Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 21 January 2000

47 articles found

Wary ethnic Chinese plan subdued celebration

Wary ethnic Chinese plan subdued celebration JAKARTA (JP): In anticipation of the presence of intruders at mass gatherings of people and the possible spreading of religious conflicts to the capital, Chinese Indonesians in the city vow to celebrate the Chinese New Year (Imlek) in a modest mood this...

Stock Exchange

Stock ExchangeStock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Jan. 20, 2000: Shares Close Change Trading Volume ------------------------------------------------------------ Ades Alfindo 800 25 76,000 Alakasa Industrindo 525 0 0 Alfa Retailindo 1,100 25 7,226,500 Alter Abadi 400 0 5,000...

NU figure named deputy governor

NU figure named deputy governor SEMARANG: The Central Java chief of Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, Achmad, has been named the deputy governor for administrative affairs here replacing Hartono, who died last October."Achmad has a good track record and is a popular community leader.

Ant-dumping ruling hits RI

Ant-dumping ruling hits RI WASHINGTON (AF): The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) issued a final anti-dumping ruling against steel plate imports from France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan and South Korea.

Price the selling point for VCDs

Price the selling point for VCDsBy Pandaya JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian law prohibits it, the West keeps condemning it, but the common people love it. The illegal business of pirated Video Compact Discs (VCDs) is a robust one.

Akbar supports hike in civil servants' pay

Akbar supports hike in civil servants' pay JAKARTA (JP): House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung praised the government's plan to raise the salaries of civil servants and estimated that the submitted draft budget could probably tolerate an increase to about 30 percent.

State budget aims to revive economy

State budget aims to revive economy JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid's government unveiled on Thursday its first state budget aimed at rebuilding the crippled banking sector, stamping out corruption and placating separatist movements in resource-rich provinces.

DHL opens new drop center

DHL opens new drop center JAKARTA (JP): PT Birotika Semesta/DHL Worldwide Express officially opened here on Thursday a 24-hour drop center as part of its commitment to its customers.The air express service company said the new drop center, located in the Mustika Ratu building in Central Jakarta,...

Three foreigners buried here

Three foreigners buried here JAKARTA (JP): Three of the five black Africans, who were shot dead during a drug raid in South Jakarta last week, were buried on Thursday at Pondok Rangon cemetery in East Jakarta.Chief of city police detectives, Col.

Lippo launches debit card

Lippo launches debit card JAKARTA (JP): Visa International and Lippo Bank announced here on Thursday the introduction of the Lippobank Visa Electron card, the first signature-based debit card in Indonesia.

Indonesia's balance of payments 1998/1999-2000 (in million of U.S. dollars)

Indonesia's balance of payments 1998/1999-2000 (in million of U.S. dollars) Description 1998-1999 1999-2000 2000 (realized) (estimate) (projection) ------------------------------------------------------------------1. Exports of goods, fob 48,354 54,151 41,552 a.

Persma outshines PSIS 2-1

Persma outshines PSIS 2-1 PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): Persma Manado of North Sulawesi surprisingly outclassed defending champion PSIS Semarang 2-1 in the sixth Indonesian Soccer League (Ligina) at Jendral Soedirman University soccer field here on Thursday.

Military, police chiefs told to keep capital free of unrest

Military, police chiefs told to keep capital free of unrest BOGOR (JP): Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto said on Thursday that he had ordered Jakarta military and police chiefs to work together to stop any possible unrest from happening in the capital.

Summers promises more support for Indonesia

Summers promises more support for Indonesia JAKARTA (JP): U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers promised on Thursday to give more technical and financial support to Indonesia if the country continued with its political and economic reform program."In the context of continued reforms, the U.S.

Floods destroy potato field

Floods destroy potato field WONOSOBO, Central Java: Continuous heavy rains in the past couple of days have deluged the mountainous area of Dieng near here, damaging over 100 hectares of potato field.The villages worst hit by the freak floods were Patakbanteng and Parikesit, both are situated in...

Police warn of new approach in auto theft from residences

Police warn of new approach in auto theft from residences JAKARTA (JP): The city police has identified a new method used by auto theft gangs in their operation in the greater Jakarta area, an officer said on Thursday.

