Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 26 December 2001

92 articles found

Prosperous Bali demands a greater share in regional autonomy era

Prosperous Bali demands a greater share in regional autonomy era Rita A. Widiadana The Jakarta Post Denpasar The words regional autonomy used to be strange and even taboo to the ears of many Indonesians, including the Balinese. But since the Indonesian government imposed Law No.

It could have been worse

It could have been worse In a car accident, a man suffered broken legs and arms, his car was smashed beyond repair. He is lucky. It could have been worse. He could have died, or suffered worse injuries.

City to fund Rp 29b garbage projects

City to fund Rp 29b garbage projectsThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta City administration officials have agreed to finance projects worth Rp 29 billion (US$2.9 million) for the reopening of the 104-hectare refuse disposal site in Bantar Gebang, Bekasi, West Java.

1. Sjahrir --

1. Sjahrir -- Don't cry for me Indonesia 1 x 22 48 pt Sjahrir Economist Chairman, Alliance for a New Indonesia The title of that song is of course "Don't Cry for Me Argentina". 2. Terror -- 1 x 28 36 pt When fundamentalism is no shame Cormac Murphy-O'Connor Archbishop of Westminster Head of the...

Rupiah Rates Dec.24

Rupiah Rates Dec.24 Bank notes rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Rp Rp Rp Rp U.S. dollar 1 10,701.00 9,701.00 10,252.00 10,150.00Australian dollar 1 5,446.81 4,932.96 5,218.27 5,161.28Austrian schilling 1 690.81 625.90 661.82 654.87Belgian franc 1 235.64 213.50 225.75 223.

Officials should be frugal

Officials should be frugalFrom Rakyat Merdeka Our country is still gripped by an economic crisis and trapped in huge foreign debts. Based on the report of the Public Servants' Wealth Audit Commission (KPKPN), our senior officials have abundant wealth.

Local firms unaware of AFTA requirements

Local firms unaware of AFTA requirementsAdianto P.Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Many local exporting firms are still unaware of the need to complete the form D document or certificate of origin in order to benefit from low tariffs when their products enter the ASEAN (Association of Southeast...

Ex-hotel workers continue protest

Ex-hotel workers continue protest JAKARTA: Dozens of former employees of the Shangri-La Hotel staged a protest in front of the hotel on Jl. Jend. Sudirman, Central Jakarta, on Monday to mark the one-year anniversary of their dispute with management.

Mega wants obedience from subordinates

Mega wants obedience from subordinatesFabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta President Megawati Soekarnoputri called on all government officials and civil servants to carry out all her decisions and not to hamper the implementation of government policies, a senior government minister said...

Mega apologizes to Papuans

Mega apologizes to Papuans JAKARTA: President Megawati Soekarnoputri apologized to all the Papuan people for not being able to attend Christmas celebrations in Jayapura as had been initially scheduled on Dec. 22.

DPRD Jakarta: empowered but not all that wiser

DPRD Jakarta: empowered but not all that wiserT. Sima Gunawan The Jakarta Post Jakarta One is never too old to study. City councillors know the axiom well and took a shot at implementing it -- without worrying about the cost.

MONEY MATTERS

MONEY MATTERSNTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan's largest mobile operator, said on Tuesday that the number of its i-mode Internet mobile service subscribers had reached 30 million. The i-mode service, which offers news, banking services, stock quotes, travel and other information over the Internet, has drawn a...

Railway officials urged to quit

Railway officials urged to quitKurniawan Hari and Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Too many rail disasters have occurred in the past few months and politicians and passengers put that down to mismanagement by the top train officials.

Fire leaves nine families homeless

Fire leaves nine families homeless JAKARTA: Nine families on Jl. Mardani III in Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta, were left homeless after fire destroyed their houses on Christmas day.Investigations have shown that the fire was ignited by an electrical short circuit.

Bomb explodes on Xmas Eve after police chief installed

Bomb explodes on Xmas Eve after police chief installedMuninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta An explosion occurred here on Monday morning just minutes after a ceremony installing Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara as the new Jakarta Police chief to replace Comr. Gen. Sofjan Jacoeb.

