Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 19 March 2001

54 articles found

Iron, zinc to be fortified in flour

Iron, zinc to be fortified in flour JAKARTA (JP): Flour producers will soon be required to fortify the iron and zinc content in their products as part of the government's program to reduce anemia in the country.

Is Megawati ready to be president?

Is Megawati ready to be president? "Is Megawati ready to be president?" is the question of the moment. In fact, it was also the question of the moment eighteen months ago. At that time Megawati was criticized for speaking too little, being cautious and conservative, lacking intellectual vision,...

Bogor villagers complain of water shortage

Bogor villagers complain of water shortage BOGOR, West Java (JP): Residents of Lalamping village in Cibungbulang district here complained that they had been suffering from water shortage due to garbage blocking water sources.

Thailand a 'bad neighbor'

Thailand a 'bad neighbor' YANGON (AFP): Myanmar on Sunday condemned Thailand as a bad neighbor for covering up its failure to address the nation's drugs crisis by shifting the blame onto Myanmar."The Thai government officials have never made efforts to effectively control the problem," the military...

Police shoot alleged thief

Police shoot alleged thief JAKARTA (JP): Police officers in Curug, Tangerang, shot and killed one of four people suspected of stealing an automobile in Binong village early on Sunday morning.City police spokesman Sr. Comr.

Cipinang jail under control, but no visitors allowed

Cipinang jail under control, but no visitors allowed JAKARTA (JP): The condition in Cipinang penitentiary is now under control but visitors were still not allowed, the newly installed warden Asep M. Firdaus said on Saturday evening.

Integrated system needed for drug addicts: Expert

Integrated system needed for drug addicts: Expert JAKARTA (JP): Noted psychiatrist Dadang Hawari proposed on Saturday an integrated system -- a combination of medical, psychological and religious therapies -- to effectively cure drug addicts and reduce the percentage of relapse.

Garbage piles disrupt buses

Garbage piles disrupt buses JAKARTA (JP): The overpowering stench of garbage at Malabar market on Jl. Karet Raya in Tangerang, West Java, has forced public transportation drivers to take alternative routes.

Myanmar raises cash at gem sale

Myanmar raises cash at gem sale YANGON (DPA): Myanmar's 38th government-run Gem Emporium fetched more than US$8 million through the sale of gems and jade by auction, news reports said on Sunday.The week-long, state-managed auction which ended on Saturday sold $3.

Street kids ask politician's wife to return vehicle

Street kids ask politician's wife to return vehicle JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of street children staged a noisy protest on Saturday in front of politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas's house, claiming his wife, who is the advisor of an organization for street children, had stolen their official car.

Indonesian democracy

Indonesian democracy Something was terribly wrong with the face of Indonesia's democracy last week. As the nation continues to observe people's rights to freedom of expression, several demonstrations, whether in support of or against President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, were characterized by...

C. Kalimantan tense again

C. Kalimantan tense again PALANGKA RAYA, Central Kalimantan: The ethnic violence that swept through East Kotawaringin regency showed signs of spreading, with a migrant settler killed in Pulang Pisau, Kahayan Hilir district, Kapuas regency, late on Saturday night, Antara reported.

Sultan blameless over Brunei debacle, says IBF

Sultan blameless over Brunei debacle, says IBF LONDON (Agencies): The sultan of Brunei, the front-runner to be the International Badminton Federation (IBF)'s next president, is blameless over the embarrassing late postponement of the Word Grand Prix Finals due to he held in his country, the IBF...

AMRO Bank responds

AMRO Bank responds In response to the letter published in The Jakarta Post on March 14, 2001, regarding the credit process of ABN AMRO Bank's Dana Cepat Multiguna consumer loan product, we would like to clarify the matter as follows.

FPI activists rally against communism

FPI activists rally against communism JAKARTA (JP): About 500 supporters of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) rallied near the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle on Sunday morning to warn against communism, Antara reported.

Violence in Aceh claims 16 lives

Violence in Aceh claims 16 lives BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Violence in Aceh claimed another 16 lives over the weekend as separatist rebels upped the ante by threatening to eject non-Acehnese from the province if the government goes ahead with plans to launch a limited military operation.

Where to go in Jakarta:

Where to go in Jakarta:Exhibitions * Photo: Frida Kahlo and Her Friends, by Lola Alvarez Bravo, La Casa de Mexico, Jl. Panglima Polim III no. 1-3, South Jakarta, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., until March 28. * Video Installation by Christophorus Ade Desembris, French Cultural Center, Jl.

Political woes continue to plague rupiah

Political woes continue to plague rupiah JAKARTA (JP): The rupiah is likely to continue to stay at the Rp 10,000 level against the U.S. dollar this week due to the lack of fresh incentives that could lift the market sentiment, analysts have forecast.

