Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Archive: 29 January 2002

77 articles found

Four bidders join final race for BCA

Four bidders join final race for BCA Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Four bidders out of the original nine remain in the race for Bank Central Asia (BCA) as the deadline for submitting the final bids passed on Monday, although no date has yet been set for naming the winner. Among the four are British-based Standard Chartered Plc, and the U.S. investment firm Farallon Capital, a statement by the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) said late on Monday.

'ASEAN has to move on'

'ASEAN has to move on' ---------------------------------------------------------------- Rodolfo C. Severino, Jr, has served as the ASEAN Secretary- General for ... years since .... The former ... shared his view in an interview over the promising AFTA economic cooperation, which is expected to turn this region into an integrated production base and a market of 500 million people.

Luwuk tense after police brutality protest

Luwuk tense after police brutality protest Erick W., The Jakarta Post, Palu The situation in Luwuk, Banggai, Central Sulawesi remained tense on Monday as thousands of people marched through the small town to protest against the assault by local police of four officers from the local administration on Sunday. The protesters, including employees of the local administration, ransacked the Luwuk Police Subprecinct building and several other police buildings.

Riau students continue hunger strike

Riau students continue hunger strike PEKANBARU, Riau: Three students from the Sultan Syarief Wasim State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN) have been staging a hunger strike since Friday in protest against the recent increase of fuel prices. The strikers -- Reinaldi, Salahuddin and Hendra Gunawan -- looked very weak on Monday as they refrained from eating, drinking and smoking for four days. They set up a tent at the Mayang Terurai bus terminal in Pekanbaru, Riau.

Tommy not to testify in judge's murder trial

Tommy not to testify in judge's murder trial The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The state does not plan to summon Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, the alleged mastermind of the murder of Supreme Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, to testify against two murderers who are currently being tried at the Central Jakarta District Court. "The dossier did not stipulate his name as a witness in the case against the defendants, Noval Hadad and R. Maulawarman," Prosecutor Abdul Kamar Badrun argued.

Time for civil service reform under Thailand's Thaksin

Time for civil service reform under Thailand's Thaksin The Nation, Asia News Network, Bangkok The Thaksin administration has apparently made more promises than anyone could possibly keep track of. One of the bigger pledges it has made is the ambitious undertaking to transform the state bureaucracy into a people-friendly entity that will deliver better public service, transparency in decision-making and a higher degree of accountability. This is, undoubtedly, a tall order to fill.

Realigning blanket guarantee

Realigning blanket guarantee The blanket guarantee provided by the government for bank deposits and claims since January, 1998 has been mainly responsible for maintaining a reasonable degree of public confidence in the national banking industry despite its fragile condition. Unfortunately, though, the scheme has caused moral hazards within the industry as market forces cannot function properly to screen banks and it has imposed huge contingent liabilities on the debt-ridden government.

20 x 2

20 x 2 Floods hit towns, harvest failure looms Luwuk 16 x 1 Luwuk tense after riot Sunarto 8 x 4 Government forms team on Sunarto dismissal

Crash prompts renaming of train

Crash prompts renaming of train Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta The Javanese belief that a name is linked to bad or good luck still holds very true for many Indonesian bureaucrats. Javanese families usually rename children who often become ill or who are involved in accidents and many other forms of bad luck. Sometimes, a parent holds a party to reintroduce a new name for their child.

Chinese youth contest

Chinese youth contest JAKARTA: The West Jakarta mayoralty invites Chinese youths to enter Koko and Cici contest to celebrate Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb. 12. The contest is open to 17 to 25 year old Chinese youths who understand Chinese culture and who can speak the Mandarin language. They may enroll for the contest at the mayoralty from Jan. 21 to Feb. 5, free of charge. The contest will be held in downtown Glodok, West Jakarta.

Rifts arise over state of emergency in Maluku

Rifts arise over state of emergency in Maluku Tiarma Siboro and Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The central government and North Maluku authorities seem to be at odds over the planned revocation of the state of civilian emergency in the province. While the government has been considering lifting the state of emergency soon, North Maluku acting Governor Muhyi Effendi wants it to remain in place for at least another six months.

Golkar 'salvation council' stripped of power

Golkar 'salvation council' stripped of power A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Top Golkar Party executives ensured on Monday that a so-called 'salvation council' would be limited to advisory functions, foiling yet another move that could have led to the ouster of the party's trouble-plagued chairman, Akbar Tandjung.

