Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 25 August 2000

56 articles found

Susilo to be questioned: Djasrie

Susilo to be questioned: Djasrie JAKARTA (JP): Military police chief Maj. Gen. Djasrie Marin said on Thursday that newly appointed Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Lt. Gen.

Gus Dur denies 'rift' with Megawati

Gus Dur denies 'rift' with MegawatiBy Budiman Moerdijat JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid denied strained relations with Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri despite the latter's conspicuous absence during the announcement of the new Cabinet on Wednesday, the President's biographer said.

Export oriented firms form forum to voice complaints

Export oriented firms form forum to voice complaints JAKARTA (JP): At least 17 export oriented companies agreed on Thursday to form a forum to help voice their concerns to the government following the disbandment of the National Business Development Council (DPUN).

Lubricants must have registration numbers: Govt

Lubricants must have registration numbers: Govt JAKARTA (JP): The government said on Thursday that all lubricants sold in the country should have registration numbers starting as of Oct. 1, to protect consumers.

Oil prices stay high as OPEC, buyers wrangle

Oil prices stay high as OPEC, buyers wrangle LONDON (Reuters): Oil held at lofty levels near 10-year highs on Thursday amid discord between OPEC exporters enjoying windfall revenues and importers hit by mounting fuel costs.Brent blend futures were eight cents better at US$30.77 a barrel while U.S.

'I'm no traitor to my country': Gen. Tyasno

'I'm no traitor to my country': Gen. Tyasno JAKARTA (JP): Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto vowed on Thursday that he would never answer the accusation made by defendant Ismail Putra in connection with Tyasno's alleged involvement in a Rp 19.2 billion (US$2.3 million) counterfeit money case.

Servant's death leads to unrest

Servant's death leads to unrest BANDUNG: Local residents of Cicadas, Bandung, became enraged and destroyed a glaziery in which a 14-year-old servant died in an accident on Thursday.Witnesses said that Rohmat Saminur, a Banyumas resident who had worked at the Sinar Jaya shop for just one day, was...

RI trade mission to Iran

RI trade mission to Iran JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Industry and Trade Luhut Pandjaitan will lead a trade mission to Iran in September to improve bilateral trade between the two countries, which has been declining for the past four years.

Munchen promotes Bauma 2001

Munchen promotes Bauma 2001 JAKARTA (JP): Organizers of the Bauma 2001 trade exhibition for construction machinery and building materials made a presentation before Indonesian entrepreneurs on Thursday on why they should visit the German city of Munchen in April next year.

Mahathir's ancestral home renovated

Mahathir's ancestral home renovated KUALA LUMPUR (AP): A 5.2 million ringgit ($1.4 million) project to renovate the birthplace of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in northern Malaysia will be completed later this year, a government minister said on Thursday.

JSX threatens Semen Cibinong

JSX threatens Semen Cibinong JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) said on Thursday it would suspend trading of cement producer PT Semen Cibinong next Monday if the latter failed to clarify the existence of deposits of US$250 million by Friday.

On sexual attitude

On sexual attitude It was very interesting to read C. Parry's letter about the issue of sexual attitudes here in Indonesia (The Jakarta Post, Aug. 23, 2000). Well, I must admit, first of all, I myself take it for granted that the changes in sexual attitudes in Indonesia are merely because of...

Power sharing

Power sharingFrom RepublikaIn the recent Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly, President Abdurrahman Wahid, or Gus Dur, has shown how clever he is in forming his power-sharing and compromising policy. It is feared that his policy will sacrifice the existing state system.

Cost of electricity installation

Cost of electricity installationFrom NeracaSome time ago I went to the office of state electricity company PLN in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, as I wanted to have electricity installed in my house in South Utan Kayu village, Matraman subdistrict, East Jakarta.

Slow sales, doubt weigh on KL palm oil

Slow sales, doubt weigh on KL palm oil KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Heavy liquidation persisted on the Malaysian palm oil market on Thursday, reflecting renewed worries about export prospects for the coming months and uncertainties over Chinese import quotas.

