Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 28 November 2000

64 articles found

Rubber factories restarting after Thailand floods

Rubber factories restarting after Thailand floods BANGKOK (Reuters): Most rubber factories in the key Thai rubber trading town of Hat Yai partially resumed operations on Monday after rain and floods forced them to close last week, industry sources said.

Manulife and justice

Manulife and justice I totally agree with The Jakarta Post's editorial Harassment of Manulife of Nov. 24, 2000, and I am very much impressed because I still feel there is a sense of justice in Indonesia.

More bodies found in Central Maluku village

More bodies found in Central Maluku village AMBON, Maluku (JP): The death toll from the weekend violence in Uraur village, Kairatu district, Central Maluku has increased with the discovery of seven bodies, residents said on Monday.

Alwi plays down tirade on Singapore

Alwi plays down tirade on Singapore JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab played down the significance of President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid's verbal attacks on Singapore as "a little row between a married couple" that should not affect relations between the two countries.

A waste of money

A waste of money Naltrexone, used for detoxification from drugs (opiates only)... is mostly a waste of money for drug abusers, addicts, and the families who have to pay great sums of money for this treatment (The Jakarta Post, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2000).

Grenade found in house

Grenade found in house MEDAN, North Sumatra: The Medan police's bomb squad was called out on Monday after a construction worker found a hand grenade in a house on Jl. Perbatasan 15.According to the police, the live grenade was found on the second floor by a worker named Kasmiran, who happened to be...

Stock Exchange

Stock ExchangeStock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Nov. 27, 2000: Shares Close Change Trading Volume ------------------------------------------------------------ Ades Alfindo 2,300 -100 268,000 Adindo Foresta Indonesia 110 0 210,000 Alakasa Industrindo 275 0 0 Alfa Retailindo...

Deutsche Bank backs X-Tra fund

Deutsche Bank backs X-Tra fund JAKARTA (JP): Deutsche Bank's personal and private banking operation in Indonesia said it would act as sponsor, distributor and custodian to clients of Investa X-Tra, a rupiah-denominated mutual fund bond investment managed by PT MeesPierson Finas.

House urges government to dissolve SGG

House urges government to dissolve SGG JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives called on the government on Monday to dissolve Semen Gresik Group (SGG) and allow member companies to operate independently.

Asian currencies mixed on late trading

Asian currencies mixed on late trading SINGAPORE (Dow Jones): Asian currencies were mixed late Monday, with the Thai baht continuing to hold its own amid fears that the central bank would tighten restrictions on the flow of baht to offshore markets in its bid to deter speculative trading, dealers...

KL palm oil futures trade lower at close

KL palm oil futures trade lower at close KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysia's palm oil futures ended lower on Monday, dragged down by losses in Chicago, good weather and poor export figures, traders said.The benchmark third-month February futures contract was down 11 ringgit at 844 ringgit (US$222.

Rupiah Rates Nov. 27

Rupiah Rates Nov. 27 Bank notes rates TT rates Buying Selling Buying Selling Rp Rp Rp Rp U.S. dollar 1 8,980.00 9,980.00 9,433.00 9,527.00Australian dollar 1 4,680.38 5,206.57 4,916.48 4,970.24Austrian schilling 1 548.45 609.88 576.11 582.20Belgian franc 1 187.08 208.04 196.52 198.

UMNO reaches out to young women

UMNO reaches out to young women KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysia's dominant political party has drafted in a "warrior princess" to spearhead its campaign to reach out to young women and boost support among ethnic Malays.

Australia resources buoyed by UN climate talks stand

Australia resources buoyed by UN climate talks stand SYDNEY (Reuters): Australia's powerful resources sector on Monday welcomed a strong stand by the federal government at collapsed UN climate talks in The Hague.

Dutch telecom operator winds down Asian region operations

Dutch telecom operator winds down Asian region operations SINGAPORE (AFP): Dutch telecommunications operator Royal KPN is winding down its Asian presence, putting its investments in Hong Kong, Indonesia and India up for sale, a report said Monday.

Supreme Court official gets 7 months in prison

Supreme Court official gets 7 months in prison JAKARTA (JP): The South Jakarta District Court sentenced on Monday a Supreme Court official to seven months in prison for possession of drugs and firearms.

