims to show their compassionate side to help pacify the emotional outbursts fueled by politicians and the Indonesian Ulema's Council (MUI). "Becoming a Muslim is difficult.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Mercure's positive outlook
Mercure's positive outlook JAKARTA (JP): The four-star hotel Mercure Rekso in West Jakarta expects good business prospects in 2000 with its total room occupancy rate increasing 10 percent to 55 percent, a hotel executive said. The hotel's public relations manager, Mirna A. Basalamah, recently said the company based its optimism on its booking a 10 percent increase in its occupancy rate to 44 percent in 1999 despite the lingering economic crisis.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Bringing an end to Aceh's saga of sadness
Bringing an end to Aceh's saga of sadness This is the first of a two-part article based on a year-end evaluation of conditions in Aceh by Saifuddin Bantasyam, executive director of the Care for Human Rights Forum (FPHAM), one of several private groups monitoring human rights in the province. BANDA ACEH (JP): People say the year 2,000 will be decisive for us as a nation and state. Acehnese in particular waited fervently for the New Year, hoping things would be better.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Cabinet ministers busy during Idul Fitri
Cabinet ministers busy during Idul Fitri JAKARTA (JP): Cabinet ministers celebrated their first Idul Fitri since taking office with traditional open houses and receptions. On the first day of Idul Fitri on Saturday, most ministers received visits from their staff, related organizations and the public at their official or private residences.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Bigger share awaits RI in global textile market: API
Bigger share awaits RI in global textile market: API JAKARTA (JP): The country's textile industry is considered a local giant, providing 19 percent of the country's nonoil and gas revenue and a 1.2 million-strong work force. However, according to the Indonesian Textile Association (API), it accounts for only 2 percent of the global market, which recorded US$350 billion in sales in 1998.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Maluku calm during Idul Fitri
Maluku calm during Idul Fitri JAKARTA (JP): Idul Fitri was generally solemnly celebrated over the weekend, including in the riot-torn Maluku capital of Ambon. Thousands of people flocked to the Al Fatah Grand Mosque in the riot torn city on Saturday to perform their Idul Fitri morning prayers, braving rain that stopped just before the prayer began at 7.30 a.m. local time. Security personnel, as well as armored vehicles and fire engines, were seen posted in conflict-prone areas across the town.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Large influx of newcomers expected
Large influx of newcomers expected JAKARTA (JP): About 200,000 newcomers are expected to enter the capital along with millions of residents returning home after the Idul Fitri holiday, head of the City Population Agency Sjahrin Lumban Toruan said on Sunday. "Last year some 2.6 million local residents left the capital for the Idul Fitri holiday. About 2.8 million entered the capital following last year's holiday ... our estimate is about 200,000 (newcomers)," Sjahrin told reporters.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Residents block road in Jimbaran
Residents block road in Jimbaran JIMBARAN, Bali: Local residents blocked the road leading to the Four Seasons and The Ritz Carlton in Jimbaran, some 25 kilometers south of Bali capital's Denpasar, on Saturday, demanding compensation for the land taken up by it. The disgruntled residents started to unload a truck of stones at 8.00 p.m. local time onto the three-meter wide road. The land allegedly belongs to eight families, consisting of 69 people.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Landslide cuts off 15,000 people
Landslide cuts off 15,000 people KUALA LUMPUR (AP): About 15,000 residents of a Malaysian highlands resort area were stranded when a landslide cut off all road and telephone links. Residents of Cameron Highlands, a hill resort region in central Malaysia, are still recovering from a mud slide that claimed six lives on Thursday. They were said to be unable to come down to town or make calls to their relatives outside the area, the national Bernama news agency reported.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Large influx of travelers on weekend: Official
Large influx of travelers on weekend: Official JAKARTA (JP): The capital is set to groan under a massive influx of returning Idul Fitri holiday makers beginning this weekend, railway officials said on Sunday. They told The Jakarta Post their prediction was based on the fact that schools here would startup again next Monday, after a one-month holiday for the fasting month of Ramadhan. "Students will return to school on Jan.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Forest export earnings to exceed $8b in 2000
Forest export earnings to exceed $8b in 2000 JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Forestry Society (MPI) forecasts the country's foreign exchange earnings from exports of wood and other forest-related products this year to reach more than US$8 billion. MPI executive director Kristiyono Fajari said on Sunday the export target was comparatively the same as last year's target.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
A Cabinet reshuffle imminent?
