Jakarta retailers pinched by latest round of riot rumors JAKARTA (JP): Retailers in Jakarta suffered more than an 80 percent drop in sales last week as rumors of impending riots multiplied ahead of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) mass prayer gathering and the House of Representative's plenary session to decide on the issuance of a second memorandum of censure against President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Anticorruption draft law met with criticism JAKARTA (JP): Government watchdogs pointed out that the Rp 10 million (US$860) limitation on gifts received by state officials stipulated in the latest draft law for corruption cases will only give leeway for more corruption. Government Watch (Gowa) coordinator Farid R. Faqih said the officials should not receive any gifts, no matter what the value. This is unethical and can not be accepted because it violates the officials' oath, he said.

President Arrovo vows to crush troublemakers MANILA (Agencies): Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo vowed on Monday to crush any attempt to grab power after tens of thousands of people rallied in support of jailed former leader Joseph Estrada. Arroyo said there had been the threat of coup against her but it had faded when Estrada's followers called off a march to the presidential palace overnight.

Activists accuse PT Newmont of polluting the environment MANADO, North Sulawesi (JP): Environmentalists said here over the weekend that the submarine tailing disposal (STD) used as a waste disposal system by gold mining firm PT Newmont Raya Minahasa (NRM) was unsafe for the environment as it had affected the sea habitat and human beings.

Local firms still reluctant to adopt ISO 14000 rules JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian companies are still reluctant to adopt ISO 14000 environmental management standardization, according to the National Standardization Agency (BSN). Agency chairman Herudi Kartowisastro said here on Monday that only about 60 companies had so far received ISO 14000 certification since its introduction in the country in 1996. "We have already promoted the benefits ...