Do not hesitate to fight back, Akbar tells supporters

Do not hesitate to fight back, Akbar tells supporters SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): We are responding to the mounting protests in the country against the existence of Golkar, the party chairman Akbar Tandjung told supporters here on Saturday.

Dry season expected from April to September

Dry season expected from April to September JAKARTA (JP): The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency predicted Indonesia would have a "normal" dry season running from April to September this year, with no peculiar weather patterns expected.

Futsal tournament opened

Futsal tournament opened JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's first futsal tournament was opened on Sunday by the chairman of the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI), Agum Gumelar, at Bung Karno Indoor Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta.

Revising gender-biased textbooks easier said than done

Revising gender-biased textbooks easier said than done The following article by The Jakarta Post journalist Santi W.E. Soekanto looks at the issue of gender-biased school textbooks. Related reports and interviews written with contributors Herry Nurdi and Rani R. Moediarta are on Page 5.

Four teenage girls die in stampede at shopping mall

Four teenage girls die in stampede at shopping mall JAKARTA (JP): Four teenage girls died in a stampede as hundreds of fans struggled to meet British boyband a1 at the Taman Anggrek shopping mall in West Jakarta on Sunday afternoon.

Lack of professionalism to blame for sexist books

Lack of professionalism to blame for sexist books The following is an excerpt from an interview with Bachruddin Musthafa and Dedi Supriadi, two Bandung-based experts on the school curriculum and on the issue of gender-biased textbooks.

Riot stops soccer league match

Riot stops soccer league match JAKARTA (JP): Angry fans stopped the match between home team Persijap of Jepara, Central Java, and Persebaya of Surabaya in the eastern division of the 2001 Bank Mandiri soccer league on Sunday.

There is still hope

There is still hope The string of events that have occurred during the past week should give cause for growing concern among Indonesians. The value of the rupiah declined again, which demonstrates the progressive weakening of the currency against the U.S. dollar.

Food program extended

Food program extended SURABAYA: The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) will provide food to some 800 school-age children here.The United States ambassador to FAO, George McGovern, said during a visit here on Saturday the School Lunch Program Everyday was started in 1999 and helped feed some...

ADB links Indonesia aid to reform, better governance

ADB links Indonesia aid to reform, better governance MANILA (Agencies): The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Saturday it was prepared to lend Indonesia between US$600 million and $1.2 billion a year over the next three years, provided the government pressed ahead with key reforms.

VP to open a seminar on Simatupang

VP to open a seminar on Simatupang JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri will open a seminar in commemoration of the late T.B. Simatupang's 80th birthday on Thursday.The seminar will feature, among others, military analysts Hasnan Habib and Salim Said, as well as religious...

Passport summit in Paris

Passport summit in Paris ROME (AFP): Magistrates and police from Italy, France, Germany, Portugal, Britain and Spain will meet next week in Paris to discuss the false passport affair currently rocking European soccer, Italian paper Gazzetto dello Sport reported on Saturday.

Farmers occupy taxiway at Hasanuddin airport

Farmers occupy taxiway at Hasanuddin airport MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): More than 200 farmers of Maros regency occupied the taxiway II area at Hasanuddin International Airport on Sunday in a demonstration against what they termed unfair land acquisition over their plots of land to be used for...

Tiger on track at Bay Hill for first title of the year

Tiger on track at Bay Hill for first title of the year ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters): The title drought may be about to end for Tiger Woods. Woods, winless in six tournaments this year, took a big step toward ending his malaise when he carded a six- under-par 66 in the third round at the Bay Hill...

My mission is to spread gender equality: Khofifah

My mission is to spread gender equality: Khofifah JAKARTA (JP): Khofifah Indar Parawansa is decidedly a new breed as a state minister in charge of women's affairs. Unlike most of her predecessors, she brings well-defined concepts into an office that was once created as mere lipstick to appease...

DPR, government should cooperate

DPR, government should cooperate In observing the current situation, there is no doubt that President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid is facing his biggest challenge yet. Since the censure by the House of Representatives, many political maneuvers have been made to place pressure on Gus Dur to resign.

Japan's Tohuku shifts LNG imports away from Indonesia

Japan's Tohuku shifts LNG imports away from Indonesia TOKYO (AP): One of Japan's largest electric power companies is shifting natural gas procurement away from Indonesia after violence by separatist rebels in Aceh province disrupted production, a company spokesman said Saturday.

Will Fed answer Wall Street's prayers?

Will Fed answer Wall Street's prayers? NEW YORK (Reuters): Wall Street's leading firms were split Friday over whether the Federal Reserve will answer the markets' prayers for a three-quarter point cut in interest rates next week, a new Reuters poll showed.In a survey of the 25 primary dealers of U.

