Archive: 13 December 2002
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Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Four more bomb suspects arrested
Four more bomb suspects arrested Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi Police in the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar said on Thursday they had arrested four people as possible suspects in last week's bombings, including the father and a younger brother of Agung Hamid, the alleged mastermind of the Dec. 5 blasts. South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Sharia has 'little chance in the country'
Sharia has 'little chance in the country' Tarko Sudiarno and Debbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta/Jakarta Sharia, or Islamic law, has little chance of being adopted in Indonesia, politicians and a Muslim figure said. People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais said on Wednesday that being a pluralistic nation, Indonesia would have tremendous difficulties in applying sharia.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
IBRA raises Rp33t as of October
IBRA raises Rp33t as of October JAKARTA: The Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) said it had collected around Rp 33 trillion (US$3.7 billion) in proceeds from its assets sales as of October, with Rp 28.9 of which having been deposited to the government's coffers. The sales of assets under the Assets Management Credit (AMC), a division within the agency, made the lion's share of the proceeds, contributing Rp 24.6 trillion, a press release said.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Former bank owners not to be subject to criminal charges
Former bank owners not to be subject to criminal charges The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Ignoring widespread criticism, the government is pushing ahead with its plan to drop criminal charges against former bank owners accused of abusing state funds.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Sultan to relaunch Yogya's tourism
Sultan to relaunch Yogya's tourism YOGYAKARTA: Governor Sultan Hamengku Buwono X is planning to launch a tourism rescue program for the province, which took a dive after the deadly Bali bombing. "The number of foreign tourists visiting Yogya has decreased drastically," said Budi Sulistyo, head of the tourism board on Thursday. The rescue program will be effective throughout next year.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Combating terrorism: A shared responsibility
Combating terrorism: A shared responsibility A'an Suryana, Journalist, The Jakarta Post Police investigation into the terrorist attacks in Indonesia, whether those in Bali or Makassar, have yet to unfold, but preliminary investigation has suggested that the perpetrators were Indonesians with radical Islamic beliefs.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
60 people feared dead in hot spring mud slide
60 people feared dead in hot spring mud slide Ainur R. Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Mojokerto, East Java Rescue teams combed through rivers and streams on Thursday to search for survivors of Wednesday's mudslide that killed at least 31 people at the Pacet hot spring resort in Mojokerto, East Java. Local officials fear as many as 60 people may have died as dozens of people are still missing after the calamity, which environmentalists called a "man-made disaster".
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Indonesia unlikely to question Malaysian linked to Bali blasts
Indonesia unlikely to question Malaysian linked to Bali blasts Jasbant Singh, Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur Indonesian authorities will not question a detained Malaysian terror suspect accused of delivering funds to Indonesian militants for the Bali bombings, police said on Thursday. Malaysia's Insp. Gen.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Terror suspect worried about children
Terror suspect worried about children DENPASAR, Bali: Ali Gufron alias Mukhlas, the main suspect in the terrorist bomb attacks in Legian, wants all his children to be brought to Solokuro village in Lamongan, East Java. M. Sya'af, Mukhlas' lawyer, said that Ali Gufron's five children were being taken care of by his friend in Klaten, where Mukhlas was arrested.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Oh deer, can deer survive in Monas park?