Are we getting closer to or farther from civil society

Are we getting closer to or farther from civil societyJ. Soedjati Djiwandono, Political Analyst, Jakarta Both Sukarno, through his "guided democracy", and Soeharto through his "Pancasila democracy", robbed the sovereignty and power of the people.

With dubious achievements, does Sutiyoso deserve reelection?

With dubious achievements, does Sutiyoso deserve reelection?Ahmad Junaidi The Jakarta Post Jakarta It is difficult to cite Governor Sutiyoso's achievements this year. Probably the most striking ones are the award he received from the Jakarta Diplomatic Corps for helping to facilitate the work of...

Troops kill four Aceh separatists

Troops kill four Aceh separatists JAKARTA: Indonesian soldiers have killed four suspected separatist rebels in the strife-torn province of Aceh, the Antara news agency said Tuesday.The four alleged Free Aceh Movement (GAM) guerrillas were shot dead in a raid on a hideout in the Bengga village in...

Money politics lurks behind corruption cases

Money politics lurks behind corruption casesMuhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia, a predominantly Muslim country with 210 million people, is labeled as one of the most corrupt countries. In theory, Islam as well as other religions prohibit their followers from bribing and stealing,...

Will Malino peace deal effectively end Poso conflict?

Will Malino peace deal effectively end Poso conflict? OR Will Malino peace deal be effective? OR Can Malino peace deal end Poso conflict? OR Can Malino Declaration bring peace to Poso? OR Can Malino Declaration return peace to Poso?Jupriadi The Jakarta Post MalinoSince the Poso conflict erupted in...

Street vendors vs administration: Partnership is crucial

Street vendors vs administration: Partnership is crucialMuninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Street vendors have become a unique phenomenon in this city. Not to mention ubiquitous. Just about everywhere you turn, you can see them displaying their wares: at intersections, along the...

Security tightened at Caltex

Security tightened at Caltex PEKANBARU: Oil firm PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia (CPI) stepped up security as Christians prepared to observe Christmas in Pekanbaru, Riau province.Security guards at the company's gate and police examined every motorcycle and car entering the compound.

The year of political disputes

The year of political disputesKurniawan Hari and Bambang Nurbianto The Jakarta Post Jakarta When the nation entered a reform era following the downfall of autocratic president Soeharto in 1998 and his protege B.J. Habibie in Oct.

Govt moves to improve protection of children

Govt moves to improve protection of childrenFitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Long criticized for a lack of attention to the widespread abuse of women and children -- perhaps the nation's most precious resource -- the government promised on Monday to correct this appalling situation.

Biography of R. Makbul Padmanagara

Biography of R. Makbul Padmanagara Date/place of birth : Bandung, Dec. 30, 1951 Graduated from Police Academy : 1974 Chief of Setiabudi police subprecinct, Jakarta : 1983 Chief of Tambora police subprecinct, Jakarta : 1984 Chief of Taman Sari police subprecinct, Jakarta : 1986 Madiun Police chief,...

Comma vs point

Comma vs point I also might not fully agree with David Tucker's reasons on why Indonesia should stick to the "decimal comma" instead of switching to the "decimal point" (The Jakarta Post, Dec. 15).Still, I agree with him on Indonesia's right to keep the decimal comma: the system was inherited from...

Raids against street vendors receives sharp criticism

Raids against street vendors receives sharp criticismAhmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Operations against street vendors, conducted by the Jakarta Public Order Office recently, have received sharp public criticism as the raids are considered to obstruct people's efforts to make a living,...

Shuttlers win this but what about next?

Shuttlers win this but what about next?Primastuti Handayani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta I personally thought Indonesia had begun to lose its grip on the badminton world after it only managed to win one of three finals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Australia drops dumping charges against RI's paper products

Australia drops dumping charges against RI's paper productsThe Jakarta Post JakartaThe Australian government has dropped its dumping allegations against two Indonesian export paper products, according to an Indonesian envoy.

Prawn spawn released into sea

Prawn spawn released into sea BOGOR: The Bogor Institute of Agriculture has released 100,000 prawn eggs into the sea at Pelabuhan Ratu Beach as marine resources in the area have sharply decreased over the past decade.