Clare Martin visits RI

Clare Martin visits RI JAKARTA: Chief Minister of Australia's Northern Territory, Clare Martin, is currently in Indonesia for a three-day visit aimed at bolstering trade ties between Indonesia and the territory. She met with President Megawati Soekarnoputri at the State Palace on Monday. "The visit is aimed at strengthening the productive relationship between our two governments, which was established 10 years ago," she said in a press conference after meeting Megawati at the State Palace.

Wynne falls short of Toray singles main stage

Wynne falls short of Toray singles main stage The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Wynne Prakusya has failed to maintain her winning momentum at the Toray Pan Pacific tennis tournament, losing her qualifying final match to American Alexandra Stevenson in Tokyo on Monday. The Indonesian crashed out 6-7 (7-5) 4-6 in a match lasting one hour and 17 minutes, Benny Mailili, from the Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti), said from Tokyo in a press release. "Wynne has done her best. It's all she could do.

Govt to issue rulings on tin, rubber exports Thursday

Govt to issue rulings on tin, rubber exports Thursday Adianto P Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Trade and industry minister Rini M. Soewandi said that her ministry would issue new rulings on tin and rubber exports on Thursday. "I'm going to sign them (the new rulings) on Thursday. We are now at the stage of adding the finishing touches," Rini told reporters on Monday after a meeting with a visiting trade delegation from the Netherlands. Rini declined to provide further details.

Learning from BCA and Citibank

Learning from BCA and Citibank Jonminofri Nazir, The Jakarta Post, Contributor, Jakarta What advertisements have stood-out in Indonesia's newspapers this past year? Among others, they are advertisements for banks and their wide range of products. Such advertisements, usually full color and one page in size, were attractively created. The giant-size advertisements appeared every time the bank's launched a new product or a new service. Every bank seemed to be doing the same thing.

* Headlines: Garuda boss tenders his resignation 2

* Headlines: Garuda boss tenders his resignation 2 * Opinion: Toppling Akbar is 'mission impossible' 4 * City: City Council asks Jakarta governor to quit firms 6 * Archipelago: Floods hit towns, harvest failure looms 7 * National: Golkar salvation council weakened 8 * World: Al-Qaeda fighters die as hospital stormed 10 * Business: Supervisory board planned for central bank 11 * Features: Alberola's art offers unique take on reality 16 * Sports: Wynne closer to Toray tennis main stage 20

Bodyguard admits document forgery

Bodyguard admits document forgery JAKARTA: Dedi Sutaedi Yusuf, a former bodyguard to Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, admitted on Monday that he had forged documents under orders from his then boss. Dedi pleaded for his sentence to be commuted in a hearing at the South Jakarta District Court on Monday on the grounds that he had committed forgery only after being ordered to do so by Tommy, the youngest son of former president Soeharto.

Free propaganda for GAM

Free propaganda for GAM When I looked at the front page of the Jan. 25 edition of The Jakarta Post I was surprised, or perhaps "shocked" would be a better word, to find free propaganda for the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

A tiny but needed golf course to win the game

A tiny but needed golf course to win the game AFTA: 'Action First, Talk After' ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) has become a reality since Jan. 1, 2002, at least on paper. However, this fact is not to be trifled with. A decade ago, ASEAN leaders decided to establish a free-trade area and this decision received many skeptical reactions. Some worried that AFTA might be just another futile trade agreement, just like ASEAN PTA (Preferential Trading Agreement), agreed upon in 1977.

AFTA 2002 SYMPOSIUM

AFTA 2002 SYMPOSIUM Grand Hyatt, Jakarta Thursday, 31 January 2002 PROGRAM 09.00 - 09.10 Welcome Remarks Rodolfo C. Severino, Jr. Secretary-General of ASEAN 09.10-10.00 Keynote Address H.E. Mrs.

Can leaders ever sacrifice?

Can leaders ever sacrifice? From Rakyat Merdeka Public suffering has been exacerbated by the recent price hikes in fuel, electricity and telephone rates. The public have to carry the heavy burdens of life amid the arrogance of their leaders. The wounds become more painful on finding out that almost every government official has more than one billion rupiah, as recorded by the State Officials Audit Commission (KPKPN).