Bank Bali Internet banking

Bank Bali Internet banking JAKARTA (JP): Bank Bali launched on Thursday a new virtual banking service to allow customers to retrieve account information and pay bills through the internet.The internet banking service, which is accessible through the website www.bankbali.

Asia monies mostly weaker as rupiah sours sentiment

Asia monies mostly weaker as rupiah sours sentiment HONG KONG (Dow Jones): Sour sentiment around the Indonesian rupiah continued to unsettle currencies throughout the region Thursday, although investors took a break from selling the rupiah in afternoon trade.

President Gus Dur visits Megawati

President Gus Dur visits Megawati JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid visited Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri at her official residence on Thursday evening amid speculation of strained relations between the two after the announcement of the new Cabinet lineup on Wednesday.

Indonesian community finds its voice on 'radio santai'

Indonesian community finds its voice on 'radio santai'By Sonya Sandham SYDNEY (JP): Each Sunday evening in the Australian city of Sydney, homesick Indonesian students and long-term residents turn their radio dials to 89.7FM for Radio Suara Indonesia.

Liberalize all the media

Liberalize all the media Kudos to the government for coming to its senses in allowing foreign investment into the robust multimedia services. Presidential Decree No. 118/2000, signed by President Abdurrahman Wahid this week, removed the multimedia services from the list of economic sectors where...

Non-Malays face bleak future in PAS-led states

Non-Malays face bleak future in PAS-led statesBy Wan Hamidi Hamid The Chinese community in Kelantan and Terengganu makes up about 5 percent of the total population there. Under the rule of the fundamentalist Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), they are experiencing the uncertainty of living in states...

Gus Dur's remarks on Megawati were 'sexist'

Gus Dur's remarks on Megawati were 'sexist' JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid's remarks about his vice president at Wednesday's announcement of the new Cabinet have angered women's rights campaigners."In a way it was dismissive. I think there was an element of sexism.

Hingis in polio push ahead of U.S. Open

Hingis in polio push ahead of U.S. Open JAKARTA (JP): In her role as World Health Organization (WHO) Goodwill Ambassador for polio eradication, world number one women's tennis player Martina Hingis of Switzerland will single- handedly take on four celebrity media doubles teams, one after the other.

RI called on to raise import tariff on sugar

RI called on to raise import tariff on sugar SINGAPORE (Dow Jones): The Indonesian government needs to alter its soft stance on national sugar policy and raise the import tariff in order to protect the crisis-ridden domestic industry, Faruk Bakrie, chairman of the Indonesian Sugar Association, said...

Lower import tariff asked for Chinese buses

Lower import tariff asked for Chinese buses JAKARTA (JP): The city administration will ask that the import tariff on buses purchased from China be reduced in order to make the buses affordable to transportation operators.A city official unveiled the proposal on Thursday.

Three countries join Independence Cup

Three countries join Independence Cup JAKARTA (JP): Three foreign countries -- China Taipei, Myanmar and Iraq -- have confirmed their participation in the 2000 Independence Cup soccer tournament from Aug. 28 to Sept. 3 at Senayan Stadium here.

Rumors of new ministers wanting to resign denied

Rumors of new ministers wanting to resign denied JAKARTA (JP): As speculation of cracks in the relationship between President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri mounted on Thursday, rumors of newly appointed ministers wanting to bail out of the Cabinet began to circulate.

Overlapping of duties

Overlapping of dutiesFrom Media IndonesiaSecurity is a luxury has been the title of a subject talked about in recent publications of numerous mass media. Believe it or not, it is indeed a reality for the majority of Indonesians in several areas.

'Criteria' for getting a place in new Cabinet

'Criteria' for getting a place in new Cabinet JAKARTA (JP): Male, in his 50s, indigenous Malay either from East or West Java, has a doctorate degree from the United States and a bachelor degree from Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, and is a scholar or consultant.