Oh deer, can deer survive in Monas park? Novan Iman Santosa and Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Bogor Governor Sutiyoso's plan to release deer from the grounds of Bogor Palace into the National Monument (Monas) park in Central Jakarta could be a fatal blunder unless additional facilities are provided to prevent the herd from getting stressed, say experts. This was so given that deer could become easily stressed, even though they normally adapted quickly to a new environment.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Dial 112, for fast, effective aid, hopefully
Dial 112, for fast, effective aid, hopefully Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta "Metro 112, good morning," an operator from the Jakarta Police's toll-free emergency call center said over the phone. Helmi, a resident of Cipulir, Kebayoran Lama area in South Jakarta, was on the other end of the line. He made a report on Thursday that his 17-year-old sister Nia Daniyanti had been missing since Monday. He suspected she was kidnapped by her boyfriend Agus, 21.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Refugees hamper reforestation
Refugees hamper reforestation ATAMBUA, East Nusa Tenggara: The forestry office in Belu regency said on Thursday that it could not start a reforestation program in Malaka Tengah district because the place was occupied by refugees. "We can't start reforestation because 1,777 East Timorese refugees are still living there," said head of the forestry office Tisera Antonius in Atambua on Thursday.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
AEKI to launch five-year coffee promotional
AEKI to launch five-year coffee promotional The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Adi Eka Putra, a 30-year-old Jakarta-based radio broadcaster, is not a coffee lover. He prefers tea. He only drinks coffee when he has to stay awake to work overtime at the office. "I don't enjoy drinking coffee. It makes it hard for me to fall asleep. Plus I'm afraid of becoming addicted to it," Adi told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Stock quotations on JSX
Stock quotations on JSX Stock prices on the Jakarta Stock Exchange (in rupiah) on Dec.12, 2002: -------------------------------------------------------------- Shares Close Change Trading Volume -------------------------------------------------------------- Abdi Bangsa Tbk 270 0 0 Ades Alfindo Tbk 725 0 0 Adindo Foresta 50 0 0 AGIS Tbk 70 5 48,500 Akbar Indo Makmur 215 0 0 Alakasa Industrindo 75 0 0 Alfa Retailindo Tbk 775 0 0 Alter Abadi Tbk 10 0 0 Alumindo Light 155 0 0 Andhi Chandra 445 10...
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
8,000 East Timor families opt to stay
8,000 East Timor families opt to stay Yemris Fointuna The Jakarta Post Kupang At least 8,000 East Timorese families seeking refuge in West Timor had decided to stay in Indonesia, a local military commander said Thursday. The government was now preparing a transmigration scheme and developing housing complexes for them, Kupang military chief Col. Moeswarno Moesanip said. The housing complexes are located on several islands, including Sumba, Flores, Timor and Alor.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Bus plunges into river, three dead
Bus plunges into river, three dead TANGERANG: A bus owned by Sri Kertabumi plunged into Mokevart River in Batusari subdistrict, Tangerang, Banten, on Thursday, leaving three people dead and another 40 injured. Tangerang Police chief Adj. Sr. Cmr. Harry Prastowo said the deceased were Ajum bin Marnan, 36; Misna, 18; and an unidentified man about 35 years of age. All of the injured were treated at Tangerang General Hospital.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
'The most qualified for Pelti head is a woman'
'The most qualified for Pelti head is a woman' Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Martina Wijaya has received the endorsement of one of the leading tennis personalities in the country in her bid to be elected chairperson of the Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti), which will be decided during its congress in Makassar, South Sulawesi, next week. Martina, whose current role in Pelti is supervisor of development, is one of the main candidates to replace the incumbent chairperson Tanri Abeng.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Losing one's mind
Losing one's mind All Muslims should be aware that their beliefs have consequences. They must be ready to be tested by Allah, including how to handle pressure, such as the pressure that recently came from Singaporean statesman Lee Kuan Yew. Without offering any evidence, he said a 100 radical Muslim groups in Indonesia were trying to establish Islamic states in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and who knows, Singapore as well.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
BMW's sales in RI exceed target
BMW's sales in RI exceed target The Jakarta Post, Jakarta PT BMW Indonesia, the subsidiary of giant global car maker BMW AG German, has sold 2,122 BMW cars in the country until November, a figure that exceeded the company's whole year's target, the company's president director Jesus Cordoba said on Thursday. Based on the numbers, BMW has established itself as the front runner seller in premium cars in the country with a 40 percent market share, said Cordoba.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Navy keeps patrolling in Sipadan-Ligitan
Navy keeps patrolling in Sipadan-Ligitan JAKARTA: Indonesian Navy spokesman Commodore Sugeng Waluyo said the Navy would continue patrolling the disputed Sipadan and Ligitan islands off East Kalimantan province. He revealed that his vessels often met Malaysian naval ships while patrolling there. "We've never been involved in a fight," he said on Thursday on the sidelines of a ceremony marking the Navy's 57th anniversary in Cilangkap.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Thai to open 1st national Islamic bank next month
Thai to open 1st national Islamic bank next month Agence France-Presse, Bangkok Thailand's first national Islamic bank will open next month, initially in the capital of Bangkok and then with branches across the country, its chairman said Thursday. The Islamic Bank of Thailand will start operations on January 15, with 13 branches planned to open in 2003 including in the Muslim-majority southern provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala, Songkhla and Satun.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
A nation's productivity
A nation's productivity Although the Idul Fitri holiday is over, government offices have yet to resume services. The government's decision to extend the holiday seems to have resulted in laziness among some government employees. But then, even before the extension of the holidays, public services were poor. Where does the problem lie? Why would a nation choose to be lazy while other nations work hard? To be more specific, why is this nation not ashamed of being lazy?