Poor SEA Games record shows Indonesia's slide

Poor SEA Games record shows Indonesia's slideNovan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Once considered a sports giant among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Indonesia began to lose its domination of the biennial Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 1999.

Where to go in Surabaya

Where to go in SurabayaMusic and Entertainment* Hyatt Regency Surabaya, Jl. Jend. Basuki Rakhmat 106-128 (Tel. 031 5311234): - Lobby: Solo Pianist, every Morning, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., Monday to Saturday evening, 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sunday, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Women enjoy unprecedented progress, also setbacks

Women enjoy unprecedented progress, also setbacksAti Nurbaiti, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post In a country where the first ever woman president stands proud, along with a few other women within the central and local governments, awareness has been raised of the issue of "sexual terrorism.

Autonomy policy no solution to Aceh conflict

Autonomy policy no solution to Aceh conflictSanti WE Soekanto The Jakarta Post JakartaAnother year is whizzing by leaving Aceh with wounds agape and questions unanswered. Hardly a day in 2001 has gone by without murders being committed in the strife-torn region -- the Indonesian Red Cross workers...

Autonomy raises hopes and fears on fate of environment

Autonomy raises hopes and fears on fate of environmentFitri Wulandari The Jakarta Post Jakarta Environmental destruction in 2001 may not have exceeded that in previous years but was unfortunately just as rapid, with nature continuing to vanish in a blink of an eye.

Scattering litter, mirror of the administration's ineptitude

Scattering litter, mirror of the administration's ineptitudeAnnastashya Emmanuelle The Jakarta Post Jakarta The closure of Bantar Gebang, the city's garbage dump, is the dire result of the city administration's incompetence in handling Jakarta's waste problems.

HIV, a very delicate virus

HIV, a very delicate virus Dear Dr. Donya,I'm grateful for your article in The Jakarta Post and have several questions regarding HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).1. When an HIV-infected drop of blood, semen or saliva of a person with HIV gets smeared and/or dried up on a bed sheet or any other...

Govt allocates Rp 100b for Poso

Govt allocates Rp 100b for Poso JAKARTA: The government has allocated some Rp 100 billion (US$10 million) in funds to rebuild the strife-torn area of Poso, Central Sulawesi, targeted especially for houses, schools and places of worship.

Jakarta maintains reputation of lawless jungle

Jakarta maintains reputation of lawless jungle OR Grizzly crimes continue unabated in JakartaEmmy Fitri and Damar Harsanto The Jakarta Post Jakarta Jakarta has turned into a lawless jungle where crooks prey on the innocent and the police are left to clean up the mess.

Papuans feel they are second-class citizens

Papuans feel they are second-class citizensKornelius Purba Staff Writer The Jakarta Post Last Saturday, President Megawati Soekarnoputri was forced to drop her promise to deliver what she seemed to think was the best possible Christmas present she could offer the predominantly Christian province of...

Malaysian investor pulls out from BCA tender

Malaysian investor pulls out from BCA tenderDadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A Malaysian investor, Malaysian Plantations Bhd., announced late last week that it had dropped its high-profile bid to purchase a controlling stake in publicly listed Bank Central Asia (BCA).

The year of political disputes

The year of political disputesKurniawan Hari and Bambang Nurbianto The Jakarta Post Jakarta When the nation entered a reform era following the downfall of autocratic president Soeharto in 1998 and his protege B.J. Habibie in Oct.

Balinese Hinduism on The Brink of Violent Conflict

Balinese Hinduism on The Brink of Violent ConflictI Wayan Juniartha The Jakarta Post DenpasarOn the eve of the new year, Balinese Hinduism, the religion adhered to by more than 90 percent of the tourist island's population, faces its greatest challenge so far, as the majority of its religious elite...

Indonesia remains prone to sectarian conflicts

Indonesia remains prone to sectarian conflictsDwi Atmanta The Jakarta Post Jakarta As the year draws to a close, 2001 might best be remembered for its dark chapter when the bloody rampages pitting Muslim against Christian in Maluku and Poso ran unchecked.