Jakarta floods worsen due to less water catchment areas

Jakarta floods worsen due to less water catchment areas Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The problem of flooding in the capital city was worsening due to continuing violations of the Jakarta Master Plan, which had resulted in a decrease in the number of water catchment areas, an expert has said.

Three robber groups arrested

Three robber groups arrested JAKARTA: Police revealed on Monday that they had uncovered three robber groups targeting jewelry shops, residences and banks during two weeks of surveillance, shooting one to death and arresting 13 others. The city police chief of detectives for general crimes, Adj. Sr. Comr. Tito Karnavian, said one of the groups, led by Priyadi Hasan alias Alam, 47, operated in several locations of Jakarta, East Java and North Sumatra.

Banking promotion: A measured approach

Banking promotion: A measured approach Elvyn G Masassya, Analyst, Jakarta Indonesia's banking crisis isn't over quite yet. This is painfully clear, as the performance of the banking sector is only just above water. The Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of various banks, for example, is still close to eight percent. In some cases, however, the CAR is even less. If requirements were properly followed, these banks would be liquidated.

Poor discipline of road users

Poor discipline of road users From Warta Kota In the present era of openness, many community members, particularly drivers of motorized vehicles, are inclined to violate traffic signs, not to mention parking vehicles in prohibited areas. They take up almost all parts of the roads, such as what you can see in front of Pasar Hayam Wuruk Indah in Jakarta. Drivers frequently violate road signs, especially at road intersections when the traffic lights turn red.

Government forms team on Sunarto dismissal

Government forms team on Sunarto dismissal Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The central government's stance on the recent removal from office of Surabaya Mayor Sunarto Sumaprawiro has softened, and it has decided to set up an independent team to study the case. Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said on Monday that he had ordered the East Java governor to recruit political, legal and constitutional experts to serve on the team.

ATF concludes as region tries to boost image to lure tourists

ATF concludes as region tries to boost image to lure tourists Asip A. Hasani and Israr Ardiansyah, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta The 2002 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Forum (ATF) concluded on Monday, with officials claiming success in promoting the region as a safe destination for tourism. Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Culture and Tourism I Gede Ardika who was not present at the closing ceremony, Setyanto P.

Alberola's art offers unique take on reality

Alberola's art offers unique take on reality A. Sudjud Dartanto, Contributor, Yogyakarta If you visit Cemeti Art House in Yogyakarta, you are sure to find 13 graphic works in soft colors using, among others, yellow and green, as well as other visual objects in attractive serigraphy, such as human figures, buildings, landscapes, scenery and free scrawling. The works have been put on display on the walls of the gallery. They are mounted on square frames covered with mica glass.

Malaysia clarifies

Malaysia clarifies The Jakarta Post reported on Jan. 25, 2002 on the claim by a spokesman of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) that the movement maintains ambassadors in countries that "recognize GAM, such as Myanmar, Malaysia and several African nations". The Embassy of Malaysia would like to state categorically that the government of Malaysia neither supports nor recognizes any separatist movement that seeks to promote the disintegration of a nation.

World pepper output to see 10% rise in 2002: IPC

World pepper output to see 10% rise in 2002: IPC Reuters, Jakarta World pepper output is expected to increase by 10 percent in 2002 to 310,000 tons due to rising production by major producers, the Jakarta-based International Pepper Community (IPC) said on Monday.

Court to sentence drug dealers to death

Court to sentence drug dealers to death MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: The Mataram District Court said on Monday it was ready to sentence drug dealers to death if the defendants were proven guilty under the prevailing laws. "The Mataram court handed down a life sentence in 1998 to a defendant who was found guilty of possessing 6.3 kilograms of hashish. Now we are prepared to implement a maximum penalty of death for those involved in narcotics," Saodah, a deputy chairwoman of the court, said.

Where to go in Bandung for Tuesday, January 29, 2002

Where to go in Bandung for Tuesday, January 29, 2002 Performances * Sundanese Traditional Drama Lutung Kasarung Lalana by Dewi Murni art group, Gedung Kesenian Rumentang Siang, Jl. Baranang Siang 1, Kosambi (Phone: 022 4233562), 8 p.m., Feb. 2. * Drama Mesin Hamlet by the 3rd Nomaden Stage group, Gedung Kesenian Rumentang Siang, 8 p.m., Feb. 5 - 6. * Music Bajidoran by Medal Balebad art group, Gedung Kesenian Rumentang Siang, 8 p.m., Feb. 9.