China, Russia, Israel in UN dock for rights records

China, Russia, Israel in UN dock for rights records GENEVA (Reuters): Israel's use of force against Palestinians in the occupied territories and continuing Russian abuses in Chechnya will be under the spotlight at the UN human rights forum opening on Monday, diplomats and UN sources said.

Apjati urges creation of national agency for TKI

Apjati urges creation of national agency for TKI JAKARTA (JP): The Labor Exporters Association (Apjati) is calling on the government to set up a new national agency to simplify overseas Indonesian worker (TKI) affairs which it currently considers to be too complicated, ineffective and inefficient.

Ex-hotel workers protest violence

Ex-hotel workers protest violence JAKARTA (JP): Lawyers representing 500 dismissed workers of Shangri-La Hotel lashed out at the measures taken by police to halt a rally their clients held to protest the reopening of the hotel on Saturday.

Rizal calls for revise of forestry policies

Rizal calls for revise of forestry policies JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia needs to revise its forestry policies to solve the acute problems in the forestry sector, said Coordinating Minister for the Economy Rizal Ramli.

Five questioned over railroad track bombing

Five questioned over railroad track bombing JAKARTA (JP): Tangerang police detectives are intensively questioning five people in connection with a bomb attack on a railway track in Serpong district early on Saturday.Deputy chief of Tangerang police precinct Comr.

Low level of moral awareness

Low level of moral awarenessFrom Pikiran RakyatExchanges of fire between soldiers of the Indonesian military and police mobile brigade members in Sampit, Central Kalimantan some time ago were attributable to the very low level of moral awareness on both sides.

Broadcasting bill and press freedom

Broadcasting bill and press freedomFrom Media IndonesiaIf the significant differences between the broadcasting community, represented by ATVI, MPPI, PRSSNI and so forth, and the working committee of the House of Representatives on the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) are not wisely handled...

Amnesty Intl. to highlight execution, torture in RI

Amnesty Intl. to highlight execution, torture in RI GENEVA (AFP): Arbitrary executions and arrests, torture and poor treatment have continued in Indonesia, Amnesty International alleged, while adding that governmental reforms are moving too slowly.

Ban knots up Malaysian puppeteers' strings

Ban knots up Malaysian puppeteers' stringsBy Marty Logan KETEREH, Malaysia (Reuters): The shadows projected on a screen to bring alive old myths for generations of Malaysian villagers are fading after the Islamic rulers of Kelantan state banned the ancient art of wayang kulit (shadow puppetry)It is...

Megawati told to take lead in ending political stalemate

Megawati told to take lead in ending political stalemate YOGYAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, in her capacity as chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), must take the initiative to mediate between President Abdurrahman Wahid's supporters and...

Canon aims to secure top rank in the inkjet printer market

Canon aims to secure top rank in the inkjet printer marketBy Zatni Arbi BANGKOK (JP): "What do people think of your previous government?," I casually asked the guide that was taking a group of IT journalists from Indonesia -- including myself -- from the airport to our hotel in Bangkok.

State loses control over 'preman'

State loses control over 'preman' This is the first of two articles on protected crime by Dr Tim Lindsey, Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Asian Law Centre at the University of Melbourne in Australia.

Seven die in Demak accident

Seven die in Demak accident DEMAK, Central Java: Seven people died and 30 others were injured when a bus rammed into a parked truck near Wonokerto village, Karang Tengah district, on Saturday.Adj. Sr. Comm.

Singapore, Japan, HK least corrupt in Asia: Report

Singapore, Japan, HK least corrupt in Asia: Report SINGAPORE (AFP): Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan are the least corrupt economies in Asia, where the problem remains embedded despite being a key trigger for the regional financial crisis in 1997, a report said.

UK trade mission to visit RI

UK trade mission to visit RI JAKARTA (JP): A British business delegation will begin a week- long visit to Indonesia on Monday to help boost commercial ties between the two countries.A statement from the British Embassy in Jakarta said the delegation would involve 15 companies and institutions from...

Mori, Bush plan policy body to boost economies

Mori, Bush plan policy body to boost economies TOKYO (Reuters): Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and U.S. President George W. Bush will announce the creation of a two-way consultative body on economic policy after their summit this week, Kyodo news agency said on Saturday.

Giants of steam locomotion in state of neglect

Giants of steam locomotion in state of neglectBy Tjahjono Rahardjo AMBARAWA, Central Java (JP): They sit proudly despite their dilapidated home of a disused shed with a leaky roof, a reminder of the glory days of steam locomotion.

S'pore land sold to consortium

S'pore land sold to consortium SINGAPORE (Dow Jones): The Singapore government Friday sold a large land site to a consortium of Singapore and Hong Kong-based companies a price below market expectations, the Business Times reported Saturday.A 1.