'Penknife' at Erasmus Huis

'Penknife' at Erasmus Huis JAKARTA (JP): Dutch cultural center Erasmus Huis will screen Het Zakmes (The Penknife) on Sunday, a Dutch-made film which won an Emmy award in 1993.Directed by Ben Sombogaart, the film will be screened at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the center on Jl. Rasuna Said.

E. Timor athletes gear up for Sydney

E. Timor athletes gear up for Sydney SYDNEY (AFP): An East Timorese boxer who will compete at the Sydney Olympics said Thursday the spirit of his country would be lifted after four athletes won the right to compete.

UN may hold int'l inquiry on E. Timor abuses

UN may hold int'l inquiry on E. Timor abuses UNITED NATIONS (Agencies): A recent amendment to the Indonesian constitution might force the United Nations to hold an international inquiry into human rights abuses in East Timor, a UN spokesman said on Thursday.

House set to probe Bulogate and Bruneigate

House set to probe Bulogate and Bruneigate JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid is set to come under more pressure in the next few months following a decision by the House of Representatives to follow-up its interpellation motion and to investigate the Bulogate and Bruneigate scandals.

Fees for container handling to increase by 30 percent

Fees for container handling to increase by 30 percent JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Communications will raise handling fees for containers in terminals operated by state-owned port operator PT Pelindo II by an average of 30 percent beginning next month.

International lenders support new economic team

International lenders support new economic team JAKARTA (JP): Multilateral lenders including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) vowed on Thursday to support the new Cabinet and in particular the new economic ministers in their effort to...

RI defector Audina hoping to sparkle in Sydney

RI defector Audina hoping to sparkle in Sydney THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP): At just 20 years of age, Holland's Indonesian-born badminton star Mia Audina has crammed so much into a turbulent career she ought to have one of the wisest heads on Olympic shoulders.

Kartika clubs get top spots

Kartika clubs get top spots JAKARTA (JP): Kartika shooting clubs took all the top spots in the men's free pistol and rapid fire pistol events in the opening match of the 22th Anniversary Cup open shooting tournament in Senayan on Thursday.Saro Zawato scored 618.

Sjahril tells court Marzuki pressured him to resign

Sjahril tells court Marzuki pressured him to resign JAKARTA (JP): Inactive Bank Indonesia governor Sjahril Sabirin accused Attorney General Marzuki Darusman on Thursday of pressuring him to either resign as BI governor or be declared a suspect in the high-profile Bank Bali scandal.

Stock quotations on JSX

Stock quotations on JSXStock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Aug. 24, 2000: Shares Close Change Trading Volume ------------------------------------------------------------- Ades Alfindo 650 -30 30,000 Adindo Foresta Indonesia 290 -15 618,500 Alakasa Industrindo 815 0 0 Alfa...

Councilors make illegal trips

Councilors make illegal trips SURABAYA: The local police here have begun a preliminary investigation into 18 provincial councilors who allegedly changed their official domestic trips to overseas tours, Surabaya Regional Police detective chief Asst. Supt. Edwin M.B. said on Thursday.

Pelita Air flies to Yogya

Pelita Air flies to Yogya JAKARTA (JP): Private airline Pelita Air Service launched on Thursday a new flight service connecting Jakarta and Yogyakarta using Fokker 70 or Fokker 28 aircraft.The company said it would fly four times a week to Yogyakarta on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Comedian Polo arrested for drugs

Comedian Polo arrested for drugs JAKARTA (JP): City police detectives arrested on Thursday night well-known comedian Barata Nugroho, popularly called Polo, for possessing illegal drugs, an officer at the city police headquarters said."The comedian was arrested at his house at 7 p.m.