Do police really serve and protect the public

Do police really serve and protect the publicEmmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta In a scale of one to ten, the public will most likely score around four to five if they were asked whether or not they think the police are protecting them.

Banners on footbridges

Banners on footbridgesFrom Warta KotaStriking banners reading "Happy Idul Fitri" from various political parties are now being displayed on pedestrian bridges.As we know, Jakarta's road users have a very low sense of discipline and the traffic police have yet to take stern action.

Urban poor, marginalized by the city

Urban poor, marginalized by the cityIda Indawati Khouw The Jakarta Post Jakarta Who's the enemy of the Jakarta administration this year? The answer is neither criminals, nor poverty, nor others one might think more obvious. The enemy, perversely, is the urban poor. This statement is no exaggeration.

Brebes train crash kills 54

Brebes train crash kills 54The Jakarta Post, Brebes The live of dozens of holiday travelers well shattered by tragedy as apparent negligence spilt blood on the tracks in a head-on train collision near Brebes, Central Java, causing the death of up to 54 people.

JP//TNI

JP//TNITiarma Siboro The Jakarta Post Jakarta Although it has formally abandoned its much criticized dual function (Dwifungsi) doctrine, the Indonesian Military (TNI) is yet to shed its image as a "troublemaker".

Upholding of justice continues to be an illusion

Upholding of justice continues to be an illusionTertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta If justice could cry, it would be running out of tears as it endures the pain of being ruthlessly manipulated by the corrupt judicial system.

Modern, comprehensive constitution remains a dream

Modern, comprehensive constitution remains a dreamPandaya, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta During the course of the 32 year despotic New Order regime under Soeharto, the 1945 Constitution functioned like the holy scriptures.

People dream of better life under Megawati

People dream of better life under MegawatiKornelius Purba, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post Megawati Soekarnoputri is the second vice president, after B.J. Habibie to be appointed, not elected, president by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) because their predecessors had to vacate their...

Lifting the poor from the yoke of poverty

Lifting the poor from the yoke of povertyIvy Susanti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Seven years ago, the government initiated a multimillion dollar biodiversity conservation project on Siberut island in West Sumatra, with strong financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

TNT Logistics plans to transfer its expertise as an industry

TNT Logistics plans to transfer its expertise as an industry leader in automotive logistics in Europe and the United States to Asia and make Singapore its hub, a company spokesman said in a published report on Monday.

Xmas peaceful under tight security

Xmas peaceful under tight securityFabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The religious violence hotspots of Poso in Central Sulawesi and Ambon in Maluku remained calm as Christmas was celebrated peacefully across Indonesia on Monday and Tuesday.

Megawati calls for obedience: President Megawati Soekarnoputri

Megawati calls for obedience: President Megawati Soekarnoputri called on all government officials and civil servants to carry out all her decisions and not to hamper the implementation of government policies, a senior government minister said on Monday.

Chee sues Lee, retracts apology

Chee sues Lee, retracts apology SINGAPORE: An opposition leader being sued for defamation by Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew has filed a counter lawsuit on the same charge, the Straits Times reported on Tuesday.

Jakarta gridlock, problems and solutions

Jakarta gridlock, problems and solutions JAKARTA: Many residents here seem to take traffic jams for granted since it has become a daily occurrence as well as a characteristic of this city of more than 10 million people.

Why not learn from history?

Why not learn from history? The fall of all our governments, since independence, have been prompted by their abuse of the public's aspirations. It was the Sept. 30 movement (G30S) and the involvement of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) -- cursed by the people -- that brought the Old Order down.

Some of 2001's grizzly crimes in Jakarta

Some of 2001's grizzly crimes in Jakarta=================================================================================No. Incident Date State====================================================================================1. Police officer, driver shot Jan.

b]Unsolved major cases in Jakarta during Sofjan Jacoeb's

b]Unsolved major cases in Jakarta during Sofjan Jacoeb's tenure (May - December 2001) No. Crime Date 1. Three explosions in a boarding June 19 house on Jl. Cikoko Barat III/23, South Jakarta leaves five people injured. 2.