Goenawan to attend White House conference on culture

Goenawan to attend White House conference on culture JAKARTA (JP): Author and senior journalist Goenawan Mohamad will represent Indonesia at the White House Conference on Culture and Diplomacy in Washington D.C. on Tuesday.The U.S.

Malaysia's Kumpulan Guthrie wins Salim plantation firms

Malaysia's Kumpulan Guthrie wins Salim plantation firms JAKARTA (JP): Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd. of Malaysia has won the bid to acquire 25 palm oil plantation companies formerly owned by the giant Salim Group.

FedEx improves service

FedEx improves service JAKARTA (JP): Express courier service Federal Express (FedEx) has introduced the wireless application protocol (WAP) on its services allowing customers to monitor their FedEx packages through their mobile phones.

Tennis association urged to promote young players

Tennis association urged to promote young players JAKARTA (JP): National tennis coach Deddy Prasetyo urged the Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) to send young players to the 2001 Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian (SEA) Games to prepare for the larger goal in the Pusan 2002 Asian Games.

Budget committee revises state budget plans

Budget committee revises state budget plans JAKARTA (JP): The joint government-legislature state budget committee agreed on Monday to revise several assumptions in the 2001 state budget draft.Legislator Aberson Marle Sihaloho, a member of the committee, said the exchange rate of the rupiah had been...

Police look for Tommy's accomplice

Police look for Tommy's accomplice JAKARTA (JP): Police are looking for a man who aided Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra to escape on Nov. 3, a few hours before authorities declared him a fugitive, Jakarta Police Criminal Investigation chief Sr. Supt. Harry Montolalu said on Monday.

17 firms to be seized

17 firms to be seized TANGERANG (JP): Seventeen companies in Tangerang might be seized by the government for failing to pay billions of rupiah in fees to the state social security program, an official said on Monday.

Bob Hasan's trial takes new turn

Bob Hasan's trial takes new turn JAKARTA (JP): The multimillion dollar graft trial of timber baron Mohamad "Bob" Hasan took an unexpected turn on Monday as a witness, at the risk of becoming a suspect, refused to take responsibility for the disbursement of US$87 million in reforestation funds.

S. African mission visits RI

S. African mission visits RI JAKARTA (JP): A South African trade mission comprising 10 businessmen visited the National Agency for Export Development (BPEN) last week to explore business opportunities with local firms.

Brazilians quit soccer league

Brazilians quit soccer league SEMARANG (JP): Two Brazilian soccer players, Arliston de Oliviera and Gabriel, have resigned from the Jepara Soccer Association (Persijap).Team manager Bambang Sanubari said on Monday that he had no idea what the reasons for the resignation were, but both players had...

Ford to renew pitch for tie-up with Malaysia's Proton: Report

Ford to renew pitch for tie-up with Malaysia's Proton: Report KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): U.S giant Ford Motor Co. is interested in a partnership with Malaysian national carmaker Proton in a move to improve its global positioning, according to a report Monday.

Organda agrees to 30% bus fare hike for holidays

Organda agrees to 30% bus fare hike for holidays JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) agreed with the government decision on a 30 percent increase in intercity bus fares the week before and after the Idul Fitri holiday in anticipation of the traditional exodus from...

House called on to probe Gus Dur's Borobudur meeting

House called on to probe Gus Dur's Borobudur meeting JAKARTA (JP): Several legislators from minority parties on Monday began calling for a special committee to be established by the House of Representatives to investigate the private meeting between President Abdurrahman Wahid and Hutomo "Tommy"...

Landslides, floods cut access to Padang, death toll hits 60

Landslides, floods cut access to Padang, death toll hits 60 PADANG, West Sumatra (JP): There was again little sunshine here on Monday as showers continued in a province wracked by disaster which has now left at least 60 dead and forced some 75,000 people to flee their homes.

Demand for meat set to soar

Demand for meat set to soar JAKARTA (JP): How many cattle will be consumed by 8.6 million Jakartans during the Ramadhan fasting month which began on Monday?Some 19,500, officials said.Head of the City Livestock Agency's slaughtering section Hery Indyanto said on Monday that most of the cattle were...

AFTA and a customs union

AFTA and a customs unionBy Riyadi Suparno BANGKOK (JP): Volvo Car (Thailand) Ltd recently exported one unit of its newest S80 series to Indonesia to take advantage of the lower tariffs accorded under the Common Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) scheme, the basis for the ASEAN Free Trade Area...