BKKBN gears up for autonomy

BKKBN gears up for autonomy The National Family Planning Coordination Board (BKKBN) will hold a national workshop later this week to determine both strategy and policies in line with regional autonomy. "The meeting will focus on our evaluation of program implementation in 2001 and discussions on operational programs in 2002 and short-term plans for 2003," BKKBN chief Yaumil C. Agoes Achir Yaumil said in a hearing with House of Representatives Commission VII for people's welfare on Monday.

Promises, backtracks, and what's next?

Promises, backtracks, and what's next? Promises, promises, promises By Gloria O. Pasadilla It seems as if ASEAN member countries are not really keen on making AFTA work. Delays in tariff reduction commitment, while used as a means to buy time, could do more harm than good particularly to the ideal of regional economic cooperation.

Garuda suspends Europe service

Garuda suspends Europe service Asip A. Hasani, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta The country's flagship carrier Garuda Indonesia will temporarily suspend its service from the tourist island of Bali to Frankfurt and London due to a sharp decline in the number of passengers using the service, according to a company executive. Garuda vice president for market planning and development Marco Umbas said on Monday that the airline would close the route for five months starting Feb. 5 until June this year.

JP/8/SCENE

JP/8/SCENE Clare Martin visits RI JAKARTA: Chief Minister of Australia's Northern Territory, Clare Martin, is currently in Indonesia for a three-day visit aimed at bolstering trade ties between Indonesia and the territory. She met with President Megawati Soekarnoputri at the State Palace on Monday.

Water inundates 60 spots in the capital city

Water inundates 60 spots in the capital city Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The city was again hit by floods on Monday as the water inundated at least 60 spots in its five mayoralties, with a water level of up to 150 centimeters in places. Two subdistricts in West Jakarta - Kedoya Utara and Tanjung Duren Utara - were among the most severely affected areas. Some 70 families in Kedoya Utara were evacuated as their houses were almost completely submerged.

RI may export CPO to China

RI may export CPO to China Indonesia will supply at least 30 percent of China's quota of 2.4 million tons of crude palm oil (CPO) this year, said chairman of the Indonesian Palm Oil Industries Group (Gapki) Derom Bangun on Monday. "In 2002, the Chinese Government has issued a quota of 2.4 million tons of CPO. it is estimated that Indonesia will have the opportunity to export 720,000 tons of CPO," Bangun said as quoted by Antara in Medan, North Sumatra.

Not a professor

Not a professor An article on the Youth Matters page (The Jakarta Post's Sunday edition of Jan. 27, 2002) entitled Cheating no short cut to success, refers to me as a professor, which I am not. I am only a non-permanent lecturer at the Department of English, School of Literature, Universitas Nasional (UNAS), Jakarta. LIE HUA Jakarta

Embassy donates sports equipment

Embassy donates sports equipment JAKARTA: The German embassy here will donate sports equipment to children under the auspices of the Kampus Diakonia Modern (KDM) Foundation in Bekasi, in an effort to help alleviate the problem of street children, by providing an outlet for them. The embassy said in its press statement on Monday that KDM, which was set up 30 years ago, helped street children receive accommodation, education and clothing.

AGO to grill Akbar on Feb. 5

AGO to grill Akbar on Feb. 5 The Attorney General's Office has announced it will question House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung on Feb.5 in connection with his alleged role in a scam involving the National Logistics Agency (Bulog). The Office's outgoing spokesman Muljohardjo told reporters on Monday that Akbar would be questioned along with the chairman of the Raudlatul Jannah foundation Dadang Sukandar and businessman Winfred Simatupang.

Toppling Akbar Tandjung: Mission impossible

Toppling Akbar Tandjung: Mission impossible Kornelius Purba, Staff Writer, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The soft spoken Akbar Tandjung, who was closely involved in the downfall of two presidents and who left his mentor Soeharto shortly before the latter quit in 1998, may now have to use the same strategy to maintain his own shaky position in the list of the nation's top elite.