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Govt faces uphill battle to rebuild battered Aceh
Govt faces uphill battle to rebuild battered Aceh The Jakarta Post, Jakarta With more than half of its population living in poverty and an economy barely functioning after years of war, the government is facing an uphill battle to rebuild Aceh, observers and government officials say. Activists and economists say the government should first focus on restoring normalcy over the next few months.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Saving 'detikcom' from the storm
Saving 'detikcom' from the storm Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta This year's Idul Fitri holiday season gave workaholics, such as Budiono Darsono, a rare break. Budiono deserved the extended rest from Dec. 5 to Dec. 10, as it was the first time he has taken a break since the birth of detikcom, the online media he co-founded in 1998 and which survived the worldwide dotcom business crash last year.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
KAI to sue truck driver for Rp 10b compensation
KAI to sue truck driver for Rp 10b compensation The Jakarta Post Kebumen/Jakarta State-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) said on Thursday that it would sue the driver of a box truck blamed for Monday's train derailment which killed six people and wounded 30 others near the Central Java town of Kebumen.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Addressing state
Addressing state functionaries From Bali Post The country's reform drive has brought about significant improvement in the way of societal life in Indonesia. In fact our reform has not deviated from its original ideals as some people have suggested. These people, who are ardent followers of the New Order regime, want to maintain the status-quo. I strongly believe that our reform has been on the right track. However, in my opinion, there is some minor points that need our consideration i.e.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Asian monies up, rupiah 3-month high
Asian monies up, rupiah 3-month high Dow Jones, Singapore Most Asian currencies were on a firmer footing Thursday, riding on the coattails of the yen as the dollar surrendered its early gains against the Japanese unit. As in recent days, trading was sluggish and range-bound ahead of the year-end holidays. Market players were also awaiting several sets of important U.S. economic data due later in the global session, as well as the Bank of Japan's quarterly Tankan business survey Friday.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Greater, effective investment in health for the poor, please
Greater, effective investment in health for the poor, please Santi W.E. Soekanto Journalist Bandung santi_soekanto2001@yahoo.com Last Saturday, the second day of the Idul Fitri holidays, when millions of people were in festive mood and celebrating, 14-month-old Nisa drew her last breath on the floor of a 2 meter by 3 meter, bedraggled shanty that her family called home at Sukamulya, Bandung.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Towards the enforcement of Free Trade Zone in Batam
Towards the enforcement of Free Trade Zone in Batam Batam, a comfortable place for investment and settlement Batam is known not only as an industrial estate but also as an attractive tourist resort. The region can also attract investors with its qualified human resources. For these reasons and more it is the correct place for the enforcement of the pending Free Trade Zone Law. Batam boasts modern and international-standard facilities, such as hotels and apartments.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Fictitious projects
Fictitious projects should shame ministers From Bisnis Indonesia State Minister of National Development Planning and Chairman of the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas), Kwik Kian Gie, has said that the implementation of marked-up or fictitious projects in various ministries, should offend the dignity of the relevant ministers. They should launch various strategies in order to prevent and eliminate the corrupt practice that inflicts considerable losses on the state.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Moving towards the Free Trade Zone era in Batam
Moving towards the Free Trade Zone era in Batam Legal certainty for investors An industrial zone with international scope such as Batam absolutely requires sufficient area for further expansion in the future. The Batam Authority has anticipated this requirement by launching various efforts, such as diversifying land use and appropriating land allocation. All these efforts are related to legal certainty pertaining to investments in Batam.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Thailand admits Hambali entered kingdom