Sex in commercials

Sex in commercialsFrom Media IndonesiaI am deeply concerned and disappointed over the quality and substance of a Hemaviton ad which shows three scantily clad women, as it goes against decency and has little relevance to the product advertised.

Foreign funds move away from Malaysia

Foreign funds move away from Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Foreign portfolio investors are pulling out of Malaysia and analysts said on Monday the outflow would continue until companies respect the rights of minority shareholders and move further on corporate reform.

ASEAN may have the will but needs to find the way

ASEAN may have the will but needs to find the wayBy Alan Wheatley SINGAPORE (Reuters): For a summit that had aroused decidedly low expectations, ASEAN's latest gathering produced two important home truths: Asia's center of economic gravity is moving rapidly northward, and Southeast Asia is too weak...

Indonesia to send 4 shuttlers for Copenhagen Masters

Indonesia to send 4 shuttlers for Copenhagen Masters JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) will send four shuttlers to the Copenhagen Masters invitational badminton tournament in Denmark later next month, an official said on Monday.

Police allegedly attack vendors

Police allegedly attack vendors BOGOR, West Java: A group of men with crew cuts ran amok and beat street vendors on Jl. Merdeka on Sunday night, causing injuries among the traders and damaging their stalls.

Ramadhan time for Jakarta

Ramadhan time for JakartaTuesday Maghrib 5:57 p.m.Wednesday Imsak 3:55 a.m.Subuh 4:05 a.m.

Citi Makro card

Citi Makro card When I first opened my small warung (stall) at my house in May 1999, I chose Makro as one of my suppliers. One day in September 1999, just after leaving the checkout at Makro Pasar Rebo, a Citibank salesperson approached me politely and offered a new credit card called Citibank...

Court told to reject ex-banker's pleas

Court told to reject ex-banker's pleas JAKARTA (JP): Prosecutors asked the South Jakarta District Court on Monday to reject the arguments advanced by the lawyers for former Bank Aspac director Hendrawan Harjono and asked the court to continue with the trial.

Where to go in Bandung

Where to go in Bandung Exhibitions* Fine Art, Painting by Popo Iskandar and Djuariah Iskandar, at Griya Seni Popo Iskandar, at Jl. Dr. Setiabudhi 268 (Phone: 022 2013662), until Dec. 8.* Fine Arts Exhibition, Liyan by Nindityo Adipurnomo, at Selasar Seni Sunaryo, Jl. Bukit Pakar Timur no.

Students protest rampant gambling

Students protest rampant gambling SEMARANG, Central Java: Some 100 students of the Indonesian Muslim Students Action Group (KAMMI) rallied in front of the Provincial Legislative Council compound on Monday, demanding the local administration and police eradicate rampant gambling practices.

ADB warns growth at risk in Asian economies

ADB warns growth at risk in Asian economies MANILA (Dow Jones): Multilateral lending agencies warned Monday that growth in some of Asia's developing economies next year is at risk from political uncertainties damping domestic consumption and foreign investment.

Corruption has become a cultural indicator

Corruption has become a cultural indicator This is the second of two articles on corruption by Ignas Kleden, a sociologist and director of The Go-East Institute focusing on East Indonesian affairs in Jakarta. He is also a consultant with the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Consultancy here.

Army chief ready to face questioning

Army chief ready to face questioning JAKARTA (JP): Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto accepted on Monday calls for him to face questioning for his responsibility in the murder of Aceh traditional Muslim leader Tengku Bantaqiah in July last year.

Amendment of BI law may aid dismissal of Sjahril

Amendment of BI law may aid dismissal of Sjahril JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for the Economy Rizal Ramli proposed on Monday a four-point amendment of the central bank law which would eliminate the legal obstacles to ousting Bank Indonesia governor Sjahril Sabirin.

Residents struggle to stay in sinking village in Demak

Residents struggle to stay in sinking village in DemakBy Bambang M and Heru Prasetya SEMARANG (JP): A graveyard sits in the middle of the sea. Dozens of other gravestones are visible on the surface. A little to the north, the top of a tombstone stands erect beside two dead and withered trees.

Prosecutor demands 4-year jail term for Soemarjono

Prosecutor demands 4-year jail term for Soemarjono SURABAYA, East Java (JP): A prosecutor demanded a four-year prison term on Monday for retired Army colonel Soemarjono, the primary defendant in a Rp 4.28 billion (US$455,000) counterfeit money case.

