Archive: 9 April 2001
47 articles found
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Separate politics from economy
Separate politics from economy From Media Indonesia As a layman in political and economic affairs, I can only feel deeply concerned about recent political developments. Conflicts involving the political elite have often led to social turmoil at the grassroots level. These conflicts and social turmoil have often prompted speculators in the money market to buy up U.S. dollars, consequently causing a drop in the value of the rupiah.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Host Indonesia routs Maldives 5-0
Host Indonesia routs Maldives 5-0 JAKARTA (JP): Host Indonesia proved it was too mighty for the Maldives by whitewashing the visitors 5-0 in the 2002 World Cup Asia zone Group Nine qualifying match at the Bung Karno stadium in Senayan complex on Sunday. Indonesia played aggressively, despite its players poor stamina.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
S. Korea drubs Indonesia 4-1 in Davis Cup
S. Korea drubs Indonesia 4-1 in Davis Cup SEOUL (Agencies): South Korea and Indonesia split two singles matches Sunday, giving South Korea a 4-1 victory in the second round of the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Zone Group 1 playoff. Indonesia's Suwandi beat South Korea's Lee Seung-hoon 6-4, 6- 4. Lee Hyung-taik, the world's 87th-ranked player, had been scheduled to play Suwandi, but was replaced after South Korea took an unbeatable 3-0 lead Saturday by winning the doubles match.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Traders to report public order officials
Traders to report public order officials JAKARTA (JP): An association representing street traders operating across the capital would report the South Jakarta Public Order Office and its (alleged) hired hoodlums to the Jakarta Police for the use of violence in their crackdown on the vendors, an activist said on Sunday. "We will report the violent abuse to the police next week.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Unknown culprits block Meulaboh to Banda Aceh roads
Unknown culprits block Meulaboh to Banda Aceh roads BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): Land transportation from Banda Aceh capital of Aceh province to Meulaboh in West Aceh has been interrupted over the last three days as unknown parties placed felled trees along the roads of the province's south and west coastal areas.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Indonesia's future economic challenges
Indonesia's future economic challenges This is the first of two articles by Dr. Emil Salim, professor of economics at the University of Indonesia and chairman of the former National Economic Council. The article is based on a presentation at an international conference on Indonesia held last month in Tokyo. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Finance.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Foreign airlines still have confidence in Indonesia
Foreign airlines still have confidence in Indonesia JAKARTA (JP): The multitude of problems in Indonesia have not discouraged several foreign airlines from serving the country. Since the financial crisis hit the country in mid-1997, there has been a significant decline in both inbound and outbound flights in Indonesia, especially to Jakarta. Some foreign airlines have even terminated their service to Indonesia. Drop in revenue is one reason airlines have decided to discontinue certain routes.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Debatable decree effective for labor protection
Debatable decree effective for labor protection JAKARTA (JP): The government again reiterated that Ministerial Decree No. 150/2000 on compensation for dismissed or resigning employees, would not be repealed despite displeasure from investors. Officials defended their decision saying that empirical data shows that despite its brief lifespan the decree has already been effective in providing protection for workers against arbitrary dismissals.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Where did Indonesia go wrong?
Where did Indonesia go wrong? The following is the first of two articles by Olle Tornquist, professor of political science and development research at the University of Oslo. OSLO, Norway (JP): Not so long ago, Indonesian democratization seemed impossible. But the old theories that modernization is insufficient, or international dependency too extensive, have largely been abandoned.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
More wings color the sky
More wings color the sky JAKARTA (JP): Air travelers in Indonesia can now enjoy lower fares and a wider choice in services following the establishment of a number of new air carriers in the country. No new measures have been introduced for domestic liberalization, but an increasing number of investors have shown a sudden interest in running commercial scheduled airlines. The government has licensed at least 10 new companies to operate regular flights in less than a one-year period.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Teen sex workers flock to Karimun
Teen sex workers flock to Karimun BATAM, Riau: Hundreds of teenage sex workers from Java and Sumatra flock to Karimun island in Riau province on weekends as the tourist industry on the island is booming. Antara reported on Saturday that there were many teenage girls offering their services for between Rp 150,000 and Rp 250,000 an hour in the island's numerous cheap and mid-range hotels on weekends.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
ASEAN ministers expect region's growth to slow
ASEAN ministers expect region's growth to slow KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Stung by sagging U.S. demand for their exports and worried by a falling yen, Southeast Asian countries said on Sunday they expect the region's growth to slow to 3 to 5 percent this year from 5.3 percent in 2000. The 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) made the bearish forecast in a communique issued at the end of their finance ministers' two-day meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