Where to go in Jakarta:

Where to go in Jakarta:Exhibitions * Painting Exhibition: Fenomena Masyarakat Urban, by 15 Jakartan artists, at Galeri Milenium, Golden Truly, Blok B-23, Jl. R.S. Fatmawati No. 15, South Jakarta (Phone: 7507828), 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., until Jan. 30.

U.S. extradition request watched

U.S. extradition request watched MANILA (AFP): Washington's request for the extradition of a fugitive friend of President Joseph Estrada is being closely watched by other governments as a test of the countries' bilateral relations, a foreign department spokesman said on Thursday.

Trade in pirated VCDs, CDs unchecked by laws

Trade in pirated VCDs, CDs unchecked by lawsBy Emma Cameron JAKARTA (JP): Hands up everyone who ever bought a pirated VCD or CD. We're not talking covert meetings with shifty looking men in trenchcoats and sunglasses.

Calm returns to Lombok as death toll hits five

Calm returns to Lombok as death toll hits five MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara (JP): Uneasy calm returned to Lombok island on Thursday as police announced the death toll rose to five in the four days of riots.The provincial police spokesman, Capt.

What's new in the IMF program?

What's new in the IMF program?By John Dodsworth JAKARTA (JP): Amid the many social and political developments of the past few days, one could miss the significance of yesterday's announcement of a new IMF letter of intent (LoI) and the proposals for the FY2000 budget.

Kwik supports IBRA bid to replace Astra management

Kwik supports IBRA bid to replace Astra management JAKARTA (JP): Kwik Kian Gie said here on Thursday he supported IBRA's bid to replace the management of publicly-listed PT Astra International in order to push through the sale of its 40 percent stake in the company.

Increase in defense budget sparks debate

Increase in defense budget sparks debate JAKARTA (JP): Legislators and observers were divided on Thursday about the government's plan to increase the security and defense budget, justified as necessary to enhance law enforcement and maintain stability.

Garuda flights continue

Garuda flights continue SYDNEY (Dow Jones): Garuda Indonesia, the national carrier of Indonesia, said Thursday its 30 weekly flights from Australia to Bali, a popular tourist destination, have been unaffected by violence in the neighboring island of Lombok.

Bintan resort area `peaceful'

Bintan resort area `peaceful' SINGAPORE (Dow Jones): The situation at Indonesia's Bintan Industrial Estate, which has been the target of protests by local villagers, was peaceful Thursday, said estate manager SembCorp Industries Ltd.

Gunman robs bus passengers

Gunman robs bus passengers BOGOR (JP): A bus plying the Banjar-Jakarta route with 21 passengers on board was held up by an unidentified armed robber in the early hours on Thursday.After being able to keep the passengers silent, the sole hijacker then collected the valuable items from the travelers...

Malaysian palm oil braces for tough 2000

Malaysian palm oil braces for tough 2000 KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysia's palm oil production grew faster than exports last year amid weakening prices and the scenario may not improve in 2000, traders said on Thursday.

Trial in Aceh to start in late January: Hasballah

Trial in Aceh to start in late January: Hasballah JAKARTA (JP): Eighteen military personnel and two civilians will be tried before a joint military-civilian panel of six judges later this month for the alleged murders of 65 people in West Aceh in July.

Police search for swindlers

Police search for swindlers MEDAN, North Sumatra: Police here continued their search for the owners and management of multilevel marketing company PT Banyumas Mulia Abadi, which has allegedly embezzled billions of rupiah of their customers' money.

President unveils new budget...

President unveils new budget... President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri unveiled the 2000 draft state budget to the House of Representatives' plenary session in Jakarta on Jan. 20.

Indonesia signs new Letter of Intent with IMF

Indonesia signs new Letter of Intent with IMF The following is the first part of the complete text of the new Letter of Intent signed by the Indonesian government and the International Monetary Fund on Thursday. The second part of the text will appear on Friday.

Malang killing spree claims another victim

Malang killing spree claims another victim SURABAYA (JP): The killing spree in the city of Malang, East Java, continued with the murder of a 10th victim, a 45-year-old mother of five, police confirmed on Friday.