Singapore sting

Singapore sting President Abdurrahman Wahid may have his personal reasons for making such stinging attacks on Singapore at the weekend, but he could have put them less bluntly and more diplomatically to avoid undermining ties between the two countries.

Forex reserves rise to $28.96b

Forex reserves rise to $28.96b JAKARTA (JP): Bank Indonesia's foreign currency reserves rose by US$300.90 million to $28.96 billion as of Nov. 23 from $28.662 billion in the previous week, according to the central bank's latest weekly report.

22 suspects arrested in Cianjur over murder spree

22 suspects arrested in Cianjur over murder spree JAKARTA (JP): Cianjur Police have arrested 22 suspects in connection with a murder spree of at least 21 villagers accused of practicing black magic in southern Cianjur, West Java, an officer said on Monday.

Student found dead in Park

Student found dead in Park JAKARTA (JP): Locals found the body of a senior high school student early Monday morning at Vinus Park in Kemayoran area, Central Jakarta.The body of Wisnu Herdianto, 18, was found lying on a bench in the park, with his mouth full of foam and his eyes wide open.

House agrees to delay labor law enforcement

House agrees to delay labor law enforcement JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives unanimously approved on Monday the government regulation in lieu of the controversial 1997 labor law, allowing an extension of the old law which was passed in 1968 until Oct. 1, 2002.

Oil prices hold above US$33 a barrel in early trading

Oil prices hold above US$33 a barrel in early trading LONDON (AFP): Oil prices showed little sign of movement in early trading on Monday, supported above US$33 a barrel by the prospect of an Iraqi threat to withhold oil from the thirsty market.

New embroidery technique from an old hand

New embroidery technique from an old handBy Bambang M. YOGYAKARTA (JP): After her recent success in creating the biggest embroidery in the country, and possibly in the world, now 70-year-old Jumima Dewi Nugroho has recorded another success.

Eight arrested for Bali bus brawl

Eight arrested for Bali bus brawl DENPASAR, Bali: Badung Police arrested eight men on Monday for their alleged involvement in the dispute at Ubung bus terminal on Sunday night that left one man dead and a police officer severely injured.

PDI-P member asks Sutiyoso to step down

PDI-P member asks Sutiyoso to step down JAKARTA (JP): A councillor on Monday asked Governor Sutiyoso to take a leave from office as he was named a suspect in the 1996 forcible takeover of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters.

Council to decide action on Ancol scam

Council to decide action on Ancol scam JAKARTA (JP): The city council will inspect reports detailing the receipt by some of its members of money amounting to some Rp 4 billion (US$425,500) from the developer of the Ancol leisure complex.

State forests looted for Jepara furniture

State forests looted for Jepara furnitureBy Yusran Edo Fauzi BLORA, Central Java (JP): In 1998, particularly in the period following the May riots, the forests managed by Perum Perhutani Unit I Central Java in Randublatung, Blora witnessed the illegal felling of about 19,140 teak trees, making...

How to catch the fugitive Tommy

How to catch the fugitive TommyFrom RepublikaIn chasing Tommy Soeharto, convicted in the Goro-Bulog case, the police chief need not waste energy and funds by employing numerous police officers in the task.

Kim Dae-jung here for two-day visit

Kim Dae-jung here for two-day visit JAKARTA (JP): South Korean President Kim Dae-jung arrived here on Monday for a two-day official visit.Kim arrived at Halim Perdanakusuma airport on board a Korean Airlines Boeing-747 and was welcomed by President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Cosgrove visits Singapore

Cosgrove visits Singapore SINGAPORE (AP): Australia's army commander Lt. Gen. Peter Cosgrove met with Singapore's defense minister Tony Tan on Monday during a visit to the city-state, Singapore's defense ministry said.

Government warns of more floods and landslides

Government warns of more floods and landslides JAKARTA (JP): The government warned residents, especially those living in mountainous areas and near rivers, to remain alert as more landslides and floods can be expected in the next three months because of heavy rain.

HSBC to buy PCIB for US$22m

HSBC to buy PCIB for US$22m MANILA (AFP): Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd. (HSBC) said Monday it would acquire PCIB Savings Bank of the Philippines for 1.1 billion pesos (US$22 million) in cash.The bank, a unit of Equitable PCI Bank, has assets of 1.