1. Autonom - 21 x 2 lines

1. Autonom - 21 x 2 lines Megawati still pushing for Autonomy revision 2. Sophan - 24 x 1 line Sophan cites deceitful legislators 3. Flood - 14 x 3 lines Water inundates 60 vulnerable spots in the city 4. Garuda - 34 x 1 line Garuda president Abdul Gani resigns

Bus firms asked not to raise tariff

Bus firms asked not to raise tariff JAKARTA: Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso asked all transportation companies on Monday to refrain from raising their tariffs until he issued a decree, adding that anyone found increasing rates before that time would lose their permits. He said that the city transportation agency would launch random inspections of several buses to ensure compliance. "If anyone is found guilty of anything illegal, then we'll revoke their operating permits," he said.

Fathur has no links to al-Qaeda: Da'i

Fathur has no links to al-Qaeda: Da'i Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar was another state official to deny speculation that an Indonesian arrested in the Philippines, Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi, has links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network. Da'i said that based on a preliminary investigation in the Philippines, no evidence had been found regarding Fathur's links to the alleged terrorist network.

Lidya declared fit for Uber Cup

Lidya declared fit for Uber Cup Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Following much speculation about her fitness, Lidya Djaelawijaya has been named the number one singles player in the Indonesian women's team for the upcoming Uber Cup. "She is eighty percent fit and should be ready for the matches," team manager Yacob Rusdianto said from Surabaya, East Java, in a tele-conference with reporters at the National Sports Council (KONI) headquarters in Central Jakarta on Monday.

Save Indonesian wetlands, save wealth of biodiversity

Save Indonesian wetlands, save wealth of biodiversity Bambang Parlupi, The Jakarta Post, Contributor What would the world be, once bereft, Of wet and wilderness? Let them be left. (Inversnaid, Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889) Wetlands, where earth and water meet, are as old as the planet itself. Home to some of the world's richest forms of bio- diversity, they can be found anywhere from tropical to snow- covered areas.

Strong quakes hits Bengkulu

Strong quakes hits Bengkulu BENGKULU: An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale rocked Bengkulu on Monday, with no immediate fatalities or other damages being reported. Rachmat, a staff member of the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) in Jakarta, said on Monday that the quake's epicenter was 32 kilometers south of Bengkulu in the Pacific Ocean, at a depth of 80 kilometers.

RI studies U.S. aid to fight terrorism

RI studies U.S. aid to fight terrorism Indonesia had received several offers of assistance from the United States to help it crack down on the international terrorist movement, Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayuda said on Monday. He said that Indonesia was in the process of assessing the proposals on intelligence information exchange, police training courses and training in the banking sector to help track down terrorism funding. The U.S. has allocated US$10 million for the assistance.

A brief of dreams and hopes of the 10 nations

A brief of dreams and hopes of the 10 nations ASEAN Secretariat Jakarta As we all know, most of the Southeast Asian region has now become a free trade zone. Accounting for over 96 percent of all ASEAN trade, the first six signatories of the Common Effective Preferential Tariff scheme for the ASEAN Free Trade Area, or AFTA, have reduced their tariffs on intra-regional trade to no more than five percent for almost all products in the Inclusion List (IL), or removed them altogether.

.pl

.pl .rm Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in Rupiah) on Jan 28, 2002 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Shares Close Change Volume ------------------------------------------------------------------ Ades Alfindo 1,125 0 103,500 Adindo Foresta 80 10 554,000 AGIS 125 -5 412,500 Akbar Indo Makmur 250 0 0 Alakasa 205 0 0 Alfa Retailindo 750 -25 132,500 Alter Abadi 50 0 0 Alumindo Light 550 0 0 Andhi Chandra 350 0 0 Aneka Kimia Raya 500 0 4,000 Aneka Tambang...

OIL STRIKE: Hundreds of fuel truck drivers descend on a depot

OIL STRIKE: Hundreds of fuel truck drivers descend on a depot belonging to the state oil company Pertamina in the nation's second largest city of Surabaya, East Java on Monday. The strikers were demanding higher pay and better working conditions.

Council urges Sutiyoso to step down from firms

Council urges Sutiyoso to step down from firms Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The City Council demanded on Monday that Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso resign as a commissioner of city-owned firms as holding such a position is a violation of a decree of the Ministry of Home Affairs. "Although the decree carries no sanctions, Sutiyoso should resign from the companies," chairman of City Council Commission B for economic affairs Syarief Zulkarnaen told reporters. He was referring to Decree No.