Rupiah leads mild rally in regional currencies

Rupiah leads mild rally in regional currencies SINGAPORE (Dow Jones): The Indonesian rupiah led a mild rally in regional currencies Thursday as the government signed an agreement with the International Monetary Fund that will pave the way for fresh loans to the country.

Immigration detains my husband

Immigration detains my husband My husband has been detained at the detention facility of immigration office in Kalideres, West Jakarta, since June 15, 1998, and since Oct. 20, 1999, has been kept in a cell at the same facility. So far two officers from the immigration office in Jl.

Taufik, Marlev advance in Taipei Open quarterfinals

Taufik, Marlev advance in Taipei Open quarterfinals JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat and Marlev Mainaky cruised to the quarterfinals of badminton's five-star Chinese Taipei Open, while teammates Budi Santoso and Hariyanto Arbi bowed out in action on Thursday.

On Indonesia and the U.S.

On Indonesia and the U.S. Mr. Karl Fritz has embarrassed himself and the U.S. Embassy by his strange, irrelevancy-filled response (The Jakarta Post, Jan. 18, 2000: Indonesia and U.S.) to Mr. Frank Richardson's recent articles on the CIA's involvement in Soeharto's long, totalitarian control over...

Indonesia signs accord with IMF, clearing way for new loans

Indonesia signs accord with IMF, clearing way for new loans JAKARTA (JP): The government and Bank Indonesia signed a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday, clearing the way for the fund to resume financial support to the country.

Asian shares cautious but generally higher

Asian shares cautious but generally higher TOKYO (AFP): Stocks in Asia took heart Thursday from a strong rise on Wall Street's technology index but remained wary over the possibility of higher U.S. interest rates, dealers said.

S. Kalimantan endorses bylaw banning alcohol

S. Kalimantan endorses bylaw banning alcoholBy Suriani BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan (Antara): This predominantly Muslim province has already made an historic move this year. The legislative council has endorsed a bylaw that bans alcoholic drinks -- making South Kalimantan the first province to...

Compromise budget

Compromise budget The 2000 budget, the first prepared by President Abdurrahman Wahid's administration, appears to be the best compromise spending plan the government can draw up amid the persistent economic woes and social instability in several provinces which have adversely affected local...

Minister says public must aid sports drive

Minister says public must aid sports drive JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mahadi Sinambela called on the public on Thursday to help make up for a cut in funds for sports development in the proposed 2000 budget.

Irian tribe loyal to RI

Irian tribe loyal to RI JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Amid the cries for independence that have prevailed in this province, the Malamoi tribe in Sorong regency have pledged their loyalty to the Republic of Indonesia.

Conversion Rates

Conversion Rates Bank Indonesia's conversion rates on Jan. 20, 2000: Bank notes rates Buying Selling Rp Rp U.S. dollar 1 7,268.00 7,342.00Australian dollar 1 4,822.32 4,875.09Austrian schilling 1 534.00 539.97Belgian franc 1 182.15 184.19Brunei dollar 1 4,336.77 4,383.55Canadian dollar 1 5,003.

Jakarta court puts an end to Paiton lawsuit

Jakarta court puts an end to Paiton lawsuit JAKARTA (JP): The Central Jakarta District Court decided on Thursday to end the legal process of the dispute between state- owned electricity company PT PLN and independent power producer PT Paiton Energy at the request of the state company.

Careful with foreign investment

Careful with foreign investment How to attract foreign investment without harming the country? We need good negotiators who will not let themselves be bamboozled. In addition, businesspeople and government officials, including their cronies, must refrain from interfering in favor of certain parties.

Praise and criticism for draft state budget

Praise and criticism for draft state budget JAKARTA (JP): The nine-month state budget unveiled by the government on Thursday received mixed reactions from legislators and economic observers.Many economists and legislators described the draft budget, which will be effective from April to December,...

PDI anniversary in Senayan

PDI anniversary in Senayan JAKARTA (JP): Organizers are expecting that more than 120,000 members and participants will flock the 27th anniversary of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) on Jan. 27 afternoon at the Senayan Main Stadium in Central Jakarta, an executive said on Thursday.