Thailand admits Hambali entered kingdom THAILAND: Thailand's foreign ministry admitted on Thursday that al-Qaeda's top Southeast Asian operative, Riduan Isamuddin, entered the kingdom briefly but said he had not established cells here. "He had transit passage through Thailand some time back and exited soon after. We don't know the exact duration of his passage," said the ministry's deputy permanent secretary Krit Garnjana-Goonchorn.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Arroyo to ask HK not to tax maids
Arroyo to ask HK not to tax maids HONG KONG: Philippine President Gloria Arroyo will send a leading diplomat to Hong Kong next week to lobby against the a new tax on foreign maids, a report said on Thursday. Arroyo will send foreign secretary Blas Ople to deliver a letter to chief executive Tung Chee-hwa outlining reasons why the government should not impose a HK$500 (US$64) monthly levy on foreign domestic helpers.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Pelindo II to discuss debt restructuring
Pelindo II to discuss debt restructuring JAKARTA: Port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia II, or Pelindo II, will meet with creditors again next week to discuss a proposal to extend the maturity of its dollar-denominated debt, the company said Thursday. "We will meet again on Dec. 18 to resume the negotiation," Tony Hajar, the state-owned company's senior treasury manager, told Dow Jones Newswires.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
KAI to sue truck driver for Rp 10 billion compensation
KAI to sue truck driver for Rp 10 billion compensation The Jakarta Post, Kebumen/Jakarta State-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) said on Thursday that it would sue the driver of a box truck blamed for Monday's train derailment which killed six people and wounded 30 others near the Central Java town of Kebumen.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
KL utges SIngapore to sign antiterror pact
KL utges SIngapore to sign antiterror pact Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on Thursday pressed neighboring Singapore to participate in a regional security pact to fight terrorism. Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said at present Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand have signed an agreement to share intelligence and establish effective communications procedures.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Import tariff on plastics, chemicals to be cut
Import tariff on plastics, chemicals to be cut Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government will slash import tariffs on chemical and plastic products to between 0 percent and 5 percent in early January next year in line with ASEAN free trade area (AFTA) requirements, the Ministry of Trade and Industry said Thursday. "We are committed to fully implementing the AFTA agreement.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
City to submit 2003 budget to council this week
City to submit 2003 budget to council this week Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The city administration will soon submit the 2003 city budget, amounting to Rp 11 trillion (US$1.2 billion), to City Council, an official said on Thursday. "We will submit the budget in the next one or two days so that the council can start discussing it next week," a financial assistant to the city secretary, Makmun Amin, told The Jakarta Post at City Hall.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Batamindo Industrial Park: One of the huge industrial zones in
Batamindo Industrial Park: One of the huge industrial zones in Batam. Trans-Barelang bridge: A panoramic view of one of the six high- tech bridges that connect Batam and the surrounding islands.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
British intelligence 'misjudged' Bali terror threat: Lawmakers
British intelligence 'misjudged' Bali terror threat: Lawmakers Ben Perry, Agence France-Presse, London Britain's domestic intelligence service, MI5, was guilty of "serious misjudgment" when warning of terror threats to British nationals in Indonesia ahead of the Bali bomb blasts, a report by British lawmakers released on Wednesday said.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Police claim strong case on Bali blasts
Police claim strong case on Bali blasts I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali The police have refuted public skepticism about their investigation into the deadly Oct. 12 Bali blasts, saying they have strong evidence, sufficient to take all suspects in the incidents to court. Brig. Gen.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Astra gets debt reprieve from creditors
