JP/5/across Five detained in attack on newspaper BATAM, Riau: At least five persons, including a journalist, are currently being detained by the Batam city police for their alleged involvement in an attack Wednesday on the offices of the Batam Pos daily. "We arrested the five for their alleged involvement in the attack," said Batam intelligence police chief Comr. Nasri here on Friday. Police said the attack was prompted by a report in the newspaper about a marijuana plantation in Batam.

Shangri-La wins its court case JAKARTA (JP): The Supreme Court has ruled to favor of Shangri- La Hotel in its termination of 75 former hotel employees who were involved in a strike, illegal demonstrations and occupation of the hotel in December 2000. "The decision was taken on Thursday and it is final," hotel senior manager Wastu Widanto told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

U.S., Australia, UK caution on attacks during holidays Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The governments of Australia, Britain and the United States issued new travel advisories for their citizens in Indonesia to be extremely cautious during the upcoming holiday season due to the high possibility of terrorist attacks. Travel advisories from the embassies in Jakarta warned that their citizens should avoid public places such as churches, restaurants and bars during the holidays.

Traumatized Acehnese refugees still reluctant to return home Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Lhoknibong, East Aceh Khatijah Abdullah, 38, a refugee sheltering in Lhoknibong district, East Aceh, could only manage a fake smile when her four children asked for new clothes for Idul Fitri. "The children are not aware that we are living in an emergency situation. They keep asking for new clothes ... even when getting food is hard for us," she said.

Migrant workers big money for the state The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesian migrant workers have rewarded the government's failure to protect and defend them with a whopping US$1 billion in foreign exchange earnings this year alone. Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea estimated on Friday the contribution from the neglected workers to state revenue would reach $5.2 billion in 2003 due to the increasing number of workers seeking employment abroad.

RI readies for do-or-die game against Vietnam Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia is readying itself for a do-or-die match against Vietnam on Saturday night at Bung Karno Stadium in Group A of the Tiger Cup. Entering Saturday's fixtures, which also includes a game between bottom-of-the-group Cambodia and the Philippines, Indonesia trails Vietnam by two points. Ivan Kolev's side is in third place with four points, while Vietnam has six points after two matches.

More clashes in Aceh as JSC starts its work Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh, Aceh Rebel and government troops in Aceh clashed again in another violation of the 11-day old peace agreement, while a joint committee in charge of implementing the agreement began its first day of work on Friday.

Special police escort for convict Bob Hasan Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta In Indonesia, money talks; even in jail. Former timber magnate Muhammad "Bob" Hasan, a convicted felon, retains his rights to all the privileges the state has to offer, including special police attention.

Drinking water // BOX Correction: In the article Bottled drinking water business thriving on Dec. 16, in the last paragraph the writer says: "Morgen Sutanto, president at Equil bottled drinking water company,..." This should have been written "Morgen Sutanto, president at Equil natural mineral water company,..." --Editor

Firm appraisal to cover women issue JAKARTA: State Minister for the Environment Nabiel Makarim said on Friday that beginning next year, his office would include the rights of women laborers in its environmental appraisals of firms.

JITF meets debt restructuring target Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Jakarta Initiative Task Force (JITF) said on Friday it had mediated some US$18.9 billion worth of debt restructuring deals since it was set up four years ago, out of the total $29 billion in corporate debts that it had been tasked to help restructure. JITF chairman Bacellius Ruru told reporters that the amount included about $4.7 billion in debts that had been restructured this year alone.

Residents sue President over Bukittinggi mayoralty expansion Kasparman, The Jakarta Post, Padang Residents from 12 villages in Agam regency, West Sumatra, filed a class action lawsuit against the president on Friday over Government Regulation (PP) No. 84/1999 on the expansion of Bukittinggi mayoralty. PP No. 84/1999, issued by former president B.J.

Stop the world, I want to get off! The article on the power of corporations toward good governance (The Jakarta Post, Dec. 18) by Yanuar Nugroho was highly informative in many respects. Profit, of course, has always been the main objective of business, as even the street vendor knows that cash in must exceed cash out, otherwise it's curtains. With the profits, obviously comes the power, and that is the area where wisdom is severely lacking.

RI exports drugs to 50 countries DENPASAR, Bali: Drug and Food Control Agency chairman Sampurno said Indonesia was ready to compete in the world drug market, with the nation's medicines currently in great demand in at least 50 countries. He said the country's medicines, which are exported to countries in the Asia Pacific and Africa, contributed some US$80 million to the country last year.

Rp 18b for Bekasi council building BEKASI: The ongoing construction of the Bekasi Council twin buildings on a 2,000-square-meter plot on Jl. Chairil Anwar will cost Rp 18 billion, head of the municipality's Development Planning Office, Toto Soebekti, has said. Toto said on Wednesday that the construction of the three- story building, which will be completed in March next year, was being financed by the current budget.

Cosmetics firm Avon denies reports it is leaving Indonesia Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Cosmetics manufacturer PT Avon Indonesia denied on Friday it was planning to close its factory in the Cilandak Commercial Estate in South Jakarta and relocate to a neighboring country. The public relations manager for PT Avon Indonesia, M.Y. Gunawan, said he had a letter from the company's global office in New York that stressed the company would never leave Indonesia.

Act Together, Advance Together Indonesia not only has a close historic relationship with Japan, but also maintains close relations in trade and investment. Below is an interview with Japanese Ambassador Yutoko Iimura about the Japanese government's commitment to further assist Indonesia in achieving stability. Question: What is your impression when you look back at the last four months since your arrival in Indonesia to take up your assignment?

Once shady Jl. Barito becoming barren From Kompas The South Jakarta administration is building an office for the city parks agency in a green area of Jl. Barito II, Kramat Pela subdistrict, formerly known as Barito park. An artesian well is also under construction as part of the building.

ADB approves $301m loan for RI Agence France-Presse, Manila Indonesia is to get two loans totaling US$301 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to improve its power sector, the Philippines-based lender said Friday. The bank will extend a $161 million loan for a project to expand the country's renewable energy generation capacity.