Astra Otoparts net profit down

Astra Otoparts net profit down JAKARTA (JP): Automotive component producer PT Astra Otoparts Tbk said on Thursday its net profit declined 75 percent year-on- year to Rp 38 billion (US$4.5 million) in the first half of the year.Company president Budi S.

Analysts pessimistic about RI recovery

Analysts pessimistic about RI recovery HONG KONG (Reuters): Indonesia's latest cabinet reshuffle has dashed hopes of any short-term recovery in asset prices, adding fresh political risks for investors considering a return to the country's markets.

Abdurrahman's Cabinet

Abdurrahman's Cabinet The new Cabinet has been given a negative response by analysts and business circles. The rupiah slid to Rp 8,430 to the U.S. dollar while businesspeople and analysts expressed doubts about certain ministers in key positions.

Rudy not to take part in Bank Bali rights issue

Rudy not to take part in Bank Bali rights issue JAKARTA (JP): Former president and ex-majority shareholder of publicly listed Bank Bali Rudy Ramli said on Thursday that he would not participate in the bank's limited public offering next month.

Preparations for trial of Soeharto not ready

Preparations for trial of Soeharto not ready JAKARTA (JP): Concrete preparations were yet to be seen at the Ministry of Agriculture complex in the Ragunan area of South Jakarta, which has been selected as the venue for the holding of former president Soeharto's trial on corruption charges.

12 foreigners fail drug tests in Bali

12 foreigners fail drug tests in Bali DENPASAR, Bali (JP): The police have released one of 13 foreign tourists arrested in Sunday's drug bust and named the rest suspects.David Uza, a 35-year-old French national, was discharged from the Badung Police detention after he passed a urine test, the local...

More Brimob troops for Maluku

More Brimob troops for Maluku AMBON, Maluku: National Police chief Gen. Rusdihardjo said on Thursday that the police would send a fresh batch of Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officers with new AK-47s and SS-1 semi- automatic rifles to help restore peace to the strife-torn province.

'Wartel' owners object to new policy

'Wartel' owners object to new policy JAKARTA (JP): The government's plan to halt the current revenue sharing scheme between state-owned PT Telkom and operators of telecommunications kiosks, locally known as wartel, has received strong objections from businessmen.

Calm returns to Luwu

Calm returns to Luwu MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: The situation in the riot-hit regency of Luwu has returned to normal, but the waves of refugees seeking shelter outside the town continues.Deputy chief of South Sulawesi Police Sr. Supt.

Gus Dur changes the name of IPTN to PT Dirgantara Indonesia

Gus Dur changes the name of IPTN to PT Dirgantara Indonesia BANDUNG (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid officially changed the Bandung-based aircraft company's name on Thursday from Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN) to PT Dirgantara Indonesia in commemoration of its 14th anniversary.

City police chief hails court's ruling

City police chief hails court's ruling TANGERANG (JP): Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Nurfaizi hailed on Thursday a district court ruling handing down death sentences to three cocaine smugglers."The judges' decision will make (drug syndicates) afraid to commit more crimes," Nurfaizi said, adding...

More criticism rains down on new Cabinet

More criticism rains down on new Cabinet JAKARTA (JP): The new cabinet lineup on Thursday again came under a barrage of criticism from observers and politicians who expressed misgivings about the Cabinet's ability to cooperate with the Vice President whom the president has claimed will be tasked...

ASEAN to increase swap fund

ASEAN to increase swap fund BANGKOK (Dow Jones): The Thai central bank said Thursday that central banks of members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have agreed to increase the size of the fund that has been set up to help member nations with balance of payment problems.

Conversion Rates

Conversion RatesBank Indonesia's conversion rates on Aug. 24, 2000: Bank notes rates TT rates Buying Selling Buying Selling Rp Rp Rp Rp U.S. dollar 1 7,940.00 8,940.00 8,398.00 8,482.00Australian dollar 1 4,550.41 5,127.98 4,812.89 4,865.28Austrian schilling 1 519.78 585.90 549.76 555.