A Cabinet reshuffle imminent? Compared to (his predecessor) B.J. Habibie, President Abdurrahman Wahid has everything. He has a strong legitimacy that originates from the people because he was chosen as the result of a fair general election. He also is closely associated with a political party that has strong backing among the population. In addition he has won the support of foreign governments.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Six armed robbers break in at dawn
Six armed robbers break in at dawn JAKARTA (JP): A group of six robbers, armed with sharp weapons, broke into a house in Central Jakarta early on Sunday, making off with a car, jewelry, and electronics goods totaling Rp 85.6 million (US$12,230). A local police officer said the robbery on Jl. Kelinci in the Pasar Baru area was still under investigation. The gang broke into the house at around 4:35 a.m.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Violence in Maluku
Violence in Maluku I regret Donna K. Woodward's letter Gen. Wiranto's Berlin Wall? in The Jakarta Post on Jan. 5, 2000. The violence in Maluku involves conflict between Christians and Muslims. The former wants to annihilate the latter. As history teaches us, if Muslims are a minority in a country, they are always the target of the majority of that country. Look at what happened in India, the Philippines, China, USA, Europe, etc.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Carbide cannons put the bang in Idul Fitri
Carbide cannons put the bang in Idul Fitri By Edi Petebang and Erma S. Ranik PONTIANAK, West Kalimantan (JP): Loud explosions rattled hamlets along Kapuas and Landak rivers during the month of Ramadhan. The deafening noise peaked on the eve of Idul Fitri. Was another communal war raging there? No, the exploding sounds came from traditional meriam karbit (carbide cannons). It is a wooden cannon filled with carbide and it produces a loud bang when fire is tossed into a small hole at the lower end.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Fire destroys four blocks of souvenir market in Kuta
Fire destroys four blocks of souvenir market in Kuta KUTA, Bali (JP): Fire destroyed four blocks of a five-block souvenir market here on Sunday, causing at least Rp 5 billion in losses. No fatalities were reported. Eyewitnesses said the fire started at about 7:00 a.m. local time at a kiosk in Block A. "Strong wind apparently caused the fire to escalate in a very short time. We were unable to contain it," an eyewitness said.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
BI: Third parties and second opinions
BI: Third parties and second opinions YOGYAKARTA (JP): The government's move to present the Supreme Audit Agency's (BPK) audit of Bank Indonesia (BI) to the House of Representatives last week has sparked a rift between the government and the central bank, leading to more fears in relation to the economy. Economist Tony A. Prasetyantono of Gadjah Mada University talked to The Jakarta Post on this issue. Here are excerpts of their interview.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
East Timor under control, says UN force
East Timor under control, says UN force DILI (AP): After three months of occupation by international peacekeepers, East Timor is now relatively safe and there is no longer a major security threat by pro-Indonesian militias, the incoming leader of the UN multinational force said on Sunday. Lt. Gen. Jaime S. de los Santos, who will take over peacekeeping operations next month, said he didn't foresee any big problems.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Man's body found at construction site
Man's body found at construction site JAKARTA (JP): A man in his 30s was found dead at a restricted construction site in the Senen area, Central Jakarta, on Sunday morning. Local police said they were in the dark about the identity of the man and the cause of his death. Chief of the Senen Police subprecinct, Maj. Pratikno, told reporters that the body of the man was found lying face downward in the muddy excavation soil of a parking lot's building site next to the Plaza Atrium shopping center.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Bishop involved in politics?
Bishop involved in politics? This is a reaction to your report on Maluku may get new leaders in the Jan. 6, 2000 edition. Since when is a Catholic bishop, or priest for that matter, called upon to act as a spokesman for the President on political matters?
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Graft the reason for potential Cabinet shake-up: Khofifah
Graft the reason for potential Cabinet shake-up: Khofifah JAKARTA (JP): The possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle remains uncertain, but if there is one it will not bear political motives, State Minister of the Empowerment of Women Khofifah Indar Parawansa said on Sunday. Khofifah said during Idul Fitri celebrations at her official residence that a Cabinet shake-up would be needed if there were ministers involved in corruption, collusion and nepotism or because of human rights abuses.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Where to go in Jakarta: Monday, Jan. 10, 2000
Where to go in Jakarta: Monday, Jan. 10, 2000 Exhibitions * Handicraft Exhibition: Cinderamata Nusantara, at Galeri Kampoeng Seni, in Metropolitan Mal, Bekasi, Jan. 7. Dances and music performance, every Monday, Thursday, at 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. * Poster Exhibition: Ilmu Warna Goethe, at Goethe-Institute, Jl. Matraman Raya 23, East Jakarta (Phone: 8509132), until Jan. 20. * Painting Exhibition: Fenomena Masyarakat Urban, by 15 Jakartan artists, at Galeri Milenium, Golden Truly, Blok B-23, Jl. R.S.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
Gus Dur's inner circle
Gus Dur's inner circle Critics of President Abdurrahman Wahid accused him last week of practicing his own form of cronyism when he enlisted two close friends as top aides. Marsilam Simanjuntak and Bondan Gunawan, colleagues from Gus Dur's days at Forum of Democracy, were appointed respectively Cabinet secretary and secretary of government supervision.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
'January effect' blunted by fears of U.S. rate hike
'January effect' blunted by fears of U.S. rate hike JAKARTA (JP): Fund managers are expected to start the year's buying program, intensifying their activities at the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) and raising the composite index this week, according to stock analysts. However, they fear the bullish sentiments, dubbed the "January effect", could be undermined to some extent by nervousness over the possible hike in United States interest rates.
Mon, 10 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB
RI resin injures US firms
RI resin injures US firms WASHINGTON (Dow Jones): The International Trade Commission Thursday issued a preliminary ruling that U.S. manufacturers are being injured by expandable polystyrene resins imported from Indonesia and South Korea at less than fair value. Expandable polystyrene resin imports from the two countries totaled $17.8 million in 1998, nearly half of the total U.S. imports of $38.5 million. U.S. consumption of the material in 1998 totaled $333.2 million.