Growth, price stability crucial to help the poor

Growth, price stability crucial to help the poor Akhmad Rizal Shidiq, School of Oriental and African Studies, London, Institute for Economic and Social Research, University of Indonesia On Jan. 23, economist Ari A. Perdana wrote about people's vulnerability to poverty. He argued that this susceptibility is rooted in three things: A lack of physical assets, limited human capital, and the absence of a social safety net system.

Plaza Senayan's

Plaza Senayan's parking lot unsafe From Koran Tempo At 4 p.m. on Jan. 12, 2002, I arrived at Plaza Senayan and, as I usually do, looked for a parking spot on the second floor (P2). I found one in a corner for my black Mercedes Benz E320 Masterpiece with Bali license plate DK-123-AN. I clearly remember two parking officers of Secure Parking standing there. Unfortunately, when I returned to my car at 6 p.m, I found that the front window had been smashed in and the sound system taken.

Akbar's plan to go on pilgrimage

Akbar's plan to go on pilgrimage Reacting to comments made by some circles on House Speaker Akbar Tandjung's plan to go on the haj pilgrimage, his lawyer, Hotma Sitompul, called them "uncivilized and nonreligious". His statement was harsh and, perhaps, made without thinking. What is causing the problem for these dissenting voices is Akbar's untimely plan to travel.

Police vow to speed up handling of fuel scam cases

Police vow to speed up handling of fuel scam cases Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Police officials revealed on Monday that they would submit the case files for various fuel scams, in which many are alleged to have illegally stockpiled fuel for economic gain, to prosecutors next week, citing that it was part of efforts to speed up the legal proceedings, City Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said. "Just wait.

Sophan cites inept legislators

Sophan cites inept legislators Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Disappointment over the performance of fellow legislators and the political situation appears to be the main reason for the resignation of Sophan Sophiaan, a legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

Garuda president Abdul Gani resigns

Garuda president Abdul Gani resigns Debbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta President of flag-carrier Garuda Indonesia Abdul Gani has tendered his resignation amid reports that the government is planning to reshuffle the management of the ailing airline. Speaking during a hearing with House of Representatives Commission IV for transportation and infrastructure on Monday, Gani said he had submitted his resignation to the Office of the State Minister of State Enterprises last Wednesday.

U.S. diplomats visit Aceh

U.S. diplomats visit Aceh JAKARTA: Four U.S. diplomats met with members of the Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam administration on Monday to obtain the latest information about security in the restive province. "The four diplomats came from the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta and from the Consulate General in Medan, North Sumatra.

Rupiah Rates Jan.28

Rupiah Rates Jan.28 Bank notes rates TT rates Selling Buying Selling Buying Rp Rp Rp Rp U.S.

Bengkulu to expand regencies

Bengkulu to expand regencies BENGKULU, Bengkulu: The Bengkulu provincial legislative council is discussing plans to create more regencies in the resource-rich province in a bid to speed up the development there. With approximately 1.6 million people living in the 20,000 kilometer-wide Bengkulu, it is currently comprised of four regencies. The local legislature has set up a special committee to discuss the plans for the province's expansion.

Flood hits houses, fishponds in Bogor

Flood hits houses, fishponds in Bogor BOGOR: At least 26 houses in Pabuaran village in the Bojong Gede district of Bogor regency were inundated by flood waters that peaked at around five meters on Monday, following the collapse of a dam on Kali Baru river. Numerous fish ponds were also hit by the flood, and it was also feared that the nearby railway track had been affected. The dam collapsed at about 7 a.m., and within half an hour a large area had been inundated.

Asian monies mixed late, economic prospects improve

Asian monies mixed late, economic prospects improve Dow Jones, Singapore Improving economic prospects for many Asian countries as well as a sharp jump in the yen helped set a firmer tone for the region's currencies Monday. Continued stock market inflows provided an additional boost for the Korean won and New Taiwan dollar, traders said. The Philippine peso and Indonesian rupiah also gained on the U.S. currency, while the Singapore dollar and Thai baht were little changed. The U.S.