The people's agony
The people's agony From Rakyat Merdeka I only want to ask you, don't you feel concerned in witnessing that the Indonesian people are suffering a lot? Don't you have mercy on the university students who are willing to miss their lectures in order to struggle, trying to improve this already collapsing nation? Don't you see the incidents inflicting the nation? Don't you perceive President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid's failures? If you see them, please help your people by doing something.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Boys arrested over cyber crimes
Boys arrested over cyber crimes SEMARANG, Central Java: Semarang Police arrested two boys on Sunday and seized evidence in connection with illegal transactions they allegedly conducted on the internet, Antara reported. Semarang Police chief Snr. Comr. Halba R. Nugroho said the two suspects, identified as Reza, 18 and Wahyu, 17, both residents of East Kauman subdistrict, were nabbed at a courier agency in the city.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
IMF approves Vietnam loans
IMF approves Vietnam loans WASHINGTON (AFP): The International Monetary Fund executive board on Friday approved in principle a three-year US$368 million loan to support the government's efforts to boost growth and reduce poverty, an IMF statement said here. A final decision from the board awaits approval by the World Bank, the IMF's sister institution, of Vietnam's poverty reduction strategy paper. The Bank executive board is expected to take action on the matter April 12.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
500 houses, rice fields inundated
500 houses, rice fields inundated BANDUNG, West Java: Hundreds of farmers in Majalaya and Ciparay districts have lost their crops as floods inundated and destroyed their rice fields over the last two days. The flood waters reached between 50 centimeters and 100 centimeters in height, but gradually subsided on Sunday afternoon when a number of farmers tried to save their rice plants using a rubber dinghy. The attempt was given up when the dinghy incurred a puncture.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Southeast Asian trade growing more slowly: Report
Southeast Asian trade growing more slowly: Report SINGAPORE (DPA): Southeast Asian trade flows are not picking up as quickly as some officials had hoped with less than a year to go before the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) comes into full bloom, a workshop report said on Saturday. "Intra-trade growth was around 10 percent yearly, smaller than we had hoped for," Cho Cho Wynn, a senior trade officer at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) secretariat said at the Singapore meeting.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
U.S. business group expects ASEAN to lure back investments
U.S. business group expects ASEAN to lure back investments KUALA LUMPUR (Dow Jones): The U.S.-ASEAN Business Council said Saturday it expects foreign investment flows to Southeast Asia to pick up, despite the region's cloudy economic prospects. While the struggling economies of Japan and the U.S.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Experts confused by student brawls
Experts confused by student brawls By Hera Diani JAKARTA (JP): Ahmad Tubagus, a freshman at SMU (senior high school) Muhammadiyah 1 in Central Jakarta claims that he has never been involved in a student brawl. "Really, I think it's useless," he told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of a seminar on student brawls held by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on Saturday. He admitted, though, that his school mates almost routinely get involved in such fracas.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
On scenarios of RI's future
On scenarios of RI's future Reading the article called Likely scenarios in RI's future published on April 3, 2001, written by Scott Burchill and Damien Kingsbury, I found it very entertaining. Though, in my opinion, I guess the two writers forgot to title it properly. I suppose readers would have easily got the authors' message if the title of the article was, for instance, Likely scenarios in RI's future: For the sake of Australia's interest. PATRICIA SILALAHI Jakarta
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Suspected robber shot four times
Suspected robber shot four times JAKARTA (JP): Morgue attendants were surprised on Sunday when they received the corpse of a suspected robber, allegedly shot to death by East Jakarta Police, with a total of four gunshot wounds to his body. "The man was shot in the left side of the chest, the right shoulder, the stomach and the forehead... we don't understand these bullet wounds ourselves.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Police clash with Matraman residents
Police clash with Matraman residents JAKARTA (JP): Another clash between the police and residents broke out in the Matraman area of East Jakarta late on Saturday, with Jl. Matraman being closed for some hours following the incident. No casualties were reported. The clash occurred as the police tried to stop the residents from attacking the Mega Matra Hotel over the death of two local residents who were beaten up by the hotel's security guards last week.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Inco becomes takeover target
Inco becomes takeover target TORONTO (Reuters): Inco Ltd.'s outgoing chief executive Mike Sopko said on Friday he was aware that the company, the Western world's biggest nickel producer, was the subject of takeover speculation and said such a move was possible. Sopko, who steps down as head of the company on April 25 to make way for Scott Hand, said Inco had been on the industry's radar screens for some time.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Woman loses husband, children to fire