2. Kodam - 2x 25

2. Kodam - 2x 25 Does an established metropolis need a military command?3. Sampah - 3x 25 Raid against street vendors receives sharp criticism 4. Vendor - 1x 30 City to fund Rp 29b garbage projects

Political disputes prolog people's misery

Political disputes prolog people's miseryKurniawan Hari and Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta When the nation entered a reform era following the downfall of autocratic president Soeharto in 1998 and his protege B.J. Habibie in Oct.

Drugs abuse: How low can you go?

Drugs abuse: How low can you go?Damar Harsanto The Jakarta Post Jakarta Amid mounting concerns due to the increasing numbers of drug abusers in the capital, the government seems to be powerless to contain the problem and curb the distribution of illegal drugs.

New dawn of legislative dictatorship nearing

New dawn of legislative dictatorship nearingMuhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta This year witnessed perhaps the worst political conflict to plague Indonesia in decades, culminating in president Abdurrahman 'Gus Dur' Wahid's removal in July by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

Autonomy policy no solution to Aceh conflict

Autonomy policy no solution to Aceh conflictSanti WE Soekanto The Jakarta Post JakartaAnother year is whizzing by leaving Aceh with wounds gaping and questions unanswered. Hardly a day in 2001 has gone without murders being committed in the restive region -- the Indonesian Red Cross workers in Aceh...

~

~ Yearend specialEvery day for the rest of this week The Jakarta Post presents a special 10-page review of the year that was starting today with a look back at the national news as well as the sports scene. -- Pages 11-20 ;JP; ANPAj..r.. Publisher-notice No paper on Christmas day JP/1/20011215.

Regional autonomy: a double standard in motion?

Regional autonomy: a double standard in motion?Santi WE Soekanto The Jakarta Post Jakarta When 2002 dawns, Indonesia will mark the first anniversary of the implementation of the regional autonomy policy.

Reduce military presence in Papua: Observer

Reduce military presence in Papua: ObserverThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta President Megawati Soekarnoputri needs to reduce the presence of the military in Papua because it causes local people live in fear rather than bringing them peace, according to an Australian expert on Indonesia.

Indonesia: A Country of Vanishing Forest?

Indonesia: A Country of Vanishing Forest?Edith Hartanto The Jakarta Post Jakarta In the past decade, Indonesia has witnessed the major destruction of forests in all its provinces, from the western tip of Aceh, to the eastern end of Irian Jaya. This year is no different.

ID card raid postponed

ID card raid postponed JAKARTA: The City Population Agency has postponed the implementation of the controversial ID card inspection raid to 14 days after the Idul Fitri holiday, the head of the agency said on Monday.The ID card raid will commence on Dec.

Public demands resignation of railway officials

Public demands resignation of railway officialsKurniawan Hari and Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Three separate train accidents occurred on Christmas Day, killing at least 61 people.Dozens of rail disasters have occurred in the past few months and politicians and passengers put that...

Dekel: Grass root democracy or job opportunity?

Dekel: Grass root democracy or job opportunity?Ahmad Junaidi The Jakarta Post Jakarta Members of Dewan Kelurahan -- or Dekel (subdistrict legislative councils) -- are often described as people who are concerned more about their salary and allowances than in contributing their thoughts towards the...

JP/3/INSIGHT

JP/3/INSIGHTWhither civil society? Are we getting closer or farther from becoming a civil societyJ. Soedjati Djiwandono Political Analyst Jakarta Both Sukarno, through his "guided democracy", and Soeharto through his "Pancasila democracy", robbed the sovereignty and power of the people.

Is Jakarta ready for greater autonomy?

Is Jakarta ready for greater autonomy? Muninggar Sri Saraswati and T. Sima Gunawan The Jakarta Post Jakarta Jakarta is a special city. It is the capital of Indonesia, the government center and also the center of industry.

Peace elusive as ever in Kalimantan

Peace elusive as ever in KalimantanKanis Dursin The Jakarta Post Jakarta Peace remained elusive as ever in the land of headhunters in 2001 as a fresh bout of ethnic violence pitting native Dayaks against migrant Madurese broke out in Central Kalimantan last February, wearing down a fragile "truce"...