Governor wants police chief removed

Governor wants police chief removed KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: The local legislative council (DPRD) is striving hard to persuade Southeast Sulawesi Governor La Ode Kaimoeddin and the province's police chief Brig. Gen. Indarto to settle their differences. The two have been embroiled in a conflict after the governor allegedly wrote to President Megawati Soekarnoputri demanding that she remove Indarto from his post.

1. Sutiyoso

1. Sutiyoso 4x12 Council urges Sutiyoso to step down from firms 2. Dedi - 4x8 Tommy's bodyguard admits forgery 3. Tommy Tommy not to testify in judge's murder trial 4. BBM - 2x40 Under Pertamina pressure, police vow to speed up handling of fuel scam cases

Floods inundate towns, harvest failure looms

Floods inundate towns, harvest failure looms The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Floods triggered by torrential rain plagued several towns in Java and Sumatra islands on Monday, forcing thousands of residents to flee to safer areas and submerging thousands of hectares of plantations and crops ready for harvest. There were no fatalities reported. The deluge flooded around one third of the southern areas in the West Java city of Bandung after almost daily downpours over the past week.

Indonesia gets assistance offers to combat terrorism

Indonesia gets assistance offers to combat terrorism Annastashya Emmanuelle The Jakarta Post Jakarta Indonesia had received several offers of assistance from the United States to help it crack down on the international terrorist movement, Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayuda said on Monday. He said that Indonesia was in the process of assessing the proposals on intelligence information exchange, police training courses and training in the banking sector to help track down terrorism funding.

Megawati still pushing for autonomy revision

Megawati still pushing for autonomy revision Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta President Megawati Soekarnoputri told the minister of home affairs to make an inventory of problems with the current Autonomy Laws and get the word out immediately to governors, regents and mayors so that they could understand the reasons behind her administration's moves to revise the laws.

Development sends waterfowl to brink

Development sends waterfowl to brink The loss of vast areas of wetland throughout Indonesia and elsewhere due to development projects and human encroachment has also meant the loss of precious species. Of particular interest are water birds or waterfowl living in marshes, mangrove forests, swamps, estuaries, lakes, dams, paddy fields and coastal areas. They need wetlands to survive. Indonesia boasts about 184 water bird species from 20 families.

1. WET: 2 lines, 25 counts

1. WET: 2 lines, 25 counts Save Indonesian wetlands, save wealth of biodiversity 2. FOWL: 1 line, 35 counts Development sends waterfowl to brink 3. AUSSIE: 3 cols, 18 counts Australian species in peril as savior flounders

Kornelius Purba

Kornelius Purba Staff Writer The Jakarta Post Jakarta 2. ENRON -- ENRON AND THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES 1x 30 36 pt Irrationality in market capitalism By Madeleine Bunting in London =

KL's ban on RI workers a 'time bomb'

KL's ban on RI workers a 'time bomb' Agencies, Jakarta Indonesia criticized Malaysia on Monday for Kuala Lumpur's plan to halve the number of Indonesians working in the country, warning that the move could backfire and spark an influx of illegal workers. Calling the plan unfair, Manpower Minister Jacob Nuwa Wea said Indonesians wanting to work in Malaysia in the future would more likely enter the country illegally rather than go through the official process.

Muhammadiyah's move wins scholars' support

Muhammadiyah's move wins scholars' support Yogita Tahilramani and Tertiani Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Noted scholars hailed on Monday a historic move by Muhammadiyah, one of the country's largest Muslim organizations, to introduce what it terms "cultural propagation", saying it would help Indonesia show the true teachings of Islam in the wake of last year's terrorist attacks on the United States.

Govt plans supervisory board for Bank Indonesia

Govt plans supervisory board for Bank Indonesia Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government plans to set up a supervisory board within Bank Indonesia as one of several measures under the new central bank bill to increase its accountability. Article 58A of the central bank bill would authorize the board to evaluate the performance of Bank Indonesia's board of governors and audit the central bank's operations.

Telkom workers strike against transfer plan

Telkom workers strike against transfer plan The Jakarta Post, Semarang and Yogyakarta More than 3,000 workers of state-owned telecommunications firm PT Telkom Tbk in Central Java and Yogyakarta staged a strike on Monday in their latest bid to foil the deal to transfer the unit to another state-owned telecommunications firm, PT Indosat. During the strike, all of the workers came to work as usual, but only held prayers during working hours. Spokesman for the workers's union M.