Woman loses husband, children to fire JAKARTA (JP): A woman lost her husband and two children to a raging fire, which engulfed their house on Jl. Kelapa Dua Hibrida Utara in the Sector VI of Gading Serpong housing complex in Curug, Tangerang, early Saturday morning. City Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bahrul Alam said the fatalities were identified as Anton, 40, and his two children, Perno, 4, and Martiani, 9. "Anton's charred body was found with Martiani's body, hugging one another.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Where to go in Jakarta:
Where to go in Jakarta: Exhibitions * Celebrating Indonesian Women, Erasmus Huis, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav S-3, Kuningan, South Jakarta (Phone: 5241069), until April 21. * Italian Contemporary Art, Shapes of Mind, National Museum, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat 12, Central Jakarta: (Phone: 3812346, 3868172), until April 20. * Painting: Tradition, Abstraction and Modern, Sriyanto Gallery, Jl. Gedung Hijau Raya 36, South Jakarta (Phone: 7503117), until April 9.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Candra and Sigit team up again to win Japan Open
Candra and Sigit team up again to win Japan Open TOKYO (AFP): Indonesia's Sydney Olympic champion Candra Wijaya appeared happy teaming up with his old partner Sigit Budiarto to win the men's doubles title at the US$180,000 Japan Open badminton tournament on Sunday. The 1997 world champions, both 25 now, powered their way through to a convincing 15-7, 15-11 victory over the Danish duo of Martin Lundgaard Hansen and Lars Paaske in the final.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
No selection in Golden Gloves
No selection in Golden Gloves SEMARANG (JP): Chairman of the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association (Pertina) Sang Nyoman Suwisma confirmed on Sunday there would be no selection for the 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Golden Gloves boxing championships here. Suwisma said after opening the championships, which will last until April 14, that based on the rules, one boxer should be out by a draw if there were two boxers belong to the same weight division.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Man stabbed to death
Man stabbed to death JAKARTA (JP): Local residents of Jagakarsa, South Jakarta alerted the police early on Sunday morning after they found a man's body with at least three stab wounds near the Pancasila University bus stop. The man was identified as Hendri Duhan Sihombing, 22, a resident of Lenteng Agung Raya, Srengseng Sawah, Jagakarsa. "The victim was stabbed in the left and right thighs, the abdomen and the chest. His body was found at about 3 a.m.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
BI plans to relax rulings to boost bank lending
BI plans to relax rulings to boost bank lending JAKARTA (JP): Bank Indonesia (BI) plans to temporarily relax certain bank rulings in a bid to encourage banks to lend more money to the real sector (ie. industry, manufacturing, etc.), according to BI Director for Research and Regulation Djoko Sarwono. Djoko said that despite completion of the government's costly bank recapitalization program, bank lending had been relatively small.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
SingTel concerned to buy out mobile phone rival
SingTel concerned to buy out mobile phone rival SINGAPORE (AP): Singapore Telecommunications is interested in buying out its mobile phone competitor MobileOne, a SingTel spokesman said Saturday. MobileOne, or M1, became SingTel's first competitor in 1997, ending SingTel's long-time telecoms monopoly in the affluent city state. Singapore's government owns 78 percent of SingTel, but has recently said it will consider reducing its stake.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Brief profile of new players
Brief profile of new players Airmark: Operates two 26-seat CASA-212 aircraft on two routes: Denpasar-Mataram and Denpasar-Sumbawa. Airmark also plans to serve two additional routes, namely Bandung-Jakarta-Tanjung Karang and Bandung-Semarang. Awair: Flies from Jakarta to five domestic destinations, namely Balikpapan, Denpasar, Medan, Makassar and Surabaya, and to Singapore, using three Airbus A-310-300 aircraft. It's been licensed to ply 27 domestic and 28 international routes.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Diarrhea hits 15 every minute
Diarrhea hits 15 every minute JAKARTA (JP): Fifteen people suffer from diarrhea every minute due to drinking contaminated water, a health official revealed on Sunday. The Director General of Communicable Disease Control and Environmental Health, Umar Fahmi, said the high incidence of diarrhea in the country was attributable to the common practice of consuming water that had not been boiled.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Cleanse the bureaucracy
Cleanse the bureaucracy From Warta Kota Those of us living in Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabotabek) are not only good tax payers but have also rendered some of our human rights to the state. We have long since lost our domestic security, the establishment of which is the responsibility of the state and the security forces. Moreover, we have encountered difficulties because of the worsening economy triggered by the lengthy multidimensional crisis.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
The U.S.-China plane incident
The U.S.-China plane incident Since the inauguration of U.S. President George W. Bush, whose administration regards China as a "strategic competitor", relations between China and the United States have cooled. The administration seems prepared to distance itself from China. The United States is to talk with Taiwan by the end of this month on sale of U.S. weapons. The issue could become complicated if the negotiations for return of the U.S.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Danamon faces bankruptcy suit