Astra gets debt reprieve from creditors Dow Jones, Singapore Indonesia's largest car and motor cycle maker PT Astra International won agreement from its creditors Thursday to restructure outstanding debt worth US$850 million. At a meeting in Singapore, Astra's creditors gave the green light for the company to repay only half of its debt by the 2006 due date.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Police question Carrefour manager
Police question Carrefour manager Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Police detectives interviewed the manager of a branch of superstore Carrefour at Ratu Plaza shopping center in South Jakarta after Wednesday's gas poisoning incident that caused more than 20 employees to fall ill and forced the indefinite closure of the store, the second such incident since early November. Four employees were still being treated in the hospital while the others have been released.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Furniture exporters face another bad year
Furniture exporters face another bad year Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta It is estimated that Indonesia's furniture exports this year will plunge to US$1.04 billion from $1.8 billion last year. The chairman of the Indonesian Furniture Club, Yos S. Theosabrata, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday the prospects for 2003 were even gloomier, with export value projected to decline to below $1 billion.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Orchestra raise funds for its competitor
Orchestra raise funds for its competitor Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Twilite Orchestra is going to perform on Monday for a noble cause: to raise funds to help revive its competitor, Orkes Simponi Nusantara (Nusantara Symphonic Orchestra). Twilite Orchestra will perform a charity concert at Sajian Apresiasi Bank Danamon (Bank Danamon's Appreciation Presentation) on Dec. 16. "Yes, it sounds weird, I admit. We are being asked to play to help revive our own competitor.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Germany changes travel advisories
Germany changes travel advisories JAKARTA: Germany has lifted its general travel warning for Indonesia, but continues to advise special vigilance and caution for its citizens while staying in or visiting Indonesia. A statement issued by the German Embassy in Jakarta said that Germany had changed two of its previous recommendations -- not to undertake touristic or other travel to Indonesia, and the repatriation of German nationals from Indonesia whose presence in the country was not essential.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Group complains of foul smell
Group complains of foul smell JAMBI: An environmental group in Jambi has complained about an unpleasant smell from untreated garbage due to the tardiness of the city administration in dealing with the problem. Director of the Center for Community and Environment Advocacy (PALM) Sigit Eko Yuwono said on Thursday the foul smell had disturbed local residents. The city administration ought immediately to deal with the garbage problem, otherwise it could cause disease.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Influx of foreign sex workers sets Batam leaders in a tizzy
Influx of foreign sex workers sets Batam leaders in a tizzy Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam, Riau The Batam administration has been urged to take immediate action against around 150 foreign prostitutes operating freely on the industrial island in Riau province. Local religious and community leaders, as well as anti-AIDS activists, said on Wednesday the authorities should summon entertainment promoters on Batam for allegedly facilitating the operation of the foreign sex workers.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Where to go in Jakarta: Friday, December 13, 2002
Where to go in Jakarta: Friday, December 13, 2002 Exhibitions * Jukung-Boats from the Barito Basin, Maritime Museum, Jl. Pasar Ikan No. 1, North Jakarta (Tel. 6693406, 6602476), Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., until Dec. 23. * Mask by Gallis and Rakidi, The British Council, S. Widjojo Center 1st floor, Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 71, South Jakarta (Tel. 2524115), until Dec. 31. * Photo Nyanyian Periferal by Oscar Motuloh, CCF - French Cultural Center, Jl. Wijaya 48, South Jakarta (Tel.
Fri, 13 Dec 2002, 00:00 WIB
Aceh peace deal needs competent JSC
Aceh peace deal needs competent JSC The Jakarta Post, Jakarta With Aceh's peace accord now four days old, experts on Thursday called for the immediate set up of the Joint Security Committee (JSC) with completely objective members on the committee or else risk fresh violence and the undoing of the accord. "There must be no delay in setting up JSC," said military observer Ikrar Nusa Bhakti of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).