Autonomy raises hope and fear on environment's fate

Autonomy raises hope and fear on environment's fateFitri Wulandari The Jakarta Post Jakarta Environmental destruction in 2001 may not have exceeded previous years but was unfortunately just as rapid with nature continuing to vanish in a blink of an eye.

1. JETRO

1. JETROJETRO sees 3.8% growth for RI economy in 20022. ArgentArgentina halts foreign debt payments, plans printing money 3. DumpingAustralia drops dumping charges against RI products4. AirlinChina extends airline insurance 5. BCAMalaysian investor pulls out from BCA bid6.

Who needs Military Command in Jakarta?

Who needs Military Command in Jakarta?Emmy Fitri The Jakarta Post Jakarta In the big city of Jakarta, where there are neither simmering separatist movements nor challenges from foreign invaders, where should the dear soldiers of the city Military Command (Kodam) be positioned?Ikrar Nusa Bhakti, a...

PON XVI project

PON XVI project and collusionFrom RepublikaAs a citizen of South Sumatra I feel very sad, annoyed and confounded by the attitude of the provincial executive toward the PON XVI 2004 national sports festival project scam between the regional public works office and the regional legislature's...

Getting rid of the military's dual-function

Getting rid of the military's dual-functionTiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Although it has formally abandoning the much criticized dual function (Dwifungsi) doctrine, the Indonesian Military (TNI) is yet to shed its image as a "troublemaker".

Year-end Special Section

Year-end Special Section As the year draws to an end it is always a good opportunity for us to contemplate on what has happened these past 12 months by examining the year's highlights and lowlights. Considered contemplation teaches us valuable lessons that can better prepare us for the year ahead.

JETRO sees 3.8% growth for RI economy in 2002

JETRO sees 3.8% growth for RI economy in 2002Berni K. Moestafa The Jakarta Post Jakarta The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) estimated Indonesia's economy to grow by 3.8 percent next year, on the back of continued solid domestic consumption and better export sales, as developed economies...

Regional autonomy: A double standard in motion?

Regional autonomy: A double standard in motion?Santi WE Soekanto The Jakarta Post Jakarta When 2002 dawns, Indonesia will mark the first anniversary of the implementation of the regional autonomy policy.

Forgive, but forget not

Forgive, but forget not The debate about whether or not President Megawati Soekarnoputri should use her prerogative to halt the corruption investigation into former president Soeharto misses the point of the exercise: The search for truth.

Germany to write off RI's debts

Germany to write off RI's debtsFrom Rakyat MerdekaRecently I attended a meeting with a senior representative at the German Embassy. The German government is currently offering to write off Indonesian debts worth 50 million Deutschemarks next year if the Indonesian government carries out certain...

Police told to reveal graft case

Police told to reveal graft case BANDA ACEH: Aceh Singkil Regent Makmur Syahputra on Tuesday asked police to finish investigations into an Rp 4 billion (US$400,000) corruption case allegedly involving several local officials.

Thousand Islands, a new regency need of people first development

Thousand Islands, a new regency need of people first developmentBenget Simbolon Tnb., The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Jakarta city administration inaugurated Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands) off the North Jakarta coast as a new regency in November, but many problems have still been left unsolved.

JP/ /DPR

JP/ /DPRMPR/DPR - A spectacle of turbulence and contention.Meidyatama Suryodiningrat The Jakarta Post Jakarta Some 250 years-ago American James Madison wrote that democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention.

It was all President's idea, says Yusril

It was all President's idea, says YusrilThe Jakarta Post, Jakarta Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Tuesday that the idea of revoking all charges against former president Soeharto was the initiative of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, with ministers only being asked...

Political turmoil overshadows local sports

Political turmoil overshadows local sportsMusthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian badminton enthusiasts will remember when a number of the world's top players failed to turn up to the US$170,000 Indonesia Open in July, which took the gloss of the competition.

Politics turns people into mere pawns

Politics turns people into mere pawnsHarry Bhaskara, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post Human rights violators might have nodded with approval as the year 2001 drew to a close. They can look ahead convinced that their impunity will remain in their pockets.