Danamon faces bankruptcy suit JAKARTA (JP): Publicly listed Bank Danamon Indonesia is facing bankruptcy charges at the Central Jakarta Commercial Court for failing to pay Bank IFI some US$12 million in outstanding debts, according to Bank IFI's legal representative. Bank IFI's lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea said on Saturday the bank filed a bankruptcy petition against Bank Danamon, after the latter neglected his client's litigation threats several times.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
IBRA to attend APP-bond holders Singapore meeting
IBRA to attend APP-bond holders Singapore meeting JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) will attend a meeting of the ailing Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) company and its bond holders in Singapore on Monday. IBRA said in a press statement, issued on the weekend, that the agency would represent the government as one of the largest creditors of APP. The Singapore-based APP, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, is controlled by Indonesia's Sinar Mas Group.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Politicians set terms for dialog
Politicians set terms for dialog JAKARTA (JP): The country's leading politicians said they could accept the reconciliation talks proposed by President Abdurrahman Wahid provided that a clear agenda had been set in advance. People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais said on Sunday that the previous meeting between the nation's top leaders was fruitless as it lacked focus. "We can't engage in ketoprak (Javanese traditional drama) anymore, as people are becoming more critical and sensitive.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Anti-Madurese violence continues in Pangkalan Bun
Anti-Madurese violence continues in Pangkalan Bun BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan (JP): The hunting down of Madurese migrants and the torching of their property continued in the West Kotawaringin regency capital of Pangkalan Bun as Dayaks reportedly entered the town from Sampit in East Kotawaringin, which was rocked by violence late in February.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Visa's RI sales up 30 percent
Visa's RI sales up 30 percent JAKARTA (JP): Visa International booked a 30 percent increase in its card sales in Indonesia to US$870 million in 2000 over the previous year's figures. Visa's country manager for Indonesia, Ellyana Fuad, said here over the weekend the volume of Visa transactions rose by 20 percent last year. "Our results reflect the increasing preference here to replace existing cash and check payments with payment cards," she said.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Air Force's Jupiter Blue: Professionalism in crisis
Air Force's Jupiter Blue: Professionalism in crisis By Tiarma Siboro JAKARTA (JP): The worsening relations between the Indonesian military (TNI) and some allied countries, which resulted in the suspension of military aid including spare parts for the Indonesian Air Force's jet fighters, has reduced the aerial capability of the force. Yet the air force has managed to continue the flight exercises for its pilots, with increased efficiency to reduce its operational expenditure.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
New operator of Aussie TV to be decided soon
New operator of Aussie TV to be decided soon By Peter Kerr JAKARTA (JP): A new operator to re-establish an Australian satellite television service to Indonesia and the rest of Asia is expected to be decided within days. A spokesman for Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said final talks with the proposed new provider had been held this week and a decision was imminent, with the new service likely to be running within about a month.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Compromise in politics
Compromise in politics Politicians, both in the legislative body and in political parties, should heed the proposal for a political compromise, a subject which has become a topic of public discourse recently.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Ringgit won't be repegged
Ringgit won't be repegged KUALA LUMPUR (Dow Jones): Malaysia has no intention of altering the ringgit's peg to the dollar and the country will remain competitive with this exchange rate, Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin told finance ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Saturday, a Malaysian official who declined to be identified said.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
RI mission visits Korea, China
RI mission visits Korea, China JAKARTA (JP): An Indonesian trade mission departed for China and South Korea on Sunday for a week-long visit to explore new export opportunities in the two countries. The National Agency for Export Development said here on Saturday that the mission comprising 16 representatives of non- oil export companies would be in China until Wednesday before visiting South Korea.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Salvation Council necessary
Salvation Council necessary From Media Indonesia We all know that members of the political elite have continued to busy themselves with seemingly endless conflicts and disputes leading to national disintegration, thus making life extremely difficult for the people.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Rupiah may break 11,000 level this week
Rupiah may break 11,000 level this week JAKARTA (JP): The gloomy outlook for the country's economic fundamentals and a standoff between President Abdurrahman Wahid and his political opponents are likely to drag the Indonesian currency down further, analysts have warned.
Mon, 09 Apr 2001, 00:00 WIB
Government for independent seamen's association
Government for independent seamen's association JAKARTA (JP): The government, at the start of the extraordinary congress of the Indonesian Seamen's Association (KPI) on Saturday, threw its weight behind plans to make the Association a truly independent union by withdrawing state officials from its board.